Here’s your first look at the brand new trailer for COYOTE VS ACME.
After decades of being blown to bits by bombs, demolished by dynamite, mangled by magnets, battered by boulders, trampled by trains, tricked by tunnels, sprung by springs, steamrolled by steamrollers, maligned by misfires, bedeviled by bungees, rattled by rockets, backstabbed by bat suits, rocked by rocket skates, upended by unicycles, quaked by quake pills, rubberized by rogue bands, and hurled headlong off every cliff in the Southwest, Wile E. Coyote (Genius) finally fights back.
Teaming up with billboard accident lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte), he takes on slick corporate counsel Buddy Crane (John Cena) and ACME, Inc., the profit-obsessed conglomerate behind every one of the Coyote’s chaotic catastrophes.
Huge Looney Tunes vibe going on here – you can almost hear June Foray and Mel Blanc “The Man of a Thousand Voices” and “Th-th-th-that’s all folks!” Plus hearing the 1812 Overture will remind fans of the great classical pieces that people were exposed to for the first time with the cartoons – Minute Waltz in D-Flat by Frédéric Chopin, The Barber of Seville Overture by Gioachino Rossini, The William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini and the ultimate Pilgrim’s Chorus” from Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner from “What’s Opera, Doc?” (1957).
The film’s composer is Oscar-winner Steven Price (GRAVITY, BABY DRIVER, THE RUNNING MAN, THE WORLD’S END).
Get ready for a coyote, a roadrunner… and dynamite when COYOTE VS ACME rockets into theaters on August 28!
The official trailer and poster for the highly anticipated Sundance hit documentary film WILL & HARPER debut today.
Will Ferrell and his close friend, former head writer at SNL, Harper Steele embark on a cross-country road trip together after Harper comes out as a trans woman in the documentary film, WILL & HARPER. In select cinemas this September and on Netflix September 27. It also features Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Colin Jost, Will Forte, Molly Shannon, Tim Meadows, Paula Pell.
Three years ago, Will Ferrell was filming a movie when he received a most surprising email: his dear friend of nearly 30 years was coming out to him as a trans woman.
That friend was Harper Steele, a writer he met on his first day at Saturday Night Live back in 1995. From that fateful first meeting in the halls of 30 Rock, Will knew he had found a match made in comedy, and their friendship and creative partnership would only continue to grow over the next 3 decades.
In this intimate, honest, and heartfelt documentary, Will and Harper hit the open road together to process this new stage of their friendship and reintroduce Harper to the country that she loves – this time, as herself. Over 16 days, the two drive from New York to LA, visiting stops that are meaningful to them, to their friendship, and to America. Through laughter, tears, and many cans of Pringles, they push past their comfort zones as they re-examine their relationships to these spaces, and to each other, in this new light.
This Summer the multiplex has been filled with superheroes, supercars, giant robots, dolls, atom bombs, and secret agents. So, where’s “man’s best friend”? How about a sweet family-friendly flick about those angelic “fur babies”? This weekend that request is addressed…sorta’. Yes, it’s full of cute, cuddly (mostly) live-action canines, but it is far from family-friendly as you can tell by the poster with one of the pups tearing into an “R” rating insert. Yes, there are a few sweet moments, but these mutts are behaving like, well, real mutts, engaging in all manner of crude activities (hence that rating). and this cursing pack of pooches would growl at being called “fur babies” as they prefer flaunting their “street cred” as STRAYS.
The first of them we meet, actually the story’s narrator, is a fuzzy naive border terrier named Reggie (voice of Will Ferrell). Oh, but his human owner calls him by a variety of nasty nicknames. That’s the slacker stoner Doug (Will Forte). who had acquired Reg for a long-departed girlfriend (smart lady). And now Doug wants to be rid of him, although Reggie thinks it’s a new fun version of “fetch”. Doug drives him to a desolate field or forest and tosses Reggie’s beloved ratty tennis ball. And the dog brings it back to their dingy shack every time. Then Doug decides to really “go for it”. The two drive two hours away from rural Oakwood to a scary big city. Poor Reggie is now truly lost. Just as it looks like he’ll be a “chew toy” for some bigger brutal dogs, he’s befriended by the self-proclaimed “street king”, a Boston terrier named Bug (VO: Jamie Foxx). While showing Reg the “ropes” he introduces him to a couple of pals. Maggie (VO: Isla Fisher) is a lovely Australian Shephard with a keen sense of smell, whose master ignores her in favor of a cute new puppy. And there’s the timid, lumbering Hunter (VO: Randall Park) a service Great Dane who won’t take off his “healing cone”.The quartet bonds and hatches a plan. Going by Reggie’s memory of “landmarks” (“a giant mouse-wheel, a huge cone, and the devil in the sky”). they’ll travel back to Doug for some very painful “payback”. But can they survive the long journey or will they end up in that fabled “farm up north”?
Careful, this is NSFW!!
Well since the title named ‘strays” are the main focus of the film, we should discuss the vocal performances of several movie comedy vets. Ferrell makes Reggie a furry canine cousin to Buddy the ELF with his sunny outlook and bouncy energetic innocence. But Ferrell is also able to convey his frightened panic and Reggie’s near-boundless joy. Foxx gives Bug a very different energy, one of (sorry) alpha-dog swagger and aggressive determination. His wall of macho is finally chipped away by Reggie when he reveals his own past heartbreak with a human. Fisher exudes pluck and spunk as the lone lady who’s usually several steps ahead of the boys when the stakes are high. The biggest laughs (his “howling” got me every time) might be those garnered by the endearing Park who makes the looming giant Hunter into a sympathetic and emotionally vulnerable hero, though full of self-esteem issues (he can’t tap into his “BDM” energy). Along the trail, the quartet encounters a surly intimidating German Shephard police dog voiced by the gregarious Rob Riggle. As for the “people”, Forte somehow upstages those adorable pups as the cruel but somehow entertaining lowlife Doug, making him more than a nasty one-note villain. There’s also a scene showcasing the terrific comic actor Bret Gelman, but his skills are squandered in a sequence that makes little sense and seems to be a way to indulge in some scatological gags (honestly).
So despite the marketing campaign that makes the R-rated content clear, even taking a cue from the “red backdrop” poster from 2019’s GOOD BOYS, some folks still think this is a fun-filled all-ages furry romp. Which it certainly is not. So, does it deliver what it promises? Yes, there are indeed more laughs than in the funny “red band” trailers from the last couple of months. And somehow the script from Dan Perrault does include some heart-tugging moments as the strays try to deal with their need to be free and the yearning for a “people parent”.Director Josh Greenbaum, in his follow-feature to the underrated gem BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, keeps the pace fairly taut at a brisk 93-minutes though the dreaded lull rears its head before the final showdown. Oh, the effects are splendid harkening back to the “Dogville” comedy shorts 90 years ago. They used classic 2D animation to make the mutts’ mouths move, while slick CGI keeps the pups chattering away, and enables them to perform all manner of dangerous slapstick (the highlight may be a sight gag about the “invisible fence”). Sure it’s crude with the doggies indulging their “animal impulses”, but if you’re in the mood for some “low-bred” laughs then you may want to join this pack of STRAYS. So “sit”, “stay” and put away that phone (“bad viewer!”).
Things have certainly gotten interesting recently with the Summer box office. Usually, we’d be talking about the records being broken by the superhero franchises or the big action-adventure “tentpoles”. Then a big switch happened last weekend when the first two spots in the weekly BO “Top Tens” were animated features. Studio wisdom was the notion that animated flicks would “cancel each other out” hurting the ticket sales on both. Nope, not this time, though the rapid downhill trajectory of a certain scarlet speedster aided their performance. Could this brand-new animated feature snag a spot in the top five with the other two holdovers? Mind you, that globetrotting archeologist will crack his bullwhip into the upper slots on the roster. However, families may want to return to the sea after that recent Disney live-action remake and dive into the adventures of another mythical nautical being, RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN.
Wait a sec, isn’t the Kraken a monstrous destructive demon from the ocean’s depths, from CLASH OF THE TITANS, as in “Release the…”? Well, the savvy narrator at the start of this story sets us straight. It seems that the Krakens are really the protectors of the sea, battling other “beasties’ including those savage mermaids (so they’re “baddies”). Plus it turns out that a family of Krakens lives on the land in the port city of Oceanside as the Gillmans (figures). They can “pass” as long as they stay out of the water, and cover their gills with high collars and turtleneck sweaters. The title character, Ruby (voice of Lana Condor) is a high schooler sharing a home with her bratty kid brother Sam (Blue Chapman), crafting wizard and shop owner dad Arthur (Coleman Domingo), and successful real estate agent mom Agatha (Toni Colette). Ruby really wants to go to the upcoming prom with her crush Connor, but Agatha nixes the notion since the dance is on the deck of a big tourist touring ship. But then Ruby’s rebellious pals decide to attend the party “ironically”, so Ruby sets her sights on her dream guy. Oh, but she botches the “prom-posal” and knocks Connor into the “drink”. Ruby saves him, but the seawater transforms her into a multi-tentacled, Godzilla-sized monster. After she dries off and shrinks back to normal (away from the hundreds of digital devices that captured her “rampage”), Ruby confides to her visiting Uncle Brill (Sam Richardson). To answer her questions he guides her deep beneath the surface to get the answers from his mother and her “Grandmamah” (Jane Fonda), the Kraken Quenn. It seems that Agatha gave up her title to live on the land. Ruby returns home hoping to confront her mother. But a new girl shows up at school to complicate things. Perhaps Chelsea (Annie Murphy) has a similar secret. Could she derail Rby’s big night with Connor? More importantly, will Ruby embrace her royal nautical heritage before she’s “discovered”?
The diverse vocal cast, composed of big-screen newcomers and veterans, enhance this whimsical tale. Connor is quite impressive as the teen hero, full of emotion with her pals and in her budding romance, while also showing us her anger over the family history denied to her. Collette as her mum Agatha revels in her hectic balance of sales and family dynamics, loving her new “land” life, but finally realizing that she must embrace her “warrior princess” past. A big part of the latter is Grandmamah, who is given a feisty and haughty tone by Fonda, is thrilled by her newly discovered grandkids, and revels in a bit of mischief with Ruby. Richardson brings an endearing goofball charm to the flaky and fun Uncle Brill. Another comedy pro, Will Forte, is aboard as an old local “salt” who seems to be somewhat related to the Simpsons’ sea captain (“Argh, matey”) and the talking “seadog” picture in the attic of Seth Myers during his “late night lockdown” a couple of years ago. However, Gordon (as in Gordon Lighthouse…clever) has an over-caffeinated mania to his guttural rants.
As with many animated features, this is overseen by a directing “tag team” duo, Kirk Demicco and Faryn Pearl. They’ve created a dazzling colorful world on land and underwater, offsetting soft pastels with bouncy bursts of near-fluorescent hues of violet and deep blue. The Gillman family has a “loosey-gooey” way of movement, a rubbery lurch as though their inner frames were a variation of a classic toy of my youth, the Slinky (“fun for a girl and a boy”), so I’m officially ancient. As with other recent CG flicks (LUCA for one), the artists have done variations of anime facial designs and expressions, which work well to convey the ultra-dramatic teenagers. Unfortunately, the script loses focus around the midpoint to set up a big fantasy action-packed showdown finale. Plus it explores many of the themes of maturity (really puberty) that were better discussed in Pixar’s TURNING RED a few years ago (from giant red panda to towering tentacled “beastie”). And much like the overrated THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, too many slapstick sequences are slowed down (like “bullet-time” in THE MATRIX) in order for the characters to “get in your face” with distorted bits of “mugging”. The preteen set may find this engaging, but after the marvels of the Spider-Verse, animation aficionados may be “treading water’ in the familiar “depths’ and “shallow” interludes at the “surface” of RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN. “Glub, glub”.
2 Out of 4
RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN is now playing in theatres everywhere
This weekend’s big film release might just remind you of a classic TV candy commercial: “Hey, you got rock ‘n’ roll in my horror!” “Well, you got horror in my rock ‘n’ roll!”. But the big question is whether they taste great together. Maybe it’s “delish” or perhaps it’s a big loud gooey mess. It’s not like the two haven’t mixed in the past. Countless monster chillers have used pounding metal music in their soundtracks, while many a “head-bangin'” band have lifted imagery from several classic and modern terror flicks (I think versions of Freddy and Jason have popped up, if not the real “things”) for their video shorts on MTV. Now, this flick goes several steps further by having a very popular group playing themselves and confronting the “forces of darkness”. Sure the Monkees were chased around by clones of Frank, Wolfie, and Drac in their 60s TV series, but nothing like this! They may be because they wisely opted against recording in STUDIO 666.
All the monster mayhem begins in that title space, actually a dingy, once opulent Encino mansion, way back in 1993. We’re placed right at the end of the massacre of the heavy metal band Dream Widow as its lead singer/drummer (Jenna Ortega) struggles to survive. Jumpcut to the modern-day music biz as label exec Jeremy Shill (Jeff Garlin), maybe that last name is a bit “on the nose”, implores Dave Grohl and his Foo Fighters (yes, the real guys playing themselves) to finish their big tenth album. Dave insists that the music is all in his head, but needs the right recording venue for the proper sound and…ambiance. Aha, Jeremy and his eager real estate agent Barb (Leslie Grossman) have just the perfect spot…you know where. After she gives a quick tour of the place, Dave agrees (though the guys need a bit more persuading). Soon the band’s road crew is setting up their equipment as the guys are picking their rooms (they’ll stay there while recording). Then tragedy strikes their electrical guy (you can guess) and the fellas wanna’ bolt. Despite this, and the overly friendly, overly chatty next-door neighbor Samantha (Whitney Cummings) Dave convinces them to “stick it out”. But things get even weirder as he sees a mysterious “caretaker” skulking about with a pair of very sharp shears (nobody else spots him). Then later that night strange noises lure David to the basement where shadowy smoky black figures with glowing red eyes and teeth surround him and…Well, maybe number ten could be the final Foo Fighters work. Or will it?
Perhaps after Lady Gaga’s dazzling turn in A STAR IS BORN, followed by her great work in HOUSE OF GUCCI (Oscar got it very wrong), many might think that singers would be natural thespians. And with this film…they’ll rethink that. Grohl is probably the most natural actor of the band, though he often swallows his words, then leaps to the other extreme with contorted histrionics to convey his metamorphosis. That’s when he’s not manically bobbing his head up and down for comic effect, perhaps (Wayne, Garth, and the gang did it the best thirty years ago…yikes). The other bandmates stiffly recite their lines, mug as though they’re a revamped Little Rascals cast, or merely offer a blank stare until they can drop an “F-bomb”. They might have thought the addition of comic actors would “up the ante”, but they merely have us wishing them to be more prominent in a worthy script. Garlin tempers her usual affable exasperation with unnerving aggression. Cummings is a welcome relief with her take on the next-door wacko who loves to “spill the tea” while getting her “Fatale/groupie” vibe going. Grossman does a nice spin on the whole straight-laced real estate super-agent cliche. And SNL vet Will Forte scores some laughs as the rock star-wannabe’ food delivery guy who really wants to hand over a demo CD with the “extra ranch”. The most offbeat casting may be that of Ortega who’s almost redoing her big scene from a horror franchise reboot from just last month.
So were the filmmakers hoping for sort of a romp similar to the Beatles follow-up feature HELP? Well, this isn’t even KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK. Horror film vet (HATCHET III) B.J. McDonnell tries to straddle the line between show biz satire and a sort-of greatest hits (like many music acts) of horror. Many hard-core “gore-hounds” could almost tick off a list of “tributes’ from their Fangoria-festooned clip-boards: EVIL DEAD-check, HELLRAISER-check, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE-double check. They might have intended this to be a loving parody/nod to the VHS slasher “nasties” of the 1980s but it just becomes repetitive and tiresome as the entrails ooze and the body count rises. Yes, fans of the old latex Savini-esque disembowelings will enjoy how CGI helps to sell some of the tricks and stunts, but it’s in service of a plot that spins its wheels until a truly dopey-dumb denouncement (and it’s based on a story by Dave himself). Couple that with the awkward acting and you’ve got an hour or so better spent listening to the group’s infectious rock anthems. And that’s the foul 411 on STUDIO 666. Forsake the cameras and keep fighting Foo, fellers’!!
THE FOO FIGHTERS RELEASE FIRST OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR THEIR HOTLY ANTICIPATED NEW HORROR COMEDY FILM STUDIO 666 – ROCK LEGENDS’ MOVIE SET TO DEBUT THEATRICALLY ON FEBRUARY 25TH. Check it out:
Open Road Films and Foo Fighters announced today the release of the first official trailer for their new horror comedy film STUDIO 666. The movie, which stars band members Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee, will be released in theaters nationwide on February 25, 2022.
In STUDIO 666, the legendary rock band Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band.
STUDIO 666 is directed by BJ McDonnell and stars Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, Whitney Cummings, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega, Leslie Grossman and Jeff Garlin. Based upon a story by Dave Grohl with a screenplay by Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes, the film is produced by John Ramsay and James A. Rota, and executive produced by John Cutcliffe, Dave Grohl, Wes Hagan, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, James Masciello, Nate Mendel, Tom Ortenberg, Chris Shiflett, Matthew Sidari, John Silva, Gaby Skolnek, Pat Smear, Kristen Welsh and Mitchell Zhang.
Okay film fanatics, when you hear the word archeologist, who do you immediately think of? That’s simple, you picture the rugged Harrison Ford as the dashing, whip-crackin’ Henry Jones, Junior better known as Indiana Jones, first introduced in 1981’s RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (hmm, that itself may be an ancient artifact). First and foremost he’s a dashing action hero, but he’s also a man of ethics and morals, stated in his catchphrase “It belongs in a museum!”, along with his other sayings “Snakes. I hate ’em!” and “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage”. So are all seekers of the past, so noble? Well, the title character of the new film from the makers of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE certainly doesn’t follow in the well-worn boots of ole’ Indy. He’s got few qualms about fudging the facts and digging where he’s not permitted. So forget about Dr. Jones as you meet the down and out DON VERDEAN.
The film begins with old grainy VHS footage of the celebrated exploits of Don (Sam Rockwell) as the breathless narrator tells of his “discovery” of a most dubious item right out of the Old Testament. We flash forward from the decades old promo tape to find Don lecturing at a modest church auditorium to a handful of people. As he concludes, the meager throng is guided toward a table where Don’s prim and proper assistant Carol (Amy Ryan) is selling copies of his latest book. As the two pack up, Don ponders their future (and Carol wonders when she’ll be paid for her work). Luckily she gets a call from the head of a big, bustling “mega-church”, Tony Lazarus (Danny McBride). When Don and Carol meet with the church’s board of directors, Tony explains that the hip, “new-age” type temple down the street, run by the turtleneck wearing Pastor Fontaine (Will Forte), is depleting his flock. He needs an edge, and asks Don to acquire a new bible treasure that they can put on display in order to fill the pews once more. Don calls on some “desert rats” in Israel led by the shady Boaz (Jermaine Clement). The piece is shipped to the states and attracts a big crowd, including Fontaine who casts doubts on its authenticity. Tony insists on more displays so Carol and Don fly out to meet with Boaz. Don “bends the rules” and he returns with Carol and a big “find”. Unfortunately Boaz is part of the deal and the con man dives headlong into US culture (and insists on “dating” Carol). Word of the new artifact attracts the attention of a Japanese billionaire who wants to acquire the greatest treasure from the New Testament (you know that one, Indy fans). Can Don and Boaz pull off this caper or are they part of a bigger con?
Those coming to this film hoping to see the snarky, energetic Rockwell from LAGGIES and THE WAY WAY BACK will be at a bit of a loss. Almost unrecognizable in a frizzy auburn wig and matching bushy beard, sam’s Don V is clumsy and brusk, his brow furrowed almost to the point of constipation. The only time he shifts into high gear is when he must hurriedly double talk his latest “mark”. This makes for a character that’s tough to root for or often care about. It’s difficult to understand the dedication and devotion of Ryan’s Carol. After wonderful turns this past year in GOOSEBUMPS and BRIDGE OF SPIES, she expertly inhabits this buttoned-down lady (complete with severe, unflattering spectacles), but this talented actress has little to do until she must deflect the unwanted advances of Boaz. This clueless schemer is played by Clement as the dimbulb off-spring of Borat and “wild and crazy guys” from SNL, but with little of the charm. His odd, “inverse inflection” accent makes his dialogue a chore to decipher. This is frustrating when you consider his inspired work as the sexiest vamp in the recent WHAT WE DO IN SHADOWS. McBride is doing a toned-down, less “potty-mouthed” riff on his characters from TV’s “Eastbound and Down” and countless movie “lowlifes” (he does have a nice rapport with Leslie Bibb as his ex-hooker wife). Forte makes the rival pastor an offshoot of his many twitchy, self-important boobs from SNL (again!) and his current Fox sitcom.
So, we’ve got a very talented funny cast scrambling to wring laughs from this rambling, inert script by the brothers Hess and the slack direction by Jared. They struck gold with the awkward antics of Napoleon and his pals, but this just seems to be drained of life (and laughs). Like the earlier flick, we get that everybody’s a bit dim, but did they really make the church-goers into such clueless “rubes”? Carol’s given a troubled back story, perhaps to give the plot a touch of pathos, but it’s buried beneath the turgid, tired antics of the annoying, aggravating Boaz. These actors deserved much better material, as does anyone in search of a vibrant comedy caper. This is one script that DON VERDEAN should have left unearthed, deep, deep underground. As you-know-who might say, “Don’t look, Marion!”.
2 Out of 5
DON VERDEAN opens everywhere and screens exclusively in St. Louis at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas
Bear witness to a hoax of biblical proportions in the funny new trailer from Lionsgate Premiere’s DON VERDEAN.
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels a comic conspiracy.
Join Sam Rockwell, Amy Ryan, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Bibb, Will Forte and Danny McBride in this hilarious satire from the director of Napoleon Dynamite & Nacho Libre (Jared Hess), arriving in theaters and on demand December 11.
From award-winning director Peter Bogdanovich comes his first film in 14 years, SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY – a Broadway-set screwball comedy starring Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Rhys Ifans, and Will Forte.
Check out the official trailer here.
When established director Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson) casts his call girl-turned-actress Izzy (Imogen Poots) in a new play to star alongside his wife (Kathryn Hahn) and her ex-lover (Rhys Ifans), a zany love tangle forms with hilarious twists. Jennifer Aniston plays Izzy’s therapist Jane, who is consumed with her own failing relationship with Arnold’s playwright Joshua (Will Forte), who is also developing a crush on Izzy.
Audiences familiar with Bogdanovich know him best for the 1972 comedy WHAT’S UP DOC (stars Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal), PAPER MOON (1973) THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd and Oscar winners Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson), MASK (Cher) and 2001’s THE CAT’S MEOW. He directed the 2007 documentary film about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers called RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM.
SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY will open theatrically and on VOD August 14th.
A little over a year ago, the entertainment world mourned the passing of prolific author Elmore Leonard, a writer well-known in both literature and motion picture circles. His earliest works were in the Western genre and beginning in the late 1950’s many were filmed (his short story 3:10 TO YUMA was made twice!). In the next decade Leonard switched genres and soon became known as one of the great creators of gritty crime thrillers. And Hollywood scooped these up for the screen, perhaps more so than the “oaters”. In the 90’s many celebrated young directors discovered his work and several critical (if not always box office) hits were released. 1998 saw Steven Soderbergh’s take on OUT OF SIGHT following Quentin Tarantino’s spin on “Rum Punch” titled JACKIE BROWN the previous year. Both films even shared a Leonard character, Michael Keaton as ATF agent Ray Nicholette. This weekend sees a new adaptation of Leonard’s story “The Switch” featuring the criminal gang from JB. And it’s a prequel, set way, way back in 1978 (“Rum” was set in 1992 while JB was contemporary). Plus it’s not the crew that QT assembled: Samuel L Jackson as Ordell, Robert DeNiro as Louis, and Bridget Fonda as Melanie. For this earlier job, director/screenwriter Daniel Schechter brings together a new trio embarking on a LIFE OF CRME.
Small time Detroit crooks Ordell Robbie (Yaslin Bey AKA rapper/poet Mos Def) and Louis Gara (John Hawkes) somehow get wind of the secret bank account of crooked real estate developer Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins). How can they get their mitts on that dough? Why, they’ll kidnap his wife Mickey (Jennifer Aniston). When Frank’s out of town with their teenage son, the boys will snatch her and keep her at the home of their weapons dealer (and collector of WWII artifacts) pal, Richard Monk (Mark Boone, Junior). But things get complicated. Frank sends his son off to relatives, while he shacks up at the Bahamas condo of his mistress Melanie Ralston (Isla Fisher). Once Ordell and Louis contact Frank to demand a million bucks ransom, they realize that he doesn’t really care about getting his missus back. How can they put the squeeze on Frank and avoid the cops? And what happens when Louis develops sympathy for the lonely Mrs. D?
The film’s main draw in the poster and trailers is Aniston as the neglected society wife. Unfortunately the role is so underwritten that she never gets a chance to flex her considerable comedic skills (or her dramatic ones for that matter). In her initial scenes, Mickey is in full victim mode. Sure,she’s got a great place, but much of her time is spent cowering from her spiteful spouse. Soon, she’s terrified by her captors, but somehow finds the ordeal liberating, eventually regaining her voice and speaking her mind until an absurd come-around before the final fade-out. Most of her better moments are shared with Hawkes who is able to bring some dignity to his role. His Louis may be the brains of the operation as opposed to the dimwit played by DeNiro in JACKIE. He’s determined and scrappy, unafraid to stand up to goons twice his size, even clashing with his partner Ordell. The two usually have a nice, easy rapport although often Bey plays Ordell too laid back, losing some of the tension in certain scenes that need some extra energy. It also diffuses some of the sexual chemistry that should spark between him and Fisher’s Melanie. She brings a nice sexy pixie quality to the feisty gold digger that could’ve been the standard kept bimbo. This gives the scenes of her dismissing the telephone ransom demands an extra punch. It’s tough to get what her character sees in the loathsome Frank (besides the financial stuff, of course). Robbins plays him as an irredeemable, obnoxious bully who almost telegraphs his evil intentions with smirks and eye rolls. This buffoon doesn’t seem to be much of a challenge for the Oscar-winner. Also unchallenged is the talented Will Forte saddled with the role of a hangdog, married friend of Frank eager for an affair with Mickey. After his superb work in NEBRASKA last year, this doofus is a definite step back. It’s still a step up from the repugnant, gun-loving bigot played by Boone. The fact that Ordell and Gara can work with this neo-Nazi cartoon is too much of a stretch.
Director/screenwriter never maintains a consistent rhythm to the story which wants to be a wacky hi-jinks caper farce. Ordell and Louis Gara are never the lovable lowlifes that the film wishes us to embrace (look at them in those funny rubber Halloween masks, aren’t they adorable?). This flick just reminds us of how superior their 1997 debut from Tarantino was. And for funny foul-up comedy kidnappings it pales before FARGO and the very similar RUTHLESS PEOPLE from 1986 which had the energy and tone this new entry in the “I don’t want her, you can keep her” sub-genre of crime comedies sorely lacks. Plus the often sudden brutal violence and gore subvert many gags. Perhaps the decision to set the film in 1978 was an attempt to inject some kitsch nostalgia, but after last year’s masterful recreation of 1979 by David O Russell for AMERICAN HUSTLE, this feels half-hearted at best (and the hairstyles, make-up, and fashions foisted on Anniston seem too severe compared to Fisher). Oh, and once again, the smoking is way overdone (hey, the ads were banned from TV then, so people knew!) to the point of nausea. LIFE OF CRIME is a bland attempt at a stylized wacky low-rent romp. And the fact that it wastes such a talented cast in an unspired adaptation of the great Mr. Leonard, well that’s the real crime.
2 Out of 5
LIFE OF CRIME screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the STL Cinemas at the Chase Park Plaza
