TICK, TICK...BOOM!

Andrew Garfield     Alexandra Shipp     Robin de Jesus     Vanessa Hudgens

Joshua Henry     Bradley Whitford     Jonathan Mark Sherman

 

Jonathan Larson, the creator of the hit musical “Rent” (which earned Pulitzer and Tony awards) is the subject of this film as he was writing one of its predecessors.  He is young—not yet 30—but wants to set the Broadway world on fire with his musicals.  He captures the interest of one who turned out to be his long-time mentor Stephen Sondheim (here played on note by Bradley Whitford), and one of the humorous segments of the film is Sondheim and a colleague critiquing one of Larson’s first musicals.  It’s funny because the colleague seems to want to trash it, but after Sondheim gives his opinion, the man agrees with him in a roundabout way.  (A wonderful rendition of doublespeak.)

Tick, Tick…Boom! canvasses a wide range of subjects—writer’s block, homophobia and the AIDS epidemic, the tension between art and corporate concerns, and on a more personal level the tension and pulls between professional life and human connections—all of which were highlights in Larson’s life. These subjects are the “meat” of the production.

I found the story more engaging than the music, especially in the beginning, which is frenetic and hyper in the partying mode.  At the middle point of the drama and towards the end, music and story become more inspirational.  The duet of Susan (Shipp), Larson’s neglected girlfriend and Karessa (Hudgens), one of Larson’s main characters/singers, sing about Jon’s struggle in writing the most important song in the work; it’s a stand-out, especially touching and beautiful.  I also found the songs of Larson and de Jesus at the end singing about AIDs just as beautiful and moving.

Andrew Garfield may not be the most appealing star of a musical, but his performance here proves his talent.  Shipps’ and Hudgens’ voices complement each other and express well the emotions their characters are experiencing.  The entire ensemble of musicians makes this musical vibrate.

Another strength of Tick, Tick…Boom! Is the cinematography of Alice Brooks.  She inserts a number of shots that are humorous and inspiring, such as that of Jon at his lowest encountering the “30” at the bottom of the pool (reminding him of his impending age) and swiping it into a treble clef, just what he needed for inspiration to write the most important song in his current production.  There are numerous creatively rendered shots that enhance this production 

Tick, Tick in the title refers to the ticking of time, that it is always there to remind us of the finiteness of life and relationships.  I think the film did a great job of reminding us of that and encouraging us to ponder it a bit.  And to emphasize the point, Jon’s agent tells him after the success of the Tick, Tick...Boom! workshop that his next job is to start writing his next show immediately.  No rest for the weary!

Tragically, that tick tick of the clock was a knell for Jonathan Larson.  He had an aortic aneurysm that killed him suddenly at age 35.  Our loss for sure.

 

Tick, Tick…and may there be a Boom...if you're lucky!

 

Grade:  B                                                      By Donna R. Copeland

THE CALL OF THE WILD

Harrison Ford     Omar Sy     Cara Gee     Bradley Whitford

Karen Gillan     Dan Stevens     Colin Woodell

     In giving children a dose of nature without so much of the cruelty and violence to dogs that are in the novel, this movie succeeds.  The dogs and wolves are beautiful and the Alaskan scenery is gorgeous. (Kudos to cinematographer Janusz Kaminski for the photographic beauty as well as filming maneuvers.)  The dog Buck’s experiences are models of behavior that can be beneficial to kids, such as the kindness he shows even to strangers, and a logical separation towards the end of the story.  Adults may not take to the film as much as children because of the overly human-like appearance and behaviors of the animals, especially Buck, and the lack of suspense in figuring out what will happen.

     In the beginning, Buck is shown to be rambunctious, not suitable for the genteel life of his owner on plantation-sized property.  This is patient Judge Miller (Whitford) who gently chides him for charging through the house and town and knocking things over—including the mailman.  After one hectic day, the judge makes him sleep on the porch at night “to think over” what he has done.  This gives a local thief the opportunity to dog-nap Buck and sell him. 

     From there, Buck’s adventures are with various masters, the first one cruel and Buck manages to run away, then he is bought by a couple with a dog sled delivering mail, then by another couple with an outsized hunger for gold (this is during 19^thcentury gold rush times) the husband (Stevens) being not only selfish and cruel but stupid as well.  Harrison Ford as John Thornton narrates the story and appears from time to time in Buck’s life as someone with normal sympathies for the oppressed.  Thornton and Buck end up together and prove to be good pals, despite Thornton’s reluctance in the beginning, and each must rescue the other on critical occasions.

     Based on Jack London’s continuing successful novel of the same name, The Call of the Wild movie in 2020 is the seventh film rendition of the story, not including a TV series.  Complaints about it center mostly around the computer-generated dog Buck, which the viewer may find a little creepy, especially when he reacts and communicates so much like a human figure and very un-dog-like. Another criticism is about this being simply another repeat of the story on film.  How filmmakers can justify it is beyond me.  How much better it would be for them to use their resources to create something new.  After all, the film industry is replete with talented people.

A coming-of-age story for the dog Buck who travels from a genteel southern plantation to the snow covered Alaskan Yukon with life-changing events along the way.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE POST

Meryl Streep     Tom Hanks     Matthew Rhys     Sarah Paulson     Bob Odenkirk    

Tracy Letts     Bradley Whitford     Bruce Greenwood     Alison Brie

     Steven Spielberg’s production of The Post, based on true events and smartly written by Elizabeth Hannah and Josh Singer (Spotlight, The Fifth Estate), is as exciting and tension filled as a good mystery story.  (I was glad I knew how everything turned out, so I could relax a bit.)  It’s about the time Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst employed by the Rand Corporation, released classified information to the New York Times, and then to the Washington Post, about the complicity of four U.S. Presidents (Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon) and their administrations in covering up significant U.S. operations during the Viet Nam War. 

    The Post refers to the Washington Post newspaper, which obtained classified documents after the New York Times broke the story.  The dilemma Publisher Katherine Graham (Streep) and Editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks) face after the government has already initiated legal action against the Times, is whether to publish information that came to them from the same source, Daniel Ellsberg (Rhys).  These are papers reporting on a study requested by the Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara (Greenwood) about the progress of the Viet Nam War from 1945-1967, and document the U.S. Government’s complicity in covert operations, rigging elections, and lying to the Geneva Convention, and then covering it up, essentially lying to the American people about the Viet Nam War.  Most egregious of all, is its sending young servicemen into battle for a war they knew couldn’t be won.

     There are numerous aspects of the story that the filmmakers highlight, which are relevant today.  First and foremost is the issue of the need for government secrecy versus freedom of speech.  At the time, President Nixon was so incensed about the actions of the New York Times, he sought legal action against it.  Some of the more clever scenes in The Post are views through the Oval Office windows of Nixon talking on the phone and making his threats. 

     Another theme I appreciated is a picture of how women were regarded during that era, and another of the film’s highlights is how Katherine Graham is treated by men, even though she is the wealthy publisher of a major newspaper.  Her editor somewhat grudgingly gives her respect, as does Defense Secretary Robert McNamara who is a personal friend, but others clearly think she is out of her element in making major decisions, when—in fact and in retrospect—she is highly qualified.  When push comes to shove, she and Ben Bradlee are shown to be brave and heroic at considerable personal risk.

     Steven Spielberg directs a masterful work based on a true story, but with the intrigue and excitement of a fictional drama.  The cast is outstanding, highlighted by Meryl Streep as Katherine Graham and Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee.  Their conversations are as enlightening as they are interesting.  Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood, and Matthew Rhys providing superb acting support.  Sarah Paulson as McNamara’s (Greenwood) wife shines in her argument to her husband about the greater bravery shown by Graham at a time when he is feeling besieged.  It was rewarding later to see that he listened to her and at a later time gave Graham credit.

Get informed about a critical event in U.S. history while enjoying an exciting drama.

Grade:  A                                                By Donna R. Copeland

MEGAN LEAVEY

Kate Mara   Edie Falco   Bradley Whitford   Ramon Rodriguez   Common

            War is hell, but not just when it’s occurring; many fighters suffer the after-effects later, even dogs, as we see in this film.  Megan Leavey opens with a picture of a young woman at loose ends, seemingly not able to make it in life, a loser, partly because of lack of support at home.  Her parents are divorced, her father is in and out of the picture, and her mother is not the empathic kind.

            In desperation—just to get out of town—Megan (Mara) joins the Marines, a strange choice which is not explained.  Her mother finds a brochure after Megan has already boarded the bus for boot training.  She continues to fail for a while, but after being disciplined (by having to clean out the dog cages) and learning that there are few/no breaks in military service, her gaze falls upon a particular aggressive dog named Rex.  The filmmaking beauty of this is how she connects with the dog at gut level.  He motivates her toward wanting to achieve, which she has never felt before.  She qualifies to be a dog trainer, and to her surprise and delight, Rex is assigned to her.  [This is probably a wry move on the part of her superior, Sergeant Gunny Martin (Common), maybe because she is a woman, maybe because he wants to test/challenge her.] 

            Megan manages to bond with Rex, train him properly, and before long they are sent to Iraq for a seven-month stint.  Another strength of the film is to demonstrate to naïve people like us what it’s like to search out the explosive IEDs.  In addition to the treacherousness of planted bombs, there may be artillery aimed right at them as they search.  At these times, Megan proves her mettle by insisting on resuming even after she and Rex have been wounded.

            As relief from the warfare and chauvinistic attitudes toward women, we are given a little romance as Megan encounters Matt Morales (Rodriguez), another dog handler, he from New York like she, and they spar about the Giants vs. the Mets. 

            Other interactive scenes are with Megan and her mother and with Megan and her father (Whitford).  We see how conflicts with her mother crop up at every turn, even when Jackie (Falco) is trying to please Megan.  It’s clear that her relationship with her father is much more empathic.  He seems to know/recognize who Megan is and is able to reason with her, as in:  “All you gotta do is fight.  You know how to fight; you’re a Marine.”  And he is clearly proud of her.  He wants her to fight to be able to adopt Rex, which has become the primary aim in her life, but which the military is against.  This is a critical turn when it looks like Megan will revert to her previous self.

            Kate Mara (who played Zoe Barnes in Netflix “House of Cards”) is a natural in playing Megan, and there is a remarkable resemblance with the real-life Megan, which is shown at the end of the film.  She makes Megan come alive in her dysphoria, underlying rage, and tenderness toward an animal.  Supporting cast of Falco, Whitford, Common, and Rodriguez are very strong.  Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite and writers Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt have created an inspiring and realistic story about the real-life Megan Leavey. 

            The film could have expanded more on Megan’s relationships with her father and with Morales; these are truncated and leave us wanting more.  But in terms of the aim of highlighting the complex relationship between a female Marine and a dog and their mutual healing, Megan Leavey is a success.

About a woman and a dog; worth seeing!

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

I SAW THE LIGHT

Tom Hiddleston     Elizabeth Olsen     Bradley Whitford     Cherry Jones

          When the movie first opened, I was captured with Hank Williams (Hiddleston) singing “Cold, Cold Heart” without accompaniment and the chiaroscuro effect in the scene.  The mood was just right, and it was deeply moving.  Unfortunately, two basic flaws in I Saw the Light emerged soon after, which I attribute to Marc Abraham’s screenplay and direction.  He has primarily worked as a producer without much experience in writing and direction, hence, the movie sags almost every time there is dialog.  It doesn’t matter whether the conversation is between husband and wife in intimate moments or band members talking to one another or to agents—he puts the audience to sleep.  I marveled at how such an interesting person’s life could be made boring.

       The other problem I had with the film is the number of scenes where neither the issue nor the personalities involved are explored; they’re simply left unresolved.  A particular example is Hank and his agent Fred Rose (Whitford) visiting the MGM Studio, and their host wants Hank to take off his hat.  Hank refuses, and we don’t know why it’s so important to the MGM producer or to Hank.  We don’t even know whether he actually took it off or didn’t.  And we don’t know whether the incident ruined Hank’s chance to be supported by MGM.  With so many of such scenes in a film, it becomes unsettling.

      Hank Williams was decidedly a fascinating, complex person with a markedly eventful life, and whatever interest is maintained in the movie is because we’re curious about him and want o understand him and because Hiddleston aced the role.  Even though we’re presented with event after event in his life, it’s more like a chronicle; there is not much exploration into Hank’s character in the larger sense of the word that would essentially help us understand him. 

      On the other hand, Tom Hiddleston has done the seemingly impossible, converting his British accent into American country, learning to sing on pitch and play the guitar (tutored by Rodney Crowell), and moving his body like a person with spina bifida—all for this movie.  I had to smile when in an interview he said that he had heard a few Hank Williams’ songs before he got the role, but was more intrigued with the word ‘honky tonk’; he had no idea what it meant, but he loved the sound of it.  Hiddleston put on the Williams persona so completely and convincingly, it fit like a body suit.

      The talents of other main actors were fine supports:  Elizabeth Olsen as the disillusioned but shallow wife; Bradley Whitford as the agent-like-a-father Fred Rose; and Cherry Jones as the cloying, possessive mother of Hank.  I had anticipated seeing I Saw the Light, so was disappointed that it contained so little “fleshing out” of the characters. 

     On the other hand, Tom Hiddleston’s performance is worth the price of a ticket to the movie theater.  The last song, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” is a perfect ending.  After seeing important events in his life, he could just as well be singing the song to himself as to someone else. 

A reminder that good writing and direction are essential, although sometimes an actor’s performance is worth a viewing.

Grade:  D+                                    By Donna R. Copeland