Rebel Hearts
October 19, 2015
Suffragette (2015).
D: Sarah Gavron. DP: Eduard Grau. W: Abi Morgan. Starring: Carey Mulligan/Helena Bonham-Carter/Anne-Marie Duff/Meryl Streep/Ben Wishaw/Brendan Gleeson/Romola Garai/Natalie Press/Adam Michael Dodd.
As award season looms the first of many strong contenders hits theaters. Suffragette bowed at the London Film Festival and enticed domestic violence protesters to lay down on the red carpet and call for greater funding. The cast donning shirts with ‘I’d rather be a rebel, than a slave’ caused outrage back in the US. But here in the UK, as the quote is part of Emmeline Pankhurst famous speech to the British suffragettes, the promotion went unfazed. Perhaps context these days is even more important than ever.
Suffragette follows Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan) whose dingy East London life in a launderette has little solace but parenting her young son George. Maud is so down she doesn’t even get an ‘e’ in her name, deprived from her very birth. As her fellow laundress Violet (Anne-Marie Duff) recruits her to join the movement Maud’s home and work lives are threatened as she takes on the cause of women’s right to vote and equal pay. She eventually joins action master Edith (Helena Bonham-Carter) who takes Pankhurst’s (played in one sequence by Meryl Streep) call to rebellion seriously.
Screenwriter Abi Morgan, who wrote the fabulous BBC series, The Hour, along with The Iron Lady and Shame, keeps a tight pace in her work. The film clips along not leaving time to over sentimentalize too much. Domestic violence and work injuries are part of the landscape here, Maud’s upper arms covered with burns never explained or referenced to. This subtle hand from director Sarah Gavron helps Mulligan carry the film with tenderness and restraint. Mulligan’s Maud is fragile, but her clear eyes let the practicality of her world shine through. A nice turn especially when help up to last years Far From the Madding Crowd.
Mulligan is surrounded by the best with Streep swooping in much like Judi Dench did in Shakespeare in Love. Bonham-Carter provides the group determination that helps balance a nice performance by Duff as beaten and baby tired Violet. Natalie Press is no newcomer, but her part here is pivotal. You should see Andrea Arnold’s Oscar winning short Wasp to see what she’s capable of. The men are few here, but Ben Wishaw and Brendan Gleeson provide a cadence of reactions needed against Maud’s cause.
Suffragette is in the middle of a current heated debate about the white washing of feminism in cinema. The lack of any non-white representation in the film is clearly apparent, but yet can every film represent everything or everyone? I am not defending the film’s choices, but nevertheless Suffragette ultimately takes on Maud’s story as someone so close to Emily Wilding Davidson. Surely there were class and racial distinctions within the suffragette movement, but what is to be celebrated is the message. In this scenario I do not think there is a right choice that would appease everyone. Nonetheless the discussion is a fruitful one, no one was talking about this ten years ago. Let’s hope the film’s success is a call to arms.
Giving Meryl an Edge
September 18, 2015
Ricki and The Flash (2015).
D: Jonathan Demme. DP: Declan Quinn. W: Diablo Cody. Starring: Meryl Streep/Kevin Kline/Mamie Gummer/Audra McDonald/Rick Springfield/Sebastian Stan/Nick Westrate/Hailey Gates/Ben Platt.
Steve Nicks has routinely denied any chatter about an impending musical biopic on her illustrious solo career and time with the band Fleetwood Mac. Ricki and the Flash immediately conjures her image to mind, but explores the failed star narrative over the successful one. A mixed bag of sorts, Ricki and the Flash ultimately proves Meryl Streep is fabulous to watch in just about everything. But didn’t we already know that?
The film finds Ricki (Streep), formerly named Linda, playing weekly gigs in the outskirts of Los Angeles. She gets a call from her ex husband Pete (Kevin Kline) who suggest she fly back to the Midwest to deal with her daughter, Julie (Mamie Gummer). Down and dumped, Julie’s situation forces Ricki to face the family she left behind and the impending wedding of her son. The real life mother/daughter duo of Streep and Gummer is fun to watch here with more vivaciousness now as Gummer is more seasoned. Their last pairing in the 2007 poor adaptation of Evening was more eerie as Gummer was hardly known. The chemistry all around is what saves the film from conventionality. Kline is great and such an underused actor right now and I just wanted more of Tony empress Audra McDonald. As the second wife and acting mother of Ricki’s kids, McDonald is a force. Where’s her primetime television show?
Director Jonathan Demme’s last feature was 2008’s Rachel Getting Married, another family impending wedding film. Demme is also active in the music world, directing music videos as well as concert films. He handles the live music portions with skill and cinematographer Declan Quinn balances close ups of performers with audience shots while establishing the onstage report between her band. The connection between Ricki and her music is palpable, but her dive bar Tarzana audience is never left out. Ricki’s story is one of star failure rather than success and her moments of rapture onstage confirm the film’s interpretation of musical performance as expression of true feeling. Ricki both expresses her love for boyfriend Greg (Rick Springfield) and for her son through song.
Ricki and the Flash is generically structured and Diablo Cody’s script adheres to a typical build up with the wedding. Cody’s last film, 2012’s Young Adult, was crispier and funnier but its protagonist was distinctly unlikable. Here Streep is continually humanized so the audience ultimately roots for her. You cannot help yourself and with musician Springfield, famous for the song ‘Jessie’s Girl,’ at her side you just might believe Streep’s gravely pipes could have made it. Not a bad film Ricki and the Flash ultimately is a vehicle for Streep to act a little bit bad, but still come out on top.
Singing Sondheim with Success
January 11, 2015
Into the Woods (2014).
D: Rob Marshall. W: James Lapine. DP: Dion Beebe. Starring: Meryl Streep/Emily Blunt/James Corden/Johnny Depp/Anna Kendrick/Chris Pine/Lilla Crawford/Tracey Ullman/Daniel Huttlestone/Christine Baranski/Billy Magnussen/Mackenzie Mauzy/Lucy Punch/Tammy Blanchard. (Based on Stephen Sondheim’s 1987 musical of the same name)
The musical genre has been struggling for a comeback for the last decade. Since 2002’s Oscar winning Chicago, filmmakers and studios have been chasing that same success. Yes 2008’s Mamma Mia made the big bucks, but 2012’s Les Miserables dragged us through three hours of labor and drama. Into the Woods joins a difficult cannon, but I am happy to say it does its Broadway mother justice.
Director Rob Marshall, responsible for both 2009’s Nine and Chicago, is clearly in his element here. Cinematographer Dion Beebe (Edge of Tomorrow) is at his aid again, they worked on both previous musicals together. The pair give space to their actors and thankfully, do not let the camera linger on reaction shots. The entire film has a fantastic sense of space and gives magic to its story without abandoning all realism.
There is definitely a bit of Disney gloss happening here. With a PG rating it is implied that the darker elements of the musical would be toned down, especially with the implications of the Wolf’s song, ‘Hello Little Girl.’ However, Johnny Depp is delicious as The Wolf and the Rat Pack vibe the song is given is simply pure fun. The deaths are also moved off screen and certain story lines are nipped and tucked to clearly fit this ratings margin. By no means is Into the Woods a disappointment for it, but it does change the overall palette of the project, especially the humor. Mostly this is aggravating as regardless, the film to me, is still for adults.
There is also some merging of characters, omissions of songs, and the on stage narrator now is serviced through the Baker’s (James Corden) voiceover. Luckily this voiceover does not inhibit the pacing of the film, though one or two times it feels repetitive. Despite all that Into the Woods pulls stellar performances out of the entire ensemble. The standouts are of course Meryl Streep’s Witch whose costumes (supremely done by Colleen Atwood) and make up merely enhance a fun, dynamic delivery. Chris Pine as Cinderella’s Prince oozes glorious giggle inducing charm with his duet with Rapuzel’s Prince (Billy Magnussen) a highlight, as it is in the show. I am very sad the reprise was cut. The youngsters Lilla Crawford and Daniel Huttlestone are excellent and hold their own with big solos. Emily Blunt’s Baker’s wife is great opposite Corden and Anna Kendrick does well as Cinderella, singing in a very difficult key. Lucy Punch steals a huge laugh as one of Cinderella’s step sisters, still waiting for someone to give her a bigger shot.
Into the Woods is overall an enjoyable addition to the musical genre. The first half is definitely stronger than the second, as it is in the show, but James Lapine adapts his work well. Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics actually works well on screen as his walk and sings balance the big numbers with character development. And what happens after ‘ever after’ is so on trend right now its ridiculous. But as a musical lover I couldn’t stop smiling and that is a beautiful thing.
Not Exactly a Romantic Comedy
August 15, 2012
Hope Springs (2012).
D: David Frankel. DP: Florian Ballaus. W: Vanessa Taylor. Starring: Meryl Streep/Tommy Lee Jones/Steve Carell/Jean Smart/Elizabeth Shue/Becky Ann Baker.
As the summer big releases reach their final push month some smaller movies start to trickle in. One of those is Hope Springs. A remarkable little movie about bridging the gap in a relationship and taking that necessary plunge with your partner to reach a place of renewal.
First time feature writer, Vanessa Taylor, who also spends her time writing for the HBO series Game of Thrones, delivers in this first endeavor. Her script maintains a nice pace with a focus on character rather than gimmicks and silly montages. Her core elements are Meryl Streep’s Kay, her husband Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones), and their expensive marriage counselor Dr. Feld (Steve Carell). Taylor never pulls the focus from the couple and thankfully never wasted time building a back-story to Carell’s Dr. Feld. Rather he is present in their sessions and that is it.
Taylor’s script is given life and legs by its leads. Streep embraces Kay and allows her body to do a lot of the talking. Her Kay is fully fleshed out from her middle aged matching nightgowns to her painfully restrained laugh that breaks your heart. But let’s face it, we all knew Streep would be great here. It’s hard to ignore her onscreen, even when she’s playing someone who feels they’re ignored. You will even forgive her for the stupider moments in the film because she handles them with such grace and sparkle it seems silly not to.
Streep’s partner in pain is Jones’ Arnold whose briefcase and routine could easily be read as stately stereotypical. Thankfully Jones is as subtle as Streep here. His twitches and fits in sessions will have coupes and singles everywhere squirming in their seats. His Arnold does not want to be in counseling and makes it known. Yet the story, gracefully, remains balanced enough that it never seems to tell the audience whose side to be on. Rather Hope Springs roots its faith in the relaxed performance of Carell who attempts to shepherd his couple through the rockiest of conversations.
What ultimately irked me the most was the use of music in the film. For some reason the producing team thought that despite a great script and superb acting almost every scene in the first two acts of the film needed a Sara Barielles’ song blasting through the speakers. Not only is it jarring, but completely trivializes some wonderful subtle moments these two acting greats create. What might have been a marketing ploy to lighten the mood and make the film come across more as a romantic comedy actually nearly ruins the first half of Hope Springs. But go, tread lightly, though not as bleak as 2010’s Blue Valentine, Hope Springs still drags you through the jungle of sexual and emotional hiccups in a marriage.