Ricki and the Flash

In Memory of Bernie Worrell (1944-2016)

Directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Diablo Cody, Ricki and the Flash is the story of a middle-aged rock singer who learns about her daughter’s divorce as she goes to see and help her while dealing with the family she left to pursue her dream as a rock star. The film is a simple family drama where a woman returns to her family to help her daughter as well as cope with the decision she made in abandoning them to pursue her dream. Starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan, Ben Platt, Nick Westrate, and Rick Springfield. Ricki and the Flash is an exhilarating and heartfelt film from Jonathan Demme.

The film follows a woman who abandoned her family to pursue her dreams to be a rock star as she finally returns home after hearing about her daughter getting a divorce. It’s a film where a woman not only deals with not just the decisions she made to pursue her dreams but also make an attempt to set things right again for herself and her family. Especially as she still wants to play music in California as she fronts a band called the Flash. Diablo Cody’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the world that Linda “Ricki” Rendazzo (Meryl Streep) lives where she plays at a bar with her band that includes her guitarist Greg (Rick Springfield) who has feelings for her. It’s also in the fact that Ricki is struggling to get by as she’s working at an organic supermarket and paying off her debts. The first half of the film is about Ricki returning to Indianapolis to see her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline) and their daughter Julie (Mamie Gummer) as the latter has fallen apart because her husband left her for another woman.

Cody’s script also play into Ricki’s struggle with her family as well as the fact that the void she left was filled by Pete’s second wife Maureen (Audra McDonald) who did a lot for Julie as well Julie’s older brothers Joshua (Sebastian Stan) and Adam (Nick Westrate). The latter of which is gay while the former is about to get married to Ricki’s own surprise as she is also quite conservative in her views despite the music she plays. It adds a lot to the complexity of Ricki but also her own flaws as she is quite selfish as well as ignorant though she means well. Especially when she is confronted by Maureen despite what Ricki had done to help Julie as it would lead to this third act which revolves around Joshua’s wedding.

Jonathan Demme’s direction is quite stylish in terms of the looseness he creates for many of the scenes set in California while going for something that is more controlled and tight for the scenes set in Indianapolis as much of the film is shot in upstate New York. Yet, a lesser director would struggle with trying to create a balance in the two styles but Demme does find that balance where it never feels like two different films. Notably as the film features a lot of music from Ricki playing with her band as well as a scene where she plays a song to Pete and Julie. Demme’s usage of close-ups and medium shots for many of the scenes in Indianapolis are quite intriguing as well as playing into some of the family tension when Ricki sees her sons for the first time in years. The scenes at the bar where the Flash play is quite lively as it include some line dancing as well as moments that are quite raucous where Demme does use a few wide shots to capture the space of the bar. The film’s climax at Joshua’s wedding is a mixture of the different visual styles yet Demme does find a way for all of it to come together. Overall, Demme creates a touching yet entertaining film about middle-aged rocker coming home to help her daughter and mend old wounds with her family.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does excellent work with the cinematography as it is very straightforward with some unique lighting for the interiors at the bar and the scenes set at night in both California and Indianapolis. Editor Wyatt Smith does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few stylish cuts for some of the musical performances. Production designer Stuart Wurtzel, with set decorator George DeTitta Jr. and art director Patricia Woodbridge, does brilliant work with the look of the bar Ricki and the Flash play as well as the home that Pete and Maureen lives in at Indianapolis.

Costume designer Ann Roth does terrific work with the costumes from the stylish clothes of Ricki as well as the more straight-laced look of Pete and the mixture of both in Julie. Visual effects supervisor Luke DiTommaso does wonderful work with the minimal visual effects in the film as it‘s mostly a few set-dressing pieces for some of the scenes in Indianapolis. Sound mixer Jeff Pullman does superb work with the sound as it is straightforward as well as play into the energy of the concerts that Ricki and the Flash perform at. The film’s soundtrack features not just a lot of songs ranging from rock to pop music that Ricki and the Flash performs but also music from Spirit, the Feelies, and Electric Light Orchestra that is played in the background.

The casting by Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey is great as it features cameo appearances from Adam Shulman as a customer at Ricki’s supermarket, Bill Irwin as a father at a donut shop who is annoyed by Ricki and Julie’s conversation, Charlotte Rae as Pete’s mother, Beau Sia as Adam’s partner Desmond, and Gabriel Ebert as Julie’s ex-husband Max whom Pete and Ricki confront during a night-out with Julie. In roles as members of the Flash, there’s legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell as keyboardist Billy, famed session drummer Joe Vitale as the drummer Joe, and famed session bassist Rick Rosas as the bassist Buster (whom the film is dedicated to) as they all provide a great presence to their roles as the musicians. Hailey Gates is wonderful as Joshua’s fiancee Emily who is bewildered by Ricki while Ben Platt is terrific as the bartender Daniel who worships at the altar of Ricki and the Flash. Nick Westrate and Sebastian Stan are excellent in their respective roles as Ricki’s sons Adam and Joshua with the former not really fond of his mother accusing her of being a homophobe with the latter wanting to make peace but is unsure of inviting her to the wedding.

Audra McDonald is brilliant as Pete’s wife Maureen who had become the maternal void filled for Ricki’s children as she tries to make peace with Ricki as well as give her some truths that Ricki has to face. Mamie Gummer is amazing as Julie as Ricki’s daughter who has become a wreck following a divorce as she is quite funny in the way she does things as well as be someone who is very fragile. Rick Springfield is fantastic as Greg as the Flash lead guitarist who is in love with Ricki as he gives her some advice as well as tell her how important she is as a mother. Kevin Kline is incredible as Pete as Ricki’s ex-husband who tells Ricki about Julie as he copes with Julie’s mood as well as trying to maintain the peace in the family while admitting he still cares about Ricki. Finally, there’s Meryl Streep in a sensational performance as Ricki Rendazzo as this middle-aged rocker that is trying to reach her dream while helping out her daughter get back on her feet as it’s a lively and entertaining performance from Streep.

Ricki and the Flash is a marvelous film from Jonathan Demme that features a dazzling performance from Meryl Streep. Also featuring a witty script by Diablo Cody, a fantastic ensemble cast, and a killer soundtrack, the film is a heartfelt yet entertaining film that manages to be fun as well as state the importance of family. In the end, Ricki and the Flash is a remarkable film from Jonathan Demme.

Jonathan Demme Films: (Caged Heat) - (Crazy Mama) - (Fighting Mad) - (Handle with Care) - (Last Embrace) - (Melvin & Howard) - (Who Am I This Time?) - (Swing Shift) - Stop Making Sense - (Something Wild) - (Swimming to Cambodia) - (Married to the Mob) - (The Silence of the Lambs) - (Cousin Bobby) - (Philadelphia) - (Storefront Hitchcock) - (Beloved) - (The Truth About Charlie) - (The Agronomist) - (The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)) - (Neil Young: Heart of Gold) - (Man from Plains) - Rachel Getting Married - (Neil Young Trunk Show) - (Neil Young Journeys) - (A Master Builder)

© thevoid99 2016

2014 Blind Spot Series: Stop Making Sense

Directed by Jonathan Demme, Stop Making Sense is a concert film based on the Talking Heads’ 1983 tour to promote their fifth studio release Speaking in Tongues. Shot in three nights at the Hollywood Pantages Theater, the concert film showcases the band playing songs from the album and other songs from previous albums as it’s presented in a unique fashion. The result is a concert film that not only becomes the show but something much more with its music and stage presentation.

The film is a presentation of the show the post-punk/new wave band the Talking Heads did in 1983 for their fifth album Speaking in Tongues as they were a band that brought in a unique mix of art-rock, funk, African world beats, post-punk, and soul music that made them quite popular in the 1980s. Leading the band is vocalist/guitarist David Byrne as the group would also consist of guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison, bassist/guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Tina Weymouth, and drummer/vocalist Chris Franz. Serving as additional musicians to the band is percussionist Steve Scales, the Brothers Johnson guitarist Alex Weir, and the legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell as they’re also joined by Lynn Mabry and Edna Holt on backing vocals.

It’s not just the music that features such classics as Once in a Lifetime, Burning Down the House, Life During Wartime, Psycho Killer, and many other songs including Genius of Love by the side project Tom Tom Club and a cover of Al Green’s Take Me to the River that makes the concert so unique. It’s the stage presentation that takes the concert to another level as it defies all of the rules of how a concert is presented. The film begins with David Byrne walking to the stage with an acoustic guitar and a boom box where he plays the boom box which plays some recorded music as he sings Psycho Killer. The first set would have the main members of the band come in one-by-one for each song while the platforms for the drums, keyboards, and percussion bases are being set-up.

Usually at a concert, the stage and the presentation of the show would be already set-up as the concert begins. What the Talking Heads did is break the rules as the presentation which would include screens in the back and all sorts of lighting presentation where shadows are shown on the back wall just adds something that is very different. Especially as stage crew members would be part of the show in setting up the platforms and carrying lights to help create this presentation that is so off-the-wall. Adding to that eccentricity of the show is David Byrne who would wear this gigantic suit late in the show as well as having a lamp during one of the songs.

Jonathan Demme’s direction is truly mesmerizing in not just the way he captures the concert but also the energy as he gets some shots of the audiences watching the show. With the help of cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, Demme goes for a look that is entrancing with its use of lights while going for compositions that are unorthodox by shooting right at the stage from the viewpoint of the audience to see what the stage presentation would look like with the entire band. There’s also some close-up and camera shots that showcases some of the craziness that goes on in the performance. Editor Lisa Day helps play to that sense of unconventional approach by not delving into the MTV-editing style of the time in favor of something more precise so that the audience can be engaged by the performance that included a near-one take performance of Once in a Lifetime for most of the song. With the sound work of Rick Coberly, Stan Horine, and Charles Butch Watson playing to the way the music sounds, the film definitely has more than just a feel of a concert where the sound of the audience just makes it more special.

Stop Making Sense is a spectacular film from Jonathan Demme that features the amazing music of the Talking Heads. This film is truly one of the finest concert films ever made in terms of its sense of energy, stage presence, charisma, the presentation of the show, and the music. It’s a film that’s not afraid to break the rules while giving the audience something that is off-the-wall and more. In the end, Stop Making Sense is a phenomenal film from Jonathan Demme.

Jonathan Demme Films: (Caged Heat) - (Crazy Mama) - (Fighting Mad) - (Handle with Care) - (Last Embrace) - (Melvin & Howard) - (Who Am I This Time?) - (Swing Shift) - (Something Wild) - (Swimming to Cambodia) - (Married to the Mob) - (The Silence of the Lambs) - (Cousin Bobby) - (Philadelphia) - (Storefront Hitchcock) - (Beloved) - (The Truth About Charlie) - (The Agronomist) - (The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)) - (Neil Young: Heart of Gold) - (Man from Plains) - Rachel Getting Married - (Neil Young Trunk Show) - (Neil Young Journeys) - (A Master Builder) - Ricki and the Flash

© thevoid99 2014

Rachel Getting Married

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/26/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Jonathan Demme and written by first-time screenwriter Jenny Lumet, daughter of legendary director Sidney Lumet, Rachel Getting Married tells the story of a woman about to be married as families from different cultures and worlds celebrate. About to attend this celebration is the bride's younger, troubled ex-model sister whose in-and-out trips to rehab hasn't stopped her volatile, abrasive personality. Upon her arrival, she has to deal with all of the family that goes on including a visit from her estranged mother as secrets from family closets lead to turmoil. The film is an exploration of family dynamics amidst in a moment for a woman's celebration to be wedded while watching her younger sister deal with all of her troubles and its source. With an all-star cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Anna Deavere Smith, TV on the Radio vocalist Tunde Adebimpe with a cameo from hip-hop legend Fab 5 Freddy, and Debra Winger. Rachel Getting Married is a charming yet harrowing drama from Jonathan Demme.

It's a big weekend coming as Rachel Buckman (Rosemarie DeWitt) is getting married with friends and family watching. Arriving to attend the wedding ceremony is Rachel's younger sister Kym (Anne Hathaway) who is currently attending rehab for substance abuse. Clean for nine months though her abrasive personality is still in tact, the ex-model is picked up by her father Paul (Bill Irwin) and stepmother Carol (Anna Deavere Smith). Paul is extremely concerned for Kym's safety as Kym sees Rachel along with Rachel's friend Emma (Anisa George). Kym also meets Rachel's fiancee Sidney (Tunde Adebimpe) as Kym wonders if her mother Abby (Debra Winger) will show up.

Kym attends a near-by addicts meeting where she meets Kiernan (Mather Zickel), who is Sidney's best man. Yet, Kym learns that Emma is Rachel's maid of honor as Kym gets all dramatic until Rachel has Kym become the maid of honor. During a rehearsal dinner where Kym meets Sidney's family, Abby along with her husband Andrew (Jerome LaPage) show up. During the exuberant dinner, Kym gets her chance to speak as she talks about amends in her dark yet comical presentation. After the dinner, the family drama between Kym and Rachel becomes intense when Rachel makes a big announcement. With the wedding day getting closer, Rachel isn't sure if bringing Kym to the wedding is a good idea.

Kym meanwhile, begins to reveal the source of her troubles during an addicts meeting that involved the death of her younger brother Ethan many years ago. Things get worse during an innocent contest between Sidney and Paul where a plate that belonged to Ethan was accidentally shown. The drama intensifies at a salon when a man encounters Kym over some family secrets that she revealed during rehab that angers Rachel. Another family meeting with Paul and Carol watching reveals some heavy moments leaving Kym upset as Kiernan tries to put some perspective into what Kym had said in her meetings. When Kym goes to her mother, the family secrets over Ethan's death boils over driving Kym distraught. With the wedding now happening and Kym behaving, everyone celebrates as Kym ponders about herself and the fractured relationship she has with her family.

Any film set in a wedding celebration makes for a classic case for a dramatic template. Even when there's some family drama that is surrounding it. What makes this film unique is that it's about a celebration and the one person who is bringing all of the emotional baggage to that celebration. Of course, if it was done in a Hollywood-style type of drama. It would feel often false, contrived, and ends with a cheesy happy ending. Fortunately, Jonathan Demme and first-time screenwriter Jenny Lumet don't go for that route and instead take its time to study the characters and the surrounding that goes on.

Lumet's screenplay is truly top-notch as she explores the unique dynamic between a family and all of its dysfunction. In the center of all of this are the two sisters, Kym and Rachel. Kym is filled with a lot of guilt while is hanging by a thread on the brink of collapse while wanting attention and such. Rachel is a woman who is about to get married and is trying to cope with Kym's presence and the fact that Kym is willing to do a lot to ruin things. Watching all of this is their father who is extremely protective of Kym as he even suggests that she should return home for good so he can watch her. Along with his wife Carol, another person that's watching the drama from afar is their mother Abby. The distant woman is revealed to be part of the source to not just her divorce with Paul but also some of the family drama that goes on including the death of their son, Ethan.

What Lumet reveals is a lot of family secrets with everyone carrying some guilt as well as pointing the fingers over what happened. Yet, the ending clearly shows that this family still needs to figure things out while trying to help Kym, who is clearly fragile despite her selfish behavior. While the film is mostly dramatic, there are some touching moments like the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, and reception where it's clearly unique with this diverse group of people. While Lumet's script is definitely brilliant in its study of family dynamic and key characters. It's presented wonderfully and intimately in the hands of its director Jonathan Demme.

Taking cues from his work in documentary as well as the Dogme 95 cinematic style filled with hand-held cameras, no artificial lighting, on location sets, and on-location sound. Demme creates a film where the audience feels and acts like participants in the wedding and family drama that is unfolding. Yet, his approach to the direction is atmospheric and welcoming where the audience is immediately aware that they're watching something that might be going on in real life. Particularly the way he presents the drama with close-ups and perspective shots to reveal what the character is seeing and such.

Demme's direction is truly superb from the way he presents each scene to how the wedding celebration and reception is captured in all of its exuberance. Demme, whose feature-film work had often become conventional in recent years has finally returned to his improvisational, independent filmmaking roots. In this film, Demme creates probably his best and most poignant film since 1986's Something Wild.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does excellent work with the film's natural, hand-held, Dogme 95 filmmaking style. Shot with digital, high-definition cameras including home video cameras, the film has a look and immediacy that plays true to the Dogme 95 style. The look of the film is grainy yet atmospheric in its look and coloring as it's definitely feels real as opposed to the flashy, sometimes artificiality of Hollywood films. Editor Tim Squyres does great work in the film's editing with the use of jump-cuts and transitions to create a rhythmic feel to the film. Squyres' work is truly superb in its sense of rhythmic cutting, smooth pacing, and immediacy to help Demme in what he wants in the direction of the film.

Production designer Ford Wheeler along with set decorator Chryss Hionis and art director Kim Jennings do a fantastic job with the look of the traditional home of Paul's house, the posh look of Abby's home, and the look of the wedding and its reception. With all of its Indian look and such including great costume design by Susan Lyall, the film has a unique, worldly look that looks inviting to the point that the audience wants to attend a wedding like this. Sound editor Paul Urmson and designer Blake Leyh create great, natural sounds to capture the atmosphere and tension of the film's drama and celebration scenes.

The music by composers Donald Harrison Jr. and Zafer Tawil is wonderfully diverse with mostly on-location playing of string instruments of violins and mandolins. With additional music ranging from hip-hop, indie rock, and world music, contributing to the film's rich soundtrack are TV on the Radio vocalist Tunde Adebimpe singing a Neil Young song and two original songs sung on location by Robyn Hitchcock, who makes a cameo.

The casting by Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey is truly unique with an array of memorable roles and appearances where along with Robyn Hitchcock, two different icons make cameo appearances. Legendary indie film icon Roger Corman and hip-hop icon Fab 5 Freddy make some noteworthy appearances. Other small but memorable roles that stand out include Mel Jones as a speaker at the wedding, Roslyn Ruff as Kym's nurse in the opening scene, Andre B. Blake as a man who knew Rachel at a rehab meeting, and Jerome Le Page as Abby's husband Andrew. Other notable standout performances come from actors as Sidney's family including Kyrah Julian as his sister, Herreast Harrison as his grandmother, Gonzales Joseph as the cousin, and Carol Jean Lewis in a great role as Sidney's mother.

Mather Zickel is excellent as Kiernan, Sidney's best man and a recovering addict who sympathizes with Kym's issues as he tries to show perspective about addiction and recovery to her family. Anisa George is also excellent as Rachel's friend Emma who doesn't get along with Kym as she gets upset when she loses her role as maid of honor and tries to make Kym feel horrible. TV on the Radio vocalist Tunde Adebimpe is great as Sidney, the man who would marry Rachel as he makes himself part of the family while being the caring guy for both Rachel and Kym. Anna Deavere Smith is wonderful in a small but noteworthy role as Carol, Paul's wife who is trying to keep the peace in the family as she watches all the family drama unfold. Debra Winger is brilliant in her role as Kym and Rachel's distant, aloof mother who watches from afar over Kym's behavior unaware that she might've caused all of the problems in the family.

Bill Irwin is superb in his role as Paul, the family patriarch who is excited over the wedding and Rachel's happiness while extremely concerned for the well-being of Kym. Irwin's performance is filled with light, comical touches in his expressions as well as sadness over the fact that he lost a son and with regrets over how Kym had fallen. Irwin's performance is truly noteworthy and definitely a highlight of the film. Rosemarie DeWitt is great as the title character, Rachel, as she is trying to get ready for the happiest day of her life while dealing with her sister's presence. DeWitt brings a sense of anger and jealousy as she tries to one-up her sister in attention and often wins while having immense hatred for Kym in how Kym tries to be the center of attention. DeWitt is really the anchor of the film as her performance truly stands out as she gets her chance to shine.

If Rosemarie DeWitt is the film's breakthrough performance, then her co-star and lead Anne Hathaway is the film's real revelation and break-out performance. Known mostly for light-hearted comic fare like The Princess Diaries films, Ella Enchanted, The Devil Wears Prada, and most recently, Get Smart. Hathaway had always shown that she can do dramatic roles in films like Nicholas Nickelby, Becoming Jane, Havoc, and Ang Lee's 2005 masterpiece Brokeback Mountain. Yet, none of these films could reveal the pain and angst that Hathaway reveals in her role as Kym where Hathaway brings a raw, fiery, and stripped-down performance. There's moments where Hathaway brings a personality filled with selfishness and diva-esque where she makes her character at times, unlikeable yet reveal that there's something complex about Kym.

Hathaway exudes all of the troubles that Kym is as even when she's not speaking or just struggling, there's a performance that definitely makes the audience re-think of what she can do. There's comical moments in Hathaway's performance but it's often done with sarcasm, wit, and off-putting as opposed to her other light-comedic film work. While many will say that her performance is her trying to get an Oscar nomination, it's those performance that actually work where Hathaway proves that there's more to her than her beauty, winning smile, and comic charm.  It's in this performance that proves that Anne Hathaway is truly one of the best young actresses working today.

Rachel Getting Married is definitely one of the year's best films and certainly Jonathan Demme's most stylish film since 1986's Something Wild. Thanks in large part to Jenny Lumet's character-driven screenplay and the performance of Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Bill Irwin, it's a film that is harrowing yet charming. Fans of Anne Hathaway will be surprised in what the young actress can do while a new discovery is made in Rosemarie DeWitt. With a great soundtrack and a wedding/reception scene that is enjoyable to watch, it's a wedding that certainly anyone would love to attend. In the end, Rachel Getting Married is a film that is truly surprising, inviting, and real thanks to the grand yet intimate vision of director Jonathan Demme.

Jonathan Demme Films: (Caged Heat) - (Crazy Mama) - (Fighting Mad) - (Handle with Care) - (Last Embrace) - (Melvin and Howard) - (Who Am I This Time?) - (Swing Shift) - Stop Making Sense - (Something Wild) - (Swimming to Cambodia) - (Married to the Mob) - (The Silence of the Lambs) - (Cousin Bobby) - (Philadelphia) - (Storefront Hitchcock) - (Beloved) - (The Truth About Charlie) - (The Agronomist) - (The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)) - (Neil Young: Heart of Gold) - (Man from Plains) - (Neil Young Trunk Show) - (Neil Young: Journeys) - (A Master Builder) - Ricki & the Flash

© thevoid99 2011