Farell Akbar in the Indonesian action crime movie PREMAN: SILENT FURY. Courtesy of Hi-Yah.
PREMAN: SILENT FURY is a subtitled Indonesian action film that is a relative novelty among the mostly high-octane martial arts and shootouts that cross the Pacific from several Asian countries for our entertainment. This one features a deaf character (Farell Akbar) who is a member of the eponymous criminal organization, who tries to quit and change his ways, mainly so his young son (Muzakki Ramdhan) can grow up in a better environment than he did.
According to the filmmakers, “Preman,” which is Dutch for “free man,” is a real type of Indonesian gangsters “who claim to be motivated by a deep sense of justice but are despised by society of their bullying and violent behavior.”
When they witness their gang’s leader (Kiki Narendra) killing a respected elder, that’s the last straw for the duo, and they try to get out of Dodge ASAP. But that puts bull’s-eyes on their backs as annoying loose ends to be eliminated. Narendra summons a skilled contract killer, Ramon (Revaldo), to track them down and finish them off. Ramon becomes the film’s most interesting character, as a fey salon owner who sidelines in stylish, graceful executions on demand. He would have fit beautifully in a comedy like KUNG FU HUSTLE, based on both the humor and serious action he brings to this vehicle.
Impaired protagonists are not new to the genre. The 1970s Hong Kong martial arts factories cranked out dozens of flicks with blind, deaf, mute or one-armed heroes. But this one is more somber and low-key in its tone than those were. The fights are a relatively small part of its running time, with the father-son bond, and the hero’s flashbacks to seminal events in his youth holding sway. Writer/director Randolph Zaini aimed more for dramatic character depth than most of his contemporaries. His success depends on the viewers’ expectations.
Those seeking a pure adrenaline rush can do much better elsewhere. The fights in PREMAN are relatively realistic – no wires or CGI effects – but not particularly well-staged. The camera and editing combo left us with sequences of lesser clarity, duration and impact than most. Those who want a larger dose of heavy-duty drama in the mix will find more cerebral and non-visceral emotional nourishment. As a bonus, Ramdhan’s contributions to the effort show considerable promise for such a young actor, and the film’s 92-minute running time completes the mission with admirable efficiency.
PREMAN: SILENT FURY, in Indonesian with English subtitles, is available streaming on Hi-YAH! and in DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats starting Tuesday, Sept. 27.
This weekend sees the release of another addition in the movies’ complex relationship with criminals, in particular gangsters. Or the “made men”. But not “made-up men” as in those early-talkie Warners classics, or the celebrated Corleone trilogy. This guy was the “real deal”, although he would’ve grimaced at seeing his name on a theatre marquee. He preferred working and plotting (a wiz at making the numbers click) in the shadows. Ah, but films have found him fascinating because of his unique heritage, as he was one of the few underworld figures who was Jewish, rather than the prevalent Catholic-raised Italian-Americans. Now, there was a fictionalized version of himself in that second of the earlier mentioned series, being Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth in the superior sequel, THE GODFATHER PART II. But several acclaimed actors have portrayed him on the big and small screen including Patrick Dempsey and Oscar-winners Richard Dreyfus and Sir Ben Kingsley. Now another heavy-hitter (a vet of many mob movies) offers his take as Meyer LANSKY.
But before we meet the “big man”, we get to know struggling writer/ex-reporter David Stone (Sam Worthington). He’s fibbed to his estranged wife about his trip to Miami in 1981. There’s no big “book-signing” event, but rather the chance to get back on the “best seller list’, because he’s been “hand-picked” by the subject to write a biography of legendary crime figure Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel). The two meet in a local “family-style” restaurant (similar to an IHOP or Denny’s) where the “big boss’ lays down a few rules, including no tape recorders and no selling it to publishers until his approval or demise. David then jots down pages of notes on the elder’s long history, going from mastering back alley craps games 70 years ago to climbing the ranks of the mob with pal Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (David Cade) as they prove invaluable to “big man” Charlie “Lucky” Luciano (Shane McRae). In the late 30s, Meyer (John Magaro) would start a family with the volatile Anne (AnnaSophia Robb), earn a chair at the “organization’s table”, and actually aid the feds in flushing out Nazi spies. Later, Lansky was a big financial contributor to the formation of Israel. In between the interviews, David returns to his modest motel, where he’s often distracted by the sultry woman at the pool, Maureen (Minky Kelly), and by the car that slowly cruises the parking lot near his room. The driver is FBI agent Frank Rivers (David James Elliott) who soon pressures David to get info about a missing mob fortune (about 300 million). But can the down-on-his-luck scribe tread the dangerous tightrope between the “feds” and the still-connected aging gangster?
As the “silver lion” of the “organization” (maybe “last man standing” rather than “last man living”) Keitel really “delivers the goods” in the title role. Somehow he can turn on a dime, from a “reminiscing about those good ole’ days’ charmer” to an intimidating “iron hand”. Though he knows that the final sunset is quickly approaching, Keitel gives Lansky quiet dignity as he trie to “go out” on his own terms and finally chooses to boast, a bit, of his long legacy. But there’s still a great deal of tragedy, as he recalls his afflicted son and his rebuff from his “promised land”. And though he’s been in some of the biggest recent hit films (and those upcoming AVATAR sequels) Worthington is often overwhelmed in the many duets with Mr. K. It may be due to the familiarity of his character, a creative grasping at straws as he finds himself between “a rock and a hard place”. Plus his pleading phone calls with the family quickly become tiresome, as does the stilted romance with Kelly’s flirtatious “femme fatale” Maureen. That role feels “tacked on” in order to “spice up” the dreary modern-day sequences that are minus Meyer. Another addition to David’s dilemma is Elliot as the dogged, obsessed “G-man” who has the determination to carry on J. Edgar’s legacy but little of his arrogant aggression. His Agent Rivers is more of an annoyance than a true threat. As for the flashbacks, Magaro doesn’t try for a Keitel impression as the younger Lansky, but still projects a quiet menace (as opposed to the sadistic Ben) as he tries to divert the mob from being “backbreakers to “bean-counters”, replacing muscled goons with nit-picking auditors. But his version is less compelling despite the scenes of his home life. Ultimately those devolve into shouting matches with Robb’s Anne who overdoes the histrionics as she screams about “divine punishment”. I’m sure a better-written role would have showcased her considerable talents.
Everything moves at a languid pace under the pedestrian direction from Etyan Rockaway, who co-wrote the script with relative Robert. The interview segments have a quiet tension, due mainly to Keitel, but the flashbacks often feel like hazy basic cable TV crime “doc-show” recreations, complete with whirling newspaper headlines, odd hairstyles, ill-fitting fashions, and outright anachronisms, as when we see the 1920s sedans at resorts in the late 1940s. The FBI office scenes play like outtakes from a 70s TV cop show, while the repeating CGI-enhanced headshots fail to give the mob history a gritty contemporary edge. Most frustrating is that the man in the center remains an enigma, though more complex now (the Nazi-smashing and Israel support are less reported aspects of his story), many questions are left dangling as we get many long lingering pan-shots of him shuffling along the Alabama *doubling for Florida) shoreline. Despite the always compelling Keitel, LANSKY is a real letdown, often putting us to sleep, along with the fishes.
2 Out of 4
LANSKY opens in select theatres and is available as a Video-on-Demand via most streaming apps and platforms beginning Friday, June 25, 2021
This week’s new release (well, new to most of us, since it played several film festivals, including St. Louis, last year) should satisfy a couple of interests to those still in “self-isolation”. First, it’s set in another country, so it’s a trip overseas, at least vicariously. The backdrop is Italy, specifically Naples which is one of the big tourist destinations (perhaps Steve and Rob had a nice bowl of pasta there during one of their movie “trips”). And second, for those not big on the scenery, it’s a crime profile. But it’s not a big sprawling epic like THE IRISHMAN and last February’s THE TRAITOR. The story’s spread out over a few months in the last couple of years. Oh, and the other big, big difference: the mobsters at the center of the tale are younger, by several decades. Teenagers really, several of them couldn’t drive here legally. Oh but their crimes are much bigger than any traffic violations. These “kids’ are quite deadly despite their age and size, hence the movie’s title: PIRANHAS.
The big ‘fish’ of this fable is fifteen-year-old Nicola (Francesco Di Napoli) who’s in the midst of a crime in the opening minutes. Along with best pal Tyson (Ar Tem), he’s taking the big mall Christmas tree (and defying another gang by invading their “turf”). The two, along with several pals from the Rione Sanita neighborhood (call it a “club” or a “gang”), torch the tree as part of a big bonfire set in a vacant lot. From there it’s off to the local disco, but first Nicola needs a couple of bucks from his young single mother. While in the back of her dry cleaning shop, two older men come in to collect the “protection fee”. As they leave, Nicola hops on his scooter and joins the “convoy” to the club. Along the way, the fellas’ help out two young women who’ve run out of gas. One of them, Leitzla (Viviana Aprea) catches Nicola’s eye. When the young men are turned away from the disco (the ladies are let in, of course), they converge at an all-night eatery. The meal is interrupted when the two “enforcers” Nicola saw at his mama’s force two other young men to leave. Tyson recognizes one of them as Agostino (Pasquale Marotta). part of the disgraced Striano family. They “ran” the neighborhood until their father worked with the feds. The gang is invited back to the plush, fancy Striano home, which inspires Nicola to plan the robbery of a local jewelry shop. But they’re “sloppy” and are caught and reprimanded (basically getting their “ears boxed”) by the local mob (those two “goons’ again). But Nicola sees this as an opportunity and asks for work. Surprisingly the “boss’ takes them on as “weed runner’ at a park near the college. Later, when the police raid a “family” wedding, Nicola jumps on another scheme. With so many of his former bosses in jail, he has Agostino introduce him to another “don” under house arrest. In exchange for the drug money, he’ll provide lots of “firepower”. With the armory, Nicola and his guys take over their home “turf”. And he pursues a romance with Leitzla. But when will greed and ambition spoil the big plans of the young mob “up and comers”?
This powerful tale is anchored by the enigmatic performance of Di Napoli as the young man swayed by big dreams of being a “big man’ in his little neighborhood. He deftly balances the naivety of someone barely out of his teens, especially as his eyes widen at the opulence of the Striano “palace”, giddy at that the things he could never afford. And he has much that same look (with a bit more of the “Christmas morning” joyful gaze) as he and his pals open up the big bag of lethal goodies from the house-bound Don, passing around handguns and assault rifles as though they were baseball cards. Then he’ll show us Nicola’s tender side as he confides in his little brother Cristan (Luca Nacarlo), who idolizes him. This is cemented later as Nicola gifts his “back alley” soccer squad with custom shirts. And then there’s the halting, sweet romance with his adored Leitzla. While he must be tough and decisive with his boys and any who cross him, Nicola lets his guard down when near her, even escorting her to the fancy opera house (and sneaking kisses between arias). Aprea captures her as a teen on the cusp of spreading her wings into full womanhood. Yet somehow amid all the drama, we get to see a bit of Di Napoli’s comic skills as he clumsily dons a disguise in order to facilitate a “hit”. And luckily he’s got a great rapport with all of his boys, especially the brutish Tyson played with a commanding glower by Tem.
Director Claudio Giovannesi brings a raw modern energy to a story nearly as old as cinema (recalling James Cagney scaling the heights of the mob kingdom nearly 90 years ago in THE PUBLIC ENEMY). He operates almost like a “fly on the wall” filming like a documentarian just stumbling upon the story of these lethal lads. There’s a poignant intimacy to the quiet scenes of Nicola’s family. Rather than a matronly “mama” mixing tears into her ‘gravy” Nicola’s mother seems barely in her mid-thirties as she watches her son suddenly change his demeanor (as their lifestyle radically changes). This brings even more power to the random bursts of sudden violence (the wrong word is said and guns appear everywhere). The teens of Rione Sanita believe that they’re invincible, which is something the established gangster bosses use to their gain. But as they engage in numbing all-night parties filled with drug-fueled orgies, their youth slowly drains away. Eventually, it’s a rags-to-riches-to Hell cautionary tale, given an “old world” gloss by the gorgeous Naples locales. All these diverse elements help to give PIRANHAS real “bite”.
3 out of 4
PIRANHAS is streaming on Digital Download via several platforms including iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play
As THE IRISHMAN begins the home stretch to the Oscars are you in need of another mob movie fix? Like Scorsese, this director has a history of flicks about the “thug life” featuring guys and goons that can “lean” on anybody that gets in the way. Well, this is one quite a bit different as it’s not set on the mean streets of East Coast USA, but rather in swinging (like a pendulum do’) London, so it’s got an international flavor. Plus this flick expands past Picadilly into the country estates and castles (hitmen at Downton Abbey. oh dear). So it involves the elite, but people who don’t fret about getting blood spilled on those custom-tailored suits and gowns. Yet, somehow most of the world believes that these “goodfellas'” can still be called THE GENTLEMEN.
After a brief flashforward involving one of the plot principals, the story really begins on a dark night as Ray (Charlie Hunnan) discovers a most unwelcome visitor lurking in the shadows of his plush home. It’s a sleazy P.I. named Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and he’s got a business offer. He’s just finished a job for “Big” Dave (Eddie Marsan), editor of the popular tabloid the Daily Print, digging up lots of “dirt’ on Ray’s boss, “cannabis king” Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey). But Ray can buy it all from Fletcher before it sees print. Of course, Ray needs a hint at what he’d be buying. We get the backstory on Mick: born to poor parents in Florida, USA he wins a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, where he balances his studies with a lucrative pot-selling “side hustle”. He amasses a “weed” empire, deciding to put down roots in the UK by marrying the gorgeous Rosalind (Michelle Dockery). They rub elbows with the highest of high society, which answers one of the mysteries about him. Namely, where does he grow and produce his “primo” product”? He attracts the attention of another rich Yank, Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong), who intends to buy the operation. Luckily Mickey wants to start a family, so after naming a hefty price tag he lets Berger in on the big secret. Mickey has made deals with the cash-strapped “upper-elites” (the Earls, Lords, etc.) to set up underground greenhouses on their secured properties. Mickey even takes Matthew to visit one. Then word leaks out about Mickey’s retirement. An ambitious young mobster from the East, Dry Eye (Henry Golding) makes an offer that’s is quickly rejected by Mickey. Then that secret “bush” locale is hit by a bunch of young thugs. Throw in a tough boxing coach named, well, Coach (Colin Farrell), and the drug-addled daughter of royalty, and it’s starting to look as though Mickey will never “get out”. But just how much evidence does Fletcher have? And will Ray convince his boss to buy it?
A stellar cast has been assembled for this crime caper with Oscar-winner McConaughey front and center as the American who’s just as sophisticated and cultured as any of the native brits (well, really more so than most in this tale). He seems to be channeling more of this TV ad persona (you’ve seen those baffling car ad in which he’s featured) than most of his screen work (Mickey is almost the inverse of the yahoos in GOLD, MAGIC MIKE, and even DALLAS BUYERS CLUB). He’s smooth as silk, only creasing his GQ ensembles when someone disrespects him. Or when he’s around his wife. Much like Gomez in THE ADDAMS FAMILY his Mickey is hopelessly enamored of the ravishing Rosalyn played with a smoldering tough sensibility by Dockery, who seems ecstatic to be out of the Downton finery. Another “happy camper” is Grant who can barely contain his joy in being cast as the skeevy, pervy (his threats to Ray are mixed with aggressive flirtations) private eye. He flits about the screen like a mischievous imp as he spins a tale of double-crossing and deceit. Farrell is quite entertaining as the gruff, no-nonsense Coach who only gets his hands dirty in order to protect his beloved “lads”. Speaking of dirtying your hands, Goulding appears to relish his turn as the scowling, always plotting Dry Eye, who seethes as he’s denied a seat at the “adults’ table”. Strong scores as the somewhat foppish (not quite the fashion plate as Mickey), but dangerously brilliant (at least two steps ahead) Berger. And as Mickey’s #1, Hunnam is everything you’d want in a right-hand man, though he’s got a real cleanliness mania, whether it’s Fletcher removing his shoes or having to go into a high-rise drug “nest”. Filth is this tough guy’s Kryptonite.
This flick marks sort of a homecoming, or at least a return to his roots, of director Guy Ritchie, who also wrote the screenplay with a story assist from Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. In the dozen years since ROCKNROLLA Ritchie has bounced about from the RDJ Sherlock HOLMES franchise, to franchise wannabe THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., to the darned near-unwatchable KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD, to last Summer’s fairly sanitized ALADDIN (though not the worst of the live-action reboots). He’s back in his “comfort zone” and his “home turf” as he keeps the action zipping briskly along while throwing us many unexpected curves and bits of inspired hilarity (Old MacDonald will never sound the same). Ritchie even throws in some satiric jabs at his own profession as Fletcher indulges his own cinematic aspirations (he includes a screenplay in his blackmail package). And he still has a taste for film making flourishes, slowing down the actions, speeding scenes in reverse, along with creating a rap music YouTube street-fighting video. Sure he still peppers the script with “F-bombs” (and being in the UK there are “C-bombs”) and blood, though he saves the gore to make the most impact. And there’s even a nice tribute to the recently departed, much-missed “Mr. Creosote”. Needless to say, the fancy mansion and wardrobes are quite dazzling. To sum things up, THE GENTLEMEN is an unpredictable, most welcome return to the lowlife and high-class law-breakers in Guy Ritchie’s London underworld.
This is the ‘big one”. Really, there may be no other way to truly describe this new epic from one of the modern masters of cinema. Sure, the rumors are indeed true, it clocks in at three and a half hours. Mind you, it harkens back to the fabulous double features that played the golden age of movie palaces (theatre just couldn’t convey their splendor). But, how odd is it that this film’s main producer is the home-streaming service Netflix. However, this is a work deserving of the full screen, all-encompassing sound experience, because, after those 219 minutes pass, you’ll likely think, “More, please”. That’s the sign of a true artist. We’re talking of a filmmaker, who has been creating over 50 years: Martin Scorsese. He’s returning to some familiar territory, perhaps completing an incredible “trilogy”. And it’s all about outlaws. MEAN STREETS profiled the “low-level” street gangs, and the much later GANGS OF NEW YORK looked at the historical origins of the crime-breaking clubs of the late 1800s. But, these aren’t Scorsese’s supreme explorations of real-life organized crime lords. The trilogy really begins with 1990’s GOODFELLAS, then heads west five years later for CASINO. Now, almost 25 years later, Scorsese is back on his old “turf” with a pair of his most celebrated actors (and an iconic “newbie”) to tell the decades-spanning story of THE IRISHMAN.
The title nickname belongs to Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), who we first see in his “twilight years”, before we quickly flashback to 1975 as he begins a multi-state auto trip with his wife and his mentor/boss Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and his wife (Mr. B hates flying, but enjoys a long drive if he’s not behind the wheel). A gas stop sends Frank’s thoughts back another twenty years or so when he was driving an air-cooled truck full of beef and had engine troubles near the same spot. A stranger (who later turns out to be Russell) helps him get back on the road. Eventually, the lure of easy money compels Frank to sell off some of his cargo (under the table stuff). When the meat company accuses him of thievery, Franks goes to his union’s lawyer Bill (Ray Romano). After getting Frank acquitted, Bill introduces him to his not-so-distant relative Russell, who, in turn, introduces Frank to his boss, the mob “captain” Angelo Bruno (Harvey Keitel). Since Frank has a wife and daughters to feed he begins to do “after hours” jobs for Mr. Bruno as a “house painter” (mob code for hitman). Frank’s loyalty earns him a call (and “painting job”) from the powerful president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). As the years roll on, Frank and Jimmy become inseparable with Frank as his main bodyguard, while Jimmy becomes a surrogate uncle to the Sheeran girls. But Jimmy has his rivals, especially Anthony “little guy” Provenzano (Stephen Graham) who desire more power, and easy no-interest loans from the union’s coffers. After a stint in prison (AKA “going to school”), Hoffa tries to regain his old “throne”, but rumors of “squealing” to the “feds”, put Frank in a tough spot. This leads to one of the 20th century’s greatest mysteries. The film explores the impact of Frank’s actions on history and more immediately, his family, particularly estranged daughter Peggy (Anna Paquin). Can Frank return to a normal life, once he’s “out” of the house painting biz?
Scorsese puts his most frequent and oldest artistic partner (his muse, perhaps), DeNiro front and center of this tale that spans many decades. You could say that Sheeran is a gangster riff on FORREST GUMP, as he seems to be a witness (and occasional participant) in much of history, often rubbing elbows (or rubbing out) historical figures. Most of all, he is the dutiful soldier who carries out the orders and does the “dirty jobs” though he may wince and bow his head in remorse and regret. But he somehow remains true to his twisted moral code, often a stoic knight in service of his king (the mob kingpins). It isn’t until the last 30 minutes or so, the dour epilogue when De Niro truly delivers and shows us a heartbreaking vulnerability as time takes its toll. De Niro’s frequent acting partner, Joe Pesci, returns to the screen as the wizened, “calm at the center of the storm” Russell who is far from the hair-triggered “wildmen” he played in CASINO and GOODFELLAS (which nabbed him an Oscar). He’s quiet, but his stern gaze can stop any goon in his tracks. His tight-lipped demeanor works well with his equally “all business” superior Keitel as Bruno. The flashiest “showie-est” role belongs to the often bombastic Pacino, who finds just the right “balance” as the colorful “workin’ man’s best pal” Hoffa. Too often in recent years, Pacino has almost become a bellowing, growling caricature, but under the guidance of Scorsese, his actorly excesses are kept in check until we see him as Hoffa “working the crowds” into a frenzy with his pro-labor rallies. And he’s just as entertaining when showing Hoffa’s quirks, whether it’s his hatred for tardiness or his love of chocolate sundaes, washed down with a cold Canada Dry ginger ale. If there’s any justice, Pacino’s take on this “flat-topped” pitbull should nab him a Supporting Actor nom (and maybe a win). Romano does a great job as the “legal eagle” as does another comedian, Sebastian Maniscalco, as a famous mobster. Ditto for the terrific Graham who goes “mano y mano” with Hoffa. And though she has few lines, Paquin is haunting as the unblinking daughter who is a reminder of Frank’s many misdeeds.
Speaking of reminders, of course, many viewers will contrast and compare this to the director’s iconic classics. But what really resonates is how he’s put a fresh “spin” on the genre, much as Scorsese did nearly thirty years ago. We know that he’ll get the period “look” , from the classic cars to the fashions, and the pop culture nods, including tunes blaring from radios and jukeboxes, to the entertainers (including a tribute to a funnyman from a previous flick), and even an establishing shot straight out of a TV staple (we boomers will smile at that helicopter zoom over the ocean and into a Florida mecca). Oh, and that “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” adage is disproven, by this master’s embracing of new technology (aside from the film’s producers). Using the latest in computer enhancement, De Niro and company get “digital facelifts” as good as any recent Marvel movie (yeah, we’ve heard Mr. S’s comments about those recent hits), enabling the same actors to see the characters through the ages, and not have to be replaced by “look-alikes” during flashbacks, or encumbered in an “Muthusala-mask” for the final act. Which brings us to another new facet of this mob story, thanks largely to Steve Zaillian’s provocative screenplay adaptation, the idea of the “survivor”, or the last enforcer left, when time becomes an adversary they can’t “lean on” or “muscle”. We’re shown how these near-unstoppable men finally are stopped, asking for help and sympathy from family, and being denied and often forgotten with their new routines more soul-crushing than any prison (or “school”). These sequences are given an extra dramatic jolt by Robbie Robertson’s music score (stick around for his original tune over the end credits) and the superb editing of Thelma Schoonmaker. Her gifts shine especially in the riveting doses of violence, from a late-night hit at an NYC eatery to the “roughing up” of a grocer during broad daylight (think of Sonny Corleone and his brother-in-law). and it’s all given a nostalgic glow by the cinematography of Rodrigo Prieto. Add this to the long, impressive list of Scorsese classics. THE IRISHMAN is one of the year’s best.
You’ll want to stay out of THE KITCHEN, not due to the heat but because of the stink. THE KITCHEN had all the right ingredients for a good crime thriller: a cast including Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elizabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, Margo Martindale, and Common, a setting in the 1970s in New York’s gritty Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, and a femme-centric crime thriller premise about the wives of criminals taking to crime themselves when their husbands are no longer there to provide financial support. Yet is takes all that and turns it into a true stinker.
THE KITCHEN is based on a DC comic but
the premise sounds rather like the top-notch 2018 neo-noir WIDOWS,
which was inspired by a hit British TV show. Still, a good script
could make that work.
If only THE KITCHEN had a good script,
which it does not. Nor much sense at all. THE KITCHEN throws in every
possible crime thriller cliche as well as bits and pieces from other
films. The result is a big stinky mess, like a days-old pile of dirty
dishes left in the sink.
Of course, this is not the first film to waste a talented cast on a lousy script but it seems particularly egregious in this case, with a fine cast lead by gifted women. Andrea Berloff’s direction helps little but the heroic efforts of the actors are sometimes surprisingly effective in individual scenes. Still, those moments are not enough to rescue this film from its dreadfully nonsensical script. This film could have been so good, but sadly it’s not even close.
Kathy (Melissa McCarthy), Ruby (Tiffany
Haddish) and Claire (Elizabeth Moss) are the passive wives of some
low-level criminals who get caught during robbery, and are sentenced
to prison. While their husbands are locked up, the Irish-American
crime gang that Ruby’s husband Kevin (James Badge Dale) heads is
supposed provide financial support, but that turns out to be meager.
Maybe that is due to the low opinion Ruby’s crime boss mother-in-law
Helen (Margo Martindale) holds of the three wives.
It’s the 1970s, so these women all
start out as timid housewives. Melissa McCarthy’s character Kathy is
a classic stay-at-home mom, who seems happy to just be supportive of
her beloved husband Jimmy (Brian d’Arcy James). Her character has the
best marriage in the trio, with Ruby under the thumb of her
mother-in-law, who resents her for being African American instead of
Irish-American. Elizabeth Moss’ Claire who is abused by her violent
husband Rob (Jeremy Bobb). The cast is rounded out by Domhnall
Gleeson as Gabriel, a one-time hit-man for the gang with a romantic
thing for Claire, and Common as one of a team of FBI agents keeping
tabs on the gang.
Not surprisingly, when these
downtrodden women find themselves in dire financial straits, they
decide to rebel against their expected roles – remember this is the
’70s – and take up crime themselves. They decide to take control of
the gang, or at least take over the protection racket from the men in
the gang.
This proves surprisingly easy to do, so
much so that the audience might wonder if the film is going to go in
a lighter, more comedic direction. Until the killing starts. Weirdly,
these women who start out so timid in speaking up to men or
challenging their male authority seem not at all squeamish about
killing off anyone standing in their way, not just fellow criminals
but ordinary citizens.
After they dismember a body in a
bathtub, there is no going back to a lighter tone, yet THE KITCHEN
seems to want to do just that, as if these women were just partners
in a bakeshop or other legit business. McCarthy’s character even
cites the “good they have done for the community” in one
unsettling scene, as if all the killing escaped her attention.
Besides the disconnect in tone – violent crime thriller alternating
with romance and female buddy picture – the film is packed with crime
movie cliches, idiotic dialog, nonsensical plot twists and
inconsistent characters. The film just keeps digging the hole deeper,
until it buries itself in derivative muck.
It is a shame to waste this wonderful
cast on this mess of a movie. If only the filmmakers had decided to
add a real script, they might have had something, instead of wasting
the audience’s time and money.
KILL THE IRISHMAN is a film based on the true story of Danny Greene, a Cleveland man of humble origins and Irish ancestry. Greene never graduated high school, but had an abundance of both street smarts and intelligence, known for his impressive reputation for reading books. Greene was also a man who had both an intense, fundamental good nature matched only by his intimidating toughness and confidence. These traits would combine to mold the man into a legend on the streets of 1970’s Cleveland.
Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, best known for 2004’s THE PUNISHER starring Thomas Jane, KILL THE IRISHMAN has another connection with the popular Marvel Comics vigilante in it’s star Ray Stevenson, who played the anti-hero Frank Castle in 2008’s PUNISHER: WAR ZONE… not written or directed by Hensleigh. Neither film pale in comparison to this slice of reality, based on recent history but spiced up subtly with street humor and a slight touch of classic gangster film flair.
Greene became known as a local hero for his charitable work and his sincere interest in the lives of the working class, but also as a dangerous and formidable wild card by the mafia and police. His story shifts between being a good guy and a bad guy, residing effortlessly in the gray area of the anti-hero, a role Stevenson seems quite adept at capturing. Many people are still relatively unfamiliar with Stevenson, whose work includes roles in THE BOOK OF ELI, THE OTHER GUYS and the upcoming THOR. What I found most intriguing about KILL THE IRISHMAN was Stevenson’s performance, an effort I would have no qualms with calling a galvanizing step towards becoming an actor of a higher caliber.
KILL THE IRISHMAN also benefits greatly from a truly impressive ensemble cast of talented, gangster film genre veterans. Vincent D’Onofrio (BROOKLYN’S FINEST) plays John Nardi, Greene’s friend, organized crime figure and one time employer. Christopher Walken (TRUE ROMANCE) has a short-lived but welcome role as loan shark Shondor Birns. Val Kilmer (HEAT) makes a big screen return as Detective Joe Manditski, but I feel his performance was dull and stiff, perhaps suffering from what felt like a distinct effort on his behalf to hide the weight he has gained. I say, you are who you are, so play off it… a la Marlon Brando in THE SCORE, or Orsen Welles in TOUCH OF EVIL.
As great as this cast is already, there’s still much more to offer the film fan well-versed in genre actors. KILL THE IRISHMAN seems at times like a gangster film genre class reunion, including Paul Sorvino (GOODFELLAS), Vinnie Jones (SNATCH), Robert Davi (LICENSE TO KILL), Mike Starr (GOODFELLAS), Steve Schirripa (THE SOPRANOS), Tony Darrow (THE SOPRANOS) and Fionnula Flanagan (TV series BROTHERHOOD, and LOST).
KILL THE IRISHMAN maintains a sense of the era, combining a touch of graininess in both image (shot by Karl Walter Lindenlaub) and sound with attention to detail in apparel, architecture and automobiles.The film also connects with the 70’s era through it’s sense of humor, especially in relation to violence and language, which tiptoe in and out of the grindhouse essence of 70’s cinema. It’s subtle, but it’s there and it adds an authentic texture to the film.
KILL THE IRISHMAN falls back comfortably upon a fairly standard but effective Irish-influenced score from Patrick Cassidy. The film, filled with little details that add to the viewer’s transportation to the 70’s, was based on Rick Porrello’s book “To Kill the Irishman” and ends with a bit a archival news footage of the real Danny Greene, much like THE FIGHTER ends with a moment with the real-life Micky and Dicky.
KILL THE IRISHMAN falls fittingly within the “stranger than fiction” category. Danny Greene survived multiple assassination attempts, conveying a fearlessness that is rarely seen outside of fictional characters. After all the explosions, violence, and graphically colorful language have passed, this is ultimately a film about one man’s struggle to find his place in a world that’s far from perfect. KILL THE IRISHMAN is a film about a man struggling with his own legacy. I suspect this film will help convey what kind of man Danny Greene was for a whole new generation.
One of the first things to pop into my mind when I first heard about 44 INCH CHEST was �What an interesting title? I wonder where it came from?� Maybe it refers to a measurement, or maybe it�s something entirely abstract. To be honest, after seeing the movie I still couldn�t tell you the meaning for sure, if there even is a meaning. However, what I can tell you is that 44 INCH CHEST is a film that drew me in, wrapped its sharply written dialogue and it�s enigmatic story around my brain for 95 minutes of cinematic excellence.
Written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto, who previously gave us the British gangster film SEXY BEAST, and directed by Malcolm Venville in his feature film debut, 44 INCH CHEST hits audience heads with a hammer of hardcore dialogue. The fast-paced, sharp-tongued conversations that dominate this film are reminiscent of David Mamet, if he had written RESERVOIR DOGS.
Ray Winstone (SEXY BEAST, THE PROPOSITION) plays Colin Diamond, a rough-handed gangster struggling to cope with the revelation that his long-time wife has not only cheated on him, but is leaving him for another man. Perplexed and driven in and out of psychotic states of remorse, anger and confusion, Colin holds up in an old abandoned row house with four friends and fellow gangsters as they determine what they plan to do about this grave insult against Colin.
This rag-tag group of aging gangster relics is a sight for sore eyes. That is, if you enjoy fine acting. Stephen Dillane (NINE LIVES, THE HOURS) plays the youngest-looking of the bunch named Mal, who also happens to be the least personally affected by the disgrace. Tom Wilkinson (ROCKNROLLA, MICHAEL CLAYTON) plays Archie, who appears to be the man in charge. With that said, Ian McShane (DEATH RACE, DEADWOOD) plays the well-dressed and very well spoken homosexual gangster Meredith, who happens to be the one most in control when necessary. Finally, John Hurt (V FOR VENDETTA, HELLBOY) plays Old Man Peanut, the eldest and most foul-mouthed of the criminal lot.
44 INCH CHEST is not your typical gangster flick. This is a dialogue driven film, with a plot more closely resembling SUICIDE KINGS meet THE SOPRANOS than GOODFELLAS or THE GODFATHER. There are two primary elements to the progression of the story, all of which revolves around the ultimate decision of whether to engage in seeking vengeance and if so, how best to deliver that vengeance. The heart of what makes the story interesting however, is the journey in getting to that decision.
Winstone�s performance as the muscle-headed gangster Colin, most likely best known for his ability to �convince� a man to spill his beans, reveals a complex and dizzying display of human emotions as Colin�s mind does figure-eights and loopty-loops around itself in an attempt to make sense of his wife�s transgression. Manic-depressive, loaded on acid or roid-raging, Colin resembles the very worst of all three conditions before finally coming to an epiphany.
Meanwhile, Colin�s posse of partners engages in conversations, debates and philosophical ramblings that range from hilarious to reflective. The chemistry present between these four fine actors is worth its weight in gold. The banter that develops between Meredith and Old Man Peanut is priceless, while Archie and Mal provide the straight-man side of this four-way comedic coin.
The humor of 44 INCH CHEST isn�t overdrawn or wasted on petty jokes, but ingeniously evolves along with the story progresses. This is enhanced by the marvelous editing from Rick Russell, also making his feature film debut, which is particularly evident in a lengthy scene in which the four gangsters embark on a verbal lambasting of their captive adulterer. Each of the men�s dialogue is restricted to the most blunt, offensive and unenlightened of remarks but the scene is cut in such a way as to make this one of the most intriguing and artistically humorous portions of the film.
Rounding out the plethora of reasons 44 INCH CHEST is among the earliest of must-see indie films for 2010 is the score by Angelo Badalamenti. Having worked extensively with David Lynch, and effectively evoking a fantastically visual score for Jeunet and Caro on THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN, Badalamenti again creates a wonderfully moody and appropriate layer of musical texture within which the suspense of the story can gestate.
Overall, 44 INCH CHEST is a welcome and satisfying film to chew on; and chew on this film you will as you digest this beef jerky bit of semi-cerebral cinema. It very well may fall within the sleeper-hit category of 2010, but I encourage anyone who enjoyed SEXY BEAST or REVOLVER to seek this film out.
