Tag: Jim Gaffigan

PETER PAN & WENDY – Review

It looks like kids’ movies are dominating the box office right now. Mind you, what looks to be the first billion-dollar blockbuster is based on a decades-old video game. But what about the classic fairy tales, you may ask? Not to worry, although it’s fairly young at a spry 121 years, as opposed to the centuries-old Grimm Brothers stories and assorted myths and legends. And it’s also the 70th anniversary of the definitive animated adaptation from the master artists at the “mouse house”. Ugh, you may be thinking, not another live-action retread of a superb cartoon ala the recent PINOCCHIO (not the Oscar-winner) or the dreary DUMBO. Well, you’re not really correct as this tale began (after its literary roots) on the stage and has been played by flesh-and-blood actors in versions going back to the silent movie days. And so, here’s another version, this time sharing the title with the other main character as we take flight with PETER PAN & WENDY.

It all begins like most versions in Edwardian London, around bedtime in the Darling House. Pre-teen Wendy (Ever Anderson) is a bit anxious as she packs for her trip to boarding school in a few hours. As usual per younger brothers, John (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe) are literally bouncing off their beds as they play “pirate”, Father (Alan Tudyk) rushes in to calm them down and to put their canine nanny out for the night. Ah, but Wendy regales them with one last story of their hero Peter Pan before Mother (Molly Parker) tucks them in with a lullaby. It’s an interrupted sleep as they discover the fairy Tinkerbell (Yari Shahdid) has led Peter himself (Alexander Molony) to the bedroom in search of his missing shadow. After a sprinkling of pixie dust, they’re soaring over the city and en route to that enchanted isle of Neverland. Oh oh, the troupe is spotted by Captain Hook (Jude Law) at his pirate ship offshore. With the help of his first mate, Mr. Smee (Jim Gaffigan), the crew fires cannonballs into the sky. John and Michael are captured leading to a rescue by Peter, Tink, and Wendy, who are soon helped by the Lost Boys (and girls) led by Princess Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatahk). As the frustrated Hook plots his revenge, the Darlings settle in with Peter and the Lost Boys. But will they be content to stay there or will Wendy and her brothers find a way to return to their home so far away?

Despite the second billing, it’s Wendy who is really at the front and center of this retelling. Relative screen newcomer Anderson brings a modern sensibility to the role along with (oh, I’ll just blurt it) spunk as she has little time for macho foolishness. She’s not merely the “teller of tales” substitute Mum for her sibs and all the Lost Kids, but a formidable force against the villains. Molony seems to have the right mixture of ego and vulnerability as the often aggressive green-clad swordsboy. He’s not adept at dealing with Wendy’s challenges, though he learns to welcome them and to actually reflect on his own past behavior. Law has the grimacing threats of Hook honed to sneering perfection, but he offers a glimpse into Hook’s haunted inner life. This time the hungry croc isn’t the main star of his nightmares. Shahidi as Tink shows a real talent for pantomime as the expressive but very soft-spoken (Peter insists that you’ve got to learn to listen) fairy/sidekick. Gaffigan hits all the comedy beats as Smee, though he’s less of a comic foil and more of a parental figure and calming influence on his former charge, Hook. Wapanatahk turns Tiger Lily into an impressive warrior queen, And in their brief “bookend” roles, Tudyk is a charming and blustery papa and Parker is a sweet, gentle melodic matriarch.

This “re-imagining” is guided by director David Lowery who co-wrote the adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s novel (and the ’53 Disney feature) with Toby Halbrooks, and it’s not his first crack at a Disney “reboot” as he took on PETE’S DRAGON seven years ago. And much like that effort, this is a much darker, moodier “spin” (lots of shadows even as the sunlight shimmers on the sea). But that also reflects the script’s tone as it must give us details about the heritage of the characters that never seemed needed. I was reminded of the flashback to the demise of Belle’s mother when the action stops dead to have Pan or Hook explain their haunted history. This all works toward a real lull in the movie’s midpoint which almost sinks it. As for its ties to the 70-year-old cartoon, the old songs are out, though we hear a bit of “You Can Fly” as the pixie dust works its magic, in favor of the new lullaby from Mama Darling. And they’ve completely reworked the Tiger Lily character so that she is the rescuer who now sometimes speaks in the Cree language (and none of the “heap big” cliches in her family’s village). Another nod to the new century is the casting “inclusion” in the major roles and supporting cast. We see pirates of every color, and even a lady or two. And the Lost Boys include some girls, along with a special needs swashbuckler. These are nice new touches, but it doesn’t make up for the downbeat mood or the dimly lit backdrops. And yes, the croc is there, though only for one scene where he appears to have wandered in from a LAKE PLACID sequel (no comedy in this CGO critter). This is far from the nadir of these live-action retellings, but there’s nothing here that elevates the classic tale in the languid new visit with PETER PAN & WENDY. Maybe it’ll all go down a bit better at home while dipping into a jar of his peanut butter…

1.5 Out of 4

PETER PAN & WENDY is now streaming exclusively on Disney+

LINOLEUM – Review

Jim Gaffigan as Cameron in LINOLEUM. Courtesy of Shout! Studios

Bear with me on this one, since LINOLEUM is a unique and admirable film to savor if you approach it with a different mindset. Jim Gaffigan stars as Cameron, a 50ish sad sack with superb astrophysics credentials who dreamt of becoming an astronaut, but settled for hosting a Bill Nye type of kids’ science show in a lousy time slot on a marginal TV station. His wife and former co-host Erin (Rhea Seehorn, best known from “Better Call Saul”) is divorcing him. Their two kids barely notice his presence. He’s getting less respect than Rodney Dangerfield, but taking all the hits without a whimper. Or a one-liner.

Problems pile on quickly. Instead of getting the Saturday morning spot in the schedule he’d been promised, he’s replaced by a younger, more accomplished version of himself (also Gaffigan). His dad has severe dementia. A satellite crashes in their back yard, forcing them from their home by government order. His teen daughter (Katelyn Nacon) becomes chummy with the new guy’s son (Gabriel Rush) developing a friendship that both fathers dislike. Several other plot elements we see may or may not be happening. None of them bode well for Cameron.

Now for the hard part. Suspending disbelief is routine for movie buffs. This one requires flipping one’s logic switch to the off position, as well. It’s a quiet, slow-moving film that dangles the surreal. If you think about events too much, what you’re watching won’t make sense. The film is set during the years of VHS dominance, but otherwise rather timeless and peppered with flashbacks. Writer/director Colin West’s script includes the era’s Red Scare and a handful of red herrings. A phrase that’s repeated – what you see is unique to you; your own personal universe – encapsulates the content of the film, as well as the experience of the viewer.

Fans of Gaffigan’s stand-up career will appreciate how smoothly his persona in that arena morphs into the self-effacing, fatalistic loser that defines Cameron. A dreamer whose dreams were attainable but unrealized. The supporting cast is rock-solid, as well. The teenagers get a large share of the screen time and story significance. They stick the landing. The stretch for Gaffigan comes from also playing his Doppelganger, who shows himself to be more than a bit of an asshole.

The tenor of the film is mostly dominated by Cameron’s passive acceptance of every slight and disappointment that comes his way. There are moments of humor, but not enough of them to call this a dramedy. Any viewers who grow confused and/or impatient should persevere. The last act comes with reveals and resolutions that will moisten the eyes that share bodies with the hardest of hearts. I’m no fan of sentimental fare, but this ending worked. Big time. Still not sure about what everything meant, but quite satisfied with what I’d gotten when the credits started rolling by.

LINOLEUM opens Friday, Feb. 24, in theaters nationwide.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

Jim Gaffigan Plays An Astronaut In Trailer For LINOLEUM Alongside Rhea Seehorn, Michael Ian Black And Tony Shaloub

Check out the poster and trailer for LINOLEUM starring Jim Gaffigan and Rhea Seehorn, in Theaters on February 24th. In their SWSX 2022 review, Collider says, “Linoleum is an exquisite film that proves West to be a compelling young filmmaker, and will make the viewer certainly want to see more of Gaffigan and Seehorn in these types of roles,” and “a surprising, beautiful, and strange experience.”

Cameron Edwin (Jim Gaffigan), the host of a failing children’s science TV show called “Above & Beyond”, has always had aspirations of being an astronaut. After a mysterious space-race era satellite coincidentally falls from space and lands in his backyard, his midlife crisis manifests in a plan to rebuild the machine into his dream rocket. As his relationship with his wife (Rhea Seehorn) and daughter (Katelyn Nacon) start to strain, surreal events begin unfolding around him — a doppelgänger moving into the house next door, a car falling from the sky, and an unusual teenage boy forging a friendship with him. He slowly starts to piece these events together to ultimately reveal that there’s more to his life story than he once thought.

The film also stars Gabriel Rush (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel), Amy Hargreaves (“Homeland”, “13 Reasons Why”), Roger Hendricks Simon (Love in Kilnerry, The Sublet), Elisabeth Henry (The Sisterhood of Night, Behind the Mirror), West Duchovny (A Mouthful of Air, The Report) with Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer, The State) and Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)

From director Colin West, LINOLEUM was the Official Selection – 2022 SXSW Film Festival, and Recipient of the Sloan Science on Screen Award at the 2022 SFFILM Festival.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA Premieres Exclusively on Amazon Prime Video January 14th

Drac and the Pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac (Brian Hull) with his most terrifying task yet. When Van Helsing’s (Jim Gaffigan) mysterious invention, the ‘Monsterification Ray,’ goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny (Andy Samberg) becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis (Selena Gomez) and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent. The film also features the voices of Kathryn Hahn (Ericka), Steve Buscemi (Wayne), Molly Shannon (Wanda), David Spade (Griffin the Invisible Man), Keegan-Michael Key (Murray), Fran Drescher (Eunice), Brad Abrell (Frank), and Asher Blinkoff (Dennis). 

For the final chapter of the Hotel Transylvania film series, franchise creator Genndy Tartakovsky returns as one of the screenwriters and executive producers. Selena Gomez will also serve as an executive producer, while reprising her role as Drac’s daughter, Mavis, alongside Andy Samberg, returning as Johnny. Directed by Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska, the film is produced by Alice Dewey Goldstone and executive produced by Tartakovsky, Michelle Murdocca, and Gomez. The story is by Genndy Tartakovsky with a screenplay by Amos Vernon & Nunzio Randazzo and Genndy Tartakovsky.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA stars Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, Brian Hull, Fran Drescher, Brad Abrell, and Asher Blinkoff

LUCA- Review

So, travel venues are finally opening up just in time to escape those sweltering Summer temps. Someplace with a beach sounds ideal, though you may want to get some sand between your toes virtually while waiting for the world to get a tad more stable. Last week Israel was our getaway in SUBLET. This weekend we’re headed to sunny Italy for a “va-cay” put together by some incredible travel agents (yup there are some left) out of Emeryville, CA. Yes, those titanic talents at Pixar are whisking us away to the Italian Riviera for a magical adventure. But how does it stack up against their excursions to Ireland (BRAVE), France (RATATOUILLE), and Mexico (COCO)? Well, to find out you’ll be introduced to a young lad. To borrow from the Nat King Cole classic “Nature Boy” (rather than the obvious Suzanne Vega ode to a second-floor dweller), “There was a boy. A strange enchanted boy”. And his name is LUCA.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the time period is maybe the mid-1950s or so. That’s when a fishing boat, ignoring the local tales of scary sea beasts, lowers its net into the waters near the Isola De Mare. Of course, ‘something” is out there, and several objects are lost to the deep during the “interaction”. And just what is going on beneath the surface? It’s then that we meet Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay), a pre-teen sea “monster”. But he’s a good kid, closer to a “merboy”, but without the fleshy top half, his body’s covered in bright florescent scales and fins. And he’s helping, starting his daily chores as a sort of “fish-shepherd” to a herd, or is it a school, of small fish. His routine is disrupted by the discovery of some of those “lost” items from above. But his discoveries are soon scooped up by something (is it one of those murderous humans) in a diving suit. Luca follows and is stunned when he finds that the “thing’ is another boy like him, but when he leaves the water he becomes an air-breathing flesh-covered human (kinda’ like how Madison dried off in SPLASH). Later at his sea cave home. Luca tells of his adventure which prompts harsh warnings from mother Daniela (Maya Rudolph) and father Lorenzo (Jim Gaffigan), though Grandma (Sandy Martin) is not as concerned about it. But curiosity gets the better of him and Luca climbs out of the water (and a green leafy swim shorts form during his transformation) and meets the “collector”, a slightly older boy named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). The two become fast friends, exploring his decaying lighthouse, and daydreaming about cruising the globe on their very own Vespa scooter. But when Mom spies the “scarecrow”, Luca has erected to “guard the flock” she threatens to send him off to live on the ocean’s floor with his creepy Uncle Ugo (Sacha Baron Cohen). This scares Luca so badly that he agrees to join Alberto in his plan to get a real Vespa in the nearby seaside fishing village of Portorosso. There they become targets of the town bully Ercole (Saverio Raimondo) while befriending a girl around their own age, Giulia (Emma Berman), and eventually working for her fisherman father Massimo (Marco Barricelli). Soon the trio team up to enter the annual race (sponsored by a food company) in order to use the cash prize to buy one of those adored scooters. But can they keep their true origins a secret before they’re discovered, perhaps by the mysterious older couple that keeps tossing water balloons at kids?

In their vocal casting, Pixar continues their knack for tapping just the right talents, rather than going after the big media “flavors of the month”, which too many of their competitors rely on (big name>best fit). Case in point, Tremblay, six years after his ROOM breakthrough, hits just the right notes as the boy whose world is so quickly expanding. Unlike many family fantasy heroes, he seems perfectly content in his “part of the pond”, not wanting to burst into an “I Want” song. Tremblay balances the curiosity and yearning for adventure with healthy bits of fear and worry. Maybe his folks, which he really misses, are right about these pasty savages. He’s a great counterpoint to the always-confident Alberto, who’s given the correct mix of bravado and swagger by Grazer, who knows when to “dial it down” for the complex and emotional final act. Completing the pre-teen trio is the energetic, feisty Giulia voiced with vigor by the talented Berman. Another terrific trio, real comedy vets, also get their chance to shine in the major adult roles. Rudolph is the passionate “mama grizzly’, well maybe “mama shark’ as the forceful but very caring matriarch Daniela, while Gaffigan exudes his “laid back” charm as the bumbling papa Lorenzo, who’s often the “softie” to his “lay down the law’ spouse. And Cohen gives Uncle Ugo, a weird off-kilter tone that matches his nightmarish appearance (you can see through his chest and observe his heart pumping). Relative screen newcomers Raimondo and Barricelli are superb as the arrogant. preening, pompous Ercole (“You can have the pleasure of watching me eat a sandwich”) and the intimidating, gruff, but warm-hearted Massimo, respectively.

Speaking of newcomers, how about this fabulous feature film directing debut by Enrico Casarosa. Talk about hitting one out of the park your debut turn at bat (perhaps scoring a goal would be more in the film’s spirit). The tone, the emotional shift, the pacing, well everything lands (and swims). Of course, a great deal of credit for that must go to screenwriters Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones who deliver a tale that comes close to the emotional wallop of an UP, with a dash of COCO and INSIDE OUT. This literal “fish out of water” fable tackles prejudice and acceptance, as the villagers’ fears really match the “monsters”. More prominent in the film’s climax are the themes of friendship, going from selfish to selfless as BFFs realize they must let go to allow others to “spread their wings”, or fins, despite the pain of losing them. Somehow these deep emotional concepts never get in the way of the inspired slapstick and frenetic action sequences. Perhaps the biggest inspirations are found in the phenomenal visuals, the gorgeous worlds these endearing characters inhabit. We know that Pixar can do the deep blue sea (you almost expect to see Nemo and Dory zipping past), but the dazzling look of the sea folks are delicious “eye candy” with vibrant cool blues and shimmering yellows. Equally stupifying is the village of Portorosso, a dusty sun-baked town right out of post-war Italian classics. Around one corner you may nearly get run down by THE BICYCLE THIEF, around another your eyes could drink in a sultry young Sophie Loren (if you’re lucky). It’s really a love letter to that era (weathered LA STRADA posters adorn many walls). There are even local variants of Disney staples. This brings me to my only negative. Aside from LA’s El Capitan Theater, this film isn’t playing on any big screen venues. This happened last year with SOUL, but most screens were shuttered. Last March RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON from Disney Animation Studios was given a theatrical release along with Premiere Access (a big one-time upcharge) on the Disney Plus+ streaming service. This film should be available in multiplexes everywhere to bask in its beauty and to appreciate the gifted artists that worked (often at home) to craft this work. Any rumblings out of Emeryville are truly justified. Off the soapbox, and back to the positives. The lead kids have a nice exaggerated facial structure (those teeth-filled mouths), but the most interesting designs may be the adults (Massimo and Lorenzo sport impressive facial hair), and the silent, scowling kittycat Machiavelli (look forward to the stuffed toys). The music score from Dan Romer never overwhelms or dominates. This is primo Pixar, a glorious feast for the eyes and heart, as satisfying as a family pasta Sunday supper. Bravo and brava to all involved in creating one of the year’s best films, the triumph that is LUCA. So dig in, mangiare! And stick around for the end credits for a dessert as tasty as tiramisu!

4 Out of 4

LUCA streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, June 18, 2021

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA First Trailer Is Here And There Are Some MONSTER Changes!

Drac and the pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac with his most terrifying task yet.

When Van Helsing’s mysterious invention, the ‘Monsterfication Ray,” goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.

The voice-cast includes Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Brian Hull, Asher Blinkoff, Brad Abrell, Fran Drescher, Jim Gaffigan, and Molly Shannon.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA will be the final chapter of the successful franchise from Sony Pictures Animation, with the first three installments grossing over $1.3 billion at the global box office. Franchise creator Genndy Tartakovsky returns as screenwriter and executive producer, alongside Michelle Murdocca and Selena Gomez, who will also reprise her role as Dracula’s daughter, Mavis. Directed by Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon, and produced by Alice Dewey Goldstone, the film will hit theatres July 23, 2021.

Blobby, Wanda (Molly Shannon), Wayne Steve Buscemi), Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), Ericka (Kathryn Hahn), Dracula (Brian Hull), Jonathan (Andy Samberg), Mavis (Selena Gomez), Frank (Brad Abrell), Eunice (Fran Drescher), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key) with Denis and Winnie in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA.

Celebrate National Pet Day 2021 With MONSTER PETS: A HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA SHORT

Celebrate National Pet Day 2021 with the new adorable MONSTER PETS: A HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA SHORT.

Drac’s lovable, monster-sized puppy, Tinkles, has more energy than ever and just wants to play ball! Unfortunately, Drac is too busy juggling his duties at the hotel, so he is determined to find a monster pet companion for his huge furry friend. After a series of mismatches, Drac’s plan goes awry when Tinkles chooses a very unlikely companion.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 4 is heading to theaters this summer!

Drac’s Pack is back, like you’ve never seen them before. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will be the final chapter of the successful franchise from Sony Pictures Animation, with the first three installments grossing over $1.3 billion at the global box office. Franchise creator Genndy Tartakovsky returns as screenwriter and executive producer, alongside Michelle Murdocca and Selena Gomez, who will also reprise her role as Dracula’s daughter, Mavis.

The cast includes Andy Samberg, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Brian Hull, Asher Blinkoff, Brad Abrell, Fran Drescher, Jim Gaffigan, Molly Shannon.

Directed by Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon, and produced by Alice Dewey Goldstone, the film will hit theatres July 23, 2021.

“Peter Pan & Wendy” Premieres On Disney Plus In 2022 – Production Begins On New Film

Principal photography on the live-action adventure/fantasy “Peter Pan & Wendy” has commenced in Vancouver. The film is directed by David Lowery (“Pete’s Dragon”) and produced by Jim Whitaker (“Pete’s Dragon”). “Peter Pan & Wendy” will premiere on Disney+ in 2022.

Based on J. M. Barrie’s novel “Peter and Wendy” and inspired by the 1953 animated classic, “Peter Pan & Wendy” is the timeless tale of a young girl who, defying her parents’ wishes to attend boarding school, travels with her two younger brothers to the magical Neverland. There, she meets a boy who refuses to grow up, a tiny fairy and an evil pirate captain, and they soon find themselves on a thrilling and dangerous adventure far, far away from their family and the comforts of home.

The film stars Jude Law (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) as Captain Hook; Yara Shahidi (“Grown-ish”) as Tinkerbell; Ever Anderson (“Black Widow”) as Wendy; Alexander Molony (“The Reluctant Landlord”) as Peter Pan; Molly Parker (“House of Cards”) as Mrs. Darling; Alan Tudyk (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) as Mr. Darling; newcomers Joshua Pickering as John; Jacobi Jupe as Michael and Alyssa Wapanatâhk as Tiger Lily; and Jim Gaffigan (“The Jim Gaffigan Show”) as Smee.

“Peter Pan has long been one of my favorite stories, partially because I’ve always resisted growing up, but also because of the heart, adventure and imagination that makes J.M. Barrie’s original tale so evergreen,” says David Lowery. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to redefine his iconic characters for a new generation – and even more excited that I get to do so with such an exceptional cast and crew.”

Jim Gaffigan Shows Off His Acting Chops AMERICAN DREAMER Available on Blu-ray and DVD November 29th

See a whole new side of Jim Gaffigan when American Dreamer arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD November 29 from Lionsgate. The film is currently available on Digital and On Demand. Best known for his stand-up comedy, Jim Gaffigan gives a convincing performance in this intimate and unsettling crime thriller. American Dreamer also stars Robbie Jones and has been called “a stunner” by Film Threat. The American Dreamer Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

A down-on-his-luck ride-share driver, who makes extra cash chauffeuring a low-level drug dealer around town, finds himself in a serious financial bind and decides to kidnap the dealer’s child.


BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “No Free Rides: Making American Dreamer” Featurette

 
CAST
Jim Gaffigan               Chappaquiddick, TV’s “The Jim Gaffigan Show”
Robbie Jones              TV’s “90210” and “Hellcats”

THEM THAT FOLLOW – Review

Opening this weekend is a film about the members of a bizarre religious cult, who put themselves in dire danger, even risking death, at their services and meetings. What country is the home of such fanaticism, urging heavenly forces to protect them as they stare down doom. Most likely a faraway land, perhaps in an underdeveloped impoverished nation? Nope, this new film is set in the world of “serpent-handling” a religious rite that sprang up in this country, the U.S. of A in the last century, mainly in isolated rural communities. Most states have outlawed these rituals, but that doesn’t stop many congregations from gathering in secret locations to test their faith by scooping up rattlesnakes. So, is this film an investigative documentary, full of “hidden camera” footage? Actually, this is a family drama, focusing in on a forbidden love triangle. With hissing snakes. That weird world is the setting for THEM THAT FOLLOW.


Deep in an isolated village in the Appalachian mountains, we meet hard-working teenager Mara (Alice Englert), who runs the tiny house of her widowed papa Lemuel (Walton Goggins), the pastor of the local, secretive snake-handling church. One day Mara and her best pal Dilly (Kaitlyn Dever) hitch a ride into town, supposedly to get cleaning supplies at the general store run by one of the church elder, “Sister” Hope (Olivia Colman). But while Dilly distracts her, Mara swipes a “home pregnancy” kit. She’s promised to one of the young men that her father mentors, fervent “true believer’ Garret (Lewis Pullman). Unfortunately, she has stronger feelings for Hope’s agnostic son ‘Augie’ (Thomas Mann). And the test proves that the two have acted on those feelings. However, Mara continues with the engagement rituals with Garret, hoping that no one will learn of her secret. But what happens when she and her undercover lover are to have their faith “tested” by deadly venom-filled fangs?

A talented cast struggles to bring some urgency to this often muddled script. Lead actress (and relative film newcomer) Englert endeavors to bring out the conflicted nature of the passive Mara. We see her averting her eyes, trying to hide her “shame”, but Englert is able to express Mara’ inner torment (and passion) through her less repressed interactions with pal Dilly and lover (on the “way-down low”) Augie. Luckily Goggins brings some much-needed energy to the lethargic plot as a very believable charismatic (perhaps that’s the “sect”) Lemuel. But it’s in the quieter moments, at home staring at the wine bottle he wants to open when we see the character’s real turmoil. His spouse’s death has left a hole in his heart that no amount of study and sermonizing can fill. It’s a shame Goggins isn’t in a better flick. One of the big draws here is the first big-screen role for Colman since her surprising Oscar win a few months ago for THE FAVOURITE. But Hope is a dour character, admonishing the “young ‘uns” with the sourest expression. Ultimately that works when she exhibits a shocking compassion for the “unclean”, though later her devotion may prove very costly. In an offbeat bit of casting, comedian Jim Gaffigan is paired up with her as hubby Zeke (really, right outta’ “Snuffy Smith”), who has little to do till the gruesome final scenes (he’s the more affable “elder”). Dever, so enchanting this Summer as half of the BOOKSMART duo is regulated to supportive “sidekick” whose main function is to be a “sounding board” for Mara when she not providing alibis. As for Mara’s suitors, Pullman is so stiff and shy we secretly hope for the inevitable “breakout”, much like his BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE “time bomb”. Mann, playing the only real voice of reason and logic, as Augie mainly dashes around in his pick up, until a “bombshell” makes his character do a most abrupt “180” to add an extra bit of much-needed suspense to the last act.

Written and directed by the team (really, it took two) of Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage, the film squanders what could be an engaging exploration of belief and faith. Everything looks authentic and lived in, especially Lemuel’s nearly falling apart cottage (maybe more of a shack), but very little of what happens in those settings is compelling. There’s scant passion in the love triangle, so we’re biding our time for the scaly co-stars to deliver on the promises of the marketing department (the trailer and posters have a 1980’s exotic Natassja Kinski vibe). Plus, little is made of the cult’s hiding from the law. Lem and Garret gasp when a state trooper vehicle pulls up from behind them, but the authorities seem to be turning a “blind eye” (though Garret “takes the rap” in one bit of exposition). The subject could have been thought provoking drama or slithery “grindhouse” thrills, but THEM THAT FOLLOW fails to really sink its teeth (fangs) into moviegoers. Hssss, indeed.

1.5 Out of 4 Stars