Director Kevin Mcdonald's latest film has far less weight than his last one, the Idi Amin drama The Last King of Scotland, but perhaps that is by default, since State of Play doesn't dwell on genocide or torture. But this thriller, based on a BBC miniseries of the same name, is serious stuff, questioning the validity and the very existence of newspaper journalism in the age of on-the-ball bloggers and the 24-hour news cycle. Not to mention Blackwater-style mercenaries, the collision of personal and professional ethics, and political corruption...
While investigating a double murder, journalist Cal McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) discovers its connections to the death of a young woman who served as the research assistant and mistress to his college roommate, Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck). Of course, the three murders aren't as straighforward as they appear, and McCaffrey investigates the mazelike connections with the help of young political blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams). Not only does the pair have to race against the clock, as is common in political thrillers, but they're on deadline, and upsetting their strict, seething editor (a fantastic Helen Mirren) is almost as deadly as not finding out the identity of the killer.
As always, Crowe is capable in the role of the old-school-rooted journalist whose own colleagues don't even read his work. The character is cliched, but the actor is strong enough to move past the boundaries of the page. Though the excellent Gone Baby Gone made me wish for more Affleck behind the camera, he does a good job as the fallen, former golden boy of his party (which is, smartly, never named). At times, McAdams seems a bit too eager and broadly drawn, but she is charismatic enough to carry the role. Jason Bateman has a far-too-small part that proves he is just as adept with comedy as he is drama.
Tony Gilroy, Matthew Michael Carnahan, and Billy Ray all contributed to the script, and it's easy to see where their previous work (including Michael Clayton, The Kingdom, Breach, and Shattered Glass) has informed this screenplay. Political intrigue and journalism collide with action to produce a contemporary All the President's Men with a bit more gunfire for audiences weaned on high-octane thrillers and up-to-the-minute news updates.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Adventureland
Red band trailer aside, director Greg Mottola's Adventureland bears little in common with his previous effort Superbad. There's less raunch here, and a little more heart. It's like a slightly lesser, reverse version of Almost Famous, minus the rock star antics and including an excellent period soundtrack.
Set in Pittsburgh in 1987, Adventureland centers on James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college grad who finds his degree in comparative lit won't get him many jobs in the city while he bides his time waiting to go to grad school at Columbia. His last, best chance lies at Adventureland, a local amusement park, where his childhood best friend (and current ball buster) Frigo (Matt Bush) spends his days. Hired by Bobby (Bill Hader), James takes a bottom-of-the-barrel job working in games, where the sole bright spots are nerdy Joel (Martin Starr) and pretty Em (Kristen Stewart). Pot and alcohol fuel the summer fun, and James attempts to mend a broken heart and cure his unwanted case of virginity with help from Em.
There's plenty of fun, low-brow humor to be had in Adventureland, but there's more to it than pot cookies, erections, and kicks to the balls. Unrealized dreams lie at the heart of the film, which manages to straddle the gross-out comedy and coming-of-age genres remarkably well. A lot of credit goes to Eisenberg, whose awkwardness works just as well here as it did in The Squid and the Whale. He's likable, earnest, and relatable in his efforts to win over Em. Ryan Reynolds is excellent as the park's handyman, a musician who coasts on the story of how he played with Lou Reed. Hader and fellow SNL star Kristen Wiig also deserve praise for playing the strange couple who run the park. Both are far funnier than their work on the TV show would suggest.
Full of nostalgia, longing, and sincerity, Adventureland might have played better in the theatrical deadzone of August, when its end-of-the-summer feeling would have already been thick in the air-conditioned theaters. Unlike most of its would-be kin, this is a comedy dependent on its nicely crafted characters and mood, not just on the merits of its dirty jokes.
Set in Pittsburgh in 1987, Adventureland centers on James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college grad who finds his degree in comparative lit won't get him many jobs in the city while he bides his time waiting to go to grad school at Columbia. His last, best chance lies at Adventureland, a local amusement park, where his childhood best friend (and current ball buster) Frigo (Matt Bush) spends his days. Hired by Bobby (Bill Hader), James takes a bottom-of-the-barrel job working in games, where the sole bright spots are nerdy Joel (Martin Starr) and pretty Em (Kristen Stewart). Pot and alcohol fuel the summer fun, and James attempts to mend a broken heart and cure his unwanted case of virginity with help from Em.
There's plenty of fun, low-brow humor to be had in Adventureland, but there's more to it than pot cookies, erections, and kicks to the balls. Unrealized dreams lie at the heart of the film, which manages to straddle the gross-out comedy and coming-of-age genres remarkably well. A lot of credit goes to Eisenberg, whose awkwardness works just as well here as it did in The Squid and the Whale. He's likable, earnest, and relatable in his efforts to win over Em. Ryan Reynolds is excellent as the park's handyman, a musician who coasts on the story of how he played with Lou Reed. Hader and fellow SNL star Kristen Wiig also deserve praise for playing the strange couple who run the park. Both are far funnier than their work on the TV show would suggest.
Full of nostalgia, longing, and sincerity, Adventureland might have played better in the theatrical deadzone of August, when its end-of-the-summer feeling would have already been thick in the air-conditioned theaters. Unlike most of its would-be kin, this is a comedy dependent on its nicely crafted characters and mood, not just on the merits of its dirty jokes.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Gigantic
I'm itching to make a joke about how the title of indie comedy Gigantic is actually short for Gigantic Waste of Time or Gigantic Pile of.... I also debated saying that the film is as weak as the chin of its star, Paul Dano, but that seems rather meanspirited. I mean, a man can't help his facial structure, but he could certainly have helped starring in this absolute mess of a film.
Dano's resume includes Oscar-winning favorites like Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood, but there's none of that talent on display here. As mattress salesman Brian, the actor sleepwalks through the film's agonizing script, showing little life or character. Zooey Deschanel plays...Zooey Deschanel, or some approximation thereof, who goes by the name "Happy" and fits the manic pixie dream girl mold perfectly. John Goodman is the only source of joy here, playing Happy's pushy, overbearing millionaire of a father.
Gigantic begins with Brian being randomly attacked by a homeless man (comedian Zach Galifianakis, playing what appears to be a noncomedic role). The script-driven chaos continues with the introduction of Brian's job and his casually racist boss (THE WIRE's Clark Peters), as well as his childhood-born desire to adopt a Chinese baby. He's on the cusp of realizing his dream when he meets the flitting, flaky Happy, while her father grumbles through their awkward courtship.
Directed by Matt Aselton, Gigantic suffers from a common flaw of films from first-time filmmakers. Elements seem randomly crammed in, as though Aselton thought that this was his one shot to get in every idea he ever had. Homeless guy stalking his prey from New York to Vermont? Check. Scene with numerous men getting "happy endings" at a massage parlor? Check. Skinny-dipping at night? Check. Drinking Crayola-colored cocktails from a beaker in a lab filled with rats? Check. This film has numerous problems, but it's mostly a film with an identity crisis. Aselton tried to make at least three different movies in one--a surreal indie, a romantic comedy, and a coming-of-age drama, by my count--but, despite its name, Gigantic is a case where less would've certainly been more.
Dano's resume includes Oscar-winning favorites like Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood, but there's none of that talent on display here. As mattress salesman Brian, the actor sleepwalks through the film's agonizing script, showing little life or character. Zooey Deschanel plays...Zooey Deschanel, or some approximation thereof, who goes by the name "Happy" and fits the manic pixie dream girl mold perfectly. John Goodman is the only source of joy here, playing Happy's pushy, overbearing millionaire of a father.
Gigantic begins with Brian being randomly attacked by a homeless man (comedian Zach Galifianakis, playing what appears to be a noncomedic role). The script-driven chaos continues with the introduction of Brian's job and his casually racist boss (THE WIRE's Clark Peters), as well as his childhood-born desire to adopt a Chinese baby. He's on the cusp of realizing his dream when he meets the flitting, flaky Happy, while her father grumbles through their awkward courtship.
Directed by Matt Aselton, Gigantic suffers from a common flaw of films from first-time filmmakers. Elements seem randomly crammed in, as though Aselton thought that this was his one shot to get in every idea he ever had. Homeless guy stalking his prey from New York to Vermont? Check. Scene with numerous men getting "happy endings" at a massage parlor? Check. Skinny-dipping at night? Check. Drinking Crayola-colored cocktails from a beaker in a lab filled with rats? Check. This film has numerous problems, but it's mostly a film with an identity crisis. Aselton tried to make at least three different movies in one--a surreal indie, a romantic comedy, and a coming-of-age drama, by my count--but, despite its name, Gigantic is a case where less would've certainly been more.
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