Category Archives: Drama

Wildlife

Wildlife                 3 ½ stars

One type of movie I like to find are the dramas set in small rural towns in the West, South or Midwest. Usually these films feature characters who face bleak prospects and have troubling family problems. Set in 1960 rural Montana, Wildlife fits that description well. It’s about a young couple, Jerry and Jeannette (Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan) and their teenage son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) who have recently moved to town and are struggling financially. Then Jerry loses his job at the country club, so Jeannette and Joe have to pitch in with low paying jobs. In a seemingly desperate act, Jerry volunteers to help fight the forest fires that are ravaging the area for little pay. Of course Jeannette is outraged at the decision, but can do little to change Jerry’s mind. It is here that the film takes a dark turn as Jeannette meets a local wealthy man (Bill Camp) on her job at the YMCA and begins to see him outside of work. She also enlists 14 year old son Joe in the affair by not hiding anything from him. The acting from Oxenbould and Mulligan is excellent and the representations of 1960 America in the cinematography is spot on. The actions that Jeannette and Jerry take often seem unrealistic contributing to an uneven tone throughout the movie.

The Assistant

The Assistant     4 stars

I first heard of The Assistant when it was released at Sundance in January. I even managed to attend a panel there with the director, Kitty Green and the star, Julia Garner, though I had not heard of them before. Garner won an Emmy earlier this year for her role in Ozarks. She plays a young woman who has recently gotten a job as an assistant to the assistants of a powerful movie executive at a major movie studio. The movie becomes a realistic portrayal of a day of working for a predator who seems to be immune to criticism. We see the woman as she arrives for work in the dark and goes about her work day which includes cleaning up the boss’ office, cleaning dishes in the kitchen, preparing schedules, making copies and taking phone calls. She has coworkers, but for the most part she goes unnoticed with no one calling her by name. She also has the unwanted job of dealing with the boss’ wife, making excuses for his whereabouts. We never see the boss, but hear his voice on the phone as he expresses his displeasure when something is not to his liking. He even makes the young employee put apologies to him in writing when she makes a mistake, pledging not to let it happen again. Eventually, another young woman arrives at the office and it becomes an open secret that the boss is preying on the new arrival, leading Garner to approaching HR with a complaint. The movie is slow and seems very mundane until we get the point of what is being presented here. It’s a realistic representation of a misogynistic workplace and the total lack of power that female employees have in such an environment. One can’t help but notice the similarities that the boss has with the disgraced Harvey Weinstein. The movie is a good production, but not all moviegoers will appreciate the choices made by the writer/director in portraying what it must be like to work for a predator.

Eddington

Eddington                           4 stars

Do you remember what life was like back in 2020, in the time of COVID, the mask mandates, the social distancing and the countless demonstrations for Black Lives Matter? Would you like to revisit that time? Well, in Ari Aster’s new comedy western, Eddington, we get to do just that from the point of view of rural America where there was deep resentment over government mandates and where conspiracy theories proliferated like weeds. Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix (Joker and Beau is Afraid)) is the sheriff of Eddington, New Mexico in May of 2020 when the reaction to COVID is in full swing. He must deal with the anger of the locals along with the normal disturbances. Besides this, he has trouble at home with his depressed wife, Louise (Emma Stone (Poor Things)) who makes creepy-looking dolls and his mother-in-law, Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell (Diane)), who is fascinated by conspiracy theories. There are protests going on in the streets shortly after the George Floyd incident, led by some of the local activists resulting in confrontations with the police. The mayor of the town is Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal (Materialists and Gladiator II)) who is very full of himself. He is trying to get a high-tech company to build a factory in Eddington as that will make him look good. Garcia believes in the mask mandates, but Sheriff Joe wants nothing to do with them. Joe has arguments with Garcia as well as with the employees at the local supermarket. There are rumors that Joe’s wife, Louise, had some sexual history with Garcia and now she is spending time with a self-help guru crackpot (Austin Butler), who has her under his spell. All this is enough to make a person snap and for Sheriff Joe it’s enough to make him want to run against Garcia in the upcoming mayoral election. You may have seen Ari Aster’s earlier movies, Midsommar, about an American couple visiting a violent cult in Sweden, or Hereditary, about a family investigating the terrifying past of their family. If so, then you might have an idea of what you are in for. The movie progresses into a murder thriller expanding into utter mayhem. The characters face some harrowing and confusing experiences that they may or may not have been responsible for. It is all very exciting for the audience but probably goes on for too long. Aster’s movie is ultimately about America’s cry for help in a very troubling time and what a mess we have made of things. You can choose for yourself whether this appeals to you. I find that I am a fan of Aster, so I was thrilled to see it.

The Two Popes

The Two Popes 4 ½ stars

In The Two Popes two master filmmakers team up with A list actors to create a thoughtful what-if vision of a meeting between two widely different individuals who have held the lofty position of the Papacy in the Catholic Church. Screenwriter Anthony McCarten (Darkest Hour, The Theory of Everything) imagines what might have happened if the previous Pope, Joseph Ratzinger and the present Pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio met at the pivotal time when Pope Benedict decided to step down from his leadership position for the sake of the church. Director Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener) directs the meetings between Ratzinger (Anthony Hopkins) and Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) in convincing fashion that makes us believe the two could be friends trying to support one another through difficult times in their lives. The film opens and closes in typical documentary style. At the beginning we see scenes of the Cardinals gathering in Rome in 2005 to choose the successor to Pope John Paul II who had just passed away. The choice was Cardinal Ratzinger from Germany who became Pope Benedict. The end of the film occurs in 2013 when the Cardinals came together again following the shocking resignation of Benedict amid the scandal of child abuse that rocked the church. Here the new choice was Bergoglio of Argentina who took the name of Pope Francis. The interesting part of the movie comes in between in 2012 when the two popes meet and converse about the church, their faith and their respective roles in the church. We also get a picture of what it was like for Bergoglio as a young priest in Argentina in the seventies when a military dictatorship carried out a reign of terror against those that resisted including the priesthood. It’s clear that the two men have very different visions about the future of the church, but at the same time they are very supportive of each other. Even though the meeting between the two is considered fictional, it’s a very interesting take on what these two leaders must be like on a personal level. The film earned Academy Award nominations for both Hopkins and Pryce as well as screenwriter McCarten. Surprisingly, it was left out of the Best Picture category.

My Old Ass

My Old Ass         4 stars

Did you ever think about what you would tell your younger self about making choices in your life, having learned from life experience? This is literally the premise behind My Old Ass which first appeared at the Sundance Film Festival last year (2024). Elliott (Maisy Stella) is a more or less normal 18-year-old girl living on the family cranberry farm in Canada with her parents and two brothers. She has a couple of best friends she hangs out with and is about to go off to college the following fall. One night she is visited by a strange woman who claims to be her older 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation) who willingly came here to see young Elliott. There isn’t any science fiction type of explanation for this time traveling event. And there isn’t any catastrophic event in the future that must be prevented. The explanation for the unexpected visit is more fantasy-like as young Elliott drank some tea with hallucinogenic mushrooms and suddenly, there appeared older Elliott. The initial conversations between the two Elliott’s seemed silly and juvenile to me but later became more interesting. Older Elliott is there to tell her younger self of the importance of family and that she should try to spend more time with her mother and even her brother who she thinks doesn’t want to be seen with her. Young Elliott is full of anxiety and self-doubt like a lot of teenagers, but goes along with this new relationship, which can continue over the phone because apparently phone calls can be made across time. But older Elliott has a special warning for her too, and that is to stay away from Chad, who young Elliott has never heard of before. Later, when young Elliott is taking a dip at the swimming hole, what happens but a boy shows up who has started working on the family farm, and his name happens to be Chad. And so, starts the mystery of what is this guy all about and what is so dangerous about him. The young actress, Maisy Stella, who is new to movies gives a real genuine performance as Elliott making her seem like a confused teen who is just trying to figure things out. Plaza gives her usual understated performance but makes you believe there is something profound going on in her mind beneath the surface. The movie is written and directed by the actress Megan Park and is her second effort at directing. Earlier she made The Fallout. Some viewers will remember her as Grace from The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I found the movie to be well written as it alternates from goofiness to important statements about life and how to treat those we love. The movie was a hit at Sundance and now I can see it is well deserved both for the acting and writing.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

The Trial of the Chicago 7              5 stars

It may be a cliché to say it but if you see one new movie this holiday season make it The Trial of the Chicago 7. While not a documentary, writer/director Aaron Sorkin has put together a dramatic recreation of the 1969 federal trial of the leaders of the protests held in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. The movie is mainly a courtroom drama with eight defendants charged with conspiracy to incite a riot. It blends in archival footage of the Chicago riots and flashbacks showing the protests that started in Grant Park. I was too young at the time of the trial to be aware of it, but I do remember the news of the riots and some of the names of the main participants. While not a completely accurate portrayal of the trial, it does show real events like Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers being bound and gagged in the courtroom and the testimony of the former Attorney General Ramsey Clarke. The movie is supported by several first rate performances including Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden of the Students for a Democratic Society, Sasha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman and Jeremy Strong as Jerry Rubin of the Youth International Party (Yippies), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Bobby Seale, and Mark Rylance as William Kunstler, the liberal defense attorney for the defendants. Frank Langella is notable as the judge Hoffman who frequently loses control of the trial and frequently hands out contempt charges. Michael Keaton makes a brief dramatic appearance as Attorney General Ramsey Clarke who severely damages the government’s case. (It’s too bad the judge wouldn’t let the jury hear it.) The movie serves as a reminder of what the country went through in 1969 and how easy it is to lose our constitutional freedoms and as an education to those who weren’t here to see the events. It’s a safe bet to be nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award as well as a few others.

Argentina, 1985

Argentina, 1985                 4 ½ stars

I went back a few years to watch Argentina, 1985 which is being shown on Amazon Prime Video. The film was released in 2022 and was directed by Santiago Mitre who also directed The Summit. This is a dramatic representation of the civil trial that took place in Argentina in 1985 when the leaders of the former dictatorial government were put on trial by the new government for their crimes against humanity. During this dark period of history thousands of Argentinians were “disappeared” for their opposition to the regime. Some had committed crimes, while others were innocent, but all were systematically executed without due process. The federal prosecutor, Julio Strassera (Ricardo Darin) is reluctant to take the case hoping that the new government won’t charge the former regime. He knows that it will be very challenging as there are many people who are still loyal to the old military government, and it will be tough to find witnesses willing to testify. He would have to not only prove the crimes but also show that the leaders knew they were happening. He is aided by the young deputy, Luis Ocampo (Peter Lanzani) whose own mother still believes in the innocence of the military leaders. Together, they must recruit a team of young lawyers and students to do the research since none of the older lawyers will take on the job. Together this team finds the evidence and witnesses needed to hold the trial. They do this despite the threats of violence leveled against them through telephone, the mail and mysterious men in cars. Most of the film focuses on the trial itself showing the dramatic testimony given by the survivors. We already know the outcome going in since this is a historical event, but it is a testament to the courage of these men and their team in standing up to powerful men. It is more inspiring than even the Nuremburg trials. I only hope that others facing evil authoritarian governments can learn from the examples of these events. My only complaint is that the movie was only available with English dubbing and not in the original Spanish, which I think would have made it more powerful.

I Lost My Body

I Lost My Body   4 stars

To call the animated French film I Lost My Body unconventional is certainly something of an understatement. The 81 minute film tells a story of a young Frenchman in Paris in three separate storylines. The first, animated in color, follows the journey of a severed hand that can move and has senses and thoughts of its own. The hand escapes from a refrigerator and travels through the city trying to find its body. Along the way it encounters many dangers such as a pigeon, a pack of ravenous rats and a playful dog. Hopefully, that doesn’t bother you too much. A second segment is a flashback to the childhood of Naoufel, the owner of the hand, who was a happy youngster, that is until both his parents were killed in a car crash and he had to live with an uncaring uncle. This part is all done in black and white and shows his dreams of the future. The third segment follows Naoufel as a young man (still with hands intact) struggling to survive by delivering pizzas in the city, something he is not very good at. Then one evening he has a brief encounter with a young woman, Gabrielle, via an apartment intercom where he was trying to make a delivery, and he senses that they have a connection. So he sets off to find out more about her in order to arrange a meeting again. Unfortunately, for Naoufel this quest might look more like stalking to some people. The animation is all hand drawn and done in a vivid manner that keeps your attention throughout the short movie. All of the segments have a common thread of dealing with loss and seeking to connect with those that we care about. If the unusual subject matter doesn’t turn you off, I would recommend seeing this animated movie. It is in French with subtitles. As it has an adult theme, it should not be viewed by children. The movie is unconventional and surprising with an uplifting message.

The Prom

The Prom            2 ½ stars

The Prom is the new Ryan Murphy directed musical comedy on Netflix that brings together the talents of Meryl Streep, James Corden and Nicole Kidman performing a string of Broadway type musical numbers. The premise is that this group of narcissistic actors after bombing in their latest production (about Eleanor Roosevelt and FCR) need a charitable cause to give them new credibility. They land their sights on a young lesbian teen girl who is being denied her right to go to the high school prom with her girlfriend because of the intolerance of the community (the PTA, of course). The school happens to be in a small Indiana town, since the writers see Indiana as a bastion of intolerance, I suppose. I just hope that their perception doesn’t reflect reality at this point. This group of New York actors are joined by Juilliard graduate Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells of The New Normal) and proceed to try to persuade the parents to allow the all-inclusive prom that Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) is asking for. While there are a few well done songs, most of them are forgettable. Much of the movie is what I imagine High School Musical must have been like if I had seen it. There is some unnecessary padding of the story with the personal problems of the self-centered actors that takes focus away from the plight of the young kids. Meryl Streep puts in her usual best effort as a privileged diva. Keegan Michael Key is notable as the high school principal who wants to keep the peace while also getting acquainted with his idol, Dee Dee Allen (Streep). Tracey Ullman makes a worthwhile cameo as the estranged mother of Barry Glickman (Corden). Newcomer Pellman does a creditable job as the poor teen who is the center of the scorn of her classmates. The subject of the intolerance of gay people coming out would seem to be out of date in 2020, so I hope it would really apply to an earlier time in the Midwest, but that may be my wishful thinking.

F1

F1                           3 ½ stars

Summer is here and with it comes the time of the summer blockbuster. Leading the way is F1, the very loud and action-filled movie about life on a Formula 1 racing team, the most prestigious motor sport in the world. And of course, a blockbuster must have an A list actor for the lead. Filling that role is Brad Pitt, looking his usual rugged and laid-back self as Sonny Hayes, a veteran driver who gave up the Formula 1 circuit long ago after being injured in a horrifying accident. (Pitt was last seen in last year’s Wolfs which I have not seen.) A blockbuster racing movie also requires plenty of camera shots of fast cars maneuvering around one another and shots from inside the cars showing the intensity of the drivers, all with the roar of the engines filling the room and an announcer describing the action. F1 has all this plus a story of two drivers on the same team often at odds with one another. Hayes is the sixty something veteran who has all the experience and confidence needed to win, while young Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris) is the rookie who has the right stuff but needs the experience. It is the owner, Rueben (Javier Bardem of Dune and Being the Ricardos) who convinces Sonny to come back to the race circuit and save his losing and nearly bankrupt team, APX. Thus, the drama revolves around these two drivers and the team as Sonny has to learn that it takes a team to win and it can’t be up to just one man. F1 deviates from the formula of most racing movies such as Ford v. Ferrari as there is no character portraying the opposition. The other cars and drivers are for the most part nameless faces that furnish the background without being a part of the story. And since APX is one of the worst teams on the track, their objective is not really to win a race, but just to be in the top 10 finishers. So, the premise is not what I am used to in a movie about race car drivers. Some of Sonny’s moves on the track would seem questionable. It’s hard to imagine him not being disqualified for them in a real race. Pitt is naturally at home in the role of the handsome, solemn veteran who can handle whatever is thrown at him, except perhaps for the lasting effects of the injuries he suffered years before. The movie does include a couple of subplots to give it some depth beyond the racing. The team’s technical director is Kate (Academy Award nominee Kerry Condon of The Banshees of Inisherin), an Irish woman who is an expert in her field of designing race car components. She has a few run ins with Sonny, not necessarily confined to race cars. And there is a member of the team’s board who may not share the interests of the team’s owner and seems to have his own agenda. The race scenes are exciting, but viewers who are not familiar with the jargon or the significance of changing the tires for varying conditions may find these scenes confusing. F1 is not my favorite racing movie, but for the action, it is worth seeing. It is of course a good one for Brad Pitt fans to check out too.