THE GOOD HALF (2024)

August 15, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Losing a parent is a difficult time that most of us will deal with at some point. Sorrow and guilt and anger are typically part of the grieving process, and that’s precisely what writer Brett Ryland and director Robert Schwartzmann (THE ARGUMENT, 2020) show us. For those who have been through it already, it’s likely to bring back emotions that will always be there, and for those who haven’t experienced this yet, it serves as a cautionary tale.

The film opens with a mother (Elisabeth Shue) trying to make peace with her angry young son (Mason Cufari). It turns out mom absent-mindedly left the boy at the store, and it takes a ‘pinky promise’ that “I’ll never leave you again” from mom to win the boy back. Of course, as avid movie lovers, we know this means mom will in fact leave the boy again at some point.

The film then jumps ahead 15 plus years, as that young boy Renn has grown up (now played by Nick Jonas) and is on a flight from Los Angeles back home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. While flirting over the sleeping dude in the middle seat, Renn and Zoey (Alexandra Shipp, BARBIE, 2023) bond a bit, and even exchange numbers. She’s therapist in town for a conference, and he coyly avoids telling her the real reason he’s home.

Once home, it’s clear an agitated and barely-speaking Renn is holding back emotions, and so is his sister Leigh (Brittany Snow, PITCH PERFECT franchise). Their kinda goofy dad (Matt Walsh, “Veep”) awkwardly tries to make the best of things, despite the strain between his son and daughter. Leigh is a bit miffed at Renn for leaving her alone to take care of their cancer-stricken mom, and Renn is carrying the guilt and shame of not being there, as well as the anger of having mom leave him. However, the two can share their similar feelings of disgust towards stepdad Rick (perfect villain, David Arquette), whom we also find very easy to dislike. Their casket shopping experience is a terrific scene and gives Renn a chance to open up a bit with sarcasm.

Renn escapes the pressure a couple of times by meeting Zoey for drinks … even karaoke, where Jonas sings the Modern English classic, “I Melt with You”. Jonas and Ms. Shipp have good chemistry, and that goes for Jonas and Ms. Snow, as well. In fact, Jonas delivers a strong enough performance that we feel tense when he finally unloads his pent-up emotions, and he’s able to juggle the mixture of comedy and grief and family drama. Everyone grieves in their own way, and it’s always painful. The film’s best line, “happy or not, it’s family”, is one many can relate to, and there is also a bit of advice: sometimes … take the long way.

In theaters August 16, 2024

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

MIDWAY (2019)

November 7, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. Japan’s World War II goal was to devastate the United States Navy fleet in the South Pacific, thereby securing the area as their own and crippling the U.S. military beyond hope. The December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was the first step and the most infamous. Over the next few months, what followed were the Raid on Tokyo (April 1942), Battle of Coral Sea (May 1942) and the Battle of Midway (June 1942). Stating that these battles changed the war is not an understatement, as the Imperial Japanese Navy had previously been viewed as superior (especially after the destruction at Pearl Harbor). Director Roland Emmerich (THE PATRIOT, INDEPENDENCE DAY) has never met a war or explosion or special effect he didn’t like, so we know going in that, given the subject matter and the filmmaker, the screen will be filled with action.

Emmerich co-wrote the script with Wes Tooke (his first feature script), and as with many WWII movies, it acts as a history lesson on a war that changed the world. This one focuses on naval strategy and particularly on the individuals who defined courage and heroism … many names we recognize from history books. The contrast between Japanese military leaders and United States military leaders is on full display, and it’s no surprise that the Japanese leaders are mostly portrayed as cold and calculating, while the U.S. leaders come across as more humanistic and resourceful. Pride is evident on both sides – it’s just displayed differently.

The players are crucial to the story. Woody Harrelson plays Admiral Chester Nimitz, Dennis Quaid is Vice Admiral “Bull” Halsey (commander of aircraft carrier USS Enterprise), Patrick Wilson is Intelligence Officer Lieutenant Commander Edwin Layton, Jake Weber is Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, Luke Evans is Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky, Brennan Brown plays Joseph Rochefort (leader of the code breaker team), and Aaron Eckhart is Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, the extraordinary pilot who led the Raid on Tokyo in April 1942. On the Japanese side, Tadanabu Asano plays Rear Admiral Yamaguchi (commander of the aircraft carrier Hiryu), Jun Kunimura is Admiral Nagumo (he of questionable battle decisions), and Enushi Toyokawa plays Admiral Yamamoto, the most dignified and influential of the Japanese leaders.

Much of the story is told from the perspective of naval pilot Lieutenant Dick Best (Ed Skrein, DEADPOOL). While personal stories and challenges faced by individuals makes for a relatable story for viewers, there is something about this particular actor that comes across as awkward and difficult to bond with. There is no doubting the character and courage of Dick Best as a pilot; however, Skrein’s performance is flat out annoying and distracting. The dive bombing missions are breathtaking and thrilling, but overall the liberal use of green screen for effects detracts from the realistic looks we’ve come to expect for war movies.

Mandy Moore as Anne Best, and Nick Jonas as a mechanic, are cast for relatability by viewers, but the value in the film comes from an easy-to-follow description of the contrasting strategies of the two militaries. It’s also a reminder that the “big” story of WWII is comprised of many individual stories of people … people who were brave and heroic in a time of need. So ignore the cheesy affects, unrealistic dialogue, and irritating performances, and instead take in the work and actions of those who saved the world.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson