Tag: Drama

LAND – Review

After what seems like years (well coming up on one in just a few weeks), lots of folks, especially urbanites, may be yearning, perhaps desperately, to get “away from it all’ and bask in the great outdoors. And for many, a weekend or so in a rental cabin in the woods, or “roughing it” on an RV, will be enough of an escape to appreciate the modern comforts (very little WiFi in the woods) and even the proximity of people. But for the main (or for most of it, only) character in this new film, that’s not enough. She wants no contact with anyone, sort of a modern-day version of a “hermit” (a phrase now mainly associated with the 60s pop group headed by “Herman”). But can she truly disconnect after being part of a major metropolis? Well, she is determined to change her view, from skyscrapers and bustling commuters to open sky and sprawling pristine acres of nearly untouched LAND.

That said metropolis is Chicago, where we first see a compact car pulling a small cargo trailer as it zips away from “the loop”. Inside is Edee (Robin Wright) who is recalling her last conversation with Emma (Kim Dickens) as she begins her long trek to Wyoming. Once there, Edee completes a business transaction with a local. He gives her a set of keys and asks her to follow his vehicle to her new home. They pull off a winding highway to a rough dirt road and arrive at a modest log cabin (and “outhouse”). She asks him to find someone to drive up after she’s unloaded to return her rental car and trailer (and collect a cash tip). He insists that she should have a vehicle of some sort, but Edee waves him away as she disposes of her cell phone. As the seller stated, it is a “fixer-upper” that consumes the next few days with cleaning, repairing, and storing her dozens of canned goods. Edee sees her rentals drive away as she returns from filling water jugs in a nearby creek. It becomes clear that Edee intends to stay here permanently, all by herself, and “live off the land”.  Despite her many survival manuals, she immediately struggles in hunting and trapping “game” and planting a small vegetable garden. Soon the weather and wildlife get the best of her, as she hallucinates Emma, along with a mysterious man and a young boy. Extreme hunger and the bitter cold cause her to drift in and out of consciousness. Will Edee’s desire for solitude lead to a horrific frozen death?

As with most “against the elements” stories its strength hinges on the actor at its center. Luckily the multi-talented (wait for it) Ms. Wright is more than up for this formidable task. The challenge is a bit higher since Edee is a mystery for most of the film. By the time she arrives at the cabin, we only know that she was very sad in Chicago and that Emma (maybe a sister) cares deeply about her. We see that gloom lift from her eyes once Edee begins to prepare for her new life. There’s a sense of joy even as she sweeps out mounds of dust and surveys the “waste facility annex”. Then the frustrations and aggravations begin to build as a wave of unease fills her. Then her despair allows the ghosts, visions of her past, to drag her into a downward spiral, though a hungry bear hastens the plunge. Wright’s compelling performance compels us to root for Edee even as she frustrates us with her refusal to seek aid. But some help does come from a couple of angels, one in the form of a friendly hunter Miguel, played with warmth and humor by Demian Bichir. His kindness and patience, never pushing her to leave, rescues her physically and spiritually. Miguel somehow reignites her belief in humanity. And though she also annoys him, he still charms her with his mangled versions of rock anthems. The other angel is a Native American nurse Alawa played with “tough love” by Sarah Dawn Pledge who trusts Miguel but still thinks Edee belongs in a hospital (for the cold and hunger). And Dickens plays Emma as a very “friendly ghost” who is passionate in her pleas for Edee’s return to the world.

So what was my “multi-talented” comment about? Well, this is the feature film directing debut of Ms. Wright (she previously helmed several episodes of her Netflix series “House of Cards”). A tough “double duty” as she’s in nearly every scene, much like Robert Redford a few years ago in ALL IS LOST. She certainly captures the quiet beauty of the wilderness (Canada subs for Wyoming here), while never letting us forget its dangers. We’re holding our breath along with Edee as guttural growls awaken her from slumber on her first dark night. While showing us her struggles, Wright lets us in on the joys of her triumphs. As Edee becomes more self-sufficient (via the gruff angelic Miguel), we’re cheering on her solitary decision, though we know that Emma must be in great pain. Then we wonder if Edee can interact with society once more. Wright expertly juggles all these themes while keeping the film moving at a brisk pace, clocking in at just under ninety “tight” minutes. Helping to draw us into the natural settings is the gorgeous cinematography from Bobby Bukowski accented by the subtle music score from Ben Sollee and Time for Three. LAND is an emotional dramatic adventure that is a triumph for another great actress/filmmaker. Wright “stuff” indeed.

3 out of 4

LAND opens in select theatres on February 12, 2021

NOMADLAND – Review

The following review originally appeared on December 4, 2020

As the temps turn chilly and you’re counting down the days till the year’s last big holiday, most folks are looking forward to hunkering down next to the fireplace (or just clicking on the thermostat) and whipping up a nice meal, complete with baked treats, to share with visiting family and friends. Yes, that’s the plan for most. But there’s an ever-growing segment of the population that can’t really afford to “put down stakes”, as they must go “where the work is” just to survive to another year. Right now, not like the Goads in THE GRAPES WRATH. These real-life wanderers, basically playing themselves, support one of our finest actresses in the new narrative feature that truly feels like a documentary, as we enter a place (or is it a state of mind) they call NOMADLAND.

The short title card at the beginning of the film tells the story of Empire, NV. When the market for its main industry, sheetrock, collapsed, the factory closed turning it into a ghost town (its zip code was even dissolved). Then we meet one of its former residents, middle-aged widow Fern (Frances McDormand) as she grabs a few things (her late hubby’s old jeans along with blankets and plates) out of the boxes piled up in their storage unit. She fires up her battered van and hits the highway. At a big department store, she’s spotted by a family from town. They had hired Fern as a tutor and express their worry over leaving her home. Fern waves away their offer of money, insisting she’ll be fine. Later she checks in at an RV campground to settle in a spot her new employer has paid for and reserved. Bright and early that next frigid morning she arrives at her seasonal job at the big Amazon processing center. Her co-worker and new pal Gay (Gay DeForest) tells her of a community of folks living in their vehicles who pool their resources in a deserted dusty spot a few hours away. The weeks pass and Amazon releases their “part-timers”, so Fern has to leave her “temp spot”. She decides to join Gay at the nomadic “commune” organized by a promoter of “the lifestyle”, Bob Wells (himself). Fern makes several new friends and feels an emotional pull (perhaps an attraction) to the lanky, silver-haired Dave (Davis Strathairn). As the temps start to rise, she’s on the road again to find work. For a time she’s a clerk at an outdoor precious gem market, then it’s a turn in agriculture, helping process beets. Then the thing she fears most finally happens, her beloved “Vanguard” breaks down. The repair bill is so high that she must ask her estranged sister for a loan, which involves a bus ride to her plush suburban home and having to endure an awkward cook-out with her neighbors and friends. Soon she’s mobile again and joins Gay on a park ranger/custodian gig where they run into Dave, who brings her along to his next job in one of the eateries in the massive Wall Drug in South Dakota. When he gets a surprise visit from his son, telling him that he’ll soon be a grandpa’, Dave decides to take him up on his offer to move in and get off the road. But before he goes, Dave extends an invite to Fern. Could this also be her escape from the near-endless cycle of driving and drudgery?

After winning acclaim for such diverse roles as the sunny Marge of FARGO and the dour, rage-filled Mildred in THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, McDormand draws us in with the quiet Fern, a woman that’s been traumatized by economic disaster and cruel fate. As we see in her nearly dead gaze of exhaustion, she must push herself to the brink to the brink of collapse to merely “get by”. Those deep dark circles under those heavy-lidded eyes convey the weariness of having to watch her soul mate wither away along with the comfortable surroundings of her home. And though she’s open to new friendships along the trail, she’s leery of getting too close, knowing that everything could just evaporate. Though McDormand holds in her despair, we see it bubble to the surface as she lashes at real estate profiteers at the big family BBQ. The only serenity Fern finds is in the simple everyday pleasures of a blazing late-night campfire, a quick cocktail with a work pal, or a soothing skinny dip in a secluded stream. Her somber tone hides her quiet desperation and self-reliance. She had depended on her husband, and will only rely on her skill set at least until the van breakdown pushes to seek aid. It’s a compelling performance in a career that seems to be packed with memorable work. It helps that she has a terrific rapport with the film’s other screen vet Strathairn, whose David feels a kinship with the sullen, tough-as-nails Fern. He wants to protect and help her but knows that he may desire more from her than she’s able to give. And both actors work seamlessly with all the actual nomads who handle their scenes as though they were old movie “pros”.

Writer/director Chloe Zhao, in adapting the book by Jessica Bruder, uses a real cinema verite style, with her camera becoming a “fly on the wall” drinking in the “alien world” on the fringes of “nine to five” society. She shows us the joy of their communal gatherings while never shying away from the underlying despair and the near-constant air of danger (the shadows drifting by the foggy van windows). Most of these people care nothing about “the romance of the open road”. They have to be on the move to survive since the “American Dream” is so far out of reach (Gay wants to retire, but $500 a month can’t cut it). With them, it’s not “shop till you drop” but rather “work till you drop”. And maybe expire on a filthy factory floor. The use of real locales (yes, it’s an actual Amazon warehouse), intimate cinematography (you can almost feel the chill from the grey skies) and the talented McDormand make for an unforgettable portrait of the always mobile working class that exists in NOMADLAND.

3.5 Out of 4

NOMADLAND opens in theatres everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the Marcus Ronnie’s Cine IMAX

THE WHITE TIGER – Review

As we ease into the new year, many might agree that a great way to start the 2021 cinema year is to enjoy a “rags to riches” success story. Perhaps “fable” might be the more appropriate word in this story. And just for some extra spice, it’s set in a distant foreign land, but only a decade or so ago. Like the big Oscar-winning Best Picture of 2008, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, it is set mainly in the dusty crowded streets of India. But that’s where the comparisons end. There’s no big “feel good” song and dance finale to leave you with a grin as you head to the lobby (or more likely as you switch off your device). As a matter of fact, this film’s hero openly derides that earlier work. So, who is this “basher’? He’s the focus of the story, a young man who, at one time, was called, with much admiration, THE WHITE TIGER.

The holder of that feline nickname is actually named Balram (Adarsh Gourav), who, as the story begins, is enjoying a wild, life-altering late-night drive in 2007. But before we learn too much, things fast forward to 2010 as he intently watches a news report about the Chinese Premier’s upcoming visit to India. Balram, now a perfectly tailored and coifed tycoon, sits down in his plush office to compose an introductory email to the visiting dignitary. The message begins as an autobiography. He tells of growing up “dirt poor” in a remote village, far from good schools and even doctors. He and his older brother are raised by their widowed father, but all cower before the family matriarch, Granny. At what passes for a school, Balram’s skills at reading make him a stand-out, prompting a visiting supervisor to dub him a rarity, as unique as a white tiger. He’s even given permission and papers to be transferred to a better school in a bigger town, but Granny nixes his dream. Balram is to help out at his poppa’s tea shop, mainly breaking chunks of coal into small nuggets. Growing up, he observes the celebrated visits from the village’s “landlord”, nicknamed “The Stork” who collects the rupees with the help of his thuggish portly son “The Mongoose”. Then as the years pass, Balram is surprised when the duo becomes a trio when he sees a second son, the impeccably dressed, worldly Ashok (Rajkummar Rao). It’s then that Balram hatches a plan. Surely they now need a second driver! He pleads with Granny for the funds to take driving lessons. After he snags a permit, Balram shows up at the Stork’s opulent estate. After a bit of “skullduggery”, he ousts the main driver and is tasked with transporting Ashok and his beautiful “raised in the USA” bride “Pinky Madam” (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). As Ashok’s family becomes more involved in national politics (doling out lots of bribes to avoid taxes on their coal interests), young Balram carefully begins to formulate a way to leave his lowly “servant” status behind and acquire the mantle of “master”.

Few actors have tackled a character’s “story arc” in a role as complex as Balram, and even fewer could “pull it off” with the skill of Gourav in the lead title role. With his beaming eyes and a broad smile, he conveys the fable’s “hero” as a wide-eyed eager innocent for most of the story’s “first act”, easily recalling any number of cinema “go-getters” cast from the mold of Horatio Alger’s young heroes of print. Then ugly ambition darkens that sweet “spark”, first in his elimination of his driving competitor, then as his eyes linger over the indulgencies of the affluent. Gourav shows us Balram soaking everything in while the “wheels” in his brain begin churning out a strategy. The joyful “lapdog” suddenly dishes out casual cruelty with little remorse. His moral “awakening” unleashes his inner beast. And Gourav hits every “note” with confidence. Matching his every “step” is his “master” and expert scene partner Rao, who immediately “takes” to Balram, “bumping” him up from servant/slave to kid brother confidant. His Ashok is the “cool boss”, though he still embraces much of the “old ways” (sending Balram to live in the fancy hotel’s parking garage). But he also “transforms”, sliding into the darkness of despair and addiction as he treats Balram almost as a “whipping boy”. Rao expertly takes Ashok from kind to cold. But his warm nurturing side really comes out when he’s interacting with the charismatic Chopra Jonas as his feisty mate Pinky. Stemming from her American upbringing, Pinky’s almost an incomprehensible alien to most of the males aside from her hubby (and the smitten Balram). She’s also a “bright light” amidst the moral darkness surrounding her in-laws. Chopra Jonas brings the passion to the scenes where she stands up to Ashok’s clan for their treatment of Balram, Ultimately Pinky has her own “turning point” as a tragedy almost extinguishes her “flame”. Her formidable talents are an essential part of the story’s principal trio.

This tale of greed, avarice, and “social climbing” is a true dramatic “rollercoaster” constructed by filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, who directed and wrote the screenplay adaptation of the novel by Aravind Adiga. Though it’s a big scripting “no-no” (remember the advice in ADAPTATION). Bahrami never overuses the “first-person narration” structure. It’s as though we’re reading Balram’s email bio over her shoulder. After the big time jump in the opening five minutes (almost “whiplash-inducing”) Bahrami “settles in”, but still peppers the story with quick cuts back to the village from the city or the mansion (especially to show the fatal consequences” of Balram’s plotting). He’s especially skilled at illustrating Balram’s inner ideas, particularly the “rooster coop” analogy, which he believes keeps his family (really most of his country) stuck in poverty. And much like another film “success” story THE FOUNDER, this “hero” is anything “but” as he climbs the ladder. His “comfort” comes with a hefty price (his soul, perhaps). A big asset to the work is the dazzling cinematography from Paolo Carnera. This skilled team makes THE WHITE TIGER a truly compelling and ferocious film feline.

3 out of 4

THE WHITE TIGER opens in theatres everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas beginning Wednesday, January 13th, 2021.

PIECES OF A WOMAN – Review

In just a couple of days, we’ll be raising a glass (considering current events, probably in our homes) and bidding farewell to a year many are glad to see end. As with other New Year’s, it’s a time of reflection, of “taking stock”, and strengthening those family connections. This new film looks at how those bonds, so solid for much of the year, can irreparably crumble and almost collapse as the months pass. In this case, a tremendous tragedy befalls a family as they work toward taking their lives into a new “phase”. But as the couple’s lives shatter, hope still stirs amongst those scattered PIECES OF A WOMAN.

However, as the story begins, we meet “the man”. Fall is easing into winter as the hard-working, gruff Sean (Shia LaBeouf) is about to take some time off from his stint on the team constructing a bridge in Boston. Across town, the woman, his wife Martha (Vanessa Kirby) is enjoying a “going away” party her employers are throwing at their swanky HQ in a high-rise. She’s nearing the end of her pregnancy, so a sabbatical has begun. She and Sean meet at her brother-in-law Chris’ (Benny Safdie) car dealership to upgrade their wheels, from compact to family SUV. At their home, Sean presents her with a gift for their just-completed nursery room: the sonograms in a nice frame. A few weeks later (but still a bit early) it’s “go time”. Martha is enduring extremely painful contractions as Sean frantically phones their midwife to begin the home-birthing process. But she’s stuck at another birth, so her co-worker Eva (Molly Parker) arrives. She’s concerned about Martha’s agony (and she’s worried that they’ve got a sub). After a dip in a warm bath, Martha starts pushing while Eva monitors the baby’s erratic heartbeat. Just in case, Eva tells Sean to dial 9-11. She then implores Martha to push with all her might. Finally, the baby emerges, and as the new parents coddle her, Eva is suddenly filled with alarm. Only she notices that the infant‘s skin tone has a purplish tint. While she attempts CPR, Sean sprints out the front to meet the ambulance. Jump to a month later as they are still reeling from that awful night. Martha tries to ignore the blank stares from her co-workers as she returns to her job. Eva is in the news as she is charged with criminal negligence. A dazed Martha signs the form to donate her baby’s body to a medical school. This angers Sean who is now united with the mother-in-law who never bonded with him, Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn). They want a grave with a carved headstone, which baffles Martha. The rest of the family doesn’t understand why she’s not taking an active interest in the case against Eva. The couple begins to drift apart as Sean ends his years of sobriety.  Could the demise of their child hasten the end of their marriage?

Kirby astounds as the title “woman” delivering one of the best performances of the year, bringing Martha’s story “arc” to heart-wrenching life. As her co-workers eagerly touch her birth-ready belly, her body language conveys her anxious state tinged with embarrassment as though she’s a display ad for impending motherhood. But when that night arrives, Kirby contorts her face and voice to illustrate the utter agony Martha is enduring. That’s balanced by her need for comfort from her partner and her anxiety over this “scrub” scuttling the big birthing plans. After the unthinkable, Kirby, with her unsteady gaze and walk, shows how grief has almost “shut down” Martha. It’s acerbated when everyone seems to “gang up” on her for not grieving “correctly” and not passionately screaming for Eva’s head. Martha tries to feel something via self-medication at a dance club, but not even a flirtation with a stranger can jolt her back to reality. It’s wonderful work from an emerging talent. One of her best scenes is with an actress who is entering her seventh decade on film, the indomitable Burstyn. She imbues matriarch Elizabeth with a sad jittery fragility which makes the big family brunch showdown so surprising. Burstyn‘s Elizabeth unleashes her fierce “lioness” as all the bottled-up anger and frustration explode in a scathing monologue. At a time when many would be pondering retirement, Burstyn is still at “the top of her game”. LaBeouf gives voice (a graveled one for certain) to the blindsided Sean who can only work out his anger issues through booze and infidelity, even thinking that “dropping out” in Seattle is the “cure-all”.  Safdie, best known for his indie filmmaking, makes Chris a believable intimidated “patsy”, by Sean along with his wife Anita played with annoyed smirk by stand-up comedian Iliza Shlesinger.  There’s a terrific turn by Sarah Snook as their lawyer cousin, who is hiding her own secrets. At the heart of the drama is Parker’s overwhelmed Eva, who can’t quite put on a “happy face “ for the worried couple as she slowly realizes she’s out of her “depth”, even as she frantically skims through her workbooks, desperate to find an answer. Parker’s facial expressions in the courtroom, tell us more of Eva’s inner heartbreak than any dialogue.

Director Kornel Mundruczo eschews fancy narrative tricks to paint a portrait of unfathomable tragedy, while never stooping to “wallow” in melodrama. Particularly in the birthing sequence, his camera swoops past the principals, down the hallway, and focuses in the desperate drama in the characters’ faces. It’s an intimate form of chaos with no foretelling of the horrific outcome. Its impact owes a great deal to the moving screenplay by Kata Weber that never opts for easy answers and doesn’t paint in “broad strokes” to denote heroes and villains. All are flawed humans struggling to keep going with their inner anguish. Yes, this is quite a tear-jerker, but the finale offers hope of healing, that one can survive the unthinkable, even bask in the warm sunshine. One of the year’s best dramas hints that there may be a way to reassemble these PIECES OF A WOAMN.

3.5 Out of 4

PIECES OF A WOMAN opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas beginning Wednesday, December 30, 2020. It is also streaming exclusively on Netflix.

WANDER DARKLY – Review

With everyone seemingly in the big December “frenzy” in preparing for the big holiday (the presents, the cards, the travel) the next holiday just days afterward often gets a bit of a “and also” status. You know, as “Happy New Year” gets “tacked on” to the “Merry Christmas”, or just engulfed in the dreaded (by those few that still think there’s a “war” on it) “happy holidays”.  Since current events and health concerns will probably curtail or just completely eliminate those big “seeing out the old” parties, you may have to virtually watch 2020 tick away (and many will rightly say, “Good riddance”). This quieter “big countdown” could make you really reflect on how your life “so far” is measuring up. As this week’s new film release shows, a big traumatic event could prompt that feeling more than the “midnight bubbly”. And that’s why this movie couple, for most of the story’s runtime, is compelled to WANDER DARKLY.

The couple in question is new parents Adrienne (Sienna Miller) and Matteo (Diego Luna) who almost get into a squabble (why is he puttering around in his garage work station and not getting ready) as they begin a pre-planned “date night”. There’s more grumbling in the car on the way to the trendy LA eatery. The couple meets up with some friends during the wait to be seated which prompts another “discussion” as Adrienne excuses herself to chat with an old friend/work connection Liam (Tory Kittles). Post-dinner, Matteo “gets into it” with her about ditching them to say hi to what he thinks is an old beau. And then their vehicle is filled with light as another car just “comes out of nowhere”. The world tumbles and seems to explode into tiny glass fragments. Adrienne slowly opens her eyes, sees the clock/radio flashing “88:88”, and hears the “drip…drip…drip” of fluid hitting the pavement. Closing her eyes, her vision flickers to reveal her outside her body, looking at herself in a busy hospital ER as its staff rushes about. Then she’s in the morgue as someone is on a metal tray being pushed into their big “body file cabinet”. Is it her or…no…there’s Matteo. As he joins her, they soon begin on a journey throughout their lives together, often with a conflicting “he said…she said” commentary. They watch themselves flirt and “hook up” at a party, then date along with their BFF couple Maggie (Vanessa Bayer) and Dane (Dan Gill) as Matteo is tempted by the daughter of an employer, Shea (Aimee Carrero). As the couple lives together we watch the tension between him and future mother-in-law Patty (Beth Grant), which almost derails their journey to marriage and parenthood. So are both of them really okay after the crash, or are they trapped in an endless loop of memories, drifting between life and death? So who’s still here and who has “checked out”?

The impact of the story rests on the very capable shoulders of two of most talented and charismatic actors. For much of the post-accident features, Miller as Adrienne acts as sort of a guide as she, along with the viewer, tries to regain her footing in this ever-changing “dreamscape”. In the early sequences, Miller conveys the frazzled daily life of this fairly new mom who is often frustrated by a spouse who seems to thwart her needs. After that fateful drive, Miller is in a near-constant state of disoriented panic as she sees herself in the more dire situations. But we get her lighter side as she becomes a “ghost” to their courtship, from flirty “meet cute” to the “full tilt” of romantic splendor. That sometimes fuels her fury as she sees her heated rival swoop in on her love in what may or may not be her memorial. Luna makes for an interesting counterpoint to the volatile Miller as the often too easy-going Matteo. He’s a smitten puppy at their first meeting but truly brings his “A” game in the wooing of Adrienne. Although he too has his aggravations as his “buttons” get pushed by her and particularly her mum, who’s played with needling exasperation by Grant. And big kudos for giving underused SNL vet Bayer a chance to spread her dramatic wings as the best BFF anybody could ever want.

Writer/director Tara Miele guides the duo through the complicated ups and downs of modern young marriage while keeping us and the characters constantly “off-balance”. There are no flashy CGI effects to convey the “nether-world”, instead she carefully adjusts our view through fractured imagery, odd angles, and sound tweaking. Unfortunately, the film seems to lose much of its focus, as what would be a compelling short or part of an anthology (or a compact, strange late show flick like 1960’s public domain gem CARNIVAL OF SOULS) begins “spinning its wheels” towards a somewhat soft final act. And some of the repeating bits, like the flashing clock numbers and the dark hooded figure (fear the reaper) become obvious and heavy-handed. The two leads are compelling, but the rambling story and sluggish pace may cause your mind to WANDER DARKLY

1.5 Out of 4

WANDER DARKLY opens in select theatres and is available as a video-on-demand via most streaming apps and platforms

NOMADLAND – Review

As the temps turn chilly and you’re counting down the days till the year’s last big holiday, most folks are looking forward to hunkering down next to the fireplace (or just clicking on the thermostat) and whipping up a nice meal, complete with baked treats, to share with visiting family and friends. Yes, that’s the plan for most. But there’s an ever-growing segment of the population that can’t really afford to “put down stakes”, as they must go “where the work is” just to survive to another year. Right now, not like the Goads in THE GRAPES WRATH. These real-life wanderers, basically playing themselves, support one of our finest actresses in the new narrative feature that truly feels like a documentary, as we enter a place (or is it a state of mind) they call NOMADLAND.

The short title card at the beginning of the film tells the story of Empire, NV. When the market for its main industry, sheetrock, collapsed, the factory closed turning it into a ghost town (its zip code was even dissolved). Then we meet one of its former residents, middle-aged widow Fern (Frances McDormand) as she grabs a few things (her late hubby’s old jeans along with blankets and plates) out of the boxes piled up in their storage unit. She fires up her battered van and hits the highway. At a big department store, she’s spotted by a family from town. They had hired Fern as a tutor and express their worry over leaving her home. Fern waves away their offer of money, insisting she’ll be fine. Later she checks in at an RV campground to settle in a spot her new employer has paid for and reserved. Bright and early that next frigid morning she arrives at her seasonal job at the big Amazon processing center. Her co-worker and new pal Gay (Gay DeForest) tells her of a community of folks living in their vehicles who pool their resources in a deserted dusty spot a few hours away. The weeks pass and Amazon releases their “part-timers”, so Fern has to leave her “temp spot”. She decides to join Gay at the nomadic “commune” organized by a promoter of “the lifestyle”, Bob Wells (himself). Fern makes several new friends and feels an emotional pull (perhaps an attraction) to the lanky, silver-haired Dave (Davis Strathairn). As the temps start to rise, she’s on the road again to find work. For a time she’s a clerk at an outdoor precious gem market, then it’s a turn in agriculture, helping process beets. Then the thing she fears most finally happens, her beloved “Vanguard” breaks down. The repair bill is so high that she must ask her estranged sister for a loan, which involves a bus ride to her plush suburban home and having to endure an awkward cook-out with her neighbors and friends. Soon she’s mobile again and joins Gay on a park ranger/custodian gig where they run into Dave, who brings her along to his next job in one of the eateries in the massive Wall Drug in South Dakota. When he gets a surprise visit from his son, telling him that he’ll soon be a grandpa’, Dave decides to take him up on his offer to move in and get off the road. But before he goes, Dave extends an invite to Fern. Could this also be her escape from the near-endless cycle of driving and drudgery?

After winning acclaim for such diverse roles as the sunny Marge of FARGO and the dour, rage-filled Mildred in THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, McDormand draws us in with the quiet Fern, a woman that’s been traumatized by economic disaster and cruel fate. As we see in her nearly dead gaze of exhaustion, she must push herself to the brink to the brink of collapse to merely “get by”. Those deep dark circles under those heavy-lidded eyes convey the weariness of having to watch her soul mate wither away along with the comfortable surroundings of her home. And though she’s open to new friendships along the trail, she’s leery of getting too close, knowing that everything could just evaporate. Though McDormand holds in her despair, we see it bubble to the surface as she lashes at real estate profiteers at the big family BBQ. The only serenity Fern finds is in the simple everyday pleasures of a blazing late-night campfire, a quick cocktail with a work pal, or a soothing skinny dip in a secluded stream. Her somber tone hides her quiet desperation and self-reliance. She had depended on her husband, and will only rely on her skill set at least until the van breakdown pushes to seek aid. It’s a compelling performance in a career that seems to be packed with memorable work. It helps that she has a terrific rapport with the film’s other screen vet Strathairn, whose David feels a kinship with the sullen, tough-as-nails Fern. He wants to protect and help her but knows that he may desire more from her than she’s able to give. And both actors work seamlessly with all the actual nomads who handle their scenes as though they were old movie “pros”.

Writer/director Chloe Zhao, in adapting the book by Jessica Bruder, uses a real cinema verite style, with her camera becoming a “fly on the wall” drinking in the “alien world” on the fringes of “nine to five” society. She shows us the joy of their communal gatherings while never shying away from the underlying despair and the near-constant air of danger (the shadows drifting by the foggy van windows). Most of these people care nothing about “the romance of the open road”. They have to be on the move to survive since the “American Dream” is so far out of reach (Gay wants to retire, but $500 a month can’t cut it). With them, it’s not “shop till you drop” but rather “work till you drop”. And maybe expire on a filthy factory floor. The use of real locales (yes, it’s an actual Amazon warehouse), intimate cinematography (you can almost feel the chill from the grey skies) and the talented McDormand make for an unforgettable portrait of the always mobile working class that exists in NOMADLAND.

3.5 Out of 4

NOMADLAND can be streamed through the Film at Lincoln Center Virtual Cinema through December 11th, 2020

THE ARTIST’S WIFE – SLIFF Review

THE ARTIST’S WIFE screens as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival November 5th – 22nd. Ticket information for the virtual screening can be found HERE

Living in the shadow of a famous and talented spouse can be hard, particularly when one has to give up ambitions of their own ambitious. It is nearly always the wives who abandon their careers to focus on a famous husband’s work, particularly if it was in the same field. In THE ARTIST’S WIFE, Claire (Lena Olin) is long reconciled to dropping her own career as an artist to support the career of her famous, successful artist husband Richard (Bruce Dern). In fact, Claire thinks of Richard’s career as “their career” and Richard’s loving devotion to Claire, his younger second wife, reinforces her view that they are an artistic team. But when Richard receives a devastating medical diagnosis and the artist’s wife faces the prospect of life alone, Claire’s long-buried feelings about her abandoned artistic work resurface.

Artistic genius Richard had always been impulsive and hot-tempered but lately he seemed more erratic. Claire has chalked it up to heavy drinking but a lapse during a speech while accepting an award sends them to the doctor. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s hit Claire like a brick wall, while Richard was barely affected, a not unusual response. After the doctor tells Claire, to not do this alone, she determines to reach out to Richard’s only child, a long-estranged daughter from his previous marriage. The daughter, Angela (Juliette Rylance), is decidedly cool to the idea.

Lena Olin’s Claire has been comfortable with her choice to focus on Richard’s work for so long, that it almost surprises her that the impulse to resume painting surfaces. Partly, it may also be an escape from facing the new reality of Richard’s illness but it also seems to be Claire contemplating a future life on her own.

Director Tom Dolby’s drama does not really explore new ground in this familiar scenario, although the film could have, particularly with such impressive lead actors in the primary roles. There are some strong scenes between Olin and Dern, which are among the best in the film, but the script seems clunky, too familiar. and even less than believable in some moments.

It is not the clunky story that makes this film worthwhile but the work of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern. Their performances are fiery and leap off the screen, both together and on their own. As the title suggests, the focus is on Olin’s character as she struggles with news that will change to bedrock of her life, and Olin delivers brilliantly. Dern’s quirky, egotistical Richard is the perfect foil, particularly as he loses the thread while still keeping his character’s enormous ego. At a brief one hour and 34 minutes, the performances alone make the film worth seeing.

THE ARTIST’S WIFE is an imperfect movie rescued from forgettable by the perfect performances of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern.



LET HIM GO – Review

Diane Lane (left) stars as “Margaret Blackledge” and Kevin Costner (right) stars as “George Blackledge” in director Thomas Bezucha’s LET HIM GO, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit : Kimberley French / Focus Features

LET HIM GO is a Western set in early ’60s Montana, starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane in a heroic fight, not to save a town as in a classic Western, but to rescue their grandchild. When their son James (Ryan Bruce) dies suddenly, he leaves a hole in the hearts of his parents George (Costner) and Margaret (Lane) Blackledge, as well as a young widow Lorna (Kayli Carter) and infant child named Jimmy. When their daughter-in-law remarries, things change, but then her abusive new husband, Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain), unexpectedly relocates his wife and stepson to join his family in his home state. There was no warning and the young couple left no address yet strong-willed Margaret is determined not to let her grandson go. George, a retired sheriff, tracks them to an area North Dakota. While Donnie’s name rings no bells with George’s law enforcement contacts nor locals in North Dakota, the Weboy names sure does, as a notorious, fearsome family led by a Ma Barker-like matriarch, Blanche Weboy (a fiery Leslie Manville). Despite the unlikelihood of success, Margaret and George aim to bring their grandson back to Montana, and embark on a mission to persuade the Weboys to “let him go.”

LET HIM GO is a bit of fooler, starting out like a polite family drama with fine Oscar-bait cast and settings, a drama about loss and a character study of the older couple – until in the final act, when it transforms into something more like a violent thriller.

Director Thomas Bezucha adapted Larry Watson’s novel of the same name. At first, LET HIM GO builds up a confrontation over child custody, a timeless topic, along with an exploration of the Blackledges’ anguish over possible loss of their lost son’s only child, as much a character study of the two people in this long marriage as anything else.

This drama is set against the sweeping vistas of a Western landscape. It makes for a visually-pleasing, award-minded drama but pretty conventional stuff. But then the film takes an unexpected move, shifting into something else in the final act, when the couple faces the wild Blanche Weboy (Leslie Manville), the fiery matriarch of a violent, powerful family.

LET HIM GO has plenty of visual references to classic Westerns, including those of John Ford, despite to it’s mid-20th century setting. The finely crafted films has gorgeous locations shots (actually shot in Alberta, Canada) that include plenty of big-sky scenery, and lovingly perfect period details in sets and costumes. But what seems like a mild, quiet, thoughtful drama then shakes us up with a sudden turn into crime thriller violence.

It is a jarring but thrilling shift but it makes for an heck of an entertaining film, and one that works on several levels, thanks largely to its sterling cast. That cast is rounded out by Jeffrey Donovan as Blanche’s henchman like younger brother Bill Weboy, and Booboo Stewart as a young Native American hiding out in the North Dakota wilderness, who befriends George and Margaret.

Both aspects of the film – the dramatic exploration of a couple’s sense of loss as their only grandchild, the son of their lost only child, is swept away from them when their daughter-in-law remarries and what happens when they confront the bullying Weboys – are well-crafted Yet taking what seems like a quiet familiar family drama into this dark twist really changes what the film is saying. The exploration of a couple grappling with loss reaches a crisis when determined Margaret decides to track their grandson with a reluctant George in tow, to the home of the domineering matriarch of his stepfather’s family, Blanche Weboy, who declares that the boy “is a Weboy now” and dismisses the pain of the grandparents. But these two are unlikely to go away quietly.

The reversal of the expected pattern of the ex-sheriff leading this pursuit is one of many intriguing aspects of LET HIM GO. The plot is entertaining but what really makes the film cook are the performances. Leslie Manville plays the iron-fisted, gangster-style matriarch of the Weboys, a family known for violence who dominate their little corner of North Dakota. Kevin Costner plays a steely, man-of-few-words retired sheriff, but also a man with a dark view of life. At one point he says life is nothing but a series of losses. He has serious doubts about what they are doing but loyally determined to stand by his beloved wife. Diane Lane plays that wife, a bit of a dreamer, who thinks she can talk anyone into doing things her way, with a confidence in her own charm that sometimes clouds her judgment. Her dreams about how it will all work out aren’t always grounded in reality and it takes her plain-spoken husband to make her see the facts. These flawed but appealing characters are set on doing what they believe they must do, bring their grandson back home to Montana.

The film upends expectations over and over, after building an expectation of the comfortably familiar. The couple look conventional at first but it is Diane Lane’s Margaret who is the strong one, the one driving the quest to reclaim their grandson, while Costner plays the more passive one who goes along, reversing the expected gender roles. It is Margaret who is too focused on her grandson Jimmy to see where she has gone wrong in her relationship with her daughter-in-law.

The wonderful Manville is a glowing menace in a wavy blond wig straight out of classic Nashville country music, who brow beats everyone around her, including her younger brother and three sons. She also dominated every scene she is in, outshining her more famous co-stars. It is a meaty role and Manville feasts on it. Manville’s Blanche is just as determined not to “let him go” as Lane’s Margaret is to take young Jimmy back to Montana with her.

The final showdown lights up the screening in a burst of bracing violence, firing up the audience in a thriller ending worthy of the best of classic drive-in Bs.

LET HIM GO opens in theaters on Nov. 6.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

THE ARTIST’S WIFE – Review

Bruce Dern as famous artist Richard and Lena Olin as his wife Claire, in THE ARTIST’S WIFE. Courtesy of Strand Releasing.

Living in the shadow of a famous and talented spouse can be hard, particularly when one has to give up ambitions of their own ambitious. It is nearly always the wives who abandon their careers to focus on a famous husband’s work, particularly if it was in the same field. In THE ARTIST’S WIFE, Claire (Lena Olin) is long reconciled to dropping her own career as an artist to support the career of her famous, successful artist husband Richard (Bruce Dern). In fact, Claire thinks of Richard’s career as “their career” and Richard’s loving devotion to Claire, his younger second wife, reinforces her view that they are an artistic team. But when Richard receives a devastating medical diagnosis and the artist’s wife faces the prospect of life alone, Claire’s long-buried feelings about her abandoned artistic work resurface.

Artistic genius Richard had always been impulsive and hot-tempered but lately he seemed more erratic. Claire has chalked it up to heavy drinking but a lapse during a speech while accepting an award sends them to the doctor. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s hit Claire like a brick wall, while Richard was barely affected, a not unusual response. After the doctor tells Claire, to not do this alone, she determines to reach out to Richard’s only child, a long-estranged daughter from his previous marriage. The daughter, Angela (Juliette Rylance), is decidedly cool to the idea.

Lena Olin’s Claire has been comfortable with her choice to focus on Richard’s work for so long, that it almost surprises her that the impulse to resume painting surfaces. Partly, it may also be an escape from facing the new reality of Richard’s illness but it also seems to be Claire contemplating a future life on her own.

Director Tom Dolby’s drama does not really explore new ground in this familiar scenario, although the film could have, particularly with such impressive lead actors in the primary roles. There are some strong scenes between Olin and Dern, which are among the best in the film, but the script seems clunky, too familiar. and even less than believable in some moments.

It is not the clunky story that makes this film worthwhile but the work of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern. Their performances are fiery and leap off the screen, both together and on their own. As the title suggests, the focus is on Olin’s character as she struggles with news that will change to bedrock of her life, and Olin delivers brilliantly. Dern’s quirky, egotistical Richard is the perfect foil, particularly as he loses the thread while still keeping his character’s enormous ego. At a brief one hour and 34 minutes, the performances alone make the film worth seeing.

THE ARTIST’S WIFE is an imperfect movie rescued from forgettable by the perfect performances of Lena Olin and Bruce Dern. The drama opens September 25 in select theaters and on demand on various platforms.

RATING: 2 1/2 out of 4 stars

WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS – Review

(l-r, foreground) Johnny Depp as Colonel Joll and Mark Rylance as the Magistrate, in WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, the old saying goes, and if you assume everyone is your enemy, they might become exactly that. WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS is drama based on J. M. Coetzee’s novel, that presents a cautionary tale about nations or empires sowing the seeds of their own destruction in their search for imagined threats. Mark Rylance, Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson star in director Ciro Guerra’s powerful adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s classic novel of the same name, in a haunting cautionary tale of empire and cultural misunderstanding, with a striking contemporary echoes.

There is a lot of talent assembled in this film – an Oscar-nominated director, a Nobel Prize-winning author, an Oscar winning cinematographer, and Oscar winners and nominees among the fine cast. Such as assemblage doesn’t guarantee success but it has worked here. Although this myth-like story takes place in an unspecified time and place, the points it makes are universal, concerning the dangers of the false assumptions of torture and militaristic mindsets. Torture tends to extract the information you want – even if it is not true. History has shown this time and again, from the Inquisition to Abu Ghraib.

WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS fits in well with the anti-colonial message of the director’s previous work. This is the first English-language film by Colombian director Ciro Guerra, whose previous films include the Oscar-nominated EMRACE OF THE SERPENT. Guerra has long been an admirer of the novel WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS by Nobel Prize-winning South African author J. M. Coetzee. The director made at least two previous efforts to bring the award-winning novel to the big screen before succeeding – oh-so-well – with this one.

Mark Rylance plays the Magistrate, a mild-mannered colonial administrator who has long been in charge of a remote garrison outpost on a quiet, sparsely populated border of an unnamed colonial empire. The Magistrate efficiently and fairly handles the few problems that arise in this sleepy corner of the unnamed empire, which leaves him plenty of time for his hobby of amateur archaeology exploring the ancient history of the region.

When an official from the empire’s center, Colonel Joll (Johnny Depp), arrives in his fine carriage with a small contingent of soldiers, the Magistrate is not concerned. He greets the officious Joll politely and prepares to make his report on conditions around the garrison. As the Magistrate tells one of his assistants, he has seen this before. Every ten years, he says, the empire feels the need to send someone to check on the “barbarians” on the border, just to make sure all is right, and then they leave.

The Magistrate expects the same from this colonel but Joll is different. With a decidedly unpleasant, even arrogant manner, Joll constantly wears his newly-invented sunglasses which conceal his eyes and seems little interested in the Magistrate’s efforts to tell him about the current conditions on the border. Instead, Joll’s focus falls on a pair of nomads, “barbarians” he arrested on the way to the garrison, and Joll’s methods involve torture. The Magistrate is shocked but, suppressing his feelings, he calmly quizzes Joll about the usefulness of the torture. Joll reveals his belief that “the enemy,” meaning the nomads just beyond the border, are planning an attack on the empire, and then extols his own skill at extracting information, never once acknowledging that his victims might have no secret information to tell.

When Joll leaves the garrison to check on other parts of the border, the Magistrate’s disgust spill overs, and he cleans the garrison of all traces of the colonel’s visit, restoring it to its usual peaceful, orderly life. But then another the officer of the empire shows up, an assistant to Joll named Mandel (Robert Pattinson). Mandel as even more brutal and committed to ferreting out a secret invasion by the barbarians.

Two-time Oscar winning cinematographer Chris Menges (THE KILLING FIELDS, THE MISSION, THE READER) fills the screen with sweeping desert vistas, dusty interiors of the garrison, and views of the Magistrate’s neat, book-filled office. The photography is stunning, imbuing the film with a sense of its remoteness and isolation, and setting the characters in that same overwhelmingly stark place.

The story is very much in the vein of the mythic, and the actors play characters that are symbolic of forces within human nature as much as people. Rylance, Depp and Pattinson are all superb, although the greatest load in telling this tale falls to the gifted Rylance, who plays both the human heart and a voice of decency overwhelmed by drive to war and suspicions of the “other.”

Beyond the lead actors, fine performances are offered by Greta Scacchi as the Magistrate’s housekeeper Mai, a sympathetic ear who also represents the civilians buffeted by the dangerous decisions of Joll and Mandel, and Harry Melling as a young soldier serving under the Magistrate, torn by what he sees. Both actors make the most of these small but important roles. Gana Bayarsaikhan, a striking Mongolian model-turned-actress who had minor roles in WONDER WOMAN and EX MACHINA, appears as a pivot character identified only as the “barbarian girl,” in a nice performance in her first major screen role.

Although the story seems to take place in a distant time and place, what it is saying about human nature is chillingly contemporary and timeless. The story takes place at a purposely vague place and time, at an outpost at the a distant border of an unspecified empire, a deliberate choice of the novel. The dusty, windswept desert location and the Asian features of the nomad suggests Central Asia, the uniforms suggest the French Foreign Legion, and other details suggest the 19th Century, but nothing is definite. In fact, the film was shot in Morocco and Italy,and the cast playing the garrison’s officials and solders sport British accents. All that matters is that it is some colonial power and an outpost on a remote border, in a quiet, sparsely populated area very far from the center of the empire.

WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS is divided into four chapters labeled by season but not quite in order. Colonel Joll arrives in the heat of summer, where his brutality scorches the landscape. Mandel does not arrive until the cold, dark winter, bringing dismay that the chapter opened in summer continues. There is another chapter set in spring, centered on a teen know only as “the barbarian girl” (Gana Bayarsaikhan), who turns up at the garrison, an apparent victim of torture. The final chapter, tellingly, is set in fall.

This is an impressive piece of mythic film making, powerful parable about colonialism, brutality toward the “other,’ and how we can inadvertently create the danger we fear. The drama sends a powerful message about torture in particular, and the danger in the ignorance of other cultures and misunderstandings arising out of mistaken assumptions. WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS is available on demand and on digital starting on Friday, Aug. 7.

RATING: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars