Ring Around the Rosy
June 4, 2016
Love & Friendship (2016).
D/W: Whit Stillman. DP: Richard Van Oosterhout. Starring: Kate Beckinsale/Xavier Samuel/Morfydd Clark/Emma Greenwell/Justin Edwards/Tom Bennett/Jemma Redgrave/James Fleet/Chloe Sevigny/Stephen Fry. (Based on Jane Austen’s epistolary novel Lady Susan)
Writer and Director Whit Stillman’s newest venture, Love & Friendship, is out in theaters just in time to save us from the comic book boredom of films like X-Men: Apocalypse. Even non-Austenites will enjoy such a scintillating tale for both the eyes and ears.
Love & Friendship is based on Jane Austen’s epistolary novel, Lady Susan, that was published posthumously. Although very familiar with the Austen canon I have not read this particular work as it mostly made up of letters. Yet Stillman’s film is a self-conscious work that is aware of the Austen film adaptation history as well has heritage cinema. Working with conceits aware to him and the assumed audience, Love & Friendship introduces its cast of characters more like a play than a film, presenting each in vignette with a snarky description beneath their face. Immediately wit wins all in this palpable play of society chess.
At the center of the story is Lady Susan whose new widow status leaves her hopping houses, relying on family and friends hospitality for herself and her daughter. Kate Beckinsale stars as Lady Susan and looks the part which is not surprising since she played the lead role in Emma in a boring 1996 version for A&E on US television. Normally wooden this part suits a now older Beckinsale and her delivery of the script is a testament to Stillman. She helps to center the world around herself and covers her wickedness in a heavy head of curls. Xavier Samuel is a fine young suitor not unlike his fleshier role in 2013’s Adore. His earnestness is a bit Bingley-esq, but he eventually has enough Darcy to find his way. Morfydd Clark is an excellent Federica, Lady Susan’s daughter, and gives youth a frantic rage rather than a demure submissive role.
Stillman resists the urge to show off every home and make his film one centered on English heritage. Instead he hints at the tedious nature of rich country life in this time and focuses on the intricate verbal play of his characters and Lady Susan’s maneuvering between homes. Stirring up little pools of melodrama, her check ins with American friend Alicia Johnson (Chloe Sevingny) allows scheming to be the name of the game. Love & Friendship provides all the sleuthing of Emma, but uses a character we are never asked to like. Lady Susan is manipulative, clever, and ultimately treacherous yet Stillman thankfully never berates the audience into liking her. Rather he presents his film as fun and clever mischief to be enjoyed.
Shining Through a Hazy Fog
March 11, 2015
Still Alice (2014).
D/W: Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland. DP: Denis Lenoir. Starring: Julianne Moore/Alec Baldwin/Kristen Stewart/Kate Bosworth/Hunter Parrish/Shane McRae. (based on Lisa Genova’s novel of the same name)
Many a time a performance has stood out against the backdrop of a weaker film. Still Alice joins that group of films which arguably includes many an Oscar winning bunch. Indeed, what ultimately is spellbinding is the acting talents of Julianne Moore.
The co-directed and co-written film follows renowned Columbia University psychologist Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) who has just turned fifty and started to have moments of memory lapses. The film drops us into her experience right away and uses clever close ups of her communicating her symptoms to her doctor, who is kept off-screen for a short while. Alice eventually reveals her situation to her husband John (Alec Baldwin) and begins her early onset Alzheimer’s journey. This of course includes sharing this painful news with her three children.
Still Alice is somewhat faithful to its source novel by Lisa Genova, but misses a few important beats. In the novel Alice feels so isolated by her husband’s and co-workers reactions to the disease that she seeks out her own community. She creates a social group at her home for other early on-set Alzheimer’s patients. By removing this important plot line Alice is not given much agency in her care taking. Other plot points, like her visit to an Alzheimer’s home, feel marooned without a thread to film’s narrative. Also some parts of the script are glaringly weaker than others or appear disingenuous, which is never at fault in the novel which is memorably told in first person.
The film is thankfully able to root itself in Moore’s performance, specifically in her eyes. Moore is able to give Alice an intelligent transparency that thread lines throughout the film despite her character not being very established before things fall apart. One almost wanted more screen time from her despite the miscasting of Baldwin as her husband, does anyone buy him as a scientist? Kristen Stewart is decent as her youngest daughter Lydia, though she lacks the fire to match Moore. The film’s editing and pacing make some transitions slightly jarring and unfortunately it is simply a testament to Moore’s abilities that one is moved in the end. One cannot help see this film in tandem with Sarah Polley’s 2006 excellent film, Away From Her, based on an Alice Munro short story. Away From Her sees a childless couple go through the same harrowing experience and is the better film overall.
On a final side note, although completely dissimilar in content, Still Alice shares a birth plan with Fifty Shades of Grey. Genova self-published her novel in 2009 before it was picked up a few years later by publishers, like E.L. James. As trends continue in the publishing acquisitions realm it shall be fascinating to see what else is scooped up from writers still trying to get the attention of editors, let alone film producers.
Did my Baby Knock me Down?
November 15, 2014
Gone Girl (2014).
D: David Fincher. DP: Jeff Cronenweth. W: Gillian Flynn (based on her novel of the same name). Starring: Ben Affleck/Rosemund Pike/Neil Patrick Harris/Tyler Perry/Carrie Coon/Kim Dickens/Patrick Fugit/Missi Pyle/Casey Wilson/Sela Ward/David Clennon/Lisa Banes/Emily Ratajkowski/Scoot McNairy/Boyd Holbrook/Lola Kirke.
Hands down the most talked about novel of 2012, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl hit theaters across the globe in October. Taking on scripting the adaptation herself, Flynn’s work got dream team treatment and thankfully lives up to the page turning anxiety her novel provided. Sitting down to a second viewing of the film I discovered more reasons to love and loathe both of her leads.
Stepping out from the Argo shadow (and a few non-performers in between), Ben Affleck gives his best performance since…well awhile. His star persona is clearly drenched in paparazzi fodder and segways well into his character, Nick Dunne. Discovering his wife has disappeared, Affleck’s Nick calls the cops and quickly experiences the evolution of husband-as-killer while he slowly discovers more about his wife than he might have imagined. Not to be outdone, British actress Rosemund Pike (whose worked steadily for years, but this is definitely her breakout) brings incredible skill to her performance of wife Amy. Calculating at every moment Pike’s Amy is unreadable, untouchable, and Flynn’s script aids both actors in giving them both untrustworthy point of views. The protagonist and antagonist discussion would take days.
Fincher and recent collaborator, director of photography Jeff Cronenweth (2010’s The Social Network and 2011’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), have continued success here with Gone Girl. Their representation of small town America, where the trauma bleeds against monotonous suburban existence, is fully realized in their shot composition. The camera encroaches on Affleck’s Nick like a nosy neighbor and emphasizes his body throughout the film. The sound editing aids in the menace of the plot with certain noises put in direct relief to stark silence.
Rounding out the cast are two memorable female performances. Carrie Coon as Nick’s twin Margo whose main narrative function is to react to Nick’s plight and align the audience with her own distress at the plot twists. However, Coon acts as not just tragic relief here, but as a physical dichotomy to Affleck. Kim Dickens as the lead detective on the case is also excellent and true to the novel. Flynn’s script for the most part does her work justice, if not slimming down certain elements to create a more concise map for Fincher. My main gripe is that the segment with Desi Collings (played by Neil Patrick Harris) is sped up and Amy’s parents are far less a factor in the narrative.
Ultimately Gone Girl succeeds the way the novel did, with multiple points of view and questioning the authenticity of voice and body. It deconstructs the constructs of marriage from many angles while never endorsing one. Gone Girl‘s very instability is insatiable right down to the last page or shot. I wouldn’t call the film shocking, since I read the novel, but even then a he-said/she-said killer thriller is so over done any new take feels fresh. And I like fresh.
Next Generational Cute
July 24, 2012
Ruby Sparks (2012).
D: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris. DP: Matthew Libatique. W: Zoe Kazan. Starring: Paul Dano/Zoe Kazan/Annette Bening/Antonio Banderas/Chris Messina/Steve Coogan/Elliot Gould/Toni Trucks/Deborah Ann Woll/Alia Shawkat.
Amidst the big action and comic book films of the summer, a few films are hopefully reminding audiences of young, smart talent coming through the wood works. Ruby Sparks, a new film written and starring twenty-something Yale graduate, Zoe Kazan, is one of those. All I can do is pray to my cinematic deities that not everyone misses out on this little gem.
Set in the more charming (and you have to work hard for this) parts of Los Angeles, Ruby Sparks delves into the mind of young writer, Calvin Weir-fields (Paul Dano). Dano’s Calvin, a high school dropout and over night sensation with his first novel, now struggles with following up that book, his success, and the ultimate fear for any novelist, writer’s block. Dano’s wiry physique and owl-like stillness work wonders here as he begins to dream of a girl, writes her down, and then comes home one day to find her living in his apartment. Without giving anything away, Dano’s mere reactions and playing out of that sequence merits true accolades (and laughter).
His major scene partner is found in (real life girlfriend) screen writer Kazan, who plays Ruby. Kazan’s long read hair and borderline gangly body work to give her Ruby a sort of ethereal quality. She will remind some of a wood nymph, with an almost childlike look and wonder at the world and Dano. Their chemistry is clear and thankfully Kazan’s script deals as much with the “is Ruby real” question as the “are we happy in this relationship” and “how do you make that relationship work?” Dano’s other screen partner is Chris Messina as his older brother, Harry. Messina’s character not only gives Dano a familial anchor, but also a empathetic voice of reason. Full of warmth and with his own twinkle in his eye, Messina remains memorable and well cast.
Stealing a few scenes is Annette Bening as Dano and Messina’s mother and Antonio Banderas as her new age sculptor boyfriend. But ultimately the credit must be given to Kazan’s tight writing and Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Davis’ work as co-directors. This husband and wife team is also responsible for directing 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. They are clear and concise here with Kazan’s story. Nothing feels too long or labored, which thankfully allows the film to be more about the relationships and Dano’s journey than answering any big logistical questions. The only thing working against the film is it’s sort of hipster, adorkable quality that could annoy some audiences members. But hey, at least you’ll leave with a smile on your face.