Hello, all...
Hope everyone is having a great time this week. Sorry for not posting the last of the subject reviews by Tuesday night as I promised, but dive training has been kind of draining. Thank goodness it's ending soon - to be resumed in mid-February, so expect some delays in posting then.
At any rate, the following reviews will post by Friday night...
# 208 - SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW
# 209 - INCOGNITO
# 210 - THE BOURNE IDENTITY
# 211 - THE TOURIST
Once those post by Friday, the Military Flicks should all post hopefully by Martin Luther King Day...
Then we're on to next week's theme: New Releases Week! See a couple of the trailers below:
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
# 207 - AGAINST ALL ODDS (1984)
AGAINST ALL ODDS (1984 - ROMANCE / THRILLER / AMERICAN IMPERILED FLICK) ***½ out of *****
(Note: when traveling in Cozumel, watch out for splashing bodily fluids…)
CAST: Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Alex Karras, Richard Widmark, Jane Greer, Swoosie Kurtz, Dorian Harewood, Saul Rubinek.
DIRECTOR: Taylor Hackford
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and strong arguments for having a hot affair in Cozumel - right now…
Our next American Imperiled Overseas Flick is actually half of one. See, half of the film takes place in the exceedingly lovely island of Cozumel, while the other is in, well, Los Angeles. Which is about as exotic as a box of Ho-Hos. But that half that takes place in Cozumel? WOW!
In our review time for CAIRO TIME (review # 107), we discussed just how tricky chemistry it is to get right. In AGAINST ALL ODDS, the chemistry between leads Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward isn’t so much right, as it is pre-ordained. You know a couple has electricity when you can’t wait for them to rip each other’s clothes off and have some sweaty, extremely vigorous sex.
Our story starts in Cozumel, that jewel of the Mayan Riviera, as stud-muffin tourist Terry Brogan (Jeff Bridges) wanders the streets with a picture of a chick who… looks at lot like me before the ol’ testosterone kicked in and thankfully made me a lot less androgynous. Anyhow, Terry goes from person to person, asking them: “Has visto a esta mujer?”
If you’re thinking he’s asking them where the best whorehouse in town is, you’re in for a disappointment. But still kind of in the same ballpark. What Terry is asking these folks is “Have you seen this woman?”
Hmmmmm…. The plot thickens. What could our handsome blonde hunk be doing in sunny Cozumel showing people a picture of a chick who looked like me before my balls dropped? What does he want from her? And will he settle for me?
Well, the answer to the last one is “Are you fucking kidding me?” But to get the answers to the first two questions, we must rewind a little and flash back to equally sunny (but a lot more populated) Los Angeles. There, we discover that Terry is actually a pro-football player with the Los Angeles Outlaws. Unfortunately, he’s also one of those players with a potentially debilitating injury: a bum shoulder. Which even a cretin like me who knows more about how African fruit flies mate than American football, knows is a problem.
Before you can say “Pretty Boy Has A Problem,” the owner of the Outlaws - one Mrs. Wyler (Jane Greer) - and her cronies cut Terry from the team. Faced with the prospect of watching soaps on his couch all day, Terry consults with his attorney Kersch (Saul Rubinek). Sadly, Kersch turns out to be just less of a slimeball than a wad of phlegm and turns his back on our hot ex-football player.
Fortunately (well, maybe unfortunately), Terry’s old friend Jake Weiss (James Woods) comes a-sniffin’ around with the job offer for the linebacker stud. Seems Jake’s girlfriend Jesse Wyler (Rachel Ward) got into a fight with him, stabbed him in the leg (more like groin area, really), grabbed $50,000 from the safe, and vamoosed it for parts unknown. How does this concern Terry? Glad you asked. Easy: Jake wants Terry to find the bitch.
Which Jake eventually does. Turns out Jesse’s been drawing from her trust fund, and her mother, Mrs. Wyler (remember her? owner of the Los Angeles Outlaws? small world, eh?) reveals to Terry that the money’s been going to a bank in the Caribbean island of Cozumel. Guess its hard to hide if you’re filthy rich.
So, loyal Sarcasto-philes, this brings us full circle (sort of) to our opening scene of Terry hassling tourists and locals on Cozumel while flashing a picture of an adolescent pre-testosterone Sarcasto, er, Jesse. He pretty much strikes out repeatedly. If Jesse is on this island, she must be spending most of her time under a rock.
Things look up one day when Terry looks up to see a tall, willowy brunette with legs up to there buying some mangos from a vendor. His athlete’s intuition kicking in, he practically dashes over and call out Jesse’s name. Involuntarily, she turns and, well, let’s just say that the movie gets a lot more interesting. A lot more.
See, Terry Brogan and Jesse Wyler pretty much have the chemistry-equivalent of winning the Super-5 Lotto. In other words, siiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzlllllllleeeeee… All you pretty much want to do is get these two into bed - and fast. But even watching them spar and bicker is equally hot. That’s when you know a couple has got it going on - the foreplay is just as wild and crazy as the sex.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Terry and Jesse not only fall into the sack - hard - but they also fall in love - even harder. As you can imagine, this proves a problem for our hot hero and his even hotter new gal. Does he stick to his plan and tell Jake he found Jesse, or does he take her and go on the run? What happens when Jake sends another thug to Cozumel to find out what the hell the hold up is? Will Terry and Jesse’s affair be revealed? And what happens when Terry and Jesse accidentally kill the thug? Will Jesse stand by her man? Or will she run back to Jake and prove that she can’t be trusted? Is there a hotter couple in the world than Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward?
I’m thinking, no. They pretty much take the cake.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: The tagline for AGAINST ALL ODDS is "Sometimes love is the most dangerous game of all", and it’s a fitting (and very true) one. A loose remake of the classic film noir OUT OF THE PAST (1947), AGAINST ALL ODDS succeeds on its own right based on the sheer combustible chemistry of its two leads. Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward are easily in the list of Top Five Hottest Screen Couples. It also helps, though, that the characters they play are smartly written and are a nice pair themselves.
Terry Brogan is a little cynical, not good at politics, wears his heart on his sleeve, and calls things as they are. Jesse Wyler is cool, calculating, much more adept at the manipulation than Terry is, who is actually fairly simple underneath. It’s Jesse who’s the complicated one. The emotional core of the film is not so much Terry falling in love with Jesse, but Jesse unexpectedly falling for him - and rethinking who she is as a consequence. Her act of sacrifice at the end of the film is the crowning moment of her character arc, and the final shot of her weeping, yet also showing rays of hope, is absolutely unforgettable.
As good as these characters are written, though, they could have easily been fumbled by the wrong performers. Fortunately, lightning struck inside a bottle when Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward were cast. Bridges perfectly embodies a man who has a rough-edged sense of honor and integrity, but is waylaid by his own heart. The biggest hurdle he has to navigate is whether or not to trust Jesse. Bridges effectively conveys the vulnerability under Terry’s forceful personality, as well as the sense that his Achilles heel is basically his heart. Indeed, when Jesse complains at one point that she wishes she could be loved by someone without it being “life or death” in magnitude, Terry turns to her and says: “Most people are afraid they’re never going to be loved like that.” And it say so much about him…
As far as Rachel Ward, to put it simply, she is amazing. When you just can’t see someone else playing a role, the actor has nailed the role with force and precision. Just like with Sharon Stone’s star-making turn as the femme fatale in BASIC INSTINCT (review # 83), Rachel Ward plays Jesse Wyler with such skill that she becomes an endlessly fascinating character. As conceived, Jesse Wyler is more than just your average femme fatale. All of Jesse’s cunning can be attributed to human roots. This is a woman who lost the only person she could trust (her brother, to suicide) and has been treated like a possession by her wealthy mother all her life.
The result is someone who, despite being seductive and sexually-adventurous, is only comfortable in a relationship when the other person is kept at an arm’s length, emotionally. The best scenes are of Jesse slowly letting her guard down to let Terry in, and revealing her true affection for him. Such as the scene when they are in bed, and Terry has just finished telling her a tale about a fateful game he played in. Jesse gazes adoringly at Terry, then wistfully says to him the words that I firmly believe is what finally cements his love for her: “You know what I wish? I wish I would’ve seen you play football. You must have been wonderful.”
Terry's reply: "I can see how Jake would go crazy without you..." If that's not a sign that you've fallen for someone, I don't know what it is...
By the end of the film, when Jesse makes that great act of sacrifice just so Terry will be okay, we know we are dealing with a changed woman. And watch the ending credits with Jesse’s face showing a whole array of emotions, while Phil Collins’ soulful title song plays on the soundtrack - and tell me that Rachel Ward isn’t one of the most beautiful women in the world.
As the third point of the triangle, James Woods is suitably sleek and menacing. Positioned as some sort of dark prince to Terry’s sun-god, Jake Weiss shares his pal’s jaded outlook and penchant for wild partying. Unfortunately, where Terry has sincerity and wonder under his cynical exterior, Jake has calculation and more cynicism. In some regards, this makes Jake a seemingly ideal match for the equally-manipulative Jesse.
In reality, though, Jesse is closer in nature to Terry in that she has the capacity to change for someone she loves. With Jake, he wants to possess whatever he loves - not change for it. But what makes Jake as interesting as Terry and Jesse is the hidden fragility he has under that slick exterior. Woods ably shows us all these hidden levels to Jake, making him the third point of one of the best love triangles in cinema.
The rest of the supporting cast performs well. Richard Widmark, Dorian Harewood, and Alex Karras are vivid and nuanced as the figures in Terry’s football universe, while Swoosie Kurtz and Jane Greer are memorable as the other two major female characters: a hard-drinking secretary who ends up helping Terry late in the film; and Jesse’s supremely manipulative mother who obviously passes on her tendencies to her daughter. Also, Jane Greer played the heroine in OUT OF THE PAST, so her role here is an interesting twist.
In the end, AGAINST ALL ODDS is an effectively moody and unforgettably sexy thriller that succeeds as a modern film noir. And its due largely to the compelling love triangle at its core, and the explosive chemistry between its lead stars.
In closing, I present to you the video for the song “Against All Odds,” which was composed for this movie. There's also a second video of the film's ending (don't watch if you don't want it to be spoiled). It shows Jesse's final act of sacrifice to keep Terry safe and okay... Tell me that isn't love. Then tell me this isn’t the loveliest song…
(Note: when traveling in Cozumel, watch out for splashing bodily fluids…)
CAST: Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Alex Karras, Richard Widmark, Jane Greer, Swoosie Kurtz, Dorian Harewood, Saul Rubinek.
DIRECTOR: Taylor Hackford
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and strong arguments for having a hot affair in Cozumel - right now…
Our next American Imperiled Overseas Flick is actually half of one. See, half of the film takes place in the exceedingly lovely island of Cozumel, while the other is in, well, Los Angeles. Which is about as exotic as a box of Ho-Hos. But that half that takes place in Cozumel? WOW!
In our review time for CAIRO TIME (review # 107), we discussed just how tricky chemistry it is to get right. In AGAINST ALL ODDS, the chemistry between leads Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward isn’t so much right, as it is pre-ordained. You know a couple has electricity when you can’t wait for them to rip each other’s clothes off and have some sweaty, extremely vigorous sex.
Our story starts in Cozumel, that jewel of the Mayan Riviera, as stud-muffin tourist Terry Brogan (Jeff Bridges) wanders the streets with a picture of a chick who… looks at lot like me before the ol’ testosterone kicked in and thankfully made me a lot less androgynous. Anyhow, Terry goes from person to person, asking them: “Has visto a esta mujer?”
If you’re thinking he’s asking them where the best whorehouse in town is, you’re in for a disappointment. But still kind of in the same ballpark. What Terry is asking these folks is “Have you seen this woman?”
Hmmmmm…. The plot thickens. What could our handsome blonde hunk be doing in sunny Cozumel showing people a picture of a chick who looked like me before my balls dropped? What does he want from her? And will he settle for me?
Well, the answer to the last one is “Are you fucking kidding me?” But to get the answers to the first two questions, we must rewind a little and flash back to equally sunny (but a lot more populated) Los Angeles. There, we discover that Terry is actually a pro-football player with the Los Angeles Outlaws. Unfortunately, he’s also one of those players with a potentially debilitating injury: a bum shoulder. Which even a cretin like me who knows more about how African fruit flies mate than American football, knows is a problem.
Before you can say “Pretty Boy Has A Problem,” the owner of the Outlaws - one Mrs. Wyler (Jane Greer) - and her cronies cut Terry from the team. Faced with the prospect of watching soaps on his couch all day, Terry consults with his attorney Kersch (Saul Rubinek). Sadly, Kersch turns out to be just less of a slimeball than a wad of phlegm and turns his back on our hot ex-football player.
Fortunately (well, maybe unfortunately), Terry’s old friend Jake Weiss (James Woods) comes a-sniffin’ around with the job offer for the linebacker stud. Seems Jake’s girlfriend Jesse Wyler (Rachel Ward) got into a fight with him, stabbed him in the leg (more like groin area, really), grabbed $50,000 from the safe, and vamoosed it for parts unknown. How does this concern Terry? Glad you asked. Easy: Jake wants Terry to find the bitch.
Which Jake eventually does. Turns out Jesse’s been drawing from her trust fund, and her mother, Mrs. Wyler (remember her? owner of the Los Angeles Outlaws? small world, eh?) reveals to Terry that the money’s been going to a bank in the Caribbean island of Cozumel. Guess its hard to hide if you’re filthy rich.
So, loyal Sarcasto-philes, this brings us full circle (sort of) to our opening scene of Terry hassling tourists and locals on Cozumel while flashing a picture of an adolescent pre-testosterone Sarcasto, er, Jesse. He pretty much strikes out repeatedly. If Jesse is on this island, she must be spending most of her time under a rock.
Things look up one day when Terry looks up to see a tall, willowy brunette with legs up to there buying some mangos from a vendor. His athlete’s intuition kicking in, he practically dashes over and call out Jesse’s name. Involuntarily, she turns and, well, let’s just say that the movie gets a lot more interesting. A lot more.
See, Terry Brogan and Jesse Wyler pretty much have the chemistry-equivalent of winning the Super-5 Lotto. In other words, siiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzlllllllleeeeee… All you pretty much want to do is get these two into bed - and fast. But even watching them spar and bicker is equally hot. That’s when you know a couple has got it going on - the foreplay is just as wild and crazy as the sex.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Terry and Jesse not only fall into the sack - hard - but they also fall in love - even harder. As you can imagine, this proves a problem for our hot hero and his even hotter new gal. Does he stick to his plan and tell Jake he found Jesse, or does he take her and go on the run? What happens when Jake sends another thug to Cozumel to find out what the hell the hold up is? Will Terry and Jesse’s affair be revealed? And what happens when Terry and Jesse accidentally kill the thug? Will Jesse stand by her man? Or will she run back to Jake and prove that she can’t be trusted? Is there a hotter couple in the world than Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward?
I’m thinking, no. They pretty much take the cake.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: The tagline for AGAINST ALL ODDS is "Sometimes love is the most dangerous game of all", and it’s a fitting (and very true) one. A loose remake of the classic film noir OUT OF THE PAST (1947), AGAINST ALL ODDS succeeds on its own right based on the sheer combustible chemistry of its two leads. Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward are easily in the list of Top Five Hottest Screen Couples. It also helps, though, that the characters they play are smartly written and are a nice pair themselves.
Terry Brogan is a little cynical, not good at politics, wears his heart on his sleeve, and calls things as they are. Jesse Wyler is cool, calculating, much more adept at the manipulation than Terry is, who is actually fairly simple underneath. It’s Jesse who’s the complicated one. The emotional core of the film is not so much Terry falling in love with Jesse, but Jesse unexpectedly falling for him - and rethinking who she is as a consequence. Her act of sacrifice at the end of the film is the crowning moment of her character arc, and the final shot of her weeping, yet also showing rays of hope, is absolutely unforgettable.
As good as these characters are written, though, they could have easily been fumbled by the wrong performers. Fortunately, lightning struck inside a bottle when Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward were cast. Bridges perfectly embodies a man who has a rough-edged sense of honor and integrity, but is waylaid by his own heart. The biggest hurdle he has to navigate is whether or not to trust Jesse. Bridges effectively conveys the vulnerability under Terry’s forceful personality, as well as the sense that his Achilles heel is basically his heart. Indeed, when Jesse complains at one point that she wishes she could be loved by someone without it being “life or death” in magnitude, Terry turns to her and says: “Most people are afraid they’re never going to be loved like that.” And it say so much about him…
As far as Rachel Ward, to put it simply, she is amazing. When you just can’t see someone else playing a role, the actor has nailed the role with force and precision. Just like with Sharon Stone’s star-making turn as the femme fatale in BASIC INSTINCT (review # 83), Rachel Ward plays Jesse Wyler with such skill that she becomes an endlessly fascinating character. As conceived, Jesse Wyler is more than just your average femme fatale. All of Jesse’s cunning can be attributed to human roots. This is a woman who lost the only person she could trust (her brother, to suicide) and has been treated like a possession by her wealthy mother all her life.
The result is someone who, despite being seductive and sexually-adventurous, is only comfortable in a relationship when the other person is kept at an arm’s length, emotionally. The best scenes are of Jesse slowly letting her guard down to let Terry in, and revealing her true affection for him. Such as the scene when they are in bed, and Terry has just finished telling her a tale about a fateful game he played in. Jesse gazes adoringly at Terry, then wistfully says to him the words that I firmly believe is what finally cements his love for her: “You know what I wish? I wish I would’ve seen you play football. You must have been wonderful.”
Terry's reply: "I can see how Jake would go crazy without you..." If that's not a sign that you've fallen for someone, I don't know what it is...
By the end of the film, when Jesse makes that great act of sacrifice just so Terry will be okay, we know we are dealing with a changed woman. And watch the ending credits with Jesse’s face showing a whole array of emotions, while Phil Collins’ soulful title song plays on the soundtrack - and tell me that Rachel Ward isn’t one of the most beautiful women in the world.
As the third point of the triangle, James Woods is suitably sleek and menacing. Positioned as some sort of dark prince to Terry’s sun-god, Jake Weiss shares his pal’s jaded outlook and penchant for wild partying. Unfortunately, where Terry has sincerity and wonder under his cynical exterior, Jake has calculation and more cynicism. In some regards, this makes Jake a seemingly ideal match for the equally-manipulative Jesse.
In reality, though, Jesse is closer in nature to Terry in that she has the capacity to change for someone she loves. With Jake, he wants to possess whatever he loves - not change for it. But what makes Jake as interesting as Terry and Jesse is the hidden fragility he has under that slick exterior. Woods ably shows us all these hidden levels to Jake, making him the third point of one of the best love triangles in cinema.
The rest of the supporting cast performs well. Richard Widmark, Dorian Harewood, and Alex Karras are vivid and nuanced as the figures in Terry’s football universe, while Swoosie Kurtz and Jane Greer are memorable as the other two major female characters: a hard-drinking secretary who ends up helping Terry late in the film; and Jesse’s supremely manipulative mother who obviously passes on her tendencies to her daughter. Also, Jane Greer played the heroine in OUT OF THE PAST, so her role here is an interesting twist.
In the end, AGAINST ALL ODDS is an effectively moody and unforgettably sexy thriller that succeeds as a modern film noir. And its due largely to the compelling love triangle at its core, and the explosive chemistry between its lead stars.
In closing, I present to you the video for the song “Against All Odds,” which was composed for this movie. There's also a second video of the film's ending (don't watch if you don't want it to be spoiled). It shows Jesse's final act of sacrifice to keep Terry safe and okay... Tell me that isn't love. Then tell me this isn’t the loveliest song…
Sunday, January 9, 2011
UPCOMING REVIEWS FOR THE WEEK OF 1/10/11 - 1/16/11
Hello, all...
In honor of my family's military heritage, I declare next week... Military Flick Week! Please find the list of movies below...
Also, I still owe you folks the last five of the Americans Imperiled Overseas Flick reviews. RED CORNER and SHUTTER are up, and the rest should post by Tuesday night or so...
Below are next week's Military Flicks:
# 212 - NO WAY OUT: 1987 (AKA: Sean Young, The Only Reason You Got That Role Is Because My Parents Locked Me In The Garage When They Found Out I Planned To Sneak Into The Audition. Bitch.)
# 213 - ANNAPOLIS: 2006 (AKA: James Franco Can Smack Me Around Any Day)
# 214 - DRESS GRAY: 1986 (AKA: Murder And Mayhem At The Military Academy)
# 215 - TAPS: 1981 (AKA: Murder And Mayhem At the Military Academy, Part Deux)
# 216 - A FEW GOOD MEN: 1992 (AKA: Murder and Mayhem At The Military Academy, Part Tre)
# 217 - BILOXI BLUES: 1988 (AKA: Sarcasto Goes to Basic Training...)
# 218 - BODY SNATCHERS: 1994 (AKA: Imagine That - Everyone On An Army Base Acting All The Same...)
Have a good week, all... Remember: the Military Flicks Reviews won't post until the late next weekend.
Wish me luck underwater!
In honor of my family's military heritage, I declare next week... Military Flick Week! Please find the list of movies below...
Also, I still owe you folks the last five of the Americans Imperiled Overseas Flick reviews. RED CORNER and SHUTTER are up, and the rest should post by Tuesday night or so...
Below are next week's Military Flicks:
# 212 - NO WAY OUT: 1987 (AKA: Sean Young, The Only Reason You Got That Role Is Because My Parents Locked Me In The Garage When They Found Out I Planned To Sneak Into The Audition. Bitch.)
# 213 - ANNAPOLIS: 2006 (AKA: James Franco Can Smack Me Around Any Day)
# 214 - DRESS GRAY: 1986 (AKA: Murder And Mayhem At The Military Academy)
# 215 - TAPS: 1981 (AKA: Murder And Mayhem At the Military Academy, Part Deux)
# 216 - A FEW GOOD MEN: 1992 (AKA: Murder and Mayhem At The Military Academy, Part Tre)
# 217 - BILOXI BLUES: 1988 (AKA: Sarcasto Goes to Basic Training...)
# 218 - BODY SNATCHERS: 1994 (AKA: Imagine That - Everyone On An Army Base Acting All The Same...)
Have a good week, all... Remember: the Military Flicks Reviews won't post until the late next weekend.
Wish me luck underwater!
# 206 - SHUTTER (2008)
SHUTTER (2008 - HORROR / GHOST / AMERICAN IMPERILED OVERSEAS) **½ out of *****
(Note: When traveling in Japan, look out for ghosts in your pictures…)
CAST: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, Jon Hensley, David Denman, Maya Hazen, James Kyson-Lee, Eri Otoguro.
DIRECTOR: Masayuki Ochiai.
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and strong arguments for sticking to video - straight ahead…
In the late 90’s, when I was living in Germany, I came across some rolls of film in the side pocket of a travel bag. I dropped them off at the local photo lab, and came back to pick up the prints the following day. The pictures turned out to be shots of lovely Lake Towada, a lake in Northern Japan that was one of my favorite Road Trip destinations when I lived in the Land of the Rising Sun. Somehow, I had overlooked the rolls of film during my move from Asia to Europe.
I should’ve been ecstatic, since I firmly believe you can’t have enough pictures of Lake Towada. Why then was I ready to strangle the next living thing that crossed my path? Well, to be blunt about it, the pictures were shit. Many of them had a bar of blurry light obscuring the scenery. Which was a shame, since even with the distortions, you could tell they were potentially some of the best shots of Lake Towada I’d ever taken. Too bad about the blurry bars of light.
Turns out the folks at the photo lab had screwed up the processing and ruined the negatives with partial overexposure, or some such shit. I was annoyed for a little bit, then just let it go, realizing it gave me an excuse to go back to Japan on another trip. I did go back a year later - and ended up getting even better shots. Needless to say, I brought the new rolls of film to a different photo lab when I returned to Germany. Sure enough, I got the photos back in pristine condition, minus those annoying blurry bars of light.
It’s a good thing our next review, SHUTTER, wasn’t released in the late 90’s, otherwise I might have thought there was a more sinister explanation to the blemishes on the first set of pictures. That’s because SHUTTER is about the phenomenon of “Spirit Photography” - or the appearance of ghosts in pictures taken by ordinary folks. These “spirits” are allegedly represented by… blurry bars of light.
Are you freaked? I am. Just a little.
Anyhow, the heroes of our tale are Ben and Jane (Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor), Brooklyn newlyweds who barely have time to doff their matrimonial gear and have a hot quickie before they have to board a plane for Japan. See, Ben is a photographer and he’s got a gig with some old pals in Tokyo who run a modeling business - or something. The plan is to turn the trip into a working honeymoon. Personally, I like to keep business and pleasure separate - but I ain’t the lead of this movie. They’ll soon wish they shared my motto, though.
Sure enough, while taking a few days off before the job starts, Ben and Jane get into an accident in the mountains just outside Tokyo. While driving on a dark road, Jane thinks she hit a girl standing in the middle of the road. But when the authorities show up, no one can find a body. Leading the cops to think our dear newlyweds are also potheads. They basically just shake their heads and mutter, “Baka Amerikajin…” which roughly translates to “Fucking Americans.” Oh, and they also give Ben and Jane an “I.T.F.F.R.?” Look. Just to foster warm U.S.-Japan relations.
Trying to shrug off that bizarro incident, Ben subsequently pours himself into his work of photographing sexy models. If you can call that work. Meanwhile, Jane wanders around Tokyo with her digital camera and pretty much gets treated like the clueless gaijin that she is. She even gets thrown out of a Pachinko parlor for taking pictures. Which is pretty much what happened to me the last time I was in Vegas. I mean, how the fuck was I supposed to know you’re not supposed to take pictures of casino interiors. I was admiring the architecture, security jackasses, not plotting a heist. Who the fuck do you think we are? Ocean’s Six? Morons.
But I digress… Anyhow, when Jane takes a look at the pictures from her Tokyo sojourns, she basically discovers the same shite that plagued my Lake Towada pictures. That is, those pesky blurry bars of light are making their presence known again. Ben’s hot Eurasian assistant, Seiko Nakamura (Maya Hazen), immediately deduces these blurs to be “spirit photos.” And, yes, this merits an “I.T.F.F.R?” Look from Jane. Undeterred, Seiko offers to hook up Jane with her ex-boyfriend who runs a Spirit Photography magazine, which are apparently extremely popular in Japan. If that’s not a sign that maybe the Japanese aren’t so advanced and smart after all, I don’t know what is.
At an rate, all the information about spirit photos that Jane scrounges from Seiko’s ex-boy toy (James Kyson-Lee) comes in handy. Especially since she’s been haunted by recurring nightmares of that Japanese chick she hit up in the mountains. Oh, and since then the blurry bars of light have been ruining Ben’s photos, as well, endangering his gig with the fashion company - or something. Right at this point, Jane turns into Nancy Drew and digs into the Mystery of the Missing Hit-And-Run Chick.
What will Jane find? Who was the girl she hit? Why did she vanish like that? What connection do the ghostly pictures have with Jane and Ben? Or is the connection actually to Ben’s sleazy friends, Bruno and Adam (Jon Hensley and David Denham)? What happens when Jane discovers that an ex-girlfriend (Megumi Okina) of Ben’s may be involved in the mystery? Will Jane find some answers she doesn’t want to? What about Ben? Does he hold the key to the mystery? Why don’t they just throw all their cameras away and be done with it?
Whatever. All I know is I got my awesome shots of Lake Towada - sans ghostly blurs - and I’m as happy as a Sumo Wrestler in a oversized thong factory.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: In the wake of the smash successes of THE RING and THE GRUDGE, American remakes to Japanese originals that were successful in their own right, a whole slew of Japanese Horror (or J-Horror) remakes hit U.S. screens: PULSE, ONE MISSED CALL, THE UNINVITED, THE RING TWO, THE GRUDGET 2, THE ECHO, and MIRRORS. By the time SHUTTER was released in 2008, the J-Horror Remake sub-genre was no longer fresh.
Which is a shame, since SHUTTER could’ve been a jolting remake to the very scary Thai original from 2004. Unfortunately, because of its late entry and all the other J-Horror remakes that came before it, SHUTTER feels stale and recycled. Add to this problem the fact that it’s very reminiscent of the Harrison Ford-Michelle Pfeiffer thriller WHAT LIES BENEATH, and you can see how the Surprise Factor is considerably diminished. In short, SHUTTER just feels too familiar - so much so that you can see all of its story beats coming from a mile away, even if you haven’t seen the original.
This is regrettable, because the film boasts some strong technical aspects. The film has a nice glossy sheen to it, and the Tokyo setting is all the more vibrant because of it. Director Masayuki Ochiae gives the film a thick sense of atmosphere that is almost palpable. The score by Nathan Barr, as well as the single “Good To Me” by Lisbeth Scott, are well incorporated into the story. All these strong points give the film a sensual, sinister feel that keeps it from sinking below the average mark.
The cast is mostly okay, but they aren’t really given much to play in terms of character. Joshua Jackson, Maya Hazen, Jon Hensley, and David Denham are all solid, but nothing more. The ones who fares the best are Rachael Taylor as Jane, the new bride whose honeymoon turns into a nightmare, and Megumi Okina as the mysterious Megumi, the girl around whom the mystery pivots. Both these lovely ladies work hard to invest their roles with a degree of emotional depth that pays off at the climax.
It’s due to Taylor and Okina’s performances, as well as the film’s strong technical aspects, that keep it on the average mark. Things might have been different if SHUTTER had been released at the beginning of the J-Horror Remake craze. But its release at the tail end of the wave just underscores how familiar and tired the sub-genre has become. Still, it’s far from the worst of its kind.
In closing, please check out the Lisbeth Scott’s lovely “Good To Me” which is sort of Jane’s theme song in the movie. The song is part of SHUTTER’s original soundtrack, which also contains Nathan Barr’s haunting score…
(Note: When traveling in Japan, look out for ghosts in your pictures…)
CAST: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, Jon Hensley, David Denman, Maya Hazen, James Kyson-Lee, Eri Otoguro.
DIRECTOR: Masayuki Ochiai.
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and strong arguments for sticking to video - straight ahead…
In the late 90’s, when I was living in Germany, I came across some rolls of film in the side pocket of a travel bag. I dropped them off at the local photo lab, and came back to pick up the prints the following day. The pictures turned out to be shots of lovely Lake Towada, a lake in Northern Japan that was one of my favorite Road Trip destinations when I lived in the Land of the Rising Sun. Somehow, I had overlooked the rolls of film during my move from Asia to Europe.
I should’ve been ecstatic, since I firmly believe you can’t have enough pictures of Lake Towada. Why then was I ready to strangle the next living thing that crossed my path? Well, to be blunt about it, the pictures were shit. Many of them had a bar of blurry light obscuring the scenery. Which was a shame, since even with the distortions, you could tell they were potentially some of the best shots of Lake Towada I’d ever taken. Too bad about the blurry bars of light.
Turns out the folks at the photo lab had screwed up the processing and ruined the negatives with partial overexposure, or some such shit. I was annoyed for a little bit, then just let it go, realizing it gave me an excuse to go back to Japan on another trip. I did go back a year later - and ended up getting even better shots. Needless to say, I brought the new rolls of film to a different photo lab when I returned to Germany. Sure enough, I got the photos back in pristine condition, minus those annoying blurry bars of light.
It’s a good thing our next review, SHUTTER, wasn’t released in the late 90’s, otherwise I might have thought there was a more sinister explanation to the blemishes on the first set of pictures. That’s because SHUTTER is about the phenomenon of “Spirit Photography” - or the appearance of ghosts in pictures taken by ordinary folks. These “spirits” are allegedly represented by… blurry bars of light.
Are you freaked? I am. Just a little.
Anyhow, the heroes of our tale are Ben and Jane (Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor), Brooklyn newlyweds who barely have time to doff their matrimonial gear and have a hot quickie before they have to board a plane for Japan. See, Ben is a photographer and he’s got a gig with some old pals in Tokyo who run a modeling business - or something. The plan is to turn the trip into a working honeymoon. Personally, I like to keep business and pleasure separate - but I ain’t the lead of this movie. They’ll soon wish they shared my motto, though.
Sure enough, while taking a few days off before the job starts, Ben and Jane get into an accident in the mountains just outside Tokyo. While driving on a dark road, Jane thinks she hit a girl standing in the middle of the road. But when the authorities show up, no one can find a body. Leading the cops to think our dear newlyweds are also potheads. They basically just shake their heads and mutter, “Baka Amerikajin…” which roughly translates to “Fucking Americans.” Oh, and they also give Ben and Jane an “I.T.F.F.R.?” Look. Just to foster warm U.S.-Japan relations.
Trying to shrug off that bizarro incident, Ben subsequently pours himself into his work of photographing sexy models. If you can call that work. Meanwhile, Jane wanders around Tokyo with her digital camera and pretty much gets treated like the clueless gaijin that she is. She even gets thrown out of a Pachinko parlor for taking pictures. Which is pretty much what happened to me the last time I was in Vegas. I mean, how the fuck was I supposed to know you’re not supposed to take pictures of casino interiors. I was admiring the architecture, security jackasses, not plotting a heist. Who the fuck do you think we are? Ocean’s Six? Morons.
But I digress… Anyhow, when Jane takes a look at the pictures from her Tokyo sojourns, she basically discovers the same shite that plagued my Lake Towada pictures. That is, those pesky blurry bars of light are making their presence known again. Ben’s hot Eurasian assistant, Seiko Nakamura (Maya Hazen), immediately deduces these blurs to be “spirit photos.” And, yes, this merits an “I.T.F.F.R?” Look from Jane. Undeterred, Seiko offers to hook up Jane with her ex-boyfriend who runs a Spirit Photography magazine, which are apparently extremely popular in Japan. If that’s not a sign that maybe the Japanese aren’t so advanced and smart after all, I don’t know what is.
At an rate, all the information about spirit photos that Jane scrounges from Seiko’s ex-boy toy (James Kyson-Lee) comes in handy. Especially since she’s been haunted by recurring nightmares of that Japanese chick she hit up in the mountains. Oh, and since then the blurry bars of light have been ruining Ben’s photos, as well, endangering his gig with the fashion company - or something. Right at this point, Jane turns into Nancy Drew and digs into the Mystery of the Missing Hit-And-Run Chick.
What will Jane find? Who was the girl she hit? Why did she vanish like that? What connection do the ghostly pictures have with Jane and Ben? Or is the connection actually to Ben’s sleazy friends, Bruno and Adam (Jon Hensley and David Denham)? What happens when Jane discovers that an ex-girlfriend (Megumi Okina) of Ben’s may be involved in the mystery? Will Jane find some answers she doesn’t want to? What about Ben? Does he hold the key to the mystery? Why don’t they just throw all their cameras away and be done with it?
Whatever. All I know is I got my awesome shots of Lake Towada - sans ghostly blurs - and I’m as happy as a Sumo Wrestler in a oversized thong factory.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: In the wake of the smash successes of THE RING and THE GRUDGE, American remakes to Japanese originals that were successful in their own right, a whole slew of Japanese Horror (or J-Horror) remakes hit U.S. screens: PULSE, ONE MISSED CALL, THE UNINVITED, THE RING TWO, THE GRUDGET 2, THE ECHO, and MIRRORS. By the time SHUTTER was released in 2008, the J-Horror Remake sub-genre was no longer fresh.
Which is a shame, since SHUTTER could’ve been a jolting remake to the very scary Thai original from 2004. Unfortunately, because of its late entry and all the other J-Horror remakes that came before it, SHUTTER feels stale and recycled. Add to this problem the fact that it’s very reminiscent of the Harrison Ford-Michelle Pfeiffer thriller WHAT LIES BENEATH, and you can see how the Surprise Factor is considerably diminished. In short, SHUTTER just feels too familiar - so much so that you can see all of its story beats coming from a mile away, even if you haven’t seen the original.
This is regrettable, because the film boasts some strong technical aspects. The film has a nice glossy sheen to it, and the Tokyo setting is all the more vibrant because of it. Director Masayuki Ochiae gives the film a thick sense of atmosphere that is almost palpable. The score by Nathan Barr, as well as the single “Good To Me” by Lisbeth Scott, are well incorporated into the story. All these strong points give the film a sensual, sinister feel that keeps it from sinking below the average mark.
The cast is mostly okay, but they aren’t really given much to play in terms of character. Joshua Jackson, Maya Hazen, Jon Hensley, and David Denham are all solid, but nothing more. The ones who fares the best are Rachael Taylor as Jane, the new bride whose honeymoon turns into a nightmare, and Megumi Okina as the mysterious Megumi, the girl around whom the mystery pivots. Both these lovely ladies work hard to invest their roles with a degree of emotional depth that pays off at the climax.
It’s due to Taylor and Okina’s performances, as well as the film’s strong technical aspects, that keep it on the average mark. Things might have been different if SHUTTER had been released at the beginning of the J-Horror Remake craze. But its release at the tail end of the wave just underscores how familiar and tired the sub-genre has become. Still, it’s far from the worst of its kind.
In closing, please check out the Lisbeth Scott’s lovely “Good To Me” which is sort of Jane’s theme song in the movie. The song is part of SHUTTER’s original soundtrack, which also contains Nathan Barr’s haunting score…
# 205 - RED CORNER (1997)
RED CORNER (1997 - THRILLER / AMERICAN IMPERILED FLICK) ***½ out of *****
(Note: when traveling in China, do not fuck any Chinese supermodels…)
CAST: Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradley Whitford, Peter Donat, Tzi Ma, Tsai Chin, Jessy Meng, James Hong, Robert Stanton.
DIRECTOR: Jon Avnet
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and eerie Richard Gere/Sarcasto’s Pops resemblances straight ahead…
I’ve always thought my Dad looked a lot like Richard Gere with some Harrison Ford mixed in. Just a little more Nordic. But it never really hit me until I first saw the poster for the American-trapped-in-China thriller RED CORNER back in 1997. Showing Mr. Gere’s face in extreme close-up, and looking just a tad grumpy, my first two thoughts were: (1) “when did Dad become a movie star?”; and (2) “can I be his personal assistant so I can meet Russell Crowe?”
Never has Richard Gere looked more like my Pops than in RED CORNER. So much so that the whole time I was watching it for the first time way back when, I kept suppressing the urge to stand up in the theater and yell: “Stop picking on my Dad, you stupid commies!” Fortunately, my self-control saved me. Otherwise, that would’ve been one awkward situation.
In RED CORNER, Richard Gere (AKA Pops) plays Jack Moore, a hotshot lawyer who has an uncanny ability to get what he wants out of people while charming the shit out of them, too. He’s in Beijing negotiating a deal with the Chinese Department of Radio and Television (is there such a thing?). Apparently, the Chinese government is allowing certain American shows to broadcast to the masses. Somehow I get the feeling that we ain’t talking about HUNG, QUEER AS FOLK, or THE L-WORD, here.
Jack’s under a lot of pressure to close the deal for his company, McAndrews Communications. Escpecially with McAndrews’ rival Hoffman Comm, a German company, breathing down their necks for the same broadcast rights. Fortunately, Jack turns out to be not only charming, but also quite crafty. He uses something approaching reverse-psychology by stating that American TV shows are quite bad - and watching them with will remind the Chinese people of their superiority. Before you know it, the Chinese officials are eating out of his hands like puppies and rolling over to get their tummies rubbed.
I’m impressed. Maybe Jack could tailor his schpiel for the club scene. Imagine going up to some hottie and going, “Hi, hot stuff. I’m not interested in a relationship. I just want to fuck your brains out and make it clear to you who your Daddy is. I think you should take me up on it, because doing so will affirm your superiority over a sleazoid like me.”
I think it could work.
Anyhow, Jack and his Chinese associate, Lin Dan (Byron Mann) head out to check out the local Beijing night scene to celebrate the deal. Let’s just say that the Chinese night clubs have a long way to go. For starters, the most popular tune seems to be “Y.M.C.A.” I’ll let you digest the horror of that for a few minutes…
Better? Good. Fortunately for us, Jack and Dan hoof it out of there and head for a classier venue. This one is a high-fashion show with traditional Chinese music in the background. Things look up even more when Jack catches one of the tall, stunningly gorgeous models giving him the “I just wanna get fucked” look. And, well, let’s just take this moment to invoke the Vaction Courage Syndrome. Or, even more precisely: What Happens In Beijing, Stays In Beijing.
The model is Hong Ling, and she basically strikes major sparks with Jack. They flirt over cocktails after the show, with Ling sketching Jack’s nose. Apparently, the Chinese refer to us Yanks as “Big Nose!” I expected Jack to respond with “You know what they say about guys with Big Nose? Big Dicks!” Alas, he’s a much classier, subtler fellow than me, and just smiles at Ling.
You don’t have to be rocket scientist to figure out that Jack and Ling end up at his hotel suite for a night of no-strings-attached fornication. And for awhile, it’s pretty much paradise as they fuck in all eighteen of the major positions. Or is it twenty. Whatever. Anyhow, Jack then rolls over and falls asleep, as men are famous for doing. Leaving Ling to, I guess, to find some other way to pleasure herself.
Anyhow, Jack wakes up the next day to the following atrocities: (1) he’s got a hangover; (2) the room is wrecked; (3) the room is full of Chinese military police; and (4) his wonderful fuck buddy Ling is dead as a doornail. All in all, not the best morning after in the history of partying, yeah?
In short order, Jack finds himself accused of Ling’s murder. To make matters even worse, she is the daughter of a very high-powered Chinese office, General Hong. I don’t have to point out that General Hong becomes very involved in the prosecution of the case. Note to Jack: if you survive this ordeal, make sure you only fuck supermodels who don’t come from powerful military families. Just a tip.
If it’s a woman who got Jack into trouble, it appears it will take another woman to get him out of it. She is Shen Yuelin (Bai Ling), a public attorney who is assigned to Jack’s case. You wouldn’t know it, though, from her opening argument. She basically tells the imperious and seriously cranky judge (Tsai Chin) that Jack pleads guilty.
Remember our recent review of THE TOWERING INFERNO (review # 203)? Remember how we discussed the “I.T.F.F.R.? Look”? Also known as the “Is This Fucker For Real?“ Look. Which is basically a look a character gives another character when the latter does, says, or suggests something supremely idiotic. Well, that’s what Jack gives Yuelin at her comment about him pleading guilty.
Later, Yuelin tells Jack that the more a defendant resists and protests his innocence, the more severe the punishment that court will mete out. In other words, if Jack thinks all those episodes of LAW AND ORDER and MATLOCK matter here in the Land of Chow Mein, he needs to fucking wake up and smell the duck eggs frying.
Then there’s all the evidence against Jack. Through Yuelin’s eyes (and the court’s), Jack is nothing more than some horny Westerner who got a little too rough with one of China’s National Treasures (the lovely, lovely Ling), and must now pay the price for it. Suffice it to say, Yuelin has no problem swallowing this notion.
However, the deeper Yuelin digs into the case, the more she sees some inconsistencies. For example, Jack claims Ling had a locket that night in his hotel room, yet the police maintain that no such jewelry was found. But when the diligent Yuelin watches video footage of the fashion show where Jack met Ling, she sees that Ling was indeed wearing a locket while walking the runway. So what gives?
Then there’s the growing bond between Yuelin and Jack. She discovers he’s not just a horny American after all, but a soulful dude who’s hiding some past trauma behind a cool, brash façade. He discovers she’s not a militant jackboot who doesn’t give a shit about his innocence, but a lovely, intelligent, sensitive, and extremely resourceful chick who just might be his best ally, after all. And before you know it, Yuelin tells the grumpy judge that Jack now pleads… Not Guilty.
Will Yuelin pay for sticking her neck out for Jack? What information does General Hong have that might be able to save Jack? Who was behind Ling’s murder? Does it have something to do with the big communications deal Jack closed with the Department of Radio and TV? Does Gerhart Communications have something to do with it? Can Jack trust his own people? What about the U.S. Embassy? Will Yuelin risk everything for this “Big-Nosed American?” Will my Dad ever get any royalty checks from the studio for letting them use his likeness for this poster?
Seriously. He could be financing my next scuba diving vacation…
BUT, SERIOUSLY: As I mentioned in our review for THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (review # 124), one of the greatest pleasures of doing this blog - in addition to discovering new movies recommended by your wonderful folks - is rediscovering some of my own favorites. RED CORNER is one such example.
Basically a melange of courtroom thriller, Hitchcockian “wronged man” mystery, and “fish-out-of-water drama“, RED CORNER is a film that works primarily because of the central relationship around which the plot revolves. I’m speaking of the connection that develops between Jack Moore and Shen Yuelin. Without this powerful emotional fulcrum around which the movie pivots, this film could have easily missed the mark.
As it is, it sill has some flaws, particularly in how the mystery is resolved in the third-act. The revelation of whodunit is a little ham-fisted and rushed. Fortunately, RED CORNER ends up being just as much about Jack and Yuelin’s developing friendship, as it does the question of his innocence or guilt. And the way that friendship blooms makes all the flaws of the plot forgivable.
Richard Gere can sometimes come across as a little smug and cocky in his portrayals. Here, though, he holds on to just enough of that chutzpah to be attractive and intriguing, without going overboard and turning into a jerk. This is necessary if we are to believe that Ling, as played by Jessy Meng (probably the most beautiful woman in China), would go to bed with him after such a brief encounter. Of course, the solution of the mystery eventually reveals why she did this, but in the moment we have to understand why she’d be drawn to him.
The great thing about Gere’s performance here, though, is how he tempers his charisma with a certain, well, uncertainty. Under that confident air, there’s a little-boy-lost quality to his character, even before Ling’s murder. During his intimate scenes with Ling, he seems more shy than her. This vulnerable side is one we don’t often see from Gere, and it’s a refreshing change of pace. We would see it again in the 2004 remake of SHALL WE DANCE, which we will review sometime in February during a Dance Movie Week. In any case, Gere’s performances in RED CORNER and SHALL WE DANCE are two of his strongest.
Make no mistake, though: the film’s best acting (and best character) comes from the ineffably lovely and talented Bai Ling. I have a long mental list of performances that should have been nominated for Academy Awards - but were not, due to various reasons like politics, the wrong type of film, or not financially successful enough, etc. Bai Ling’s portrayal of the complex and conflicted Chinese attorney Shen Yuelin is at the top of that list. I never fail to be moved by this character and the actress playing her every time I watch RED CORNER.
Watching Yuelin go from rigid, uncompromising, and slightly jaded lawyer just going through the motions, to becoming an ardent and loyal fighter for Jack’s cause is such a pleasure to watch. What’s great about her journey is that it happens in little increments, and Bai Ling expressively shows every single “turn” Yuelin takes towards the light, so to speak, until she’s completely on Jack’s side.
Bai Ling has a remarkable ability to reveal every single emotion through facial expressions alone, making her an open book. But she also has the ability to suddenly close that book sharply - and turning her face into a cold mask that makes her hard to read. This dual quality is completely appropriate for a character who is quite deep and soulful - but has also learned to hide her feelings for her own good and safety.
There’s a scene about mid-way into the movie that marks Yuelin’s full conversion to Jack’s side. She tells the presiding magistrate that she is changing Jack’s plea to Not Guilty - to the stunned looks of everyone in the room. During this scene, Bai Ling’s expressive face goes icy and flinty - revealing nothing, but saying so much about the character at the same time. As good as this scene is, though. it’s not even in the top four best scenes of the movie. All of them are primarily because of Bai Ling’s ability to be expressive and impassive within heartbeats of each other.
The first great scene is when Jack escapes from a transport vehicle and reaches the sanctuary of the U.S. Embassy. There, he learns that Yuelin will be severely punished for his escape attempt because she gave the court her personal promise that he would not try to flee. She visits him in the Embassy's guard shack, and tells a sad tale of how she turned her back on her father when he needed her the most - and how she refuses to make the same mistake with Jack. She actually encourages him to seek sanctuary with the Embassy - and forget about her. After a few moments of terrible indecision, Jack surrenders himself to the Chinese authorities. The stunned look on Yuelin’s face when he does this is absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. Basically, Jack repays her act of sacrifice with one of his own.
The next scene is when Jack reveals to Yuelin the tragedy that killed both his wife and daughter - and which now forces him to travel the world like some sort of ship with no anchor, no family. This is also the scene where Jack begs Yuelin to just walk away and not risk her life for him anymore. But, like any good friend, Yuelin refuses to do so. Bai Ling’s face is absolutely riveting here, completely open and showing everything.
The next scene is when the Chinese military sequesters Yuelin to try to intimidate her into signing a document that will release her from the case - and seal Jack’s fate. Yuelin stubbornly and steadfastly holds her ground, and tells off the men with such classy, eloquent precision that her every word seems like a guided missile that hits its mark. She basically tells the officers that she is willing to pay the price if Jack is indeed guilty. But are they willing to pay the price if he is not? I remember first watching RED CORNER in a crowded theater back in 1997, and right after this wonderful scene, I heard a woman in the row behind us say: “You get ‘em, girl!” My sentiments, exactly.
And the final great scene is Jack’s farewell to Yuelin at the Beijing airport at the very end, where she tells him that no matter what happens from now on, they are connected forever - and he will always have someone who is family on the other side of the world. This declaration, coupled with Thomas Newman’s beautiful score playing over it, is an ending to remember.
The rest of the supporting cast of Chinese and American actors are all solid, if not remarkable. Then again, this is Richard Gere and Bai Ling’s showcase. Without the dynamic friendship between their characters, RED CORNER would have rated on the average mark.
However, director Jon Avnet and writer Robert King wisely chose to develop the relationship between Jack and Yuelin to such an extent that it supersedes the mystery. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
(Note: when traveling in China, do not fuck any Chinese supermodels…)
CAST: Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradley Whitford, Peter Donat, Tzi Ma, Tsai Chin, Jessy Meng, James Hong, Robert Stanton.
DIRECTOR: Jon Avnet
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and eerie Richard Gere/Sarcasto’s Pops resemblances straight ahead…
I’ve always thought my Dad looked a lot like Richard Gere with some Harrison Ford mixed in. Just a little more Nordic. But it never really hit me until I first saw the poster for the American-trapped-in-China thriller RED CORNER back in 1997. Showing Mr. Gere’s face in extreme close-up, and looking just a tad grumpy, my first two thoughts were: (1) “when did Dad become a movie star?”; and (2) “can I be his personal assistant so I can meet Russell Crowe?”
Never has Richard Gere looked more like my Pops than in RED CORNER. So much so that the whole time I was watching it for the first time way back when, I kept suppressing the urge to stand up in the theater and yell: “Stop picking on my Dad, you stupid commies!” Fortunately, my self-control saved me. Otherwise, that would’ve been one awkward situation.
In RED CORNER, Richard Gere (AKA Pops) plays Jack Moore, a hotshot lawyer who has an uncanny ability to get what he wants out of people while charming the shit out of them, too. He’s in Beijing negotiating a deal with the Chinese Department of Radio and Television (is there such a thing?). Apparently, the Chinese government is allowing certain American shows to broadcast to the masses. Somehow I get the feeling that we ain’t talking about HUNG, QUEER AS FOLK, or THE L-WORD, here.
Jack’s under a lot of pressure to close the deal for his company, McAndrews Communications. Escpecially with McAndrews’ rival Hoffman Comm, a German company, breathing down their necks for the same broadcast rights. Fortunately, Jack turns out to be not only charming, but also quite crafty. He uses something approaching reverse-psychology by stating that American TV shows are quite bad - and watching them with will remind the Chinese people of their superiority. Before you know it, the Chinese officials are eating out of his hands like puppies and rolling over to get their tummies rubbed.
I’m impressed. Maybe Jack could tailor his schpiel for the club scene. Imagine going up to some hottie and going, “Hi, hot stuff. I’m not interested in a relationship. I just want to fuck your brains out and make it clear to you who your Daddy is. I think you should take me up on it, because doing so will affirm your superiority over a sleazoid like me.”
I think it could work.
Anyhow, Jack and his Chinese associate, Lin Dan (Byron Mann) head out to check out the local Beijing night scene to celebrate the deal. Let’s just say that the Chinese night clubs have a long way to go. For starters, the most popular tune seems to be “Y.M.C.A.” I’ll let you digest the horror of that for a few minutes…
Better? Good. Fortunately for us, Jack and Dan hoof it out of there and head for a classier venue. This one is a high-fashion show with traditional Chinese music in the background. Things look up even more when Jack catches one of the tall, stunningly gorgeous models giving him the “I just wanna get fucked” look. And, well, let’s just take this moment to invoke the Vaction Courage Syndrome. Or, even more precisely: What Happens In Beijing, Stays In Beijing.
The model is Hong Ling, and she basically strikes major sparks with Jack. They flirt over cocktails after the show, with Ling sketching Jack’s nose. Apparently, the Chinese refer to us Yanks as “Big Nose!” I expected Jack to respond with “You know what they say about guys with Big Nose? Big Dicks!” Alas, he’s a much classier, subtler fellow than me, and just smiles at Ling.
You don’t have to be rocket scientist to figure out that Jack and Ling end up at his hotel suite for a night of no-strings-attached fornication. And for awhile, it’s pretty much paradise as they fuck in all eighteen of the major positions. Or is it twenty. Whatever. Anyhow, Jack then rolls over and falls asleep, as men are famous for doing. Leaving Ling to, I guess, to find some other way to pleasure herself.
Anyhow, Jack wakes up the next day to the following atrocities: (1) he’s got a hangover; (2) the room is wrecked; (3) the room is full of Chinese military police; and (4) his wonderful fuck buddy Ling is dead as a doornail. All in all, not the best morning after in the history of partying, yeah?
In short order, Jack finds himself accused of Ling’s murder. To make matters even worse, she is the daughter of a very high-powered Chinese office, General Hong. I don’t have to point out that General Hong becomes very involved in the prosecution of the case. Note to Jack: if you survive this ordeal, make sure you only fuck supermodels who don’t come from powerful military families. Just a tip.
If it’s a woman who got Jack into trouble, it appears it will take another woman to get him out of it. She is Shen Yuelin (Bai Ling), a public attorney who is assigned to Jack’s case. You wouldn’t know it, though, from her opening argument. She basically tells the imperious and seriously cranky judge (Tsai Chin) that Jack pleads guilty.
Remember our recent review of THE TOWERING INFERNO (review # 203)? Remember how we discussed the “I.T.F.F.R.? Look”? Also known as the “Is This Fucker For Real?“ Look. Which is basically a look a character gives another character when the latter does, says, or suggests something supremely idiotic. Well, that’s what Jack gives Yuelin at her comment about him pleading guilty.
Later, Yuelin tells Jack that the more a defendant resists and protests his innocence, the more severe the punishment that court will mete out. In other words, if Jack thinks all those episodes of LAW AND ORDER and MATLOCK matter here in the Land of Chow Mein, he needs to fucking wake up and smell the duck eggs frying.
Then there’s all the evidence against Jack. Through Yuelin’s eyes (and the court’s), Jack is nothing more than some horny Westerner who got a little too rough with one of China’s National Treasures (the lovely, lovely Ling), and must now pay the price for it. Suffice it to say, Yuelin has no problem swallowing this notion.
However, the deeper Yuelin digs into the case, the more she sees some inconsistencies. For example, Jack claims Ling had a locket that night in his hotel room, yet the police maintain that no such jewelry was found. But when the diligent Yuelin watches video footage of the fashion show where Jack met Ling, she sees that Ling was indeed wearing a locket while walking the runway. So what gives?
Then there’s the growing bond between Yuelin and Jack. She discovers he’s not just a horny American after all, but a soulful dude who’s hiding some past trauma behind a cool, brash façade. He discovers she’s not a militant jackboot who doesn’t give a shit about his innocence, but a lovely, intelligent, sensitive, and extremely resourceful chick who just might be his best ally, after all. And before you know it, Yuelin tells the grumpy judge that Jack now pleads… Not Guilty.
Will Yuelin pay for sticking her neck out for Jack? What information does General Hong have that might be able to save Jack? Who was behind Ling’s murder? Does it have something to do with the big communications deal Jack closed with the Department of Radio and TV? Does Gerhart Communications have something to do with it? Can Jack trust his own people? What about the U.S. Embassy? Will Yuelin risk everything for this “Big-Nosed American?” Will my Dad ever get any royalty checks from the studio for letting them use his likeness for this poster?
Seriously. He could be financing my next scuba diving vacation…
BUT, SERIOUSLY: As I mentioned in our review for THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (review # 124), one of the greatest pleasures of doing this blog - in addition to discovering new movies recommended by your wonderful folks - is rediscovering some of my own favorites. RED CORNER is one such example.
Basically a melange of courtroom thriller, Hitchcockian “wronged man” mystery, and “fish-out-of-water drama“, RED CORNER is a film that works primarily because of the central relationship around which the plot revolves. I’m speaking of the connection that develops between Jack Moore and Shen Yuelin. Without this powerful emotional fulcrum around which the movie pivots, this film could have easily missed the mark.
As it is, it sill has some flaws, particularly in how the mystery is resolved in the third-act. The revelation of whodunit is a little ham-fisted and rushed. Fortunately, RED CORNER ends up being just as much about Jack and Yuelin’s developing friendship, as it does the question of his innocence or guilt. And the way that friendship blooms makes all the flaws of the plot forgivable.
Richard Gere can sometimes come across as a little smug and cocky in his portrayals. Here, though, he holds on to just enough of that chutzpah to be attractive and intriguing, without going overboard and turning into a jerk. This is necessary if we are to believe that Ling, as played by Jessy Meng (probably the most beautiful woman in China), would go to bed with him after such a brief encounter. Of course, the solution of the mystery eventually reveals why she did this, but in the moment we have to understand why she’d be drawn to him.
The great thing about Gere’s performance here, though, is how he tempers his charisma with a certain, well, uncertainty. Under that confident air, there’s a little-boy-lost quality to his character, even before Ling’s murder. During his intimate scenes with Ling, he seems more shy than her. This vulnerable side is one we don’t often see from Gere, and it’s a refreshing change of pace. We would see it again in the 2004 remake of SHALL WE DANCE, which we will review sometime in February during a Dance Movie Week. In any case, Gere’s performances in RED CORNER and SHALL WE DANCE are two of his strongest.
Make no mistake, though: the film’s best acting (and best character) comes from the ineffably lovely and talented Bai Ling. I have a long mental list of performances that should have been nominated for Academy Awards - but were not, due to various reasons like politics, the wrong type of film, or not financially successful enough, etc. Bai Ling’s portrayal of the complex and conflicted Chinese attorney Shen Yuelin is at the top of that list. I never fail to be moved by this character and the actress playing her every time I watch RED CORNER.
Watching Yuelin go from rigid, uncompromising, and slightly jaded lawyer just going through the motions, to becoming an ardent and loyal fighter for Jack’s cause is such a pleasure to watch. What’s great about her journey is that it happens in little increments, and Bai Ling expressively shows every single “turn” Yuelin takes towards the light, so to speak, until she’s completely on Jack’s side.
Bai Ling has a remarkable ability to reveal every single emotion through facial expressions alone, making her an open book. But she also has the ability to suddenly close that book sharply - and turning her face into a cold mask that makes her hard to read. This dual quality is completely appropriate for a character who is quite deep and soulful - but has also learned to hide her feelings for her own good and safety.
There’s a scene about mid-way into the movie that marks Yuelin’s full conversion to Jack’s side. She tells the presiding magistrate that she is changing Jack’s plea to Not Guilty - to the stunned looks of everyone in the room. During this scene, Bai Ling’s expressive face goes icy and flinty - revealing nothing, but saying so much about the character at the same time. As good as this scene is, though. it’s not even in the top four best scenes of the movie. All of them are primarily because of Bai Ling’s ability to be expressive and impassive within heartbeats of each other.
The first great scene is when Jack escapes from a transport vehicle and reaches the sanctuary of the U.S. Embassy. There, he learns that Yuelin will be severely punished for his escape attempt because she gave the court her personal promise that he would not try to flee. She visits him in the Embassy's guard shack, and tells a sad tale of how she turned her back on her father when he needed her the most - and how she refuses to make the same mistake with Jack. She actually encourages him to seek sanctuary with the Embassy - and forget about her. After a few moments of terrible indecision, Jack surrenders himself to the Chinese authorities. The stunned look on Yuelin’s face when he does this is absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. Basically, Jack repays her act of sacrifice with one of his own.
The next scene is when Jack reveals to Yuelin the tragedy that killed both his wife and daughter - and which now forces him to travel the world like some sort of ship with no anchor, no family. This is also the scene where Jack begs Yuelin to just walk away and not risk her life for him anymore. But, like any good friend, Yuelin refuses to do so. Bai Ling’s face is absolutely riveting here, completely open and showing everything.
The next scene is when the Chinese military sequesters Yuelin to try to intimidate her into signing a document that will release her from the case - and seal Jack’s fate. Yuelin stubbornly and steadfastly holds her ground, and tells off the men with such classy, eloquent precision that her every word seems like a guided missile that hits its mark. She basically tells the officers that she is willing to pay the price if Jack is indeed guilty. But are they willing to pay the price if he is not? I remember first watching RED CORNER in a crowded theater back in 1997, and right after this wonderful scene, I heard a woman in the row behind us say: “You get ‘em, girl!” My sentiments, exactly.
And the final great scene is Jack’s farewell to Yuelin at the Beijing airport at the very end, where she tells him that no matter what happens from now on, they are connected forever - and he will always have someone who is family on the other side of the world. This declaration, coupled with Thomas Newman’s beautiful score playing over it, is an ending to remember.
The rest of the supporting cast of Chinese and American actors are all solid, if not remarkable. Then again, this is Richard Gere and Bai Ling’s showcase. Without the dynamic friendship between their characters, RED CORNER would have rated on the average mark.
However, director Jon Avnet and writer Robert King wisely chose to develop the relationship between Jack and Yuelin to such an extent that it supersedes the mystery. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
REVIEW UPDATE: Americans Imperiled Overseas Flicks...
Hello, all...
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!
The good news is we made our deadlines of getting last week's Party Flicks all in the can. Now we just need to get all of this past week's Americans Imperiled Overseas Flicks in the can by Tuesday night - as I promised.
Please note that I am pulling THE LAST SAMURAI because I think that would be more appropriate for a Period Movie week. So we're replacing it with another Japan-set thriller: SHUTTER.
Please see the new list below:
# 205 - RED CORNER
# 206 - SHUTTER
# 207 - AGAINST ALL ODDS
# 208 - SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW
# 209 - INCOGNITO
# 210 - THE BOURNE IDENTITY
# 211 - THE TOURIST
I'll try to get as far as review # 207 posted by tomorrow night. And the rest throughout Monday and Tuesday...
Also, tomorrow evening I will be releasing next week's Military Flicks Reviews, to stay on schedule. As I mentioned before, though, please note that they will not post until late next weekend because of my divemaster training next week. I appreciate your patience...
Later, folks. Live it up!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!
The good news is we made our deadlines of getting last week's Party Flicks all in the can. Now we just need to get all of this past week's Americans Imperiled Overseas Flicks in the can by Tuesday night - as I promised.
Please note that I am pulling THE LAST SAMURAI because I think that would be more appropriate for a Period Movie week. So we're replacing it with another Japan-set thriller: SHUTTER.
Please see the new list below:
# 205 - RED CORNER
# 206 - SHUTTER
# 207 - AGAINST ALL ODDS
# 208 - SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW
# 209 - INCOGNITO
# 210 - THE BOURNE IDENTITY
# 211 - THE TOURIST
I'll try to get as far as review # 207 posted by tomorrow night. And the rest throughout Monday and Tuesday...
Also, tomorrow evening I will be releasing next week's Military Flicks Reviews, to stay on schedule. As I mentioned before, though, please note that they will not post until late next weekend because of my divemaster training next week. I appreciate your patience...
Later, folks. Live it up!
# 204 - 28 DAYS (2000)
28 DAYS (2000 - COMEDY / DRAMA / PARTY FLICK) ***½ out of *****
(So that’s what re-hab is like… looks an awful lot like Basic Training…)
CAST: Sandra Bullock, Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, Dominic West, Elizabeth Perkins, Azura Skye, Marianne-Jean Baptiste, Alan Tudyk, Diane Ladd, Reni Santoni, Mike O’Malley.
DIRECTOR: Betty Thomas
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and hilarious rehab-military training parallels straight ahead…
Our last six film reviews have all been Party Flicks - movies that have a party as a centerpiece, or in the background.
PROM NIGHT and THE POOL were horror films about killers crashing the festivities, with deadly results. I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER dealt with a valedictorian’s “bridge-burning” graduation speech that ironically opens the door to an unforgettable “allnighter” with the girl of his dreams at his side. ONE CRAZY SUMMER explored a wacky summer of partying on the vacation island of Nantucket. FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL followed the trail of a “serial monogamist” over the course of the five titular events as he wrestles with a very scary notion: he’s finally fallen in love - but it may be with someone he may not be able to have. Then we moved on to THE TOWERING INFERNO, which is closer to PROM NIGHT and THE POOL than our other Party Flicks, but substitutes a raging conflagration for a psychotic killer, and a rooftop full of elegant V.I.P.’s instead of sexy students.
And so, we’re on to our last Party Flick. What is more appropriate for a finale than a movie that shows us what happens if you party a little too much? Our next flick is called 28 DAYS and - yes - it’s set in a rehab clinic. I guess if the characters from all of our previous six Party flicks (including the very few who survived in PROM NIGHT and THE POOL) don’t watch the drinking, this is where they could end up.
Anyhow, the plot of 28 DAYS is fairly straightforward: hard-partying newspaper columnist Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) gets a little too schnockered at her sister Lily’s (Elizabeth Perkins) wedding reception and knocks the cake over. Right now you’re probably going: “That’s it? That’s the fucking reason she winds up in re-hab? She should get a medal for that!” Well, I admit that part is pretty brilliant and wonderful.
Unfortunately, Gwen somehow feels the need to replace the cake immediately. Still in a drunken stupor, she steals a limo from the parking lot outside and hightails it for town, looking for a cake store. What she finds instead is someone’s lawn and front porch - as in: she smashes the limo right into them. Should’ve let the wedding guests just serves themselves from the spattered cake on the floor. But whatever. This is what causes Gwen to be sentenced to, ahem, 28 days in rehab. And you thought the screenwriter just pulled that title out of her ass. Sorry to disappoint you.
Long story short, Gwen hits the rehab clinic - and I swear to Christ I felt like I was back in Basic Training again. Basically, the staff are like my drill instructors were, but without the hats, boots, and flamboyant B-movie acting. Meaning the rehab clinic staff don‘t yell “WHAT ARE YOU SMIRKING AT, AIRMAN!?! DO YOU KNOW I COULD BREAK YOUR ASS IN HALF AND ENJOY IT!?!?” at Gwen and the other patients. Oh, and just to help out anyone thinking about joining the military, if your drill instructor yells the above at you, do not make the mistake I did of responding: “SIR, YES, SIR!!! I HAVE NO DOUBT YOU’D ENJOY BREAKING MY ASS IN HALF!!! I’D PROBABLY ENJOY IT, TOO!!! BRING IT!!!!”
Trust me. Your Drill Instructor will not appreciate the sarcasm. I have the scars to prove it.
Anyway, what the rehab clinic staff have in common with drill instructors is basically searching everyone’s belongings for any contraband or anything remotely fun upon arrival. Which doesn’t exactly go over well with our sarcastic rebel Gwen. It doesn’t come as a major surprise that she immediately butts heads not only with the staff but also with her fellow patients. They include, but are not limited to: (1) Eddie Boone (Viggo Mortensen), hot Major League baseball player who’s at the clinic to treat his - love it! - sex addiction; (2) Gerhart (Alan Tudyk), German dude who’s at rehab for… well, I don’t really know but I suspect it might be from talking too much like Dieter for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE; (3) Andrea (Azura Skye), winsome ingenue who used to shoot up with heroine and now occupies herself watching a cheesy soap called “Santa Cruz”; (4) Oliver (Mike O’Malley), goofy dipshit who is forever macking on anything with breasts - including fat dudes. Okay, I was just kidding about that last part. But you never know with Oliver…
So… will rehab actually work for Gwen? Or will she just revert to her old, booze-swilling, wedding cake-demolishing ways? Will she cooperate with her counselor, Cornell (Steve Buscemi)? Or will she continue to fight the system? What happens when an attraction sparks between her and Eddie? How will Gwen’s bad-boy boyfriend Jasper (Dominic West) react to their connection? Will he beat the shit out of Eddie? Or will Eddie pulverize him? What about Lily? Will she forgive Gwen for the, uh, wedding cake? And the most pressing question on my mind… is rehab really this fun!?!?
Well, if it’s anything like Basic Training, it must be a blast.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: Comedies about serious subject matters are tricky to pull off. On one hand, you want a certain degree of humor. On the other hand, you don’t want to trivialize or minimize something that is obviously difficult for a lot of people. In the case of 28 DAYS, a comedy/drama about surviving rehab, the film works because it successfully negotiates the fine line between taking the air out of its subject matter - but also taking it seriously.
Another reason it works is because of Sandra Bullock’s unique presence. Beautiful, but still relatable. Feisty, but also flexible. Sarcastic, but also sincere. Gwen Cummings is the kind of character that Bullock is perfect for and she makes this woman’s gradual journey from flighty, irresponsible alcoholic to contrite and grounded recovering addict, a rewarding trip - and an entertaining one to watch.
The supporting cast is just as good as Bullock. Steve Buscemi is effective as Cornell, Gwen’s counselor - a former addict himself who uses his past as a way to pave a better future for his patients. Buscemi brings a low-key, humble presence to this film that I haven’t seen from him before. It’s a nice surprise.
Viggo Mortensen is a hit as Bullock’s would-be love interest Eddie. This guys is no saint, otherwise he wouldn’t be at the clinic for sex addiction. What’s interesting about Eddie, though, is the script refuses to pass judgment on him - and effectively shows all the other levels of kindness and decency within him. This reminds us of something that is often obscured by the stigma of addiction: addicts are complex human beings with surprising sides to them. In Eddie’s case, those sides are noble and good. His best scenes are: (1) when he reminds Gwen that the bad things she’s done in the past do not have to define her; and (2) his final scene with her when she’s leaving rehab. Writer Susannah Grant doesn’t go for any easy happy endings for Eddie and Gwen that would be completely false. Rather, she plants the seed that maybe - just maybe - there might be a future together for these two troubled folks.
Dominic West is equally compelling, in a whole other way, as Jasper, the quintessential bad boy who is a toxic influence on Gwen. He’s someone who is only interested in a good time and forever staving off boredom with self-destructive antics. When Eddie tells Gwen that Jasper is “dangerous” for her, we know exactly what he’s talking about. West effectively conveys the character’s seductive charm, but also the hint of coiled menace just beneath that attractive exterior. You can see why Gwen would be drawn to him - but you can also see why she needs to get the hell away from him, as well.
Another strong performance is from Elizabeth Perkins as Gwen’s older sister Lily. Clearly, Lily has been putting up with Gwen’s antics all her life. You can understand her exasperation towards her sister, especially after that disastrous wedding reception. But you also appreciate how she eventually reaches out to Gwen in reconciliation, recognizing that some of her bitterness might come from the fact that she envies Gwen’s brash charisma and magnetic personality. The scene where Lily confesses this to a grief-stricken Gwen is 28 DAYS’ best scene.
Everyone else playing the various staff and patients at the clinic delivers solid performances. The feeling of community created in the rehab clinic helps 28 DAYS’ atmosphere, and makes the experiences of these folks engaging - and affecting - to watch.
28 DAYS may not appeal to everyone because it’s a little too dark for a comedy, but also a little too light for a drama. Those of you, though, that can take your sweetness with a little bitter, and vice versa, will be pleasantly surprised.
(So that’s what re-hab is like… looks an awful lot like Basic Training…)
CAST: Sandra Bullock, Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, Dominic West, Elizabeth Perkins, Azura Skye, Marianne-Jean Baptiste, Alan Tudyk, Diane Ladd, Reni Santoni, Mike O’Malley.
DIRECTOR: Betty Thomas
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and hilarious rehab-military training parallels straight ahead…
Our last six film reviews have all been Party Flicks - movies that have a party as a centerpiece, or in the background.
PROM NIGHT and THE POOL were horror films about killers crashing the festivities, with deadly results. I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER dealt with a valedictorian’s “bridge-burning” graduation speech that ironically opens the door to an unforgettable “allnighter” with the girl of his dreams at his side. ONE CRAZY SUMMER explored a wacky summer of partying on the vacation island of Nantucket. FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL followed the trail of a “serial monogamist” over the course of the five titular events as he wrestles with a very scary notion: he’s finally fallen in love - but it may be with someone he may not be able to have. Then we moved on to THE TOWERING INFERNO, which is closer to PROM NIGHT and THE POOL than our other Party Flicks, but substitutes a raging conflagration for a psychotic killer, and a rooftop full of elegant V.I.P.’s instead of sexy students.
And so, we’re on to our last Party Flick. What is more appropriate for a finale than a movie that shows us what happens if you party a little too much? Our next flick is called 28 DAYS and - yes - it’s set in a rehab clinic. I guess if the characters from all of our previous six Party flicks (including the very few who survived in PROM NIGHT and THE POOL) don’t watch the drinking, this is where they could end up.
Anyhow, the plot of 28 DAYS is fairly straightforward: hard-partying newspaper columnist Gwen Cummings (Sandra Bullock) gets a little too schnockered at her sister Lily’s (Elizabeth Perkins) wedding reception and knocks the cake over. Right now you’re probably going: “That’s it? That’s the fucking reason she winds up in re-hab? She should get a medal for that!” Well, I admit that part is pretty brilliant and wonderful.
Unfortunately, Gwen somehow feels the need to replace the cake immediately. Still in a drunken stupor, she steals a limo from the parking lot outside and hightails it for town, looking for a cake store. What she finds instead is someone’s lawn and front porch - as in: she smashes the limo right into them. Should’ve let the wedding guests just serves themselves from the spattered cake on the floor. But whatever. This is what causes Gwen to be sentenced to, ahem, 28 days in rehab. And you thought the screenwriter just pulled that title out of her ass. Sorry to disappoint you.
Long story short, Gwen hits the rehab clinic - and I swear to Christ I felt like I was back in Basic Training again. Basically, the staff are like my drill instructors were, but without the hats, boots, and flamboyant B-movie acting. Meaning the rehab clinic staff don‘t yell “WHAT ARE YOU SMIRKING AT, AIRMAN!?! DO YOU KNOW I COULD BREAK YOUR ASS IN HALF AND ENJOY IT!?!?” at Gwen and the other patients. Oh, and just to help out anyone thinking about joining the military, if your drill instructor yells the above at you, do not make the mistake I did of responding: “SIR, YES, SIR!!! I HAVE NO DOUBT YOU’D ENJOY BREAKING MY ASS IN HALF!!! I’D PROBABLY ENJOY IT, TOO!!! BRING IT!!!!”
Trust me. Your Drill Instructor will not appreciate the sarcasm. I have the scars to prove it.
Anyway, what the rehab clinic staff have in common with drill instructors is basically searching everyone’s belongings for any contraband or anything remotely fun upon arrival. Which doesn’t exactly go over well with our sarcastic rebel Gwen. It doesn’t come as a major surprise that she immediately butts heads not only with the staff but also with her fellow patients. They include, but are not limited to: (1) Eddie Boone (Viggo Mortensen), hot Major League baseball player who’s at the clinic to treat his - love it! - sex addiction; (2) Gerhart (Alan Tudyk), German dude who’s at rehab for… well, I don’t really know but I suspect it might be from talking too much like Dieter for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE; (3) Andrea (Azura Skye), winsome ingenue who used to shoot up with heroine and now occupies herself watching a cheesy soap called “Santa Cruz”; (4) Oliver (Mike O’Malley), goofy dipshit who is forever macking on anything with breasts - including fat dudes. Okay, I was just kidding about that last part. But you never know with Oliver…
So… will rehab actually work for Gwen? Or will she just revert to her old, booze-swilling, wedding cake-demolishing ways? Will she cooperate with her counselor, Cornell (Steve Buscemi)? Or will she continue to fight the system? What happens when an attraction sparks between her and Eddie? How will Gwen’s bad-boy boyfriend Jasper (Dominic West) react to their connection? Will he beat the shit out of Eddie? Or will Eddie pulverize him? What about Lily? Will she forgive Gwen for the, uh, wedding cake? And the most pressing question on my mind… is rehab really this fun!?!?
Well, if it’s anything like Basic Training, it must be a blast.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: Comedies about serious subject matters are tricky to pull off. On one hand, you want a certain degree of humor. On the other hand, you don’t want to trivialize or minimize something that is obviously difficult for a lot of people. In the case of 28 DAYS, a comedy/drama about surviving rehab, the film works because it successfully negotiates the fine line between taking the air out of its subject matter - but also taking it seriously.
Another reason it works is because of Sandra Bullock’s unique presence. Beautiful, but still relatable. Feisty, but also flexible. Sarcastic, but also sincere. Gwen Cummings is the kind of character that Bullock is perfect for and she makes this woman’s gradual journey from flighty, irresponsible alcoholic to contrite and grounded recovering addict, a rewarding trip - and an entertaining one to watch.
The supporting cast is just as good as Bullock. Steve Buscemi is effective as Cornell, Gwen’s counselor - a former addict himself who uses his past as a way to pave a better future for his patients. Buscemi brings a low-key, humble presence to this film that I haven’t seen from him before. It’s a nice surprise.
Viggo Mortensen is a hit as Bullock’s would-be love interest Eddie. This guys is no saint, otherwise he wouldn’t be at the clinic for sex addiction. What’s interesting about Eddie, though, is the script refuses to pass judgment on him - and effectively shows all the other levels of kindness and decency within him. This reminds us of something that is often obscured by the stigma of addiction: addicts are complex human beings with surprising sides to them. In Eddie’s case, those sides are noble and good. His best scenes are: (1) when he reminds Gwen that the bad things she’s done in the past do not have to define her; and (2) his final scene with her when she’s leaving rehab. Writer Susannah Grant doesn’t go for any easy happy endings for Eddie and Gwen that would be completely false. Rather, she plants the seed that maybe - just maybe - there might be a future together for these two troubled folks.
Dominic West is equally compelling, in a whole other way, as Jasper, the quintessential bad boy who is a toxic influence on Gwen. He’s someone who is only interested in a good time and forever staving off boredom with self-destructive antics. When Eddie tells Gwen that Jasper is “dangerous” for her, we know exactly what he’s talking about. West effectively conveys the character’s seductive charm, but also the hint of coiled menace just beneath that attractive exterior. You can see why Gwen would be drawn to him - but you can also see why she needs to get the hell away from him, as well.
Another strong performance is from Elizabeth Perkins as Gwen’s older sister Lily. Clearly, Lily has been putting up with Gwen’s antics all her life. You can understand her exasperation towards her sister, especially after that disastrous wedding reception. But you also appreciate how she eventually reaches out to Gwen in reconciliation, recognizing that some of her bitterness might come from the fact that she envies Gwen’s brash charisma and magnetic personality. The scene where Lily confesses this to a grief-stricken Gwen is 28 DAYS’ best scene.
Everyone else playing the various staff and patients at the clinic delivers solid performances. The feeling of community created in the rehab clinic helps 28 DAYS’ atmosphere, and makes the experiences of these folks engaging - and affecting - to watch.
28 DAYS may not appeal to everyone because it’s a little too dark for a comedy, but also a little too light for a drama. Those of you, though, that can take your sweetness with a little bitter, and vice versa, will be pleasantly surprised.
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