Tag: Bill Camp

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

THE BURIAL – Review

Tommy Lee Jones as Jeremiah O’Keefe and Jamie Foxx as Willie Gary in The Burial. Photo: Skip Bolen © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

End-of-the-year movie awards season is in full swing as we see the release of a film focused on a profession that has had a complex Hollywood history. Often these characters are heroes or villains, with minimal “grey area”. It’s not the police or politicians or even used car dealers. This weekend’s new release is set in the courts, and it’s not basketball, rather the lead is a lawyer. Many times they’re portrayed as sleazy, corrupt “ambulance-chasers”. Or they’re noble ” seekers of the truth” ala’ ninety-plus defender of the innocent Perry Mason, who made a huge impact on TV after becoming an icon in “dime novels”, early “talkies”, and radio. But this film isn’t from the pen of his creator Gardner or the current courtroom scribe, Mr. Grisham. It’s taken from the 25-year-old headlines and news reports, making this work a docudrama. Even though several moviegoers may believe it’s a horror story, it does figure into the case, due to its title THE BURIAL.

It all begins in a Florida church where flashy successful personal injury attorney Willie Gary (Jaimie Foxx) keeps the congregation riveted with his “rags to riches” testimony. From there we see him in another “pulpit” as he delivers his closing summation in a trial that nets his plaintiff $75 million from a trucking firm. Hmm, now who’s the older gentleman watching intently from the court audience? We soon find out as Mr. Gary gets a most surprising visit in his opulent office from a young Biloxi lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) and his client, that same trial spectator, Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones). Gary listens to Hal as he recounts O’Keefe’s story. He’s a respected member of the Biloxi, Mississippi community who owns several funeral homes and a “pre-need” insurance company. All’s well until he gets a visit from the state. It seems he must have a minimum amount in savings assets to keep his license and O’Keefe doesn’t have the funds. He consults his longtime local lawyer Mike Allred (Allan Ruck) who recommends that he sell a couple of his funeral homes. Allred then arranges for them to meet Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), whose Canadian funeral services company wants to expand further into the States. After a fancy seafood dinner on Ray’s yacht, they strike a deal for three O’Keefe locations with the verbal promise that Loewen will let Jeremiah keep his insurance services at them. An “open-ended” contract is signed, and the Loewen company stalls on the finalization, causing Jeremiah to close down much of his chain after his license is pulled. Jeremiah thinks that Mike is too eager to settle for a meager amount, so he turns to Hal who runs a tape of a TV piece on Gary. But Mr. G is reluctant since he’s never taken a contract case, nor has he had a white client. And that five million seems paltry. But Hal convinces him and soon Gary brings his team to Biloxi via his private jet (“Wings of Justice”) to face off against the Loewen legal team led by the fierce and formidable Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett). Has Willie “the giant slayer” met his match? Will his streak of court victories finally snap as he enters this unfamiliar territory?

The film’s power is primarily due to the compelling and quite different performances of the Oscar-winning lead actors. The more flamboyant (of course) role showcases the skills, comic and dramatic, of the fabulous Mr. Foxx (okay, fantastic too). Foxx makes a “full meal” of the larger-than-life, but very real, Mr. Gary. He’s the hero we want to root for, despite his flashy swagger, as he delights in deflating the “fat cats”. And yet, Foxx shows us his softer side, as he feels the pangs of self-doubt when the courtroom ceases to be his “showroom”. A big part of his concern stems from the unlikely bond with O’Keefe who is given gravitas and dignity by the subtle and superb Mr. Jones. This is one Biloxi boy who won’t take folks talking “down” to him, nor will he be “bulldozed” by Gary or the funeral “kingpins”. Jones’ quiet draws us in and gives real power to this dramatic duo. As the defense attorney Downes, Ms. Smollett is a most worthy and smart adversary, unafraid to “mix it up” with the “boys” while preparing to use every ounce of her law-school savvy. What a pleasure to see the always enjoyable Mr. Ruck (how many decades after playing the BFF of Ferris) as the old pal of Jeremiah who tries to hide his wounded ego to help the case. He even gets a turn on the witness stand, with Ruck conveying every manner of emotion during a brutal “cross-exam”. Every good story needs a great villain, and Camp is more than up to the task making Ray the dead-eyed face of greed and deciet. His annoyance at being in court during the big third act almost steals the movie. There’s also solid support from Athie as the amiable young lawyer who learns to take a stand and become the hard-working “brains” behind the “dream team”. And it’s great to see TV and screen vet Pamela Reed as Mrs. O’Keefe who provides moral strength to her hubby while being as pivotal a partner to him as Gary.

In her third feature film, director Maggie Betts, who co-wrote the screenplay with Doug Wright adapting the article by Jonathan Carr, guides this incredible ensemble and somehow makes funeral contract law an engrossing story element. Yes, it is the main plot, but it’s not overshadowed by the big personality of Foxx’s Gary. Though many scenes outside the court occur in offices and conference centers, there’s no claustrophobia. That is until the characters come into intense disagreements, giving the pace a needed “spark”. Unfortunately, the film needs a bit more of it as it battles a midpoint “lull” as Foxx is pushed to the sidelines. Luckily this leads to a rousing finale, but much of that infectious early energy is drained. This is offset somewhat by the tender sequences involving the O’Keefes and the Garys (despite the chaste verbal flirtations with Ms. Downes). Plus it’s hard to disparage a real “David vs. Goliath” story with a crackling last-act showdown ( and bucking the court film trend of lengthy final summations). Despite the troubles with the flow of the story, fans of Jones and Foxx will dig (sorry) THE BURIAL. Court adjourned!

3 out of 4

THE BURIAL is now playing in select theatres and streams exclusively on Amazon Prime Video

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

Win Free Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of DARK WATERS

From Participant (Spotlight), DARK WATERS tells the shocking and heroic story of an attorney (Mark Ruffalo) who risks his career and family to uncover a dark secret hidden by one of the world’s largest corporations and to bring justice to a community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals.

Starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper and Bill Pullman, DARK WATERS is directed by Todd Haynes.

DAKR WATERS opens in St. Louis November 27.

Enter for your chance to win two free passes to the St. Louis advance screening of DARK WATERS. The theatrical sneak preview will be on November 19 at 7pm.

Answer the Following: Which film was Todd Haynes nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay ?

Leave your name, answer and email address in our comments section below.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Rated PG 13.

Get tickets: https://www.darkwaterstickets.com/

Mark Ruffalo stars as “Robert Bilott” in director Todd Haynes’ DARK WATERS, a Focus Features release. Credit : Mary Cybulski / Focus Features

Mark Ruffalo (center) stars as ‘Robert Bilott’ in director Todd Haynes’ DARK WATERS, a Focus Features release.
Credit : Mary Cybulski / Focus Features

Watch The New Trailer For Paul Dano’s WILDLIFE Starring Carey Mulligan And Jake Gyllenhaal

IFC Films has released the teaser trailer for Paul Dano’s WILDLIFE starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Bill Camp, Ex Oxenbould & Zoe Margaret Colletti.

The film had it’s world premiere at the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2018 and recently at the
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2018 – OPENING NIGHT CRITICS’ WEEK.

In their Sundance review, Indiewire praised Dano’s first film and wrote it is, “a tender, gorgeous, and exquisitely understated drama about a family that loses its faith in itself.”

14-year-old Joe is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry—a housewife and a golf pro—in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job—and his sense of purpose—he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother’s struggle as she tries to keep her head above water.

Actor Paul Dano makes an impressive debut as a filmmaker and—along with co-writer Zoe Kazan—elegantly adapts Richard Ford’s novel of the same name. Carey Mulligan delivers one of her finest performances as a complex woman whose self-determination and self-involvement disrupts the values and expectations of the 1960s nuclear family. With precise details and textures of its specific time and place, WILDLIFE commits to the viewpoint of a teenage boy observing the gradual dissolution of his parents’ marriage.

Dano said of his film, “WILDLIFE is about a kid seeing his parents change and their marriage break – and through his parents’ failures, having to grow up. It is a coming of age story for all three: mother, father, and son. While it is about struggle and heartbreak and disillusionment, it is a film guided by love. Now that it is time for me to share this film, I can see that – like our protagonist Joe – I made a family portrait as a means of acceptance, and of letting go.”

WILDLIFE opens in theaters October 19th.

HOSTILES – Review

A timely account of the plight of Native Americans told through the eyes of a white guy who hates them, HOSTILES is a soft-headed frontier epic that never sparks to life. Despite a promising cast and concept, HOSTILES will have viewers begging to be taken to greener pastures long before its 134-minute duration concludes.

In 1840, Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is given the order to escort Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi), a dying Cheyenne war chief, from New Mexico to Montana to be buried on sacred tribal lands. Still harboring a grudge against Yellow Hawk for leading past attacks in which his men were slaughtered, Blocker has spent his life fighting Indians and is renowned for having collected more than his share of scalps. Soon after Blocker and his select group of soldiers begin their journey with Yellow Hawk and his family, they come across a burned-down ranch where they discover Rosalie Quaid (Rosamund Pike) clutching a dead baby. She’s been in shock since her husband and two other daughters were massacred by a band of bloodthirsty Comanche. When they later cross paths with that same gang, Rosalie avenges herself by emptying a revolver into the body of a Comanche. As the group continues their trek, the whites and the Indians begin to bond. The Indian women give Rosalie some clothes to wear and Metz (Rory Cochrane), one of Blocker’s oldest friends, asks for forgiveness from Yellow Hawk for past atrocities he committed against his people. While stopped at a military post, Blocker and his party hear a commander’s wife (Robyn Malcolm) condemn the government and military officials for orchestrating the stealing of Native American lands. As the journey continues, Blocker finds himself gaining respect for Yellow Hawk and falling for Rosalie.

There is nothing overwhelmingly bad about HOSTILES (aside from Rosamund Pike’s performance), but there’s also nothing that inspires the viewer to sit up and take notice. Director Scott Cooper’s film is bogged down by a grim and solemn tone that makes its predictable story interminable. Here’s another blandly-written story of the white man learning wisdom and insight from those who look different. The film wants to present the Cheyenne in a good light, yet for all its sentiments to wax poetic about them tells us precious little about their culture and their way of life. Wes Studi as Yellow Hawk certainly exudes the proper noble presence but he and the other the Indians are props for a dry history lesson about white man problems. In fairness, HOSTILES doesn’t dwell on the themes of bigotry, genocide, and oppression as much as I expected (WIND RIVER, a contemporary story, actually handles some of these issues better). Coopers script pays lip service to these matters but his film concentrates more on artful images punctuated by pseudo-profound monologues more often than on action and the many emotional scenes seem more sappy than genuine.

HOSTILES squanders a good cast. This is the sour, humorless Christian Bale we get in movies like OUT OF THE FURNACE and he isn’t much fun to spend 134 minutes with. Worse is Rosamund Pike, way overplaying the grief. A scene where she’s wailing in agony while unsuccessfully clawing at the ground with her hands to bury her kids (until one of the soldiers hands her a shovel, which she can’t handle much better) is so embarrassingly over-the-top, she seems more deranged than anguished. Jesse Plemmons, Rory Cochrane, and Bill Camp are among the fine actors that are part of this journey. They’re all good but nobody stands out while Ben Foster employs his usual tics to play yet another twitchy villain. Even current hotshot Timothee Calamet makes little impression in a small role as a doomed youngster along for the ride (though I hear he’s good in CALL ME BY ME NAME!). HOSTILES is an underwhelming western that just leaves you wondering why it wasn’t better.

2 of 5 Stars

 

 

 

MOLLY’S GAME – Review

An Aaron Sorkin character is always the smartest man or woman in the room. He or she can spit out 150 words in 30 seconds or less and talk their way out of any corner. At this point in his writing career (now turned directing career) you’re either on board with his style or not. But even MOLLY’S GAME seems to double down on the Sorkin-style. Leave it to him to create a world of poker – a game where players are often rather private and rarely talk during games – that is filled with incessant chatter.

MOLLY’S GAME is based on the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a former Olympic-class skier who is arrested in the middle of the night by the FBI. She turns to a reluctant criminal defense lawyer, Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba), to oversee her case. In the process, we learn how she ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game in LA and then New York which included Hollywood actors, sports stars, billionaire businessmen, and the Russian mob.

In a story about addiction, Sorkin shows his hand and reveals he’s addicted to listening to himself talk (as if we didn’t already have this inkling). Every minute of the film is packed with statistics, literary references, and moral and political talking points. So much so, that even during the quiet moments, we have Chastain delivering narration. MOLLY’S GAME marks the feature directorial debut for Sorkin. While much of the film feels like a standard take on the material, Sorkin does show some finesse when it gets down to the actual games. There are a few hands where Sorkin successfully elevates the tension, even if the high-stakes game is centered around reckless husbands betting away life savings. When the chips start piling up, Sorkin does a good job placing the viewer in the heat of the situation.


Even if you aren’t a poker fan, the film still offers two of the most beautiful people in the world facing off against the FBI. While the film has a rotating door of money-hungry characters, it’s really Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba’s show. So much of the film rests heavily on Jessica Chastain’s shoulder and yet she seems completely unphased by the challenge. She’s a natural with Sorkin’s silver tongue dialogue, but Chastain gives Bloom just the right amount of sympathy as well. Sure, she’s a tough no-nonsense businesswoman, but Chastain also makes her a caring coach. She’s the one the players turn to when they are down on their luck, in turn, she becomes not just their banker, but also the voice of reason or the shoulder they can cry on – something that wasn’t given to her in her younger days of skiing with her dad.

The scenes with Kevin Costner as her dad feel a little gratuitous. We’re supposed to understand why Molly has the strength to keep fighting and going on, but these training scenes or dinner table scenes just relay that her strength stems from outsmarting or proving her dad wrong, which seems counterproductive to the overall message of the film. Mostly though, these scenes pad out an overlong game that already spends more than enough time showing Molly’s rise to power.

For a film with not a very complex plot, we have a 140 min runtime. Sorkin’s biggest strength becomes the film’s ultimate downfall. There’s simply too much of a good thing, and I can’t help but think a more experienced director might have tightened this up quite a bit. With a plot centered around high-stakes poker, Russian mobsters, hedge funds, and an FBI investigation, we should be on the edge of our seats. While Chastain is mesmerizing, she can only do so much to make this the searing drama that Sorkin thought he had in his hand.

 

Overall Score: 3 out of 5

MOLLY’S GAME is now playing in theaters everywhere

Starring Jessica Chastain, Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of MOLLY’S GAME In St. Louis

Idris Elba and Jessica Chastain star in MOLLY’S GAME

MOLLY’S GAME is based on the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey, who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led us to believe.

Stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Chris O’Dowd, Michael Cera, Joe Keery, Rachel Skarsten, Graham Greene and Brian d’Arcy James. Directed by Aaron Sorkin with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the memoir by Molly Bloom.

In Select Theaters December 25, 2017 everywhere January 5th, 2018.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of MOLLY’S GAME on December 18 at 7:00 pm in the St. Louis area.

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.

R for language, drug content and some violence

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Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman Star In First Trailer For THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

In theaters October 27 is director Yorgos Lanthimos’ (THE LOBSTER, DOGTOOTH), THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER starring Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman.

The strange relationship between a cardiac surgeon and a 16-year-old boy portends a terrifying sacrifice, in this eagerly awaited supernatural thriller.

Check out the brand new trailer for the film now.

The film will have its North American premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.

https://www.facebook.com/sacreddeermovie

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of GOLD In St. Louis

gold poster

GOLD is the epic tale of one man’s pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey as Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street.

Also features Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bill Camp, Joshua Harto, Timothy Simons, Craig T Nelson, Stacy Keach, and Bruce Greenwood.

The score is from composer Daniel Pemberton. Pemberton was Golden Globe nominated this year for Best Original Song for GOLD. He co-wrote the original song along with Iggy Pop and Danger Mouse.

Directed by Stephen Gaghan, GOLD opens in St. Louis, Friday, January 27.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of GOLD on MONDAY, JANUARY 23 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

Answer the following:

What’s the name of the 1974 thriller film, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York, that had to do with a South African gold mine?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.

WEBSITE:  http://gold-film.com/

Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity.

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