TO LESLIE (2022)

March 22, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. We have all heard the stories of lottery winners who blow the entire pot and end up back where they started, or sometimes even worse off. There is also no shortage of stories where alcoholism ruins lives and relationships. Director Michael Morris’ first feature film combines the two elements in a script by Ryan Binaco, who based the lead character on his own mother. The two men have done their work well and, in a way, win their own lottery by having cast Andrea Riseborough in the lead. Ms. Riseborough has long been labeled underrated, but I believe the more accurate label is underappreciated.

Small town Texan Leslie (Riseborough) is seen celebrating her $190,000 lottery win by lifting the giant check for TV cameras. She admits to picking her son’s birthday as the winning number and says her plan is to buy a house and open a diner … right after she buys the first round at the local bar. We then flash forward six years to find Leslie homeless, having just been evicted from a fleabag motel. Toting her pink suitcase, she is forced to trace her steps back to the bridges still smoldering from her past actions. She tracks down her son James (Owen Teague, IT), whom she abandoned years ago.

Of course it doesn’t take long for Leslie to break James’ one house rule of ‘no drinking’, and soon he is shipping her back to their hometown to stay with the friends who raised James. Nancy (Oscar winner Allison Janney) and Dutch (Stephen Root) are a biker couple still upset with Leslie’s actions from years ago, but willing to give her a roof over her head. Leslie is a master of saying the right thing, but never doing the right thing. She can sweet talk anyone who might buy her next drink, but her history is one of burning bridges and leaving a wake of shattered emotions.

Leslie is an uncontrollable alcoholic and she’s self-destructive, but not in a LEAVING LAS VEGAS way. We sense that in her lucid moments … when she’s not screaming at someone or flirting for a drink … that she does want to be a better person and live a better life. It takes local motel manager Sweeney (Marc Maron) to give her a real shot at cleaning up. Literally cleaning up, as she’s hired to clean the motel rooms. Sweeney’s patience with Leslie stems from his past, and it’s as painful to watch his efforts as it is to watch Leslie’s swings. Andrea Riseborough delivers a raw and riveting performance – one worthy of awards consideration. She captivates us with an emotional and physical performance. Director Michael Morris has directed some terrific TV episodes for shows like “Better Call Saul”, “Bloodline”, “Animal Kingdom”, and “House of Cards”, and this film leaves us with hope that the support of one person can make a difference for someone in desperate need of help.

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Posted by David Ferguson

SOFT & QUIET (SXSW 2022)

March 21, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. If you prefer your movies light-hearted, good-natured, and relaxing to the spirit, then you need to avoid writer-director Beth de Araujo’s first feature film at all costs. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more uncomfortable watching a movie than I was during this one. Whatever you do, don’t assume that a story featuring a group of young women meeting in a church for snacks and socializing will be cute or funny. This is neither. In fact, I’m at a loss for the properly descriptive words.

It doesn’t take long for us to realize these ladies aren’t soccer moms here to discuss cupcake recipes or romance novels. When Kindergarten teacher Emily (Stefanie Estes) pulls the cover back from the homemade pie she baked, the swastika carved into the crust is clear as day. Their club, “Daughters for Aryan Unity”, is actually a group of racist bigots filled with extreme hatred towards people of color. Their stated mission is ‘multi-cultural warfare’ and standing up for the place in society they have earned. One of Emily’s phrases is “feminine, not feminist”, and she explains why. This conversation continues until the Pastor overhears and kicks them out of his church.

Adding to the tension and contributing to the profuse feeling of disgust is the filmmaker’s decision to avoid cuts and present real time in one continuous shot. We never get a breather from these despicable people. The big concern with bigotry is that unforgivable words can shift into dangerous actions, and that’s what happens here. A store confrontation over a bottle of wine leads to a prank that goes horribly awry.

I’m not sure if the film is meant as a lead-in to serious dialogue on the topic, or whether it’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of racism and bigotry. Perhaps it’s a reminder that racism and evil behavior is not limited to southern rednecks in pickup trucks. Whatever purpose Ms. de Araujo had in mind, the film (even with a surprise ending) is certainly uncomfortable to watch.

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Posted by David Ferguson

MASTER (SXSW 2022)

March 21, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. With her first feature film, writer-director Mariama Diallo shows us that the terror of racism need not be blatant and obvious, and can be subtle and generational. Thanks to Jordan Peele, horror films have become de rigueur for exposing and exploring the many facets of racism. Ms. Diallo embraces the genre, while also mixing in the element of classism and entitlement.

Regina Hall is superb as Gail Bishop, the newly hired first black House Master at Ancaster College, a fictional, Ivy League-type school in the northeast that is as old as our country. Also excellent is Zoe Renee as Jasmine, a high-achieving black incoming freshman. A brilliant touch displays the symmetry of move-in day. Gail moves in to a creaky, dusty old home on campus, while Jasmine draws “the room” in dormitory. What is “the room”? Well, there is a legend tied to student deaths and long-ago witch trials … and 3:33am on the clock.

The supernatural forces attached to her room are only part of the challenges facing Jasmine. There is also her roommate played by Talia Ryder, the overall entitlement of other students, and another interesting character – her professor of Literature, Liv Beckman (Amber Gray). Ms. Beckman is friends with Gail, but Jasmine files an official complaint alleging she was targeted on her grade for a paper on racism in “The Scarlet Letter”. Complicating the matter, Ms. Beckman is also black and up for tenure, despite a shaky publishing record and a curious lack of background detail.

The multiple story lines become more intricate with the odd editing and threads as presented. Cinematographer Charlotte Hornsby works wonders with the creep factor, but the editing choices are often curious. Gail’s big career stepping stone introduces her to institutional racism at the institution where she’s employed. The three main characters each have their own story arcs, and the intersections are often quite advanced. However, the multiple stories do create some cinematic obstacles, and not all are handled smoothly, especially in the final act. Still, Ms. Diallo announces herself as a filmmaker to watch, and all three lead actors perform admirably.

In select theaters and on Prime Video beginning March 18, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

LINOLEUM (SXSW 2022)

March 21, 2022

SXSW 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who spend entirely too many hours of our life watching movies, it’s always a welcome pleasure to stumble upon one that is creative and innovative and entertaining. The first feature film from writer-director Colin West is all that, plus it’s funny and touching and features some science. As an added bonus, it features the always great Jim Gaffigan in a dual starring role.

Mr. Gaffigan stars as Cameron, a middle-aged guy who writes, acts, and films an educational children’s science show for Public Access TV titled, “Above and Beyond”. Imagine a blend of Carl Sagan and Bill Nye the Science Guy. It’s a show he and his wife Erin (Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul”) started together, but now she works at the local Air & Space Museum as the two await the finalization of their divorce.

Cameron has been waiting patiently for a preferred time slot, and one day his producer delivers news that’s both good and bad. The show is being picked up for distribution, but they have hired a new host. In what is anything but the oddest thing to happen so far in the story, Cameron can’t help but notice how much he and the new host look alike – although the personality differences are startling. It turns out the new guy bought the house right across the street from Cameron and Erin, and new guy has a teenage son, Marc (Gabriel Rush), who awkwardly befriends their daughter Nora (Katelyn Nacon).

When a satellite crashes in his yard, Cameron seizes the opportunity to become the astronaut he always dreamt of being by attempting to re-build the tangled mess into a custom rocket ship. Obviously I have left out many details in an effort to avoid spoilers for a story that is at times surreal, and can be best enjoyed going in cold. Other familiar faces appearing briefly in supporting roles include Tony Shalhoub, Amy Hargreaves, and Michael Ian Black. We have seen parallel universe films before, but filmmaker Colin West treats us to something a bit different. It may seem like a low-key affair, but “it’s not that simple.”

Narrative Feature Competition Category – SXSW

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Posted by David Ferguson

DEEP WATER (2022)

March 17, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Based on his work, arguments can be made on both sides. Director Adrian Lyne is either a staunch believer in monogamous marriages, or he enjoys mocking the concept altogether. Surprisingly, this is his first film in 20 years since UNFAITHFUL (2002). To refresh your memory, he’s also the force behind 9 ½ WEEKS (1986), FATAL ATTRACTION (1987), and INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993). Co-writers Zach Helm and Sam Levinson have adapted the script from the 1957 novel by Patricia Highsmith, who also wrote “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Strangers on a Train”.

“Do you know I love you?” When one spouse feels the need to ask about love rather than declare it, you know it’s an unusual marriage. And in the category of unusual marriages, you’d be hard-pressed to find an arrangement more bizarre than the one between Vic (Ben Affleck) and Melinda (Ana de Armas). Thanks to real life public drama for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, we all know that “open marriages” are a thing. But this with Vic and Melinda is neither fully “open” nor fully a marriage. Vic invented and sold a computer chip used in drones (mostly for warfare) and he’s so rich, that he’d rather watch his free-spirited wife drag home new boy-toys than give her an expensive divorce. But that’s as much explanation as we receive for what seems like a lose-lose-lose scenario. That third lose is for Melinda’s gentlemen friends who seem to mysteriously disappear once Vic becomes aware of them. One is gone before the movie even starts, and he’s followed by Jacob Elordi, Brandan Miller, and Finn Wittrock.

Perhaps the biggest mystery here is in deciding who displays more charisma, Affleck in this role or the snails that his character Vic breeds. We’ve joked about actors sleepwalking through roles before, but there are scenes here where that may actually be happening. Affleck mostly just dead-eyes Melinda and her men, though we are supposed to interpret his lack of expression as a combination of anger, jealousy, and lust. Fortunately, we have Ana de Armas to liven things up. She’s a full-grown party girl going through various stages of designer dress and un-dress. The supporting cast is comprised of Dash Mihok, Lil Rey Howery (who is in every movie these days), Kristen Connolly, Grace Jenkins as the smarter-than-parents kid to Vic and Melinda, and Tracy Letts as a curious novelist constantly side-eyeing Vic as research for a new book.

Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it sleazy? Yes. Despite twenty years of no movies, director Lyne delivers another high-gloss, play-pretend trashy erotic thriller that will fit perfectly in the streaming world. Affleck disappoints here after strong turns in THE TENDER BAR (2021) and THE WAY BACK (2020), and Ms. de Armas will next appear as Marilyn Monroe in BLONDE. Ben and Ana had their tabloid moment as a romantic couple after filming, but she is now the gone girl, and he has since reunited with JoLo. There are too many gaps in the story and characters for this to be considered a serious movie, but it’s sure to be entertaining enough for many.

Premiers on HULU beginning March 18, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

HUDA’S SALON (2022)

March 3, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Hany Abu-Assad has had two films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. OMAR (2013) and PARADISE NOW (2005) were both excellent and deserving of such regard. His latest in ‘based on true events’ from Bethlehem, West Bank in Occupied Palestine. He shows us the intimidating wall around the city and points out the vulnerability of local women.

Reem (Maisa Ebd Elhadi) is in the chair for her appointment with Huda (Manal Awad) at the salon. The banter between the two women shows an obvious connection between a long-time client and her stylist. However, it’s the first visit in a while as Reem has recently had a baby, and the infant is along for this appointment. The cheerful conversation comes to an abrupt halt following Huda’s shocking actions. This extended take is difficult for us as viewers, as we see the entire thing unfold.

The ultimate betrayal between friends leads to a direct conversation that has Reem grasping for a proper solution and fearing for her life. Huda’s actions have placed Reem and her family in imminent danger. Huda has blackmailed Reem into providing information to Israel’s Secret Service … spying on her community. On top of tending to her infant child and worrying about her new perilous situation, Reem is also dealing with a jealous husband at home. Yusef (Jalal Masarwa) thinks his biggest concern is a wife who may be sneaking around on him (she’s not), when in fact, the danger is much more severe.

After the initial sequence in the salon, the bulk of the film is a back and forth between Reem desperately trying to save herself and her baby, and Huda being interrogated by Hasan (Ali Suliman), a Palestinian pushing Huda to identify those she has “turned” in the same manner she blackmailed Reem. The contrast between these two concurrent threads is striking. While both are ominous, Huda is exceedingly cool under pressure while Reem is frantic. The reason for the differences: Huda is resigned to her fate, while Reem remains hopeful.

It’s The Occupation versus The Resistance, and to be a traitor likely means death. But what to do when blackmailed and caught in a no-win situation? That’s Reem’s predicament. At the same time, Huda, already a societal outcast as a divorcee, has played her role and fully understands what that means. To ensure we “get” the existence women are living, director Abu-Assad inserts a scene in a clinic where a pregnant woman begs for another test after it’s announced she’s having another daughter. This perfectly illustrates the value of women caught up in the geopolitical battle between Israel and Palestine.

In theaters and On Demand beginning March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE BATMAN (2022)

February 28, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Riddle me this: does “The Bat, The Cat, and The Rat” sound more like an opening line to a joke or the title of a Dr. Seuss book? In fact, those are three core elements of this new, COVID-delayed, and highly anticipated film from writer-director Matt Reeves and co-writer Peter Craig. I’ll confess to being a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy (that concluded 10 years ago), and being a bit skeptical to a new version featuring Robert Pattinson in the titular role (I’m choosing to totally ignore the in-between portrayals in the “Justice League” movies). Knowing full well how important it is for fans to watch these films with fresh eyes and a clear head, this review is purposefully vague on what will surely prove to be some of the more popular and contentious discussion points.

Let’s start with a general description and the setup. The film is dark and gloomy and gritty and grimy. Gotham is a cesspool of corruption and crime, and we get no glimpse into the other side, assuming there is one. Billionaire Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is still in his second year as the Batman, often referred to as “Vengeance”. There is substantial backstory for Mr. Wayne, who lives in relative seclusion with his trusty manservant Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), while the Batman prowls at night in his efforts to clean up the city. Of course he is unable to keep pace with crime and corruption, even with the close alliance he has built with good cop, Police Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). It takes Batman’s Poirot-like detective skills to solve a riddle left as a clue in a particularly high-profile murder case. Soon it’s obvious a serial killer is at work and he has purposefully drawn the Batman into his game.

The caped crusader proceeds to cross paths with Selena Kyle/Catwoman (a terrific Zoe Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), District Attorney Gil Golson (Peter Sarsgaard), and crime lord Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). As city VIPs begin showing up dead, it’s a masked Edward Nashton/Riddler (Paul Dano) who always seems a step ahead. All of the above receive their chance to shine on screen, and while none let us down, it’s not until the mask is ripped from Riddler, and Dano really shines, that we are left wanting more. It should be noted that Farrell (with his facial prosthetics and fat suit) is kind of a second fiddle here, but it’s surely intentional and meant to set the stage for more Penguin antics down the road.

Pattinson will certainly receive the most scrutiny. I found him to be an excellent Batman, with black eye makeup smeared by sweat under his cowl, maintaining the grungy tone. His whispery voice differs from Christian Bale’s gravely growl, but works for the character’s withdrawn nature and preference for detective work over than fighting. Staying true to the premise that this is only his second year, there is a significant shortage of “wonderful toys”, and the batmobile is less rocket ship and more souped-up coupe. The contrast to these is a batsuit that seems quite advanced (and looks cool). It’s Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne that didn’t work for me. I respect the reclusive billionaire aspect, but he mostly looks like someone on their way to a Nirvana gig, leaving us wondering how the heck could anyone not connect the dots between a creepy rich guy and a nearly identical creepy guy in a bat suit. It’s a minor complaint, but one that stuck with me.

Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (UP, 2009) takes a more classical approach than the dramatics of predecessors Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman. Giacchino has been a frequent Pixar contributor, and scored some well-known blockbusters in franchises like ‘Jurassic World’, ‘Star Trek’, ‘Planet of the Apes’, ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Spider-man’, and ‘Star Wars’. His work fits nicely here. Adapting characters and stories originated by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Matt Reeves and Peter Craig have found a way to put their own stamp on the work. Mr. Craig is Oscar winner Sally Field’s son, and his previous scripts include THE TOWN (2010), parts 1 and 2 of THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, and upcoming high-profile projects in TOP GUN: MAVERICK and GLADIATOR 2. Director Reeves has previously helmed the excellent horror film LET ME IN (2010), as well as DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) and WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017).

This marks the first in a planned Batman trilogy, and a couple of the last scenes seemingly set the stage for what’s to come. Although this is an odd movie, here’s hoping the franchise maintains this tone and avoids the typical Marvel/DC overblown CGI approach. After all, the Batman is but one man, not a God of superpowers. This film is an unusual blend of noir-horror-detective-action-psychological thriller wrapped in a gray box with a black bow, and though it will likely be divisive among fans (isn’t everything?), this 3-hour epic leaves us anticipating the next ‘bat time’ and ‘bat channel’.

Opens wide in theaters on March 4, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

BUTTER (2022)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Being a high school kid has always been challenging, and today’s added pressures of social media makes being an outlier almost unbearable at times. Writer-director Paul A Kaufman (in his feature film directing debut) has adapted the 2012 novel by Erin Jade Lange into a film that tackles several emotional hurdles, some of which are downright devastating.

Marshall (an excellent Alex Kirsting) is a morbidly obese high school student. He plays a mean jazz saxophone, yet yearns to be heard, seen, and accepted as a person, rather than as a target for the bullies who call him “Butter”. He weighs in at 423 pounds at the dietician’s office, and he’s catfishing Anna (McKaley Miller), his secret crush at school. Online, he’s posing as JP, a soccer star at a private school, and Anna confides secrets so that he can provide sage advice. At home, his mother (Mira Sorvino) enables him with her ‘food art’, while his dad (Brian Van Holt) barely acknowledges the presence of his fat son.

There are no heroes in this story, and despite being partially described as a comedy, this is in fact a dark commentary on how people behave. Butter is so fed up (unintended pun) and desperate to be seen, he devises a plan to go out with a bang. He creates a website and announces online that he will literally eat himself to death. Yep, suicide by smorgasbord at midnight on New Year’s Eve via live webcast. The reaction of his fellow students catches him off guard. Butter becomes popular overnight. People talk to him … while at the same time placing bets and serving up menu suggestions for the final feast.

Butter also provides the narration to his own story, and along the way we meet his doctors played by Ravi Patel and Annabeth Gish, and a supportive teacher played by Mykelti Williamson who encourages Butter to expand his musical talents. We note how attitudes change once communication and interactions replace withdrawal and ignoring. Some of the heavy topics handled here include bullying, suicide, depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, a lack of empathy and compassion, and body-shaming. It’s interesting to watch as the classmates and Butter get to know each other, how Anna shows there is more to her than a pretty face, and how Butter’s parents seem oblivious to their son’s internalized feelings. The film does get a little preachy near the end, but for the most part, it’s a pretty effective look at what it’s like being an outcast.

In theaters February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

CREATION STORIES (2022)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. As a kid in Glasgow, Alan McGee’s dream was the same as many others: he wanted to make it big in the music business. A TV appearance by The Sex Pistols lit the proverbial fire, and Alan became obsessed. However, as he states in the film, “I didn’t have any talent, which limited my opportunities.” What he did possess was ambition and commitment. The last few years have produced an abundance of music biopics, yet this one isn’t based on a great singer, songwriter, or guitar player. Instead, director Nick Moran and co-writers Dean Cavanagh and Irvine Welsh have adapted Alan McGee’s autobiography, “The Creation Records Story: Riots, Raves and Running a Label.”

The film begins with the tagline, “most of this happened”, and of course, we understand that when rock ‘n roll is involved, stories get twisted and personalities are exaggerated. Leo Flanagan and Ewen Bremner star as the younger and older Alan McGee, respectively. Flanagan gets the backstory which sets the conflict with McGee’s father, while Bremner, as you have likely guessed, gets the flamboyant and wild events of the later years.

There is a zaniness to the film in that, at times, it has frantic pacing, quick cuts, and psychedelic effects. Suki Waterhouse plays a journalist interviewing McGee on his success, and this provides a touch of structure to a story that otherwise bounces between timelines and business developments so haphazardly that we can’t possibly keep up. McGee and Creation Records were key players in the surge of independent and alternative music in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The label featured such bands as Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and of course, Oasis.

Bremner is high-octane as the fast-talking McGee, and we believe that he believes he’s running “the coolest record label on the planet.” We are along for the ride in his never-ending quest to find the next band that is “going to be bigger than U2.” He’s a maverick who succumbs to the lifestyle by over-indulging in drugs, and having no obvious business savvy in maintaining what he builds. The Oasis story is particularly well told, and features Jason Flemyng at the King Tut gig. Other supporting work is provided by an unusually high-strung Jason Isaacs, Paul Kaye, and Steven Berkoff in the film’s oddest role. He plays a McGee hallucination of famed occultist and writer Aleister Crowley.

Danny Boyle is an Executive Producer on the film and director Nick Moran has spent much of his career acting, including a role in LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998). This combination (as well as a few connected actors) is likely a key to the early Guy Ritchie vibes we sometimes experience. Set Decorator Clare Keyte deserves a shoutout for exceptional work in various time periods and settings. Kudos to Bremner for his all-in approach, but the film works best as one that offers some nostalgia and historical value of a time when the music culture shifted in the UK.

The film will stream on AMC+ and be available On Demand and digital on February 25, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LAST DUEL (2021)

February 24, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. This review comes a bit late in regards to last year’s release date, but one of the most fun things about the film was the veteran director’s response to it being one of the biggest box office ‘bombs’ of 2021. Ridley Scott’s blamed those of a certain age group, as he criticized millennials for being too attached to their cell phones to recognize an interesting, informative, and entertaining movie. Octogenarian Scott knows a bit about big budget films after directing such films as ALIEN (1979), BLADE RUNNER (1982), GLADIATOR (2000), PROMETHEUS (2012), and THE MARTIAN (2015), however we get the feeling that his reaction stemmed from ego, and overlooked the fact that older movie goers had not returned to the theater due to the ongoing pandemic.

Based on true events and Eric Jager’s 2004 bestseller, “The Last Duel: A True Story of Trail by Combat in Medieval France”, the script was co-written by Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck (the latter two being Oscar winners for their GOOD WILL HUNTING script in 1997). Damon and Affleck were initially set to co-star here, but scheduling conflicts forced to Affleck to take a lesser role, allowing for the addition of Adam Driver. The film opens in 1386 as Damon’s Jean de Carrouges and Driver’s Jacques Le Gris prepare for the titular jousting duel. We then flashback to a battle scene during the Hundred Year War featuring the two fighting alongside each other for France.

Utilizing a RASHOMON-inspired story structure, the film is divided into three “The Truth According to …” chapters: Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Lady Marguerite. A sly use of chapter titles informs us which of these is considered the real truth, but this is 14th century history, so there’s always some doubt. And doubt plays a key role in the crucial conflict at the film’s core. Carrouges and Le Gris have a friendship initially, however where Carrouges is hard and withdrawn, Le Gris is more politically savvy – building a relationship with Pierre (Affleck), powerful cousin to King Charles VI. The friendship dissolves into a rivalry that culminates with Carrouges’s wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accusing Le Gris of rape. We see the three versions of this occurrence, leaving little doubt.

What stands out through most of the story is just how little power or standing women had during this time. It was a man’s world and women were treated as property, much the same as a plat of land. But the most ludicrous commentary on the times is the hearing that results in the King authorizing the Duel that will determine a verdict. If Le Gris kills Carrouges, then it is determined that Marguerite was lying and she will be burned to death. If Carrouges kills Le Gris, then his old friend will be considered guilty of rape. Either way is supposedly “God’s will”.

Harriet Walter is perfectly creepy as Jean de Carrouges’ mother, as is Alex Lawther as “The Mad” King Charles VI (age 15 at the time of the duel). I found Damon and Affleck to be distractions in their roles, but Ms. Comer was outstanding – believable in all aspects of the character. Ridley Scott delivered a realistic look to the film, and the brutality and visceral violence are true standouts, especially in the duel. Having the three perspectives worked well, and drove home the point of how delusional men were/are. Surprisingly, there is an undercurrent of contemporary attitude here, and for the most part, Mr. Scott was correct … it’s an entertaining film, even if it wasn’t technically the “last” duel.

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Posted by David Ferguson

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