WILD ROSE

Jessie Buckley     Julie Walters     Sophie Okonedo

     Ah, the struggle of making it in life after having two kids before age 18 and serving a jail sentence, but also nursing a burning desire to make it big in country music when you live in Scotland.  A tall order!  Rose (Buckley) is just such a girl who seems not to have much, but is richly blessed with a mother (Walters) who is far from indulgent but provides a loving home for Rose’s children when she is away.  Upon returning home, Rose finds her children distant—another challenge—and no means of supporting herself, much less her children as well.

     She gets a job cleaning for a local woman of means, Susannah (Okonado), who comes home unexpectedly to find Rose vacuuming and singing at the top of her lungs. She immediately recognizes that Rose has talent, and begins to help her in pursuing her dreams.

     But psychologically Rose is not ready.  And this is the sobering part of her story.  She has come upon adulthood without much education, training, or even coaching on practical matters.  Furthermore, she has a serious issue with self-esteem.  We sympathize with Marion, Rose’s mother, in wishing and waiting for Rose to connect with her children.  When she doesn’t right away, Marion takes a “tough love” approach and exits the home, with the hope that Rose will figure out and accept her most important responsibility of being a mother.  But this is exactly when Rose is pursuing a singing career, so things get pretty hairy.

     Will Rose step up to the plate with her children?  Will she fulfill her dream of getting to Nashville and become a famous country singer?  The beauty of the film is in its treatment of these apparently conflicting issues, demonstrating that choices have to be made by individuals, which have long-term consequences.  What it works out in this case seems to me a sensible resolution that takes into account both dreams and responsibilities.

     Director Tom Harper and writer Nicole Taylor have a good grasp of the psychosocial parameters in such a human story and treat them with a sensitive touch. However, I wish they had provided more of a back-story to Rose’s and Marion’s lives, to enrich and make more understandable their current circumstances.  

     Jessie Buckley is likely to be a rising star in entertainment with both musical and acting talent.  She makes her character be appealing, spunky, vulnerable, or aggressive, depending on the circumstances.  Julie Walters is her usual lovely, attractive maternal figure whose assertiveness waits for the right moment to arise before lowering the boom.  Sophie Okonedo exemplifies culture with elegance and soul, and I was grateful the filmmakers remained loyal to that persona.

An inspiring look at a music star in the making with significant hurdles to overcome.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN

Lily James     Amanda Seyfried     Meryl Streep     Dominic Cooper     Pierce Brosnan     Stellan Skarsgard

Christine Baranski     Colin Firth     Cher     Julie Walters     Jeremy Irvine     Andy Garcia

     I think the best things about this film are ABBA’s songs from the first Mamma Mia and Meryl Streep’s reprise at the end.  Oh, well, and yes, the local woman telling a young man where to get off after he “did a woman wrong” and then wanted to return to her arms. She is a lovable, wise character who makes you chuckle at her and cheer her on at the same time.  Although Benny Andersson, a member of ABBA, and two colleagues, Anne Dudley and Bjorn Ulvaeus (also involved in the first production), supply most of the music here, it doesn’t have the draw the earlier rendition had.  Part of the responsibility may lie with the director and co-writer, Ol Parker.

     The filmmakers have valiantly tried to recapture the moods, atmosphere, and humor of the first Mamma Mia! (2008) and even 2016's La La Land, but never quite achieve the lyrical magic of those productions.  Instead, I found it to be jarring in its disjointed cuts from one scene to the next without natural transitions; the songs appear to be inserted haphazardly, even though they’re clearly intended to wedge the viewer into an emotion of the moment.  The dialog is unnatural and even vacuous at times, such as, “Nothing is that simple.” “Everything is, when you break it down.”  Everything: really?  People fall in love instantaneously, and sometimes when they break up, the songs reflect a much deeper relationship than could possibly have occurred. 

     The story is a continuation of the first Mamma Mia!  Donna (Streep) has died, and her daughter Sophie (James, Seyfried) wants to refurbish Donna’s villa and stage a party that will honor her mother. She is still grieving her mother’s passing, and invites her three fathers (Brosnan, Skarsgard, Firth) and Donna’s closest friends (Baranski, Walters) to come to the villa on a Greek island for the special occasion.  Sophie is engaged to Sky (Cooper), whose business has stationed him in New York, leading them to the decision to suspend their engagement.  The party is all set up, but in the interim, there will be a storm that damages the villa and other distractions, namely, Sophie’s becoming involved with various suitors ([her engagement to Sky (Cooper) has been suspended.]  Somehow, even though Sophie goes on boat rides and long walks, she still manages to keep the villa intact, perhaps because of the efforts of one of her fathers, Sam (Brosnan).

     At any rate, the party does take place, old acquaintances/loves are renewed, and a surprise guest (Cher) suddenly appears, with a touching rapprochement between her and Fernando (Garcia).  In the end, Donna is duly honored, and everyone present feels gratified.  

This is a musical without the exquisite blending of fantasy, reality, and art that some of its predecessors (e.g., La La Land) have achieved.

Grade:  D+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

FILM STARS DON'T DIE IN LIVERPOOL

Annette Bening     Jamie Bell     Julie Walters     Vanessa Redgrave

     I am still waiting (how many years?) for filmmakers to portray the cancer experience in a realistic way.  For some reason (I have no idea why), they tend to romanticize it.  Beyond that, they often reinforce ways of coping that don’t help anyone (e.g., refusing treatment when first diagnosed, not informing family.  That being said, my comments are as follows.

     The film is loosely based on the real life of Gloria Grahame (played here by Annette Bening in a fine performance), an American actress in the ‘40s and ‘50s who was known for her performances in It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bad and the Beautiful, Sudden Fear, Human Desire, and Oklahoma!  This film covers the period when her career is waning and she has concerns about her looks.  Her path crosses that of Peter Turner (Bell), a much younger man who becomes smitten with her.  They meet at his parents’ boarding house and her room is next to his.  Difference in age is not an important factor for him, and he adores her. 

     Gloria is the type of person who has always been adored, including by her mother (Redgrave), so she has a certain amount of self-entitlement and expectation that people around her will attend to her needs.  It’s interesting that when she becomes very ill, she doesn’t want her family to be informed.  Instead, she prefers to be cared for by Peter and his family, with whom she has become very close, perhaps because they are a more loving, helpful group than her own family.  We don’t see her four children, except her son, briefly, at the end.  There is a cameo of her mother played by Vanessa Redgrave and her sister (Frances Barber).  It would have been of value to know more about Gloria’s background and why she would prefer the company of her boyfriend’s family over hers, and more about what happened to her career.

     The film, based on a memoir by the younger co-star, Peter Turner, is directed by Paul McGuigan.  It’s another case where the filmmakers choose to jump back and forth in time—which I’ve come to despise—and which makes it difficult to follow the stages of their relationship and the illness.

     Both Annette Bening and Jamie Bell deliver fine acting performances, and there is believable chemistry between them.  Vanessa Redgrave is stellar in her cameo appearance as Grahame’s mother, quoting Shakespeare while sitting beside her snippy other daughter played by Frances Barber.  Julie Walters as Turner’s mother exudes her usual warmth and wit. 

A famous aging film star on the decline captures the interest of a much younger man, and they make the most of their time together.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

PADDINGTON 2

Voice of:  Ben Wishaw      Sally Hawkins     Hugh Bonneville     Hugh Grant

Julie Walters     Jim Broadbent     Brendan Gleeson     Michael Gambon     Imelda Staunton

     This adventure centers around an antique book about London which Paddington (Wishaw) discovers in Mr. Gruber’s (Broadbent) shop, and wants to send to his Aunt Lucy, who has always longed to see London.  When Paddington learns that it is valuable, and he’s going to need lots of money to buy it, he immediately looks for work.  The barbershop doesn’t work out so well after the electric shears get the best of him, but he discovers he is an excellent window cleaner and works diligently with amazing acumen cleaning the windows of multi-story buildings.  And he gets close to being able to buy the book for his aunt.  Wherever Paddington goes, as we know from the earlier book and film, he charms everyone with his Aunt Lucy-isms (e.g., “If you look for the good in people, you’ll find it”) and helpfulness.  But this is a substantive kind of charm, illustrating so well how politeness, diligence, and seeing the good in others changes them.

     The story is not just about “nice” things, however; there is a villain named Phoenix Buchanan (knavishly played by Grant) who exploits what he hears from the innocent Paddington.  Putting that information together with what he already knows (that there is a valuable pop-up book that has been missing for years), he concludes that it could solve all his financial and professional problems.  (His magic acts have been failing and he is drowning in debts).  We get to hear about the history of the book and how it came to be, which is an interest heightening segue).

     From here, the story transforms into more of a thriller, with Paddington being accused of a crime, tried, and put in prison.  This takes all the resources of his beloved Brown family (Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville as parents), as well as friends he has made in prison, such as the grumpy cook Knuckles (Gleeson). (Paddington won him—and the other prisoners—over with his marmalade sandwiches.)  Along with his family, these newly made friends promise to exonerate him.  After seeing how well Paddington navigates the prison system, things take a turn, after which, we have some nail-biting scenes involving a prison break-out, trains, and near-drowning that make the film into a thriller.

     Paul King, director, and writer with Simon Faraday, based on Michael Bond’s story, has scored again with a Paddington story that interests and thrills viewers, along with providing thoughtful observations about humans and how we function.  They are optimally aided by musician Dario Marianelli and cinematographer Erik Wilson, along with a plethora of artists in production design, sets, costumes, and special effects.  The actors (Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson, et al) bring it all to life in a way that is entertaining and thought-provoking for children and adults. 

     It’s so rewarding to see a film with so much humane, visual, aural, and technological artistry.  Would that all so-called “children’s” films were of such high quality.

Before the intense adventure, there is warmth and loving connections.  What could go wrong?

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

BROOKLYN

Saoirse Ronin          Emory Cohen     Domhnall Gleeson     Julie Walters

            A film by an award-winning team is almost certain to be extraordinary, and Brooklyn easily achieves that designation with the involvement of the director John Crowley, writer Nick Hornby, musician Michael Brook, cinematographer Yves Belanger, and stars Saoirse Ronin, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Emory Cohen, and Domhnall Gleeson.  Brooklyn is a beautiful film with heart, humor, drama, depth of character, and substance.

            It tells the story once again about Irish immigrants settling in Brooklyn, New York, and their experiences doing so both from an old country and new country perspective.  Eilis’ clear-sighted sister realizes that she can make so much more of her life in New York, so contacts Father Flood, a friend who lives there to sponsor Eilis and get her a job in a department store.  Rose is a bookkeeper who can afford to pay for boat fare. 

            Eilis is wide-eyed, having never been outside of Ireland, and has much to absorb; but she is an eager learner who takes advantage of opportunities and the willingness of her Irish community to show her the ropes.  At first, of course, she is terribly homesick; but after she meets charming (in the best sense of the word) Tony (Cohen), achieves her bookkeeping certification, and is given a preferred room in her boarding house by the colorful Mrs. Kehoe, things begin to look up, way up.   Before long, she is madly in love.  Alas, one day, she receives devastating news from home that is a bitter reminder of how far away she is from family and country.  Tony knows she needs to go back home, but voices his concern that she might not return and secures an “anchor” that will reassure him.

            When Eilis returns to Ireland for the visit, she is taken aback by the sudden opportunities there.  First, she is asked to take a temporary assignment at a company in desperate need after an emergency vacancy, then she is introduced to eligible bachelor Jim (Gleeson) and has an instant liking for him. Moreover, her mother clearly wants her to stay in Ireland, and she becomes involved in a community project that has personal meaning for her.  She finds herself in the dilemma of making a choice between two good alternatives, which can be agonizing.  Fortunately, someone from her past who pops up unexpectedly will enable her to resolve her dilemma.

            Brooklyn is a film so rich in its quality you may want to see it again immediately.  Director Crowley and writer Hornby have worked hand in hand to achieve that magical balance between drama, comedy, and substance.  The story moves in a way that keeps the viewer continuously engaged for two hours.  This would only be possible with the skills and charisma of its star Saoirse Ronin (Atonement, Hanna, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Lovely Bones), soulful and attractive Cohen, sharp-witted and sharp-tongued Walters, and warmly intriguing Gleeson. 

            Cinematographer Belanger is a master at using light, shadow, and reflection to inform a scene, the most impressive to me in this film is when a character is receiving crushing bad news, his tears fall, and glistening drops fall down over the whole screen like snowflakes, giving eloquence to the tears.  Another time, the light blinds as Eilis goes out the immigration door onto the New York sidewalk, signifying her not being able to see what’s ahead.

           

A film that pleases in just about every way.  Captivating Ronin can reasonably expect award nominations for her performance.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland