Welcome back where the analysis is fresh and trash is good. Your favorite movie analysis podcast is back to talk F Gary Gray’s hostage thriller The Negotiator. Is it a bucket of fun or a bucket of poo? You’ll have to tune in to find out our thoughts on this 1998 action flick. But first, we have to play a game.
This week, we talk about our favorite “Wrong Men”. Arthur thought he had written and closed the book on the subject, but Alex comes in at the last second with arguably one of the better “Wrong Man” characters.
As the analysis gets underway, Arthur presents a formalist/genre reading of The Negotiator. He examines how F Gary Gray utilizes the editing, camera and production design to infuse a sense of urgency into a substandard procedural story. Dalton is next. He presents a look at bureaucracy and the thin line that is constantly walked by those in the criminal justice system. He connects these dots to bureaucracy on a more general scale.
Alex piggybacks off of Dalton’s reading in presenting her ideas. She reiterates the strength of Dalton’s points, before aligning these points with current political affairs. Alex brings up how America’s distrust in government has grown. She is brimming with ideas from her recent OK Policy Summit. Dustin takes things home by discussing the myth of redemptive violence. He examines how violence in this form is used to control people. Dustin then compares the approach of both Spacey and Jackson’s characters in the film.
Well that’s it for this week, Dear Listener. Now, if you’re ready, go ahead and hit play. And remember, you never tell the hostage taker, “No.”
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THE NEGOTIATOR TIMESTAMPS
00:38 – Welcome and Introductions
05:27 – Synopsis and Reviews15:19 – The Game – Favorite Wrong Men
22:44 – Social Media
24:01 – Analysis
50:01 – Shelf or Trash/Else or Instead
57:35 – Wrap Up
Arthur is a creator of content, lover of movies, and father of dogs. If you want to keep the conversation going, then click here to follow Arthur on Twitter. If you would like to keep up with what Arthur is watching, then head over to Letterboxd and give him a follow!
