Chef

Chef - Dir. Jon Favreau (2014)

Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) is the head chef of a trendy bistro in Venice Beach and things are looking up for him. He's about unveil a brand new menu to herald the arrival of renowned food critic Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt, whose brother, Adam, is a food critic for New York magazine), the blogger who raved about Casper's work a decade ago. Alas, the restaurant's owner Riva (Dustin Hoffman) demands Casper stick to the regular menu, which includes caviar-topped egg and a chocolate lava cake. It backfires as Michel lambasts the stale food and manages to insult Casper's weight, "…he must be eating all the food sent back to the kitchen."

Casper storms into the restaurant when Michel returns and launches into a heated tirade that is captured by numerous cell phones and uploaded to YouTube. He becomes persona non grata in the LA food scene just as he becomes an internet sensation. Looking for a fresh start, Casper reluctantly accompanies his ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara), and son, Percy (EmJay Anthony), on a trip to Miami. Once there, he purchases a decrepit food truck and turns it into the snazzy El Jefe, serving up cubanos and arroz con pollo. This new venture reinvigorates Chef Casper's passion for cooking as well as repairing his strained relationship with Percy as they make the cross-country trip back to the west coast.

The plot of Chef draws immediate parallels to Jon Favreau's own career as a filmmaker. He made a splash as the writer and producer of Swingers before following it up with his directorial debut Made. Since then, his profile in commercial films has grown with Elf and the runaway success of Iron Man, which set the foundation for Marvel's cinematic universe. However, it was clear Favreau was not the primary decision maker anymore for Iron Man 2 and Cowboys & Aliens met with tepid reactions from audiences and critics alike. With Chef, Favreau has returned to his indie roots and created a comedy/drama driven by rich characters rather than expensive CGI.

At the heart of Chef is the relationship between father and son, the latter of whom is played without a hint of precociousness by EmJay Anthony. To Favreau's credit, he doesn't go the easy route by painting Casper as an insensitive prick. He's just a workaholic and a little oblivious from time to time. Watching the two together is just one of the joys of Chef, along with Casper's interactions with other characters, such as Bobby Cannavale and John Leguizamo as two of his kitchen comrades or Scarlett Johansson in a small role as a comely hostess. Sofia Vergera gives a more natural performance as compared to the over-the-top antics we usually see from her on Modern Family. Favreau also made sure to call in Iron Man for assistance as Robert Downey Jr. pops in for a cameo as Inez's eccentric ex-husband. He makes everyone who visits his office wear surgical booties over their shoes, including his leggy assistant's six-inch stilettos. Amy Sedaris should not be overlooked for her cameo as an overly tanned publicist trying to get Casper to sign on to a cheesy reality show ala Gordon Ramsay.

Of course, what would any self-respecting chef movie be without mouth-watering cuisine? Chef is food porn cinema right up there with Eat Drink Man Woman, Tampopo, and Big Night. Chef Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ fame not only served as a consultant, but tutored Favreau in gastronomical ways. The director lovingly preps, cooks, and plates numerous delicacies and these sequences are intricately shot and cut, even for something as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich. You'll want to toss those stale movie theater concessions to the sticky floor when you watch Favreau slice into a juicy, rare steak or curl pasta around his fork. Chef brings the local flavor by shooting on location in Miami, New Orleans, and Austin with El Jefe tailoring their menu to each city. You'll get fresh beignets in the French Quarter and beef brisket for you fanatics of Texas barbecue.

Dustin Hoffman makes an excellent point when he tells Casper that people would riot at a Rolling Stones concert if Mick Jagger didn't sing "Satisfaction." While Favreau clearly enjoyed the freedom of independent film, he never lambastes the idea of playing it safe or sticking to the hits. Chef is comfort food, a pleasant, lightweight comedy. There are no high stakes and very little conflict, which isn't a bad thing though the ending is too pat and hews too closely to Ratatouille.

Rating: *** (*****)

Parker

Parker - Dir. Taylor Hackford

"I don't steal from people who can't afford it and I don't hurt people that don't deserve it."

The late-Donald E. Westlake is best known for a series of crime novels starring a highly skilled crook named Parker, each penned under the pseudonym of Richard Stark. The first of those books, The Hunter, was famously adapted as Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, a fine example of the classic revenge film. That same book was translated with less success as Payback with Mel Gibson. Neither of those movies featured Parker per se because Westlake wouldn’t allow producers to call him by that name unless they intended to make the whole series. Thus, Marvin became Walker while Gibson was called Porter. Another excellent adaptation was The Outfit starring Robert Duvall and directed by John Flynn, who also helmed Rolling Thunder, one of the best revenge films of the 70's. Following Westlake's death, his wife, Abby, and close friend, producer Les Alexander, hoped to turn the Parker series into the franchise Westlake had envisioned.

Simply titled Parker, this new film is based on Flashfire, one of Westlake's later novels, which was published in 2000. This time Parker (Jason Statham) hooks up with a quartet of crooks for a heist at the Ohio State Fair. Parker's new cohorts are headed up by Melander (Michael Chiklis) and include Carlson (Wendell Pierce), Ross (Clifton Collins Jr.), and Hardwicke (Micah A. Hauptman), a royal screw-up who only has a spot because his uncle is a big time mobster in Chicago. The gang makes off with a million dollars and double-cross Parker in order to use the score to fund their next caper. The rest of the story will sound familiar to Parker fans as their hero is shot and left for dead only to survive, and then go on the hunt for revenge.

Parker tracks his former colleagues to Palm Beach, Florida where they plan to steal $75 million in jewelry from an auction house. He receives unlikely aid from Leslie Rogers (Jennifer Lopez), a down-on-her-luck real estate agent who is divorced, deep in debt, and lives with her overbearing mother (Patti LuPone). Nick Nolte looks like he's about to keel over at any time in his small role as Parker's mentor.

Statham is an old hand when it comes to playing these anti-heroes who adhere to their own moral codes as exemplified in The Transporter and The Mechanic. In fact, swap a few details here and there and Parker could have been any number of previous Statham vehicles. Nothing about the screenplay from John McLaughlin (Hitchcock) feels particularly unique though Statham is charismatic enough to keep you entertained even when he's putting on the worst Southern accent ever. Yes, Parker goes undercover as an oil tycoon from San Antonio with a drawl that would fool no one. Even Statham seems to believe the accent is bad enough that he quits doing it midstream.

Jennifer Lopez's character is a far cry from the tough and resourceful Karen Sisco in Out of Sight. She's shoehorned into the plot almost as awkwardly as some of the flashback sequences. Leslie's only reason for existing is to act as damsel in distress and allow horndogs to ogle Lopez when she strips down to her bra and panties. She's not a love interest for Parker since he already has one in Claire (Emma Booth), the dutiful girlfriend who worries while still patching up his gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, Leslie's mother walks around the house with her foo foo dog demanding the TV be constantly turned to her soap operas. She's so broadly sketched that you half-expect Broadway legend Patti LuPone to appear in a muumuu with curlers in her hair.

Parker is the first genre effort from Taylor Hackford, known more for prestige dramas such as An Officer and a Gentleman and Ray. Hackford's action sequences aren't terrible, but there's no panache to the point that any work-for-hire director like Simon West or Renny Harlin could have been behind the camera.

In the end, Parker is indistinguishable from the rest of the middling early year releases. It's a shame that Westlake's pulpy crime fiction has been diluted into yet another run-of-the-mill Jason Statham actioner. If you want to see Westlake's works translated well, check out the graphic novels by Darwyn Cooke.

Rating: ** (*****)

Win Win

Win Win - Dir. Thomas McCarthy (2011)

Thomas McCarthy doesn't have one of the most recognizable names or faces. As a character actor, he's had supporting roles in films like Meet the Parents and 2012. However, he has won more critical acclaim as the writer/director of The Station Agent and The Visitor. McCarthy has specialized in telling stories about depressed outsiders forming an unconventional surrogate family. For his latest picture, Win Win, McCarthy sticks to his bread and butter, presenting his best movie yet.

Paul Giamatti is perfectly cast as Mike Flaherty, a New Jersey lawyer who practices in the matters of elderly care. He also doubles as the coach of a pathetic high school wrestling team with his partner Stephen (Jeffrey Tambor). Mike isn't pulling in enough money to support his wife, Jackie (Amy Ryan), and their two daughters. He finds what he believes to be an easy source of money in Leo Poplar (Burt Young), who is suffering from the onset of dementia. Unable to contact his family, Mike appoints himself as Leo's guardian in order to collect the $1500 a month from Leo's estate, then checks him into a nursing home so he doesn't actually have to care for Leo.

Mike's scheme seemingly goes off without a hitch until Leo's grandson, Kyle (Alex Shaffer), arrives on Leo's doorstep. Mike and Jackie take the boy in until they can contact Kyle's mother, Cindy (Melanie Lynskey), who is attending rehab and is estranged from her father. When Kyle shows off exceptional wrestling skill, Mike sees it as a karmic reward. He enrolls Kyle at the school for the chance to finally win a championship. Kyle's winning ways manage to inspire the adults around him as well as his lackadaisical teammates. Everything feels like it's coming around for Mike until Cindy shows up looking to collect her son and her father's money.

McCarthy's screenplay has a tendency to veer towards sitcom territory. It's formulaic and the complications are all wrapped up a little too conveniently. Yet, there's such a sweet-natured approach to the material that it's easy to go with the flow. Unlike other indie dramedies which are quirky for quirky's sake, the characters of Win Win feel genuine and likeable. The comedy ranges from over-the-top to low-key and each gag is never forced, coming naturally from the situations everyone finds themselves.

The cast also helps to elevate the film. Giamatti is the master of playing these sad sack roles, able to maintain an air of sympathy despite sometimes acting like a jerk (see American Splendor). Amy Ryan is excellent as the tough Jersey wife while Jeffrey Tambor plays the exact type of role you expect from Jeffrey Tambor. Rocky fans will be ecstatic to see Paulie himself appear in a small, but vital part. The real gem of Win Win is newcomer Alex Shaffer, who really is a champion wrestler in the Garden State. Shaffer manages to make so much more of a role that calls for the typical sullen and taciturn teenager.

McCarthy scores a definitive notch in the win column with Win Win. It's a funny and engaging film that stands as one of the best pictures released during the first half of 2011.

Rating: ***½ (*****)

The Other Guys

The Other Guys - Dir. Adam McKay (2010)


Riggs and Murtaugh. Tango and Cash. Add Hoitz and Gamble to the buddy cop pantheon.

The Other Guys opens in true action film fashion with a rousing car chase through the streets of New York City as top cops, Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson), run down the perpetrators. A massive amount of property damage is done to bring in a few crooks possessing a miniscule amount of marijuana. Back at the station house, Danson and Highsmith are greeted with a hero’s welcome. None of the accolades are thrown the way of Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) and Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell). They don’t blow shit up, they don’t get the girls, nor do they make the big arrests.

Hoitz could be doing those things, if not for an embarrassing shooting mishap, which relegated him to desk duty. His partner, Gamble, is a forensic accountant who gleefully enjoys paperwork and has no desire to see any action in the field. While investigating a minor oversight in construction permits, Gamble and Hoitz uncover a Bernie Madoff-style plot by millionaire mogul David Ershon (Steve Coogan) to embezzle $32 billion.

The main cast also features Michael Keaton as the precinct captain who moonlights as the manager of a Bed Bath and Beyond, Eva Mendes as Gamble’s inexplicably hot wife, Ray Stevenson as an Australian mercenary, and an uncredited Anne Heche as a corrupt CEO employing Ershon.

The Other Guys is the fourth collaboration between director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell following Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Step Brothers. Other Guys isn’t as hilarious as the first two films, but it’s several notches above the somewhat crass Step Brothers. As a spoof of buddy cop films, it works better than Kevin Smith’s Cop Out. However, the genre has become such a self-parody of itself that McKay is simply beating a dead horse. Seeing Wahlberg in a slow-mo John Woo shootout isn’t as funny as it should be because the gag has been done to death.

Where the film excels is in the interactions between the lead actors. Wahlberg has given some terribly wooden performances recently in The Happening and The Lovely Bones. He’s better suited for action and comedy and he’s excellent as the hotheaded straight man. Ferrell’s idiot man-child routine wears thin so he wisely tones it down for Other Guys. There’s a slow burn for his character as they slowly reveal the darker side he’s hidden.

McKay tops it off with his own brand of absurdist humor displayed in many hysterical gags sprinkled throughout the film. Some of the funniest bits include: Coogan bribing our heroes with tickets to Jersey Boys, a run-in with a group of horny hobos led by a fellow named Dirty Mike (played by McKay himself), an ending credits sequence utilizing Powerpoint-style animation to explain Ponzi schemes and government bailouts, and Ferrell constantly being hit on by gorgeous women like Brooke Shields (wife of co-writer Chris Henchy).

Rating: ***