Richard Gere seems to be carving himself a niche in lead roles in low-to-mid budget films over the last 5 years. They have been variable in quality, with for my money Arbitrage (2012) still the best, but it is gratifying they can still be made in the age of the dominance of the ever increasing big budget blockbusters.
His latest, Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, certainly has some flaws but there is also a lot to recommend. Gere is very good as the slightly down-at-heel but ever optimistic Norman, a Jewish ‘consultant’ in New York, always looking to set up his new deal. I imagine that in real life people doing that job are very unpleasant, but Gere embodies Norman with a lot of likeable qualities, including his own moral code, despite his willingness to stretch the truth at times.
When Norman sees an opportunity to ingratiate himself with an Israeli politician, Micha Eshel (a terrific Lior Ashkenazi) he takes it, little knowing that a few years later, Eshel will become the prime minister. Norman then has the chance to use their friendship to his advantage.
The political and legal shenanigans are all quite believably portrayed and the rest of the supporting cast all seem like fully rounded characters, with very good performances from Steve Buscemi as Gere’s rabbi, Michael Sheen as his nephew, and Charlotte Gainsbourg as an investigator.
Unfortunately though, the story leads up to a big plot reveal that is teased out but is way too obvious, the ending is a bit too neat, and the score tries too hard to underline the film’s quirkiness. Also, a late appearance of a character played by Hank Azaria doesn’t work at all. But it is still a thoughtful insight into this world.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10