Reviews
The Proposal
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Anne Fletcher |
| Written by: | Pete Chiarelli |
| Starring: | Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Malin Akerman |
| Released: | June 18, 2009 |
| Grade: | C- |
Ok, so I admit I’m not a huge fan of romantic comedies. I’ve dished out plenty of negative reviews over the years. You could say that I’m not a romantic. You could say I take these light-hearted farces too seriously. You could say that I have bad taste. I don’t care. No matter how hard I try, I cannot like a film like The Proposal. Let me tell you about it anyway…
As a chief editor at a major publishing house, Margaret Tate (Bullock) is the boss from hell. Her arrival at the office each morning sends the whole floor into a spin. Everyone tries to look busy and they all stay out of her way. It’s reminiscent of Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada.
Her loyal office assistant is Andrew Paxton (Reynolds). He screens her calls, her gets her coffee every morning and he orchestrates her ever move. Margaret treats him like dirt but Andrew keeps plugging away. Why? He’s hoping that his hard work will pay off in the near future and he’ll get the promotion that he’s long been yearning for.
Out of the blue, Margaret receives notice that her visa has expired and she is to be deported back home to Canada. This isn’t good news. Her job is everything to her and has no intention of giving up both the money and the power.
What’s the answer to her problem? She asks Andrew to marry her as part of sham wedding. She can then become a U.S. citizen and a quicky divorce will immediately follow. Andrew reluctantly goes along with the crazy plan under the condition that he immediately be promoted as an editor.
As you’d expect, the immigration authorities are suspicious and are doing whatever they can to expose their relationship as a fraud. It gets worse when Andrew returns home to Alaska for the weekend, with his new fiancé in toe, and has to try to convince his family that he’s fallen in love with his overbearing boss.
It’s a ludicrous storyline and so many scenes in this film feel fake and phoney. There’s one where Margaret tries to rescue a dog from a swooping eagle. There’s another where Margaret is out in the forest with Andrew’s 90-year-old grandmother (played by Betty White) dancing around an open fire. Does anything in this film have a speck of realism?
Andrew’s ex-girlfriend (Akerman) pops into the story for no reason at all and there’s an under-explored sub-plot involving Andrew’s rocky relationship with his father (Nelson). Worst of all, there’s a schmaltzy, manipulative ending where our two leading characters show their vulnerability. Given everything that preceded the finale, I wasn’t buying it.
From an acting perspective, Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock do nothing to help the lame script. I struggled to see any chemistry whatsoever.
I went into this film with low expectations but even they couldn’t be matched. I know plenty of people who will like it but I consider it one of the year’s worst releases. End of discussion.
The Hangover
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Todd Phillips |
| Written by: | Jon Lucas, Scott Moore |
| Starring: | Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong |
| Released: | June 11, 2009 |
| Grade: | A- |
Ever woken up with a nasty headache after an alcohol-fuelled bender? Ever had problems remembering what you got up to the night before? If so, here’s a film for you.
The first 20 minutes of The Hangover is relatively tame. Four guys jump in their car and head to Las Vegas for a buck’s party. They check in at the Caesars Palace, upgrade to a villa suite and head to their rooms to freshen up. The night kicks off with a trip to the hotel roof. They admire the neon-lit skyline and make a toast to Doug (Bartha), the lucky guy who will be married in less than 48 hours time.
Now, comes the fun part. We pan roughly 10 hours into the future. Stu (Helms) wakes up on the floor of their trashed hotel room missing one of his front teeth. Alan (Galifianakis) is stumbling around without his pants. Phil (Cooper) has a splitting headache. The last thing they can remember is going to dinner. What the hell happened? And where is Doug?
I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because The Hangover is a great comedy with plenty of surprises. These guys will soon learn that they had one very eventful evening. Stu realises that pretty quickly when he goes to the bathroom and finds a live tiger looking back at him. How is that possible? Where did the tiger come from and how did it get in the hotel room?
They come across some equally crazy people in their search for the truth and their search for Doug. The wedding is now only a day away and they’ve got to find him in time for the wedding.
The Hangover has been talked up as one of the sleepers of the year and that billing is well justified. The film topped the box-office in the United States last weekend with $45m in its first three days. That’s not bad for a low-brow comedy with no big name actors. Maybe it’s popular because many can relate to the feeling of waking up in a confused, hungover state.
I have to digress for a moment just to point out another one of life’s odd double standards. There’s been a lot of publicity in recent months over football players and their drunken antics. The media frowns upon such behaviour as these people are supposed to be role models for today’s youth. It’s such a contrast from this comedy in which we sit back and have a laugh at the times when we’ve had too much to drink and done silly things. Every argument has a flip side, I guess.
Back to the film itself and yes, I enjoyed it immensely. There’s no character development, hidden messages or anything remotely “emotional”. There’s not supposed to be though. It’s just a madcap ride where you can’t see what’s coming. It finishes on a perfect note with a photo montage to help the audience piece it all together. The idea of a sequel has already been floated and I’m confident that it’ll be in production very soon.
I Love You, Man
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | John Hamburg |
| Written by: | John Hamburg, Larry Levin |
| Starring: | Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jaime Pressly, Rashida Jones, Jon Favreau, Andy Samberg |
| Released: | June 4, 2009 |
| Grade: | A- |
The romantic comedy genre has been on life support for many years. There have been occasional glimpses of hope but my long-term prognosis was clouded with negativity and pessimism. Its heartbeat was a little fainter with each passing day. I didn’t think it was going to make it.
Just when all hope seemed lost… along came writers John Hamburg and Larry Levin with a cure. Instead of sticking with familiar treatments, they have taken the genre, flipped it on its head and given it a good shake. It was a risky move but it has done the trick.
Metaphors aside, this is a really good movie. Most romantic comedies end with the boy getting the girl (or vice versa). This will starts out in reverse. Paul (Rudd) asks Zooey (Jones) to marry him and she says “yes”. They’ve only been dating for eight months but both are ready for a life long commitment.
Their wedding preparations hit a major snag when discussing the best man. Most guys would have several alternatives which they’d weigh up before reaching a conclusion. Unfortunately for Peter, he has no true friends of the male variety. You wouldn’t call him a “ladies man” but he definitely gets along better with girls than with guys.
So what does his fiancé suggest? Zooey tells Peter to get out there and meet some guys. He needs to go out with colleagues after work. He needs to go out drinking in bars. Hopefully, he’ll meet that special someone who can be his best man.
Peter works as a real estate agent and whilst at an open house, he meets Sydney Fife (Segel). Sydney isn’t there to buy the house. He sees it as opportunity to pick up divorcees and eat some free sandwiches. The two share an interesting conversation and Sydney gives Peter his business card. Could this be the one?
Paul Rudd (Role Models) and Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) make this screenplay work. It’s the best performance I’ve seen from Rudd. He’s a nice guy but he has a knack for coming across awkwardly. When finishing a conversation, he tries to throw in a cool-sounding reference but he always mucks it up. There’s also a great scene where he’s sitting at his desk agonising about whether to give Sydney a call. How can he ring this guy and ask him out for a drink without sounding like a weirdo?
Because this is a rather original film, I was never quite sure how it was going to end. That’s a rare occurrence when watching a romantic comedy and it’s another reason why you need to see this film. There a couple of nice twists which you may not see coming. Also, there are plenty of laughs from the supporting players including Andy Samberg (Hot Rod) and Jon Favreau (Swingers).
On leaving the cinema, the first thing I said was “I loved it, man”. I think you will too.
Sunshine Cleaning
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Christine Jeffs |
| Written by: | Megan Holley |
| Starring: | Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack, Steve Zahn, Clifton Collins Jr |
| Released: | June 11, 2009 |
| Grade: | B+ |
Rose (Adams) and Norah (Blunt) are two sisters who have started up their own cleaning business. I’m not talking about regular household cleaning though. They specialise is “crime scene clean up.” When someone has passed away and the police finish their investigation, these two ladies come in a set things right.
This premise alone makes for some funny moments. At their very first job, you see them scrubbing vigorously with toothbrushes trying to remove the blood from the wall of a shower. Ok, so I admit that the humour is a little dark in places. Not everyone might find that amusing. I had to laugh though at a throw-away comment Rose makes about the murder and whether the owners of the house loved one another.
Now that I’ve got the comedic aspects out of the way, I have to emphasise that Sunshine Cleaning is a deeper, more layered film. The reason Rose and Norah have found themselves in this profession is out of semi-desperation. They both have issues and are trying to earn some cash to help solve them.
Rose has a young son named Oscar (Spevack) who has just been kicked out of school. Oscar isn’t a rebellious kid – he’s just a little strange. Rose has also been caught up in a dead-end relationship with a married man (Zahn). Struggling with her own self-esteem, Rose doesn’t have the willpower to break it off and find a decent guy.
As for Norah, she can never hold down a job, she doesn’t have a love interest and she seems to be drifting aimlessly through life. Rose has always tried to help out in her role as older sister but there’s only so much she can give. Also in the mix is their father, Joe (Arkin), who makes a living selling dodgy merchandise to retailers.
This film can be heavy going at times… perhaps too much so. There are a lot of demons in the closet which are revealed as the film progresses. Plenty of tears are shed by Amy Adams (Doubt) and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) in the leading roles. I enjoyed the performance of Clifton Collins Jr (Capote) who makes a memorable cameo as the manager of a cleaning products store.
On the whole, Sunshine Cleaning is a warm-hearted flick which I enjoyed more for its laughs than its drama.
State Of Play
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Kevin Macdonald |
| Written by: | Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray |
| Starring: | Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Harry Lennix, Viola Davis |
| Released: | May 28, 2009 |
| Grade: | A- |
State of Play begins in rapid fashion. A guy is frantically running down crowded streets, looking over his shoulder to see if he has escaper his pursuer. The answer is no. Trying to seek refuge in an alley way on this rainy evening, he is shot dead. An unlucky passer-by also gets two bullets in the back.
Why was he killed? Who killed him? Within a minute of the film’s opening, you’ll be asking yourself these questions. They are the first in a very long list as this flick has plenty of twists and just as many turns. It’s a slick, intelligent thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The man in the film who is trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together is veteran journalist, Cal McAffrey (Crowe). He’s a stalwart at the Washington Post and is looking for some inside information on the murder to publish in his article.
Cal’s focus shifts when a new story develops. A high profile congressman by the name of Stephen Collins (Affleck) has confessed to having an affair with a member of his staff. The revelation came to light after the girl committed suicide at a subway station. If you know the media well enough, you’ll realise this is juicy, front page material.
Cameron Lynne (Mirren) is head of the Washington Post and she knows that Cal has an old friendship with Collins. The paper has been struggling in recent months and this could be just the ideal story to boost sales. Lynne asks Della Frye, one of her young, ambitious columnists, to work with Cal and come up with an “exclusive”.
This is a very busy film. There are many subplots and characters. It could easily have degenerated into a jumbled mess but the screenwriters have done a great job in maintaining a clearly defined story. If the premise sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen the 6-hour UK mini-series on which this film is based. It was produced by the BBC and premiered in 2003.
State Of Play is a topical flick which turns the spotlight on journalists and the way that they go about their job. Which is more important – reporting the truth or selling papers? That may sound like an easy question to answer but when you’re pressed for time and are looking to trump the other media outlets, how far is a journalist willing to bend? There’s also the ethical dilemma of whether to report key evidence to the authorities. A lot of “under the counter” negotiations go on behind the scenes.
This was always going to be a top film given the reputation of the cast and crew. I’m a big fan of English director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King Of Scotland, Touching The Void) and screenwriter Tony Gilroy (Duplicity, Michael Clayton). Great performances are turned in from the entire cast and I’d feel guilty if I singled anyone out for special attention. Their witty remarks and intelligent debates elevate this above your normal Hollywood thriller.
I’ll be honest – my reviews can be influenced depending on my mood at the time. We’re only human. That said, I’ve now seen this film twice and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it on both occasions. Whilst it’s no guarantee, I hope it provides added reassurance.
Terminator: Salvation
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | McG |
| Written by: | John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris |
| Starring: | Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter, Anton Yelchin, Jadagrace Berry, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jane Alexander, Michael Ironside |
| Released: | June 4, 2009 |
| Grade: | B- |
Set in the year 2018, Terminator: Salvation paints a bleak future for the human race. Robotic creatures, which were initially created to serve mankind, have turned against us. They are systematically destroying all humans to prevent us from destroying the planet. I guess we should have done something about global warming a little sooner.
A small number of survivors remain and a resistance is being led by John Connor (Bale). They are trying to infiltrate the robot headquarters and find a way of shutting them down. It won’t be easy however. These robots are intelligent creatures with an ability to detect and track human movement.
It’s not well explained in this film but I should mention that John Connor has knowledge of the future. There are certain things he must do to ensure the survival of our species. Two people are key to his mission. The first is a teenager named Kyle Reese (Yelchin). Kyle is John’s father… in the future that is. John needs to make sure that Kyle survives as he will become an important member of the resistance.
The second is a rather unusual being named Marcus Wright (Worthington). Wright was sentenced to death in 2003 and donated his body to science. He has since come back to life in a new body – one that is part human, part robot. Which side of the fence does he sit? Is he loyal to the humans or the robots? Can he be trusted?
I’d call this film a “mixed bag”. There are some good qualities and some bad qualities. As much I hate the self-indulgent name which the director has given himself, McG, I think he’s done a good job putting together the action sequences. They’re laden with special effects but it all looks great on a big screen. There are plenty of close shaves, freaky looking machines and big explosions to satisfy action enthusiasts. The sound effects are also cool – particularly the strange noises made by the robots.
In contrast, I didn’t think too highly of the storyline. There isn’t a lot of substance or character development – it’s just people running around trying to escape the robots. I usually like Christian Bale but I wasn’t a fan of his performance here. I think he’s too serious and I didn’t care a great deal for his character. Anton Yelchin is more likeable as Kyle Reese. Yelchin is on a roll having appeared in the much loved Star Trek (released only a month ago).
The early box-office numbers from the States have been so-so and I don’t think Terminator: Salvation is resonating with audiences as well as other blockbusters have been in recent weeks. I’d much rather watch Arnie and the earlier Terminator flicks. More fun, more excitement.