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Sarah and David: The Sequel

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 

Past Lives (2023) [PG-13] *****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on July 16, 2023. This review could be considered to contain spoilers.

Past Lives is quietly powerful – an understated examination of longing, connection, and unconsummated love. In the way it plays with concepts like fate and soul mates, it is sort-of an anti-Sleepless in Seattle. There’s something bittersweet yet reassuring about the way the movie approaches its central relationship. Many of the beats and emotions are universal even if the story is specific to these characters and their circumstances. And, by relying on long, lingering takes and non-verbal moments, first-time director Celine Song captures details that a more hurried approach would gloss over. The climactic encounter between the leads, so pregnant with unspoken feelings that are apparent in their body language, reminded me of the final sequence of Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights, the greatest of the silent star’s repertoire.

Song’s overall approach recalls Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love. Although less reflective and more grounded, Past Lives evokes some of the same feelings. Perhaps one reason why the film works as well as it does is because it encapsulates a reality that most romantic movies ignore in their quest for box office gold and happily ever after endings. Past Lives acknowledges the longing, dreaming, and barrage of what ifs while recognizing that there is no one true path to contentment.

Past Lives opens in the present day (2022) with an unseen couple observing the interactions among three people sitting at a bar: Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), Nora (Greta Lee), and Arthur (John Magaro). Noting the seeming intimacy between Hae Sung and Nora and the way in which Arthur seems to be an outsider, the observers wonder about the relationships between the two Asians and their Caucasian companion. Although they will never know the truth, the movie proceeds to inform viewers.

The time frame jumps back 22 years to the turn of the century and the location switches from New York City to South Korea. We meet a young Hae Sung (Seung Min Yim) and Nora (who goes by her Korean name of Na Young, and is played by Seung Ah Moon), who are best friends. Every day, they walk home from school together and compete to see who can get the best grades on tests. Their friendship is severed when Na Young’s parents decide to immigrate to Toronto. They lose touch but neither completely forgets the other. A dozen years pass and in 2012 Hae Sung decides to find Nora, who is now living in New York. The two reconnect via Skype and become obsessed with on-line chats. Long-distance romantic sparks fly but Hae Sung won’t commit to visiting New York and Nora has no interest in returning to her homeland. Recognizing the futility of pursuing a relationship, Nora suggests that they no longer talk. Fast-forwarding another 10 years, the narrative comes to the present where circumstances have changed for both parties. Hae Sung has just broken up with a long-term girlfriend and decided to come to New York to visit Nora, who is married to Arthur. When the two old friends meet face-to-face for the first time in 22 years, the romantic tension is palpable. The connection is so strong that it worries Arthur, but both Nora and Hae Sung attempt to reassure him that, whatever exists between them, Hae Sung has not come to ruin their marriage. Hae Sung believes it. Nora believes it. But, as impartial viewers, do we?

The title comes from the concept of in-yun, which suggests that when a person encounters another person and has even a brief interaction, it means they have met in a past life. Lovers have an even deeper connection, having met repeatedly in past lives. The implication is that, although Hae Sung and Na Young are destined not to be with each other in this life, they may have been together in an earlier life and/or could potentially be together in the future.

The emotions roiling beneath the surface of this seemingly placid drama make watching it an intense and involving experience. The acting by Greta Lee and Teo Yoo emphasizes all the underlying things transpiring just beneath the dialogue and interpersonal interactions. Parts of Past Lives are in Korean, and there are subtitles, but no subtitles are needed to read body language. Many movies have been made that explore the sweet anguish accompanying unrequited love but few films explore requited but repressed emotions this deeply. Although the movie is primarily told from Nora’s perspective, Past Lives takes the time to flesh out both Hae Sung and Arthur’s characters. In Casablanca, which plumbs a not-dissimilar triangle, Rick and Ilsa will always have Paris. In Past Lives, Hae Sung and Na Young will always have Korea. And, perhaps in another lifetime, they can have more. [Berardinelli’s rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars]

Blogger's comment: The concept of in-yun, of the possibility of two souls having known each other in the past, or even being soulmates, is at the foundation of my romantic drama Sarah and David - the Sequel. 

Labels: drama, romance
IMDb 79/100 
MetaScore (critics=94, viewers=83) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=91, viewers=84) 
Blu-ray 
James Berardinelli’s review (3.5 out of 4 stars) 
Maggie McPhee's review 

Love at First Sight (2023) [PG-13] ****

A film review by Nell Minow for RogerEbert.com on Sept. 15, 2023.

I get it. I know how hard it is to write modern romance. Audiences love them, but it's increasingly harder to find a plausible and compelling reason why the couple doesn’t just fall in love and go straight on to happily ever after. These days, it's very difficult to find a reason to keep them apart for 70 minutes or so that will keep us intrigued and ensure they are relatable yet aspirational enough to make it feel urgent. The reliable obstacles to romance that worked for so many years, often some lie or misunderstanding, or literal or symbolic societal strictures (Abie’s Irish Rose, about a Jewish man in love with a Catholic girl, had a record-setting Broadway run) are as out of date as racing to the airport to deliver a declaration of love when everyone has a cell phone.

Unfortunately, Love at First Sight can’t do better than a cell phone’s unreliable battery as the culprit, and its lackluster script never gives us enough reason to believe in the couple’s rightness for each other or care about how they get to the happy ending.

This is not a story about love, the narrator (Jameela Jamil) tells us. It is a story about fate. And statistics. I would argue the story is not about any of those things, though plenty of numbers are thrown at us, and one of the leading characters is a self-described maths geek (he’s British). And, per the title, there's a couple who find an immediate attraction when they meet at an airport. But banter and a few exchanged confidences do not equal love, no matter how many pop songs are on the soundtrack.

We first see Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) racing through JFK Airport in New York to catch a plane to London. The narrator explains that December 20 is the worst day of the year there, with over 193,000 passengers arriving and departing, causing an average of 23-minute delays at check-in and a peak wait time of 117 minutes at security. It's not quite a once upon a time opening, but it explains why Hadley misses her plane by four minutes and has to wait for the next one when the only seat available is business class.

This gives her time to look for a place to charge her cell phone, and that's how she meets Oliver (Ben Hardy), who is studying, yes, statistics and data science at Yale. He gallantly offers her a charge, and she responds, Sorry, I don’t share electronics until the third date. He tells her his name, and she says, Like Oliver Twist. He wryly replies, And they say Americans are uncultured. Soon, they’re sharing some airport food and then racing to get on the plane, where he unexpectedly gets bumped up to business class—the very next seat to Hadley!—because his seatbelt is broken. This would be very unrealistic if we didn't see that none other than our narrator is somehow the flight attendant making it happen. They share a cheesy rom-com before bedtime. She says she will only watch if there’s a happy ending, and he says she's dangerous because he finds himself being honest with her. Except, as we will find out, he is not.

Still, we know they have a very strong romantic connection because the movie keeps telling us that. Yet when he gives her his phone number, where do you think it goes? Yes, into that very unreliable phone. So maybe his studies of statistics and probability are less than comprehensive, especially when you realize they didn't even exchange last names. The rest of the movie is about the two of them trying to find each other in one of the world’s biggest cities.

Now, about fate. The narrator nonsensically tells us, Fate can only be fate if we decide that we want it to be. I have no idea what that means, but I do know that the concept of fate does not include an omniscient, statistics-spouting narrator magically turning up over and over to guide our lovebirds to the next stage. There’s also a completely superfluous rewind of footage to introduce another perspective on the past and, wait for it, a makeover scene as our heroine, just off a transatlantic flight, gets into her bridesmaid attire.

The exceptionally talented Richardson does her best with a woefully underwritten character. Her complicated feelings about her father (a game Rob Delaney) marrying a woman she’s never met are just a plot contrivance. The same goes for Hardy, who also is allotted one over-arching characteristic: a belief in his ability, with enough data, to prevent surprises. Oliver has an even tougher challenge with his parents, played by Sally Phillips and Dexter Fletcher, with charming costumes from designer Kirsty Halliday for their bittersweet Shakespeare costume party. If a real-life Hadley and Oliver wanted a cheesy rom-com with a happy ending to watch on a plane, I hope they do better than Love at First Sight. [Minow’s rating: 2 stars out of 4]

Labels: drama, Netflix, romance
IMDb 68/100
MetaScore (critics=55, viewers=55) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=63, viewers=82) 
Netflix