REVIEW: “House of Gucci” (2021)

November 26, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Ridley Scott’s second movie in as many months couldn’t be more different than the one that came before it. “The Last Duel” was a really good medieval period film that unfortunately bombed at the box office. Since then Scott has gone on to blame millennials, cell phones, Facebook, and so on. Without getting caught up in where he’s right and where he’s wrong, I’ll just say it’s a shame the movie didn’t get a bigger audience and you can’t help but theorize about the reasons why.

His follow-up “House of Gucci” could spark some of the same reaction from the 83-year-old filmmaker. Considering the source material, I always expected the film to be a train wreck. But would it be the good kind or the bad kind? The early reactions didn’t clarify much, and since then moviegoers have pretty much remain divided. Well after sitting through Scott’s nearly 160-minute drama/satire, I’m still not sure what kind of train wreck this ‘based on a true story’ yarn is.

Ridley Scott has been hungry to make a movie about the renowned Gucci fashion house since the early 2000s. If you don’t know the wonky history of this Italian family owned empire, I won’t ruin it for you. Suffice it that greed, betrayal, and even murder all have parts to play in their story. Scott’s avenue into the family’s prominence and eventual disintegration is the relationship between Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) and Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga).

**Image Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures**

The movie opens in 1978 Milan where Patrizia works in the offices of her father’s smalltime trucking business. Our first glimpse of her shows a woman of ambition who has a taste for attention. Maurizio is the son and lone heir of Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons made up to look like death warmed over). Rodolfo owns 50% of the Gucci brand while the other half is owned by his brother Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino).

Scott, along with screenwriters Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna, begin the story by showing the unashamedly forward Patrizia’s pursuit of the bookishly awkward Maurizio. The ailing Rodolfo doesn’t like the budding romance and warns his gullible heir. But Maurizio rejects his father’s wishes (and his future inheritance) and marries Patrizia.

After showing how they became a couple and giving us a glimpse of their early days together, the movie spends the bulk of its time on how Maurizio and Patrizia made their way back into the Gucci ranks. Patrizia drives the burgeoning power couple to the top by first pushing the generally apathetic Maurizio (he’s studying to be a lawyer) into taking on a bigger role in his family’s company. But later, as her lust of fortune and fame fully reveals itself, Patrizia hatches plans behind her husband’s back to pit Gucci against Gucci. And while the couple eventually rises to the top of the fashion house, once the ever naive Maurizio gets wind of his wife’s manipulation, their marriage starts to crumble, much like Gucci family’s once prominent empire.

All of that makes for some batty yet undeniably compelling drama. Up to that point the story bops along at a steady pace and the inside look at this Italian family and their business is both interesting and comical. Scott spends a lot of time digging into the family dynamic and the shifting power structure. But he also pokes fun at the superficiality of their extravagant lifestyle and status. The cast is certainly in on the gag with Gaga leading the way. Parts of her performance is more caricature by design, plucking inspiration from the tabloids and running with it. But Gaga is so committed to details and in-tune with the material that she uses different scenes to rein in her character, revealing an emotional backbone that makes Patrizia real rather than a cartoon.

Driver is also very good. He’s like the straight man in an absurdist comedy. Driver portrays Maurizio as stiff and sheepish, brandishing a thick comb-over and even thicker oversized glasses. He hardly ever gets above room temperature, but that’s part of the character’s strength, especially as he subtly transforms before our eyes. Pacino is clearly having a lot of fun, hamming it up in the early scenes while shattered and defeated in the latter. Jared Leto is a little sketchier. He plays Aldo’s buffoon of a son Paolo. On the other hand, you could say Paolo is the only forward-thinking Gucci of the bunch. Leto goes full…something, burying himself under layers of makeup and latex while doing a routine that can be hilarious yet utterly distracting.

But then we get to the third act which quite literally brings the film down a few pegs. The movie completely loses its footing as it bogs down in scenes dealing with control of shares and majority ownership. Meanwhile Patrizia becomes this impossible to read character. So much so that the the movie doesn’t even seem to know how to portray her. And then there is the woefully undercooked buildup to the big crime. We only get a couple of scenes to show the planning and the crime being carried out. Even less attention is given to the outcome. Just snap your finger and everyone is suddenly in court being sentenced…end movie.

For about two-thirds of “House of Gucci” I was onboard, really enjoying the wackiness of the impervious rich and famous. I was into the film’s central relationship and was getting a kick out of the crazy contrast between both the characters and the performances of Gaga and Driver. But everything comes to a screeching halt in that third act and the movie suffers for it. I watched several people leave the theater during it. I was invested enough to see it through, but I can see why some were ready to check out. “House of Gucci” is now showing in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2021 by Keith Garlington

I just want to take a second to wish everyone who celebrates it a very Happy Thanksgiving. Myself, I’m thankful for all of the people I’ve gotten to know through this goofy website. Thanks for all of the reads, likes, comments, and conversations. They means a lot.

Have a terrific day and a wonderful holiday season.

REVIEW: “The Unforgivable” (2021)

November 24, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Sandra Bullock transforms in the new Netflix film “The Unforgivable”, a drama based on a 2009 British miniseries penned by Sally Wainwright. The story centers around a woman trying to get her life back together after serving 20 years in prison for murdering a local sheriff. This is a showcase for Bullock who gets a nice meaty role to sink her teeth into. And while the story may unravel a bit in the end, Bullock’s performance is rock solid from start to finish.

The film marks the English language feature film debut for director Nora Fingscheidt. First announced back in 2010, “The Unforgivable” originally had Angelina Jolie attached to star and Christopher McQuarrie from the “Mission: Impossible” franchise set to write the script. But much changed in the nine years that followed with Fingscheidt and Bullock eventually coming onboard. They prove to be a good pair.

Bullock plays Ruth Slater who we first meet as she’s being released from prison. She’s met by her parole officer Vince Cross (the always great Rob Morgan) who goes over the conditions of her release and then drives her to an uninviting halfway house in Seattle’s Chinatown district. She learned carpentry while in prison, but she can’t escape the “cop killer” label and every construction job she applies for turns her down. So she ends up hacking up fish at a fish factory.

It doesn’t take much to see that Ruth is a complicated individual. Fingscheidt gives a lot of attention to her struggle to plug back into society. Her hardened exterior leads us to believe she’s tough enough to handle whatever she’s forced to face. But underneath the lack of connection begins to take its toll. Bullock does a great job conveying her character’s grit and her vulnerability.

But it’s Ruth’s past that tells us the most about her. Fingscheidt sprinkles in brief flashbacks that are like puzzle pieces, revealing the details of the event to sent Ruth to prison. We learn she had a five-year-old sister named Katherine who was present when she killed the sheriff. Now a young woman in her early twenties, Katherine (Aisling Franciosi) lives with her loving foster parents Michael and Rachel Malcolm (Richard Thomas and Linda Emond). She remembers nothing about her old life, but she does have these fragments of memory that she’s unable to decipher.

Despite a very firm “no contact” order from the court, Ruth immediately sets out to reconnect with Katherine or at least to find out if she’s okay. On her journey she encounters a number of people including Liz and John Ingram (Viola Davis and Vincent D’Onofrio), the couple who now own Ruth’s old house. She also meets Blake (Jon Bernthal), her super chatty co-worker at the fish plant who immediately takes a liking to her.

But there’s also Steve (Will Pullen) and Keith (Tom Guiry), the two embittered sons of the man Ruth killed. A flat and hard to buy side-story about the two brothers slowly unfolds, doing more to distract than add compelling layers to the story. Their angle is a misfire that never feels in tune with the rest of the movie.

Most of story (written by the trio of Peter Craig, Hillary Seitz, and Courtenay Miles) does a good job weaving in the numerous supporting characters. Some play bigger parts in Ruth’s journey while others only have bit parts (I would have loved more of Viola Davis). But it all comes back to Bullock who pours herself into her role, physically and emotionally embodying a character full of complexities. And while the ending undermines much of the gritty authenticity from earlier in the film, Bullock’s performance keeps us centered while reminding us of how good she can be with the right material. “The Unforgivable” premieres on Netflix December 10th.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

REVIEW: “Tick, Tick…BOOM!” (2021)

November 23, 2021 by Keith Garlington

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

These days there is an inescapable buzz that surrounds anything with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s name attached to it. The mastermind behind the stage musical and cultural phenomenon “Hamilton” has been venturing more and more into the world of film – producing, voice acting, and writing music for several recent movies. Now Miranda steps behind the camera for the first time to tell the story of a Broadway star-to-be who never had the opportunity to see his dream realized.

Jonathan Larson’s “Rent” was an influential stage production that inspired a generation of theater playwrights and performers. “Rent” played on Broadway for 12 years and grossed over $280 million. Tragically, Larson never saw its success. He died January 25, 1996 of an aortic dissection, the very day of Rent’s first Off-Broadway preview performance. He was only 35-years-old. He would go on to win three posthumous Toney Awards and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Among those influenced and driven by Larson’s work was Lin-Manuel Miranda. His new film “Tick, Tick…BOOM!” plays as both a tribute to Larson’s legacy as well as a celebration of New York City theater. The script is by Steven Levenson, a Toney Award winner himself who also wrote the screenplay for the woeful film adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen”. Don’t worry, this is an imperfect yet considerably better effort.

Andrew Garfield leads the way, who playing Jonathan Larson with an unbridled commitment. Garfield pours every bit of himself into the role, acting and singing with an infectious enthusiasm. He paints a fascinating portrait of Larson with his unruly crop of hair, manic energy, and an obsessive drive. It’s impressive work that articulates the struggle to be successful while creating something meaningful. It also highlights the personal costs that come with an all-consuming single-minded vision. I just wish it was as interested in the man as it is his art.

“Tick, Tick…BOOM!” was the name of Larson’s autobiographical production that preceded his smash hit “Rent”. The one-man “rock monologue” mixed music, lyrics, and spoken word to tell the origin story of the composer and playwright’s first major stage project – an ambitious futuristic rock musical called “Superbia”. This isn’t easy material to adapt and to Miranda’s credit he takes no shortcuts. Instead, he and Levenson do some crafty tweaking, reorganizing the one-man show into a three-person chamber piece similar to the ones performed on stage since Larson’s death. The difference is Larson himself (through Garfield’s performance) leads the film’s three-person gig.

Miranda’s imagining of a Larson-led stage performance of “Tick, Tick…Boom!” is a good framing device that opens up the broader story. His film cuts back-and-forth between the singing of Larson’s songs on stage and the moments from his past that inspired them. These scenes transport us back to 1990 when Larson was bursting with confidence yet burdened with an eerily prophetic sense that he’s running out of time. With his 30th birthday only days away, he feverishly works to complete “Superbia” as if it were his last shot at fame.

We see Larson living out of a cramped apartment spending his time jotting down ideas and pecking away on an old Macintosh. When not waiting tables at Soho’s Moondance Diner, he hangs out with an eclectic bohemian blend of aspiring artists and art lovers. Some, like his girlfriend Susan (an underused Alexandra Shipp) and his childhood friend/roommate Michael (Robin de Jesús) are abandoning their dreams of performing. But Larson’s rabid desire to succeed won’t allow him to quit, even if it hurts his relationships with those closest to him.

As far as the music, Miranda wisely sticks with Larson’s own songs which often conveys more feeling than the movie’s dialogue. As with any musical, some tunes are better than others. The rousing “Louder Than Words”, the cameo-filled “Sunday”, and the catchy “Boho Days” stand out most. And while I wouldn’t say Garfield has a great voice, he certainly manages the songs well enough, performing them with such spirit and verve.

Miranda’s structure is certainly bold, but it leads to some of the film’s frustrating issues. Most notably, it’s frenetic pace. The movie never slows down long enough to let us see beyond Larson’s creative zeal. By the end there’s still so much about him that we don’t know. Also, not all of Miranda’s choices make sense. Take the decision to intercut one of the few dramatic scenes with the movie’s most comically upbeat musical number (“Therapy”). It’s a case where it probably sounded good on paper, but the style-first approach ends up shortchanging two really good bits.

As it is, “Tick, Tick…BOOM!” is more of a biographical sketch laced with catchy tunes than an actual exploration into the man who was Jonathan Larson. Miranda’s admiration for his subject is never in doubt, and he makes honoring Larson’s artistry his chief focus. And while the film is full of emotion, there’s very little drama. Thankfully a magnetic Andrew Garfield elevates and carries the entire film. This is without question his movie, and he gives the kind of spellbinding portrayal that makes it a lot easier to digest the film’s noticeable shortcomings. “Tick…Tick…BOOM!” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

First Glance: “Encounter”

November 22, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Oscar winner Riz Ahmed leads “Encounter”, an enigmatic science-fiction thriller from writer-director Michael Pearce. The film had its world premiere at Telluride and is now set for its full release via Amazon Studios. Ahmed is joined by co-stars Octavia Spencer, Janina Gavankar, Rory Cochrane, Lucian-River Chauhan, and Aditya Geddada.

Ahmed plays Malik, a decorated Marine veteran and the father of two young sons. The new trailer is pretty cryptic, but it looks to show Malik load up his boys and head on a road trip that turns into (as he himself puts it) “a rescue mission”. There are hints of an impending attack from outer space. But what’s most revealing is the number of law enforcement agencies who are hot on Malik’s tale. Clearly there’s more going on here than meets the eye.

“Encounter” is slated for a limited theater release on December 3rd prior to premiering on Amazon Prime streaming on December 10th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021)

November 22, 2021 by Keith Garlington

Though I’m a proud kid from the 1980s, would it surprise you to know that I have no real affection for “Ghostbusters”? No deep love for the characters. No vested interest in their story. No warm and fuzzy feeling at the thought of a new film. I thought the 1984 original was fine and I don’t remember anything about its 1989 sequel. I thoroughly disliked the 2016 reboot and not because I agreed with shallow-minded meatheads who hated the idea of an all female cast (frankly, it just wasn’t very good).

So it should go without saying that “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” wasn’t one I was dying to see. I was more curious than excited and for a number of reasons. First, it’s considered a sequel to the original two films (sorry Paul Feig). Second, it’s directed by Jason Reitman, the son of Ivan Reitman who directed “Ghostbusters” 1 and 2. Third, I was curious to see how well the new film connected with its predecessors considering the 30+ year gap? And fourth, would they bring back that killer Ray Parker Jr. theme song (happily, the answer to that one is YES).

Basically, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is a well-made movie. It’s mostly well written (more on that in a second) and it’s the kind of entertainment that will probably appeal most to the already established fan base. Reitman clearly has an affection for the material and often that affection dictates much of what we get. The list of callbacks is long and some things seem stuck in solely for nostalgia. Again, that should excite the franchise faithful. Personally, “Afterlife” isn’t a movie that will stick with me past the weekend, despite the moderately fun time I had with it.

The way Reitman (who also co-writes with Gil Kenan) connects this film with the previous movies is pretty crafty. We learn that Egon Spengler (previously played by the late Harold Ramis), a founding member of the Ghostbusters, left New York and relocated to the dried-up town of Summerville, Oklahoma. He severed ties with his three parapsychological partners and his family to move out on an isolated dirt farm where he recently died. Why Summerville? What was he doing there? Both are questions the movie answers later with varying degrees of success.

Meanwhile back in the city, Egon’s estranged daughter Callie (Carrie Coon) is a single mother to two kids, the energetic Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and the nerdy science-loving Phoebe (a show-stealing Mckenna Grace). Callie gets word that her father has died around the same time she gets evicted from her apartment. Out of options, the three move to the farm Egon left her in Summerville. While there, Phoebe and Trevor begin learning the truth about their grandfather and what he was really up to. And as you’ve probably guessed, it has something to do with ghosts.

While Reitman eventually gets around to doing some ghostbusting, a big chunk of the movie plays like a mystery. In truth, the movie is at its best when Phoebe, Trevor, and their collection of disposable Summerville friends are following a trail of clues linking Egon to a series of mysterious tremors that has been shaking the town. These scenes give us time to get to know the main characters especially Phoebe. Mckenna Grace is hands-down the star of the movie while Coon gets some good scenes as the embittered mom and daughter. Wolfhard gets stuck with your run-of-the-mill teen boy character while Paul Rudd brings some name recognition to an otherwise throwaway role.

But then the movie gets into the considerably less interesting supernatural stuff – ancient temples, gatekeepers, keymasters, etc. It’s all pretty silly and haphazardly thrown together in a way that gets away from all the things the movie did so well early on. It does end on a predictable yet undeniably warm note and a couple of end credits scenes hint at more Ghostbusters to come. That’s more good news for fans. But I’m not sure “Afterlife” did enough to excite the rest of us for what’s to come. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is now showing in theaters.