Tag: fact-based

CRISIS – Review

Scene from the opioid crisis thriller CRISIS, starring Gary Oldman, Evangeline Lilly, and Armie Hammer. Photo: Philippe Bosse. Courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

The crisis at the center of writer/director Nicholas Jarecki’s thriller CRISIS is the opioid crisis. The fact-inspired thriller CRISIS runs on three lines – a whistle-blowing scientist, a woman recovering from addiction to prescription painkillers unraveling a tragic mystery,, and an undercover DEA agent trying to break up a drug ring running prescription painkillers across the US-Canadian border. The triple thriller has a lot of threads to keep track of but CRISIS features a sterling cast headed by Gary Oldman, Evangeline Lilly, and Armie Hammer.

Gary Oldman, Evangeline Lilly and Armie Hammer all head up separate narrative threads that represent different aspects of the vicious circle of the opioid crisis. Although the Covid pandemic has pushed all other crises off the headlines, this one has continued to grow and will quickly re-emerge in the public sphere. Jarecki tackles the whole of the opioid problem, from the over-prescribing of drugs deemed safe, often rushed to market by large drug companies more focused on profit than careful research, and then their transformation into street drugs.

The Canadian/Belgian production CRISIS tells its tale through three threads, with different individuals battling the tragic situation from perspectives, story lines that alternate throughout the film. Gary Oldman plays Dr. Tyrone Brower, a university biology professor who also does research for a drug company as a way to fund his lab’s other research, but runs into trouble when he uncovers a problem with the company’s latest painkiller, which is on the verge of FDA approval. Brower is under pressure from the drug company whose research he does but also Dean Talbot (Greg Kinnear) of the university where he works.

Armie Hammer plays Jake Kelly, an undercover DEA agent tracing the illegal movement of opioids across the US – Canadian border. Kelly has infiltrated a Montreal-based drug operation headed by gang boss known as Mother (Guy Nadon). At the same time, he is dealing with his own drug-addicted younger sister Emmie (Lily-Rose Depp). Nicholas Jarecki appears in his own film as Stanley Foster, Jake Kelly’s undercover partner, while Michelle Rodriguez plays Supervisor Garrett, Kelly’s boss at the DEA.

Evangeline Lilly plays Claire Reimann, a recovering opioid addiction, whose addiction started with a prescription after an accident, who is racked with doubts and guilt about that as he raises her son as a single parent, When her son goes missing, she is frantic but when the police suggest her son’s disappearance may be linked to illegal drug trafficking, she decides to uncover the truth.

Nicholas Jarecki’s dramatic thriller with alternating, overlapping stories will remind some of 2005’s CRASH and other overlapping-stories films, although not all of the threads come together so neatly in CRISIS. Still, opioid addiction is such a huge and growing problem that has been overshadowed, like everything else, by the pandemic, so the film takes on a worthy topic

The individuals are fictional but the crisis depicted is quite real. The plot explores the opioid crisis through the whole chain that drives it, including drug companies developing the prescription drugs that are later turned into street drugs, the law enforcement battle against powerful drug runners, and the struggles of those who become addicted through prescription and their families. It is a lot of territory to cover in a single film, and Jarecki does sometimes struggle to keep all the balls in the air, not always completely successfully. Still the film’s important topic, and the parts that do succeed, make the film worthwhile as well as involving entertainment, a good combination.

The film alternates between the three story lines in a balanced fashion, and develops into a thriller of sorts as the complications and twists unfold. Eventually, two of the three threads converge but the lack of integration of the third one, perhaps the most significant one, leaves the film feeling a bit less dramatically balanced than it might have been.

The production was shot in Canada and features some scenic dramatic sequences, particularly the opening one in the snowy mountains as law enforcement chase a young man smuggling drugs across the US-Canadian border. Generally the photography by Nicolas Bolduc is nicely done, and he does a fine job keeping the pace up as the drama moves into a thriller mode.

Acting is very good all around. Unsurprisingly, Gary Oldman is excellent as the scientist caught in a murky dilemma between his ethical standards and practical concerns about keeping his lab running. Under pressure between the drug company that funds his lab and the dean of his college, Oldman gives a moving performance and a man who must sort through his feelings, the facts and potential consequences. Evangeline Lilly is likewise effective as Claire Reinmann, a recovering addict who became hooked on opioids after an injury, whose fragile emotional state is shaken when her son suddenly disappears and the police suggest a link to drugs, a situation that Lilly explores with heartbreaking, nuanced sensitivity in her excellent performance. Even Armie Hammer, who is not in the same acting league as Oldman or Lilly, is well cast in his role as the iron-jawed undercover agent, and does well in the part. He handles both the action hero-type scenes and in the ones requiring more dramatic finesse well, including those with Lilly-Rose Depp, who plays his drug addicted sister.

THE CRISIS strikes the mark unerring accuracy in its exploration of the various elements that fuel the opioid crisis, and provides a timely reminder of this expanding crisis, which may have been pushed off the headlines by the pandemic but has by no means gone away. THE CRISIS is available on demand and on digital starting March 5.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

THE REPORT – Review

Adam Driver stars as FBI agent Daniel Jones who investigated CIA interrogation techniques, in the gripping drama THE REPORT. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.

In this tense, gripping true story drama, Adam Driver plays a FBI agent who relentless pursues the truth about the torture of suspected terrorists in the aftermath of 9/11. His searing report exposed the brutal reality of CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques, which were adopted in the wake of 9/11. Even if you are a news junkie who thinks you know this story well, this powerful drama will take you by surprise and catch you up in its thriller tension, as it weaves an epic, eye-opening tale of secrecy, deceit, cover-up and corruption, in one man’s dogged pursuit of the truth.

Scott Z. Burns both directs and wrote the script, based on the story of idealistic young FBI agent Daniel Jones (Adam Driver). Jones was galvanized by the events of 9/11 and had changed his college major to security in order to fight terrorists. He is tasked by Senator Dianne Feinstein (Annette Bening) with investigating what is going on with the CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques after disturbing hints about water boarding and other techniques surface. What Jones uncovers is much bigger and more awful than either expect.

The investigation takes place in the fraught national atmosphere immediately after 9/11, when anything seemed acceptable in the pursuit of terrorists and questioning what was done in that quest was seen as unpatriotic, no matter how ineffective or legally-questionable the techniques. Although much of the story takes place in shadowy garages rooms and claustrophobic hidden rooms. it has the taut feel of film noir or edgy spy thriller, thanks to Burns’ skillful direction and Eigil Bryld’s oft-eerie, desaturated cinematography. The drama often evokes the feel of classic political thrillers such as THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR and ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN. As Jones encounters rising resistance to the release of his detailed report about horrific facts, the feeling shifts to the Kafkaesque.

Adam Driver’s character is at the center of the story and most scenes, and he gives a riveting, moving performance as a young man motivated by patriotism who becomes consumed by this one task. Driver’s Jones is so immersed in his quest to uncover the truth, that he hardly notices the passage of days. As h goes down this rabbit hole, he seems like a man in the grips of addiction, compulsively peeling back layers of secrecy, false science and cover-ups. Appalled by what he uncovers, he becomes equally obsessed with getting the truth out to the American people through his report, despite official obstruction an political pressures to just drop it and move on.

Annette Bening is affecting as Feinstein, the senator Jones works for, the one who sets him on this task. At first, she is impressed by his dedication but later begins to question where his investigation is going. By turns, she is irritated by his insistence on the release of his exhaustive report, worried about the political complications its release might create, and concerned about the personal toll the investigation is taking on him, and finally moved by his devotion to the task that has taken over his life.

Jon Hamm plays a smooth character who seems helpful at first, then not, as the investigation goes into hidden corners. The fine cast also includes Corey Stoll, Tim Blake Nelson, Maura Tierney and Michael C. Hall, who all give strong performances as various officials who either help or hinder Jones. But, in the end, it is the emotional power of Driver’s performance as a man so totally committed to revealing the truth, as much as to what he uncovered, that makes this film so impressive and emotionally powerful.

THE REPORT delivers an edge-of-your-seat political thriller that will grab you even if you think you know the story, as well as an inspiring portrait of a heroic man determined to do the right thing against all odds.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

PAPILLON – Review

Rami Malek (left) stars as “Louis Dega” and Charlie Hunnam (right) stars as “Henri ‘Papillon’ Charriére” in director Michael Noer’s PAPILLON, a Bleecker Street release. Credit: Jose Haro / Bleecker Street

PAPILLON stars Charlie Hunnam and in a remake of the highly-praised 1973 film of the same name, based on the bestselling books of Henri “Papillon” Charriere about his experiences as a French thief and safe-cracker sentenced in the 1930s to the notorious French prison on Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana.

The 1973 film starred Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, who turn in sterling performances as Papillon and forger/counterfeiter/conman Louis Dega, and also sported a script co-written by the legendary Dalton Trumbo. Papillon is French for butterfly and refers to a tattoo on the safe-cracker’s chest, but also to the books’ theme of transformation as well as an indomitable human spirit.

Those are pretty impressive credentials to try to match in a remake, but the story is compelling enough that you could see how it would be tempting to try. Still there is that cautionary rule about remakes, that if you are re-making a classic, the best you can hope for is to be as good. Unfortunately, this PAPILLON does not escape that fate and, in fact, it is far inferior to the original.

The story in the 1973 Papillon is an inspiring tale of human endurance, redemption and an indomitable thirst for freedom. The sequel is none of those things.

Street-smart safe-cracker Papillon is framed for murder by another criminal, and finds himself both banished and sentenced to life in the notorious French prison on French Guiana. Also being transported to South America is the wealth infamous forger and conman Louis Dega (Rami Malek). Awaiting the ship, athletic Papillon offers his services as protection to the smaller, less-physical forger in exchange for Dega funding Papillon’s escape plan. Dega at first declines but reconsiders after another prison is murdered. But Dega wants to go along on the escape, a suggestion Papillon turns down.

Those who saw the McQueen-Hoffman film know this is a big deviation from the basic premise of the two characters’ relationship right there. In the 1973 film, it is Papillon who suggests Dega should join him in his escape plan but Dega turns him down, saying he has his own plan to be released which is underway and deeming Papillon’s escape plan too risky.

Hunnam spends the whole film looking hunky while Malek looks just weaselly. In fact, the changed relationship between the two characters is the biggest difference between the two films, and its fatal flaw. It is hard to know what director Michael Noer was thinking when he took this path. The intention may have been to craft a star vehicle for Charlie Hunnam by boosting the heroic image of the character he plays. However, the plan backfires as it undermines the friendship that was a major strength of the story, and diminishes its dramatic power and its arc of re-birth.

 

The prisoners do not start out on Devil’s Island but the name is a good stand-in for the whole penal colony system they endure. The voyage over is awful but once in South America, things get much worse. The prisoners are reminded that they have been discarded by their country and face the years of solitary or even the guillotine for infractions. Food is scarce as well as bad, the heat and jungle offer dangers, and they are surrounded by evil ex-cons turned bounty hunters and other nasty types.

The 2018 PAPILLON follows the general outline of the 1973 film, and even occasionally inserts dialog from the original. One can easily pick these lines out as the words no longer match the characters of the two men and the nature of the friendship. Violence is frequent.

In both films, the two men bond as friends over time but the nature of the friendship is different. In the 1973 film, Louis Dega starts out in a position of power with a plan for being released and for comfort while incarcerated, while Papillon is one of many common street criminals. The two brings complementary strengths to the partnership: Louis brings both money, connections and brains to the table, while Papillon brings street-smarts with knowledge of prisons, physical prowess and a willingness to take risks.

In the 2018 version, Papillon holds all the cards, and just drags Louis along for the ride. This Papillon is both the brawn and the brains, while a sniveling Louis Dega brings only money to their partnership. Over time, Papillon becomes fond of the little guy, who becomes somewhat less idiotic with time, but still pretty odd.

In the original, Dustin Hoffman’s Louis Dega is a self-possessed man used to being the one in charge and relying on his own brain-power. The prison experience humbles him, while elevating the always-hopeful Papillon, whose perseverance is one of his admirable aspects. In this new version, it is Papillon who has superior attitude, which is not much diminished over time. One thing that is the same between the two films are what drives these men. Papillon wants to escape at costs, while Louis wants to be safe at all costs.

Oddly, the 1973 version is much more graphic, gritty and realistic in depicting the violence and brutal conditions. Charlie Hunnam gets a little grimy but stays surprisingly clean and handsome throughout. Rami Malek looks kind of weird from the start and never looks much better, just a little messier. The focus is always on the heroic Hunnam character, reducing some scenes from dramatic to a shallow high school confrontation.

The remake does add one positive thing that the original lacked, which a little bit about Papillon before the false conviction, and an epilog that details how Charriere’s best-selling books brought about French prison reform and closed the penal facility in which he spent so many years.

It could have been a better film, and the poor result of this remake will do Hunnam’s career no good. If you are curious about the story, seeing the 1973 film or even reading the books is the way to go. If you are a fan of Charlie Hunnam, you are much better off watching the far-better LOST CITY OF Z.

RATING: 1 out of 5 stars