PERCY VS GOLIATH

Christopher Walken     Roberta Maxwell     Zach Braff     Christina Ricci     Adam Beach     Luke Kirby

 

Percy is an irascible old farmer who’s had minor disappointments with his son who chose teaching rather than farming (which Percy’s ancestors from the old country had perpetuated), but he’s come to terms with that, and although he rarely expresses any emotions, he clearly loves his wife, son, and their community in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Award-winning Christopher Walken fills the order perfectly to play the part of Percy.  He is leading a relatively happy life in his early 70’s, has just invested in some new farming equipment, and his supportive wife Louise (Maxwell) and he are close to the townspeople in their small community.  They have no idea what’s ahead.

What’s ahead is giant corporation Monsanto suing Percy for some of his canola seeds resembling their patented ones.  It claims that every product harvested by Percy is actually theirs because he didn’t pay for their seeds, even though the seeds were (presumably) blown by the wind into his crop.  What becomes a matter of contention is how Monsanto’s seeds got mixed up with his.  He had followed instructions from his ancestors to save the best seeds from one year to plant the next year.  As far as he knew, these seeds were separate from any others.

Enter an environmental group wanting to make Percy’s case known to the world.  Rebecca (Ricci) is a young, passionate advocate for the cause against Monsanto for its GMO, and she encourages him to fight for his case.  His lawyer (Braff) tries to persuade him to settle with Monsanto to save horrendous legal fees involved in contesting the case.  

Percy is a practical man who relies on logic in making his decisions.  He is clearly torn about what to do.  Rebecca sees the issue on a global scale; so many farmers are being done in by Monsanto, and she urges him to fight, offering some incentives for getting financial help.  

            Unfortunately, the film is not clear about exactly how much help Percy actually receives from the environmental group.  He continues to fight his case all the way up to the Canadian Supreme Court.  But the film is timely and worthwhile in pointing out the encroachment of corporations like Monsanto on innocent people.  For example, “each GM seed is patented and sold under exclusive rights.  Therefore, farmers must purchase the GM seeds anew each year, because saving seeds is considered to be patent infringement. Anyone who does save GM seeds must pay a license fee to actually re-sow them.”

            The film directed by Clark Johnson is engaging, and highlights the current issue of multinational corporations having so much power over the common people.  It makes its point very well, and instead of delivering ultimate satisfaction, shows what efforts it takes to defend against large corporations bent on making a profit despite its repercussions.

 

Taking on a big corporation these days is an almost insurmountable problem for an individual.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

THE WAR WITH GRANDPA

Robert De Niro     Uma Thurman     Rob Riggle     Oakes Fegley     Christopher Walken     Cheech Marin

 

     More than being funny, the movie’s to be admired more for the “arms” grandpa and grandson use to wage their war.  Peter (Fegley) is incensed when his mother (Thurman) decides that it’s too risky for her father to remain in his own home, and forces him to move in with her family.  For this to happen, Grandpa (De Niro) is going into Peter’s room, and he will be put up in the attic. After the boy pulls a few tricks on his grandfather to protest, Grandpa agrees they are at war, so based on his own experience in military service, he draws up rules of engagement that he and Peter agree to abide by.

     That’s when the “fun” begins as each side pulls in buddies who egg each of them on. Part of the pact is that it stays secret; no one in the family is to know about it—war secrets in other words. Grandpa has in mind that this will be an educational lesson for Peter, and is unaware of his own competitive streak—even toward a kid.

     Warfare involves what seemed to me to be fairly sophisticated electronics, mechanical knowledge (Grandpa is a former home builder), and, to them, hilarious booby traps involving a drone, manipulation of music LPs, remote control cars, rearranging snacks, spiking coffee, a snake, and on and on.  Sometimes by accident, the antics miss their target and affect other people.  But since Peter and his Grandpa haven’t revealed their war, no one knows they’re behind the tricks missing their mark.  In one satisfying sequence, the school bully who is consistently commandeering Peter’s backpack gets a trick blow-up in his face.

     Tim Hill of SpongeBob SquarePants fame directs this film written by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, based on a book of the same title by Robert Kimmel Smith.  It succeeds but, as I say, more for the fascination of the warfare tools than for comedy; unless you’re one of those people who invariably laughs at pratfalls, and if so, you will find comedy here.

     The film is not without some heartfelt scenes of family love, friendship, and honor. These are well done and are not too treacly, and often show the character learning something from experience.  

     Oakes Fegley (Wonderland, Pete’s Dragon) again proves his acting skills such that he was able to hold his own with the proven versatile skills of Robert De Niro.  The two together have a wonderful dynamic reflecting an emotional bond.  Uma Thurman chews up a role like this as easily as a practiced tennis shot.  She is convincing as a daughter, wife, and mother always steering a family sometimes going awry.  Not her fault but a flaw in the writing was one of the last scenes showing her tackling a teenager.  After her husband’s (Rob Riggle) multiple deferential statements about her, this was overkill.  

     I imagine this film will delight many families who like this kind of set-up and humor. I find it more in the realm of the kind of entertainment that appeals to many Americans more than more substantive fare.  For those liking movies like Meet the Parents, this will be a hit.

 

A war unlike any you’ve seen before.

 

Grade:  C+                                    By Donna R. Copeland