Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Poker Face” (2022)

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8

Russell Crowe directs, writes, and stars in the new feature “Poker Face”, a puzzling movie built around a puzzling premise and hampered by puzzling execution. It’s a movie I’m still trying to wrap my mind around. It’s one that had me onboard with its early teases of some strange and knotty thriller. But then it plays out, and you quickly realize there’s not much to this unremarkable and frustratingly shallow endeavor.

The seasoned Crowe is too good not to give it his all, and he does that here. The Oscar winner has proven to be a great actor and his sadly underseen “The Water Diviner” from 2014 was a solid directorial debut. But here he handcuffs himself with a script full of gaping holes and head-scratching shortcuts. He writes a good enough setup – one that allows him to portray a character much different than most he’s played throughout his over 30-year career. But the lack of focus in his writing, particularly in the second half, is too much for his directing to overcome.

Image Courtesy of Screen Media Films

Crowe plays a billionaire tech mogul and high-stakes gambler named Jake Foley. Following a beautifully shot yet rather fruitless intro, we meet Jake solemnly admiring a painting at an art gallery. He’s approached by a young woman named Alyra who wants to paint his portrait for the Archibald Portrait Prize. He gives her his consent and she snaps his picture. “Maybe if I make the short list I will see you at the exhibition,” she hopefully comments. “No you won’t” he replies with an exasperated half-smile and walks away.

We learn the 57-year-old widower has just gotten a bad medical diagnosis and he hasn’t long to live. From there it’s on to a strange sequence as Jake drives his fancy Rolls-Royce deep into the country where he consults with a grizzled old shaman (played by character actor Jack Thompson). The mystic gives Jake some drug-induced peace of mind and sends him home with a prescription. With his newfound clarity, Jake begins getting things in order with the help of his lawyer and personal right-hand man, Sam (Daniel MacPherson). One of his first orders of business – a poker night with friends.

That may sound shallow and frivolous, but Jake actually has deeper intentions. Seeing beyond the facade of success, Jake has come face-to-face with his mortality. It has caused him to self-evaluate and reflect. It’s also led him to examine his old relationships, namely those with his childhood chums Michael (Liam Hemsworth) a struggling alcoholic; Alex (Aden Young) a published author; Paul (Steve Bastoni), a politician; and his business partner and best friend, Drew (RZA). Each have their own unflattering secrets that Jake wants to root out.

So Jake sets up an elaborate plan under the guise of the ultimate poker night. He sends a message for his old friends to gather at a fancy hotel. There they meet Sam who gives them keys to luxury cars and GPS coordinates to Jake’s swanky, state of the art, oceanside home. When they arrive they’re greeted by Jake who offers them an intriguing choice. They can keep the luxury car they drove, no strings attached, or they can trade it in for $5 million in chips and a spot at a high stakes game of Texas hold ‘em (winner take all, of course).

Image Courtesy of Screen Media Films

Most of us would probably keep the car and sell it. But these guys all turn it their keys and collect their chips. Now you might be thinking this is where we get the poker in “Poker Face”. Well, technically yes. But there’s only about five minutes of actual card playing. Michael, Alex, and Paul quickly discover that their old pal Jake has something else up his sleeve. It all sounds goofy yet kinda cool, but the suspense is squandered when a goon named Victor (Paul Tassone) shows up with his armed henchmen to rob the place. What unfolds is a tensionless and woefully underdeveloped final act that guts the movie of any remaining potential.

To Crowe’s credit, he throws out some clever ideas and opens up a number of compelling themes. And his restrained, lived-in performance is a nice plus. But his storytelling never quite matches his ambition. Too often the movie bolts from one place the another, leaving out what feels like critical details and skipping over opportunities to flesh out its story more. And the practically non-existent character development in some cases really hurts, making it hard to invest in anyone or anything we say. It’s a shame because Crowe can handle himself behind the camera. His script here just doesn’t give him the room to really show it. “Poker Face” is out now in select theaters.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022)

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Crack detective Benoit Blanc returns to solve another murder among the rich and privileged in “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”. This is writer-director Rian Johnson’s standalone sequel to his 2019 smash-hit “Knives Out” and the first of two franchise films he’s making for Netflix after they doled out $469 million for exclusive distribution rights back in March 2021.

Comparisons to the first film are all but guaranteed. Some will be unfair while others are unavoidable. But as whole, “Glass Onion” stands well on its own as a deliciously satisfying romp, driven by Johnson’s signature snarky wit and knack for savory dialogue. It’s crazier and more elaborate which doesn’t always work in its favor. But even when Johnson seems to lose control, he’s always quick to rein things back in. And that’s quite the task considering the film’s many moving parts. It may not match its predecessor stride-for-stride, but there’s a lot to love for fans of crafty whodunnits and sharp-edged comedies.

“Knives Out” won me over for a number of reasons and most trace back to Johnson. The film was fueled by his seamless storytelling, crisp pacing, whip-smart humor, and gaggle of well-defined characters. I really loved the out-of-touch dysfunctional family setting and how Johnson used two dramatically different yet equally terrific outsiders (played by Ana de Armas and LaKeith Stanfield) to expose and ultimately eviscerate their upper-crust entitlement.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

And then there was Benoit Blanc himself, a delightfully wry and erudite Hercule Poirot/Sherlock Holmes hybrid, played with such sly and unshakable confidence by Daniel Craig. I loved his quiet and calculated demeanor. I loved how he played his suspects like a fiddle, maintaining an air of maddening mystery, as he applied pressure and waited for them to crack. How could you not love him?

Embracing the popular impulse to go bigger the second time around, Rian Johnson ups the ante in “Glass Onion”. It’s still well crafted, devilishly insightful, and full of the surprise twists you’d expect. It’s also a little zanier, a lot showier, and definitely more far-fetched. And while Craig brandishes the same Southern charm and is genuinely funny (he handles dry humor like an ace), his Blanc doesn’t quite feel the same this time around. He’s is a bit goofier and more exaggerated. Yet it’s impossible to not love the Poirotian gumshoe’s vibrant presence.

With its ‘ode to Agatha Christie’ formula, “Glass Onion” begins by laying out all the essential pieces needed for a good whodunnit. We have a murder, a colorful array of suspects, each with their own reasonable motive, and of course a supersleuth to cut through the lies and root out the killer. It all unfolds on an private island in Greece owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), who has planned a weekend long murder-mystery party at his ridiculously posh estate. His four closest friends, his former business partner, and one Benoit Blanc have all received invitations.

After being greeted by a fabulous early cameo (I’ll let you enjoy the discovery), the partygoing guests take a two-hour yacht ride to Miles’ island where they’re met by their an Elon Musk-like host. Among the eclectic bunch is Claire (Kathryn Hahn), the governor of Connecticut who is eyeing a Senate run; Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.), a chief scientist at Miles’ Alpha Industries; Birdie (a scene-stealing Kate Hudson), a celebrity fashionista with a penchant for insensitivity; Birdie’s assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick); Duke (Dave Bautista), a beefcake Twitch streamer, and Duke’s saucy younger girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline). Then there’s Andi (Janelle Monáe), who lost everything after Miles squeezed her out of their company. And on the outside is Blanc, who’s still wondering why he’s even there.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

Needless to say, Miles’ party is interrupted by an actual murder and Benoit finds himself in the middle of yet another prickly case. Meanwhile Johnson has a field day, indulging in several classic tropes but putting his own contemporary spin on them. And as you would expect, much of the fun revolves around the characters who are both written and performed with personality and panache. Through them Johnson steadily pokes at the filthy rich along with those who bury their integrity and milk their wealthy connections for all they can get.

That gets to one area where “Glass Onion” tops its predecessor – in its handling of its politics. In “Knives Out” you could almost sense Johnson’s pride as his class critique would sometimes veer into heavy-handedness. But in “Glass Onion” it’s more ingrained in its characters and more organic within the story. It’s still obvious, but Johnson seems to trust us more. Some things you can’t miss, such as the oblivious self-absorption that pours out of the conversations. Other indictments are more subtle yet equally damning. Take the story’s pandemic-era setting. As most are confined to their homes, the story’s pampered elites are living it up. It’s reminiscent of certain politicians and celebrities who talked a serious game, only to be caught out enjoying their privilege while so many suffered under lockdowns.

While its title is inspired by a Beatles song from their “White Album”, the “Glass Onion” is more directly a reference to the huge glass chamber in the shape of an onion that sits atop Miles’ gazillion-dollar mansion. Yet if you know the history of the song you can probably see another reason Johnson chose it. Either way, “Glass Onion” the movie proves that “Knives Out” was no fluke, and Rian Johnson has a bonafide franchise on his hands. This one has a few question marks (I’m still not sure about its big ending), but it packs plenty of laughs, it keeps you guessing, it has its own flavor, and it’s more than just a rehash of the previous film. If Johnson can keep that up, we have some good stuff to look forward to.

“Glass Onion” will be in theaters for one week starting November 23rd. It will release globally on Netflix December 23rd.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Hit: The First Case” (2022)

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5

A police detective tormented by a past trauma races against the clock to solve two missing person cases in the awkwardly titled “HIT: The First Case”. On the surface that sounds like a pretty good crime-thriller recipe. But this Teluga-language remake from director Sailesh Kolanu too often plays like a drawn-out procedural rather than a genuine thriller. And its slow boil and surprising lack of action may catch some viewers by surprise.

Rajkummar Rao plays Vikram Rudraraju, an esteemed cop working for the Homicide Intervention Team (also known as HIT). Vikram is known for his keen instincts and his ability to notice every detail of a crime scene. While his skills earn him the respect of most of his department including his chief Ajit (Dalip Tahil), he does butt heads with the ambitious Akshay (Jatin Goswami), a petty fellow detective driven by jealousy (as far as I can tell).

Personally, Vikram’s life is more complicated. He’s haunted by memories from a past case which has his doctor and friend Ritika (Noyrika Bhatheja) concerned. She warns Vikram that the stress of his work combined with his PTSD will do a irreparable harm, even giving him an ultimatum – quit the force or she’ll rule him unfit meaning he’ll lose his job.

Frustrated, Vikram takes an extended leave from his department but rushes back after getting news that his co-officer and love interest Neha (Sanya Malhotra) has disappeared. Along with his partner, Rohit (Akhil Iyer), Vikram makes a connection between Neha’s disappearance and the abduction of a teenage girl named Preeti (Rose Khan).

It takes a while, but Vikram’s investigation eventually begins to heat up. His list of suspects grows to include Preeti’s parents, a suspended police officer named Ibrahim (Milind Gunaji) who happens to be the last person who saw the missing girl, and a divorcee hungry for attention named Sheela (Shilpa Shukla). Vikram intensifies his search for Preeti, hoping that finding her will also lead to Neha.

The story finally starts picking up steam in the second half, but even then it’s not without several head-scratching hurdles. Characters do things that simply don’t make sense, and motivations for certain actions are such a stretch that they’re too hard to believe. Then you have the out-of-the-blue and unconvincing twist/reveal that seems more outlandish the more I think about it. And never mind it ends with a rather shameless plug for a sequel (and I mean it literally says “HIT: The Second Case” coming soon”).

There are a few other nagging issues. Take Vikram’s psychological state which seems to be a significant part of the story in the first act before all but vanishing later. And then there’s Sen’s performance which is almost cold to a fault. We never get to see much beyond his steely, super-serious demeanor. It makes empathizing difficult, and it dulls the movie’s most emotional storyline.

I know I’ve thrown a lot of criticism at “HIT: The First Case”, and it’s not undeserved. But the movie isn’t a total drag. If you’re able to connect with the case then there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy watching the investigation run its course. I actually was engaged enough to stay with it. I was interested in the many moving parts and seeing how the pieces would fit together. Sadly, there’s nothing about the borderline ridiculous conclusion that feels remotely satisfying. And it leaves the movie on a forgettable note. “HIT”: The First Case” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “A Christmas Story Christmas” (2022)

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Our family loves Christmas time. And like many families, we have our favorite holiday traditions. Among them is watching Christmas movies. Promptly starting the Friday after Thanksgiving, we kick off our Christmas movie watching season. Of course we have our favorites, from silly yuletide romps like “Elf” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacatiom” to perennial classics like “Miracle on 34th Street” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. We adore them.

But we always save one of our very favorites to last. A movie we’ve seen too many times to count. One that’s infinitely quotable and hilarious from start to finish. One with so many terrific characters who you learn and love by name, and just as many endearing moments that make the movie memorable. I’m talking about Bob Clark’s delightful 1983 treasure, “A Christmas Story”. Loaded with charm, humor, heart, and tons of holiday cheer, “A Christmas Story” has only grown in popularity over the years. And now, nearly 40 years later, the movie is getting a proper follow-up.

My immediate reaction to the news of a sequel was “Gulp”. Is this something we really need? Do we really want them tinkering with something many of us love so much? As it turns out, “A Christmas Story Christmas” (not the easiest title to recite) is its own little treat. Is it as good as the 1983 film? Of course not, nowhere close. But that’s an unfair comparison. It’s not aiming to equal its predecessor. Instead, director and co-writer Clay Kaytis sets out to honor “A Christmas Story” by tapping into the characters, style, and tone which made that film great.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Without question “A Christmas Story Christmas” is made for fans of the original film, and you can tell it from the very start, as the old classic Warner Bros. logo fades away and we’re greeted by the familiar chimes of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas“. There’s the exact same opening credits fonts, and of course that signature narration (a different voice of course, but later it’ll make sense why). Fans will immediately recognize these callbacks, and there will be countless others in the forms of locations, lines of dialogue, and of course the characters. One of the biggest treats is seeing nearly all of the original cast return to their roles.

The story is set in December of 1973. When we last saw Ralphie Parker he was a bespectacled young boy from Hohman, Indiana who had just received the greatest Christmas gift he would ever receive – “an official Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle”. Years later, Ralph (a returning Peter Billingsley) lives in Chicago with his wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes), son Mark (River Drosche), and daughter Julie (Julianna Layne). He’s spent the last year writing what he believes is “the next great American novel”, but he’s set himself a deadline. He made a deal with Sandy that he has to be published by the end of the year or he would pack up his dream and re-enter the rat race.

Unfortunately things aren’t looking good for Ralph. He has sent his 2,000-page manuscript (yes, you read that right) to 16 publishers and 15 have said “no thanks”. But his writing takes a backseat after he gets a phone call no one wants to receive. It’s his mother who tells him his father (unforgettably played in the 1983 film by the late Darren McGavin) has passed away. Ralph is crushed. So he and his family load up in their ’66 Plymouth and head for Hohman. Upon arriving they’re greeted by the warm welcome of Ralph’s mom (Julie Hagerty, taking over for Melinda Dillon who retired from acting 15 years ago).

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Ralphie expects to help his mother make funeral arrangements, but she has something else in mind. Reminding him how much his father loved Christmas, she decides to delay his funeral until after the holiday. She tasks Ralph with making sure this is the best Christmas ever – a most fitting way for them to honor his Old Man. Here’s the thing, he only has five days to pull it off. But ever the daydreamer, Ralph finds inspiration and is determined to give his family the kind of Christmas that would make his dad proud.

As the story scoots along we’re reintroduced to several familiar faces. Of course there’s Ralph’s kid brother Randy (Ian Petrella) who’s a traveling businessman and a bit of a flake. And who can forget his best buddies, Flick (Scott Schwartz), who now runs a bar passed down from his dad, and Schwartz (R.D. Robb), who still lives with his mom and spends most of his time running up its tab at Flick’s Tavern. We even get some moments with those pesky hillbilly neighbors the Bumpass family. So many other things bring fun memories gushing back, such as the familiar details of Ralph’s old Cleveland Street house and the “tinkling display of mechanized, electronic joy” in the window at Higbie’s Department Store.

But what makes the movie more than a simple nostalgia trip is how it repeatedly returns to its emotional core. Namely, the loss of a beloved father and a son trying to cope. This really comes to light after Ralph’s mom asks him to write his father’s obituary. Yes, Kaytis and company unashamedly taps into what people love about “A Christmas Story”. But it also has a heart of its own. It makes for a truly enjoyable mix. And if people will avoid the temptation to needlessly compare the two, they’ll find this to be a pretty irresistible sequel and quite the “Christmas Story” companion piece. “A Christmas Story Christmas” premieres November 17th on HBO MAX.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022)

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If the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever needed a jolt it’s now. While the box office and streaming juggernaut is still widely popular and hugely profitable, its current phase (Phase IV for those keeping up) is a far cry from the propulsive and cohesive MCU of old that culminated in “The Avengers: Endgame”. Since then, the MCU has been branching off into so many directions and have forgotten about coherence and continuity (yes, I know Kevin Feige and company have a blueprint they’re following, but that doesn’t change how these movies and streaming shows feel).

Quite frankly, the MCU needs a kick in the pants; a boost of adrenaline to get it out of this current malaise where everything feels so lightweight, segmented, and directionless. Earlier this year Sam Raimi tried with the deliciously chaotic and gonzo “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness”. But predictably it was met with some push-back (it was too dark. it was too violent, it was too “out there”). The dreadful “Thor: Love and Thunder” only exacerbated the MCU’s problems. And now we have the long-awaited “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, a movie full of unenviable challenges. Could it be a cinematic return to form for the MCU, or would its emotional baggage be too much to overcome?

For some people, all they really needed was for “Wakanda Forever” to handle Chadwick Boseman‘s passing well. If the movie did that, it would earn enough goodwill that the rest wouldn’t really matter. In a way that’s understandable. The loss of Boseman hit hard and is still felt by many. Director Ryan Coogler had to deal with it, both in reality and within the context of the “Black Panther” character. That’s no easy task. But Coogler does his best, creating something that’s a memorial to both T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman himself. He also provides a cathartic release for audiences and the cast alike. Something that’s needed before he or we can move forward.

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

“Wakanda Forever” begins by immediately tackling the T’Challa issue. Rather than using CGI to recreate the character or framing his death through a some big action encounter, Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole attribute it to an “undisclosed illness”. It’s undeniably vague and the lack of detail is pretty hard to look past. Still, I didn’t mind how Coogler chose to handle it under the circumstances. It hits pretty hard, especially when we’re reintroduced to the Wakandans as they try to cope with the loss of their king and protector.

The story quickly shifts to one year later as T’Challa’s mother, Queen Ramonda (an excellent Angela Bassett) works to lead the wounded and mourning Wakanda. Meanwhile, her daughter, the tech savvy Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright), is burdened with guilt, feeling she should have been able to use her know-how to save her brother. As they try to navigate this difficult time individually and collectively, Wakanda finds itself a hot topic on the global stage. Various nations are pressuring Ramonda to share their vibranium, the strongest metal in the world which Wakanda kept hidden until the events of the previous film. And with word of Black Panther’s death getting around, some are trying to take it by force.

With a new vibranium-detecting machine in their possession, the US government locate a potential vibranium deposit on the ocean floor. A mining expedition is sent out, but during their operation the entire team is attacked and killed by blue-skinned warriors led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejia), the king of an underwater civilization who, like Wakanda, hides from the outside world and also possesses and protects vibranium.

The brainiacs at the CIA wrongly conclude it was the Wakandans who sabotaged their mission. Meanwhile an angry Namor blames Wakanda for drawing the outsiders to their vibranium in the first place. He approaches Ramonda and Shuri to voice his displeasure and inform them of his plan to find and kill the inventor of the vibranium-detecting machine, an MIT student named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). He gives them a choice. They can either join him against the surface world, or he and his warriors will attack Wakanda.

Needless to say the story has a lot going on. While the loss of T’Challa looms over the entire movie, there are also introductions of new characters and new worlds, global politics and at-home tension. It ends up being a little too much as the movie feels needlessly overstuffed even at 160 minutes. Much of it comes from the insistence on franchise service. Take the Riri Williams (aka Ironheart) inclusion. She’s a decent enough character and Thorne’s performance is fine. But here she’s little more than a plot device, and here mainly to promote her upcoming Disney+ streaming series.

Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios

The biggest new addition is Namor, a classic comics character with a lot of potential within the MCU. In many ways he’s Coogler’s Killmonger 2.0 – an antagonist with a fairly similar backstory rooted in pain and oppression. Both Namor and Huerta Mejia’s performance start a little soft. But he toughens up later and really embraces the villain role. He’s particularly strong in the action scenes, proving Namor to be a formidable foe.

But the movie can’t fully shake its nagging issues. Some of photography is dark and murky, specifically in Namor’s Mayan-inspired underwater home Talokan (DC and Aquaman had dibs on Atlantis). Also, at times the blue skin of Namor’s warriors doesn’t always look convincing. And while I loved going back to Wakanda, here it’s missing a lot of the detail that made the 2018 film so transporting. It doesn’t quite feel like the same place. Storywise, there’s several strangely rash decisions and knee-jerk reactions. And after some good tense buildup, the ending feels a bit too tidy.

Some of these are small gripes on their own, but they add up. Still Coogler and company deserve credit for facing some really big challenges head-on. And while the heartache is intense, Coogler does more than ride a wave of sentiment and emotion. There are some storytelling issues, the film starts to drag in the middle, and it definitely misses Chadwick Boseman’s quiet dignity and gravitas. But I loved the thorny politics that play out within and between the two vibranium empowered nations. Plus, the introduction of Namor teases some pretty exciting things. And considering how light and breezy the recent MCU has felt, it’s nice and refreshing to get something more serious-minded. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Armageddon Time” (2022)

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(CLICK HERE to read my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

One of the biggest satisfactions from James Gray’s new coming-of-age drama “Armageddon Time” is unpacking it afterwards – peeling back the layers and sorting through the various memories the filmmaker attempts to explore. If only watching the movie carried the same sense of fulfillment. Despite being a deeply personal film for Gray, it doesn’t always feel like it. Some scenes unquestionably bear the filmmaker’s mark. Others have an overly familiar studio product feel. Still, it does have its saving graces.

“Armageddon Time” is heavily influenced from Gray’s childhood growing up in Queens, and he does a good job recreating that time and place. Opening in 1980, this memoir of sorts begins in a public classroom on the first day of school. Paul Graff (Banks Repeta), an 11-year-old aspiring artist and class clown, meets and befriends his new classmate Johnny (Jaylin Webb), a fellow disruptor working on his second year in sixth grade.

The two boys have an interesting dynamic. Paul is Jewish-American and comes from a fairly stable working class family. Johnny is one of the few Black kids in the school and lives with his ailing grandmother. The roots of their mischievousness is dramatically different, yet both find a partner in crime in each other. But that doesn’t mean they’re good together which leads to a nagging conflict within the movie.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

Gray has a hard time balancing our sympathy with the boys’ delinquency. We feel for them whenever we’re shown the harsher side of their upbringing. But their blatant disrespect and troublemaking (which steadily worsens whenever they’re together) doesn’t exactly have the effect Gray is shooting for. The most compelling aspect of their relationship is in how differently the two are treated for their misbehavior, whether it’s by their teacher, Mr. Turkeltaub (Andrew Polk) or the cops. This is where the film’s sometimes shaky racial politics is its most effective.

The scenes at Paul’s home play like a tapestry of memories that Gray has passionately stitched together. Paul’s family are proud but insular Jewish liberals who happily take snide shots at Ronald Reagan every time he pops up on the television, yet are blind to their own racism that surfaces whenever they talk about “the blacks.” His uptight mother, Esther (Anne Hathaway) is the president of the PTA and absorbed in her desire to run for the school board. His hard-shelled father, Irving (Jeremy Strong) is a repairman with a notable bad temper but who may be a good guy underneath (It’s hard to tell. He’s haphazardly written and more of a sketch than a portrait). Then there’s Paul’s one-note jerk of an older brother Ted (Ryan Sell) who attends a private high school and does nothing more than antagonize.

While Paul is cold to his mother (something vaguely explained but not in a satisfying way) and fearful of his father (which is realized through one particularly harrowing scene), the lone family member he’s closest to is his grandfather, Aaron (Anthony Hopkins). Paul is honest and open with his grandpa. And much like the boy, we light up whenever Hopkins shows up on screen. The film’s most tender and heartfelt moments feature Hopkins and his signature blend of charisma and warmth. And Aaron may be the movie’s most interesting character, with wisdom and perspective shaped by his family’s history with the Holocaust.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

The film’s flaws are more pronounced in the second half as Johnny’s story fades to the background, and Gray ventures off into other thematic weeds. A chunk of it follows Paul as he’s sent to the uppity Kew-Forest prep-school, where businessman Fred Trump (John Diehl) sent his children, future president Donald and US Appellate Judge Maryanne (played briefly by Jessica Chastain). Gray uses these scenes to highlight the era’s class and race clash, attempting to connect it to the Reagan years and more lazily the Trump presidency. But it’s more vague assertions than thoughtful consideration.

It culminates in an unfortunate final scene that’s well-intended but ends up making Johnny’s entire story a means to give Paul (and perhaps Gray himself) this big moment of self-congratulatory clarity. It’s a sour note to end on, and one that leaves you reconsidering some of the weightier stuff that came before it, particularly in its dealings with race.

In the end, Gray simply has too much on his mind and gets trapped in between reflecting on his childhood and offering a politically-charged critique. There’s some material there for each, but not enough to juggle both. It’s hard to stay connected emotionally, despite another sterling and impactful performance from Anthony Hopkins. And in terms of its messaging, “Armageddon Time” remains surprisingly inert, and no amount of shallow sermonizing and self-implication can give it the heft it’s so desperately after. “Armageddon Time” is now showing in select theaters.

VERDICT – 2 STARS