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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 December 2018

It’s a narrative that we’ve seen in Hollywood many times – a famous comedic actor makes the transition into drama and impresses both critics and wider audiences.  Think Adam Sander in Punch Drunk Love, Steve Carell in Foxcatcher, Jim Carrey in The Truman Show and Bill Murray in Lost in Translation.  Melissa McCarthy becomes the latest member of that growing group with her lead performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me? and if you believe the Oscar pundits, an Academy Award nomination awaits.

Set in 1990s New York, McCarthy takes on the role of Lee Israel, a gifted but struggling writer.  She had one success many years ago but the royalties have dried up and now, she can barely meet the rental payments on her small, dingy Manhattan apartment.  Her editor (Curtin) suggests she start writing more commercial stuff but the strong-willed Lee is intent on pursuing her niche projects (such a biography about Fanny Brice) and not “selling out” like fellow writer Tom Clancy.

Melissa McCarthy deserves praise for creating a rich, complex, interesting character.  As we see from her interaction with others, there’s a side to Lee where she’s rude, disrespectful and mean-spirited.  When friends try to offer help or constructive criticism, Lee throws up her defence mechanisms and is quick to push them away.  It’s a major part of the reason she lives alone and rarely socialises.  This is best illustrated in an amusing scene at a writer’s party hosted by her editor.

She may sound like a simplistic grouch but Lee is anything but.  The screenplay from Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money) and Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) looks beyond her prickly persona and shows a softer side that yearns for warmth and attention.  Lee has a deep-seeded desire to love but in the absence of a meaningful human relationship, she pours her affections into her passive cat.  There are fleeting moments where Lee comes out of her shell (such as a date with a bookshop owner) but her self-sabotaging nature usually destroys the chance of something profound.

It’s important to note that Lee Israel is not a fictional character.  Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on her autobiographic novel and it’s for this reason that the film’s second layer is both fascinating and concerning.  Desperate for money, Lee starting forging personal letters from deceased authors such as Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman and Noël Coward and then sold them to wealthy literature lovers.  It’s clear she felt more pride than guilt in perpetuating the fraud.  Her techniques (involving multiple old typewriters) and intricate research provided both inner satisfaction and rent money.

The only person in on the sham was Jack Hock (Grant), a rare friend with whom Lee shared a common love for writing, alcohol and negativity.  There’s so much to enjoy about this film from director Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) but the interaction between Lee and the chatty, equally complex Jack is perhaps its strongest element.  Richard E. Grant (Withnail and I) can dust off his tuxedo because it’ll be needed at a few awards shows over the coming months.  It’s a career-defining performance.

Audiences are likely form different opinions about Lee Israel but hopefully they can all agree that this is one of the year’s best films.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 November 2018

Crime thrillers often culminate with a fast-paced action finale where the cops apprehend and/or kill the bad guys.  That’s usually followed by a short epilogue and then it’s fade to black.  The curious twist in Widows is that such events take place during the opening sequence.  Experienced criminal Harry Rawlings (Neeson) and his partners are brutally killed by Chicago police officers after a botched robbery.  These characters, who you think may be the crux of the movie, don’t even last 5 minutes!

Based on the 1983 novel by English author Lynda Le Plante, Widows then asks the question we don’t often see in cinema – what happens to the families of the villains once they’ve met a grizzly demise?  In this instance, Veronica Rawlings (Davis) finds herself unwillingly thrust into her husband’s profession.  A powerful crime boss rocks up on her door step demanding the return of $2 million (that Harry had stolen) and if not paid in a month, there would be serious, likely to be fatal, consequences.

Veronica doesn’t have much experience when it comes to organised crime but she does have a gift from her late husband – a notebook with the plans for a $5 million heist that was never executed.  To link back to the film’s title, she reaches out the two widows of her husband’s fellow gang members to gauge interest.  Linda (Rodriguez) and Alice (Deibicki) are reluctant but given their precarious financial position, they decide to get involved – “she’s got money so we may as well see where this goes”.

There are other players in this large ensemble with a significant part to play.  Jack Mulligan (Farrell) is a young, corrupt politician who is trying to follow in the footsteps of his ailing father (Duvall) and win an upcoming council election.  His challenger is Jamal Manning (Henry), a middle-aged black man with an equally dubious past and a campaign manager (Kaluuya) who prefers violence to diplomacy.  It’s not much of a role but it’s nice to see Australian Jacki Weaver making a cameo as a sinister mother.

Released earlier in the year, Ocean’s 8 was a movie designed to show that female criminals could be just as entertaining to watch as their male counterparts.  It was underwhelming but that’s largely because of the weak script where everything came far too easily to the likeable protagonists.  Widows is a superior film because it feels more gritty and realistic.  These women aren’t perfect and they make mistakes.  This isn’t intended to be the start of a long-term career in crime.  They’re desperate and they’re prepared to risk a jail sentence in pursuit of this “one and done” job.

The film also wins points for great dialogue and unpredictable nature.  Quick splashes of violence and a few cool twists will catch audiences off-guard.  It’s hard to pick a standout amongst the major players given they all have a strong screen presence but the arrival of Cynthia Erivo as an energetic babysitter looking to make a little extra cash gives the film a value-adding spark.

Directed by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and co-written by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), Widows is a winning heist flick.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 November 2018

It was 18 years ago when director Ron Howard released a live-action version of the acclaimed Dr. Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Jim Carrey stepped into the shoes of the famed leading character and the film went on to make $345 million USD at the international box-office and win an Oscar for best makeup.

It seems that enough time has passed for Universal Pictures (who still control the rights) to put a remake into production and introduce the character to a fresh batch of children.  This time around, they’ve gone with an animated version with the reigns handed over to Illumination – the studio behind the The Lorax (the last feature film to be based on a Dr. Seuss work) and the Despicable Me franchise.  They’ve even thrown in a quick Minions short which screens before the feature in cinema.

This is largely faithful adaptation as we follow two characters on a collision course.  The first is The Grinch (Cumberbatch) who has a passionate hatred for Christmas.  Forced to leave his isolated cave and heading into the town of Whoville for some grocery shopping on December 20, he’s quick to avoid everyone and everything.  He destroys a kid’s snowman, he runs from carollers, and he inconveniences a customer at the store.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have a young girl named Cindy Lou (Seely) who has embraced Christmas.   She’s not a big heart which is evident in her letter to Santa.  Rather than ask for a bunch of tangible presents, she asks that Santa help her time poor mother (Jones) who is juggling work whilst also raising three children.

Everything comes to a head when our two protagonists put their respective plans into action.  The Grinch is sick of everyone else being happy and so he concocts a scheme to “steal” Christmas.  He’ll sneak into everyone’s homes on Christmas Eve and take whatever festive material he can find (including presents).  As for Cindy Lou, she’s set up a trap in her living room so she can capture Santa and ask him face-to-face about her Christmas wish list.

This is a cute film.  There’s a great attention to detail as we watch the residents of Whoville go “all out” with their Christmas celebrations.  I’d hate to see their electricity bill given the number of lights that adorn the streets and houses.  They’ve also got a Christmas tree that in terms of size, would rival the giant cow that is doing the rounds on Australian social media.

Benedict Cumberbatch is almost unrecognisable as the voice of The Grinch and it’s nice to see 93-year-old Angela Lansbury making a quick fire cameo.  Of the cast, Pharrell Williams makes the biggest impression as the film’s narrator.  He helps preserve the spirit of Dr. Seuss’s 1957 book by speaking in rhyme when called upon during key scenes.  I also enjoyed the work of the animation team who have created distinctive Whoville characters with large heads and tiny legs.

With an apt release date, The Grinch should help get kids in the Christmas spirit (not that some of them need it) in the lead up to the big day.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 November 2018

I realise there’s value in the message but films tend to be unnecessarily simple when stressing the importance of family time ahead of work.  We often see a leading character spend too many hours in the office or too many days travelling away from home.  Lo and behold, an unexpected event gives them a fresh perspective, they spend more time with their loved ones, and they live happily ever after.

With the greatest of respect to all professions, there are some where the responsibilities of work often exceed those at home.  Can a fire fighter take their kids on holiday when a bushfire rages across his home city?  Can a doctor put down their tools half-way through a complex surgery and head home for dinner with the family?  Can a politician go out with friends for a few drinks instead of entertaining a visiting foreign dignitary?

The Children Act highlights that the role of a judge is one of the most important in society.  Their decisions shape society and have a major impact on individual’s lives.  In the opening scenes, the Honourable Justice Fiona Maye (Thompson) has been asked to rule on a tricky case involving conjoined twins.  The doctors wish to perform surgery to save the life of one child but the parents wish for them to remain joined (despite significant risk to both children).  She must weigh up case law against her own morals in making the most appropriate decision.

It’s clear Fiona has a passion for her work but the long hours spent preparing for cases and writing judgements have come at a cost.  Her long-term husband, Jack (Tucci), has grown frustrated by the lack of intimacy and openly admits that he wants to have an affair.  The film is focused on Fiona’s viewpoint (she reacts angrily as you’d expect) but thanks to the skilful writing of Ian McEwan (Atonement), audiences are likely to feel sympathy for both characters.  It’s hard to say that one is “right” and one is “wrong”.

There’s a second layer to the movie and it involves an urgent case that Fiona has been given.  A 17-year-old boy named Adam (Whitehead) has leukemia and will die within a matter of days if he is not given a blood transfusion.  However, he and his parents have refused such treatment because it goes against their religious views as Jehovah’s Witnesses.  The doctors wish to override the parents’ decision and Fiona must now pick a side as a hungry media show an increasing interest in the case.

The Children Act is both a moving drama and an absorbing character study.  Fiona has had a long, successful career but after decades of specialising in family law, she’s had to develop a tough exterior to help shield herself from the emotive, personal nature of these cases.  That changes with the arrival of Adam and his particular circumstances dwell heavily on Fiona’s mind.

Directed by Richard Eyre (Iris, Notes on a Scandal), the film is headlined by three terrific performances from Emma Thompson (Howard’s End), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones) and Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk).  Their respective characters share intelligent, persuasive conversations as they argue over certain issues.  Jason Watkins adds an enjoyable splash of comedy in his role as Fiona’s hard-working personal assistant.

Offering up plenty to think about when it comes to work-life balance and religious freedoms, The Children Act is a powerful, affecting piece of cinema.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 November 2018

Released back in 2015, the last film culminated with our new hero, Adonis Creed (Johnson), being narrowly defeated by the reigning champion in his efforts to become the heavyweight champion of the world.  You won’t have to sit through another two hour movie to see if Adonis can get his hands on the title belt.  It’s all taken care of in the first 10 minutes as Adonis capitalises on a string of victories to become the new world champ (and a popular one at that).

The focus then turns to defending the title and “the fight the world has been waiting to see”.  Rocky IV (1985) culminated with Apollo Creed being killed in the ring by Soviet juggernaut Ivan Drago.  Now, Adonis will get a chance to avenge his father’s death by taking on Viktor Drago (Munteanu), a powerful, unpredictable Ukrainian Russian boxer who is also Ivan’s son.  It’s a dream for the promotors and I’d hate to imagine the asking price for ringside tickets.

Like the Rocky movies that came beforehand, Creed II isn’t solely about what takes inside the ring.  There’s a strong emphasis on family and doing the right thing.  Adonis is still with his long-time, Bianca (Thompson), who is pursuing a successful career as a singer despite battling with hearing loss.  Rocky (Stallone) continues to offer wise words as Adonis’s coach but his more difficult assignment involves reconnecting with his estranged son.  A few other characters have a part to play including Adonis’ stepmother (Rashad) and his father’s former trainer (Harris).

There was a freshness to the 2015 reboot but this one feels safer and more predictable.  The longer it goes, the more familiar it seems.  It has an overly nostalgic nature in the sense that it continually makes reference to events that took place in previous movies.  We see photos on the wall in Rocky’s restaurant (which never seems to have any customers), we are provided with footage of fights from earlier films, and we see people opening up as they sit/stand in front of gravestones.  Given so much time is spent reflecting on the past, some current day storylines are neglected such as Viktor’s relationship with his own mother (who wins the prize for the most pointless character).

All of that said, the film is hard to dislike because of the two strong performances from its leading men.  I’m not sure how much time 31-year-old Michael B. Johnson spent training for the role but his body will be the envy of all who see it.  He’s some a long way since his breakout role in Fruitvale Station and given the success of both Black Panther and the original Creed, he’ll be showcasing his acting talents for many more years to come.

72-year-old Sylvester Stallone is at the tail end of a long career.  There have been a few flops along the way but his droopy look and slurred speech have always made him the perfect fit as Rocky Balboa.  He doesn’t mind wallowing in a bit of self-pity but he’s created such a likeable character and it’s great to watching the shifting dynamic between he and Adonis as they clash over certain views.

It’s a notch below its predecessor and it doesn’t cover much new ground but Creed II should win over most paying customers.