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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 November 2020

Hollywood loves making movies about Hollywood.  I could spend an hour going through them all but the list includes Singin’ in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard, The Player, Get Shorty, Ed Wood, For Your Consideration, Mulholland Drive, The Artist, Argo and the aptly titled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  The Comeback Trail appears to be the latest entry into the club but in fact, it’s not a new member.  The same storyline was used in a low-budget movie that was shot in the 1970s and released with no fanfare in 1982 (it didn’t even go to VHS or DVD). 

This new adaptation, directed by George Gallo, brings together three Oscar winning actors who each have more than 50 years’ experience in the industry – Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones.  DeNiro plays Max Barber, a penniless producer who is desperate for a big hit.  Freeman plays Reggie Fontaine, a ruthless mobster who put up the finance for Max’s last unsuccessful venture.  Jones plays Duke Montana, a washed up actor who is seriously contemplating suicide.

These three have teamed up to make a new corny western – the tale of an elderly cowboy who discovers he has Indian blood and then rises up against property developers.  The catch is that they’re involved for VERY different reasons.  Duke sees it as a chance to reinvigorate his sagging career and make one last great movie for people to remember him by.

The other two aren’t quite as genuine.  Max knows the script is garbage and he’s hoping Duke dies during an elaborate stunt (on the first day of shooting if possible) so he can collect a huge insurance payout and use it to fund a separate dream project.  Reggie is equally dodgy and wants a cut of the proceeds to recover his losses from Max’s previous flop.

In trying to make an interesting movie, it helps when filmmakers are one step ahead of the audience.  In the case of The Comeback Trail, it’s unfortunately the other way around.  You can see exactly where the storyline is going and so when “surprises” are revealed, they’re anything but.  It’s for this reason the film loses momentum from the start of the second act.  It gets stuck in a repetitive lull as we follow Max and his clumsy efforts to kill his leading man (parts are reminiscent of a Road Runner cartoon).

There are also credibility issues.  The more you think about the narrative, the less sense it makes.  The cowboy film looks awful and has an incompetent crew.  It’s impossible to believe anyone involved thinks it’ll be a success.  How they managed to find the perfect camera angles to the flawed stunts in one-take without any rehearsals will forever be a mystery.  It lacks the intelligence and nuance seen in Argo (a much better effort about a “fake movie”).

There’s an early scene where Max notes that if a film turns out to be good, it’s a miracle.  Despite a half-decent idea and the best intentions, no miracle occurred with The Comeback Trail.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 October 2020

The 2020 Academy Awards will be remembered most for the achievements of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite which, in addition to winning three other awards, became the first film not in the English language to win the top prize for best picture.  Given the hype and attention garnered by Parasite, it’s easy to overlook the other four great films nominated in the Best International Feature Film category.  Pain and Glory from Spain, Les Misérables from France and Honeyland from North Macedonia have already been released in Australian cinemas.

The final nominee, Corpus Christi from Poland, is now getting a run here in Australia and it rounds out a remarkable quintet of films that all deserve to be seen.  It’s the story of a young man, Daniel (Bielenia), who has spent time in a juvenile detention centre after being found guilty of second-degree murder.  It was there where he befriended a priest and learned the ways of Catholicism.  I wouldn’t describe it as a full transformation (he’s still a bit rough around the edges) but it’s clear Daniel has benefited from his dose of religion.

Now’s the part where it starts to get interesting.  Released from detention, Daniel is sent to a small town to work in a saw mill (it’s one of the few places where a convicted felon can find employment).  He doesn’t want to talk about his troubled past and so after meeting a young woman in the town’s local church, he lies and says he’s a freshly ordained priest who is travelling across the country.  That single falsehood sets in motion a chaotic series of events where Daniel becomes the parish’s new celebrant.

It might sound like a clumsy comedy but Corpus Christi is a powerful drama that has a lot to say about religion, forgiveness and redemption.  Yes, Daniel is a fraud but despite that and his criminal background, he arrives in the stuffy, gloomy town like a breath of fresh air.  His passion and energy helps unite some of the townsfolk (still grieving from a tragic event) whilst exposing the actions of those looking to create negativity and division (such as the town’s mayor).

When it’s all wrapped up and the closing credits are starting to roll, there’s plenty to sit back and ponder.  Who are the good people and who are the bad people in this tale?  Should mistakes from our past be allowed to dictate our future?  Who deserves forgiveness and who deserves retribution?  The quality cast, headlined by Bartosz Bielenia in the lead role, add greyness to their respective characters and you’ll have think deeply in answering these questions.

Poland is home to a healthy film industry with the population getting behind local productions.  The country makes roughly 40 feature films each year and they contribute approximately 30% to the total box-office – one of the highest percentages in Europe.  By comparison, Australian movies make up less than 5% of our annual box-office totals (highlighting our reliance on American blockbusters).

While most Polish films aren’t seen in Australian cinemas, exceptions are made when critical acclaim is strong.  Recent examples have included In Darkness, Ida and Cold War.  Corpus Christi can now be added to that list and it’s a worthy, memorable inclusion.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 October 2020

A 17-year-old girl, accompanied by her cousin, travels from Pennsylvania to New York to have an abortion.  You could use that simple description in a TV guide but I’d argue it’s impossible to surmise this film in a single sentence and do it true justice.  Never Rarely Sometimes Always is a powerful, complex, emotional drama that takes us inside the world of a scared, anxious individual.  It’s one of the best films you’ll see all year.

Writer-director Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) chooses to use visuals to convey messaging as opposed to dialogue or narration.  We watch Autumn (Flanigan) as she goes to a medical clinic, take a pregnancy test, and learn of the positive result.  We see her dealing with a sleazy boss and struggling with morning sickness as she works as a supermarket clerk.  We observe as she sneaks away from home (not wanting her parents to know she’s pregnant) and boards a bus to New York City.

All of this creates the vibe that we’re standing in Autumn’s shoes and experiencing the same emotions.  The lack of editing and music adds to the sensation that we’re not watching a fictional tale – it feels more like a no-frills documentary shot with a basic video camera.  The lead performance from Sidney Flanigan, who had never acted prior to appearing in the movie, is incredible.  It’s easy to see why Hittman doesn’t rely on dialogue since the expressions (or lack thereof) on Flanigan’s face say more than words ever could.

It’s important for audiences to understand this is difficult to watch at times.  For example, there’s an early scene where Autumn repeatedly punches herself in the stomach in trying to induce an abortion.  There’s another lengthy sequence at a Planned Parenthood clinic in New York City where a counsellor (played by a real-life counsellor) asks a series of tough questions about her past to ensure she’s making the right decision.  It’s at this point where the film’s unusual title, a combination of 4 consecutive adverbs, is explained.

Without spoiling too much, there are parts to Autumn’s story that are not revealed (such as how she became pregnant in the first place).  I applaud the decision of Hittman to not follow convention and not spell out everything for viewers.  As I’ve alluded to above, the purpose of this film is to understand what it’s like to be a pregnant 17-year-old woman when you’ve got no money and no support network.  Background details would only be superfluous.

Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize (essentially the runner-up gong) at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival, Never Rarely Sometimes Always leaves an indelible impression.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 October 2020

Irresistible is a fictional tale that begins with a real-life event.  You’d have to be living under a rock to not recall 8 November 2016 – the night on which Donald Trump shocked many pundits and became the 45^th President of the United States.  It provided a sobering wake-up call to the Democratic Party who lost key swing states including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Florida.

Campaign consultant Gary Zimmer (Carell) is still reeling from the result and is strategizing ways for Democrats to win back votes in the “American heartland”.  His team stumble across a recent Youtube video of a Marine Corps veteran, Jack Hastings (Cooper), standing up in a town hall meeting and passionately criticising the decisions of the long-time Republican mayor.

Gary senses an opportunity.  He flies to Wisconsin, meets with Jack, and convinces him to run in the upcoming mayoral elections as a Democrat.  The town of Deerlaken may be home to just 5,000 people (who all seem to know each other) but Gary realises that if the Democratic Party can win the election, it’ll send a broader message that his party can connect with rural America.

What follows is a dirty, messy mayoral election that unexplainably becomes the talk of news networks across the country.  Realising the Democrats are bringing in big teams and big money, the Republican Party retaliates by bringing in one of their top consultants, Faith Brewster (Byrne).  It reaches the point where the town has been completely overrun by news/political folk and the locals are struggling to find a seat in their normally quiet bars and cafes.

There’s no shortage of great political comedies to come out of the United States.  Any “must see” list would include Bulworth, Wag the Dog, Election, In the Loop and Dave.  The problem with Irresistible is that it’s not selling any new messages (e.g. we know money ruins politics) and, by over-exaggerating every scene, it’s pitching itself to the lowest common denominator.  I was expecting something with more edge given it’s written and directed by comedian/TV host Jon Stewart.

The depiction of Steve Carell’s character is the best example in terms of the film’s zany tone.  He tries to act like a “normal guy” but it’s clear to everyone that his a posh wanker who is detached from reality.  When he arrives in Deerlaken, he’s rude, he’s condescending and he’s using complex political jargon that the townsfolk can’t understand.  This asks the obvious question – how has Gary been a success within the industry for so long and why is he employed by the Democratic Party?  It’d be like getting me to teach chess (footnote: I can’t play chess).

With so much focus placed on Gary’s character, others unnecessarily fall by the wayside.  A lot of good points are made in Jack’s original Youtube video but once the election campaign gets started, we learn next-to-nothing about his policy platform and how he intends to reinvigorate the struggling town.  Rather than delve into ways that American can be transformed for the better, the film falls back on easy laughs (like Carell being mean to a coffee shop owner).

Irresistible represents a missed opportunity to show the world something new when it comes to dirty politics.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 October 2020

Kids will always be shaped and influenced by the views of their parents but at some point, they reach an age where they start to develop their own sense of identity.  In the case of the lead character in Kajillionaire, that moment has arrived at the ridiculously late age of 26.  Her name (a terrible one) is Old Dolio (Wood) and she has spent her entire life addressing the needs of her repressive mother (Winger) and father (Jenkins).

It’s hard to believe the family has stuck together and survived for so long.  They’re all unemployed and so they make a living as petty thieves.  One of their more popular gigs is stealing parcels from post office boxes and hoping they get lucky with what’s inside.  Their efforts haven’t amounted to much.  They’re so poor that they live in a derelict office (the rent hasn’t been paid for months) and they catch public transport when travelling from crime to crime.

At its heart, Kajillionaire is a character study where Old Dolio finally realises her parents are not the people she thought them to be.  The catalyst for change is Melanie (Rodriguez), a young woman who they meet on a plane and then bring in as a partner for some easy scams.  Old Dolio, who never seems to have had a friend her whole life, becomes close with Melanie and starts to re-evaluate her view of the world.

You’ll feel sorry for Old Dolio.  Her dad remarks that she learned how to forge before she learned how to write.  When she goes into a supermarket, her first instinct is to look for security camera locations and determine which aisles are easiest to steal from.  It’s as if she’s spent 26 years in a cult and, with limited exposure to others, learned no morals and developed next-to-no social skills (complete with a dry, monotone voice).

Written and directed by Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know), Kajillionaire is framed as a dark, offbeat comedy that’s loaded with distinctive characters and imagery.  From the crying landlord… to the confused masseuse… to the dirty pink bubbles floating down the walls, there’s plenty of eyebrow raising material to keep your attention.

The performances also deserve a shout-out with Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen) using an unusually deep voice to help define her quirky character.  Oscar nominees Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) and Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment) are also terrific as the two parents and they become more and more unlikeable (in a good way) as the film progresses.

Kajillionaire is both strange and entertaining.  That’s good enough for me.