Tag: Bleeker Street

RELAY – Review

Ah, now here’s a real “under the radar” gem. Usually, the quirky modern-day ‘B” pictures are dropped into the multiplex in late Winter or mid-Fall. So, we’re almost past the Summer blockbuster season, the studio “wise men” (two words not often next to each other) are arriving well in advance of the December holidays with a gift for us. This one’s full of razzle-dazzle tech twists and intricate machinations, mixing in elements of crowd pleasers like THE EQLUAIZER (movie series and TV shows), THE STING, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, with a sprinkling from the IMF team for a spicy kick. There are no big action set pieces, but there is plenty of tension when you dive into the wild world of RELAY.


Much as with a Bond flick or Indiana Jones, we’re dropped into the conclusion of a recent “operation” involving the lead character in the film’s opening moments. It seems that everything’s gone according to plan as he observes a rich CEO getting his “just desserts” while his former employee vanishes into the night. We’re then whisked away to the start of another case. A jittery young woman cautiously enters the towering home of an NYC law firm. Sarah Grant (Lily James) was a top researcher/scientist at a major “bio-agricultural” company. She sounded the alarm about a new “insect-resistant” wheat that has the possibility of dangerous, even deadly side effects. The company fired her and insisted she turn over all the research. Sarah left with the files, but is having “second thoughts”. She’s being harassed and threatened, spurring a desire to return the docs rather than “blow the whistle”. Now she fears that her old bosses will “tie up loose ends”.The lawyer who hears her declines to take her as a client. Instead, he scribbles down the number of a person who acts as an “intermediary” to broker the “info exchange”. When she calls the number, she speaks to a rep at the Interstate Relay Service, a company that translates phone calls for the hearing impaired. The messages are not recorded, nor are they kept on file. Typing in at another location is the “barterer,” who we later learn is named Ash (Riz Ahmed). They establish an ID “passcode phrase” (“Cash or credit?” “Check”) and he gives her strict instructions (do it right or I’ll walk away) on how to get the files to him, along with payment, and who to contact at her old job. He keeps a copy of the files forever in a secret safe and makes copies to send to the feds and media in case the company goes after her. But first, she’s got to move to a much safer place, namely an incredibly secure high-rise apartment building. Somehow her move leaks out, and a dark van is parked across the street. Inside is a well-armed “cleaner squad” headed by a man going by “Dawson” (Sam Worthington), who gets her client’s Relay calls from Ash. Will things go according to his elaborate plan? And what happens when the exchanges between Ash and Saeah take a more intimate turn?

In referring to this as a modern “B” movie, I didn’t wish to imply that the stellar cast is anything other than “A+”, particularly the two main leads. First, there is the interesting and intense Ahmed, who has been so great in supporting roles (NIGHTCRAWLER) and terrific as the main focus (acting students will study his work in SOUND OF METAL). For a moment, I thought he was following up on that film due to Ash’s use of the relay service, but it’s a way to avoid making a personal connection. Through those immersive dark eyes will look into the soul of an emotionally wounded, haunted man who must stay in control at all times. This quality doesn’t help him away from work as he sits silently at AA meetings. Ahmed wants to become invisible as he flits from one shadow to the next. But then someone flips the light switch, and we see his defensive cocoon slowly begin to crack. Taking a hammer to it is the ethereal charisma of Ms. James, who lets us see, in her vocal delivery and body language, Sarah go from vulnerable victim to staunch champion of her own destiny. She’s overwhelmed by dealing with the rapid, specific details from Ash, though soon she’s bobbing and weaving like a trenchcoated spy. Their engaging chemistry has us rooting for them to connect beyond the “case”. That’s complicated due to the dead-eyed killers headed by the gravel-voiced Worthington. Every line is spat out like venom, though we can get a glimmer of his reserved respect for his worthy opponent’s intellect. However, he lets us know that he’ll bash in that skull housing that brain, if he gets a chance. I should mention his also intimidating “second-in-command” Rosetti played by the captivating Willa Fitzgerald (who burnt up the screen last year in the fantastic STRANGE DARLING), who is both slinky and sinister as she pursues both Sarah and Ash.

As for the filmmaker who keeps “all the plates spinning”, here’s a big “Welcome back to the big screen” for David Mackenzie, whose last theatrical feature (aside from the Netflix showcase OUTLAW KING) was another engaging thriller, 2016’s HELL OR HIGH WATER. Working from an endlessly clever script from Justin Piasecki (no surprise that it was on the 2019 “Blacklist” of most-liked unproduced screenplays), Mackenzie almost turns the Big Apple into another character, as every street lamp or crowded walkway could lead to a fatal showdown. We’re guided to familiar locales made mysterious with bystanders giving the “stink eye” before possibly lashing out at Sarah or Ash, or maybe walking past. And even though they’re kept apart, Mackenzie and Piasecki convey the longing and yearning for contact that’s denied. Somehow, they make the relay service jargon somewhat “steamy” (at the end of every reply, rather than “stop” in telegrams, they say “go ahead”). I can’t give away too many details of Ash’s “playbook”, I will say that he uses state-of-the-art tech (lots of “burner phones” while making considerable use of the much maligned under-appreciated USPS. Yes, I’m talking about the post office, as Ash gets their tracking numbers, while dropping some unique postal trivia (when this film was shot, there were active post office service centers inside the gate area of a few major airports). As I mentioned, there aren’t elaborate stunt sequences, but many of the near-misses and “drops” will have you on the edge of your seat. That’s before you fall off of it during the stunning, whiplash-inducing finale reveal. There’s been little fanfare about this engaging entertainment (so many talk shows are taking early Labor Day breaks), so I hope that word will spread on this original film that takes its inspiration from so many classic thrillers (could Ash be a 21st-century spin on the Scarlet Pimpernel). Moviegoers will be well rewarded for their effort (it may be tough to locate at the multiplex) and time (clocking in at under two hours) with the cinematic and storytelling delights of RELAY.

3.5 Out of 4

RELAY is now playing in select theatres

HARD TRUTHS (2025) – Review

Although the big family holiday celebrations are nearly a month in the past, there’s always a need for a new look at sibs, parents, and kids at the movies. This new release is set across the pond and concerns connected family units headed by two sisters who couldn’t be more different. It’s that whole “sweet and sour” dynamic at play here. It’s also funny, sad, and totally engaging thanks to the reunion of a celebration filmmaker and one of his greatest actresses/collaborators after nearly three decades. This time out they’re giving us an intimate look at a damaged soul who really needs to deal with some HARD TRUTHS.

The film’s story begins on a quiet street in a London neighborhood. It’s early on a sunny Spring-like day as a young man on a bicycle meets up with his boss as the enter their work van outside a modest home. Inside the ill-tempered matriarch of the family, Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is lecturing her 22-year-old son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett) as he silently shuffles out the door, headphones always in place. Meanwhile, the patriarch and owner of that work van, Curtley (David Webber) toils away with that chatty cyclist, Virgil (Jonathan Livingstone) during a home renovation job. Across town, Pansy’s younger sister Chantelle (Michele Austin), happily chats with her clients as she styles their hair at a beauty salon. That night Pansy relates a list of aggevations during her dinnertime tirade as Curtley and Moses eat in near silence. Across town sister Chantelle enjoys a bottle of wine and some bubbly gossip at the walk-up apartment she shares with her two twenty-something working daughters, Aleisha (Sophia Brown) and Kayla (Ani Nelson). The next day, Pansy gets a free hair treatment from her sister, as Chantelle tries to invite her over for a family meal after they visit the grave of their late Mum (it is Mother’s Day). Pansy won’t commit as she squawks about her tangled follicles. After they’re finished Chantelle is back at the salon, as Pansy is “unleashed on the world” spewing venom and bile at salesclerks, doctors, motorists, and dental hygienists. Back at home, she sleeps during the day while cowering in fear of the wildlife (birds and a timid fox) invading the small backyard garden. So how long can she vent her anger at family and strangers before it takes its toll on them and on her health? And will she get together for the holiday with her concerned sister who loves her despite everything? Can the sibs get to the root of Pansy’s rage?

Much acclaim has already been directed at Ms. Jean-Baptiste along with several acting awards from film fests and critics groups. To put it mildly, these accolades are extremely well deserved. Pansy is perhaps a human-wrecking ball, destroying the tranquility of any setting she enters, much like the Tasmanian Devil of Looney Tunes fame, though her insults are sharper than his fangs. And in the hands of an actor with modest skills, Pansy could be a cartoonish character, a riff on the still popular “Karen” memes. But Jean-Baptiste dives much further, giving us a profile of “the walking wounded”. Her screeds release no tension from the body, instead refilling her inner pressure (and making us wonder if she’ll reach a detonation). Jean-Baptiste conveys that weariness through her downturned eyes and stiff, robotic body movements. Pansy is similar to a wounded animal in the wild, in agony but quick to strike back at anyone trying to offer aid. In this tale, it’s kid sister Chantelle, who is given a calm, nurturing disposition by the beaming Ms. Austin. She’s a ray of sunshine to all that she encounters, though we see her heartbreak when no amount of her kindness connects with her suffering sibling. Plus Austin as Chantelle is a great Mum (and a fun chum) to her daughters, played with great energy and humor by Brown and Nelson. As for Pansy’s household, Webber as the brow-beaten husband Curtley, stays stoic, but his withering glare hints at his own seeting disgust with his mate. Luckily he also has a fatherly concern for his only son Moses, playing an aimlessly lost soul, staring downward as he wanders the streets (he doesn’t stand up to a pair of bullies) and only waking up when he’s indulging his love of aviation via books and video games (perhaps to fly away from his misery). He may be the most tragic of the fractured family.

This exceptional ensemble is brilliantly guided by writer/director Mike Leigh, who gives us a look inside the lives of a family that could be from everyone, even down the street from you or me (kudos also for the quaint quiet locales that feel far from bustling London). Leigh lets us spend time with all the characters at work and at home. We get brief scenes of Aliesha and Kayla on the job during some fairly difficult exchanges (a skin care product pitch turns nasty unexpectantly), to show us that they can “leave it at the office” and be civil and sweet back home with Chantelle. But the real “meat” of the “movie meal” is Pansy “on the march” and Leigh shows us the stunned reactions of folks caught in the “line of fire”, flustered as they try to be professional and respectful (oh, the trials of the service and retail industry). This culminates in a quiet, almost hushed, healing of “old wounds” that should heal, though it seems a bit temporary. Happily, Leigh does deliver a bit of hope, a small shaft of light at the end of a dark tunnel, in the film’s final moments which (and this is rare) has us wondering about the characters and actually wishing to stay with them just a tad longer. The superb direction, engaging screenplay, and stellar performance by Jean-Baptiste make it hard not to be impressed and entertained by these HARD TRUTHS.

3.5 Out of 4

HARD TRUTHS is now playing in select theatres

SASQUATCH SUNSET – Review

So, you say you want to see something different, offbeat, out-of-the-ordinarry on your next visit to the cinema (yes, maybe at a multiplex). Well, this weekend brings a true test for adventurous filmgoers. A few days ago I posted a review of the slapstick farce HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS, which is basically a silent movie “homage” since there’s almost no spoken dialogue. Much the same can be said for this new film, though it has a full soundtrack with lots of ambient background audio. Oh, and the characters do communicate, though it’s mainly via hand gestures, body language, and various grunts, growls, and groans. That’s because the four main characters are those “urban legend” icons, Bigfeet (Bigfoots just doesn’t sound right). No humans, just this quartet, romping around the forest all day until the big SASQUATCH SUNSET.

It all begins though, with the sunrise over a vast wooded area, perhaps in the great Northwestern US. After taking apart their nighttime shelter (some branches and bushes balanced under a tall tree), they’re on the move for breakfast. Now, this foursome is either a tribe or a family (or maybe a mix). The head of the pack, the alpha or the papa (Nathan Zellner) intimidates the other two males when he’s not attempting to, or mating with, the female (Riley Keough). As for the other fellas, the taller of the two seems obsessed with counting things (eggs, stars, etc.) so he could be called Brainy Bigfoot (Jesse Eisenberg). Is he the offspring of the older two, or possibly the kid brother of the alpha? It’s not explained. the smaller of the two is certainly the offspring of the alpha and the female, so the title of Junior (Christophe Zajac-Denek) would suit him. Aside from food gathering, the men often stop to pummel tree trunks with large branches. Maybe they’re hoping another tribe or clan will respond. But it seems like they’re all alone…but not for long. As the female fondles her growing belly, it becomes obvious that she is pregnant. And Brainy stumbles upon a tree with a spray-painted “X” on its trunk. Could this be the first sign of humans looking to farm their forest? But there are more dire concerns when tragedy begins to thin their ranks. Will they be victims of the dangers of the wild before their home is destroyed by the even more scary and destructive forces of “mankind”?

As you might have assumed, the actors are indeed encased in costumes, latex prosthetics, and tons o’ faux fur, but somehow their personalities poke through. Of course, seeing their real eyes peeking out from under a heavy plastic brow helps quite a bit also. I’ll admit that it took me several minutes to “see” Eisenberg (I really thought that he was the “alpha” at first), then the role made more “dramatic logic” to me. I’ve always associated him with smart guys from Lex Luthor to the Zuckerberg, so it’s fitting that “Brainy’ is striving for knowledge and is frustrated as the others dismiss his pursuits. We also see “panic” set in as those eyes fixate on the “female” as his primal urges smother his intellectual curiosity. As the object of his, and Alpha’s, lust Keough projects a sense of disgust and defiance when she refuses to become the mere outlet for thoss “sex enslavers” (or as Lily sang in BLAZING SADDLES, “I’m tired”). Keough “switches gears” to show the female’s fierce maternal instincts proving that she’s another “mama bear” in the vast forest. Much of the comic relief is provided by Zajak-Denek as the somber, stoic Junior whose sad, blank-eyed stare reminded me of the great silent clown Buster Keaton (his attempt to pet a badger is funny and poignant). He’s a great comedic partner with Eisenberg, as they observe the brutish Alpha, played with banal menace and smoldering anger by Zellner. Aside from the encroaching signs of “man” and a very callous cougar, he’s the story’s main villain whether he’s harassing the female or greedily devouring the fruit of a newly discovered shrub, topped with a tasty ‘shroom.

Director and co-writer (with actor/brother Nathan) David Zellner has crafted a true cinematic experiment that compels the viewer to adjust their sensibilities to its odd rhythms. Those who get “in sync” will find much to enjoy in the pantomime performances (they have a hand gesture for “gettin’ busy”) and the change of seasons in the lush tranquil settings, even if some of the sequences don’t make much sense (what campers just leave everything out while they hike and explore). There’s a sense of dread with each newly discovered piece of invading humanity from the paved roads to a freshly-cut log (which is quite deadly). And more sensitive moviegoers may be repulsed by the tribe’s often crude behaviors (yes they you-know-what in the woods, among other functions) making them less cute and charming like the title star of HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS and more like the 1980s grunting “beast-men” of CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR and QUEST FOR FIRE. Some of the bits of bigfoot lore are somewhat clever, like their nightly shelters and their zeal to quickly bury their departed (with bits of twig symbols), but the story begins to wear out its welcome after the one-hour mark, and it is not helped by the poorly rendered yeti child-puppet (hate to say it, but maybe a CGI tweak would’ve helped). It’s interesting that two of our most celebrated young screen stars took a chance on this, but it doesn’t elevate SASQUATCH SUNSET beyond being a quirky indie novelty better suited as a TV sketch or short subject.

2.5 out of 4

SASQUATCH SUNSET is now playing in select theatres

OUT OF DARKNESS (2022) – Review

As we’re now deep into the middle of the first quarter of the “cinema year” of 2024, here comes yet another horror thriller creeping into the multiplexes. And just what sets this one apart from the other “spook-taculars”? Well, it does concern a disparate group of chiller flick tropes (a skittish kid, a superstitious elder, etc.) all fighting for survival as their companions are picked off “one by one”. Not unique, but this one’s setting is very different. This story takes place on the desolate landscape of this planet over 45,000 years ago. And no, in case you’re wondering, CGI-created kajiu aren’t the culprits. But something strange and weird is roaming about, an entity or creature (perhaps plural) that’s stalking this group, then striking from OUT OF DARKNESS.

We first meet this motley “tribe” huddled around a flickering fire surrounded by pitch black. A preteen lad named Heron (Luna Mwezi) pleads with his father’s new pregnant mate Ave (Iola Evans) to tell him a story to distract him from his fears…and hunger. She dismisses him, so Heron goes to the “elder” Odal (Arno Luening), who spins a tale of their recent past. Under the guidance of their leader, Heron’s papa Adem (Chuko Modu), they split off from a larger tribe and took to the sea on a makeshift raft in search of a more prosperous land, better for farming and hunting. Once ashore the group, which includes Adem’s timid younger brother Geir (Kit Young) and a “castoff” orphan teenage woman Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green), discovered a barren land surrounded by a daunting mountain range and a dark, dense forest. As Heron drifts into slumber, Beyah is stunned to discover that she has had her first period and tries to hide it from the others. The next night Heron ventures away from the fire to relieve himself and is snatched away. Adem and Grier dash into the darkness, but return without the lad. The next day they decide that Heron must be somewhere in those dangerous woods. While searching for him, the tribe finds several bloody bits of bone, making them wonder about what could be lurking there. They rush to find Heron before nightfall and another group member vanishes.

With a setting and tone that reminds me of 2018’s ALPHA and a bit of 1981’s QUEST FOR FIRE (minus the extreme “brow” makeup), this film is an interesting mix of genres that works for most of its zippy 87 minutes. All of the actors commit to their roles, even with the “language” of “Tola”, though the cast’s breakout is the feisty determined Beyah played by a somber, energetic Oakley-Green. The Scottish locales convey the desolation of an emerging new world while offering little hope for these “transplants”, with the steep peaks and maze-like forests. Director Andrew Cumming establishes a mood of impending disaster with the dense night photography and a soundtrack full of a weird disorienting cacophony of guttural wails and screeches. But then the atmospheric flow is brought to a sudden thud by a third-act reveal that’s not much of a payoff. All that build-up bears little fruit. Those horror fans searching for a new angle may get enough jolts to justify the trip, but for the most part OUT OF DARKNESS, runs out of ideas, before it (sorry) caves in.

2.5 Out of 4

OUT OF DARKNESS is now playing in select theatres

MAFIA MAMMA – Review

Hmmm, now this is a strange bit of film release synergy. Now the big studio-wide release this weekend is RENFIELD which can be called a horror/comedy hybrid (though it’s also an action thriller satire). The other small studio (an “indy”, to be sure) flick also blends comedy with another very popular genre, crime. To be more specific it’s a crime-family comedy, hence the use of that “reviled” (to some) word. Oh, and there’s a “gender-switch” as a woman takes the seat at the head of the table for the “sit-down”. Hey, if there can be a godfather, then why not a MAFIA MAMMA?

The story kicks into high gear “across the pond” in the “old country”, Italy, soon after a gun battle that produces lots of casualties for both warring factions. This prompts a long-distance phone call from the Balbano family “advisor” Bianca (Monica Bellucci) to a relative in the States, harried working mom Kristin (Toni Collette). This contributes to her stress-filled week. The male execs are hostile to her marketing ideas, she’s sending her only son off to college, and she catches her “man-child” rock star wannabe hubby Paul (Tim Daish) with a really enthusiastic “fan”. Bianca is insistent that Kristin hops on a plane to attend her grandfather’s funeral. After a bit of nudging from her lawyer pal Jenny (Sophis Nomvete), Kristin is in Italy enjoying a “meet cute” with hunky Lorenzo (Giulio Corso). It’s cut short when her new “bodyguards” rush her to the church for the memorial. And then the coffin’s processional is attacked by a hit squad from the rival Romano family. Luckily Kristin’s crew makes it back to the family villa where Bianca insists that Kristin meet with the Romano “head”, since the late elder Balbano, via a DVD will, has given his title to his only granddaughter, much to the ire of hotheaded cousin Fabrizio (Eduardo Scarpetta), who wants to run the “family business”. Kristin wants none of this, but the sooner she can broker peace, the sooner she can get with Lorenzo. This leads to a couple of attempts on her life as this unexpected “getaway” turns into a gang war that may just spill over into the States and threaten her boy. Maybe with Bianca’s consul, Kristin can bring honor to her tarnished legacy.

Over the last few decades, Toni Collette has firmly established herself as one of the most accomplished character actors in film. She commands the screen in drama and horror, but she’s had little chance to headline a comedy. The role of Kristen provides that with a great deal of slapstick and screwball. Unfortunately, she can’t make the poorly written script’s heroine work as she flits about like a frenzied teen in much of the first hour, popping her eyes wildly and gesturing frantically and sounding like a manic “figgerygibbit”. Kristin is more of a comedy construct than a believable mature career woman as she spews out the wrong thing in every setting, funerals, gunbattles, dates, wherever. As a grounded counterpart, Bellucci exudes a sultry earthy sexiness recalling Sophia and Gina, though she only pops in to put Kristin on the right track. Nomvete is the sassy rom-com stereotype there to push Kristin to “Go, gurlfriend!!”, and brings some needed energy. Daish is the dim hubby dragging Kristin down making it easier for her to “hook up” with Corso amongst others. And Scarpetta struts and swaggers as the always aggressive Fabrizio, who just loves to scream in his enemy’s faces during the showdowns.

Wow, this is a long way from the “sparkly” teen vamps of TWILIGHT. Yes, it’s the same Catherine Hardwicke, who’s trying her hand at screwball saucy comedy. And due to the lackluster, meandering script, it’s a “swing and a miss”. Mind you, it’s not that the “genre mash-up” doesn’t work. Way back in 1935 Edward G Robinson had some fun with his gangster persona in A SLIGHT CASE OF MURDER. And in the post-GODFATHER (Kristin’s never watched it…hilarious) it’s worked with MARRIED TO THE MOB and the ANALYZE flicks, but this strained farce isn’t even up to the level of 1998’s MAFIA! (from part of the ZAZ team). The story never seems to follow through on anything, as it tosses out different motivations and agendas. It veers into the area of a “woman’s awakening” as the put-upon Kristin finds her “calling” in the vineyard (yes, she stomps grapes ala Lucy) and then funnels low-cost meds for seniors (really). And though much of the shootouts are bloodless (lots of grazing), there’s a very graphic set piece where Kristin is threatened with sexual assaults before a Tarantino-esque gorefest with lots of eye trauma (and do we need to see a barfed-on cell phone). Plus there is a suggested blossoming romance between the female leads that is tossed aside (perhaps that’s why all the men, aside from Kristin’s son, are dullards or braying bullies). Maybe it’s just a way to reveal Bianca’s silly secret to be exploited in the big last act face-off. Sure, the locations are gorgeous, and the food looks delicious, but it doesn’t soften the sound of the jokes falling flat on those ancient cobblestones. Collette and Bellucci are deserving of a much better screen pairing. With apologies to Abba, MAFIA MAMMA, oh mamma mia! Or as the characters respond to an enemy’s name in unison in a lousy running (literal) gag: ptewy!!

One Half Out of Four

MAFIA MAMMA is now playing in select theatres

DREAM HORSE – Review

We’re all overdue for a Summer excursion, but if you’re still a bit skittish over air travel, then the multiplex has the perfect virtual Summer visit to Wales, from about nearly twenty years ago. Oh, there’s a bonus for you animal fans and sports enthusiasts, since this story, which is inspired by true events, is all about the “sport of kings”, horse racing. So, you know you’ll get to see these beautiful animals up-close in several suspense-filled tourneys. But you’ll be emotionally invested due to the film’s focus on a most unlikely group of thoroughbred backers. They’re the true heart of this tale. We’re rooting for them as much as this new equine cinema superstar, coming around the track, hot on the heels of SEABISCUIT and SECRETARIAT, is Dream Alliance, a “real-life” DREAM HORSE.

It’s the start of the new 21st Century, though the folk in the economically depressed village of Blackwood in South Wales have little to celebrate. Especially Jan Vokes (Toni Collette), who’s struggling to make ends meet. Her hubby, Brian (Owen Teale) has little work as a handyman/farmer so he spends much of his day tending to their ducks (an investment) and mocking agriculture-based reality TV shows. In the pre-dawn hours Jan looks in on her aged ailing parents before heading to job number one as a cashier at the town supermarket. At the end of her shift there, she has a spot of tea with Brian before changing for job number two as a barmaid at the main pub. One night she overhears a new customer, Howard Davies (Damian Lewis) entertaining his mates with stories of his time in horse racing. Jan approaches him later to learn more about the sport. Howard admits that he was part of a group, a “syndicate”, that invested in a racehorse. Even though the pub owner tells her that Davies nearly lost everything, the wheels begin spinning in Jan’s brain. After some research she believes that a syndicate can be organized In Blackwood. Though things are “tight” she thinks a few can spare a ten spot a week to cover expenses. Howard agrees to join her,though he has promised wife Angela (Joanna Page) that he’ll never return to racing. The two organize a meeting in the pub’s pool room, and after a late start, they sign up eight or so citizens. This leads to the purchase of a mare Rewbell, which is bred with champion stallion (for a big stud fee) Bien Bien to produce a beautiful brown colt that the group names Dream Alliance. After a training stint, Dream fianlly begins racing in hurdle competitions. As the tales of Dream circulate, the town is recharged with hope. But will Blackwood’s mascot continue to inspire as he faces a physical trauma that could end his career and life?

The talented Ms. Collette demonstrates her considerable range with her subtle portrayal of a real small-town hero, after dazzling us recently in her offbeat roles in I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS and the horrific HEREDITARY (which earned her the coveted Best Actress award from the St. Louis Film Critics Association). Her Jan is a hard worker, nearly invisible to her neighbors, who is just trying to keep (and her hubby’s) head above water. Then Collette shows us a different side, as the dark circles seem to vanish when her eyes reflect Jan’s new purpose. The naysayers will not damper her as her inner spark after it finally starts to glow. That heat even rejuvenates Teale’s Brian, who springs to life like he found that golden ticket in his”Wonkabar”. Lewis, as Davies, finds himself affected by the “plan” becoming a fervent business partner after his initial reluctance. He’s still healing from his past racing failures and is often the voice of reason and reality to the enraptured villagers. He tells them to not invest for financial return, but for the love of the race. That zeal arises in him, though he tries to hide it from his wife, who has a clearer memory of his last syndicate (it seems to be the only thing chaining him to his soul-crushing loan officer job). The rest of the “syndicate’ is composed of some wonderful character actors, though the scene-stealer might be Karl Johnson as barfly Kerby, an “old sod” that loves his drink (smuggling cans into the swanky racetrack owners’ longue) more than being clothed (after a hurdles victory, the pants seem to vanish).

Director Euros Lyn has lovingly crafted a modern-day rags-to-riches fable from the witty, expertly constructed screenplay by Neil McKay. Much as with the iconic WIZARD OF OZ, life’s color looks drained away in the dreary Welch town (especially true in the fluorescent tube-lit supermarket where Jan spends her days) until the colt’s birth which bathes every scene in a warm, rustic glow (thanks to the inspired cinematography work of Erik Wilson). The story also benefits from its gentle tweaking of the class system as the “upper crust” must suddenly deal with the “working class” who have somehow invaded their expertly manicured turf. But everything’s not “hearts and flowers’ as Jan and her partners have to make a tough “call” when things go staggeringly bad at one competition. Ah, but that’s why the victories taste so sweet. And sweet’s the operative word for this little gem. After the tragedies and frustrations of the last year, this might be another terrific “shot in the arm”. Well, the heart really. I’ve no choice but to reuse the old cliche, “the feel-good hit of the year” since the ending still has me smiling after 24 hours (I implore you to stay for the truly joyful end credits). DREAM HORSE is one sweet dream of a movie. And there’s no need for a “photo finish”.

3.5 Out of 4

DREAM HORSE opens in select theatres on Friday, May 21, 2021

TOGETHER TOGETHER – Review

This week’s new release explores a fairly familiar premise in cinema, but with a fresh, modern angle (you can bet that things are truly complicated in this still somewhat new century). To borrow from the old, classic slang for public education, this flick covers the “three R’s”. The subject and the dialogue especially (rather than the imagery) can get fairly graphic, so the “R” rating is pretty much a given. And it is very heavy into relationships, mainly the two very different people at its core. Plus, in the broadest of definitions, this work is a twist on the “rom-com”, though its marketing would suggest a lesser emphasis on the “rom” part. There is the frothy “will they” idea in its premise of a man and a woman entering into an arrangement that skirts into that territory (PRETTY WOMAN would be the most obvious example, perhaps). But don’t look for high gloss “glitz and glamour” here as these two very distant strangers somehow try to keep things “on the up and up” as they are some brought TOGETHER TOGETHER.

After the spartan (white type on a black background) titles, we’re thrust right in the middle of what appears to be a fairly standard job interview. Forty-something Matt (Ed Helms) is going down his checklist of questions for twenty-something, perhaps early thirty-something, Anna (Patti Harrison). Fairly quickly, the inquiries become more personal and alarmingly intimate. Soon it’s revealed that “single guy” Matt wants to be a “single dad” and is considering hiring Anna to carry his “seed” (by medical means, nothing tawdry). It seems something’s missing from his life as a somewhat successful software developer. After some final negotiations, the deal is “sealed”. The duo visit a “specialist”, Dr. Andrews (Rosalind Chao), and later Matt explains his plan to his “already a papa” brother Jacob (Timm Sharp), though he’s in a committed relationship, and his bewildered mother Adele (Nora Dunn) and supportive stepdad Marty (Fred Melamed). As time passes, Anna tries to go about her main job as the manager of a trendy coffee shop while keeping her “side gig” a secret from snarky bored barista Jules (Julio Torres). Unfortunately, Matt can’t keep away from her and pops in at the shop to “check-up”. Anna’s frustrations prompt him to schedule sessions with a relationship therapist Madeline (Tig Notaro). .As the “boundaries” are set up, the pair get to know each other a bit more, so that when some minor health concerns arise, Matt suggests that she should just live in a spare room at his suburban house. But their personalities clash as they continue with Madeline and begin to make check-ups with pediatric nurse Jean (Sufie Bradshaw). Still, as they spend more time together, they wonder if this is more than a “business arrangement”. And just what will happen when the “blessed event’ (or contract conclusion) finally occurs.

Add Matt to the ever-growing list of affable, though a bit anal, leading men in the Helms resume. This time out he’s not the ‘punching bag” dweeb of THE HANGOVER trilogy (no physical humiliations ala facial tattoos and missing teeth), but rather a hybrid of the sweet-natured shlub of CEDAR RAPIDS (ten years ago already) and the often aggressively annoying Andy Bernard of TV’s “The Office”. The big weapon in his character arsenal this time is cool passive aggression, as Matt wants to guilt Anna into his structured agenda. When she resists Helms turns on that needy puppy expression (those quivering moist eyes) that brings a lot of warmth to the brittle “wannabe” pop. Mostly his Matt needs to be in control, so it’s entertaining to see Anna place him in a pit of awkward humiliation as she grills him on proper “feminine hygiene” (watch him sweat and squirm). We know of Helm’s strengths, but the big discovery here is Harrison who’s had small roles in TV and films while also making a name as a writer for “edgy’ TV shows (she just won an “Annie” for the Netflix cartoon “Big Mouth”). Her Anna is tough beyond her years, wrapping herself in an armor forged by years of frustration and disappointment. Early on she “draws a line in the sand”, informing Matt in strong terms when he’s crossed that line (she’s going to hold him to their contract). But Harrison lets us see Anna take a bit of that guard down as she opens up to Matt as the months pass. Anna has turned her back on her own family but is surprised to find a new one, and a bit of a mentor, in Matt. And she also begins to accept kindness after countless offers, when health issues blindside her. It also helps that this “oddest of couples” have the terrific Notaro and Bradshaw to referee their verbal and emotional battles.

Writer/director Nikole Beckwith has created a quirky comedy for this “new normal” that asks us to follow and “root for” this flawed but endearing pair thrown together by fate and a business deal. As stated earlier, much of it rests on the work of the talented main acting team, though Beckwith wisely paired them and guided their work, never losing the reality of the script in order to go for big broad laughs. Much of its humor is mined from the vast well of social awkwardness (that “hygiene” and Matt’s disgust at running into Anna’s overnight “guest”), and “zany” co-workers (Jules is funny and a bit scary), but it doesn’t detract from the emotional growth of the leads. Another strength is the filmmaker’s refusal to take the usual “path”. From the opening titles, it appears we may be going into a Woody Allen-inspired “May/December’ tale, but the characters themselves address it at mid-point, even offering a savage denouncement of those iconic flicks (Anna really tears into the whole cliche). Beckwith keeps the story moving briskly for its trim ninety minutes, never needing to “pad’ with side characters. And kudos for an ending that leaves us wanting to spend a bit more time with this twosome, letting us consider where things could go. Like real life, all is not wrapped up with a perfect bow. But for the duration of their “deal”, you’ll be grateful that these two gifted actors, with their talented director, came TOGETHER TOGETHER.

3 Out of 4

TOGETHER TOGETHER opens in select theatres everywhere on Friday, April 23, 2021

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME – Review

Somewhere in the long list of what we can’t do during the last holidays of 2020 is spending that week or so break traveling and exploring. Perhaps the best option is vacationing virtually via our local cinema (or streaming service). How about heading to the “old country”? No, it’s not that old country, the setting of this holiday. Instead think about the holiday just a few months away: St. Patrick’s Day. This weekend’s new release is an ode to the “Emerald Isle”, although its time frame allows more rain than snow to cover those verdant green fields. It’s setting isn’t Christmas time, but rather WILD MOUNTAIN THYME.

At its beginning, we actually go back in time to the earlier days of neighboring farm families the Reillys and the Muldoons. Patriarch Tony (Christopher Walken) Reilly’s pride and joy is his only son, ten-year-old Anthony. Ah, but the lad is also adored by little Rosemary Muldoon, despite the efforts of her older sister Fiona. The story springs ahead to the present as the all-grown-up Anthony (Jamie Dornan) now pretty much runs the farm for widowed papa Tony. Things are now complicated by two gates that separate the Reilly farm from a thin segment now owned by the Muldoons. Papa Muldoon has just passed, but neither his widow Aoife (Dearbhla Molloy) nor the also adult Rosemary (Emily Blunt) is interested in selling. But she’s still interested in him, though Anthony never acts on the mutual attraction, now that Fiona moved away started her own family. And after Aoife’s passing, Rosemary now runs that farm. Her demise prompts Tony to make a momentous decision: since Anthony won’t “settle down”, he’ll offer to sell it to his brother living in the states, whose son Adam (Jon Hamm) is actually interested in purchasing the prime property. In fact, Adam is so interested in becoming a “gentleman farmer” that he travels there for a “look-see”. And he likes what he sees in the lovely Rosemary. Yes, it’s a classic romantic triangle. Will the American “interloper” finally spur the eternally hesitant Anthony into action or will the “yank” eventually merge the two farms?

The international cast does their best to “jump-start” this fractured fable. The always interesting Blunt is able to bring a sense of reality to the “passion prize” Rosemary. In her eyes we see a bit of her frustration over the “cards she’s been dealt” and an unrequited passion, not only for Anthony but for experiencing the world that her dusty ole’ records have only hinted about. Blunt does most of the dramatic “heavy lifting” in the amorous encounters with the somewhat dim Anthony. Dornan seems happy to step out of the shadows (and shackles) of Mr. Grey but has to summon all his skills to make the always distracted farmer someone that we can “root” for. It doesn’t help that the role is overwhelmed in the domestic discussions by the charming but miscast Walken, whose accent is right out of a regional dinner theatre production of “Finian’s Rainbow”. He seems to be a “special guest star” in a Dublin-based TV sitcom. The same could be said of Hamm, though mercifully spared a brogue, who is the usual abrasive, arrogant ugly American that’s so popular in many such foreign flicks and TV shows. For most of his scenes, Hamm leans hard on a bemused but often confused reaction to the eccentric townsfolk. It’s hard to accept that his Adam would want to do a whole “Green Acres” life change.

Lauded playwright John Patrick Shanley directs this adaptation of his stage work, which doesn’t have that “let’s open this up for cinema” look as many theatre-based films. Maybe the original venue softened the air of forced whimsy that pervades the take. This seems to be intended for folks who thought that THE QUIET MAN was a brutal, realistic “slice of life”.  So much of this is cringe-worthy “cutesy-ness” passing for wit (Blunt retains her dignity even as she must perform “Swan Lake” moves on a gravel driveway). There’s the beginning of a “spark” between Adam and Rosemary, but zero chemistry with her longtime intended. Then Anthony’s big reveal of the secret that pushed him away from her is indulgently ridiculous. Yes, the flora and fauna are spectacular, but enduring this tripe feels like being bopped on your noggin by the “blarney stone” after a meal of rancid corned beef. After 100 or so minutes of this drivel, the final scene has a big singing curtain call with the deceased characters smiling from a prime pub table (that’s because they weren’t watching or streaming this). WILD MOUNTAIN THYME is far from “time” well spent. I’d rather douse a bowl of Lucky Charms with Guinness.

1 Out of 4

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac and in select theatres everywhere. It’s also available as a video on demand via multiple streaming apps and platforms.

MILITARY WIVES – Review

The upcoming holiday (in just a couple of days) may prove difficult to observe. Memorial Day was established (formerly Decoration Day) to remember and honor those who died while serving in the armed forces. But with the current crisis, group gatherings are discouraged (in some areas they’re outright banned for more than ten people), and many might feel unsafe (social distancing and all that) at cemeteries, One option could be this new film that will be available for home viewing (since most cinemas are still shuttered), a comedy/drama that’s inspired by true events (the main characters are composites while others are fictional). It’s all about a group of women, spouses of soldiers, who thought that a great way to honor those away (and support those behind) was to raise their voices in song. This new film is about a choir that inspired several groups around the world, all composed of MILITARY WIVES.


Nerves are on edge at the Flitcroft military base in England as several soldiers prepare to be shipped out to Afghanistan. Newly arriving during this tense time is Kate (Kristin Scott Thomas), wife of the just transferred (and soon to be deployed) company commander Richard (Greg Wise). She pops into the on-base post office/ general store and encounters (awkwardly) its manager Lisa (Sharon Horgan). After the troops depart, Kate decides that she must do something to lift the morale of the wives waiting for word. This puts her together with Lisa, who is the new chair of the base’s Social Committee. During a big meeting of all the spouses, Kate proposes many social and educational outings (museum visits, film appreciation night), while Lisa wants to just continue on with a weekly dinner potluck (including a big post and pre happy hour). Not wanting to encourage any tippling, Kate suggests forming clubs. The first meeting of the Knitting Club quickly devolves into a wine fest. Hearing of this, Kate decides to play a more active role and teams with Lisa on the Music/choral Club. While Kate promotes all manner of music formality (reading sheet scores, conducting, and singing the classics), Lisa wants to just print out the words and “wing it’ on several pop music anthems and ballads. Somehow after much “head butting” the choir sounds pretty decent. Actually, so good that one of the visiting commanders gets them an invitation to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the annual Festival of Remembrance. Can this diverse group of women keep a cool head as the big concert day approaches? And will Kate and Lisa clash has the pressure increases?

The story’s focus and strength is the conflict between the choir’s duo directors, fortunately, they’re played by two exceptional veteran actresses. From the big screen (hard to believe that it was 34 years ago when she made her movie debut opposite Prince in UNDER THE CHERRY MOON), Thomas shines as the button-down, by the rules, no hair out of place, prim and proper Kate. But a lot of turmoil boils beneath her placid manner. We learn that she and Richard lost a son on the battlefield recently, as Kate insists that a final photo of him and his much-loved auto stay tacked to the fridge rather than in a frame on the wall (“Too formal”, she says, but perhaps it’s her rebelling against convention). Every morning she passes by that car as it fossilizes in the driveway. And what’s her secret way of coping with the grief (other than starting clubs and day trips)? Not booze or pills, but home-shopping TV. Yes, that gets a few laughs, but Thomas infuses a real life force into Kate making her more than a cliche straight man (well, woman). A formidable adversary, Lisa, is played by a comedy great mainly known for her small-screen work (she co-created and co-starred in Amazon Prime’s sublime sitcom “Catastrophe”), Ms. Horan, who masters the subtlest of “eye rolls”. We see that as Kate first invades her “sacred” retail space and runs “rough-shod” over her desire to just hang with her “lady-pals” and “get pissed”. She’s also hiding a secret, a crippling fear that the doorbell will ring, plunging her into widowhood and crumbling her “tough lass” armor. It’s her re-kindled love of music that lets her soar, even as her rebellious teen daughter Frankie (India Ria Amartelfio) pushes the boundaries, trying to grow up far too fast. To her chagrin Frankie has a bit of an ally in Kate, but it may be another way to annoy Mum. Quietly compelling is Amy James-Kelly as Sarah, another new addition to the base and a newlywed, who grasps for the choir rehearsal as a lifeline to take her mind away from the nightmares around her childhood sweetheart. In a lighter role, Lara Rossi gets lots of laughs as the camp hairdresser missing her wife along with any sense of tone and pitch, convinced that she’s placed in the very back due to her unique vocal stylings. And Wise is most compassionate and “rock solid” as a devoted hubby determined to pull his wife out of the quicksand of grief while controlling her aggravation at all the boxed useless merch filling every closet shelf (“Really, an inflatable mattress?”).

Director Peter Cattaneo utilizes a few elements of his biggest movie “crowd-pleaser”, THE FULL MONTY, mixes in some PITCH PERFECT toe-tapping tunes, and comes up with an inspiring female-empowering riff on the old “let’s put on a show” musical plots. The women stumble, fall, and get right back up, verbally “dusting each other” with praise and encouragement, especially for the painfully shy Mom who just “blows the roof off’ when she thinks nobody’s watching her (even warbling while blindfolded in rehearsal). Ah, but this isn’t a sweet and sunny, all’s swell cable TV fodder. That dreaded call does come for one member as they consider passing on their big showcase invite. This is a prelude to the film’s big emotional scene (in an action film it would be the “running toward the camera, from the approaching fireball) as Kate and Lisa pull no emotional punches in a verbal pummeling just before what should be the big night of triumph. Really, some lines will make you wince while thinking “Oh, she can never take that back!”. But it does lead to a most delightful, heart-wrenching climax tune that Cattaneo saves for the finale (no rehearsal bits) and plays out in “real-time”. Sure, he indulges in a few too many “getting it together” montages and dwells a bit too long on some boozy karaoke, but the bonding and building of friendships makes up for those indulgences. This leads up to a final pre-credit multi-screen collage that literally sends out MILITARY WIVES on a very sweet high note. Now there’s some impressive troop-support!

3 out of 4

MILITARY WIVES screens in select cinemas and is available as a VOD purchase on most cable and satellite systems. It’s also digitally streaming on most streaming apps and platforms along with HULU.

THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE – Review

While the big-budget action blockbusters duke it out for the box office bucks at the multiplex a very different kind of action flick is popping up at the “art house” and “indie” cinemas. As the title suggests, there are a good number of physical altercations, but it mixes those elements with a true quirky sensibility. Plus it’s a comedy, but a much, much darker, twisted one than say last week’s STUBER. And it has a lot of things to say (often in a satiric tone) about the concepts of masculinity (emphasis on confidence and focus). It all about one average guy’s attempts to learn and hopefully master THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE.

The man in question is quiet, “mild-mannered”, socially awkward office drone (a high-ranking accountant) Casey (Jesse Eisenberg). When he returns to his apartment after a soul-draining humiliating workday, his beloved dachshund demands to be fed. Seeing that he’s out of dog food, Casey shuffles into the night, walking to the grocery store. Unfortunately, he encounters a violent biker gang. One of the thugs chases him down and beats him into unconsciousness. Casey wakes up in the hospital to hear a radio news report about his attack. After he’s discharged, Casey decides to buy a handgun and fills out the background check forms from a local firearms dealer. Casey’s prepared to wait several days, but on his walk home, he notices a karate training center. He goes inside the dojo and observes the end of a lesson taught by the Sensei (Alessandro Nivola). After dismissing the class, he invites Casey to return the next day for a complimentary first lesson. The next morning Casey arrives in time to see the last minutes of a children’s’ class taught by the surly, ill-tempered Anna (Imogen Poots). Luckily the Sensei intervenes, and the free lesson begins. Despite some blows that send him to the floor, Casey is enthralled (mainly due to Sensei’s charisma) and quickly signs up for the program. In no time he goes from white to yellow belt (and often wears it while driving). Sensei is soon counseling Casey in private, triggering a big personality change. As Casey devotes more and more time to the dojo, he becomes aware of his mentor’s rivalries and secrets, which may just cost him his life.

This weird wonder of a film provides another showcase for the uniquely odd Mr. Eisenberg. His twitchy take on Casey may be his most “tightly repressed” since, well, his “whacked-out” riff on supervillain Lex Luthor. Of course, Casey starts out with none of LL’s grandiose aggressions. This little “cog” in the corporate wheel almost seems to have a target tattooed on his bent-over backside. When the world finally unloads on him, Eisenberg shows us the panic in Casey’s squinting eyes. He knows he must make some radical changes. At the dojo we actually see him regaining a zest for life, which makes a parking lot humiliation heartbreaking. Then his karate and now spiritual guide verbally flips a switch on him. The transformation of Casey from prey to predator is an astounding bit of physical acting from Eisenberg as he becomes a nearly emotionless robotic bully (complete with machine-like movements and an almost monotone voice issuing threats). We also see Casey as a detective and eventually as a dispenser of justice (we see his brain exploring scenarios through Eisenberg’s more alert eyes). This is one of his most complex and compelling film roles. Plus he’s a great contrast to the more “low-key” mannered performance by Nivola whose tonally flat lectures (his story of the “Grand Master’s” accidental demise is truly strange) masks his seething ambitions. He lets his rapid martial arts moves replace any need for bombastic bellowing. Nivola gives the Sensai a feline quality, as though he enjoys playing with his mice before devouring them, bouncing between praise and passive-aggressive put-downs (“I’m disappointed with your work today, Casey”). As he teases his class and co-workers with promotions and rewards, this mentor acts like a most perplexing “papa”. Most confused by him may be Poots as Anna, who has great hostility toward Casey at the start, but gradually opens up and becomes his biggest ally. There’s’ a whiff of attraction between the two, but Anna keeps her protective guard in place.

With his second feature film, writer/director Riley Stearns gives us maybe the most unhinged, off-kilter comedy of the year (for those that put MIDSOMMAR firmly in the horror genre). He’s taken the basic premise of a modern KARATE KID (although Casey’s closing in on middle age), though the dojo feels closer to Cobra Kai, and folds in elements from FIGHT CLUB while sprinkling in just a dash of WANTED and KICK ASS. Stearns maintains a languid pace, perhaps to hammer in the banality of Casey’s “humdrum” existence. There’s the slightest change in tone inside the karate center, as many training sequences go in and out of slow-motion (to accent the pain, perhaps) while the colors “pop” a bit more (that coveted yellow belt almost shimmers). Speaking of that belt, one very funny sequence has Casey special ordering a yellow dress belt he can wear at work (the cloth one would stand out there) and revealing that he had to place a bigger order. He then proudly gifts Sensai with a black dress belt (who would sell those). The whole “belt promotion” theme adds an extra layer of tension in the locker room. That setting becomes truly absurd, careening from homophobia to homo-eroticism (especially at the mysterious “night classes” as they “cool down”). All this builds to a wild weird final showdown that may have some audiences laughing and cheering, while others may feel “cheated”. It’s not everybody’s cup of herbal tea, but for those looking for a flick that’s truly far away from the typical Summer film fare, THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE is a one-of-a-kind action-comedy. Just don’t try any of the stunts if you run into trouble outside the cinema (here’s a tip: the answer to the bikers is always, “Yes, I do”).

3 Out of 4