Based on the novel by Colin MacInnes, Absolute Beginners is the story of a young photographer who tries to deal with the changes in his life due to his girlfriend wanting to become a fashion designer while being lured by a businessman into a world that would cause trouble. Directed by Julien Temple and screenplay by Richard Burridge, Christopher Wicking, Don MacPherson, and additional dialogue by Terry Johnson, the film is a musical set in late 1950s London in its Soho district where young people deal with a changing world. Starring Eddie O’Connell, Patsy Kensit, James Fox, Anita Morris, Bruce Payne, Graham Fletcher-Clark, Sade Adu, Ray Davies, and David Bowie as Vendice Partners. Absolute Beginners is a dazzling yet flawed film from Julien Temple.
Set in the summer of 1958 in the Soho district of London during a youth boom, the film revolves around a photographer trying to live his life and impress his girlfriend only to lose her when she becomes a hit at a fashion show and be engaged to an aging fashion designer. In turn, he gets lured by an exploitive adman for his photographs where he becomes blind to what is happening in the streets of London as racial tension starts to occur from White Supremacists. It’s a film that is a young man trying to define himself as a photographer while hanging out with his friends and listen to jazz yet is unsure of what he has to do to impress his girlfriend who would unfortunately be part of a world that she would eventually not like.
The film’s script doesn’t just play into the world of the youth culture in the late 1950s but also into the conflict that its protagonist Colin (Eddie O’Connell) endures in trying to impress his girlfriend Suzette (Patsy Kensit) who wants to be a fashion designer. The film also has these characters who are willing to exploit the youth culture such as the fashion designer Henley of Mayfair (James Fox) and an adman in Vendice Partners. The latter of which is this eccentric yet charming man with a transatlantic accent who could convince anyone to sell out. The film’s third act becomes serious and changes its tone from being this whimsical and playful musical into a film about racial tension. While the first two acts would hint and reveal events slowly that would cause the tension, how it gets unveiled is clunky where it definitely feels like an entirely different film.
Julien Temple’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the world he creates where it is largely shot at a studio to recreate the world of the Soho and neighborhoods in London. Featuring an intricate yet stylish tracking shot that goes on for several minutes early in the film, it does capture a lot of what was happening in Soho as Temple’s usage of wide and medium shots capture that vibrancy. Especially in the clubs where there is a lot of dancing as it was choreographed by David Toguri as well as moments where the dancing occurs in other sequences including the riots which is one of the odd moments in the film that doesn’t feel right. The scenes relating to the race riots, as it’s based on the real-life Notting Hills race riots of 1958, feels like it’s a different film where despite carrying similar visuals and compositions. It’s third act is quite problematic as it is clear Temple wasn’t sure what kind of film he wants to make but also is having trouble going back to just being an upbeat and lively musical despite its ending. Overall, Temple creates a messy yet enjoyable film about a young photographer trying to impress his girlfriend in late 1950s London.
Cinematographer Oliver Stapleton does excellent work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography in the way Soho was shot for the scenes set at night as well as its nightclubs along with the more lavish and brightened lights of people in London‘s high society. Editors Richard Bedford, Michael Bradsell, Gerry Hambling, and Russell Lloyd do nice work with the editing as it‘s very stylish in the jump-cuts, transitions, and other cuts to play into the energy of the film. Production designer John Beard, with art directors Stuart Rose and Ken Wheatley, does amazing work with the set design from the look of the clubs and posh homes to some of the musical numbers including the sequence where Partners wins over Colin by song.
Costume designers Sue Blane and David Perry do fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes that Henley creates to some of the suits of the men as well as the dresses that the women wear. Sound mixer David John does terrific work with the sound as it plays into the atmosphere of the clubs and parties that the characters venture into. The film’s music score by Gil Evans is wonderful for its mixture of jazz and early rock n‘ roll to play into that world of late 1950s Britain as the soundtrack itself would feature original songs sung by Ray Davies of the Kinks, the Style Council, Sade, Slim Gaillard, Tenpole Tudor, Smiley Culture, and three songs by David Bowie including its title track and a cover of Volare.
The casting by Leonara Davis, Susie Figgis, and Mary Selway is incredible as it features cameos from Robbie Coltrane as a shopkeeper, Sandie Shaw as a mother of a teen idol, Bruno Tonioli as a lodger at the home of Colin’s parents, Slim Gaillard as a singer at a posh party, and Smiley Culture as the reggae singer at the end of the film. Other notable small roles include Carmen Ejogo as Cool’s young sister Carmen, Julian Firth as the Misery Kid, Paul Rhys as the mod Dean, Joseph McKenna as Colin’s gay friend Hoplite, Chris Pitt as the young teen idol Baby Boom, and Sade Adu as the nightclub singer Athene Duncannon. Performances from Steven Berkoff as a supremacist leader, Edward Tudor-Pole as the Teddy boys leader Ed the Ted, and Bruce Payne as the supremacist enforcer Flikker are superb in their antagonistic roles while Alan Freeman as the talk show host Call-Me-Cobber and Lionel Blair as the pop impresario Harry Charms are fantastic as the men who would exploit the youth movement.
Eve Ferret and Tony Hippolyte are excellent as Colin’s friends in the flamboyant lesbian Big Jill and the jazz-trumpeter Cool, respectively, who deal with the chaos of their world. Graham Fletcher-Cook is terrific as Colin’s ambitious friend Wizard who is very cynical about everything as he does whatever he can to make money and align with anyone with power. Ray Davies and Mandy Rice-Davies are amazing as Colin’s parents with Ray as the neglected and melancholic father who wants a quiet life and Mandy as the mother who is very cruel to her husband. Edward Fox is brilliant as the snobbish Henley as this fashion designer who marries Suzette to help his business only to take her for selfish reasons. Anita Morris is wonderful as the gossip columnist Dido Lament as this woman who would exploit both Suzette and Colin but also would play a key part in helping the latter in its third act.
Eddie O’Connell is terrific as Colin as a young photographer that is trying to live his life to the fullest as well as dealing with the need to sell out in order to impress his girlfriend. Patsy Kensit is radiant as Suzette as a young woman that wants to make it in the fashion world only to realize what she had to do forcing her to make compromises that she doesn’t want. Finally, there’s David Bowie in a small yet spectacular performance as Vendice Partners as this adman with a transatlantic accent that is about selling dreams as he would convince Colin the way to succeed is to sell out as a form of motivation.
Absolute Beginners is a stellar yet messy film from Julien Temple. While it features a great cast and a phenomenal soundtrack, it’s a film that wants to be a lot of things but loses sight in its third act. In the end, Absolute Beginners is a terrific film from Julien Temple.
© thevoid99 2016
Directed by Richard Donner and screenplay by Jeffrey Boam from a story by Shane Black and Warren Murphy, Lethal Weapon 2 is the follow-up to the previous film from 1987 where Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh who are tasked to protect a federal witness who is involved with a smuggling operation from South African dealers who are protected by diplomatic immunity. The film is another mixture of action with buddy comedies as Mel Gibson and Danny Glover reprise their respective roles as Riggs and Murtaugh as they‘re joined by Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Mary Ellen Trainor, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith, and Steve Kahan who all reprise their roles from the previous film. Also starring Joe Pesci, Patsy Kensit, Derrick O’Connor, and Joss Ackland. Lethal Weapon 2 is an explosive and enthralling film from Richard Donner.
When a group of South African dealers catch the attention of Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh and the rest of the LAPD, what happens becomes a war between good and bad in a film where these two men try to do whatever to get these men despite their protection under diplomatic immunity. Once they are reassigned to protect an obnoxious federal witness in Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) who is connected to this smuggling case involving these South African government officials led by this consulate. Riggs and Murtaugh do whatever to nab these men and find evidence that can allow them to be tried under American jurisdiction but complications ensue once these men make the war with the LAPD very personal which only push Riggs and Murtaugh to the edge.
The film’s screenplay definitely shows these two mismatched partners not only becoming closer and bring out the best in each other but also give them a chance to have an element of balance into their different personalities. Especially as Riggs often goes to Murtaugh’s home where he reveals to Murtaugh’s wife Trish (Darlene Love) about his wife’s death years ago which shows Riggs opening up more to Murtaugh and his family. Upon getting assigned to protect Getz, the element of comedy starts to get more into play where Riggs and Murtaugh find a foil in the often irritating Getz who is this accountant that always curse and complain about things as he also knows a lot as he proves to be a vital asset to Riggs and Murtaugh in their case.
The antagonist in these South African smugglers and criminals led by this consul-general named Arjen Rudd are men who are driven by money and power as they transport illegal currency to apartheid-era South Africa. Even as the case would have revelations about Riggs’ own past in laundering money for smugglers which he wasn’t proud of as it played into his decisions to join the police force. Rudd and his men not only use devious tactics to intimidate Riggs and Murtaugh where they would break-in the latter’s home to scare him and his family. Even the rest of the LAPD get pushed to the breaking point as Riggs and Murtaugh’s superior Captain Murphy (Steve Kahan) wants to go after them but various jurisdiction issues prevent them from doing what is right. Once the film’s third act had the LAPD pushed to the breaking point where both Riggs and Murtaugh realize that these men don’t respect the law. The two would do whatever it takes to carry out their own brand of justice.
Richard Donner’s direction is quite extravagant in terms of action sequences and the fact that he has something to say about the idea of apartheid. Even where he would put some humor such as a scene where Murtaugh and Getz enter the South African consulate embassy where they would harass officials in order to get Riggs to antagonize and confront Rudd and his men. While much of the humorous moments are shot in intimate manners as it would include some very funny gags such as reaction to Murtaugh’s daughter Rianne (Traci Wolfe) making her acting debut in a condom commercial. It is balanced by this air of suspense and action that plays out in the film where it adds to the stakes of what Riggs and Murtaugh have to deal with.
The action sequences are very explosive that includes this montage where Rudd’s men do horrific things to try and wipe out the LAPD as there’s some dark elements that play into the drama. Even as Getz becomes a target which adds to Riggs and Murtaugh to take the law into their own hands where it’s third act features some of the most elaborate sequences ever created. Presented in a wide shot with some unique camera angles, it is definitely a highlight that would be followed by a major climax as it reveals that diplomatic immunity or not. One must never ever fuck with Riggs and Murtaugh. Overall, Donner creates a very thrilling and compelling film about two guys going up against a group of politically-racist criminals.
Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt does excellent work with the cinematography from the usage of lights for many of the scenes set at night to the array of interior lights for the cold offices that Rudd works at. Editor Stuart Baird does brilliant work with the editing from the fast-paced cuts of the opening chase sequence to the slower moments for its humor and suspense. Production designer J. Michael Riva, with art directors Richard Berger and Virginia L. Randolph and set decorator Marvin March, does amazing work with the set design from the look of Rudd‘s home as well as the office he has in the South African embassy.
Sound editor Robert G. Henderson does superb work with the sound from the layer of sounds of gunfire and explosions to the quieter moments involving conversations and in some of the film‘s humor. The film’s music by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton, and David Sanborn is fantastic for its mixture of orchestral bombast courtesy of Kamen to the sound of blues and jazz from Clapton and Sanborn to play into the humor and drama while the soundtrack features a cover of Bob Dylan‘s Knockin‘ on Heaven‘s Door by Clapton, Sanborn, and Randy Crawford and songs by the Beach Boys and George Harrison.
The casting by Marion Dougherty and Gail Levin is great as it features notable small roles from Jack McGee as a carpenter fixing Murtaugh‘s home, Dean Norris and Jenette Goldstein as a couple of fellow detectives, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines, and Ebonie Smith as Murtaugh‘s three children, and Mary Ellen Trainor in a wonderful role as the police psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods who is treated with humor by Riggs. Steve Kahan is terrific as Captain Murphy who tries to make sure Riggs and Murtaugh keep themselves in check as they will be in big trouble if they interfere with Rudd who is protected by diplomatic immunity. Darlene Love is superb as Murtaugh’s wife Trish who accepts Riggs into her family as she learns about what happened to his wife. Patsy Kensit is fantastic as Rudd’s secretary Rika who secretly despises Rudd and his views as she would fall for Riggs and his antics. Derrick O’Connor is excellent as Rudd’s henchman Pieter Vorstedt who is a man that proves to be extremely devious with his own tactics as he also has some revelations for Riggs which would motivate him for vengeance.
Joss Ackland is brilliant as Arjen Rudd as this consul official for the South African government who masterminds many of the schemes for the sake of profit as he carries an air of arrogance over how’s protected by diplomatic immunity. Joe Pesci is hilarious as Leo Getz as this accountant whom Riggs and Murtaugh has to protect as he knows a lot about what Rudd is doing as he brings a lot of charm to his role as well as the fact that he is a great foil for both Riggs and Murtaugh. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in remarkable performances in their respective roles as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. Gibson maintains the very crazy and funny approach to his character while also revealing elements of how sensitive he is. Glover continues in playing the straight man as well as bring very funny as he and Gibson continue to have this electric chemistry.
Lethal Weapon 2 is a marvelous film from Richard Donner that features great performances from Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Joe Pesci. The film isn’t just a sequel that manages to just as good as its predecessor as well as be very entertaining. Even as it play into the world where two guys trying to beat up the bad guys in some of the most explosive moments in the film. In the end, Lethal Weapon 2 is phenomenal film from Richard Donner.
Richard Donner Films: (X-15) - (Salt and Pepper) - (Twinky) - (The Omen) - (Superman) - (Inside Moves) - (The Toy) - (The Goonies) - (Ladyhawke) - Lethal Weapon - (Scrooged) - (Radio Flyer) - Lethal Weapon 3 - (Maverick) - (Assassins) - (Conspiracy Theory) - Lethal Weapon 4 - (Timeline) - (16 Blocks) - (Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
© thevoid99 2014
