2011. Dir: Ron Howard. Starring: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connolly and Queen Latifah. ●●○○○
How do they say it? Dying is easy, comedy is hard. And judging by Ron Howard's latest effort, The Dilemma, comedy is very very hard. Actually I very nearly didn't judge this film in terms of it's comedy as there's only a couple of laughs to be had, then it occurred to me that would be awfully generous, not matter that it would work better as a drama the movie spends most of the time desperately trying to raise a chuckle and consistently fails so that's how it should be measured.
Vince Vaughn plays a salesman who's scored well above his league with top chef Jennifer Connelly. Vaughn's best friend and business partner Kevin James is even more inexplicably married to Winona Ryder, and has been since they were at college. It's no surprise that Ryder's playing it away with heavily tattooed Channing Tatum. Vaughn stumbles upon the two making out at the local tropical garden and then faces the decision of whether to pass this information on.
This has all the makings of a fine farce, with slapstick humour and uncomfortable conversations, and when the film succeeds it's aiming for those ideas. The fight between Vaughn and Tatum has a nice energy and Vaughn's monologue at a wedding anniversary raised a little titter, but most of the jokes fall utterly flat. Signposted and overwrought the one-liners limp into the characters mouths with no perceptible timing or any thought of consistency. Minor characters are introduced in order to create a "funny" situation or make an amusing statement. Queen Latifah in particular seems to have walked out of a completely different movie. In fact the whole section she represents, where the central duo are selling electric engines that vibrate, could have been completely exorcised from the movie without anyone caring.
The bigger issue is the moral quagmire the film seems to lower itself into. All of the central characters are deeply flawed human beings (Vaughn's a recovering gambling addict, James visits prostitutes, Connelly's secretive and patronising) to such an extent tht you don't care who is, or has been, sleeping with whom. It's almost justifible on many counts.
In terms of the performances only Ryder, all spiky and manipulative, and Tatum showing surprising talent for physical comedy come out with any credit. Below the line talent seems perfunctory and Howard does nothing to persuade his critics there's anything close to a competent director here.
Needless to say I regret putting this in my countdown for 2011. Avoid at all costs.
Thursday, 3 February 2011
The Dilemma
Saturday, 22 January 2011
What happened to my sweet sweet girl? (Out this week - 21/01/11)
It's not an awfully surprising choice as the top film this week, Darren Aronofsky's latest ballet mindf**k is a cinematic must see. That said there are a lot of films out that may be worth seeing after the jump. There's also been a mini festival of Bollywood entries that I've missed off from the last couple of weeks so go through the jump to find out what you're missing. Although if you take my advice you'll just see the film of the week: Black Swan
Black Swan
I saw this last night and am now unable to gets it's imagery out of my fevered brain, plus I keep scratching at my back. When a simple movie is able to get into your subconcious in that way it is simply impossible to ignore.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
The Dilemma
It made it into my top 20 for 2011 with it's concept alone, the reviws have been poor and Vince Vaughn with Kevin James isn't far off from a satanic punishment. That said Channing Tatum looks hot and this is the second best Winona Ryder film of the week.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Get Low
Robert Duvall gets his first starring role in over 15 years as the mysterious hermit who returns to his local town in order to arrange his funeral (which he will attend whilst still alive). Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek are among the supporting players.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Morning Glory
Critics are mixed on this TV newsroom-set romcom, those that compare it to Broadcast News or who value the santity of reporting are sniffy, those who take it at face value have been quite positive. I'll have to see for myself.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
John Carpenter's The Ward
80's synth fans rejoice, the mast of stalker horror has returned after a ten year sabattical with a maniacal killer loose in a psychiatric ward story. Probably derivative, but with Carpenter at the helm expect some nifty scares.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Dhobi Ghatt
Lyrical looking hyperlink drama from Bollywood with four interlocking Mumbai-set stories. Trailer plays down the traditional feel with a seductive, plaintive soundtrack.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Honeymooner
Low budget British indie from Sophomore director Col Spector, about a jilted bride groom spending the two weeks honeymoon moping around London getting over it. The sort of work that would fit in nicely at Sundance if it were set in New York.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
I Spit on your grave
Notorious video nasty and rape revenge fantasy of the early 1980's gets a twenty-first century makeover. Expect the gore to be upped and the subtext dumbed down.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Kaavalan
Tamil film, translates as The Bodyguard. The trailer is full of action scenes and comic sidekicks, but nothing that looks vaguely like a plot.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
My Soul to Take
I'm not sure whether Wes Craven's cinematic return has actually made it to cinemas. There are no reviews anywhere and it isn't showing on any listings. Given it's appalling US business that's probably a good thing.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
NEDS
Or Non-Educated Delinquents. Peter Mullan's Scottish gang coming of age drama has a lot of high profile fans, mainly because of the superb central performance of first time actor Conor McCarron. Will almost certainly be lost in the shuffle of this weeks releases.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
14 January 2011
And some Bollywood late entries that I missed out on:
Aadukalam
More Tamil action this time based against the backdrop of competitive cock-fighting. I'm not sure I can in any way support this one.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Isi Life Mein
Professional looking trailer with lots of dancing for Bollywood movie espousing living life to the full. It's a romcom about a couple from different walks of life, naturally.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Siruthai
I can't find a synopsis anywhere for this Indian release. The trailer indicates a police corruption plotline with some pretty nifty Saw like weaponry.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Sunday, 9 January 2011
20 for 2011: 20 - The Dilemma
The first film (and effectively the lowest ranking) on the 20 most anticipated films for 2011 is The Dilemma. It's also going to be upon us soon, with a UK release date of 21 January 2011.
There are always a few films in my most anticipated list that require some explanation. It's not just a question of why I rank them in a particular order but why I would even include them at all. What could I say right now about the unholy alliance between Ron Howard and Vince Vaughn that could persuade you this film might be worth seeing?
I don't believe it can be done. Even my own confidence in the project has been under pressure from my subconscious. At first I thought it was a great concept - do you tell your best friend if you find their wife is having an affair? It's a situation we must all have faced at some point. Then the cast and director were announced: Ron Howard's OK, and family comedies are what he used to do best (remember Parenthood?) but he's never an exciting director and the combo of Vince Vaughn and Kevin James is quite horrid (although Winona Ryder and Jennifer Connelly are good value in the female cast).
Finally the first trailer arrived with it's "Gay" joke. I confess I now want to see this movie out of morbid curiosity rather than genuine enthusiasm. Will this be the first stinker of 2011?
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Tuesday Trailers - The Dilemma
And so the trailers for super January weekend continue - there was an alternate couple of (linked) trailers that I planned to show today but one of those hasn't been released yet - I very much doubt the film will be either, but that's another story. In the meantime please don't judge me when I show you the trailer for Ron Howard's latest "comedy". To be frank I am dreading this movie more and more with each trailer they release, as much as I like the concept and the female cast members. And that's ignoring the debacle that met this films first trailer with it's poorly judged lame joke.
The Dilemma opens on 21 January 2010.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Jennifer Connelly
Happy Birthday to
Jennifer Connelly
40 today
As we rush to celebrate the great performances of 2011 let us try to remember that the female stars under the watchful gaze of Darren Aronofsky have always been under pressure. Connelly, who faced all sorts of humiliation in 2000's Requiem for a Dream is an ideal case in point. Most comfortable in straight laced dramas Jennifer will be making an effort to be funny in the upcomiing Ron Howard comedy The Dilemma.
