Duplicity, with Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, is a fun thriller masquerading as a romantic comedy. With such smart dialogue, amazing plot twists, and real chemistry between the leads, this is better than anything starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Throw in corporate intrigue and steal-the-show supporting acting by Paul Giamatti, and you have one of the best date movies in a long while.
Together with a truly unpredictable story line, there is the unforeseeable romantic dilemma: international spies have troubled relationships. One of the nice little surprises in Duplicity is seeing how secret agents manage being a dual career couple. Just like the typical ambitious couple, they have to commute between New York and...Cleveland. Those marital negotiations, along the lines of, "but I thought we would discuss it before you took the job," are mixed right in with the champagne and espionage. All of the trust issues normal couples have are magnified here, since this man and woman are trained in deception and charm. None of it would work, however, if Clive Owen and Julia Roberts fell flat. They don't. Their flirting and playfulness generate real heat, which is strangely rare in many romantic movies.
Another surprise in this film is the peek into corporate intrigue, with ex-CIA agents and hackers filling out the security staff. The business here is the personal care industry, with secret toothpaste recipes and guarded shampoo formulas. Do you know the difference between hand lotion and hand cream? Because they're really very different, according to the CEO played by Paul Giamatti. This apparently cut-throat industry requires not only anti-perspirant conferences and lipstick presentations, but bodyguards, doubles, and moles. Giamatti's glee in this role is obvious, and his portrayal of this confrontational executive is lots of fun to watch.
After dragging your guy to recent date movies, he may refuse to ever go again. Ask him to give you one more chance. Take him to see Duplicity, a romantic comedy that guys can bear to watch.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The New Ferris Bueller
This is the way it works: parents are always such a mess, the kids are raising themselves and there's no one to help when you feel depressed, get pounded by the school bully, become suicidal, sexually active, and need help to quit smoking, too. Considering how dreadful life is as a teen, how fraught with disaster family life is, how miserable school culture is, it's no wonder teens need Prozac, Ritalin, Xanax, Paxil, or even a few beers now and then. Along comes Charlie Bartlett, kicked out of most of New England's prep schools, to the local public high school. Charlie's wealthy family has a psychiatrist on call, so Charlie knows more than most about your general psychological troubles and is willing to prescribe drugs from his own medicine chest, well-supplied by his own doctors.
More than anything Charlie wants to be popular, to fit in, to be accepted. And apparently this is just one scheme in a long line of schemes to be well-liked by his peers. This one only lasts until the first overdose. But it does get Charlie the popularity he's dreamed of. The young and appealing actor, Anton Yelchin, plays Charlie quite well, just a touch short of annoying child star. Whether Yelchin was a child star, I don't know. But he is very talented here, and it's refreshing to see this generation-next Ferris Bueller played by an obvious teenager, not a 22-year-old. Robert Downey, Jr., plays the principal you really feel pity for, especially as Charlie does him the favor of keeping his school in order. For the first time I can remember, this film makes the teenager's worst enemy, the high school principal, one of the most sympathetic characters you'll ever meet.
Now that we've mentioned the famous Mr. Bueller, we might as well go into the parallels here. Although the original had a great deal of style and whimsy, we were all in on the joke. Charlie Bartlett comes across as a more realistic Ferris Bueller, with more realistic problems than just wanting a nicer car to drive. And real life is never so clean as suburban Ferris was: on occasion, real kids have divorced parents with alcoholism. Remember now how sweet Ferris and his family were? I remember the adults hating Ferris Bueller, because let's face it, he was an annoying snot of a kid. And his Day Off made parents look like idiots, teachers like droning bores, and turned principals into sadistic fools. But think of how innocent it was: no booze, no drugs, no sex. Ferris had a happy family life with two happily married parents who adored him. And what did Ferris do when he skipped school? He went to an art museum, a baseball game, and joined a parade.
More than anything Charlie wants to be popular, to fit in, to be accepted. And apparently this is just one scheme in a long line of schemes to be well-liked by his peers. This one only lasts until the first overdose. But it does get Charlie the popularity he's dreamed of. The young and appealing actor, Anton Yelchin, plays Charlie quite well, just a touch short of annoying child star. Whether Yelchin was a child star, I don't know. But he is very talented here, and it's refreshing to see this generation-next Ferris Bueller played by an obvious teenager, not a 22-year-old. Robert Downey, Jr., plays the principal you really feel pity for, especially as Charlie does him the favor of keeping his school in order. For the first time I can remember, this film makes the teenager's worst enemy, the high school principal, one of the most sympathetic characters you'll ever meet.
Now that we've mentioned the famous Mr. Bueller, we might as well go into the parallels here. Although the original had a great deal of style and whimsy, we were all in on the joke. Charlie Bartlett comes across as a more realistic Ferris Bueller, with more realistic problems than just wanting a nicer car to drive. And real life is never so clean as suburban Ferris was: on occasion, real kids have divorced parents with alcoholism. Remember now how sweet Ferris and his family were? I remember the adults hating Ferris Bueller, because let's face it, he was an annoying snot of a kid. And his Day Off made parents look like idiots, teachers like droning bores, and turned principals into sadistic fools. But think of how innocent it was: no booze, no drugs, no sex. Ferris had a happy family life with two happily married parents who adored him. And what did Ferris do when he skipped school? He went to an art museum, a baseball game, and joined a parade.
Charlie Bartlett is in many ways the typical American high school-themed movie. The misfit teenager desperate to find popularity, clueless parents, bullies, jocks, the sexy smart girl as the love interest - how to sort them all out? But this funny movie manages to make it through, manages to make sense of it a little bit.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Life and Loss in the Suburbs
Henry Poole decides to give up. He moves into his old neighborhood and drinks himself unconscious. Even though it seems that Henry has no reason left to try, God is not finished with Henry yet. One of Henry's neighbors, a devout woman named Esperanza, discovers the face of Christ in a water stain on Henry's stucco wall.
At first, this is just exasperating to Henry, played by Luke Wilson. But this is just the crack God needs to squeeze back into Henry's world. First Henry meets the little girl next door, Millie, who suffers from abandonment and has stopped speaking. The parallels drawn between Henry and Millie reveal the crux of Henry's problem. He, too, suffered loss as a child and has never been quite whole since. You feel that the diagnosis that causes him to withdraw is just part of the same story of life letting him down, of God forgetting about him. Henry even has a safe space he created as a child, just like little Millie with the same kind of childish scribblings. But you find out that God hasn't forgotten about Henry, as much as Henry has tried to deny God and His power. Henry was drawn back to this neighborhood for a reason: here he meets people who care more about him than he cares about himself.
While a bit slow-moving and uneven, the subtle sweetness of this movie along with the charming cast save it. I enjoyed the sun-drenched California suburban location. It added to the reality of the characters and the story. Real lives are like this, with stories of loss and healing. The soundtrack is great, too, being rather alternative and folksy. I think there's even a new Bob Dylan recording in this film.
This film wasn't a big release and would never have been a big money-maker. Still, with a little help, it could have found a receptive audience, an audience that knows faith makes a difference and God leads us to healing.
At first, this is just exasperating to Henry, played by Luke Wilson. But this is just the crack God needs to squeeze back into Henry's world. First Henry meets the little girl next door, Millie, who suffers from abandonment and has stopped speaking. The parallels drawn between Henry and Millie reveal the crux of Henry's problem. He, too, suffered loss as a child and has never been quite whole since. You feel that the diagnosis that causes him to withdraw is just part of the same story of life letting him down, of God forgetting about him. Henry even has a safe space he created as a child, just like little Millie with the same kind of childish scribblings. But you find out that God hasn't forgotten about Henry, as much as Henry has tried to deny God and His power. Henry was drawn back to this neighborhood for a reason: here he meets people who care more about him than he cares about himself.
While a bit slow-moving and uneven, the subtle sweetness of this movie along with the charming cast save it. I enjoyed the sun-drenched California suburban location. It added to the reality of the characters and the story. Real lives are like this, with stories of loss and healing. The soundtrack is great, too, being rather alternative and folksy. I think there's even a new Bob Dylan recording in this film.
This film wasn't a big release and would never have been a big money-maker. Still, with a little help, it could have found a receptive audience, an audience that knows faith makes a difference and God leads us to healing.
Friday, February 20, 2009
A Feminine War
Why, oh why, do guys go to see obvious chick movies? I read a review of Bride Wars written by a man, and he got it sooo wrong. Bride Wars is the story of two best friends played by Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson. Friends since childhood, they have both long dreamed of the same version of a perfect wedding: at New York's Plaza in June. But this movie isn't really about the weddings these two girls plan. All the wedding details, just like the clothes and shoes in Sex & the City, are just set dressing for a movie about women.
The male reviewer griped and groaned about how this movie makes women look bad by stereotyping them. But the funny thing is, girls do act this way. They freak out when old resentments bubble up and they can't contain them anymore. They know each other's sore spots and try to hit them. They people-please and have a hard time saying no to requests, even if they don't like the person making the request. Look, I'm not saying girls have only bad qualities. I'm a girl, too. But girls act more like girls because they're girls.
This film is really about the way women relate to each other. The contrast between the girls' fiances is telling: neither guy can figure out what the problem is. But one guy is exasperated by it, and the other guy just lets it go. So the second guy is the smart one. I only wish the reviewer I read had been so smart.
The male reviewer griped and groaned about how this movie makes women look bad by stereotyping them. But the funny thing is, girls do act this way. They freak out when old resentments bubble up and they can't contain them anymore. They know each other's sore spots and try to hit them. They people-please and have a hard time saying no to requests, even if they don't like the person making the request. Look, I'm not saying girls have only bad qualities. I'm a girl, too. But girls act more like girls because they're girls.
This film is really about the way women relate to each other. The contrast between the girls' fiances is telling: neither guy can figure out what the problem is. But one guy is exasperated by it, and the other guy just lets it go. So the second guy is the smart one. I only wish the reviewer I read had been so smart.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
All the President's Sophomores
Just the idea of two giggly teenage girls bringing down the Nixon administration is enough to make you smile. That they also stumbled across the Watergate break-in, ended the war in Vietnam, and negotiated peace accords between the US and the Soviet Union will really make you laugh. But you have to watch the movie Dick with All the President's Men in mind. If you haven't seen the President's Men, the jokes won't be nearly as funny.
All the President's Men tells the story of the two reporters who discovered the conspiracy behind the Watergate break-in. Don't be fooled - it's actually not the story of Richard Nixon and his minions. It's not about the conspiracy and you don't learn the details of the Watergate break-in. It's an homage to those leftist idols, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, whose fame (as they say) "launched a 1000 journalism majors."
With Dick, I don't know what was more fun: seeing boomer icons Woodward and Bernstein lampooned or seeing Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams play 15 year old girls with such silly accuracy. The bright and witty screenplay, the amazing recreation of circa 1972 Washington, D.C., and a loveable Nixon just add to the loony fun. C'mon, when have you ever seen Richard M. Nixon, disgrace of the Republican party (still!), portrayed with sympathy? Make no mistake, Nixon is presented here with all of his paranoia, evil machinations in play, and foul temper, but he's still likeable enough that cute little Arlene (Michelle Williams) develops a mega-crush for him. There's nothing as attractive as power, even when you're Dick Nixon.
One of sweetest aspects of this film is the innocence of these two girls. Even though they're in high school, they are quite wholesome. As the crass title informs, there are several adults-only jokes here. But the goofy portrayals of Woodward (Will Farrell), Bernstein, Nixon, and even Kissinger will make up for it.
This revisionist look at the political climate of the 1970's, the decade that created so many cynics, makes you wish it was all true. You wish Betsy and Arlene really had destroyed the Nixon administration with their Hello Dolly snack bars.
All the President's Men tells the story of the two reporters who discovered the conspiracy behind the Watergate break-in. Don't be fooled - it's actually not the story of Richard Nixon and his minions. It's not about the conspiracy and you don't learn the details of the Watergate break-in. It's an homage to those leftist idols, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, whose fame (as they say) "launched a 1000 journalism majors."
With Dick, I don't know what was more fun: seeing boomer icons Woodward and Bernstein lampooned or seeing Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams play 15 year old girls with such silly accuracy. The bright and witty screenplay, the amazing recreation of circa 1972 Washington, D.C., and a loveable Nixon just add to the loony fun. C'mon, when have you ever seen Richard M. Nixon, disgrace of the Republican party (still!), portrayed with sympathy? Make no mistake, Nixon is presented here with all of his paranoia, evil machinations in play, and foul temper, but he's still likeable enough that cute little Arlene (Michelle Williams) develops a mega-crush for him. There's nothing as attractive as power, even when you're Dick Nixon.
One of sweetest aspects of this film is the innocence of these two girls. Even though they're in high school, they are quite wholesome. As the crass title informs, there are several adults-only jokes here. But the goofy portrayals of Woodward (Will Farrell), Bernstein, Nixon, and even Kissinger will make up for it.
This revisionist look at the political climate of the 1970's, the decade that created so many cynics, makes you wish it was all true. You wish Betsy and Arlene really had destroyed the Nixon administration with their Hello Dolly snack bars.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Ghost Town
Ricky Gervais is famous for his comedic innovation. After creating the British television show The Office with Stephen Merchant, he brought his seemingly real, slightly uncomfortable sense of humor to American viewers with the same show, starring Steve Carrell. In Ghost Town, Gervais brings his uneasy wit to the movie screen.
Ghost Town is a romantic comedy of a sort. Gervais plays a dentist, Bertram Pincus, who is a classic misanthrope. He spends his time avoiding human interaction and prefers his own company. After a routine hospital procedure, he dies briefly. He goes about his normal life, abrasive and unfriendly, but he is inundated with visitors, visitors from the other side of life. That is, visitors from death, or ghosts.
You wonder, after seeing Gervais in The Office, how much of his work is acting. He's probably really that big of a jerk. His character from television, officer manager David Brent, is unlikeably real and creates such awkwardness the show can be as off-putting as his character. It's a mishmash of reality television and situation comedy, with it's jostling single camera and hard to discern plot. But in Ghost Town, Gervais exudes that same off-putting attitude, although with much more confidence. And at the same time, you are charmed by his unhappiness, his loneliness. That's what you never saw with his David Brent character. Brent is self-centered and self-serving out of sheer neediness, but you never sympathize with him. You can't stand him. The vulnerability and subtlety in Ghost Town is the real surprise and gift of the film.
And Ricky Gervais isn't the only actor bringing you that gift. Tea Leoni, as his neighbor, and Greg Kinnear, as the ghost of her dead husband, also work so well in this film. Tea Leoni, I think, is vastly underrated. I can only think of a few movies she's been in, like Spanglish and, way back there, Family Man. I can't even think of another one. Why? She's so talented at presenting the funny side of her character, and then revealing with sensitivity, the unhappiness that lies beneath. I think you'll wonder why she doesn't get more work in Hollywood.
One last aspect of this little film is its soundtrack. So rarely does the soundtrack seem to complement a movie well. And this film, funny and bittersweet, would be challenging to score. Thankfully, the music here has a quiet, charming tone just like its film.
Ghost Town offers so much more than the usual romantic comedy. If you want a silly, over-the-top, mainstream romantic comedy, this isn't it. But if want a funny, insightful comedy for adults, you may like this one.
Ghost Town is a romantic comedy of a sort. Gervais plays a dentist, Bertram Pincus, who is a classic misanthrope. He spends his time avoiding human interaction and prefers his own company. After a routine hospital procedure, he dies briefly. He goes about his normal life, abrasive and unfriendly, but he is inundated with visitors, visitors from the other side of life. That is, visitors from death, or ghosts.
You wonder, after seeing Gervais in The Office, how much of his work is acting. He's probably really that big of a jerk. His character from television, officer manager David Brent, is unlikeably real and creates such awkwardness the show can be as off-putting as his character. It's a mishmash of reality television and situation comedy, with it's jostling single camera and hard to discern plot. But in Ghost Town, Gervais exudes that same off-putting attitude, although with much more confidence. And at the same time, you are charmed by his unhappiness, his loneliness. That's what you never saw with his David Brent character. Brent is self-centered and self-serving out of sheer neediness, but you never sympathize with him. You can't stand him. The vulnerability and subtlety in Ghost Town is the real surprise and gift of the film.
And Ricky Gervais isn't the only actor bringing you that gift. Tea Leoni, as his neighbor, and Greg Kinnear, as the ghost of her dead husband, also work so well in this film. Tea Leoni, I think, is vastly underrated. I can only think of a few movies she's been in, like Spanglish and, way back there, Family Man. I can't even think of another one. Why? She's so talented at presenting the funny side of her character, and then revealing with sensitivity, the unhappiness that lies beneath. I think you'll wonder why she doesn't get more work in Hollywood.
One last aspect of this little film is its soundtrack. So rarely does the soundtrack seem to complement a movie well. And this film, funny and bittersweet, would be challenging to score. Thankfully, the music here has a quiet, charming tone just like its film.
Ghost Town offers so much more than the usual romantic comedy. If you want a silly, over-the-top, mainstream romantic comedy, this isn't it. But if want a funny, insightful comedy for adults, you may like this one.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sister Bunny
The House Bunny seems like a simple, funny, sexy movie. The idea was that a Playboy Bunny meets a group of nerdy college girls and they improve each other. The Bunny develops her mind and the college girls develop their femininity. Laughs, a little sap, and some sexy Playboy Bunnies should make for a light-hearted film. But it all goes deeper than that.
My heart was broken during the opening titles. Turns out the Bunny, played by Anna Farris, was abandoned at birth and grew up in an orphanage. She longs for a home and family. And when she becomes a beauty contestant at 17 and catches the attention of the Playboy corporation, she thinks she's found the family she always wanted. And the bunnies do seem like friends or sisters, shopping together, getting manicures, and dancing at parties. Right away, the filmmakers want to show how shallow and empty the Bunny's ambitions are. All she wants is to be Miss November. So far all she's done are pictorials, like Girls with GEDs. The filmmakers want you to get the message that beauty and a socially acceptable appearance are rather empty, and what matters is the content of your soul. But when you make a movie in concert with Hugh Hefner and his corporation, that message doesn't really stand a chance.
Of course the pretty Bunny is not only beautiful and sexy, but she's kind, open-minded, and innocent in a way. Which is quite a feat for a girl who showers with the photographer before her photo shoot. When she's kicked out of the Playboy Mansion for being too old, she lands near a sorority house full of misfit girls who are very smart but very dumb when it comes to social skills and push-up bras. So she gives them lessons in party-planning, cosmetics application, and how to wear revealing clothing. And they teach her how to read. The most important lesson she teaches them, of course, is about friendship, acceptance, and sisterly support. What matters most to Bunny, after all, is finding a home with a loving family. And she insists that that's what she had at Hefner's mansion.
It struck me was that, yes, those girls living at the Playboy Mansion probably do support each other. But not while picking out halter tops at the mall. Centerfolds already know how to look pretty sexy. And that can do wonders for your career, but what about your life? Seems to me that those Playboy Mansion shenanigans could wreck havoc with that. After spending time in the orgy room or hottubbin' in the grotto, what might happen? And this is where friends come in. You need your sister bunny's support when she has to take you to the clinic for another pregnancy scare or to pick up a prescription for another infection.
When you follow this train of thought, you begin to hope The House Bunny was right. You hope life for the Playboy Bunnies is full of real love, love that lasts, the love of good friends. I suspect they need it.
My heart was broken during the opening titles. Turns out the Bunny, played by Anna Farris, was abandoned at birth and grew up in an orphanage. She longs for a home and family. And when she becomes a beauty contestant at 17 and catches the attention of the Playboy corporation, she thinks she's found the family she always wanted. And the bunnies do seem like friends or sisters, shopping together, getting manicures, and dancing at parties. Right away, the filmmakers want to show how shallow and empty the Bunny's ambitions are. All she wants is to be Miss November. So far all she's done are pictorials, like Girls with GEDs. The filmmakers want you to get the message that beauty and a socially acceptable appearance are rather empty, and what matters is the content of your soul. But when you make a movie in concert with Hugh Hefner and his corporation, that message doesn't really stand a chance.
Of course the pretty Bunny is not only beautiful and sexy, but she's kind, open-minded, and innocent in a way. Which is quite a feat for a girl who showers with the photographer before her photo shoot. When she's kicked out of the Playboy Mansion for being too old, she lands near a sorority house full of misfit girls who are very smart but very dumb when it comes to social skills and push-up bras. So she gives them lessons in party-planning, cosmetics application, and how to wear revealing clothing. And they teach her how to read. The most important lesson she teaches them, of course, is about friendship, acceptance, and sisterly support. What matters most to Bunny, after all, is finding a home with a loving family. And she insists that that's what she had at Hefner's mansion.
It struck me was that, yes, those girls living at the Playboy Mansion probably do support each other. But not while picking out halter tops at the mall. Centerfolds already know how to look pretty sexy. And that can do wonders for your career, but what about your life? Seems to me that those Playboy Mansion shenanigans could wreck havoc with that. After spending time in the orgy room or hottubbin' in the grotto, what might happen? And this is where friends come in. You need your sister bunny's support when she has to take you to the clinic for another pregnancy scare or to pick up a prescription for another infection.
When you follow this train of thought, you begin to hope The House Bunny was right. You hope life for the Playboy Bunnies is full of real love, love that lasts, the love of good friends. I suspect they need it.
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