SUMMERLAND

Gemma Arterton     Gugu Mbatha-Raw     Lucas Bond     Penelope Wilton     Tom Courtenay     Dixie Egerickx

     The film is immediately engaging in telling a war story about displaced children and those sheltering them when London was under siege in WWII.  Alice (Arterton) is one of the shelterers, although one initially rejecting the idea and agreeing to do it only for a week until another home can be found.  Alice is a writer who jealously guards her time, and is known as the local witch because of her acerbic personality and avoidance of friends or even friendly chats at the grocery store.

     What happens is that the child assigned to her, Frank (Bond), manages to worm his way into her heart, as most children will eventually.  When Alice discovers that Frank can actually be interested in her work as a researcher studying mythology, a bond is formed that takes Alice completely by surprise.  But the moments of joy and understanding will soon be interrupted and seriously threatened.

     One of the elements that makes the story so appealing is the attractiveness of the two main characters, played by Gemma Arterton and Lucas Bond.  Even when they’re first becoming acquainted, the actors are able to convey a special kind of connection that makes the story even more meaningful by the end.  Arterton is skillful in portraying the prickliness of Alice at first, and then her gradual transition into someone more “normal.”  Bond is a natural in playing a child who is reacting to trauma, but has a firm base of security coming from a good home with caring parents.

     Tom Courtenay as head of the local school and Dixie Egerickx as Philip’s classmate and friend both give delightful performances that lighten the, sometimes heavy, drama unfolding.  The part played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw is primarily in flashbacks that fill us in on Alice’s history, and she also provides levity and depth of character.

     Writer/director Jessica Swale does a fine job in flashbacks that make Alice in particular, with her quirky characteristics, believable.  The story she tells is fanciful—too implausible perhaps for some—but I think the information given toward the very end made it all come together and be more plausible, although still a bit unlikely to some extent.  Swale’s writing is beautiful with memorable lines such as, “Planes crash, Frank; what matters is how you deal with it.”  Some of its power is in it serving as a theme for the movie as a whole, along with another apt saying that “stories have to come from somewhere.”

     Summerland has much appeal, particularly for the time we are living in; but it is a story with richness and depth in characterization as well.

A good summertime movie to counteract some of the stress of current times.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

FREE STATE OF JONES

Matthew McConaughey     Gugu Mbatha-Raw     Keri Russell     Mahershala Ali     Bill Tangradi     Christopher Berry     Sean Bridgers

           How to give an account of a major struggle that goes on for years, makes only inches of progress with setbacks, and contains dozens of stories?  The filmmakers of Free State of Jones have attempted just that, but needed more judicious editing for the sake of coherence and a bit of brevity.  At 139 minutes, it is too long, especially considering the weight of the material.  The story jumps back and forth between what is going on in Missouri during and just after the war and 85 years later when the son of two of the characters seems still to be fighting against racism.  If writer/director Gary Ross wanted to make a point about the length of the struggle, maybe that is his rationale for including this segment of the film, but it is so far removed from the core of the story it becomes too much to absorb.

         That being said, Free State of Jones is educational and even inspirational in showing how people in the South coped with the ending of the Civil War and the departure of the Union troops.  It’s also very painful to watch as the cruelty continued toward people of color, and the Confederates deflected their anger toward the Union upon them.  This is based on the true story of Newton Knight (McConaughey), a white man who valued freedom and equality for everyone, and how he got caught up in the cause, even when his wife (Russell) protested that he seemed more intent on protecting others when she and her son were having to endure repeated raids on their farm. 

         Newton is serving as a nurse in the Confederate Army when a young relative suddenly appears, asking for his help.  (Even at his young age, he has been conscripted into the Army, which is also plundering local farms for supplies.  They are supposed to be taking 10% from each private household, but often take everything.)  Newton is trying to get the child out of harm’s way when a bullet kills him, and Newton feels honor-bound to get his body back to his mother.  Now, Newton is a deserter, and has his picture on “Wanted” posters.

         Much of the rest of the story involves Newton hiding out in the swamp, being helped by runaway slaves, and eventually taking up their cause—which coincides with his own wish for freedom and justice for all.  It’s rewarding to see the cleverness Newton brings to the cause—he’s a natural born leader—and how talented he is at exploiting the weaknesses of the enemy and using his and his team’s strengths. 

        McConaughey has become a quintessential actor of excellence, and this is a role made for him in its combination of heroics and modesty.  Mbatha-Raw, as slave and healer Rachel, joins him in the rebellion, showing a fine balance between the refinement she has learned in a plantation house, subjugation, and resistance. 

       This film will be favored more by those who have an interest in history and can appreciate the complexities in relationships that it depicts.  And in that vein, those viewers will see how relevant it is today in speaking to our own conundrums regarding race, politics, marriage, and equality.

Think of this film as a history lesson and go see it!  (Like a history class, you won’t enjoy all of it, but you’ll appreciate its truths.)

Grade:  B                        By Donna R. Copeland

CONCUSSION

Will Smith   Gugu Mbatha-Raw   Alec Baldwin   Eddie Marsan   David Morse   Albert Brooks

          Young Dr. Bennett Omalu is from Nigeria, and from the time he was a boy he dreamed of coming to America.  He obtained medical degrees (bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery) at the University of Nigeria, obtained a residency position at Columbia University in New York, and along the way earned multiple advanced degrees and certifications, eventually ending up as a forensic pathologist.  When the story of Concussion (based on a true story) begins in 2002, Omalu (Smith) is at the Allegheny County Coroner’s Office in Pittsburgh, with the notable Dr. Cyril Wecht (Brooks) as his mentor.

              Omalu will soon gain recognition as the physician-scientist who first discovered that head injuries among professional football players have long lasting and sometimes devastating consequences.  He called the condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  No small thing, because when it progresses, it eventually makes the person crazy, often driving them to suicide.

           Now, football is big business, employing hundreds of thousands of people, seeing that disadvantaged kids get an education, and making senior executives in the National Football League very rich.  The NFL will not take Omalu’s discovery lightly, and will fight circulation of the information about the damage to players like the tobacco companies fought the truth about the danger of cigarettes.  It will attempt to destroy the careers of Omalu and his mentor Wecht using every scheme the executives can think of.

           The themes of the film are very interesting and educational.  First is the dramatic story of how Omalu came to his conclusions, primarily by studying the brains of five or six players after they began developing problems.  This is not a smooth journey, and Omalu faces all kinds of objections and derision along the way, always with the backup of a strong mentor, Wecht.  Keep in mind that this drama is taking place in Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers, with one of the largest fan bases in the country.  Fans are just as vociferous in their objections to Omalu’s work as the NFL is. 

          Another enlightening theme is what the affected players go through once they develop the condition.  It’s heartbreaking to see the devastation to their minds, and consequently, the destruction of their families and finances. 

Another theme that lightens the burden of learning about a shocking condition is the romance between Omalu and his eventual wife, Prema (Mbetha-Raw) that gradually develops after his priest puts pressure on Omalu, a loner completely dedicated to his work, to take in a border who recently arrived from Nigeria.  She brings order to his home life and provides impressive support as he goes through his trials.  A touching item she brings up at one point is that his last name in Nigerian means “If you know, you must come forth and speak.”  She reminds him at a time when he is doubting the wisdom of pursuing such a controversial subject. 

         Writer-director Peter Landesman (Kill the Messenger, Parkland) is gifted in his presentation of controversial subjects, maintaining a comfortable balance of factual information and emotional experiences of the players.  He does not preach, but maintains a neutral stance in laying out material for the viewer to consider.  His storytelling is captivating.

           I would say that this could be Will Smith’s most important and well-done performance in his acting career.  He has been nominated for and won numerous awards, but he completely loses himself in this role and consistently maintains a plausible Nigerian accent throughout.  He and Mbatha-Raw (Belle, Beyond the Lights) a gifted performer as well, have good chemistry and come across as a very believable couple somewhat awed by their new love.  Supporting actors Albert Brooks, David Morse, and Alec Baldwin live up to their usual standards of quality.

A most enlightening and timely account of a troubling scientific discovery.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland