Monday, October 7, 2024

Three Beautiful Things 10-08-2024: Mickey Haller Must Cross Examine Himself, Family Dinner at Sam's, Braving the Excellent US Movie *Girl with a Dragon Tattoo*

1. If you've seen the movie, The Lincoln Lawyer, you know that the central character, Mickey Haller, must face troubling ethical questions about the nature of his work as a defense attorney. In the book, The Fifth Witness, he has to confront similar unsettling questions. In my opinion, to lay out these questions in this blog post would also give away the story. So, I won't dig into these questions -- only to say that I found the book absorbing and very enjoyable. 

2. Paul and Carol had a jam-packed weekend and were also scheduled to host family dinner. To make things a bit easier on themselves, they hosted dinner down the street at Sam's, Kellogg's diner. Carol, Paul, Christy, Debbie, and I sat around a table. We were not lively. Ha!  It was a good idea to let Sam's do the cooking for our tired selves. At the same time, eating away from home served as a reminder to me of how much I enjoy preparing meals at home and enjoy the meals Christy and Paul/Carol prepare for family dinner.  

3. I returned home eager to finish reading The Fifth Witness and did so. 

Upon competing this book, I thought I'd be ready to call it a night, but I wasn't and so I decided to watch the US movie version of The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

I had misgivings about watching this movie because the story includes acts of violence I did not enjoy in the book.  I dreaded seeing them played out in the movie. These scenes were skillfully executed in the movie and they unnerved me.

Here's why I went ahead and watched the movie:  I've enjoyed whatever I've seen Daniel Craig act in and the rest of the cast looked very solid. I also anticipated that the movie's frigid, snowy, sometimes bleak atmosphere would work for me (and it did) and I was curious to watch Rooney Mara take on the titular role of the girl with the dragon tattoo, the troubled savant Lisbeth Salander. 

To my great pleasure, the casting of Craig and Mara worked superbly and the entire cast in support of these two leading roles was also superb. I thought it might be this way knowing that Robin Wright, Christopher Plummer, and Steven Berkoff played key supporting roles along with a cast of actors who were also compelling but not as familiar to me. 

Lastly, and I didn't expect this at all, I loved it every time Lisabeth Salander jumped on her motorcycle and  raced it in the movie. 

I am about to make a list of movie motorcycles I have loved -- remember when Maud swipes the police officer's motorcycle with Harold seated behind her? 

That's a good start! 

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