Bonnie and Clyde: Blu-ray Review
Based on a true story, this two part mini series follows the life of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde Barrow (Emile Hirsch), a indigent man who begins a life of crime with his brother, Buck Barrow, finds himself longing for more. He encounters Bonnie (Holliday Grainger), an aspiring actress who he believes is destined to be with him. He captivates Bonnie and their love story undertakes. Only, this story is like no other. The pair set out by orchestrating a string of infamous bank robberies and heinous acts of violence. How far will the pair go until their limits have been reached? Series written by Joe Batteer and John Rice. Directed by Bruce Beresford.
I must admit, this two part series was pretty entertaining. I didn’t get to see it when it premiered on TV, so I did cringe a bit at the thought of sitting down and watching 240 minutes worth of this series, but honestly, the time just flew by! The series began with a scene showing the wrecker pulling the gun downed vehicle of Bonnie and Clyde stalled a few feet from a school. Out come the kids and they make the gruesome discovery that Bonnie and Clyde lay dead in the car. This was certainly a way to draw in the viewers. We were given a back story on Clyde Barrow, the poor boy from Texas who had a fever as a child that almost killed him. Only, this near death experience caused him to have somewhat of a sixth sense about things which was an interesting addition to his character. He envisioned Bonnie as a child stating she would be waiting for him. He meets Bonnie Parker (Holliday Grainger) initially at her wedding, that he and his brother crashed. He kept tabs on her and eventually swept in and made an impression on Bonnie. Bonnie, a fame hungry woman, sees the bad in Clyde as enticing. The two become so involved with one another and lead a life of danger and notorious bank robberies. The movie depicted the two as fair partners in their crime sprees, but it definitely portrayed Bonnie as a very wicked woman. How on point was this story to true history? Hard to tell. I know the basics, well what we all know. But nonetheless, the story was there and kept me curious. Emile Hirsch was a fantastic Clyde. He brought his charm and talent in full force to this character. I thoroughly enjoy Emile’s work and was that much more convinced to watch this series because of him. I was also entranced by Holliday Grainger. She brought so much sass to Bonnie yet embodied the underlying evil within her. She made me hate Bonnie, which means she played her perfectly. And to think, she is English woman giving us a Texas drawl! I’m always infatuated with actors that get so involved in their characters that we forget who they really are in real life. Other notable actors in the cast were William Hurt (Frank Hamer), Holly Hunter (Emma Parker), Elizabeth Reaser (P. J. Lane), Austin Hébert (Ted Hinton), Lane Garrison (Buck Barrow), Dale Dickey (Cummie Barrow), and Sarah Hyland (Blanche Barrow). It was definitely a great mix of actors. I also was impressed with the costume design for the actors. Overall, this was a lively mini series that gave a great back story to the love affair that Bonnie and Clyde held. I recommend this series to anyone who would like a bit more history (and some fiction of course) added to their own version of the story of Bonnie and Clyde. You will be entertained!
Special Features:
Iconography: The Story of Bonnie & Clyde – A great look at behind the scenes of this series and sit down with director Bruce Beresford. You never fully appreciate the creation of these shows until you watch how hard they work to put it together.
Becoming Bonnie – Sit down with Holliday Grainger on her journey to becoming Bonnie and her feelings about the character and the movie.
Becoming Clyde – Sit down with Emile Hirsch on his dedication to the character and his thoughts about the production.
A Legendary Story Revisited – Sit down with the writers (Joe Batteer and John Rice) of the series and how the story came to life.
