Wild Mountain Thyme (2020) [PG-13] ***

A film review by Max Geo for observer.com on Dec 11, 2020.

In a year that has left the world in desperate need of a flight from reality, Wild Mountain Thyme - the long-awaited romantic comedy from Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and director John Patrick Shanley - is a welcome, albeit unconventional, love story that will likely delight more nostalgic theatergoers than hard-bitten critics.
 
Set in the beauty of the lush Irish countryside, the film, which is based on Shanley’s hit Broadway play Outside Mullingar, stars Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan as two star-crossed lovers whose neighboring families are caught up in a bizarre feud over a strip of land that separates their two farms. Blunt plays Rosemary Muldoon, a passionate and headstrong farmer who has an unshakeable yearning for her off-kilter neighbor, Anthony Reilly (Dornan). Unfortunately for Rosemary, it’s an enduring love that has gone unrequited - or at least unrealized - by Anthony for nearly three decades.

Dornan’s Anthony is a far cry from his days as billionaire Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades franchise. An eccentric introvert, Anthony’s isolated upbringing in the heart of Ireland leaves him with a sense of self that is both unworldly and unmistakably human. After years of playing dark, brooding men in leading roles, Dornan is able to tap into a different, and perhaps more authentic, side of himself to shine as an endearingly awkward farmer in his mid-30s whose greatest fears - including a belief that he is inherently unlovable after a failed childhood romance - will ultimately transform his melancholic life.

After a series of flashbacks that reveal the origins of Rosemary’s independence and steadfast love for Anthony, the film begins on a rainy night after the funeral of Rosemary’s stubborn, crow-shooting father, Chris Muldoon (Don Wycherley). It is in a candid conversation about death and inheritance with his widowed father, Tony (played by the legendary Christopher Walken), and Rosemary’s newly-widowed mother, Aoife (a role reprised by original Broadway cast member Dearbhla Molloy), that Anthony discovers that he does not stand to take over the Reilly family farm. Despite his years of maintaining and modernizing the property, a blindsided Anthony later learns that his hypercritical father is planning to sell the farm out from under him to his wealthy American cousin, Adam (played by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm), who wants to find a bride and settle down in Ireland.

There is just one complication: Nearly three decades ago, Tony sold a certain strip of land to the departed Muldoon, a patch that runs right through the access route to the Reilly farm, that would make a sale - even to his naïve nephew - more difficult. It’s a plot of land that is inherited not by Chris’s widow, Aoife, but rather by his daughter, Rosemary, who has been smoking in the pouring rain while the trio chats away in the kitchen.

Despite holding a petty grudge against Anthony for pushing her down as a child, Rosemary is visibly disconcerted by the very thought of Tony handing his farm down to Anthony’s cousin. In an explosive exchange with Tony at the contested parcel, which leaves her quick-witted mother smirking with pride, the audience is given their first major clue that lying underneath Rosemary’s iron-clad exterior is a deep-rooted longing for the boy next door - and a Herculean amount of patience.

While she might not have the perfect Irish accent, a fact made abundantly clear by the Irish side of social media, Blunt’s fiery portrayal of Rosemary makes her a force of nature. In the same breath, she is able to masterfully portray the emotional agony that sends Rosemary into a deep state of exasperated desperation. While Rosemary might be a fiercely independent farmer who knows exactly what she wants, Blunt’s nuanced approach illustrates that she is still a hopeless romantic who longs for the basic human connection that has eluded the better part of the world this year.

Anyone who has ever seen a romantic comedy can predict the resolution of Wild Mountain Thyme, but it’s the anticipation - and the eventual execution - of the final showdown that makes the denouement so satisfying. From the time that we first see them standing together in the rain, Blunt and Dornan have a beautiful, natural chemistry that seems to build as tensions rise between their characters. But given that Rosemary and Anthony are both stubborn to the core, it still takes another year before they can break their ridiculous stalemate, with the help of a dark secret from Anthony that is so ludicrous that it will stop any movie know-it-all dead in their tracks.

Nevertheless, it’s a year that is well-spent for Anthony, who is given the chance to reconcile with his aging father in a moving scene from cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt that highlights the complicated relationships between fathers and sons and makes the film worth watching alone. Elevated by the stunning soundtrack of composer Amelia Warner, Shanley’s screenplay seems to take on a fairy-tale charm with its colorful and lyrical dialogue, both in playful and somber scenes, but it must be said that this unique piece, much like his Oscar-winning Moonstruck, will not be everyone’s cup of tea.

While Wild Mountain Thyme might be far from a perfect depiction of the intricacies of central Ireland, it is, at its core, the fabled and beautifully shot love story of two witty and eccentric childhood sweethearts that will have the ability to warm the coldest of hearts this holiday season. [Geo's rating: 3 out of 4 stars]

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, romance
IMDb 58/100
MetaCritic (critics=42, viewers=55)
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=46, viewers=62)
DVD
Max Geo's 3 out of 4 star review
Netflix

Charlie Wilson's War (2007) [R] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net

It's a curious thing. Whenever this much talent is assembled for a motion picture, the result inevitably seems to be a letdown. And to say that Charlie Wilson's War is topheavy with talent is to understate the matter. The cast features three Oscar winners and two nominees. The director has been nominated five times and won once. The writer is a multiple Emmy winner. The cinematographer has a couple of Oscar nominations and the composer has six. Almost against the odds, however, Charlie Wilson's War does not collapse under the weight of expectations. In fact, it meets them squarely without flinching. With its rapid pace, smart screenplay, and top-notch acting, this is one of the 2007 Oscar season's most appealing and compelling adult motion pictures.

The screenplay, penned by veteran writer Aaron Sorkin, is based on George Crile's biography of Congressman Charlie Wilson, who is credited as being one of the architects of the United States' covert war against the USSR in Afghanistan. While the film takes liberties with some of the details, the broad strokes are accurate. It's fascinating to look back at the pre-Taliban era and see some of the factors that led to the country's becoming destabilized. While the Taliban is never mentioned (it did not come into power until some six years after the conclusion of the events in this movie), it casts a long shadow over events that unfold during Charlie Wilson's War. It is impossible to watch this movie without considering the natural progression of events after the Soviet retreat.

When the film begins, Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is the Democratic Congressman from Texas' Second District. Known more for his love of parties and beautiful women, Good Time Charlie becomes aware of the situation in Afghanistan shortly after being named to the Defense Appropriations subcommittee in 1980. The budget for covertly opposing the USSR in Afghanistan at the time is $5 million. Charlie places a phone call and orders it doubled. But, as he learns from his friend, socialite and right wing mover-and-shaker Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), that's not going to be enough. Charlie ends up on a whirlwind tour of Pakistan, where he meets the President (Om Puri) and walks through the refugee camps. He returns to Washington with renewed determination to open up the coffers and get the freedom fighters (Afghan Mujahideen) weapons that will enable them to bring down Soviet helicopters. With the aid of CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Charlie begins a campaign that eventually leads to the U.S. diverting more than $500 million of aid to Afghanistan.

Politically based stories of this sort run the risk of coming across as dry; that's not the case here. Director Mike Nichols keeps this fast-paced film moving and Sorkin peppers the screenplay with one-liners that vary from amusing to laugh-aloud funny. Charlie Wilson's War is justly classified as a drama, but someone could be excused for thinking it's a comedy. The film is more insightful, incisive, and intelligent than any of the many other current Middle East-themed motion pictures. Equally as important, it doesn't play politics with a loaded deck. This is not a repudiation of the totality of America's Afghanistan policy, although it makes it plain where the biggest error lay. Ironically, one could argue that the film's point validates aspects of the current Iraq strategy.

As the acting foundation of Charlie Wilson's War, Tom Hanks gives another fine performance, although it's not the kind of meaty role one normally associates with nominations. He shows fundamental changes to Charlie's nature as the man changes from a good ole boy (reminiscent of J.R. Ewing) to someone with a conscience. Hanks is perfect for the role. No matter how questionable a character's ethics, we always want to side with him if he's played by Hanks. That's currency in the emotional bank, and it works perfectly with Charlie: a disreputable individual who develops into something more. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the standout, shamelessly pilfering nearly every scene he's in, whether he's breaking glass, shouting at the top of his lungs, or uttering heartfelt profanities. If Hoffman gets nominated for his performance it's going to be deserved. Amy Adams, delightful as always, is Charlie's ever-faithful assistant. Ned Beatty plays Doc Long, the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee. Emily Blunt shows up briefly and memorably. If there's a negative, it's Julia Roberts. Either she's miscast or her heart isn't into acting, but this is an example of plastic and ineffective acting. There's little here of the fire and passion that earned the actress a statuette for Erin Brockovich. It's a shame, but it doesn't hurt the movie too much - Roberts is only in a handful of scenes.

There's some interesting musical stuff going on as well. Composer James Newton-Howard has borrowed the He Shall Purify chorus from Handel's Messiah and put it to good use. This is perhaps the first time any song from the oratorio has been used as a battle anthem. One could argue that it simply fits the mood but, considering the words (He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness) and the context in which the song is employed, there is a strong element of irony here. It's a pretty subtle thing so many viewers won't get it.

With so many movies working on auto-pilot, it's easy to forget the pleasure of a well-written screenplay, and even easier to forget how good things can be when a director of Mike Nichols' pedigree brings the script to life. The film has it all: suspense, drama, and humor. There's a brilliant scene in which Charlie is conferring with Gust and his aides keep interrupting with news about his involvement in a cocaine scandal. The deftness of timing necessary in this scene is the kind of thing that would have Charlie Chaplin smiling (as is the punch line, which involves a bottle of whiskey). Sorkin's screenplay is clean and crisp and not muddled by an overt political agenda (surprising, since Sorkin is openly political). From start to finish, Charlie Wilson's War is an unrelieved delight, and it works even better for those who understand the bridges that took us from the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan to 9/11 and beyond. [Berardinelli's rating: 3.5 stars out of 4]

Labels: biography, comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, history, Tom Hanks, war
IMDb 70/100 

MetaCritic (critics=67, viewers=67)
RottenTomatoes (critics=82, viewers=73)
Blu-ray 
Berardinelli's review 

 

Edge of Tomorrow (Live Die Repeat) (2014) [PG-13] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on June 5, 2014.

As improbable a concoction as it might seem, Edge of Tomorrow is a curious mix of ingredients from the 1993 Harold Ramis / Bill Murray comedy, Groundhog Day, and James Cameron's 1986 sequel to Alien. An Earth-versus-aliens tale set in the near future, Edge of Tomorrow offers a time-travel twist to its proceedings. Unlike many movies that toy with journeys through the fourth dimension, this one doesn't dwell on paradoxes and, at least until a tacked-on epilogue, plays by its own rules. Like last year's Oblivion, Edge of Tomorrow gives Tom Cruise an opportunity to play an action/hero role in a science fiction playground. Because the script is smarter (based on a Japanese graphic novel called All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka), Edge of Tomorrow offers a more satisfying cinematic experience than Oblivion.

Edge of Tomorrow uses the popular faux news footage montage to set up the story. Earth has been invaded by extraterrestrials dubbed the mimics and all of Europe is in enemy hands. After losing battle after battle, the United Defense Forces have finally scored a victory at Verdun. Emboldened by the army's success, General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson) has decided on an all-out assault led by war hero and media darling, Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). To sell the attack to the planet, Brigham enlists the talents of army publicist Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), who he intends to send to the front line with a camera crew. Cage, unwilling to put his life on the line, refuses the direct order and ends up being busted in rank on trumped up charges, thrown into an infantry unit, and sent into the thick of the fighting.

When set upon by a member of a special mimic subspecies, Cage uses an explosive to destroy the creature. In the process, he kills himself, then awakens back at the beginning of his ordeal and has to endure the entire day another time. He dies again, is reborn again, and the cycle persists. It's déjà vu without end. Each time, Cage is able to use his memories of the battle to survive longer, until he eventually contacts Rita and learns that she knows something about his situation. Come find me when you wake up, she tells him before they are both killed.

Few things in a movie can get older faster than repetition. No one wants to watch the same scene, even with variations, over and over and over. To overcome this hurdle, director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) borrows some of the tricks employed by Ramis in Groundhog Day - showing just enough of a scene to make it clear we're in another iteration of the loop, then skipping ahead to the point when things start to change. This keeps everything flowing and discourages a flagging of the momentum. It also allows for moments of gallows humor. Those who don't care for Tom Cruise may derive some satisfaction from this aspect of the screenplay: Cage is killed several hundred times during the course of Edge of Tomorrow. Visually, the film, which transpires in London, has its share of impressive moments, although the special effects don't completely dominate. The 3-D makes good use of spatial relationships but unfortunately degrades the darker scenes.

The main thrust of Edge of Tomorrow focuses on Cage's use of his immortality/time reset ability to locate the aliens' brain and find a way to win the war. That's straightforward; what's more subtle and potentially more interesting is how the relationship between Cage and Rita develops. Each time they meet, Rita's interaction with Cage is reset from her perspective. She doesn't know him. For him, however, it's the continuation of a growing relationship. He becomes familiar with her to the point where he develops deep feelings. For her, however, he's always a stranger. The growing disparity between how they view each other fuels their interplay later in the story. Reticence conflicts with intimacy.

The part of Cage is in Cruise's wheelhouse; he could probably do this kind of role in his sleep. The one out on a limb is Emily Blunt, whose kick-ass interpretation of Rita recalls a couple of strong James Cameron heroines: Sigourney Weaver's Ripley and Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor. Blunt, who often does softer roles, is credible as the Hero of Verdun. Brendan Gleeson, as the general in charge of the war, and Bill Paxton, as Cage's commanding officer, are both excellent in supporting roles.

Movies that employ time travel as a plot device often become exercises in mental agility. That's not the case with Edge of Tomorrow, which uses a straightforward approach. The explanation for Cage's ability is explained in a clear, uncluttered fashion and the manner in which his days unfold are no more confusing than those in Groundhog Day. There's plenty of action and, despite the fact that much of it is repeated, it never becomes repetitive. Edge of Tomorrow is clever enough that the viewer doesn't have to feel embarrassed sitting in the audience but not so clever that there's no fun to be had. [Berardinelli’s rating: 3 out of 4 stars]

Labels: action, adventure, alien-invasion, Emily Blunt, sci-fi, space-time, thriller

Internet Movie Database 7.9/10 

Metacritic 71/100 

RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=75, viewers=84) 

Blu-ray 

Into the Woods (2014) [PG] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on Dec. 22, 2014.

Into the Woods left me out in the cold. The long-gestating cinematic adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's fairy tale-infused Broadway musical, Into the Woods can claim a clever screenplay and a few enjoyable performances but little else. The generic musical numbers are choreographed with little in the way of verve and there's nary a catchy tune to be found. The film's dearth of emotional impact is grossly apparent when characters are dispatched and no one really cares. And the small budget (reportedly about $50 million) disallows any of the visual effects to be called special.

It's questionable whether fans of the play are going to be thrilled with director Rob Marshall's interpretation. Not only does it elide an important character (The Narrator) but it changes the fate of another and tones down the overt sexual suggestiveness of two relationships (all in the name of family friendliness, of course). Sondheim grudgingly approved the changes but the language he employed in speaking about them makes it apparent that, although he recognizes the commercial necessity, the artistic implications don't thrill him.

The idea behind Into the Woods remains as fresh for the movie version as it was when it took the stage by storm more than 25 years ago. Four of The Brothers Grimm's tales are rebooted and interwoven: Cinderella (featuring Anna Kendrick in that role), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy). Added to these is a story that the Grimm siblings never wrote but might as well have - The Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), unable to have a child, discover that a Witch (Meryl Streep, channeling her character from The Devil Wears Prada) has placed a curse on their house. To get it removed, they have three nights to go on a scavenger hunt and retrieve four items: a milky white cow, a blood-red cape, a corn-yellow strand of hair, and a golden slipper. So everyone goes into the woods, interacts, and comes out to live happily ever after, at least until Act II.

Marshall is no neophyte when it comes to making movie musicals. In fact, he's one of the few working directors who embraces the genre. His Chicago won the Oscar, after all. This makes it all the more surprising how flat Into the Woods is. The animated Disney musicals of the early '90s had more life. Only one musical number, the deliciously satirical Agony, has the level of energy one would expect from this production, and its success is due more to the way in which Chris Pine plays the scene than the staging, choreography, or setting of the song.

Speaking of Pine (and with all apologies to the perennial Oscar nominee Meryl Streep), he's the best thing Into the Woods has to offer. His Prince Charming is the perfect mix of bluster, charisma, and empty-headedness. Put alongside his work in the otherwise execrable Horrible Bosses 2, he's showing genuine comedic chops. For the most part, his co-stars don't fare as well. Streep is (of course) a standout but Johnny Depp appears in only one scene with a total screen time not exceeding five minutes and name actors like Anna Kendrick and Emily Blunt are given forgettable, wafer-thin parts.

Disney has built its animated stable in part on tweaked versions of fairy tales credited to the likes of The Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen. Two of the characters in Into the Woods are recognized Disney Princesses. (Note: Although Sleeping Beauty and Snow White made brief appearances in the stage version of the play, they have been deleted from the screen adaptation.) Perhaps the intention was to make this a companion piece to Maleficent - a live-adaptation reworking of popular animated fare. However, where Maleficent achieved something unique and stirring, Into the Woods is strangely stillborn. One wonders whether the studio's need to protect the images of their property has resulted in a whitewashing of Into the Woods.

In terms of its content, Into the Woods may be suitable for family audiences, but it's hard to imagine young children having much interest in a film that is consistently dark and pauses frequently for the actors to warble forgettable tunes. Just as there's nothing terribly wrong with Into the Woods, there's nothing terribly right, either. I'm sure it will make a lot of money - the Disney and Sondheim imprints are sufficient to guarantee a solid return on investment, but as Christmas Day's brightest light, this bulb needs replacement. [Berardinelli’s rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars]

Labels: adventure, Cinderella-story, Emily Blunt, fantasy, musical

Internet Movie Database 

Metacritic (69/100) 

RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=66, viewers=64) 

Blu-ray 

Your Sister’s Sister (2012) [R] ****

A film review by Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times, on June 13, 2012.

The title of Your Sister's Sister means, I think, that you have a sister and are a sister, in an endless loop. The film opens with a memorial service a year after the death of Jack's brother. Everyone has good memories about him except Jack (Mark Duplass), who abruptly points out some of his brother's shortcomings. He leaves the room and is followed by Iris (Emily Blunt), who we think may be his wife and in fact is his best friend. She tells Jack he should get away for a while and offers her family's vacation cottage on an island off the coast of Washington state.

That sets up a spontaneous, engaging character study of three people alone in a cabin in the woods. Jack cycles out to the ferry stop with a huge backpack, discovering along the way he's getting a little old for such exertion, and arrives at the cabin around dusk. Trying to find the key, he suddenly realizes someone is already in the cabin and has just stepped out of a shower. This is Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), who hears Jack and comes after him with an oar, before it becomes clear that Jack was invited, that Hannah is Iris' sister, and that she came out to the cabin on a moment's notice.

This series of scenes, semi-improvised like a lot of the movie, has a natural quality that gets everything said and yet doesn't feel like dialogue. It helps that both Hannah and Jack are friendly people with a sense of humor, which only becomes clearer when they sit down at the kitchen table and go to work on a bottle of tequila. If Jack has issues with his dead brother, Hannah has issues, too; she has just broken up with her girlfriend after a relationship of seven years. They negotiate around this development without going into details. Hannah knows of Jack as her sister's best friend, but it's unclear how much Jack knows about Hannah; that she's a lesbian, for example.

Here the onscreen presence of the two actors becomes useful. They get drunk but not drunk, they are alert to their isolation in the woods, they like each other, and when Jack says that, you know, what the heck, maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world if we slept with each other, Hannah says, yeah, what the heck.

The next morning they are startled by the unexpected arrival of Iris and scramble to hide evidence from the night before. Jack implores Hannah not to say what happened. He sneaks out and returns, allegedly after a morning run, and an awkward situation is avoided. But why awkward? Iris is not Jack's girlfriend, and Hannah is not the first lesbian to ever sleep with a man. But, well, Jack got things a little out of sequence, didn't he, by sleeping with the sister of his best friend before having paid her that courtesy?

The way this unfolds is surprisingly engaging. I knew of the appeal of Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt, but Mark Duplass has only recently started to register with me. He and his brother Jay began together directing such mumblecore films as The Puffy Chair (2005), the underwhelming Baghead (2008) and the wonderful non-mumble Cyrus (2010), and Mark also stars in the current Safety Not Guaranteed. He's tall, comfortably built, shaggy, genial. He wears his testosterone lightly. He helps this film succeed because he doesn't push too hard in a tense situation.

DeWitt and Blunt are convincing as sisters, despite their different accents (that could happen to anybody). What occurs during these few days probably represents emotional gains for all three, although a surprise development near the end may not be necessary. It would be more in keeping with the film if it ended on a minor key. But maybe not. The development at least inspires some dialogue more heartfelt than Jack has had before.

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt

Internet Movie Database 

MetaCritic 72/100 

RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=70, viewers=70) 

Blu-ray

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2012) [PG-13] ****

A wealthy Yemeni sheik (played by Amr Waked) believes that by sharing his passion for the sport of salmon fly-fishing, he can enrich the lives of the Yemeni people, as well as increase the agricultural diversity and environmental beauty in his desert country. He has built a dam, created a large lake, and envisions importing thousands of wild Atlantic salmon, regardless of the expense. The London firm managing his investments in the U.K. is given responsibility for the project, but when project manager Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) contacts Britain’s leading fisheries expert, Dr. Alfred Fred Jones (Ewan McGregor) he tells her that the idea of introducing cold-water salmon into Yemen's harsh, desert environment is ridiculous. Then, the Prime Minister’s zealous press secretary (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) gets wind of the story in her search for some good news to publish, to divert attention from the war in Afghanistan, and the project becomes a top government priority.

The film contains diverse, and occasionally conflicting, plot threads of romantic tension, life-threatening drama, bureaucratic light comedy, ecological awareness, international relations, and spiritual faith. At times, it also feels like a PBS documentary on salmon and fly-fishing. Taken together, they give Salmon Fishing in the Yemen a subtle complexity and unpredictability. For example, one sub-plot involves Harriet’s army officer boyfriend Robert (Tom Mison) who is on assignment in Afghanistan; another involves Fred’s tense relationship with his wife Mary (played by Rachael Stirling).

The chemistry between Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor is undeveloped, so if you expect a replay of the romantic chemistry between Emily Blunt and Matt Damon in The Adjustment Bureau, you will be disappointed. It isn’t clear that Harriet and Fred will be together at the end of the film, or if they will be successful in their attempt to establish wild salmon in the rivers of Yemen. Regardless, if you enjoy multi-layered romantic comedy-drama in which the happy ending is not assured, and especially if you like Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor, you might enjoy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. 

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, romance   
IMDb 68/100   
MetaCritic (critics=58, viewers=64)   
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=62, viewers=70)   
Blu-ray

James Berardinelli's 3 of 4 star review 

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) [PG-13] ****

David Norris (Matt Damon) is a rising young political star from New York who is, unfortunately, losing his first bid for the U.S. Senate. As he practices his concession speech, he meets Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) a lovely young modern dancer, with whom he has an instant, passionate connection. But Destiny seems to be conspiring to keep them apart. And when he is abducted by Richardson (John Slattery) and his black-suited team from the Adjustment Bureau, David learns that there is a grand plan, and if he and Elise are both to realize their potential as individuals, they cannot be allowed to bond.

At first David is willing to abide by the plan, but his attraction to Elise is too strong, and as he continues to pursue her, Thompson (Terence Stamp), Richardson's superior, takes over the case, explaining to David about Free Will, and its limits on Earth. Then David learns from Harry Mitchell (Anthony Mackie), a sympathetic member of the Adjustment Bureau, that Elise is going to marry. David realizes that he is about to lose his one chance for happiness with the only person he has ever truly loved. With Harry's help, David must navigate the Adjustment Bureau's secret labyrinth of passageways in the city and reach Elise before the Adjustment Bureau can separate them forever.

This pulse-pounding romantic, sci-fi thriller features a terrific cast, a suspenseful screenplay, tight direction, mood-setting costumes and sets, and great chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. If you enjoyed films like The Bourne Identity, The Illusionist or Inception, you'll probably enjoy The Adjustment Bureau. [Blogger's rating: ***** out of 5 stars]

Labels: drama, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, romance, rom-drama-faves, sci-fi, space-time, thriller 
IMDb 70/100
MetaCritic (critics=60, viewers=67) 
RottenTomatoes (critics=71, viewers=67) 
Blu-ray
James Berardinelli's 3 out of 4 star review

The Young Victoria (2009) [PG] ****

The radiant Emily Blunt is captivating as young Queen Victoria in this lush period film, set in the first half of the 19th Century, chronicling Victoria's ascent to the throne of England and her romance with her future husband Prince Albert (Rupert Friend).

Penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey, Gosford Park, Vanity Fair), the film features an outstanding supporting cast including Paul Bettany as Lord Melbourne, Miranda Richardson as Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and Mark Strong as Sir John Conroy, three historical figures who attempted to influence young Victoria in order to achieve their own ends.

Fellowes' screenplay takes what I think is a unique slant on the relationship between Victoria and Albert. Victoria was raised to believe that her primary duty was as Queen, and Fellowes envisioned Albert as primarily seeing himself as husband and father, and Victoria as his wife and mother of his children. Although Victoria is supposed to propose marriage, Albert asserts himself:
Albert: I just got your note. I was riding.
Victoria: Sit, please.
Albert: The park is marvelous.
Victoria: I'm so pleased you like it. I do want you to feel quite at home... I'm sure you're aware why I wished you to come here. Because it would make me happier than anything, too happy really, if you would agree to what I wish.
Albert: And stay with you?
Victoria: And stay with me.
Albert: And marry you?
Victoria: And marry me!
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO

There are several interesting scenes in the third act that support this. In one, Victoria is at her desk, with Albert, Baroness Lehzen (Jeanette Hain) and some other ladies in waiting. Victoria mentions that she needs to talk with Lord Melbourne about something, Albert asks if he can assist and the Baroness makes a rather disparaging comment to which Albert sarcastically thanks her for reminding him that he is only a guest in the palace. In a later scene Victoria and Albert have a fight in their bedroom during which she accuses him of treating her like a child and talking around her, to which he replies that he was only trying to help her avoid another scandal of her making. Then their argument becomes more heated.
Victoria: I will not have my role usurped! I wear the crown! And if there are mistakes they will be my mistakes and no one else will make them! No one, not even you!
Albert: I am leaving before you excite yourself and harm the child.
Victoria: You will go when I dismiss you. I am your queen and I am telling you to stay.
Albert: Good night, Victoria. [exits]
Victoria: [storms over to the door] You may not go! You may not go! I order you to stay here in this room! Albert!
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO

But the scene which really awakens Victoria is later when they are going for a carriage ride:
Albert: For pity's sake, smile, woman. Anyone would think we had quarreled.
Victoria: Don't talk to me.
Just after that an assassin takes a shot at Victoria and she is only saved because Albert throws himself in the path of the bullet.
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO

Later, after the physician has left:
Victoria (sobbing): I'm so sorry! I thought I was going to lose you!
Albert: I don't think he was a very good shot.
Victoria: Why did you do it? So stupid, why did you do it?
Albert: I had two very good reasons. First, I am replaceable and you are not.
Victoria: You are not replaceable to me!
Albert: Second, you're the only wife I've got or ever will have. You are my whole existence and I will love you until my very last breath.
LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO

Although there were eight (8) attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria, this first attempt was altered by screenwriter Julian Fellowes for dramatic effect. The assassin, Edward Oxford, was tried for treason but found not guilty by reason of insanity. Also, although he fired two pistols at Victoria, no bullets were ever found, an he claimed that the pistols had only been loaded with gunpowder. After spending several years in a mental institution in London, Oxford was exiled to Australia where he lived the remainder of his life under the name John Freeman, dying in 1900 within a year of Queen Victoria.

And the final scene of the film, when Victoria and Albert enter the ballroom they are announced as: His Royal Highness Prince Albert and Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

If you enjoy British historical dramas, and especially if you enjoyed Keira Knightley and Rupert Friend in Pride & Prejudice, then you will very likely enjoy The Young Victoria.

Labels: biography, drama, Emily Blunt, history, period, romance, rom-drama-faves
IMDb 72/100    
MetaScore (critics=64, viewers=79)
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=65, viewers=76) 
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Wikipedia - Queen Victoria

James Berardinelli's review rated 2.5/4 stars

Netflix

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) [PG-13] ****

Half a dozen strong characters share the stage in this ensemble romantic drama. Jocelyn (Maria Bello) and Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) are best friends from their college days; Jocelyn gave her college boyfriend to Sylvia when she was finished with him, and now, 25 years later, he has a mid-life crisis and divorces Sylvia for a younger woman. Their lesbian daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace) is passionate about relationships and experiencing life, and continually gets hurt by both. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) has had seven husbands, yet remains optimistic about her chances for love. Prudie (Emily Blunt) is a high school French teacher who has never been to France; she is torn between giving in to the advances of a younger student, and trying to rekindle her passion for her husband. And Jocelyn breeds dogs as a way of avoiding the mess and complication of a love affair.

Jocelyn invites Grigg (Hugh Dancy) to join their book club and tries to push him toward the wounded Sylvia, while Grigg is falling for Jocelyn. The club meets monthly, and as they work their way through Jane Austen's six novels, the characters and relationships of the book they are all currently reading are reflected in the lives and relationships of the six book club members. Some of the shared insights are quite interesting: that Jane Austen herself was never married; that she focuses on courtship and not on the married life of the main characters after they were married; that she never wrote a divorce novel; and that her characters continually fight for control over their emotions. While the screenplay is clever, the character and plot references are subtle enough that they will be best appreciated by fans of Jane Austen's novels, but may be lost on others. Nevertheless, if you love Jane Austen's novels, or even just the films of her novels, like Pride and Prejudice (2005), you might enjoy The Jane Austen Book Club. 

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, lesbian, rom-drama-faves, romance
Internet Movie Database 67/100    
MetaCritic (critics=61, viewers=64)    
RottenTomatoes (critics=66, viewers=67)     
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James Berardinelli film critic's review

Dan in Real Life (2007) [PG-13] ****

Dan Burns (Steve Carell) writes a newspaper column on parenting. He's a widower raising three girls, so he has had lots of experience, although his daughters don't think much of his parenting skills. Now it's the weekend of the annual family reunion and Dan and his girls have driven to his parents' lakeside home in rural Rhode Island where the rest of the large family is gathered. Going out to buy a newspaper, Dan meets Marie (Juliette Binoche) in a rural bookstore. The two are clearly interested in each other, but Marie is already involved in a new relationship, and they soon discover that her new boyfriend is Dan's brother, Mitch (Dane Cook), who has brought Marie to the reunion as a guest.

This film resembles a poorly-written and poorly cast, big-budget blend of The Big Chill and Parenthood. The screenplay is uninspired and derivative, with plot elements telegraphed well in advance, and a predictable ending. There are far too many characters and subplots and the film runs twenty minutes too long. This story would have been much more successful as a romantic drama, with Dan, Marie and Mitch all struggling to understand and resolve the secret tension among them. Steve Carell's strength is in comedy; he is out of his depth as a romantic lead, and he has very little romantic chemistry with Juliette Binoche. Binoche is an incredibly gifted actress; she's an Oscar winner for her role in The English Patient, an Oscar nominee for her role in Chocolat, and she's virtually a French national treasure. Although she tries to elevate this production, her talent, beauty and energy are just not enough to keep the film from sinking under the weight of its own mediocrity. Sadly, the supporting talents of Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney and Emily Blunt are also wasted. In the end, Steve Carell fans may be satisfied – Juliette Binoche fans will not.

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, reunion, romance
IMDb 68/100
MetaScore (critics=65, viewers=72)
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=64, viewers=72)
Blu-ray

Roger Ebert review (3 stars out of 4)

Oppenheimer (2023) [R] *****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net on July 19, 2023.

With Oppenheimer, writer/director Christopher Nolan steps away from the action/adventure core that has been his bread-and-butter and opts instead to channel his inner David Lean. Despite being overlong and unevenly paced, Oppenheimer contains moments of greatness and features one of the most compelling lead performances (by Cillian Murphy) in recent memory. Unfortunately, some of Nolan’s less admirable tendencies remain in evidence. Some of the artsy visuals (including black-and-white sequences and intercutting with kaleidoscopic images) feel more self-indulgent than organic. The incessant musical score becomes intrusive, especially during the first half. Sound mixing issues once again cause dialogue to be drowned out upon occasion.

Over the nearly 80 years since Oppenheimer became a household name, the media has written, re-written, and scrubbed his reputation to suit the wants and needs of various military and political agendas. Initially a hero when his role as the father of the atomic bomb became known, his sterling image was tarnished by Cold War rumors of ties to the Soviet Union. He lived under an uncertain cloud for the better part of a decade until his receipt of the Enrico Fermi Award in 1963 brought him full circle. Nolan’s film addresses this period of Oppenheimer’s life, shifting backward and forward in time as suits the narrative trajectory.

Oppenheimer hones in on three primary periods and fills in the blanks with various flashbacks and flash-forwards. The jigsaw puzzle structure enables the movie to keep from becoming trapped in the linear chronology regurgitation that hamstrings many bio-pics. Arguably, however, it limits identification with Oppenheimer. A framing device is established during the 1954 Atomic Energy Commission hearing that revoked Oppenheimer’s security clearance. A majority of the movie’s running time focuses on the establishment of the Manhattan Project and the events leading up to the Trinity test in July 1945. The third element of Oppenheimer (the one presented in black-and-white) takes place during the 1959 Senate confirmation hearings for Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), the one-time director of the AEC who was largely responsible for Oppenheimer’s fall from grace.

Certain relationships – in particular, the ones between Oppenheimer and his wife, Kitty (Emily Blunt), and his long-time mistress, Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) – are underwritten and would have benefitted from additional development. Likewise, many of the scientists involved with the Manhattan Project may seem largely interchangeable to those unfamiliar with their famous names.

Oppenheimer’s crowning sequence is the 20-minute lead-up to the atomic bomb test code-named Trinity. This is Nolan at his best, building suspense (at the time, there were concerns about a near zero chance that an uncontrolled chain reaction could destroy the world) up to the moment then delivering the climax in a historically accurate but unconventional fashion.

Interwoven with the development of the title character’s life story is the moral quagmire that has dogged science since time immemorial but has become more immediate in recent decades: how to decouple the discoveries of science with the ways in which they are appropriated by non-scientists. Oppenheimer’s views evolve over the course of the film. Initially a theorist, he is seduced by the possibilities of the discovery and testing. When forced to confront the implications of a post-atomic world (complete with waking-nightmare images of the human toll), he comes to understand the warnings of Albert Einstein (Tom Conti) and Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh).

Cillian Murphy’s amazing work will immediately cement him as an Oscar front-runner. His unsmiling, haunted interpretation of the tortured physicist is Shakespearean. When he utters the famous quote (I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds), it is with the horror of recognition. Unlike many psychologically conflicted characters, Oppenheimer is never made more palatable in order to increase viewer affinity. He is cold and his under-realized relationships with the two women in his life offer little in the way of warmth. Even when presented naked, there is no vulnerability – only unapproachability.

Nolan is such a revered director that he can cast pretty much anyone he wants, even if the role is small. To that end, luminaries such as Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, and Kenneth Branagh all make supporting contributions (for Damon and Branagh, these are return engagements). Robert Downey Jr., hidden underneath convincing aging makeup, provides the closest thing that Oppenheimer offers to a villain. Aside from Murphy, who is in about 90% of the scenes, Downey Jr. and Damon have the most screen time. Cameos are provided by a pair of Oscar winners: Casey Affleck (as the creepy Boris Pash) and Gary Oldman (as Harry Truman).

With Oppenheimer, Nolan has turned back the clock to movies like Gandhi, Patton, and Lawrence of Arabia – motion picture spectacles that tell the story of a well-known (and often controversial) historical icon without worrying too much about running time. But a key difference can’t be discounted: the importance of an intermission. All those earlier films had one and it proved to be critical in maintaining audience attentiveness (not to mention managing bladder capacity). It’s possible to keep an audience in thrall for three hours with an action-oriented film but action is not in Oppenheimer’s DNA. The lack of an intermission is a disservice to viewers and the movie.

Oppenheimer is an indication that Nolan refuses to be pigeonholed as a director. While there’s something to be admired about that, this isn’t a home run. Still, many of the flaws are more than compensated for by the flashes of brilliance and the strength of the central character’s presentation. This is not peak Nolan – it pales in comparison with the likes of The Dark Knight and Interstellar – but it is one of the most intriguing high-budget films of 2023. [Berardinelli’s rating: 3 stars out of 4]

Labels: biography, drama, Emily Blunt, history, Matt Damon
IMDb 84/100 
MetaScore (critics=89, viewers=87) 
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=86, viewers=90) 
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Berardinelli’s review (3 stars out of 4) 

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) [PG-13] ****

Andrea Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a recent college graduate who dreams of a career in journalism, although she has also been accepted to Stanford Law School. So she moves to New York City, and gets a dream job as second assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the brilliant but cruel editor-in-chief for Runway fashion magazine. Under the tutelage of first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt), Andy learns how to satisfy the demanding Miranda, while Runway fashion stylist Nigel (Stanley Tucci) gives Andy tips on dress and makeup, to help her fit into the work environment. Andy gradually begins to realize that she is at Miranda’s beck and call 24/7 and no longer has a life of her own. As Andy takes yet another cell phone call from Miranda, her about-to-be ex-boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier, Entourage) bitterly observes: You know, in case you were wondering - the person whose calls you always take? That's the relationship you're in. I hope you two are very happy together.

Featuring an insightful, brilliantly written screenplay by the talented Aline Brosh McKenna (Laws of Attraction, 27 Dresses, Morning Glory, I Don't Know How She Does It, We Bought a Zoo), a screenplay partly based on McKenna’s own life experience in the Big Apple, outstanding direction by David Frankel, and an incredible cast, The Devil Wears Prada gives us a glimpse into the world of high fashion and fashion publications, set in Paris and New York. The screenplay is far more biting and cynical than any of Aline Brosh McKenna’s other scripts, nevertheless if you enjoy her work, or if you simply like TV programs and films about the fashion industry, like America's Next Top Model (2003+ TV), Fashion House (2006 TV), Project Runway (2004+ TV) or Sabrina (1954, 1995), then you won’t want to miss The Devil Wears Prada. 

Labels: comedy, drama, Emily Blunt, fashion, Paris, rom-com-faves, romance, satire
Internet Movie Database 6.9/10
Metacritic 62/100
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=67, viewers=72)
Blu-ray