The Long Goodbye

"It's okay with me." Simply a perfect movie. All the troupes of a traditional film noir are present here, yet Altman is able to masterfully use these clichés to critique and satirise the genre that dominated post-war Hollywood. However, Altman doesn't allow the emotions of the film to get lost in translation, as there are a handful of sorrowful and impactful moments of sincerity throughout, occasionally grounding the film in realism when needed.  Elliot Gould gives one of the most effortlessly cool and charismatic performances of all time in this, brilliantly portraying down-on-his-luck private eye Philip Marlowe. Marlowe isn't the traditional noir hero, yet he is highly entertaining and an absolute joy to watch. He is calm and extremely cool, yet he also seems confused and almost out of place in the world of the film.  Shot using Technicolor film stock and flashed in post-production to achieve a more muted, less saturated image, The Long Goodbye has a uniquely stylish look to it, which serves to enhance the hazy atmosphere of the picture. This works to perfection, as the film is far more concerned with its witty criticism and deconstruction of the conventions of its genre than with the mystery and tension of its narrative. Both the stylistic filmmaking and the fantastic screenplay - not to mention the absolutely gorgeous soundtrack - help the story to remain thoroughly engrossing throughout. One of the coolest movies ever made. "Yeah, I even lost my cat."