The Insider

 

Based on the article from Vanity Fair entitled The Man Who Knew Too Much by Marie Brenner, The Insider is the story relating to a segment from 60 Minutes about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry where CBS producers deal with the chaos relating to what could be exposed. Directed by Michael Mann and screenplay by Mann and Eric Roth, the film is a drama that plays into a news story and the fallout that would endure in this news story that the tobacco industry does not want people to know. Starring Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Bruce McGill, Diane Venora, Michael Gambon, Lindsay Crouse, Debi Mazar, and Christopher Plummer as Mike Wallace. The Insider is a mesmerizing and haunting film by Michael Mann.

Set in the mid-1990s, the film revolves around a former tobacco company executive who is fired as he sends documents to a producer for the CBS show 60 Minutes which leads to bigger things about what this man knows despite the confidentiality agreement, he had signed to not speak out against this corporation he worked for. It is a film that explores a man who knows something about what the tobacco industry is doing as he is aware of what he is risking but also feels like the public needs to know as this producer believes this is a story that the world needs to hear. The film’s screenplay by Michael Mann and Eric Roth is straightforward in its narrative while it is really a study of two men trying to get the truth out to the public amidst the many obstacles, they would endure including death threats, smear campaigns, legal maneuvering, and corporate pressure. Even as both men are pushed to extremes and their backs against the wall as the idea of truth and integrity becomes less valued in favor of greed.

The first act opens with producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) in a Middle East country trying to convince the head of Hezbollah in Sheikh Falladah (Cliff Curtis) for an interview with Mike Wallace which he succeeds as it establishes the kind of reasoning and level of comfort Bergman has on those who want to talk to the press. Upon getting a box of documents at his home, Bergman learns who sent the box in former Brown & Williamson executive Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) as they meet in a hotel where Dr. Wigand only tells him some details about the documents and nothing else due to a confidentiality agreement he signed following his termination. Bergman realizes that Dr. Wigand knows more following threats from the people at Brown & Williamson forcing Dr. Wigand to reveal what he knows in an interview with Mike Wallace that doesn’t get aired as his family is forced to move from an upper-class home to something more modest as it would take a toll on his marriage to his wife Liane (Diane Venora) who doesn’t know what has been going on until the threats come in.

The second act plays into Bergman and Dr. Wigand dealing with Brown & Williamson’s attempt to block everything the latter is to say as they get help from Richard Scruggs (Colm Feore) who has been battling the tobacco industry as he would represent Dr. Wigand with his own team in the state of Mississippi. It would also be this moment where Dr. Wigand must settle for a new line of work in being a high school chemistry teacher while also teaching Japanese though he does feel like he would have influence through his testimony. However, the film’s third act plays into the world of corporate politics where CBS find themselves being bought as there are those who want to suppress the story leaving Bergman and Dr. Wigand in a bigger mess than they’re both in where the former does what he can to go public about what is happening as it would mark a major change in the way news is presented to the public.

Mann’s direction is intoxicating in its overall presentation where it is shot on various locations including New York City, Los Angeles, Lebanon, the Bahamas, Big Bear Valley in California, and Pascagoula, Mississippi to play into a moment in time when news brought a sense of awareness to the world. Mann’s direction is stylish as he shoots much of the film with hand-held cameras to get a sense of urgency into what is happening inside the offices, a news studio, and inside a house. While there are some wide shots in some of the locations including some gorgeous compositions where Mann places a character on a location whether it is on a beach or at a golf park. Much of Mann’s direction emphasizes medium shots and close-ups to create an intimacy as well as a sense of dramatic suspense for the characters in the situations they are in. Even in scenes during meetings where Mann would carefully create compositions where the actor is at the forefront and who is in the background.

Mann’s direction also has this element of realism such as the deposition scene as it takes place in the actual building where Dr. Wigand’s real deposition took place in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Mann does create this sense of tension where the Brown & Williamson legal team keep interrupting one of Dr. Wigand’s lawyers who mouths off at one of them over the gag order towards Dr. Wigand in his native Kentucky. The film’s third act takes a major tonal shift though the air of dramatic suspense is still in tact as it play into corporate politics and how they can suppress a story. Even to the point that a few of Bergman’s allies, including Wallace reluctantly give in except for Bergman as he believes that he must do what he can to get Dr. Wigand’s story out as he feels it is a threat to the free press. The film’s ending is about what needs to be done but it comes at a price where everyone loses something but something much bigger is lost as it relates to what the news is. Notably as it marked a major change where the truth becomes compromised by the ideals and interests of others who want to have things their way. Overall, Mann crafts an evocative and exhilarating film about a news producer trying to get a former tobacco corporate executive to tell the truth to the American public.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key colors and lighting for some of the exterior scenes in the day and night including scenes in the rain as well as some stylish lighting for some of the interior scenes at CBS and at the different homes that Dr. Wigand would live in. Editors William Goldenberg, Paul Rubell, and David Rosenbloom do amazing work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts while also allowing shots to linger for a bit to play into the drama through some straightforward cutting as it is a highlight of the film. Production designer Brian Morris and art director Margie Stone McShirley do brilliant work with the look of the different homes that Dr. Wigand and his family live in as well as the interiors of the offices and studios for CBS in New York City and the other places that Bergman and his CBS crew go to. Costume designer Anna B. Sheppard does excellent work with the costumes as it is casual with the suits that Dr. Wigand wears as well as some of the clothing that Bergman wears.

Hair designer Vera Mitchell and makeup effects supervisor Keith VanderLaan do fantastic work with the look of Dr. Wigand in the grey hair that he has as well as the hairstyle of Mrs. Wigand. Visual effects supervisor Chris Watts does terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects in the usage of video as well as some set dressing for some scenes. Sound editors Gregg Baxter and Gregory King do superb work with the sound in the way cars sound up close and from afar in a suburb or in a city as well as the sparse textures in some of the sound mixes. The film’s music by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke is incredible for its world music-based score filled with vocals and dissonant instruments that play into the atmosphere of some of the drama as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s soundtrack features some additional score pieces by Graeme Ravell as well as pieces by Gustavo Santaolalla, Jan Garbarek, Massive Attack, Einstürzende Neubauten, Curt Sobel, Avro Part, the Casbah Orchestra, and David Darling.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Evan Podell as Bergman’s son, Breckin Meyer as Bergman’s stepson, Wings Hauser as a Brown & Williamson attorney at the deposition, Willie C. Carpenter as a newspaper editor friend of Bergman, Paul Perri and Wanda De Jesus as a couple of FBI agents posing as geologists meeting Bergman for a source of the whereabouts of an infamous American terrorist, Rip Torn as a CBS executive leader in John Scanlan, Roger Bart as a hotel manager who tries to relay a message to Dr. Wigand in a scene in the third act, real-life attorneys Jack Palladino and Mike Moore as themselves who help out Dr. Wigand, Gary Sandy as an attorney for Brown & Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur, Cliff Curtis as Hezbollah leader Sheikh Falladah, Renee Olstead as Dr. Wigand’s eldest daughter Deborah who suffers from acute asthma, Hailee Kate Eisenberg as Dr. Wigand’s youngest daughter Barbara, Stephen Tobolowsky as CBS News president Eric Kluster, Gina Gershon as CBS attorney Helen Caperelli, Bruce McGill as the attorney Ron Motley who is anti-tobacco crusader, Lynn Thigpen as a high school principal who hires Dr. Wigand, Pete Hamill as a reporter for the New York Times, Nestor Serrano as an FBI agent who tries to help Bergman over a few things, Linda Hart as an ex-wife of Dr. Wigand used for a smear campaign, and Michael Gambon in a superb small performance as the Brown & Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur who makes some serious threats towards Dr. Wigand.

Lindsay Crouse is fantastic in a small role as Bergman’s wife Sharon Tiller who is also a journalist that understands the chaos that Bergman is going through while is also someone who ensures that he does not lose himself. Debi Mazar is excellent as Debbie De Luca as a CBS News employee who helps Bergman in gathering sources and such while also having connections of her own regarding legal matters. Colm Feore is brilliant as Richard Scruggs as an attorney battling tobacco as he learns about Dr. Wigand’s situation as he realizes he help Dr. Wigand over his issues while also having him take part in this big battle against tobacco. Philip Baker Hall is amazing as 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt who is aware of the importance of Dr. Wigand’s story while also finding himself dealing with corporate pressure as it relates to those wanting to buy CBS. Diane Venora is incredible as Liane Wigand as Dr. Wigand’s wife whose life changes because of the death threats and change of lifestyle while being shielded into what her husband is going through to the point that she becomes unsure if him being a whistleblower is a good idea.

Christopher Plummer is great as Mike Wallace as the famed journalist/reporter for 60 Minutes who would interview Dr. Wigand as he is aware of how the story is while later dealing with pressures from corporate in suppressing the story where he becomes unsure to give in or have the interview aired. Russell Crowe is phenomenal as Dr. Jeffrey Wigand as a former Brown & Williamson science executive who gets fired while he knows things that he feels could be harmful to the public about cigarettes where Crowe brings this sense of restraint and weariness of a man being pushed to the edge. Even where he sacrifices a lot where Crowe brings in one of his career-defining performances of a man just trying to do the right thing. Finally, there’s Al Pacino in a tremendous performance as Lowell Bergman as a producer for 60 Minutes who learns about this story and wants it out for the world to hear while also trying to help Dr. Wigand and his family over their death threats. It is a somber performance from Pacino, who does bring in some charm and wit while is also someone who believes in something only to see what is happening to the news media as it head towards the 21st Century with a weariness that is a lot to bear.

The Insider is an outstanding film by Michael Mann that features two top-notch leading performances from Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. Along with its great supporting cast, intoxicating visuals, stylish editing, study of truth and what those are willing to suppress it, and a mesmerizing score by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke. It is a film that explores two men trying to get something big known to the public while dealing with forces that does not want the people to know the truth about the dangers of tobacco. In the end, The Insider is a magnificent film by Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile - Thief - The Keep - Manhunter - L.A. Takedown - The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film) - Heat - Ali - Collateral - Miami Vice - Public Enemies - Blackhat - Ferrari – (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 – Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2024

Heat (1995 film)

 

Written and directed by Michael Mann, Heat is the story of a conflict between a LAPD police detective and a career thief as they both deal with their own personal and professional issues with a heist set to take place. Based on a 1989 TV movie directed by Mann called L.A. Takedown, the film is an exploration of two men from different sides of the law as they’re about to embark on a major battle but are also being aware that they’re both approaching the end. Starring Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Natalie Portman, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, Danny Trejo, Tom Noonan, Henry Rollins, and Jon Voight. Heat is a riveting yet exhilarating film from Michael Mann.

The film is about a cat-and-mouse chase between a LAPD police detective and a career thief with a loyal heist crew who take part in a major heist following another theft that involved bonds belonging to a money-laundering insurance owner. It is a film that explore two men who only know what to do as they’re set to collide but there is a mutual respect in the fact that they’re men who both have a code and know what to do if they meet face-to-face. Michael Mann’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is more about the men involved in this cat-and-mouse game where the LAPD detective in Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and the criminal Neil McCauley (Robert de Niro) are trying to outwit one another but they’re also dealing with issues outside of their line of work with Hanna’s third marriage to Justine (Diane Venora) is crumbling as her daughter Lauren (Natalie Portman) is becoming emotionally-unstable. McCauley is just trying to do more work as it is all he knows while he meets and falls for a graphic designer in Eady (Amy Brenneman).

The film isn’t just about Hannah and McCauley dealing with each other and their own lives but the film also showcase that McCauley’s right-hand man in Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) is going through issues with his wife Charlene (Ashley Judd) who is having an affair with a businessman in Alan Marciano (Hank Azaria). The script also play into the fact that McCauley, Shiherlis, Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore), and Trejo (Danny Trejo) are a crew who pride themselves in being professional and not kill anyone unless they have to as they bring in a wildcard in Waingro (Kevin Gage) who ends up becoming problematic as McCauley tries to kill him only for him to escape as he would end up being a problem for everyone including Hanna as it relates to the murders and raping of young women. Waingro would also play a role in the film’s second act as it relates to the bonds that McCauley and his crew stole as it belonged to the rich insurance salesman Roger Van Zant (William Fichtner). Mann doesn’t really create any heroes and villains but rather people are complicated with Van Zant and Waingro being the real villains in the film as they’re immoral and don’t care for anyone but themselves.

Mann’s direction definitely has an air of style in the presentation as it is shot on location in and around Los Angeles as the city itself is a character in the film. Mann uses these locations to not just play into the world that McCauley wants despite its lack of fulfillment but also a world that is simple as McCauley’s crew are diverse as it would later include a former prison-mate of his in Don Breedan (Dennis Haysbert) as they also have a simple life. There are wide and medium shots to play into the scope of the locations as well as banks, hotel rooms, and other places as there is a lot of attention to detail in these rooms and places that Mann is filming as it adds to the large scope of the film. Notably in a scene where Hanna and his team are at a docking area where McCauley and his team are having a conversation as Hanna and his team go to that location where Hanna realizes what is going on. It adds to this air of intrigue and suspense that occurs throughout the film that includes this meeting between McCauley and Hanna at a diner.

It’s a scene in the middle of the film in this meeting of the two men where it serves as a meeting of the minds before these two men go to war as it is clear through its close-ups and simple reverse shots as these are just two complicated men who could be friends in another world and have a lot of similarities but are on opposite sides of the law. The heist sequence that comes in late in the second act is an intense moment where there is a lot of quick shots that play into the frenetic energy as there is a lot at stake including lives where McCauley and his crew don’t want to kill anyone but they’re pinned down. The third act isn’t just about who ratted McCauley out but also Hanna wanting to find out who snitched to them as well yet both men and Shiherlis would deal their own personal issues. There is also a lot of drama that Mann explore where it is clear that McCauley and Hanna are men of certain extremes but at least are honest to admit with the latter having to realize what he means to his family despite not being there as much. The climatic showdown of the two is one that is filled with an immense visual style in its scope but it also owes a lot to the western. Overall, Mann crafts a ravishing yet gripping film about a LAPD detective and a career-criminal going head-to-head in an upcoming heist.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights and bluish colors for some of scenes in the day and night as well as using available light in some scenes to enhance some of the drama. Editors Don Hoenig, Pasquale Buba, William Goldenberg, and Tom Rolf do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, fast-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the suspense and drama including the heist sequence. Production designer Neil Spisak, with set decorator Anne H. Ahrens and art director Margie Stone McShirley, does excellent work with the look of the homes that some of the characters live in as well as the offices that Hanna and his team work at and some of the diners that the characters go to. Costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the stylish and posh clothing that both Charlene and Justine wear to the more casual and looser look of Eady with a lot of the suits that the men wear.

Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. and hair stylist Vera Mitchell, with tattoo designer Ken Diaz, do terrific work with the look of a few characters from the long-haired look of Shiherlis as well as the tattoos of Trejo. Visual effects supervisor Neil Krepela does nice work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects such as a scene of McCauley and Eady looking at the L.A. skyline at night. Sound editors Per Hallberg and Larry Kemp, along with sound designer Peter Michael Sullivan, do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as how guns sound when they fire as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for its somber yet moody score that mixes orchestral bits with some ambient electronic pieces while music supervisor Budd Carr creates a hypnotic soundtrack that features pieces by Moby, Einsturzende Neubauten, Terje Rypal & the Chasers, the Kronos Quartet, the Passengers (U2 & Brian Eno), B.B. King, and Lisa Gerrard.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Bud Cort as a diner owner that Breedan works for, Farrah Forke as a news reporter, Hazelle Goodman as a dead prostitute’s mother, Paul Herman as a police sergeant, Jeremy Piven as a surgeon, the trio of Rick Avery, Bill McIntosh, and Thomas Rosales Jr. as armored truck guards, Patricia Healy as Bosko’s date, Cindy Katz as a forensics investigator, Xander Berkeley as a friend of Justine named Ralph, Tom Noonan as a former criminal/guide in Kelso, Tone Loc and Ricky Harris as a couple of informant brothers who talk to Hanna about the word on the street, Jerry Trimble as one of Hanna’s detectives in Danny Schwartz, Henry Rollins as Van Zant’s assistant, Kim Statton as Breedan’s wife, Susan Traylor as Cherrito’s wife, Yvonne Zima as a young girl Cherrito reluctantly takes hostage, and Hank Azaria as Charlene’s lover Alan Marciano who is also involved in his own criminal activities until Hanna uses him as bait.

The performances of Ted Levine, Wes Studi, and Mykelti T. Williamson in their respective roles as Detective Mike Bosko, Lieutenant Sammy Casals, and Sergeant Bobby Drucker are terrific as members of Hanna’s team who all provide some insight into their mission with Sgt. Drucker being the one who deals with Charlene while not taking shit from Marciano. Natalie Portman is wonderful in her small role as Justine’s troubled teenage daughter Lauren who is dealing with an absentee father and other mental issues that raises concern from Hanna. Dennis Haysbert is superb as Don Breedan as a former prison mate of McCauley who is not happy with his parole assignment until he meets McCauley and agrees to help him while Danny Trejo is fantastic as McCauley’s friend Trejo who often serves as the driver in the heists until he is tailed by the police. Kevin Gage and William Fichtner are excellent in their respective villainous roles as Waingro and Roger Van Zant with the former being this deviant wildcard who has no remorse in who he kills while the latter is just a greedy insurance salesman who only cares about money and control.

The trio of Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, and Diane Venora are brilliant in their respective roles as Eady, Charlene Shiherlis, and Justine Hanna as the women in the lives of these three men with Brenneman providing a sense of warmth and hope to McCauley while Judd serves as a frustrated wife who is upset over her husband’s gambling issues and Venora as Hanna’s wife who is often upset by his frequent absences and her troubled daughter. Tom Sizemore and Jon Voight are amazing in their respective roles as the thief Michael Cherrito and the fence Nate with the former being someone who is eager for one more score while the latter helps McCauley in finding new jobs but is aware that something about Van Zant isn’t right. Val Kilmer is incredible as Chris Shiherlis as McCauley’s right-hand man who is a great marksman but also has gambling issues and feels like he’s not good enough for his wife and kid where he deals with the dangers of his work and being caught.

Finally, there’s Al Pacino and Robert de Niro in tremendous performances in their respective roles as Lieutenant Vincent Hanna and Neil McCauley. Pacino’s performance is a bit reserved while he also has some wild moments in a scene where he confronts Marciano as there are also moments where he is sensitive and does what he can to be helpful. The performance from de Niro is also low-key as someone who is meticulous in what he wants to do as he is also a man with a code while is eager to have a life outside of crime. Pacino and de Niro’s few scenes together are a joy to watch where it is two men displaying a mastery in their craft as these two extremes who have a lot of similarity but also know they have a code to live by.

Heat is a magnificent film from Michael Mann. Featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, gripping action sequences, fascinating studies of characters and ideals, and an intoxicating music score. The film is definitely a crime drama that diverts the idea of heroes and villains in favor of studying morals as well as what two men would to maintain their own ideals. In the end, Heat is an outstanding film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile – Thief (1981 film) - The Keep – Manhunter - L.A. Takedown – The Last of the Mohicans - The Insider – Ali - Collateral - Miami Vice - Public Enemies - Blackhat - Blackhat - Ferrari – (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2021

All Good Things

Directed by Andrew Jarecki and written by Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling, All Good Things is about a young real estate heir who marries a working-class girl as his life spirals out of control due to his mood swings and his wife’s yearning to be independent. When she mysteriously disappears, dark secrets are uncovered as he tries to deal with his own demons. The film is based on the life of Robert Durst, the son of a real estate mogul, as the film explores a man’s troubled life. Starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Wiig, Philip Baker Hall, Diane Venora, and Frank Langella. All Good Things is an engrossing although flawed drama from Andrew Jarecki.

It’s the early 1970s as real estate heir David Marks (Ryan Gosling) goes to an apartment to fix the plumbing of a building that is owned by his father Sanford (Frank Langella). There, he meets a young woman named Katie (Kirsten Dunst) as the two go out as she becomes the thing he needed to escape the rich lifestyle that he’s set out for as they live in Vermont. While Sanford doesn’t entirely approve of the relationship, he convinces David to return to New York City believing that Katie will be happy. David reluctantly returns to New York City to work for his father while Katie is hoping to become a medical student as she has trouble dealing with David’s mood. While Katie yearns for a simpler life and wanting a family, David becomes more troubled as he learns that Katie is pregnant.

Yet, Katie’s hopes for a family life is shattered as she spends her time with friend Lauren (Kristen Wiig) as she and David become distant. With David spending more time working and Katie living at the Westchester country home to get herself into medical school. David suddenly becomes more controlling and violent as Katie ponders about what to do as their marriage starts to crumble. When Katie suddenly disappears in 1982, David confronts his father about his mother’s suicide prompting him to disappear. When a district attorney named Janet Rizzo (Diane Venora) wants to re-open the case over Katie’s disappearance in 2000. The Marks family is in trouble as David has disappeared in Galveston as he befriends an elderly man named Malvern (Philip Baker Hall) as David later finds himself in trouble again.

The film is the story of a young man who falls for a girl as she enters into a world of a posh lifestyle though she craves for something much simpler. When he is forced to give in to the world that he’s set for, he starts to unravel by his own past about his mother’s death and his family life as his wife has no idea who he is. Suddenly, she’s gone as questions are asked with no one knows what really happened until a district attorney re-opens the case while the young man has lived in secrecy in Texas trying to disappear. Yet, it’s all told from a man’s perspective as he is on trial for what he might’ve done as he is forced to look back.

While a story like this is likely to have some clichés and there are some which involves what is expected. Yet, the screenwriters are more concerned about what has happened to this young man that had him taking on the life he wanted to run away from and eventually starts to lose it as he becomes more controlling towards his wife. The film starts off as this light-hearted drama and then gets darker as the film progresses into a this restrained yet unsettling thriller where David Marks becomes more disturbed and such though there’s touches of that early in the film. The study of this man and his relationship with his wife and father are interesting though there’s moments where the script tends to fall into clichés at times. Plus, one of the script’s major faults is the time setting where it becomes confusing for the audience to figure out when is this happening.

The direction of Andrew Jarecki is really good for the way he engages the audience into seeing this young man unravel by the pressure he’s going through while trying to be a great husband to his wife. While he couldn’t overcome some of the shortcomings of the script, Jarecki’s does allow the story to build up where it starts off as this study of a troubled man and then becomes this chilling thriller. By the time the third act arrives where Marks is in Texas in a strange disguise, the mood doesn’t change but it is clear that the audience already figures out what happens and it loses some of its suspense. Despite the flaws of the story and Jarecki’s attempt to try and pull away from the clichés. He is still able to make a compelling and harrowing drama about the troubled life of this young man.

Cinematographer Michael Seresin does an excellent job with the film‘s photography that helps sets the mood of the film such as the sunnier countryside scenes with wonderful colors and Super 8 camera footage. Seresin also helps give the film a very dark look with blue and black to emphasize the haunting mood of Marks as the film progresses to a more heightened look towards the end of the film. Editors David Rosenbloom and Shelby Siegel do some good work on the editing where it is pretty straightforward to emphasize the narrative though it rarely jumps back-and-forth to the courtroom scene until late in the film.

Production designer Wynn Thomas, along with set decorator Rich Devine and art director Russell Barnes, does a nice job with the set designs made from the country homes that David and Kate lived in from the 1970s to the early 80s to the more posh home of the Marks family estate and offices. Costume designer Michael Clancy does a fantastic job with the costumes from the stylish dresses the women wear from the 1970s to the more casual, guarded clothing later in the film during the early 80s. Sound designers Karen Vassar and Tim Walston do a fine job with the sound work to play up some of the atmosphere of the locations while mixing Marks’ voice as he recalls some of things that was going on in his life.

The film’s score by Rob Simonsen is stellar for its orchestral-driven score with some low-key yet somber pieces to more dramatic arrangements to emphasize the dark elements of the film. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs creates a soundtrack that is filled with music from the 70s like Steely Dan, Carly Simon, and A Taste of Honey where some of it is anachronistic because some of the music wasn‘t made that year.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is wonderful as it includes some great appearances from Nick Offerman as Kate’s brother Jim, Liz Stauber as Jim’s wife Sharon, Marion McCorry as Kate’s mother, Michael Esper as David’s younger yet more responsible brother Daniel, Trini Alvarado as a neighbor that Kate befriends, David Marguiles as a NYC mayor, and Philip Baker Hall as the elderly neighbor that David befriends in 2000 Texas. Lily Rabe is very good as David’s longtime friend Deborah who tries to help David with his issues while Kristen Wiig is excellent as Kate’s friend Lauren as she has a funny moment during a scene where the two talk to an attorney.

Frank Langella is superb as David’s father Sanford, a man who likes to maintain certain standards while revealing to be very flawed in the way he treats David as he eventually starts to care for Kate. Kirsten Dunst is phenomenal as Kate, David’s wife who starts out as this lively woman only to deal with David’s dark behavior. Dunst’s performance is truly mesmerizing from the way she deals with her own depression as well as her struggle to be independent as it’s really one of her most chilling performances of her career so far. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a spellbinding yet very entrancing performance as David Marks. Gosling’s performance has him starting off as very kind and quiet while it builds to a more brooding yet disturbing performance as a man undone by demons and his yearn for control. Gosling and Dunst have great chemistry while Gosling also has some great scenes with Langella proving that he is one of the best actors working today.

All Good Things is a good though very flawed drama from Andrew Jarecki that features a great cast led by Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Frank Langella. Due to some of the clichés revolving around the film and a few anachronisms that can be distracting. The film is still an intriguing drama about the disappearance of a woman in the hands of her husband and what drove him to possibly kill her. In the end, All Good Things is a solid but messy drama from Andrew Jarecki.

© thevoid99 2011