I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS

Jessie Buckley     Toni Collette     Jesse Plemons     David Thewlis

     Few could imagine this film; only someone like Charlie Kaufman, who is able to dream in the surreal and then apply it to real life.  The film starts out with an unnamed young woman who is wondering about her boyfriend while considering suicide at the same time, i.e., I’m thinking of ending things.  “I’m thinking of ending things” is ambiguous; is it about life, or simply the relationship?  

    Traveling in a snowstorm to meet the parents of her boyfriend, “the young woman” is reflecting on her relationship with him and musings about life itself.  She ponders his assets—being understanding of her and her career and knowledgeable about scientific facts in general.  She is clearly weighing in on the relationship and whether it is worthwhile.  And they have good discussions about various topics on their way to visit his parents, whom she has never met.  But there are morbid times, such as her poem, and you begin to realize that this is not to be an upbeat story.

     They arrive at Jake’s parents’ home, and sure enough, his mother is waving from an upstairs window.  But despite the welcome, it will be some time before they enter the house.  Jake (Plemons) wants to show her around the farm first, pointing out the dead lambs and pigs in the barn.    Did you think this would be normal?  Think again.

     They enter the house, and despite the welcoming wave, it will be some time before the parents finally appear.  A bountiful feast is set before them—even though Jake has been careful to point out that his mother had been ill, so not to expect too much—and then proceeds some crazy sequences that show not only the pathology of the family, but how Jake and even the woman herself begin to sound deranged.  

     Layer upon layer, the film delves into the psyches of the players.  Identities shift around, with the oft-repeated theme of the woman needing to get back home “by tonight.”  But Jake detours, even to a visit at his old high school, where a janitor is patiently mopping the hall floors.  (We have seen him before in scenes unexplained.)  The film continues in a surreal vein, requiring a metaphorical interpretation of everything that has gone before.

     The actress Jessie Buckley who plays the part of the young woman brings charisma to a story in which it is not always clear what is going on.  We’re in her mind the whole time, trying to figure out what is transpiring before our eyes.  She has the ability to convey so much in her facial expressions and verbal outpourings it’s easy for the viewer to identify with her and fully comprehend what she is going through.  Jesse Plemons is a good counterpart, but his character is not as appealing or sympathetic, and there are major shifts in his personality, especially toward the end of the story.  At first, he appears to be empathic, accommodating and agreeable, but in the end he is passive-aggressive and ineffectual.  Unfortunately, that works against an actor.  

     This is another one of Toni Collette’s (long overdue for an Oscar) superb acting feats (Muriel’s Wedding, Hereditary, Little Miss Sunshine and a host of others), in which she is able to look charming one minute and seriously deranged the next.  In this feature, as an older mother who is struggling with various ailments, her peals of laughter at unexpected times demonstrates her perfect sense of timing and effect.  

     If you like metaphorical puzzles that delve into the human psyche, this is a film for you.  It deals with the meaning of life, the vagaries of relationships, and the psychosocial phenomenon of aging.  If not, you may want to skip it and find something less disturbing to watch.

 Mind warps and existential worries typify this intriguing presentation.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

AWAY

Hilary Swank     Josh Charles     Talitha Eliana Bateman

Mark Ivanir     Vivian Wu     Ato Essandoh     Adam Irigoyen     Ray Panthaki

     Creators of this remarkable dramatic series on Netflix, Jessica Goldberg and Andrew Hinderaker, deliver such a vivid rendition of a space journey it is hard to believe it’s not real.  But what really elevates it are the just-as-realistic characters and interpersonal relationships and conflicts, both on the ship and at home on the ground, and even back in time.  It makes for high drama in space travel while anchoring the film in plausible, nuanced complexities in human relationships.  

     A diverse group of five astronauts are setting out on a mission to Mars; before them, there have been numerous attempts, but no ship has landed and allowed the crew to walk on the planet.  The Atlas’ commander is the first woman in the role, Emma Green (Swank), who will have to prove her worthiness to be in that position many times during the three years of the mission.  She leaves at home her devoted husband Matt (Charles) and daughter Alexis (Bateman).  It’s noteworthy that Matt was an astronaut in training with Emma, but got disqualified for medical reasons.  He continues to work at NASA headquarters, and will be significant in problem solving and direction of the project.  His support of his wife all during the flight is exemplary, and serves as a model for husbands/fathers who are married to wives in the limelight.

     In addition to Emma, other astronauts include: Russian Misha (Ivanir) who feels he’s better qualified to be Commander by virtue of his experience; Chinese Yu (Wu), a chemist who initially sides with Misha and is regarded as cold; Indian Ram (Panthaki), second in command and an early supporter of Emma; and Kwesi (Essandoh), the least experienced and most religious, having lost his parents in Ghana and then adopted by a Jewish family. 

     The number of themes in Away speak to the quality of the writing; they are all substantive and add to the excitement of the drama. Tensions are highlighted between the pulls of family and adventure/career; parenting issues that arise constantly between the parent onboard and the child at home, between the spouse at home and the child; and in the childhood backgrounds of all the astronauts.  Physical illness and disability crop up among those on the ship and those at home; emergencies in health and on ship are ongoing; and foolish decisions—even those made out of altruism—are called into question.  Death is focused on in a number of settings/circumstances in a way that is encouraging.  To the film’s credit, all of these result in insights that are inspiring and move the story along.

     Hilary Swank as the star comes into her own in continuing a long career in playing strong, inspiring women who can be respected and admired.  In this, she is head of a proven elite team who meets her mark, but is still shown to be compassionate, empathic, and a nurturing parent with a close bond to her daughter.  Josh Charles has an array of good roles and good acting to his credit, and perhaps this film will serve as one that plays to all his strengths in depicting a male character showing three-dimensionality in being an aggressive leader, a protector, and a nurturing father.  All the other main actors—Ivanir, Essandoh, Panthaki, and Wu—are perfect in fulfilling their roles.  Talitha Eliana Bateman as Matt’s and Emma’s daughter should be given a shout-out, along with her boyfriend played by Adam Irigoyen, and her caretaker during her parents’ absence, Melissa, played by Monique Gabriela Curnen.  

     This Netflix series has much more to do with human beings and their relationships than it does with space exploration, although that aspect is certainly in the forefront and just as exciting as those that have gone before.  

Take this journey into space and experience the thrills, chills, and utterly human conditions that move us all forward in life.

Grade: A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

UNFIT: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DONALD TRUMP

     If you weren’t convinced before that Donald Trump presents a serious threat to our democracy, this documentary pulling in experts in psychology, psychiatry, counter-terrorism, history, current politics, and a Trump co-writer presents reasoned arguments about why we should be apprehensive and do everything we can to exercise our rights in the next election.  “Stand up and be counted” is its final exhortation.

     Dan Partland, a producer/writer/director, has assembled an impressive group of experts to weigh in on President Trump’s fitness for office.  You experience it like a drama unfolding as it illustrates its points, using the President’s and other autocrats’ rhetoric and actions to underline the historical precedents and contexts in which a leader of a country can come into power and wield it to his personal advantage.

     The documentary delves right into personality characteristics outlined by psychologists (John Gartner, Sheldon Soloman, Ramani Durvasula, Suzanne Lachmann), psychiatrists (Lance Dodes, Justin Frank), and an intelligence and foreign policy analyst (Malcolm Nance) that typify an autocratic personality: narcissism, paranoia, anti-social personality disorder, and sadism.  Using Trump’s own statements, they illustrate for the viewer how Trump exemplifies these (e.g., braggadocio, his conspiracy theories, his lies, his vicious tweets, his apparent lack of empathy or loyalty, and many more).

     Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” decry “diagnosing” Trump, citing the Goldwater Rule that stemmed from a suit brought by Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater against a publisher’s book outlining psychiatry’s assessment of him.  He won that suit, and since then, there has been a rule against diagnosing a person without a face-to-face interview. This is addressed in the film by saying the rule is outdated; in the digital world of today, we get an abundance of personal information about a public figure that allows us to learn so much more about him/her than we used to.  We can observe their actions, relationships, spoken thoughts and opinions first-hand as if we’re in the same room.

     There is a second issue not addressed in the documentary, which has to do with obtaining the consent of a public figure to be assessed by psychiatry and psychology. Although I don’t remember the experts actually using the word ‘diagnosis’, they do cite DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical manual professionals use for assessment) criteria for specific diagnosis, and state that Trump meets those criteria.

     Historians (Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Cheryl Koos) remind us of the strategies Hitler and Mussolini used to come into power; and point out that Steve Bannon, Trump’s advisor, studied Mussolini carefully, and per Ivana Trump, Donald kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bed.  The historians point out eerie parallels between the methods and times of Hitler and Mussolini and current events in our time, such as Mussolini coming in as a rabble-rouser to shake things up, dictators pardoning criminals, dictators coalescing social hatreds and anxieties to form a movement through rallies, propaganda, and promises to supporters, saying, “I’m the one who can do that for you.”  Something to fear:  charismatic leaders who bring out the tribal nature of their followers, in that no amount of reason will get them to change their minds.

     Perhaps the most chilling, part of this documentary is when Malcolm Nance, the expert in world affairs, makes the statement that Donald Trump does not have the temperament to be around nuclear systems, yet has the sole power to detonate weapons at his own discretion/impulse.  Since his inauguration, Trump has withdrawn from three nuclear disarmament treaties, and has resumed testing of intermediate-range missiles.

It’s in every American citizen’s interest to watch this film, which uses Donald Trump’s own words to assess his fitness for office.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD

Dev Patel     Hugh Laurie     Tilda Swinton     Darren Boyd     Gwendoline Christie     Ben Wishaw

     The clue in knowing what this film will be about is all the names ascribed to David Copperfield—Daisy, Trotwood, Doady, and so on.  It’s a Monty Python-like take on the long-revered novel by Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, which offers an account of his early life, albeit with a sense of humor, just as Armando Iannucci’s film, written by Simon Blackwell is—a spoof.  

     Disturbing scenes are shown of David’s birth, his mother’s remarriage to a tyrant after his father died, and all the various neer-do-wells that he encountered during his life—many of whom he thought could save him from ruin or at least whom he felt sympathetic toward and wanted to help.  In that journey, he encounters a man trying to escape his creditors, a pal at school, an aunt who had dismissed him at birth because he wasn’t a girl, a money manager of his aunt’s who has a lovely daughter but also has a problem with alcohol, and numerous people who immediately see him as the savior of the world.

     Dev Patel does an admirable job of depicting the lost soul that David is supposed to be and his honorable intentions—as naïve as they may be.  A continuing theme of good heartedness throughout is shown by his nursemaid, Peggoty (Daisy May Cooper).  Adding color are Tilda Swinton as Aunt Betsey and Hugh Laurie as Mr. Dick.  Uriah Heep (Wishaw) is shown to be at first an unctuous character, then something less than that. 

     You may remember writer/director Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin (2017) and In the Loop (2009), both political satires that were well received, along with his television work on Veep.  With his co-writer Simon Blackwell, they make the Copperfield tale more contemporary, with incisive commentary about social issues.

     The film loosely reflects author Charles Dickens’ autobiographical novel, highlighting the characters surrounding David in caricature.  Peggoty, Uriah Heep, Mr. Dick, and Aunt Betsey are all cleverly portrayed, and bring lots of chuckles; whereas stepfather Murdstone (Boyd) and his sister (Christie) successfully embody meanness and self-interest.  Another departure from the novel, making it more contemporary is the cast, which is a diverse group drawn from various cultures.

     Personal History offers a fascinating couple of hours as a top-notch cast and updated script take us on a journey in which David Copperfield’s true grit and humor keep the story fast-moving and entertaining.   

Rather than an exact rendition of Charles Dickens’ famous novel, Iannucci’s film is spiced up with humor and social commentary that will keep you engaged.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

COUP 53

Ralph Fiennes

     This documentary illustrates the intensive amount of work and doggedness it takes to pursue the truth many years later after life-altering events in a country’s history.  It starts with Iran as a colony of the United Kingdom following the discovery of lodes of oil in the Persian soil, and Britain beginning to realize that it could benefit by getting a controlling interest in the company mining the oil.  

     Eventually, Mohammad Mossaddegh, a socialist, was prime minister of Iran, and his people were especially pleased with his integrity and fairness.  But when Iran began to realize that the British company was not treating it fairly (treating native Iranians like servants and giving only a small percentage of the profits to Iran, even siphoning off additional funds), Mossaddegh drove out the British and nationalized the company.

     What follows are years of intrigue, with failed and successful coups principally led by the UK and the US under different administrations, to gain control of a country and its oil.  It is an example of the role powerful countries can have in the leadership of other countries, primarily to pursue capitalist interests.  It points out that even if appeals to international courts like The Hague ruled in Iran’s favor,  the rulings could be circumvented.

     Documentarian and Iranian Taghi Amirani and his writer/editor Walter Murch, weave the story like a detective novel, hunting down and poring over hundreds of previously classified documents, interviews, and videos to chart the sequence of events and the actors involved in staging an international coup.   Ralph Fiennes provides footage of the British leader of the coup, because either by ill intent or misplacement, the videos of his interviews by a British filmmaker have disappeared.  Fiennes could read from a transcript, which Amirani had tracked down.

A thoroughly researched, detailed account of Iran’s history in the 1950’s. It speaks to current affairs that are likely transpiring in a similar fashion today.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

TESLA

Ethan Hawke     Eve Hewson     Kyle MacLachlan     Lucy Walters     Jim Gaffigan     Josh Hamilton

     Tesla is remarkable, not only the man himself; but Michael Almereyda and his crew have created an innovative way to present a docudrama.  To wit:  The narration is provided by an important figure in Tesla’s life; scenes that seem not to have anything to do with one another are juxtaposed by switching back and forth between them; scenes are presented, and immediately after, the narrator says, “That didn’t actually happen”; figures suddenly appear in a scene with no introduction as to who they are; the dialog is spiked with profound conversation such as weighing the relative benefits of vindication versus love, capitalism versus idealism, and poetic statements like some of [Tesla’s] experiments were “like someone getting the ocean to sit for a portrait”; “Energy creates energy; it is by spending myself I become rich” [Sarah Bernhardt character]; and one of the last lines in the film spoken by the narrator referring to Tesla’s enigmatic personality and beliefs—“Maybe the world we live in is a dream that Tesla dreamed first.”  

     Almereyda wrote the script as well as directed the film, and was one of the producers.  I don’t know how much of a hand he had in editing the work (talented Kathryn Shubert is the named editor), but it was so creative/jumbled, that at times it was distracting. Cinematography (Sean Prince Williams), special effects (Drew Jiritano), and music (John Paesano) are all used well in the service of creating a beautiful, artful film, along with presenting a wealth of historical data.

     A highlight of the film is Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of the man Nikola Tesla. He is known for capturing the essence of eccentric characters (e.g., First Reformed), and here he presents the enigmatic, complex personality of a genius who clearly lived in his head and had little sense of the real, practical aspects of life (which is probably why he knew little about economics/money management, and was often cheated in his business).  A perfect contrast is made between him and Thomas Edison (MacLachlan), who was a master at getting people to do his bidding.

     Edison is played by Kyle MacLachlan in a performance that is probably one of his best to date.  Eve Hewson is the narrator who is portrayed as a woman clearly interested in Tesla, but who gave up on him when it became clear that he was not the “marrying type.” She is the daughter of J. P. Morgan, who financed some of Tesla’s experiments, but turned away when Tesla took too much time in realizing some of his dreams.  Hewson’s role (which she performs admirably) is influential in the story, partly because the actress is so attractive, but also because she makes astute observations about Tesla and relates some of the experiences in his early childhood that determined the man he would become.

     Tesla will appeal to those interested in scientific advances and to lovers of art films that venture into new modes of presentation.  This film frustrated me at times, but I ended up with admiration for its artistic value, along with being sympathetic with the Teslas of the world.

An innovative presentation of a combination of art and science in understanding a historical figure.

Grade:  A-                        By Donna R. Copeland

WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS

Charles Plummer     Molly Parker     Walter Goggins     Taylor Russell

Andy Garcia     Anna Sophia Robb     Devon Bostick     Lobo Sebastian

     This is an unusual treatment of a story about a teenager with schizophrenia.  Based on a novel by Julia Walton, Nick Naveda adapted it to a screenplay that focuses on the inner experience of someone with a major disorder.  It has many strong points, and a few aspects that I have questions about. 

     Adam (Plummer) and his mother (Parker) are grieving the absence of his father, but are adjusting reasonably well.  He shows his interest in and a flair for cooking, which compensates well for the emotional upset troubling both of them.  The immediate challenge, though, is in trying to find a way to treat his illness—an old story for those seeking an effective medicine for severe psychological problems.  His behavior has necessitated a change in schools, and this is about the same time a new drug has appeared on the market.  

His new school is Catholic, which shakes Adam up a bit (his family is not particularly religious), but his mother brushes that fact away; so, after making a mess and being bullied at his previous school, Adam is willing to give it a go. At the new school, a coincidental meeting in the boys room introduces Adam to Maya (Russell).  (I won’t go into it; this is one of the really fine scenes in the movie.)  

     Maya is the smartest girl in school and has supreme confidence to go with it. How does she have anything in common with Adam, and how could they possibly form a friendship?  That’s an underlying theme of the drama. Beyond Maya’s intelligence, she has a heart, and agrees to take on Adam at a reduced rate for tutorial lessons. 

     What follows is a commentary about the illness, its effects on other people close to the patient, and in turn the reverberating effect back on him.  

     Charlie Plummer’s performance as a troubled youth is entirely convincing, and his relationship with Molly Parker as his mother is likewise realistic.  Their interactions—as well as those with the rest of the cast, namely Taylor Russell as the tutor, Walter Goggins as the stepfather, Andy Garcia as Father Patrick, and the three hallucinated figures (Anna Sophia Robb, Devon Bastick, Lobo Sebastian) reflect the quality of Thor Freudenthal’s talent and work as the director.  Background music by Andrew Hollander is consistently entertaining and in sync with the plot.

     One of the film’s biggest strengths is in its central theme of addressing important life issues that people generally feel like they have to hide.  Another is the way special effects are used to project Adam’s hallucinations.  They give the viewer a good sense of why they’re so frightening and disruptive to him.

     My criticisms of the film stem from my background as a psychologist, and are related to treatment of schizophrenia.  Perhaps intentionally, screenwriter Nick Naveda de-emphasizes psychotherapy, which I believe is essential to successful treatment of major disorders.  What happens in the film may be a reflection of Julia Walton’s descriptions in her novel on which the script was based.  Curiously, Adam’s psychiatrist is never shown; instead, the story seems to imply that Adam’s few sessions with the priest were actually more influential in his adjustment than anything else.  Because of results from research studies, it is now generally accepted within the mental health field that a combination of psychotherapy and medicine is the most effective approach in helping those with severe illness.

     This point is related to my general contention that filmmakers should be sensitive to the ways in which they are portraying life situations and the need to consult with experts in the field so as not to misinform the audience.  

     I can recommend Words on Bathroom Walls as a fine work that would be helpful in demonstrating to the public challenges faced by those families in which severe mental problems are an issue.

Words on Bathroom Walls has an intriguing mix of seriousness and humor to get across its message about the importance of facing mental illness head-on.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland