Deadpool 2

Based on the Marvel Comics series by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefield, Deadpool 2 is the sequel to the 2016 film in which the titular character forms a team to protect a young mutant from a soldier with time-traveling capabilities. Directed by David Leitch and screenplay by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds, the film is an action-adventure comedy that has the titular character/Wade Wilson who is known for his profane language and thirst for violence as he decides to form his own team while causing all sorts of shit as he is once again portrayed by Ryan Reynolds. Also starring Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapicic, T.J. Miller, Jack Kesy, and Josh Brolin as Cable. Deadpool 2 is a wild and adventurously insane film from David Leitch.

Following a tragic event that would shape the life of Deadpool, the titular character reluctantly teams with the X-Men to protect a young mutant only for the mutant and Deadpool to be put in prison where the young mutant is being pursued by a soldier with time-travel capabilities. It’s a film that plays into the rogue assassin dealing with his role as a man who gets paid to kill bad guys yet is coping with loss as well as uncertainty of what to do next until he tries to help this young mutant who learns he had been abused at the orphanage he was in where he takes his own brand vigilante justice in his own hands causing him to be arrested and without access to his powers. The film’s screenplay by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, and Paul Wernick doesn’t just explore Wilson’s own grief and his own need for meaning in his life while trying to protect this young boy but also create a void for his loss in a family while continuously surrounding himself with friends such as the bartender Weasel (T.J. Miller), the elderly roommate Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), and the taxi driver Dopinder (Karan Soni).

The script would have moments where Deadpool does break down the fourth wall as well as make claims that the film the audience is watching is a family film. Yet, it is a film about family as Deadpool has to protect Russell Collins/Firefist (Julian Dennison) who is troubled and is being pursued by this time-traveling soldier in Cable whose motivations is revenge. Yet, there is a lot more in what Cable is doing as it relates to his own personal mission as Collins is seeking a friend where he would turn to Deadpool but Deadpool is still dealing with his own personal issues to help out Collins until he becomes the mission to save him.

David Leitch’s direction is definitely playful as it add to the film’s offbeat and smarmy tone. Shot on location in British Columbia, Canada with the city of Vancouver being its main setting, the film does play into a world that has Deadpool struggling with loss where the film begins with him doing a suicide attempt while spoiling things that is to happen in the film. While there’s some wide shots in some of the film’s locations as well as scenes inside a mutants-only prison, much of Leitch’s direction is simple in its approach to close-ups and medium shots to play into the interaction with characters. Even in scenes involving Deadpool and his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) early in the film to the interactions with X-Men members Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), and NTW’s new girlfriend Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna) where there are these elements of humor and film references including the franchise Deadpool is a part of. Even in some of the film’s moments of violence as it has this element of dark humor that include Deadpool’s first encounter with Cable.

Leitch’s direction also play into the stakes as it relates to the unveiling of a major character in the film’s third act who would become a major threat to both Deadpool and Cable. Most notably as the latter’s motivation for revenge and his pursuit of Collins showcase what is to come as it’s not just Collins’ life that is at stake but also the future. There is also this element where Leitch does play with the elements of breaking down the fourth wall where it is obvious where many film sequels go as Deadpool also point out plot devices and such where it adds to the film’s offbeat and irreverent tone. Even in the film’s climax where Deadpool would get help from a few allies including a mutant with the power of luck named Domino (Zazie Baetz). Overall, Leitch crafts an exhilarating and comical film about a rogue mercenary who fights off against evil forces to protect a young mutant and his own future.

Cinematographer Jonathan Sela does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of bluish lights for some of the scenes set at night as well as in some of the daytime exteriors to help set a grim yet offbeat tone for the film. Editors Craig Alpert, Elisabet Ronaldsdottir, and Dirk Westfeldt do amazing work with the film’s stylized editing with its usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and other rhythmic cuts that play into the film’s action and humor. Production designer David Scheunemann, with set decorator Sandy Walker and supervising art director Dan Hermansen, does brilliant work with the look of the mutants prison as well as the apartment Deadpool lives in as well as the home he shares with Blind Al and the orphanage that Collins lives in. Costume designers Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller do fantastic work with some of the casual clothes that Wilson wears as well as the Deadpool costume and some of the clothes the people from his team wears.

Makeup designer Bill Corso does incredible work with the look of Deadpool/Wilson as well as the look of Cable and some of the mutants they meet. Special effects supervisor Mike Vezina, with visual effects supervisors Michael Brazelton, Dan Glass, Rohit Prakash Gujar, and Sean Konrad, does terrific work with the look of Cable with his mechanical arm and gadgets as well as the powers and looks of some of the mutants. Sound editor Mark P. Stoeckinger and sound designer Martyn Zub does superb work with the sound in the way gunfire and gadgets sound as well as the atmosphere of some of the locations. The film’s music by Tyler Bates is wonderful for its mixture of rock and orchestral music that play into the action, drama, and suspense while music supervisor John Houlihan creates an extremely fun soundtrack that feature music from Pat Benatar, a-ha, Peter Gabriel, DJ Shadow w/ Run the Jewels, Skrillex w/ Sirah, Cher, Dolly Parton, Air Supply, Alicia Morton, the Steve Miller Band, and Celine Dion.

The casting by Marisol Roncali and Mary Vernieu is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Hayley Sales and Islie Hirvonen as Cable’s wife and daughter respectively from flashbacks, Luke Roessler as a young kid eating a cereal that Deadpool likes, Terry Crews as a mutant named Bedlam, Bill Skarsgard as an acid-vomit mutant named Zeitgeist, Lewis Tan as a cocky mutant named Shatterstar, Rob Delaney as a guy named Peter, Jack Kesy as a mutant inmate named Black Tom Cassidy who tries to intimidate Deadpool and Collins, Shioli Kutsuna as the mutant Yukio who is also NTW’s girlfriend, and Eddie Marsan as an orphanage headmaster who abuses Collins as well as being an anti-mutant extremist. Morena Baccarin is wonderful in her small role as Wilson’s girlfriend Vanessa as even though she is used as a plot device for the film, she does provide some touching moments that play into Wilson’s motivation to find meaning. Leslie Uggams and Karan Soni are amazing in their respective roles as Blind Al and Dopinder as a couple of Wilson's allies who both want to take part in helping Deadpool.

T.J. Miller is terrific as the bartender Weasel who tries to help Deadpool out as well as have his own weird encounter with Cable while Stefan Kapicic is superb in his voice-capture role as the X-Men mutant Colossus who is trying to get Deadpool to join the team and do some good. Brianna Hildebrand is fantastic as Negasonic Teenage Warhead as an X-Men mutant who can create sonic powers as her weapon as she is reluctant to have Deadpool be part of the X-Men. Zazie Baetz is excellent as Domino as a mutant whose power is luck as she is someone that can do things and always have good things happen to her as she is full of personality and charm that makes her a joy to watch. Julian Dennison is brilliant as Russell Collins/Firefist as a teenage boy who can throw fiery punches as he is someone that’s been abused and mistreated and is in need of a friend yet he’s unaware of what he is about to do due to the anger he’s attained through the abuse he’s suffered.

Josh Brolin is incredible as Cable as this time-traveling soldier who is more of an anti-hero than a typical antagonist as he is someone that is trying to go after Collins in this act of revenge yet is also someone that is carrying his own sense of loss and knows what Deadpool is going through. Finally, there’s Ryan Reynolds in a phenomenal performance as Deadpool/Wade Wilson as the rogue mercenary with a potty mouth as he is struggling with his own loss and existential crisis where he finds himself trying to protect a young mutant only to get lost further in his own issues where it’s a mixture of humor, anger, and drama that is one of Reynolds’ finest performances.

Deadpool 2 is a sensational film from David Leitch that features great performances from Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin. Along with its ensemble cast, witty dark humor, its ability to reference various plot points and get away with it, and a fun music soundtrack. It’s a film that never takes itself seriously where it does spoof sequels in some respects but also manages to showcase some substance as far as what is often expected from superhero films though it’s really more of an anti-superhero film. In the end, Deadpool 2 is a remarkable film from David Leitch.

David Leitch Films: John Wick - Atomic Blonde - (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw)

X-Men Films: X-Men - X2: X-Men United - X-Men 3: The Last Stand - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - X-Men: Days of Future Past - Deadpool - Logan - X-Men: Apocalypse - (Dark Phoenix) – (New Mutants)

© thevoid99 2019

Atomic Blonde

Based on the graphic novel The Coldest City by Antony Johnson and Sam Hart, Atomic Blonde is the story of a spy who travels to East Berlin to find a list of double agents before the collapse of the Berlin Wall during the final days of the Cold War. Directed by David Leitch and screenplay by Kurt Johnstad, the film is a spy thriller of sorts where a woman finds herself dealing with dark forces that want to stop during a crucial moment in world history. Starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones. Atomic Blonde is a high-octane yet exhilarating film from David Leitch.

Set in November of 1989 during the final days of the Cold War and the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the film revolves around a British spy who travels to Berlin before the wall’s collapse to retrieve a list of double agents that was in the hands of another spy. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it’s told in a reflective flashback style by its protagonist Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) who is interrogated by her superior in MI6 executive Eric Gray (Toby Jones) and CIA agent Emmett Kurzfield (John Goodman) over what happened in Berlin as much of the action takes place more than a week earlier where Broughton learns a fellow colleague had been killed as he had a list of double-agents in East Berlin that the Soviet Union wants. Kurt Johnstad’s screenplay plays into the back-and-forth narrative of Broughton telling her story of what had happened as she had been sent by Gray and MI6 boss C (James Faulkner) to travel to West Berlin before the wall is to collapse where she meets her contact in another MI6 agent in David Percival (James McAvoy) to help her retrieve the list.

Percival is an eccentric figure who spends time dealing in black markets in East Berlin as well as live in West Berlin as he is trying to get the list as well as a Stasi defector named Spyglass (Eddie Marsan) to West Berlin as he knows the names on the list that was hidden in a watch from the MI6 agent who had been killed. During the course of finding out what happened and to find this watch, Broughton is aware that she’s a target as there’s KGB spies in both East and West Berlin as she had also been warned about a double-agent named Satchel who might be causing trouble for all sides. At the same time, she meets a rookie French spy named Delphine Lasalle (Sofia Boutella) who also wants the list but also knows that there’s something not right in the scheme of things. Even as there’s also rogue KGB agents that want the list and sell it off for a lot of money no matter who gets it making Broughton’s mission much more difficult.

David Leitch’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the setting as it play into a moment in time where the world is about to change as there are those who aren’t ready for this kind of change. Shot on location in Berlin with additional shooting set in Budapest, the film does play into a world that is changing yet there’s also something exciting over the element of rule breaking and chaos that is to emerge. While Leitch does include many of Berlin’s famous landmarks including a few shots of the re-created Berlin Wall with graffiti sprayed on the wall. Much of Leitch’s direction emphasize on the sense of intrigue as well as who is trying to con who and who can be the one to get the list first as Leitch would use close-ups and medium shots for these moments without emphasizing too much on style. There are some wide shots Leitch use in not just to establish the locations or what is happening in a moment in time but also in some intense set pieces that relate to the action including a scene where Broughton is in a car and fighting against a couple of KGB officers trying to kill her.

One key sequence in the film during the second act is an intricate fight scene set inside a building where Broughton is fighting against several KGB officers as it is presented in a long continuous shot with tracking and hand-held cameras. It’s a moment in the film that really showcases what Broughton has to do as the stakes of her mission becomes important yet there are also these twists and turns as it relates to the people she encounters as there are very few she can really trust. Notably as the scenes where she’s interrogated as she knows she’s being watched emphasize what she knows and what she doesn’t want to reveal as it does add to this blur of who is in the right and who is in the wrong. Overall, Leitch crafts a thrilling and gripping film about a British spy traveling to Berlin to retrieve a list of double agents before the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

Cinematographer Jonathan Sela does brilliant with the film’s colorful cinematography with its usage of bluish lights and moods for some of the interior scenes as well as the usage of neon lights in the clubs as well as other stylish looks for some of the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Elisabet Ronaldsdottir does excellent work with the editing with the usage of stylish fast-cuts without being too fast as well as some amazing invisible cuts for the film’s continuous fight sequence. Production designer David Scheunemann, with supervising art director Zsuzsa Kismarty-Lechner plus set decorators Zsuzsa Mihalek and Mark Rosinski, does fantastic work with the look of the clubs in Berlin as well as the apartments and places the characters go to or live at. Costume designer Cindy Evans does nice work with the costumes as it is stylish from the coats the characters wear to the Soviet and Stasi uniforms some of the officials wear.

Hair/makeup designer Paul Pattison does terrific work with the look of the characters from the different wigs and hairstyles that Broughton wears as well as the look of some of the people she meets. Special effects supervisor Gabor Kiszelly and visual effects supervisor Michael Wortmann do superb work with the visual effects as it is mainly set-dressing for some of the exteriors along with a few of the film’s action scenes. Sound designer Jonas Jansson, with sound editors Thomas Huhn and Nicklas Lindh, does amazing work with the sound in capturing the way music sounds in a club or on speakers as well as through the audio tapes that Broughton uses to spy on people and how she would cut the tapes to create what she discovered. The film’s music by Tyler Bates is wonderful for its electronic-based score that play into the action and suspense while music supervisor John Houlihan provides a kick-ass soundtrack of music that definitely play into the period of the 1980s from artists and acts like New Order, David Bowie, Queen, Depeche Mode, Information Society, the Reflex, After the Fire, Nena, Peter Schilling, Til’ Tuesday, A Flock of Seagulls, the Clash, George Michael, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and Public Enemy along with covers by Health, Marilyn Manson, and Kaleida plus a couple of Eastern European music of the times.

The casting by Zsolt Csutak, Marisol Roncali, and Mary Vernieu is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Barbara Sukowa as a coroner of the spy who is killed earlier in the film, Sam Hargrave as the MI6 agent James Gascoigne who is killed in the film’s beginning, Johannes Johannesson as the rogue KGB agent Yuri Bakhtin, Roland Moller as a high ranking Soviet official in Aleksander Bremovych, James Faulkner as the MI6 head C, Bill Skarsgard as Broughton’s East German contact in Gordon Merkel, and Til Schweiger in a terrific small role as a reclusive watchmaker who creates special watches with codes as he helps out Broughton. Toby Jones and John Goodman are superb in their respective roles as MI6 superior Eric Gray and CIA official Emmett Kurzfield who interrogate Broughton over what happened in Berlin with the latter also making a brief appearance in West Berlin to give Broughton a debriefing.

Eddie Marsan is excellent as Spyglass as Stasi officer who wants to defect to the West as he knows the names of the double-agents where he becomes someone that Broughton has to protect. Sofia Boutella is fantastic as Delphine Lasalle as a French agent who is also after the list but also has feelings for Broughton as well as be aware of what is going on as she also has an idea of who the mysterious Satchel is. James McAvoy is brilliant as David Percival as a MI6 agent who aids Broughton as he also runs a black markets scheme in East Berlin as it’s an exciting performance from McAvoy who provides a lot of humor and swagger into his performance. Finally, there’s Charlize Theron in a phenomenal performance as Lorraine Broughton as a MI6 spy who goes to Berlin to retrieve a list as it’s an intense performance from Theron who brings some charm as well as a grittiness to the role as a woman who is hell-bent on succeeding in her mission as well as deal with what is at stake as it’s Theron in one of her career-defining performances.

Atomic Blonde is a tremendous film from David Leitch that features an incredible leading performance from Charlize Theron. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, intense fight scenes, and a killer music soundtrack. The film is definitely a fun and thrilling action-suspense film set during the final days of the Cold War that is filled with intrigue and excitement. In the end, Atomic Blonde is a spectacular film from David Leitch.

David Leitch Films: John Wick - Deadpool 2 - (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw)

© thevoid99 2018

21 Grams

Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga, 21 Grams is the story of three people who are each connected by the death of a person as they each cope with loss and faith. The second part of a trilogy that explores death, the film is a multi-layered story that plays into the lives of three people who don’t know each other but become connected by tragedy. Starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Benicio del Toro, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melissa Leo, Danny Huston, Clea Duvall, Denis O’Hare, and Eddie Marsan. 21 Grams is an ominous yet exhilarating film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

When a hit-and-run claimed the lives of a man and two little girls, the lives of three different people are affected in drastic ways as the film is about tragedy and its after effects. Much of it involves the life of a critically-ill mathematician who is need of a heart transplant, a grieving widow who also lost her daughters in this tragedy, and a born-again ex-convict whose faith is tested over what had happened. Through Guillermo Arriaga’s complex and multi-layered screenplay, it is told in a non-linear fashion as it plays into not just the tragedy but also the search for meaning as one man tries to find redemption, another man is trying to find answers into why he’s alive, and a woman is caught in the middle over what she had lost. All of which plays into those dealing with mistakes and such as well as several other things where everyone tries to find answers.

For the mathematician Paul Rivers (Sean Penn), he is given a second chance to live but his own marriage to Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg) starts to fall apart as he becomes obsessed with the identity of the heart he had received which would lead him to Cristina (Naomi Watts). Cristina would learn about Paul and what he has to do with the death of her family as it has the two come together to track the man who was responsible for changing their lives in the ex-convict Jack Jordan (Benicio del Toro). Yet, there are elements into both Cristina and Jack that are interesting as the former was a former drug addict who was saved by her husband as she found a reason to live as that loss drove her back to drugs and alcohol.

In the latter, here is someone who is trying to redeem himself as he devotes himself towards Christianity and swear off drugs and alcohol but his involvement in this tragedy forces him to question his own faith and being as he has no clue what to do as he carries the guilt. All of which forces all three characters to converge into a heavy confrontation about loss as it is, once again, told in a non-linear fashion. There’s moments that play into the drama where all three have to work together as it becomes clear that none of them have anything to gain in this tragedy that their connected by. Even as they all know that there is nowhere else to go as some try to find redemption while others seek an answer.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s direction is very entrancing not just for how dreary he presents the drama but also into the many layers that the story takes. Much of it is presented with a sense of intimacy as Inarritu’s approach to close-ups and medium shots play into the anguish that occurs throughout the film. Even in scenes where Jack eats dinner with his family as he is trying to be a good father but his approach might seem harsh as it relates to his own children. Much of Inarritu’s approach is shot with hand-held cameras but it’s never overly shaky as he maintains something that is very steady and to the point. Notably as Inarritu would create scenes to tease various storylines coming together such as Mary waiting for Paul as he does surgery as she gets a glimpse of Cristina walking out of the hospital with her family.

Since it is a film told in a non-linear narrative, Inarritu is able to create moments in the film where it allows a scene to be told in very different ways. Even as he would shift moments that is supposed to be in the third act back into the first or second act as it plays into the drama. There’s also moments in the film where things do intensify on an emotional level as it relates to Cristina’s grief and Jack’s own guilt such as the scene of him returning home as he reveals to his wife what he had done. Inarritu’s approach to the compositions in how he frames his actors are also intense such as its climax in the third act as it is about who is where in the frame and such. Overall, Inarritu creates a very brooding yet somber film about death, faith, and understanding.

Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s grainy and colorful cinematography where it adds to the very grimy sense of despair that looms in the film with its gritty approach to daytime exteriors to its usage of low-key lights and dark shades for the interior scenes whether it‘s day or night. Editor Stephen Mirrone does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and its offbeat, non-linear narrative. Production designer Brigitte Broch, with set decorator Meg Everist and art director Deborah Riley, does excellent work with the look of the different homes of the three characters to showcase who they are as well as some of the places they go to including the swimming pool center that Cristina goes to.

Costume designer Marlene Stewart does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual for the look of the characters to play into their sense of loss. Sound designers Martin Hernandez and Roland N. Thai do fantastic work with the sound to capture the intensity of the emotions as well as some of the chaotic moments of violence and drama that occurs in the film. The film’s music by Gustavo Santaolalla is superb for its very ominous and eerie score with its emphasis on folk guitars and somber electric guitars to play into the drama while music supervisor Lynn Fainchtein brings in a nice soundtrack that features different kinds of music from acts like War, Ozomatli, Ann Sexton, and Dave Matthews.

The casting by Francine Maisler is remarkable as it features notable small roles from Carly Nahon and Claire Pakis as Cristina’s daughters, Paul Calderon as a friend of Jack in Brown who tries to get him work, Denis O’Hare as Paul’s heart surgeon, John Rubenstein as Mary’s gynecologist who tries to help her chances to be pregnant, Clea Duvall as Cristina’s friend Claudia, Danny Huston as Cristina’s husband Michael, and Eddie Marsan as Reverend John who tries to help Jack following the tragedy. Melissa Leo is excellent as Jack’s wife Marianne who tries to cope with what Jack had done as she tries to help him. Charlotte Gainsbourg is superb as Paul’s wife who is eager to start over with him after a separation period as well as taking care of him as she copes with the changes in their life after his surgery.

Benicio del Toro is brilliant as Jack Jordan as a former convict turned born-again Christian who becomes the catalyst for the tragedy that is shaped in the film as he spends much of the film questioning his faith and ponders if he can be redeemed. Naomi Watts is amazing as Cristina Peck as a recovering addict who falls back into her addition following the loss of her family as Watts display the sense of anguish that looms over her as she searches for answers and satisfaction. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a marvelous performance as Paul River as a mathematician who was dying until he received a new heart as he ponders whose heart does he have as he tries to find answers while coping with his own mortality and existence.

21 Grams is a phenomenal film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu that features very strong performances from Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio del Toro. It’s a film that doesn’t explore the severity of death and tragedy but also plays into the world of existence and faith. It’s also a film that doesn’t play by the rules of conventional narrative thanks in part to Guillermo Arriaga’s inventive screenplay. In the end, 21 Grams is a tremendous film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Films: Amores Perros - The Hire-Powder Keg - 11' 9' 01 September 11-Mexico - Babel - To Each His Own Cinema - Biutiful - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - The Revenant - The Auteurs #45: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

© thevoid99 2014

The World's End

Directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg, The World’s End is the story about a group of friends who try to reclaim their youth by doing a legendary pup crawl in a town only to realize that the town has been taken over by aliens. The third film in an unofficial trilogy known as the Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy, the film is not a spoof but rather a sci-fi adventure film of sorts where a group of friends try to drink 12 pints in 12 pubs to complete a legendary pub crawl. Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, and Pierce Brosnan. The World’s End is a very adventurous yet funny film from Edgar Wright.

The film is about a man who is definitely lost in his life as he tries to gather his old friends to try and complete a pub crawl they did over 20 years ago which they attempted to do but never finished. Though they’re all estranged from each other, the five men try to rekindle their old childhood friendship to do this legendary pub crawl in their old hometown of Newton Haven known as the Golden Mile. What happens is that there’s a lot of strange things happening in the town that raises suspicion forcing the men to team up and fight whatever forces they have all the way to the final pub known as the World’s End. It’s a film that plays into one man’s desire to relive the best moment of his life but he hasn’t managed to do anything as an adult as he tries to gather his old friends to relive that moment of their youth.

The screenplay that Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s explores not just the element of nostalgia but also how one man seems stuck in his past that he couldn’t deal with the current state of his life as he tries to reclaim his youth by attempting to complete a legendary pub crawl with his estranged friends. While the four other men in the story have grown into adults with pretty fulfilling lives, they’re reluctant to take part in this pub crawl only to become suspicious about the locals in their old home town. It is there that the tone of the film goes from being a study of nostalgia and friendship into a story of survival as these five men fight mysterious beings as it relates to the idea of perfection and such rather than the flaws of humanity. The narrative is quite simple in terms of its structure and plotting but what makes it so engaging is the fact that the story’s heart is about these five men trying to rebuild their friendship amidst the chaos of their situation and complete this legendary pub crawl.

Wright’s direction is quite simple for the most part but does have this element of nostalgia and ambition. Notably in the latter where there’s a lot of sci-fi into the story as well as a sense of adventure that is prevalent throughout the film. Even as it would play to the drama where Wright does find ways to put some humor into these moments but also have odes to such sci-fi classics like The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Wright’s approach to nostalgia as he infuses the film with a lot of references to the early 90s as well as the idea of trying to live in the past as a way to showcase the sense of loss that the film’s central character in Gary King (Simon Pegg) is dealing with. Even as he does whatever to get to the World’s End by any means. Wright’s approach to framing is quite simple yet he does put in a lot of things that are quite extraordinary including the film’s climax that involves the mystery of the robots the characters are trying to fight off. Overall, Wright creates a very witty yet sensational film about one man’s attempt to relive his youth.

Cinematographer Bill Pope does excellent work with the cinematography from the look of the town at day to more stylish lights for some of the interior and exterior scenes at night. Editor Paul Machliss does amazing work with the editing by creating a few stylish montages as well as elements of stylish cuts in some of the film‘s comedic and suspenseful moments. Production designer Marcus Rowland, with set decorator Sara Wan and supervising art director Nick Gottschalk, does brilliant work with the different look of the different pubs set for each moment in the journey.

Costume designer Guy Speranza does terrific work with the costumes as most of it is straightforward with the exception of Gary‘s Goth-like clothes. Makeup prosthetics designer Waldo Mason does fantastic work with some of the makeup work to play up some of the freakiness of the alien-robots the characters fight against. Visual effects supervisor Frazer Churchill does superb work with some of the visual effects to play out the chaos of some of the sci-fi moments. Sound designer Julian Slater does nice work with the sound to create some sound effects and moments to play up the chaos of the film. The film’s music by Steven Price is pretty good as it‘s low-key to play out the sense of adventure and suspense with its guitar and orchestral music while music supervisor Nick Angel brings in a fun soundtrack filled with a lot of great cuts from the early 90s like Sisters of Mercy, Happy Mondays, the Stone Roses, Blur, Inspiral Carpets, the Charlatans, Kylie Minogue, the Sundays, James, and St. Entienne as well as a cut from the Doors.

The casting by Nina Gold and Robert Sterne is phenomenal for the ensemble that is featured in the film as it includes appearances from David Bradley as a famous pub drinker the boys knew, Rafe Spall and Alice Lowe as a young couple looking for a house, Michael Smiley as a drug dealer named Reverend Green, Bill Nighy as the voice of a mysterious enigma, and Pierce Brosnan as the men’s old schoolteacher Guy Shepherd. In the roles of the young characters, there’s Thomas Law as the young Gary, Zachary Bailess as the young Andy, Jasper Levine as the young Steven, Luke Bromley as the young Oliver, James Tarpey as the young Peter, and Flora Slorach as the young Sam as they’re all quite good in those roles. Rosamund Pike is wonderful as Oliver’s sister Sam who becomes suspicious of what is going around the town as she tries to help the guys get out of town.

Eddie Marsan is terrific as Peter as a family man/car salesman who is still dealing with the trauma of being bullied as a kid while trying to comprehend the chaos of the situation. Martin Freeman is excellent as Oliver as a real-estates agent who isn’t sure about taking part as he’s trying to deal with his business while later becoming more outrageous as the film goes on. Paddy Considine is amazing as Steven as a man who holds a torch for Sam as he tries to deal with Gary’s immaturity and the chaos of the situation. Nick Frost is brilliant as Andy as a corporate businessman who was once Gary’s closest friend as he is the most reluctant to take part in the pub crawl only to go insane in battling the robots and confronting Gary about his problems. Finally, there’s Simon Pegg in a marvelous performance as Gary King as this immature yet troubled man-child who tries to rally everyone to complete the pub crawl while being evasive as he’s often lying or just doing something where it’s a really funny performance from Pegg.

The World’s End is a fantastic sci-fi adventure film from Edgar Wright that features a brilliant ensemble cast led by the duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The film isn’t just a fitting conclusion to their Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy but also a great ode to the sci-fi adventure films while infusing it with smart and heartfelt humor. In the end, The World’s End is a sensational film from Edgar Wright.

Edgar Wright Films: (A Fistful of Fingers) - Shaun of the Dead - Hot Fuzz - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Baby Driver - The Sparks Brothers - Last Night in Soho

© thevoid99 2013

Me and Orson Welles

Based on the novel by Robert Kaplow, Me and Orson Welles is the story of a 17-year old kid who meets Orson Welles who is about to stage his production of Julius Caesar. Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Holly Gent Palmo and Vincent Palmo Jr., the film is an exploration into a young man discovering the world of theater and dealing with the big personality that is Orson Welles who is played by Christian McKay. Also starring Zac Efron, Claire Danes, and Ben Chaplin. Me and Orson Welles is an extraordinary film from Richard Linklater.

The film is about a 17-year old high school student who goes to New York City based on his interests in the arts where unexpectedly runs into Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater company who are doing a modern-day play of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The boy gets a small part as he also falls for a production assistant as he finds himself in the intense world of theatrical rehearsals as well as the massive personality of Welles. Notably as there’s egos involved as well as deadlines as it’s all seen by this kid who has to deal with all of that as well as doing whatever it takes to not upset Welles is a giant that can squash him.

The screenplay plays into a week in the life of Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) who is fascinated by the world of art and theater as he’s also a fan of Welles’ work in plays and radio. While Richard has aspirations to be part of it, he finds himself in that world by accident all because he wowed Welles with his charm and the ability to do a drum roll properly. The script showcases all the ins and outs of what happens in a play rehearsal where things can go wrong and there’s a lot of pressure out there. Yet, no one is as more intense than Welles as he’s a man who is a perfectionist and is hoping that everyone does their part right including the musicians in the background and the technical crew. Though Richard is aware of Welles’ personality, he has no idea how dangerous it can be to the point that Welles is also a man who sleeps with various women including the production assistant Sonja Jones (Claire Danes) whom Richard falls for.

Richard Linklater’s direction is quite engaging for the way he presents the world of theater in all of its moments on and off the stage where everyone is making sure nothing goes wrong. Notably as Welles is waiting for something bad to happen just to ensure that he can overcome that obstacle. Shot in Pinewood Studios in Britain with some locations in New York City, the film does play to a moment in time where America is coming out of the Great Depression and people are looking for art to find an escape from troubled times. Yet, there’s also moments that plays into Welles’ life such as a scene in an ambulance where Welles talks about The Magnificent Ambersons to Richard as a book as he hopes to make it something more in the future.

The direction has Linklater create some amazing compositions to showcase that world of late 1930s New York City that is very vibrant and colorful while maintaining that air of intimacy in the theater. The film’s climax comes in the performance of Julius Caesar where it is presented with such bravado and poignancy as it also shows how far Richard has come from this boy who knew very little into finally understanding his role as Lucius in the play. The film does play into that theme of someone coming-of-age in Richard as he goes into a major growth from boy to man while having a fuller understanding of what it means to be an artist. Overall, Linklater crafts a very dazzling yet captivating film about art and growth.

Cinematographer Dick Pope does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful yet lush cinematography from the scenes set in the exteriors in day and night to the more extravagant use of lights for the film‘s climatic play scene. Editor Sandra Adair does wonderful work with the editing to create some rhythmic cuts to capture the intensity of the stage performances as well as some lighter moments in the scenes outside of the theater. Production designer Laurence Dorman, with set decorator Richard Roberts and supervising art director Bill Crutcher, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of many of the sets in the city including a museum that Richard goes to as well as the stage setting for the climatic play.

Costume designer Nic Ede does excellent work with the costumes from the dresses the women wear to the suits and uniforms the men wear for the play. Visual effects supervisor Robert Duncan does terrific work with the minimal set dressing for many of the exteriors of 1937 New York City without embellishing things way too much. Sound editor Ian Wilson does superb work with the sound to capture the level of noise that happens throughout the rehearsals and the things that happens on and off the stage. The film’s music by Michael J. McEvoy is a delight as it plays to the upbeat jazz music of the late 1930s as music supervisor Marc Marot also uses music of that time including some notable standards.

The casting by Lucy Bevan is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Saskia Reeves as voice actress Barbara Luddy, Imogen Poots as a radio broadcast assistant, Al Weaver as an unappreciated set designer named Sam, and Zoe Kazan as an aspiring writer named Gretta that Richard meets early in the film and later befriends her. Other memorable yet fantastic supporting roles include Kelly Reilly as the lead actress Muriel Brasser, James Tupper as the very generous Joseph Cotten, Leo Bill as the mischievous Norman Lloyd, Eddie Marsan as the very anxious stage manager John Houseman, and Ben Chaplin in a terrific performance as the very dramatic stage actor George Coulouris.

Claire Danes is wonderful as production assistant Sonja Jones as a woman who is driven by her career as she hopes to work for David O. Selznick while intrigued by the ambition of Richard whom she seduces. Christian McKay is phenomenal as Orson Welles as a man who is full of bravado and ambition as well as an intensity where McKay is able to bring Welles back to life. Finally, there’s Zac Efron in a marvelous performance as Richard Samuel as a 17-year old high school student who is fascinated by the world of theater and art as he becomes part of that world while knowing what he must do when dealing with someone like Welles as Efron is able to stand on his own and bring depth to his character.

Me and Orson Welles is a remarkable film from Richard Linklater that features superb performances from Zac Efron and Christian McKay. The film is definitely a very intriguing look into the world of theater as well as Orson Welles’ time as a playwright. It’s also a coming-of-age film that works in the way explores a young man discovering that world as he also learns what it means to be an actor. In the end, Me and Orson Welles is a riveting film from Richard Linklater.

Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before sunset - Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Bernie (2011 film) - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Want Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Red Riding: 1974

Based on David Peace’s novel Red Riding Quartet, Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 tells the story of a young reporter trying to uncover the mystery of missing girls supposedly committed by the Yorkshire Ripper. Along the way, the reporter has an affair with a widow while learning about the corruption in the police force. Directed by Julian Jarrod with an adapted screenplay by Tony Grisoni, it is the first of a three-part trilogy chronicling the Yorkshire Ripper murders. Starring Andrew Garfield, Sean Bean, Anthony Flanagan, Sean Harris, Eddie Marsan, Rebecca Hall, and David Morrissey. Red Riding 1974 is a haunting yet mesmerizing thriller from Julian Jarrod.

Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield) is a young journalist for the Yorkshire Post as he’s been asked to do some work about a recent murder of a young girl by the Yorkshire Ripper. With help from his friend and fellow journalist Barry Gannon (Anthony Flanagan), Dunford asks about the murders as he wonders why the police aren’t cooperating. After turning to another journalist in Jack Whitehead (Eddie Marsan) for more resources, he asks one of the victims’ parents in Paula Garland (Rebecca Hall) about her daughter as she is upset when he mentions her late husband.

Realizing that her husband had already died of a suicide, he gets more help from Gannon in the research against the wishes of their editor (John Henshaw). Seeing Paula again at a pub, the two talk as he asks if she called the two policeman (Sean Harris and Tony Mooney) who assaulted him. She admitted that she did but didn’t realize he didn’t mean to hurt her as an affair ensues. Eddie then learns some horrifying news as he meets John Dawson (Sean Bean), a business magnate set in creating a shopping center in the town. After getting some evidence from a male prostitute (Robert Sheehan), Eddie sees a link between Dawson and the police thinking there is something going on.

After being suspended, Eddie believes that Whitehead is working with the police as he also learns that Paula has been sleeping with Dawson because he always gets his way. Eddie suddenly realizes he’s a target for the police as he turns to a local cop (Steven Robertson) for help by giving him evidence in case something goes wrong. What happens is a harsh discovery for Eddie about the Yorkshire police and the cover-ups that is happening.

The film is about a young journalist’s attempt to report the Yorkshire Ripper murders as he ends up seeing a corruption within the police as people are missing and he becomes a target. Tony Grisoni’s screenplay is an intriguing story about a man trying to uncover a mystery while risking his journalist integrity by having an affair with a widow whose child was missing two years earlier. What happens is that Eddie Dunford goes way into deep as it involves his own newspaper, the local police, and a local businessman all trying to have Eddie to keep his mouth shut. Instead, Eddie is a character that is motivated in not just doing the right thing but help a woman who lost her child.

Julian Jarrod’s direction is very entrancing in its stylish approach as it’s shot with 16mm cameras for a 1:85:1 widescreen aspect ratio to create a gritty look. Jarrod’s direction is filled with wonderful compositions and eerie scenes of cars driving at night to create a haunting feel for the film. Jarrod’s direction also has some surreal moments such as Eddie’s trip to a damp yet dreary place where homeless people live to the city of Yorkshire itself. Jarrod’s direction is truly a highlight of the film for creating a dark mood and enhance the world of the powerful and the poor.

Cinematographer Rob Hardy does a great job with the film‘s stylish photography from the gritty yet dream-like look. For many of the daytime scenes interior and exterior, there‘s a colorless yet grimy look to display the world that is Yorkshire. For scenes in the pub and Paula’s home at night along with some nighttime exterior shots, there is a very stylized yet lush look to the photography to complement the world that is the 1970s. Editor Andrew Hulme does an excellent job with the editing in maintaining a straightforward presentation with some rhythmic cuts and a tight, leisured pace throughout the film.

Production designer Cristina Casali, along with set decorator Duncan Wheeler and art director Julie Ann Horan, does a fantastic job with the look of 1970s Yorkshire from the look of the pubs to the cars that were used at the time. Costume designer Natalie Ward does a fine job with the costumes from the pants the mean wear to the dresses that the women wear that is representative of the times. Visual effects supervisor Adam Gascoyne does a good job with the minimal visual effects needed for the film such as the dreary homeless scene and other violent effects.

Sound editor/recordist Danny Hambrook does a superb job with the sound work from the dreary atmosphere of Yorkshire to the chaos at the party and pub scenes in the film. The film’s score by Adrian Johnston is wonderful for its plaintive yet chilling guitar-driven score to play up the brooding tone of the film. The soundtrack also features an array of music from 1970s soul music to the music of King Crimson as the music is a highlight of the film.

The casting by Nina Gold is wonderful as it features cameo appearances from Peter Mullan as a priest and David Morrissey as Maurice Jobson, the superintendent that is part of the corruption from within. Other notable performances includes Gerard Kearns as the man who shows Eddie where he found a body, Cara Seymour as a mother whose son shows Eddie the body’s location, Daniel Mays as a mentally-challenged suspect, Robert Sheehan as the male prostitute BJ, Steven Robertson as a friendly cop, Mary Jo Randle as Eddie’s mother, and Warren Clarke as the corrupt police chief. Sean Harris and Tony Mooney are excellent as a couple of corrupt cops who harass Eddie while Eddie Marsan is great as the sleazy journalist Jack Whitehead.

John Kenshaw is very good as the hard-nosed editor Bill Hadley while Anthony Flanagan is also good as Eddie‘s fellow journalist Barry Gannon. Rebecca Hall is radiant as the grief-stricken Paula, a widow whose child is supposedly missing or dead as she engages into an affair with Eddie while wondering what really happened. Sean Bean is superb as the charming but sleazy John Dawson, a businessman who is intent on making sure Eddie keeps his mouth shut for his own reasons as he’s one of the corrupt figures. Finally, there’s Andrew Garfield in the phenomenal role of Eddie Dunford. Garfield brings a chilling performance as a young man whose journalistic integrity is put to the test as he seeks out truth only to be confronted by dark secrets from within.

Red Riding: In The Year of Our Lord 1974 is an eerie yet intoxicating suspense thriller from Julian Jarrod featuring top-notch performances from Andrew Garfield, Rebecca Hall, and Sean Bean. Audiences that want a smart thriller that doesn’t play by the rules while keeping things mysterious while wanting more should see this. In the end, Red Riding: In The Year of Our Lord 1974 is a smart yet engrossing film from Julian Jarrod.

Red Riding Trilogy: Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980 - Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1983

© thevoid99 2011

Happy-Go-Lucky

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/7/09.

Following the success of 2004's Vera Drake, Mike Leigh achieved more acclaim as he earned a Golden Lion for the film as well as a Best Director nod from the Academy Awards. Leigh took a break from films to work on a play called Two Thousand Years in 2005 only to return in 2008 with a new film. The project was a departure of sorts from Leigh's own heavy-dramatic features for something more light-hearted and humorous. The new film told the story of an optimistic schoolteacher who brings happiness to the people she encounters in Happy-Go-Lucky.

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky tells the story of a primary schoolteacher who is single and lives with a flatmate/fellow teacher. When her bike is stolen, she takes driving lessons as she annoys an angry driving instructor while taking flamenco lessons with a troubled dance instructor. In turn, she decides to make people's lives better while being cheerfully optimistic for her own life. A film that is a change of pace of sorts from Leigh's own dramatic-driven work. The film also revels in Leigh's sense of humor. Starring Leigh regulars Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan, and Alexis Zegerman plus Sylvestra Le Touzel, Caroline Martin, and Samuel Roukin. Happy-Go-Lucky is a witty, delightful, and charming film from Mike Leigh and company.

Pauline "Poppy" Cross (Sally Hawkins) is a primary school teacher in London who likes to teach kids by day while doing all sorts of fun things afterwards. In the weekends, she goes clubbing with her flatmate Zoe (Alexis Zegerman) and other friends including Poppy's younger sister Suzy (Kate O'Flynn). After losing her bike one day during a trip to the book store, Poppy decides to get a driver's license for the very first time. Being her instructor is Scott (Eddie Marsan) who is annoyed by Poppy's upbeat personality as he is a very cynical  man who doesn't like to conform.

After hurting her back from a trampoline class, Poppy decides to take a chance in getting flamenco lessons with her co-worker Heather (Sylvestra Le Touzel) from school. The first lesson has Poppy amused but the teacher is dealing with other problems due to a boyfriend who left her for a younger woman. Poppy continues her driving lessons much to Scott's annoyance about everything as she also takes notices of one of her young students named Nick who is starting to become a bully. After talking to Heather about Nick, a social worker named Tim (Samuel Roukin) comes in to help where he later asks Poppy out for a date.

Poppy and Suzy decide to go see their pregnant sister Helen (Caroline Martin) with Zoe as Helen wonders about Poppy's cheerful personality and her take on reality. The event has Helen upset as she, Suzy, and Zoe return home where Poppy caught a glimpse of Scott around her neighborhood. After a date with Tim that went well, Poppy has another lesson with Scott that turns sour due to Scott's troubled behavior where Poppy has a realization about him and herself.

The film is about a woman who is upbeat and full of life just trying to make everyone else happy when they're feeling down. While someone like that might seem annoying, the film's auteur Mike Leigh doesn't make the character of Poppy into some caricature or presence that will annoy people. Instead, Poppy is a person that is just trying to make things a little bit better for people around her while having fun at the same time. Though there's moments where people question about her happiness including herself. Through it all, she remains upbeat and optimistic as Leigh's approach to storytelling is fascinating. Though Leigh is famous for not writing a script and just making things up as he goes along with his actors. There's a liveliness to the storytelling as he lets things move quite leisurely as it revolves around Poppy in the weeks in her life as she had just turned 30.

Leigh's direction is straightforward but also stylish in the way he opens the film during the opening credits with split shots and such. There's an exuberance to how he directs a scene when it's lively but also maintains an observant feel in the scenes involving Poppy and Scott. While there's a possibility that Scott might be pining for Poppy, Leigh lets the audience interpret their own opinions instead revealing things. At the same time, Leigh lets the actors play off of each other while making sure the story is there as every scene is important. Including a strange scene where Poppy encounters a homeless man whom she tries to cheer up which would serve as a plot point to her own attempts to cheer people up. Leigh's direction overall is fascinating and whimsical as he creates a solid, upbeat film that doesn't get boring.

Leigh's longtime cinematographer Dick Pope brings a colorful look to the film to match up with the cheerful personality of Poppy. Shot on location in London and parts of the English suburb, it's all shot in mostly sunny exteriors in London in parks, bridges, and the streets of London. The interiors are also colorful, notably Poppy's flat and her classroom which is lively as Pope's work is excellent for the most part. Editor Jim Clark does solid work with the editing from the opening split-shot screens in the opening credits to side-wipe edits in a scene of how Zoe and Poppy teach their class room. Clark's work in the editing moves the film quite leisurely while playing to the upbeat personality of the film's protagonist.

Production designer Mark Tildesley plus set decorator Michelle Day and art directors Patrick Rolfe and Denis Schnegg do nice work with the look of the flat that Poppy and Zoe made while doing some wonderful work in the bag masks that Poppy's students wear as her classroom is filled with vibrant colors and a cheerful personality. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran does an amazing job with the costumes, notably the clothes Poppy wears which are colorful from her hippie-like dresses, vibrant shirts, and big high-heeled boots that she wears that annoys Scott. Leigh's longtime sound recordist Tim Fraser with sound editor Nigel Stone do fine work with the sound from the atmosphere of a club scene to the sound of cars moving during the driving lesson scenes. Music composer Gary Yershon does excellent work with the film's score often driven by flutes and strings to play with the film's cheerful personality. Even as it maintains a subtle, melodic presentation in its arrangements.

The casting by Nina Gold is superb from its array of actors playing small roles from Andrea Riseborough, Sinead Matthews, and Sarah Niles as friends of Poppy, Karina Fernandez as the flamenco teacher, Stanley Townshend as the tramp Poppy encounters, and Jack MacGeachin as the boy Poppy tried to help over his bullying. Other notable small but memorable roles come from Oliver Maltman as Helen's husband, Caroline Martin as Poppy's sister Helen, and Sylvestra Le Touzel as Poppy's fellow teacher Heather who invites her to flamenco lessons. Kate O'Flynn is very good as Poppy's younger, annoyed sister while Samuel Roukin is really good as Tim, the social worker Poppy befriends. Alexis Zegerman is excellent as Zoe, Poppy's flatmate who accepts Poppy's personality though often tries to ground her a bit on reality while showing frustrations about kids wanting to play video games instead of going outside.

Eddie Marsan is great as Scott, Poppy's driving instructor who is filled with frustration over Poppy's personality as well as things in the world. Marsan's performance is a marvel to watch as a man just trying to deal with everything only to blow up where Marsan finally gets to show his vulnerability despite his cynical personality. Finally, there's Sally Hawkins in a break-out performance that would win her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy. Hawkins' cheerful, witty performance is full of life and humor while smiling throughout the film as she is someone who can make the audience smile while being a real person who knows what to do when someone is in trouble. Even if it's a small gesture of gratitude. Hawkins' performance is the heart of the film as she has great rapport with the cast, notably Marsan where she has her best scenes with him.

While it may not reach the dramatic heights of films like Naked, Secret & Lies, and Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky is still a marvelous, charming film from Mike Leigh and company thanks to Sally Hawkins' delightful performance. Fans of Leigh will be taken aback at first in the change of tone from his previous films but will relieved that his approach to storytelling hasn't changed very much. For audiences needing something upbeat but with a bit of realism will find this film enjoyable but also something to smile at. Happy-Go-Lucky is an overall cheerful, witty comedy from Mike Leigh that delivers in what it sets out to do for the audience and that is to be happy.

Mike Leigh Films: (Bleak Moments) - (Hard Labour) - (The Permissive Society) - (Knock for Knock) - (Nuts in May) - (Abigail's Party) - (Kiss of Death) - (Who's Who) - (Grown-Ups) - (Home Sweet Home) - (Meantime) - (Four Days in July) - (High Hopes) Life is Sweet - Naked - Secrets & Lies - Career Girls - Topsy-Turvy - All or Nothing - Vera Drake - Another Year - Mr. Turner

(C) thevoid99 2011

Vera Drake

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/29/09.

2002's All or Nothing about working class families drew excellent reviews with most critics and audiences but some felt that the film's writer/director Mike Leigh created a film that was too depressing. Despite the criticism towards the film, Leigh moved ahead to another project that would be set in the 1950s about a woman performing illegal abortions for working class women as she would find herself getting in trouble with the law. The film would ultimately be one of Leigh's finest films entitled Vera Drake.

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Vera Drake tells the story of a woman from a working class family who performs illegal abortions for women around her working class neighborhood. When something goes wrong, she is caught as she is questioned about doing the right thing. Playing the title role is Imelda Staunton, then a renowned and acclaimed supporting/character actress, in a rare leading role that would bring her much attention and acclaim. Also starring Phillip Davis, Ruth Sheen, Daniel Mays, Alex Kelly, Eddie Marsan, Sally Hawkins, and Jim Broadbent. Vera Drake is a harrowing yet powerful period-drama from Mike Leigh and company.

It's 1950 as Vera Drake works cleaning houses for the upper class while her husband Stan (Phillip Davis) works at an auto shop with his brother Frank (Adrian Scarborough). Vera and Stan's children also work as their son Sid (Daniel Mays) works for a tailor selling suits while Ethel (Alex Kelly) works at a factory. The family maintains a close bond as Vera also keeps track of the people she help out like George (Richard Graham) who is ill while inviting a young name Reg (Eddie Marsan) to dinner. The dinner turns out well as Reg and the shy Ethel start to date. What the family doesn't know is that the good-hearted Vera also helps young women in performing illegal abortions though she doesn't call them abortions.

Helping Vera out in giving assignments is her friend Lily (Ruth Sheen) as she takes payment from young women without telling Vera. Instead, she gives Vera things like sugar and such for a small fee. While Vera performs illegal abortions to working-class women, a young rich girl named Sarah (Sally Hawkins) was raped as she turns to a friend for help. Sarah talks to a psychiatrist (Allan Corunder) for help where she gets a private abortion that is performed. When Vera performs an abortion for a young woman (Liz White), the woman later becomes ill as her mother (Lesley Sharp) is forced to reveal secrets. The Drake family including Frank's wife Joyce (Heather Craney) decide to make a family celebration, an investigator (Peter Wight) appears to ask questions about Vera as she knows what it is about.

The film can be described as a drama about a woman who believes she does good thing and at heart, she is a good person. She helps out people and doesn't ask much in return. Whether it's her mother (Sandra Voe), a neighbor, or anyone. Even the rich people she works for seem gracious to her. Yet, she has a secret which is horrifying but she takes it in stride and maintains an upbeat persona. When she is caught, her world is shattered as well as the close bond of her family. Yet, the film is a character study of a woman who believes she is doing good things though what she is doing is wrong. At the same time, there's a little subplot about how rich women deal with abortions.

Mike Leigh's screenplay (or lack thereof) definitely reveals how abortions were performed and what working-class women had to do in order to get abortions performed along with insight of what rich women do. The script also goes into detail of the strong family bond and how they support each other where each character is given a chance for the audience to know about them. The film starts off in an upbeat tone throughout its first two acts but then comes this harrowing third act that shatters the upbeat tone of the film as it becomes devastating. Then comes this debate about the act of illegal abortions of whether what Vera did was right or wrong. Yet, the focus is more on her family and how they have to deal with it.

Leigh's direction is truly fascinating in terms of its dramatic staging, setting up a tone, and putting in a subplot without taking focus away from the film's subject and protagonist. Even in scenes where he creates simple shots for certain locations where there's a simplicity to his presentation. It's intimate, theatrical, yet engaging in what Leigh is doing with the camera and scenery. The dramatic tension of the film in the third act is presented with subtlety but also a heaviness that is expected but in a visceral way. The overall approach of Leigh's direction and how he presented each scene whether it's a moment of humor or a dramatic moment. He creates a film that is truly powerful while taking on a subject matter about abortion without taking on either sides.

Leigh's longtime cinematographer Dick Pope does brilliant work with the film's cinematography with low colors to help represent the dreary look of early 1950s England. With exteriors filled with light blue, gray, dark green colors depending on the tone of the scene and what's happening. Pope's work in the interior scenes is exquisite with a slew of colors for whatever scene that's happening. Whether its lighter colors for the posh scenes or the dark yet cheerful tone for the home of the Drake family. Pope's camera work is truly phenomenal in creating an atmosphere for the film and its period setting.

Editor Jim Clark does excellent work with the editing, notably in the rhythm of the dramatic tension and scenes involving objects. Clark's methodical pacing for the film works very well in terms of its structuring as well as setting a tone for what will happen in the third act. Production designer Eve Stewart with set decorator John Bush and art directors Andrew Grant and Ed Walsh do fantastic work with the design of the homes and places that Vera goes to from the posh homes that she works for to the home that she lives. Yet, the places in the film also play to the different class structure as Vera's sister-in-law lives in a middle class suburb with her husband as the art direction overall is brilliant. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran does exquisite work with the costume design in creating nice period clothing for all the actors and actresses involved including the green coat that Vera wears to the rich clothing that Sarah and her peers wear.

Sound editor Nigel Stone and recordist Tim Fraser do very good work with the sound, notably the atmosphere of 1950s London in its exteriors plus the harrowing sounds of the police station and courtroom scenes in the third act. Music composer Andrew Dickson creates a plaintive yet heavy score with orchestral arrangements that plays to the myriad of emotions that goes on in the film without being overdrawn or underplaying the scene. Dickson's score is excellent in its subtlety as it is one of the film's technical highlights.

The casting by Nina Gold is superb as it features cameos from some of Leigh's repertoire of regulars including Allan Corunder as a psychiatrist, Leslie Manville as Susan's mother, Lesley Sharp as the mother of a young woman who got ill from an abortion, and Jim Broadbent as a judge. In the roles of the women who get abortions from Vera are Sinead Matthews, Tilly Vosburgh, Vinette Robinson, and Liz White as the woman who gets sick. Other notable small roles include Nicholas Jones as a defense attorney, Paul Jesson as a magistrate, Martin Savage as a detective, Richard Graham as a sick neighbor of Vera, and Sandra Voe as Vera's mother. Peter Wight is excellent as a sympathetic investigator while Heather Craney is very good as Vera's sister-in-law who would become indifferent to her after what happened.

Alex Kelly is very good as Vera's shy daughter Ethel while Daniel Mays is great as Vera's son Sid as they both try to come to terms with what happened. Eddie Marsan is really good as Reg, a neighbor who becomes Ethel's new boyfriend as he manages to have a great moment through simple dialogue in a key scene in the third act. Sally Hawkins is also good as Sarah, a young rich woman who gets raped as she tries to get an abortion through her own world. Ruth Sheen is excellent as Lily, Vera's friend who makes money off of the illegal abortions while making rules of what to do while being a generous friend to Vera. Adrian Scarborough is really good as Frank, Stan's brother who has a loyalty to Vera as she helped him grow up through the years. Phillip Davis is superb as Stan, Vera's loving husband who is devoted to her. Even as he discovers her secret while having a say about what the family should do in the midst of all that has happened.

Finally, there's Imelda Staunton in what is truly a radiant performance for the veteran British actress in the title role. Staunton's cheerful, winning smile in the film's first two acts is filled with a joyful presence while making her likeable enough despite what she's doing illegally. At the same time, there's a sense of warmth that is comforting to watch until when she is caught. She loses all of that and she becomes this fragile being forced to lose things including herself. Yet, Staunton remains a powerful presence as she remains quiet and maintaining her dignity despite her attempts to overcome her emotions. It's truly a mesmerizing performance for the British actress.

Released in the fall of 2004, the film was a major hit at the Venice Film Festival winning two prestigious prizes including a Best Actress Volpi Cup prize to Staunton and the Golden Lion to Mike Leigh. The film would garner several accolades including 3 Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Original Screenplay for Leigh and Best Actress for Staunton. The film would win 3 British Academy Awards which included Best Actress for Staunton, Best Director to Leigh, and Best Costume design along with nominations for Best Picture, Supporting Actor & Actress, & Best British Film.

Vera Drake is a powerful, harrowing, yet entrancing film from Mike Leigh and company which includes a powerful performance from Imelda Staunton. The film is no doubt one of Leigh's best among such classics as Naked and Secret & Lies as Leigh fans will certainly enjoy it. Audiences who are into great acting, dramatic staging, and strong subject matters will no doubt enjoy this though it's not a film for everyone. In the end, Vera Drake is one of the best British films to come out of this decade as well as one of Mike Leigh's most enduring films of his acclaimed career.

Mike Leigh Films: (Bleak Moments) - (Hard Labour) - (The Permissive Society) - (Knock for Knock) - (Nuts in May) - (Abigail's Party) - (Kiss of Death) - (Who's Who) - (Grown-Ups) - (Home Sweet Home) - (Meantime) - (Four Days in July) - (High Hopes) - Life is Sweet - Naked - Secrets & Lies - Career Girls - Topsy-Turvy - All or Nothing - Happy-Go-Lucky - Another Year - Mr. Turner

(C) thevoid99 2011