ALL THE OLD KNIVES (2022)

April 8, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Thanks to James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Ethan Hunt, we’ve grown accustomed to globetrotting action-packed thrillers in the spy genre. But of course, there is the flip side: the quiet and unheralded work done by intelligence agents … those who typically use their brains more often than their fists or guns. Director Janus Metz (the underrated BORG VS MCENROE, 2017) has based his film on the 2015 book by Olen Steinhauer.

It’s 2012 and we are inside the Vienna station of the CIA as the agents meet to strategize their response to a terrorist act – the hijacking of Turkish Alliance Airline Flight 127. The team is unable to prevent tragedy, and it’s clear this is a case that will stick with them. Eight years later, the station chief (Laurence Fishburne) calls Henry Pelham (Chris Pine) back in to let him know that on orders from Langley the case has been re-opened. The terrorist behind that hijacking has been recently captured and disclosed that he had a CIA mole inside the Vienna station. Henry is to re-interview everyone involved to uncover the double-agent.

One of those interviewed is the former supervisor played by Jonathan Pryce. He’s now retired, and Henry forces him to go back through all details, some of which are uncomfortably personal. But that doesn’t compare to how personal the next interview hits. Celia (Thandiwe Newton) was not just Henry’s fellow agent, but also his lover. She has since left the agency and is living a pleasant family life in stunning Carmel-by-the-Sea, perhaps the most picturesque coastal area in the U.S. Chris Pine gets to look really cool driving a convertible over Bixby Bridge.

Director Metz works in numerous flashbacks to the relationship between Henry and Celia, and it’s through these that we come to understand their connection and the type of people they are. But ultimately, it’s their meeting at the fancy restaurant with the breathtaking view that serves as the key to the movie and the story. In fact, because their time sharing a table and wine is so substantial and critical, it could easily transition to a stage play. It’s a high-level game of cat-and-mouse between two beautiful and smart characters. You may know where it’s headed, but it’s unlikely you’ll know how it will get there.

It’s easy to see this being a popular streaming choice as the characters and setting are easy on the eyes. The deeper questions asked here are what to do when a loved one isn’t who you thought they were. Also, can you trust those trained to not trust others? As previously stated, it’s a bit of a different spin on the spy genre – less action/thriller and more character study.

Streaming on Prime Video beginning April 8, 2022

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

BORG VS MCENROE (2018)

April 17, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. For true sports fans, movies about sports tend to be disappointing. It’s not possible for actors to perform athletically at the same level of sports icons, and inevitably, the writer or director is simply unaware of the nuances and details that make an event or player memorable. The 1980 Wimbledon final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe was not simply a marketing dream between two polar opposite personalities; it was also a bravura performance by two competitors fighting for their sport’s pinnacle. It was a transcendent event for those of us (including yours truly) who couldn’t take our eyes off the TV screen.

The debut narrative feature film from director Janus Metz and the script from Ronnie Sandahl never really grasp the impact of the match, and instead turn this into psycho-babble about how parents and coaches may damage the person as they create the player. Sverrir Gudnason plays Bjorn Borg and Shia LeBeouf takes on the John McEnroe role. With roots in Denmark, director Metz likely finds the Borg story more interesting and devotes most of the attention to the cool Swede superstar, and Gudnason performs admirably. However, it’s LeBeouf as Super Brat McEnroe that comes across as a much more intriguing character … and we are left wanting more (and better).

The psychological analysis shows a young Borg (played by his own son Leo at ages 9-13) as an uncontrollable hothead on the court. Sound familiar? Yep, we are informed that the young Borg was a mirror image of the McEnroe he would later face across the net. We see that Borg’s coach Lennart Bergelin (in yet another solid turn by Stellan Skarsgard) drives him to bury his emotions and use them as internal fire for intensity on the court. We also glimpse Borg’s legendary OCD tendencies with his rackets, room temperature and even his interactions with fiancé Mariana Simionescu (played by Tuva Novotny).

For McEnroe, we see how his parents pushed him and were never satisfied (a 96 on your Geography test?  What happened?). We see a young man obsessed with tennis and competition. He charts the tournament bracket on his hotel room wall and refuses to speak to a close friend who happens to be his opponent that day. And of course we witness the on court outbursts … some of which are memes almost 40 years later. His dad, played here by Ian Blackman, strikes the familiar pose in the stands of arms crossed while wearing the white floppy hat.

Presenting this as Muzak (Borg) versus Rock and Roll (McEnroe) is really unfair to both men. Cool and collected versus raging madman underscores the amazing tennis talent. Baseliner versus serve-and-volley was the on court battle. The prim and proper traditions of the sport being dragged into the contemporary world by a young up-and-comer is fascinating and was culturally important. It was a rivalry that rejuvenated professional tennis and it deserved better treatment that armchair psychology.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson