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.         

Wolfs

Director: Jon Watts
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Zlatko Burić, Richard Kind, Frances McDormand
Running Time: 108 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)     

Its title may be a grammatical nightmare, but writer/director Jon Watts' Wolfs finds two of the world's biggest movie stars reunited in roles that only further confirm their value. An action comedy throwback to when that genre routinely packed theaters, a project like this almost feels like a complete outlier now. But tight direction and a pair of immensely enjoyable lead performances end up being enough to temporarily breathe life into what could have been a paint-by-numbers effort. 

Built around a straightforward premise, George Clooney plays a cold, emotionally detached "fixer" not unlike his avenging protagonist in 2007's Oscar nominated Michael Clayton. Only this time, he's more likely to break the law than uphold it, remaining meticulously obsessive until an unexpected visitor forces him to face the possibility his skill set isn't as unique as he thought. 

That this interloper is played by Brad Pitt enables the actors to take dry, sarcastic jabs at each other, successfully calling back to the chemistry the duo shared in the Oceans films. While both are capable of turning an eye roll or sideways glance into pure hilarity with their understated expressions, what develops is an effective action bromance with bickering characters who can't stand just how alike they really are. 

Panicked Manhattan District Attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) calls the number of an anonymous professional fixer (Clooney) when a young man she took back to her hotel room ends up dead. After arriving and calmly taking stock of the scenario, the fixer asks Margaret some questions before starting the clean-up process, assuring her everything will be fine if she does exactly what he says. Unfortunately, they're interrupted by a second unnamed fixer (Pitt) who was given instructions by the hotel's owner Pam (Frances McDormand) to sweep this situation under the rug. 

While neither "lone wolf" trusts the other, Pam orders the two men work together for the sake of protecting the hotel's reputation. But while debating how to best solve this issue and dispose of the body, one of them makes a discovery that reveals something more dangerously complicated. So if the feuding fixers want to avoid getting killed, they'll need to stop arguing long enough to rectify what's suddenly become a gigantic mess.

From the initial tone and execution, it's easy to understand how audiences could be roped into thinking this will be a deadly serious crime drama. And even when Pitt first appears, lingering doubts still surround that assumption, as Watts smoothly lulls us into a situation that's about to spin way out of control. 

With few expressions and even fewer words, Clooney's character retains complete control, at least until Pitt's fixer arrives and things go sideways. Neither takes kindly to a competitor invading their territory, but one of the better aspects of Watts' script is how it suggests an imaginary underground of criminal fixers who think only they can do this dirty work.

As their dilemma grows more complex, levels are revealed that go well beyond a prominent D.A's hotel indiscretion. And much of it involves protecting an unnamed asset referred to as the Kid (Austin Abrams), who's carrying something valuable enough to cause huge concern. Abrams' manic, livewire performance is the film's highlight, providing the perfect foil to Clooney and Pitt's exasperated fixers, who just can't agree on how to handle him. 

An excitingly chaotic and hilarious chase through New York City streets is Watts' pivotal set piece and it doesn't disappoint, nor do encounters with a no-nonsense medic (Poorna Jagannathan) and a Croatian mobster (Zlatko Burić) whose daughter's wedding they accidentally crash. And the great Richard Kind briefly pops up in an amusingly memorable scene as the Kid's Frank Sinatra-obsessed dad. 

For supposed experts in this narrow field, these fixers are pretty sloppy, though there's nothing normal about either the job at hand or this reluctant partnership.  How similar they are is a detail everyone notices but them, creating a humorous dynamic where their oversized egos prevent them from realizing they're stronger together than alone.

Forced to begrudgingly get on the same page in the final act, it's to make a moral choice that requires them abandoning the rule book to embrace their consciences instead. Without time for debate or wiggle room, it becomes glaringly apparent that being a lone wolf carries baggage neither considered. Ending on a cliffhanger of sorts, Wolfs is the kind of film you wouldn't mind getting a sequel to, if only so Clooney and Pitt can have a rematch.                                      

Money Monster

 
Director: Jodie Foster
Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O' Connell, Dominic West, Caitriona Balfe, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Denham, Lenny Venito, Chris Bauer, Emily Meade
Running Time: 99 min
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

In Jodie Foster's Money Monster, George Clooney plays the smarmy host of an over-the-top investing show in the vain of Jim Cramer's "Mad Money," but far worse and much more ridiculous. Within the film's first few minutes, it's abundantly clear that any viewer taking serious financial advice from this guy is of questionable judgment to say the least. But when such a viewer is allegedly screwed over by one of the show's "picks of the millennium," he makes his presence known in the network's studio with an explosive device and suddenly the show's a lot less ridiculous. If the film's opening scenes are purely set-up, then all the action that follows, unfolding in "real time" as the perpetrator takes an entire studio hostage on live TV,  are reminiscent of exciting of 90's thrillers like Nick of Time or Mad City (with which this shares a similar plot). This compares favorably to both, mainly because it's more skillfully made and doesn't go exactly where you'd expect, cleverly flipping the script to shift our allegiances and make a timely statement about media consumption that surely resonates stronger now than it would have in that decade.

The biggest hurdle the movie overcomes is the unusual casting of Clooney as slick, oily TV host. Luckily, this does only end up being an issue of casting since his performance overcomes it. He's tremendous in this as the situation escalates. And boy does it ever escalate, as Foster milks the most it can out of its single location premise and the chess game tenuously unfolding on national television between the host and a very unexpected guest. It's not damning with faint praise to say it's the best film she's directed since it's also a challenging one, requiring her to juggle a lot of balls in the air while simultaneously keeping a firm grip on tone. Could something similar actually happen? Given the current socio-political climate, it wouldn't be a stretch to say in some respects we're already there, with the line separating news and entertainment fuzzier than ever before.

Lee Gates (Clooney) is the flamboyant host of TV's "Money Monster," offering what he hypes as valuable advice to Wall Street investors as to which stocks they should buy and sell, and when. With a format more closely resembling a bad variety show, Gates raps, dances and dresses in crazy costumes while bloviating about the week's picks. All this chaos is controlled by his total pro of a director, Patty Finn (Julia Roberts), who not only has the daunting task of keeping things moving, but must constantly accommodate the needs of her egotistical host, who frequently goes off on tangents just to hear himself talk and shake things up. But when one of his "can't miss" stocks, IBS Clear Capital, tanks, disgruntled, working-class investor Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell) sneaks into the studio as a delivery man, taking the crew hostage and holding Gates at gunpoint on camera.

With Kyle equipping the host with an explosive vest set to go off whenever he chooses to release his handheld trigger, it's up to Patty to keep cameras rolling and make sure the suddenly humbled and fearful Gates keeps Kyle talking long enough for them to survive. As police Captain Powell (Giancarlo Esposito) and an antsy hostage negotiator close in, Kyle demands answers to how he and other investors were wiped out by IBS, and he's not appreciating the canned ones given to him on-air by the company's PR director Diane Lester (Caitrona Balfe) on behalf of missing CEO Walt Camby (Dominic West). There's more to this story and it's up to Gates and Patty to find out what, and the threat of an on-air massacre broadcasting live for the world to see is quickly becoming a very real possibility.

The pacing here is tremendous, with each passing minute containing its fair share of surprises as both men become increasingly desperate and irrational about their expectations of how this could be resolved, if at all. Clooney just might be our most likable star so seeing him as lying, conniving TV host is undeniably off-putting at first, but once it's clear what the situation is and the perilous danger Gates finds himself in, we're off to the races. It works for the actor that his character never quite buys into the persona either, and the longer he's on air with the volatile Kyle, the more he starts dropping his guard. This is where the casting of Clooney works magnificently, as the interaction he has with his uninvited guest changes with each new bit of information about him he uncovers.

Gates slowly undergoes this epiphany in front of a national TV audience that doesn't seem the slightest bit forced under Foster's direction, but rather a natural progression resulting from the predicament he's in. With lives on the line, the show becomes a truth serum of sorts and with each new revelation comes shades of complexity and doubt as to whether Kyle's necessarily wrong, even as his actions are. What's happening proves itself to be bigger than both of them so it's only fitting it plays itself out on the biggest stage of all.

If Clooney's nuanced performance invisibly guides us across the film's more treacherous narrative waters, just as much credit goes to Julia Roberts, who does it all through a headset, her interplay with him crucial to keeping the tension high. Some of the best scenes involve Patty trying to keep Gates from doing something stupid while simultaneously directing a live TV show that thrives on chaos for ratings. The running joke is that she seems more competent at handling this tenuous situation than the law enforcement professionals actually tasked with the job. Until the final act, there's very little involvement from them at all and what's sure to be a disappointment for Breaking Bad fans, Giancarlo Esposito isn't given much to work with in an underwritten, perfunctory walk-on. He can't be faulted for failing to leave a lasting impression in a role clearly not written to, even if it's a relief that this cinematic hostage situation depends more on the psychology of the participants than police intervention.

The film contains two legitimately jaw-dropping scenes certain to grab viewers' attention and hold it. The first involves the shocking appearance of someone important in Kyle's life while the second is an unusual appeal to the public by Gates. Both come from a script that proves to be smarter than expected, even going so far as to give Balfe's corporate character a believable moral awakening on par with the two leads. While the plot ties together a little too neatly in the end with all the characters converging in one of those big, showy scenes where everything's spelled out with expository information, at least this time there's a reasonable excuse: They're on live TV. Considering all the crazy events that occur in Money Monster, it's a credit to the underlying truth behind them and the intensity generated by the actors, that we rarely stop to question it.

Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris
Running Time: 91 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

It's best to get all the misconceptions you've been hearing about Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity out of the way before it can be appreciated for what it actually is. And a "game-changer" it isn't. There have already been many 3D movies and now it's likely there will be even more. Some might be better. Most will probably be worse. And it definitely doesn't have anything in common with 2001: A Space Odyssey, a comparison that certainly doesn't do the film any favors. No mysteries or questions about human existence here. And there's definitely dialogue (arguably too much) within the first twenty minutes and well beyond. It only fits into the science fiction genre in so far as the lengths it stretches plausibility. Yet Apollo 13 doesn't seem like an entirely apt comparison either. It's a straight-ahead human survival story. Think of it as Cast Away in space.

What Gravity does is accurately convey, like very few films before it, is the look and feel of what it's like to be stranded in outer space. If you ever are, you better hope you're not as ill-equipped as NASA medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), who's accompanied on her first shuttle mission by seasoned astronaut Matt Kowalksi (George Clooney), commanding his final mission. And it's a relief she is because it's kind of perplexing, given her lack of knowledge, how anyone thought she'd be able to do this. That's at least a stretch I'm willing to concede because everything else Gravity does well, it does REALLY well. It's 3D how it should be done. Visual effects how they should be done. There's never any doubt what we're watching is completely authentic, even if what we're feeling occasionally doesn't match up. From a story standpoint, I just wish Cuarón would have left more up to the imagination instead of spelling it all out. But everything else is perfect, adding to the frustration of how close it is to being the masterpiece everyone's hailing it as.   

The film opens with a 13-minute unbroken shot as plans to service the Hubble Space telescope are aborted when Russian satellite debris hurl toward the shuttle Explorer, killing all crew members except for Stone and Kowalski, who have lost all communications with Mission Control (voiced briefly by Ed Harris in a clever Apollo 13 nod). Eventually, another dangerous situation arises and they're separated, forcing Stone to fend for herself without Kowalski's guidance. It's to the film's credit that all of this happens very quickly, barely giving us (or literally in Stone's case), an opportunity to breathe. To rest of the movie belongs to Bullock, whose protagonist is not only losing oxygen fast, but must decide whether to wait out a rescue that might never come.

Stone's an emotional mess, which is kind of a departure from what we've come to expect from female leads put into action predicaments. This isn't Ripley from Alien. Not by a longshot. The movie breaks the mold by painting her as a sensitive, scared human being, with the screenplay going to great lengths to hammer that home with a rather weepie backstory that seems distractingly at odds with the cold, sterile nature of the journey we're on. It would have been far more affecting had we known absolutely nothing about her, letting Bullock fill in all the blanks with the performance. That they return to this personal detail multiple times, occasionally during some of the most suspenseful sequences, is a head-scratcher. That this creative blunder hasn't gotten much attention can be chalked up to how much is done right in depicting her fight for survival. This really kicks in when Stone boards the space station and must formulate a plan.

The space station scenes are not only extraordinary for their technical detail (the likes of which really haven't been seen since 2001) and sound, but the nailbiting resulting from Stone battling the elements and the clock. The phrase "It has to be seen in 3D" seems especially applicable, and anyone unconvinced need only watch the embarrassingly awful trailers that come before this film, in which the sloppily executed technology literally adds nothing to the experience other than some murkiness and a potential migraine. Short of putting audiences in a zero gravity simulator, Cuarón seamlessly replicates the feeling of floating in space alongside Dr. Stone. A particular highlight is first person POV shots where can actually see the display screens and reflections through her helmet.

If Bullock's somewhat unfairly maligned Oscar-winning role in The Blind Side fit comfortably into her wheelhouse and played to all her perceived strengths as a performer, this represents as far a departure from that as possible. Maybe the first time we've been asked to take her dead seriously in a super-challenging dramatic role, minus the fluffy baggage that usually accompanies her name as a headliner. The role is also surprisingly physical, dispelling myths that effects-heavy films don't require as much from the actor, as her character unmistakably takes an emotional and physical beating for nearly the entire picture. In one memorable scene, it's plainly obvious the commitment Bullock made to getting into the best physical shape possible for what ends up being a surprisingly grueling part. That's not to sell short the contribution of Clooney, which is greater than it's gotten credit for. As the clear-headed voice of reason and diplomacy early on, he's a perfect counter to her, valuably explaining away leaps of logic in the script we wouldn't believe coming from another, less credible actor. He's also very funny, providing the few moments of levity in a perilous situation.   

If there's any flaw in the depiction of Ryan Stone, it should be attributed to Cuarón, who unwisely leans too heavily on the character emoting (whining?) about how scared she is and that no one will miss her if she's gone. While it may all be true, it should have been implied rather than flat-out stated, and he should have trusted Bullock to convey that personal history without words, just as she does everything else. I was secretly kind of hoping for the approach that was taken with Jessica Chastain's Maya in Zero Dark Thirty, in which the heroine's portrayed as an emotionless machine who doesn't crack until that final cathartic scene. Because the movie waited so long and earned that moment, it's silently devastating. There's none of that here, as it's all emoting all the time with Stone. She's definitely not a strong, competent character which isn't a flaw as much as a creative choice that will play better for some than others. Still, it's inescapable to not point out that the movie is telling us how to feel through this character when a more restrained approach was probably called for. There's no room for sentimentality in a story like this.   

Even as suspenseful and well-paced as Gravity is, there was never any doubt how it would finish. And I'm not sure it's the right ending, given how the rest of the picture prides itself on pinpoint accuracy and technical mastery. By the third act, events definitely take a detour into "Movieland," which should give you an idea how things wrap up. Certain films just scream out for, if not necessarily nihilistic endings, ones that are at least open for interpretation or discussion. This clearly should have been one of those, but Cuarón takes the easy way out, preventing the film from being all it could. Given the commitment to stark realism in every other department of this production, it's tough to justify his decision.

If nothing else, this represents a big step forward for 3D, even if remains to be seen what will be left of the story on the small screen without the benefit of the quick high this presentation provides. If it "needs" to be seen in 3D it'll also be interesting to watch how many movies will try to piggy back on its success and attempt to cash in, much like we witnessed in Avatar's wake. A major technical accomplishment any way you look at it, Gravity raises the question as to how much a film should be judged by its quality versus the actual experience of watching it. It's not all it could be, but it's undeniably a smart entry into the genre that deserves to be seen and admired for the many things it gets right.                             

The Ides of March

Director: George Clooney
Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood
Running Time: 101 min.
Rating: R

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)
 
Is there any better casting than George Clooney playing a liberal Presidential candidate? If the actor ran right now he'd probably win and you'd have problems convincing me he'd be any worse a choice than the other available options. Having also wrote and directed the timely political thriller The Ides of March, he knew the right role to give himself. As expected, he smoothly plays Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris like it's effortless. But the film's not about him. At least not completely. It's about his press secretary Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling), who starts off as an idealist and ends up as someone else entirely. We kind of know that's where we're going but the real thrill is in how Clooney's airtight script and precise direction masterfully turn the screws to take us there. It's a step-by-step examination of how someone becomes corrupted and why our political system is so broken. It's a stretch, but not unrealistic, and I believed if something like this were to go down, this is how it would and these are the kind of bad decisions people make that allow it to happen.

Two such decisions send the story spiraling out of control and they're easy to justify because the characters making them are smart. The first starts with Gosling's Stephen receiving a phone call from rival Presidential campaign manager Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) trying to woo him over to their side. And for good reason. He's the best. It's a tempting offer since Morris' Presidential campaign is struggling and they're about to lose Ohio. An Obama-like idealist to his core (or so it seems at first), Morris refuses to compromise his beliefs to get elected, which makes one wonder how he got into politics at all. Topping the list is his refusal to court the potentially election-clinching endorsement of Sen. Thompson (Jeffrey Wright), which does come at a price. Stephen's on a sinking ship and knows it but his loyalty to Morris and senior campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) won't let him jump. But the opposition's interest in him is undeniably flattering, resulting in a fleeting moment of weakness that has disastrous consequences.

The second mistake involves a young, connected intern named Molly (Evan Rachel Wood) with whom Stephen becomes romantically involved. Only that's not the mistake. It's unwise, but the real mistake is hers. And it's a doozy. From there, the plot, with all its twists and turns, unravels and a reporter (Marisa Tomei) threatens to bust it wide open in a welcome return to the days in movies where journalists wielded considerable power. At one point Giamatti's character states that the problem with Democrats is their refusal to be like Republicans. They won't get down in the dirt and sling mud. But corruption crosses party lines.

A while back Clooney revealed his 100 favorite movies and now he's directed one that's an interesting companion piece to that list, recalling similarly themed political/conspiracy thrillers of the '70's like The Parallax View and All The President's Men. It's not surprising a smart, engaging film for adults would underperform at the box office right now, but that critics would use it as a punching bag is, with more than a few disparagingly referring to it as a glorified TV movie. I don't get that at all, even if it may be more a compliment considering the healthy creative state of television these days. It could be because it covers a topic that's often explored on the small screen or that the revelations in the film aren't shocking per se (though one did blow me out of my seat), but instead meticulously constructed and executed, like a chess game with its pieces moving across the board. And all the players are perfectly utilized.

Given the banner year each had it's no surprise Gosling facing off against Clooney on screen yielded such successful results, making Gosling worthy of competing against himself for a Best Actor Oscar if that were allowable (and now I'm thinking it should). In a way what he does here is similar but completely different to his more muted, intense performance in Drive in that he's playing a cool, calculated character suddenly rattled threatened by circumstances exceeding his grasp. It's a difficult role, but he expertly sells the tricky transformation from idealist to cynic. Giamatti and Hoffman are two of our finest contemporary actors, but they could have easily been marginalized in an ensemble like this. Neither are, with each at the top of their games making essential supporting contributions on which the entire foundation of the story rests. Evan Rachel Wood is tragically tremendous as the doomed intern in way over her head.     

I'll admit to laughing a little when Clooney's script (adapted from Beau Willimon's 2008 play Farragut North) was nominated for Best Adapted screenplay thinking it was just another way for the Academy to pat their favorite movie star on the back. But he deserves the praise, streamlining a complicated narrative into a clean, concise cinematic experience free of any excess fat. Technically speaking, it's perfect. Consider it the Michael Clayton of political thrillers, right down to its chilling final image. If that film marked the turning point for Clooney as an actor then this is his as a director, easily surpassing all his three previous efforts behind the camera which were solid, but dry. There's nothing dry or slight about this. Here's a movie with something important to say. The political system may be broken but those engulfed in it should look no further than the mirror to determine what's most in need of fixing.

Dennis Has a Podcast: Oscars Recap and The Artist

Once again I join Dennis on Dennis Has a Podcast to discuss a wide variety of film topics such as our reaction to the Oscar telecast, how previous Oscar winners have held up over time, The Artist, George Clooney, Alexander Payne, Adam Sandler's career choices, upcoming 2012 releases and why you never seem to see a "Best of" list from me at the end of the year. As always, it was a lot of fun.

Listen here (54:41)

 ...And don't forget to check out previous DHAP episodes on itunes.

Dennis Has a Podcast: Jeremy The Critic (2012 Oscar Preview)

My good friend Dennis of Dennis Has a Podcast was kind enough to invite me on as his guest to preview the 2012 Oscars airing this Sunday. This marked my first podcast guest appearance in over three years and it was a blast. We talked predictions, snubs, potential surprises and even found time for Kevin Costner.

Listen here (50:33)

....And be sure to check out Dennis' blog where you can catch up on fantastic previous episodes covering everything from sports and comedy to politics. You can also follow him on Twitter (@dmoneymania) and Tumblr (dennishasapodcast.tumblr.com)

The Descendants

Director: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster, Nick Krause, Amara Miller 
Running Time: 115 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

It's rare to see a movie as informed by its setting as Alexander Payne's The Descendants. Watching, you get the impression the story couldn't have taken place at all if it didn't take place in Hawaii. The characters wouldn't feel what they feel, do what they do and the entire mood, atmosphere and pacing would seem off. The Hawaii we're presented with here isn't one we've been made aware of before, at least in movies. The opening voiceover even let's us know that much. It's more depressing than exotic, so unlike the vacation destination we've seen on postcards that it doesn't even register as the same place. If only Hawaiian locals only went to the beach all day, rode waves and had drinks with little umbrellas in them like we we've been told they do for years. This is the first time it hasn't been depicted as pure paradise and in doing so Payne fittingly humanizes this film's setting as much his characters, showing real flaws and imperfections that somehow lead to a greater appreciation of both.

While people who live in paradise still have problems, they're hopefully not as big as the ones plaguing real estate lawyer Matt King, played by George Clooney in a dialed down performance sure to net him another Oscar nomination. With his wife Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie) laying in a coma after a boating accident, the wealthy lawyer has been entrusted to a large, lucrative piece of land passed down from his ancestors. With the state and his family waiting on pins and needles he must decide as sole trustee whether the family should sell to cash in or hold on to the property. Coming off the bench as the "back-up parent" he has to deal with his two daughters. 10-year-old foul-mouthed Scottie (Amara Miller) is acting out at school and at home while her angry, rebellious 17-year-old sister Alex (Shailene Woodley) returns from boarding school, giving Matt the shocking news that their mom was cheating on him.

Moving at a methodical, appropriately laid-back pace for most of its running time the story really starts finding its rhythm when the big revelation about Elizabeth's infidelity arrives. That's the turning point. From then on the story takes some twists and turns with the land sale figuring into the personal story in a way that's unanticipated without feeling forced. What's interesting is that despite being on life support in a hospital bed the entire and never even being seen in flashback the narrative forces the viewer to form strong feelings about Elizabeth as we watch those closest to her react to the news of her betrayal. It wouldn't be off base to say that the more we learn about her the less we like, to the point I could honestly say I hated her. That's a strange declaration to make when the offender in question is already laying in a coma but that feeling seems to be exactly what Payne is going for since the characters struggle with that as well. Matt is in shock, plagued by the insatiable urge to track down the man she was cheating with, a sleazy island realtor named Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard, a long way from Scream). Or rather it's assumed he's sleazy from a single fact and it's kind of funny how it seems we know everything about him before the actual introduction, or want to believe we do.

The quest to find Speer turns the movie into a road trip with Matt, Scottie, Alex and her dim-witted boyfriend Sid (Nick Krause), who shoots off wildly inappropriate comments at the worst moments. They have to contend with Matt's grumpy father-in-law Scott (Robert Forster) who blames him for his daughter's accident just as he faces increasing pressure from cousin Hugh (Beau Bridges) and his extended family about the land sale.  Anticipation builds for the family's eventual encounter with Speer, a meeting that somehow surpasses expectations. That's when things really get crazy. And I haven't given anything away. It all could have easily played like a soap opera (which it kind of is) but there's a brutal honesty and truthfulness to the scenes that keep it from going into shallow territory. It's a thin line to walk but Payne never crosses it, nor do his actors.

Sad and weary-eyed, wearing old man khakis and flowery shirts, Clooney downplays the movie star charisma he's famous for, just as he did in last year's The American. As a parent completely defeated by life, he brings a depressed vulnerability and hangdog physical presence to Matt we're not used to seeing from the actor. If it's not his best performance, it's sure way up there and will easily net him another Oscar nomination. And if he wins I can't say I'd have a problem with it. For all the jokes about his popularity and "Mr. Hollywood" persona these past few years, he's been taking on more meaningful projects and pushing himself in different directions as an actor, refusing to ever take the quick payday when he very easily could.

If Clooney does win, he can probably give cut the statue at its waist and give half to Shailene Woodley, who rises to the near impossible task of making us not only understand Alex, but see how her actions could actually be justified under the circumstances. Saddled with the film's most emotional scenes, she slowly peels the layers away to reveal Alex is far from just the spoiled brat we'd assume from her initial introduction. Equally strong and vulnerable, she gives a beyond her years performance that never tells the audience what to think or feel and seems in perfect harmony with the script. That she's only been known until now for starring in ABC Family's The Secret Life of The American Teenager, of all things, stands as proof that undiscovered talent can come from anywhere at any time, and all it takes is one performance in the right project.

Lillard's cheating Brian Speer doesn't build up as much disdain as comatose Elizabeth, at least until we meet his wife. Then viewers will want to wring his neck. That's because she's played by Judy Greer. Unarguably the most underrated, instantly recognizable actress working today, she's finally freed here from the shackles of the "best friend" in romantic comedies as she steps up to the plate in a third act dramatic role that isn't necessarily any larger than those those, but ten times more complex. It's difficult to get into without spoilers but you can argue the story doesn't fully register until Greer arrives, going toe-to-toe with Clooney and turning what could have been a cliche of the scorned wife into the character I walked away caring what happened to most. Here's hoping this part helps break her through into the leading lady ranks where she's belonged for a long time.  I'd say I wished the entire movie were about her, but it in many ways it actually is. Or rather it's about how sometimes a life situation gets so bad you're left with no choice but to let go, rather than risk the anger completely consuming and destroying you.

It's becoming increasingly difficult going into a movie knowing it's a big awards contender and hearing about Oscars even before seeing the results on screen. While the problem should be that it puts more pressure on the film and sets unreasonable expectations I instead frustratingly find that the opposite is true. These movies almost seem to have an unfair advantage from the start since it's common knowledge that the best films are usually reserved for the final two months of the year. This makes it easier for the movie but a bigger challenge for the critic who has to throw out all that other information out the window strengths and weaknesses.

The Descendants isn't perfect, but it's close. Coming from someone who thinks voiceovers often get a bad rap, I still have done without Clooney's over-explanantory narration since it just doesn't point out anything we can't see for ourselves. Also, a noble attempt to develop the Sid character doesn't seem to register like it should. This is the first film to use exclusively authentic Hawaiian music in lieu of a traditional movie score and it makes a big difference in terms of conveying mood and atmosphere, even if there's this small part of me that wanted one huge music moment. For some reason it seemed like a classic Cat Stevens song would have fit in perfectly. It's just that kind of movie.

It's still unclear how it ranks against Payne's previous efforts like Sideways, Election and About Schmidt but it already feels weightier than those and more substantial. There's something about it's style and approach that stays with you even though the story, with a few surprise exceptions, is fairly universal and basic. Given it's been 7 years since his last film, it's a credit to how skilled he is at telling human, truthful stories that the wait felt even longer than that. In a way this is my favorite type of film: an intimate writer-driven piece interested in exploring real people dealing with actual problems. It sounds like a cliche, but in the right hands it can be the most satisfying form of entertainment because it tends to stick around after you've left the theater. It's easy to see what all the fuss is about since The Descendants is the kind of intelligent adult drama that's increasingly hard to come by.
     

The American

Director: Anton Corbijn
Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli, Irena Bjorklund, Johan Leysen
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

There's bound to be some exaggeration in terms of just how little happens plot-wise in the anti-thriller The American. But yes, not a lot happens and what does is mostly meant to be inferred by viewers, many of whom would say the "action" is limited to George Clooney drinking coffee, loading a gun, doing push-ups, sleeping with a hooker and staring solemnly. And they wouldn't be completely wrong. You could throw around words like "boring," "dull," and "slow" all day long but fairer, far more accurate descriptions would be "measured" "methodical" and "deliberate." The 1960's/70's Steve McQueen inspired retro-style poster hinted at this, but anyone expecting a Jason Bourne-style action adventure from the commercials will find themselves watching what more closely resembles a European art house film.

I couldn't help but laugh to myself in the darkened theater knowing that when the lights came up the complaining and cursing would begin from those who felt tricked by savvy mis-marketing into making this the number one movie in America. Had this been released thirty years ago it still would have been the number one movie in the country with the key difference being a far warmer audience reaction and probably a few Oscar nominations. But it wasn't. It's being released NOW, posing the very interesting question of just how much art we want in our entertainment and vice versa. That this effort legitimately feels like the genuine article and not just some self-indulgent tribute only adds more fire to that debate. While I can appreciate complaints of its painfully slow pace, I found it's lack of plot refreshing because this is exactly the kind of film Hollywood always manages to screw up with way too much of one. If this is a failure (which it isn't by the way) let's at least just admit it's the kind of intelligent failure all involved should be applauded for attempting, especially Clooney, who makes a brave choice in picking a project he had to know would alienate much of his fan base. It was a huge risk for him to tackle this but in doing so conclusively proves he's a talented actor fully committed to his craft.

Without much of a plot to speak of, what there is of one concerns hitman and weapons expert "Jack" or "Edward" (Clooney) depending on what alias he feels like going by that day. After narrowly surviving a messy sniper attack in Sweden, Jack/Edward is ordered by his boss Pavel (Johan Leysen) to inconspicuously settle in small Italian village and not make any friends while awaiting his next assignment. Said assignment is constructing a hire-powered silencer for a female assassin named Mathilde (Thekla Reuten), but he's pestered by local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and begins to fall in love with Clara (Violante Placido), a beautiful but potentially untrustworthy prostitute in the village's run-down bordello. Yet the film is about none of those things, which comes as a relief because if it was this would be just another routine hitman thriller. Instead, it's a character study and mood piece more interested in letting us fill in the blanks. None of those details mentioned above are ever explicitly stated during the picture and there isn't much in the way of dialogue. There are exactly three action scenes, two of which occur in the film's first and final ten minutes. We're left to figure out everything by carefully observing Jack/Edward.

The entire film is projected on Clooney's face. From him it can be gauged that this is really a redemptive story of a man who was once very good at what he did but lost his touch and is having a subtle attack of conscience. Now he wants out. The question is whether it's too late and at what price. It's rare for a lead actor to be asked to do as much with body language and facial expressions as Clooney does here, but he's up for it, responding with one of his quietest, most absorbing performances yet. Becoming a pro at portraying weathered, middle-age characters at a crossroads, he lifts pensive brooding to an art form. I never thought much of Clooney's work over the years but in the past couple he's really turned the corner to the point where I'm just about ready to sign up as a card carrying member of his fan club. He's an example of what can happen when an actor dedicates themselves to making smart, challenging choices that play to (or in this case maybe against) their strengths as a performer. In his filmography this should fit somewhere between Syriana and Michael Clayton in terms of genre but it isn't needlessly complicated like the former, and while it does share some of the same throwback thriller qualities as the latter (and also has a sensational final scene), it's more cerebral than suspenseful.

Even if I'm unintentionally making it sound like I loved the movie, I didn't. It could have been tighter, although as slow as it is at 105 minutes I was strangely never bored or felt it dragged. That's probably because the scenery is so nice to look at and it's tonally on target, but at the same time it's important to not overpraise former music video director Anton Corbijn for basically using beautiful photography, an impressive score and topless women to distract us from the fact that the plot is irrelevant, if not worthless. Still at the same time it's an interesting change to to be freed from those conventional constraints, earning him points for delivering something so completely unlike what's usually out there. This experiment makes a strong case for how moviegoers can save themselves a lot of aggravation by spending five seconds checking the internet movie database for info to avoid being manipulated by false advertising, a justified tactic considering no one would have seen it otherwise. The picture itself is such a slow burn that it unsurprisingly takes a while to absorb and settle in the mind, so it's more than possible it experiences a resurgence down the road as the point where Clooney the actor officially surpassed Clooney the movie star. The more you consider it, the more depth it has, the more sense it makes and the harder it becomes to shake. It's not for everyone, but The American succeeds at leaving a haunting, indelible impression.

Up in the Air

Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott, Zach Galifianakis
Running Time: 109 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ 1/2 (out of ★★★★)

And so the streak continues for George Clooney. After years of the media bending over backwards to push him as the the savior of American movies when his acting work didn't support that inflated claim, he's only recently turned a corner to prove himself somewhat worthy of the hype. It started with Michael Clayton in 2007, continuing shortly thereafter with Leatherheads and Burn After Reading. While each film resulted in varying degrees of success, they were smart, interesting choices that revealed further dimensions to him as an actor. His latest role in Jason Reitman's Up in the Air is as perfect a fit for him and his acting style as we've seen mainly because of how the material plays to all his strengths. For three quarters of the film it presents a lot of big, timely ideas but does so in a mostly black and white manner, glazing over the surface of what could be a deeper story. Then comes that ending.

Much of the way through Reitman handles a sensitive subject with intelligence, but also kid gloves, avoiding any shades of gray or pushing uncomfortable buttons that would compromise its mainstream appeal. Then come the final 15 minutes in which all of my complaints are addressed and the events that occur call into question the real purpose of everything that came before. In other words, Reitman takes those gloves off and only the most cynical of audience members need apply. All the accolades and likely awards the film will receive are almost exclusively earned in its final act. I appreciated the rare display of brutal honesty, as at odds as it is with the rest of the picture.

Clooney is Ryan Bingham, a "career transition counselor" who makes his living firing people for companies whose bosses don't want to do it themselves. Racking up as many frequent flier miles as he can in his quest to reach 10 million, he leads a life free of personal connections and relationships. In his successful motivational lectures across the country, he urges others to do the same and "empty their backpacks" of all people and things weighing them down. But when Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) a spunky 23 year-old hotshot fresh out of Cornell arrives on the scene, Ryan's boss (well played by Jason Bateman) takes to her brilliant new idea of laying people off via teleconferencing, a method Ryan believes is not only cold and impersonal, but belittles his achievements. Before he's taken off the road though he has to show Natalie the ropes and contend with his growing feelings for a woman named Alex (Vera Farmiga), another frequent flier, and maybe the only person who truly understands his transient existence and can tolerate his narcissism.

According to Ryan, the ability to lay someone off effectively goes beyond being just a skill. It's a very delicate art. And as depressing and difficult as it is to watch the many firings that take place in a variety of different scenarios (some in which real laid off workers are used), these are the most fascinating scenes in the film because they prove him right. Studies have shown being fired ranks right up there with losing a family member on the stress scale, which makes sense. If you've ever talked to someone who had to do the firing you'll notice they still have a look on their faces like they committed murder. He has an incredibly specific technique down for handling the situation in such a way as to absolve the company of any guilt while creating the illusion for these people that their lives aren't completely destroyed.

Ryan is an expert at laying people off in a condescending way without the condescension. This is in stark contrast to Natalie who attempts to implement Ryan's techniques but lacks the confidence and experience to pull it off, coming across instead as cold and robotic. When Ryan tells these people that great leaders sat in their position at one point you're tempted to believe him not only because he puts on a good show but because the facts actually back him up on it. None of these layoffs are presented in a cookie-cutter way as a lot of these scenes really are brutal, but in depicting Ryan's personal plight the script doesn't cut quite as deep, at times feeding us a rather simplistic message that someone's life is worthless without a spouse and kids to share it with. Such a broad generalization is almost as condescending as the firings taking place over the course of the film, but luckily, Reitman and co-writer Sheldon Turner's script (adapted from Walter Kirn's 2001 novel) proves to have more depth than that.

That Ryan is supposed to painted as a first-class jerk is a bit of a problem as well since, as played by Clooney, he comes across as a pretty cool guy and the carefree lifestyle he leads is depicted (unintentionally?) as being a lot of fun. The parallel between character and performer works to his favor here like it never has before, possibly at the slight expense of the film. From him, arrogance comes off instead as admirable bravado and this role would definitely fall more on the "movie star" than "actor" side of the spectrum, which is fine. He's called upon to do more at the end. It's ironic that the movie never explores the idea that Ryan's lack of connecting ties in his life could be what's making him so effective at this particular job. He's compassionate, but is able to keep a reasonable enough distance to not crack when firing someone. Relative newcomer Anna Kendrick is excellent as Natalie, the ambitious young underling learning the ropes from a pro and their working relationship evolves interestingly in that they have a lot to take from each other. Ryan can't seem to connect emotionally with anyone on any level while Natalie, as career-driven as she is, is too emotional in her personal life and it starts to spill over. It's a tightrope walk, but Kendrick aces it.

As the love interest, Vera Farmiga is less successful than Kendrick in developing a three-dimensional character mainly because she's given less to work with in terms of screen time, at least until the movie's shocking turn of events in the final minutes. She's fine in the role, but I can't help thinking her turn has been slightly overpraised just because everyone is desperate to see her land a great part after doing so much work that's flown under the radar for the past couple of years. This isn't that part. Nevertheless, she brings the right amount of class and intelligence to Alex and shares great chemistry with Clooney.

It isn't until Ryan comes home to Milwaukee for the wedding of his sister (Melanie Lynskey) and fiancee (Danny McBride) that the script starts to cash in on all the ideas it laid on the table. There's a point where the story is sure to be headed toward the most predictable destination possible, but then takes a sharp, unpredictable turn. Without giving away too much, Reitman had a choice in presenting things the way they would end in a movie or how they would REALLY end. He very wisely went for the latter and it changes the complexity of the entire story. This is one of those rare cases where the final minutes do really cause you to reevaluate everything. How? That'll largely depend on perspective, but the movie's message becomes muddled in a good way and is far from being as simplistic as I had it pegged it at the start. Forget about traveling. This ending is so depressing and painfully realistic it's more likely to have audiences wanting to jump off a plane than fly in one. It also enables Clooney the welcome opportunity to do some heavy lifting in the acting department. His natural charm and charisma may carry most of this, but at the end we're reminded how effective he also is when the material pushes him to do more.

This is about as slickly packaged a piece of mainstream, Oscar-friendly entertainment as you can expect at this time of year, directed by a filmmaker who lately seems to have had that market cornered lately with Thank You for Smoking and Juno. It was a nice surprise to discover the film contained more of Smoking's bite than I thought it would, with enough depth that it could easily hold up to repeated viewings. While I'd hate to see it rewarded just on the basis of dealing with timely, hot-button issues, there's no denying the topics explored do really speak to where we are right now in terms of downsizing and how technology has in many ways made us more disconnected than ever. It's one thing to introduce relevant ideas, but another entirely to present them well in in an engaging story that leaves a lasting impression. Because of that, Up in the Air rises slightly above the safe, audience pleasing picture it appears to be on the surface.

Burn After Reading

Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, J.K. Simmons
Running Time: 96 min.
Rating: R

*** (Out of ****)

Burn After Reading is the rare film that’s truly about nothing. Fortunately, “nothing” can be pretty hilarious when it’s handled by the Coen Brothers. The movie is the equivalent of watching Tom Cruise’s cameo in Tropic Thunder for an hour and a half. Okay, maybe it’s not quite that funny, but it shares similarities in that the comedy comes out of the ridiculously absurd and involves big stars being able to laugh at themselves. From the get-go you’re not exactly sure where the film plans to take you and by the end you realize it took you nowhere at all. But it doesn’t matter because it’s a lot of fun getting there.

The Coens respond to the pressure of having to follow up their Best Picture Oscar win for No Country For Old Men by simply not responding at all, which was the best route to take. In many ways the film comes across as a big joke on critics and audiences who expected them to continue down the same thematically challenging road. There’s nothing challenging about this material in the slightest, and the film is only better for it. Instead, we find out that despite last year’s detour to the dark side the guys who brought us Raising Arizona, Fargo and The Big Lebowski have retained their quirky sense of humor and ability to get us to care about even the weirdest of characters. This will never be mistaken for those aforementioned films and wouldn't be considered among the Coens’ best, but I far prefer them when they’re working in this mode so it’s reassuring to discover they haven’t lost their touch.
The film’s convoluted and often intersecting plot involves alcoholic C.I.A. agent Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) who quits the agency after being informed of his impending demotion. But that’s not even the worst part. He now must come home and break the news to his bitchy, ice queen wife, Katie (Tilda Swinton) who’s having an emotionless affair with ex-secret service agent Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), a serial womanizer who prowls the internet for dates while contemplating a divorce from his wife. On one of those dating sites he meets "Hardbodies" gym employee Linda Lizke (Frances McDormand) who dreams of extensive plastic surgeries she hopes will transform her appearance. Her big break seems to come when along with her airhead co-worker Chad Feldenheimer (Brad Pitt) she discovers a copy of Osborn’s unpublished C.I.A. memoirs and attempts to blackmail him. Needless to say, things don’t go as planned and the situation gets very messy for every party involved, whether they know they’re involved or not.

It’s almost become a cliché to say that when a well known actor tackles an against type role that we’re seeing them “like we’ve never seen them before.” Except in the case of Pitt and Clooney in this film it’s true. You’ve really never seen them like this and the results are hilarious. Decked out in a goofy spandex outfit and pompadour haircut Pitt channels a far too energetic fitness instructor so well it’s alarming. You don’t expect someone of Pitt’s stature to take a role like this, especially when he’s finally reached that point where he’s really being taken seriously as an actor. In way, that’s part of what makes it so fun. A lesser actor might have mistakenly kept the volume down fearing a descent into parody but Pitt realizes his job is to present a broad caricature and just has a blast with it. And I’m wondering why more people didn’t go as Chad Feldenheimer for Halloween. There’s always next year.

As strong as Pitt is, Clooney’s even better and the one memorable scene they share together is one of the most entertaining in the film. I’m not sure what’s happened with him over the past couple of years but it seems as if like he’s really turning the corner as an actor and taking more chances. With this and his underrated Leatherheads from earlier in the year he’s proving to have an unexpected knack for comedy. If pressed, I probably could have guessed he’d be able to accurately portray a womanizing sleaze ball, but I had no idea he’d be able to make him this funny…and clueless. Just look at the look of pride on his face when he unveils the mysterious contraption he’s been building for weeks in his basement. We think it has something to do with the plot but by now we really should know better. He has another memorable moment in the park, flipping out in full panic mode when he thinks a massive conspiracy is closing in on him. I'd even go as far as to say his work here is nomination worthy. That the material is essentially pointless doesn't make what he had to do any less difficult. I'd argue that just made it harder.
Harry is beyond pathetic yet Clooney somehow finds a way to make the guy seem both creepy and enduringly likable. A similar statement could be made for nearly all of the film’s characters because as ridiculous as their actions seem they do strangely feel rooted in a recognizable reality. This is especially true of Linda, who has a sadness to her that never comes off as pathetic in McDormand’s capable hands. We’re not only rooting for her but feel for the gym manager (played by Richard Jenkins) who can’t get her to notice him or, more importantly, notice her own hidden potential. Jenkins plays the situation as straight as he played the one in The Visitor and you can read the desperation and exhaustion on his face in trying to get through to this woman. It’s a lost cause, but he can’t help it. Malkovich is as weird as ever, with it stepped up a few notches since it’s a Coen brothers movie. The further the story gets the further off the deep end he goes.

There’s little plot to discuss not because there isn’t one (there’s enough for five movies) but because it’s largely irrelevant. The movie is the performances and the characters react to the crazy situation they’re in exactly how stupid or desperate people would. It’s hard to fault the film for not amounting to anything when it openly admits that that’s the entire point. Some of the funniest moments come when a C.I.A. agent (David Rasche) must report and actually attempt to explain the bizarre goings on to his superior (J.K. Simmons). It’s then when we finally realize just how little sense the entire thing makes and how only Joel and Ethan Coen could have possibly come up with it.

In tone, Burn After Reading falls into some kind of grey area between Fargo and the somewhat underrated and misunderstood Intolerable Cruelty, although it’s probably a lot closer to the latter. I didn’t enjoy No Country For Old Men a much as everyone else (are we even supposed to "enjoy" it?) but respected it greatly and will concede that there are very few if any directors working today capable of having two films so wildly different on their resumes. There’s something to be said for range and the Coens have it in spades. When the film concludes in asking what we’ve learned and the answer is of course nothing, that actually comes as a surprisingly huge relief.

Leatherheads

Director: George Clooney
Starring: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce
Running Time: 114 min.
Rating: PG-13

*** (out of ****)

Two steps forward, one step back. That seems to be the best way to describe the movie career of George Clooney. Last year he delivered what I thought was thus far his only significant contribution to cinema with his Oscar nominated role in Michael Clayton, a film that just gets better in my mind the more I think about it. If Daniel Day-Lewis weren’t in the race he would’ve won and even said so himself. He was right though.

When his latest directorial effort, the screwball comedy, Leatherheads, focusing on the infancy of pro football in the 1920’s, bowed to the sound of one hand clapping this past spring, the mainstream media predictably reacted to its failure as if it were the arrival of the apocalypse. They all but took it personally. But the fact is Clooney has always been, to put it nicely, overvalued as an actor. The man anointed not too long ago by Time Magazine as “The Last Movie Star” has had more misses than hits and has struggled in his film choices to live up to the reputation his name carries. Even his first two outings behind the camera, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night and Good Luck were solid, if unremarkable endeavors and I pretty much went in to Leatherheads expecting to hate it.

Much to my surprise, the film is a really admirable attempt to resurrect a long dormant genre and while the results it yields are mixed, they’re mostly positive. More surprisingly, Clooney’s direction is excellent and his performance even better. Given the film’s paper-thin premise, he takes this further than it can reasonably go, despite working with a rather formulaic script. This is one of those movies that breezes along reasonably for close to 2 hours and holds your interest but won’t to do a whole lot more than that. But it’s a good effort and Clooney should be commended for using his stroke to get something made that’s completely different from what’s usually out there. Hollywood throwback films may be becoming his specialty but it’s a good fit for him. It isn’t hard to see how something this retro flopped, but it’s also easy to understand how some may enjoy it as a fresh alternative.
Clooney is aging professional football player Dodge Connelly, captain of the struggling Duluth Bulldogs in the 1920’s. In a last ditch effort to save the team and the unsuccessful football league in general, Dodge entices sports promoter C.C. Frazier (Jonathan Pryce) with the idea of recruiting college football star and decorated war hero Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski). It turns out to be a wise move as Carter’s All-American good looks, stories of war heroism and unparallel speed on the field make him a fan favorite who brings respect and prestige to the Bulldogs. Pro football, previously a sport frowned upon and laughed at is now filling bleachers and making front-page headlines thanks to Carter. Along for the ride is Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger), a journalist who’s been hired to uncover the real truth behind his supposed World War II exploits and soon finds herself torn between her feelings for him and Dodge as both battle to win her affections.

The best thing this film has going for it is the presence of Clooney, both as director and lead. He gives a charming, self-deprecating performance and he and Zellweger engage in some real first class Tracy/Hepburn style verbal jousting. This kind of quick-witted dialogue is very difficult to pull off effectively and while I wasn’t rolling on the floor laughing, I did have a smile on my face most of the way and giggled at most of the punch lines, more than a few hammered home with a priceless Clooney facial expression. His timing was excellent, making me wonder why he doesn’t do more comedies, although he'd find few roles that are as up his alley as this. More jokes work than don’t, which is no small feat given the kind of screwball comic arena they’re working in.

This is also the first time I can remember where I was actually laughing with Clooney rather than at him and he seemed in on the joke. Of course, he’s too old for the role but that’s the whole point of the story and to his credit Clooney makes many jokes poking fun at not only his age, but also his reputation as a womanizer. If anything, he almost goes too far as I began to lose count of how many times his character was referred to as an “old man.” On paper this project would look to be yet another self-indulgent vanity project for the star (not unlike Ocean’s 13) but he instead proves he wasn’t afraid to make a fool of himself, and the film is all the better for it.

I’ve all but given up trying to figure out what’s happened to Renee Zellweger’s career (not to mention her physical appearance) a while ago. Its so perplexing books could probably be written on the topic but she really ends up delivering here. It's possible another actress could have been a better fit for Lexie Littleton and maybe even given a better performance, but there’s no way they would have shared the same spunky chemistry with Clooney that she does. She’s still got it and if she ever decided to get her act together it’s possible for her to be a force again as an actress, if she wants it. After a dreadful outing in last year’s License To Wed, John Krasinki is given a much more to work with and fans of his work on the small screen will be pleased to discover some of his likeability carries over this time. Clooney gets a lot out of him and the three actors work seamlessly together.

When the film reached it's end and I sat down to write the review I was ready to bash it. Only I realized there really isn’t anything to bash. You wouldn’t miss a thing if you skipped out but for what it’s trying to do it doesn’t make too many missteps. Moreover, this isn’t just a group of modern-day actors shamelessly attempting to recreate a bygone era. It’s clear right away from that old-fashioned Universal logo and credit sequence that Clooney came to play.

Besides being beautifully shot, the movie feels like it was made in the 1940’s and directed by someone with more on his mind than just lovingly paying homage. It’s the real deal and if we were giving points for authenticity this would score very high marks across the board. Sports Illustrated columnists Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly (with uncredited help from Clooney) wrote the script loosely based on the career of Johnny “Blood” McNally, an NFL hall of famer who helped save the league in the 1920’s and provided their inspiration for the Dodge character. It feels like a true story and I’m guessing Clooney’s writing contributions were large, given how much of a disaster this could have turned out to be.

It contains some interesting ideas like football’s evolution from sport into corporate-run business and the growing influence of the media in shaping our perception of heroes, but the film is too light and fluffy to dig deeply into those issues. This isn’t thought provoking stuff and it won’t give you a new appreciation for the time period, but that’s fine considering the light, fluffy tone. Clooney stages the actual football scenes well and it definitely has one of the muddiest finales you’ve seen in a film recently. There’s also a clever trick in the big game that I can pretty much guarantee can’t be pulled off in Madden NFL ’09.
Believe me I really tried to dislike the film but just couldn’t, despite the fact that there’s a reason these movies aren’t made anymore and a lot of the old-fashioned screwball humor will fly over people’s heads. I’m not a fan of that kind of comedy in general nor the films this is paying homage to, but can appreciate the work that was put into its authenticity. It does feel like he’s paying an affectionate tribute rather than shoving something we don’t want down our throats and his intentions seem pure, as much as it pains me to admit it. I’ll leave up to you to decide whether we need to be “educated” on these kinds of films (or what it says about us that we might) but the important thing was that I didn’t feel like I was getting a cinematic history lesson. It was fun. I definitely don’t long for the good ‘ol days when theses types of movies were playing on screens across country, but found it to be a fun diversion for a one-time experience. This isn’t for everyone and those involved in the making of it probably didn't care, which you have to respect.

Clooney has been endlessly (and somewhat nauseatingly) compared to screen icons like Carey Grant and Clark Gable but with this and Michael Clayton he’s finally started to show some signs that there may actually be a little something to that. For the first time in a while I’m actually not groaning and rolling my eyes back into my head at just the announcement of his latest project. This was the perfect part for him and a promising sign he’s starting to make more interesting choices as an actor and filmmaker, choices that actually play on his strengths. With his first three directorial efforts he’s shown promise as a filmmaker and avoided most of the self-indulgent pitfalls that have trapped other actors who direct. He’s growing on me…a little. While it would be easy to write off Leatherheads as just another middling Clooney effort, it contains too much ingenuity and heart to be considered anything less than a minor creative success.

Ocean's Thirteen

Director: Steven Soderburgh
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, Elliot Gould, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck
Running Time: 122 min.
Rating: PG-13

**1/2 (out of ****)

If there's a common thread that links the Ocean's films it's that they all feel like they were more fun to make than watch. That's not to say they're not fun to watch because they are and Ocean's Thirteen, which is a marked improvement over the first sequel, is no exception. Still, I bet they had more fun making it. I just read a book, Rebels on the Backlot, that chronicles how six "maverick" directors stormed Hollywood and changed the face of the film industry. Those directors are Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, Paul Thomas Anderson, David O. Russell, Spike Jonze…and Steven Soderbergh. When I finished it I couldn't shake this nagging feeling that one of those names just didn't fit. I'll let you take a wild guess which one.

In recent years it seems no director has been less of a rebel or has gone more "Hollywood" than Soderbergh, foregoing his earlier risk taking projects to make movies like this. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that but there comes a point where enough is enough. I think we've reached that point with Soderbergh and while this Ocean's franchise may have been mildly enjoyable an overall aura surrounds them that Soderbergh has been wasting his considerable talent and should move on to something more ambitious. Not necessarily over-ambitious (like Traffic), but something with more substance.

Ocean's Thirteen is an enjoyable and entertaining flick that carries with it a "been there, done that" vibe it can't seem shake no matter how fun it is at times so I can't fully get behind it and give it a strong recommendation. Fans of the series will enjoy it though and for everybody else there is at least a bravura supporting performance from one of our greatest actors to keep you engaged.

The gang is all back again and the list of names is simply too long to get into, but as usual the major players are Danny Ocean (George Clooney), Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), and Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon). Part of me was hoping they'd just skip the formalities this time and call them George, Brad and Matt. It really doesn't make much of a difference. This time they're out to destroy the obnoxious and arrogant Willie Bank (Al Pacino) who screwed Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould) out of a partnership in his new Vegas casino, "The Bank," the stress of which sent him to the hospital with a heart attack.

The plan is for the group to $250 million dollars in diamonds, which is more difficult than ever considering Bank's casino has the most state of the art security system in history. It'll take time and money. They seem to have the former, but for the latter they go visit their old nemesis casino kingpin Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who has an ax to grind with Bank, but could also have some devious tricks up his sleeve.

After re-introducing the characters and introducing us to Bank the rest of the film, just like the rest, is spent exploring every single detail of the complicated heist. And also, like the previous two films, despite it being laughably implausible, it's undeniably fascinating to watch. For anyone who's ever been to Vegas or is intimately familiar with gambling it'll be even more fun. The movie is a procedural through and through, but the material is lifted to a slightly higher level because the actors look like they're having fun with the breezy, witty dialogue and Soderburgh has a great eye for visuals.

It does help when you have a great director behind the camera of a creatively modest picture like this one. If you didn't already want to go to Vegas (and who doesn't?), by the time this film's over you'll have probably booked yourself a flight. Upping the energy quotient is Pacino, who chews and spits out scenery as this prickly egomaniac. Without his commanding and oversized presence in that role we probably wouldn't care one way or another if the guys pulled this off and this popcorn movie would be even fluffier than it already is. As per the norm with the Ocean's movies, it ends exactly how you'd expect: With a whimper, not a bang.

The movie does have two sub-plots that were hilarious. One involves David Paymer as the V.U.P. staying at Bank's hotel, while the other follows Damon's character's attempts to seduce and manipulate Bank's assistant (played by Ellen Barkin) while donning a prosthetic nose. Outside of Barkin this is the first of the three films that doesn't seem to have much of a female presence at all as Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones decided to sit this final round out. I can't say I blame them. It would just be a paycheck role with no sustaining value to their career.

As funny as the interplay between Damon and Barkin is it's clear Barkin isn't given anything that resembles a character and was just thrown in so everyone can compliment her on what a "cougar" she is and how she looks so great for her age. Hollywood loves a comeback so Soderburgh probably made it a special point to cast her. After all, what are any of these Ocean's films except the self-congratulatory spectacle of Hollywood translated to the silver screen? If we walked around the soundstage with a camcorder we probably wouldn't see anything that isn't already onscreen and anyone who enjoys watching Clooney and Pitt (who's given ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do here) massage one another's egos for two hours will probably enjoy in this. Even if you don't you'll still probably find something else to enjoy because, admittedly, the whole thing is fluffy, but kind of fun.

There's a real old-fashioned "Rat Pack" feel to the picture that starts with the retro opening credit sequence and continues right until the finale. As I watched this I couldn't help but picture someone sitting next to me on the couch. He'd be about 70 years-old, in a suit, wearing a bowler hat and chomping on a cigar. When the film ends he turns to me and says, "That was SNAZZY!" That's what we're dealing with here. If you're into that kind of thing you'll have a great time. If you're like me and never really understood the appeal of these films you'll still be serviceably entertained. Anyone who skips this though isn't missing anything. It's the same as the rest, give or take a few plot points.

Soderburgh's had his fun and I do think it's kind of cool and endearing that a maverick indie director wanted to dabble in the mainstream Now it's time to move on and start making real movies again. I wouldn't include Out of Sight, The Limey or Solaris on any list of my favorite films but I at least respected the ambition and creative vision behind them. Ocean's Thirteen is fun, but ultimately very empty. If you've seen one, you've seen them all.