2011. Dir: Rodrigo Garcia. Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Janet McTeer and Pauline Collins. ●●●●○
It's fairly common for me to disagree with the majority of critical and commercial response to movies, in fact on a regular basis I watch films hailed as the second coming only to walk away with a "huh?" and a shrug. Sometimes I just don't understand the fuss being made. Oddly though this usually only happens in one direction, I may detest a film everyone else loves but when a film is getting a mauling the best I can usually say is "it's not a complete disaster." However on watching Albert Nobbs I was shocked by the critical derision it have received on both sides of the Atlantic, what's more I don't really understand why, although I suspect it is in part due to the high expectations surrounding Glenn Close's very own passion project. Glenn first played the central role of a male impersonator off Broadway in 1982 and has been working on adapting George Moore's short story for over 20 years, and the sad truth is no matter how good you think the performance and the film is it wasn't worth a 20 year delay.
It's essentially the story of the emotional awakening of a repressed button upped butler who happens to be a woman. In 19th century Dublin with poor social mobility for men, let alone women, Nobbs has spent 20 years masquerading as a man in order to manage a dignified existence and save up to purchase a tobacconist. Her painful but safe life is disturbed when house painter Hubert Page (Janet McTeer) has to share Albert's room for the night and discovers Albert's secret. After a few hours of panic Hubert admits that she too is a woman, opening up a whole new world of emotional connection to Nobbs. Indeed the plan for the shop changes from being a one man show to a partnership as Alberts woo the impressionable young maid Helen (Mia Wasikowska).
Most of the characters are largely unlikeable, Nobbs is penny-pinching and emotionally insensitive, Helen is greedy and cheeky even Brendan Gleeson's Doctor is obsequious and a drunkard. Yet it is to the credit of everyone's performances that in spite of all that we care about the future of the characters.
Glenn in particular completely gets under the skin of Albert Nobbs, although frankly you'd expect that given the amount of time she's worked on the character, it's a totally committed performance as furtive and damaged as she is hopeful for the future, every moment of her history etched on her face, every decision the character makes reflected in her eyes. Janet McTeer is also masterful, less so for the emotionality her relative freeness and frankness leaves less to project from behind a mask, but physically she's perfect. There's a great scene where Close and McTeer put on dresses and take a walk along the beach, and they look like men in dresses, layers of performance which are incredible.
Wasikowska is less successful, her modern mannerisms difficult to get past, but she's the only cast member who seems out of place.
The script does a good job of highlighting the hypocrisies in Victorian society both in terms of class and gender, albeit mainly through the gossipy monologues from Pauline Collins' Hotelier. Where Jonathan Rhys Meyers aristocratic cameo is given free range to sleep with whomever he wants and Brendan Gleeson is conducting an illicit affair with one of the waitresses the merest suggestion of a scandal with Nobbs or Helen causes the eventual doom of their characters.
There are plenty of areas where the film gets things terribly wrong too. The pace is deadly slow - believe me I understand why many viewers consider the film to be dull and it is purely an actors love in - which has the doubled effect of confusing the timeline, about 18 months passes through the film, based on the seasons and certain plot points developing , but there's no depth to the time passing. The moments where Nobbs imagines the future of the shop cheapen both the idea and the film with the sub-standard graphics and finally the relentless gloom works against the viewer. Whilst I have no doubt that things were tough in the 1800's a glimmer of hope would have been nice (hopefully that's not too much of a spoiler).
I also loved Brian Byrne and Glenn Close's main theme Lay Your Head Down, both as performed by Sinead O'Connor in the end credits and as used in the narrative, it's a beautiful piece of music that deserved more attention at the end of last year.
This ranks low on the four blob films but I do believe it fully deserves that fourth blob and I would definitely recommend the movie to anyone.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Albert Nobbs
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Restless
2011. Dir: Gus van Sant. Starring: Henry Hopper, Mia Wasikowska, Ryo Kase, Schuyler Fisk and Jane Adams. ●○○○○
I don't always agree with the broad consensus of critical opinion, sometimes movies receive unanimous praise which I refuse to buy into, other times I find myself enjoying sub-par thrillers that are collectively pummelled elsewhere. Indeed critical thinking regarding the filmography of Gus van Sant is especially controversial, whilst accepting their flaws I have positive views of his Hitchcockian exercise Psycho and the head-scratching Gerry. However Restless proves the critics right, a unedifying spectacle of cliche, a clumsy parable of death and forgiveness that deserves it's place as one of the most reviled movies of 2011.
Like van Sant's greatest works, the sublime Paranoid Park and the mystery of Elephant he returns to his preoccupations of youth culture and the violent ascent into adulthood. Where his previous teenage protagonists have fully encapsulated the self-imposed ennui and alienation of adolescence here they seem forced and pointed, the over-powering script full of unnecessary metaphor prevents the non-verbal communications and semi-improvised grunts that characterise his better works.
Centred around the budding romance between depressive loner Henry Hopper and quirky "Cancer Kid" Mia Wasikowska who meet at the funeral for a friend of Mia that Hopper gatecrashes in an ill-fitting, steam-punk inspired suit. In the way of these things she follows him relentlessly, miraculously bumping into him at another funeral they both have no business being at, and after a couple of attempts at appearing aloof he finally goes up to her in a graveyard and asks to see her sketches of water birds. All the while he's watched over by his faithful ghost friend (Ryo Kase) a kamikaze pilot who never said goodbye. And did I mention his parents were both killed in a car crash?
On the off-chance you hadn't noticed the continuous references to passing on this movie is all about death, and before you can say "Gosh, Mia, you're hair looks lovely" she's given just three months left to live (I have to say in the cinema it felt a lot longer than that), and the two of them are living those last moments together to the fullest.
Aiming for an age-appropriate Harold and Maude, or maybe a modern Love Story the lack of dimension to the characters (Mia's job is to die, Hopper's to mourn) prevents their predicament resonating, indeed the movies relentless pushing of the death theme negates the stakes of the pair. I'll say that again Mia is dying of cancer and the audience feel there are no stakes!
It's difficult to know where to lay the blame for this turgid mess, and I feel so strongly about it I want to blame someone, but I suspect it belongs to first time writer Jason Lew, whose screenplay stifles the performances and gives van Sant nothing to say. I understand that he originally wrote this as a play, and I suspect it may have worked in an intimate studio setting, but as cinema it's an unmitigated disaster.
Avoid at all costs.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
The Kids Are All Right
2010. Dir: Lisa Cholodenko. Starring: Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson. ●●●●○
I wasn't planning on reviewing Lisa Cholodenko's 2010 dramedy given that I missed it at cinemas and only got hold of copy this year (making it ineligible for my own best of consideration) however I have been shamed into doing it by Tom at Reinvention following some other posts. I'm still reluctant though, so instead of a normal considered review (not that I usually consider my reviews) I'm going to rewatch The Kids Are All Right and just type whatever comes into my head whilst watching. Should be interesting. For the record I really enjoyed the relationship building the first time around, all of the performances and the writing worked for me, so it thoroughly deserves the four blobs score above, even if I wasn't blown away. So follow the jump to read up on my utterly random scribblings.
Sunday 12 June, Noon. Just started the film.
I don't like the font from the opening credits.
Effective build up of the differing neurosis of Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska, and how they relate to their parents. The early dinner sequence was nicely handled and showed a great reflection of family life.
The gay porno segment seems like it's pushing for a cheap laugh.
Nice cut to Mark Ruffalo from the Pacific Cryo Bank file, he's seriously chilled from the moment we first see him.
The locations work really well, each of the properties reflecting the characters that live there. Ruffalo puts foot in mouth again, nicely low-key comic performance. The awkwardness of the first meeting is handled exceptionally well, with expectations affecting the bonding process appropriately.
All the nice conversations get twisted so easily reflecting life, snarky off-handed comments that get taken the wrong way. More gay porn - I can see why they are using it dramatically but it seems like a short cut.
Moore and Bening work very well as a couple. Love the way they work out about the contact with the sperm donor.
More uncomfortable scenes of people eating, with silent judging going on. The how we met story is cute and comic and delightfully likely. Over the course of the movie the relationship between Moore and Bening is developing well, even before anything actually happens, as an audience we're learning more in every scene.
Nature vs. Nurture debate, as relating to kids expressions, would be more interesting if it were looked at in more detail. Seems to have been dropped from the rest of the movie.
Bening keeps pushing everyone away, possibly because she's afraid of losing everyone anyway, is she asking for the consequences. Suddenly aware my thoughts are related to foreknowledge of what's about to happen.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON IN
Is the attraction between Moore and Ruffalo based on a latent physical need. What does it say about Moore's sexuality, and the nature of same-sex relationships (I'm not saying I have a problem with the possibility but it's hard to imagine Cholodenko wasn't aware of the consequences of the choice).
Isn't is a massive step from being a tool to wanting to piss on a dog? Not sure I buy that logic.
Ruffalo's making me laugh again.
Interesting juxtaposition between the girls talking about sex vibes at the organic cafe and the adults arguing about Paul as an influence in an up-market restaurant. Paul's driving a wedge between all the relationships.
The way Moore treats her Mexican lackey seems inconsistent, I suppose to prove the effect the affair is having on her judgment, but more so than you would expect.
Bening just outlined her plan to go to Ruffalo's for dinner. Expectation and pride in her eyes. Superb performance.
Break up between Ruffalo and Yaya DaCosta tough and measured. She knocks it out of the park in a minor role.
Bening can't sing, but it's a brave go that works in context to the action. Moore's reactions are priceless. Bening's working it out, not sure I like the camera and sound work, seems a little showy and doesn't fit with the naturalism of the rest of the movie. That said it gives her a chance to shine, playing the micro-expressions.
Teary argument cliched but appropriate. Why were the kids outside the door, none of the fight sounded loud or confrontational. The consequences and game playing the family members are doing to try and find their allies is hilarious.
Wasikowska doles out some home truths, dramatically useful but pushed, many shorter scenes seem odd like the snippet of conversation were just shoved in in order to add momentum to the plot.
I feel sorry for Ruffalo, his character is in effect the only one to lose out from the arch of the story. Moore gets the beats in her big speech perfectly.
Indeterminable final 10 minutes of the film as Wasikowska goes to college all to make the point that family is good and essential to your well being and you will miss them when you're not with them, even when it's hard work.
1.40 pm. It's over. The music is naff. I'm off for a run. Hopefully you've enjoyed my points, even if you don't always agree with them.
