Mick Jagger – We Are Movie Geeks

THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY – Review

Who’s ready for a bit, no lots, of culture? No, well let’s sweeten the deal. Yes, you’ll be in the world of odd artists and their deep-pocketed patrons, but the paintings are on the walls of a swanky mansion over in Italy. Hmm, some refinement and a virtual “vacay”. And who are our guides? That’s where the romance sneaks in via a most photogenic pair of European rising stars. Oh, and they’re backed up by a veteran film actor (this is his seventh decade on screen) and an honest to gosh, no debate about it, rock and roll god. Somehow this quartet is connected by the piece known as THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY.

When we meet art critic/author James Figueras (Claes Bang) he’s lecturing a group of English tourists at a bookstore in Milan, Italy. Nobody’s buying his softcover collection of art essays, but he’s approached by a willowy blonde from the states, Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki). The two go straight from the shop to his “flat’ for a late afternoon romantic “romp”. Instead of sending her on her way, James invites her to join him on a business, now with a bit of pleasure, trip. A wealthy art collector wants him to appraise a new acquisition. The couple motors their way to the Lake Como villa of Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger). While Berenice lounges by the pool, Cassidy reveals the real reason for summoning James. It seems that Cassidy is part of an art lover’s group providing a home for reclusive celebrated painter Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland) located not far from the mansion. Getting an exclusive interview with Debney would re-ignite James’ fading art historian career. But what does Cassidy want in return? Over the last fifty years, all of Debney’s works were destroyed in two fires (one at a museum, the other at his studio). He hasn’t produced anything since the tragedies. Cassidy wants James to convince Debney to create one more painting, a one-of-a-kind that would become part of Cassidy’s massive collection. To ensure his help, Cassidy threatens James with a bit of blackmail, a secret that could drum him out of the ‘art world”. Later at the pool, James and Berenice encounter Debney who is familiar with his writings. However, Debney insists that he will have no part of a literary profile. How can James change his mind, let alone convince him to paint once more?

As for this quartet of players, some are most engaging while others, well, often strain to move the “not as clever as it thinks it is” story. Bang, who most recently was a suave and bloodthirsty Dracula in a Netflix miniseries, bares that script struggle as he tries to make James into a complex compelling protagonist (though other forces seem to compel him forward). We can see his skills at hustling the tourists, but it’s difficult to buy into his “con game” with the upper elites, let alone that this “cool blonde” (a nod to “Hitch”, perhaps) would fall into bed with him so quickly, even as he devolves into a jittery chain-smoking “pill-popper”. Debicki as Berenice (really is that name a staple in small Minnesota villages) has an aloof alluring vibe, comfortable in a modest (well for Milan) studio apartment or gliding about a swanky manor. Still, she can’t make the clunky pillow talk play, but Debicki shines as she opens up her wounded soul to the sympathetic reclusive painter. Maybe that’s because the eccentric artiste is played with great subtlety and “charm to spare” by the still-surprising Sutherland. The years have just made him more compelling as his rich vocal delivery draws us in, setting us up for Debney’s twisted, but often just, moral code of conduct. His supporting role is the film’s biggest strength as is the most welcome acting return after nearly twenty years (so great as the “escort agent” of THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS) of Jagger who is the ultimate in silky smooth but sinister civility as the collecting-obsessed Cassidy. His silky compliments put James at ease, easily setting him up for a cruel plunge into crime and deceit ( a coiffed smiling cobra comes to mind). His arena-filling charisma makes this preening puppet-master (dance Jame, dance) the jewel as the heart of this modern noir homage.

Actually a story centered on the relationship between Debney and Cassidy would be most compelling, but director Giuseppe Capotondi is tasked with making the James/ Berenice romance/partnership interesting. It’s not enough to move the plot’s manipulations forward at a breezy clip. Much of that floundering is due to their exchanges in the script by Scott B. Smith adapting the Charles Willeford novel. The attempts at witty by-play fall flat as do the “hammered home” digs at James’ moral flaws (constant flies and bees, that gushing nose bleed). Once the “crime” is in motion we’re left to accept other characters “going along’ with odd bits of business (leave the villa in the dead of night…okay). This leads up to a final “fast forward” denouncement” that feels more contrived than clever. The lush Italian locales are quite lovely, but the attitude toward and fate of one major character just sours almost everything. Except for those performing “pros”, Donald and Mick (maybe too close to the Disney duo). They add the real heat (and color hued heat) to THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY.

2 Out of 4

THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the Hi-Pointe Theatre

GET ON UP – The Review

Although usually the domain of pre-Oscar, end of the year holiday season, the feature film biography, or “bio-pic”, will occasionally pop up amongst the big Summer blockbusters. A little over a year ago it was 42, the story of Jackie Robinson. Its late Spring release might also be seen as a response to 2011’s surprise Summer smash THE HELP which also explored American race relations, but used fictional characters. This weekend sees the release of GET ON UP, the biopic of music superstar James Brown. And while most of GET takes place a decade after Robinson’s barrier-breaking entry into then all-white major league baseball, Brown shattered some similar barriers and became one of the first major black entertainers that captured fans of all races. And, wouldn’t you know it, the talented young actor who played Jackie Robinson last year, Chadwick Boseman, trades in his cleats for florescent platforms in order to play “the Godfather of Soul”. Quite a daunting task, but Boseman is guided by the director of THE HELP (along with a couple of actors from that film), Tate Taylor, and producers Brain Grazer (one half of Imagine Entertainment) and a certain Mick Jagger, a fellow who knows a bit about singing. Let’s get down with the funk and GET ON UP.

The film’s opening moments tell us that we’re not in your typical biography as the time switches from the 1960’s to the early 40’s, then shooting up to the late 80’s. This is a way to show us all facets of James Brown’s exceptional life. At his youngest, we see an eight year-old James frolicking in the woods with his mother Susie (Viola Davis). It seems like a modest, but idyllic life in rural Georgia until the arrival of the bitter father Joe (Lennie James). Soon he sends her away, but Joe has no parenting skills. With the arrival of World War II, Joe enlists and drops little James off with Aunt Honey (Octavia Spencer) to live and work at her brothel. Somehow he sneaks away early Sunday mornings to the little church where James is mesmerized by the flamboyant dancing, singing preacher, During his teen years, a petty burglary lands James (Boseman) in the local jail where he encounters Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis), the leader of a gospel vocal group. Impressed by his musical talents, Byrd gets Brown released into his custody. Brown lives at Byrd’s family home and joins the group, but crooning gospel is not enough, Using some inspiration and advise from Little Richard (Brandon Smith), they become “the Famous Flames”, and attract the attention of Federal Records exec Ben Bart (Dan Aykroyd) who decides that Brown should be the act’s main star. We then see Brown’s rise to fame with a concert album recording at the Apollo, impressing the young Rolling Stones at the 64′ TAMI Show, singing for Frankie Avalon on the set of SKI PARTY, daring to perform in Boston the day after the King assassination, and risking his life to perform for the troops in Vietnam. Along the way he fathers children, marries, and changes the recording and concert business.

As terrific as he was as Jackie Robinson, Boseman is a revelation as James Brown. It is a star, no, mega-star making turn that puts his screen career into a new level. This will have to be a phenomenal Fall and Winter for him not to score an Oscar nomination. He emulates that marble-mouthed, gravel-voiced speech pattern in the many dialogue scenes along with several moments when he busts that fourth wall to give us some insight on the scene (a device that was a bit overdone recently in JERSEY BOYS). After a horrific holiday incident, he glares at us, as if to say, “Yeah, I know. I’m terrible”. And when he performs, he almost takes your breath away. We can feel the charisma exploding off the screen as concert audiences just could not stay seated. Luckily Boseman is given a wonderfull supporting cast, particularly Ellis as his spiritual big brother. We see in Byrd’s eyes all that hurt that Brown casually inflicts over the years. But we also see his respect and awe of the huge talent. And Brown has a terrific father figure in Bart played with great heart and humor by Akyroyd. He also gets exasperated at Brown’s indulgences, while being unable to control his bursting pride at Brown’s rocket ride to fame. Bart is there to explain how things are done in order for Brown to turn everything upside down in the music world. Davis is shattering as the mother taken from Brown, who returns to break his heart once more. Spencer has a lot of fun as the no-nonsense Madame suddenly saddled with a young boy. Jill Scott exudes an earthy, playful sexuality as DeeDee, the second wife. Smith makes a hilarious Little Richard as he lectures outside his regular job cooking at a burger joint (love the hairnet) and warns James about “white devils”. And Craig Robinson gets big laughs as the frustrated horn player Maceo Parker.

With all the time bounces, it’s a testament to the film making talents of Taylor that he never distracts us from the story of the remarkable entertainer. To further the flow, each segment will have a chapter title referring to one of Brown’s many showbiz nicknames like “Mr. Dynamite”, “Music Box”. and “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business”. And he doesn’t paint the subject as a saint. Besides that holiday scene, we see Brown as the stern task master, leveling costly fines at his band members for being late, missing cues, and even swearing. That’s not to discount the heroic side. We can feel the tension as Brown’s plane barely makes a landing during his Vietnam tour and later as Brown tries to diffuse the tension at the Boston 68′ concert. And there’s a lot here devoted to Brown’s business savvy and how he eliminated many middle-men that profited often more than the performers. The biggest flaw in the film is that Taylor tries to cram into too much of this remarkable life, making the film feel longer than its two and a quarter hours. Luckily the film is full of pulse-pounding energy whenever Boseman is electrifying the throngs (if only those JERSEY BOYS had some of that spark in their song sequences). It’s Boseman channeling Brown that makes GET ON UP an exhilarating experience and one of this Summer’s must see movies. Or to quote Mr. B , “Yaaow!! Hey!”.

4 Out 5

James Brown Biopic GET ON UP Trailer Debuts

In his follow-up to the four-time Academy Award-nominated blockbuster THE HELP, Tate Taylor directs 42’s Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in GET ON UP.

Check out the first trailer along with photos from the film.

Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, the film will give a fearless look inside the music, moves and moods of Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

Boseman is joined in the drama by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Lennie James, Tika Sumpter, Jill Scott and Dan Aykroyd.

DAN AYKROYD as Ben Bart and CHADWICK BOSEMAN as James Brown

Academy Award winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, 8 Mile) produces for Imagine Entertainment, with Mick Jagger and Victoria Pearman (Shine a Light) producing under their Jagged Films banner.

Imagine’s Erica Huggins (Flightplan) also serves as a producer on GET ON UP, while Taylor produces under his Wyolah Films label. Peter Afterman, Trish Hofmann, Jez Butterworth, John Butterworth, John Norris and Anna Culp serve as executive producers.

Producers MICK JAGGER and Academy Award winner BRIAN GRAZER on the set