Word: smug
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...pointed out the dangers of comparing AIDS to a plague. Now, eight years later, Anthony Clarvoe resurrects the analogy and examines The Great Plague in 17th century London. The play's aim, as the narrator explains, is to be of use "if this should ever happen again." From this smug sentiment, the work literally regresses until everyone is sick or dead. This undercuts the play's snappy direction, talented cast and high-profile venue. Hardly prescriptive or inspirational, The Living is monumentally existential...
Avid fans of "NYPD Blue," still reeling from David Caruso's smug betrayal, (forget that Jimmy Smits has been excellent) would have been happy to see his film career flounder. But with the release of "Kiss Of Death," Caruso's career, unfortunately, should take off. Directed by Barbet Schroeder ("Single White Female" and "Reversal of Fortune") and starring Caruso, Nicholas Cage and Samuel L. Jackson, "Kiss Of Death" is a powerful modern interpretation of film noir...
...audience. Even if this were a new dramatic idea, one would still resent it coming from this production. For a play this thematically weak to suddenly try to turn the tables on its audience, as if to challenge some complacency it condescendingly assumes the audience harbors, is offensive and smug...
...Fine. Then he claimed that it was possible that three of the four were wrong. Fine. Then he pointed out that Murray's definition of intelligence is too narrow and that he would probably use a more broad definition. Fine. Where is the "stinging criticism?" Between his jokes and smug jabs at Murray, Gould essentially said that the book could very easily be wrong, and that he thought it probably was. Of course it could be wrong! Murray even said so himself! No doubt there are very legitimate statistical criticisms, such as why he used "R" instead of "R" squared...
...stream-of-consciousness storyline of "Dream" suits its hypnopompic aims; and some roundtable discussions between the actors are hilarious, even memorable. But often the film becomes smug in its silliness and parades its characters in unattractive ways...