Almost Famous

Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous is the story of a teenage rock journalist who gets a chance to write a story for Rolling Stone magazine to cover an up-and-coming rock band on tour.  The film is based largely on Crowe’s experience as a rock journalist in the 1970s as it also explores the music scene of the time.  Starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Anna Paquin, Zooey Deschanel, Noah Taylor, Jimmy Fallon, Fairuza Balk, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs.  Almost Famous is an enriching yet outstanding film from Cameron Crowe.

William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is a 16-year old aspiring rock journalist, who lives with his college professor mother Elaine (Frances McDormand), as his fascination with rock music has caught the attention of notorious music critic Lester Bangs.  Bangs gives William an assignment to do a concert review for Black Sabbath as William tries to get backstage where meets a few young ladies who refer to themselves as Band-Aids led by the exotic Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) and a band called Stillwater who let him go backstage.  Intrigued by the band including its guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), William later joins Penny to meet them at Continental Hyatt House as her companion in order to see Russell.  After getting a call from Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres (Terry Chen), William gets a chance to go on the road to cover Stillwater.

Though his mother isn’t keen on the idea, she lets William go on the road as he joins Stillwater and the Band-Aids on tour.  William notices the band trying to make it despite some set-backs and tension between Russell and vocalist Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) who is paranoid about having William around.  With William’s period on the road being much longer than he had anticipated, he gets a call from Fong-Torres about extending the piece into a cover story.  When Stillwater’s record label brings in Dennis Hope (Jimmy Fallon) to co-manage the band with Dick Roswell (Noah Taylor), Dick and Russell decide to sell the Band-Aids to the band Humble Pie that leaves Penny devastated.

After arriving to New York City, William tells the band about their chance to be on the cover of Rolling Stone as he becomes concerned about Penny who also comes to the city.  After some turbulent moments, William gets some advice from Bangs about what to write as he would reveal everything he had saw about the band he‘s adored for so long.

The film is a semi-autobiographical story of Cameron Crowe’s life as a teenage rock journalist where he covered the music scene of the 1970s during his time with Rolling Stone magazine.  There, he allows the character of William Miller to go through a lot of the things Crowe had experienced such as groupies, rock n’ roll excess, tension, and all of things that went on during a crazy era in rock n’ roll.  Meanwhile, the young William Miller would meet a few people that would intrigue such as an exotic groupie named Penny Lane and a brilliant guitarist whose talents starts to overshadow the rest of his band mates.

Crowe’s screenplay starts off with a prologue of how a young William (Michael Angarano) was introduced to the world of rock n’ roll by his older sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) who despises her mother’s New Age ideas and flees to become a stewardess.  It then leads into this main narrative of William trying to become a rock journalist at the age of 16 though his mother hopes that he becomes a lawyer.  His love of rock would get him to meet the notorious Lester Bangs who would offer him advice about what not to do in the world of rock journalism such as be friends with the rock star.

During William’s journey, he would unfortunately become friends with Stillwater though the band is wary of him because he represents the enemy they don’t want to play for.  Yet, William is the one who could make them really famous as they’re a band on the rise only to deal with all sorts of tension that is sparked by a t-shirt at one point.  All of this is told from this young man’s perspective who is watching a band he loves just trying to get everything together as he’s intrigued by their guitarist who is aware of the role he’s playing as well as the fact that he’s beyond them musically.

Then there’s Penny Lane, this groupie who is in love with Russell Hammond but also someone who really loves the music.  With the group of girls she’s a part of, she’s in it to have a good time and enjoy the music.  Unfortunately, she knows that Russell is married and a decision that Russell would make in the film’s second half would have a great impact on her forcing William to come to her aid.  It would be a moment where William realizes what he has to do not just as a fan but also as a journalist as he’s set to write a piece that would legitimize him as a true rock journalist.

Crowe’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of compositions but the way he recreates the late 1960s and early 1970s is still magical for the air of nostalgia and authenticity that is presented.  Notably as the film features a lot of references to rock lore such as the Continental Hyatt which was famously known as the Riot House.  Crowe always know how to frame his actors and capture the excitement of what it’s like to be at a rock concert or be in the middle of a discussion as he’s shooting a lot of from William’s perspective.  Notably as Crowe creates shots to reveals William’s on-going struggle to get a story and interview Russell.

One of the key aspects of Crowe’s direction is the way he balances humor and drama where he adds a lot of subtlety to the former.  Notably as he plays to the misadventures that goes on when a band is on the road such as a comical moment when the bus decides to leave Jeff behind.  Since this is a film that is about music in some ways, Crowe also knows how to use music to elevate a scene such as the famous Tiny Dancer sequence where the band sing Elton John’s song following a very crazy moment that had Russell partying with people while tripping on drugs.  It’s one of Crowe’s great moments as the overall work he does with the film is outstanding as he creates what is a truly engrossing coming-of-age tale about a teen and his love for rock n’ roll.

Cinematographer John Toll does brilliant work with the film‘s lush and colorful cinematography to capture the beauty of the various locations inside along with more layered coloring for the interiors as Toll‘s work is a technical highlight.  Editors Joe Husting and Saar Klein do fantastic work with the editing to play out the energy of the concert performances as well as other montages such as the band partying with the Band-Aids.  Art directors Clay A. Griffin, Clayton Hartley, and Virginia L. Randolph, along with set decorator Robert Greenfield, do excellent work in re-creating the look of William‘s home as well as other props to create the feel of the early 1970s.

Costume designer Betsy Heimman does wonderful work with the costumes such as the bellbottoms and clothes the men wear to more lavish clothing the Band-Aids wear.  Sound editor Michael D. Wilhoit does superb work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the live concerts as well as the intimacy that goes in the bus and backstage meetings.  The film’s score by Nancy Wilson is terrific for its low-key, folk-driven sound to maintain a sense of ambience for some of the film‘s quieter moments. 

Music supervisor Danny Bramson creates an incredible soundtrack that features an array of different music from the late 60s and early 70s from acts like Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath, the Raspberries, Simon & Garfunkel, Yes, the Beach Boys, Elton John, Cat Stevens, David Bowie, and many others.  The original music for the band Stillwater is provided by Nancy Wilson and Peter Frampton, with contributions from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, as it is true rock n‘ roll at its finest.

The casting by Gail Levin is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small roles from Bijou Phillips as Band-Aid Estrella Star, Rainn Wilson as Rolling Stone co-editor David Felton, Liz Stauber as Russell’s wife Leslie, Jay Baruchel as an obsessed Zeppelin fan, Peter Frampton as Humble Pie’s road manager Reg, Terry Chen as Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres, Anna Paquin as Band-Aid Polexia Aprhodisia, Fairuza Balk as Band-Aid Sapphire, Mark Kozelek as Stillwater bassist Larry Fellows, and John Fedevich as Stillwater’s quiet drummer Ed Vallencourt.  Other notable supporting roles including Michael Angarano as the young William, Zooey Deschanel as William’s older sister Anita, Jimmy Fallon as the band’s more professional manager Dennis Hope, and Noah Taylor as the Stillwater’s more raucous manager Dick Roswell.

Jason Lee is excellent as Stillwater vocalist Jeff Bebe who tries to deal with the growing attention towards Russell as well as the presence of William.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant as legendary music critic Lester Bangs who guides William on what to do when going on tour and how to be a true rock journalist.  Kate Hudson is great as the exotic Penny Lane who is so full of life as Hudson brings a lot of energy and charisma to a very eccentric yet loveable character.  Billy Crudup is wonderful as the very talented Russell Hammond who tries to deal with the fact that he’s the most mature member of Stillwater as he finds someone like William whom he can talk to. 

Frances McDormand is superb as Williams’ mother Elaine who worries about her son possibly doing drugs while hoping that he becomes responsible.  Finally, there’s Patrick Fugit in a remarkable performance as William Miller as this young rock fan who goes on the ride of his life as he becomes friends with the rock stars and hang out with groupies as it’s a real breakthrough for Fugit.

Almost Famous is an outstanding film from Cameron Crowe.  Featuring a fantastic soundtrack and a top-notch ensemble cast, it’s definitely a film that is very lively and captures the essence of rock n’ roll.  Not only is it one of the best films about music and a place in time but also a very compelling coming-of-age film told from a young fan who loves music.  In the end, Almost Famous is an extraordinary film from Cameron Crowe.

Cameron Crowe Films:  (Say Anything…) - (Singles) - (Jerry Maguire) - (Vanilla Sky) - (Elizabethtown) - The Union - Pearl Jam 20 - We Bought a Zoo - Aloha

© thevoid99 2012

(500) Days of Summer

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/26/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Marc Webb and written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer tells the story of a hopeless romantic recalling his own experiences with a young woman who doesn't believe in true love. Over the span of 500 days through non-linear storytelling the young man recalls his hopes and dreams of romance based on his knowledge of pop culture and films only to be hit with a dose of harsh realities. A film that revels in the world of romance and a study of the romantic-comedy genre, it's a film that is also a deconstruction of what is expected in the genre itself. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel plus Matthew Gray Gubler, Chloe Moretz, Geoffrey Arend, and Clark Gregg. (500) Days of Summer is a charming, witty, yet stylish film from Marc Webb.

It's day 290 as Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has just ended a wonderful yet troubled relationship with Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). Tom's little sister Rachel (Chloe Moretz) and his two friends McKenzie (Geoffrey Arend) and Paul (Matthew Gray Gubler) are concerned over his emotional state. Rachel asks Tom what happens as he revealed that Summer just wanted to be friends and that was it. Tom recalls the day he met Summer as she had just moved from Michigan to Los Angeles where she worked as an assistant for his boss (Clark Gregg) at a greeting cards place where McKenzie also works. Tom works in creating lines and such for the company where he's considered a master. Then one day as he's listening to the Smiths, Summer hears the Smiths from his iPod headphones as there was a brief bond over the band.

Days later, Tom asks Summer to go to a bar with co-workers where everyone sang some drunken karaoke as attraction happens. A few days later, Summer kisses Tom as things start to develop where Tom, who believes that Summer is the one, is starting to feel good though Summer doesn't believe in true love. The relationship becomes blissful as Summer reveals her favorite Beatle is Ringo Starr while they have a love for classic European art house cinema and alternative/indie music. Tom then ponders when did it all fall apart. He goes back to events where Summer reveal things about herself while another event involving a drunken guy (Ian Reed Kesler) trying to flirt with Summer and making Tom angry that it led to a fight. Tom becomes unsure of how it fell apart where after the break-up, he tries to move on. A date with another girl (Rachel Boston) becomes a disaster with Tom pondering if he will ever get over Summer.

Then came an invite to a co-worker's wedding that Summer also attends as it seems sparks would happen again but Tom, believing in all of the things he learned through films, music, and other references to pop culture, would learn some harsh truth about all that had happened and why it fell apart in the first place.

There's a formula with romantic comedies that are often set-up into structures and ideas that at times, it creates stories that don't have much heart and often leaves the audience underwhelmed in its surprises. A film like this is about a total deconstruction of the genre where it does follow a simple formula of sorts but moves back and forth and side-to-side of how the relationship developed, how good things were, how did it fall apart, how it ended, and its aftermath all in the span of 500 days. Some of which is told through a narrator about what this story about as in the beginning, it reveals that this film is not a love story. Even before the film even begins, there's a warning about the film that is truly fiction, except to the person that the film is supposedly about.

The screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber is truly fascinating in its exploration of the relationship. A lot of which follows Tom Hansen's own view of things where his character goes through this amazing development of this hopeless romantic believing in destiny, fate, and all of these things only to be hit by reality in such a dramatic way. When he loses Summer and tries to move on, he goes into a funk where it would affect his own work and such. The character of Tom is truly fascinating where the writers would have the audience love and root for him but once he is hit with these realities. He becomes somewhat pathetic but still interesting as he delves into his dreary personality with glimmers of hope that he might get Summer back.

Then there's Summer who is briefly observed into her own life as well as the affect she had on men in the past. The writers make her into this likeable, charming personality that wins over the audience despite her lack of belief in true love. Of course with relationships, it's always believed that one person causes the problem when the reality that it's two people that end a relationship. What happens to Summer will make the audience not like her at all in how she torments Tom after the break-up only until the story moves back to a key event that revolves around a classic film. Once that event is revealed, it's clear that love is about many things that sometimes, can be heartbreaking. What Neustadter and Weber create is a story that is complex with moments of humor and heartbreak that creates a story that is truly real to an audience that has experienced what love is.

Director Marc Webb does a spectacular job in creating a film that is unique and stylish. From the way it opened before the opening credits to the transitions of days with a drawn scene of buildings with colors changing to create a mood for the scene that's about to be shown or afterwards with numbers moving back and forth to the day of a key scene. Webb's direction is engaging into the relationship of Tom/Summer from its budding/loving days to its disintegration and aftermath all in the span of 500 days. Yet, there's scenes that revolve around fantasy in Tom's world. Whether it's a musical dance number to Hall & Oates' You Make My Dreams to more dramatic events in which Tom is watching a European style film that harkens to the French New Wave and the films of Ingmar Bergman. Webb's approach to the direction is very stylish as he ends the film with ambiguity over what is expected in the genre or how to make the story end for one of its characters. Overall, Webb creates a lively and sensational film that revels in its deconstruction of the romantic-comedy genre.

Cinematographer Eric Steelberg does an excellent job though the photography is mostly straightforward in its colorful shots of Los Angeles in its exteriors and interior scenes. Steelberg does create some interesting shots involving a sunny-day scene at a train as Steelberg's work is very good. Editor Alan Edward Ball does great work in the transitional movements of the film while using split screens and such to create dramatic purposes for the film involving Tom's state of mind as well as the opening credits sequence featuring a young Tom and a young Summer. Even in its visual effects editing in presenting a drawn, animated sequence to live action or vice-versa creates a wonderful style while bringing a nice, leisured pace for the film itself.

Production designer Laura Fox with set decorator Jennifer Lukehart and art director Charles Varga does some nice work in the look of the record store, Tom's apartment, and the apartment of Summer filled with origami objects and jewels that play to Summer's personality. The costume design by Hope Hanafin is phenomenal from the dresses and clothing that Zooey Deschanel wears to the suits and album t-shirts that Joseph Gordon-Levitt wears. Sound designer Piero Mura does fine work in the sound recording in capturing the sounds of video games in the places that Tom and his friends hang out at to the banging sounds near Tom's apartment to display his dreary mood.

The music score of Mychael Danna and Rob Simonsen is excellent in its plaintive, light-hearted score to play up to the charming yet melancholic mood of the film. Yet, it's soundtrack supervised by Andrea von Foerster that is truly amazing with music by Regina Spektor, the Smiths, Hall & Oates, Black Lips, Doves, Carla Bruni, Feist, the Temper Trap, Wolfmother, Mumm-Ra, Meaghan Smith, Simon & Garfunkel, and Deschanel's own She & Him project with M. Ward covering the Smiths' Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want along with karaoke versions of songs by the Pixies, Poison, and the Clash. It's a soundtrack where in an age of contrived, uninspired soundtracks where the songs don't do any purpose to the film, there is something that is actually worth something to sing along to.

The casting by Edye Belasco is superb with appearances from Clark Gregg as Tom's mild-mannered yet sympathetic boss, Adam Emery & Olivia Howard Bragg as the respective 12-year old versions of Tom and Summer in flashback scenes, Ian Reed Kesler as a jerk at a bar, and Rachel Boston as a date of Tom's following his break-up with Summer. Notable supporting roles from Geoffrey Arend as McKenzie and Matthew Gray Gubler as Paul are excellent with Arend as the funny co-worker of Tom while Gubler has some funny moments while being the more straight friend to Tom. The best supporting role truly goes to Chloe Moretz as Tom's young, 13-year old sister Rachel who grounds Tom to reality about the way love works as she definitely stands toe-to-toe with Gordon-Levitt in every scene she's in.

Finally, there's the duo of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, both of whom had worked together in the 2001 film Manic with Don Cheadle. In the role of Summer, Deschanel exudes the quirky personality of the character as she is someone who doesn't believe in true love only to fall for the romantic Tom. Deschanel also shows Summer's flaws as she becomes unsure about everything which would leave to the break-up as Deschanel maintains a lively personality to her role as Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom is amazing as Gordon-Levitt brings a lot of charm and wit to the role as he starts out as this upbeat romantic to someone who is dreary and disillusioned. The performances of the two together is believable and fun to watch as they clearly have great chemistry from start to finish as they are really the heart and soul of the film.

(500) Days of Summer is a whimsical, charming, yet unconventional film from Marc Webb featuring the superb performances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. While some audiences might be put off by its non-linear approach and unconventional style, it's a film that is refreshing in some respects in comparison to the more formulaic romantic comedies that are currently fleshed out in theaters and DVDs in the past few years. Even as it serves a deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre by playing to the audience's knowledge of pop culture and romance where it deals with real themes and situations that people can relate to. In the end, (500) Days of Summer is a winning yet enchanting film from Marc Webb that gives the audience something different than the typical rom-com formula.

(C) thevoid99 2012

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/4/08 w/ Additional Edits.

Based on Ron Hansen's novel, the film is about Jesse James' final years as an outlaw while planning a new robbery with his gang. Part of his gang is a man named Robert Ford who would become his assassin. Adapted into script and directed by Andrew Dominik of Chopper fame, the film is an eerie, sensitive portrait of not just James but also Ford. Playing the two leading roles are Brad Pitt as Jesse James and Casey Affleck as Robert Ford. With a cast that includes Sam Shepard, Paul Schneider, Sam Rockwell, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeremy Renner, and Zooey Deschanel. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a harrowing yet enchanting film from Andrew Dominik and company.

It's September 1881 as Jesse James and his older brother Frank (Sam Shepard) are about to do another train heist which would be Frank's final heist. Joining them in the Missouri forest are Ed Miller (Garrett Dillahunt), Dick Liddil (Paul Schneider), Jesse's cousin Wood Hite (Jeremy Renner), Charley Ford (Sam Shepard), and his 19-year old little brother Robert. Robert is enamored by the presence of the James brothers as he grew up reading stories about Jesse as he idolized the outlaw. While the heist was a modest success, Frank seemed to have had enough as he's surrounded by young men and his relationship with Jesse has become temperamental. With Jesse hiding in Kansas City with his wife Zee (Mary Louise-Parker) and their children Mary (Brooklynn Proux) and Tim (Dustin Bollinger). Frank has now decided to depart not knowing it would be the last time he would see his younger brother.

With Charley and Wood sent to hide at the home of Martha Bolton (Alison Elliott), Robert was asked to stay to help Jesse with a few things before being sent to Martha's home where he meets with his older brother along with Wood and Dick. Dick and Wood leave to live with Wood's father (Tom Aldredge) and young wife Sarah (Kailin See) whom Dick seduces. One day, Ed gets a visit from Jesse about some rumors including the men who had been captured from the previous train heist. Meanwhile, tension between Hite and Liddil came ahead as Robert found himself involved. Following that confrontation, Jesse arrives as he has dinner with Wilbur Ford (Pat Healey), Martha, Charley, and Robert as Charley tells stories about Robert's childhood where Robert was taunted by Jesse. Then all of a sudden, Robert makes a move to reveal the whereabouts of Dick Liddil to Sheriff Timberlake (Ted Levine).

Robert Ford suddenly becomes a private investigator for Timberlake as he and Liddil have a private meeting with Governor Crittenden (James Carvell). With Charley now riding along with Jesse, talks about possible robberies where in the works as Robert joins Charley and Jesse. Things become filled with tension as if Robert is believing that Jesse is aware that he's going to die at age 34. Then on April 3, 1882, Robert Ford becomes famous as he kills Jesse James at his family home. A year later, Robert Ford is known to the world but to some, he's branded as a coward. With Charley regretting about his involvement, Robert Ford finds himself troubled with this name as coward. Ten years later in Colorado, he meets Dorothy Evans (Zooey Deschanel) as he tries to come to terms on what he had done as a man named Edward O'Kelly (Michael Copeman) hunts for him.

The story about Jesse James and his infamy is known to the world for his reckless killings of innocent people and robberies. While some might enjoy his infamy for the fact that he was a Southern who hated the politics of the time as well as rich people, he was a complex individual that some said was a modern-day Robin Hood. Yet, this film about Jesse James' final days reveal a much harrowing tale as a man who is aware that he knows that he's going to die but the question is, who will kill him? That answer comes in the form of a young man named Robert Ford. Here is a man who starts out as a young kid who worshiped the altar of Jesse James only until James' bullying and taunts get to him as he becomes this obsessed, laconic killer only to be called a coward as James' name lives on through infamy.

Andrew Dominik deserves credit for his eerie character study of the two individuals as well as the people who surround him. Jesse's elder brother Frank who seems tired of robberies as well as the young men that idolize Jesse. The members of Jesse's gang like Dick Liddil, Wood Hite, and Ed Miller who are trying to figure out Jesse's state of mind while Charley Ford is also part of that gang as he also watches Jesse's descent into madness and then seeing his brother become a public figure. The film is really a tale of madness and disintegration in the eyes of both an outlaw and his assassin. While his script unveils layers of characters and their paranoia around Jesse James, it's through his dream-like direction that is more startling.

The film's obvious influence is Terrence Malick, the brilliant yet reclusive filmmaker whose films often include naturalistic, epic images of nature, epic elliptical pacing, a narration, and poetic dialogue. Dominik clearly uses Malick's unique filmmaking style to tell this haunting story of Jesse James' final days and his encounter with Robert Ford. The film features a third-person narration by Hugh Ross that reveals part of Jesse James' state of mind in his final days and legends along with additional back story. While the narration might seem to act as spoiler of sorts, it lets the story flow easily as Dominik through his observant camera let the acting unfold. The film in a lot of ways looks and feels like a Malick film, notably his 1978 film Days of Heaven. Shot on location in Canada, the film doesn't look or feel like a Western since it's set in the American mid-west.

Dominik creates a crystalline portrait of James with very few colors and the camera sometimes being a bit blurry to convey the dream-like tone of the film. While audiences might seem to be put off by its slow pace, it is deliberate to tell its study of madness while being a film that is a revisionist western of sorts told dramatically. This is a film that clearly reveals that the western genre is starting to come back and engaging itself into new territory. The film's 160-minute running time might seem overwhelming but the result is a strong film. Yet, it should be noted that the film went through various running times and test screening meaning that Dominik didn't have final cut since it was produced by Ridley Scott and Brad Pitt. Still, the final cut of this film is superb without delving into pretentiousness as its dreamlike, laconic, haunting approach through Dominik's direction is truly one of the best films of 2007.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins creates an exquisite look to the film that isn't just similar to the wondrous, natural, dream-like cinematography of the late Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler in their work in Days of Heaven. The film also recalls the work of Vilmos Zsigmond for such films as Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Michael Cimino's film Heaven's Gate. Deakins' look of the exteriors with shots of nature and skylines are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Even the scenes in the woods and snow are shot with amazing colors and shades to convey the different moods of Jesse James and later on, Robert Ford. The interior sequences, notably the train scene are wonderfully shot with intimacy swept with sepia-like colors and tones to help convey a dream-like look. If the film has a technical highlight that is worth noting, it's the cinematography of Roger Deakins.

Editors Dylan Tichenor, Curtiss Clayton, and Michael Kahn (who did additional editing following its test screening) is superb for its sense of transitional cuts, dissolves, fade-outs, and jump-cuts to convey the film's sense of action as well as living up to its elliptical, pacing style with its 160-minute running time. Art director Troy Sizemore and set decorator Janice Blackie-Goodine do an amazing job in creating the period look of the late 19th Century mid-west with its look of towns and homes to create an American, mid-western look and feel. Costume designer Patricia Norris, who was also the costume designer in Days of Heaven, does an exquisite job in the look of the cowboys and women in 19th Century period dresses that matches the film's dark, dream-like look with very little colors. Sound designers Christopher S. Aud and Richard King do a brilliant job in capturing the atmosphere of the landscapes and shootouts as well as the land to convey the mood of Jesse James.

Another of the film's amazing technical achievements goes to the film's haunting score by alt-rock icon Nick Cave and Warren Ellis of Cave's band the Bad Seeds. The music features chime-like themes to convey its dreamlike mood while using broken pianos and instruments to help play true to the period. The score is filled with sweeping arrangements as well as pieces of music that is haunting as Cave makes an appearance singing a traditional song about Jesse James. The music of Cave and Ellis is truly superb in capturing the mood of the film and its characters.

The casting by Mali Finn is superb as the various small roles from Sarah Lind as a girlfriend of Robert Ford, Jesse Freschette as Robert and Charley's young cousin Albert, Joel McNichol as a train messenger, Lauren Calvert as Martha's daughter Ida, and Michael Parks as Henry Craig. Other memorable small parts that include Brooklynn Proux and Dustin Bollinger as Jesse's two kids, Michael Copeman as a man hunting for Robert Ford, Tom Aldredge as Major Hite, Sarah Kailin as Major Hite's young wife, Ted Levine as Sheriff Timberlake, Pat Healey as Wilbur Ford, and an appearance from political analyst James Carvell as Governor Crittenden. While the parts of women don't seem to play any big roles for a film that's mainly about men. Allison Elliott, Zooey Deschanel, and Mary Louise-Parker do fill their roles with grace. Elliott as the maternal-like Martha Bolton, Zooey Deschanel as Robert Ford's girlfriend in his final years, and Mary Louise-Parker as Jesse James' wife Zee who doesn't care about Jesse's antics only until after his death.

Garrett Dillahunt is great as paranoid Ed Miller whose alliance with Liddil about going to another gang gets him in trouble as he fears for Jesse. Jeremy Renner is also great in his role as Jesse's cousin Wood Hite who begins a feud with Liddil following Liddil's encounter with Wood's stepmother. Paul Schneider is brilliant as the laconic, poetic Dick Liddil whose love for women and the world around him makes him a fascinating character who likes to seduce women while providing the catalyst for Ford's assassination of James. Sam Shepard is great as the grizzled, tired Frank James who seems to feel tired being around young men as well as Jesse's reckless behavior. The film's best supporting performance goes to Sam Rockwell as Charley Ford. Rockwell plays a man who joins Jesse's gang as he brings his younger brother along. Watching Jesse's state of mind go nuts while watching himself in paranoia believing he was killed. Rockwell's performance is superb as he plays the film's observer watching both James and his own brother disintegrate.

Brad Pitt is in fantastic form as Jesse James. Pitt's performance is very layered with a sense of recklessness, melancholia, and a troubling state of mind. Pitt carries a presence and charisma that is perfect for the character of Jesse James as he uses his smile and unpredictable mood swings to play a character as complex as Jesse James in what is clearly one of his best performances. While Pitt is in great form, he is not the best performance of the film that really goes to his co-star Casey Affleck as his assassin, Robert Ford. Affleck's wild-eyed performance is wonderfully layered as an innocent, childlike young man who idolizes James in ever way as brings an innocence to the role. When the character starts to develop, Affleck's performance becomes much darker and more subtle as he becomes this laconic figure who starts to resent his idol as he becomes his assassin. Affleck's performance is brilliant in every scene up to the last frame when he seems weathered and troubled. While Pitt may have top billing, it's Affleck who is really the film's star.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an enchanting, eye-wielding, and stunning film from Andrew Dominik and company led by a great cast that includes Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Mary-Louise Parker, Garrett Dillahunt, Zooey Deschanel, and Sam Rockwell. Fans of the western genre will no doubt be amazed by this dream-like interpretation of the outlaw Jesse James and his assassin Robert Ford. While some audiences might be put off by its dream-like approach and elliptical pacing, it's a film fans of bio-pics and the western genre might enjoy with additional commendation to cinematographer Roger Deakins and music composers Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. In the end, for a dream-like western that gives the genre a new twist, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is the film to go see.

Andrew Dominik Films: Chopper - Killing Them Softly - One More Time with Feeling - This Much I Know to Be True - Blonde (2022 film)

© thevoid99 2012

All the Real Girls

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/21/04 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by David Gordon Green based on a story he wrote with Paul Schneider, All the Real Girls tells the story of a North Carolina womanizer whose life changes by the arrival of his best friend's little sister from boarding school.  While friends and family aren't sure about the relationship, it would have a major impact for the young couple.  The film is a study of relationships and family as it's set entirely in the South where Green grew up.  Starring Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson, Shea Whigham, Danny McBride, Benjamin Mounton, and Heather McComb, All the Real Girls is a compelling yet hypnotic romantic-drama from David Gordon Green.

For Paul (Paul Schneider), life as a womanizer in his rural North Carolina home was fun after a while. Now, with little ambition into getting out his bleak surroundings, he has decided to give up his womanizing lifestyle and suddenly, he found the right time. While he hangs out with his best friend Tip (Shea Whigham) and pals Bust-ass (Danny McBride) and Bo (Maurice Compte), he learns that Tip's little sister Noel (Zooey Deschanel) has returned from boarding school. He meets Noel one night learning how much she's grown and realizes how mature and innocent she is. For Paul, Noel gives him the chance to grow while he often works at a garage for his Uncle Leland (Benjamin Mounton) and sometimes, help out his mother Elvira (Patricia Clarkson) with entertaining sick children at hospitals dressing up as clowns.

Noel is intrigued by Paul's charm although Tip doesn't like the idea of his sister going with Paul because of his past reputation with women. Noel learns about it from Paul as she often hangs out with his buddies talking about escaping their bleak surroundings. Paul learns that Noel is a virgin and they began to have intense conversations about an incident that scarred Noel in many levels as he decided not to sleep with her. To Paul, Noel represents the rare purity in which, they get much closer much to the dismay of Tip. Tip is angry at this situation afraid that Paul might hurt Noel. Whenever Paul isn't with Noel, he is with Uncle Leland, his daughter Feng-Shui (Maya Ling Pruitt), and his mother. One day, Elvira gets upset over the time Paul has spent with Noel since he forgot to help her where Paul begins to wonder if the relationship is healthy for everyone.

During a date, Noel tells Paul she's going away for the weekend with some friends just to have some time for herself. Paul is fine with the idea as he spends time with his family and Noel's mentally challenged brother Justin (John Kirkland) where he teaches him piano. Paul also talks with Tip, who learns he's about to become a dad where Tip feels that Paul at least is doing the right thing with Noel. When Noel returns from her weekend with a new haircut, she tells Paul something that jeopardizes their relationship while she tells him that she loves him. Paul feels anguished over what happens in which, he refuses to talk to Noel.

One night, he encounters an ex-lover named Mary-Margaret (Heather McComb) where he asks what he did wrong to her. She's still mad over what he did where Paul found Noel with Bust-ass. Paul feels things went wrong where Elvira confronts him over his actions in which, Paul decides to grow up more. While he learns more now about women and his past actions, he wonders if what Noel did was his fault in which, he wants to know what is to become of them.

While the only flaw in All the Real Girls is that its pacing at times is a bit slow, David Gordon Green does manage to bring in a story filled with human elements and emotions with a bleak surrounding that everyone can appeal to. Green's direction is filled with a sense of romanticism in the scenes with Schneider and Deschanel while bringing out shots of the bleak surroundings of the North Carolina town and its mills. In the screenplay, the film plays up to a restraint sense of drama with a bit of comedy and rural studies of men and women. Particularly the lifestyle and workplace of the characters in the town they live in.

The film's bleak look captured by cinematographer Tim Orr is spellbinding in its minimalist use of fall colors of orange and brown without using lighting or fake sunshine to make it look glossy. Orr's brings a sense of rural realism to convey the characteristics of the town and its people. Even the film's score by Michael Linnen and David Wingo of atmospheric, Southern acoustic harkens to the rich, yet melancholic tone of working class American South.

The film's cast is filled with delight from its smaller performances from Maya Ling Pruitt and John Kirkland in the children's role to Heather McComb and Maurice Compte in their roles as the locals. Danny McBride brings some humor as Bust-ass where he brings out all these commentaries on the lifestyle and his ambition to leave the town to be in a band where McBride shines in his performance. Benjamin Mounton is excellent as the wise but hopeless Uncle Leland as he shares his experiences with women in his scenes with Schneider. Shea Whigham is wonderful in his performance as Tip who starts out as this yokel who in turn, becomes the protective older brother and he develops into a sadder yet sympathetic tone where he learns of his own wrongdoings and making up for it to become a father.

Of the supporting cast, the best performance easily goes to Patricia Clarkson as Paul's blue-collar mother whose sense of frustration over her son's immaturity and lack of responsibilities is very understandable. Clarkson gives a performance that is filled with wisdom and a wonderful monologue about aging which is why Clarkson is one of the best actresses working today.

In the leading performances, Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel are spellbinding in their subtle, yet enigmatic performances as they bring a chemistry filled with heartbreak and anguish where they grow up in ways where you're aren't sure who to feel sorry for. It's the kind of chemistry that is enchanting in its realism, the same way that was felt in Lost in Translation in the conversations that Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson had in the film. Schneider gives a performance that is more man than men usually do by playing himself in vulnerable positions in which, he can reveal himself and be funny and charming. In the more intense scenes, Schneider breaks hearts, as he doesn't want people to apologize for his past while we feel for his own anguish in a point of self-loathing over his own actions in relation to what Noel did.

Zooey Deschanel clearly, gives not just her best performance to date but also one of 2003's best performances from an actress in any age. Only in her early 20s, Deschanel brings in a subtle, stripped-down performance with intelligence and innocence that gives a sense of complexity to her character. Even as she explores Paul's past into her own action that would lead to a break in their relationship, she plays a young girl who is well wise beyond her years while exploring the world of adulthood. After some small but standout supporting roles in earlier films like Almost Famous, Mumford, The New Guy, The Good Girl, and Manic, Deschanel gives a performance that would serve as her break-out role into the world of indie and mainstream films.

All the Real Girls is an excellent, romantic drama from David Gordon Green with a superb cast led by Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, and Patricia Clarkson. Though some might not like the film's bleak look or restrained drama, it's a film that is filled with real human moments and working class ethics. It's really a film that studies the behavior of young men and women and the actions that make them react to themselves emotionally. It's a film that doesn't play up to gloss only to convey emotional honesty. In the end, All the Real Girls is a superb film of young adult relationships and rural morality.

David Gordon Green Reviews: George Washington - Undertow - Snow Angels - Pineapple Express - (Your Highness) - (The Sitter) - (Prince Avalanche) - Joe (2013 film) - (Manglehorn) - - (Our Brand is Crisis) - (Stronger (2017 film)) - Halloween (2018 film) - (Halloween Kills) - (Halloween Ends)

© thevoid99 2011

The Go-Getter

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/9/09.

Written and directed by Martin Hynes, The Go-Getter tells the story of a 19-year old young man going on a road-trip to find his Latino half-brother to tell him the news that their mother had died. Stealing a stranger's car where he makes contact with its owner, he comes across eccentric people including an old school friend and various other people. Based on Hynes' own road experiences, the film is a part-road movie and part-coming of age film that explores a young man dealing with his mother's death and urging to escape a dull life. Starring Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, Jena Malone, Judy Greer, Jsu Garcia, William Lee Scott, Bill Duke, and Maura Tierney. The Go-Getter is a wonderful, dreamy road-movie from Martin Hynes.

19-year old Mercer (Lou Taylor Pucci) lives in a dull town of Eugene, Oregon as his mother had just died. He has a Latino half-brother named Arlen (Jsu Garcia) who is 18 years older than him and hadn't seen him since Mercer was five years old. Deciding to steal a stranger's car at a car wash, he goes on the road where he hears a cell phone that belongs to its owner Kate (Zooey Deschanel). Kate contacts him asking why he stole her car as he tells her what he's doing as she asks to maintain contact. Stopping at a Californian hippie commune where he meets Better than Toast (Judy Greer) and her boyfriend Nick (Nick Offerman), he learns that Arlen had left the commune to go to Reno, Nevada. Mercer knows a girl from nearby Fallon, Nevada that he used to go to school with named Joely (Jena Malone).

The seductive Joely joins him on the road to Reno where they embark on some fun times as Mercer has his first ever sexual experience. Hoping to find where Arlen was last seen in Reno, he meets a porno film director (Julio Oscar Mechoso) who reveals to him where Arlen went as Mercer steals a camera that he later hopes to sell for money. When he finds Joely with her cousin Buddy (Colin Fickes) and friend Rid (William Lee Scott), they ask him to drive them to Mojave, California for a racing thing so they can build their own car. Mercer reluctantly does as Joely becomes distracted by her entourage as Mercer learns who Kate is as their conversation becomes more friendly including a dream sequence with him, Kate, and Joely re-enacting the dance scene from Jean-Luc Godard's 1964 film Bande A Parte.

Trying to get his destination, Buddy, Rid, and Joely have other plans forcing Mercer to hitchhike where he gets picked up by a driver (Bill Duke) who picks him up as they tell each other stories about brothers as he got help in retrieving Kate's car. Mercer continues his trek to Sacramento as he continually talks to Kate until he mentions Joely. Stopping in Sacramento to meet a pet store owner (Maura Tierney) that Arlen worked for, he learns Arlen isn't there as she asks Mercer to be part of a children's band that she is leading for her probation involving a crime that Arlen got her in trouble with. Suddenly, Kate makes an appearance to retrieve her car as she joins him on the road where he learns about Arlen's most recent whereabouts. Realizing he's in Mexico, Mercer ponders what to say as he meets his half-brother for the first time in more than 14 years.

The plot of the film is simple yet really it's about a young man coming of age with help from this young woman whose car he stole. Yet, it's really about two people looking for ways to escape from their dull life as a character like Mercer feels stuck in his hometown with nothing to do after his mother's death. Yet, he feels the need to tell his half-brother, whom he never really knew, about their mom's death. For Kate, contacting Mercer gives her the chance to connect with someone as she needs a form of escape from her own life. Though writer-director Martin Hynes doesn't bring a lot of plot or story to the film, it's really about experiences that are truly magical. Through his dreamy, evocative direction, the film moves along as he takes the audience on a journey that is magical yet exciting. The directing is truly exciting in its locations of the American west as it's a compelling yet wondrous road movie.

Cinematographer Byron Shah does spectacular work with the film's dream-like cinematography from the colorful, rainy look of Oregon to the sunny world of California. The look of each location is distinctive where Reno is more colorful with its nighttime lights and sepia-interior looks while the film has a black-and-white moment in its tribute to the Bande a Parte scene. Editor David Birdsell does excellent work with the editing to create rhythmic jump-cuts for several of the film's road scenes as well as other sequences for quick-cuts that is energetic but doesn't move to fast. At the same time, Birdsell sells the action with slow motion edits for a dream-like feel for some of the phone conversations that Mercer is having with Kate.

Production designer Damon Fortier along with art directors Rob Howeth and Charles Nance do fine work with the look of the hippie commune that Mercer visits along with some locations including the places he goes to. Costume designer Marie Schely does fantastic work with the costumes including the cowboy hats that Lou Taylor Pucci and Bill Duke wears along with band uniforms and the clothes Jena Malone wears to make her look like a sex pot. Sound editor Mitch Gettleman does great work in capturing the sound locations including the phone conversations between Mercer and Kate along with the tape that Mercer listens to on the car.

The film's music mostly consists of songs by M. Ward that definitely works as road material along with music from the Replacements, Animal Collective, the Black Keys, and the late Elliot Smith. The soundtrack includes a duet with M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel on a cover of Richard Thompson's When I Get To The Border that would be the basis for the Ward-Deschanel project She & Him.

The casting by Emily Schweber is excellent with appearances from M. Ward along with Nick Offerman as a potter who hates Arlen and Judy Greer as a hippie chick. Appearances from Bill Duke as a liquor supplier who helps Mercer retrieve his car and Maura Tierney as a pet store owner are memorable for their cameos along with Julio Oscar Mechoso as a porn director under the name a late, famous film director. Jsu Garcia is fine as Mercer's half-brother Arlen while Colin Fickes and William Lee Scott are good as Joely's troublesome entourage. In a role that's definitely against type of sorts, Jena Malone is great as the seductive Joely who uses her womanly ways to get Mercer to do anything. Though she doesn't have the look of a sex object, Malone definitely sells herself as a manipulative young woman while proving that she can be sexy with a nice little butt-crack. Mmmmmm....

Zooey Deschanel is excellent as Kate, a quirky young woman who lets Mercer take her car while engaging into fruitful conversations about anything while appearing to him in dreams as a companion until she comes along for real. Deschanel is truly mesmerizing in her appearance as she and Lou Taylor Pucci have great chemistry while maintaining her dream-like persona. Finally, there's Lou Taylor Pucci in what is an amazing performance from the young actor. Following his superb breakthrough role in 2005's Thumbsucker, Pucci is proving to be one of the best young actors working while not giving in towards Hollywood convention. Pucci's naive, wondrous performance as a young man trying to find his long-lost half-brother is filled with realism and imagination as it's a wonderful performance from Pucci who has great rapport with his co-stars while making Mercer into a relatable character.

The Go-Getter is an excellent film from Martin Hynes featuring some great work from Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, and Jena Malone. Fans of these actors will no doubt enjoy their performances along with the music of M. Ward while fans of quirky, dreamy indie road movies will find something wonderful to look at. Though it doesn't have a strong plot and a quirkiness that might not be for everyone. It's still a compelling, fascinating film that has something to offer. In the end, for a road film that is beautiful along with a story about an experience that is unforgettable, The Go-Getter is the film to see.

(C) thevoid99 2011