A New Golden Duo
May 20, 2016
D: Shane Black. DP: Phillippe Rousselot. W: Shane Black & Anthony Bagarozzi. Starring: Ryan Gosling/Russell Crowe/Angourie Rice/Margaret Qualley/Yaya DaCosta/Keith David/Matt Bomer/Lois Smith/Jack Kilmer/Kim Basinger.
This summer a new duo has joined the streets in an original story by action genre wiz kid and Lethal Weapon creator Shane Black. Also a co-writer and the director of Iron Man 3, Black returns to his roots so to speak with a witty film that has just the right amount of homage to 1970s action films to be fresh, but not overcooked.
Black finds his duo in Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. Not the most likely pairing, but believe me it works. Gosling plays Holland March, a weasel of a former detective who squeezes the most money out of every job he can. A single father to a 13 year old girl, Holly (Angourie Rice), his business is certainly paycheck to paycheck in more ways than one. During his investigation into the disappearance and death of a pornography actress he crosses hairs with Crowe’s Jackson Healy whose been charged with keeping men clear of Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley). In the name of justice Healy throws his weight around for a living with plenty of middle aged machismo. Thrown together they soon realize the puzzle they are dealing with is a lot bigger than they knew.
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, The Nice Guys has a vigorous vintage feel in its construction as well as its trimmings. The credits and music grafts the 70s onto the Los Angeles skyline with its blinking yet homogeneous skyline that draws all sorts of characters into its bowels. The setting works to keep the investigation tools simple and humor brings lightness to a genre overlaid with one-liners and serious courage. Costume designer Kym Barrett (Jupiter Ascending, The Amazing Spider-Man) does not over do the period with Amelia’s flashy yellow gown a particular favorite along with Tally (Yaya Dacosta’s) jumpsuits and Afros. The production gets all its 70s weird out with one go at a Hollywood party that houses mermaids and contortionists.
This duo suffer from March’s excessive drinking and Healy’s inability to deduce anything from clues. The pairs chemistry drives the story rather than the other way around and each time Gosling appears with his caste arm ripped through another suit you have to chuckle. Crowe is a love-able brute here and keeps up with Gosling’s quieter mumbling. Neither actor brings shtick and perhaps this is because they both, for the most part, play serious roles. The script brings in the daughter Holly just enough to break the action and build protective tension between the men. Rice’s Holly is a clever and sassy kid who is a good sounding board for the duo and whose good instincts actually help the case. Maybe it’s time to bring back Harriet the Spy? Happy to see the female voice was not ignored in this film.
Black paces The Nice Guys exceptionally so that by the time you are ready it is over. He seems in command of the material and does not pull gags. Gosling in particular does well with his surprise delivery as he keeps surviving falls and mayhem. Now working on a revival of The Predator with the same producer, Joel Silver, it should be fun to see what Black brings up next. Here’s hoping another The Nice Guys comes our way as I sure hope to see Gosling saying ‘no’ like a child does when you take his toy. Granted he was about to get his arm broken, but it is still comedy gold.
Have not seen the trailer yet? Catch it here: The Nice Guys trailer
Single Mom Fever
May 4, 2016
Out in the US on July 29 and in the UK on August 19, the first trailer for the new comedy Bad Moms has dropped. Starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate and Kathryn Hahn it is basically revenge of the non cardigan-set mothers. Written and directed by the Hangover team of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore the trailer begs a few questions. Where are the dads? Are we still confined to presenting motherhood as either good or bad? Success or failure? Isn’t parenting a process? This seems thin. My ultimate takeaway is that Kathryn Hahn continues to be an amazing comedian and you should watch all of her films now!
Bad Moms
Nothing Like This Dude
September 8, 2011
D: Jesse Peretz. DP: Yaron Orbach. W: David Schisgall & Evgenia Peretz. Starring: Paul Rudd/Emily Mortimer/Zooey Deschanel/Elizabeth Banks/Adam Scott/Rashida Jones/Steve Coogan/Kathryn Hahn/T.J. Miller.
Summer comedies have been all over the map this year. Great highs like Bridesmaids, decent highs like Crazy, Stupid, Love and lows like Horrible Bosses (let’s not forget the ones I didn’t bother seeing…The Change Up, Zookeeper, Bad Teacher). Our Idiot Brother is probably last in the batch of comedies for the summer, before the fall and awards season takes center stage. And we all know it is rare for a comedy to survive that time.
Our Idiot Brother firmly belongs in the enjoyable and decent categories. Heart warming, with a splash of reality, Paul Rudd centers the film on his performance as brother Ned whose quiet, quirky life seems to be falling out from beneath him. Newly out of jail on a violation for basic stupidity, Rudd begins his search for a place to live. Throughout his journey to find new space and purpose he destroys and rebuilds his relationships in nice non-slapstick fashion. Rudd inhabits Ned freely, doesn’t fall into pastiche or allow his character to seem mentally incompetent. Rather Rudd shines as much as the script allows him to.
Along his journey Rudd couch and bed surfs through his mother’s home and the various dwellings of his three sisters. The first is sweet, disheveled, harassed, and married Liz, played by Emily Mortimer. The most interesting and the best performance of the three, Mortimer nervous laugh does more to convey her emotional situation than any of her lines. Married to scrooge Steve Coogan, it’s no wonder her rocker gets rocked. Next in line is Elizabeth Banks as Miranda, a single, driven journalist whose moral gray area situation she encounters with Rudd is about as interesting as her character gets. Zooey Deschanel brings up the rear as Natalie, a newly minted lesbian whose partner Cindy (Rashida Jones) turns out to be just as much of an archetype as she is. Unfortunately, what worked so charmingly for Deschanel in 2009’s 500 Days of Summer cannot and should not be replicated in every role she’s in. I especially find that she is styled in the same way, all the time, frustrating and distracting.
However, the woman of Our Idiot Brother who steals the film is definitely Kathryn Hahn. Somehow in every film she’s in her supporting performances feel more fleshed out and real than the leads. Same is the case here. Hahn’s peace preaching yet tightly wound Janet, a former girlfriend of Rudd’s, clomps her dreads around her farm yard and wins everyone over. Hears hoping she get’s her own movie soon. Additionally, even Hugh Dancy as artist Christian was more memorable in his few scenes than whole sequences in the film.
Ultimately, Our Idiot Brother ends up being more of a family piece than anything. How can one personality or lifestyle that is so different than the rest survive within a traditional family structure? Where can family members meet in the middle rather than spend their lives wishing their family was “more like me”? The film may not provide any answers (Ned and his sister’s father’s absence is never explained), or huge laughs, but it at least allows Rudd’s Ned to be who he is. And with his dog.
This is Funny…
August 5, 2011
D: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. DP: Andrew Dunn. W: Dan Fogelman. Starring: Steve Carell/Ryan Gosling/Julianne Moore/Emma Stone/Marisa Tomei/Analeigh Tipton/Jonah Bobo/Joey King/Kevin Bacon/Josh Groban.
Although considered another entry in the rom-com category for the year, Crazy Stupid Love actually holds its own and gives audiences an engaging, balanced, relationship driven comedy.
The film opens with Steve Carell’s Cal being told by his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore) that she wants her dessert a la a divorce. Visibly distraught and in shock, Carell later pitches himself out of their moving car and gives into Moore’s request. The rest of the film chronicles Carell’s messy journey to discover what went wrong in this relationship and build an identity that allows him to fight for what he wants. Carell ultimately grounds the film and provides the thread through which audiences experience the ups and downs of relationships. Currently the king of likable comedy, Carell is the perfect blend of apathy, normalcy, and humor all in one. Moore is a good screen partner for him, but the laughs are with her screen husband.
Yet what really works to the film’s benefit is its structure. Carell maybe be the main storyline, but the film also follows his son Robbie (Bobo), whose crush on his babysitter (Analeigh Tipton) is not only complicated, but charming. The film also spends sometime with Moore and young lawyer-to-be Hannah, played by Emma Stone. Stone’s scenes are some of the best, and although rail thin now her husky voice and delivery marks her as a great real young comedic talent. Her best scenes are with slick dynamo Jacob (Ryan Gosling). Gosling’s main relationship in Crazy Stupid Love though is with Carell. He “humbly” takes Carell under his wing and teaches him the ins and outs of picking up women (and getting laid). What is memorable about Gosling’s take on Jacob is that he never takes himself too seriously and allows the slick bravado to come from a real place that never feels pastiche or forced. And ladies, he’s not too bad to look at either.
The success of the film is ultimately due to Dan Fogelman’s script. Having enjoyed last years, Tangled, it is only surprising that a heavily Disney/animated screenwriter can give us something so strong and enjoyable. My only critique is that it does lose a bit of steam, but is able to end well and everyone leaves happy. Fogelman clearly represents talent that can cross genres and I only hope he does not get locked in anywhere, especially in the rom-com category.