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Sarah and David: The Sequel

Here (2024) [PG-13] ***

 A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on Nov. 1, 2024.

For a movie like Here, which eschews the norms of narrative filmmaking in favor of something experimental, the first question to ask is whether the story, stripped bare of the director’s approach, is worth telling. The second question is whether the decision to approach the movie in a nontraditional fashion adds anything to the production. Providing an answer to the first question is more difficult than the second. At its heart, Here is a fairly straightforward melodrama and its strength comes from the accessibility and relatability of the characters and their circumstances. Most of us will have known (or been) these people at various times during our lives. Certain moments have a poignancy that comes from the connections formed between on-screen characters and those watching in the audience. But the biggest problems with Here are the extraneous plot elements that bog down the basic story (in order to advance a theme about impermanence), the ill-advised chronological dysfunction favored by director Robert Zemeckis, and the awkward, distracting use of frames to provide transitions. Although these things don’t destroy the film, they reduce its overall impact and emotional resonance. It’s difficult (if not impossible) to become immersed in a movie when the director is constantly reminding us that it is a movie.

Berardinelli's full film review (2.5 stars out of 4)

Labels: drama, Tom Hanks
IMDb 63/100 
MetaScore (critics=39, viewers=48) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=44, viewers=68) 

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) [PG-13] ****

 A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net

It's vaguely disconcerting to admit that, less than 24 hours after seeing Under the Tuscan Sun, the thing I remember most clearly about it is neither the characters nor the situations, but the photography. This is a beautifully shot motion picture, and there's no doubt that the lush scenery upstages the actors. The real star of Under the Tuscan Sun isn't Diane Lane, but the Italian countryside, with its rich, varied hues, as filtered through the lenses of cinematographer Geoffrey Simpson. So, if you're looking for pretty, postcard-like settings, this movie offers plenty of them. If the narrative is more of a concern, you may find this film lacking.

The movie is freely adapted by director/screenwriter Audrey Wells from Frances Mayes' book of the same name. However, because the source material is essentially a travelogue, Wells reworked the material to provide a structured narrative. The main thread of the story, while not original, is interesting enough. Unfortunately, Wells didn't think this was sufficient, so she added a number of cliched, poorly developed, uninteresting subplots to highlight various quirky secondary characters. And, of course, there's the obligatory rushed, optimistic ending which is as false as an old man's dentures.

Diane Lane, elevated to the level of movie star as a result of her Oscar nomination for Unfaithful, headlines the film as Frances Mayes, a newly divorced writer/book critic who is having a hard time dealing with the breakup of her marriage. Her concerned best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), suggests that she spend some time out of the country, and buys for her a plane ticket to Italy. Once there, Frances decides she doesn't want to return to the United States, and plunges all of her available capital into a crumbling Tuscan villa. As she's fixing it up with the help of some immigrant Polish workers, she meets her neighbors and begins her search for a new romance.

The part of the movie that centers on Frances' rebirth in Italy (a process that parallels the revitalization of her 300-year old home) is Under the Tuscan Sun's most compelling aspect. As I said, it's not terribly original, but it is well-done. Frances' obligatory romance with  Marcello (Raoul Bova) seems to have been included primarily to satisfy those who are looking for something more than a woman trying to figure out how to get her plumbing to work. The subplots vary from unnecessary to annoying. Instead of enhancing the film by adding color and depth, they are so poorly realized that they detract by stealing away time that could have been used to probe deeper into Frances' character. She's the only interesting individual in this movie, and demoting her to the level of match-maker and problem-solver during the film's second half causes the story to lose focus and momentum. Does anyone really care about the self-absorbed English actress Katherine (Lindsay Duncan) who constantly quotes Federico Fellini? Or the star-crossed lovers who don't speak the same language and can't marry because her parents don't like him? Or the pregnant friend who decides to have her baby in Tuscany after she is abandoned by her lesbian partner?

The nice thing about Lane's performance is that there's a natural, unforced quality to it. This has always been the actress' trademark, and it turns out to be one of Under the Tuscan Sun's strengths, at least for as long as Wells keeps Frances at the undisputed center of events. Of the supporting actors, only two are worth mentioning. Sandra Oh brings a nice, cynical edge to the proceedings. Oh makes Patti a bluntly outspoken individual who shows an inner core of vulnerability. Meanwhile, Raoul Bova is suitably rugged and handsome as Marcello, the first Italian guy with whom Frances decides she wants to do more than flirt.

I am of the firm opinion that the term chick flick (which manifestly applies to this film) should not automatically disqualify men from enjoying the production or offering an opinion about it. The best entries into this genre, such as Fried Green Tomatoes, can pluck at the heartstrings of males and females. Unfortunately, Under the Tuscan Sun, despite starting out strong, never gets to a level where it can be considered universally appealing. It's a little disappointing to watch a strong character arc crumble, but that's the price of a lost focus. Under the Tuscan Sun isn't special enough to warrant a trip to the local multiplex unless you're in desperate need of an antidote to the lingering aftereffects of this past summer's testosterone overdose. In such a case, viewing this movie is understandable, if not entirely worthwhile. [Berardinelli's rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars = 62.5%

Labels: comedy, cross-cultural, Diane Lane, drama, romance
IMDb 67/100 
MetaScore (critics=52, viewers=73) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=62, viewers=80) 
Blu-ray 

A Rainy Day in New York (2019) [PG-13] ***

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on Oct. 7, 2020.

It’s past time for Woody Allen to go gently into retirement. The Oscar-winning director, having made some of the 20th century’s most memorable comedies, has nothing left to prove and his recent output is indicative of someone with no more stories to tell. With A Rainy Day in New York, Allen is spinning his wheels – revisiting familiar themes and ideas from other, earlier films that were presented to far better effect the first time around. Little about A Rainy Day in New York can be considered fresh. It feels like the work of someone who is going through the motions. (One has to wonder whether Allen is continuing to make movies because he feels the creative urge or because he doesn’t want to give his critics the satisfaction of a formal retirement.)

Watching A Rainy Day in New York, it’s easy to become nostalgic about Allen’s classics (like Manhattan and Annie Hall) an even a few of his not-so-classics (like Celebrity) because this new movie references those (and others) and, in the process, reminds us how much better the director once was than what he is now. The movie is labeled a comedy but it’s only occasionally witty and rarely (if ever) laugh-aloud funny. The filmmaker’s bitterness about star culture is evident in nearly every scene as is his distaste for everything to do with the paparazzi and celebrity worship.

The narrative takes two upstate New York university students, lovers Gatsby (Timothee Chalamet) and Ashleigh (Elle Fanning), and brings them into the city when she scores an interview with reclusive, iconoclast director Roland Pollard (Liev Schreiber). Raised in Tucson, Arizona, Ashleigh has little experience with big cities and Gatsby, who has just won big at the poker table, is anxious to turn the weekend into a romantic getaway. (He spends considerable money on their hotel accommodations.) But circumstances separate them. Pollard is entranced with Ashleigh (at one point calling her his new muse) and various other celebrated film-types are drawn to her, including legendary writer Ted Davidoff (Jude Law) and international mega-hunk Francisco Vega (Diego Luna). Meanwhile, a dejected Gatsby consorts with Chan (Selena Gomez), the younger sister of an ex-flame, gets into a poker game, and brings a hooker (Kelly Rohrbach) to an upscale party being hosted by his mother (Cherry Jones).

One problem with many of Allen’s post-2000 films is his tendency to write dialogue that would sound natural only if he spoke it. As a result, the male stars of his films – in this case, Timothee Chalamet – are often put into the odd position of mimicking a younger Allen in order to be able to get the cadence and mannerisms right. (The strangest example of this was Kenneth Branagh in Celebrity – something I called an odd and disconcerting experience.) Not to be outdone, Elle Fanning gives a truly horrible imitation of a twenty-something Diane Keaton. There are some nice supporting performances – Liev Schreiber, Jude Law, Selena Gomez, and Cherry Jones – but the two leads are so bad that it hardly matters.

As is Allen’s wont when setting his films, this is a gauzy, fanciful New York that, if it ever existed, was never accessible to anyone without extraordinary wealth and/or privilege. This backdrop has served Allen well in many of his better excursions but it feels dated and out-of-touch in A Rainy Day in New York. Plus, the production values are questionable. At times during the rain, the sun can be seen shining. Presumably Allen lacked the funding to be able to fix this in post-production, or he didn’t care enough to do so. [Berardinelli’s rating: 2 stars out of 4 = 50%]

Labels: comedy, romance
IMDb 65/100 
MetaScore (critics=38, viewers=75) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=43, viewers=66) 
Blu-ray 
James Berardinelli’s review 

Nobody Wants This (2024) [TV-MA] ****

A film review by Richard Roeper on September 26, 2024.

In lesser hands, the premise for the latest Netflix comedy series might have resulted in Cringe TV, like something out of a TikTok parody video or SNL sketch:

It’s the mid-2000s crossover we always wanted! Kristen Bell from ‘Veronica Mars’ is Joanne, an outspoken and agnostic blonde with a sexually explicit podcast, and Adam Brody from ‘The O.C.’ is Noah, a hot rabbi from a traditional Jewish family. How can these two VERY different people make a romance work? After all ... Nobody Wants This!

Talk about a title that could be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Of course, it’s all in the execution, and the good news is that Nobody Wants This is a smart, breezy, warmhearted and consistently funny show, with each episode playing like a mini version of an endearing rom-com. Inspired by the real-life experience of creator Erin Foster, this is a sweet confection that nevertheless has enough bite and edge to avoid delving into the mawkish. It’s also refreshingly candid while being respectful in its treatment of Judaism, and yet not shying away from mining humor from certain tropes and misconceptions.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the leads in rom-com series and films would often work in magazine publishing or advertising or at TV station; these days, they have a podcast. So it goes with Kristen Bell’s Joanne and her sister and best friend Morgan (Justine Lupe, Willa on Succession). They’re both single and they’ve been through all the dating apps more than once, and they mine their experiences and observations for frank discussions on their increasingly popular podcast, which actually does sound like it could be a hit.

At a party thrown by their producer, Ashley (Sherry Cola), Joanne has a Meet Cute with Adam Brody’s Noah, a handsome and witty rabbi who has recently ended things with his longtime girlfriend Rebecca (Emily Arlook). From the get-go, Joanne and Noah acknowledge there’s a mutual attraction, but also there’s no point in pursuing a romance because despite Noah’s hipster quipping and cool, he’s a very traditional rabbi who is all-in, while Joanne is the very definition of the classic shiksa. They’ll just stay in the Friend Zone.

You can guess how long that lasts.

Over the course of 10 fast-paced episodes, none longer than 31 minutes, Nobody Wants This follows these two flawed but relatable and essentially good people who are so obviously right for one another but face a checklist of rom-com obstacles along the way, from the religious and cultural divide to the craziness of their respective families to social media-fueled misunderstandings to the ex-girlfriend who might still be in the picture.

Bell and Brody are natural actors who click wonderfully together, and the supporting cast is filled with terrific and familiar talents. Justine Lupe is a scene-stealing comedic force as Morgan, while Timothy Simons (Veep) turns in typically hilarious work as Noah’s cloddy but endearing brother Sasha. Legendary Broadway star Tovah Feldshuh plays Noah’s rigid and controlling mother, Bina, in a role that brushes up against stereotypes but is saved by the sharp writing and commanding performance.

At times, Joanne’s lack of knowledge about anything Jewish strains credulity. It’s hard to believe she’s never heard the term shalom, and when she learns it means hello, goodbye and peace, she chirps, Oh, it’s like the Jewish ‘aloha’!

Mostly, though, Nobody Wants This has fun with clichés and tropes, as when Noah and Sasha hear a message from Morgan telling Joanne that Noah is cuter than I expected, he doesn’t look that Jewish, and Noah says, What does Jewish look like to you? Are you picturing a bigger nose, or like curlier hair and Sasha chimes in with, Does my brother not look like he could control the media? (That it’s done in a teasing and affectionate fashion makes all the difference.)

Other times, Noah’s passion for his faith and Joanne’s willingness to learn is handled with grace, as when Noah explains the rituals and meaning of Havdalah, the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat, and Joanne finds it quite lovely. (There are also plenty of current-day touches, from the use of Olivia Rodrigo songs to a reference to the Call Her Daddy podcast.)

This is also a great-looking show, painting L.A. in the most flattering light. Everyone lives in places that could be photo spreads in the Los Angeles Times, and they hang out at picturesque places like the rooftop at Mama Shelter in Hollywood for brunch. Powered by the enduring likability of Bell and Brody, that wonderful supporting cast and the consistently strong writing, Nobody Wants This has all the ingredients for a multi-season run. [Roeper’s rating: 3 stars out of 4]

Labels: comedy
IMDb 81/100 
MetaScore (critics=73, viewers=61) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=78, viewers=86) 
Netflix 

 

The Boys in the Boat (2023) [PG13] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on December 26, 2023.

The Boys in the Boat is an old-fashioned, uplifting story about the triumph of underdogs. The film radiates the same level of classiness often associated with its director, George Clooney. Sentimental without being saccharine, this based-on-history account of the victory of the U.S. rowing team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics offers likeable characters in a well-structured narrative that never becomes bogged down by extraneous elements.

Mark L. Smith’s screenplay relies heavily on the source material, Daniel James Brown’s 2013 account of how an unsung University of Washington J.V. rowing team ascended to the upper echelon of the sport, winning a gold medal with Adolf Hitler in attendance. Because those Olympics are remembered primarily for the images crafted by Leni Riefenstahl in Olympia and the triumphs of Jesse Owens, the victory of the rowing team was for many years regarded as a footnote. That changed with the success of Brown’s book, which ascended to #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Although the movie rights were quickly optioned (with Kenneth Branagh attached as director), it took a decade for a film to reach movie theaters.

The book The Boys in the Boat offers a two-pronged approach to the climactic Olympic contest that took place from August 12-14, 1936. To streamline the film’s narrative, the backstory related to the Nazi preparation for the games has been elided, resulting in a focus on the University of Washington’s team as seen primarily through the eyes of one of the rowers, Joe Rantz (Callum Turner). Although several of the other eight boys in the boat are given moments to help differentiate them from one another, Rantz is the lone rower with a fully developed character. The only other three-dimensional individual is Coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton). Aside from Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson) and Hazel Ulbrickson (Courtney Henggeler) – token roles as Joe’s girlfriend and Al’s wife, respectively – there are no women to speak of.

The curtain rises on 1935 Seattle, with the world mired in the depths of the Great Depression. Joe Rantz, a student at the University of Washington, is facing expulsion from college due to an unpaid tuition bill. Unable to find a job and with day work at a premium, he decides to try out for the school’s rowing team after learning that participants are given paid part-time positions. Of the hundreds of would-be rowers, only eight are selected following a grueling series of try-outs. Joe is one of them. With his economic issues at least temporarily resolved, he settles into bonding with the eight other young men in the Junior Varsity boat as they develop into what would become, in the coach’s words, the best team he has ever seen.

The movie’s sports elements are impeccably recreated; even those who know the ending (as a matter of the historical record) will find an element of suspense in the way Clooney frames them. He does this not by fast-cutting or overly relying on editing but by clean, clear shots both at the boat level and from above. Winning becomes important because we are invested in Joe, who at one point states that being on the team is all he has.

Although The Boys in the Boat doesn’t have a political agenda, it makes a point of acknowledging Jesse Owens’ importance to the Olympics. Owens doesn’t have a large role in the film – to give him one would unbalance the narrative and take the focus away from the main characters – but he notes that he’s in Berlin not so much to thumb his nose at the Germans but to prove something to everyone back home who doubted him.

Tonally, The Boys in the Boat is a relatively low-key affair, lacking the overt melodrama that characterizes many sports movies. Nevertheless, in part because of a strong lead performance by Callum Turner, solid supporting work from Joel Edgerton and Peter Guinness (as George Pocock, the boat-builder), and a well-honed screenplay, the film engages viewers on its intended level. The period detail is evocative but not overbearing and there are no forced allegories. Offering inspiration in both the truth of its basis and the way in which it is presented, The Boys in the Boat is an antidote to the pervasive cynicism of the modern era. [Beradinelli’s rating: 3 stars out of 4 = 75%]

Labels: biography, drama, history, sport
IMDb 70/100 
MetaScore (critics=54, viewers=66) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=61, viewers=94) 
Blu-ray 
Berardinelli’s review 

Find Me Falling (2024) [TV-MA] ****

A film review by Monica Castillo for rogerebert.com on July 19, 2024.

When many of us think of vacationing on the Mediterranean, the first things that come to mind might be the gorgeous blue-green crystalline waters, the picturesque villages anchored on the shoreline, and the many variations of seafood fare available within walking distance. Perhaps that’s part of what inspired rock star John Allman (Harry Connick Jr.) to escape the pressures of the music business to catch a little rest and relaxation on the scenic island of Cyprus. Unfortunately, he’s confronted with a more serious problem when the house on a cliff he purchased turns out to be a destination for people looking to end their life. As he tries to connect with other locals about what he can do to stop the practice, he meets an aspiring singer named Melina (Ali Fumiko Whitney) and her mother, Sia (Agni Scott), an accomplished doctor on the island who once had a relationship with John many years before – and who now has another chance at love.

Writer-director Stelana Kliris follows the well-worn beats of a romantic comedy with her follow-up to her 2014 feature debut, Committed. In Find Me Falling, she gives the audience a few surprises and instead follows a predictable story of a long-delayed romantic reconnection featuring two handsome leads. However, the subplot about suicide just outside John’s doorstep feels strangely glib, dampening the mood of this escapist rom-com from the jump: the movie is called Find Me Falling after all. In some scenes, this plot detail is played for laughs, like when an exasperated John scolds a man looking downcast and heading to the cliff, Now is not a good day to die! Embarrassed, the man turns back, and John continues his emotional conversation with Sia. Other moments are much more sympathetic, like when John coaxes a scared young woman off the edge and promises to help her, but it’s a tonal whiplash from nights spent at a music-filled taverna, getting sunburnt on the beach, or reigniting a long-lost romantic flame.

As a tired rock star looking to get away from it all, Harry Connick Jr. looks a little too polished but acts appropriately tired by all the small town culture he finds on arrival. He seems embarrassed that people recognize him and is maybe one of the most unpretentious rock stars ever written for a movie. As Sia, Agni Scott plays the part of the accomplished woman who soldiered on with her career and single motherhood well, and she struts through the film with a stylish sense of nonchalance. It’s a performance that’s almost too cool and aloof, because as their characters may verbally pine for each other, the physical chemistry feels less evident, and their moments of passion look less exciting than some of their arguments.

However, Kliris’s script doesn’t just center on the film’s two lovebirds. She builds out Sia’s relationship with her daughter, Melina; her concerned sister Koula (Lea Maleni), who is weary of this dashing stranger who’s returned to Cyprus for what may be more than a change of scenery; and the family’s matriarch Marikou (Aggeliki Filippidou), who is always on hand to lend an ear, share her wisdom with her family, and cool tempers between family members. There’s a loving familial dynamic that develops alongside the romance that also grounds the story in the culture and place, not just using it as a narrative backdrop. Even Captain Manoli (Tony Demetriou) plays a vital role in giving John a tour of the town, introducing him to the taverna where John sees Sia for the first time in years, and has his own issues that John then helps him and his family in return.

By the end, Find Me Falling lands on uneven ground. It’s as if this lighthearted romantic comedy has its frothy bubbles burst by the sudden encroachment of dramatic interruptions and uninspired pop music and lyrics (John’s big hit is called Girl on the Beach and the song does not sound better than the title). It’s an odd choice that may affect some viewer’s expectations for a frivolous getaway romance, like using lime for a Greek dish that calls for lemon. It changes the profile of the movie, leaving an aftertaste that feels slightly off an otherwise decent meal. [Castillo’s rating: 2 stars out of 4 = 50%]

Labels: comedy, drama, music, Netflix, romance
IMDb 64/100 
MetaScore (critics=50, viewers=76) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=49, viewers=76) 
Netflix 
Monica Castillo’s review