Category Archives: Wonderful acting

2011, Crime, Detective, Drama, Lawyers, Prison, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent, Wonderful acting

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

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From NetFlix:

Tasked with defending rich lothario Louis Roulet, who’s been charged with assault, lawyer Mick Haller finds himself and his family in danger when he deduces the truth behind this and former cases he’s worked on.

Let me just remind you of where we have seen some of the many, many actors in this film. After that, for the first time ever, I am going to quote entirely an unattributed review of this splendid film which I found in NetFlix.

  • Who could ever forget Marisa Tomei in “My Cousin Vinny” ?
  • Ryan Phillipe was one of the soldiers in Stop-Loss (2008). He makes a wonderful rich-boy serial killer.
  • Josh Lucas plays a pediatrician in Life As We Know It (2010). Here he is a frustrated prosecutor up against his opponent McConaughey.
  • Michaela Conlin has a very minor role. She has played for years in the TV series Bones (2005).

There is no way to know who provided the following helpful review for NetFlix, but thanks, whoever you are:

THE LINCOLN LAWYER is a smarter-than-average courtroom drama. It’s based on a book by Michael Connelly and definitely shows some signs of a full novel being chopped down to movie length. However, director Brad Furman keeps the movie tightly-paced and maintains a good balance between the lighter moments and the dramatic ones. If I were a betting man, I’d put money on Furman as a director on the rise. He did a movie a few years back called THE TAKE, which is also set in LA. It’s a gritty, well-made flick, which I also suggest. As for the LINCOLN LAWYER, McConaughey is (for once) perfectly cast. He’s a smooth talker, as are most of his characters, but he also shows a weariness that’s new for him. Furman shoots in extreme close-ups at times, which gets you in the face of the McConaughey’s alcoholic turmoil. He also does an interesting rotating shot that starts behind an actor and spins fully around them during a take. It was a bit disorienting but was used to good effect. For an average studio movie, this sure has its share of great actors in smaller roles. William H. Macy stands out as the investigator who works with McConaughey’s lawyer. Bryan Cranston from “Breaking Bad” has a small role as cop who’s not keen on ole Matthew, and he’s so good I wished for more of him. I love Marisa Tomei, but her character feels like it was more developed in the book though. Overall, the movie is well-shot, gritty but polished, funny and tense, and a fresh spin on an old story. I’ve seen movies about lawyers with a conscience before, but never has the predicament seemed so real and complex. I honestly had no idea how this lawyer would be able to get himself out of the jam he’s in. For once, it’s nice to have a movie one step ahead of the audience.

2009, Drama, Mafia, Suspense, Violent, Wonderful acting

Killshot (2009)

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From NetFlix:

After witnessing a violent shakedown, husband and wife Carmen and Wayne Colson (Diane Lane and Thomas Jane) enter the Federal Witness Protection program. But with an experienced hit man (Mickey Rourke) and a rookie killer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on their heels, hiding out will be more difficult than they thought. Rosario Dawson and Johnny Knoxville co-star in this adaptation of a novel by pulp writer Elmore Leonard.

Excellent acting and two good simultaneous story threads make this suspenseful thriller a film really worth seeing.

Thread number one involves two sociopathic killers: Mickey Rourke plays his trademark brooding menace (who is in control of himself) whereas Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb and disgusting as a sociopath way out of control. Rourke is well-known, he was central to “The Wrestler”. Gordon-Levitt was Arthur in Inception (2010).

Thread number two centers around a 15-year marriage currently having its difficulties for several reasons (for example, they could not have children). Diane Lane (Penney Chenery in Secretariat (2010)) is unhappy and is insisting on a trial separation. Thomas Jane (of Hung (2009) infamy) loves her and wants desperately to get back together.

Nitpiks:

  • Thomas Jane is too much the superman.
  • Why on earth would the couple go into witness protection and leave their new phone number with her mother ?
  • Funny how Thomas Jane can suddenly turn up when needed !

Just grip the sides of your chair and enjoy the wonderful suspense.

2010, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Love Story, Nudity, Sex Scenes, Vulgar, Wonderful acting

Barney’s Version (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti stars as Barney Panofsky, a Jewish Canadian television producer who reflects in flashbacks on three strange decades — and three wives — in this adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s acclaimed novel. There’s Clara (Rachelle Lefevre), a free-spirited proponent of free love; “Mrs. P” (Minnie Driver), a self-centered princess; and Miriam (Rosamund Pike), the right woman who comes along at the wrong time.

Paul Giamatti has made many wonderful films but I suspect he will be remembered best for this masterful portrayal of a contemporary scum-bag. Even while he is betraying wives or murdering his best friend, he does it with such panache that it is just plain fun to watch.

And what is it about this physically unattractive rogue that captivates three such women ? Rachelle Lefevre (Dr. Ryan Clark in the TV series “Off the Map”) is gorgeous. Minnie Driver is a perfect Jewish American Princess. Finally Rosamund Pike (one of the Bennet sisters, Jane, in the 2005 “Pride and Prejudice”) is amazing as a beautiful, warm, mature woman.

Giamatti’s facial expressions are fascinating. Do not miss his wicked smile at the precise moment in which he realizes that his best friend (Scott Speedman, Spencer in “Good Neighbors”) has just had sex with wife number two, thereby giving him ammunition to divorce said wife.

In 2010 Dustin Hoffman was 73 years old while Giamatti was 43. Dustin Hoffman doesn’t look that old to me. In any case the father-son relation was touching. Giamatti laughs when he father dies for a reason that escaped me. Under what circumstances did the father die ?

My no-spoiler policy precludes me from discussing the end of the story. But be prepared for a surprising denouement.

DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!

2010, Acceptable for children, Based on true facts, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good For All, Wonderful acting

The Company Men (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Written, directed and produced by John Wells (“The West Wing”), this indie drama stars Ben Affleck as a successful businessman who comes face-to-face with America’s downsizing epidemic when he loses his job and is forced to take a construction gig. Rounding out the all-star cast are Kevin Costner as Affleck’s brother-in-law, Tommy Lee Jones as a conflicted corporate bigwig and Chris Cooper as a paranoid executive.

Films like this make me glad to be retired. Somehow the corporate world seems to get uglier every day. Indeed this film hits the nail on the head. Not only are the situations all too real, but the reactions of the jobless are sadly true to form. Superb acting makes the film a pleasure to watch, despite all the unhappiness.

Some of the men do not survive. Interestingly enough in one such case the wife cannot accept the loss of status and demands that her jobless husband leave the house each day with a briefcase and never return until evening. What would the neighbors think ? There is a similar theme in the British film “The Full Monty”.

Let us hope that it is believable and does happen that some wives (as in the case of Ben Affleck) not only accept the downsizing but help their husbands with the adjustment and the reality check. Affleck’s character gets it right as someone who refuses to accept change but gradually softens to the point that he accepts a job from his builder brother-in-law (Kevin Costner playing his part well).

Additionally I would like to believe that many jobless find a way to fight back in the sense that they have enough self-confidence to begin something new and trust in the future.

Tommy Lee Jones has often played in films that somehow preach on a subject and this film is no exception.

Hats off to Craig T. Nelson who delivers a perfect performance as a corporate swine who fires his own best friend and could care less.

Finally this film is actually a feel-good (at least for some characters).

2011, Acceptable for children, Classic, Drama, Love Story, Wonderful acting, Wonderful photography

Jane Eyre (2011)

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From NetFlix:

Driven from her post at Thornfield House by her love for her brooding employer and his secret past, young governess Jane Eyre reflects on her youth and the events that led her to the misty moors in this artful adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel.

Visually, this film is easily one of the most beautifully photographed films I have ever seen. Every scene is almost a work of art with very little repetition of sites. Attention to detail, especially the clothing, was paramount. Northern British landscapes are desolate beauty themselves.

Once again you should read the Wikipedia article for all the details. Of those details I repeat the following:

  • “Although they estimated the setting was the late 1830s, they settled on four to five years later in 1843. Fukunaga commented that “the clothing style of the ’30s was just awful. Every woman looked like a wedding cake.” However, they decided to allow a few characters in older fashions to reflect that some would not have updated their style.”
  • He looked at some 60 residences for one to represent Thornfield Hall but settled on the previously-used Haddon Hall as it had not undergone much redecorating.
  • The conditions were very cold and Fukunaga admitted that Wasikowska nearly got hypothermia on the second day while shooting the rain sequence.

“Jane Eyre” the novel is too long to be filmed literally. For this version be aware that following the filming fashion of our era (2011) the scenes are not in chronological order. After awhile (and possibly some discussion with someone else) you can put the pieces together. In fact some scenes are repeated and make sense the second viewing.

As far as characters are concerned:

  • Wife Kathy objects that Michael Fassbender is too handsome for the part because in the novel Mr. Rochester is supposed to be homely and somewhat brutish. He is an older man in comparison to young Jane. In reality during the filming Fassbender (Stelios in “300”) was 34.
  • Mia Wasikowska as Jane was perfect. She used little makeup and presented the very young girl that Jane was supposed to be. During filming she was 22 years old. Jane’s age is somewhere between 18 and 20.
  • Jamie Bell (the minister who saved Jane’s life) in this film was 25 years old. Eleven years ago he was a mere 14 year old who was “Billy Elliott” (a must-see film).
  • And Judy Dench played Judy Dench

For Brontë lovers, this film is also a must-see.

2003, Complicated, Drama, Drugs, Grim, Medical Theme, Non-physical Violence, Not Feel Good, Nudity, Plot Twist, Prison, Redemption, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent, Wonderful acting

21 Grams (2003)

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From NetFlix:

A tragic car accident brings together three strangers — a teacher (Sean Penn) with a weak heart, a former drug addict (Naomi Watts) turned housewife and an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro) who’s found Christ — forcing them to face their darkest fears, reevaluate their lives and seek redemption. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu directed this complex drama that earned Oscar nominations for lead actress Watts and supporting actor Del Toro.

Mexican directory Alejandro González Iñárritu is known for possibly disturbing films such as “Babel”, “Amores Perros”, “21 Grams”, and “Biutiful”. His “Nine Lives” did not please me very much.

“21 Grams” is a jigsaw puzzle. Scene sequences are scrambled and you eventually have to figure out what the complete story really is. Some scenes are repeated such that on a succeeding viewing you finally understand what that scene means. Not that the scrambling is random, rather the non-linear sequencing is done very well. What really keeps the film moving is the sudden changes in scene without any warning. Expect some sudden surprising plot twists.

Violence, infidelity, ill health, forgiveness, and possibly redemption are the major themes.

“Redemption” is debatable because Del Toro’s character possibly never forgives himself for what he has done (we are talking ambiguity here). He certainly was a horrible father in addition to his other shortcomings. His little son does a great job showing that he had to keep himself distant from his capricious and often violent father. His daughter accepts him unconditionally.

Sean Penn seemed to me a basically selfish man, mostly concerned with his identity (“who am I with this newly transplanted heart ?”). He finds it easy to abandon the woman who loves him.

Naomi Watts’ character asks the question: “How possible is it to forgive someone who killed your loved ones ?” Watching her life go down the drain is no fun.

Interest never flags in this intense, worthwhile, demanding film.

2002, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Feel Good For All, Love Story, Quiet, Sex Scenes, Wonderful acting

Moonlight Mile (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman co-star as the grieving mother and father of a recently deceased girl who take in their daughter’s fiancé (Jake Gyllenhaal) because he’s the only living connection they have to their only child. Problems arise when the young man falls in love with a woman (Ellen Pompeo) whose boyfriend has gone missing, prompting his former in-laws-to-be to come to grips with the new relationship.

When this film was made in 2002, Jake Gyllenhaal was a mere 22 years old and Ellen Pompeo (Dr. Meredith Grey in “Grey’s Anatomy”) was 33 years old. She did not seem in the film to be that much older than Gyllenhaal. For me it is still shocking to watch an older film and see how young the actors look (even 9 years ago).

Here we have the perfect date movie that offers everything: love story, sad tragedies and humor (Susan Sarandon shoots off some wonderfully acerbic comments about the stupid things people say to you when someone you love dies). You might even shed a tear or two in some of the (possibly) more maudlin scenes.

Children should not be affected by the quiet, tasteful love-making.

“Acting by not acting” is an accusation I often hurl at actors who use their facial expressions (blank or otherwise) instead of saying anything. Perhaps I am harsh or just plain wrong. At any rate Gyllenhaal gets away with this technique which really seems to work for him.

“Moonlight Mile” is the name of a song in a jukebox that has meaning for Ellen Pompeo.

Oh, wait there’s more: you even get a happy ending.

2010, Could Be Sad, Drama, Play Adaptation, Wonderful acting

Rabbit Hole (2010)

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From NetFlix:

In this raw drama based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) grapple with the realities of life eight months after the death of their 4-year-old son, Danny. Even with Becca’s well-meaning mother (Dianne Wiest) offering comfort and weekly group therapy always available, the couple go about their own secret ways of coping. John Cameron Mitchell directs.

For a long time I resisted seeing this film because the underlying theme, the loss of a young child in an automobile mishap, is very difficult. Who knows how each of us would react in such a situation ? In fact, it took me a while to commiserate with Becca (Nicole Kidman) because she seemed to resist the healing process whereas her husband Howie (Aaron Eckhart) was desperate to work together for their life ahead without their son Danny.

All the acting was splendid. But hats off to all the wonderful supporting actors, each of whom did a great job:

  • Dianne Wiest (Becca’s mother) occupies a special place in my heart. We have seen her warm loving smile not only as a DA on “Law and Order” but also as the psychiatrist’s psychiatrist in “In Treatment”.
  • Sandra Oh (a mourning mother in the support group) we have seen as Patti in “Under the Tuscan Sun” and as Stephanie in “Sideways”.
  • Miles Teller is a young newcomer who delivers a pitch perfect performance as the teenager who accidentally killed Danny.
  • Jon Tenney is agent Rick Howard in “The Closer”. His part in this film is minimal but I was glad to see him as something besides the Closer’s FBI husband. He actually has a long list of credits beginning with 1986.

Congratulations to Eckhart (age 43) and Tenney (age 50) for staying in good physical shape while so many actors and actresses allow themselves to put on weight. But after all, folks, shouldn’t your acting profession require a lot of maintenance ?

If you have ever experienced such a dreadful loss, I can only believe that this marvelous film might be a very helpful view into the lives of a couple who have suffered similarly.

2010, Conspiracy, Could Be Hard To Watch, Cowboy, Dark, DO NOT MISS, Grim, Plot Twist, Revenge, Suspense, Violent, Western, Wonderful acting

Red Hill (2010)

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From NetFlix:

After being shot on duty, police officer Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten) moves with his pregnant wife to the quiet Outback town of Red Hill, where surly sheriff Old Bill (Steve Bisley) is downright unfriendly and Shane’s first day on the job turns into the worst day of his life. When killer Jimmy Conway (Tommy Lewis) escapes from jail and heads for Red Hill, the police try to track the skilled hunter, and Shane soon realizes something is very wrong.

Not a detail is out of place in this suspenseful and violent Australian cowboy sheriff film about an aborigine escaped from prison and intent on killing every single lawman in the dying town of Red Hill.

Ryan Kwanten is the only actor I will remember from this film and he was terrific. Those of you with vampire tastes will recall that Ryan Kwanten was the irrepressible Jason Stockhouse in the TV series True Blood (2008). His tender scenes with his very pregnant wife are touching. My only objection is that he is physically a bit too much of a superman, overcoming all obstacles while severely wounded. But don’t let that stop you from watching.

How dull: aborigine escapes and shoots a lot of people. Not at all ! First this killer’s hunting (he can smell his intended victims) and shooting skills and his amazingly clever instincts make him a formidable enemy. HOWEVER, the plot has an amazing and very emotional twist that holds you to the end.

In my book, this violent film is an Australian masterpiece. Don’t miss it!

2010, Could Be Sad, Drama, Flirting, Gloomy, Not Feel Good, Quiet, Wonderful acting

Another Year (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Over the course of a tumultuous year, contented medical counselor Gerri (Ruth Sheen) and her geologist husband, Tom (Jim Broadbent), see their friends and relations through a series of happy events and heartbreaks — including a birth and a death. Imelda Staunton and Oliver Maltman co-star in this character-driven ensemble dramedy from writer-director Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake, Secrets & Lies).

British in every sense: quiet, perfectly acted, not a pretty or handsome face to be seen, miserable teeth, and downright depressing.

More than anything, this film is a study in faces. Have you any idea how difficult it is for an actor when the camera stays fixedly focused on that actor’s face ? Just watch Lesley Manville’s character Mary tell the whole story with the mere movement of her eyes. I could have watched her for the entire film’s length.

Another theme here is loneliness.

What is really scary is that we all know people just like the characters in the story. Mary is an aging lonely neurotic alcoholic who never managed to reach a sensible maturity. Ken is a lonely overweight man who is slowly but surely drinking and eating himself to death. Tom’s widower brother is a zombie who has no idea how to go on living after the death of his wife and whose estranged son is a real mental case.

Another theme is kindness and love.

Tom and Gerri (OK, laugh it up) are an older couple in love and very kind people who try to help Mary and Ken. Mary desperately flirts with the couple’s much younger son Joe and acts like an abandoned lover when Joe gets a wonderful girlfriend Kate. Even then Gerri can forgive Mary’s outrageous behavior.

Although I have done my best to paint a really depressing picture, do not miss this pitch perfect production.