Knee Deep and Surely Drowning
February 29, 2016
Triple 9 (2016).
D: John Hillcoat. DP: Nicolas Karakatsanis. W: Matt Cook. Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor/Casey Affleck/Woody Harrelson/Anthony Mackie/Aaron Paul/Norman Reedus/Kate Winslet/Gal Gadot/Clifton Collins Jr./Teresa Palmer/Michelle Ang.
The award season frenzy still has many enraptured, but in the meantime movies are still being released! Among those is a new film, Triple 9, from director John Hillcoat about a strategic group of military con men and dirty cops who rob a bank only to be forced to do a follow up job. None other than Oscar winner Kate Winslet steps up to that plate in Russian accented stilettos. But she is better in Triple 9 than a single frame of Steve Jobs.
Hillcoat’s last film, 2012’s Lawless, was a favorite of mine. Its development struggle with this one was similar, it came together and fell apart multiple times. But unlike Lawless (as well as Hillcoat’s The Road and The Proposition) Triple 9 is not a bleak frontier set story. Its urban sweaty Atlanta landscape surely feels alive, but its core group of men are so selfish you hardly want to root for them. Hillcoat gets the setting right, but can never really pull you into a tale probably better suited to crime fiction.
The vagabond group is led by Chiwetel Ejiofor as Michael whose child with Irina’s (Winslet) sister Elena (new Wonder Woman Gal Gadot) is the wretch in everyone’s plan. Michael gets his group together of fellow military man Russell (Norman Reedus) and dirty detectives Marcus (Anthony Mackie) and Franco (Clifton Collins Jr.). Russell’s former cop brother Gabe (Aaron Paul) tags along and nearly botches the first job. The group is forced to proceed with the second job and concoct the Triple 9 plan, as 999 stands for the code for a police officer down. With the city responding to that crisis for ten to fifteen minutes the other robbery can occur.
New gang unit cop Chris (Casey Affleck) becomes their target as he is partnered up with Marcus. Affleck’s Chris and Mackie’s Marcus may have competing concepts of their job, but a sequence where Chris leads the gang unit into a project after a suspect is gripping and the best part of the film. Triple 9 is able to show the different objectives of departments like homicide and gang units and how each group has its own ecosystem tenderly balanced. Circling around the group is Woody Harrelson as Chris’ uncle Jeff, also a detective, who smells something isn’t right early on. Looking like he walked from his True Detective set onto this one, Jeff is nothing we wouldn’t expect from Harrelson, grass included.
Every actor does well here, each man stands their own with Ejiofer playing his paternal role well. Winslet’s accent is even and it’s a bit fun to see her play dirty. Yet ultimately the film cannot compete with say a good read of a Dennis Lehane novel. One needs a character you know well when all the violence, betrayals and deaths rain down. Without it you are left walking out the cinema asking, who cares? We have to root for someone knee deep in all that crap! That is what Sicario did earlier this year and what I wish Triple 9 could have done.
A Little Bit of Good Old Fashioned Badass
September 11, 2012
Lawless (2012).
D: John Hillcoat. W: Nick Cave. DP: Benoît Delhomme. Starring: Shia LeBeouf/Tom Hardy/Jason Clarke/Guy Pearce/Jessica Chastain/Mia Wasikowska/Dane DeHaan/Gary Oldman/Bill Camp. (Based on Matt Bondurant’s novel, The Wettest County in the World.)
As fall descends on most parts of the country, us Angelinos still writhe in heat and repeat our monologues on the wonders of daily life without air conditioning. For those sweating out September like me, might I recommend escaping the humidity with a little Depression-era fun? Alcohol included.
Lawless was originally conceived and put together as a studio film. Brimming with an A-list cast, the film soon fell apart in 2008 as financiers fell out and creativity clashes came to light. Thankfully, director John Hillcoat and writer Nick Cave were able to resurrect their story on an independent budget and with a, in my opinion, even better cast.
The only actor to remain attached and apparently championing the film was Shia LeBeouf. Rightfully so it is Lebouf’s character, Jack Bondurant, that acts as a catalyst for much of his family’s journey in the film. Lawless delves into the Bondurant boys’ Virginia business of making moonshine for the local community. Yet LeBeouf’s desire to expand is stalled when Prohibition hits their town. LeBouf’s Jack is the youngest, least physical, but most ambitious of the Bondurants and deftly feels the highs and lows of his business in his pocket and on his face. LeBeouf’s doe-eyes, innocent smile, and clear understanding of the material serve him well here. He’s as much likable as he is pathetic, and you cannot help rooting for him through his stupidity, bravery, and grief.
LeBeouf is generously and memorably supported by Tom Hardy as eldest Bondurant boy, Forrest. As thick as his name suggests, Hardy’s Bane-like physique is mastered beautifully. Kept snug by a grandfather cardigan and favorite hat, Hardy’s Forrest is subtle, commanding, and powerfully controlled. You’ll honestly wish there was even more of him in the film. Yet if there was we’d miss out on Gary Oldman’s sparkly turn as a local gangster and the little of Jessica Chastain’s Maggie we get to see. Equally as good yet with less moments to shine are Mia Wasikowska as LeBeouf’s young love interest and Jason Clarke as middle drunken Bondurant boy, Howard. Rounding out all of these fine actors though is Guy Pearce as trecherous germaphobic special agent Charlie Rakes. Hell bent on spreading hell within the Bondurant camp, he’ll hopefully remind everyone why Prohibition ended.
Lastly, Lawless was clearly lovingly made. Hillcoat provides a well-balanced film that both visually resonates and orally ignites. In clear conjunction with his screenwriter, he melds the gangster and western genres so well that ultimately the biggest compliment I can give is, I want to see more. And with a soundtrack and original music like Lawless let’s hope this collabartion continues.