(l to r) Wood Harris, Olga Fonda, Charlie Sheen, Luis Guzmán and Jacqueline Bisset, moments before the disaster.
9/11
Film Review by Marlene Ardoin
I feel the pressure to review “9/11” quick, before it disappears from the theaters. The anniversary of this infamous event is over, but with all the current disasters in the news, this story is still relevant and timely, and worth seeing.
Some people are not seeing it because Charlie Sheen fell off their pedestal. I am here to tell you that in this film, I can verify that he has kicked the coke, prostitute and “winning” reputation.
Charlie Sheen is believable as a billionaire stock trader, who effectively defends his right to be.
Based on the stage play, “Elevator” by Patrick Carson, it covers every angle of human behavior in a disaster.
Whoopi Goldberg is solid as the faithful elevator surveillance operator, who will not budge from her position, because she knows that people are depending on her help in the crisis.
Luis Guzmán plays Eddie, the custodial engineer, who becomes indispensable to the survival of the five individuals trapped in the elevator together.
Jacqueline Bisset is Diane, the billionaire’s estranged wife, who is reminded of all his good qualities during the disaster. One minute, she wants him to sign the divorce papers, and in a twinkling of an eye, she is defending him to his critics with vivid examples.
But, the billionaire (Charlie Sheen) earns his right to live. An avid reader, he cites examples of how they can survive a disaster in an elevator.
He points out that he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he sacrificed his own health, his own marriage and his own family, for his success.
Wood Harris is Michael, a Black courier, who reveals his own prejudices and Olga Fonda plays Tina, a Russian mistress, who has reached her limit in such a relationship.
All of these people ultimately realize that if they are going to survive, they need to drop the assumptions about each other and work together.
I appreciated the poetic touches in this film, such as the elevator worker passing the desperate wife without recognition of each other as ashes fall all around them.
The ending is abrupt, but it allows each filmgoer to decide for themselves, who deserves to live or die.
I highly recommend “9/11,” and I am planning to pick up a DVD copy of it for my collection.
Above and beyond worker, Whoopi Goldberg as Metzie.
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9/19/2017 # 9/11
