THE GOLDFINCH

Nicole Kidman     Ansel Elgort     Oakes Fegley     Jeffrey Wright 

Luke Wilson     Sarah Paulson    Finn Wolfhard     Aneurin Barnard

     This movie is full of surprises, most of which I loved.  Above all, the characters fascinate the viewer while the rest of the cast seem to take them all in stride, a kind of lesson in acceptance.  Storytelling hits that sweet spot in which information comes through gradually, punctuated by significant details, but giving one time to savor the plot.  The central character, Theodore (beautifully rendered by Oakes Fegley playing the younger and Ansel Elgort the older Theo), reminds of “Baby” in Baby Driver (also played by Elgort), actors able to convey mystery as they become endearing and grow on their acquaintances.

     The story begins with tragedy, when Theo’s mother is missing after an explosion in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.   His alcoholic father disappeared long ago, so he needs someone to take him in.  When he names the mother of a classmate whom he has befriended, as at least a temporary solution, Mrs. Barbour (Kidman) steps up to the plate and brings him to her family, which is both wealthy and dysfunctional.  She ends up really caring about him, and it looks like he may be with them for a long time.  

     But… (This story is filled with twists and turns, continually bringing up questions about coincidences versus fate/predetermination).  That juxtaposition is one of the themes of the film, coupled with questions about what is fake and what is real, both in relation to art as well as in human relationships as portrayed.  

     The movie Goldfinch is mesmerizing during Theo’s growing-up years when we observe him to be so well balanced and well behaved, managing his losses and compensating for them in healthy ways.  It gives us a realistic picture of trauma (in other characters as well as Theo), its after-effects, and how people manage it.  The characters introduced make the story come alive, such as different family members in the Barbour family, Hobie (Wright) who takes Theo under his wing and educates him about artistic furniture and reproductions, and the reappearing father (Wilson) and his girlfriend (Paulson) who whisk him off to sandy, bleak Las Vegas.  

     Unfortunately, the film loses its way and tries to become a thriller toward the end, with drug dealing, mobsters, and other unsavory characters introduced into the mix.  This is where it lost me, although I did appreciate attempts to show all the characters to be a mixture of good and bad qualities, most of which with good intentions; but the ending was just too fantastical for me to go along with it.

     For the most part, director John Crowley, the actors, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Trevor Gureckis have created a beautiful work of art, capturing the qualities of the Goldfinch painting and its history, while prompting us to consider different philosophies of life.

A captivating story with meaningful characters, derailed by superfluous drama seemingly “tacked on” toward the end.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

BRAD'S STATUS

Ben Stiller     Austin Abrams     Jenna Fischer     Shazi Raja    

Michael Sheen     Jermaine Clement     Luke Wilson     Mike White

     Brad (Stiller) is having a very bad time as he and his son Troy (Abrams) go visiting university prospects.  It brings to Brad’s mind his own college days, his beloved mentor, and four close buddies.  As he reminisces, he becomes more and more agitated, comparing himself and his life to his imaginings about his friends’ lives.  It seems that they have all been more successful than he (he’s focusing solely on the financial aspects), although he has a happy marriage and his son is looking at top-notch colleges. 

    This part of the film is difficult to sit through because Brad’s self-preoccupation and competitiveness keep us from empathizing with what he is going through.  But this is also where writer-director Mike White’s insight and perception into the human mind and his social sensitivities make his films (e.g., The Good Girl, Beatriz at Dinner) a step above so many.  Across the course of the film, Brad will have a number of illuminating conversations that will help him resolve his midlife crisis. 

     Each conversation is very different, but always on the right track and relieving to us as characters say to Brad what we would like to.  Two surprising ones are the encounters he has with his son’s young friend Ananya (Raja).  She is not cruel, but to the point in giving him feedback about himself.  “You still think the world was made for you.”  Then she goes on to talk about white privilege and male privilege, and how fortunate Brad is to have what he does.  His other conversations are with his college buddies, Craig (Sheen), Billy (Clement), and Jason (Wilson) in which he gets status updates on their lives.  A much anticipated dinner with Craig fills him in on the other friend, Mike (White in his own cameo). 

     I like that Brad is not portrayed simply as a wienie; he has a successful company, is able to use his connections to help Troy make up for a missed appointment, and stands up to his principles in the final conversation.  He seems to have made a turn-around by the end of the film.  He does remind me of Doug (John Lithgow) in Beatriz at Dinner; privileged and annoying at times, but not a really bad person; in fact, Brad’s rapid changes show a strong character with values underneath.

     This is probably one of Stiller’s best performances, and the rapport between him and Abrams as his son and Jenna Fischer as his wife is optimal.  Brief appearances by Sheen, Clement, Wilson, and White add richness and heighten interest; and Shazi Raja is so good, I expect a bright future ahead for her.  Music by Mark Mothersbaugh and cinematography by Xavier Grobet reflect their talents and experience as artists.

A painful but ultimately rewarding trip into the mind of a man having a midlife crisis.

Grade:  B+ By Donna R. Copeland

ROCK DOG

Voices of:  Luke Wilson   Eddie Izzard   J. K. Simmons   Lewis Black   Matt Dillon   Sam Elliott

     Rock Dog is a Chinese-American 3D computer-animated film, based on a popular Chinese graphic novel, Tibetan Rock Dog by Zheng Jun, a Chinese rock star.  The film originated in China and has Chinese backers, but is directed by American Ash Bannon and animated by an American studio, Reel FX.  It’s a great movie for children, with its simple but heartwarming story and thoughtful treatment of stealing, fear mongering, mistrust and hatred of strangers, honesty, and pomposity.  The characters and sets are well drawn, with sharp lines and bold colors. 

      Bodi (Wilson) is a mastiff living on Snow Mountain with his father who wants him to follow in his own footsteps and become a guard against wolves in a community where sheep production and products is its main industry.  Wolves haven’t attacked in years, but Khampa (Simmons) wants to be prepared just in case.  Actually, the wolves have stayed away from Snow Mountain because they heard that Khampa had recruited and trained a huge army of dogs for protection.  In fact, Khampa has simply dressed up sheep to look like ferocious guard dogs—a twist on the admonition, “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing”—a clever joke for adults in the audience.

     The thrust of the story is about Bodi’s wanting to pursue his own dream of being a musician and “finding my band.”  Khampa is disdainful of this idea and uses all kinds of ruses to make Bodi change his mind.  But Bodi has an advocate in his father’s friend, Fleetwood Yak (Elliott), who counsels the father to allow his son to go to the city and chase his dream.

     Bodi has been further encouraged by his listening to a radio that was accidentally dropped from the sky out of an airplane, landing right in front of him in a meadow.  He turns it on and is thrilled that it has rock stations playing music all the time, as well as interviews with stars.  One of these is Angus Scattergood (Izzard), a current rock idol.  Bodi is sure Angus is talking directly to him in his encouragement to play, play, play his guitar, and success will surely come, just as it did for Angus.

     When Khampa finally gives his permission for his son to go to the city, Bodi goes and looks for Rock Park where musicians hang out.  He meets a trio, and one teases him by advising him to go to Scattergood’s house and be extremely persistent in getting the star to give him music lessons.  The naïve Bodi takes off immediately.  Of course, this is dangerous, because the star has rigged his house with electrical wires and booby traps to keep visitors away.  But through complicated events, persistence, luck, and his good nature, Bodi gets through the door. 

     This is not enough, however, because proud, pretentious Angus is horrified at the thought of mentoring anyone so humble.  To make matters worse, Bodi is being chased by urban wolves led by ruthless, unscrupulous Linnux (Black), who wants to use him to blackmail Khampa and gain entrance to Snow Mountain.  Fortunately, Bodi’s good nature wins him friends and support from two of the rock musicians he met in the park and even Angus’ robot butler, Oz, so he still has a chance to fulfill his dream.

     Rock Dog, directed by Ash Bannon, is well paced for children, is the right length, and uses mixtures of adventure, thrills, and emotional elements to tell a good story.  Music by Rolfe Kent is effective, especially the song, “Glorious” (composed, produced, and performed by Adam Friedman).

An engaging and well crafted cross-cultural animated film.

Grade:  B+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

RIDE

--> Helen Hunt     Brenton Thwaites     Luke Wilson     David Zayas     Richard Kind

-->

Ride (written and directed by Helen Hunt) becomes a much more complex “ride” than is suggested in the first ten minutes.  A New York “helicopter mom” (Jackie, played by Hunt) is shown dogging her son Angelo (Thwaites) at every turn, yet is frustratingly silent when he asks her directly for help.  She is a writer/editor who is persnickety about English and grammar, and clearly hopes her son will follow in her footsteps with little variation.  When the story begins, she is sending him off to college—a local one where she can keep an eye on him.

Before the semester starts, Angelo wants to visit his father in California; and after arriving, is immediately drawn to surfing, so much so, he makes plans to extend his visit.  Jackie is none too pleased, and eventually follows him to Los Angeles in hopes of bringing him back for school.  What she encounters there will be a total surprise to her—and to her son.

I was immediately struck by Hunt’s decision to draw a distinct contrast between New York and Los Angeles.  The woman in New York is driven, seems to eschew sports, and thinks nothing about correcting others’ grammar.  Her son—who calls her ‘Jackie’—makes comments about her not wanting to get her hair wet and never taking off her shoes.  She tries to hold onto that life, but California seduces her just as it does Angelo.  I see that Hunt was born in California and lives there now, but has spent enough time in New York to have an opinion about it.  Some of the funnier parts of Ride are when she seems to be spoofing New Yorkers and their lifestyle. 

Hunt has won and been nominated for numerous awards—including an Oscar—during her career as an actress.  Ride is her second movie to write, direct, and star in, although she has also directed episodes on television.  One of her strengths does seem to be that she can mix comedy with insightful portrayals of mostly believable characters; although here, I think she is a bit heavy-handed in emotional scenes, where subtlety and suggestion might be a better way to go.  She accomplishes that in her contrast between the two cities and in a significant revelation toward the end of the film, but emotional interchanges between characters punches a bit too hard. 

Hunt deserves all the awards and nominations she has received through the years, and is just as effective when she directs herself.  Thwaites and Wilson (who plays love interest and surfing coach Ian) step up to the plate in matches with her.  Mother-son interactions are filled with tension—which the viewer will experience as well—but the latter part of the film provides some humor and lightness, especially when Jackie and Ian begin their friendship.

 A comedy with emotional punches.                   

Grade:  C+        By Donna R. Copeland