Category Archives: Drugs

2010, Comedy, Cooking and food, Drugs, Feel Good Not For Children, Flirting, Love Story, Medical Theme

Life As We Know It (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Caterer Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and network sports director Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) discover a reciprocal hatred during an ill-fated first date — but are forced to put their feelings aside when their mutual friends die and they become the guardians for orphaned Sophie. Now, Holly and Eric must learn to live with each other and juggle their promising careers while taking care of the little girl in this romantic comedy.

If you are searching for a good date movie AND you are wild about infants and children, then I have a good film for you. If anything this film shows in a realistic way just how all-consuming a task it is to raise a child, let alone to also want a career. In a way, the only contrived part of the scheme was that a dead couple’s will could stipulate guardians for the orphans without the consent of those guardians. And how realistic is it that the man and woman guardians (who supposedly dislike each other) would consent to the idea AND share the house of the deceased parents ? Who cares! It is a fun film with lots of pleasing sight gags.

Katherine Heigl, who plays the woman Holly, played opposite Gerard Butler in “The Ugly Truth”. Josh Duhamel, who plays the man Eric, so far seems to be mostly Major Lennox in the Transformers films. Josh Lucas had significant roles in The Weight of Water (2001) and Around the Bend (2004).

In some way I resent these films in which the characters, of course, live in a million dollar house deep in wooded suburbia. But then wife Kathy says people watch movies for escape. Good luck on that mortgage!

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!

1975, Car Chase, Conspiracy, Crime, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Gangs, Mayhem, Nudity, Redemption, Sam Peckinpah, Suspense, Violent

Killer Elite (1975)

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From NetFlix:

One of the least well-known films from legendary director Sam Peckinpah, this action-thriller reunites Godfather co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall. After Mike Locken (Caan) is left crippled by George Hansen (Duvall), his traitorous best friend, Locken quits the CIA. However, he returns to the shadowy spy life as the bodyguard for Chung (Mako), an Eastern diplomat targeted for assassination by Hansen and his hit squad.

Somewhat dated but, if modernized just a bit, this film would be no different from today’s hired killer stories. There are even scenes featuring Kung-Fu in one form or another.

What would probably NOT be in a film today was following in much detail James Caan’s physical rehabilitation after being purposely crippled by Robert Duvall at the very start of the film. We get to watch the removal of plaster casts, stitches, etc. All this rehabilitation serves to show Caan’s determination to get back in action. Considering the damage done to his knee and elbow you have to suspend disbelief to think that he could actually overcome many Kung-Fu style attacks.

Arthur Hill plays the double-dealing Cap Collis. You may remember him as Marcus Welby in the like-named TV series.

Burt Young (Mac) played Paulie in all the “Rocky 1,2,3,4,…” films.

2010, Crime, Drama, Drugs, Gloomy, Grim, Not Feel Good, Sex Scenes, Spanish, Supernatural, Unusual, Violent, Vulgar

Biutiful (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, Uxbal (Javier Bardem) — a divorced father raising two children — is determined to atone for his life as a black marketeer in this engrossing character study that unfolds in the slums of Barcelona, Spain. Co-starring Maricel Álvarez as Uxbal’s estranged wife, director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s haunting tale received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Language Film.

Why do you watch a film ? My most honest answer is “I want to be entertained”. “Entertainment” usually means “escape” or “relax” or “laugh” or “solve a puzzle” or “be excited by action (or sex)”. Therefore, this film, which is probably the most grubby film I have ever seen, might not qualify as “entertainment”. One possible subtitle for this film might be “Watching Javier Bardem Die” because there are an awful lot of shots that linger on his unshaven, haggard, unhappy face.

Another reason for calling the film “grubby” is that it takes place in the slums of Barcelona. Of course, every great and beautiful city has its slums. If all I knew about Barcelona was this film, I would avoid at all cost visiting the city. There is even a beautiful shot of a sunny clear sky into which ugly black factory smoke is pouring. Another view of the sea has dead Chinese immigrant bodies floating into the beach. Are you starting to get the picture ?

At least we get an honest view of how horrible life is for third-world immigrants (legal or otherwise) trying desperately to scratch out a meager living. Do you really want to watch that ?

One sub-theme centers around Bardem’s supposed ability to communicate with the dead for which services he charges a fee. Keep the initial snow scene in mind. Eventually you figure out what is happening.

Only Javier Bardem was familiar to me. However, the woman who plays his wife, Maricel Álvarez, has an unforgettable face. Because of the disproportionate size of her nose, she reminds me of another Spanish actress (whose name I could not find) favored by the director Almodóvar possibly for her striking looks (meaning her nose).

For some of you this film might be 2.5 hours too long.

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.

2010, Based on true facts, Bullying, Conspiracy, Dark, Drama, Drugs, Grim, Non-physical Violence, Not Feel Good, Psychological Drama, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent

All Good Things (2010)

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From NetFlix:

After restless real-estate scion David Marks (Ryan Gosling) weds middle-class beauty Katie McCarthy (Kirsten Dunst) against the wishes of his disapproving father (Frank Langella), suspicions of murder fall on the unmoored heir when his wife mysteriously vanishes. Though he’s not indicted in her disappearance, people with ties to the case begin turning up dead when it’s reopened two decades later — and the unhinged David is the prime suspect.

Thanks to Wikipedia for leading me to the model for this film, namely Robert Durst. After seeing the film be sure to go to this article about Robert Durst. Believe me, truth is stranger than fiction. You just have to wonder why juries are so stupid. According to Wikipedia, Robert Durst really liked the film. That figures!

And is it just such manipulation of the law that makes this grim film really infuriating. If you are prepared for a non-happy ending, a leap into exasperating unfinished business, then this perfectly made film is for you. All three actors get it right. Frank Langella is a truly evil man. In fact the entire family is a real-life version of the “Adams Family”. Even Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan is portrayed as an politician who was given evidence of the family’s corruption and choose to ignore it on the grounds that such matters were really just the private affairs of the family (who contributed huge amounts of money to various politicians). Later on in the film the family gets to the district attorney who reopened the case many years later.

In a certain sense Ryan Gosling does not even need to act. He presents a lost, increasingly distant man who shows almost no emotion. As an amazing recreation of suspenseful evil, here is a film to which I was glued.

But you ARE warned!

2010, Based on true facts, Comedy, Drugs, Explicit sex, Explicit sexual discussion, Feel Good Not For Children, Flirting, Love Story, Medical Theme, Mostly About Sex, Nudity

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Pharmaceutical representative Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes a player in the big game of male-performance-enhancement-drug sales and, along the way, finds unexpected romance with a woman (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Based on the real-life Jamie Reidy’s memoir, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman, this satirical look inside the culture of Big Pharm is directed by Edward Zwick.

Sex, sex, sex, what fun!

However, there is a bit more to the film. For one thing, the film takes a huge satirical swipe at Big Pharm (most notably Pfizer-Zoloft versus Eli Lilli-Prozac) and especially the antics of its salesmen. More sadly the film highlights the plight of those suffering from Parkinson’s for which presently there is no cure.

Which brings me to ask if this story is just a fairy tale for grownups. Jamie’s encounter with the husband of a Parkinson’s victim in Chicago is frankly brutal and really impressed me about the difficulty of having a partner with Parkinson’s disease. Is it realistic to believe that the womanizer Jamie could settle down to care for Maggie in what could be a horrific future ?

Unfortunately the Wikipedia article does not tell us whether the author Jamie Reidy was involved in any way with Parkinson’s disease.

When this film was made in 2010 Anne Hathaway (“Rachel Getting Married”, “The Devil wears Prada”) was 28 years old and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Donnie Darko”, Brokeback Mountain (2005)) was 30 years old.

At any rate just enjoy the sex scenes, the ribald script, and the feel-good nature of the film. Viagra, anyone ?

2010, Based on true facts, Boxing, Drama, Drugs, Feel Good Not For Children, Prison, Sex Scenes, Sports, Violent

The Fighter (2010)

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From NetFlix:

After a string of defeats, Mickey Ward rediscovers his fighting will with help from trainer and half-brother Dicky (Oscar winner Christian Bale) — a once-talented pugilist and small-town hero now battling drug addiction.

What makes this film so amazing are the performances of Christian Bale as the drug-addicted self-deceiving brother and of Melissa Leo as Alice Ward, the mother of the boxer Mickey Ward.

What shocked me at first was how Amy Adams presented Charlene Fleming as such a “tough broad”. But then, almost all the Lowell women were portrayed in exactly the same way. Throughout the film the F-word was ever present as were all the other usual swear words. Mickey’s sisters were a sight to behold.

Manipulative in the extreme, Alice Ward struck me as repellent. But true to her character she fights to the end to maintain control over her 9 children and her long-suffering husband. Only when Dicky goes to prison will Alice admit to his addiction.

Did Dicky really ever admit to himself that he was not God’s gift to Lowell ? According to the film he finally sees the light. But I could not find any information (such as a Wikipedia article) on just how historically accurate this film was. If you find something, let me know.

The real Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund are shown during the end credits.

Well worth the watch.

2010, Drama, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Feel Good Not For Children, Gay theme, Love Story, Sex Scenes

Every Day (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Ned (Liev Schreiber) is fed up with his unfulfilling work as a writer on a flawed television show and his stagnant marriage to wife Jeannie (Helen Hunt). Just when he thinks life can’t get worse, his teenage son announces he’s gay and his ailing father-in-law (Brian Dennehy) moves in. Ned’s relationship with an amorous co-worker (Carla Gugino) adds even more tension, but despite the setbacks, the rewards of everyday family life overcome.

NetFlix’s description is misleading: As soon as the film opens Ned’s son is already discussing being gay. In fact the boy is nagging to attend a gay prom and Ned is protectively worrisome lest some older male might take advantage of the boy.

No one is perfect, but this husband and wife are a good and struggling couple beset with stressful problems that are certainly familiar to all of us in this American 21st century:

  • Ned worries about his gay son and confides in no one
  • Jeannie’s aged father is a nasty man that she could never love
  • Ned is a TV screenwriter whose gay boss is demanding and unpredictable.
  • Home life is so stressful that Ned and Jeannie do not have much sex much to Ned’s chagrin.
  • As a result Ned is sorely tempted by his temptress co-worker

Characters are well scripted and portrayed. Brian Dennehy plays the miserable father to perfection but shows his sad human side as well. Helen Hunt (who for me will always be the wife in the TV series “Mad About You”) is now (2011) an attractive 48 years old who is perfect for this part. Liev Schreiber does well as a very attentive and caring father whose job is very stressful.

Ned is part of a team of writers who are constantly urged by the boss to invent shocking plots involving sex of all types. Were it not for these explicit discussions I could almost recommend the film for children. Even the almost invisible nude sex scene in the swimming pool is not really objectionable.

Moreover, this is the first film I have seen which treats the life of a teenage gay person in our ordinary American day to day lives. You would worry about your straight daughter’s relation to boys, so why would you not worry similarly about your gay son ?

An “Every Day” film about a family that has it all, that is to say, all those nasty problems. I loved its ordinariness.

2010, Based on true facts, Comedy, Complicated, Computer geeks, Docudrama, Drugs, Lawyers

The Social Network (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Director David Fincher’s biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophomore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Winning Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Director, the film also racked up Oscar nods in the same categories and for lead actor Eisenberg.

Despite some comments that I have heard about the difficulty of following this fast-paced, fast-talking plot, you don’t really have to understand any of the geek talk to appreciate the film.

You owe it to yourself to read at least the “Reception and Response” section of the Wikipedia article which basically says we should take this film more as an entertainment than as accurate history. In fact, the Wikipedia page praises Zuckerberg through quotes of people who really know him. And forget the “Harvard as one big sex orgy” picture that tries to come through: Hollywood strikes again!

But in the end the film is a fun roller coaster ride with tinges of sadness.