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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 August 2011

When I first heard the title Horrible Bosses, I was hoping it would be a shrewd exposé of the way our bosses drive us crazy.  We’ve all been there.  Who hasn’t had a therapeutic vent about their supervisor while having a few drinks after work?  I’ll save my horror stories for a less public forum (damn that confidentiality agreement) but thanks to the popularity of television shows such as The Office (both the UK and US versions), we can all enjoy a good laugh at the expense of our superiors.

Horrible Bosses struggles early because of its insistence to portray these three bosses as ridiculous caricatures.  It wins no points for subtlety.  Dave (Spacey) heads a financial services firm and frustrates his staff by making them work long hours and denying them promotions.  Julia (Aniston) is a dentist who has drugged a male co-worker and taken photos of them together in compromising positions.  Um, isn’t that borderline rape?  Bobby (Farrell) manages a small business and decides that he wants to fire all the fat people in the office.  It’s his interpretation of “trimming the fat”.

Whilst the bosses are unnecessarily over-the-top, the film still manages to work as a light-hearted buddy comedy.  Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day play three ordinary guys who are out to get revenge against their imposing superiors.  I’m not talking about something simple like letting down their bosses’ car tyres on a Friday afternoon.  They want to kill them!

Knowing that they’d be one of the first suspects in any murder, the guys come up with a plan to cover their tracks.  Firstly, they’re going to make each death look like an accident.  They’ll need to follow their targets and see if they can spot any opportunities or weaknesses.  Secondly, they’re going to kill each other’s bosses.  That should also help avoid suspicion as the murderer won’t have any direct connection with the victim.

It’s an insane storyline that wanders all over the place but I had to laugh at the banter between Bateman, Sudeikis and Day.  They make a great team and they’re the main reason why you should see the film.  Bateman plays the level-headed one and it gives Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) and Day (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) full reign to showcase their comedic talents.  The film’s most unexpected performance however is turned in by Jennifer Aniston.  It is both stimulating and provocative.

Likely to lure many in based on the title alone, Horrible Bosses should leave you with a smile on your face as you exit the theatre (particularly if you stay for the outtakes).

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 August 2011

A search of the Internet Movie Database lists 21 results for the title “Jane Eyre”.  Starting as far back as 1910, Charlotte Bronte’s much loved book has regularly been adapted for both the small and big screen.  Aside from Shakespeare’s most popular works (Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet), I’m struggling to think of another novel that has received so many adaptations.

This begs the question – why make Jane Eyre into a movie yet again?  The best metaphor I can come up with involves cars.  When we buy a brand new vehicle, we tend to take a lot of pleasure from it.  It’s exciting to be driving around in something new.  Over time, that pleasure slowly fades away.  We become accustomed to the car and it becomes more functional in nature.  The only way to lift our excitement levels is to buy a new car!

That’s the case here.  I could easily head down to my video store and rent the 1996 movie version starring Charlotte Gainsbourg or the 2006 BBC mini-series starring Ruth Wilson.  That’s not what I want however.  I’d rather check out a fresh adaptation through the eyes of a different director.  I’d also like to see if this well-chosen cast can impart their own perspective on these famous characters.

To quickly bring those unfamiliar up to speed, the story is set in the mid 19^th century and centres on an 18-year-old named Jane Eyre (Wasikowska) who has left a troubled past behind and has accepted a job as a governess at the beautiful Thornfield Hall.  The master of the house is the dashing Edward Rochester (Fassbender) and he asks that Jane help educate a young French girl who has been assigned to his keeping.

There is an instant connection between Edward and Jane but both are unsure about how to deal with the situation.  Jane comes from a poor background and she can’t understand why a man with such a high social status would be interested in the affections of a lowly governess.  Her lack of experience with men further compounds her reluctance and insecurity.

Edward is much clearer with his desires and has become entranced by Jane’s simple beauty and candid honesty.  Unfortunately, he can’t find a way through to her well-guarded heart.  A series of strange events and the arrival of unexpected guests will make his efforts even more difficult.

The story is a little too compact at times but the exquisite performance of Mia Wasikowska makes this film stand out.  I’ve been following Wasikowska for the past 2 years having seen her in the great HBO television series In Treatment and in films such as Alice In Wonderland and The Kids Are All Right.  Through her timid demeanour, she beautifully illustrates the tortured, fragile nature of her character.  Those who have experienced the perils of unrequited love will know exactly how she feels.

With its striking set decoration and costumes, director Cary Fukunaga has crafted a worthy adaptation of Bronte’s novel.  This will be enjoyed by those with a fondness for period piece romances.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 August 2011

Often seen with multiple chins, a receding hairline and a stressed disposition, I have to ask the question - is there anyone who can play an “ordinary guy” better than Paul Giamatti?  I’m scratching my head and struggling to think of an answer.  Giamatti’s performances in films such as Barney’s Version, Sideways and American Splendor showcase his often underrated talent.  He’s so “real” that it often looks like those around him are acting.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise but Win Win again proves just how amazing Paul Giamatti can be.  He plays Mike Flaherty, a father of two with a struggling legal practice in New Jersey.  He can’t afford to fix the broken boiler at work and he can’t afford to pay his family’s health insurance premiums at home.  Times are tough and he’s running out of options.

In an act of desperation, Mike decides to take an advantage of a wealthy client.  Leo Poplar (Young) is an elderly man suffering from the early stages of dementia.  With no immediate family to take care of him, the courts wish to remove Leo from his home and place him in an aged care facility.

Mike pleads with the judge that he be appointed Leo’s guardian so that he can personally take care of him.  It may look like a heartfelt gesture but it’s anything but.  Mike’s only interested in the stipend of $1,500 per month that he’ll receive in his capacity as guardian.  After the judge grants his request, Mike absolves himself of any responsibility.  He places Leo in the Oak Knoll senior home and waits for the cheques to roll in.      

When a teenager arrives in town proclaiming to be Leo’s grandson, Mike’s problems are further complicated.  His name is Kyle (Shaffer) and he’s hoping to live with his grandfather having fled from his drug-addicted mother in Ohio.  Not wanting Kyle to ask many questions about Leo’s living situation, Mike invites him to stay with his family.  He can sleep in a makeshift bedroom set up in the basement and visit Leo at the home whenever he likes.

It doesn’t take long for Kyle to start bonding with Mike and his family.  He enrols at the local high school and he joins a wrestling team coached by Mike and two of his best friends.  The team is hopeless but it turns out that Kyle is a superstar!  He was once a top ranked wrestler but gave it away after being suspended at his previous school.

Mike’s financial burdens have eased and his wrestling team is improving.  Mike’s wife (Ryan) enjoys having a teenage boy around the house.  Leo appears to be content at the aged care home.  Kyle is making new friends and is on track to nab a college scholarship.  Is it possible that Mike’s horribly selfish act started a series of events that will be a “win win” for everyone?

I loved this complex story and the way it revolves around the wonderful performance of Paul Giamatti.  He portrays Mike Flaherty as a flawed human being but perhaps that’s why he’s so easy to relate to.  Sometimes we do dumb things to protect ourselves and those we love.  Does that necessarily make us bad people?  It’s a thought worth pondering for those who have seen the film.

Also making an impact on screen is Alex Shaffer as Kyle.  Often when it comes to casting, the producers will find a great actor and then adapt them to the specifics of the role (e.g. Natalie Portman learning how to dance in Black Swan).  It was the reverse in this instance.  Shaffer was already a high school wrestling champion but had no previous acting experience.  You wouldn’t realise it though from his humorous performance as the troubled teenager.

There are a few too many characters (such as Jeffrey Tambour and Bobby Cannavale as the assistant wrestling coaches) and the rushed ending felt a little out of place but aside from those minor qualms, this is an excellent movie.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 August 2011

If you’d taken this story and turned into a re-enacted drama… most people wouldn’t have believed it.  That was certainly the option of director Asif Kapadia.  He could have cast a big name actor and created a Hollywood-style adaptation but it wouldn’t have had the same impact.  Audiences would have been sceptical and left the cinema thinking “as if that really happened”.  So instead, Kapadia and the film’s producers thought it best to tell the story by way of a documentary.  That way, no one could ever accuse the film of being unrealistic.

You don’t have to be a sports lover to appreciate this great film.  Yes, there are scenes involving Formula One but it’s just as much about Ayrton Senna as a person and the hurdles he had to overcome.  A simple internet search would tell those unfamiliar that Senna was a phenomenal driver who won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship on three occasions.  His life was tragically cut short when he was killed in a crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Kapadia’s documentary goes beyond what you might expect and provides a very intimate account of Senna and his motivations.  The film’s producers helped negotiate a deal with Formula One rights holder Bernie Ecclestone to access his media archive and show this never-before-seen footage.  Kapadia and his team sifted through roughly 15,000 hours of video tape and painstakingly trimmed it into this 100 minute feature film.

Some of the film’s best scenes come from the driver’s meetings that were held before each race.  All the drivers are seated in a small room as the race officials and FIA President Jean-Marie Balestre lay down the ground rules.  You can see the tension between Senna and Balestre and it is no surprise that this footage hasn’t seen the light of day.  It illustrates the suffering that Senna endured because of his refusal to “play politics”.

Senna’s career was defined by his rivalry with French driver Alain Prost.  It’s fascinating to watch these two in action and the way their relationship changed over time.  They started out as teammates but that quickly changed as each tried to outshine the other.  You can tell they didn’t like each other but it seemed this hatred made them better drivers – it fuelled their passion and determination.

What I found most curious about this documentary’s style is that there is no narration track, no re-enactments and no modern day footage.  Kapadia wanted to avoid “talking head” interviews and make something that feels more like a drama than a documentary.  It was the right move by Kapadia.  The pictures tell the story and your eyes will be glued to the screen for the entire duration.

Before finalising any “best of” list for 2011, I’d strongly suggest you see this film.

You can read my interview with director Asif Kapadia by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 August 2011

You’d think that a movie that covers both the science fiction and western genres would be a lot funnier than this.  That was my first thought as the closing credits started to roll on Cowboys & Aliens.  It’s an interesting idea for a movie and the producers deserve credit for trying to come up with something a little different.  Unfortunately, the screenwriters (6 of them in all) haven’t done enough to create a plot that is both humorous and engaging.

The story is set in a small gold mining town in the year 1873 but it doesn’t begin like a traditional western.  A man (Craig) wakes up in the middle of the desert with a deep wound in his chest and a strange metal device strapped to his wrist.  He doesn’t know how it got there and he can’t even remember his own name.  After fending off a group of attackers, he slips quietly into the town in search of medical attention.

His arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed however.  The sheriff immediately recognises him as Jake Lonergan, an outlaw who recently stole a large sum of gold from the wealthy Woodrow Dolarhyde (Ford).  Lonergan is confronted in the town’s saloon and puts up a brave fight but he is knocked unconscious by a mysterious woman (Wilde) and wakes up in jail.

With the stage set, it’s time for the aliens to arrive.  A series of spaceships start firing an array of advanced weaponry on the townsfolk just as Lonergan is about to be sent off to the courthouse.  Much of the town is destroyed and many of its residents vanish after being sucked up into the spaceships.  Those remaining must work together to go in search of these aliens and locate their missing loved ones.

It has a few nice moments but for the most part, this is a forgettable adventure.  As I alluded to earlier, this isn’t a story to be taken seriously (nor should it be) but I’m surprised as to why the writers didn’t slip in more jokes to spoof these two well trodden genres.  The plot is weak and too many loose ends were left hanging.

None of the cast make an impact and I was particularly disappointed by Harrison Ford (who I liked recently in Morning Glory) and Daniel Craig.  They are restricted by their clichéd characters and they don’t get the chance to have fun with their roles.  At times, they looked as unenthusiastic as me.

Having struggled at the box-office in the United States, I suspect a similar fate is in store for Cowboys & Aliens here in Australia.  Maybe it’s because the concept is too strange but then again, maybe it’s because the film isn’t good enough.