Rental: The Town

THE TOWN

Director: Ben Affleck

Writers: Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Aaron Stockard

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively.

Boston, Massachusetts is the crime capital of the world. Or so The Town tells you in the start titles. Charlestown, to be precise, is the place where the most bank robberies occur every year. Doug (Affleck) is one of these bank robbers. After he and his gang of thieves rob a Cambridge bank, they take a female employee (the ever-so-brilliant Rebecca Hall) hostage. After they release her, she meets with FBI agent Adam Frawley (Hamm, of Mad Men fame) and the hunt is on. Things get sticky, though, when Doug falls for the very woman he kidnapped.

Just to start off, I must confess- I absolutely loathe Ben Affleck as an actor. I actually didn't watch his directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, so I wasn't so sure my hatred towards him would extend to behind the camera. After watching The Town, I was quite impressed. Sure, it's nothing outstanding, but he does do a good job. Even still, he can't act for nuts.

The rest of the cast (excepting a almost undecipherable, overwrought Blake Lively) do a great job, expecially Rebecca Hall. I've always liked her acting skills- she milked her wife role in The Prestige for all it was worth (which was a good thing), and showed great chemistry with Martin Sheen in Frost/Nixon. Here she displays a great range of skills, pulling off her role with grace and subtlelty. Cameos by the always welcome Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaite as Doug's estranged father and a gun toting florist, respectively, are also nice touches.

There are some scenes of genuine suspense, although they are few and far between. For the most part, this is a run-of-the-mill action with not too much gore and instead a bit of intelligence and wit. As with most films of this genre, there is a level of implausability, but The Town is much easier to bear than most.

The bottom line: A fun, sometimes thrilling action that missteps with some bad casting decisions and cliches.

7/10

Never Let Me Go Review

NEVER LET ME GO

Director: Mark Romanek

Writer: Alex Garland

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, Sally Hawkins.

As children, Ruth (Mulligan) and her friends Kathy (Knightley) and Tommy (Garfield) spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic boarding school. But with the arrival of a new teacher (Hawkins), things start to get a bit more complicated. As the three friends grow older, and as the horrible reality of what awaits them grows stronger, Ruth comes to realise exactly how fragile life is.

Adapted brilliantly from the Man Booker Prize-nominated novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Alex Garland's screenplay balances delicately themes of morality, love and sexuality. While, as always, not all the elements from the novel are in the film, the film never feels rushed and the dialogue is never stuffed with exposition. The contemplative score by Rachel Portman, is greatly complemented by a modern reworking of a Lloyd Price classic, that proves important in the plot. The film is gorgeously photographed by Adam Kimmel, and Mark Romanek shows he is a man of many talents after the eerily effective One Hour Photo.

The acting is top-notch, with Charlotte Rampling, Domnhall Gleeson and Andrea Riseborough in supporting roles. Andrew Garfield is good as ever as Tommy, but he is maybe a tad underwritten, which hinders the trio's dynamic. Keira Knightly is impressive as Kathy, but it is Carey Mulligan who truly lights up the screen. Her Ruth is a strongwilled, caring human being swept up in the atrocities that make up her life. While the material may be gloomy and depressing, she never hams it up and is never overwrought. She stays confident, showing Ruth's conflicting thoughts, fears and desires in one small expression. Her final scene is a harrowing one, that will probably stay with you for days afterward.

It is a poignant, sometimes harshly honest film that resonated with me- although it may be too depressing and glum for some.

The Bottom Line- For fans of the book, Never Let Me Go shouldn't disappoint- it is a finely acted, beautifully made film.

9/10

Rabbit Hole Review

RABBIT HOLE
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Sandra Oh, Tammy Blanchard.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Rabbit Hole tells the story of Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart), a couple struggling to return to life as normal after their young son dies in a car accident. To help with their grief, they join a support group and Becca starts cleaning out the house. Becca also starts secretly meeting up with Jason, the driver involved in the accident.

To start off I should say, after watching this, I was pleasantly surprised . For a film about grief, this film is very easy to watch. There are no jarring tonal shifts, as dramatic scenes are expertly interspersed with funny ones. The acting is all top-notch; Nicole Kidman is back to her best, Aaron Eckhart is just as good and Dianne Wiest is her usual brilliant self, playing Becca's mother who has dealt with family tragedy in the past. Newcomer Miles Teller is also great as Jason- it is actually the relationship between him and Becca that keeps this film fresh and interesting. Their conversations are a good contrast between the frosty arguments between the main couple as their marriage starts to show signs of deterioration. The screenplay, adapted by the writer of the original play, is sharp and witty, and the direction competent. Sure, it isn't a marvel of cinematic excellence, but the key to the greatness of this film is its simplicity and restraint- the latter something you probably wouldn't expect from director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Itch, Shortbus). There are parallels between this and the superior portrayal of a couple in crisis that was Blue Valentine, but for those who couldn't bring themselves to watch such an intense film, Rabbit Hole should be consolation.

The bottom line: This isn't a masterpiece, but it is a fresh, well acted portrait of grief

8/10

Black Swan Review

BLACK SWAN
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Mark Heyman, Andres Heins, John McLaughlin.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassell, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder.

After The Wrestler, which showcased the dirty side of wrestling, Darren Aronofsky's latest film is set in the cutthroat world of ballet. In it, Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, a brilliant ballerina who is perfect for the role of the White Swan in her company's latest production of Swan Lake. After Lily (Kunis) joins the company, Nina has some competition for the main role- while Nina can pull off the White Swan's vulnerable, innocent character with ease, Lily effortlessly plays the dark and sexy twin, the Black Swan. The problem is, only one ballerina can play both. Guided (0r better still, misguided) by her overbearing mother (a devilish Hershey) and her dance instructer Tomas (Cassel), Nina hurtles into a mental downward spiral as she strives for perfection.

If you've seen Aronofsky's earlier films (most notably Requiem for a Dream and Pi) the similarites are hard to miss. Even still, when you're so good at something, why wouldn't you repeat yourself? Teaming up with two previous collaborators, cinematographer Matthew Libatique and composer Clint Mansell, he delivers a knock-out film that will leave you breathless by the time the credits roll. Natalie Portman is stunning as Nina, and adds a third dimension to an already difficult role, burdened by occasional poor scripting. It's the script that hinders the film the most- for Vincent Cassel, who just doesn't have the seduction or the sex appeal to make his character believable, the hammy dialogue makes it harder still- one particular scene involving biting is quite cringeworthy. Barbara Hershey is wonderful, though, bringing a level of humanity into her mother-from-hell role. Winona Ryder also appears in a relatively small but powerful role as a veteran ballerina. The dance sequences are dazzling, only made better by Libatique's beautiful, swooping camerawork and some thoughtful costume design. It is the sound design, though, that brings this film to a whole other level. Accompanied by Clint Mansell's booming score, added into the sound landscape are giggles and swan shrieks to elevate the eerie, threatening mood. It helps to bring an air or menace to the film, as tension slowly builds up until the breathtaking last act, that knocks you out and leaves you completely stunned.

The bottom line: A beautiful, dark and thrilling film buoyed by a powerhouse performance from Natalie Portman, Black Swan is a stunning film.

10/10

Rental: Charlie St. Cloud

CHARLIE ST. CLOUD
Writer- Craig Pearce & Lewis Colick
Director- Burr Steers
Starring- Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Amanda Crew, Augustus Prew, Ray Liotta.

The whole premise of the shameless Zac Efron vanity vehicle that is Charlie St. Cloud could be summed up in its terrible tagline- Life is For Living. It tells the story of a young sailor (Efron) whose life crumbles after the death of his younger brother (Tahan). Even still, he decides to keep a pact they made when they were both still living- they would meet everyday to practice their baseball skills.

There's not much that can save this shipwreck- not even Ray Liotta and Kim Basinger in severely underwritten roles can keep it from sinking. Everybody seems to be trying their very best, and all take it ever so seriously, but their efforts are in vain. Close-ups of Efron's face are abundant, as is an incredibly corny screenplay and heavy handed direction. This film is so cloying, so sickly sweet, that it's impossible to take seriously. Its plot twists are cliched, the end is ridiculous and its character development almost non-existent. The generic, intrusive score tries to sound inspirational, but falls dead flat. One of the very few redeeming features of the film is the cinematography, with an interesting shot here and there to liven things up a little. Abandon ship.

The bottom line- If all you want in a film are shots of an (occasionally) bare chested Zac Efron, then you're in for a real treat. Anyone else, stay well away.

1/10

True Grit Review

TRUE GRIT

Writer/Director- Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring- Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper.


After it romped in with 10 Oscar nominations earlier in the week, recieved stellar reviews and great box office performance, one could assume the new Coen Bros. film had a lot going for it. The film, of course, is True Grit.

Based on the Charles Portis novel, it tells the story of Mattie Ross (Steinfeld), a sharp, steely 14 year old whose father gets murdered and pillaged. She wants revenge, so she recruits a one eyed, trigger-happy US Marshal by the name of Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges, in the same role that John Wayne got his Oscar for). Accompanying them on their quest to find the killer, Tom Chaney (Brolin), is a boastful Texas Ranger (Matt Damon).

Not as eccentric as the Coen Bros. previous offerings, the film stays true to the source novel and works well as a Western. The performances are all fine, newcomer Hailee Steinfeld holding up against the heavyweights she's acting alongside. One problem with Jeff Bridges, though, is his almost undecipherable murmuring- in one particular coutroom scene it is extremely hard to follow. The cinematography by the great Roger Deakins is breathtaking, and the art direction impeccable.

So, this should be a brilliant film, shouldn't it?

Well, no.

As solid as it is, there's a certain dullness, an emotional detachment, that hinders the film. The film seems to go on without much excitement (apart from a few scenes), and so by the end of the film, it's hard not to have a feeling of unfulfilment.


The bottom line- Watch it if you want to see a good Western that's beautiful to look at, but don't expect usual Coen Brothers fare.



7/10