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| Courtesy of Lionsgate |
(Rated R for sexual content and language throughout, some graphic nude images, drug use and violence.)
The cast: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding and Andrew Rannells.
What it’s about: Paul Feig, typically known for directing full-blown comedies like Bridesmaids and Spy, branches out with this dark comedic thriller about “mommy vlogger” Stephanie (Kendrick), who is trying to solve the sudden disappearance of her best friend Emily (Lively). She teams with Emily’s husband Sean (Golding) to search for answers, hoping – perhaps in vain – for a rational explanation.
The good: A Simple Favor is an absolute blast from start to finish. Because of its intriguing teaser, I walked in mildly curious and walked out with a giant smile on my face. Initially, I thought it seemed like an abrupt left turn in the director’s filmography, but turns out it’s yet another accomplishment. Underestimate Feig at your own peril.
Jessica Sharzer’s screenplay (adapted from Darcey Bell’s novel) is a sharp, satirical take on the recent trend of “is the woman crazy?” mysteries like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train that allows viewers to live vicariously through the twisted main characters while simultaneously judging them for their terrible life choices.
The highly entertaining main characters exist in a slightly heightened reality (those clothes! the Sorkin-esque dialogue!), while a Greek chorus, in the form of other gossipy parents (Rannells, Kelly McCormack and Aparna Nancherla), serves as more realistic audience surrogates.
At first glance, Feig doesn’t seem like the right fit for the story’s pitch-black tone and twisted reveals. However, once the first act establishes the effective use of cringe comedy, character-based humor and unyielding respect for the female protagonists (despite some less-than-respectable behavior), it’s abundantly clear that he’s the perfect director for the job.
Kendrick and Lively deliver career-best work here, taking advantage of the opportunity to chew scenery and savor hilarious, gloriously wicked dialogue. They exhibit remarkable chemistry in their scenes together, feeding nicely off each other’s energy and charisma. It’s like watching two expert tennis players go at it.
Golding is also compelling, showing he’s capable of playing more than just the perfect boyfriend he portrayed in last month’s Crazy Rich Asians. His character here has a dark side, and it’s a treat to see him demonstrate his range.
The not-so-good: I’d never dream of spoiling the plot, but it comes dangerously close to running out of steam near the end. Fortunately, the last couple of scenes allow the movie to bounce back and finish strong. Some may find the big reveal ludicrous, but I like that the mystery goes full-on soap opera. In a flick like this, I say “go big or go home.”
Grade: B+
Pick of the Litter
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| Courtesy of Sundance Selects |
(Not rated, but the equivalent of a PG for mild thematic elements. Now playing at Midtown Art in Atlanta.)
The cast: Adorable dogs named Patriot, Potomac, Primrose, Poppet, Phil, as well as a host of incredible humans.
What it’s about: This heartwarming documentary follows a litter of puppies from the moment they’re born through every step of their quest to become guide dogs for the blind. However, the two-year training program is intense and not every dog makes it through. In fact, out of the 800 pups who start the training, only 300 complete it.
The good: If you need to feel better about the world (and that’s pretty much all of us), Pick of the Litter is a must-see. I started crying two minutes in, which has to be some kind of record. It feels a little like cheating, though; the film opens with blind people telling stories about the service animals who saved their lives – including a man whose dog led him down nearly 80 flights of stairs to safety after planes hit the World Trade Center on 9/11. I mean, that’s just not fair.
After that, viewers are quickly introduced to the five puppies that will spend every day learning how to serve people who will literally place their lives in their paws. Some seem destined for the job, while others have a few behavioral hurdles to overcome. Directors Don Hardy Jr. and Dana Nachman are terrific at establishing the stakes and making viewers care about the characters – human and canine alike – so there’s genuine suspense about the movie’s outcome. The documentary also goes into great detail about the intense process, which is fascinating to learn about.
The not-so-good: While the film is emotionally rich and highlights a vital need in modern society, it still ends up feeling a bit slight at 80 minutes. It’s rare that I want a movie to be longer, but that’s definitely the case here. When the last scene faded to the credits, my reaction was, “wait, that’s it?” But considering the adage is “leave them wanting more,” I suppose that’s actually a compliment.
Grade: B+
Upgrade
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| Courtesy of Universal |
(Rated R for strong violence, grisly images, and language. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand.)
The cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Melanie Vallejo, Harrison Gilbertson and Benedict Hardie.
What it’s about: After a brutal mugging that leaves Grey Trace (Marshall-Green) paralyzed and his wife (Vallejo) dead, the grieving widow is approached by an enigmatic inventor (Gilbertson) who offers him a chance at an experimental cure. An artificial intelligence implant called STEM “upgrades” Trace’s broken body, controlling it and giving him astounding physical abilities – an opportunity he uses to take revenge on the men who ruined his life.
The good: I missed this throwback to ’80s B-movies (from Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell) during its theatrical run, so I jumped at the chance to play catch-up when it hit Redbox. I’m glad I did – Upgrade is a brutal, genre-bending combination of action, body horror and dystopian sci-fi that reflects some of modern society’s biggest fears. It’s an ideal version of the shlock it’s paying homage to – fun movies that are “about” more than they appear to be on the surface.
The story – refreshingly simple for most of the film’s running time – hits all the genre beats that fans expect, but usually finds ways to put a creative spin on them. Marshall-Green is fantastic as Trace, one of the last remaining analog guys in a digital age. His sarcastic personality and sense of bewilderment at the chaos around him infuses the movie with tension-breaking humor even as the plot barrels to exceedingly dark places.
Whannell, along with cinematographer Stefan Duscio and stunt coordinator Chris Anderson, find innovative ways to stage fight sequences that reflect Trace’s rough-and-tumble manner while also incorporating the robotic movements inherent in STEM controlling his body. Those scenes are a lot of fun.
The not-so-good: Upgrade is a mean, shockingly violent film, full of graphic violence and the bloody aftermath of Trace’s quest for vengeance. It’s absolutely not a movie for the squeamish. In addition, the plot’s straightforwardness is undercut by an exposition-heavy conclusion that works too hard to explain an obvious development. Finally, while the screenplay mostly finds ways to modernize tired tropes, it still plows straight into one of the most problematic: women dying violent deaths so a man can have a quest.
Grade: B
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