THE BOOK OF ELI (2010)

January 18, 2010

 (1-16-10) Greetings again from the darkness.Yet another in a string of post-apocalyptic films showing Hollywood has little hope for our future.

The Hughes Brothers (Menace II Society) deliver a western/samurai tale of a man (Denzel Washington) walking west because voices in his head told him to. Those voices also told him to protect the book he is carrying (a King James Bible) and go full out Bruce Lee on anyone who tries to stop him (OK, I made that part up … but he sure does). Oh, and the man (Eli) has been walking west for THIRTY-ONE years! The real point seems to be Gary Oldman’s character (Carnegie) controls one shabby little town, but dreams of real power. The kind of power that the book can bring. Ding Ding! Religious power! He wants to be a post-apocalyptic tele-evangelist, sans TV. He just knows he can control the masses with the message of the bible. I don’t think I am giving anything away here. Good vs Evil. Just like all the great westerns.

The Hughes brothers assemble a nice supporting cast with Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals (her mom in the film), Tom Waits, Michael Gambon and Malcom McDowell. Kunis has by far the most screen time and the final shot of her is really the only humor I found in the film … though, not even sure it was supposed to be funny.

We get a pretty bleak, yet coherent, film for the first 65%. Then it just turns unbelievable. The Shyamalan twist is downright ridiculous due to what we have been watching for the previous 90 minutes. And as much as it pains me to say, Oldman’s character is just too low rent to provide a real worthy adversary for Eli. So while the film has an interesting look, it just lacks real guts.

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Posted by David Ferguson

CRAZY HEART (2009)

January 3, 2010

 (12-28-09) Greetings again from the darkness. The broken down country singer finding redemption could be one of the biggest cliché’s in life and the movies. Somehow first time writer/director Scott Cooper and the great Jeff Bridges make it seem authentic, raw and touching.

Much of their success is in the amazingly subtle performance of Jeff Bridges. Heck, I believe I have the early stages of emphysema just from watching the film! Bridges’ skill has always been that he melts into his role. You don’t even believe he is acting – he is just that good. Here, he descends into the role of Bad Blake. Alcoholic, chain-smoking, nearly dead to the world.

Supporting work from Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine, though a bit unbelievable and Robert DuVall (also listed as a producer) plays Blake’s only real friend who offers him a bit of support when needed. This recalls DuVall’s excellent turn many years ago in Tender Mercies.

What sets this one apart is the realistic and raw performance of Bridges. The man is not afraid to put it on the screen. He does a good job with the singing and is certainly believable onstage. His protégé is played by Colin Farrell and their interacting is a bit awkward, as one would expect .. Farrell’s character has gone on to superstardom, while trying not to forget his mentor.

This one is being compared to The Wrestler, but I don’t feel the need to do so. It stands on it’s own and certainly Mr. Bridges should be a contender for the Oscar he has earned on more than one occasion. T Bone Burnett and the late Stephen Bruton wrote the music, including the excellent “The Weary Kind”, which should gather some Oscar love.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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