Foxcatcher - 4 smiles

“Foxcatcher” is a dark drama based on a true story. And while it involves sports, the focus is on the warped side of human nature, specifically the murder committed by the wealthy John E. du Pont in the late 90s. The murder takes place during the last moments of the film because director Bennett Miller is more interested in analyzing the relationships and exploring the motives. The screenplay by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman suggest that the roots of the tragedy can be traced back to the fractious relationship between uber-wealthy du Pont (Steve Carell) and his mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave). Everything du Pont does is influenced by his desire for his mother’s respect (which he doesn’t get) and his pathological need to overshadow her achievements.  The screenplay compresses events that transpired over a ten-year period into a much shorter time. It beings in the run-up to the 1987 world wrestling championships where brothers (both former Olympic gold medalists from 1984) Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave (Mark Ruffalo) plan to compete. Du Point asks Mark to visit him at his Pennsylvania estate with a proposal: if Mark will relocate to train at his facility, he will pay him $25,000 a year. Du Pont wants to be associated with a champion, to bask in reflected glory. The repressed homosexual attraction remains largely in the subtext. Mark agrees, but Dave remains behind, unwilling to uproot his family. Du Pont is disappointed, but he makes due with what he has. Mark and du Pont forge an odd friendship, but events take a dark turn when Mark loses focus and doesn’t win. Dave is then enticed to move to Pennsylvania.

Du point is an odd character. He isn’t good in social situations and has trouble with interpersonal relationships. He views wrestlers in much the same way his mother perceives her horses: a way to get status and add to her trophy collection. And Carell, under makeup that occasionally renders him unrecognizable, effectively conveys du Pont’s peculiar personality, making his eccentricities chilling and disquieting. Channing Tatum is equally good, easily giving the best dramatic performance of his career. He makes Mark Schultz a guy who can quite reconcile the fact that winning a gold medal didn’t solve all his problems. As du Pont grows weirder e grows more resentful. Tatum captures his simmering anger with skill. Mark Ruffalo has a comparatively smaller role, yet he is also stellar as the more congenial and easy-going Dave, providing a stark contrast to the more awkward du Pont. “Foxcatcher,” filled with layered performances and emotional storytelling, is a must-see. 11/2014

Birdman - 1 smile

I know I’m supposed to like “Birdman,” starring Michael Keaton. All the critics liked it; it got a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. And most viewers gave it an 87%. However, I found the story pointless, the characters irritating and the constant pounding of the drum soundtrack grating. And director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu hits you over the head (several times) with his theme of theater is art vs. mainstream movies are dreck. Riggan (Keaton) has a conversation with his volatile co-lead, Mike (Edward Norton) about ‘popularity is the slutty cousin of prestige’ and has encounter with a critic (Lindsay Duncan) who loathes Riggan for daring to think he’s good enough for the live stage. Inarritu leaves no room for interpretation, putting repetitious ideas into the mouths of gifted actors and then drops them into a kooky story. And his idea of humor is curious. Mike, a self-professed cad, is impotent except he gets a visible hard-on on stage. Funny, huh? And Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough, who play actresses in Riggan’s play, share a lesbian kiss that comes from left field and then has no follow through. Giggles, anyone? These supposedly funny moments detract more than add any depth to the narrative. I really should see “Birdman” again, but I don’t think I can take a second viewing. 11/2014

Whiplash - 4 smiles

“Whiplash” is about obsession and compulsion. It’s about what happens when too much importance is placed on greatness and when the goal of achieving it overshadows everything else. It twists the mentor/student relationship in ugly ways and focuses on the test of wills that develop between characters brilliantly portrayed by Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. And although Simmons plays the more showy and complex character, a master manipulator, Teller’s ambitious but naïve drummer is no less powerfully portrayed. The story is not new: a student is challenged to achieve his full potential by a teacher. But this is no feel-good, audience-pleasing experience. “Whiplash” is more complex and at times hard to watch. Simmons’ Terence Fletcher’s goal of inspiring his students to reach their potential is achieved through bullying and sadism. He offers scorn instead of praise. He is a cruel taskmaster whose end-justifies-the-means mantra makes him the terrifying instructor everyone fears. His latest protégé at the exclusive music school where he works is talented jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Teller), whose personal drive for greatness feeds the unhealthy relationship that develops between the two.

Beyond the war between teacher and student, this movie is also a celebration of traditional jazz. When Andrew grabs his sticks and the band launches into a standard, like Hank Levy’s Whiplash, it’s hard not to tap your toes. (Teller was a drummer as a kid and does all the character’s playing so director Damien Chazelle doesn’t have to hide his hands.) At times you wonder whether Andrew does need aggressive pushing to excel. Andrew’s father (Paul Reiser) is a mild presence, a man who watches black-and-white movies and sprinkles Raisinets on his popcorn. He loves Andrew unconditionally so he’s not the one to compel Andrew to reach beyond himself. It takes a monster to do that and Simmons is just about perfect. Anyone who sees “Whiplash” will remember Simmons’ name come Oscar nomination time. The end will spark debate over whether Chazelle is vindicating Fletcher’s methods, suggesting that only a harsh taskmaster can push Andrew to the next level. Maybe. Chazelle is certainly leaving that open to interpretation. 11/2014

John Wick - 4 smiles

Action flicks are my favorite and “John Wick” is that rare action thriller that’s actually satisfyingly good. The growing trend for PG-13 action and the emergence of computer-generated imaging has rendered old-school violence obsolete. Then along comes unlikely candidate Keanu Reeves to ignite the flame once again. For those who crave no-holds barred action, this is one of the year’s best. There isn’t much of a plot other than our hero is out to avenge wrongs done to him. So he goes through an increasingly difficult series of bad guys until he comes face-to-face with the Big Boss. John Wick is an ex-mob assassin who is brought of out retirement when his car is stolen and his dog is killed (I hated this part) by the punk Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), Iosef is the son of Wick’s former boss, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist). The path to father and son forces Wick to run a gauntlet comprised of old friends, associates and enemies played by Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, John Leguizamo and Ian McShane.

The movies’ greatest strength is its relentless momentum. It offers occasional breaks, including amusing scenes that take place in a hotel where guests aren’t allowed to ‘talk shop.’ (Breaking that rule, it turns out, can have serious consequences.) For the most part, however, “John Wick” knows what it is and is unapologetic about it. This is a kick-butt action film, directed by former stuntmen/coordinators David Leitch and Chad Stahelski. They show that they understand how to frame a fight and never resort to the kind of quick cuts that result in narrative confusion. Reeves, who has never displayed much range, is at his strongest when he can remain stoic. He has enough back story to make him sympathetic, but ultimately he’s a force of nature. 10/2014

St. Vincent - 4 smiles

I recently read a review where the critic complained that because Bill Murray could play the grumpy old man with a soft heart in his sleep, he couldn’t give “St. Vincent” a very high score. Never mind that Murray is very good or that he has a stellar supporting cast. Never mind Theodore Melfi’s script calls for Murray to pull off the jokes and plumb dramatic depths that he isn’t often called upon to explore. Never mind that the relationship between Vincent and young Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), which is the heart of the movie, is presented in all its complexity. If you can ignore all of these elements, then you might not give “St. Vincent” a very high score either. But I couldn’t.

A misanthrope of the highest order, Vincent lives alone with his cat Felix. The arrival of a single mother, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her elementary-age son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), in the house next door represents an unwelcome intrusion into his island of isolation. Aside from regular visits from prostitute Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent doesn’t permit anyone to violate the sanctity of his house or life until Oliver shows up after school one day and asks for a place to hang out until his mother gets home from work. Vincent, in desperate need of money, sees this as an opportunity to make some quick babysitting cash. When Maggie picks up Oliver in the evening, he offers his services on a daily basis. However, babysitting Oliver doesn’t mean helping him with homework. It involves visits to bars, strip clubs, racetracks and the nursing home where Vincent’s Alzheimer’s-afflicted wife is living out her last days. “St. Vincent” doesn’t really need much beyond the performances of Murray and Lieberher to keep you engaged. 10/2014