Set in 1988 in Texas, the film revolves around a hitman dealing with terminal lung cancer as he survives a failed hit where he finds a young prostitute as they go into hiding with the prostitute’s young sister as they figure out what to do next. It’s a film that plays into a man who is dealing with not just impending death but also the fact that someone tried to kill him while befriending this young prostitute. The film’s screenplay by Nic Pizzolatto, with additional work from Melanie Laurent, is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is more of a study of this man who is dealing with death and is trying to protect this young woman he found during this attempt on his life from his boss who had kidnapped the young woman into prostitution. They hide out in Galveston while they make a stop at small town in Texas where the prostitute Rocky (Elle Fanning) retrieves her 3 1/2-year old sister Tiffany (Anniston and Tinsley Price) where the hitman Roy Cady (Ben Foster) would later learn whom Rocky had shot. Roy wouldn’t just deal from the fact that he’s somewhat involved in a shooting but he also has his own troubles not just with his lung cancer diagnosis but also his boss back in New Orleans who wants him dead.
Laurent’s direction does bear some style in the compositions yet much of her approach is straightforward in terms of the suspense and drama. Shot largely on location in areas near and around Savannah, Georgia with some shots at Galveston, Texas, Laurent plays into this world of rural Texas with some of its beaches and suburbia landscapes while also grounding it with locations that aren’t pretty. There are wide shots in some of the locations that include shots of clouds to play into this emergence of an upcoming thunderstorm as it adds to the dreary tone of the film. Still, Laurent does find way to bring some hope for scenes at the beach with Rocky and Tiffany as well as a scene in the third act of Rocky and Roy having a bit of fun.
Laurent would use close-ups and medium shots for those moments as well as some shots that play into the drama including some suspenseful moments that includes a climax where Laurent uses a tracking shot that goes on for a few minutes. Laurent also play into this air of intrigue as well as it play into Rocky and her relationship with Tiffany as Roy would have some discoveries but also deal with his own criminal ties as he’s become burned out to the point that he would threaten his own boss as a showdown would occur but with an aftermath that takes place 20 years later. Overall, Laurent crafts an evocative yet chilling film about a dying hitman trying to help a young prostitute and her young sister.
Cinematographer Arnaud Potier does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night as well as natural lighting for many of the scenes in the daytime. Editor Joseph Krings does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts for dramatic effect. Production designer Lisa Myers and set decorator Teresa Strebler do fantastic work with the look of the motel that Roy, Rocky, and Tiffany live in as well as a factory that Roy works at. Costume designer Lynette Meyer does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual that include some of the fashionable yet skimpy dresses that Rocky wears.
Special makeup effects artist Jamie Kelman does amazing work with the look of Roy late in the film as he deals with his health and the beatings he’s taken from other criminals. Visual effects supervisor Lucien Harriot does terrific work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it is mainly set dressing. Sound designer Roland Vajs does superb work with the film’s sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as in some of the intense moments involving the film’s violence. The film’s music by Marc Chouarain and Eugene Jacobson is wonderful for its low-key orchestral score with soothing strings, electronic textures, and hollow percussions while music supervisor Marissa Gallien provides a soundtrack that largely consists of country and blues with bits of heavy metal and a song from Big Star in Thirteen.
The casting by Kerry Barden, Tracy Kilpatrick, and Paul Schnee is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from CK McFarland as a motel owner who is suspicious towards Roy and Rocky, Robert Aramayo as a low-level criminal who lives at the Galveston motel who tries to get Roy involved in a scheme, Adepero Oduye as a former flame of Roy in Loraine whom Roy hadn’t seen in more than a decade, Maria Valverde as a hooker friend of Roy in Carmen who is one of the few that Roy can trust, and Beau Bridges in a terrific small role as Roy’s boss Stan Pitco who tries to set Roy up. The performances of Anniston and Tinsley Price as the young Tiffany are a joy to watch with Lili Reinhart in a fantastic small appearance as the older Tiffany who appears towards the end of the film.
Finally, there’s the duo of Ben Foster and Elle Fanning in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Roy Cady and Rocky. Fanning provides that air of naiveté as a young prostitute with little direction in her life as she is trying to do what she can for Tiffany while also trying to steer away from the world of prostitution despite her need for money. Foster’s performance is reserved in the anguish he carries as a man that is dying from terminal lung cancer while also dealing with the fact that someone tried to have him killed as he deals with impending death but also what to do with the remaining days of his life. Foster and Fanning together are a joy to watch as they display that air of uncertainty but also the fact that they’re two lonely people dealing with the cards they’ve been given.
Galveston is a remarkable film from Melanie Laurent that features great performances from Ben Foster and Elle Fanning. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a compelling yet intense screenplay from Laurent and Nic Pizzolatto, and a somber music score. The film is a fascinating look into two people who both encountered dark situations as they deal with uncertainty as well as to try find hope in a hopeless world. In the end, Galveston is a marvelous film from Melanie Laurent.
Melanie Laurent Films: (The Adopted) – Respire - (Tomorrow (2015 film)) – (Plonger) – (The Nightingale (2022 film)) – (The Mad Woman’s Ball)
© thevoid99 2021
Written and directed by Dee Rees, Pariah is the story of a 17-year old African-American who begins to embrace herself as a lesbian while falling in love for the very first time. The film is an exploration of coming out as well as the world of homosexuality from an African-American point of view. Starring Adepero Oduye, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell, and Kim Wayans. Pariah is a compelling and insightful drama from Dee Rees.
Alike (Adepero Oduye) is a 17-year old high school who lives in Brooklyn as she likes to hang out with her openly-gay friend Laura (Pernell Walker) where she finds herself attracted to women at a gay nightclub. Alike’s mother Audrey (Kim Wayans) is concerned about the way Alike dresses as she doesn’t really like Laura who she believes is a bad influence tough Alike’s policeman father Arthur (Charles Parnell) thinks it’s just a phase. Wanting Alike to hang out with different people, Alike is introduced to Bina (Aasha Davis) who is the daughter of Audrey’s co-worker at the hospital. Though the two are reluctant about their mothers setting them up, the two eventually become friends where Alike finds herself attracted to Bina.
While it causes a rift of sorts between Alike and Laura where the latter is trying to finish her GED, Alike is introduced to a new world of alternative rock to Bina as she ponders whether this is love or not. Alike’s life at home becomes tense when she notices that her parents are starting to fight more as Alike wonders if she needs to come out. During a night out with Bina, things seem fine for Alike as Laura notices the two as she’s glad Alike has found someone. Yet, the morning after provided lots of problems as Alike notices the growing problem between her parents where she would make a life-changing decision for herself.
The film is an exploration into the world of a 17-year old African-American high school student who is starting to realize that she is a lesbian as she wonders how to attract other women while keeping it a secret from her parents. When she starts to fall in love, it raises some issues as her mother becomes suspicious about what her daughter could be though her father thinks she’s going through something that teenagers are doing. Though her parents mean well, they’re just confused by what is going on with their daughter while they also have a 15-year old named Sharonda (Sahra Mellesse) who already knows what her sister is.
Dee Rees’ screenplay doesn’t carry a lot of plot though there is a sub story of Laura trying to raise money for herself and her girlfriend while wanting some acceptance from her own mother whom she hadn’t seen for some time. Rees does manage to maintain her focus on this young woman trying to find her identity as a woman and as a lesbian where she would write recollections in her book of poetry. It’s part of the schematics that Rees wants to set up as she takes her time to explore a young woman coming out and blossoming where she would experience a lot of things with first love.
Rees’ direction is quite straightforward though she does manage to create some very interesting compositions. Particularly as she aimed for a cinema verite style to keep things realistic as she also chooses to shoot the film in Brooklyn. The hand-held camera approach allows Rees to capture the vibrancy of the world of gay clubs and other places that is very unique to show something that is much more diverse than what is expected from typical African-American places. Even in the home life where it reveals that Alike’s family are this well-minded middle-class family who want to live a good life but they don’t have everything set in place. Notably in the film’s third act where the drama intensifies as it reaches towards some very telling moments. Overall, Dee Rees creates a very powerful and tender drama about a young girl’s exploration into her sexuality.
Cinematographer Bradford Young does amazing work with the film‘s very vibrant and colorful cinematographer from the straightforward look of many of the film‘s daytime and interior exteriors to the more lush colors of the nighttime scenes with its array of lights. Editor Mako Kamitsuna does excellent work with the editing to create some stylish jump-cuts for some of the film‘s emotional moments along with other stylish cuts to play out the sense of excitement and drama. Production designer Inbal Weinberg and art director Sara K. White do terrific work with set pieces from the look of Alike‘s room as well as the room of Bina.
Costume designer Eniola Dawodu does wonderful work with the costumes from the boyish clothes that Alike wears to the more girlish clothes of Bina. Sound designers Ian Stynes and Matt A. Schoenfeld, along with co-sound editor Britt Myers, do superb work with the sound from the atmosphere of the clubs that Alike and Laura attends to as well as the intimacy in Alike‘s home. The film’s soundtrack consists a wide variety of music ranging from hip-hop, folk, and indie rock to showcase the world that Alike encounters.
The casting by Eyde Belasco is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some wonderful performances from Sahra Mellesse as Alike’s younger sister Sharonda as well as Pernell Walker as Alike’s best friend Laura. Charles Parnell is terrific as Alike’s father Arthur who tries to deal with his job while being a bit clueless about his own daughter as he’s trying to figure out what’s going on. Aasha Davis is excellent as Bina who befriends Alike as she introduces to a world different from commercial hip-hop as is intrigued by Alike’s persona. Kim Wayans is great as Alike’s mother Audrey who tries to come to term with Alike’s look as she is a woman with conservative views who has a hard time understanding who her daughter is. Finally, there’s Adepero Oduye in an incredible performance as Alike as she displays a unique restraint to her role as a shy, naïve person who is trying to figure out her identity while encountering a world that is very different as Oduye makes Alike a very captivating character.
Pariah is a marvelous film from Dee Rees that features superb performances from Adepero Oduye and Kim Wayans. The film is definitely an engaging film that explores the world of homosexuality from an African-American teenager’s point of view as well as showcasing something that is very different from most films concerning African-American life. The film is also a coming-of-age story that is very fascinating in the way it deals with something that manages to be very accessible as a young woman dealing with her sexuality. In the end, Pariah is an extraordinary film from Dee Rees.
Dee Rees Films: (Eventual Salvation) - Bessie - (Mudbound)
© thevoid99 2012
