The Bonfire of the Vanities
Plot
The Bonfire of the Vanities adalah film drama Amerika tahun 1990 yang disutradarai oleh Brian De Palma, berdasarkan novel dengan judul yang sama karya Tom Wolfe. Film ini mengikuti kehidupan yang saling terkait dari beberapa warga New York kaya raya pada tahun 1980-an, saat mereka menavigasi konsekuensi dari kompas moral mereka sendiri. Sherman McCoy (Tom Hanks), seorang pedagang Wall Street muda dan ambisius, menjalani kehidupan mewah dengan kekasihnya, Judy McCoy (Katharine Parkinson). Namun, ketika kekasih Sherman secara tidak sengaja menabrak seorang remaja kulit hitam, Henry Lamb (Brad Dourif), dengan mobilnya, dunia Sherman mulai berantakan. Saat media turun ke tempat kejadian, reputasi dan hubungan Sherman diuji. Sementara itu, seorang jurnalis yang kurang beruntung, Peter Vanocur (Bruce Willis), bertekad untuk membongkar kisah kecelakaan tragis tersebut. Investigasinya membawanya untuk mengungkap sisi gelap elit Kota New York, termasuk kekasih Sherman dan teman-temannya yang kaya raya. Saat skandal itu terungkap, para oportunis muncul dari balik bayang-bayang untuk memanfaatkan situasi tersebut. Seorang pengacara sinis, Lester Hooker (Morgan Freeman), melihat peluang untuk mengeksploitasi kemalangan Sherman untuk keuntungannya sendiri. Di sisi lain, seorang sosialita, Marjorie Tanner (Melanie Griffith), mencoba menggunakan koneksi dan pesonanya untuk mengalihkan perhatian dari dirinya sendiri. Sepanjang film, De Palma dengan ahli menjalin beberapa alur cerita menjadi satu, menjelajahi tema kelas, hak istimewa, dan kerusakan moral di Kota New York tahun 1980-an. The Bonfire of the Vanities adalah kritik pedas terhadap ekses dan kedangkalan elit kaya, serta efek korosif keserakahan dan ambisi pada hubungan manusia. Melalui karakter kompleks dan plotnya yang rumit, The Bonfire of the Vanities menawarkan komentar yang menggugah pikiran tentang kerapuhan status sosial dan konsekuensi dari tindakan seseorang. Dengan dialognya yang tajam, penampilan yang berkesan, dan kritik pedas terhadap masyarakat kelas atas, film ini harus ditonton bagi siapa pun yang tertarik untuk menjelajahi sisi gelap dari sifat manusia.
Ulasan
Hannah
Both the male and female leads were appealing, although the film took a while to truly ignite.
Lyla
Okay, I'm ready. Please provide the review you want me to translate. I will focus on delivering a translation that is accurate, reads naturally in English, and is appropriate for the context of the film *The Bonfire of the Vanities*.
Sage
Palma directing this is quite a surprise... While the camera work, lighting techniques, and even the subtle interpretations of human nature bear his signature style, this kind of comedy-leaning film just doesn't quite suit him. Freeman's closing arguments would have been perfect if they had stopped at the racial discrimination point; the ensuing sentimentality was completely unnecessary and actually detracted from the comedic feel. And back then, Tom Hanks was quite the handsome figure!
Raelynn
A wrong turn on a rainy dog walk, a flat tire blocking the way, a social scene hunting gone wild, eavesdropping at a funeral home – church, prosecution, reporters, wife, mistress, each throwing stones at the fallen. With long takes, split screens, and deep focus, Brian De Palma uses his film noir tricks to craft a social satire/light comedy in the era of the OJ Simpson case. The heart's in the right place, but the actors and story just don't quite spark.
Astrid
How successful was De Palma in the '80s that Warner Bros. would indulge him in such a satirical way to offend almost everyone—whites, blacks, the middle class, the poor, Wall Street, politicians, lawyers… It was almost foreseeable from the script stage that this would be the biggest failure of his career.
Grace
A satirical comedy-drama that critiques 80s excess, privilege, and social inequality. Tom Wolfe's novel comes to life through Brian De Palma's direction, featuring a biting script and sharp performances. Bruce Willis shines as the down-on-his-luck reporter, while Tom Hanks brings nuance to the high-flying Wall Streeter brought low. The film's commentary on racial tensions and class warfare holds up today, making for a darkly comedic and thought-provoking watch.
Miles
The Bonfire of the Vanities explores a tragic collision of ambition, power, and morality, where love and redemption meet in the chaos of scandal.
Eric
The Bonfire of the Vanities exposes the thin line between virtue and vice, power and peril in a world where everyone is either a sinner or a saint.
