Audience Member
Even though they share a lot in common, most people won't have heard of this Robert Altman curiosity he made around the same time as Come Back to the 5 & Dime..... Shot theatrically in one set with a small same-sex cast, both stage adaptations involve a controversial/taboo subject matter in which characters confront uncomfortable truths about themselves after an external force crashes in disrupting their uneasy status quo. Set in an army barrack in 1965 where 4 young soldiers are awaiting assignments to Vietnam, this is a tense atmospheric piece where the threat of violence hangs ominously over their heads. The most striking thing about David Rabe's screenplay is his honest take on the issue of homosexuality, especially in the context of the uber-masculine setting of the military, and how refreshing and brave it is, for its time, to allow Mitchell Lichtenstein to sympathetically portray Richie as a practically out gay protagonist. The absorbing performances of the central quartet, featuring a young Matthew Modine, are further enhanced by Altman's frequent use of close-ups, though it means we have to put up with some choppy editing, but little visual flourishes peppered over the film will remind you of the auteur-director at work. Unashamedly theatrical, characters do have a tendency to slip into monologue mode and at almost 2h, some scenes can be tighter as an overabundance of ideas, ranging from racial politics, toxic masculinity, to the futile loss of human lives during war, fight for space with the main narrative which ratchets up sexual tensions and prejudices to a boiling point between the frustrated and trapped recruits. It may not be the war movie that either Altman or Modine is known for, but it's no less intriguing a film and worthy of rediscovery as part of the history of queer cinema.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
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Audience Member
This was made for the theater, the transition to cinema doesn't work at all.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
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Audience Member
An intense and well written drama that deals with matters like racism, homophobia, self-acceptance and the dehumanizing side of war, relying on a revealing dialogue and with strong performances by its entire ensemble cast, especially Michael Wright and George Dzundza.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/14/23
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Audience Member
One of Altman's lesser known works, 'Streamers' still boasts many of the director's strengths. Solid performances from a young cast, an escalating sense of tension between the men, and dashings of humour to lend believability, as well as relief. However the script's theatrical origins do still show, be it sometimes over-worded dialogue or the rather confined setting of a barrack.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
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Audience Member
The string of films Robert Altman made during the 1980s ("Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean," "Secret Honor," "Fool for Love," "Beyond Therapy") were all adaptations of stage plays. Altman attempted to blur the line between stage and screen by sticking almost exactly to the staging, sets, dialogue and structure of the plays. Of course, he brought his filmic sensibilities to each picture, always emphasizing the aspects Altman deemed most important. While none of the films are particularly successful, it's still a worthy experiment. As for "Streamers," it's a difficult film. Unfortunately, it's not difficult because of the subject matter (the Vietnam War, homosexuality, racism) but because the actors over act, the film feels stagey and claustrophobic, and there just ins't anything to truly hold your attention. While it's one of Altman's more complex (failed) experiments it's also a very uncomfortable 2 hours (and not in the good way "3 Women" or "Images" is).
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
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Audience Member
It's pretty rare for me to dislike an Altman film, but Streamers is just a teeth-gritting chore to watch.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
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