Tag: Beanie Feldstein

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS – Review

Although many parts of the country are still in the “deep freeze”, many folks are looking ahead to the big thaw and traveling during Spring Break. And it’s only natural that the multiplex will have a new roadtrip romp to get everyone “in the mood”. Oh, but this film differs from those we’ve seen in previous years. First, it’s set in that far-off land of 1999 (yikes, a quarter century already). And rather than a couple of teenage male buddies (or even a group as in LOSIN’ IT), it’s focused on two twenty-something young women. Perhaps, it’s a riff on WHERE THE BOYS ARE, and you would be very wrong as they don’t care about such a location (ahem). Plus it should be of interest to Cinephiles as this is the first solo directing effort for one half of a much-lauded filmmaking team. He’s actually behind the steering wheel along with these DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS.


It all begins just before Y2K when a quirky guy known as “The Collector” (Pedro Pascal) is relieved of a mysterious silver-metallic carrying case in the dark “mean streets” of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, in another part of town, we meet the two “dolls”. Prim uptight Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) is meeting up with her best pal Jamie (Margaret Qualley) at their favorite “ladies only” bar. Marian’s planning a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, and Jamie is in the mood to leave town after a very nasty breakup with girlfriend/policewoman Sukie (Beanie Feldstein). Jamie suggests they go to an auto broker to sign up for a “drive-away”, a “one-way” vehicle to be handed over to the owner at the desired destination. The owner of the shop, Curlie (Bill Camp), is delighted to hear of their trip south and hands over the keys. But then he’s shocked when “the Chief” (Coleman Domingo) and his surly “goons’, Flint (C.J. Wilson) and Arliss (Joey Slotnick) show up for a Tallahassee car a bit later. It seems that Curlie had gotten a “tip off” call before the women came in, and surely nobody else was going to that Florida locale! While Chief runs off to do some “damage control”, the two thugs try to catch up with the car. But why do they want It? Could it involve that stolen case? And how does it connect to the ambitious ultra-right-wing Senator Gary Channel (Matt Damon)? Can the lusty wild Jamie and the shy nervous Marian stay out of trouble and two steps (and many miles) ahead of those violent vicious “leg-breakers”?

A truly talented and very “game” ensemble really makes this zany farce soar. Naturally, we should begin with the “doll duo” themselves. Qualley, so memorable as the “Manson groupie” hitchhiker in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, brings a manic playful energy to the untamed Jamie, sort of a human Tazmanian Devil driven by a hunger for pleasure rather than food. And mimicking her mum’s (Andie MacDowell) Southern twang is just a big fun bonus. Fortunately, Qualley shows her softer side, mainly in the story’s final act as her devotion and affection for Marian come to the forefront. As that (somewhat) “straight lady, Viswanathan (who many of us saw as the “randy” promgoer in BLOCKERS) gives a real dignity to what could’ve been a cliche “Debbie Downer” sidekick, becoming the voice of sanity and logic to the impulsive Jamie. She really shines in an early flashback scene as she awkwardly deflects a male co-worker’s advances, which strengthens her eventual “loosening up” before the final fadeout. Popping up just in time to give the film a shot of comic adrenaline is the scene stealer, Ms. Feldstein. As Sukie, she projects complete fearlessness, demanding to be treated with respect, pushing back when shoved (and bringing the “pain”). Current Oscar nominee Domingo is truly a “smooth criminal” even as his patience is stretched to the “limit”. As for his “flunkies”, Slotnick is the more reasonable, thinking he can use his armchair psychology as a way to squeeze out info, while Wilson will have none of that chatty “stuff” and is always the “bull in the china shop”. The always dependable and delightful Mr. Camp is an endearing “sourpuss” as the curmudgeon Curlie. And though his role is a slightly expanded cameo, mainly for the last big “showdown”, Damon is terrific as a guy who’s just not comfortable doing the necessary “dirty work”.

And just who was I referring to as one-half of a celebrated directing duo? Well, it’s none other than Ethan Coen in his first feature film directing gig, after a couple of dozen films working with his brother Joel (who went solo three years ago with THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH). Oh, he also co-wrote the loopy script with long-time collaborator (and spouse) Tricia Cooke. Mr. Coen brings a manic almost cartoony energy to the story making it truly zip and zing throughout its tight and taut 84-minute runtime. While many will make comparisons to “The Dude”, it feels like a gleefully politically incorrect riff on BLOOD SIMPLE (with the main duo unaware of the sinister forces circling them) and RAISING ARIZONA (an LGBT flip on Ed and HI perhaps) along with odyssey themes of O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?. Yes, the bizarre thugs have become an indie staple, but they feel invigorated, perhaps due to the late 90s themes and their interplay. Strange, since those Coen classics are from the 80s (and not dated a bit) and the 60s play a pivotal part of the plot with some eye-popping psychedelic “flashback foreshadowing”. Yes, the laughs are plentiful (for those not easily shocked or offended), but the big surprise is the unique and changing relationship of Jamie and Marian, who start off as a traditional bickering “odd couple” until their bond deepens with unexpected tenderness. It’s a road trip that ends with something much more than a change of venue, though things do get much brighter for them in the “sunshine state”. Filmgoers will be glad to go on a goofy and often glorious getaway with this pair of DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS.

3.5 Out of 4

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, February 23, 2024

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL – Review

So, who’s ready for a nostalgic hop across the pond? But really, after a couple of months lockdown, who’s not up for that? And what kind of nostalgia, any particular decade? Why let’s bounce back to the wild, weird 1990s. Oh really? Now I know how my folks felt when we went crazy for the 50’s back in the late 70s. But there’s one thing all those eras have in common: rock n’ roll, or the more encompassing “pop music”. Toss in lotsa’ family drama, some “coming of age” angst, and a smidgen of snoggin’ (well, romance is more apt) and you’ve got this flick’s recipe. Actually it’s more of an instructions guide, but don’t let the title lure you into thinking that it’s a reboot (or “re-imagining”) of the John Hughes teen fantasy WEIRD SCIENCE. Nope, that’s not the gist of this self-empowerment manual/journey that’s HOW TO BUILD A GIRL.

That title girl is fifteen-year-old high schooler Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) who daydreams about the perfect boy that will change her life. Well, since that’s not going anywhere, she plots her own destiny as an aspiring writer, a big goal for someone growing up in a council estate in Wolverhampton. Dad Pat (Paddy Considine), an aspiring musician struggles to make ends meet on his disability benefits, while mum Angie (Sarah Solemani) is a near-zombie after recently birthing twins (at age 38). And Johanna has two brothers, grade-schooler Lupin (Stellan Powell) and a grade-ahead-of her Krissi (Laurie Kynaston), who’s also yearning for a boyfriend. After winning a writing competition, she makes a splash on a local TV morning “chat” show. Spurred on by the taped pictures on her bedroom wall of her idols and inspirations (they come to life when nobody’s around but her), Johanna sets her sights on becoming a rock music reviewer/journalist for the glossy “fanzine” called “Disc & Music Echo” (DME). Most of the London bullpen scoffs at her, but one staffer (Frank Dillane) convinces the editor to give her a chance. But first, Johanna must “make herself over”, create a persona. Dyeing her hair a rich red magenta and donning an outfit that resembles DC comics “super-magician” Zatanna (top hat, tails, and fishnet stockings), she adopts the “pen name” Dolly Wilde. DME gets lots of positive feedback on her piece, so they give her a showcase assignment, a one-on-one interview/profile of pop sensation John Kite (Alfie Allen). The two make an emotional connection resulting in a fawning “fan-girl” puff piece that nearly gets her fired. To keep the money flowing Johanna decides to turn Dolly into an acerbic, name-calling, “poison pen” critic, which earns her more acclaim and cash. But what happens when the character she’s created starts to take over? Will the demonic diva Dolly obliterate the sweet jovial Johanna? Or will she resist the siren call of fame to stay true to herself?

After sharing the screen in recent teen “drama-dies” like LADY BIRD and BOOKSMART, Feldstein gets the chance to carry a film on her own talents. And she does for the most part, despite the too obvious story mechanics (and a whispy, breathy accent). In the opening sequences, she’s got an effervescent energy, lighting up the screen as she glides from home to school, then soaring into the London DME offices like a stealth bomber. Her wide-eyed optimism for that first half makes the transition to the dark side in the second act a bit too difficult to accept. Luckily she has excellent acting support, particularly from Kynaston who deftly morphs from a delighted cheerleader ( a spin on the best gay pal of cliched “rom-coms”) to the true confidant who will deliver that much-needed “wake-up call” to get her back on track. At one point he delivers a monologue about his very closeted beau that is heart-wrenching. Considine is an endearing delight as the playful patriarch who barely stays on the “straight and narrow”, wanting to care for his family but still holding to a tiny bit of his rock n’ roll dreams. A good deal of the drama is handled deftly by Solemani, whose Angie adores her kids but fights the energy-draining effects of her late in life twins. Though her eyes are nearly always at “half-mast” they’re filled with affection. As for Dolly’s encounters, Allen is quite compelling as the somewhat jaded pop performer whose muse is awakened thanks to her open nature. Aside from her family, Johanna has the strongest emotional connection with him. Plus there are some terrific cameos from many talented British comic vets. Chris O’Dowd is hilariously awkward as the stiff TV host blindsided by Johanna’s studio coup. Joanna Scanlan is superb as Johanna’s tough but encouraging school writing teacher. Emma Thompson shows up close to the finale as another mentor who guides with just the right hint of snark. Best of all is the “who’s who” wall of idols in Johanna’s bedroom including some inspired pairings from Michael Sheen as Freud to Lucy Punch as Sylvia Plath and Sharon Hogan from TV’s “Catastrophe” as a very hard-edged Jo March.

A nice blend of whimsey and satire is achieved in the first half-hour thanks to the assured direction by TV vet Coky Giedroyc and the screenplay by Caitlin Moran, based on her novel. This is especially true as Johanna literally fills her backyard with every type of fantasy “dream boy”. But things change with the introduction of the Dolly personality and the story starts to stray into familiar “morality lesson” terittory. It becomes more jarring as Dolly almost transforms into Johanna’s “Ms. Hyde”, sloshing booze, and dismissing her family. This is driven home by the film’s most graphic sequence (no doubt earning that R rating) as Dolly cruelly and in great detail, relates the laundry list of sex partners (and positions) to her frustrated older brother. It’s a lurid montage that seems so out of place in the story of a teen following her dreams. We’ve seen that downward spiral in too many young adult pop tales. The same could be said for the interchangeable settings (I almost expected the family from last year’s BLINDED BY THE LIGHT to be next door) which made the era hard to identify (there are no cell phones so is it the 80s, but there are still cassettes, so is it…). Plus the delightful “talking wall of fame” is completely forgotten for the middle hour. Feldstein’s Johanna is (for much of the tale) a compelling heroine but HOW TO BUILD A GIRL stumbles and fumbles toward the task’s completion.

2 Out of 4

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL opens in select drive-ins across the country and is available as a Video On Demand through cable and satellite systems and can be purchased through most streaming platforms

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL Starring Beanie Feldstein Opens Next Week

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SELECT THEATERS, DIGITAL AND CABLE VOD MAY 8TH

The critics love HOW TO BUILD A GIRL!

Beanie Feldstein is incandescent.”

Katey Rich, VANITY FAIR

“It’s a joyful thing to behold. As fun as a night in the mosh pit with your best mate”

Leslie Felperin, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“A loving tribute to young women with overactive imaginations and a desire to reinvent themselves. Beanie Feldstein is as charming as ever.”

Anne Cohen, REFINERY29

Check Out the trailer:

Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) is a bright, quirky, 16-year-old who uses her colorful imagination to regularly escape her humdrum life in Wolverhampton and live out her creative fantasies. Desperate to break free from the overcrowded flat she shares with her four brothers and eccentric parents, she submits an earnestly penned and off-beat music review to a group of self-important indie rock critics at a weekly magazine. Despite being brushed off initially, Johana clamors to the top of the 90s rock music scene by reinventing herself as Dolly Wilde – a venerable, impossible-to-please music critic with an insatiable lust for fame, fortune, and men. It isn’t long before the rapid pace at which Johana’s life is changing becomes overwhelming and she runs face-first into a devastatingly real, existential crisis: Is this the type of girl she wants to become? Or does she need to start over and build again from the ground up? Based on the best-selling novel by Caitlin Moran, How to Build a Girl is a sassy, sexy, and a profoundly touching coming-of-age comedy that traces the rocky road to womanhood through the lens of a unique and wildly hilarious protagonist. Co-starring Alfie Allen, Paddy Considine, Chris O’Dowd, and Emma Thompson.

About the director: Coky Giedroyc is a British, critically acclaimed director most recently celebrated for her work on Harlots, written by Moira Buffini for Monumental Television and Hulu. In 2016, she was awarded a BAFTA for best director of The Sound Of Music Live starring Kara Tointon and Alexander Armstrong. Coky set up the award-winning drama The Hour written by Abi Morgan and starring Dominic West, Ben Wishaw and Romola Garai which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy. She was nominated for both an International Emmy and a BAFTA for the BBC Drama, The Virgin Queen, starring Anne Marie Duff and Tom Hardy. She directed Oliver Twist and Wuthering Heights, both of which also starred Hardy. Other credits include the four-part BBC1 series What Remains written by Tony Basgallop, Spies of Warsaw, an adaptation of Alan Furst’s novel and Nativity, a Canadian co-production starring Tatiana Maslany. Her work in the US has included: The Killing, Penny Dreadful with Eva Green and Rory Kinnear, Broad Squad, a pilot for ABC, Veena Sud’s series Seven Seconds and Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup. Coky served for four years on the board of Directors UK and is a mentor to young female film makers starting out in the industry.

BOOKSMART – Review

You don’t have to be a genius to get through high school and into a great college. There’s not a specific mold one has to fit into to advance in life. Smarties can be losers, stoners can excel, and jocks aren’t always jerks. BOOKSMART presents these labels and more, and just as quickly, shows off how in 2019, the John Hughes 80s-movie stereotypes don’t apply. And much like actress-turned-director Olivia Wilde, you can defy the expectations set out for you.

Olivia Wilde directs a raunchy comedy from the modern, high-school girl perspective in the spirit of SUPERBAD and CAN’T HARDLY WAIT with a healthy dose of BROAD CITY thrown in. Despite the unoriginal premise of the “final party before high-school ends,” the screenwriters (a team of four talented women) prove that you don’t need an original concept when you’re making a clever and laugh-out-loud statement about stereotypes and high-school tropes. You just have to beat them at their own game. And between Wilde’s carefree confidence behind the camera and the writing team’s admiration for the characters, it’s no wonder that BOOKSMART is one of the best high school stories put on screen.

Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and her best friend, Molly (Beanie Feldstein), are ready to move on to two of the top schools in the country. While their intentions may be good, their elitist attitude towards this achievement quickly vanishes when they learn all of their classmates are also going to top schools despite what their appearance and weekend partying may signify. This leads the duo to prove that they are also brainy and fun, like the rest of her classmates. There’s just one catch: they need to figure out where’s the big house party that takes place the night before graduation.

Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein lead this comedic freight-train that barely takes a minute to breathe through the breezy 97 min runtime. Their presence on screen and the love they extend to the characters make the constant jokes feel much more natural than it sounds. The two have dynamic and infectious chemistry that you feel in every scene, leading to one of my favorite comedic duos in recent memory.

More than most high-school films, the supporting characters are just as important (even a throwaway character is the crux to the entire conclusion of the film). These characters accentuate the themes and aren’t just roadblocks in the way of our leads’ end goal. In fact, many of them have just as strong arcs by the end of it. Billie Lourd is fantastic, playing a Puck-like character (one of a few Shakespearean allusions in the film) that mysteriously pops up throughout the film for some off-kilter fun. But its the quirky bond between the strong, feminist duo that provides most of the heart and humor in the film.

While many films depict the lives of high schoolers as narcissistic, callous, and lacking any sense of what the “real world” is like, Olivia Wilde offers a softer and more sensitive lens to her characters. Their high school revelry, including trashing the hallways on the final day of school and rowdy late night parties, is depicted without judgment (albeit, with a strong knack for slo-mo flare set to some amazing pop songs). Unlike SUPERBAD and other high-school comedies, the struggles of the two leads aren’t trying to get booze or laid – they simply want to have their voices heard. In the end for Amy and Molly, it’s telling their respected crushes how they feel and also to prove a point to their classmates that they can have fun too. But it’s much bigger than that. As the feminist references and jokes throughout the film remind the audience, it’s making an enthusiastic statement at a time when it’s needed most. The two “nerds” at the center of the film don’t need to follow the rules to get through life, just as the woman at the helm of the film doesn’t have to stick to the book when it comes to teen comedies. And that’s what makes it smart.

Overall score: 4.5 out of 5

BOOKSMART opens in theaters May 24

Watch the First trailer for Greta Gerwig’s LADY BIRD Starring Saoirse Ronan


HERE’S THE FIRST TRAILER FOR GRETA GERWIG’S LADY BIRD. THE FILM WILL NEXT SCREEN AT THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 8th.

In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird’s father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape,Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.


From writer/director Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Lois Smith, LADY BIRD will be in Theaters November 10.

 

 

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING Trailer Is Here

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Returning stars Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne are joined by Chloë Grace Moretz for NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING, the follow-up to 2014’s most popular original comedy. Nicholas Stoller again directs in a film that follows what happens when the will of parenthood goes against the bonds of sisterhood.

Check out the funny new trailer below.

Now that Mac (Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Byrne) have a second baby on the way, they are ready to make the final move into adulthood: the suburbs.  But just as they thought they’d reclaimed the neighborhood and were safe to sell, they learn that the new occupants next door are a sorority even more out of control than Teddy (Efron) and his brothers ever dreamed of being.

Tired of their school’s sexist, restrictive system, the unorthodox ladies of Kappa Nu have decided to start a house where they can do whatever the hell they want.  When Shelby (Moretz) and her sisters, Beth (Kiersey Clemons) and Nora (Beanie Feldstein), find the perfect place just off campus, they won’t let the fact that it’s located on a quiet street stand in their way of parties as epic as the guys throw.

Forced to turn to the one ex-neighbor with the skills to bring down the new Greeks next door, the Radners—alongside best friends Jimmy (Ike Barinholtz) and Paula (Carla Gallo)—bring in charismatic Teddy as their secret weapon.  If he can infiltrate the sorority and charm his way through it, the thirtysomethings will shutter the Kappas’ home.  But if they think that their neighbors are going down without a fight, they have severely underestimated the power of youthful ingenuity and straight-up crazy.

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING hits theaters May 20, 2016.

Visit the movie’s official site:  www.neighbors-movie.com

Neighbors 2