Jay Kelly

Director: Noah Baumbach
Starring: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Greta Gerwig, Charlie Rowe, Louis Partridge, Alba Rohrwacher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Mortimer, Thaddea Graham, Sadie Sandler, Isla Fisher
Running Time: 132 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)    

In Jay Kelly, George Clooney plays a charismatic, enormously successful 60-year-old movie star aging into the latter phase of his career. And while the film could write itself in terms of how closely it reflects the star's own life and public image, that irony isn't lost on Noah Baumbach, who doesn't always go for the easy laughs. Surprisingly subdued and introspective, it's more traditional than we've come to expect from a director known for his acidic, off kilter takes on relationships. This feels more like a high minded Hollywood dramedy from an earlier era, which is fitting for a protagonist who's spent his whole life in front of the camera. 

If accolades and worldwide fame suggest the title character has it made, a realization suddenly hits him that this isn't the case, at least on a personal level. Surrounded by dedicated handlers, fellow celebrities and fawning fans, he lives in a manufactured reality, even as strained relationships with his two daughters become a harsh reminder of just how lonely he is. Taken on its own terms, the story's lightweight in spots and nothing extraordinary, but a talented cast and sharp writing manage to get it over the finish line. As does the inspired pairing of Clooney and Adam Sandler, with the latter again proving his range when handed material that plays to his overlooked strengths. 

When beleaguered film actor Jay Kelly (Clooney) finds out his college-aged daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards) has chosen to travel through Europe with friends rather than spend time with him, he tells longtime manager Ron Sukenick (Sandler) he's agreed to accept the career tribute award in Tuscany he previously turned down. Hoping to blow off a big movie shoot and surprise Daisy overseas, a series of crises occur before he leaves, including the sudden death of former director and mentor Peter Schneider (Jim Broadbent) and an unexpected encounter with old acting school buddy Tim Galligan (Billy Crudup).  

All this dredges up emotional baggage for Jay as he tries to connect with his school teacher daughter Jessica (Riley Keogh), who still resents his absence during childhood. Meanwhile, a stressed Ron unravels at the realization he's Jay's lackey, serving at the actor's beckoned call without so much as a hint of gratitude or acknowledgment. It's a harsh truth cynical publicist Liz (Laura Dern) knows well, as she attempts to convince Ron this is the job he signed up for. But with Jay growing increasingly selfish, the trip forces him to confront the fact he has no idea who he is outside this sheltered cocoon of massive fame.

Movies about the movie business and those inhabiting it tend to invoke more groans and eye rolls than just about any other sub-genre. Viewed as egotistical navel gazing by most mainstream audiences, it's hard not to cringe when hearing how miserable wealthy, privileged Hollywood types are with their lives. And while there's an element of that here, those vehemently opposed to the topic would probably stay clear anyway so it doesn't make much of a difference. Luckily, Baumbach avoids this pitfall thanks to the work of Clooney and Sandler, who share the screen for the first time in their careers to better than expected results. 

At many points, Jay comes across as a big baby in need of constant coddling by an entourage who love the guy, but find him insufferably egocentric. The script really earns its stripes when exploring why, like during Jay's uncomfortable encounter with his an ex-friend who fell short of his full potential. Compellingly played by Crudup, there's more to this story than it appears, as their impromptu reunion deteriorates when a few drinks are consumed and the real truth comes out, little of which reflects well on Jay. 

Cleverly conceived flashbacks provide Jay's present self a front row seat to regrets and bittersweet memories that, for better or worse, brought him to where he's now at, painting a portrait of young ambition at any cost. This device is particularly effective in depicting the rift between him and eldest daughter Jessica, who begrudgingly accepts the fact he isn't changing and her life will move on, with or without him in it. You could argue Keogh registers the film's most grounded supporting performance, aided by a realistic sub-plot that sidesteps the silliness occasionally present elsewhere. 

Some of that nonsense is provided by Laura Dern's publicist character, who has a mind boggling mini-arc with Sandler's Ron that should have been left on the cutting room floor. And while inexplicably sidelining talents like Greta Gerwig, Emily Mortimer and Isla Fisher is certainly a choice, Clooney and Sandler's intentionally unbalanced dynamic helps cover for it. 

Unfailingly loyal and eager to please, Ron operates under a sadly misplaced hope Jay views him as a friend. But his star client's unwillingness to compromise is the final straw for the put-upon manager, who's already in the process of losing his other client (played by Patrick Wilson). Sandler effectively conveys Ron's evolution throughout, arriving at this place of clarity he hopes his boss will eventually catch up to. For his part, Jay does clumsily try to bond with Daisy on the trip and even invites his own ornery father (a rambunctious Stacy Keach) along, whose behavior goes a long way in explaining Jay's issues.      

Clooney creates an intersection where fiction and reality collide for those envisioning how things would play out if the actor himself boarded a train full of adoring fans. In that respect, the film invokes comparisons to Nic Cage's similarly meta, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, only as a character study rather than a high concept action comedy. It's especially evident in the final scene's tribute reel, which seamlessly incorporates Clooney's career into the film's narrative for a heart tugging conclusion.

The ending also sadly shows how much of Jay's life is defined by his screen persona, as a string of inciting events cause his mistakes to come back and haunt him. With this, Baumbach transforms a somewhat conventional premise about a celebrity's mid-life crisis into a modern day spin on A Christmas Carol. When confronted by ghosts of decades past, the movie star faces failures and missed opportunities, with Clooney flipping the charm on and off as only he can.         

One Battle After Another

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Wood Harris, Alana Haim, Paul Grimstad, Shayna McHayle, Tony Goldwyn, John Hoogenakker, Starletta DuPois, Eric Schweig, D.W. Moffett, Kevin Tighe, Jim Downey, James Raterman, Dijon Duenas 
Running Time: 162 min.
Rating: R

**The Following Review Contains Plot Spoilers**

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

With a few masterpieces already under his belt, many assumed Paul Thomas Anderson had nothing further to prove, his recent projects merely reaffirming what most of the filmmaker's hardcore fanbase always knew. And while incapable of a total misstep, we've accepted the fact he keeps carving out his own cinematic arthouse niche of sorts. That's why the notion any Anderson project could carry mainstream appeal, capture the cultural zeitgeist or take place in contemporary times always seemed absurd, even for our greatest director. It became less about whether he could do it than if he'd ever really want to. But all that doubt comes to end with One Battle After Another, an explosive departure miles removed from anything he's previously done. 

A strangely accessible crowd pleaser, it opens with enough timely parallels to have us worrying what's ahead, before taking a more personal, affecting turn matched only by its darkly twisted sense of humor. Very loosely adapted from Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, it's also about as unfilmable as the author's similarly challenging Inherent Vice, which Anderson tackled with lukewarm results. Only now he's cracked the code, giving this enough of an overhaul that it's completely unrecognizable from the source material. What he does retain are its themes and ideas, brought to vivid life by a handful of brilliant performances from actors both new and familiar. The film doesn't sneak up on you so much as throw a live hand grenade in your lap, with scenes that should continue replaying in viewers' minds long after the experience ends. 

"Ghetto" Pat Calhoun (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) are members of the far-left revolutionary group, the French 75, breaking out detained Mexican immigrants from California's Otay Mesa Detention Center. During the raid, Perfidia encounters and sexually assaults officer Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), who enjoys this a little too much, especially once he realizes he can use her to his advantage. So when Perfidia abandons Pat and their newborn baby Charlene to dive headfirst into her activism, she's caught by Lockjaw, who cuts her a deal to rat out the rest. But she soon disappears from witness protection while Pat and Charlene go on the run.

Flash forward sixteen years and Pat and Charlene are now living off the grid in a sanctuary city under the aliases of Bob and Willa Ferguson (Chase Infiniti). With Bob now a paranoid stoner overprotective of his free-spirited teen daughter, Lockjaw has since moved up the government ranks. He's also aiming to join the exclusive, far-right white supremacist group, the Christmas Adventurers Club, so long as a disqualifying secret from his past doesn't come to light. But when a burnt out Bob realizing Willa's been targeted, he desperately tries to find her as a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues with his former nemesis.

The story really starts cooking with gas after the time jump, though you could argue it happens earlier when a ferociously determined Perfidia first encounters slimy commanding officer Lockjaw. To an extent, they're both using each other, as she wields her sexuality as a weapon after recognizing his interest, which immediately borders on obsession. And it isn't long before he realizes the advantage he holds over her and the revolutionaries as a result.

There's a twisted, toxic psychological game playing out between Perfidia and Lockjaw that has us questioning whether they actually have feelings for each other or he's exaggerated the relationship in his delusional mind. And though we're never completely sure, these questions prove the film's far more interested in exploring the complicated motivations of its characters than inciting political debate.

Mayhem unfolds when a washed-up Bob gets the dreaded distress call that his local karate champion daughter is in danger, confirming the reality of his stoned out paranoia. And while he's prepared Willa for this moment, it's tough for the teen to take her kook of a dad seriously, especially since he's high as a kite, prone to irrational outbursts and perpetually clad in a beanie, bathrobe and oversized shades. 

While frequently mislabeled a "comedy," the film does have an extended stretch that undeniably qualifies, as Bob hilariously attempts to extract intel from the resistance without the required password his brain's too fried to remember. DiCaprio's in top form here alongside an effortlessly cool Benicio del Toro as Willa's Sensei, Sergio St. James, a community leader and immigrant smuggler who facilitates a deliriously entertaining escape. 

This isn't Sergio's first rodeo and it's a thrill watching how Anderson frames all the chaos around this beer-drinking zen hero who hardly breaks a sweat, remaining completely calm and controlled in the face of Bob's emotional breakdown. Of course, Bob screws everything up anyway, but that hardly matters with Sensei able to pick up the pieces, dust the ex-freedom fighter off and steer him in the right direction.

Teyana Taylor owns the first 30 minutes as the intimidating and vulnerable Perfidia, but after exiting, her past actions continue to inform the rocky father-daughter relationship between Bob and Willa. But what's more amazing is how much DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti manage to convey with their limited screen time together. In just a couple of minutes we can tell why Willa's been shielded from certain details, both for her own safety and to ease Bob's guilty conscience. They also let us look past the bickering to recognize how much they care for each other, especially in moments where you'd mistake Willa as the parent, trying to reign in her unhinged dad. She's also underestimated, which is about to change once the French 75's exhausted, but fiercely loyal Deandra (Regina Hall) takes her into hiding. 

The one mistake Perfidia can't erase is the deplorable Colonel Lockjaw, played by a phenomenal Sean Penn in one of his weirdest, creepiest turns. With a goofy haircut and stilted gait, he's the walking embodiment of every self-hating loser given too much power or authority. Each mannerism, line delivery and facial tick induce shivers, as Penn plays him with a Napoleon complex so frighteningly recognizable that he's constantly walking this tightrope between cowardice and egomania. 

It's only logical a covert cabal of wealthy white supremacists would view the sleazy Lockjaw as their ideal recruit, just as he'd make it his life's mission to join, tempted by the promise of being considered "superior." This leads to the unforgettable mid-film meeting in which the Christmas Adventurers' leader Virgil Throckmorton (Tony Goldwyn) reveals their newest prospect is instead a liability marked for elimination by the club's seemingly innocuous, Patagonia vest wearing hitman Tim Smith (John Hoogenakker). And Anderson presents this secret organization is terrifying in its everyday casualness, as the blaring holiday music and polite exchange of pleasantries only make their eventual discussion that much more disturbing.  

Once Willa realizes that she's the loose end Lockjaw needs tied, it's flight or fight mode from here on out, with the film's sensational second half belonging to a revelatory Infiniti, who channels Willa's fear, angst and sadness into a struggle for survival. Going toe-to-toe in an intense verbal and physical showdown with Penn, Infiniti portrays her as an endless well of resourcefulness as insurmountable danger looms. It'll culminate in a Bullitt-inspired car chase unlike any sequence we've recently seen on screen, with Anderson hypnotically shooting the three vehicles over the rolling hills of California's desert highway as if we're on a dizzying rollercoaster simulator. The risk of a crash or flip keeps the stressful, elegantly edited sequence humming until the distance between cars closes and a believably executed payoff comes. And what a clever one it is, revealing the depth of Willa's ingenuity, as well as the justifiable doubts and suspicion that linger even after she survives the most traumatizing of threats. 

The film's final coda is about as strong as endings come, arriving after this jaw dropping twist that sees a character finally get his comeuppance from those just as equally evil. And while Jonny Greenwood's pounding score underlines the unsettling action, Anderson also delivers a pair of unexpected needle drops so effective it that takes a beat to properly recognize songs we've heard countless times, just never in this context. But now it's impossible to ever hear them the same way again, especially one that propels Willa into the next stage of her life's journey. 

Though its story centers around revolutionaries and their failed attempts to escape the past, it's the familial through line that gives this exhilarating film its heart and soul, sucking them down a wormhole of paranoia and conspiracies. It also marks the rare instance where moving a book's period setting into the modern era actually pays off, lending an immediacy to these events that could only derive from its timing. Debate will ensue where it ranks in Anderson's filmography, but you have to believe it's up there, as he pulls off a feat even his biggest supporters didn't think he had in him.          

Roofman

Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage, Ben Mendelsohn, Uzo Aduba, Emory Cohen, Melonie Diaz, Molly Price, Lily Collias, Kennedy Moyer, Alissa Marie Pearson, Tony Revolori
Running Time: 126 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)   

In Derek Cianfrance's Roofman, we get a nostalgic glimpse inside a Toys "R" Us as it existed in the early to mid 2000's, filled with aisles of DVDs, video games and stuffed animals as far as the eye can see. And it's a safe bet even younger viewers unfamiliar with the store will still be equally amazed and perplexed by this unusual setting for a film. So it only stands to reason that the idea of actually living in one for six months would fulfill the wishes of a certain generation of kids who all identified with the company's philosophy of never growing up.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work as well as an adult, especially if you're scouring the shelves for junk food, relying on a Spider-Man sleeping bag for comfort and lacking a shower or any meaningful human contact. And there's nothing like being slapped with the harsh reality that even our most beloved stores employ incompetent managers handcuffed (or zip tied) by crippling corporate policies. While it beats being homeless, a wanted fugitive can't stay in one place for long, making this extremely likable protagonist's dilemma a sort of karmic comeuppance for years' worth of irreversible mistakes.

It's 1998 and divorced U.S. Army veteran Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum) is resented by ex-wife Talana (Melonie Diaz) and struggling to provide for his three kids, seemingly hitting a dead end in life. But after extracting the wrong message from a conversation with friend and former sergeant Steve's (LaKeith Stanfield), Jeffrey utilizes his military skills to rob multiple McDonald's restaurants by breaking through the roof overnight. Unusually apologetic and polite to the morning crew of employees, he garners national media attention as the "Roofman" before eventually being caught and sentenced to 45 years.

Seamlessly escaping prison in 2004, but with a manhunt underway, Jeffrey finds refuge inside a Charlotte Toys "R" Us, disabling security cameras, ransacking shelves for candy and finding an inconspicuous spot to sleep. After noticing employee and single mom Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) having problems with inflexible store manager Mitch (Peter Dinklage), he secretly intervenes before stealing toys for her church's toy drive. Dating Leigh under the guise of New Yorker "John Zoran" he even connects with her daughters Lindsay (Lily Collias) and Dee (Kennedy Moyer). But the closer Jeffrey gets, the more likely he's caught, ending this relationship for good.      

The real kicker is how Jeffrey doesn't exactly fit the profile of your typical armed robber, even when he superficially seems to. He's failed as a husband, fears he's disappointing his kids and probably has a story similar to other incarcerated individuals who took up crime as a last resort. But the key difference lies in how acutely aware he is of his shortcomings, never losing the desire to prove he's someone his family can rely on. 

Even clad in black clothes and a ski mask, Jeffrey's guilty conscience betrays him by how well he treats his petrified McDonald's hostages. And when the police do catch up with him, all he can think about in prison is getting out, naively hanging on to the hope he can just return home and start over, despite his young daughter watching him get tackled and arrested on her birthday. And it's that motivation pushing him to orchestrate a prison break smooth enough for The Shawshank Redemption's Andy Dufresne to wonder where he went wrong. 

Some of the most entertaining scenes involve Jeffrey's tricks to avoid detection inside the Toys "R" Us, at least for a while. He even starts to have fun, until the temptation to get involved becomes too great, unconventionally affording him a second chance built on one giant lie. But his feelings for Leigh and her kids are genuine, even as he continues to put them in danger, hoping they won't get hurt when the fallout comes. 

In one of the best performances of his career, Tatum plays to his understated everyman strengths, projecting a charm and harmless sincerity that immediately puts viewers in the palm of his hand as he  juggles lightweight comedy with more emotional drama. While we understand why strangers would embrace this guy without question, Tatum's biggest feat is in getting us to empathize with Jeffrey regardless of his criminal indiscretions. We dread his eventual capture not for the consequences he'll inevitably face, but all that lost potential.

Sharing an effortless chemistry with Tatum, Dunst completely gives herself over as the trusting, feisty Leigh, who's trying to recover from her own failed marriage, if only for the sake of her two daughters, the eldest of which couldn't be moodier. For Leigh, "John" is too good to be true, mostly because she's only seen what he's shown her, however real those feelings are. As Mitch, Dinklage gives one of the more eerily accurate portrayals of a prickly retail manager, right down to his sarcastic asides and passive-aggressive criticisms. It's kind of scary just how well he nails this character, who only shows his true vulnerabilities when the going gets tough. 

Nearly every sub-plot works, whether it's Jeffrey's interactions at the church, his wild attempts to bond with Leigh's daughters or a side story involving hapless Toys "R" Us employee Otis' (Emory Cohen) inability to stand up for himself. If there's a head scratching character, it's Stanfield's Steve, who's constantly passing judgment on his friend, which would fine if he wasn't hypocritically running a criminal enterprise himself. Even worse, all his advice only leads to more trouble for Jeffrey and a coincidentally huge bill for help. 

All of this can only end one way, with Jeffrey pulling off a final heist to earn the kind of freedom he's not sure he wants or deserves. It also brings him face-to-face with some of the messier consequences his choices cause, as Cianfrance and co-writer Kirt Gunn flip this unbelievably true story on its head to mine thematic gold. But much of that can be attributed to Tatum, who has us rooting for his affable character to somehow turn things around, as increasingly unlikely as that may seem.