Based on the non-fiction novel Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty, All the Money in the World is about the real-life story of the abduction of John Paul Getty III by an Italian Mafia group who hold him from ransom where his grandfather J. Paul Getty refuses to cooperate and give the group no money. Directed by Ridley Scott and screenplay by David Scarpa, the film is a dramatization about the real-life abduction of John Paul Getty III as his mother and a former CIA operative try to save him despite his grandfather’s refusal to pay anything for the boy’s safety. Starring Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Plummer, Romain Duris, Timothy Hutton, Stacy Martin, Andrew Buchan, and Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty. All the Money in the World is a gripping yet chilling film from Ridley Scott.
In July of 1973, 16-year old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) was kidnapped by a mysterious Mafia group in Rome as they hold him for a ransom of $17 million which his grandfather in J. Paul Getty responds with no deal. That is the film’s premise as a whole as it play into this real-life event relating to a large ransom that is to be paid by the richest man in the world yet he refuses believing it is a hoax. David Scarpa’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it begins with Paul’s kidnapping and stories about his grandfather’s wealth and how he got extremely wealthy but also a family life with his mother Abigail (Michelle Williams) and his father J. Paul Getty Jr. (Andrew Buchan) that was quaint and simple until the latter was given a big job from his father that eventually lead him to drug and alcohol abuse and Abigail divorcing him with a desire of wanting full custody of their children including Paul.
Getty would hire his Getty Oil negotiator Fletcher Chace (Mark Wahlberg) to see if Paul is really lying as well as to help Abigail through his previous work in the CIA. Chace initially works with Abigail just to help Getty but eventually realizes the seriousness of Abigail’s search as he would start to help her more. The script also play into Paul’s time as a hostage as his kidnapper Cinquanta (Romain Duris) becomes sympathetic while knows that Paul is just a good kid that is an unfortunate situation that is made worse following a mistake by a kidnapper and later be treated far more cruelly by Cinquanta’s boss Mammoliti (Marco Leonardi) raising the stakes. With Getty even considering paying the ransom, it would come with some conditions that add more furor to Abigail’s problems with the family with Chace in the middle over whom he should be loyal to as well as wanting get Paul back home to safety.
Ridley Scott’s direction is definitely vast in terms of its setting and the world that Getty lives in which is quite huge for someone who has amassed a great deal of wealth that he built himself. Shot on various locations in Italy, Great Britain, and parts of Jordan, the film does play into this world that has made Getty legendary for what he’s done such as a deal he made with Bedouin sheikhs in getting their oil to the world. While there are some wide shots of the locations where Getty and his family live in including the quaint world that his son, Abigail, and their kids were living in the mid-1960s in San Francisco. The usage of close-up and medium shots as it play into the relationships of the family and the dramatic tension that occur. Notably as the wide shots also play into the disconnect between Getty and his family as the former is surrounded by artifacts, stock reports, and all things that makes him comfortable yet he is aware of how cruel the world can be and doesn’t really trust anyone including his own family. Scott’s direction definitely play into this man’s need for control as well as wanting more money such as a scene of him inspecting this rare painting as he considers not buying it due to its condition not being suitable to him.
The scenes involving Paul’s kidnapping does have this air of intensity as it relates to Paul’s attempts to escape his captors as well as some of the brutal moments he endure. The dramatic intensity also occur with Abigail desperately trying to get her son back with Chace’s help as it include phone calls with Cinquanta and other officials. Even as Abigail tries to find ways to get the money herself without Getty’s help where Scott definitely know when to play up the drama as well as find some semblance of hope in the film. Scott’s direction definitely shows someone who can bring wonders to a story as simple as this but also show how professional and skillful he can do in re-creating scenes that were shot before with Kevin Spacey in the role of Getty only for Spacey’s personal life to nearly ruin things prompting Scott to do re-shoots with Christopher Plummer in the role for a nine-day shoot as if Spacey never existed. Overall, Scott creates a thrilling and captivating film about the real-life kidnapping of J. Paul Getty III and the ransom that his grandfather refused to pay.
Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of black-and-white for a few scenes including a flashback scene of Getty in his rise to great wealth as well as some colorful looks for some parts of the film such as bluish tints for the scenes at Getty’s home in Britain to the usage of low-key and desaturated colors for the scenes in Italy. Editor Claire Simpson does excellent work with the editing with its usage of rhythmic cuts as well as letting shots linger for a bit to play into the suspense and dramatic tension. Production designer Arthur Max, with set decorators Richard Roberts, Letizia Santucci, and Nasser Zoubi plus supervising art directors Andrew Munro and Cristina Onori, does amazing work with the look of the Getty estate and his buildings and such that is surrounded by valuable and priceless artifacts that is a sharp contrast to the home of Paul’s captors who live in decayed farms in the middle of desolate farmland. Costume designer Janty Yates does fantastic work with the look of the clothes that Paul wears that was a style of the 1970s as well as the look of Abigail from the 1960s.
Makeup designer Tina Earnshaw and hair designer Ferdinando Merolla do terrific work with the hairstyles of the time in the 1960s and 1970s for Getty’s family along with some gory makeup for a key scene in the film’s third act. Special effects supervisors Simon Cockren and Maurizio Corridori, with visual effects supervisor Gary Brozenich, do nice work with the visual effects as it feature bits of set dressing including one key shot of Getty in Saudi Arabia. Sound editor Oliver Tarney does superb work with the sound as it play into the tense atmosphere that Paul endures in his capture as well as the sparse sounds of stock machines at Getty’s home. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its low-key orchestral score that help play into the suspense and drama while its music soundtrack feature an array of music from rock, pop, classical, and opera from the Zombies, Gianni Morandi, the Rolling Stones, Fred Buscaglione, Domenica Arlotta and Giuseppe Buieti, and Camaleonti.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is great as it feature some notable small roles from Clive Wood as Getty’s butler Bullimore, Kit Cranston and Maya Kelly in their respective roles as the younger versions of Paul’s siblings in Mark and Aileen, Charlie Shotwell as the younger version of John Paul Getty III, Ghassan Massoud as an Arab sheikh who does business with Getty, Nicolas Vaporidis as an abductor who unfortunately reveals his identity, Giuseppe Bonifati as Gail’s attorney Giovanni Iacovoni, Marco Leonardi as Cinquanta’s boss Mammoliti who doesn’t care for Paul’s well-being, Stacy Martin as Getty’s secretary, Timothy Hutton as Getty’s attorney Oswald Hinge, and Andrew Buchan as Paul’s father John Paul Getty Jr. as alcoholic/drug-addicted father who is more concerned with getting high than being a father.
Romain Duris is fantastic as Cinquanta as the lead abductor who holds Paul for ransom while he gets to know the boy as he realizes he’s just a good kid that is put in a bad situation as he is aware of what his boss would do after things got bad where he would be the one to contact Gail about the ransom and ensure the boy’s safety. Charlie Plummer is excellent as John Paul Getty III as a sixteen-year old kid who is the grandson of the richest man in the world who is just a teenage boy that becomes the victim of a ransom that becomes troubling and as he deals with the physical, emotional, and mental torture he endures. Mark Wahlberg is brilliant as Fletcher Chace as an adviser for Getty who also used to work for the CIA as he is hired to find out if Paul is really creating a hoax only to help Gail in getting Paul back while questioning his own loyalty for Getty.
Michelle Williams is amazing as Gail Harris as Paul’s mother who is trying to get her son back any way she can as she also is aware of her former father-in-law’s refusal to help out as well as to try and control her life as it’s a fierce and gripping performance from Williams. Finally, there’s Christopher Plummer in an incredible performance as J. Paul Getty as the then-richest man in the world who is willing to find ways to make money and have the most priceless artifacts out there as he believes that his grandson is faking his abduction while there is this sense of warmth in the performance that shows the complexity of Getty as it’s another of Plummer’s masterful performances.
All the Money in the World is a remarkable film from Ridley Scott that features great performances from Christopher Plummer, Michelle Williams, and Mark Wahlberg. Along with its ensemble cast, stylish visuals, and intense approach to suspense and drama. It’s a film that showcases a real-life event and what some will do to get a person back as well as how one person is trying to protect his own world believing that there is no price for anything. In the end, All the Money in the World is a sensational film from Ridley Scott.
Ridley Scott Films: (The Duellists) – Alien - Blade Runner - (Legend) – (Someone to Watch Over Me) – (Black Rain) – (Thelma & Louise) – (1492: Conquest of Paradise) – (White Squall) – (G.I. Jane) – (Gladiator) – (Hannibal) – (Black Hawk Down) – (Matchstick Men) – (Kingdom of Heaven) – (A Good Year) – (American Gangster) – (Body of Lies) – (Robin Hood (2010 film)) – Prometheus - (The Counselor) – (Exodus: Gods and Kings) – The Martian - (Alien: Covenant)
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, Patriots Day is the story about the 2013 bombing during the Boston Marathon and the subsequent manhunt to find the bombers. Directed by Peter Berg and screenplay by Berg, Matt Cook, and Josh Zetumer from a story by Berg, Cook, Eric Johnson, and Paul Tamasy, the film is a dramatic re-telling of the marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded several others as it would be followed by a manhunt on those that planned the bombing. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, and Michelle Monaghan. Patriots Day is a riveting and intense film from Peter Berg.
On April 15, 2013, the annual Boston Marathon was held as it is a big event that brings people from around the world as well as the people from the city to run a marathon with locals cheering for those at the marathon. Yet, it was a dark day in the city when two bombs were exploded that killed three people and injuring hundreds more with some losing limbs and such. The film is about the 100-plus hours that occurred before the marathon and the manhunt for the two men that committed the acts of terror in the city with multiple storylines happening as it relates to those involved in these events. The film’s screenplay by Peter Berg, Matt Cook, and Josh Zetumer largely follows Sgt. Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) who is tasked with welcoming the racers at the finishing line to finish up his own suspension from the Boston Police Department.
Yet, he would be among those that would witness the bombing and go on the search to find the terrorists. The film does begin the day before the marathon as it relates to not just Sgt. Saunders trying to regain his trust with his superiors but also the lives of ordinary people who would be part of not just the marathon but also the manhunt including the two terrorists in Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Alex Wolff) and his older brother Tamerlan (Themo Melikidze). The narrative would shift into the events of the day with a few subplots involving those who would have scary encounters with the Tsarnaev brothers though the script does a clunky job in introducing and establishing these small characters early in the film. Still, the script does play into the investigation led by Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon) of the FBI in collaboration with Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman) as it uses surveillance footage and such to find the identity of the terrorists as well as take part in the eventual manhunt that would occur in the nearby town of Watertown.
Berg’s direction is engaging for the way he captures a period in time told in the span of nearly five days as it begins with Sgt. Saunders on assignment where he would hurt one of his knees while getting a visit from Commissioner Davis during the assignment. Shot on various locations in and around Boston, Massachusetts with the main locations in the small towns of Quincy and the warehouse interior at Peabody. Berg does maintain a sense of momentum into what is happening such as the scene of the Tsarnaev brothers planting their homemade bombs and how a few characters would be at that location that includes a baby who was close to the bomb site but fortunately wasn’t killed. Berg’s usage of close-ups and medium shots doesn’t just play into the action but also in moments of the investigation and the manhunt that occurs in the film’s third act. There are usage of wide shots of the locations including a shot of the city just after it is being shut down so that the police and FBI try to find the Tsarnaev brothers.
For a film that is driven by suspense and action, Berg would also shoot scenes that are character driven such as a moment of Sgt. Saunders talking with a superior during the manhunt as he talks about what he encountered at the bombing and loss but also the realization of what needs to be done. Berg would also use these smaller moments that would include bits of humor as it relates to Watertown’s Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) at a shoot-out against the Tsarnaev brothers as it relates to the cigar he always smoke. It does help play into what is at stake as well as the fact that FBI and local officers work together to make things right as it all plays into the climatic showdown between them and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who would hide at an unusual place which is often expected from cowards like him. Overall, Berg creates a mesmerizing and gripping thriller about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the manhunt for the two terrorists who committed the attacks.
Cinematographer Tobias A. Schliesser does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of natural lighting for the daytime scenes along with the usage of available and low-key lights for many of the interior/exterior scenes set at night. Editors Colby Parker Jr. and Gabriel Fleming do amazing work with the editing as its usage of jump-cuts help play into the action and drama as well as some of the film’s suspenseful moments. Production designer Tom Duffield, along with set decorator Ronald R. Reiss and art director Steve Cooper, do fantastic work with the look of the home that the Tsarnaev brothers live in as well as the warehouse interior that is used as the crime scene for Commissioner Davis and DesLauriers would use. Costume designer Virginia Johnson does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely casual along with the look of the police uniforms and the clothes that Tsarnaev brothers wore that would make them identifiable.
Special makeup effects artist Julie LeShane does brilliant work with the scenes just after the bombing in the way some of the characters look in their injured and harmed state to play into the horror of what happened. Special effects supervisor Matt Kutcher and visual effects supervisors Sean Devereaux do wonderful work with the film’s visual from the bombing scene to some set-dressing in a few set pieces in the film. Sound designers Dror Mohar and Piero Mura do superb work with the sound in the way the explosions sound from afar as well as the sounds of gunfire in the manhunt scenes as well as other sparse moments in the locations and action as it is one of the film’s highlights. The film’s music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is incredible for its eerie approach to dark ambient with its usage of synthesizers and electronic instruments along with some percussions in the background to help play into the suspense and drama as it is a highlight of the film.
The casting by Sheila Jaffe and Angela Peri is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz as himself recreating his moment days after the bombing, Khandi Alexander as a no-nonsense interrogator asking Tamerlan’s wife questions, Melissa Benoist as Tamerlan’s wife Katherine Russell who gets interrogated, Christopher O’Shea and Rachel Brosnahan as the couple in their respective roles as Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky who both were severely injured from one of the bombs, Jimmy O. Yang as Dun Meng who was carjacked by the Tsarnaev brothers and later escaped where he told Sgt. Saunders what happened to him, Vincent Curtola as Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino, Michael Beach as Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Jake Picking as MIT Officer Sean Collier who had an unfortunate encounter with the Tsarnaev brothers, Lana Candor as a MIT student Collier wanted to go out with, and James Colby as Boston Police Superintendent William Evans who aids in the manhunt as well as the investigation.
Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze are superb in their respective roles as Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev as the two men who planted the bombs during the marathon with Wolff being reluctant at first only to get the thrill of killing and Melikidze as the more aggressive of the two. Michelle Monaghan is fantastic as Carol Saunders as Sgt. Saunders’ wife who is also a registered nurse as she was at the marathon but unharmed as she tries to help her husband get healed up physically and emotionally. J.K. Simmons is excellent as Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese as an officer from Watertown who would be part of the shoot-out against the Tsarnaev brothers as he is a man of great skill that would help lead his fellow officers to battle as it’s a low-key yet badass performance from Simmons.
Kevin Bacon is brilliant as Special FBI Agent Richard DesLauriers as the man in charge of the investigation of the bombings as he turns to Commissioner Davis and Sgt. Saunders for help on the location of streets as well as making decisions of what information should go public. John Goodman is amazing as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis as the head of police who is trying to maintain morale as well as getting everyone including his officers to see what they can find as it’s a low-key but memorable performance from Goodman. Finally, there’s Mark Wahlberg in a remarkable performance as Sgt. Tommy Saunders as a suspended police officer trying to back on the force as he deals with being near one of the bomb sites as he tries to help those in need as well as take part in the manhunt to find the Tsarnaev brothers as it’s a reserved and intense performance from Wahlberg as someone who is trying do what is right as well as ensure that he can make his home safer again.
Patriots Day is a marvelous film from Peter Berg. Featuring a great cast, an engaging script, rapturous visuals, and a haunting score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It’s a film that play into a real-life event and showcase what some people are willing to do to bring justice back to a city that was rocked by terrorism. In the end, Patriots Day is a remarkable film from Peter Berg.
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Peter Berg Films: (Very Bad Things) – (The Rundown) – (Friday Night Lights) – (The Kingdom (2007 film)) – (Hancock) – (Virtuality) – (Battleship) – (Lone Survivor) – (Deepwater Horizon) – (Mile 22)
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Adam McKay and written by McKay and Chris Henchy, The Other Guys is the story of two mismatched NYPD detectives who take on a case while other detectives do bigger jobs as they make a discovery involving financial embezzlement and such. The film is a mixture of the buddy-cop films mixed in with humor as well as an exploration into the world of finance as it’s all narrated by rapper/actor Ice-T. Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Rob Riggle, Damon Wayans Jr., Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, and Michael Keaton. The Other Guys is a wild and adventurous film from Adam McKay.
The film follows two mismatched detectives working for the NYPD whose attempt to be taken seriously is met with constant ridicule by other detectives as they take on a case involving the world of finance. It’s a film that is a spoof of sorts of the buddy-cop films yet it also follow two different men who embark on a case that involves a multi-billionaire who has lost money to a client who wants him killed. The film’s screenplay by Adam McKay and Chris Henchy doesn’t just follow these two mismatched partners who aren’t treated with respect but also their effort to get respect from fellow officers despite the fact that neither man are considered great detectives. Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) is a mild-mannered forensic accountant that likes to be on the desk as he’s teamed up with the very hot-tempered Terry Hoitz who is forced to team up with Gamble over an incident where he accidentally shot New York Yankees player Derek Jeter during the World Series. Following the strange death of two widely-revered but cocky detectives, Gamble and Hoitz try to take that spot as they compete with the more-experienced and respected detectives Martin (Rob Riggle) and Fosse (Damon Wayans Jr.).
During the course of their investigation of the billionaire Sir David Ershon (Steve Coogan), Hoitz and Gamble get to know each other as the former is still eager to prove himself that he can be relied on as he’s also having issues with his ex-girlfriend Francine (Lindsay Sloane) due to his own faults. In the latter, Hoitz would learn that Gamble is married to an extremely-beautiful woman in Sheila (Eva Mendes) as well as get the attraction of a lot of beautiful woman that relates to a past that Gamble is covering up. Some of the investigation relating to Sir Ershon’s embezzlement scam is a bit complicated but it’s made up for the situations that Gamble and Hoitz endure as they had to make their reports to their superior in Captain Gene Mauch (Michael Keaton) who works a second job managing a Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Captain Mauch is an oddball character not just for having a second job but also being secretive into what Gamble and Hoitz is trying to uncover. Another quirk that he has is the fact that unknowingly quotes lyrics from the famed 90s R&B group TLC.
McKay’s direction does have elements of style as it relates to a lot of the visual tropes expected in buddy-cop films while it also play with these tropes to create something that is simpler and with an offbeat sense of humor. Shot on location in New York City with additional locations in Staten Island and Albany, the film does play into a world in which its police department is considered one of the best where two men don’t feel like they’re part of that elite group. Even as they endure some very strange moments during their investigation such as talking to a couple who wants Gamble to have sex with his wife since she used to have a relationship with him back in college. While there’s some wide shots for some of the action scenes as well as some establishing shots of the locations. Much of McKay’s direction emphasizes more on close-ups and medium shots to play into the interaction with the characters and the growing partnership between Gamble and Hoitz.
Notably as the latter starts to open up about his anger issues while the former reveals to have a dark side that he’s repressing as his own personal life is about to change. McKay would also take breaks from the humor and action as it relates to the environment Gamble and Hoitz are trying to discover as it relates to Ershon and his business dealings. Notably in a final credits sequence where McKay reveals a lot about some of the financial scandals that happened in real-life showing how big it can affect everything and how it adds to Gamble and Hoitz needing to stop those going after Ershon who is already in trouble for his role. The film’s climax is definitely big as it’s expected in action films but also play into some of the silliness that occurs throughout the climax over the group of mercenaries hired to take out Ershon. Overall, McKay creates a fun and thrilling film about two mismatched partners who step in when everyone else is busy in saving New York City.
Cinematographer Oliver Wood does excellent work with the cinematography as it has elements of style in some of the interiors and exterior scenes at night while much of the daytime exteriors is straightforward. Editor Brent White does brilliant work with the editing as it does play into the many conventional ideas of editing in action films while also providing something straightforward in capturing the humor in the film. Production designer Clayton Hartley, with set decorator George DeTitta Jr. and art director Jim Gloster, does fantastic work with the look of the offices including Ershon’s posh penthouse and a bar that Gamble frequents at. Costume designer Carol Ramsey does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the more posh look of Ershon as well as some of the somewhat-skimpy clothing that Sheila wears.
Visual effects supervisor Gregor Lakner does terrific work with a few of the film’s visual effects as it largely relate to some of the action scenes in the film including a helicopter chase scene. Sound editor George H. Anderson does superb work with the sound as it play into the chaos of some of the action as well as the places that Gamble and Hoitz go to during the sequence where they unknowingly take Ershon’s bribes. The film’s music by Jon Brion is wonderful for its low-key score that is a mixture of bombastic orchestral music with some light-hearted jazzy pieces while music supervisor Erica Weis provide a fun mix of music ranging from acts like Little River Band, Phil Collins, Wyclef Jean, the Foo Fighters, Swizz Beatz, Donovan, the Black Eyed Peas, the Hit Crew, Goldfrapp, the White Stripes, Cee-Lo Green with Eva Mendes, Rage Against the Machine, the Mamas and the Papas, and TLC.
The casting by Jennifer Euston and Allison Jones is great as it feature cameo appearances from wrestlers Brian Girard James/Road Dogg Jesse James and Monty Kip Sopp/Bad Ass Billy Gunn, Tracy Morgan, Rosie Perez, and Brooke Shields as themselves at a New York Knicks game, New York Yankees player Derek Jeter as himself, Anne Heche as a CEO who targets Ershon, Josef Sommer as the district attorney who is angry over Gamble and Hoitz’s screw-ups, director Adam McKay as a seedy hobo named Dirty Mike, Bobby Cannavale as a detective who despises Hoitz for shooting Derek Jeter, Rob Huebel as Officer Watts who keeps coming to everyone about putting money into a fund which would play into the third act, Natalie Zea as a former girlfriend of Gamble in Chrisinith, Brett Gelman as Chrisinith’s husband who wants Gamble to fuck her, Tess Kartel as a Brazilian mercenary who is attracted to Gamble, Viola Harris as Sheila’s mother, and Andy Buckley as Ershon’s attorney who is targeted for his actions relating to Ershon’s finances.
Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are terrific in their brief yet respective role as the arrogant detectives Highsmith and Danson as two guys who do so much yet would do stupid things for the NYPD. Rob Riggle and Damon Wayans Jr. are superb in their respective roles as detectives Martin and Fosse as two men who often make fun of Gamble and Hoitz for their incompetence as they try to take in the top spot that was once filled by Danson and Highsmith. Ray Stevenson is fantastic as Roger Wesley as a mercenary leader hired by the people that Ershon had stolen from as he does whatever he can to try and get rid of Gamble and Hoitz. Lindsay Sloane is wonderful as Hoitz’s former girlfriend Francine who isn’t eager to get back with him due to his anger issues as she later realizes why he is flawed as she’s unsure of taking him back.
Steve Coogan is brilliant as Sir David Ershon as a billionaire who gets himself into some trouble over money he’s stolen from a big corporation as he tries to bribe Gamble and Hoitz while dealing with the trouble he’s in. Eva Mendes is fantastic as Gamble’s wife Sheila as a doctor who is super-attractive as she knows about her husband’s dark past as she is something she refuses to take. Michael Keaton is amazing as Captain Gene Mauch as Gamble and Hoitz’s superior who is sympathetic in their need to prove to themselves while he is also offbeat for the fact that he manages a Bed, Bath, and Beyond and unknowingly quotes TLC lyrics as it’s one of Keaton’s funniest performances. Finally, there’s the duo of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz as two detectives who are totally different to each other in their personality as Wahlberg captures the eagerness and frustration of a man trying to do right but feels like a screw-up every time. Ferrell is more laid back as someone who is just wanting to do his job but also harbors a dark secret which starts to re-emerge where Ferrell displays a manic sense of energy where he and Wahlberg display a fun chemistry that is a joy to watch.
The Other Guys is a sensational film from Adam McKay that features top-notch performances from Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Michael Keaton. Along with its supporting cast, witty script, high-octane action, and some hilarious moments, it’s a film that manages to do more with buddy-cop action film while taking the time to explore different places while maintaining its humor. In the end, The Other Guys is an incredible film from Adam McKay.
Adam McKay Films: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - Step Brothers - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - The Big Short - (Backseat) – The Auteurs #63: Adam McKay
© thevoid99 2018
Written and directed by James Gray, We Own the Night is the story of a club manager who finds himself in trouble following a raid where his boss decides to target both his father and brother who are cops. The film is an exploration of a man trying to live his own life as he contends with the drawbacks of his lifestyle and how it would affect his family. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, and Robert Duvall. We Own the Night is a gripping and evocative film from James Gray.
Set in the late 1980s in New York City, the film revolves a nightclub manager who works for the Russian mob as a raid led by his brother lead to trouble where he learns about a drug deal that has gotten dangerous forcing him to turn to his family. It’s a film that is not just about loyalty but also a study of a man caught between two different worlds where he is already in the world of running a club with drugs and seedy businesses while his father and older brother are cops. James Gray’s screenplay follows Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) who spends much of his time running a nightclub in New York City while being with his Puerto Rican girlfriend Amada (Eva Mendes) and their friend Jumbo (Danny Hoch). Bobby works for the Russian mob leader Marat Buzhayev (Moni Moshonov) who owns the club as a legit way of making business though he allows his nephew Vadim Nezhinski (Alex Veadov) to make deals as he is about to make a huge drug deal that would change things. The news gets the attention of Bobby’s older brother Captain Joseph Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg) who would lead a raid that doesn’t go anywhere but only furthers the tension between him and Bobby.
When Joseph is gunned down and in a critical state following a hit, Bobby finds himself torn between his loyalty to the mob as well as his love for his brother and father in Chief Albert Grusinsky (Robert Duvall) as the latter wants to protect him. When Bobby is asked to see what Vadim is up to by some of his father’s fellow officers, Bobby reluctantly agrees as a way to make amends with his brother but he eventually realizes that he isn’t safe once Vadim learns who he’s related to. Amada would be in danger as she copes with having to give up a lifestyle that she’s used to as well as be disconnected from her own family which would eventually cause tension with her and Bobby. Notably in the third act where Bobby makes a decision that is more about doing what is right for everyone and himself rather than return to a life that is filled with too much trouble.
Gray’s direction definitely bear elements of style in terms of some of the compositions while he would also create a period in time when New York City was still dangerous but had risen from the ashes of its dreary period of the late 70s thanks in part to its then-mayor in Ed Koch who appears in the film as himself. Shot on location in New York City, the film does play like a look back in time when the city was thriving but also had this air of unease where it’s the police that is trying to bring order back as the film’s title comes from a tag from one of chevrons on the police uniforms. Much of the film is set in the night with Gray focusing on that world though there are substantial scenes set in the daytime as it play into the world that Bobby lives in where he gambles or parties with Amada. It’s something different to what Joseph does where he splits his time doing his work with the police and being with his own family. Gray would shoot some wide shots of some of the locations though he would avoid certain landmarks of the city to maintain this element of the street and areas that involve people of Russian descent.
The direction would also have these intense moments such as a chase scene in the rain where Bobby and Amada are in a car where they’re being attacked with Bobby’s father trying to stop the attackers as it’s a key moment that would lead to the third act. It would play into what Bobby needed to do as Gray’s usage of close-up and medium shots play into the drama as well as how he deals with near-moments of tragedy and other things that add to Bobby’s development to help his family. Even as he has to deal with the other people who were like family to him as he is aware that everything he had done for them is meaningless. The film’s climax which is set in a bed of reeds is definitely one of the most chilling moments in the film as it play into the sense of the unknown and what a man will do to make things right. Overall, Gray creates a thrilling and compelling film about a nightclub manager turning straight when the mob he works for goes after his family.
Cinematographer Joaquin Baca-Asay does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it has some distinctive looks into the way the scenes at the club as well as some exterior scenes at night are light while it emphasizes on something low-key for some of the daytime scenes as well the mood for the car chase scene in the rain. Editor John Axelrad does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of style as it relates to the action and suspense while being more straightforward in its approach to the drama. Production designer Ford Wheeler, with set decorator Catherine Davis and art director James C. Feng, does amazing work with the look of the nightclub that Bobby manages as well as the look of some of the homes of the characters in the film. Costume designer Michael Clancy does fantastic work with the costumes as it has elements of style in what Bobby and Amada wear to the clubs as well as the look of the police uniforms.
Visual effects supervisors Iva Petkova, Kelly Port, and Mike Uguccioni do nice work with the visual effects as it is mainly set dressing for a few spots including a shot where the World Trade Center buildings are seen through a window. Sound designer Douglas Murray does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the nightclub as well as some of the intense moments of violence including the film’s climax. The film’s music by Wojciech Kilar is wonderful for its usage of low-key string arrangements to play into the drama and suspense while music supervisor Dana Sano provides a cool soundtrack that features a lot of the music of the late 70s/early 80s from Blondie, the Clash, David Bowie, the Specials, Louis Prima, Tito Puente, and a mixture of traditional Russian music and jazz.
The casting by Douglas Aibel is marvelous as it feature notable small roles and appearances from former New York City mayor Ed Koch as himself, Maggie Kiley as Joseph’s wife, Latin artist Coati Mundi as himself at a club performance, Yelena Solovey as Buzhayev’s wife Kalina, Tony Musante as Captain Jack Shaprio who is an old friend of Albert, Antoni Corone as another friend of Albert in Lt. Solo, and Moni Moshonov in a terrific small role as the mob leader Marat Buzhayev as a man who treated Bobby like a son despite his dealings. Danny Hoch is superb as Bobby’s best friend Jumbo as a guy who helps run the nightclub as well as party with him while not knowing anything that is happening to Bobby or his family. Alex Veadov is fantastic as Vadim Nezhinski as Buzhayev’s nephew who is also a ruthless drug dealer that is willing to make sure things go right and kill anyone who gets in his way.
Eva Mendes is excellent as Amada as Bobby’s girlfriend who is happy in the lifestyle that she and Bobby live until Bobby gets into danger where she gets a closer look into the dark aspects of the lifestyle where Mendes really shows her frustration and sadness over Bobby’s eventual decision with his life. Robert Duvall is brilliant as Chief Albert Grusinsky as Bobby’s father who is aware of the lifestyle of his son as he hopes Bobby would get into the straight-and-narrow where he learns the kind of trouble he’s in as he does what any father would do which is to protect him.
Mark Wahlberg is amazing as Captain Joseph Grusinsky as Bobby’s older brother who is this hard-ass that is trying to do what is right for the law despite getting into fights with his brother where he learns how deep into trouble his brother is following his own recovery from a hit as he does whatever he can to help him. Finally, there’s Joaquin Phoenix in an incredible performance as Robert “Bobby” Grusinski/Bobby Green as a nightclub manager trying to live his own life until he learns of a drug deal that would get him into trouble after his brother was nearly killed as Phoenix’s performance is one of anguish and determination that includes the film’s climax.
We Own the Night is a phenomenal film from James Gray. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous cinematography, a riveting story, and a thrilling soundtrack, it’s a crime-drama that explore the idea of loyalty and a man being torn between his love for his family and the people who are part of the dark and seedy world of crime. In the end, We Own the Night is a sensational film from James Gray.
James Gray Films: Little Odessa - The Yards - Two Lovers – The Immigrant (2013 film) - The Lost City of Z – Ad Astra - The Auteurs #57: James Gray
© thevoid99 2017
Written and directed by David O. Russell from a story by John Ridley, Three Kings is the story of four U.S. soldiers who plot a heist to steal gold from Saddam Hussein during the end of the 1991 Gulf War. The film is an unconventional war film in which four different men try to do something after the war in the hopes they can get home to better lives only to deal with all sorts of trouble that would also involve refugees in need of help. Starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Nora Dunn, Judy Greer, Jamie Kennedy, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff Curtis, and Said Taghmaoui. Three Kings is a gripping yet exhilarating film from David O. Russell.
Set during the final days of the 1991 Gulf War and its aftermath, the film follows four U.S. soldiers who find a map in which they believe has Kuwaiti gold bullions in a bunker that belonged to Saddam Hussein as they plot to steal it to ensure a better life for themselves. It’s a film where these four men go on a mission by themselves without any kind of authority as they find the village with the gold bullions but they would also discover the village would feature some anti-Saddam dissidents who are asking for help as they would and try to deal with pro-Saddam forces despite the fact that a ceasefire had already happened. David O. Russell’s screenplay that is based on John Ridley’s original story where it explores these soldiers dealing with the aftermath of a war where there wasn’t a lot of action and coming home with not much is something the protagonists in the film are dealing with.
Leading the pack is Major Archie Gates (George Clooney) whose job is to escort TV reporter Adriana Cruz (Nora Dunn) as he is more interested in getting paid than do his job. He is joined by Staff Sgt. Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), Sgt. First Class Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg), and Private First Class Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze) who all want to get the bullions as they would have a friend in Specialist Walter Wogeman (Jamie Kennedy) to drive Cruz and her cameraman to a false location. Though they would find the gold bullions, they hope not to do anything else but pleas from anti-Saddam dissidents where a woman is killed by Iraqi forces who want to hold these dissidents hostage force Gates and his men to take action. Yet, it would become a big problem when Barlow is taken by Iraqi soldiers after a scuffle forcing Gates, Elgin, and Vig to retrieve him but they would have to make a deal with the dissidents who would help them but be accompanied to the Iranian border in return.
Russell’s direction is definitely stylish for the way it captures life during the Gulf War as well as the sense of danger that was emerging during the period of ceasefire in the aftermath of the war. Shot on various locations in the deserts of Casa Grande, Arizona and parts of California and Mexico, Russell aims for something that is immediate in the way soldiers deal with boredom in their lack of action as the first scene has Barlow killing an Iraqi soldier not knowing he was trying to surrender. The shot would be repeated in a cartoonish fashion where Vig describes to other soldiers what Barlow did as it just adds this air of exaggeration that the soldiers crave for since they didn’t see much action in Iraq and Kuwait. Russell would use wide shots to capture the scope of the locations yet would focus more on using medium shots and close-ups to capture some of the action in the bunker or to get a reaction from a soldier dealing with some kind of violence whether its comic or dramatic. The former would play into the lives that Barlow, Vig, and Elgin have before the war as well as an encounter with a cow on the way to the bunker that add to the film’s dark humor.
Russell’s approach to the suspense and action is stylish as he would shoot it with some hand-held cameras as well as creating some offbeat compositions to play into some of the darker moments in the film. Most notably a torture scene with Barlow having to deal with the consequences of his service in the military where he is forced to visualize what happened if he was in the shoes of the man who is torturing him. There are also these somber and sentimental moments that Russell would create such as Vig’s fascination with Islamic burials which provides a major moment in his development from this redneck who constantly says idiotic things to being a man open towards a culture that is foreign to him. It would culminate with Gates and his men accompanying these refugees in the hope they can have a better future in Iran despite its history with Iraq while Gates is also aware of the trouble he’s caused with his superiors in interfering with things he’s not supposed to be involved in. Overall, Russell creates a riveting yet intense film about a group of soldiers whose planned heist forces them to help dissidents during the aftermath of the Gulf War.
Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel does amazing work with the film’s stylish cinematography with the usage of grainy film footage, desaturated film color stocks, and other stylish looks to play into the craziness of the action scenes as well as in the suspense and black humor. Editor Robert K. Lambert does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the chaos of war as well as some of the suspense and its dark humor. Production designer Catherine Hardwicke, with set decorator Gene Serdena plus art directors Jann K. Engel and Derek R. Hill, does excellent work with the look of the old castles, villages, and bunkers where some of the action occurred as well as the interiors of some of the rooms where Saddam’s soldiers are stationed at. Costume designer Kym Barrett does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly straightforward from the camouflage the soldiers wear to the ragged clothes of the dissidents.
Visual effects supervisor David Sosalla does terrific work with the visual effects for the look of body parts shown from the inside of how they would react to a bullet as well as some of the action scenes. Sound editors Bruce Fortune and John Leveque do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the chaos that goes on in battle as well as the eerie atmosphere of the desert. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is superb for its low-key score that play into the drama and suspense with its mixture of Arabian music textures and orchestral arrangements while music supervisor Ralph Sall provide an offbeat soundtrack that include music from Rare Earth, the Beach Boys, Public Enemy, Chicago, Eddie Murphy, Plastic Bertrand, Snap, Johann Sebastian Bach, and U2.
The casting by Anne McCarthy and Mary Vernieu is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Holt McCallany as Barlow’s superior officer Captain Doug Van Meter who despises Barlow and his antics, Liz Stauber as Troy’s wife, Marsha Horan as Amir’s wife, Judy Greer as a rival journalist trying to get the story while having a tryst with Gates, Alia Shawkat as Amir’s daughter, Said Taghmaoui as an Iraqi interrogator who tortures Barlow, and Mykelti Williamson as Gates’ superior Colonel Ron Horn who doesn’t like what Gates is doing as well as suspicious in what he’s doing. Jamie Kennedy is terrific as Specialist Walter Wogeman as a bumbling soldier who is asked to accompany Cruz on an assignment to distract her from what Gates is doing as he is the film’s comic relief.
Cliff Curtis is superb as Amir as an anti-Saddam dissident who is seen bound and gagged where he helps Gates in the hopes that he can get other dissidents including his daughter to the Iranian border. Nora Dunn is fantastic as Adriana Cruz as a news reporter trying to get a major story about the Gulf War where she finds herself in a different journey where she would also make some discoveries about what is happening during the ceasefire. Spike Jonze is excellent as Private First Class Conrad Vig as a redneck soldier who idolizes Barlow as he often says dumb things and gets way over his head while realizing the reality of his situations where finds a sense of salvation in Islamic culture and their approach to death which he finds to be extremely fascinating.
Mark Wahlberg is brilliant as Sgt. First Class Troy Barlow as a soldier that is eager to come home as he deals with the lack of real action he faced where he takes part in the heist only to be captured as he deals with realities of war. Ice Cube is amazing as Staff Sgt. Chief Elgin who is kind of the film’s conscience as a man who takes part in the heist knowing what he will gain as he also copes with the reality as it relates to the dissidents. Finally, there’s George Clooney in an incredible performance as Major Archie Gates as a special forces soldier who is about to retire from the service as he sees the heist for gold bullions as a way out of not showing much only to realize the severity of where he is prompting him to take action and help these dissidents out of Iraq.
Three Kings is a tremendous film from David O. Russell. Featuring a great ensemble cast, stylish visuals, an offbeat soundtrack, and a story that plays into the fallacy of war and the need to help those in danger during its aftermath. It’s a film that doesn’t play into the conventions of a war movie as it showcases what men will do to make up for their lack of encountering action only to see the reality of a world in turmoil in the aftermath of war. In the end, Three Kings is a spectacular film from David O. Russell.
David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey – Flirting with Disaster – I Heart Huckabees – The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by James Gray and written by Gray and Matt Reeves, The Yards is the story of a convict who has been released from parole as he finds himself being part in a crime scheme with a friend for a subway rail yard leads to trouble. The film is a crime drama set in New York City where a man who went to jail for his friend deals with being drawn into a world that might put him back in prison as he also copes with loyalty and doing what is right. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Faye Dunaway, Ellen Burstyn, and James Caan. The Yards is an evocative and mesmerizing film from James Gray.
The film follows a young man who has returned from prison for a crime he didn’t commit as he is eager to lead a straight-and-narrow life only to be coerced by his best friend to be involved in the world of corruption relating to the subway train yards only for things to go wrong. It’s a film that is a bit about redemption but also about the fallacy of loyalties in the streets as this young man is just trying to find work and not get in trouble but he is lured into a world he doesn’t want to go back to. The film’s screenplay by James Gray and Matt Reeves explore the motivations of its characters such as the protagonist Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg) who returns home as he learns that his mother Val (Ellen Burstyn) is dealing with a heart condition and wants to set things right for her. At his homecoming party that is attended by his mother, his aunt Kitty (Faye Dunaway), his cousin Erica (Charlize Theron), and best friend Willie Gutierrez (Joaquin Phoenix), Leo learns that Kitty’s new husband Frank Olchin (James Caan) could get him a job working at the railway car repair company.
Yet, Frank is unable to give Leo a job immediately though he offers to fund his studies for a two-year machinist program as Leo chooses to work closely with Willie, who also works for Frank, where he does bribes and such to get contracts against competing companies. It may give Leo some money in his pocket but he becomes uneasy as he also learns what Willie and his friends do in ruining other companies in order to get contracts where one night in an attempt to sabotage another company’s trains would lead to chaos as Leo gets into a scuffle with a police officer (David Zayas) and knocks him unconscious. Yet, that is nothing compared to what was happening at the same time where a yard master is killed as Leo becomes a suspect where he goes into hiding with a few people to trust. Among them is Erica whom Leo is close to, despite the fact that she’s engaged to Willie, as she would look after her aunt for Leo as she becomes aware of what had happened as she turns to her stepfather for help.
Gray’s direction does have elements of style in terms of the compositions that he creates as it play into the suspense and drama. Shot on location in New York City with much of it set in the boroughs of Queens, the film does play into this world that is away from the usual aspects of the city which is often set in Manhattan. Instead, Gray plays into this world that is a mixture of upper-class suburbia as it relates to the home that Frank and his family live in as well as the apartment that Leo shares with his mother. Gray’s approach to the compositions does having him using some wide shots not just in establishing the location but also this world where there is so much at stake in the world of the subways where companies are trying to compete to get contracts where it eventually becomes deadly.
Gray’s approach to the drama is more straightforward in the compositions where he uses some medium shots and close-ups as it relate to what the characters are reacting as well as what they’re dealing with. One noted scene is where Leo is being asked to kill the cop he knocked unconscious as a way to solve all of his problems where Gray uses the space of the room and everything in it to play into the suspense. It says a lot of who Leo is as well as the conflict he has in his loyalty to his friends but he’s also thinking about the fact that he might return to prison. It’s an effective scene as would the third act where it is about family as it relate to Leo’s relationship with his mother and Erica where he really cares about them with the latter as someone he can really trust. Even as he would make a bargain to ensure that he and the family would be safe despite the fact that he could still be public enemy number one against those he would rat out. Overall, Gray crafts a gripping yet compelling film about a former convict being lured into a deadly scheme where his loyalty towards friends is being tested.
Cinematographer Harris Savides does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key yet grimy lighting for the scenes set at night including scenes during black-outs and low-light situations while maintaining something natural for the daytime exterior scenes. Editor Jeffrey Ford does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward to play into the drama and suspense which includes a scene of Leo dealing with a hood wanting to kill him. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with set decorator Ford Wheeler and art director Judy Rhee, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Frank lives in with the family as well as the apartment that Leo lives with his mother.
Costume designer Michael Clancy does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual with some of the stylish clothes that Erica wears. Sound editor Phil Benson, along with sound designers Kyrsten Mate and Gary Rydstrom, does superb work with the sound in creating that atmosphere of how trains are repaired as well as the atmosphere of the streets including the hospital room scene which is very low-key yet also chilling. The film’s music by Howard Shore is brilliant for its orchestral-driven score that play into the suspense and drama while music supervisor Dana Sano provide a mixture of music from acts and artists like Macy Gray, Brand New Heavies, KRS-One, Peggy Lee, George Benson, and Petula Clark.
The casting by Douglas Aibel is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Chad Aaron as Erica’s little brother Bernard, David Zayas as Officer Jerry Rifkin whom Leo would knock unconscious, Joseph Ragno as Leo’s parole officer, Robert Montano as a railway yard contractor in Hector Gallardo whom Willie doesn’t like, Steve Lawrence as a boroughs president who wants to keep the murder quiet until after the election, and Tomas Milian as a rival contractor who feels cheated by Frank’s company and the politicians over contracts. Faye Dunaway is fantastic as Erica’s mother Kitty as a woman that doesn’t approve of the engagement between Erica and Willie as she is also concerned with what Frank is doing with his business. Ellen Burstyn is superb as Leo’s mother Val as a woman who is happy to see her son as she also copes with what is happening to him as it is affecting her health but knows that he hasn’t done anything wrong. James Caan is excellent as Frank Olchin as a railway repair contractor who wants to help Leo out in finding a good job as he later copes with the murder of yard securities officer where he tries to do some cover-up as well as make decisions that would later be troubling.
Charlize Theron is brilliant as Erica as Leo’s cousin/Willie’s girlfriend who is happy to see Leo back as she becomes concerned with what’s happening to him after being accused of murder while taking care of her aunt where she would learn about what happened which disturbs her. Joaquin Phoenix is remarkable as Willie Gutierrez as Leo’s best friend who is part of a crew that helps sabotage rival subway trains as well as bribe officials where he goes too far into his work to the point that he thinks about getting rid of his best friend. Finally, there’s Mark Wahlberg in a marvelous performance as Leo Handler as convict who is on parole that is trying not to get into trouble as it’s a very restrained performance from Wahlberg as someone that is quiet as well as knowing what he had to do to save himself and those he cares about.
The Yards is a phenomenal film from James Gray. Featuring a great cast, top-notch cinematography, a chilling score, and captivating themes on loyalty and corruption. It’s a film that explores a world that is very competitive with those being caught in the middle of a dark and violent game where a man is forced to live by the code of the streets or do what is right. In the end, The Yards is a sensational film from James Gray.
James Gray Films: Little Odessa - We Own the Night – Two Lovers – The Immigrant (2013 film) - The Lost City of Z – Ad Astra - The Auteurs #67: James Gray
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Sean Anders and screenplay by Anders, Brian Burns, and John Morris from a story by Burns, Daddy’s Home is the story of a mild-mannered man who finds himself having to compete for the attention of his step-children once their father appears to try and put himself into their relationship. The film is a comedy that pits father against stepfather all to try and see who can be the best father. Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, Bobby Cannavale, Hannibal Burress, and Thomas Haden Church. Daddy’s Home is a funny and exciting film from Sean Anders.
The film is a simple story of a man who works as an executive at a smooth-jazz radio station as he had been a stepfather to a couple of kids for years as he is trying whatever he can to help them when that all changes when his wife’s former husband arrives for a visit and all hell breaks loose. What happens is that it becomes this kind of mental competition and one-upmanship between two men who both want to become the best father to these two kids. The film’s screenplay by Sean Anders, Brian Burns, and John Morris doesn’t just explore the two different men in this scenario in the mild-mannered and sensitive Brad Whitaker (Will Ferrell) and the more macho and adventurous Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg) in how they deal with each other but also in their idea of raising kids. Watching all of this is Brad’s wife Sara (Linda Cardellini) who married Dusty many years ago but divorced due to his immaturity and lack of commitment to family as she isn’t sure if Dusty is really there for noble reasons. Even though Brad finds Dusty intimidating physically and mentally, Dusty would see what Brad can bring to the table as it would force him to raise his gain but also deal with the challenges in being a full-time father.
Sean Anders’ direction is very straightforward in terms of the compositions he creates as well as emphasizing on a few stylish moments in the film such as a skateboarding sequence with the usage of the GoPro camera. Still, Anders just goes for something simple as the film is shot mainly in and around New Orleans as it does have a few wide shots though Anders would favor medium shots and close-ups to focus on the characters and the comedic moments. Some of these moments involve Brad trying to upstage Dusty by doing crazy stunts only for it to go wrong as it does deliver. Anders would wisely know not to emphasize too much on gags in order to focus on Brad and Dusty to get an understanding on fatherhood as it would it add a common goal for these two men. Notably a scene where Brad and Dusty help the latter’s son Dylan (Owen Wilder Vaccaro) in dealing with a bully as well as wanting to dance with Dusty’s daughter Megan (Scarlett Estevez) for an upcoming father-daughter dance at her school shows that these two men do bring the best in each other. Overall, Anders creates a charming and hilarious film about a stepfather competing with a father for the affection of their children.
Cinematographer Julio Macat does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it’s straightforward for many of the daytime exterior/interior scenes with some lights for the scenes at night. Editors Eric Kissack and Brad Wilhite do nice work with the editing as it has elements of style with some of the rhythmic cuts to play into the humor as well as some of the gags. Production designer Clayton Hartley, with set decorator Jan Pascale and Elliott Glick, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Brad and Sara live with the children as well as the look of the few places they go to. Costume designer Carol Ramsey does terrific work with the costumes as it is mostly casual from the sweater vest look of Brad to the more rugged look of Dusty.
Visual effects supervisor Paul Linden does very good work with some of the film’s visual effects as it relate to a few of the big gags in the film as it relates to Brad trying to one-up Dusty. Sound editors Andrew DeCristofaro and Michael Payne does superb work with the sound as it if straightforward to play into the atmosphere of some of the locations including a basketball arena and other locations for the activities Brad does with the kids. The film’s music by Michael Andrews is wonderful for its mixture of jazz and light-hearted orchestral music to play into the film’s humor while music supervisors Dave Jordan and Jojo Villanueva create a fun soundtrack that features an array of music from the Pixies, AC/DC, Metallica, the Hives, Jay-Z, the Offspring, the Commodores, T.I. with Rihanna, the Temptations, and Leo Sayer.
The casting by Allison Jones is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Paul Scheer as a basketball radio DJ, Chris Henchy as a smooth jazz DJ, Hannibal Burress as a handyman named Griff who would be at the house due to befriending Dusty, and Bobby Cannavale in a funny performance as Dr. Emilio Fernandez as the famed fertility doctor who checks on Brad as he also knows Dusty. Owen Wilder Vacarro and Scarlett Estevez are fantastic in their respective roles as Dylan and Megan Mayron as two kids who aren’t fond of Brad as they’re excited to have their father around as they go to both of them for advice. Thomas Haden Church is excellent as Brad’s boss Leo Holt who gives Brad some bad advice as well as tell some hilarious stories of his own failures in the marriages he had been in.
Linda Cardellini is brilliant as Sara Whitaker as Brad’s wife/Dusty’s ex-wife who isn’t initially fond of having Dusty around though she realizes that he is trying to prove to be a good father while wanting to have another child despite the fact Brad might not be able to. Mark Wahlberg is incredible as Dusty Mayron as a rugged guy who does all sorts of things that makes him popular as he tries to do whatever he can to win back his children by playing mind games with Brad while dealing with his own faults as a father. Finally, there’s Will Ferrell in a marvelous as Brad Whitaker as a radio executive who is trying to win over Dylan and Megan as well as understanding them where he feels threatened by Dusty forcing to try all sorts of things where it’s a manic and wild performance from Ferrell.
Daddy’s Home is a remarkable film from Sean Anders that features great performances from Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Along with its supporting cast, engaging story, and some very funny moments, it’s a film that isn’t just enjoyable for families but also a comedy that is edgy but also sensible for children. In the end, Daddy’s Home is an amazing film from Sean Anders.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by David O. Russell and written by Russell and Jeff Baena, I Heart Huckabees is the story of an environmental activist who finds himself dealing with coincidences and such as he hires two existential detectives to help him as others also seek the help of the detectives. The film is an exploration into the world of existentialism as it’s told in a humorous manner as it also features a corporate executive who is the antagonist to the activist. Starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts, Isabelle Huppert, Lily Tomlin, and Dustin Hoffman. I Heart Huckabees is a truly hilarious and captivating film from David O. Russell.
The film explores the struggles of an environmental activist who is trying to save some marshes from being destroyed in favor of a new department store as he battles a corporate executive who lied to him. Yet, the activist Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) finds himself encountering a tall Sudanese bellboy which prompts him to get the help of two existential detectives in Bernard & Vivian Jaffe (Dustin Hoffman & Lily Tomlin, respectively) where things get complicated as he finds himself in a bigger battle with Huckabees executive Brad Stand (Jude Law) who also hires the Jaffes. With a disgruntled client of the Jaffes in fireman Tommy Corn (Mark Wahlberg) leaning towards the nihilistic views of the Jaffes’ former protégé Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert) as Albert would join Tommy. Things get complicated when the Jaffes’ presence starts to ruin Brad’s life as his girlfriend/Huckabees’ spokeswoman Dawn Campbell (Naomi Watts) starts to rebel against her own image. All of which plays into a group of people questioning themselves as well as their ambitions and roles in life in a very humorous fashion.
The film’s screenplay by David O. Russell and Jeff Baena has an offbeat structure where the first act is about Albert’s frustrations to save the marshes and deal with Brad who constantly bullshits everyone including the people he works for about a story involving country-pop singer Shania Twain and a tuna sandwich. While the Jaffes claim that both Albert and Brad are the same due to their ambitions and the need to make a difference. It’s something Albert refuses to believe as his encounter with Tommy would have him see a much darker view. Tommy is a fireman who despises petroleum as he sees Albert as a man who believes in something where a series of events would have Albert lose the trust of the people trying to save the marshes who go to Brad who is bullshitting them. The second act is about Albert and Tommy turning to Vauban for help as well as revelations for Albert about his own life where Tommy would often combat the Jaffes about their views on how everything is connected while Tommy refutes that.
Then comes this third act where it is about Brad and his own ambitions where his own life would unravel. Even as his relationship with Dawn comes into question as Dawn is often seen wearing skimpy clothes to promote Huckabees as she begins to ask questions about herself and her own relationship. Especially as she would threaten the future of Huckabees and Brad getting into some trouble which would then lead to a major epiphany for all of those involved. Especially the Jaffes and Vauban whose opposing views on the ways of the world would suddenly come together.
Russell’s direction is simple in the way he would shoot some scenes but there’s also something that is very offbeat in the way he plays into many of the film’s humorous moments. Notably the way it opens with Albert cursing at himself for all of the problems he is having where his encounters with this Sudanese bellboy are comical. It plays to the tone of the film where a lot of the humor is absurd as the scene where Albert and Tommy are in a room with the other clients of the Jaffes to showcase a world that is chaotic. The scenes with Vauban doing her own teaches are also absurd as it tries to play into this comical idea of nihilism. There’s also some very offbeat fantasy scenes that play into Albert’s own struggles and his hatred for Brad.
The opposing views of the Jaffes and Vauban would add to the offbeat tone of the direction where Russell would showcase their views through minimal visual effects. The Jaffes present their ideas in dots and such to say that everything is connected in a variation of transcendentalism while Vauban is more grounded in reality where there aren’t any visual effects but one that is still darkly comic. It would all culminate in a scene where it plays into these two diverge forces finally coming together in a moment of enlightenment. Overall, Russell crafts a very witty yet engaging comedy about a young man dealing with the ways of the world and his place in the world.
Cinematographer Peter Deming does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography to capture the naturalistic of the locations in California as well as some of its interiors where a lot of the film is shot on daytime. Editor Robert K. Lambert does brilliant work with the editing with its unique approach to montages and jump-cuts as it plays to the film‘s offbeat style. Production designer K.K. Barrett, with set decorator Gene Serdena and art director Seth Reed, does amazing work with the look of the Huckabees corporate building as well as the home office of the Jaffes to display their eccentric approach of transcendental philosophy.
Costume designer Mark Bridges does nice work with the costumes from the skimpy clothes that Dawn wears in her job to the different array of clothes that Vivian Jaffe and Caterine Vauban would wear. Visual effects supervisor Robert Barrett does fantastic work with the visual effects that play into the ideas of the Jaffes about connection and such as it‘s very playful. Sound editor Kelly Oxford does terrific work with the sound work to play into some of the sounds in the fantasy scenes as well as some of the moments in the location. The film’s music by Jon Brion is an absolute delight with its playful approach to the Chamberlin instrument as well as some folk-based pieces that he brings in to the film.
The casting by Mary Vernieu is incredible as it features some notable appearances from Shania Twain as herself, Richard Jenkins and Jean Smart as a couple who let the Sudanese bellboy live with them, Jonah Hill in his film debut as that couple’s son, Talia Shire as Albert’s mother, Bob Gunton as Albert’s stepfather, Tippi Hedren as a coalition leader who tries to save the marshes where she aligns herself with Brad, Isla Fisher as Dawn’s replacement later in the film, Ger Duany as the tall Sudanese bellboy in Stephen, and Kevin Dunn as the Huckabees executive manager Marty. Naomi Watts is excellent as Dawn Campbell as the Huckabees’ spokeswoman who is often in their commercials and is Brad’s girlfriend as her encounter with existentialism showcases Watts at her funniest as she questions her own image and such.
Isabelle Huppert is amazing as Caterine Vauban as this absurd nihilist who tries to show Albert and Tommy a world where there is nothingness as she proves to be quite extreme and convincing in her views. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as Bernard Jaffe as this oddball existential detective who is trying to get people on board with his own ideas while Lily Tomlin is fantastic as Bernard’s wife Vivian who also expresses the same views while being more analytical about the people she’s working with. Mark Wahlberg is phenomenal as Tommy Corn as this fireman who rides a bike as he becomes lost in his own despair as he tries to find meaning as it’s Wahlberg in one of his funniest and most vulnerable performances.
Jude Law is superb as Brad Stand as this corporate executive who likes to tell a story about Shania Twain to win over people and such as he’s a man that is quite vain in his ambitions only to realize how empty they can be. Finally, there’s Jason Schwartzman in a marvelous performance as Albert Markovski as this frustrated environmental activist who tries to make a difference as he deals with the different ideas of existentialism and his own issues with Brad as it’s Schwartzman in one of his funniest roles.
I Heart Huckabees is a smart and compelling film from David O. Russell. Armed with a great ensemble cast and very witty ideas about existentialism, the film is certainly a comedy that doesn’t play to any conventions. Especially as it showcases the idea of existentialism in its most absurd. In the end, I Heart Huckabees is a remarkable film from David O. Russell.
David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey - Flirting with Disaster - Three Kings - The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell
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