Boys Don’t Cry - * * * *

Posted on October 8, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Boys Don't Cry

Being based on a true story is somehow a blessing and a curse for a film. All too often, such movies try to capitalize on their origins to deliver an emotional impact which the film itself cannot provide. Such is not the case with Boys Don’t Cry, a compelling and tragic tale that tells the true story of Teena Brandon, a biological female who adopted the name “Brandon”, and decided to live his life as a man. Boys Don’t Cry makes no attempt to hide the crucial fact behind Brandon’s existence: his birth sex. This isn’t an exploitative or patronizing movie-of-the-week…this is simply good cinema.

We are introduced to Brandon (Hillary Swank) as he is getting a short haircut from his gay cousin, Lonnie (Matt McGrath), just before a night on the town. Brandon despises the labels which have been placed on him: he is not a woman, not a lesbian. Brandon doesn’t have time for a drawn-out and costly sex-change. There’s a world out there to explore, and girls to meet. Unfortunately, that world and those girls have costs, and Brandon’s life of petty crime sends him on the road out of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Brandon ends up in the small town of Falls City. There, he is adopted by a ragtag group of friends. First, he catches the eye of Candace (Alicia Goranson), who introduces him to her good-ol’-boy pals John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Tom (Brendan Sexton III). But it is the karaoke charms of John’s ex-girlfriend Lana (Chloe Sevigny) which entrance Brandon, and convince him to stay in this small town.

But as Lana and Brandon grow closer, and John’s jealous eye looms, Brandon’s secret seems destined to come out. Who knows what, and when become crucial questions which drive the plot onward. A violent reaction to Brandon’s deception may be inevitable, but is no less tragic.

Boys Don’t Cry is not about Brandon’s transgendered identity, although that identity conflict plays an important role. The movie is a portrait of people, drawn vividly and realistically. The issue of Brandon’s gender is always present, but never dwelled upon. The film is not a portrait of a tortured soul, but rather of a vibrant, energetic young man who just happens to have been born a woman.

Hillary Swank gives a powerful, moving performance, showing a range of talent which was unforseen, given her lackluster turns in such fare as The Next Karate Kid or Beverly Hills, 90210. She slips into the male role with such ease, and submerges herself so deeply, that it is easy to understand how the people of Falls City never suspected the truth. But, more than simply being a convincing gender-bender, Swank embues Brandon with personality, charm, and an amazing spark of life.

The romance between Lana and Brandon is tenderly played by Sevigny and Swank. For the audience, which knows the truth, the romance goes deeper beyond that of man-woman, or woman-woman, and truly seems to be a relationship between people, between kindred souls. This is thanks in large part to a touching performance by Chloe Sevigny.

John and Tom are not dismissed as simple redneck thugs, but the screenplay, and layered performances from Sarsgaard and Sexton, give insight into the motives and actions of these two complex men. Their actions are never excused, but the film attempts to reach an understanding of why they acted the way they did.

Even if you are aware of the facts behind Brandon’s story, the film is far more than a simple documentary retelling. Director Kimberly Peirce brings the people and the small town of Falls City alive. Boys Don’t Cry is a beautiful story of a doomed romance, an intriguing examination of small-town America, a shocking portrayal of the destructive power of hate, and one of the most powerful films of the year.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Boys Don’t Cry

Random Hearts - * 1/2*

Posted on October 8, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Sydney Pollack directs Harrison Ford in this adaptation of Warren Adler’s novel. Ford will play Dutch Van Den Broeck, an internal affairs detective whose wife dies in a plane crash. She is found carrying the same key as another man killed in the crash. As Dutch investigates, he gets romantically involved with the man’s wife (Kristen Scott Thomas), a prominent congresswoman. Dennis Haysbert, Bonnie Hunt, Charles Dutton, Richard Jenkins, Peter Coyote, Dylan Baker, Paul Guilfoyle, Susanna Thompson, Lynne Thigpen, M. Emmet Walsh, Edie Falco and Bill Cobbs also star. Screenplay adapted by Kurt Luedtke and David Rayfiel.

Capsule Review: This film is relentlessly depressing for a romance. While watching it, you know that, even if the characters end the film together, their relationship just isn’t going to last. And yet, the film never has enough depth to make it a compelling study of obsession, or passion on the rebound. Yet another romantic misfire from Harrison Ford.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Random Hearts

Three Kings - * * *

Posted on October 1, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

It’s been eight years since the Gulf War, and so far (aside from a few throwaway gimmicks in the Hot Shots series) only one film, Courage Under Fire, has told a Gulf War story. Courage Under Fire now has company: the new comedy-action-drama-war-heist film, Three Kings. If that description looks ambitious and a bit jumbled, well, that just about describes the movie, which has an abundance of both style and points of view.

The Gulf War has just ended, almost before it began. The jubilant American troops interrupt their celebrations only to disarm surrendering Iraqi soldiers. The adventure begins when three soldiers (family man Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg), religious Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), and simpleminded redneck Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze)) discover a mysterious map secreted on an Iraqi soldier.

Special Forces officer Archie Gates (George Clooney) only has two weeks left before retirement, and has nothing to show for it. He’s assigned to spend his last days as an official escort for the driven reporter Adriana Cruz (Nora Dunn), but his ears prick up when he hears rumors of hidden bunkers filled with stolen Kuwaiti gold. With a little quick investigating, he soon locates Barlow, Elgin, Vig and the map, and the four form a partnership.

So, the four soldiers venture out into the desert of Iraq, to steal for themselves the stolen gold. Pretending to be on official U.S. business, they hope to breeze by any Iraqi opposition. Besides, the Iraqi soldiers are busy suppressing any revolution attempts by the citizens of Iraq. Although, the ceasefire forbids any American involvement in the local uprising, the four thieves are moved by the plight of the people. Will they stick to their plan, or will their consciences get the better of them?

Three Kings may be an action film, but it’s a very stylistic action film…at times, too much of one. Many of the film’s gimmick shots don’t work. For example, at several points the film switches to an “internal body cam” (actually recording the organs of a human cadaver), to show bullet damage and the like. The shots are interesting, and certainly bizarre, but they clash with the rest of the film. It’s a case where the technique overshadows any benefits from the scene.

However, when the gimmicky shots work, they work well. They lend a surreal atmosphere to the proceedings; nothing ever seems quite right. No matter how you force the puzzle together, there’s always one piece left over. The style keeps you on edge, which is right where director David O. Russell wants you to be.

Three Kings wants to have things both ways. It wants to be a lighthearted feel good action romp, while at the same time giving deep and meanignful insight into the issues on both sides of the Gulf War. While both stories work separately, the transition between them can occasionally cause whiplash to the unsuspecting viewer.

Clooney, Wahlberg and Ice Cube fit surprisingly well in the film. None of their roles seem to be that much of a stretch, and all give solid, believable performances. However, the show is quickly stolen by the fourth soldier in the group, Spike Jonze as Vig. He may have the misfortune to be the fourth “king” in a movie entitled Three Kings, but he possesses the majority of the film’s best lines, and singlehandedly steals every scene he’s in.

War story, heist thriller, action comedy, human interest drama, media satire, and stylistic groundbreaker, Three Kings has no hope of filling all the roles it tries to occupy. However, it fills plenty enough to be a good movie, and then some.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Three Kings

Mystery, Alaska - * *

Posted on October 1, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Jay Roach directs this hockey comedy about a small Alaskan town whose local team unexpectedly finds itself in a match against the NY Rangers. Russell Crowe stars as the town’s hockey-playing sheriff, and Mary McCormack will portray his wife, and Ron Eldard is another of the town’s players. Hank Azaria, Maury Chaykin, Colm Meany, Lolita Davidovich, Burt Reynolds, Cameron Bancroft and Beth Littleford will also star. Mike Myers will appear in a cameo. Previously titled The Game.

Capsule Review: An overwhelmingly plastic and artificial film. Mystery, Alaska feels like a routine sitcom, stretched to nearly two hours. While a few of the characters are amiable, there’s not enough meat here to make for a compelling entry in the sports film genre. The world didn’t need a grown-up Mighty Ducks.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mystery, Alaska

Jakob the Liar - * * 1/2*

Posted on September 24, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Nearly a year after Life is Beautiful graced the movie screens, Hollywood serves up its own version of a Holocaust comedy. But where Life is Beautiful made all the right moves, Jakob the Liar goes a few steps too far trying to move the audience.

The movie take place in a Polish ghetto in the final days of WWII. Jakob (Robin Williams) is a former pancake vendor who now toils by day in a labor camp. A series of mishaps give him the opportunity to hear a snippet of news on a German radio. However, when he tells this news to his former boxing pupil, Mischa (Liev Schreiber), things quickly get out of control.

Soon, everyone in the ghetto believes Jakob has hidden a radio from the Germans, and everyone begs him for any shred of news from the outside world. No one will believe the truth, that Jakob has no radio. But, when Jakob sees the hope his snippets of news give to the people, he begins making up his own reports, to inspire the spirits of his fellow Jews.

Of course, if word leaks out to the Germans, Jakob is a dead man. And Jakob has even more troubles. He is hiding a young girl, Lina (Hannah Taylor Gordon), who barely escaped a train to a death camp. Now Jakob has two lives to protect

It is an enigma why several filmmakers all decided at the same time that the world was ready for Holocaust-set comedies. Comparisons between Jakob the Liar and Life is Beautiful come naturally, and Jakob the Liar always ends up on bottom. However, apart from the other Holocaust comedy, Jakob the Liar is a decent, but not stellar, film.

Robin Williams turns in another of his trademark touchy-feely performances. At least in Jakob the Liar, there’s a bit of an edge to them. Jakob has a hefty moral dilemma to wrestle with, and Williams handles it well.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Robin Williams movie if he wasn’t allowed to do the typical Robin Williams schtick. This time, he pretends to be the radio, giving imitations of news announcers, Winston Churchill, and even homemade music. Not only does this bit clash with the tone of the rest of the movie, but the humor falls flat as well.

Williams is joined by a wide supporting cast. Other prisoners in the ghetto include a former actor (Alan Arkin), a doctor (Armin Mueller-Stahl), and a suicidal barber (Bob Balaban) are but a few of the faces that make up a talented supporting cast. Yet, most of the time they are just used for color…it’s a waste of good resources.

As you might expect, the film is very maniuplative. I usually don’t mind having my heartstrings tugged, but Jakob the Liar is exceedingly overt about it. Manipulation is best done subtly, and here, the technique distracts from the drama.

Yet, it might be impossible to make a film about the Holocaust that isn’t moving it at least some ways, and Jakob the Liar is a few notches above the standard. You won’t be crying buckets of tears, nor laughing uproariously. But with a sniffle here, and a chuckle there, Jakob the Liar proves that even a second-rate Life is Beautiful can have its moments.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Jakob the Liar

Double Jeopardy - * 1/2*

Posted on September 24, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Double Jeopardy is a routine thriller that has an interesting, if somewhat implausible, premise mixed with a heavy dose of The Fugitive deja vu. We’re left with a half baked concoction that is more perplexing than thrilling.

When we’re introduced to Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd), she has it all: a wonderful husband, Nick (Bruce Greenwood), a loving son, a perfect life. Wouldn’t you know it, but it’s all about to end. One evening, while sailing with Nick, she wakes up covered in blood and with a missing husband. She commits the classic movie mistake of guiltily grasping a bloody knife she finds on deck…unfortunately, in the full view of the authorities who just happen to appear at that time out of the night.

Before you know it, Libby is serving a prison term for murder. She leaves her son in the care of her best friend, and stoically serves her time. However, during a chance phone call, she learns that that scoundrel Nick faked his own murder and set Libby up for the blame.

A fellow inmate gives her a bit of lawyerly advice: Since Libby is already serving time for killing Nick, once she is free, she can legally kill him. Of course, the legal advice doesn’t hold water in the real world, but this is just a movie. Before you can say “Linda Hamilton”, Libby sets about buffing herself up, getting in prime physical shape to kill. The only man who can stop her now is U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard…oops, I meant to say Parole Officer Travis Lehman (Tommy Lee Jones).

Ashley Judd is charming as Libby…so much so that you never for a second believe she’s capable of being a murderer, much less a hardened ex-con. However, she quickly earns our sympathy as a woman seriously wronged, and we root for her unethical quest for revenge.

Tommy Lee Jones simply goes through his Fugitive/U.S. Marshals actions, presumably as the filmmakers intended. Though he doesn’t have a team this time to whom to bark orders, he barks them anyway, and you know, in the end, he’s going to get his man…or woman. The film tries to give him an extra bone to munch by making him a recovering alcoholic. But, though the film starts to establish this as a major character point, in the end it only amounts to filler.

The film is packed full of plot twists, but the only one that is truly surprising is in the initial setup. Afterwords, Double Jeopardy tries to be spontaneous…but it fails. The film reaches the conclusion it does because the filmmakers decreed it from upon high, rather than resulting naturally from the flow of the story.

Most movies require you to take a leap of logic now and then. Double Jeopardy feels like a game of hopscotch. You finish one leap, and must take another…and another. Pretty soon, you’re too tired to care how the whole thing ends up.

Familiar, and not very exciting, Double Jeopardy has the elements of a good thriller, but no one bothered to assemble them. Instead, we’re given a rehash of familiar characters and situations that never quite come together.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Double Jeopardy

Mumford - * *

Posted on September 18, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Mumford

Lawrence Kasdan writes and directs Loren Dean as a young psychiatrist named Mumford, who arrives in a town with the same name. A rival psychiatrist (David Paymer) questions his credibility and his identity. Ted Danson, Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, Zooey Deschanel, Jason Lee, Hope Davis, Martin Short, Dana Ivey, Kevin Tighe, Jane Adams, Robert Stack and Pruit Taylor Vince also star.

Capsule Review: Bland, but likeable comedy, redeemed mainly by a strong and colorful supporting cast. The film raises some tough ethical dilemmas, but doesn’t really want to resolve them. No need to rush, this one’ll wait for you

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mumford

American Beauty - * * * *

Posted on September 15, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

American Beauty

What is normal? What is ordinary? What is beautiful? American Beauty proposes that appearances are nearly always deceiving, and there’s always more to see if you just look closer.

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is burnt out. At forty-two years old, he’s fed up with his white collar job, and his pathetic existence as a whole. His wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), is a plastic real estate saleswoman, ever obsessing about putting forth the “perfect” appearance. Their daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), feels ordinary and unloved. In short, they’re a “normal” American family.

There’s a spark in Lester’s life when he first sees Jane’s friend, Angela (Mena Suvari). An aspiring teen model, Angela evokes thoughts of lust in Lester that he has not felt for a long, long time. Stirred by these thoughts and fantasies, Lester sets out to improve his life, and reclaim his youth. For the first time in years, he stands up for himself, both at work and at home.

Meanwhile, the Burnhams have new neighbors. Since the house on their left is home to a gay couple (Scott Bakula and Sam Robards), it’s only fitting that a rabidly conservative ex-Marine, Colonel Frank Fitts (Chris Cooper), moves in on their right. He’s accompanied by his empty shell of a wife, Barbara (Allison Janney), and their creepy, voyeuristic son, Ricky (Wes Bentley). But then, that’s what is just on the surface, and rarely is anyone or anything what they appear to be in American Beauty.

Everyone in the film struggles with the concepts of normality and ordinariness. Some strive for normality, others consider it the bane of existence. Some rebel, others withdraw. Some conceal, others deny. However, only a few truly grasp the fact that it is normal to be abnormal, and that the ordinary is extraordinary.

At one point in American Beauty, a character proclaims, “There’s nothing worse in life than being ordinary.” However, the film utterly refutes that claim, most notably with the character of Ricky, who’s able to see beauty in the mundane, from dead pigeons to plastic bags. Because we all blindly search for an ideal, we miss the fact that the ideal is all around us.

The film dares you to predict its path, often speeding toward a certain goal, and then veering off at the last moment. There are a few occasions when the film stretches its red herrings almost past the breaking point, but those moments are brief and quickly forgotten.

Kevin Spacey is truly wonderful in the film’s central role, at first utterly weary, but gaining energy and awareness as the film progresses. However, the true virtuoso performance here is delivered by Annette Bening. Steadfastly refusing to show that she’s unhappy or discontent, and always trying to portray the image of success, her character embodies the core messages of the film. Bening’s performance is nothing short of exhilarating.

American Beauty is a bold film debut for both director Sam Mendes and screenwriter Alan Ball. Ball’s script is both humorous (in an offbeat way), and touchingly poignant. Mendes coaxes superb performances out of the entire ensemble, and combines them with striking visuals which are unexpected this type of film.

American Beauty defies simple genre labels. At one glance, it may appear to be a dark comedy, and at another, a bitter drama. Those unaccustomed to thought-provoking cinema may even attempt to dismiss American Beauty as an “art film”. None of those labels truly do the film justice. American Beauty is a masterwork, a truly extraordinary film about the ordinary.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on American Beauty

For Love of the Game - * * 1/2*

Posted on September 11, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

For Love of the Game

Kevin Costner and baseball…for some reason the two just seem to go together. Costner has only made two prior baseball films (Bull Durham and Field of Dreams), but they rank among the best in his filmography. So seeing Kevin Costner in his third baseball movie is like a happy homecoming. But, For Love of the Game often veers away from the subject of baseball, and when it does, the movie sinks like a stone.

Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is staring at the end of a long and illustrious career as pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. After nineteen years with the team, baseball just isn’t what it used to be. Owner, and friend, Gary Wheeler (Brian Cox) has just sold the team, and Chapel faces the possibility that he may be traded (to the Giants…gasp!). The film takes place over the course of the final game of the season, a game which means nothing to the Tigers, as Chapel reflects upon the events of the past five years.

You see, five years ago he met the love of his life, Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston). Jane writes for women’s magazines, and has no idea about the world of baseball. But, the two are mutually charmed with each other, and engage in a tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship that has more innings and outs than a baseball game. Now, at the crossroads of his career, Chapel is also at the verge of losing Jane forever.

For Love of the Game is more about Love than the Game. Unfortunately, the romance throughout the film is lifeless and superficial. The ebb and flow of their relationship is arbitrarily created by the whims of screenwriter Dana Stevens, and never do we get the feel that this is a realistic couple. Director Sam Raimi, who has proven himself apt at creating drama, suspense and humor, certainly falls flat when it comes to the mushy stuff.

The baseball in the film is enjoyable, but the flashback structure of the story slightly harms its continuity. It’s not until the final few innings of the game that things start to really roll along. Yes, the film gets corny at times, and you can see exactly where the whole thing is headed, but when the game truly gets going, it sweeps you along.

Costner gives a better than usual performance as the pitcher who may finally be past his prime. His running monologue on the mound, as he strategizes against each opposing batter, is one of the highlights of the film. Off the mound, he falters a bit, but is able to coast through the rough spots with his charm.

Kelly Preston, on the other hand, is rather uninteresting in her colorless role. It’s never explained why her character truly sticks it out, and keeps coming back to Chapel (beside the fact that he’s Kevin Costner). In fact, at one point it seems that she returns to him based solely on his performance in a baseball game. It’s not the strongest foundation for a relationship, and neither does it make for a strong character.

The film is redeemed by a good supporting cast, led by John C. Reilly as Chapel’s catcher and confidante. In their few scenes together, Reilly is able to make a strong impression, and truly conveys the deep friendship between the two men. Jena Malone is also impressive as Heather, Jane’s teenaged daughter, though she’s in so few scenes that her role seems to be a complete afterthought.

At over two hours in length, For Love of the Game lasts one more inning than it should. The film is an enjoyable pastime, but not a game for the ages.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on For Love of the Game

Blue Streak - * * 1/2*

Posted on September 11, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Blue Streak is the merging of two movie staples: the buddy cop movie and the mistaken identity farce. A showcase for Martin Lawrence, the movie wisely keeps him under control. He’s allowed to be humorous and edgy without going over the top. The end result is a likeable, if lightweight, cops-and-robbers comedy.

Miles Logan (Martin Lawrence) is a master thief who has discovered the heist of a lifetime: a giant diamond which will make him (and his partners) a millionaire. But, he soon discovers there is no honor among theives, and a greedy squabble lands him in jail. However, before he is caught by the cops, Miles stashes the diamond in the ventilation shaft of a construction site, vowing to return once he is freed.

Flash forward two years. Miles is a happy, happy man. Recently released from the slammer, all he has to do is retrieve his rock, and retire a millionaire. His hopes are dashed, however, when he discovers the building where the loot is hidden is now a police station.

But that little obstacle won’t stop Miles. He pretends to be a police detective, but soon discovers himself swept along into actual police work. Teamed with a green rookie, Detective Carlson (Luke Wilson), Miles is unwillingly sent out to fight crime (against the very criminals who know him). Will his street smarts give him an edge, or be the telltale sign that lands him back in the slammer?

Blue Streak is a Martin Lawrence comedy, to be sure, but at least it’s a funny Martin Lawrence comedy. He’s likeable, energetic, and on the edge. However, the comedy stretches pretty thin at one point, where Lawrence impersonates a wacky pizza delivery guy. It’s a goofy sequence that interrupts the flow of the movie, and doesn’t deliver enough laughts to compensate.

Lawrence’s character is a thief, yes, it’s true. But, he’s a nice thief, and even though he’s stolen a multimillion dollar diamond, we come to feel that it truly was his all along. It does seem strange, however, that no one seemingly owns the diamond before it is stolen…and no one, besides the thieves, seem at all interested in recovering the valuable gem.

One note that rings sour in Blue Streak is Peter Greene’s villain, Deacon. He’s too serious a bad guy for such a lightweight comedy. His scenes are serious in tone, and the movie has to pause each time he appears. Perhaps an actor with a lighter touch than Greene wouldn’t have clashed with the rest of the movie.

But the film is still an enjoyable diversion. It’s certainly no Lethal Weapon or Beverly Hills Cop, but Blue streak has its charms.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blue Streak