Writing the Movie Review
What do You Mean I Have to
Research It!?
Excerpted from an article
by Debra Stang on epinions.com
The Bottom Line

Research probably isn't anybody's favorite activity--it's certainly
not mine--but a little bit of work can go a long way towards
making your review "very helpful."
A few days ago, I was working on my review of Forced March, a
movie dealing the life of Jewish Hungarian poet Miklos Radnoti.
In preparation for writing the review, I watched the movie, then
played it through a second time to note some of the more telling
bits of dialogue and catch the closing credits.
I was especially impressed with the movie’s script and wanted
to credit the writers for their work. The Internet Movie Data
Base told me who the authors were. A website which offers
brief biographies of poets gave me Radnoti’s dates of birth and
death, so I could include some biographical information.
The movie had moved me deeply, and I wanted to be sure I
conveyed its power and anguish.
What do you mean by research?

The dictionary defines research as “scholarly or scientific
investigation or inquiry” or “close and careful study.”
By definition, you will have to research any review you write by
seeing the movie.
As you watch the movie, pay attention to detail. Try to
remember character names, and keep track of plot twists.
Remember to analyze your own reactions to the film.
So now you’ve seen the movie. You know the characters and
plot, and you recognize most of the actors. Furthermore, you’ve
also realized that the storyline is weak, the script could have
(and probably should have) been written by monkeys, and the
actors all look like they are only involved in the project because
someone held a gun to their heads.
Are you ready to start writing? Maybe…but chances are, your
review would still benefit from more research…
It’s All in the Details

The key to a successful movie review lies in specific, concrete details.
Take that movie we talked about in the previous section. Remember the monstrous
script? The best way to show that the script is truly awful beyond belief is to quote a
few of the worst lines of dialogue. Unless your memory is far better than mine, this
often means watching parts of the movie again and scribbling down the most
memorable lines.
Want to give a well-deserved jeer to the writer? Want to compliment the director for
the few good scenes? Unless you know offhand who wrote and directed the picture,
it’s back to the credits.
Another source to check out the people involved in the production of a movie is
Internet Movie Database (http://us.imdb.com/), a huge website with information about
thousands of pictures including new releases. Some movies also have their own
websites which may provide the information you’re looking for.
This obviously requires a little effort than just sitting through the movie, but the
information it can add to your review is well worth the trouble.
So…now you know that the film was written by Ima Idiot and directed by Tritu Saveit.
You’ve got a few of the worst quotes from the script scribbled down on your trusty
notepad. Now are you ready to start your review? Probably… Unless…
The Final Touches

Do you know (or can you find) something extra for your review? Something to make
it truly stand out?
Examples of extras could include:
--Information about the making of the film. Have you heard, or read, an interview
with one of the actors or with the director? Do you know from reading Entertainment
Weekly that the star was arrested three weeks into filming so the rest of the movie
had to be shot with doubles? Was there conflict on the set? Did the two leads fall in
love?
--Source material. Is the movie based on a book or a stage play? If so, have you
read it/seen it? How does it measure up?
--Current events. Does the movie tie into anything currently in the news, or can you
find some interesting statistics or quotes to make the movie especially relevant?
--Historical events. If you’re a history buff, this one’s for you. Does the movie
portray historical events accurately? If not, what does it do wrong? Can you find a
few interesting quotes or figures?
Also, please note that these extras should never form the substance of the review.
They are the icing on the cake; not the cake itself.
A Few Tips for Using Research or Now
That I’ve Got It, What Do I Do With It?

--Work the research into your narrative as smoothly as possible. The focus
should always be the review. For instance, if you’re incorporating information from an
interview you’ve read, you might say something like, “A few months ago, writer Ima
Idiot (best known for her work in the Brainless Romance series) told Entertainment
Daily she had no interest in working on Shriek 3. It shows. Her disinterest is evident
in the lack of plot, the absent character development, and the failure of the script to
rise beyond the level eighth grade locker room humor.”
A general rule—your review should read as if you came by all this information
effortlessly.
--Don’t tell ‘em everything you know. When I wrote my review of Tootsie, I
collected three pages of clever quotes and witty dialogue from the movie. Out of
those three pages, I think I used two examples. Similarly, I found out far more about
Miklos Radnoti and his life than I used in my review of Forced March.
You may find that a lot of your research never makes its way into your finished
review. That’s fine. You don’t have to list every cast member, every assistant, every
fact and figure you came across, etc. But to twist an old saying, it’s better to know it
and not need it than to need it and not know it.
--Name your sources. Some things are common knowledge, or so easily available
that you don’t really need to back them up. However, if you’re stating a little known
or controversial fact, you should reveal your source.
Still Haven’t Convinced You?

Just please do me a couple of favors.
--If you don’t know it, don’t say it. If you don’t know who played the
starring role or what the leading character’s name was, don’t guess. For
instance, please don’t tell me that Olivia de Haviland played Scarlett in Gone
With the Wind. If I catch you in one glaring error, it will be hard for me to trust
anything else you have to say about the movie.
--Give what information you can accurately. Don’t point out the gaping
holes. I’ve read many reviewers who sabotage decent work by saying,
“Well, I don’t know who the director is and I didn’t want to look it up, but he
did a great job.” You can cover yourself much better by saying something
like, “The director effectively used color and lighting to convey the nuances
between good and evil.” Many readers won’t even notice you didn’t give the
director’s name.
Summary
Research probably isn’t anybody’s favorite activity—it’s certainly not mine—
but a little bit of work can go a long way towards making your review “very
helpful” for the reader.