Tag: Shailene Woodley

FERRARI – Review

And what’s that zooming toward the multiplex? Why, it’s yet another true-life sports film, and it’s comin’ in hot. Yes, it’s a whole lot faster than the rowing movie, as it is set in the world of auto racing. And unlike the other racing flick this year, GRAN TURISMO, there’s no video gaming involved as the bulk of it takes place over sixty-five years ago. Oh, and the director of this new film has been making some of the most interesting and stylish action epics over the last five decades. He’s focused on one year in a man’s life synonymous with the sport, so it could be considered a biography. Even after all this time that name resonates throughout the world in general. Sure it’s now a brand name, but behind all the iconic autos was the man named Enzo FERRARI.

This profile begins with newsreel-style footage of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) churning up the dirt raceway in the 1920s. Flash forward to 1957, as he awakens and joins Lina (Shailene Woodley) for breakfast with their eight-year-old son Piero. He says goodbye but doesn’t go directly to his auto factory. Instead, he stops at the crypt of his late son Alfredo (‘Dino’) and the home he shares with his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz). Of course, she knows nothing of Enzo’s second family, perhaps owing to Italy’s ban on divorce in the day. Enzo’s arrival precedes a heated argument ending with her firing a pistol (later one would end with kitchen tabletop lovemaking). It’s a big day at Ferrari S.p.A, as a new racer, Alfonso De Portiago (Gabriel Leone) joins the company team before the next big road race. And much to Enzo’s chagrin, his movie starlet girlfriend Linda Christian (Sarah Gadon) steals some of the fanfare. He appears to have a complex relationship with the press. Enzo despises the “paparazzi” for trying to pry into his personal life, but uses them to plant rumors, like a possible merger with Ford Motors, in order to generate much-needed cash. Seems the company is teetering toward bankruptcy, which forces Enzo to make risky loans with banks and even barter with Laura over shares of the family company. Ah, but all will work out when his team wins the highly-touted race, Mille Miglia, which runs over several miles of public roads throughout Italy. But what would happen if disaster and death take the wheel?

In the title role, Driver (nice coincidence) is quite intimidating as the looming, passionate auto maven. he conveys a man completely focused on his profession, down to the smallest bit of machinery, while also juggling every penny of his company’s dwindling funds. But his best juggling is in his double life. With Lina and Piero he’s a warm nurturing patriarch, doting on his boy while frustrating his mother. But with Laura, he never quite knows what’s behind their home’s front entrance. Like the old fable, is it “the lady or the tiger”? As Laura, Cruz has a fierce bite along with her ultra-sharp claws, as she suspects that Enzo has “something on the side”, while she she to reign in his spending excesses. But Cruz also shows us that the wounds of losing a son have never healed as she lashed at him to unload her smothering grief. As the “other woman” Woodley shows us the defiant attitude that is tempered with a lingering affection for Enzo, paired with a sense of shame for having to exist “in the shadows”.As for team Ferrari, Leone oozes with machismo charm as the new “darling of the tabloids, while another charmer, Patrick Dempsey, conveys an easygoing demeanor as veteran “pedal man” Piero Taruffi.

Oh, the director mentioned above (who also serves as co-producer and “script doctor”) is the talented Michael Mann in his first sports biopic since ALI. He’s worked in many movie genres, but Mann may be best known for his action epic. That skill suits him well in this true tale, particularly in the “signature scene” that will leave audiences stunned. Some critics of auto racing believe it’s an excuse to witness a disaster, and since the film is based on real events, it happens here. Kudos to Mann for not “sugarcoating” the shocking horror of it all by “cutting away” or making it abstract or “dreamy”. The ‘blink of an eye” carnage and its aftermath will have viewers gasping and perhaps a bit shaken. Hopefully, the power of this sequence doesn’t detract from the strength of the quieter scenes like Enzo talking about racing skills with as son, or the haunting montage of the drivers preparing “goodbye letters’ for their loved ones on the night before the big race (and finding a spot for the envelopes to be discovered). The verbal sparring between Enzo and Laura verges on becoming a repetitive cycle, and we’re often not sure of Enzo’s intentions, especially in his relationship with Lina (despite the brawling there’s more heat with Laura). this is offset by the superb cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt, the expert period recreations (fashion, decor, and hairstyles), the gorgeous Italian locations, and some terrific insider info on the sport (I wasn’t aware of the two-man driving teams). Though it occasionally veers off the track, there is lots of super-charged power in the world of FERRARI.

3 out of 4

FERRARI opens in theatres everywhere on Christmas Day 2023

DUMB MONEY – Review

Nick Offerman and Seth Rogan star in DUMB MONEY.

‘Dumb money” is what hedge fund managers call ordinary people investing in the stock market, as in “the smart money is on…” DUMB MONEY is highly entertaining movie based on a real thing, when those little guys turned the tables on the big investors and kept a little company called GameStop afloat – which burned some hedge fund guys who had “shorted” the stock, essentially betting it would fail.

You probably heard this story, since it was all over the news because it was so crazy, about stock in GameStop, the mall stores that sell video games, suddenly becoming hot and soaring high, to the moon, even.

Wealthy hedge fund managers calling individual “retail” investors the “dumb money” is mean but it is also kind of true. Due to their vast resources, hedge fund mangers have an enormous advantage over any small investors, so the little guy doesn’t stand a chance.

But just this one time, the giant didn’t win over the little guy.

DUMB MONEY is such great fun because it is such a classic David versus Goliath underdog story (which Americans have historically loved) and because it is a true story, with arrogant, greedy rich guys as the villains. Director Craig Gillespie, who also directed I, TONYA, also strikes a perfect balance between comedy and human drama in this feel-good story in DUMB MONEY. On top of that, it fills the parts with the perfect cast. Done and done.

But beware: don’t try this at home. This was a special time and this turn of the worm took Wall Street by surprise. Now that they’ve seen it, Wall Street won’t be fooled again this way. You can’t catch this financial lightning in a bottle a second time.

The film is the perfect mix of humor and serious, and is filled with a cast perfectly suited to their parts. That spot-on casting starts with Paul Dano as Keith Gill, a nerdy young guy with a wife (Shailene Woodley), a baby, and a low-level job at Mass Mutual, who under the name Raging Kitty, hosts a YouTube blog on investing in the stock market from his basement.

When Keith Gill graduated from college with a finance degree, it was just in time for the Wall Street meltdown and the Great Recession, so he started doing dabbling in the stock market as a way to make a little cash – a gig job. His Raging Kitty blog has followers for his talks on his investment strategy, but things take a big turn up when he decides to talk about his recent decision to buy stock in GameStop. The big money guys are “shorting” it – meaning they are essentially betting that is will go under – but Raging Kitty thinks it is undervalued and, basically, he “likes the stock.”

Surprisingly, others do too, and start buying GameStop stock. Maybe it is because there is something mean-spirited in betting a company will fail, or because of resentment towards the one-percent fat cats that Raging Kitty thinks got GameStop wrong, and maybe even because of a fondness for a familiar brand where they bought games as kids. Whatever, the reason, when others start buying GameStop, the stock that was declining starts going up.

Millionaire hedge fund owner Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) responds to the little-guy investor interest by scoffing – and doubling down on his investments. Plotkin is spending the lock-down in luxurious comfort in Florida, while staying in touch with billionaires Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman) and Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio). “Dumb money” they all say, their term for small investors who lack their resources, a play on “the smart money is on…” They are the “smart money” and they know dumb money never wins. Ever.

But something unexpected happens, as you may recall from news reports. Raging Kitty and the GameStop stock become a meme, and suddenly things take off. Really take off – “to the moon,” as the people on Reddit say. A new app that makes small investments easy, run by start-up millionaires Vlad Tenev (Sebastian Stan) and Baiju Bhatt (Rushi Kota), helps make the boom happen. And then it becomes a national news story, and the tale of the “little investors that could” versus the big fat cats who couldn’t believe it could happen, is off and running.

This makes for one fun and funny movie, with something meaningful and satisfying to say about our current state of our have-and-have-not economy. Among the “retail investors,” as the ordinary people are called, are a nurse played by America Ferrera, a single mom struggling as an overworked, underpaid “essential worker.” There are also a couple of college students, (Talia Ryder and Myha’la), who already have piles of student loan debt waiting for them, and a guy who actually works at GameStop (Anthony Ramos), which has been allowed to stay open during lock-down by claiming to be an “essential” business because it also sells computer supplies.

Not everyone is on board with Raging Kitty’s investment plan, including his snarky younger brother Kevin (Pete Davidson), who is working delivery for Door Dash. The same for the nurse’s co-worker (Larry Owens) and the GameStop clerk’s store manager (Dane DeHaan)

One of the best things this film does is list every character’s net worth along with their name, just to underline their socioeconomic standing. There are actually three tiers: ordinary working folks, millionaires, and billionaires, each as far apart as the other in many ways.

Every one of those parts are so perfectly cast, that the mix of humor and human drama just rolls out effortlessly. Paul Dano is a standout as a shy, smart nerdy guy who is both defiant and aware he is in over his head, while the scenes with him and Shailene Woodley as his supportive wife are both funny, believable and warm. Dano’s scenes with Pete Davidson as obnoxious brother Kevin are brilliantly funny and one of Davidson’s best. The outgoing, unfiltered brother are as the two very different brothers interact, with Davidson’s loud, unfiltered Kevin relentlessly teases Dano’s shyer “nerdy” brother, who fights back by pointing out that at least he’s not living in their parents basement. Their scenes, and those with the whole family, are both hilarious and completely believable. Much the same – funny and believable – can be said of the other investors and their social circles.

In a brilliant bit of casting against type, Seth Rogen is also a standout, on the other side of the investing equation. Living in luxury that puts the pandemic as a distant event, Rogen’ Gabe Plotkin is laughing and mean-spirited, mocking the retail investors while buying a seaside home in Florida or meeting even bigger rich guy Nick Offerman at the tennis resort where the billionaire moved his business headquarters during the pandemic. The millionaire and the billionaire socialize and seem at ease at the start, but as the impossible tale unfolds, there Seth Rogen’s Gage shows a growing fear of both sides, the army of little investors nibbling his profits on one and the big money shark circling on the other.

It’s clever and entertaining but it really doesn’t pile on a lot of financial detail. This is no THE BIG SHORT, the brilliantly biting, brainy docudrama about the sub-prime mortgage meltdown and Wall Street shenanigans that led to the Great Recession. This movie, this story, is really more about people, and that human focus makes it completely accessible to those who go cross-eyed at numbers.

However, be warned: This is not investing advice, as fun as this film is to watch. You won’t be able to do this yourself now because this crazy fun ride happened because of special set of circumstances during the pandemic and because Wall Street was so convinced it couldn’t happen. Now they know it can and Wall Street has closed off those chinks in its armor. One clue that this might not be a good investment strategy is in the film’s credits: the Winklevoss twins are listed as producers. You remember them, the rich and privileged brother in THE SOCIAL NETWORK? So don’t get giddy and get fooled. Just have fun watching this satiric wild ride, but remember nothing on Wall Street was really changed by what happened.

While it didn’t really change Wall Street, several unique factors came together to make this miracle happen, include the pandemic with a huge number of people online and isolated at home with little else to do, the rise of memes and Reddit, and an app that made it easy. Pair those with with the hedge fund managers’ arrogant “it can’t happen” assumptions of the big “smart money” guys – who weren’t so smart this time.

There is nothing as satisfying as seeing jerks get their just desserts. With sharp dialog, perfect casting and a terrific story told with humor and heart, DUMB MONEY is a crowd-pleasing winner with something to say about economic fairness.

DUMB MONEY opens Friday, Sept 22, in theaters.

RATING: 3.5 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of DUMB MONEY

DUMB MONEY is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world’s hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich – until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.

DUMB MONEY also stars Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley and Seth Rogen. Directed by Craig Gillespie, written by Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo, based on the book “The Antisocial Network” by Ben Mezrich.

Rebecca Angelo, Writer/Executive producer, Lauren Schuker Blum, Writer/Executive producer, Teddy Schwarzman, Producer, Aaron Ryder, Producer, and Craig Gillespie, Director, attend the gala screening of DUMB MONEY at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

In their review, The Hollywood Reporter says: the film receiving its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival proves entertaining enough, thanks to its canny screenplay relating the story as a Frank Capra-style battle between the little people and the rich bigwigs hoisted by their own petards, and the fun performances by a terrific ensemble.

https://www.dumbmoney.movie/

DUMB MONEY opens in St. Louis September 29th.

Advance Screening is on Tuesday, September 12th at 7pm at Marcus Ronnies Cine.

Note: We suggest a 5:30PM – 6PM arrival to secure seats.

Seats will not be guaranteed.

Enter at the link below.

https://events.sonypictures.com/screenings/unsecured/main/screeningInfo.jsf?code=WAMGDM

Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley Star In Trailer for Michael Mann’s FERRARI

NEON has released the brand new trailer for FERRARI.

It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia.

From director Michael Mann (“Heat,” “The Insider” and “The Last of the Mohicans.”), the film stars Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gordon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell and Patrick Dempsey.

In an interview with Variety, Mann says of a certain scene with Cruz.

“There is a memorable scene where Ferrari and Laura visit Dino’s grave on the same morning, but separately. The usually emotionally shut-down Ferrari breaks as he has a conversation with his dead boy. Laura then arrives. She has a silent conversation with her son, her face full of joy, and then it crumples as she knows he cannot answer back.

“Penélope connected with Laura on almost a primordial level from the first day,” says Mann. The director and actress were completely in sync. He says, “We would have the same thoughts about Laura on the same night.”

One night, they both wrestled with how to give Laura a hint of her burden through a physical trait. “We both came in the next morning saying Laura should wear orthopedic shoes to give her a waddle,” recalls Mann.”

FERRARI will have its North American Premiere as the Closing Night selection at the 61st New York Film Festival and will have its World Premiere in competition at the 80th Venice Film Festival on August 31. FERRARI opens December 25th, exclusively in theaters.

WAMG Giveaway – Win the Blu-ray of Jodie Foster in THE MAURITANIAN – Available May 11th

THE MAURITANIAN is, now available on Digital, and hits Blu-Ray and DVD on May 11th from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on a true story, the film stars Jodie Foster (who won a Golden Globe for her role in the film), Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Zachary Levi.

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Now you can win the Win the Blu-ray of THE RECKONING.  We Are Movie Geeks has three to give away. Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite movie is co-starring Jodie Foster (mine’s BUGSY MALONE. It’s so easy!)

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES.  NO P.O. BOXES.  NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES

Witness the astounding and inspirational true story of one man’s decades long fight for freedom and his relentless pursuit for justice in THE MAURITANIAN, available to own on Digital April 20, 2021, Video on Demand on May 4, 2021 and on Blu-ray™, DVD on May 11, 2021 from STXfilms and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Declared “triumphant” by Clayton Davis, Variety the political thriller is based on The New York Times best-selling memoir Guantánamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahiand has been hailed as one of the most important and timely films of the year.

Filled with deeply emotional and suspenseful moments from beginning to end, the “positively gripping” (Peter Debruge, Variety) film stars Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs, Contact, Inside Man) as Nancy Hollander, Slahi’s tenacious defense attorney turned ally and Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past, The Eagle) as Slahi, who deliver deeply powerful performances that garnered a Golden Globe® Award for Best Supporting Actress in Motion Picture and a Golden Globe® nomination Best Actor in Motion Picture Drama. The acclaimed film has also been nominated for five BAFTA Awards including Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Leading Actor. Combining masterful filmmaking with an unapologetic look at our justice system, THE MAURITANIAN on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital features exclusive bonus content including an alternate opening, deleted scenes and insightful featurettes that take viewers deeper into the gripping story of the power of courage and conviction against all odds.

Directed by Academy Award® winner Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play, Whitney), THE MAURITANIAN is based on the remarkable true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s fight for freedom after being imprisoned without charges for years. As a battle for justice rages and shocking truths are revealed, Slahi proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up. Alongside Foster and Rahim, the captivating film features incredible must-see performances from the entire supporting cast including Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch (Avenger’s Franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Imitation Game),  Golden Globe® nominee Shailene Woodley (Divergent Franchise, “Big Little Lies”, The Fault in Our Stars) and Zachary Levi (Shazam!, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, Thor: The Dark World).

2F274P0 TAHAR RAHIM, THE MAURITANIAN, 2021, ©GRAHAM BARTHOLOMEW/BBC FILMS\STX

With the purchase of THE MAURITANIAN on Blu-ray™ or DVD, fans are eligible to earn points towards special rewards via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, signed collectables, box sets, win exclusive prizes and more! For FREE registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.  

BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:

  • Alternate Opening
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Behind the Scenes of THE MAURITANIAN  – Get an inside look into the storytelling behind the real-life account of THE MAURITANIAN  from cast and filmmakers and meet the extraordinary real people behind the gripping story.
  • A Look at Director Kevin Macdonald – Hear the cast and crew discuss what makes Director Kevin Macdonald the perfect person to bring this astounding tale of courage and conviction from the pages of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s memoir to the screen.

THE MAURITANIAN will be available on Blu-rayTM, DVD and Digital.

  • Blu-rayTM unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
  • Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

Giveaway: Win A Free Pass To The Virtual Screening of THE MAURITANIAN On February 24

In WAMG’s review of THE MAURITANIAN, writer Cate Marquis says the upcoming movie, “is a good film, a sincere film with a worthy subject, and one that features a powerful central performance by Tahar Rahim.”

Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir, this is the explosive true story of a fight for survival against all odds.

Photo Credit: Graham Bartholomew / STXFilms

Based upon the Book: “Guantanamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi

The film stars Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Zachary Levi, Saamer Usmani with Shailene Woodley and Benedict Cumberbatch and directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald. http://www.stxfilms.com/themauritanian/

In theaters now, on demand March 2.

The film features score music composed by Tom Hodge for the inspiring true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. government. Nominated for two Golden Globe® Awards.

Enter for your chance to win passes to the Virtual Screening on Wednesday February 24th at 7pm.

Leave your name and email address in the comments section below.

No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents only.

Photo Credit: Graham Bartholomew / STXFilms

THE MAURITANIAN – Review

Tahar Rahim as Mohamedou Slahi, a Mauritanian detainee at Guantanamo, in the drama THE MAURITANIAN. Photo courtesy of STX Films.

Golden Globe nominations went to Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster for their excellent performances in the true-story Gitmo drama THE MAURITANIAN, in which Rahim plays a man detained for years at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba after being accused of being an Al Qaeda recruiter, and Foster plays the hard-nosed lawyer who insists that the Bush administration follow the rule of law, by charging either charging her client with a crime and giving him a trial or releasing him. Directed by Kevin Macdonald, best known for his film THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, another fact-inspired film led by a remarkable performance, and is based on “Guantanamo Diary,” the bestselling memoir of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, the Mauritanian who was accused of recruiting for Al Qaeda and helping organize the 9/11 attack.

Tahar Rahim is the French-Algerian actor whose remarkable performance so riveted audiences in the international hit French crime thriller A PROPHET (“Un Prophete”). Rahim brings that same mix of crackling screen presence and charm to this role. Rahim gives a riveting performance that is perhaps better than the film itself, which sometimes strays into a stiff tone of self-aware significance, making it a less-sterling vehicle for Rahim’s sterling performance as the oddly charming, irrepressibly optimistic Mauritanian..

It is this surprising side of the real person – his likability and surprising positivity – in this fact-based story that drew producer Benedict Cumberbatch to the project. Cumberbatch also plays a role in the film, as the determined but morally-straight military prosecutor who is facing off against Jodie Foster’s courtroom argument for the defense. The real present-day Slahi is seen in a coda at the film’s end, singing along to a Bob Dylan song, in a not-to-be-missed extra.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) is arrested at a festive community celebration by authorities in his native North African country of Mauritanian, and then turned over to the U.S. government who believe he is a major recruiter for Al Qaeda. After being held in Gitmo for years without charge or trial, defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her assistant, a young lawyer named Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley), offer to represent him, as a way to legally challenge the Bush administration’s violation of the rule-of-law against indefinite imprisonment without charges. Opposing them in court will be a gifted military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), who lost a friend aboard on the planes hijacked in 9/11. As both sides research the case, they uncover shocking facts and a cover-up about what is happening to prisoners at Gitmo.

The legal question that Jodie Foster’s lawyer Nancy Hollander is arguing in not Slahi’s guilt or innocence, but only his right to be charged and have a trial, something the Bush administration was reluctant to do as they tried to straddle the line of rules for prisoners or war and criminal cases, trying to carve out some third way for detainees. To the film’s credit, it never paints Slahi as entirely innocence of all involvement with Al Qaeda, although perhaps more through a family member, and seems unlikely to be the major Al Qaeda recruiter or 9/11 mastermind his interrogators want to believe he is. Also to the film’s credit, the filmmakers brought in the real people involved in this case as consultants and fact-checkers.

Foster’s Nancy Holland is a tough as nails, flinty character who loves the law and in completely uninterested in her client’s guilt. By contrast, Woodley’s Teri, her young assistant, is all emotion, and even blurts out her belief in Slahi’s innocence at their first meeting. Despite her focus only on the legal issue at hand, Hollander also grows to like the charming, quirky Slahi, who poetic view of life is hard to resist. Their legal opponent, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, is a brilliant attorney with a personal link to 9/11 but a deep faith and equally deep commitment to justice. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Couch with a passable Southern accent and brings out a dogged determination to uncover all the facts before bringing the case to the courtroom.

THE MAURITANIAN certainly has a worth premise, and seems to promise good courtroom drama too. Unfortunately, it takes a long time to get to that dramatic moment, which comes late in the film. That delay, and that the various groups are often seen in separate scenes, following their own trajectories: the lawyers researching the facts against a secretive administration the resists them both, and the prisoner enduring isolation, interrogation and then torture. The three separate story tracks makes it difficult for the drama to really catch fire, and the addition of a number of flashbacks also works against the drama really taking off. The film is at its best when it focuses on Rahim’s Slahi, coping with his isolation in heartbreaking scenes that recall prison dramas like PAPILLON, or scenes with the sharp-tongued, sharp-brained attorney Hollander, at work, or scenes with both Foster and Rahim together, of which there are too few. The scenes with Cumberbatch are also good, but we wish for more with him and Foster facing off.

THE MAURITANIAN is a good film, a sincere film with a worthy subject, and one that features a powerful central performance by Tahar Rahim but one that never fully catches fire dramatically. Still it is worth a look, for what it does have, particularly Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster.

THE MAURITANIAN opens Friday, Feb. 12, at several area theaters and will be available on-demand in March

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

STXfilms’ THE MAURITANIAN Starring Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch – Trailer

Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Zachary Levi, Saamer Usmani with Shailene Woodley and Benedict Cumberbatch star in the brand new trailer for THE MAURITANIAN – scheduled to be released on February 19, 2021.

Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice.

Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.

Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir, this is the explosive true story of a fight for survival against all odds.

Watch the trailer now.

Directed by Academy Award winner KEVIN MACDONALD (One Day in September), written by M.B. Traven and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani and Based Upon the Book “Guantanamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi

Rated R

https://www.themauritanian.movie/

ADRIFT (2018) – Review

We know it’s inching toward Summer, but one studio wants filmgoers to get serious. Deadly serious (accent on first word, first syllable). That’s because they’ve a got a new release that’s “inspired by true events”. Uh oh. But what about the gorgeous young couple cavorting on golden beaches in all the TV spots and trailers? Ah, but there’s a big price to part for all that pristine sand and surf. The price is a battle for survival orchestrated by that mean mother (an even tougher mother than Ms. Union of BREAKING IN), Mother Nature. It’s quite the tangy twisty cocktail, minus the teeny umbrella, when a true tale of desperation at sea is blended with a “meet cute” romance. This movie’s equation: boy plus girl plus storm equals ADRIFT.

The first images we see are the aftermath, the wreckage mostly, of a ship’s encounter with Hurricane Raymond in the Pacific circa 1983. On what’s left of the boat, a young woman finally wakes up from what appears to be a concussion, one’s that’s left a nasty forehead gash. It’s Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley), an American of twenty or so, facing an endless expanse of ocean on all sides. The story flashes back and forth from her present peril to the events that brought her there. We see her arrive in Tahiti five months ago. Tami’s literally adrift as we learn from her interview with the customs agent. She’s traveling alone, no family or friends, grabbing whatever job will provide her with enough funds to continue her aimless trek, going anywhere but back to her home in San Diego. Luckily Tami gets a job on that dock, fixing up some of the battered old fishing vessels. One day she looks up from her paint brush to see a handsome sailboat cruise up to the port. Oh, and behind the wheel is it’s equally handsome owner, a slightly older Brit named Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin). After some flirtatious banter, the two spend most days exploring the island. Things heat up when Richard suggests that she join him as he sails around the globe. Tami naturally agrees, but the couple is thrown a curve when they bump into some friends of Richard, an older couple from the old sod. These folks have a problem. They need to fly back quickly to England (the lady’s father is gravely ill), so they were looking for someone to get their plush yacht back to the US (San Diego, to Tami’s chagrin). They offer Richard ten grand and one, no two, one-way plane tickets back to Tahiti. After much discussion, he agrees (they’ll put their globe-trotting on hold). This leads to the current situation. Tami finally spots Richard adrift, clinging to a tiny lifeboat. He’s in much worse shape than she. With a mangled leg and crushed ribs, Richard is fairly immobile. It’s up to Tami to steer them to safety. Using maps and a sextant, she plots a course, not to San Diego but Hawaii. But can she guide the yacht’s beaten-up hull and get them to land before they waste away?

So, we’ve got your basic duet cast for this flick, in the tradition of SLEUTH and MY DINNER WITH ANDRE (unless you think Raymond is a third character, the villain). With the majority of screen time, the story rests on the sturdy shoulders of Ms. Woodley who’s quite believable as a free spirit that truly “goes with the flow” (her unique off-screen life and interviews have established her as “1960’s style” Earth activist). Though the script doesn’t offer much insight into the reasons for Tami’s untethered life, other than a nasty parental bust-up, Woodley’s halting delivery and reflective eyes give us nearly all we need to know of her . In the moment after disaster, while many would wallow in despair, Tami’s in full survival mode. Woodley handles that physicality with great energy and focus. As the sea slowly saps that strength, Woodley portrays that draining of inner reserves, while in a constant battle to never succumb to doom and defeat. Someone she makes us believe in Tami even as she falters and fades . Woodley’s sailing partner on the waves and romantic partner on land is the charming Claflin as Richard. Like Tami, we get the barest peek at his past via dinner chatter, losing his Mum very early, but his actions and reactions to her tells us all that’s needed. In other stories, Richard may be Tami’s “Prince Charming”, but in this one he’s more a kindred spirit, the one “right piece” that completes her life’s puzzle. When the storm forces Tami into swift action, he’s sidelined, his body unable to assist. It’s then that Claflin dials everything “down” to be Woodley’s confidant, confessor, and cheerleader, though incapable of any chants or cheers. He’s flowing in and out of a listless haze, but still gives Tami much-needed comfort thanks to the quiet chemistry between the two accomplished actors.

Director Baltasar Kormakur (EVEREST, 2 GUNS) balances the film between the calm, peaceful paradise-like settings (the horizon at sea, the idyllic untouched beaches) and the hellish fury of being in the path of a “category four”. His choice to bounce about the timeline does cause the story to lose some momentum. Just as she’s “jury-rigging” a sail, we’re suddenly back in Tahiti again. This may be  a problem of the script from David Branson Smith along with Aaron and Jordan Kandell adapting the memoir from Tami Oldham (Ashcraft). This confounding structure forces the romance subplot into “falling for each other” clichéd montages set to bland pop tunes. The post disaster sequences are compelling for a time, but the soon remind viewers of more powerful scenes in ALL IS LOST, CASTAWAY, and LIFE OF PI. But for fans of Wooley this flick is a must see (Claflin offer good support, but his real breakthrough is still ahead), and the locales provide a welcome travelogue “vacation fodder”. Thanks to the cast, ADRIFT is often smooth sailing.

3 Out of 5

 

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of ADRIFT In St. Louis – Stars Shailene Woodley And Sam Claflin

From the director of Everest and starring SHAILENE WOODLEY (Big Little Lies, The Fault in our Stars) and SAM CLAFLIN (Journey’s End, Me Before You, The Hunger Games films), ADRIFT is based on the incredible true story of two young adventurers whose chance encounter leads them first to love, and then to a fight for survival. Setting off on the journey of a lifetime across the Pacific Ocean, Tami Oldham (Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Claflin) are pushed to their limits as they sail directly into one of the most catastrophic storms in recorded history. In the aftermath, Tami awakens to find Richard badly injured and their boat in ruins. With no hope for rescue, Tami must find the strength and determination to save herself and the only man she has ever loved.

ADRIFT is an unforgettable story about the resilience of the human spirit and the remarkable power of love. ADRIFT is directed by BALTASAR KORMÁKUR (Everest, 2 Guns, The Deep).

ADRIFT opens in theaters on June 1, 2018.

Enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening on Tuesday, May 29 at 7pm in the St. Louis area.

Answer the Following:

What role did Shailene Woodley play in THE DIVERGENT films?

What role did Sam Claflin play in THE HUNGER GAMES franchise?

ENTER YOUR NAME, ANSWERS AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.

Rated PG 13.

Visit the official site: www.adrift.movie

Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin star in ADRIFT
Courtesy of STXfilms