REVIEW: “Don’t Worry Darling” (2022)

September 24, 2022 by Keith Garlington

For many, the new film “Don’t Worry Darling” went from highly anticipated to widely scorned in a snap, and all it took was a seemingly innocuous FaceTime message between Olivia Wilde and Shia LaBeouf. Navigating the gossipy, social media driven hoopla that followed to get into the actually movie itself may be a chore. But if you get beyond the pre-release tabloid noise you’ll find a saucy psychological thriller with lots going on under its shiny, well-made surface.

Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial effort is a nice step-up from her much beloved yet frustratingly banal debut “Booksmart”. Unlike her first film, here it feels like Wilde is doing more than just copying and pasting from other movies. With “Don’t Worry Darling” she swings for the fences. And while she may not hit all of her marks, I love the ambition and the willingness to extend herself in some gutsy new directions. And the results aren’t half bad either.

Wilde’s ingenuity and imagination is seen everywhere, but most notably in her visual approach. She and cinematographer Matthew Libatique give their sun-bathed suburb a utopian glow. Everything about their immaculate 1950s veneer (the palm trees, the landscaping, the homes, etc.) is pristine to the point of artificiality. It’s a perfect representation of the pre-fabricated world these privileged few have made for themselves.

But Wilde’s crafty visual technique goes beyond simply capturing setting. It also brings the neighborhood to life and lets us know that something is off with both the community and its residents. Strategic close-ups, an assortment of effective camera movements, and some really clever framing show off the director’s verve. But it also enhances the storytelling, building up some really good tension and even doing the emotional heavy lifting in a few specific scenes.

It’s hard to watch “Don’t Worry Darling” and not get instant “Stepford Wives” vibes. More than that, the entire film plays like an early season episode of “The Twilight Zone”. Florence Pugh gives a tenacious performance playing Alice, a devoted housewife to her husband Jack (Harry Styles). The couple live in a lush remote suburb in the middle of what looks like the California desert. The men all work for a vaguely defined initiative called The Victory Project (they work with “progressive materials” whatever that is). The women stay at home, cleaning and cooking until their husbands return from their workday.

In this cozy coterie women have all their needs met and are pampered with nice homes, beautiful dresses, and a bustling social life. But make no mistake, this is a community custom-made for men and built on the malignant ideal of old-fashioned subjugation. This only grows clearer as the story progresses. Yet everyone seems onboard, in large part due to their unwavering trust in the charismatic head of The Victory Project, Frank (Chris Pine). His pop-star presence and persuasive speeches of nonsensical mumbo-jumbo is all it takes to sell his misleading vision to his starry-eyed residents.

But Alice is noticeably different than the other ladies on her block. She’s intuitive and strong-willed. And she’s not the kind to sit idly by and ignore her suspicions. So when she begins noticing some cracks in the community’s idyllic facade, she investigates. And that’s a no-no in a place with such little regard for a woman’s agency. Soon Alice is looking for answers to questions she’s not supposed to be asking which draws the attention of a concerned Frank. And it leads to friction in her marriage as Jack must decide if his loyalties lie with his wife or his privileged lifestyle.

From that synopsis alone you probably have a good sense of some of the themes Wilde and screenwriter Katie Silberman are exploring. But “Don’t Worry Darling” is surprisingly rich and some of its more clever themes don’t become clear until late in the film. That’s when we get the big final-act twist that may lose points for originality, but that does pose some thoughtful questions (I’ll leave them for you to discover).

The cast is a lot of fun and includes Wilde herself playing Alice’s next-door neighbor and best friend, Gemma Chan who doesn’t get much to do, but who has one absolutely brilliant dinner table moment, and an underused Nick Kroll. Pine is mysterious and alluring. And despite what’s been said, Harry Styles is perfectly serviceable as Jack. But it always comes back to Pugh whose fierce yet grounded performance anchors the movie. She’s such an extraordinary actress who possesses the instincts of a seasoned screen veteran despite being only 26-years-old. And it’s those instincts that keep things in check when the movie veers too far off track.

It’s unfortunate that the overblown behind-the-scenes drama has overshadowed “Don’t Worry Darling”. And you can’t help but wonder how much it has influenced those deciding whether to buy a ticket. It’s a shame because Olivia Wilde takes some impressive strides forward as a director, and Florence Pugh shows yet again why she’s one of the most exciting young actresses working today. The film has its flaws. But if you tune out the noise and give it a shot, I think you’ll find there’s a lot to like. “Don’t Worry Darling” is out now in theaters.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Pearl” (2022)

September 23, 2022 by Keith Garlington

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

I had reasonably high expectations for “X”, an unashamed ode to slasher movies and grindhouse sleaze that released earlier this year. Sadly, it ended up feeling more like a trashy knockoff than anything remotely fresh. But then a prequel was announced titled “Pearl”, and its trailer offered a stylish and delightfully brutal blast of technicolor-soaked horror. I was instantly intrigued.

Because of “X”, I entered “Pearl” with a fair amount of caution. After seeing it, I left the film mostly impressed by what West had put together. “Pearl” is impossible to put into a single box. It’s an origin story, a rural horror movie, a psychological thriller, a pitch-black comedy, a gonzo exploitation flick. And while not all of it fits together seamlessly, West’s focus is tighter and he doesn’t stray off course or get bogged down in as much nonsense this time around.

“Pearl” truly is West’s baby. He directs, edits, co-writes, and co-produces. But most people will leave the film talking about its star, Mia Goth (who’s also credited as co-writer). The British actress pulls out her thick Southern accent and steps back into the skin of Pearl, a troubled young woman with a twisted imagination and big dreams of becoming a movie star. Goth played an elderly Pearl in “X”, but here she gets to put aside the heavy prosthetics to play a younger Pearl at a crucial point in her life.

The movie’s sumptuous opening puts us right back on the farm from “X”. West starts us in the barn, swinging open its large double doors to reveal a sun-bathed yellow farmhouse surrounded by bright green grass. It’s almost Rockwellian in its presentation. Yet before the opening credits are done, West and Goth give us a jolt just to let us know there’s nothing idyllic about the world we’ve entered. And from that moment there’s a lingering sense of unease which West maintains to the film’s eerie final frame.

I can’t overstate how essential that uneasy feeling is to the movie’s success. West wants us to know from the start that Pearl is unwell. Sure, people who have seen “X” already have a good idea. But for those who haven’t, West makes it clear in the opening moments. With that understanding comes anticipation. We know bad things are coming. We know she’s going to break. The question becomes when and how? What drives her? How far does she go? West has us in the palm of his hand. It’s just up to him to deliver the payoff. For the most part he does.

While the ever-present simmer of dread is vital, Goth’s performance is the centerpiece. Aside from the hints of theatrics in a few scenes, Goth really sells us her damaged character. But what stands out most is her ability to make Pearl uncomfortably deranged while earning our empathy. Some of it is due to West’s script which gives Pearl room to develop and her circumstances time to metastasize. But most comes from Goth who captures every twisted facet of her character.

“Pearl” takes place as World War I and the equally deadly Spanish Flu were nearing their ends, yet the reverberations of both were still being felt across the globe. With her husband Howard away at war, Pearl is left to tend to her parents’ farm and help her stern German-born mother (Tandi Wright) take care of her wheelchair bound father (Matthew Sutherland). But Pearl’s heart is elsewhere. She has an unhealthy obsession with being a movie star. She sees it as her ticket off the farm, much to the chagrin of her cynical mother.

ThAfter developing its setting and her circumstances, the movie simply follows Pearl over the next several days as she encounters people and situations that will ultimately play into her inevitable breakdown. Among the key players is a hunky bohemian theater projectionist (David Corenswet) who shows Pearl a stag film he picked up while in Europe (a lazy, wedged-in attempt at linking to “X” and the upcoming third film). And there’s Mitzy (Emma Jenkins-Purro), Pearl’s sister-in-law who accompanies her to a church-sponsored dance troupe audition.

This simple yet effective approach paints us a rich and detailed portrait of Pearl – one that grows more unsettling by the minute. Along the way, West uses his story to comment on quarantine life, pandemic era paranoia, and the damaging effects of isolation. There’s also a brilliantly layered examination of family dysfunction that shows how deep-seated pain can fester into something toxic and destructive.

“Pearl” is a deliciously unhinged slice of period horror that’ll have you chuckling one minute and squirming in your seat the next. It improves on “X” in nearly every perceivable way, yet it’s very much its own movie that feels plucked out of time. The visual craft, the ingenious score from Tyler Bates and Tim Williams, and of course Mia Goth’s next-level performance are all crucial to realizing West’s vision. And while there are reasons to be leery of the teased third film, it doesn’t hinder the enjoyment of “Pearl” which is plenty able to stand on its own. “Pearl” is now showing in theaters.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Bandit” (2022)

September 22, 2022 by Keith Garlington

Don’t let its bland title fool you. “Bandit”, from Canadian director Allan Ungar, is a nimble and multi-faceted heist movie built around a genuinely outrageous true story. The film is an adaptation of Ed Arnold and Robert Knuckle’s 1996 book about the real-life story of Gilbert Galvan Jr. aka The Flying Bandit. Galvan Jr. was a criminal who robbed a total off 59 banks and jewelry stores across Canada over a three year period. He holds the record for the most consecutive successful robberies in Canadian history (I guess the keep stats for those things).

From a script by Kraig Wenman, “Bandit” is a fascinating stew of genres. It’s a biographical drama, a lighthearted crime caper, a straight heist film, and even a heartfelt love story all wrapped into one surprisingly cohesive whole. And it’s led by Josh Duhamel who is finally given some material that lets him show what he can do.

**Image Courtesy of Quiver Distribution**

The movie opens with Gilbert Galvan Jr. (Duhamel) setting up his own story which plays out during the shifting 1980s. Through narration and a little self-aware fourth wall breaking, the good-natured Galvan ends up sentenced to 18 months in a Michigan prison for check fraud. Six months into his sentence he busts out and makes his way across the border into Canada.

Once in Ottawa, Galvan assumes the name Robert Whiteman and even entertains going straight. He gets a low-paying job selling ice cream and even hits it off with a beautiful young woman named Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert) who works at a church-ran hostel. But in this particular story, once a criminal always a criminal. Galvan/Robert begins casing area banks, noting their small staffs and lax security. Inevitably robbing them comes next, and it proves to be something Robert is really good at.

But he can’t just keep hitting the same local banks, so Robert looks to take his gig nationwide. To do so he needs some backing. He connects with Ottawa’s biggest crime boss, Tommy Kay (Mel Gibson) who fronts Robert with the initial cash (for a small cut of each score of course). From there Gilbert Galvan Jr./ Robert Wiseman begins flying all across Canada, successfully pulling bank jobs and taking in loads of cash. During this time he and Andrea move in together. He tells her he’s gotten a job as a traveling “security analyst”. Actually he’s on his way to becoming the most prolific bank robber in Canada’s history.

Robert’s association with Tommy eventually puts him on the radar of a frustrated police detective named John Snydes (Néstor Carbonell). He runs an underfunded task force called Project Café that’s focused on taking down Tommy’s enterprise. With all of his key pieces on the board, Ungar begins moving them around at a breezy pace, keeping us engaged mostly through the charm-soaked performance of its star, Duhamel.

While this is certainly a crime story, “Bandit” is sure to surprise people with its heart and almost kid-like playfulness. Take the dashes of good humor sprinkled all throughout the movie. They’re seen mostly during the heist sequences, from Robert’s numerous zany disguises to his innate congeniality (he routinely encourages bank tellers with a soft-spoken and heartfelt “You did great”). These scenes sell because of the good-looking, easy-going Duhamel who not only makes you laugh, but slyly has us rooting for him as well.

As normal for stories like this, things begin to tense up in the final act. It’s one of those cases where you see the ending coming from a mile away, yet Ungar’s crisp direction keeps us engaged. The lone issue is with Galvan/Robert as a character. Yes he’s charming, witty, and whip-smart. But we never really get to know him. Aside from his genuine love for Andrea, our connection to him is always surface-level. It’s a nagging problem that keeps the movie from being as compelling as it otherwise might have been. Yet, much like the character he plays, Duhamel has a way of drawing us in with his infectious charisma. “Bandit” opens tomorrow in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Movie Poster Spotlight: “Smile”

September 21, 2022 by Keith Garlington

I haven’t gotten a good enough read of the upcoming horror film “Smile” to know whether to be excited for it or not. There are parts of the trailer that are genuinely creepy. But there are also hints that this could be yet another throwaway creeper with a fairly familiar premise. But I will say that the absolutely bonkers new poster certainly grab my attention. I’m not saying it’s great, but I have to admit it’s pretty wacky. And what can I say? I kinda like wacky. What do you think?

DIRECTOR – Parker Finn

WRITER – Parker Finn

STARRING – Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Rob Morgan, Caitlin Stacey, Jessie T. Usher, Kal Penn, Robin Weigert, Judy Reyes, Gillian Zinser, Dora Kiss, Kevin Keppy

RELEASE – September 30, 2022

REVIEW: “The Silent Twins” (2022)

September 21, 2022 by Keith Garlington

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

Directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska, “The Silent Twins” is based on the book of the same name by investigative journalist and author Marjorie Wallace (portrayed briefly in the film by Jodhi May). Wallace met June and Jennifer Gibbons in 1982 after they had been committed to the notorious Broadmoor Hospital in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England. Over several years and numerous visits, Wallace eventually earned the sisters’ trust and was given the opportunity to chronicle their troubling story.

For those unfamiliar with June and Jennifer Gibbons, this isn’t an easy watch. The approach by Smoczyńska and screenwriter Andrea Seigel is unconventional, but it sharply captures the emotional complexity of the sisters’ story. The film can be sweet, heartbreaking, insightful, and even a bit bizarre at times. But it’s the humanity that matters most in a movie like this. The filmmakers understand that and never lose their grasp of that truth.

The film begins during June and Jennifer’s childhood (they’re played by two talented young actresses, Leah Mondesir-Simmonds and Eva-Arianna Baxter). Their family are immigrants from Barbados who moved the UK as part of the Windrush Generation. Their father Aubrey (Treva Etienne) is an air traffic controller while their mother Gloria (Nadine Marshall) is a hardworking housewife.

While the film doesn’t explore it, there’s a racial dynamic at play especially at school where June and Jennifer are the only black students. This leads to some disturbing scenes of bullying and abuse that impact the girls’ lives in a significant way. But what affects them most is a pact of silence they make, developing a form of cryptophasia and refusing to communicate with anyone other than themselves. Their utter silence crushes their parents and siblings and drives a wedge between them and their family. It also creates an unhealthy dependence between them.

The longer the sisters stay closed off, the more isolated the pair become. They begin seeing the world through their imaginations rather than experiencing it. To get us inside their heads, Smoczyńska periodically inserts these stop-motion puppet sequences inspired by June and Jennifer’s unique perceptions. They’re often cryptic and metaphorical; sometimes borderline macabre and unsettling. But it’s an ingenious way of conveying the way the two girls think and feel.

Another way Smoczyńska explores their mindsets is through DP Jakub Kijowski’s camera. We often get these daydream sequences which visualize the romanticized way June and Jennifer imagine certain experiences. These scenes often have a bright golden hue, and Kijowski plays with focus which accentuates their dreamy quality. Contrast that with the cold, harsh color palette whenever Smoczyńska switches back to reality.

While the entire movie is achingly sad, it’s most despairing moments come after the story shifts to June and Jennifer’s late teen years. Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance are extraordinary in portraying this darker phase of the sisters’ life. They share a dream of becoming published authors, but their lack of real-world connection leaves their stories lacking. But their attempts at rectifying that leads them down some bad paths. It begins when both June and Jennifer develop an infatuation with an abusive jock named Wayne (Jack Bandeira). He introduces them to drugs and takes advantage of them in a number of cruel and vile ways.

From there the girls watch their lives spiral, leading to them getting into trouble with the law and eventually being institutionalized in Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital. Through it all their pact of silence remained intact. But it’s also a key reason they find themselves confined and more isolated than ever before. And we watch every painful step through Smoczyńska’s ever-observing camera. Sometimes we feel like the third person in the room. Other times it’s as if we’re peering around corners or through doorways. These visual choices allow us to see these two lives in significantly different ways.

While Smoczyńska’s approach to the story gives us a lot to admire, there are times where her flourishes don’t quite connect. And the movie’s fleeting interest in the factors that led to June and Jennifer’s mental descent leaves too much untold. At the same time, “The Silent Twins” is most interested in capturing their experiences rather than exploring roots causes. And by keeping its focus directly on them, it gives us a better chance at understand where the two sisters are coming from even if we only get sketches of where they’ve been. “The Silent Twins” is now showing in select theaters.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “K.G.F: Chapter 2” (2022)

September 20, 2022 by Keith Garlington

On the heels of the successful “K.G.F: Chapter 1” and following a rather lengthy COVID-19 delay, writer-director Prashanth Neel delivered the second chapter of his two-part action-fueled crime saga. The highly anticipated sequel is the most expense Kannada-language film ever made and currently stands as the highest grossing Kannada-language movie of all-time. After finally seeing it, I can understand why.

Not only does Chapter 2 have a bigger budget, but it also has a bigger scope. Everything about it feels larger and the stakes are most certainly higher. But most importantly, the second chapter sticks to the same wild, over-the-top blueprint – high on style, heavy on action, and still driven by the powerhouse presence of its charisma-oozing star, Yash. And while Neel runs into some of the same problems as he did with the first film, they’re not nearly as pronounced this time around. He tightens up the storytelling and he does a better job with some of his characters – two slight beefs I had with Chapter 1.

If you remember, the first film was built around a veteran reporter and author, Anand Ingalagi (Anant Nag) being interviewed by television journalist Deepa Hegde (Malavika Avinash). After having his book banned by the Indian government, Anand comes to the television station to share his story which the Prime Minister (Raveena Tandon) is determined to erase. Chapter 2 uses that same framing device but with a twist.

After suffering a sudden stroke, Anand lies in intensive care unable to finish his story. While at the hospital, Deepa meets Anand’s son Vijayendra (Prakash Taj) who tells them his father was obsessed with the story of the Kolar Gold Fields (K.G.F.) and the rise to power of a renowned assassin named Rocky (Yash). Despite their troubled family history, Vijayendra insists that the rest of his father’s story be told. So he takes Deepa and her crew to his father’s library where they begin piecing together the second half of Anand’s tale.

From there we shift to the story of Rocky who (after killing the ruthless Garuda in Chapter 1) has taken over as the new boss of the K.G.F. He now runs the most precious piece of land on earth, funneling gold through the black market and amassing enormous wealth. It’s all in keeping with a pledge he made to his ailing mother when he was a child. While on her deathbed, she makes Rocky pledge to one day become rich and powerful so that people would remember his name. It’s what drives his out-of-control hunger for more.

Despite having dirty hands, Rocky is loved by the miners and their families, winning their adoration by supplying them clothing and building them homes. While the adults praise his benevolence, the children herald him as a superhero. But there are forces on the outside who are unhappy with Rocky’s ascension. So he does what anyone would do in his situation – he builds an army to protect his empire.

Meanwhile, outside of the K.G.F. walls, the five crime bosses who hired Rocky in the first film now begin plotting against him. They don’t like than an outsider has disrupted their enterprise, and they’re not giving it up without a fight. At the same time, Rocky is branded “the biggest criminal in India” by the self-serving Prime Minister Ramika Sen who’s willing to use the full resources of the government to shut him down. But there’s a new player in the game; a violent wild card no one saw coming – Adheera (Sanjay Dutt), the brother of the ruthless kingpin Rocky killed in the first film.

As I’m sure you expect, all of these combustible elements lead to some insanely fun action sequences as Rocky defends his fortune from all sides. Yash’s unmatched (and often hilarious) bravado energizes the fight sequences and shootouts, and returning DP Bhuvan Gowda once again shoots him as a near mythological force of nature. It’s the same unique visual language from the first film, but with crisper editing and even more ambitious. That means we get action scenes that are bigger, crazier, and always stunning to look at. But not all the action involves fists, guns, or explosives. Yet even then, Rocky always seems to be one step ahead of his enemies.

One of my biggest gripes about the first film was its handling of Srinidhi Shetty’s character, Reena, Rocky’s alleged love interest. I say “alleged” because there was no warmth between them whatsoever. And Shetty was quickly pushed into the background and forgotten. She makes for a more interesting presence in Chapter 2 and has a pretty significant role to play in the second half. Reena still isn’t as fleshed out as I had hoped, but at least she finally feels like a part of the story.

“K.G.F: Chapter 2” embraces the best things from the first film while correcting some of its missteps. Together, the two films make for a delightfully cohesive pair. Neel uses our love for legend to tell his story the same way we often do when talking about our heroes – with as much imagination as certitude. This dance between myth and truth is a big part of makes these movies tick. Chapter 1 gave us a good taste of it. Chapter 2 took the concept and ran with it. “K.G.F: Chapter 2” is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.