THE HARDER THEY FALL

 Idris Elba     Jonathan Majors     Regina King     LaKeith Stanfieldm    Zazie Beetz

 Danielle Deadwyler     Ed Gathegi     Delroy Lindo

           This is a western where you might feel “wrung dry” by the end.  It’s a bit of a spoof on westerns in general, but it is also serious in demonstrating that black faces were ubiquitous throughout the post Civil War west, even among the cowboys.  The subject of the movie, Nat Love, was actually a cowboy sometime after the Civil War when his parents became sharecroppers, but he decided at age 16 when he had earned a bit of money he left home to see the west.  He floated around for a time, being a ranch hand, a cattle driver, and a protector of herds from rustlers.  Soon, he became a marksman with a reputation, and competed in rodeos for prize money.  After he married and settled down, he left the cowboy life, but wrote and published his autobiography, Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as ‘Deadwood Dick’, by Himself.

            The filmmakers have not based their story on the autobiography; they are clear about the fact that their movie is fictional, although they do allow up front that “These.  People.  Existed.”  Writer-director Jeymes Samuel and his co-writer Boaz Yakin mix together various historical personalities interacting with one another in ways that spring from their imaginations.  Specifically, they tell of two groups of gangs in the west going after one another after the leader of one, Rufus Buck (Elba) had killed the parents of the leader of the other, Nat Love (Majors), when he was a boy, leaving a tell-tale scar from a knife on his forehead.  (Incidentally, the purpose of this scar is made clear in the last minutes of the movie.)  For an account of some of the historical figures on which characters are based, go to Screenrant’s Faefyx Collington review:  https://screenrant.com/harder-they-fall-real-life-true-story-history-characters/

            The Harder They Fall is noteworthy in its conceptualization of black characters in a western, the mixing up of historical figures—whether named or not—with fictional ones, 

and the quality of the storytelling in terms of build-up, attention-grabbing details, and humor.  Western motifs abound, such as the twirling of guns on the forefinger and thumb interrupted by sudden shots to beat another’s draw, ominous footsteps portending doom, robbing banks and trains, and the macho posturing of cowboy/gang-like figures.  Despite the blood and gore and sheer sadism at times, the movie is entertaining.

            Casting deserves kudos for Victoria Thomas.  Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco) is eloquent in his portrayal of a man from an honorable family being terrorized as a child.  His whole face reveals the years of distress and anger he has experienced.  Idris Elba is always extra fine in whatever role he plays, and he brings all his talent to bear in the story of Rufus Buck who, for all his faults, somewhere underneath is a modicum of honor.  Colorful women mark high entertainment value in the movie.  Regina King as Rufus’ woman Trudy Smith stands out as a powerful female who can be as ruthless as any man, but maintaining loyalty to what she believes in.  Likewise, Zazie Beetz as Nat Love’s woman shows her steely commitment to justice more even than to her man.  I appreciated the writers giving strong personalities to both these women; neither is simply an appendage to “her” man.

            Secondary characters were played so well and illustratively by supporting actors such as LaKeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill, Danielle Deadwyler as Cuffee, RJ Cyler as Jim Beckwith, and others.

            On the whole, the production of The Harder They Fall is exemplary.  The script is so intelligent, yet pulls us along in an exciting thriller, teasing us with snippets from the past that while not necessarily right on point, makes us want to learn more.  Small drawbacks include the overly long physical fight between two female characters, a script that is overly complicated, and a dialog that is not always clear.

            Yes, it’s a drama and a western, but it’s a thriller as well.

 

Explore our past in an unexpected, delightful—but still thrilling—story with colorful actors playing fascinating figures.

 

Grade:  B+                            By Donna R. Copeland

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Daniel Kaluuya     LaKeith Stanfield     Jesse Plemons    Dominique Fishback

     Betrayal of one’s own can be considered one of the most egregious of sins, and this film about the Black Panthers in the 1960’s does an excellent job in charting the beginnings of such a compromise, the experience of the betrayer, and some of the after-effects for the perpetrator.  The story is told from William O’Neal’s (Stanfield) point of view, and puts the listener in a bit of a dilemma, at least during the first part.  You see he is a hustler, but he has wits and charm, so unless you already know who he is, you might be drawn to him.

     Fred Hampton (Kaluuya), the deputy chairman of the Black Panthers from 1966 to 1969, has a different kind of charm, one built on honesty, sincerity, and commitment to a cause for other people.  It’s easy to see why he might be a threat to the FBI at the time, being truly a black messianic figure who was winning over thousands of followers. He became the chairman of the Black Panthers in Chicago in the 1960s primarily because he was a skillful orator, an alliance builder, and recognized the needs and frustrations of Black people.  He was an earlier Black Lives Matter leader at a time much less receptive to such causes.  

     Director Shaka King and his team have created a very fine production that shines a light on a very dark time in U.S. history, outlining events and giving shape to the characters involved and what they were about in terms of their personal lives as well as the aims and workings of the Black Panthers.  It allows those of us who heard about them primarily in the news to fill in the gaps and see their human-ness beyond the revolutionary rhetoric.  

     Daniel Kaluuya has already achieved a reputation for his previous roles in Get Out and Black Panther, and he is winning accolades again for his performance here.  Those eyes! They tell so much of what he is intending to convey, that with his soft voice and purposeful carriage, he can deliver stunning performances.  In this film, my eyes were drawn more to the Judas character because it is much more complicated.  Stanfield portrays the divided loyalties and ultimate survival instincts of a traitor skillfully, showing the pangs of guilt and ability to deny facing up to possible repercussions of his actions.  Jesse Plemons—not an admirable character here, as in his other films—shows well the man who speaks the party line, ignoring his personal opinions. 

     Judas and the Black Messiah is of historical significance and instructive to those wanting to be informed about politics in the 1960’s, specifically in regard to the Black Panther group.

 

Judas and the Black Messiah is an account of the Black Panther group in the 1960’s, which highlights what it was up against with the FBI.

 

GRADE:  A                                                By Donna R. Copeland

 

THE PHOTOGRAPH

LaKeith Stanfield     Issa Rae     Kelvin Harrison, Jr.    Chanté Adams

Rob Morgan     Lil Rel Howery     Courtney B. Vance

     The most unusual technique in this film is that the life of the mother of one of the main protagonists is highlighted in accounting for a love story that transpires years later.  It works because the mother’s personality and her decisions (advanced for the time) are so fascinating.  Christine Eames (Adams) leaves her home (and the man she loves) in New Orleans to pursue her dream of making a name for herself in photography in New York. She leaves without saying goodbye to her love, Isaac (Morgan), assuming that he will be there when she returns.

     We learn about that couple off and on in flashbacks.  But the immediate story is about Michael Block (Stanfield), a reporter for a magazine in New York, The Republic.  He is assigned to do a story about Eames, and goes to New Orleans, to interview Isaac, who talks about Christine and shows him some of her photographs.  That leads him back to the Queens Museum in New York where Mae Morton (Rae) is the assistant curator.  

     Much of the rest of the story is about Michael and Mae in a “will they or won’t they?” kind of scenario.  The fascinating part is how writer/director Stella Meghie weaves the two generational stories together in themes of missed opportunities that seem fated and the suggestion of a larger role that fate plays in humans’ lives.

     The acting is exemplary for the most part.  Issa Rae in particular evokes mystery and beauty seemingly effortlessly. I have always loved LaKeith Stanfield, especially in Sorry to Bother You, but in this role he is not as effective, primarily because of the script, which has made his character less desirable (sort of shifty, unwilling to commit, unable to express emotion).  Writer/director Stella Meghie has created lead characters, both of them having a difficult time expressing themselves.  The characterizations of Issa’s mother and Isaac (played by Chanté Adams and Rob Morgan), as well as step-father Louis Morton (Vance) evoke our interest and make us want to know more about them.

     I think the story presented is very romantic but in a muted form.  It moves a bit slowly, and is probably not the best choice for a Valentine’s date, although it will be opening on Valentine’s Day.

A “will they or won’t they?” romantic drama that is made more interesting by weaving in the parents’ stories.

Grade:  C+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

UNCUT GEMS

Adam Sandler     Julia Fox     Idina Menzel     LaKeith Stanfield     Kevin Garnett     Eric Bogosian

     This film is billed primarily as a comedy—and that fits with the reputation of Adam Sandler, who stars here as a fast-talking salesman whose schemes leave destruction in their wake.  Although many have apparently found great humor in it, I didn’t laugh once, and in some scenes that brought laughter from the audience (a beaten man put naked into a car trunk), I found pathetic.  To each his/her own humor, I guess.

     Howard (with the apt last name of Ratner) is a jewel merchant in New York’s diamond district who doesn’t mind where his uncut gems come from.  He has managed to get a rock from Ethiopia that seems to have iridescent opals inside, which he thinks will fetch a million dollars at an auction.  When Kevin Garnett (renowned basketball player) visits his shop, Howard can’t resist bragging about it and showing it to Kevin, who is truly entranced, but Howard can’t sell it to him because it is scheduled for an auction.  He tells Kevin when and where the auction is, but Kevin sees the stone as a lucky charm, and insists on borrowing it for his game that evening until 9:00 the next morning when he will return it.  You can guess how that turns out.

     This transaction is especially dicey because Howard is a wheeler-dealer and gambler who can’t help himself from attending to both of those sides of his personality. The trouble beginning to loom up against him are debts he owes to unsavory characters, who are shaking him up (and more than that).  As soon as he thinks his wheeling-dealing is paying off, he gambles on his advances.  For instance, he is a baseball fan, and when he sees Garnett’s reaction to the stone, he places bets on that team winning with some money he got from pawning a “security” item.  

     The movie’s excitement derives from Howard’s bets and his attempts to evade debt collectors.  Part of the time, we’re pulled into it by watching Kevin’s basketball games; and part of the time we’re witnessing Howard’s excruciating, painful struggles with collectors advancing on him every time he makes a turn.

     Inserted into the drama (for reasons I question) are pictures of Howard’s colonscopy and family Jewish rituals, which are more forgivable, given his heritage. Yes, Howard has a family, and we see gratuitous scenes of him with his wife and children; but he also has mistress Julia (Fox) ensconced in an apartment.  We see scenes of that relationship as well.  But whatever his relationships—family, mistress, goons—Howard is the same scam artist trying to con all of them, none of whom believes him, at least not for long.

     Uncut Gems’ biggest failing is that it is not about anything really.  That is, the moral of the story is…?  Please fill in the blanks for me.  Also working against it are the incessant yelling, haggling, f-you sequences, which never come to an end.

     Adam Sandler plays his stock character well as always.  The only other actor who stood out is Kevin Garnett, whose demeanor and facial expressiveness may portend a second career for him.  

Uncut Gems appeals to the taste of a few, but is sorely lacking in any substantive meaning.

Grade:  D                                    By Donna R. Copeland

KNIVES OUT

Ana de Armas     Jamie Lee Curtis     Toni Collette     Chris Evans     Don Johnson    Katherine Langford

Daniel Craig     Michael Shannon     LaKeith Stanfield     Jayden Martell    Christopher Plummer     Frank Oz

     This elegant pastiche fulfills its intention of laying out an ingenious plot with all the usual motifs of detective stories, tossing in blocks of humor and human foibles to keep you thoroughly entertained.  Writer/director/producer Rion Johnson (known for awarded works like Star Wars VIII:  the Last Jedi, Looper, and Brick) outdoes himself here, not only in his own efforts, but in assembling a formidable cast as well, most notable being Daniel Craig as private detective Benoit Blanc with a Texas twang.

     The set-up is Marta Cabrera (Armas) working as a nurse for aging Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) a wealthy book publisher.  Thrombey has numerous family members he is supporting, some of whom live in his mansion.  Tragically, one night after his 80-something birthday celebration, he is dead the next morning, apparently from a suicide.

     Enter Lieutenant Ellliott (Stanfield) and his trooper, along with a mysterious figure who sits to the side, Benoit Blanc.  As they question family members (paying homage to all the detective stories you’ve ever seen), we become acquainted with the motley group. Eldest daughter Linda (Curtis) is married to Richard Drysdale (Johnson) and they have a son Jacob (Martell). Son Walt (Shannon) thinks he is next in line to manage his father’s company, and is given something else to manage in the meantime.  Then there is the youngest son Ransom (Evans) who has a reputation for not working and hasn’t even appeared for the funeral.  Finally, there is daughter-in-law Joni (Collette), who is still part of the family in widowhood, and her daughter Meg (Langford), who is attending college, paid for by Harlan.  All of these actors shine in portraying their eccentric characters.

     Marta, the nurse who will be at the center of the drama, has a mother and sister from another country (humorously, family members always forget exactly which country), and much is made of their origins, and these facts are even used in threatening ways at times.         The crux of the story involves medications Marta administers to Harlan, his penchant for developing published fictions, and a major investigation, with everyone suspect.  Armas is a delight in her wide-eyed innocence and showing in her face her struggles to be a good person in a context of potential exploitation.

     Knives Out is likely to appeal to everyone who likes a good detective story.  This one delivers while still spoofing all those that have come before.  

Knives Out is a smart, entertaining look at deviousness, innocence, and human nature that can go either way.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

SORRY TO BOTHER YOU

Lakeith Stanfield     Tessa Thompson     Armie Hammer     Terry Crews     

Danny Glover     Steven Yeun     Jermaine Fowler     Omari Harwick

     “Sorry to bother you” starts out with a telemarketer’s spiel to customers. Cassius Green (Stanfield) has to learn to stay on script and adopt a “white voice” so he will be successful and be promoted to “Power Caller.”  Cassius is starting out at the bottom, living in his uncle’s garage with his artist girlfriend Detroit (Thompson), where he is behind on his rent and driving a beat-up car given to him by the same uncle.  He has to make it at this job, not only to survive but just as much to preserve what little self esteem he has left.

     He is naïve, and you wonder how he is going to make it at all, but he gets advice and encouragement from fellow workers like Langston (Glover) who clues him into adopting a white voice, Squeeze (Yeun) who is organizing a union, his friend Salvador (Fowler), and others.  Indeed, he does well and is promoted with much fanfare.  

     But there’s a mysterious air around the Power Caller work site situated beyond double gold elevator doors, and things get increasingly bizarre, starting off with the strange woman orienting him (note that she has to punch in about 50 numbers to get the elevator to rise—an example of the many clever little comedic frills inserted by writer-director Boots Riley).  Suddenly, Cassius has a new elegant apartment and car, and he gets completely preoccupied with his job, which is making increasing demands upon him.

     This is where the movie turns really bizarre and presses on into the macabre. The head of the company, Steve Lift (Hammer), takes notice of Cassius, and invites him to his office with an offer almost impossible to refuse.  He simply has to commit for a certain period of time and agree to participate in the Worry Free company’s treatments and he will get a ginormous salary.  Worry Free has devised a way to make employees much more productive and submissive.  (The company won’t have to worry any more about the labor protests wreaking havoc in the city of Oakland at this moment.)  What helps Cassius make up his mind is what he encounters when he enters the wrong door to the men’s restroom. What he finds there is a preview of the ultimate outcome of Worry Free’s venture.

     I found the story rather ho-hum in the beginning, as I could envision what Cassius was getting himself into, recognizing a kind of hope that is more than likely to turn into disillusionment.  The reason it is so easy to spot is the apt metaphors Boots Riley uses to depict the seduction of capitalistic companies that have little regard for humankind and quality of life.  I think about all those who have bought into corporate enticements only to discover there is a price they hadn’t expected.  (I got a special kick out of Lift’s promise that the “treatment” results in a huge organ--guess which one).  Riley creates a concrete example of the transformation that corporate ascenders experience as they rise up the ladder.  Of course, there is a message here that only some of us will appreciate.

     Sorry to Bother You gives us a picture of the enticements of a kind of capitalism that is oblivious to human needs but is extremely seductive for the few who can actually reap huge benefits from it. It serves as a counterpart to Jordan Peele’s Get Out, in its references to genetic experimentation with individuals in the service of ulterior, selfish, and misguided interests.

Rescuing hope that’s on the road to disillusionment.

Grade:  B+                                    By Donna R. Copeland