The Duchess

Based on the biography Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman, The Duchess is the story of the life of Georgiana who gets to William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, as it leads to a troubled marriage as well as uncertainty into the role of her life where she’s expected to do so many things for her husband. Directed by Saul Dibb and screenplay by Dibb, Jeffrey Hatcher, and Anders Thomas Jensen, the film is a study of a woman’s role in British aristocracy as she tries to find friendship and love in that world that is restrictive as the character of Georgiana Cavendish is portrayed by Keira Knightley. Also starring Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, and Charlotte Rampling. The Duchess is a riveting and compelling film from Saul Dibb.

Set in the late 18th Century Great Britain, the film follows the life of Georgiana who is betrothed to the Duke of Devonshire in William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes) as her task is to give him a male heir and be his wife as she copes with the role she’s given as well as his affairs and her own feelings for an old friend. It’s a film that play into a woman trying to play a role but also come out of it to express her views and such but also her own desires in life. The film’s screenplay by Saul Dibb, Jeffrey Hatcher and Anders Thomas Jensen follow Georgiana’s life as the first act is about her friendship with Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) and then being married to Cavendish and the role she’s playing as well as deal with the affairs he had with maids. Notably as one of those maids he slept with would borne a child named Charlotte whom Georgiana would care for along with her two daughters in Harryo and Little Georgiana six years after she and Cavendish are married much to Cavendish’s dismay that Georgiana hasn’t produced a male heir.

The script doesn’t just to play into Georgiana’s relationship with Cavendish but also her friendship with Lady Elizabeth “Bess” Foster (Hayley Atwell) who would be a closest ally though their friendship is briefly tarnished by Foster’s affair with Cavendish whom she’s fallen for and bargained with as Cavendish would get her three sons to live with them. It would also explore Georgiana’s relationship with Grey whom she sees as someone who share the same ideals of bringing change to Great Britain yet Cavendish’s position in power can undo all of Grey’s plans. For Georgiana, her marriage to Cavendish isn’t just one about power and status but also this air of importance that she had to play in royal and political society.

Dibb’s direction is largely straightforward yet it does have some element of style while the compositions also says a lot about what is happening without needing to say a word. Notably in scenes during a breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the dining room between Georgiana and Cavendish with Bess later being part of this triangle where Dibb’s wide shots would showcase not just this air of disconnect between Georgiana and Cavendish with the former trying to get to know the latter but also it would also later lead to tension between the two with Bess being in the middle either as a source of disdain from Georgiana or as a mediator between the two. Shot largely at Twickenham Film Studios with exterior locations shot on various locations in England, the film does play into a world that is quaint and reserved though disconnected from some of the realities of what was happening to Britain during that time. Notably as much of Dibb’s direction is shot in palace halls, dining halls, opera houses, and these posh venues while there a few scenes of the streets where Grey is doing a speech with Georgiana’s supporting by his side as he’s talking to the regular people.

Dibb’s direction also uses close-ups and medium shots to play into the interaction between characters including a scene of Bess showing Georgiana the art of seduction and pleasure as it relates to the latter’s feelings towards Grey. The close-ups also add to the anguish that Georgiana is facing during the film’s third act as it play into her love affair with Grey and what Cavendish threatens to do. Yet, it also play into the role she has to play publicly as there is a scene in the film that is shown off screen that even Bess is repulsed by what is happening. Dibb would maintain that role that Georgiana had to play and the sacrifices she makes but also to ensure that she at least she had some impact into Britain’s future while making peace with those in her life. Overall, Dibb crafts a ravishing film about the life of a young duchess and her journey of self-discovery and the role she had to play in late 18th Century British society.

Cinematographer Guyla Pados does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its natural usage of lights for the exteriors as well as candle lights and other low-key lighting for the interiors set at night. Editor Masahiro Hirakubo does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama as well as some nice matching cuts in some of the film’s compositions. Production designer Michael Carlin, with set decorator Rebecca Alleway and art director Karen Wakefield, does amazing work with the set design from the look of the rooms, dining halls, and many of the interiors as well as a few exterior sets including the town square where Grey speaks to the people. Costume designer Michael O’Connor does fantastic work with the costumes as the design of the dresses and men’s clothing is a major highlight of the film.

Hair designer Jan Archibald and makeup designer Daniel Phillips do terrific work with the design of the wigs and the lavish makeup for some of the parties that Georgiana host for the people in royal society. Special effects supervisor Mark Holt, along with visual effects supervisors Adam Gascoyne and Charlie Noble, does some fine work with some of the film’s minimal effects as it relates to a dramatic party scenes as well as a few scenes of exterior set dressing. Sound editor Catherine Hodgson does superb work with the film’s sound as it help play into the atmosphere of the parties as well as the sparse and uncomfortable silent moments in the film including a key scene off screen where the action is heard in a disturbing presentation. The film’s music by Rachel Portman is incredible for its lush orchestral score that play into the period with some themes that help define a few characters including its approach to the music of the times.

The casting by Lucy Beavan is great as it feature some notable small roles from Georgia King and Bruce Mackinnon as actors at a play that Georgiana, Cavendish, and Bess watch, Emily Jewell as a nanny, Richard McCabe as Sir James Hare, Sebastian Applewhite as Sir Augustus Clifford, Poppy Wigglesworth and Eva Hrela in their respective roles as the young and younger versions of Cavendish’s daughter Charlotte, Emily Cohen as Georgiana’s eldest daughter Harryo, and Mercy Fiennes Tiffin as Georgiana’s youngest daughter in Little G. Aidan McArdle and Simon McBurney are superb in their respective roles as political figures in Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Charles James Fox as two men who befriend Georgiana whom she engages in political and social discussions with as they also become political allies.

Charlotte Rampling is fantastic as Georgiana’s mother Countess Georgiana Spencer who reminds her daughter of the role she has to play but also sympathizes with the anguish that her daughter is dealing with. Dominic Cooper is excellent as Charles Grey as the future prime minister as a man whom Georgiana knew before her marriage as he is someone that is an idealist hoping to make some changes for Britain while having feelings for Georgiana leading to an affair that would bring trouble to his future possibilities. Hayley Atwell is brilliant as Lady Elizabeth “Bess” Foster as a woman that Georgiana meets as she would become her best friend until she falls for Cavendish as she later copes with her actions and what she had to do where she would later be the mediator between Georgiana and Cavendish as well as be the former’s closest confidant.

Ralph Fiennes is amazing as William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire as this royal official who is a complex individual as someone that is flawed and cold where he would do awful things to Georgiana but is someone who doesn’t like to show his emotions and his warmth to anyone believing it would make him vulnerable as it’s a remarkable performance from Fiennes. Finally, there’s Keira Knightley in a phenomenal performance as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire as this young woman who is forced into marriage for social reasons where Knightley displays an air of charisma and anguish into a woman who is forced to play a role for society but is also someone eager to say something for herself as it’s one of her finest performances to date.

The Duchess is a sensational film from Saul Dibb that features an incredible performance from Keira Knightley. Along with top-notch supporting performances from Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, and Charlotte Rampling plus amazing costumes, set designs, cinematography, and a fascinating screenplay that focuses on character study and themes of social and political behaviors. It’s a period film that explores a woman dealing with the role and obligations she has to fulfill only to find her own voice in the role she chooses to play. In the end, The Duchess is a spectacular film from Saul Dibb.

© thevoid99 2019

The Theory of Everything

Based on the memoir Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking, The Theory of Everything is about the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with first wife Jane Wilde who would later cope with Hawkings’ diagnosis of motor neurone disease. Directed by James Marsh and screenplay by Anthony McCarten, the film is an exploration of Hawking’s early life with Wilde from their years as college students to the events that lead to their separation as Eddie Redmayne plays Hawking and Felicity Jones plays Wilde. Also starring Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney, Maxine Peake, and David Thewlis. The Theory of Everything is an extraordinarily rich film from James Marsh.

Set from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, the film plays into the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking from the day he meets his first wife Jane Wilde and to the year he would meet the Queen of England where he would be offered a knighthood. With Hawking being famous for proving about everything that goes on in the universe, he would suffer motor neurone disease early in his life as Wilde would support him and eventually marry him where they would later have three children. With Hawking’s disease worsening, his fame would grow through his theories on time while Wilde would get the aid of a preacher named Jonathan Jones (Charlie Cox) whom she would fall for. While it is a simple bio-pic, it plays into Hawking’s own belief about science and how he believes that a black hole created the universe while he isn’t sure if God exists. Even as Wilde is someone who believes in God as it is among the reason for her attraction towards Hawking.

Anthony McCarten’s screenplay maybe conventional in terms of its plot scenario but it does maintain a sense of humanity in Hawking who is just a simple student with a vast point of view about the world. While he is an intellect, he is someone that is like any other young college student back in the 1960s as is Jane Wilde where they are part of a world where everyone is asking big questions. Part of what makes the story so interesting is the relationship between Hawking and Wilde where they have different ideas in belief yet Wilde is intrigued by Hawking’s own theories on the universe and time itself. By the time Hawking’s own ailment would occur and Wilde would be there to support him, they would have a good marriage but things do become overwhelming for Wilde until she meets Jones who becomes a friend of their.

While there is an attraction between the two as well as an ambiguity into whether or not they had an affair where Hawking’s mother asks Jane if Jonathan is the father of their third child. It is clear that Jones is a good man and knows when to step back where things become complicated in the 1980s when Hawking would fall for his new nurse Elaine Mason (Maxine Peake) who would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. Yet, the heart of the story is Hawking and Wilde’s relationship and their devotion to one another as it all plays into Hawking’s own theory of everything about the world, the universe, time, and the cosmos.

James Marsh’s direction is quite stylish in terms of some of different film stocks that he uses for the film but also in the way he re-creates certain periods in time to play into Hawking’s life. Shot on location in Cambridge University in Britain, the film does play into that world of college life where it wasn’t wild nor very political as the 1960s would later become while there are elements of fun. Even as there are elements of humor as it relates to some of the theories that Hawking presents where there are those who don’t buy into it but there are those who are amazed by it where it is simplified but show that it is really out there. Much of Marsh’s compositions are simple in terms of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots yet he would use some different film stock to play up into certain events in Hawking’s life from his wedding to Wilde and the birth of their children as it adds to the sense of happiness Hawking had despite his illness.

The direction would have these elements of visual flairs that play into key moments in Hawking’s life into not just his own discoveries of his own as well as moments that play into his ailments. By the film’s second half where Hawking’s condition would worsen as he would lose the ability to speak, the drama does get heightened but the tone sort of changes as it plays into Hawking’s willingness to live despite the diagnosis that he had two years to live upon getting the disease early in his life. In some ways, it’s a film of triumph of a man who rises above his ailments to share his views of the world with the people and connect with them in ways that go beyond the understanding of the universe. Overall, Marsh creates a very engaging and thoughtful film about the life of Stephen Hawking and life with Jane Wilde.

Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does brilliant work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with its inspiring usage of filters and coloring schemes to maintain different moods for certain scenes as well as playing with film stocks for the home-movie footage. Editor Jinx Godfrey does excellent work with the editing with its approach to reverse-style cuts, montages, and other stylish cuts to play into Hawking‘s own revelation towards his theories. Production designer John Paul Kelly and set decorator Claire Nia Richards do fantastic work with the look of the dorm rooms he lived in college as well as the home he and Jane lived with their children. Costume designer Steven Noble does superb work with the costumes from the dresses that Jane wears throughout the years to play into different periods in time as well as some of the clothes that Hawking would wear.

Hair/makeup/prosthetics designer Jan Sewell does amazing work with the different hairstyles Jane would sport in the years as well as the look of Hawking in the years he would endure his disease. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does terrific work with the sound from the way Hawking would hear things in his state as well as scenes set in a few parties as well as the church where Jonathan would serve at. The film’s music by Johan Johansson is remarkable for its evocative and soaring orchestral score that is filled with lush string arrangements and electronic textures to heighten the music while music supervisors Sarah Bridge and Claire Freeman create a soundtrack that features jazz, classical, opera, and soul music from the different periods that Hawking and Wilde encounter.

The casting by Nina Gold is wonderful as the film features some notable small roles from Charlotte Hope and Lucy Chappell as Hawking’s sisters, Frank Lebeouf as the Swiss doctor who would tell Wilde more about Hawking’s condition that would render his speech, Abigail Cruttenden as Hawking’s mother, Guy Oliver-Watts as Wilde’s father, Harry Lloyd as Hawking’s roommate Brian, Enzo Clienti as fellow physics theorist Kip Thorne, Georg Nikoloff as the famed Soviet physicist Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov who is impressed with Hawking’s theory, and Christian McKay as the famed mathematician/theorist Roger Penrose who would give Hawking the idea to search on a theory of time. Emily Watson is terrific as Jane’s mother Beryl who would suggest to Jane to join a church choir while Simon McBurney is superb as Hawking’s father Frank who is aware of his son’s deteriorating condition as he would be the one to suggest a nurse to aid him.

Maxine Peake is excellent as Elaine Mason as the nurse hired to watch over Hawking in the late 80s as she would care for him where she would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. David Thewlis is brilliant as Hawking’s professor Dennis Sciama who would support his theory and become a colleague of his while helping to introduce Hawking’s theory to the world. Charlie Cox is fantastic as Jonathan Jones as a preacher who leads a church choir who befriends Hawking and Wilde where he falls for the latter but doesn’t want to get too close as he also enjoys his time with Hawking despite their differences in beliefs.

Felicity Jones is phenomenal as Jane Wilde Hawking as a young woman who is a literature student that falls for Hawking as she copes with his illness while helping him live as it’s a very radiant and touching performance from Jones. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a marvelous performance as Stephen Hawking as this young physics student who would create a theory as he later succumbs to motor neurone disease which only makes him more determined to share his theories with the rest of the world as Redmayne maintains a unique physicality in scenes where he’s not speaking to make Hawking a very charming and soulful person.

The Theory of Everything is a sensational film from James Marsh that features amazing performances from Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. While it is a conventional film that does play into elements of what is expected in bio-pics, it is still a film with some charm as well as a strong love story that concerns the relationship between Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde Hawking. In the end, The Theory of Everything is a remarkable film from James Marsh.

James Marsh Films: (Wisconsin Death Trip) - (The King (2005 film)) - Man on Wire - Red Riding: 1980 - Project Nim - (Shadow Dancer) - (Untitled Donald Crownhurst Film)

Related: A Brief History of Time

© thevoid99 2015

Magic in the Moonlight

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Magic in the Moonlight is the story of an illusionist in the late 1920s who try to disprove the work of a clairvoyant while being charmed by her. The film is an exploration into Allen’s love for magic as it plays into a man who doesn’t really believe in magic while falling for a woman who might prove that he’s wrong. Starring Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Hamish Linklater, Simon McBurney, Jacki Weaver, Erica Leershen, Eileen Atkins, and Marcia Gay Harden. Magic in the Moonlight is a delightful and charming film from Woody Allen.

Set in 1928, the film plays into an illusionist’s attempt to expose a young clairvoyant as a fraud as it’s part of a job he is known for yet would be intrigued by her and eventually fall for her. It’s a film that plays into this conflict over cynicism and spirituality as the character of Stanley (Colin Firth) is a man of rational thoughts as he doesn’t believe in God or anything. Spurred by a friend who is convinced by the powers of this young clairvoyant named Sophie (Emma Stone), Stanley travels to the French Riviera to see if Sophie is real or is a fraud. Along the way, things become weirder as Stanley wonders if Sophie is really faking it or did she find a way to crack into his cynical view of the world. While Woody Allen’s screenplay does follow a predictable and formulaic storyline, it does manage to create situations that are funny but also engaging into Stanley and Sophie’s growing friendship.

Though Stanley is engaged to another woman and Sophie is in a relationship with a young rich man, there is an attraction that is electrifying to watch where Stanley is often baffled by Sophie while Sophie tries to figure who what Stanley is doing. Even as Stanley becomes conflicted in exposing Sophie as a fraud while being in love with her that would play a key part into the film’s second act. While a twist does get unveiled into the third act where it’s not entirely successful, it does play into Stanley’s own view of the world and this growing confusion he has in just believing something that might not be real or just stick to the ideas of reality.

Allen’s direction is quite straightforward while it does employ elements of style such as the opening scene of Stanley performing as it shows his mastery in illusion. At the same time, it shows exactly how much of a pain in the ass he is as he’s egotistical and craving for perfection behind the scenes. Allen’s usage of wide shots not only help make the locations in the French Rivera quite beautiful but it also plays into the wide divide between Sophie’s love of mysticism and Stanley’s own cynicism. Allen’s usage of close-ups and medium shot not only play to the film’s humor but also in the growing attraction between Stanley and Sophie that is filled with a sense of joy along with some dramatic tension. Though things do get clunky in its third act as it relates to a twist in the film, it does play into Stanley’s own resolve about everything he had thought about in the world and what should he accept. Overall, Allen creates an enjoyable though flawed film about a man trying to disprove the credibility of a young clairvoyant.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography to capture the beauty of the French Riviera locations as well as the gardens in some of the houses while using some unique lighting schemes and textures to play into the film‘s look. Editor Alisa Lepselter does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with a few dissolves and rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor. Production designer Anne Siebel, with set decorators Jille Azis and Fanny Landsberg, does fantastic work with the look of the homes that the characters live in as well as Stanley’s stage show and the places the characters go to. Costume designer Sonia Grande does amazing work with the costumes from the period clothes of the men to the gorgeous dresses that the women wear.

Visual effects supervisor Andrew Lim does nice work with one of the film‘s minimal visual effects sequence that involves a scene where Stanley and Sophie look at the sky at night inside an observatory. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound to create something that is sparse and low-key while capturing the exuberance in a few of the party scenes. The film’s music soundtrack consists of different genres of music from jazz to classical as it plays into the period of the time as it is one of the film’s highlights.

The casting by Juliet Taylor, Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto, and Stephane Foenkinos is superb as it features a few small performances from Catherine McCormack as Stanley’s fiancee Olivia, Lionel Abelanski as a doctor late in the film, Jeremy Shamos and Erica Leershen in their respective roles as George and Caroline who are amazed by Sophie’s gift, and Eileen Atkins in a wonderful performance as Stanley’s Aunt Vanessa whom he is fond of as she is impressed by Sophie. Jacki Weaver is fantastic as Grace as a family matriarch who asks Sophie to communicate with her late husband as she brings a lot of spark to her character. Marcia Gay Harden is terrific as Sophie’s mother who would accompany Sophie on a few of these things while trying to prove to Stanley that she is the real thing.

Hamish Linklater is excellent as Grace’s son Brice who is deeply in love with Sophie as he falls under her spell as he brings a lot of humor in just being intentionally bland and singing awful love songs to Sophie. Simon McBurney is fantastic as Stanley’s friend Howard who is also an illusionist as he wants to see if Stanley can prove that she is a fraud as he provides some delightful supporting work in his performance. Emma Stone is amazing as Sophie as this young woman who has the power to see the future and such as she deals with Stanley’s snide attitude where Stone brings a lively presence to her performance. Finally, there’s Colin Firth in a brilliant performance as Stanley as a renowned illusionist and psychic debunker who finds himself baffled by Sophie as he struggles with his feelings for her and his job where Firth brings a lot of humility and humor into his performance.

Magic in the Moonlight is a stellar film from Woody Allen that features great performances from Colin Firth and Emma Stone. While it is a flawed film, it is a still an enjoyable and fun film that explores the world of magic and spirituality. In the end, Magic in the Moonlight is a wonderful film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet and Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra's Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2015

Friends with Money

Written and directed by Nicole Holfocener, Friends with Money is the story of a woman who is struggling to maintain her finances by taking a job as a maid while her more financially stable friends as they all deal with personal issues in their life. The film explores the friendship of four women as they all try to help each other but also explore their resentments towards one another Starring Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Joan Cusack, Frances McDormand, Scott Caan, Jason Isaacs, Simon McBurney, Greg Germann, and Ty Burrell. Friends with Money is a brash yet very intriguing film from Nicole Holofcener.

After quitting her job as a teacher, Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) works cleaning other people’s houses for a living as her friends each live fantastic lives with husbands and kids. While Franny (Joan Cusack) wants to help out as does Christine (Catherine Keener) and Jane (Frances McDormand), Olivia politely declines as she often spends her time going to mall to take free cream samples and calling a former boyfriend (Timm Sharp) whom she’s still hung up on. Franny is a stay-at-home housewife who has money from a trust fund as she really wants to help Olivia out though her account husband Matt (Greg Germann) isn’t sure on the idea. Franny does help out Olivia with her personal life by setting her up with her young personal trainer Mike (Scott Caan) as the two begin a relationship.

Christine’s marriage to husband David (Jason Isaacs) is starting to fall apart as the two try to write a project together while getting a new upstairs floor built much to the chagrin of their neighbor. Jane starts to act out due to the small things happening to her such as being cut in front of a line or having someone take her parking space. Even as her husband Aaron (Simon McBurney) is trying to help her out as Christine suspects that he’s gay while he befriends another guy named Aaron (Ty Burrell). With Olivia struggling to have money problems as Franny still wants to help out. An upcoming charity dinner doesn’t excite everyone as Jane becomes erratic while Christine becomes overwhelmed by the house renovation. Even as Olivia feels like things aren’t going her way as she doesn’t enjoy her time with Mike.

The film is about four women trying to help each other with their personal lives as one of them is struggling with trying to maintain her finances without needing to borrow money from her friends. Throughout the film, this woman is dealing with the fact that her life isn’t going well as she is taking all sorts of jobs while her personal life has her resenting her friends because they’re married and have children. Yet, they’re life isn’t as well-adjusted as she thought they would do as one of them wants to help out but her husband just wants to spend money for his own reasons. Another is dealing with the renovation of a house as well as bickering with her husband over everything while another friend is having a breakdown due to all of the ills of the world around her.

Nicole Holofcener’s script deals with the lives of these women and their relationships with men as the Olivia character is the one trying to find love. While she is hung up on this man she had an affair with some years ago, she dates this very immature personal trainer who has just seen an old flame as their relationship becomes about sex though it ends up being unpleasant. Olivia is definitely the most interesting character of the film due to her situation as well as not being a charity case while she has this great line about all of these charity dinners that happens which really has a lot of truth.

While men like Matt, Mike, and David don’t really get much to do as opposed to sexually-ambiguous Aaron who sort of acts like a fifth woman. It does allow the rest of Olivia’s friends to explore their own faults as well as struggle with the posh world they live in. Of those friends, Jane is the most interesting as she is a clothing designer who has made a lot of money but is on the verge of a breakdown as she doesn’t wash her hair while starts to vent out at people who do the wrong things. Holofcener’s script is quite witty in exploring these characters and their flaws though there are a few issues with some of the characterization as some aren’t as developed or as interesting as some of the key parts in the film.

Holofcener’s direction is quite engrossing in the way she presents the film as she aims for a much looser hand-held style to the direction where the camera is a bit shaky but not overt. The compositions are quite straightforward as there is a bit of a cinema verite approach to the direction where Holofcener is always having the camera at the center or at the side of these conversations. Holofcener does create some funny moments that involves Jane’s outbursts or Olivia wanting to grab as many free samples of skin cream that she needs by going to different malls. Shot in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, Holofcener allows the location to be a character of sorts while not aiming for a postcard look to the film. The overall work that Holofcener creates is very engaging in the way she studies and observes the lives of these four women and their different lives.

Cinematographer Terry Stacey does an excellent job with the film‘s colorful cinematography that plays to the sunny world of southern California for its daytime exteriors while utilizing more low-key natural lighting for the nighttime interiors including the dinner scenes in the film. Editor Robert Frazen does a superb job with the editing in creating a loose style to its methodical pacing while using rhythmic jump cuts to capture the intensity of the conversations and action that occur in the film. Production designer Amy B. Ancona, with set decorator Maria Nay and art director Victoria Ruskin do a nice job with the set pieces created from the posh homes that Christine, Franny, and Jane live in to the more modest home that Olivia lives in as well as the other homes she cleans at.

Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does a wonderful job with the costumes from the more casual look that the women wear to the more modest look of Olivia and Mike to complement the different worlds the characters live in. Sound editor Cormac Funge does terrific work with the sound from the intimacy of the homes that Olivia cleans in to the busy atmosphere of some of the places the characters frequent at including the restaurants. The film’s score by Craig Richey is pretty good for its low-key folk-rock score filled with guitars and melodic keyboards as the music also includes some contributions by Rickie Lee Jones who also provides a similar score including the film’s opening song.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for the film. Notable small roles include Timm Sharp as Olivia’s former lover, Alejandra Flores as Christine’s maid, Ileen Getz as Christine’s neighbor, Ty Burrell as the other Aaron that Aaron befriends, and Bob Stephenson as a lonely man whose home Olivia cleans. Scott Caan is alright as the smarmy personal trainer Mike whom Olivia goes out with but barely helps her when she’s working. Jason Isaacs and Greg Germann are very good in their respective roles as Christine’s ambitious yet un-concerned husband David and Franny’s dismissive yet money-obsessed husband Matt. Simon McBurney is brilliant as Jane’s sexually-ambiguous husband Aaron who always try to help everyone out and be supportive while is probably unaware that he might be gay.

Joan Cusack is terrific as Franny who often wants to help out though she doesn’t want to be confrontational as she has a hard time trying to do good. Catherine Keener is excellent as Christine who is trying to write a screenplay while dealing with the renovation of her home and the constant bickering she has with her husband. Frances McDormand is great in a truly scary role as the erratic Jane who starts to act out over the frustrations of her life and everything around her as McDormand brings a lot of great humor to her character. Finally, there’s Jennifer Aniston in a remarkable performance as the lost and confused Olivia. It’s a performance where Aniston doesn’t play pretty while being a woman who is trying to get by while dealing with what she doesn’t have as she is trying to do things herself despite her friends’ desire to help her.

Friends with Money is a superb comedy-drama from Nicole Holfocener. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Catherine Keener, and Joan Cusack. It’s a film that revels into the lives of women as they deal with the idea of having everything or having very little as well as the struggle to find some sanity in their lives. It’s a film that is very witty as well as being provocative about the way the world works proving that not everything should be the way it is. In the end, Friends with Money is a funny yet sensational film from Nicole Holofcener.

Nicole Holofcener Films: Walking & Talking - Lovely & Amazing - Please Give - Enough Said - The Auteurs #22: Nicole Holofcener

© thevoid99 2012