REVIEW: “The Lie” (2020)

November 18, 2020 by Keith Garlington

My second dive into Amazon’s “Welcome to Blumhouse” series was the snappy domestic thriller “The Lie”. The film actually premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival back in 2018, but it wasn’t picked up for distribution until August 2020. It’s the second of eight original films producer Jason Blum is doing for Amazon Prime. All of the movies center around the similar theme of “family and love as a redemptive or destructive force”. Each come from uniquely fresh filmmakers who explore the subject matter in their own distinct style.

“The Lie” comes from writer-director Veena Sud and is an adaptation of a 2015 German film titled “We Monsters”. It’s hardly the kind of film you would expect from the horror-focused Blumhouse. It has already met criticism for its lack of scares, but it makes sense considering this is in no way a horror movie. It’s a domestic drama/thriller that’s far more interested in the central family dynamic than the murder mystery the film is built upon.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Sud begins her film with a montage of old videos. They show a bright and sunny little girl named Kayla sharing fun moments with her mom and dad. Within those few brief images we see the picture of a happy family. Sadly, a lot can change in just a few years. Jump ahead to now 15-year-old Kayla (Joey King) and we see a much different girl. The smile and playful chatter has given way to a moody, frustrated teen. We’re quickly shown the reason for her melancholy.

Turns out Kayla’s parents have divorced and both are trying to move on with new people in their lives. Her mother Rebecca (Mireille Enos) is a successful corporate layer dating a nice-enough business traveler. Her father Jay (Peter Sarsgaard) is a middle-aged musician having a fling with one of his bandmates. Both parents try their best under the circumstances, but Kayla still feels lost in a new life she never asked for.

As Jay drives Kayla to a ballet school retreat they pick up her friend Brittany (Devery Jacobs) at a bus stop. Several miles down the road the girls need a roadside bathroom break. Kayla and Brittany run into the woods and a short time later Jay hears a chilling scream. He runs through the snow to find his stunned daughter sitting alone on a bridge. Jay frantically begins searching for Brittany until Kayla suddenly admits to pushing her friend off the bridge.

Assuming Brittany is dead, Jay hurries Kayla into the car and drives away. After telling Rebecca what happened the parents decide to keep quiet for fear of ruining their daughter’s future. But (as you would expect) soon their cover-up begins to unravel especially when Brittany’s father (Cas Anvar) begins asking questions. And you can’t really blame him. Several of the family’s actions are almost begging to be questioned.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios

But that’s actually a point of the film. It shows what happens when you compound one bad decision with another. It shows how a desperate and emotionally rattled person can do rash and unthinkable things. The film also prods us to wonder how well we really know our own kids. And how far will a family go to ‘protect’ their daughter? Don’t get me wrong, this is no intellectually stimulating cinematic probe. But some people may be surprised at how relevant these questions are today, and the film’s answers to them intentionally pushes rationality to the brink.

But unfortunately this is a movie with an obligatory twist and it’s one I figured out within the first 20 minutes. Strangely I can’t pinpoint one particular instance where the movie tips its hand. Yet I had an idea where it was going and that’s exactly where it went. I still enjoyed the meat of the movie, the committed performances, and a few scenes of genuinely good tension. Unfortunately it ends with one of the most ho-hum, nonchalant reveals imaginable. Sarsgaard and Enos deserve credit for working hard to sell the scene. But it ends up cutting the legs out from under what is otherwise a surprising effective high-stress thriller. “The Lie” is streaming now on Amazon Prime.

VERDICT- 3.5 STARS

First Glance: “Let Them All Talk”

November 17, 2020 by Keith Garlington

While many of Meryl Streep’s more recent films have seen her in supporting roles, she still knocks out the occasional starring turn. And while the Academy is prone to shower accolades on any Streep performance, I find she’s at her best when given meatier lead roles. It looks like she gets one in the upcoming film “Let Them All Talk”, a Steven Soderbergh dramedy streaming soon exclusively on HBO MAX.

The film sees Streep playing an author who reunites with old friends played by Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest. The “Gang of Three” as they were once known come together with all of the surface niceties but soon old wounds start to fester. The film also stars the wonderful Gemma Chan and Lucas Hedges.

“Let Them All Talk” premieres December 10th on HBO MAX. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Alone” (2020)

November 16, 2020 by Keith Garlington

In the lean taut thriller “Alone” a woman finds herself constantly in the unwanted company of a creepy middle-aged stalker with all the markings of a serial killer. It’s a simple premise and director John Hyams wrings out every drop of tension while once again proving that when it comes to cinema less is often more.

“Alone” is a remake of the 2011 Swedish film “Gone”. It’s written by screenwriter Mattias Olsson who wrote and co-directed the original. The film opens on a woman named Jessica (Jules Wilcox) loading a Uhaul trailer. She fills it with the last of her personal items, gets into her car, sets the GPS and heads out. She leaves the unnamed city and is soon traveling along winding rural roads lined with beautiful tall timber and scarcely a house to be seen. We aren’t told where she’s going, but we get the sense she’s leaving something behind, perhaps in an attempt to make a new start.

Photo Courtesy of Magnet

From there Hyams begins to tighten his narrative screws. The story is broken into chapters with the first called “The Road”. As Jessica travels she gets behind a slow-moving SUV and attempts to pass. But the driver speeds up almost causing Jessica to have a head-on with an oncoming 18-wheeler. The SUV then begins riding her bumper, honking and flashing its lights before finally veering off at an intersection. Later while getting gas she sees the SUV again. After staying the night at a motel she finds the mustached SUV driver (Mark Menchaca) waiting for her as she starts to leave. He apologizes for their encounter before hitting her with the creepily ambiguous “I’ll see ya around.” Yeah, I’m sure you will.

It’s followed by four more chapters, each with titles like “The River” and “The Rain” that mark our progression through the story. Needless to say the man doesn’t go away and Jessica soon finds herself in a match of wits and survival, alone with a maniac in a dense isolated forest that resembles the Pacific Northwest. In fact they’re so alone that Wilcox and Menchaca are the lone cast members except for a brief but excellent appearance by Anthony Heald (“Silence of the Lambs”). The performances really are terrific led by Wilcox who convincingly sells Jessica’s terror while showing her grit and ferocity specifically in the second half. And Menchaca is absolutely chilling, bringing an ‘average Joe’ menace to every scene he’s in.

Photo Courtesy of Magnet

Hyams helps his cast by showing off a great eye both with the camera and in the editing room. He works with DP Federico Verardi to put together a tense and immersive visual presentation. Keen touches like small and steady camera movements, crafty angles, and stunning high-resolution drone shots. And his co-editor work with Scott Roon is equally effective. Surgically precise cuts that are not only technically impressive, but that also ratchet up the nail-biting tension.

File “Alone” into the Really Nice Surprise category. From the very start the filmmakers commit to their premise, proving the movie’s simplicity is one of the its biggest strengths. We do learn a few character details along the way, but for the most part “Alone” remains an intensely focused thriller anchored by two dramatically different but equally effective performances. “Alone” is now showing in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Black Box” (2020)

November 13, 2020 by Keith Garlington

It was roughly one year ago that we first learned Amazon Studios was partnering with Blumhouse to bring eight original movies to their Prime Video streaming platform. “Welcome to Blumhouse” would offer the (mostly) horror-centered production company the opportunity to highlight a fresh group of talented filmmakers. Founder Jason Blum assured that the eight interconnected films would feature the company’s signature chills and all will explore “family and love as a redemptive or destructive force” in their own unique way.

One of first films from the partnership is “Black Box” from director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. The story follows a young father named Nolan (played by the immensely talented Mamoudou Athie) who loses his wife and memory in a tragic car accident. In the few years that have followed he has regained a sense of the man he was in large part thanks to his mature-beyond-her-years daughter Ava (Amanda Christine). But despite his and his daughter’s best efforts, Nolan can’t seem to get back on track.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Ava has essentially taken on the parent role – running her father through memory exercises, prepping him for a meeting with his boss, chiding him when he pulls out a pack of cigarettes. “You don’t smoke!” But when Nolan forgets to pick Ava up from school for the umpteenth time, the threat of child services pushes him to seek professional help. His pal Gary (Tosin Morohunfola) recommends Dr. Lillian Brooks (Phylicia Rashad), a well-respected neuroscientist who urges Nolan to take part in her Cognitive Research Study. Skeptical but desperate, Nolan agrees to an experimental therapy which Dr. Brooks assures will reconnect him to his lost memories.

Dr. Brooks connects Nolan to what she calls her Black Box, a virtual reality-like experience that transports her patients deep into their subconscious to find and relive old memories. Once inside Nolan begins seeing fragments of memories of his wedding and of when Ava was a baby. But not everything is as it should be, most notably all of the people’s faces are blurred. Even worst, every time he enters the Black Box he is terrorized by a ghastly human-like creature with popping joints and crackling limbs. Certainly all of it means something, but Nolan can’t figure it out and Dr. Brooks dismisses it as part of the treatment. Ultimately he begins seeing things that leaves him questioning whether he’s really the man everyone says he is.

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Light on gore and free of tired and overused jump scares, “Black Box” leans more into psychological thriller territory, underpinning its story with elements of science-fiction and horror. The script (co-written by Osei-Kuffour Jr. and Stephen Herman) takes a ‘just go with it’ approach to the science, explaining it but sweeping most of the details under the rug. And while it doesn’t telegraph it’s big twist, it all but draws a big bright circle around its antagonist. And by setting our eyes on the baddie early, it can’t help but undercut the suspense.

The story makes up for it in its handling of Nolan. Osei-Kuffour Jr. and Herman write a character that Mamoudou Athie can really sink his teeth into – someone with emotional depth and personal stakes worth investing in. And I don’t want to shortchange the film’s heady ideas and clever twist which adds a fun and unexpected layer. Also two thumbs-up to the eerie score from Brandon Roberts and Osei-Kuffour Jr.’s imagination and resourcefulness in navigating budget constraints while still maintaining a visually compelling style. It’s a solid effort from a first-time feature film director with a promising career ahead of him. “Black Box” is streaming now on Amazon Prime.

VERDICT- 3.5 STARS

First Glance: “Wild Mountain Thyme”

November 12, 2020 by Keith Garlington

It has been 12 years since we last saw John Patrick Shanley behind the camera. The Oscar-winning writer-director is perhaps best known for his 1987 romantic comedy “Moonstruck” but he also hit critical gold with 2008’s period drama “Doubt”. His latest film sees him returning to the light-hearted charms of his debut. “Wild Mountain Thyme” is based on Shanley’s own play “Outside Mullingar” and it puts together an eye-opening ensemble.

Emily Blunt plays a headstrong farmer and Jamie Dornan plays her childhood friend and the oblivious object of her affections. Joining them in this Irish romance is John Hamm playing one of those annoying Americans and Christopher Walken, an Irish accent and all, playing Dornan’s father who seems intent on selling their family’s farm. I love the cast and there looks to be plenty of room for both ample drops of comedy and drama.

“Wild Mountain Thyme” opens December 11th in theaters and on VOD. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Hillbilly Elegy” (2020)

November 11, 2020 by Keith Garlington

When J.D. Vance’s memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” came out in 2016 it was almost instantly thrust into the divisive political arena. To no surprise many partisans from both sides of the aisle had dramatically different reactions to book. But at it’s heart Vance’s memoir was a deeply personal work. It was a therapeutic release derived from his first-hand experiences growing up among three generations of a troubled Appalachian family. The poverty, the physical and verbal abuse, the cyclical nature of his family’s plight – just some of the things that clearly left their mark on Vance.

Director Ron Howard teams with screenwriter Vanessa Taylor in adapting “Hillbilly Elegy” for Netflix. Their film is told from Vance’s point-of-view, both from his teen years (where he’s played by Owen Asztalos) and as a college student (played by Gabriel Basso). Howard and Taylor nimbly maneuver along the two timelines, frequently crossing over in an effort to capture where J.D. came from and what he’s trying to escape.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

The performance many will be talking about/debating comes from Amy Adams. She plays J.D’s mother Bev, a woman known more for her history of drug abuse and failed relationships than for being a loving and responsible parent. Adams gives an undoubtedly big performance, sometimes sucking all the air out of a scene. But that’s more to do with the writing and directing than the actress. Adams is fully committed and convincing. But Bev lacks the complexity the film wants her to have mainly because far to little time is spent fleshing out any redeemable qualities. We’re given light strokes but hardly anything that evokes sympathy.

Glenn Close is given a much more rounded character. She plays J.D.’s tough-skinned, tough-tongued grandmother who makes it her job to keep the family together. Close goes big in a few scenes herself, but she’s also given quieter moments that add dimension and clarity to her character. It’s a bit startling how much Close resembles Vance’s real-life Mamaw (we see her picture during the end credits). Her transformation and performance both help form a character who ends up saving numerous scenes from getting out of hand.

The story attempts to cover a lot of ground, settling mostly in the family’s hometown of Middleton, Ohio. The early images of a once bustling town drying up and dying really resonates. As does the terrific production design from Molly Hughes and the set decoration from Laura Belle and Merissa Lombardo. They create very real and lived-in spaces while offering a vivid portrait of struggling low-income living. “Whatever better life my grandparents had been chasing up Route 23 they never caught it“, says J.D. in narration.

While J.D.’s teen years show us a good kid surrounded by heartbreak and hopelessness, his college scenes reveal a young man working hard to break out of his family’s mold. J.D. works three jobs while attending Yale Law School and has beautiful and supportive girlfriend named Usha (played by the 36-year-old Freida Pinto who can still easily pass for a college student). But when those inseparable family bonds (specifically his mother’s demons) tempt to pull him back in, J.D. is forced to make some life-defining choices.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

It’s here that Howard and Taylor wrestle with the idea of family obligation and expectation. We know what J.D. should do regardless of how difficult it would be. But it clashes with his deep-rooted sense of family duty which gives us one of the film’s more well-developed conflicts. Does he remain a product of his raising or does he pursue the better life that is waiting for him at Yale. Or the bigger question – is it possible to do both?

“Hillbilly Elegy” isn’t the easiest material to cover but Howard gives it his best. It’s a gritty, coarse and intense family drama that works really hard to sell itself. Unfortunately there are a few loose threads and narrative oversights that hold it back. Keeping us almost exclusively behind J.D.’s eyes doesn’t always work either. Both performances, young and old, can be a little dry and you’ll often find yourself more invested in the characters around him. It doesn’t squash the things “Hillbilly Elegy” does right, but it does leave the film feeling like a missed opportunity. “Hillbilly Elegy” opens November 11th in select theaters and premieres on Netflix November 24th.