Ant-Man

Based on the Marvel comic series by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, Ant-Man is the story of a recently-convicted thief who is given a chance to find redemption when he meets a scientist, who had created a shrinking technology many years ago, who wants his help to stop his former protégé from creating something similar to what he made in the hopes of global domination. Directed by Peyton Reed and screenplay by Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, and Edgar Wright from a story by Cornish and Wright, the film is an origin story of sorts where this thief is given a chance to do good and fulfill the legacy of the man who was once donned the suit known as Ant-Man. Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Wood Harris, Martin Donovan, Michael Pena, Judy Greer, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Damian Dastmalchian, and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym/the original Ant-Man. Ant-Man is an exhilarating and whimsical film from Peyton Reed.

The film is a simple origin story of sorts of a man who shrinks to the size of an ant where he fights off bad guys and can go back to normal size whenever he can. Yet, it’s so much more as it is about redemption not just for the man who created the suit and myth but also the one who would don the suit and stop the creator’s former protégé from creating one of his own for his own gain. Plus, it’s also the story of what happens when something so brilliant as its creator realizes what could wrong as he also bears the weight of responsibility over what happened as it relates to the loss of his own wife. The film’s screenplay which was largely written by Adam McKay, with Rudd writing much of the comic dialogue, doesn’t just explore two men wanting to do things right but also cope with the responsibilities of themselves.

For Dr. Hank Pym, he was the man that found the formula to shrink himself into the size of an ant and succeeded to the point that he would become Ant-Man and would create a suit for his wife as Wasp. Yet, a mission that involved the two led to Wasp’s death where Pym felt deeply responsible as he had become somewhat estranged with his daughter Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) who works for Pym’s protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Adding to the chaos for Pym is the fact that he refused to share his knowledge of what he created to anyone including his friends in S.H.I.E.L.D. where he realizes that Cross’ work on Pym’s formula is getting closer as he becomes uneasy about not in what could go wrong. It’s also in what happens if it goes into the wrong hands and used in ways that could make the world even worse where Van Dyne is aware of her father’s worries where she also works as a spy for her father. Upon meeting this recently-released thief in Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Pym realizes that there is a way he could fix the mistakes in his life.

The Lang character is also very interesting as he is just this brilliant thief that has just been released from prison as he also has a young daughter that he wants to be there for. Unfortunately, his criminal record prevents from finding work as well as be able to see and support his daughter while his ex-wife is about to marry a cop who doesn’t like Lang. When Lang meets Dr. Pym and Van Dyne, he isn’t sure about donning the suit which he stole early in the story while being unaware of its powers. Yet, he realizes that his skills as a thief and breaking into some of the most highly secure places can benefit where he would also bring in a group of criminals to help him and Dr. Pym in getting the suit that Cross has created. While the script does have a lot of exposition and a narrative structure that is expected from the world of superhero origins. It does have a lot of humor but also some big dramatic stakes as it relates to what Cross is up to and the people he plans on making money with that includes one of Pym’s former colleagues from S.H.I.E.L.D.

Peyton Reed’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of what is expected from a superhero origin story yet manages to find ways to bring in a sense of style into the story. Shot largely on location in San Francisco with some shots set in Atlanta, the film does maintain something that is more homegrown as it plays into Lang’s attempt to set his life back on course while Dr. Pym is forced to sit in the sidelines as his business has grown into something bigger than he realized under Cross’ leadership. Reed’s usage of wide and medium shots do play into some of the big moments in the film while using the latter for some of the intimate moments where Van Dyne would reluctantly train Lang in becoming Ant-Man in combat fighting. The meshing of genres do work where it’s not just in the action and suspense but also in the humor.

Much of the humor doesn’t just involve some of the action sequences and Lang’s banters towards situations and those he would meet. It’s also in the supporting characters such as Lang’s former cellmate Luis (Michael Pena) who would provide some of the funniest moments that involve people he know and what he heard in these dizzying sequences that are ridiculous but fun. Reed would also create an air of suspense that is part of a homage to heist films as it relates to the climax that would involve Lang and Cross where it is elaborate but also thrilling. Even as Reed maintains the idea of what is stake but also uncover some huge revelations about a world that Lang would encounter. Overall, Reed creates an engaging and fun film about a man who shrinks to the size of an ant to save the world.

Cinematographer Russell Carpenter does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it is largely straightforward with some stylish lights for scenes set at night as well as well as the way some of the film‘s action sequences are lit. Editors Dan Lebental and Colby Parker Jr. do nice work with the editing as it is quite straightforward with some stylish flair in some of the montages and in some of the action scenes without deviating into intense fast-cutting editing styles. Production designers Shepherd Frankel and Marcus Rowland, with set decorator Leslie A. Pope and supervising art directors Nigel Churcher and David Lazan, do amazing work with the look of Cross‘ lab as well as the home of Dr. Pym and the apartment where Lang lives with other former convicts. Costume designer Sammy Sheldon does fantastic work with the look of the Ant-Man suit as well as the Yellow Jacket suit that Cross is designing while much of the clothes are very casual.

Visual effects supervisors Jon Capleton, Dinesh K. Bishnoi, Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, and Alex Wuttke do brilliant work with the visual effects from the look of the ants as well as the way Ant-Man would shrink and reverse at times along with a very surreal sequence set during the film‘s climax. Sound designers David Farmer, David C. Hughes, and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor David Laurie, do superb work with the sound in the way some of the sound effects are mixed along with some of the natural moments in some of the locations and how Lang hears them when he‘s shrunk. The film’s music by Christophe Beck is terrific for its bombastic orchestral score that plays into the sense of adventure and comedy along with some of the dramatic moments while music supervisors Alejandro de la Llosa and Dave Jordan create a fun soundtrack that features music from Camilo Azuquita, Roy Ayers, the Commodores, HLM, and the Cure.

The casting by Sarah Finn is incredible as it features appearances from Hayley Atwell and John Slattery as S.H.I.E.L.D. co-founders Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, respectively, who deal with Pym’s departure knowing they’ve screwed things up while Anthony Mackie makes a fun appearance as Sam Wilson/Falcon who has a big encounter with Lang in a key scene. Other notable small roles include comedian Garrett Morris as a man in a car Lang meets, Gregg Turkington as a Baskin-Robbins manager who reluctantly fires Lang, Abby Ryder Fortson as Lang’s daughter Cassie, Judy Greer as Lang’s ex-wife Maggie who is reluctant to let Lang back into their daughter’s life, Wood Harris as a police detective named Gale, Tip “T.I.” Harris and David Dastmalchian as a couple of Luis’ friends who help Lang and Pym out for the film’s climax, and Martin Donovan in a superb performance as former S.H.I.E.L.D. executive Mitchell Carson whom Cross wants to make a deal with.

Bobby Cannavale is terrific as Maggie’s new boyfriend Paxton who is also a police detective that isn’t very trustful towards Lang as he later tries to find him after Lang escaped from jail. Michael Pena is great as Luis as a former criminal who has a lot of connections as he tries to help Lang out while later being part of a scheme to help Lang and Pym stop Cross as he is also the most hilarious character in the film. Corey Stoll is excellent as Darren Cross as Pym’s former protégé who created a formula similar to what Dr. Pym has created as he plans to make it into something bigger as it’s a role filled with some dark, comical humor and a sense of bravado. Evangeline Lilly is amazing as Hope Van Dyne as Dr. Pym’s estranged daughter who works for Cross as a spy for her father as she also deals with the fact that her father is hiding some things from her as it relates to her mother.

Michael Douglas is phenomenal as Dr. Hank Pym as the creator of a shrinking formula that he would use to be the original Ant-Man as he copes with the dangers of what happens when his formula is into the wrong hands while he deals with his own regrets as it’s a role filled with a lot of weight as well as some humor. Finally, there’s Paul Rudd in a marvelous performance as Scott Lang as a notorious thief who is trying to start over and do right for his daughter only to be forced back into crime where he meets Dr. Pym and get his chance at redemption where Rudd definitely exudes the idea of being a hero while also providing some funny banter along the way to make Lang more engaging as a person as it’s one of his finest roles to date.

Ant-Man is a remarkable film from Peyton Reed that features amazing performances from Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, and Michael Pena. Not only is it a fun action-adventure film but also a compelling one as it relates to the themes of redemption and wanting to do the right thing in a world that is often very complicated. Even as it is told in an entertaining fashion without deviating too much from the story. In the end, Ant-Man is an excellent film from Peyton Reed.

Peyton Reed Films: (The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes (1995 film)) - (The Love Bug (1997 film)) - (Bring It On) - (Down with Love) - (The Break-Up) - (Yes Man)

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One Films: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Marvel Phase Two Films: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron

Marvel Phase Three Films: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World

© thevoid99 2016

The Portait of a Lady

Based on the novel by Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady is the story of an American woman who travels to Europe with her inheritance to confront her destiny while meeting two American expatriates who would change her fortunes for the worse. Directed by Jane Campion and screenplay by Laura Jones, the film is an exploration of an independent woman who seeks to make something of herself only to be trapped by the world that she‘s chosen. Starring Nicole Kidman, Barbara Hershey, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Martin Donovan, Viggo Mortensen, Christian Bale, Valentina Cervi, Richard E. Grant, Shelley Winters, Shelley Duvall, and John Gielgud. The Portrait of a Lady is an enchanting yet intoxicating film from Jane Campion.

The film is an exploration into the life of an American woman in the 1870s who craves independence and wants to explore the world as she’s been given an inheritance by her uncle. With her inheritance, Isabel Archer (Nicole Kidman) travels through Europe where she meets Madame Serena Merle (Barbara Hershey) whom she met in England some time earlier as Merle would introduce her to another American expatriate in Gilbert Osmond (John Malkovich). After rejecting several proposals from many suitors including her cousin Ralph (Martin Donovan), Isabel marries Gilbert only for the marriage to be not what it seemed as Isabel becomes concerned for the well-being of her stepdaughter Pansy (Valentina Cervi). Isabel is forced to face the destiny she’s chosen as she finds herself lost while coming to the conclusion that she’s driven away those she was close to but also couldn’t help those who really need her.

Laura Jones’ screenplay creates this very complex story as it plays into the world of Isabel Archer as the first act is about her in England as she’s approached by suitors including Lord Warburton (Richard E. Grant), Boston mill heir Casper Goodwood (Viggo Mortensen), and her cousin Ralph Touchett. They all mean well but Archer wants more as she knows that the world is changing as her friend Henrietta (Mary-Louise Parker) is already acting like a modern woman. Upon meeting Madame Merle and gaining her inheritance, Isabel is convinced that she will get the chance to live a life of great wonderment and independence where she meets Gilbert Osmond who shares her ideas about the world. Much of the first half is about Isabel’s search for herself and meeting Madame Merle and Osmond as they have plans about what to do with Isabel’s inheritance which brings a lot of suspicion from Ralph.

The film’s second half in the story is much darker where Isabel has to deal with not just the decision she made but also the people she unknowingly drove away like Ralph, Henrietta, and the suitors who still wanted her. The men would question about her happiness which Isabel chooses to dismiss them as she finds herself constrained by Gilbert’s world and what he wants as it takes a toll on her and his daughter Pansy who has fallen for a nice young man in Edward Rosier (Christian Bale) whom Gilbert dislikes. With Ralph becoming ill and Isabel realizing what she’s done, she finds herself in conflict about what to do and who to help. Even as she learns some truths about who is Pansy’s mother as well as into why Madame Merle would introduce her to Gilbert.

Jane Campion’s direction is really filled with exotic imagery and ravishing compositions in not just the way she creates the world of late 19th Century Europe but also a world that is changing where a woman like Isabel Archer seems to be part of these changes. It plays into this interesting conflict between the ideas of the Old World and New World where Campion creates a lot of scenes where it feels like the New World is emerging into the Old World and with new ideas. Even as she brings in some unique images in the way she puts the actors into a frame or how she captures a certain location like Italy and Britain where it’s starting to come in to the modern world. Even as Campion would use mirrors and glass to play into Isabel’s emotions as the world is changing where she’s oblivious to how bad things can become.

There’s also some unique visual effects sequences that Campion does that includes a montage of Archer traveling with Merle in different places of the world in surreal black-and-white images. All of which would play into the de-evolution of Archer as Campion’s presentation would become darker. Even as Campion would create slanted camera angles to play into a world that is returning to the old ways where things are becoming more complicated and constrained. Largely as the framing becomes tighter to play out the drama that is unfolding. Even as it would play into an ending where it’s not just about loss but uncertainty. Overall, Campion creates a very ethereal yet haunting film about a woman’s search for her identity in an ever-changing world.

Cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh does fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the use of colors for many of the film‘s first half to play out something natural in some of its exterior and interior settings to more usage of filters in a few scenes set in the winter along with some lighting schemes for the interiors including Pansy‘s cotillion party. Editor Veronika Jenet does brilliant work in the editing as she incorporates a lot of stylistic cuts from the use of dissolves and jump-cuts along with transitional fade-outs to play with its structure. Production/costume designer Janet Patterson and supervising art director Martin Childs do amazing work with the set pieces and costumes from the look of the homes the characters live in to the dresses that Isabel and other female characters wear.

Hair/makeup designer Peter King does terrific work with the hair styles that the women wear in the film along with some of facial hair that some of the men sport. Visual effects supervisor Kent Houston does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects to play up into Isabel‘s fantasies as well as her trip around the world. Sound designer Lee Smith does superb work with the sound to play into the intimacy of some of the locations and scenes as well as the parties that occur in the film. The film’s music by Wojciech Kilar is excellent for its flourishing and broad orchestral score that features sweeping string arrangements to play out the drama while its soundtrack also includes lots of classical pieces by Johann Strauss, Franz Schubert, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

The casting by Johanna Ray is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features small yet notable appearances from Shelley Winters as Isabel’s aunt, Shelley Duvall as Gilbert’s flighty yet sympathetic sister Countess Gemini, and John Gielgud as Isabel’s uncle who would be the one to give her the inheritance. Viggo Mortensen and Richard E. Grant are terrific in their respective roles as Isabel’s suitors Caspar Goodwood and Lord Warburton where the latter is offered the chance to marry Pansy while Christian Bale is superb in a small but memorable role as Pansy’s young suitor Edward Rosier. Valentina Cervi is wonderful as Pansy whom Isabel cherishes as she’s a young woman who is confused by what she wants but to also please her father. Mary Louise-Parker is excellent as Isabel’s friend Henrietta who encourages Isabel to be independent only to realize where she ended up as she tries to help the ailing Ralph.

Martin Donovan is amazing as Isabel’s cousin Ralph who is devoted to her as he watches her be wooed by Gilbert from afar while dealing with his illness and what is happening to her. Barbara Hershey is fantastic as Madame Serena Merle as a woman who charms Isabel into confronting her destiny only to have things go too far as she realizes the damage that she caused. John Malkovich is marvelous as Gilbert Osmond as a man who marries Isabel in the hopes to become rich and powerful as he becomes controlling into ensuring what he wants and such. Finally, there’s Nicole Kidman in a tremendous performance as Isabel Archer as she goes from this independent yet ambitious woman wanting to seek new adventures in an ever-changing world only to fall prey by a couple of American expatriates who would trap her into something very dark as she tries to comprehend the decisions she’s made and who to help as Kidman brings a lot of grace and melancholia to her role.

The Portrait of a Lady is an exhilarating yet brooding film from Jane Campion that features an amazing leading performance from Nicole Kidman. Along with a great supporting cast as well as very strong themes on identity, destiny, and modernism. The film isn’t just this fascinating portrait of a woman trying to keep up and embrace the new world but also deal with the ideas of an older world that prove that some things don’t change. In the end, The Portrait of a Lady is a remarkable film from Jane Campion.

Jane Campion Films: Sweetie - An Angel at My Table - The Piano - Holy Smoke! - In the Cut - Bright Star - Top of the Lake (TV miniseries) - (Top of the Lake-China Girl) - The Power of the Dog - The Auteurs #25: Jane Campion

© thevoid99 2013

Insomnia (2002 film)

Based on the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, Insomnia is the story of a detective who travels to a small Alaskan fishing town to investigate a murder where he deals with a mysterious writer as well as the troubling location he’s staying at. Directed by Christopher Nolan with a screenplay by Hilary Seitz, the film is an Americanized take on Erik Skoldbaejrg’s 1997 film that explores the world of madness and guilt as the latter is part of Nolan’s interests in a lot of his work. Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Nicky Katt, Maura Tierney, Crystal Lowe, and Paul Dooley. Insomnia is a stylish yet engaging thriller from Christopher Nolan.

After the mysterious death of a 17-year-old girl named Kay Connell (Crystal Lowe), two L.A. detectives in Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan) are asked by Chief Nyback (Paul Dooley) to investigate as they arrive to the small Alaskan fishing town of Nightmute. Awaiting for their arrival is Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) who is a fan of Dormer’s work as she is eager to aid in the investigation as Dormer is dealing with issues involving internal affairs over supposedly falsifying evidence. After interrogating Kay’s boyfriend Randy Stetz (Jonathan Jackson) who claims to not know anything, Kay’s backpack is found near a shack where Dormer, Hap, Ellie, and other locals try to find out who owns the shack. Instead, a chase occurs leading Will to make a mistake that would impact everything as he eventually faces guilt over what happened as well as insomnia in a town where it’s day at the time of the season.

With Burr asked to investigate Burr’s shooting, Dormer continues to investigate as he eventually gets answers from Kay’s friend Tanya (Katherine Isabelle) about who Kay may have been seeing. Dormer discovers that it is a local writer named Walter Finch (Robin Williams) who may have been the one who killed Kay as Finch had been trying to contact him since he saw what really happened to Hap. The two eventually meet face-to-face where they conspire to frame Randy since Finch is blackmailing Dormer about what he knows based on taped conversations. While Burr is getting closer to what really happened to Hap, Dormer’s guilt and growing insomnia starts to consume him as he goes for one more confrontation with Finch.

The film is about a L.A. detective who travels to Alaska to investigate the death of a young girl only to be consumed by guilt and dealing with a girl’s killer who is trying to play a battle of wits against him. It’s a film that explores a man’s descent into madness as Hilary Seitz’s screenplay is quite faithful to the original Erik Skoldbaejrg’s 1997 film of the same name. The only major difference is that a few characters like Will Dormer and Walter Finch are given more complexity while the Ellie Burr character is expanded more from the original. Adding to Dormer’s sense of guilt is an inquiry from internal affairs about his reputation where it eventually plays to his motivation of wanting to get the person even if there’s a lack of evidence.

Christopher Nolan’s direction is definitely engaging for the way he shoots the beautiful Alaskan locations with wide shots as well as creating a mood for many of the film’s suspenseful scenes. Particularly in close-ups of the characters as well as medium shots to have two characters in a frame to set up a simple conversation or to play out an investigation. Nolan’s camera is always there to show something while repeating certain images and such to play up Dormer’s guilt and paranoia. Overall, Nolan creates a truly intriguing suspense film that plays up to what is expected in the genre.

Cinematographer Wally Pfister does excellent work with the film‘s low-colored cinematography to play up the look of the Alaskan locations as well as some amazing interiors of Dormer‘s room and other interiors to play out the mood of the film. Editor Dody Dorn does great work with the editing by creating montages to play up Dormer‘s guilt with repeated images as well as using jump-cuts to play out Dormer‘s troubled state of mind. Production designer Nathan Crowley, with set decorator Peter Lando and art director Michael Diner, does wonderful work with the look of the lodge that Dormer and Hap stay in as well as the station where everyone does the investigation.

Costume designer Tish Monaghan does good work with the clothes by keeping it casual for many of the characters. Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Curt Schulkey does nice work with the sound for the way gunshots are sound and a key scene where Dormer hears a lot of things as voices are muffled to play out his descent into madness. The film’s score by David Julyan is wonderful for its low-key yet mesmerizing orchestral score filled with heavy piano melodies and string arrangements to play out the film’s suspense.

The casting by Marci Liroff is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Emily Perkins as a girl speaking at Kay’s funeral, Nicky Katt and Larry Holden as a couple of local cops, Crystal Lowe as the victim Kay Connell, Paul Dooley as Chief Nyback, Katherine Isabelle as Kay’s friend Tanya, and Jonathan Jackson as Kay’s boyfriend Randy Stetz. Martin Donovan is excellent as Will’s ill-fated partner Hap who has issues with Will over a deal he wants to make with internal affairs. Maura Tierney is superb as the lodge owner Rachel who gives a very low-key performance as a woman who observes Will at the lodge. Hilary Swank is great as detective Ellie Burr who takes many of Will’s advice to be a great investigator as she uses his advice and her skills to uncover many things as it’s a very intense and lively performance from Swank.

Robin Williams is amazing as the mysterious Walter Finch where Williams is quite restrained in his role as a novelist who may have killed a young woman only to try and outwit Will Dormer over what Will had done as there’s a bit of dark charm in Williams’ performance. Finally, there’s Al Pacino in a terrific performance as Will Dormer where Pacino brings a great intensity and weariness to a man consumed by guilt as he is desperate to do what is right even if it means having to do things the wrong way. It’s one of Pacino’s finer performances of his career to display his gifts as an actor.

Insomnia is a stellar yet fascinating film from Christopher Nolan that features top-notch work from Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. While it may not have the intense approach of the original 1997 film or the stylish mis-en-scene of Nolan’s other films. It is still a remake that works to play up what is expected in the suspense genre as well as being faithful to Erik Skoldbaejrg’s original film. In the end, Insomnia is a superb thriller from Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan Films: Following - Memento - Batman Begins - The Prestige - The Dark Knight - Inception - The Dark Knight Rises - Interstellar - Dunkirk - Tenet - Oppenheimer - The Auteur #13: Christopher Nolan

Related: Insomnia (1997 film)

© thevoid99 2012

Saved!

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/27/04 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Saved! is a teen comedy set in a modern-day American Christian high school about a young woman named Mary whose life has always been influenced by Jesus and Christianity. Then when she learns her boyfriend is gay and tries to save him by having sex with him, she ends up being pregnant and alienated by her peers including zealot Hilary Faye where Mary is forced to join the school’s outcasts. Directed by Brian Dannelly from a script he co-wrote with Michael Urban, Saved! is a part satire, part teen-comedy that isn’t attacking Christianity but rather study the narrow-minded attitude of some its people including preachers and followers. Starring Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit, Eva Amurri, Heather Matarazzo, Mary-Louise Parker, and Martin Donovan, Saved! is one of the year’s smartest comedies.

The young life of Mary (Jena Malone) has always been driven by her devotion to Jesus Christ and the Christian faith as she lives with her mother Lillian (Mary-Louise Parker). Mary's seemingly perfect life is suddenly shattered when her boyfriend Dean (Chad Faust) reveals to her that he might be gay. After seeing a vision of Jesus Christ, Mary believes that it's her mission to save Dean as she takes the advice of her friend Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore). Mary decides to lose her virginity to Dean as a sacrificial act but Dean is sent to a clinic over his homosexuality making Mary feel upset as she's set to return to American Eagle Christian School for her senior year.

With Hilary and Hilary's cynical, wheelchair-bound brother Roland (Macaulay Culkin) returning as well, Mary notices that also returning is the Jewish bad girl Cassandra (Eva Amurri) and a new student in Patrick, who is the son of their principal Pastor Skip (Martin Donovan). During an assembly with Veronica (Elizabeth Thai) as Hilary and Mary are part of the elite Christian Jewels group, Cassandra causes trouble as Roland is impressed by Cassandra. Mary later learns that she's pregnant as she learns that Hilary is holding an intervention about Dean leading to an argument between the two as Mary is kicked out of the Christian Jewels as she's replaced by Tia (Heather Matarazzo). Feeling like an outcast, Mary becomes friends with Cassandra as she and Roland help Mary out as she starts to have feelings towards Patrick. Mary's time with Roland and Cassandra helps her deal with her issues while her mother starts to date Pastor Skip.

Cassandra decides to battle it out with Hilary over her hypocritical stance as Mary and Roland help Cassandra out with this new war. Hilary starts to fire back where Mary's secret is revealed as it leads to problems between Lillian and Pastor Skip. For Roland, the battle isn't over as he decides to help Mary and Cassandra go on a final battle at prom against Hilary with some unexpected help.

While the film has a nice balance of drama and comedy along with satire throughout the film, Brian Dannelly makes sure the film isn’t trying to be offensive but more of something everyone to enjoy. Throughout the film, the movie has some hilarious comedic sequences including a scene involving a TV-movie starring Valerie Bertinelli that leads to Mary wanting to have cancer instead of being pregnant. The comedic aspects are very silly in a fun way while the dramatic aspects is pretty restrained to encompass on the film’s entertaining presentation. The only major flaw with the film is the ending, mostly because its too nice and doesn’t leave much for anything realistic where you want to know what happens to many of the characters at the end.

While the film’s screenplay and directing works for the most part, the film’s look from cinematographer Bobby Bukowski is very colorful and exquisite in the outside scenes while looking very realistic in the interior school and mall scenes with a lot of credit due to production designer Tony Devenyi and art director Kristina Lyne. The film’s look is perfect for this comedy along with the look of the school uniforms where it plays well to its individual players from its costume designer Wendy Chuck. Even the film’s music is very light-hearted and catchy, even playing to some cheesiness in the Christian music with very funny lyrics from music composer Christophe Beck along with contributions of music from the Replacements in the prom scene and Mandy Moore doing a fine duet of the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows with the film’s producer and R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe.

The film has a very fine cast with some small but stellar performances from Heather Matarazzo as Faye’s suck-up friend Tia, who is funny while Elizabeth Thai is excellent as Faye’s partner-in-crime. Martin Donovan gives a fine performance as Pastor Skip who brings a very hilarious, cool approach to preaching with lines like “Who’s down with the G-O-D” while brings his masterful dramatic performances in his scenes as a father and with Mary-Louise Parker. Parker also shines as Mary’s mother in her moments of infatuation with Skip but does better in her scenes with Jena Malone as a mother who doesn’t know until the end where she really brings her mastery of drama. Chad Faust is also fine in his small role as Mary’s gay boyfriend Dean while Patrick Fugit unfortunately, doesn’t do much in his role as Mary’s love interest. Fugit does a nice job with his role but isn’t given much to as far as development is concerned and there is confusion sometimes when he’s with Hilary Faye and we don’t really know why other than the fact that he likes Mary.

Mandy Moore is a total riot throughout the entire film with her over-the-top performance with lines of “I am filled with Christ love” and her Jesus speeches in which they’re so funny. Throughout the film, Moore just comes off as this misguided girl who really begins to alienate everyone but by the film’s end, she tries to become some martyr in which, doesn’t really work and her character in the end, doesn’t get any resolve. Of the supporting cast, Eva Amurri delivers a breakthrough performance as the bad-girl Cassandra. Bringing a flat-out, edgy comedic performance, Amurri brings an energy and likeability to her character that just wants to be herself and not be tagged into any category. The daughter of actress Susan Sarandon, Amurri has now officially arrived. Macaulay Culkin is also spellbinding as the cynical yet charming Roland with his witty commentary on Hilary Faye’s mission to save people. Culkin brings a smile to everyone with his intellectual view on faith while just wanting to have fun while in scenes with Amurri, the two shines with great chemistry as Culkin is finally on his way out of child stardom hell.

The film’s best performance easily goes to Jena Malone in her sympathetic portrayal as the anguished and disillusioned Mary. Malone brings her character some flaws from a girl who is just misguided to someone who grows up and learns that you don’t really need to be restricted by all of these guidelines in how to live her life. Malone has proven herself to being one of the best young actresses of her generation where she proved she can do love scenes with Fugit.  Notably as she can light up in scenes with Culkin and Amurri as it's one of her best performances of her career.

While it’s not the funniest film of the year, Saved! is still a smart comedy from Brian Dannelly with great performances from Jena Malone, Macaulay Culkin, Eva Amurri, and Mandy Moore. The film isn’t very offensive but rather give light that God can be misunderstood at times through people who can take him very seriously. There’s nothing wrong with faith or anything, it’s just that people needs to find a balance. Saved! is smart in making a comedy that is entertaining and enlightening without trying to be too subversive or overtly preachy.

(C) thevoid99 2011