 |
| Courtesy of Neon |
(Rated R for pervasive language, violence, and some sexual content/nudity.)
The cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney and Paul Walter Hauser.
What it’s about: Based on true events, this dark comedy focuses on notorious figure skater Tonya Harding (Robbie) and the inexplicable series of events culminating in one of the most bonkers scandals in sports history. Chronicling her childhood with an abusive mother (Janney) and her marriage to the even more violent Jeff Gillooly (Stan), director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Steven Rogers attempt to explain how the first American woman to complete a triple axel is instead known for her part in the attack on competitor Nancy Kerrigan.
The good: The film’s greatest strength – by far – is the quality of its performances. I’ve been a fan of Robbie’s since I saw her in 2013’s About Time and she’s only gotten better over the years. While I never quite rooted for the movie’s version of Harding, the actress still makes her far more sympathetic and complex that I could’ve ever imagined.
Part of that is because Stan and Janney are so compelling as the story’s antagonists. Again, while I still couldn’t justify Harding’s actions, her relationships with such physically and verbally abusive family members at least go a long way in explaining why her life worked out the way it did. Janney is a shoo-in for a Best Supporting Actress nomination on Tuesday morning. Robbie’s chance at a Best Actress nod is a bit fuzzier, but – if I had to guess – I predict we’ll hear her name called as well.
The other aspect of I, Tonya that worked for me was Rogers’ insistence on depicting both Harding’s and Gillooly’s version of events, resulting in many scenes contradicting each other. In one crazy moment, a scene even denies itself; as Harding aims a rifle at her abusive husband, she breaks the fourth wall to tell the audience directly, “this isn’t what happened.”
The not-so-good: Ultimately, the abrupt tonal shifts between absurdist comedy and the stark reality of physical and emotional abuse kept me from fulling giving myself over to I, Tonya. While there’s plenty to make it worth watching, it’s a tough movie to love. Many of my colleagues flipped for it, however, so your mileage may vary.
Grade: B
The Final Year
 |
| Courtesy of Magnolia |
(Not rated but contains mild language and thematic elements. Now playing at Landmark Midtown Art in Atlanta.)
The cast: Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, John Kerry, Susan Rice and President Barack Obama.
What it’s about: A documentary focusing on President Obama’s foreign policy team (including Power, Rhodes, Kerry and Rice) during their last year in office. Initially operating under the assumption they’re preparing to hand off their responsibilities to Hillary Clinton’s staff, they must quickly change course and work to preserve their legacy when the unexpected happens.
The good: Documentary fans and political junkies are likely to find this look at Obama’s foreign policy intriguing, particularly the level of access granted to director Greg Barker. Kerry, Rice and Obama appear occasionally, but the true protagonists are Power and Rhodes. They’re fascinating people who come across as fiercely intelligent true believers, sacrificing far more lucrative, less stressful careers because they felt they could make a positive difference in the world.
Granted, viewers’ opinions will vary depending on their political views. However – to me, at least – there’s nothing wildly controversial about the goals Power, Rhodes and company are trying to accomplish here. We get to see Power fight passionately for humanitarian aid and confront other countries’ representatives when she feels they’re attempting to undermine the United States.
We also get a glimpse at her personal life, as she makes time for her family despite an insane travel schedule. In the film’s most heartbreaking sequence, we see her grieve for a child who is killed in a tragic accident involving the team’s motorcade.
Rhodes’ portions of the film are how we see day-to-day operations work around the White House, and it’s a treat to see areas of the historic landmark either for the first time or from an unfamiliar perspective. He’s also proof that the end of the film took a different turn than everyone expected. On election night, when Donald Trump emerges victorious, the camera focuses on Rhodes struggling for a full minute to find the right words to convey magnitude of the situation. In the end, he simply falls silent. What is there to say when you know eight years of work is going to be wiped away?
The not-so-good: Depending on your political persuasion, The Final Year is either a tragedy or a comedy. I certainly know how I felt as the end credits rolled. Also, at a brisk 89 minutes, there’s not really time to dive deep into the nuances of the Obama administration’s specific policies – especially once the filmmakers clearly realized they were making a different movie than the one they initially planned.
Grade: B
Happy Death Day
 |
| Courtesy of Universal |
(Rated PG-13 for violence/terror, crude sexual content, language, some drug material and partial nudity. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand and streaming rental.)
The cast: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine and Rachel Matthews.
What it’s about: Essentially a horror version of Groundhog Day, a teenage girl (Rothe) relives the day of her murder, which also happens to be her birthday, hoping to eventually figure out who her killer is and change her fate.
The good: I try to see as many theatrical releases as I can, but I can’t prevent some movies from falling through the cracks. I’m so glad I finally caught up with this entertaining, unexpectedly smart update of the “jerk must relive the same day until he/she learns how to be a better person” genre. I’d heard it was one of the big surprises of the fall, but I admit I let the “film snob” part of my brain override the part that loves genre fun.
If you’ve seen Groundhog Day, Source Code or Edge of Tomorrow, then the basic formula will be familiar. Fortunately, director Christopher Landon and screenwriter Scott Lobdell (a comic book veteran) add a welcome ingredient to the proceedings: women’s empowerment.
Which brings me to the biggest selling point of Happy Death Day – why the heck am I just learning about Jessica Rothe and why is she not in everything? Her work as reformed mean girl Tree Gelbman might be the biggest breakthrough performance for a young actress since Emma Stone in Easy A.
The opening scenes made me nervous, as her character didn’t initially seem like someone I wanted to spend 95 minutes with. However, over the course of Tree’s many, many deaths, she begins to reassess her life choices and work to not only solve her own murder, but also become a better person along the way. Compare the first and last scene – it’s literally like Rothe is playing two different characters. I can’t wait to see how many doors this opens for her in the industry.
Broussard is also good as Rothe’s nerdy, charming love interest; he’s endearing, but used just sparingly enough that he doesn’t distract from the main attraction. In addition, in the film’s last few minutes, he pulls off a bit of dialogue that could’ve been disastrous if delivered in the wrong way. Instead, the sheer audacity of it evoked an unexpected guffaw from me.
The not-so-good: Obviously, sections of Happy Death Day get repetitive and predictable, but that’s to be expected considering the material. Other than that, my biggest complaint is that the reveal of the villain ultimately feels anticlimactic considering all the buildup.
Grade: B+
The cast: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine and Rachel Matthews.
What it’s about: Essentially a horror version of Groundhog Day, a teenage girl (Rothe) relives the day of her murder, which also happens to be her birthday, hoping to eventually figure out who her killer is and change her fate.
The good: I try to see as many theatrical releases as I can, but I can’t prevent some movies from falling through the cracks. I’m so glad I finally caught up with this entertaining, unexpectedly smart update of the “jerk must relive the same day until he/she learns how to be a better person” genre. I’d heard it was one of the big surprises of the fall, but I admit I let the “film snob” part of my brain override the part that loves genre fun.
If you’ve seen Groundhog Day, Source Code or Edge of Tomorrow, then the basic formula will be familiar. Fortunately, director Christopher Landon and screenwriter Scott Lobdell (a comic book veteran) add a welcome ingredient to the proceedings: women’s empowerment.
Which brings me to the biggest selling point of Happy Death Day – why the heck am I just learning about Jessica Rothe and why is she not in everything? Her work as reformed mean girl Tree Gelbman might be the biggest breakthrough performance for a young actress since Emma Stone in Easy A.
The opening scenes made me nervous, as her character didn’t initially seem like someone I wanted to spend 95 minutes with. However, over the course of Tree’s many, many deaths, she begins to reassess her life choices and work to not only solve her own murder, but also become a better person along the way. Compare the first and last scene – it’s literally like Rothe is playing two different characters. I can’t wait to see how many doors this opens for her in the industry.
Broussard is also good as Rothe’s nerdy, charming love interest; he’s endearing, but used just sparingly enough that he doesn’t distract from the main attraction. In addition, in the film’s last few minutes, he pulls off a bit of dialogue that could’ve been disastrous if delivered in the wrong way. Instead, the sheer audacity of it evoked an unexpected guffaw from me.
The not-so-good: Obviously, sections of Happy Death Day get repetitive and predictable, but that’s to be expected considering the material. Other than that, my biggest complaint is that the reveal of the villain ultimately feels anticlimactic considering all the buildup.
Grade: B+
Comments
Post a Comment