Sicario second viewing

Still a perfectly crafted and enjoyable film, though the tension dissipates a bit when you know what's going to happen next; it's one of those films where the fear of what MIGHT happen, the possibility of shocking violence around every corner, really keeps you on edge, but that only works the first time through. But the craft is astonishing, and I had a new favourite moment this time, that I didn't even notice the first time through: the great big closeup of the "first pack back," when Emily Blunt's character, under the weight of the stresses she's been handed, stops bumming and buys some cigarettes of her own. It rings really true - I had many of those first packs back, when I was trying to quit, in the face of far smaller stresses; plus it resonates nicely against the whole "drug addiction" thing, otherwise more or less invisible on the level of text (but important to it, obviously).

Strong a film as it is, I doubt very much (based on the two other people in the theatre this afternoon) that Sicario will last a lot longer in its run. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. And those topographies!