by Josh Sewell
(Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content and some nudity. Opens in theaters on October 1 and also available on HBO Max.)
The premise: In this prequel to the classic HBO series The Sopranos, creator David Chase returns to the world of his renowned characters a few decades before viewers first saw them. Young Anthony Soprano (played as a kid by William Ludwig and as a teen by Michael Gandolfini) is growing up just as the DiMeo crime family is beginning to lose its grip on Newark, New Jersey. At the center of this drama is Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), the uncle Anthony idolizes and the man whose influence puts him on the path to becoming the mob boss we know.
The verdict: I should let you know up front that my take on the highly anticipated Many Saints of Newark comes from the perspective of somebody who has only seen a few episodes of the groundbreaking television show (although I know most of the major plot developments through pop culture osmosis). I joked with a colleague at the press screening that I’m like those people who start watching Star Wars with The Phantom Menace.
That being said, I liked the movie a lot. As fans might expect, it’s thematically richer than a standard mob drama, while also darkly funny and brutally violent. Chase (who co-wrote the screenplay with Lawrence Konner) and director Alan Taylor make sure to cram the story full of notable references and Easter eggs for diehards, but it’s standalone enough that relative newbies (like me) can still follow the story.
The cast is fantastic across the board, which won’t surprise anyone familiar with Chase’s track record with actors. Whether performers are playing never-before-seen characters (like the excellent Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Ray Liotta and Michela De Rossi) or embodying younger versions of fan favorites (Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen and John Magaro), each have their work cut out for them. Fortunately, they all rise to the occasion.
However, those expecting a “young Tony” movie should be aware the marketing is deceptive. Although he’s a great supporting character (and Gandolfini is astonishing as a younger version of his late father’s defining role), he mostly exists around the narrative’s periphery. The protagonist is Moltisanti (hence “many saints”).
He’s a fascinating, complex guy in his own right, and the movie does a thorough job of showing why he has such a profound impact on Tony’s destiny. It’s a fast, fun watch that keeps growing on me the more I think about it. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind a couple more movies (or a series) set during this era.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for some drug material and thematic elements. Opens in theaters on October 1.)
The premise: In this compelling, albeit skewed documentary on the history of Contemporary Christian music, directors Andrew and Jon Erwin (who also helmed the faith-based biopics I Can Only Imagine and I Still Believe) chronicle the genre’s origins in 1960s hippie culture to its current position as a multibillion-dollar industry. They tell the story with help from fascinating archival footage and new interviews with dozens of the genre’s pioneers and most popular artists.
The verdict: Despite being made as entertainment for an audience that already know a lot about the topic (the cliché “preaching to the choir” has never been more appropriate), The Jesus Music ends up being surprisingly candid. To be sure, the Erwins still pull some of their punches for the sake of their target demo – clearly tiptoeing around some of the genre’s more controversial history and ignoring the specifics of troubling modern trends – but it goes harder than I expected.
As someone with a deep, personal connection to CCM, the doc’s soundtrack is a nostalgia-laden blast from the past. There are so many songs I still know the words to, which triggered a ton of flashbacks to Wednesday night church services and summer retreats.
I was also impressed by the warts-and-all interviews with musicians who don’t sugarcoat white evangelical culture’s initial opposition to the youth-driven movement. It shows resistance to change isn’t a new development for many of the denomination’s most fervent devotees.
As such, the film’s biggest shortcoming is there’s no way to truthfully convey the seismic transformations in modern evangelical culture – music included – unless we talk about how Barack Obama and Donald Trump changed everything. Without that conversation, which can get ugly, there’s a massive hole in the Erwins’ thesis. But the filmmakers can’t do that without alienating their primary audience and tanking the movie.
For example, dc Talk veteran and current Newsboys frontman Michael Tait describes a horrific encounter – which took place long after he’d found success and acceptance in the industry – with a store clerk who warned him to get out of town before sunset or he’d be lynched. Rapper Lecrae is blunt about the fact that the only person in modern Christian music who ever offered to mentor him is gospel superstar Kirk Franklin.
The doc spends a significant amount of time with the latter artist as well, particularly his fight for racial reconciliation in the Christian music industry and the evangelical church as a whole. Franklin makes a lot of valid points that a select few might still see as controversial, but the Erwins fail to specify what these interviewees are alluding to.
Why does the industry and the church need reconciliation? Why has this battle lasted decades, if not centuries? Whose job is it to initiate the healing? Why do the Erwins only use archival, black-and-white footage from the 1960s to illustrate their points? There’s no way to answer those questions without discussing Obama and Trump, so the awkward silence speaks volumes.
Grade: B-
(Not rated, but contains strong violence and language. Opens in select theaters on October 1.)
The premise: In this offbeat Western, a widowed farmer (Tim Blake Nelson) and his teenage son (Garvin Lewis) reluctantly come to the aid of an injured stranger (Scott Haze) carrying a satchel filled with cash. When a posse of lawmen shows up (led by Stephen Dorff) asking about a thief and missing money, the farmer must decide who to trust – but he has some secrets of his own.
The verdict: The pace of Old Henry, written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli, might be too methodical for viewers used to more plot-heavy Westerns. However, those who don’t mind a character study that takes its time will be rewarded with some interesting surprises and an incredible performance from Nelson.
The veteran writer, director and character actor is always a reliable presence (especially in Coen brothers films like O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), but it’s great to see him take center stage. His role is far more complex than the traditional white-hat cowboy, from his demeanor to his wardrobe.
While the movie does honor genre tropes, including one heck of a climactic gunfight, what makes it special is the father-son relationship at the heart of the story. Nelson’s character is a gruff, no-nonsense man, but he loves his son and wants to raise him with integrity so he doesn’t end up choosing a similar path. It’s touching, and a stark contrast against the ugliness of the world they live in.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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