Review by-Jarrett Leahy
Set in the post-apocalyptic shell of the city of Chicago, a group of survivors has established a “utopian” society where citizens are divided into five different factions based on the desired virtues of the community. In order to discover which path in life one shall take, all teenagers must consent to intensive psychological tests that help aid in their life decision. However, when Tris completes her faction test, she discovers that she doesn’t fit into just one belief group, but is in fact Divergent, a rare distinction that has been outlawed by the governing body because of its perceived threat to the society’s harmony. Now while training with her new fellow faction-members, Tris must hide her true identity or run the risk of being arrested, or worse, eradicated.
The recent critical and financial success of the Hunger Games franchise has set off a young adult novel adaptation explosion. Every studio seems to be clamoring to find the newest set of beloved books they can adapt to the big screen and make a billion dollars off of. Summit Entertainment, the production company that gave us the Twilight movies, joined forces with Red Wagon Entertainment to land the rights to the Divergent franchise, a trilogy of dystopian science fictions novels from author Veronica Roth. Summit brought in director Neil Burger to helm the first film of the trilogy, Divergent. Burger, a Yale graduate, is best known for directing the 2006 magician drama The Illusionist starring Edward Norton and the 2011 psychological thriller Limitless with Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. Unfortunately, the moderate success Burger found with those two films did not transfer over to Divergent, as his final product suffers from a bad case of Hollywood conventionality, a rather ironic problem considering the film’s story warns against the dangers of unquestioned conformity.
Having no experience with the books, I’m unfamiliar with how true the movie stays to the source material, but I must admit my initial reaction was that the film’s script felt as if it were written by a team of fraternity guys. Starting right from our first introductions, as the Dauntless faction members come flipping off a moving train like a pack of rabid cheerleaders on cocaine, the film’s feel was one of a heightened over-exuberance that seemed to pander to its more impressionable younger audience. Chock-full of rah-rah moments, cliched slogans and rallying cries were thrown around like beads at Mardi Gras. The film never passed up the chance to slip in a myriad of cheesy initiation rituals. While I suspect these narrative devices were supposed to show the power of groupthink, they came off as corny and bromidic. On top of that, Burger never created a true sense of dread or urgency that successful dystopian dramas are known for. For a film that is supposed to be a frightening, futuristic cautionary tale, the level of fear never rises above a mild case of unrest.
The studio’s choice in the casting of Shailene Woodley to play the film’s lead protagonist, Tris Prior, was obviously a solid business decision, as there’s no questioning her flavor of the moment star power sold a slew of tickets at the box office. But in terms of the actual onscreen depiction she brings, Woodley simply doesn’t have the physical or acting chops to carry this franchise. The role of Tris requires a level of realistic physicality that Woodley’s tiny frame just can’t convince me of. While watching her many intense training scenes, Woodley felt like a little girl playing guns with the jocks. Adding to my dissatisfaction, Woodley’s emotional range lacked a level of…divergence. Too often her go-to facial expression was some version of a pouty, vacant stare that forced the viewer to transfer their own personal emotions. I hate to be yet another person who compares Woodley to one of her more talented peers, Jennifer Lawrence, but once you see it done right, it’s hard to watch and forgive overt inadequacy.
Another point of contention I had with Divergent were moments where the special effects teetered on the brink of mediocre. One scene in particular that comes to mind was an initiation rite involving a precarious zip line ride through the skyline of Chicago. As Tris swoops through and around dilapidated buildings, my suspension of disbelief was ruined by a profusion of substandard visuals. In 2014, with the amazing advances technology has brought to cinema special effects, it’s astonishing to me when a film offers visuals that are less than acceptable.
Suffering from a bad case of blockbuster conventionality, Divergent is a soulless, post-apocalyptic soap opera with subpar performances and a trite, hackneyed script. If one positive can be identified, the film does offer a handful of capable supporting performances. Academy Award winner Kate Winslet (The Reader) brings a truly conniving frigidness to her portrayal of villainous Erudite leader Jeanine Matthews, and Ashley Judd shows a surprising knack for handling a firearm. While I’m quite aware I’m not the intended audience of a film like this, even teenyboppers deserve a competent product for their money, and Divergent unfortunately just isn’t.-JL
Grade: D+
Review by-Jarrett Leahy
Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) was cast to play the film’s two lead characters, Simon and James. If I can give Eisenberg credit for one thing, he does an excellent job choosing roles that fit his specific acting skill set. The Double highlights his two principal personae, socially awkward wimp and pompous jerk. Eisenberg’s meek delivery of Simon expertly portrays the painfully hapless existence of this poor schlub. You can’t help but feel for this guy as he is constantly the proverbial doormat both professionally and in his personal life. Simon’s pitiful reality is only exacerbated more as Eisenberg’s other character, James, arrives on the scene. Conniving, cocky, and always the life of the party, James sees Simon as an easy mark and takes full advantage to better his situation within the company. Eisenberg’s adept ability to flawlessly float from one persona to the other allows each of these characters to sufficiently develop, as their connected story crescendos to the film’s bizarrely climactic ending.
In the discussion of the next rising female star, for my money, I’ll take the uber-talented young Australian actress Mia Wasikowska. Whether playing the precocious daughter of a lesbian couple in The Kids Are All Right (2011), a killer in the making in Chan-wook Park’s haunting art house horror flick Stoker (2013), or a bloodthirsty vampire in Only Lovers Left Alive (2014), I simply adore the bold choices she’s made so far in her young career. The Double adds yet another notable performance to her growing list of captivating roles. Cast opposite Eisenberg, Wasikowska plays Simon’s love interest Hannah. Equal parts melancholic and scatterbrained, Wasikowska captures the aloof detachment of a young woman who has no idea Simon even exists. So clueless in fact is Hannah that she even asks Simon to introduce her to James, rubbing salt in his already gaping wounds. Together, these two make an unusually engrossing on-screen couple, as Wasikowska’s girl-next-door charm surprisingly never felt out of Eisenberg’s league.
Stylistically, The Double feels like an abstract painting come to life. Cinematographer Erik Wilson’s capable use of harsh lights and shadows helps set the film’s upsetting and discordant mood. Long camera shots and abstract angles are expertly used to skillfully frame this nightmarish dreamworld. Hallways, offices, and endless rows of cubicals all become dreadfully eerie thanks to Wilson’s gifted camerawork. Ayoade and the film’s sound department complements this jarring ambience with a slew of cacophonous sound effects and musical choices that further the disorienting feel of the movie. Overall, the comparisons between The Double and Brazil were wondrously noticeable. I hope some day to hear director Terry Gilliam’s thoughts on Ayoade’s latest creation.
For me, The Double is this year’s Stoker—a highly stylish piece of cinema that sucked me into its singular world thanks to an abundance of giftedly morose humor along with engrossing performances from Eisenberg and Wasikowska. I suspect a portion of you will disagree with my assessment of this strangely beautiful film, but The Double is a type of movie I unabashedly admit to being a true sucker for, and I’m more than willing to going out on the limb with my grade to show my appreciation for this spellbinding tale Richard Ayoade has created. I can’t wait to see what he has next for us.-JL
Review by-Jarrett Leahy
Unfortunately, Dom Hemingway’s biggest downfall is it’s a film that doesn’t know what it wants to be. Shepard spends the first hour enthusiastically revealing the debaucherous crime world of his sleazy protagonist. While a bit commonplace and unoriginal, it at least fits the irreverent mood his lead character works so hard to establish. The first signs of trouble, however, come with the film’s highly stylized cinematography. While admittedly fun to look at early on, it inadvertently added a flamboyant level of caricaturization to this crazy cast of personalities who could already be described as underworld stereotypes. Fueling my frustration even more was the inexplicable turn the film’s final act takes, as Shepard curiously attempts to make Dom Hemingway into some sort of unorthodox story of redemption. Shepard’s haphazard and contradictory change of pace comes off feeling contrived and false to the true nature of who Dom Hemingway is—an uncivilized and unapologetic bastard.
Dom Hemingway’s one redemptive element is the transformative performance of its exceedingly talented lead star. As if we needed more proof of the impossibility of pigeonholing Jude Law, Dom Hemingway, Law’s latest feverish unleashing, offers yet another varied wrinkle to a resume that already includes Gattaca, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Road To Perdition, A.I., Cold Mountain, Closer, Sherlock Holmes, Side Effects, and many more. Law’s ability to infuse just the right amount of genuine charisma to his irreverential portrayal turns this contemptible and depraved individual into more of a sympathetic ne’er-do-well. While reaping the benefits of Shepard’s gift for amusingly vicious dialogue, Law’s profanity-laced rants are delivered with such precise timing and crazed ferocity that I was left astounded this was the same Jude Law I had become accustomed to watching.
Too much sentimentality to be a noteworthy black comedy, too much vulgarity to genuinely embrace the film’s strained attempt at redemption, filmmaker Richard Shepard’s skill for comedic dialogue couldn’t help revive his narrative choices, as Dom Hemingway’s lack of a true identity leaves it feeling like an unbalanced patchwork of stale crime conventions and cliches. Luckily, Jude Law manages to thoroughly immerse himself into this maniacal character, carrying this wonky story to a level of respectability by sheer force. While he’ll never win any awards for his performance, this will definitely go down as one of his most audacious roles. Dom Hemingway is a compellingly frustrating movie where its outlandish lead performance outshines a flimsy, hodgepodge storyline. “I’m Dom Hemingway!” Yes you are Jude, and you deserved a better story to help showcase your zealous portrayal.-JL
Review by-Jarrett Leahy
The first question I had that I’m sure some of you may be asking is, who the heck is Alejandro Jodorowsky? The history of cinema is so vastly spread throughout the world that historical figures and talents often slip through the cracks and are forgotten over time. Alejandro Jodorowsky was a surrealist artist who began creating experimental movies during the 1960’s and early ’70’s. In 1975, Jodorowsky assembled a team of some of the most talented artists of the time to tackle his most ambitious project yet, Dune. Unfortunately, Jodorowsky ran out of money and was never given the chance to finish what he and his team spent so long working on. Through personal interviews, Jodorowsky and his crew recall many memories of the work they put into this passion project. Now 85-years-old, Jodorowsky’s passion and love for this failed project are still as ardent today as they were back in the mid ’70’s. His ability to describe so accurately his vision for this movie adds a layer of intrigue to what could have been.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the documentary was the phone book sized collection of pre-production notes and illustrations of literally every shot of the film. The intricacy and detail of each scene narrated by Jodorowsky’s lovingly energetic descriptions allows us an intimate glimpse into what this version of Dune just might have been like had this idealistic dreamer been given the chance to create his vision. What may be even more impressive was the list of seminal science fiction films that show direct or indirect influence from these comprehensive Dune storyboards, which were rumored to have been circulated throughout the many film studios since their creation back in the late ’70’s. Imagine a world without Star Wars, Alien, The Terminator, Blade Runner, Contact, or The Matrix just to name a few.
I pride myself in having a pretty good base knowledge for film history, so I’m thankful that director Frank Pavich brought to light this glaring hole in my cinema education. Jodorosky’s Dune offers a very detailed retelling of the years of astonishing pre-production efforts put into this project. I must confess, even being a fellow movie junkie, at times I felt a bit overwhelmed by all the information being shared. However, seeing the reverence many of today’s movie insiders have for this long lost project helped keep me engaged in this compelling story. The title “the greatest movie never made” is a rather dubious distinction to be given. But seeing the vast, outreaching effects and influences Jodorowsky’s work has had on the film industry over the last three decades is a legacy that is worth celebrating, and Jodorowsky’s Dune does exactly that. Filled to the brim with amazing technical details and intimate stories, Jodorowsky’s Dune spins an intriguing tale of what could have been.-JL
Review by-Jarrett Leahy
The giftedly idiosyncratic filmmaker Jim Jarmusch has always danced to the beat of a different drummer. Before his 2005 Bill Murray dramedy, Broken Flowers, he had never made film under a studio’s watch. His 1984 indie cult classic Stranger Than Paradise is credited by many film critics as one of the driving catalysts for the independent film movement of the late 1980’s and early 90’s. Jarmusch’s latest creation, Only Lovers Left Alive, is his take on the well-worn vampire mythology. Luckily for us, he borrows only the best of the genre cliches while contributing his own unique flair and original updates to offer a piece of cinema that is equal parts seductively melancholic and twistedly droll.
With such a moody and unconventional script, the casting of the film’s two lead characters, Adam and Eve, was vital to the movie’s success. Jarmusch could not have chosen two actors better equipped to handle the atypical requirements of their roles than Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton. Shelving her renowned androgyny, Swinton displays a surprisingly sensuous and feminine allure while Hiddleston demonstrates the perfect balance of vulnerability and withdrawn aloofness, making him the ultimate hipster rock star. Together these two soulmates create an on-screen partnership that has a facade of nonchalance masking the deeply committed nature of their relationship. Even while thousands of miles apart, the eternal love these two share offers a carnal yearning and abiding affection that oozes out of every scene.
For obvious reasons, Only Lovers Left Alive is shot during the nocturnal hours, causing Detroit, a city already scarred by years of economic downfall, to look even more hauntingly empty. In contrast, the city of Tangier seems to have a constant saffron glow regardless of the time, making Eve’s late night jaunts through the narrow streets feel even more exotic and beguiling. These two cities offer visual metaphors to each character’s mental state, Adam, like Detroit, is a bit dreary and downtrodden, while Eve’s more alluring and offbeat persona matches that of Tangier. I found it amusing to observe these 21st century vampires utilizing today’s technology, communicating through a cleverly rigged version of FaceTime. These modern-day bloodsuckers make a concerted effort to avoid this anachronistic activity, instead acquiring their vital O negative through black market procurement, allowing them the access to better “product” while avoiding tainted blood, one of the few things that supposedly can kill these eternal creatures.
With a lifespan that predates the history of the United States, the possibilities of encountering and befriending many talented and distinguished people are endless, and Jarmusch has fun subtly, and not so subtly, name dropping a myriad a famous historical allusions, including the much maligned William Shakespeare. Hundreds of years spent on earth also allows for quite the appreciation for the arts. Adam’s talents and admiration for music is matched only by Eve’s voracious love for literature. Evident in the film’s running joke referring to humans as “zombies” is a social commentary from Jarmusch, the writer, lamenting our propensity as a species to ignore the simpler pleasures in life, like the arts, while we remain distracted by a world of material things deemed more important and valuable.
Jim Jarmusch has always been a singular filmmaker whose uncompromising creations are, for better or worse, undeniably his vision. Only Lovers Left Alive shows how great a Jarmusch film can be when he gets it right. Blessed with two sterling performances and rich cinematography, Only Lovers Left Alive is a methodically-paced, deadpan comedy that had me entranced unto the end.-JL
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