Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Bad Boys II” (2003)

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BB2posterIt’s amazing to see the difference between the Michael Bay of 1995’s “Bad Boys” and the Michael Bay of its sequel “Bad Boys II”. In the eight years between films the ever so slight restraint that made his directorial debut watchable had evaporated, replaced by the loud, bombastic, hyper-stylized filmmaking that Bay is still associated with today (look no further than his recent Netflix mindnumber “6 Underground”).

After the success of the first film Bay saw his budget jump from $19 million all the way to $130 million. That meant more action, bigger set pieces and a much higher body count. Unfortunately along with that came this ridiculous desire to amp up everything else as well resulting in a brain-deadening malaise bookended by two massive but admittedly impressive action sequences.

What passes for a story goes something like this. Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) and Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) are still Miami narcotics officers known best for the trail of mayhem they leave behind with every case. Marcus’ sister Syd (Gabrielle Union) gets tangled up with a Cuban drug kingpin named Johnny Tapia (Jordi Molla) while covertly working undercover for the DEA. Tapia is using a Russian gang to distribute souped-up Ecstasy onto the streets of Miami which brings Marcus and Mike into the mix.

Some meaningless side arcs prop up the story including Mike and Syd’s secret romance and Marcus second guessing his partnership with Mike. None of it really matters much. It’s all just means of moving towards the next big action scene or obnoxious comedy sketch. And there are a ton of obnoxious attempts at comedy. Aside from the incessant yelling between Lawrence and Smith, Bay along with co-writers Ron Shelton and Jerry Stahl are at times offensively tone deaf with their ideas of ‘humor’.

Take where a 15-year-old boy comes to Marcus’ house to pick up his daughter for a first date. What follows is a nasty scene where Marcus and Mike intimidate the kid through demeaning questions and profane threats. At one point a gun is even pointed at the kid amid a slew of n-words and other obscenities. It goes on and on and is just a sample of the kind of stuff the filmmakers want us to laugh at. Other things they think are funny: ogling the bare breasts of a dead “bimbo“, animal sex between two rats. You get the idea.

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© Sony Pictures All Rights Reserved

It’s not that I can’t handle irreverent humor. But when it’s this lowbrow and unfunny. And it doesn’t help that Bay had reached the point in his career where he doesn’t know when to let off the accelerator. So we just get more and more of it. It’s as if he was giving viewers a sneak peak at how he would be handling the Transformers franchise a few years down the road.

It’s really a shame because there are a couple of times when Bay’s excesses are pretty fun to watch. Take a wild early chase scene that takes a break to have a shootout before hopping onto a busy Miami freeway. It’s ten solid minutes of crazy, over-the-top action where Bay throws everything at the screen: an SUV, muscle cars, an 18-wheeler, a Ferrari, even a boat. It captures his knack for presenting stylish, high-energy action. And take another shootout featuring a clever revolving tracking shot. One of several interesting visual flourishes Bay uses.

The rest hinges on Lawrence and Smith’s chemistry which is still there. But much like the movie itself, even their performances feel more showy and self-absorbed. So all we have are a couple of fun, kinetic action sequences with two hours-plus of tasteless, grating indulgence crammed in between. “Bad Boys II” is brash, tawdry and completely full of itself. It makes for a noticeable step down from a movie that wasn’t all that great to begin with.

VERDICT – 1.5 STARS

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RETRO REVIEW: “Bad Boys” (1995)

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BadposterLONGBy the time “Bad Boys” landed back in 1995 the buddy-cop movie had been done and done again. Throughout the 80s and early 90s countless movies like “48 Hrs” and “Lethal Weapon” had plowed the all-too-familiar ground multiple times each. The mixture of comedy and big action was a proven formula but for many people it had started to wear a bit thin.

“Bad Boys” is the kind of movie you would expect to be Michael Bay’s feature film directorial debut. It’s loud, silly, fast-paced and driven by two high-energy actors. But you can tell the soon-to-be action genre stalwart was still cutting his teeth. Bay had yet to fully embrace the bombast and relentless fever-pitched style that has become his signature to this very day. That makes “Bad Boys” a bearable watch but barely.

Successful sitcoms had put both Will Smith (“The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”) and Martin Lawrence (“Martin”) on the edge of superstardom. “Bad Boys” was the movie that pushed them over, especially Smith who would make the blockbuster hit “Independence Day” the very next year. Here the pair show off a lively chemistry and they clearly have a good time improvising while navigating a script that is at times mind-numbingly bad.

Stealing from numerous movies that came before it, “Bad Boys” sets itself in Miami where two narcotics detectives, the antsy family man Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) and the trigger-happy playboy Mike Lowrey (Smith), head the investigation into the theft of over $100 million worth of seized heroin from a local precinct. When Mike’s informant and former love interest is murdered by a French drug kingpin named Fouchet (Tchéky Karyo) the lone witness Julie (Téa Leoni) seeks out Mike for protection.

This leads to the biggest of several logic-defying storylines. After barely escaping with her life Julie calls the police station saying she’ll only speak to Mike who happens to be out. Marcus reluctantly poses as Mike to gain Julie’s trust but for some inexplicable reason continues the charade along with Mike for the majority of the movie. It’s a preposterous plot device whose only purpose seems to be setting up a ton of mediocre gags. Never mind that it makes no sense.

Badboys

© Sony Pictures All Rights Reserved

“Bad Boys” isn’t ashamed of employing overused character tropes from the dogged Internal Affairs officer (Marg Helgenberger) who thinks it’s an inside job to the hot-tempered police captain (Joe Pantoliano) who is constantly barking at Marcus and Mike. And when it isn’t rehashing many of the genre’s greatest hits, it’s bombarding the screen with bullets and banter. Honestly that isn’t a bad thing. It diverts our attention from many of the screenplay’s shortcomings. And while the banter gets old, the action offers some needed thrills.

There is no denying “Bad Boys” resonated with many people. It brought home almost $150 million (not bad for an R-rated movie 25 years ago) and spawned two sequels (eventually) while catapulting the careers of its two stars and director. Through a mixture of charisma and testosterone Smith and Lawrence manage a handful of chuckles and a couple of decent action scenes. But their shtick eventually runs its course and the film ended up testing my tolerance for persistent high-volume yelling and shallow, unoriginal storytelling.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

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Best of 2019 – Lead Actor

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Over the last few days I’ve been reflecting on the best acting performances of 2019. It’s day four and it’s time to look at the final category. We wrap things up by looking at Lead Actor. This group may not be as ripe with stellar performances as the past couple of years but it was still tough to narrow it down to only five performances. Here are my picks for the best the year had to offer.

#5 – Mads Mikkelsen (“Arctic”)

ARCTIC

It’s sad but I don’t know of anyone who is talking about “Arctic” or more specifically Mads Mikkelsen’s rugged, stoic performance. Mikkelsen is sublime, able to carry the weight of the film on his shoulders through both his intense physical commitment and deep emotional resonance. “Arctic” is a survival film in the fullest sense and Mikkelsen sells every moment with a steely yet measured realism. Simply put, he’s great.

#4 – August Diehl (“A Hidden Life”)

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Not just any performer can do well in a Terrence Malick movie. It takes a special talent to move with the filmmaker’s unique visual and storytelling rhythms. This is especially true for “A Hidden Life” and August Diehl is the perfect fit. Quiet, expressive, and deftly in sync with Malick’s meditative beats, Diehl’s ability to visualize inner turmoil, heartfelt conviction, and loving concern is astonishing. It’s one of the best performances of the year that too few people have seen.

#3 – Brad Pitt (“Ad Astra”)

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A key part of Brad Pitt’s fabulous 2019 was “Ad Astra”, a quiet and contemplative slice of science-fiction. His portrayal of a highly decorated yet tortured astronaut is some of the best work of his career. It’s a subdued and understated performance, internalized yet so effective that nearly every feeling can be understood through his pained eyes. Pitt is a proven big Hollywood star who probably has a ton of projects to choose from. I love seeing him make choices like this.

#2 – Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”)

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I don’t know if any actor has watched his star skyrocket quite like Adam Driver. In Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” he is in top form playing one-half of a New York City couple navigating the bruising, messy travails of divorce. Driver has done a little bit of everything throughout his career and he brings all of it to this role: tenderness, humor, naïveté, sorrow, pain, fury. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, he’s also a really good singer!

#1 – Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”)

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No performance in 2019 mesmerized me and got under my skin quite like Joaquin Phoenix did in “Joker”. Phoenix is no stranger to losing himself in a role both physically and emotionally, but his transformation into the deeply disturbed and frighteningly sinister Arthur Fleck is unlike anything he has done before. Taking on such a well known character is a challenge, but Phoenix digs into it and makes it his own. It’s easily my favorite performance of 2019.

And that wraps up my look back at the 2019 movie year. What do you think of my choices for Lead Actor? Let me know in the comments section below.

Best of 2019 – Lead Actress

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Over the last few days I’ve been reflecting on the best acting performances of 2019. It’s day three and with the supporting categories in the book it’s time to look at the Lead Actress group. It was a brutal job picking only five but you know the rules. So here we go.

#5 – Sierra McCormick (“The Vast of Night”)

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It’s such a shame that more people haven’t been able to see “The Vast of Night”. One of many reasons is they miss out on seeing Sierra McCormick who gives a fun, effervescent, and eye-opening performance. She handles the film’s dense Sorkin-like dialogue with ease and fully develops a character you can’t help but love. I so hope more people can soon see this film.

#4 – Awkwafina (“The Farewell”)

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I admit it, I was no fan of Awkwafina’s brand of comedy and she was one of my only gripes about “Crazy Rich Asians”. But I love it when a performer opens my eyes and makes me a true believer. That’s what Awkwafina did in “The Farewell”. This is a beautiful dramatic turn but with a very controlled sense of humor. Most of all it’s undeniably authentic from start to finish.

#3 – Renée Zellweger (“Judy”)

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In this small slice of Judy Garland’s life Renée Zellweger loses herself in the entertainment icon’s troubled skin. From the physical details to the emotional range to singing her own numbers, Zellweger gives a fiercely committed performance that often rises above the material she is given. It’s fascinating work from an actress who has put herself back in the spotlight.

#2 – Alfre Woodard (“Clemency”)

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This is the 2019 performance that I hope more people will be able to catch up with in 2020. Alfre Woodard carries this brutally honest movie about a prison warden in charge of state executions and the psychological toll it takes on her. Woodard’s performance reveals a strong woman who earned her position in a male dominated field. At the same time she’s tormented by the moral dilemma her job poses. It’s a quiet performance, emotionally authentic and without a hint of theatrics.

#1 – Lupita N’yongo (“Us”)

Lupita

For some it may be easy to forget “Us” was a 2019 movie. It released way back in March. But how can you possibly forget Lupita N’yongo’s stunning two-pronged performance? It’s hard to say much about her work without spoiling key parts of the story, but N’yongo brings two distinct personalities to her role and shows two completely different sides of herself as an actress. Incredible range, intensity, and emotion. How she’s not getting award nominations is beyond me.

One more to go. Tomorrow we look at the Lead Actor category. What did you think of these picks. Let me know in the comments section below. 

First Glance: “First Cow”

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COW

When it comes to independent cinema, A24 has made quite a name for itself. The sheer quality of the movies that come from the company is impressive in itself. But then you throw in the diversity of their portfolio: comedies, horror, period pieces, coming of age films. They have established themselves as the premiere indie movie distributor.

That leads to the oddly titled “First Cow” from writer-director Kelly Reichardt. Her latest looks to be a Pacific Northwest frontier drama where a cook, a Chinese immigrant, and a prized milk cow join together for a secret (and hopefully lucrative) business venture. Sounds as quirky as the title, right? The first trailer looks intriguing and Reichardt’s signature minimalism and quietude is all over it.

“First Cow” is slated for a March 6th release (limited I’m sure). Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Best of 2019 – Supporting Actor

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Yesterday I began my reflection on the best acting performances of 2018. The women started strong and now it’s the men’s turn to match. The Supporting Actor category had several truly stand-out performances and narrowing them down to five wasn’t easy. But those are the rules so here are my choices for Supporting Actor.

#5 – Tom Hanks (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”)

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When I first heard Tom Hanks would be playing Mister Rogers my first reaction was “Well of course. Who else?” And as expected he delivers a knock-out performance. At first it resembles an impersonation but within mere seconds Hanks has us believing he is Fred Rogers. It’s a performance so in tune with Mister Rogers, his gentle mannerisms, and the innate kindness he was known for.

#4 – Jamie Foxx (“Just Mercy”)

Foxx

Jamie Foxx is an actor who may be best known for his comedy, but “Just Mercy” reminds us that he is no slouch when it comes to dramatic turns. He plays a wrongfully convicted black man sentenced to death in 1986 Alabama. Foxx brings several unexpected layers to his character from sorrow and despondency to hopeful and inspirational. I haven’t always been high on Foxx, but here he is exactly what his role needs.

#3 – Sterling K. Brown (“Waves”)

WAVES

“Waves” is a crushing family drama driven by thoughtful characters and moving performances. None are as complex and layered as Sterling K. Brown’s stirring portrait of a stern but loving father. His character could have easily been the film’s antagonist but he’s hardly that shallow. Brown gives us someone whose motivations are rooted in the pains of his past and his determination to keep his son from experiencing them.

#2 – Joe Pesci (“The Irishman”)

Pesci

Stepping into a role after almost ten years of retirement and delivering this quality of work is really impressive. Joe Pesci is pretty comfortable in the gangster genre, but this isn’t some rehash of a character he has played before. Here he’s dialed back, focused, and has an almost grandfatherly presence despite working in a world characterized by its violence. It’s such a great performance.

#1 – Brad Pitt (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”)

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One of favorite 2019 performances from ANY category came from the ageless 56-year-old Brad Pitt. You couldn’t find a better fit to play Cliff Booth, an easy-going stuntman living the life in 1969 Los Angeles. Pitt is dripping with charisma, has an endlessly cool charm, and can also be really funny. I absolutely love this performance and it should earn Pitt the much deserved first acting Oscar of his career.

That’s it for the supporting categories. Tomorrow we begin our look at the leads. What do you think of my picks? Please let me know in the comments section below.