THE GLORIAS (2020)

October 1, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. Who hasn’t dreamt of having a conversation with their younger self in hopes of instilling some wisdom to improve the forthcoming life decisions? Writer-director Julie Taymor (FRIDA, 2002) and co-writer Sarah Ruhl have adapted Gloria Steinem’s autobiography, “My Life on the Road”, and use cross-country bus trips as a vehicle allowing Ms. Steinem to chat with herself at four different stages of life.

The feminist icon and activist is played by four actors: Oscar winner Julianne Moore, Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson (“The Haunting of Hill House”), and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the youngest Gloria. Childhood is called the formative years for a reason, and we do get a taste of how Gloria’s nomadic hustler of a father Leo (Timothy Hutton), and her mother Ruth (Enid Graham) influence the woman she became. Her father (referring to himself as Steinomite) explained that travel is the best education, while her mother struggled with mental instability after being forced to give up her writing career.

Bucking the male-dominated world began in the era portrayed by Ms. Vikander, and it takes up most of the first half of the film. Discrimination and harassment were commonplace as she fought to be taken seriously as a journalist and writer. This portion includes her trip to India, where she was heavily influenced by the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. In addition, we see Gloria’s time as a (undercover) Playboy bunny, and the reactions that her corresponding article caused.

Ms. Moore is on screen much of the second half, including the founding of “Ms.” magazine, and her affiliation with other activists like Dorothy Pitman Hughes (Janelle Monae), Flo Kennedy (Lorraine Toussaint), Wilma Mankiller (Kimberly Guerrero, “Seinfeld”), and of course, Bella Abzug (Bette Midler). There’s a moment on the bus when Ms. Moore’s Gloria tells her younger self, Ms. Vikander’s Gloria, “Speaking your mind will get you into trouble.” It sounds like a warning, but in fact, it’s motivation for what’s to come.

Ms. Taymor’s film cuts between periods of Steinem’s life with the multiple Glorias in action. The bus rides are an interesting choice as looking out the windows we (and Gloria) sees the streets of New York, the palette of India, miles of nature, and even her own father on the road in his car. Outside is filled with the colors of life, while inside the bus, the colors are muted, often black and white. We see actual clips of the 1963 March on Washington DC, including Mahalia Jackson, and the 1977 National Women’s Conference. It just feels like something’s missing here – like the movie doesn’t have the heft Ms. Steinem deserves.

Sometimes Ms. Taymor’s approach is a bit too artsy for the story, and there is only a brief mention of Ms. Steinem’s nemesis, Phyllis Schlafly … despite much attention to abortion and women’s rights. Gloria’s passion for issues is clear, and we note her motivation to transform an environment that stifled her mother. The film’s music comes from Oscar winner Eric Goldenthal, and the cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto, frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese and other elite directors. The timing is spot on for the film given contemporary issues, including the opening on the Supreme Court created by the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Despite this, the film might just be a bit too nice, or too lightweight given the history, accomplishments and impact of Gloria Steinem (who has a cameo appearance on the bus).

watch the trailer

 
 

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Posted by David Ferguson

A CALL TO SPY (2020)

October 1, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s 1941 and the Nazis are dominating France. Winston Churchill creates a secret British Intelligence Organization calls Special Operations Executive (SOE). It’s basically a group of spies in France with the purpose of undermining the Nazis. The group is run by Maurice Buckmaster (played by Linus Roache) and after very limited success, the decision is made to recruit women – the thought being they will be less likely to arouse suspicion and can more freely move about. This is really the story of three women, all outcasts in some form. American agent Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas) is one of the first female spies to go to France. British Muslim Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte) is a highly skilled Air Force wireless operator (communications), and Vera Atkins (Stana Katic, “Castle”) is a Jewish Romanian immigrant charged with recruiting women to the program. For those who enjoy trivia, Ms. Atkins also served as Ian Fleming’s inspiration for Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond franchise.

Greetings again from the darkness. Virginia Hall should be famous. Oh sure, history buffs know her name, but usually she’s a blip in book or article about WWII. Director Lydia Dean Pilcher was Oscar nominated as Producer for the excellent CUTIE AND THE BOXER (2013), and here she serves up the first film featuring Virginia Hall and her contributions. Sarah Megan Thomas (EQUITY, 2016) wrote the screenplay and stars as Ms. Hall.

Virginia Hall remarkably overcame her wooden leg … an appendage she named “Cuthbert” … and was rejected in her quest to become a US Diplomat. Noor faced down the stigma of being a dedicated pacifist – a difficult hurdle in the middle of a war. Vera Atkins was never able to be fully trusted by her co-workers due to her Jewish background. While we are exposed to the plights of each of these women, there is actually very little interaction between the three, which creates an unusual story structure. The bulk of the time goes to Virginia Hall, and that’s understandable given her history, participation, and accomplishments. We witness how she excels in enlisting and inspiring citizens and volunteers to join the resistance, and creates multiple networks that impacted some many of the Allied troops.

An excruciating water torture scene occurs pre-opening credits, and then over the opening credits, director Pilcher slyly works in each of the key players. The concern over women during this era as Buckmaster is concerned the recruits “won’t last a week”. It would have been interesting if we were privy to a bit more of the training “in sabotage and subversion”, but it’s likely some of that training still occurs today; although the point is made clear that this was trial and error, with an emphasis on error.

The female spies were nicknamed the “Baker Street Irregulars”, and they definitely accomplished their mission of changing the course of the war. Klaus Barbie (the Butcher of Lyon) is shown trying, and failing, to hunt down Virginia Hall, whose life was always in danger once she became known to the Nazis. And it’s that danger that is the movie’s Achilles. The sense of danger should be suffocating and relentless, and instead only pops up periodically here. The stories of these courageous folks must be told, but with that comes the ever-present danger they experienced. This is just a bit too much to overlook.

watch the trailer

 
 

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE GIRL WHO WORE FREEDOM (doc, 2020)

September 29, 2020

Boston Film Festival (2020, virtual)

 Greetings again from the darkness. I watch dozens of documentaries each year, and I always learn something from the best ones. However, I don’t recall ever being so emotional over a documentary as I was while watching this one from Christian Taylor. Ms. Taylor confesses that she always considered herself a proud Patriot (her son serves in the US Army), but this is her film of “the D-Day that changed me” and where she “truly learned about freedom”.

The film initially focuses on Ms. Taylor’s trip to Normandy for D-Day, and she comments on how the progression of the day bounces between “celebration” and “memorial” back-to-back. As the trip unfolds, it becomes something akin to a spiritual awakening for her. She mingles with the French citizens who have such vivid recollections of June 6, 1944. One lady is a particular standout: Dany Patix Boucherie. Dany was a 5 year old child that day 76 years ago, and we see the photograph of her wearing the American flag dress that her mom sewed from parachute scraps. To this day, Ms. Boucherie leads the cheers for the U.S. soldiers who liberated her town and country.

We hear numerous personal stories from French citizens who were either kids at the time of the invasion, or they are re-telling the stories they’ve heard over the years from their friends and families. 20,000 French civilians died so why are they so grateful and respectful to the American soldiers who fought? Well we hear the answer directly from these folks, and the sincerity and heartfelt emotions are surely to hit you hard. At the heart of all the tragedy and destruction is an undeniable truth – the Americans were not there to conquer, but rather to liberate. That’s the French perspective … young Americans arriving in their country and fighting fiercely and courageously to prevent France from falling to the Germans.

We see photographs of displaced French kids eating meals with soldiers at American camps, and smiling kids draped all over massive tanks to have their picture taken. Stories are told of the thunderous and destructive bombings, and of lost parents, but somehow the sadness was turned to gratitude after so many years.

The Utah Beach museum was founded by a man who was shot by Americans. His son tells the incredible story and shows us a clip of the father telling it in his own words. Rather than hold animosity towards those who shot him, he is instead most appreciative and understanding. Director Taylor then follows Florent Plana, who has dedicated his time and energy to meeting with and documenting the stories of WWII veterans. This was yet another segment that was almost too affecting for me to keep my vision clear (if you get my drift).

We watch a memorial service for veteran Jim Reid, who requested his ashes be spread on the sands of Utah Beach. His friends and family, as well as some locals join in for the tribute. Toward the end, we are informed how crucial it is to keep the French kids involved and informed, so that the era doesn’t pass with the last of the survivors. American soldiers are identified as “superheroes”, and even those who have carried guilt all these years, find themselves liberated by the Normandy visit. The French people will have it no other way. The film only touches on the amazing story of General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, who despite walking with a cane and being the oldest soldier to take part in the invasion (56), led troops onto Omaha Beach. Also included is a brief interview with Helen Patton, General George Patton’s granddaughter. As a finale, we get yet another look at the flag dress of young Dany Patix Boucherie, and as the film comes full circle, our understanding feels more complete. Such a touching tribute to the good that remains in humanity, and it’s a lesson that has remained intact for three-quarters of a century.

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Posted by David Ferguson

25 – TONY CONIGLIARO (doc, 2020)

September 29, 2020

Boston Film Festival (2020, virtual)

 Greetings again from the darkness. Fairy Tales traditionally have happy endings so that our kids form an optimistic view of the world. Unfortunately, director John Ippolito brings us a real life baseball fairy tale with a tragic ending. Tony Conigliaro and his brothers Billy and Richie, grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts, just a few miles from historic Fenway Park, and two ended up wearing the Red Sox uniform – only it was Tony that was the legend … the can’t miss prospect who was presumed to be a future Hall-of-Famer.

It’s highly likely that Tony’s Little League baseball coach taught him to play the game “one pitch at a time”. The irony in the lesson here is that a single pitch vaulted Tony into the Major League spotlight, while another pitch (just 3 years later) basically put an end to the fairy tale. We see a clip from April 17, 1964. It’s Kennedy Memorial Day at Fenway Park (the first home game since President Kennedy was assassinated). Nineteen year old Tony Conigliaro swings at the first pitch he sees in the ballpark he worshipped growing up. Famed announcer Curt Gowdy makes the call as the towering Home Run leaves the yard. What an incredible moment for Tony, his family, and the Boston fans.

 Tony C became the youngest AL player to reach 100 career Home Runs, and he was an all-star in 1967, the year his Red Sox faced Bob Gibson’s St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Unfortunately for Tony, he didn’t play in that series. On August 18, 1967, when facing the Angels’ Jack Hamilton, a pitch hit Tony squarely in face, shattering the cheekbone below his left eye. Teammates and fans in attendance that day recall the horrifying sound of the collision of ball and bone. The on-deck hitter, Rico Petrocelli and Red Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg (the 1967 Cy Young Award winner) rushed to Tony, who was crumpled in the dirt by home plate. Carted off by stretcher, the next time most saw Tony was the infamous cover of “Sports Illustrated” highlighting his purple eye swollen shut. It was a punch in the gut to see this rising young star in such a state.

Joe Malone (former Massachusetts State Treasurer) is our narrator and host, and he conducts the interviews with former teammates, family members, fans, and New England sports experts such as museum curator Richard Johnson. Each reminisces about Tony and his legendary status as a hometown hero signed by his hometown professional team. Former Red Sox executive Dan Duquette compares Tony C to today’s most exciting young baseball star, Juan Soto, while Luis Tiant, Petrocelli, and Lonborg recall a great teammate and player.

In Boston, 1964 is remembered as the year of The Beatles, Cassius Clay, and the debut of Tony Conigliaro. We learn that he said, “I want to be better than Ted Williams”, and since he remains the youngest AL player to reach 100 career Home Runs, we can’t help but wonder ‘what might have been’. Ippolito’s film is only about 45 minutes long, and along with the piano music courtesy of Sarah Hale Folger, it plays very much like a warm tribute to Tony C’s memory. Very few MLB clips are shown, and we do learn of his 1982 heart attack, subsequent coma, and 8 years of being bedridden before dying in 1990 at age 45. To put that in perspective, another New England sports legend, Tom Brady, is still going strong at age 43).  Tony Conigliaro is the embodiment of “life’s not fair”, and a reminder to take it one pitch at a time.

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Posted by David Ferguson

PAPER SPIDERS (2020)

September 29, 2020

Boston Film Festival (2020, virtual)

 Greetings again from the darkness. There are many reasons that might force a kid to grow up too fast. But when it’s in conjunction with having to care for a parent, we can consider it ill-fated. Director Inon Shampanier co-wrote the script with his wife, Natalie Shampanier, and they adeptly handle a story that, in lesser hands, could be over-wrought and not believable. Instead, they benefit from two excellent performances and deliver an emotional and poignant tale of mother and daughter and mental illness.

Lili Taylor stars as Dawn, mother to straight-A high school senior Melanie, played by Stefania LaVie Owen (“Messiah”). We first meet them while on a rainy day campus tour. Dawn is direct in expressing her wish that Melanie remain close to home for college, while ambitious Melanie wants to attend her late father’s alma mater, USC, on a full academic scholarship. It’s clear mother and daughter have a close relationship, but something is a bit off about Dawn, and we get our answer soon enough.

As the new neighbors are moving in, the truck backs into a tree that Dawn’s husband planted years earlier. Dawn flips out, setting off a chain of events where she is convinced the new neighbor is spying on her, tormenting her, and endangering her. Of course, there is no proof of any of this, and the further Dawn slips, the more difficult it is for Melanie to carry the burden of school, a social life, and a paranoid-delusional mother.

Michael Cyril Creighton plays the school counselor that Melanie ropes into meeting with her mother. The scene is played to an awkward comedic effect, but also exemplifies how mental illness creates a stressful environment for everyone involved. Dawn’s agitated attorney boss is played by David Rasche, and Melanie also sets up a profile for mom on an internet dating site, with less-than-hoped-for results. During all of this, Melanie begins a relationship with a rich, alcoholic classmate named Daniel (Ian Nelson), who understandably isn’t equipped to deal with the situation either. Peyton List plays Melanie’s bestie Lacy, and Max Casella has a couple of scenes as the Private Investigator Dawn hires to surveil the neighbor. All in all, it’s a cluster of real life twisted up by mental illness.

Lili Taylor is excellent, and makes sure she keeps Dawn’s actions in the believable-yet-sufferable mode. But the film really belongs to Stefanie LaVie Owen. This is a staggeringly good performance from the young actress, and she quietly conveys a strength in the face of shock and frustration, and the unfair burden she must carry. The film is a reminder that we don’t get to pick our family, and the responsibilities can feel overwhelming at times. It’s not a horror film, but rather one filled with personal horrors – and the film’s title will make sense by the end.

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

KAJILLIONAIRE (2020)

September 24, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. A single month with new releases from both Charlie Kaufman (I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS) and Miranda July, is almost enough to make this movie lover forget for a moment that we are suffering through a global pandemic, raging forest fires, and the most obscene presidential campaign of my lifetime. Ms. July is an absurdly talented writer and filmmaker, and it’s her first feature length film since THE FUTURE (2011). Prior to that, she served up ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (2005), and has a unique way of displaying her strange life observations. She and Kaufman are masters of quirk, and excel in twisting our minds.

Evan Rachel Wood stars as Old Dolio Dyne, daughter of Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Theresa (an unrecognizable Debra Winger). This is an oddball family of petty crime con artists who live in a run down, unused office next to the Bubbles, Inc. factory. And yes, they make bubbles in the factory … bubbles that seep through the walls into the office where this family sleeps. One of their scams is on the landlord (a surreal character himself) who has to explain to an always-negotiating Robert that “rent is an installment”.

The first part of the film allows us to get to know the family members. We see them pull off stealing mail from a neighboring post office box, and returning stolen goods for the reward. Ms. Wood stays attired in an oversized green track suit jacket, and has lowered her speaking voice by an octave, adding impact to her monotone liners. She’s socially awkward, and likely on the spectrum as she seems to be the smartest of the bunch. Daddy Robert is a control freak and has an emotional disability in regards to California earthquake tremors. He and Theresa show no signs of affection towards each other or Old Dolio.

An airline baggage scam results in the family meeting Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), an eager to join the grifters woman, whom Old Dolio sees as her replacement as both a daughter and partner. Jealousy ensues. Melanie is contrasted to Old Dolio by her bubbly personality, and by a wardrobe that is significantly more revealing than a tattered track suit. Old Dolio watches uneasily as Melanie is soon receiving the attention from Robert and Theresa that their own daughter craves.

The second half evolves into a film not so much about cons or heists (the film admits it’s no OCEANS 11), as about family dynamics. The twists and turns find Melanie helping Old Dolio break free of parental over-control in order to experience independence … and pancakes. Learning about warmth and affection from “normal” families is eye-opening for her, and sometimes a little confusing for us to follow.  Who is scamming whom, and when are they telling the truth?

Miranda July has created a crime-drama-comedy (dark comedy), with plenty of space to let the characters and dialogue breathe. “I’m Mr. Lonely” by Bobby Vinton kicks in periodically, and the score from Emile Mosseri (THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO) complements it well. On the heels of last year’s team of family scamsters in PARASITE, this shaggy group has never met a swindle they wouldn’t try. And they never expected it to backfire with their own daughter. The divide between those who like the film and those who don’t was pretty clear after Sundance, and Miranda July will likely never be one to appeal to the masses. But for those of us who connect with her oddball way of seeing life, we appreciate the focus on what makes a family of outsiders click … especially when a superb performance from Evan Rachel Wood drives the film.

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Posted by David Ferguson

OTTOLENGHI AND THE CAKES OF VERSAILLES (doc, 2020)

September 24, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness.  Food, art, and history. There may not be a connection at your local McDonalds, but there certainly is among the world’s most renowned chefs. Director Laura Gabbert (CITY OF GOLD, 2015) documents the story beginning with Yotam Ottolenghi receiving an email from the Metropolitan Museum of Art asking him to curate a culinary presentation in conjunction with the museum’s 2018 “Visitors to Versailles” exhibit, covering the years 1682-1789, just prior to the French Revolution.

Ottolenghi is an accomplished chef (with a test kitchen in London), restauranteur, and described as the most influential cookbook author. Born in Israel, he’s our charming and exceedingly intelligent guide through this global process. Ottolenghi toured The Met and Versailles, and explains his rationale for focusing on desserts – a beautiful and colorful symbol of wealth and excess from the era. He then sets out to assemble a pastry “Dream Team” consisting of: Dominique Angel, the French pastry chef who invented the Cronut; Dinara Kasko, a trained Ukrainian 3D architectural design expert-turned-chef who now builds her own 3D molds for food; Ghaya Oliveira, born in Tunisia and now the pastry chef at NYC’s elite Daniel restaurant; Bompas and Parr, the British chefs known for technology and jellies – though only Sam Bompas takes part in the project; and Janice Wong, a Singapore chef who specializes in ‘edible art’.

We learn the inspirations for each of the chefs, from the gardens and fountains of Versailles to the particular flavors of the era. Ottolenghi takes us into the kitchens, as well as allowing access to the strategy sessions with managers at The Met. Ms. Gabbert’s film offers a glimpse at the craftsmanship, creativity, and artistry of these chefs as they work towards the big night. The final presentations are dazzling works of art themselves, and ironically (or maybe not) are enjoyed by the elites in attendance at the event. Marie Antoinette’s beheading may have been ‘a just dessert’ for an era of decadence, but the beauty of what these modern day artists have created is quite something to behold … and a nice respite from the world’s turmoil.

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Posted by David Ferguson

ALL ROADS LEAD TO PEARLA (2020)

September 24, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. Rural, small town America forms an appealing backdrop for filmmakers due to the great divide: those who are desperate to “shake the dust off” and head for greener grass, and those who can’t imagine any other way of life. In his first feature length film, writer-director-editor-producer Van Ditthavong seizes on the small town atmosphere to create a sense of danger that complements the above-mentioned divide.

Alex MacNicoll stars as Brandon, a high school wrestler in non-stop training mode – replete with nose bleeds, early morning runs, and the quest to cut weight. Brandon lives in a trailer with his mother (Morgana Shaw) who has never gotten over the death of Brandon’s beloved brother. She’s an aggressive griever and takes out her anger on Brandon, leaving him squarely in the “can’t wait to get out of this town” mode. Brandon and Ellie (Paige McGarvin), the local grocery checker, are attracted to each other, yet, despite her warning, Brandon falls for the wicked charms of the mysterious bad girl Pearla (Addison Timlin, FALLEN). Naïve Brandon knows nothing of the town’s criminal underbelly, but Pearla is connected to the psychotic Oz (Dash Mihok, “Ray Donovan”), who is part of it.

Mihok seems to revel in playing the deranged Oz. He expertly balances his scenes as a vicious mask-wearing, gun-toting thug with his small town country-bumpkin mentality … one who spells bidet, “b-a-d-a-y”. Somehow in a town this small, almost no one is who they appear to be. This certainly includes Coach Baker (played by Nick Chinlund, who you’ll likely recall from CON AIR), the motivating wrestling coach with a dark side. Also in the ‘bad guy’ mix are Cowboy Loy (Corin Nemac) who is after revenge on Pearla, and shop owner Mamo (Tina Parker), who seems to control the local crime element, or at least tries to – “Nobody steals from me”.

Brandon’s English class covers a pertinent passage from Orwell’s “1984”, and his big dream involves saving enough money to drive his truck to El Paso for a job on an oil rig. There is some similarity in tone to the Coen Brothers’ classic BLOOD SIMPLE (1984), but of course, Mr. Ditthavong is not yet at that level as a filmmaker. However, for a low budget film that sometimes mixes up day and night, it benefits from nice performances and an atmosphere of dread. The entertainment value is such that I look forward to more projects from the cast and Van Ditthavong.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

BLACKBIRD (2020)

September 17, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. Even though death is imminent for each of us, we don’t all get the opportunity to say goodbye to loved ones. For those who do, it may not go as smoothly as they’d imagined. This is especially true if they are choosing to end things on their own terms due to a terminal illness. Roger Michell (NOTTING HILL, 1999; VENUS, 2006) directs this remake of the 2014 Danish film SILENT HEART (directed by Bille August), both written by Christian Torpe.

Family matriarch Lily (Oscar winner Susan Sarandon) has a terminal illness, and has arranged for the family to return home for one final get-together. See, Lily, with the assistance of her doting doctor husband Paul (Sam Neill) is planning to ‘go’ on her own terms, while it’s still physically possible for her to take the medicinal potion. “Death with dignity”, or euthanasia, is becoming a more frequent topic in films and conversation, despite still being illegal in most states. Of course, the legal and moral questions are heavily debated, but when it’s a family member, it’s the emotions that heat up.

First to arrive is eldest daughter Jennifer (Oscar winner Kate Winslet) and her husband Michael (Rainn Wilson, “The Office”) and their son Jonathan (Anson Boon, CRAWL). Kate is the uptight, demanding type who is always judging others – including her nerdy well-meaning husband, and her free-spirited son. The younger daughter Anna (Mia Wasikowska) arrives with her partner Chris (Bex Taylor-Klaus, “The Killing”), and it’s immediately clear that Jennifer and Anna are personality opposites (with some baggage), and that Anna is carrying an unspoken burden. Last to arrive is long-time family friend Liz (Lindsay Duncan), who is so close to Lily and Paul, that the family photographs show her on many family vacations and events over the years.

This has the look and feel of a stage presentation, as most of the scenes are filled with dialogue and occur within the confines of the stunning east coast home, apparently designed by Lily. There is a family walk along the beach and dunes, but most of the run time is filled with interpersonal interactions – some pleasant, some not pleasant at all. In fact, an early (by a couple of months) Christmas family dinner is sprinkled with pot smoking and emotional outbursts. It turns out, not surprisingly, that some of the secrets previously kept, find their way out into the open causing a few bumps in Lily’s farewell weekend.

The complexities of family dynamics are amplified in this situation. Who is ready and who isn’t, and why, becomes a topic of multiple discussions. We never really learn the meaning of the film’s title, but we do enjoy the work of so many fine actors. You might recall Susan Sarandon played a dying woman more than 20 years ago in STEPMOM (1998), and this movie blends two memorable and recent films: FRANKIE with Isabelle Huppert, and HERE AWHILE with Anna Camp. Saying goodbye is never easy, but it sure beats missing the chance.

In theaters and On Demand beginning September 18, 2020

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE NEST (2020)

September 17, 2020

 Greetings again from the darkness. I’m not sure how to officially protest, but this is writer-director Sean Durkin’s first feature film since the excellent and thought-provoking MARCY MARTHA MAY MARLENE in 2011.  Okay, he directed a TV mini-series (“Southcliffe”) in that span, but there really should be some kind of ordinance mandating (or at least pleading with) Mr. Durkin to share his art more frequently. His approach is not conventional, and it challenges the eye and mind. The story doesn’t move at the pace we’ve come to expect, and the characters – though quite believable – don’t always act the way we expect.

Jude Law stars as Rory O’Hara, a business man with big dreams … dreams far bigger than his work ethic. Carrie Coon (“Fargo”, GONE GIRL) co-stars as his wife Allison. This husband and wife couldn’t be more different. Where Rory is the big-talking blow-hard who, Allison is the down-to-earth horse trainer. Oona Roche plays teenage daughter Samantha, and Charlie Shotwell (CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, 2016) is the younger Benjamin. Durkin does a nice job with the family set-up in the first few minutes of the film. We get a sense of each, as well as the family dynamics. There is a great shot of Rory sitting idly at his desk, and soon after he wakes up Allison with a cup of coffee and the announcement that they need to move to London.

The film is set in the 1980’s (the Reagan-Thatcher era), and Rory’s desperation to prove his business acumen is on full display when he meets his old (now new again) boss Arthur (Michael Culkin). Rory is a social climber, intent on keeping up with the Joneses (or whatever they’re called in London), and he’s referred to as “Old British – New American”. He takes it as a compliment, but we soon witness Rory as little more than a fast-talking salesman. A restaurant scene featuring Allison, Rory, and his co-worker Steve (Adeel Akhtar) is brilliantly played, as Rory’s professional life begins to unravel at a pace matching that of his family life.

We see each of the family members cut loose in their own way, in an attempt to deal with the strain. Timid Benjamin lashes out at school. Samantha throws a wild bash at the family home. Allison guzzles gin and lets go on the dance floor. Speaking of the family home – it’s an old mansion that is the loudest symbol of Rory’s stretch to impress. The film seems to tease us a couple of time in regards to possible paranormal activity within the home, but that’s simply Durkin’s misdirection. The only thing rotten or haunted is the make-up of the family. Their domestic dysfunction is horror in its own right.

Rory’s delusions of grandeur and worshipping of money are finally thrown back in his face during a tremendous scene of Taxicab philosophy. When asked what he does for a living, Rory answers, “I pretend to be rich”, in what may be his only moment of clarity. Jude Law is superb as the charming guy we don’t really like, and Carrie Coon goes toe-to-toe as his polar opposite, and she’s exceptional. Mr. Durkin and cinematographer Matyas Erdely (SON OF SAUL, 2015) keep us off balance with the fascinating shots within the mansion, and startling close-ups that make a point. There is certainly no abundance of light, but this isn’t the type of family that the spotlight tends to find. It’s likely to be a divisive film not embraced by mainstream audiences, but adored by those who crave projects that are creative and different. It played Sundance prior to the pandemic, and now we have to hope we aren’t forced to wait another 9 years for the next Sean Durkin film. Although I will I have to.

In theaters and VOD September 18, 2020

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

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