Tag: based on a true story

KING RICHARD – Review

As we close in another year at the cinema, it’s time for another entry in a genre that’s usually a true “awards magnet”. Why it’s another movie biography, but it’s not in the “show biz” sub-category like JUDY or ROCKETMAN or even the upcoming BEING THE RICARDOS. This is a sports-themed “biopic” (so the upcoming Kurt Warner one will have a bit of company at the multiplex) about the tennis phenom sisters Venus and Serena. And since they’re true super-heroes on the courts, you could say it’s their “origin story”. Yet, the duo isn’t the prime focus of the flick. That’s why its title is the nickname of their “papa with a plan”, the tough taskmaster referred to as KING RICHARD.

It all begins in the early 1990s, as Richard Williams (Will Smith) piles his kids into his rickety minivan and takes them to the public park not far from the mean streets of Compton, California. He and the kids take over a tennis court, where he coaches his future stars, Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton). The younger kids fetch the tennis balls as the eldest sister tries to study while avoiding the jeers of local hoods. Daddy tries to shoo them away, with little success (and some new bruises). They’re soon back home with mama ‘Brandy’ (Aunjanue Ellis) for dinner as papa heads out to his job as a night watchman at a retail mall. The sisters hone their skills as Richard formulates a plan for success. First, they need a top coach, so they head over to an upscale club to “ambush” top trainer Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn), who agrees to work with Venus for free, while a sad Serena continues her training with dad. As the awards and trophies pile up, Richard decides it’s time to “step up”, and convinces tennis coaching whiz Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal) to fly in and look at the sisters in action. This prompts an offer for relocation, to Rick’s training camp tennis center in Orlando, Florida (he’ll provide them with a house against a cut of future earnings and endorsements). Over the next few months, Richard will clash with Rick along with his wife Brandy, while never losing sight of what’s best for the family and steering his daughters away from the pitfalls of superstardom.

Happily this role comes along to remind us of Smith’s superb acting skills in probably his best work since 2015’s CONCUSSION. Sometimes we forget this when the screens are filled with his big action thrillers or “star concepts” (a live-action ALADDIN was…meh), but when there are no stunts or effects to distract, Smith can truly move us. As Richard, we soon accept him as this every day “working stiff’ who is reaching for that “brass ring” while almost falling into an abyss of despair. At the story’s start he almost seems a male-version of the “stage mother’, or worse the “sidelines dad coach, though Richard will not sacrifice his angels at the altar of success. But he’s no saint, and Smith plays him as ill-tempered and stubborn, yet we know he’s just looking out for the family. Smith captures all the complexities of this very flawed, family man. Luckily he’s got some great co-stars to “butt heads with”. Ellis is the maternal “rock” that will not be budged by papa when he gets too “full of himself” (oh, when she “lays done the law” in their Orlando kitchen…whew). Then we’ve got movie and TV “tough guy” Bernthal playing against his “type’ as the often flustered Macci who tries to be the “good cop” to Richard by lulling him with humor and logic. Bernthal’s an endearing motor-mouthed cheerleader in an energetic performance. He’s nearly the opposite of Goldwyn as the no-nonsense Cohen who can’t quite shout over Richard. And kudos to both Sidney and Singleton for capturing the ups and downs of sister relations while making the big physical scenes look convincing and quite believable.

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green juggles the many dramatic and comedic sequences in the script (written by Zach Baylin) with subtlety and confidence. The exchanges between Richard and the kids are both warm and funny (watching a VHS of Disney’s “Cinderella” to gain “life lessons”) without turning him into a sitcom”doofus dad”. Green takes the story into a darker turn as the violence starts to tighten around the group. When Richard does intervene, the quick escalation is truly terrifying. The tale’s real power is in its depiction of dedication and determination along with lots of grueling hard work (my calves were aching just watching the practice montages). It’s an inspirational story (and persperational, too). Though it could use a bit of tightening (no need to be over two hours), it’s unusual for a sports film conclusion is quite refreshing. Much of the rest of it may seem familiar, but this a journey worth taking because of the exceptional cast, proving that Smith is a “movie star’ and a truly talented actor. Maybe his praise (and some possible awards) will comprise his “crown” as KING RICHARD.

3 out of 4

KING RICHARD is playing in theatres everywhere and begins a 30-day streaming run exclusively on HBO Max starting November 19.2021

TICK, TICK…BOOM! – Review

tick, tick…BOOM! (L-R) ANDREW GARFIELD as JONATHAN LARSON in tick, tick…BOOM!. Cr. MACALL POLAY/NETFLIX © 2021

2021 could be remembered as a pivotal year in the history of movie musical adaptations. Of course, this synergy has been happening since cinema began to talk (which leads to the singing and the sounds of dance) over 90 years ago. Perhaps after being cooped up for much of last year, Hollywood has enlisted Broadway to get folks back to the multiplex. IN THE HEIGHTS kicked off the Summer film cinema, while DEAR EVAN HANSON stirred up lots of discussion, but very little box office. We’ll see Steven Spielberg’s take on a true stage classic WEST SIDE STORY in a few weeks. But what can tide the film song and dance fans till then? How about a flick that combines the talents of two Tony-awarding winning titans of the last thirty or so years? Yes, it’s a musical, but it’s also a biography (perhaps an autobiography, too). So what happens when you mix Lin-Manuel-Miranda with Jonathan Larson? Well, stand back before it goes TICK, TICK…BOOM!

And that’s the title of the intimate off, off-Broadway show/review that’s the framing device for this profile of Larson (Andrew Garfield). He’s on the tiny stage with a four-piece band along with two singers (who are also good pals) Karessa (Vanessa Hudgens) and Roger (Joshua Henry) as he tells of his life just months away from his 30th birthday (a biggie). He’s paying the rent (that show came a little later) by “slingin’ hash” as a server at the trendy Moondance Cafe in the Big Apple. Oh, his home is a cramped, falling-apart, sixth-floor walk-up. Luckily he’s got big dreams as he spends his post and pre-diner time creating the songs for his big stage musical, a futuristic fantasy/romance called “Superbia”. Even better, he’s getting love and encouragement from his dancer/girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp) and his childhood pal, an aspiring actor turned very successful advertising exec Michael (Robin de Jesus). Unfortunately, Jon becomes too focused on the looming date for his creation’s workshop/showcase. And he has other options that aren’t as much of a gamble. Susan’s mulling over a teaching gig in the Berkshires (so far from NYC) and hopes Jon will join her. And Michael wants to help him get into the lucrative commercial jingle biz, even though he’s in need of emotional support from his BFF. It’s a choice between “fear and love”, as some encouraging words from Mr. Sondheim fuels Jon’s passion. But will that keep him going as the bills pile up?

Garfield proves to be one of our most versatile young actors by making a very successful dive into (for him) uncharted waters: song and dance. Despite his lengthy credits, singing was not an asset, something he can now amend on his resume. He performs with confidence, but he also captures the yearning of an aspiring, almost starving artist. We can see in his intense stare, that Jon is trying to take in everything and anything that can inspire and enhance his work. It’s to such a degree that others think he’s distracted, or, as girlfriend Susan believes, composing during interactions. But Garfield also gets the euphoria of the perfect blend of words and melody, which makes his agonized staring into the white void of his Commodore personal computer (ah, the 90s) worth it. Here a former Spider-Man seems more like Plastic-Man as Jon is mentally stretched between the “love and fear”. or really “glory and security”. This superb performance sends Garfield into the stratosphere. Luckily he works ver well with his main scene partners. Shipp is an ethereal beauty as the graceful Susan, but we see her shift from adoration to frustration in dealing with Jon’s career “waffling”. The latter is even more pronounced with de Jesus as Michael who’s caught between art and commerce. Unlike Jon, he can better straddle and even separate himself from the two worlds. He knows Jon will keep trying, while his dreams were dashed by too many dismissive “thanks yous” that cut him off in mid-song. Plus he conveys the heartbreaking of wanting so badly to share his fears with a life-long “brother” who can’t spare the space in his mind. MJ Rodriguez and Ben Ross are Jon’s cheerleading “work family” at the diner. We must also praise Hudgens’s musical “chops” who electrifies in a spirited exhausting duet with Garfield, “Therapy”. A couple of TV and screen vets score in smaller roles. Judith Light is Jon’s elusive agent Rosa who surprises him with a brutal, but needed, “wake up” call. And Whitford plays the acclaimed stage legend as a song “god’ who strolls casually down from Mount Olympus to fire a revitalizing bolt of encouragement toward Jon as he starts to wander from his path (he’s the mentor we dream of).

Miranda takes to filmmaking with the same energy and confidence that he brought to “boards’ on Broadway. The story’s flow is never disrupted by the bouncing between the stage review and the flashbacks to Jon’s struggles. The scenes flow from conversation to musical numbers naturally, never feeling forced or awkward. Much credit must go to screenwriter Steven Levenson who captures the clash between worlds (art and business) while giving us a harsh glimpse into the creative “clusterf*#k” (again that blank void that must be filled). As a bonus, we get some scathing satire directed at the current state of the stage when one number is set against an ever-changing backdrop of theatre posters (with titles like” The Mediocre Musical Stage Version of the Mediocre Movie”, “Song You Already Know”, and, maybe my fave “White Couple Arguing About Marriage”). Ouch, but so deserved! As scathing as that scene is, there’s also a lovely “love letter” to “stage show-biz” in the big number “Sunday” which showcases a dizzying array of true “Broadway Legends” (“look there’s….and there’s…”). Such infectious joyous moments help offset the sense of loss we get from the real story. The tunes don’t sugarcoat the reality, instead they give more focus on the fights and friendships. So, what happens when Miranda meets Larson? It’s an explosion of cinematic delight that follows the TICK, TICK…BOOM!

3.5 Out of 4

TICK, TICK…BOOM! is now playing in select theatres and begins streaming exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, November 19, 2021

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAIMIE (2021) – Review

Max Harwood and Sarah Lancashire star in EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Well, just about all the public schools should be back in operation, or at least still mixing “in-person” and “at-home virtual” learning by now. So, what better time for a breezy musical story set in a high school, though it’s “across the pond”? Aside from being a time for education, many young folks are breaking through their teen personas to become their true “adult selves”. And that’s where much of the dramatic conflict in this tale begins. This saga’s subject is, well, more than a bit flamboyant, at least for this small working-class town. Ah, but he’s proud and fairly loud, which accounts for why EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAIMIE.

And that “talking point” is a high school senior Jaime New (Max Harwood), who lives in a modest duplex with his single “mum”, the hard-working, self-sacrificing, always encouraging Margaret (Sarah Lancashire). Jaimie happily awakens near dawn to deliver newspapers all around his Sheffield neighborhood in order to finance his passions. It seems that after “coming out of the closet’, he now wants to stock it with eye-popping fashions, particularly a pair of sparkly high heels. Once at school, Jaimie checks in with best pal Pritti Pasha (Lauren Patel) a shy, smart Muslim girl who is his biggest fan. But on the opposite end is the bullying jock Dean Paxton (Samuel Bottomley) who, along with his jeering “crew”, is quick with a “slam”. And he’s given lots of “fuel” in Ms. Hedge’s (Sharon Horgan) class when she asks Jaimie about his future goals. After much prodding from Pritti, he proclaims that he’s going to be a famous “drag queen”. Later that day, Margaret and her best pal, the frisky Ray (Shobna Gulati) throw him a big backyard birthday party where he receives a card with cash from his estranged dad (“faked by mum). Jaimie, again with the “push” from Pritti, takes his birthday bucks into a quiet fashion shop owned by a former drag entertainer named Hugo Battersby (Richard E. Grant). After regaling Jaimie with stories and home videos of his glory 1980s days, Hugo takes the lad under his glittery wing and relates the tricks, and “tucks’, of the “trade’. It’s decided that Jaimie will debut his “drag diva” character at a big show at the local “rec center”. But can he pull it off as he “suits up”? And how will this impact his last few weeks of high school, especially the big prom dance that’s the fun finale for the semester?

Harwood has all the necessary energy, along with spunk and sass, in the film’s title role. Yes, he’s great in all the big dizzy musical numbers, but he also brings a quiet empathy to the more somber sequences. it also helps that he’s able to make us still root for Jaimie even as dives into self-absorbed prima donna tantrums as he disregards his fervent cheerleaders in pursuit of his big goal. One of those big boosters is his mum, played with warmth and some real pathos by Lancashire. The script often puts Margaret on the sidelines, but Lancashire speaks volumes with her sad, tear-filling eyes as the housekeeper shunted by the spotlight. Luckily she’s not merely in Jaimie’s corner thanks to her lovely friendship with Ray, played with a sunny, flirty wink by the engaging Gulati. She never seems to be flaunting her romantic romps in Margaret’s face, but rather wants to inspire her to quit living through her son and ‘get out there”. Besides mum, the other big Jaimie fan is Pritti who Patel plays as more than a BFF. She conveys a real longing to break out of her family’s cultural stereotypes and establish herself in the school social system. Plus there’s that adoring look she gives her pal, telling us that her heart will have to be patient, and wait for someone’s that not a platonic crush.The cast is anchored by two screen vets, First, there’s the always terrific Horgan who handles the complex character of the main teacher, Ms. Hedge. She wants to be nurturing to Jaimie, but doesn’t wish to indulge his whims, but rather prepare him for the tough world out there (and she’s frustrated as every kids thinks they’re headed for stardom). the big scene stealer is Grant who exudes the right mix of snark and warmth as Jaimie’s sequined “Yoda”, who’s annoyed by his generational ignorance, but invigorated by the kid’s wide-eyed enthusiasm. He helps Jaimie, while the lad pulls him out of a nostagic quagmire.

First-time feature director Jonathan Butterell gives the whole first act of the film a nice, candy-colored shine as it bounces from Jaimie’s home to the raucous high school. The source materials’ stage roots are hidden by the terrific camerawork and authentic locations. Unfortunately only a couple of the songs stick while most have a forgettable fizz of wall-to-wall pop preciousness touting the wonders of the title hero. Plus the choreography and editing are exhaustingly frenetic with the high school classes engaged in very complex synchronized moves as the close-ups bounce from one wildly gyrating group to another. Plus the film has a third act lag as the big conflict arises from Jaimie’s pettiness (again, he’s not always in the right). But kudos to screenwriters Tom MacRae and Dan Gillespie Sells for not treating us to an ending full of universal acceptance, as some folks will remain steadfastly intolerant. And extra points for the archival footage of the real Jaimie over the end credits. It’s a nice bit of fluffy fantasy with an interesting twist on the “big school dance” subgenre of teen flicks. A good time will be had, though at awards time I’m not certain that EVERYBODY’s TALKING ABOUT JAIMIE, still.

2.5 Out of 4

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAIMIE streams exclusively on Amazon Prime beginning on Friday, September 17, 2021

JOE BELL- Review

This time of year is often thought of as a perfect time for strengthening family bonds. And now this new Summer flick explores this, an “inspired by true events” tale of a father and son, who seem to have little in common aside from DNA. So, are they trying connect via a sport like baseball, or perhaps working on a house or on restoring an old car? No, they’re taking a trip across the USA…the long way…on foot. Of course, there’s more to this journey than leisurely taking in the site from ground level. No, it’s more of a mission to stand up to the forces of ignorance and intolerance, That’s the plan of this story’s weary patriarch, a simple small-town fella’ named JOE BELL.

As this story begins, we’re right alongside Joe (Mark Wahlberg) as he’s pulling a cart that holds his tent, water, and supplies, trudging down a winding road as cars and trucks whiz past. Luckily his eldest son Jadin (Reid Miller) is always “nearby”. The two joke and tease as Joe makes it to a nearby town and addresses another gathered group about the terrors of bullying. The walks and “the talks” are all in support of Jadin. As they hunker down for the night, Joe checks in with his wife Lola (Connie Britton) back in their small Oregon town. We then flashback to earlier in 2013, before the trek, when Jadin came out to Joe, Though he was a bit befuddled, Joe didn’t reject his gay son, reaffirming his love and support. Unfortunately, Jadin felt none of that at his high school, aside from his cheerleading sisters (he’s the only male). When the jeers and harassment escalate, Joe insists that Jadin fight back, but the odds are too great. He can’t “duke it out” with almost everybody. The school administration offers no help and even suggests that he transfer to another district. Then social media trolls attack, as do the “locker room’ thugs. Joe and Connie are there for him, but can’t protect him. Eventually, Joe decides to spread the word, so he enlists sponsors to fund his walking cross-country trek. But can one man stop, or even lessen, the hate?

In the title role, Wahlberg tones down his macho heroic persona to become a believable working-class “everyman”, one whose virtue and sincerity reflect his quieter “heroic’ attributes. Through his voice inflection and awkward stares, we see Joe’s inner conflict as he pushes down the small-town small-mindedness he absorbed growing up in order to try and nurture his son. He can’t quite understand him, or his needs, but truly wants to be a “solid rock’ for Jadin. As that offspring, Miller projects his own strength and vulnerability, never becoming a “symbolic martyr”. He refuses to “blend in” while knowing that his own sense of style etches a glowing target on him. Miller makes us feel his despair as Jadin is pulled under as friends and family flail about and fumble with that needed lifeline. As the family matriarch, Britton as Lola acts as the uniting glue for father and son. She’s more on Jadin’s “wavelength’ and works to expand Joe’s sensibilities and empathy. But Britton shows us her struggles as Joe’s journey leaves her at home to lull herself to sleep with wine and cigarettes. But there’s still another youngster at home to raise. Maxwell Jenkins plays Jadin’s kid brother Joseph, who must deal with the family forces beyond his young mind. It’s a subtle sensitive performance, as “little Joe” must assume a more active role in keeping the Bells unified. Oh, and there’s a lovely “late in the story” supporting work by Gary Sinise as an unlikely kindred soul Joe encounters on that long road.

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green keeps the story moving at a brisk pace for most of its sparse 90 minutes, guiding his entire cast to good effect, and makes effective use of the varied landscapes and atmosphere, giving us a taste of all the seasons. The screenplay from Diana Ossana and Larry McMurty never hammers at the heartstrings, though the film almost sinks into melodramatic misery. With that modest runtime, a few more minutes could have been added to give us more insight. Just how does Joe convince his home area to fund his mission (though kudos for showing the ugly side of villages too often “sugar-coated” in the media, from Bedford Falls to Mayberry)? We get bits of Joe’s clunky speeches, but when he nearly gives up, we don’t get much of a listen to Joe’s “second wind” as he must face a packed school gym. Plus a silly mid-film “twist” borrowed from thrillers feels a bit tacky. The film overflows with good intentions but often comes off as a slightly grittier basic cable movie, though strengthened with Wahlberg’s star charisma (usually he saves his more serious work for the Fall). And it doesn’t help that another big “franchise” star is “dressing down” more successfully in an upcoming flick as a “working stiff” (and what does Joe do for a living). Still, the film’s message is delivered with heart and “shoe leather” by the quiet gentleman named JOE BELL.

2.5 Out of 5

JOE BELL opens in select theatres on Friday, July 23, 2021

I STILL BELIEVE – Review

Here’s a unique flick, unlike nearly any other film now at your multiplex (or single screens or drive-ins down south). That’s mainly because it’s a mix of several film genres (if it were a meal would it be a stew or a petite buffet). It’s a coming of age story since it’s about a young man leaving his midwestern hometown for college in sunny ‘Cal. And he meets “the girl” and begins a romance, so it’s a love story. Like the fifty-plus-year-old flick of that name, things don’t go…smoothly, so it’s a “tear-jerker”. Oh, did I mention that this college kid is a real guy? Yup, it’s a biography and a musical one at that since he’s a singer. Actually he’s one of the most popular contemporary Christian singers of the last couple of decades, so this movie is at the forefront of the faith-based film genre, one from a fairly prominent studio, Lionsgate. To tie everything together, it shares its title with perhaps the subject’s most popular song, I STILL BELIEVE.

The true tale begins in 1999 as Jeremy Camp (K.J. Apa) waves goodbye to his family in Indiana, papa Tom (Gary Sinise), mama Terry (Shanina Twain), and his two younger brothers (Reuben Dodd and Nicholas Bechtel), and boards a Greyhound bus bound for Murrietta, CA where he’ll begin his freshman year at Calvary Chapel Bible College. After settling into his dorm room, he spots a flyer about the concert on campus that night. Posing as a ‘roadie’, Jeremy sneaks into the backstage area where he befriends the lead singer of the group Kry, Jean Luc (Nathan Parsons) by tuning his guitar. During the show, Jeremy walks on stage to give Jean Luc the instrument. Looking out into the audience, a radiant young blonde catches his eye. After the concert he sees her leaving with some friends. Dashing up the aisle, Jeremy introduces himself to Melissa Henning (Britt Robertson), a sophomore at the college. Soon the two begin a friendship, hanging out all around the campus. Jeremy wants to begin a romantic relationship with her, but it turns out that Jean Luc has the same intentions. To make things more complicated the elder established singer has taken Jeremy “under his wing”, introducing him to record execs and agents and getting him to record some of the songs he’s written. As the romantic triangle gets sorted out, Jeremy heads back home for the holidays. Late one night he gets a call from Jean Luc telling him that Melissa is in the hospital and wants to see him. It’s the start of an emotional roller coaster ride for the two young “lovebirds”. Despite all the medical setbacks, they decide to build a life together pinning all their hopes for the future on their shared love and faith.

In their second pairing as an on-screen couple (the first time was three years ago for A DOG’S PURPOSE) Robertson and Apa have a pleasant easy-going chemistry. Unfortunately, the work that has really showcased their talents are their small-screen roles. Robertson has been memorable in quirky off-beat TV shows such as “Swingtown” and “Casual’, but film stardom has proved elusive, whether it’s in indies like CAKE, a trek to Nicholas Sparks-land with THE LONGEST RIDE or infamous big-budget fantasy misfires like THE SPACE BETWEEN US and TOMORROWLAND. As Melissa, she’s got a dazzling smile, but the script’s bland characterization is near impossible to overcome. It’s tough to believe that these two “dreamy music makers” are vying for her attention. She sheds a bit of her saccharine excess when a pickle jar finally causes her to vent her anger. But soon after she’s back on a “pedestal” (and remains till the final fadeout). Apa, “Archie Andrews” in The CW’s very racy take on the classic comics, “Riverdale”, is all eager earnest smiles, when he’s not using his fingers to give his hair the perfect “bed head” look ( oh, and it’s a rich black, not the red sheen from TV). And like his co-star, there are few rough edges (sneaking into the concert just makes him a “rascal”), the ‘safe’ beau who is written with no cracks in his rise to stardom. Even his rival Jean Luc played as a surrogate big brother by Parson, can’t stay mad or slightly annoyed at the grinning guy. Sinise does bring some needed gravitas to his fatherly role, particularly as his voices his disappointments in a “heart to heart” moment with Apa. And country music queen Twain projects lots of maternal warmth, but mainly reminds her boy to eat (“Ya’ want Breakfast?”, “I kin’ fix ya’ some Breakfast?”).

The whole uplifting true tale is given a glowing “Hallmark card” look by a directing duo, the Erwin Brothers, Andrew and Jon (who co-wrote it with Jon Gunn). Actually the whole film feels like it sneaked out of that same-named basic cable channel (or Lifetime or Freeform, etc.). There’s an over-all “slickness’ to every scene in every setting (the school, the Camp family home) that strips away any rough “lived in” quality to the sequences, dirt-free to the point of being almost sterile. It’s especially true in the concert pieces which pale next to the work in last year’s STAR IS BORN remake which felt epic and intimate. A list appears to be followed strictly: overhead shot of the crowd, close-up of Camp, cut to the enthralled audience (often mothing the lyrics), medium shot from the back (usually silhouette), and repeat. The formula of a brave noble heroine facing a noble demise has been a drama mainstay, from DARK VICTORY to TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, and the filmmakers don’t really veer away as they put the religious message at the forefront. Most of all, everyone’s really nice, and nobody offends (these are those “well-mannered” young folks). Much of the film’s intended audience will appreciate it as they wipe away the tears (it is relentless in hammering at the emotions), but they deserve a more edgy and realistic (another ‘falling-in-love” montage of the leads cavorting around the campus) story than I STILL BELIEVE.

2 Out of 4

DARK WATERS (2019) – Review

Summer’s not the only season where heroes rule the multiplex. Well, that’s the main time for the fictional, larger than life heroes, the super spies, super cops, and, well, superheroes. But after Fall began the real-life heroes started to arrive, usually the subject of the big end of the year awards contenders. First to make her mark was Harriet Tubman in her inspiring biographical slice of history. Then there were the countless military men and women, from generals to sailors (and their wives) in MIDWAY. As we near the major holidays, we’ve seen more recent heroes, like Dan Jones played by Adam Driver in THE REPORT. Now comes a crusader from a profession generally derided and scorned by the public (especially in this weekend’s MARRIAGE STORY), a lawyer. Ah, but he’s got the spirit of an Avenger, apropos since he’s played by one of the original sextet. But rather than facing off against a scaly beast, he stands his ground against a near-invincible corporate behemoth. And to think this decades-long battle began with a tiny vial filled with deadly DARK WATERS.

After a foreboding flashback (it could’ve been lifted from any of the late 70’s “slash n’ hack” teen flicks), we meet an unassuming corporate lawyer named Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo), a briefcase-carrying cog in a Cincinnati legal firm. One day, the receptionist pulls him out of a big meeting because a farmer friend of his West Virginia-based grandma, Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp), has made the trip to the city (seems Robert wasn’t returning his calls fast enough). Tennant believes that the nearby DuPont factory is poisoning his crops and livestock (they maintain a landfill in his brother’s former property), and leaves lots of photos and samples (soil and water) as proof. But this seems out of Bilott’s expertise since he ‘s usually defending big companies. After consulting his wife, Sarah (Anne Hathaway), a lawyer now taking care of him and their kids at home, Robert makes the trek to Parkersburg, West Virginia, and the Tennant farm. There he’s shocked by the multitude of cattle graves, along with the strange behavior of the remaining farm animals, and the diseased cattle organs kept in the freezer. After some persuasion, Robert’s boss, senior partner Tom (Tim Robbins) gives the okay to formally request files and records from DuPont. After much stalling, the boxes finally arrive. And keep on (and on) arriving until Robert is nearly buried in undecipherable paperwork. Can he fight the chemical company with bottomless pockets, along with the “push-back” from his colleagues who believe this litigation will turn away other big business clients, and prove, without a doubt, that they were, indeed, knowingly poisoning the little town and its residents, and perhaps everyone in the world who has used their “product”?

Ruffalo is far from the muscular green goliath, the Hulk, as this very down to Earth seeker of truth (he could’ve used those Gamma-ray biceps in lifting all those research boxes). Like his role in SPOTLIGHT, he tries to “blend in”, and not call attention to himself. This makes the sequence on the farm even more powerful as Robert gets “woke” and summons his courage to charge at the chemical “dragon”. But resolve takes its toll, and Ruffalo shows it in his body language, “slumping” down and taking heavy steps, that this mission is a long one. Particularly in the film’s last act, the exhaustion makes him more withdrawn as it literally chips away at his health and marriage. He seems to only be energized by paranoia, especially in one taut sequence in a parking garage (nearly always a place of movie doom, like those 24-hour desert gas stations) as he hesitates to turn that key (much like a similar scene recently in THE IRISHMAN). Ruffalo is ably supported by Hathaway who turns the typical “working wife at home” character into a gutsy partner, summoning her inner “She-Hulk” when confronting Tom after a health crisis. He, as played by the terrific Robbins, is an original take on the powerful, but often aloof, supervisor. In his first scenes with Robert, Tom is the “bottom-line” guy, questioning his motives and evidence. Then comes the big boardroom showdown, as he watches his co-workers and partners “dog pile” Robert, Robbins becomes a protective lion, surprising the other lawyers while delighting and stunning all who thought they knew this man. Camp is a growling pit bull as Tenant, who may not have the “book smarts” but will defend his home with his last breath. Also of note is usual film and TV “nice guy” Victor Garber as the affable DuPont exec who abruptly morphs into a hissing, spitting cobra when approached by Robert at a fancy function. Plus we get great work from Bill Pullman as the folksy, “low key” with lightning instincts (think Atticus Finch and Matlock) hometown lawyer, and Mare Winningham (been a long time, former “brat-packer”) as the local housewife who may have suffered the biggest loss, one sadly shared by many of the village residents.

This film also marks a big change, or maybe “out of his comfort zone”, for director Todd Haynes, whose resume’ has included several lush, retro-inspired romances like CAROL and FAR FROM HEAVEN. He’s knee-deep (literally) in grim and gritty down-home drama where truly horrible things happen to good “salt of the Earth” people. Sure, there are moments of hope, but Haynes also delivers a couple of scenes of nail-biting terror. Aside from the aforementioned garage sequence, there’s an eerie early moment when Robert gets a too close for comfort look at the crime when delirious bovine staggers out. Whether it was puppetry or CGI, or a combination, this was one of the scariest sequences of the film year. Kudos also to the script by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Mario Correa based on the New York Times article by Nathaniel Rich, “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” for never condescending to the farm folk (Tenant has a hard-shelled dignity), and for presenting a real married couple who are true partners. Many may think this story to be a male spin on ERIN BROCKOVICH, but there’s no zany outfits (Ruffalo does rock a dark three-piece-suit) or romantic subplots or lovable ole’ bosses. It is dark, often in the extreme as it’s hard to make out the action even in the fluorescent-lit offices. And the pace loses some of its momentum as it inches towards a densely packed resolution montage. But these are minor quibbles as it delivers a message that is echoed in the current news cycle. While many deride the truth-seekers as unpatriotic and even criminal, this work reminds us that honesty still matters, and “blowing the whistle” on evil is truly noble. The world could use a lot more people like the Bilotts. And the multiplex can stand to have a few more inspiring docudramas like DARK WATERS.

3.5 Out of 4

DARK WATERS opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas