“If you do not care about this class, then neither do I”

Larry Crowne: directed by Tom Hanks; written Tom Hanks and Nia Vardolos

I pay so little attention to general critical consensus that it was mere happenstance which led me to the Rotten Tomatoes page of Larry Crowne where I saw what a critical tongue lashing it had taken. And, in a way, I think that Larry Crowne is one of those films which exposes all that is wrong with the mob psychology tendencies that tend to overtake film criticism at times. For the record, I’d hardly intimate that it’s an excellent film but what’s interesting about Larry Crowne is that despite its cast of generally big names from Tom Hanks to Julia Roberts to Taraji P. Henson to Bryan Cranston and son on, the film is comfortable being a commendable dramedy about a man – somewhat tritely – finding “himself”. Hanks and Roberts are stars of such great megawatts that by default one demands that a film of theirs be an unbridled success, anything less is an unmitigated failure. And, Larry Crowne is far from a massive successive but I curse the black-and-white world where because it’s not a success it means that it’s a failure.

I would guess that much of the trouble comes in the way that it was advertised. The scant bits of ads I paid attention to seemed to pitch the film as some sort of zeitgeist film looking at how unemployment is affecting the middle class. And, true, the film begins with Larry getting fired but it’s as much about unemployment as Hanna is about hunting animals. It’s a showcase for Tom Hanks to play his good natured good guy as he tries to fit into college. And the film rolls ago in that sometimes too comfortable way, but it is surprisingly unwilling to pander to the most obvious of stereotypes. True, Larry will meet a group of madcap students (somewhat) and he’ll fall in love but the way in which everything comes off as not the least bit clichéd is particularly impressive, even if Hanks is nothing special.

For me, the film is about Julia Roberts. She plays an unrelentingly bitter professor and she’s not quite the leading lady, even if she’s not quite supporting and as the object of Larry’s affection she’s a bit wasted but the film cares about her (as it does about most of its characters). More importantly, she’s fun in the role. She approaches with a winning gusto and say what you will about Julia – she’s fun to watch. There’s a scene where she enters a classroom she doesn’t want to be in and for a few seconds feels she might have the luck to not have to teach them. The myriad of emotions that runs through her face at not having to have human contact is interesting to watch, and even though her trajectory from bitter to smitten is a bit too “la-de-da” – the film tries to approach it with so much honesty, I can’t hate it too much.

It would seem that my grade subverts everything I’ve said so far, but I don’t consider the actual grade a particularly bad one. It’s a passable summation, as is the entire film. Larry Crowne is nowhere bad as it’s being made out to be. True, on occasion it might approach its protagonist with a significant amount of blandness but never mistake the sometimes pervading treacly feeling for a lack of caring. Perhaps I would have liked for it to have a bit more gumption in its cabals but in the long-run it perseveres as – mostly – honest look at a middle-aged man at a turning point. Hardly riveting, but certainly not abysmal.


C+

The Karate Kid: What the F?

I’m no authority, but I’ll put forth that the general critique that this current film season was rooted in the doldrums principally because of Hollywood’s unoriginality is an erroneous claim. I’m not sure how 2010 has stacked up so far, it’s definitely not been as good as 2009 but I’m still reserving judgement. In the wake of that The Karate Kid turned into something of a sleeper hit. It was a remake (surprise, surprise) that ostensibly existed as a breakout role for Jaden Smith. I have no memory of having seen the original Karate Kid, though it’s possible I saw it as a child and just forgot. I wasn’t particularly anxious for the film; all my previous encounters with the Pinkett-Smith family have been less than satisfying. (For the record, I’m officially blaming you Walter for making me watch this.)

If I learned anything from watching The Karate Kid (a dubious possibility) it’s this. The problem with rote films like these is not that the audience already knows what’s going to happen; it’s that the journey to the end is just terribly trite. Suffice to say, I wasn’t a fan of this one. I’m unwilling to blame it on my general apathy towards children, maybe it’s that added to the strong antipathy I have towards said Pinkett-Smith family. I don’t think I’m unduly prejudiced, though. As a lead in a surreptitious blockbuster of sorts Smith’s acting skill is horribly...well, just horrible, really. I don’t think I’m overreaching when I assume he was casted on his name, the thing is the validity of casting him on that name befuddles me. I’ve never gotten why Will Smith is popular...but I’m beating a dead horse and way off the track with my digressing. Vetoing the general pointlessness of remaking a film which has a plot that offers nothing of seismic importance it’s questionable why the producers felt that Jaden Smith actually had the talent to carry the majority of a film that’s already bordering on inane blandness.

I will agree with Walter in some respects though, Jackie Chan (who’d have thought) ends up becoming the life raft. Even Taraji P. Henson, who I’m subjective to, seems to be going through the motions more than being her usual hilarious self. It’s the toned down Chan who offers anything close to trying in the generally meandering film. The thing is, most of the times his admittedly valiant attempts do nothing to decrease my boredom during the entire spectacle, it only seems to exacerbate it. The very purpose of a film, like any other artistic creation, is to present us with something to think about or at the very least entertain us in a way that’s (even fleetingly unique. The Karate Kid doesn’t hold up to its end of the bargain. What’s more exasperating is not that it has nothing to work with, but what’s there that could be made into something is just left to remain as trite as possible culminating in what – for me – was just two hours of tedium The only reason I didn’t stop watching it was because I wanted to review it appropriately. And really, when that’s your sole reason for watching a movie, you’ve reached a roadblock.

What I wanted to know after seeing it was how the F did this make all that money at the box-office. Accent on the F...

F

      

Have you seen it yet? 

Flashback: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

It’s a weird thing when something seems both subtle and obvious at the same time, but paradoxes are everywhere in the world – especially film. There’s a scene in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that I’m particularly fond of that could very well act as an illustration of the entire film. As Benjamin narrates piece, through (seemingly trivial) piece of unrelated events we lead up to the fateful accident of Daisy. The message pounded home is not subtle – every action has its consequence. Yet, I never think of this scene as heavy-handed. It’s the same with Benjamin Button. At my most understanding, I’m well aware of what could turn persons off from it – but each time I return to it I’m impressed, enthralled even. It’s just that special for me. I like how Cate and Brad manage to convince us of their youth as much as their age. Makeup can only do so much, and Cate especially is particularly vivacious as the young dancer.

I’d be at a lost to categorise The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to anyone who asked me. It’s not a fantasy, though its logic is something fantastical. It’s dramatic but it’s too humorous to be a drama, focusing too much on an ensemble to be a romance and as expansive as it is, too personal to be considered an epic. I’m still often in wonder that this was what Eric Roth decided to write from Fitzgerald’s not so short story. I’m a tempered fan of Fitzgerald, but for all its irreverence I never become completely sold on his narrative in Benjamin Button until the very end of the piece. I recall the immediate accusation of Roth’s regurgitation of his Forrest Gump plot for this venture, and I’m always at a loss. Surely, there are more films than these two that feature men in love meeting interesting characters along the way. But if Benjamin Button represents reaching the top without actually going over the top, Forrest Gump represents its antithesis. Not that I’m a hater of the 1994 piece, but whereas Forrest Gump reaches its zenith in its moments of delicious schmaltz Benjamin Button is most honest when it gets most simplistic. A simple conversation in a dance studio seems so lovely as Cate and Brad “meet in the middle” or Tilda Swinton’s unremarkable Elizabeth Abbot, becomes more than just the archetypical “older woman”.

But, it’s not that Benjamin Button is without its moment of ridiculous conviviality. Ben’s moment of healing in the church surrounded by the Pentecostal church (and it’s not a stereotype) is wrong on so many levels and yet absolutely hilarious. Taraji P. Henson’s Queenie is a breathing woman under her ostensible stereotypes. It seems easy, but Taraji decides to breathe life into Queenie when we least expect it, and continues to “act” even when it doesn’t seem as necessary. I love her first scene on the landing with her ever faithful Mr. Weathers. Her discovery of Benjamin is the strongest part of her performance and I’m always moved to believe in the honesty of her claiming of this grotesque child. The bit players move through the narrative, each giving their bit to the film, from Jason Flemyng's tortured father to Julia Ormond's sorrowful daughter.

These early moments, though, seem so far removed from the other sections of the film. In its own way, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a bit like many films in one. It’s seems discordant, but it’s still melodic in its own special way. It’s this same ostensible discordance that makes it what it is. As the final narration begins and we see the people in Benjamin’s love we come once again to the unsubtle subtlety, its intentions don't become twdry by its obviousness though. If had included films from 2008 and later in my list of favourites; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button would be somewhere. Its scope is formidable, it’s technical achievements are flawless, the acting is excellent and the story though unusual is still real. Yet, it’s all so personal…and exquisite.I never expected to love it as much, but "You never knows what's coming to you."

I “C” A Romantic Comedy, I “C” Another

These reviews are somewhat overdue, I don’t know why I didn’t put up the grades earlier. Anyhow, here they are.

      

I Can Do Bad All Myself

It’s generally agreed that Tyler Perry’s brand of madness is more suited for the stage from where he originated. His outlandish plots and dialogue are legitimately funny there, not so much onscreen. I’ve never been overly fond of his stage to screen adaptations. I Can Do Bad All By Myself centres on Taraji P. Henson’s character, April. She is a nightclub singer who is having an affair with a married man. When her niece and two nephews become homeless she starts to tentatively forge a relationship with them and a Colombian boarder. I Can Do Bad All By Myself is a here and there film wrapped around an eclectic performance by Ms. Henson. Nick said it, James said it and I’ll say it too – the woman’s quite good here. It’s a pity the film is tripping all over its heels. That’s not to say that the film has nothing more to offer than Taraji. There are a number of musical scenes speckled throughout and I must say that Tyler Perry’s direction in these scenes were effective and inspired. In fact, I don’t really have anything overtly negative to say about his direction on the whole. The film’s crutch is its script, through and through. It gets more and more convoluted and at the end almost sinks Taraji’s good performance. Still, it’s a spottily enjoyable if predictable thing.

C

      

The Proposal

It’s actually just as predictable as The Proposal. What can I say about this? Sandra Bullock has always excelled at playing the good girl; I suppose this is why persons have stressed on that ridiculous comparison to Julia Roberts. It is this good girl character of her that fits like a glove that makes her excursions in The Proposal underwhelming. Say what you want about Julia, but she can play mean when she must. Sandra is not so convincing. The Proposal is fine of course. Nathaniel accurately points out the gender duplicity, and it’s obvious. Of course, it’s become rote in romantic comedies. It’s sad that The Proposal [and The Blind Side] have made me dislike Sandra. I never wanted to be that guy who begins to hate something because everyone loves it. I previously liked Sandra when she stayed in her niche, I even forgave her for Crash. Kind of. It wasn’t until I was bemoaning the injustice of her nominations that I realised I used to like her. Actually I still do. I can’t speak for The Blind Side which I’m yet to see, but this isn’t a performance worthy of a Globe nod. In a tale of two Cs Taraji wipes the floor with Sandra – and that’s just getting started in a year of Michelle Pfeiffer, Zoey Daschnell, Evan Rachel Wood, Maya Rudolph and on and on and on. But that’s awards for you.

C