Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: Come Early Morning
It is so hard to break a pattern that was learned by example from a young age. First, to even be aware of the pattern and secondly, realizing it was not working for you is such a major accomplishment in one’s life. Lucy Fowler, played by Ashley Judd (Double Jeopardy, Crossing Over), had come to a point in her life where the hard drinking, sleeping around, waking up early to sneak out from a stranger’s bed was no longer fulfilling a need in her. I have to say; watching Ashley in this part reminded me that with the proper direction, she can really deliver a convincing character. She was excellent in this performance. The development of her character really blossomed when she met Cal Perrell, played deftly by Jeffrey Donovan (Hitch, J. Edgar, Burn Notice-TV series), a recently transplanted resident to her small southern town. The relationship between these two came across in a real way as they began a rocky courtship. I enjoyed watching this movie, feeling as though I was really seeing a glimpse of small town life. And more imporatntly, I appreciated the way the story ended; it felt more true to life for me. Those learned habits really can be tough to overcome.
2 2/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Kid With the Bike
There are some people who have an item in their home that reminds them of a deceased friend or family member. I, myself, have a ceramic vase that belonged to a close friend, who passed away some years ago. In an amazing feat of acting, I understood the ferocity Cyril Catoul, played by Thomas Doret, displayed in keeping the bicycle his father had given him. This is the same father who abandoned his young son to a state run youth home. The opening scene immediately pulled at one’s heart strings as Cyril kept dialing his father’s phone number, only to hear that it was disconnected. From this heart wrenching scene the viewer was a witness to Cyril’s desperate struggle to escape and reunite with hs father. For a relative newcomer, Thomas was outstanding in his portrayal of Cyril. The other incredible performance was from Cecile De France (Hereafter, Around the World in 80 Days) who played Samantha, the local hairdresser who somehow understood Cyril’s plight. From a chance meeting, she shortly agreed to foster home Cyril on the weekends. What we have here are two broken individuals who needed the other to become whole. The tension and the acting sustained a high level throught the first half of the movie. But in the second half, things began to lose their intensity and I felt let down, along with being disappointed in the ending of this movie. French with English subtitles.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Miss Potter
There is nothing like watching a movie and it evokes a fond memory. This film did it for me; I remembered my brother gave me “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” for my birthday and how excited I was to read it. Some of you may have thought the title of this movie had to do with Harry Potter, but that would be incorrect. Miss Beatrix Potter, played by Renee Zellweger (Chicago, My One and Only) was the author of this famous children’s book and this movie was about her life. During a time when women were only considered to become wives and mothers, Beatrix was a trailblazer who freely spoke her mind. Believing in her ability to be a great author, Norman Warne played by Ewan McGregor (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Beginners), agreed to publish her book under her inflexible conditions. As meticulous as she was in the creation of her book, so were the creators of this beautifully done movie. Lush country scenery with an aesthetically pleasing layout of each scene, I was enchanted with the telling of this charming story. The small use of animating some of Miss Potter’s illustrations was a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of this lovely movie. Now I only wish I knew what happened to that birthday gift I got so many years ago.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Breaking and Entering
Committed relationships are not always easy to maintain; they take effort and work from both parties. Within this dramatic movie, examples were presented of relationships that needed extra work. Will, played by Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes, Cold Mountain) felt like an outsider in his own home, living with Liv played by Robin Wright (Moneyball, A Home at the End of the World) and her daughter. After his architectural firm was broken in to twice, Will staked it out at night and spotted the perpetrator. From a series of events, Will discovered more then just the stolen items from his firm. The acting was exceptional from the entire cast. One of the stand outs for me was Juliette Binoche (Dan in Real Life, Chocolat) as Amira. The director, I felt, did an outstanding job keeping a steady pace throughout the film. I loved the examination of the different relationships portrayed in this movie. Whether it was mother and son or two lovers, the way they were connected into the story line was deftly executed. A well done film that was a surprise find for me; this thrilling drama kept me engaged with each of the characters.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Flashbacks of a Fool
Within the opening scene of this film, I thought the title was aptly chosen. Little did I know the story was going to take me to a different place from what I had imagined. Daniel Craig (Quantum of Solace, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) played self-destructive Joe Scott, a movie star on the cusp of being considered too old for the film industry. With the news of his childhood friend’s death, Joe reflects on old memories as he prepares to go back to his boyhood home and attend the funeral. In flashback we see a younger Joe, played by Harry Eden (Oliver Twist, Pure), in scenes that laid the foundation for Joe’s future path in life. I found the acting believable and quite good in the dual story line. Also, I was fascinated how the story took a startling turn of events and connected the past with the present. A well done movie that I enjoyed and admired in its depth of story telling. This was the type of movie where afterwards, I sat back and took a look at some aspects of my life to see how they led me on my current path.
2 3/4 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Brick Lane
If there are no accidents and there is a reason for everything, do you then accept what fate has doled out? Or do you set your mind to have some control over your destiny? Having controlling tendencies, this movie came across to me in a powerful way. Sixteen year old Nazneem, played by Tannishetha Chatterjee (Shadows of Time, Watch Indian Circus) was sent to London for an arranged marriage. Leaving behind her family in Bangladesh with its beautiful surroundings; her new life was confined to a small, concrete London flat with this older gentleman, husband to be Chanu Ahmed, played by Satish Kaushik (Rascals, Double Dhamaal). I readily admit the idea of an arranged marriage is a foreign concept to me. To see Nazneem’s spirit literally being crushed by her portly husband, with her only lifeline being the letters she would receive from her sister back home, was heartbreaking to watch. With a wonderful script and tender, heartfelt acting; this film blossomed with such emotion, I felt a visceral reaction deep inside of me. As the movie came to an end, I quietly stayed seated and thought about how much influence did one really have over their fate. Bengali and English language.
3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Being Flynn
Welcome back Mr. De Niro, you have been missed. For the longest time, Robert De Niro (New Year’s Eve, Goodfellas) has been more like a caricature of himself; doing some cheesy, crappy movies. I was grateful to see him take on the role of Jonathan Flynn; a delusional, self-proclaimed writer. As an absentee father to his son Nick, played by Paul Dano (There Will be Blood, Cowboys & Aliens), Jonathan re-appeared into his son’s life, when he walked into the homeless shelter where Nick was employed. With this set-up the audience was treated to some fine acting from father and son, as the conflicted Nick wondered if there was a chance to connect with his dad. I felt the scenes in the shelter were some of the best in the movie. The story periodically jumped from present to Nick’s childhood, where we were fortunate to see Nick’s mother, Jody Flynn played by the wonderful Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right, Chloe). For the latter part of the movie, I felt the story weakened, slowing down the pace. If nothing else, it was good to see Robert De Niro take on a decent role. I only hope he continues to take on challenging roles and display that fine acting we were used to getting.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Rampart
When you need crazy intensity who better to get then Woody? The role of Los Angeles dirty cop, David Douglas Brown aka Date Rape Dave, was perfectly cast with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland, The Messenger). I could not think of another actor who could have brought the intensity the way Woody did for this character. As I watched this movie, I cringed with anxiety every time it looked like Woody, as Officer Brown, was about to explode with dark, fiery emotions–that is how good he acted in this role. Not only was I tensing up, but almost every character in the movie was when interacting with this police officer. For example, his former wives Barbara and Catherine, played by Cynthia Nixon (The Babysitters, Sex and the City) and Anne Heche (Volcano, Cedar Rapids) were excellent as they had to tread carefully around their explosive ex-husband. This movie was all about the acting, unfortunately sacrificing the story, letting it sink into a mess. The story was set in 1999 Los Angeles, where scandal had befallen the police department and Dave Brown already had an outrageous reputation. When he was recently filmed severely beating a citizen, officer Brown’s life spirals out of control, while the police department tried to figure out how to get out of the mess. If you are a fan of Woody Harrelson, you definitely want to see him in this movie.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Akeelah and the Bee
I always assumed spelling bees were somewhat boring; give me a good game of scrabble instead. But I have to tell you, this movie could have been titled Word Battle. With a perfect mix of drama and excitement, I was enthralled with the steady build up of it, all the way to the final scene. Akeelah Anderson, played by Keke Palmer (Joyful Noise, Madea Goes to Jail), was an eleven year old girl from South Los Angeles. Life was not easy for her, having a seemingly inattentive single parent, a troublesome brother, along with the daily school pressures from teachers and peers. Keke’s performance was totally believable, as she displayed a great range of emotions. Entering the school’s spelling bee, she surprised herself and everyone else by winning it. With some coaxing, the principal pushes Akeelah to continue on to the next level, with help from English professor Dr. Joshua Larabee, played by Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, Contagion). Between the two characters, I loved watching the emotional bond forming between them, as the story progressed. By the end of the movie I wanted to yell out letters at the television to help Akeelah. This was a wonderful story that really inspired me, as I recalled what that feeling is like when you realize you can do something well.
3 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Irina Palm
Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands to make a difference. In the case of Irina Palm, she certainly did. Widowed grandmother, Maggie played by Marianne Faithfull (Paris, je T’aime, Marie Antoinette) was desperate to get money for her ill grandson’s surgery. Without having any marketable skills, Maggie in her search, spotted a help wanted sign in the window of a commercial business, looking for a hostess. However, the establishment was not a restaurant. It was a sex club being run by Miki, played by Miki Manojiovic (Underground, The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner). I must tell you I had my doubts, thinking this story would not be feasible in the real world. But then I started thinking, what if I were in that situation and needed to get money to save someone’s life. And you know, I would do everything I humanly could, to make it happen. What seemed like a joke at first, Miki decided to test Maggie, to see if she could “handle” the responsibility, eventually dubbing her “Irina Palm”. With sparse dialog, I loved Marianne’s acting performance and was hooked into this odd, but interesting film. The story brewed with subtle undertones that unfolded with a couple of interesting twists. For you music fans, do a search on Marianne Faithfull to read about the inspiration behind several classic songs. Oh, and if you have been wondering what Miki had Maggie do at his live sex club, the answer can be found in the movie title and within this review.
3 stars — DVD
moviejoltz 