Gone Girl (2014) Movie Review

I've tried several times to sit down and read Gone Girl, but either never had the time, or just not had the motivation to read a novel. Despite the fact that numerous people, whether they are friends, family or the Chapters girl who told me it's so much better than Horns, have all told me it's fantastic, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I've been close. I actually own a hardcover copy and paperback copy (I thought my hardcover one was lost. Nope, just in a box). So it's been on my mind. I'm glad I hadn't read the novel, however, because what I saw on screen kept me transfixed throughout and has me still wanting to talk about it.

When Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home in the morning after checking in with his sister Margot (Carrie Coon), he comes home to a situation. The coffee table has been smashed, it looks like there was a struggle, and his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), is nowhere to be found. Once the police arrive, and see that there are flecks of blood on the cupboards of the kitchen, the search to find out about Amy takes place. And it leads us down a smart, twisty, incredibly fucked up road.

Honestly, I can't reveal much more about the plot than that, because there are so many things that can be delicately spoiled. The film jumps between the current investigation led by detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit), and Amy's diary entries, which denote when her and Nick met, when they got married, why they had to leave New York and move to Missouri and that their marriage had become a shaky one. 

On the performance level, there needs to be some serious awards love for Rosamund Pike as Amy, who gives a performance unlike anything you've ever seen from her. She's loving, impulsive, conniving and volatile all at once. It's easily the best performance of her career. Opposite her, Affleck gives a fantastic performance as Nick, who slowly begins to figure out what may have happened to Amy, and he gives one of the best performances of his career as well (I'd argue his best performance is in The Town).

The supporting performances are all great too. Kim Dickens and Patrick Fugit are great as the law enforcement trying to figure out what happened to Amy, and if maybe Nick is behind it. Carrie Coons is superb as Nick's twin sister Margot, who is always in her brother's corner. Lisa Banes and David Clennon are also good as Amy's parents. Neil Patrick Harris is equal parts creepy and Barney Stinson (one line in particular really), but is very good nonetheless. And Tyler Perry (!) gives a great performance as Tanner Bolt, a high profile defense attorney who Nick hires to help him. Who knew Tyler Perry is as good at trying to keep Ben Affleck out of prison as he is trying to send Madea back to it? Oh also, Scoot McNairy (who I think everyone knows I love), makes a nice single scene cameo as well.

David Fincher weaves an expertly told tale, along with Gillian Flynn (who wrote the novel and screenplay), that keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what the hell is coming next. It's a testament to Fincher's skill as a director and attention to detail, that he is able to keep the audience hooked and, in my theatres case, make the audience react to every twist and turn throughout the films lengthy 2 hours and 25 minute run time. And yes, I am a massive Fincher fanboy. Normally, I'd talk about the way the film is shot and looks, but unfortunately, Pasan and I had the pleasure of watching the film from the second row in an AVX theatre that was sold out hours ahead of time. And if you don't know who Pasan is, listen to the damn podcast. The link is on the right side of every page.

Flynn writes an incredibly dark screenplay that is also incredibly hilarious. No this isn't a dark comedy in any sense, but the moments of humour help to offset the incredibly dark moments so well. The score is typically good from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who seem to have become Fincher mainstays. It's not quite as dark and brooding as their scores for The Social Network or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, as it allows moments of levity and tranquility, while still underscoring the scenes perfectly. 

Ultimately, Gone Girl is a fucked up movie. Honestly. It had me audibly react to the events on screen numerous times. But it's a movie that will get you talking and leaves you with so many questions and morally dilemmas. Regardless, it's expertly directed, written and acted, and will definitely make my top ten at the end of the year.

Grade: A+

The Grand Seduction (2014) Movie Review

Original casting for Tom Hanks and Wilson

I love movies that are about small towns. Probably because I never lived in a town small enough to know everyone by name, to be honest. There's something so warm and inviting about the idea. And I just love the general notion of people from Newfoundland. Those Newfies just feel like a bunch of kind-hearted-not-sure-if-they're-Irish-people. It's probably what caused me to like The Grand Seduction as much as I did, despite the fact that it has some issues at times.

Murray French (Brendan Gleeson) has been a resident of the town of Tickle Head his entire life. He remembers the good old days of the men of the town being fishermen, going out, providing for their families, then coming home and living happy lives. However, that time is now gone, and because of fishing bans, the residents of Tickle Head live paycheck to paycheck, in hopes that their town can get a factory into their town to create jobs. However, they don't have a town doctor, and without a town doctor, none of that can be improved. That's where Dr. Paul Lewis (Taylor Kitsch), a young doctor needing a break from city life, comes in. Paul is coming to Tickle Head for one month, and the residents are adament to make him fall in love with the town and stay.

The strength of the film really lies in the performances of the actors involved, specifically Gleeson and Kitsch. There's something about Brendan Gleeson's acting style that just lends him perfectly to any role he chooses, and this is no exception as he plays Murray with an instant lovable nature. He's just a guy who loves his home and will do anything to make sure it continues to carry on. Kitsch is equally as good, playing a departure from the characters he's known for, instead playing a naive kind doctor looking to make a change and find where he fits in. It's nice seeing him do this kind of movie, instead of the big budget stuff that seems to follow him post Friday Night Lights.

The supporting cast is all decent, none of them particularly standing out, though I felt, for a movie trying to make you root for its residents and invite you into their lives, I never really knew a whole lot about anyone besides Murray and Paul. That along with some pacing issues as well as musical choices for scenes left me wondering why such a delightfully written and directed film could lose steam in certain scenes as fast as they did. However, they do make the town look like everything you'd expect from a small fishing town of less than 150 people, so kudos for that.

Ultimately, The Grand Seduction probably won't stick with you long after you've seen it. It's a nice, light film with strong performances from the always reliable Brendan Gleeson, and Tim Riggins himself Taylor Kitsch. It's got fun dialogue and clearly a labour of love to make, but falters in scenes where it should be cementing itself. Not quite a seduction, but still pretty damn enchanting.

Grade: B-

Boyhood (2014) Movie Review

Usually when you hear about a movie taking 12 years to get made, it's because they can't get funding, or the lead actor left or they need a new director. You don't ever hear about a movie being filmed over a 12 year span. But that's exactly what Boyhood is. It's a movie about the life of a boy from the age of 6 to 18. It's about his growth and development till he's able to go out on his own. What ends up unfolding in front of you is unlike any movie I've seen this year, and any movie I can think of.

Mason (Ellar Coltrane) lives with his mom, Olivia (Patricia Arquette), and his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). His dad, Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) has been fairly absent early on in his life, since his parents got a divorce, but he's now trying to fix that and be a better father. But don't let any of this vague plot synopsis fool you, this film is about Mason Jr., and his journey from a 6 year old kid to a high school graduate is something to behold. Not because it is full of excitement and big events, but it reminds you that sometimes life is just the day to day, and before you know it, it's been 12 years.

Ellar Coltrane as Mason is actually a very good choice because he has a natural acting style that never makes it feel as though he's trying to do anything. And that's a good thing. He feels comfortable in the role, showing Mason as a smart, good hearted kid, who sometimes has to go through shitty times, like the rest of us. It helps that Coltrane never seems to be trying to act, instead just being Mason. Lorelei Linklater, daughter of director Richard Linklater, is also good as Samantha. She plays her as loud and obnoxious as a kid, and shy yet confident as she gets older. It's a part that doesn't demand a lot of range, but she is perfectly fine in the role.

Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette are both their reliable selves, making their relationships with the kids and each other feel genuine. Hawke plays the early years with energy and vigour, much like a young Ethan Hawke, before he settles down and becomes more relaxed. It's the type of performance we expect from him. Arquette is fantastic though, as she is given a lot of heavy lifting to do, being that she wants to be as present in her kids lives as possible. Her protectiveness of her kids, hard working attitude and fiery personality instantly reminded me of my mom. Hopefully this brings her into a career resurgence, along with her role on Boardwalk Empire. 

Writer and director Richard Linklater is honestly one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood. Probably the most. He's directed the Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight, Dazed an Confused, School of Rock and Bernie. I truly hope this is the film that gets him that Best Director nomination because it's a film that reminds you what life is really like. The complete honesty that you feel in Boyhood is what makes it one of the best films this year.

I think that's what Boyhood does so well. It reminds you what it was like to grow up. Going to see Harry Potter, or when you went to school after a bad haircut, or the first time you went camping, or your first real girlfriend.  It reminds you that life isn't about waiting for big moments or trying to capture the small ones. Everything we do is a moment. We just have to remember to live in it. 

Grade: A+

The Rover (2014) Movie Review

Bella and Edward

It is ten years after the collapse, and the world seems to have gone to hell. We open up on a barren, desolate Australian terrain with Eric (Guy Pearce), our often silent eyes into this world, as he sits in a car seemingly waiting for time to pass. The Rover offers up another post-apocolyptic setting where each character seems to be looking out for themselves, and scrounging to survive. People will not hesitate to kill each other, as each day looks to be an inevitable countdown towards death.

When Eric's car is stolen by a trio of shady individuals on the run (Scoot McNairy, Tawanda Manyimo and David Field), he makes it his mission to get that car back at any cost. The trio, led by McNairy's Henry, manages him to give him the shake and get away. However, Eric is determined, as the car holds some kind of value to him, perhaps an attachment to his life before the collapse. It seems the car and men are long gone, when Eric happens across Rey (Robert Pattinson), Henry's younger brother who was thought dead in the events they were running from before stealing Eric's car. Yeah, The Rover is bleak, dark, violent and depressing, but wonderfully acted, directed and made.

In the lead role, Pearce does career best work as Eric. He is a no bullshit man, willing to get his hands dirty and seemingly fighting for a single unknown cause. Often known for playing more bookish or suave characters, Pearce really sinks his teeth into the role, bringing an aggression and power that he isn't typically known for. McNairy is also his reliable self in a small supporting role. He makes you think he is menacing, but clearly only is when he has to be and his kill-or-be-killed attitude is visible on his sleeve.

However, the big suprise for me was Pattinson, in a role so unlike what he is known for. Rey has a mental disability, and often has trouble stringing together numerous thoughts at once, but Pattinson makes you believe he has a kind heart, and is clearly in over his head, yet knows enough that he is a survivor. There is a level of performance and honesty that I've never seen from him as an actor, and I hope he gets more roles like this, as opposed to the team heartthrob roles that made him a star.

The film is beautiful made as well. It's directed by David Michod, who made the brilliant Animal Kingdom, and written by him and actor Joel Edgerton, who was in Animal Kingdom. The written never wastes any time, often getting to the point, and letting you get a feel for how the world is now. And the direction is on point as well. The film evokes the feeling of Children of Men and The Last of Us, and gives us a great take on a genre that has been done to death.

In the end, The Rover is a film that was clearly made for film audiences, and not general ones. It can feel slow at times, but constantly keeps you on edge if you invest, and doesn't let you figure how it's going to play out at any point. 

Grade: A

Locke (2014) Movie Review

Tom Hardy in Locke

What happens when one mistake leads to everything you know falling apart? Do you brush it under the rug, deal with it head on, forget about it, or let it catch up to you? That is the dilemma at the center of Locke, a tense character study set entirely in a moving car. A million thoughts swirling around, distracting, engaging and confusing, while we, the audience, make sense of what is happening and begin to weigh how we would handle the situation.

Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is a simple man. He works for a company that puts down cement, he's the head of his department, and he's damn good at his job. He has a loving family at home, and is considered an all around great guy. Except last year, he had a one night stand with his secretary, leading to her getting pregnant, and him setting out in order to be there for the birth of the child, because he didn't have a father, and Locke will be damned if this kid doesn't have a father either. And so begins one of my favourite movies of 2014 so far, and a truly great character study.

At the center of the film is my man crush, Tom Hardy. An actor normally known for his physicality, Hardy is restrained to the driver seat of his BMW for the entire film. However, the sheer intensity he brings to the way Locke speaks (with a thick Welsh accent), to how he reacts to his ongoing situation, to how he reacts to the traffic around him, Hardy commands the screen at every instance. He is able to express so much simply through the way he moves his eyes, or adjusts how he is sitting, further cementing himself as one of the most talented actors of his generation, and giving a performance that should be a lock (fuck you, I'll use puns) for an Oscar nomination, but will be overlooked.

The supporting cast is all good as well, despite only being heard through the bluetooth in Locke's car. Ruth Wilson is fantastically heartbreaking as Locke's wife, desperately trying to deal with the fact that her husband cheated on her. Olivia Colman is solid as always as Bethan, Locke's former secretary in labour, who is clearly in love him with, despite him blatantly stating he isn't. And Moriarty, err, Andrew Scott is good as Donal, Locke's coworker who is trying to help Locke clean up the mess at work.

The thing that Locke does so well is that it never loses your attention, despite nothing incredibly exciting happening. There are no car crashes, flashbacks or any reason to leave the car. Everything that unfolds simply relies on Locke and his conversations on the phone. Writer and director Steven Knight crafts a beautiful tale of a man at his wits end, desperately clinging to everything that he holds dear and trying not to implode as it all keeps slipping away. He never lets our attention wain as we try to figure out what's going to happen next.

Ultimately, Locke is a great lesson in minimal storytelling. Shot on a short schedule and shoestring budget, it doesn't show, as the level of talent involved shines through. If I had any problem with the movie, it was that there was a character or two that could have been written out, or their dialogue given to another character to deliver. Otherwise, it is a brilliant film with a performance from Tom Hardy that simply proves him as one of the most interesting and talented actors working today.

Grade: A+

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Movie Review

Star Warlords

Let's gear up, this Summer, for the surprise winner of the big budget blockbuster so far in 2014. When the fate of the galaxy is threatened by a warlord hell bent on destruction, to fulfill a prophecy he believes he is meant for, it will be up to Bert Macklin, Avatar Green, Not Brock Lesnar, Silver Linings Playbook and I am Vin to stop him. As you can tell, so far, I fucking loved this movie. This is how comic book movies that aren't Batman should be made.

When Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) decides to steal an artifact from cave, he sets off a chain reaction that leads him on course to becoming a hero. You see, Quill is a thief, except this time, he's stealing without his usual crew, led by Yondu (Michael Rooker), and Yondu don't like that. Little does he know, by stealing this artifact, he's put himself in the sight lines of Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) and Thanos (Josh Brolin). This lands him in prison, where he meets Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel). Once all that happens, the fun really begins.

Chris Pratt is fantastic as Quill aka Starlord. He brings the perfect leading man looks and charisma, while also maintaining the right kind of comedic nature (something Robert Downey Jr. has made a career resurgence on). He gives the performance of his career, giving us a great anti-hero. Bautista, Cooper and Diesel are all excellent as well in their roles. Bautista plays Drax with a certain aloof nature that benefits his character, Cooper snarls and yells Rocket's way into our hearts, and Diesel is given a character that suits his acting style. Groot may only be able to say "I am Groot" with Rocket being the only one that understands him, but the vocal inflection helps the audience to get a sense of Groot. Saldana as Gamora is fine, but did nothing to stand out in my opinion. Lee Pace as Ronan is completely menacing and Karen Gillan as Nebula is such a badass.

The thing that this movie, due in large part to writer/director James Gunn, is that it knows how to be properly funny. The humour isn't just joke-punchline, but rather the characters playing off each other, and humour coming from the characters nature, as opposed to the words being said. Bautista in particular has some absolutely hilarious line deliveries that had my whole theatre rolling.

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy is everything I hoped for from a Marvel movie. As most people know, I'm not their biggest fan, but with the last Captain America and now this, they are on an upswing. Full of big laughs, awesome action and a compelling story, this movie will have you happy you spent as much as you did to see it.

Grade: A

Calvary (2014) Movie Review

If someone told you that they were going to kill you in one week because of the sins of someone else? Now what if you might know who that person is? This is the driving force behind Calvary, the latest from John Michael McDonough, the story of Father James Lavelle, a priest told in confession that he will be murdered in a week because of the pedophilia abuse given by another, now dead, priest. The problem is, it's told to him in confession, and he's not entirely sure if he can break that secrecy, or that he knows exactly who it is. And so we begin our journey in this incredibly dark humoured film.

Father James is a good man with darkness in his past, trying to do right by the people of his small Irish town. All around him, there is adultery, greed, and hatred, amongst many other vices. So when he is told that he will be killed in one week, off we go to figure out who it is, even though we're pretty sure he already knows. Add into that his daughter visiting from London, and we've got what should be a hilarious comedy from the makers of The Guard. Instead, we get a dark, introspective look at the evil inside all of us, and what it takes to control it. 

Brendan Gleeson is fantastic has become a commonplace expression, but it, nevertheless, rings wholeheartedly true here. The Irish actor has the look of a man at his wits end, desperately trying to understand his place among sin. His ability to make you believe in his own beliefs, yet harbour a deep sadness in his eyes is the work of a truly extraordinary actor, and one that I hope gets some more love at some point down the road.

The supporting cast is all excellent too. Chris O'Dowd, as a butcher whose wife is openly cheating on him, is great, as he's given some of the funnier dialogue, but also balances it out with a strong dramatic turn that will definitely get him some work down the road. Kelly Reilly is great as Father James' daughter, Fiona, Dylan Moran is great as a wealthy business man and Aiden Gillan is hilarious as a drug addicted local doctor. Domhall Gleeson, son of Brendan, is also great in a couple scenes as an inmate who ate the people he murdered.

What I was most surprised with in this movie was how dark and serious it got as The Guard, McDonaugh's previous film, was full of hilarity. And with his brother, Martin McDonaugh, who has done In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, there's always been an overtly comedic nature. However, the writing and feel of Calvary is somber, reflective and powerful. Ultimately, the film relies on the pairing of John Michael McDonaugh and Brendan Gleeson, who one again prove that they both deserve way more attention than they seem to get, and that their next film is something to definitely look forward to.

Grade: B+