2010. Dir: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Starring: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifiankis, Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham and Viola Davis. 4/5 
Auteur theory posits that the director is the primary author of a film and therefore the style reflects his or her personal creative vision. Following the theory to it's natural conclusions you can identify the director from the choices within the film and any film they make should be reviewed as part of an ongoing series of productions. I'm not sure whether Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck hold to the auteur theory, or even if they're output is consistent with it (you can check my review on Sugar using the labels below) however they're certainly willing to push the boundaries of the theory with their third feature It's a Kind of Funny Story.
Half Nelson tackled drug culture in public schools, Sugar was a baseball biopic in Spanish, so it's surprisingly been followed up with an adpatation of a young adult novel by Ned Vizzini about teenage mental health issues with shades of whimsy.
Keir Gilchrist stars as Craig, a confused high schooler with suicidal fantasies, who, having kicked his meds prematurely, opts to check into a mental health institution in order to get back on them. Unfortunately he then finds himself housed in the adult ward and he's committed (sorry) for a minumum of five day. During his stay he connects with the other patients including Zach Galifiankis's Bobby and self-harmer Noelle played by Emma Roberts.
Like Boden and Fleck's previous collaborations the dialogue feels real and observed rather than scripted, even the stylised ramblings of the patients and the gentle realism of Viola Davis's therapist has a geniuine feel to it. The growth of the relationship between Craig and Noelle particulary plays well with both of them feeling the limits of their capacity to be hurt in both playful and angered exchanges.
On a number of occasions this realism is memorably interrupted with flights of fantasy, including a hilarious opening dream scene and the music therapy sessions which segues into a glam rock concert version of Under Pressure with Gilchrist as Mercury and Galifiankis as Bowie. That scene alone is worth the ticket price alone.
Gilchrist himself isn't a very memorable lead, but that works well in context to his feelings of alienation and low self worth and with that in mind it's small wonder that Galifiankis (who doesn't do much we haven't seen before but he does it very well) and Roberts stand out with their respectively manic and understated presences.
It's difficult to review this film without questioning it's (and our own) attitudes to mental health issues. On the one hand Craig's short spell within the institution is not just long enough for him to reassess his life and reorganise his priorites - actually that makes sense - but he's also gifted with the ability to partially heal an agoraphobic roommate. On the other hand another patient, who confesses to Craig his seven suicide attempts, simply disappears from the film with all of his storylines unresolved; a painful reminder to Craig and to us that depression often does not just go away and that we can never really set about understanding what's in anyone else's thought process.
Overall I would say this film works, it doesn't pander to the preconceptions of it's primary audience and nor does it completely shy away from it's responsibilities. Sure it's no Cuckoo's Nest, but then it almost certainly didn't want to be, the institution isn't the villian here there is no villian. It's strength lies in the small things, and once again it's a reason to rejoice for Boden and Fleck. I can't wait to see what they work on next.
Thursday, 13 January 2011
It's a Kind of Funny Story
Monday, 28 December 2009
2009 in Review - Best Supporting Actor
Supporting performances are always tought ot choose from. On one hand nearly every performance is there to support the story, but you don't want a piece that could conceivably be called the lead, nor do you want to glorify a cameo (I may be about to do that). Of the 5 performances listed below only one is likely to get an Oscar nod, and I've completed ignored last years selection that could have been eligible (Brolin, Hoffman and Shannon), however all these actors have reached out and grabbed me in their own way. Each of them lifted the overall piece and that, surely, is worth celebrating.
1. Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds. As you know I had big problems with the lack of humanity in this film, but strangely it was the least humane character who lights up the screen. Waltz veers from comic to serious poses often in the same sentence, and shows he can act in 4 different languages - no mean feat.
2. Fred Melamed - A Serious Man. Before Melamed enters we get a vague idea of his character from Larry Gopnik and his wife as they consider the forthcoming divorce, but nothing prepares you for his melodious voice and hurt dog tone. Possibly the worst person you'd want to lose your wife to.
3. Stephen Lang - Public Enemies. Lang is barely in Michael Mann's latest exercise in digital film; he's merely an additional agent called in by Christian Bale, but he carries himself, and speaks in such a way that you know he's seen every crime imaginable and he knows how to catch this criminal.
4. Rayniel Rufino - Sugar. The character is there as a foreshadow to our protagonist. He has moved to the states earlier and his career will dramatically change earlier, but with every decision Rufino makes with the part you can understand it and appreciate where's he's heading to.
5. Tom Wilkinson - Duplicity. This is a bit of a guilty pleasure, and I've probably seen better performances that fail to make this list, but Tom's proper bastard CEO relishes the competition he sets himself. He also is involved in a completely barmy bust up with Paul Giamatti so extra points for that.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Sugar
2008. Dir: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Starring: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, Andre Holland, Anne Whitney and Ellary Porterfield. ●●●●○
Sports movies are quite difficult to get right. There is a risk that it will be pitched (excuse me) to the fans of the sport only, and that the movie will feel impenetrable to the viewers who are not familiar with the game. Suger opens in a Baseball training camp in the Dominican Republic where we are introduced to our hero Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Soto). Immediately I was afraid that this would not be the movie for me, the credits had hardly begun when they were taliking about fly curves etc. However within a couple of scenes you realise there is an eqilibrium, Baseball is merely the front for this interesting tale about a man following a path that may not be right or best for him, but following it because he has no choice.
During a weekend off from training Sugar returns to his poverty stricken family, immediatley we are aware that the only way out is through baseball, and that his family have begun to see Sugar as their meal ticket. Listen to the conversations between him and his mother throughout the film. Her first question to him is nearly always the same, until the last time when it is clear she has someone else on her mind.
Sugar is selected by Kansas City to join their summer camp, and from there to join their affiliated AAA league team in Indiana. Along the way we see many of his friends fall by the wayside, due to injury or just not coming up to the high standards required (both on and off the diamond). To the credit of writer-directors Boden and Fleck we never feel like the points being made in the section are laboured. The differences between the American college educated players and the Dominican boys are deftly drawn, the sense of being a product for the team is hinted at but wisely not addressed head on and the shifting emotions of Sugar as he deals with early success, injury and jealousy of the other players is deftly handled.
Only the performance enhancing drugs scene comes off as cliched, especially in the way it's filmed.
In the final act the film goes off in a completed unexpected way, unexpected for the audience as much as it is for most of the characters. There have been some debates on whether this works, however I feel it's true the the character and his journey in a way that the alternative would not be.
Most of the players, including Sugar and his mentor Jorge Ramirez (Rufino) are non-professional actors, but the performances hold up well. Both of these two could have careers if they tried and I would especially like to see Rufino try his hand at more acting work.
Technically the film is well put together, the highlight being the location work, where the building and locales used for each scene seem to fit the story at that point.
Overall this is a fine film, well made, that skillfully avoids the pitfalls that other Baseball movies may present, whilst giving us a real insight into the way professional overseas players are groomed and used by the major teams.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Out this week (05/06/09)
You might say it'll be a quiet weekend with only 6 new titles to choose from. Unless you were crazy enough to forget that one of those is the fourth entry from a massively popular franchise. So no prizes for guessing what film will be top of the box office. My recommendation is a different kettle of fish though, so it's Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson finding love when they least expect it in Last Chance Harvey.
Anything for Her
Happily married (French) couple are rudely interrupted by the Gendarme who arrest Mrs. (Diane Kruger) on a murder charge. Naturaly hubby wants to prove her innocent, but to what lengths will he go, and how well does he really know her in this taught thriller.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Hide
Independent British film about a twitcher who bumps into a stanger whilst spotting some rare coastal birds. Turns out the stranger isn't quite as innocent and lost as he first seems.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Last Chance Harvey
Harvey - see what they did there - Shine (Hoffman) is having a really bad time, losing his job, finding out his daughter wants her Step-Father to walk her down the aisle, finding a new hobby in excessive drinking. Until he bumps into British statistician, Emma Thompson, and sparks fly. Interestingly this is one of the only films I know of where Toronto has stood in for London whilst filming.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Sugar
Not my recommendation - it's complicated - but the film I intend to watch at some point over the weekend. True life story about a Dominican baseball player who struggles to fit in the minor leagues.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Summer Scars
More strangers lurking in the British countryside. This time he's befriending a group of skiving schoolkids in the local woods. He's no good kids - run away before he... Oh, too late.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Terminator: Salvation
Without James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger may have walked away from Skynet, but the John Connor story continues to rumble on. Christian Bale repeats his Batman schtick, Sam Worthington lets us see he means business as a leading man, McG directs to within an inch of his life. British critics have been a lot kinder than the US ones.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Sugar
I'm looking at June's scheduling right now and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with what's on offer. The only one I'm currently planning on seeing is Sugar, the baseball biopic currently doing well on the indie circuit in the US. I will be fair though and say I am looking forward to this quite a lot.
So here's the trailer:
Sugar comes on on 5 June 2009.
