The idea (a man thinks he has been targeted for suffering by God, so he decides to get his revenge by breaking the Ten Commandments one by one) is intriguing. It's so intriguing, in fact, that this was one of the very rare instances where I happened to rent a film without having heard a single thing about it beforehand, based solely on the plot synopsis on the video cover instead. Unfortunately the film turned out to be a messy talkathon. It is certainly offbeat and beautifully photographed, but it seems to lack a clear sense of direction, of where it is going and what point it is trying to make, and the characters are not sufficiently developed. The writer-director of this film poses thought-provoking, eternal theological questions ("If God is able but unwilling to prevent evil, isn't it logical to assume He is malevolent?"), but perhaps lacks the courage to follow his premise through to the end. (**)
22 Reviews
Although Being One of the Weirdest Movies I Ever Seen, It Is Also an Enjoyable and Intriguing Black Humor Film With an Outstanding Cast
claudio_carvalho9 January 2004
Seth Warner (Aidan Quinn) is a deranged and very confused man, since he lost almost simultaneously his pregnant wife in the sea, his house in a hurricane and his job. He believes God has a plan for him, and he decides to challenge God, breaking the ten commandments, to press Him to show his destiny. After a breakdown, when Seth tried to commit suicide, his sister-in-law and lawyer Rachel Luce (the gorgeous Courtney Cox) invites him to spend some days in her apartment to rest and recover his health. This invitation is made under the protest of her husband, the journalist and scum Harry Luce (Anthony LaPaglia). Many strange events happen along Seth's attempting of pressing God to show the fate He has planned for him. First of all, this is one of the weirdest movie I have ever seen. The story is unpredictable and we never know what is going to happen next. In the middle of the plot, the movie loses the rhythm a little bit, but its conclusion is very reasonable. This movie plays with religion, using a very black humor. But maybe its greatest point is the outstanding cast. In my opinion, Aidan Quinn, Anthony LaPaglia and Courtney Cox are excellent actors and actress, unfortunately underrated in the cinema industry. I have seen many good movies with them, but they are not promoted as other less talented actors and actresses. Courtney Cox is also a very beautiful woman, and it is a great pleasure for my eyes to see her good performance on the screen. This film is not indicated for all audiences, since it plays with religion. Some persons may feel offended with the jokes. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): `Quebrando os 10 Mandamentos' (`Breaking the Ten Commandments)
Title (Brazil): `Quebrando os 10 Mandamentos' (`Breaking the Ten Commandments)
Jonas in Montauk
jotix10026 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
What's a man to do when everything he holds dear is taken away from him? Rant, try to get even, and start questioning everything he has known up that point. Or go one step further, and try to break every one of the ten commandments he has known, as he struggles with a God that has suddenly abandoned him.
Daniel Taplitz, the writer and director of "Commandments", shows some originality in the way he presents this story. He gives us Seth, who is seen at the start of the film with his lovely wife in Montauk, Long Island, at an idyllic spot, where she mysteriously disappears. This young man is at the end of his rope, and we next see him on the roof of his house when thunder strikes.
Rachel, who is Seth's sister-in-law, and her husband Harry, offer this distraught man their home while he recuperates from his injuries. Seth discovers in the process a duplicity in Harry, he never knew about. Seth sees in Rachel a mirror image of his own wife; he feels the solution for solving the mystery of all that has fallen on him lies in that remote spot where we first saw him in Montauk. The ending of the story produces an unexpected turn of events of biblical proportions in which Seth seems to have been cleaned and saved by the same forces he has tried to rebel against.
Aidan Quinn plays Seth, the man who is made miserable by what he perceives is a God that has forsaken him. The great Anthony LaPaglia, again, outdoes himself in the way he portrays Harry, a man of no scruples, and shady principles. Courteney Cox makes a valuable contribution to the film.
Daniel Taplitz, is a new talent that seems to have a clear vision of where he wants to go and is not afraid to show it. While this is not a religious film, in any shape, or form, he seems to be deeply interested in presenting a story, that takes a look at religion and dogma while questioning different contradictions in them.
Daniel Taplitz, the writer and director of "Commandments", shows some originality in the way he presents this story. He gives us Seth, who is seen at the start of the film with his lovely wife in Montauk, Long Island, at an idyllic spot, where she mysteriously disappears. This young man is at the end of his rope, and we next see him on the roof of his house when thunder strikes.
Rachel, who is Seth's sister-in-law, and her husband Harry, offer this distraught man their home while he recuperates from his injuries. Seth discovers in the process a duplicity in Harry, he never knew about. Seth sees in Rachel a mirror image of his own wife; he feels the solution for solving the mystery of all that has fallen on him lies in that remote spot where we first saw him in Montauk. The ending of the story produces an unexpected turn of events of biblical proportions in which Seth seems to have been cleaned and saved by the same forces he has tried to rebel against.
Aidan Quinn plays Seth, the man who is made miserable by what he perceives is a God that has forsaken him. The great Anthony LaPaglia, again, outdoes himself in the way he portrays Harry, a man of no scruples, and shady principles. Courteney Cox makes a valuable contribution to the film.
Daniel Taplitz, is a new talent that seems to have a clear vision of where he wants to go and is not afraid to show it. While this is not a religious film, in any shape, or form, he seems to be deeply interested in presenting a story, that takes a look at religion and dogma while questioning different contradictions in them.
Interesting, dark work
Stalwart20 January 1999
There's good work being done here by the principals--I can't decide which of them I like the most, really, although Anthony LaPaglia's noirish everyday scumbag is the best-written of the three. While the story has its weaknesses, it works fine enough for this sort of unassuming film that tells a story in its own meandering way. Courtney Cox finally comes out of her shell, finally playing a likable character, and she proves a worthy receptacle for most of the camera's adoration. All around, a good date rental for those who won't be put off by the sacreligious plotline.
wha?
Abby-94 March 2002
Warning: Spoilers
An impassioned, possibly lunatic Aidan Quinn is cared for by his dead wife's sister (Courtney Cox) and her husband (Anthony LaPaglia). As he proceeds to break the 10 commandments, one by one, out of spite to God, he raises a lot of questions for those around him. And of course, since adultery is a no-no, we get a romance between Quinn and Cox. The big "deus ex machina" (wish i could italicize that for you) is a convenient hurricane. The ending is absolutely silly. I felt ripped off at every level. And this was because the opening and development, the acting, even the romance, had been well enough done to engage me at every level. The synagogue scene is riveting. The gun play is well timed. And then such an ending? At least we could have had something under water to put us in the mood . . . . and some character development for Cox.
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Hey_Sweden8 March 2024
Aidan Quinn ("Legends of the Fall") stars as Seth Warner, who recently has suffered one major setback after another: the tragic disappearance of his wife, the destruction of his house, and the loss of his job. And, for good measure, his dog is crippled by a bolt of lightning. Assuming that God himself has it in for him, Seth determines to get even by breaking all 10 of the Commandments.
Written & directed by Daniel Taplitz ("Breakin' All the Rules"), this dark comedy-drama is savvy enough to ask some pertinent theological questions, and has some good moments, but for this viewer, it didn't come off as well as I would have liked. Part of it is that I would have liked to see it get even darker, and go into more detail as the unhinged Seth broke those Commandments. Instead, it gets sappy & romantic as Seth falls in love with his neglected sister-in-law Rachel Luce (Courteney Cox, the "Scream" series), whom he initially just wanted to use re: the "thou shalt not covet thy neighbors' wife" Commandment.
The film has an effective offbeat quality, but Taplitz just doesn't follow through that interestingly on a grabber of a premise. It's too bad, because he does get solid performances out of his cast, with Anthony LaPaglia ('Without a Trace') rounding out the star trio as Rachels' slimy husband Harry, an investigative journalist. The character is amusingly scummy, and LaPaglia pretty much steals the show.
While such a film may initially bother some who are religious, it ultimately has enough going on that it could provoke some pertinent discussions afterwards.
Six out of 10.
Written & directed by Daniel Taplitz ("Breakin' All the Rules"), this dark comedy-drama is savvy enough to ask some pertinent theological questions, and has some good moments, but for this viewer, it didn't come off as well as I would have liked. Part of it is that I would have liked to see it get even darker, and go into more detail as the unhinged Seth broke those Commandments. Instead, it gets sappy & romantic as Seth falls in love with his neglected sister-in-law Rachel Luce (Courteney Cox, the "Scream" series), whom he initially just wanted to use re: the "thou shalt not covet thy neighbors' wife" Commandment.
The film has an effective offbeat quality, but Taplitz just doesn't follow through that interestingly on a grabber of a premise. It's too bad, because he does get solid performances out of his cast, with Anthony LaPaglia ('Without a Trace') rounding out the star trio as Rachels' slimy husband Harry, an investigative journalist. The character is amusingly scummy, and LaPaglia pretty much steals the show.
While such a film may initially bother some who are religious, it ultimately has enough going on that it could provoke some pertinent discussions afterwards.
Six out of 10.
Great performances, questionable ending
oliver-12318 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Several recent films have covered the theme of challenging religious dogma, or God, to justify what happens in the world. This one is notable for strong performances from Aidan Quinn, Ahtony LaPaglia (the best, I agree) and Courteney Cox (why can't so many people spell her first name correctly?), and in some smaller parts, and an interesting idea, already covered in other reviews. But the ending is perplexing. Are we to suppose that, having tested Seth Warner (Quinn) to the utmost, God relents and performs a miracle (and it has to be - no one could survive in a whale's stomach, even if he had survived the fall into a raging sea)to let him live again? But, while along the way a possible reason for the death of his wife is given (she has cheated on him with the LaPaglia character), none is offered for why he should be further afflicted. Though described as containing comedy, I saw little to laugh at except the richly sardonic commentary by the LaPaglia character.
The story has it all - death, sex, and God.
lastliberal8 December 2007
One thing I can say for Courteney Cox, she really got hotter with Kurt Russel in 3000 Miles to Graceland than she did with Aidan Quinn here. Not that she wasn't hot, but Kurt got the better deal.
This was a quirky black comedy about a man who lost his reason for living and decided to damn god and break all his commandments. Well, damning god is breaking one of them. Hooking up with his sister-in-law was just one of the ten, but what kept you interested was how he was going to break the "Thou Shalt Not Kill" one.
Good support by Anthony LaPaglia as Courtney's husband, Harry. "I break 5 or 6 commandments every day before lunch." Not a good man, but, you know how that karma thing works. It all ended well.
This was a quirky black comedy about a man who lost his reason for living and decided to damn god and break all his commandments. Well, damning god is breaking one of them. Hooking up with his sister-in-law was just one of the ten, but what kept you interested was how he was going to break the "Thou Shalt Not Kill" one.
Good support by Anthony LaPaglia as Courtney's husband, Harry. "I break 5 or 6 commandments every day before lunch." Not a good man, but, you know how that karma thing works. It all ended well.
Starts out great but looses it
Rammstein-215 January 2001
This film was pretty good, but could have been a lot better. It starts out great with impressive flashbacks, dialogue and scenery, flattens out into an almost boring retelling of the world's oldest and most used theme: good against evil, and then suddenly lifts itself up again in the last minute with a bizarre, biblical ending that I for one have never ever seen on film before. Parts of the film are very well written indeed, the black humor is great and the characters are actually fairly human and believable. But in the long run, the film ends up just confusing and a bit unsatisfactory.
Dark, but too corny
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews11 December 2005
When someone takes such a good idea... a man who decides to break the ten commandments in order to spite god... and creates a movie out of it, I tend to sit up and pay attention. I won't lie, part of me watching this was in order to enjoy watching someone mocking religion(me being a lifelong Atheist), at least at first(when I watched this at age... what, eleven? when it first came out), but I started to see it as a somewhat good satire. However, that's all it is... somewhat good satire. There is some good questions in this film... dealing with faith and religion. However, the film spends too much time on... nothing. Plenty of time passes without anything important happening. And in the end, it's just too cookie-cut and happy to mean anything. It should have kept with the style instead. The whole film is shot very darkly and dreary, every single scene looks at though it's night-time and is seen through the eyes of a natural born pessimist. The plot is fairly good. The pacing is decent. The acting is solid. The characters are fairly well-written, though a few of them are underdeveloped. The whole romantic part of the film(together with the ending) makes it too sweet and pretty. Too positive compared with the rest of the film. As if the writer/director was bound and gagged while someone more positive finished the film and added the romantic subplot. The dark comedy is one of the best points of the film. Very funny. The satire is quite good, as well. All in all, a fairly good film, but not one to make a quest out of getting your hands on. I recommend it to fans of the actors and of dark comedies. People with questions for religion(particularly Christianity) might also want to check it out. 5/10
very black, dramatic comedy
helpless_dancer29 March 1999
Fine film about a man who lost his wife, and as a result begins to question the motives of God. He has all these emotional problems while his arrogant brother-in-law is doing fine while totally ignoring any religious commitments; which the brother-in-law makes his relative very aware of. However, in the end things do not remain the same for arrogant in-law. Nor for the man who lost his wife. This film may bother some Christians at first, but in the end I think this film will be accepted as giving a positive message about theology. The ending was surprising and gratifying.
Undertones of the Movie
dawiz6 October 1998
This movie generates serveral undertones and brings several questions to surface. Main plot of defying God's commandments being carried out in a general way still shows that he is a forgiving God in the way he allows him to get a fresh start again.
I COMMAND you to see this movie (if you haven't already)
IAmAnnoyed29 March 2000
This movie is really good. However, be warned, you will probably not like it if you are extremely religious, as it is about a man who tries to break all ten commandments. You will probably also like it better if you're a fan of one of the actors in it, as the plot is very strange and different, as well as dark. It has mostly romance and drama but also some comedy. The only part I really didn't like about this movie was the extremely unrealistic ending. However, that kind of added a sort of irony to the movie, and dry humor. So, in a nutshell, you should see this movie because it's good. Oh, and there's a dog in it too.
Moses would have been Upset
whpratt130 August 2005
The only reason I watched this film is because Courteney Cox appears in this film as (Rachel Luce), " Scream 3" 2000, and does a fantastic acting job at making her character into a real person. Anthony LaPaglia, (Harry Luce),"The Guys",02, does not treat his beautiful wife Rachel the way any man should and pays very little attention to her physical needs. Harry Luce prefers to play with his stringed instruments and tries to keep the Ten Commandments, but does a lousy job. Aidan Quinn,(Seth Warner), "Stolen Summer",'02, plays the game of Ten Commandments, breaking most of the rules and enjoying every minute of it. If you want a silly entertaining film and great actors having lots of fun acting in this crazy film, this is definitely the film for YOU.
Thou Shall See Commandments!!
IIscr3amII8 August 2002
Whale of a tale
janet-556 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
My curiosity was roused from the instant I heard the voice over. It was undeniably the voice of Anthony LaPaglia... I'm forced not to say more for fear of spoiling the film. The story involves Seth (Aidan Quinn) attempting to break the ten commandments in order to spite God as everything in his life that could go wrong has gone wrong. He even loses his job and home so winds up with his dog (who has a broken leg) lodging with his dead wife's sister Rachel(well played by Courteney Cox). Her husband Harry (played by the aforesaid Mr LaPaglia) is a thorough scum bucket - a role he conveys with evident enthusiasm and thus as such lends the film most of its humour. It turns out that he has had an affair with Seth's dead wife i.e. his sister-in-law. Meanwhile Rachel and Seth have an affair, so it seems no-one is innocent of breaking commandments in this film...The film follows through to an unexpected climax. If you dislike black comedy, or the odd swipe at religion then this is not the film for you. Otherwise this is a witty and entertainingly bizarre film, well shot, well acted and beautiful to look at. By the way look out for Harry's great collection of electric guitars; however I suspect that Mr Lapaglia is not conversant with the instrument. Oh well, you can't have everything!!!
Doesn't Anyone Read the Bible Anymore?
phaeberlen-113 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Buy this movie and put it in your library. If you do not like it when viewing it for the first time, you will.
This film may not make sense if you do not have at least some knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. The theme is a retelling ("midrashically speaking") of the Book of Job. Hence, it is about dealing with innocent suffering, the classic theodicy problem. All of us can identify with Quinn's character. When bad things happen to "good" people, it must be God's fault. How better to describe his despair than the comment that his shoelaces have broken every day for a year! In his mind, only God could arrange such misfortune, and he is probably right about that! Like the Book of Job, the theme turns on itself in the end. The "belly of the whale" scene copied from Joshua is pretty transparent but delicious in a way.
Quinn's solution to his dilemma is pretty creative. I can only hope that his character does not start a trend of copycats.
This film may not make sense if you do not have at least some knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. The theme is a retelling ("midrashically speaking") of the Book of Job. Hence, it is about dealing with innocent suffering, the classic theodicy problem. All of us can identify with Quinn's character. When bad things happen to "good" people, it must be God's fault. How better to describe his despair than the comment that his shoelaces have broken every day for a year! In his mind, only God could arrange such misfortune, and he is probably right about that! Like the Book of Job, the theme turns on itself in the end. The "belly of the whale" scene copied from Joshua is pretty transparent but delicious in a way.
Quinn's solution to his dilemma is pretty creative. I can only hope that his character does not start a trend of copycats.
Thou Shalt Not Watch
DrPhilmreview16 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I can understand why Aiden Quinn agreed to do this film. As bad as it is, at least he gets to get busy with Courteney Cox's character Rachel in a pretty smoking sex scene. But why would any of the rest of this talented cast do this? Quinn stars as a man who's life is shattered when his wife disappears in the ocean. He tries to get past it, then denounces God and decides to break all of the ten commandments to show his disdain.
Anthony LaPaglia is good as Quinn's loud brother in law and Rachel's husband, but they're all trapped in a movie best watched while waiting on death row somewhere. After watching about fifteen minutes of this, I think it'd make it much easier to walk into the gas chamber. In fact, almost anxious.
Anthony LaPaglia is good as Quinn's loud brother in law and Rachel's husband, but they're all trapped in a movie best watched while waiting on death row somewhere. After watching about fifteen minutes of this, I think it'd make it much easier to walk into the gas chamber. In fact, almost anxious.
to holly or not to holly
Lupine19 May 1999
A SELF INDULGENT LOOK AT GOD
Barnabasat4515 April 2001
Being a young widowed man, I was most anxious to see Commandments. Also, if you have read any of my other film revues, you should know how much I enjoy seeing Courteney Cox's work. However,despite all my efforts, I could not find enough substance within this motion picture to really enjoy it
The plot: a recently widowed man fusses at God due to his recent string of bad luck, ie death of his wife, tornado coming from no where and destroying, only his home, leaving his neighbors untouched, and so on. He then decides to break all the commandments as a way to challenge God to sort of a duel?
The photography was dark and dreary, even on sunny day scenes, giving the film a "life is so drab" undertone. We watch as the main character one by one breaks all of the commandments, which include a tastefully executed love scene with his brothers wife, played by Courteney Cox. As always, Ms.Cox's work was most admirable.
I can tell you first hand what being widowed is like, the pain and frustration are overwhelming. Commandments does not hit any of those marks. It is rather a self indulgent film that through black humor, tries to have us take a look at our own belief's. I won't even mention the ending.I will leave that for you to discover. Hey,you may enjoy this film more than I, but I doubt it.
The plot: a recently widowed man fusses at God due to his recent string of bad luck, ie death of his wife, tornado coming from no where and destroying, only his home, leaving his neighbors untouched, and so on. He then decides to break all the commandments as a way to challenge God to sort of a duel?
The photography was dark and dreary, even on sunny day scenes, giving the film a "life is so drab" undertone. We watch as the main character one by one breaks all of the commandments, which include a tastefully executed love scene with his brothers wife, played by Courteney Cox. As always, Ms.Cox's work was most admirable.
I can tell you first hand what being widowed is like, the pain and frustration are overwhelming. Commandments does not hit any of those marks. It is rather a self indulgent film that through black humor, tries to have us take a look at our own belief's. I won't even mention the ending.I will leave that for you to discover. Hey,you may enjoy this film more than I, but I doubt it.
Don't waist your time.
courteney_greene20 June 2002
Warning: Spoilers
One guy gets all the bad luck. He once was a happily married doctor, now everything's gone. After his wife died, he lost his job, his house got ruined,... He wants revenge: he's going to break the ten Commandments. His sister-in-law takes care of him, but she's having problems of her own: her husband's cheating on her. At the end, they find a happiness together.
When I watched the beginning of the movie, it seemed quite realistic. Breaking the ten commandments, they really found a nice way to make it sound believable. That's why I don't understand the end of the movie: after the unlucky guy jumped into the ocean, some people at the beach find him alive and well in the stomach of a whale???
When I watched the beginning of the movie, it seemed quite realistic. Breaking the ten commandments, they really found a nice way to make it sound believable. That's why I don't understand the end of the movie: after the unlucky guy jumped into the ocean, some people at the beach find him alive and well in the stomach of a whale???
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