Plot Summary

Based on the book by the same title, French Exit follows an aging, strident New York socialite, Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer), during the waning days of her life. With her inheritance depleted and her social circle gossiping, Frances retreats to Paris with her son, Malcom (Lucas Hedges), and their cat – who appears to be the reincarnation of Frances’ late husband.

Considerations

French Exit is quirky and could easily have crossed over permanently into the absurd, which would have diminished the film. Fortunately, the earnestness of all its characters pulls the movie back from the point of no return by giving the film the grounding ballast it needs to keep from floating away. Instead, everything just clicks.

Imagine a world where everyone communicated straightforwardly with each other. No one dropped subtle hints open to interpretation; they just spoke their mind. French Exit is that world, and it’s amazingly refreshing to watch. In one scene, Frances is being rude to her neighbor and host, Madame Reynard (Valerie Mahaffey), during a party. Mme. Reynard, a sweet spirit who is recently widowed, simply and plainly asks Frances not to be cruel. It’s at once honest and vulnerable and speaks to the charm of the movie. As a result, the characters feel one-dimensional in a purposeful way. It’s as if we’re watching a parable of some kind, and each character plays a part of a greater lesson for the audience to learn.

Knowing that, the film does veer into absurdist storytelling that may be difficult for some audiences looking for something more prosaic and straightforward. The primary example would be the cat that Frances believes is her dead husband, Franklin (voiced by Tracy Letts), come back to life. Not only does Frances believe this, but she hires a detective (Isaach De Bankolé) to find a fortune teller who can communicate with Franklin via séance. Later, as the cast continues to grow, more and more people end up staying at Frances’ apartment in Paris. Near strangers who have no reason to stay over share beds. Even an ex-lover flies in from across the world with a new significant other in tow and spends the night. These heightened events threaten to turn the film into a farce, but the story manages to stay on the tracks, and these moments end up being endearing in their own odd ways.

The draw of French Exit, however, is Michelle Pfeiffer. Her performance is absolutely radiant, and it’s difficult to tell when she’s acting and when she’s being. The role of Frances gives Pfeiffer the room to command the screen, inserting subtle gestures, action, and nuance to fully flesh out the character. As such, credit is due to writer Patrick deWitt for crafting such a forceful and interesting role. Frances is her own woman. She acts on her impulses and doesn’t conform to standards. Therefore, she comes off as abrasive, but it’s also easy to admire her assertiveness – social conventions be damned.

Finally, it’s important to mention the excellent music provided by Nick deWitt, brother to writer Patrick. While the music is present enough to be noticed, it’s never a distraction. Instead, it complements the scenes, providing the lighthearted mood to movie moments that could easily be construed as dour or too serious. The music is another important voice in the film, if not an entire character altogether.

Final Thoughts

French Exit is lovely in every way. It’s beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, magnificently scored, and thoughtfully written. Personally, what endears the film to me the most is its sense of freedom. Frances strikes me as a person who will not allow herself to be trapped by anything – circumstance, social contracts, or even physical frailty. Instead, she’s the kind of person who does things her own way and in her own time. That’s the kind of everyday heroism that everyone can admire, especially when it’s hard to feel in control of anything these days.

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Plot Summary

A comet named Clark is hurtling near Earth. As chunks of Clark begin to breach the atmosphere and cause cataclysmic damage, the United States government begins selecting specific people and their families to be evacuated. One lucky family is the Garrity’s: John (Gerard Butler), his wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their young son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd). Unfortunately, due to mishaps and miscommunication, don’t actually qualify for evacuation. Separated from each other and with no sure way to be saved from the planet-killing comet, the Garrity family must find a way to reunite and discover a solution for surviving the end of the world.

Considerations

Greenland is surprisingly grounded for a disaster movie that affects the entire planet. The cast doesn’t span across continents or involve esoteric groups like NASA or federal bureaucracies. No one is training a team to send to space to drill the comet. Instead, the film follows one family, which most viewers will be able to relate to. Their challenges are every person’s challenge: government screwup, civil unrest, desperate people trying to survive, and all of the small mistakes that stack up to become a giant problem. On one hand, it’s refreshing that the problems feel like they could actually happen in real life. On the other hand, there are so many unexpected problems that the challenges the family faces become exhausting.

The family encounters so many unpredictable problems that it’s difficult to feel like the members are making any headway when a new problem can arise at any time. The Garrity’s son, Nathan, is diabetic and needs his medication to survive. Early on, the Garrity’s have to abandon their vehicle on their way to evacuation at an army base, and Nathan has accidentally left his medication in their SUV. This mishap forces John to run back to the highway to fetch the medicine. While he’s gone, Allison discovers that the military won’t let the family on one of the planes because Nathan has a chronic illness. So, now John thinks his wife and child are on one of the planes even though they’ve been left behind to fend for themselves. Through blind luck, John figures out what’s going on and abandons evacuation to find his family. Compounding matters is that cell phone service – including data – doesn’t work, so the separated family members have to find a way to communicate on meeting at a familiar location.

The events are believable and compelling. It’s just that there are so many problems spread across the family members as they get separated that it’s wearying to have an emotional investment in everything that’s happening. What would have helped is a little more character development.

The comet and its threat to the Garritys takes priority, so audiences don’t get much time to learn about the characters and decide if they’re likeable or not. Early on, the film hints at some marital distress between John and Allison, but it’s unclear who’s at fault. The film tries to return to character-building late in the film, but by then it’s hard to care.

Final Thoughts

Despite all of these issues, Greenland is still entertaining. Production quality is high enough. The actors do as much as they can with their roles. And the supporting cast does yeoman’s work of selling the believability of the film. Issues with the writing aside, Greenland is one of the better films available to audiences currently.

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Plot Summary

This post-World War II drama is based on a true story about eccentric art dealer Han van Meegeren (Guy Pearce). After a painting identified as a priceless masterpiece by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer is discovered in a Nazi treasure trove, Van Meegeren is accused of selling the work and being a traitor to his country. He’s interrogated by Captain Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), who is not sufficiently convinced that Van Meegeren is guilty. As pressure mounts to hand Van Meegeren over to another agency that will almost certainly condemn him to the firing squad, Piller works to build a case that will give his flamboyant prisoner a fighting chance in court.

Considerations

The Last Vermeer is a visual delight. The use of dark and light is both obvious and unobtrusive. At times, shots can feel unmotivated until the viewer realizes that the film is teaching the audience how to appreciate art. Fortunately, the script leaves out ham-fisted instructional dialog and lets the audience come to their own conclusions instead. So, when Piller emotes wordlessly in a doorway, backlit by bright morning sunlight, astute viewers will know that they’re watching a painting in motion.

The accompanying story will hold audiences’ interest, but it also feels compressed in the way that film adaptations of books often do. The plot encompasses several elements that don’t get enough screen time, including Piller’s task of rooting out traitors, ensuring the safety of his prisoner, and acting as an attorney during the courtroom drama of the third act. Add to that summary Piller’s history as part of the Dutch Resistance and how the war affected his family life, and it’s easy to feel like a lot of the story is missing.

What audiences end up with are glimpses of a larger work. Had the film run perhaps an hour longer, then characters and motivations might feel better supported. As it is, The Last Vermeer is a straightforward story without many surprises. It’s still an engrossing film, but the emotional investment could have been elicited stronger with a longer runtime.

Performances are overall good. Guy Pearce seems to have the firmest grasp on his character as he floats through his scenes insouciantly despite his character’s grim circumstances. The supporting cast are also memorable for the short time they’re on screen. Claes Bang is only serviceable, however, as he comes off rigid and stoic for most of the film.

Final Thoughts

The Last Vermeer is a movie crafted for artists in more ways than just the obvious. Van Meegeren, portrayed as an artist who failed to reach acclaim, blames his lack of success on art critics and other gatekeepers who torpedoed his career because he didn’t seek their permission to be successful. There’s a cynical truth to his words that are difficult to deny for any creative person who has tried to make a career out of their talent. Of all the directions that The Last Vermeer could have expanded, I wish this the film had devoted more time to this honest observation the most.

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Plot Summary

It’s 1983, and the Soviet Union is exploring space. The Orbita-4 spaceship is ready to return to Earth with its two cosmonauts when the two men notice a strange organism outside their porthole attempting to enter their space capsule. When the craft finally lands, only cosmonaut Konstantin (Pyotr Fyodorov) has survived, but he seems changed. It its attempt to understand what happened to him and the events on the Orbita-4, the Soviet government uses a secretive taskforce run by military officer Semiradov (Fedor Bondarchuk) to investigate. He discovers that Konstantin has been infected by the alien organism but has no recollection of the event. So, Semiradov enlists neuropsychiatrist Tatyana (Oksana Akinshina) to see if her specialization can help provide more insight and lead to a breakthrough.

Considerations

Sputnik is a gem of a film because it captures the mystery and investigation that fits naturally with science-fiction. Unlike more procedural films like Arrival, Sputnik keeps the pace moving by giving audiences new information to consider while still maintaining a heightened sense of danger throughout. Sputnik does attempt to include a twist in the story, but it largely comes off as ham-fisted and unnecessary to the plot overall. Nevertheless, the film defies expectations and surprises with its production value, special effects, and unique story.

For that reason, it’s difficult to classify Sputnik as simply a horror film. While there are horrific moments, there’s never the kind of traditional dread hanging over the heads of the protagonists. Instead, the heroes are trying to solve a horrific problem, similar to how doctors might work together to save a patient from a terrible disease in a hospital drama. Horrific, yes, but not necessarily horror. So, viewers expecting something akin to Alien or The Thing might be disappointed initially. If they stick with the film, however, they’ll find a story with real heart.

The biggest fault of the film is that it doesn’t explore its rich cast of characters well enough. The main character, Tatyana, is no nonsense and willing to go to extraordinary lengths to treat patients even though she knows it will end poorly for her personally. There’s very little revealed about her backstory to explain these strong personality traits. She also seems to be attracted to her patient, Konstantin, but that relationship doesn’t get enough screen time to develop. As for the antagonist, Semiradov, he is beholden to the Soviet government, but doesn’t get a chance to demonstrate his level of indoctrination on a personal level. Sputnik is full of interesting characters who could have satisfying arcs, and it’s a shame that audiences don’t get to see them.

Final Thoughts

Sputnik is a cerebral and engrossing film that sci-fi fans will enjoy. It has a good balance of tension, action, and the unknown to keep audiences engaged to the end. It’s this same balance, however, that also keeps the film from being particularly memorable. Sputnik is competent and fresh, but without a standout component, the film is successful but not something one might recommend or revisit.

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Plot Summary

Malky (Orlando Bloom) is the victim of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest. Now a troubled adult, Malky tries to live a relatively normal life, working in construction with his friend, Jo (Alex Ferns), and spending time with his mother (Anne Reid) and on-again-off-again girlfriend, Emma (Janet Montgomery). By chance, however, the offending priest (James Smillie) returns to Malky’s town, and Malky finally has the opportunity and ability to retaliate.

Considerations

It’s a small joy that independent films can capture the attention of big names, because these films allow top-level talent to showcase their craft in ways that audiences rarely see. Orlando Bloom gives a standout performance that feels so real it can hardly be called acting. The range of emotions demanded from Bloom are wide and deep, and he traverses the spectrum with natural ease. Most of all, however, he manages to capture the threadbare self-control worn against rough pent up rage for too many years. It’s the kind of performance that viewers will recognize on a personal level. As Bloom perfectly captures Malky’s life in his portrayal, so does he capture the audiences’ lives as well.

The supporting cast is equal to Bloom. Each actor pours themselves into their roles as if the film were about them instead of Malky. Indeed, had the script changed directions, any of these actors could have led the film with the depth they brought to their characters. In fact, Retaliation could have used a few more minutes to weave the supporting cast more meaningfully into Malky’s story. As presented, the other characters feel more like texture for Malky rather than organic elements of the film, but that’s barely a fault.

The script, written by Geoff Thompson, is delightful in its unexpectedness. It would be easy to turn this story into another scathing rebuke of the Catholic church, but it focuses on the redemption of the victim instead. While the entire film is a tacit criticism of the Church, focusing on the character struggling with the damage feels more relevant since so many viewers can identify with being wronged, unbelieved, and unsupported. Whether it’s by a government, a company, a family member, or just a random person, who hasn’t experienced a significant personal injustice or violation that they’ve carried with them over the years? In short, this film was made for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Retaliation was originally released in 2017 but is just coming to the United States now. It doesn’t feel dated; in fact, it is timely in its message. The US is currently experiencing a cultural period where no one can forgive and, therefore, no one can apologize. So, all that’s left is retribution. Retaliation reminds viewers that vengeance is purely in God’s purview, and this film is being released at a time when Americans need to hear this message most. One might even believe the timing is divinely inspired.

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Darkness Falls Plot Summary

Hotshot police detective, Jeff Anderson (Shawn Ashmore), is rising through the ranks and has his eye on a promotion to captain. On the night of a big bust, he comes home to discover that his wife (Vahina Giocante) has committed suicide and is floating in the bathtub with her wrists slit. Convinced that she was murdered, Jeff spends his time investigating suicides until he catches a break one day – another woman almost died in the exact same way as his wife but lived to tell the tale. This lead puts Jeff on a collision course with two serial killers stalking successful women and getting away with murder.

Considerations

The story is serviceable enough that talented filmmakers could build a gritty crime thriller on it. In fact, the story is predictable in a favorable way: A good cop with a positive attitude suffers a personal tragedy that sends him down a self-destructive and dark path only to be redeemed by righting the injustice he endured. Unfortunately, the script feels rushed, and audiences don’t get to explore the human condition through Jeff’s torment. Instead, viewers just have to accept what they see intellectually instead of emotionally which blunts much of the reason to watch the film.

Granted, perceived shortcomings in the script could be due to budget constraints or other limiting factors. For instance, Jeff goes from clean cut and professional police officer to disheveled vagabond living in a beat-up car in just three months. At the end of which, his mother (Lin Shaye), scolds him for not having gotten over his wife’s alleged suicide, which feels like a callous thing to say given the short amount of time that’s passed. The timeline seems artificially compressed, and that might be due to not having enough budget to represent settings, actors, and other aspects in two different periods of Jeff’s life. But that’s just speculation.

Where the budget limitation is apparent is in much of the production value. Despite having recognizable actors, like Ashmore and Gary Cole, the film still has the cast driving around in vehicles from decades ago. Moreover, the lack of variety for camera angles makes the film seem cheaper than it should. Many pivotal scenes are either filmed from a static angle or with a single Steadicam that gives the scene a floaty aesthetic. While it’s nice to see single long takes, it’s a shame that technique wasn’t used on more poignant moments in the film. Instead, viewers will question why closeups and reaction shots are missing.

The cast performs adequately, but they’re hampered by a substandard script and are possibly under-directed. Cole is interesting to watch as a villain, and he has the right temperament to pull it off, but there’s nothing horrifying about his character – at least not in a primal sense. A short monologue would have helped flesh out his character. Ashmore also turns in a good effort but could use more direction to shape his role. He never really loses his buoyancy even after he has lost so much. For a film that had at one time been titled Anderson Falls, it would have been nice to see more contrast between Ashmore’s portrayal of Jeff Anderson pre- and post-murder of his wife.

Final Thoughts

Darkness Falls is disappointing but in a different way than how a big budget Hollywood film can disappoint. Darkness Falls obviously had a tremendous opportunity to make an interesting film that could be greater than the sum of its parts. The production had access to varied locations, a competent cast, and enough budget to make a feature film. Regrettably, the film never realizes its potential. It has nothing interesting to say. It doesn’t present the story in a new way. And there are no memorable performances. In short, Darkness Falls squanders its opportunity, and that’s the biggest disappointment of all.

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Plot Summary

It’s the last day for a factory in an unnamed Rust Belt town, and the corporate office has decided to shutter it. Allery Parkes, (Peter Gerety) is the oldest employee and has poured decades of his life into this plastics manufacturing company, standing next to a giant fabrication machine day after day. Without his routine, he seems like a man adrift at sea. He barely speaks to caring wife, Iola (Talia Shire), and he often takes long walks at night alone. One day, Allery decides to go back to work at the closed factory without any power for the machines or pay for his labor. But his actions inspire his community to rally around him and join in his effort to bring back the factory. However, corporate has also taken note of this movement, and they respond in turn.

Does Working Man Work?

Writer/director Robert Jury could never have known that his film about job loss, societal value, and identity would be released at a time when so many workers would be forced out of the workforce. And yet, so many viewers of his film will no doubt understand intimately what it’s like to be willing to work but be unable to. While Working Man presents a horrific narrative, casting an overeager young corporate executive as the villain who seemingly delights in laying people off, the reality for audiences is probably worse. Most viewers probably have jobs – they’re just not allowed to go to them. So, when they see Allery break into his old factory, viewers across all demographics will feel an instant kinship.

In another surprising turn, Working Man presents the factory employees as more than exploited victims of a faceless company. Instead, these are people who seem to genuinely appreciate and enjoy their work. They don’t resent their lot in life but embrace it. They value their work, and their work gives them value. It’s an inspiring display of people who recognize the quiet dignity of having a job and doing it every day.

The casting is mostly wonderful. The factory workers feel less like actors and more like people one would expect to work in a factory. In short, they represent an authentic cross-section of America. Regrettably, the two actors that feel a little out of place are Peter Gerety and (to a lesser extent) Talia Shire. The two of them simply have aged past their roles. Typically, this isn’t worth mentioning because actors are always playing roles outside of their real age, but there comes a time when an actor’s real age begins to interfere with their performance. In Gerety’s case, he trembles visibly and seems slow to react to fellow actors. There are poignant moments that call for a strong emotional delivery, but they end up falling just a little flat. Gerety presents a sympathetic character that’s easy to root for, but it’s obvious that the filmmakers helped him along by minimizing his lines and using judicious editing.

Fortunately, they cast Billy Brown as Walter Brewer, who adds a strong support beam to the entire production. Together with actor J. Salome Martinez, these two men provide much of the dramatic core and thematic communication of Working Man. Without them, it’s hard to see the film being as impactful.

Final Thoughts on Working Man

The American dream has always involved work. Anything can be achieved in this country if one works hard enough. Moreover, the enduring concept of America is that hard work could overcome any shortcomings a person had and be a differentiator in that person’s ultimate path in life. As such, work is part of the national identity. What the country is feeling right now is a loss of that identity. And as audiences watch Allery rage against his new normal, viewers will recognize a lot of themselves in his struggle.

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