Parkland

Parkland - Dir. Peter Landesman (2013)

The assassination of John F. Kennedy has spawned an entire subculture dedicated to examining every detail of the tragic event. Was it the work of a lone gunman or was it a vast conspiracy involving Lyndon B. Johnson, the CIA, the military-industrial complex, the Russians, and organized crime figures? Countless books and films have sprung up over the years speculating on just that with Oliver Stone's "JFK" being one of the more notable.

Millennium Entertainment's Parkland isn't interested in conspiracy theories or facets that have been picked apart ad nauseum. This is an ensemble piece that wishes to tell the story of the little people whose lives were forever affected by JFK's assassination, just as the entire country was. Released to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of Kennedy's death, Parkland was written and directed by first-timer Peter Landesman, a former journalist who based the screenplay on the book, Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi, a district attorney best known for prosecuting Charles Manson.

Clothing manufacturer Abraham Zapruder (Paul Giamatti) excitedly arrives at Dealy Plaza with his 8mm Bell & Howell camera in the hopes of capturing the President's motorcade as it passed by. Instead, Zapruder unwittingly filmed the most infamous home movie ever made, clear footage of JFK's shooting. Dr. Charles Carrico (Zac Efron), a young resident at Parkland Memorial Hospital, is the first physician to treat Kennedy when he is rushed into the emergency room. As medical personnel scramble in a blood soaked ER, a dazed Jackie Kennedy (Kat Steffens) hands a veteran nurse (Marcia Gay Harden) fragments of her husband's skull. Robert Oswald (James Badge Dale) is left in shock when he learns his younger brother (Jeremy Strong) is responsible for killing the president. Gordon Shanklin (David Harbour), head of the FBI's Dallas field office, berates James Hosty (Ron Livingston), upon learning that they had been investigating Lee Harvey Oswald, including receiving a threatening letter from Oswald. Roy Kellerman (Tom Welling from "Smallville") and other agents assigned to the President's detail are burdened by the belief they have failed in their duty.

While major players like LBJ and Jackie Kennedy are present in Parkland, the focus is clearly on the individuals who would otherwise be considered historical footnotes. Zapruder is haunted by the images he has seen and has his faith in the American dream shaken. Robert Oswald faces an uncertain future knowing his family will become pariahs for what his brother has done.  Landesman also broaches topics that one normally wouldn't think of. Members of Kennedy's staff remove seats from the cabin of Air Force One in order to accommodate his casket. Zapruder and Forrest Sorrels (Billy Bob Thornton), a Secret Service agent assigned to Kennedy's detachment, struggle to find a photo lab to develop the 8mm film, a relatively new process in the 60's. No church or cemetery is willing to accept Lee Harvey Oswald's remains. During the funeral, Robert must rely on paparazzi to serve as pallbearers.

Tom Hanks served as one of the producers for Parkland and it's disappointing he didn't take a Band of Brothers approach to the subject matter. Zapruder and Robert Oswald are interesting enough to support their own films. A medical drama revolving around the Parkland staff as they treat Kennedy and Oswald would also be extremely compelling. At less than 90 minutes, Parkland barely scratches the surface and squanders an amazing cast. Despite turning in strong performances, Marcia Gay Harden, Mark Duplass (as Kennedy aide Ken O'Donnell), and Jackie Earle Haley (as the priest who delivers last rites) appear in glorified cameos. James Badge Dale, who has quickly become one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors, brings a sense of pathos to his role that is almost undermined by Jacki Weaver's over-the-top performance as overbearing mother, Marguerite, steadfast in her belief that her younger son was a secret agent for the U.S. government.

Landesman employs a documentary style akin to Paul Greengrass, minus the headache inducing shaky cam. Not surprising that Barry Ackroyd, who also shot United 93, Green Zone, and Captain Phillips, served as cinematographer. The result allows the audience to feel like a fly on the wall while maintaining tension throughout the short runtime.

Parkland finds a fresh perspective on a significant moment in history, but still feels like a missed opportunity. The movie is blessed with a wealth of talented actors and intriguing characters, yet never gives them enough time to shine. Still, it earns a mild recommendation solely on star power.

Rating: **½ (*****)

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook - Dir. David O. Russell (2012)

"You have poor social skills. You have a problem."

"I have a problem? You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things."

In Hollywood, there's a thing called 'director jail.' Make a stinker or flush a studio's money down the toilet and you could be sentenced there for life. Just ask Michael Cimino, who hasn't done anything significant since his infamous bomb, Heaven's Gate. David O. Russell was lucky enough to escape a similar fate. Russell was earning some buzz on the independent scene with the quirky comedies Spank the Monkey and Flirting with Disaster. Then, he helmed the highly successful and critically acclaimed Three Kings, a unique look at the Gulf War with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in lead roles. His next picture, the self-described existential comedy I Heart Huckabee's, received mixed reviews and played to many empty theaters. He also received a reputation as an enfant terrible after a video leaked onto the internet of he and Lily Tomlin locked in a heated argument. Production on his follow-up, Nailed, was shut down after losing financing several times.

Along came the story of boxer Micky Ward, which was turned into The Fighter, a film that earned seven Academy Award nominations. Out of Russell's entire oeuvre, The Fighter is his most mainstream and accessible picture. It was a calculated move by Russell to get back into the game and there's no denying it worked like a charm. Russell had his groove back and now he presents his best work yet with Silver Linings Playbook.

Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is a high school teacher who launches into a violent rage when he catches his wife, Nikki, in the shower with another man. He is diagnosed as bipolar and sent to a psychiatric hospital in Baltimore. After eight months, Pat is checked out early by his dutiful mother (Jacki Weaver). Despite having a restraining order filed against him, Pat hopes to win Nikki back by exercising regularly, reading great works of literature, and maintaining an optimistic outlook. He's even adopted, "Excelsior!," as his motto, not realizing Stan Lee already beat him to the punch. The road to recovery isn't smooth considering Pat loses his cool the first night out after reading Hemingway's Farewell to Arms and discovering it doesn't have a happy ending.

During a casual dinner with friends, Pat meets Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow who fell into a self-destructive phase of sexual promiscuity following the death of her husband. Their newfound relationship runs hot and cold, just like Pat's mental state. They bond over their mutual dysfunctions, but part over Pat's tactless behavior. Eventually, they agree to train together for a dance competition in exchange for Tiffany passing on a letter to Nikki.

Silver Linings Playbook is based on a novel by Matthew Quick and adapted for the screen by Russell. Hollywood has a reputation for portraying mental illness with cloying sentimentality or as an excuse for quirky, broad humor. "Silver Linings" may have a slightly sanitized sheen, it's a far more compelling and genuine look at mental issues. Chalk that up to the authors' life experiences. Quick previously worked in the mental health community and battled with his own bouts of depression. Russell's son, Matthew (who appears briefly as a nosy neighbor kid), suffers from bipolar disorder.

Although actors like Vince Vaughn, Mark Wahlberg, and Anne Hathaway were previously attached, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as the leads. Cooper brings his usual self-assured swagger, but injects the role of Pat with sorrow and humanity, which helps with a character that isn't always sympathetic. It girl Jennifer Lawrence earned her Oscar for Best Actress through a performance that is simultaneously fragile and fierce. You root for their relationship because they live without filters. The people around them live seemingly normal lives, but are hiding deep seeded neuroses. Pat's best friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) is married to Tiffany's sister, Veronica (Julia Stiles), and they appear to be the picture of suburban, upper middle class bliss (an iPod port in every room of the house). However, Ronnie is clearly being suffocated by attempts to maintain a contented paternal face. Likewise, Pat's long-suffering mother also puts on the phony façade of happy homemaker dealing with things in her own quiet way (with "crabby snacks and homemades").

Pat Sr. (Robert DeNiro) is the other source of frustration in the Solitano household. He's a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan who was banned from the stadium for excessive fighting. He gambles large sums on the games and developed obsessive compulsive superstitions he believes will help the team win. Pat Sr. is one of DeNiro's best performances in years and refreshing to see from the legendary actor who has almost fallen into an abyss of self-parody.

Perhaps, the most surprising turn in the film belongs to an understated Chris Tucker as a fellow patient at Pat's hospital. You would never guess this was the same abrasive loudmouth from the Rush Hour movies.

Silver Linings Playbook is a heartwarming take on the romantic comedy. David O. Russell treats the characters and the subject matter with dignity and the results are a feel-good movie about people you normally wouldn't feel good about.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

The Five-Year Engagement

The Five-Year Engagement - Dir. Nicholas Stoller (2012)

Director Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel first worked together on the short-lived television series Undeclared, which was produced by Judd Apatow. They firmly established themselves in feature film with their smash-hit comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Though Stoller worked with Segel again on "The Muppets," he was only a writer and executive producer with James Bobin of Flight of the Conchords fame directing. The Five-Year Engagement is their first official follow-up to Sarah Marshall as they once again explore the volatile minefield that is the adult relationship.

Five-Year Engagement begins where most romantic comedies end with the proposal. Tom Solomon (Segel) is a successful sous chef making a name for himself in the trendy restaurant scene of San Francisco. He's been dating psychology student Violet Barnes (Emily Blunt) for a year and pops the question during a romantic rooftop dinner with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. A wedding date is set and invitations are sent out, but things hit a snag when Violet gets accepted into the post-doctorate program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. They decide to move to the Wolverine State and postpone the nuptials until she receives her degree in two years.

Violet rises through the ranks of grad students after proposing an experiment to study self-control issues with stale donuts (an offshoot of the Stanford marshmallow experiment) that serves as an obvious metaphor. On the flip side, Tom has a miserable time dealing with the cold weather and lack of job prospects. He's stuck making sandwiches at a deli. The couple drifts further and further apart as the audience wonders whether or not these wacky kids will eventually tie the knot.

Of course, they do, which shouldn't come as a shock unless you've never seen a movie before. While the parts have been rearranged, the underlying spine of the film remains true to formula. As stated in the title, we know it will take Tom and Violet five years before they can enjoy wedded bliss. However, sometimes it's the journey that counts and not so much the destination. The Five-Year Engagement takes a meandering route towards the conclusion and falls into the trap of many Apatow productions by just being too long. The movie runs over two hours all while the story is crying out for a peppier pace.

Segel and Blunt have previously played romantic interests in the embarrassingly bad Jack Black vehicle, Gulliver's Travels. Luckily, they get better material here and display an easy chemistry with each other. The script is even keeled and doesn't paint either one of them as the villain in the relationship. However, they are written rather blandly until the comedy is ratcheted up into slapstick realm. At one point, Tom descends into a self-pitying spiral to the point he's grown muttonchops and shuffles around in a bunny suit.

Engagement scores major points thanks to a supporting cast flush with talented performers. First and foremost are Chris Pratt as Tom's best friend, Alex, and Alison Brie as Violet's younger sister, Suzie. Their impulsive affair acts as a counterpoint to the cautious relationship of the protagonists. Pratt is the overgrown man-child that is the classic Apatow archetype, but he's a nice guy deep down and not nearly as dim as the character he plays on Parks and Recreation. Though it's disconcerting to hear Brie speak with a British accent, she displays the same comedic gifts that have made her a hit on Community. Pratt and Brie also have great chemistry together and it almost makes you wish the movie had been about them instead. Brie and Blunt participate in the picture's most inspired gag in which they argue in the voices of Elmo and Cookie Monster. Second place goes to a running joke where the passage of time is marked by the death of one of Violet's grandparents.

Another NBC alumnus Mindy Kaling shines as one of Violet's fellow grad students along with Kevin Hart, Randall Park, and Rhys Ifans as their professor. Some of the funniest lines come from Tom's new Michigan friends, Brian Posehn as a geeky co-worker with an encyclopedic knowledge of pickles and Chris Parnell as a domesticated husband teaches Tom the delights of deer hunting and knitting. Rounding out the ensemble are Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver as Violet's mom, David Paymer & Mimi Kennedy as Tom's parents, and Dakota Johnson as a young and sexy party girl. Plus, watch out for cameos by Kumail Nanjiani, Molly Shannon, and Tim Heidecker from Tim & Eric's Awesome Show.

The Five-Year Engagement could have benefited from some judicious editing and a quicker pace. Also, anyone thinking this will be as rambunctious as Bridesmaids may be in for a disappointment. Still, the winning cast and some humorous moments sprinkled throughout make it a notch above the standard rom-coms.

Rating: ** (*****)

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom - Dir. David Michod (2010)


Animal Kingdom is the grimy, blue collar reflection of the Godfather-style sprawling crime drama, coming to us from the Land Down Under. The film is loosely based on an actual case.

Writer/Director David Michod (who makes his feature-length directorial debut) sets the mood immediately with the introduction of Joshua "J" Cody (James Frecheville) sitting on the couch next to his comatose mother. EMTs arrive and we learn the mother has OD'd on heroin. J's attention drifts in between their futile attempts to revive her and an episode of Deal or No Deal on the TV.

J is sent to live with his mom's estranged family who she tried hard to stay far away from. J comes from a family of bank robbers. His eldest uncle, Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), is in hiding from the corrupt Armed Robbery division who shoot first and ask questions later. The middle brother, Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), is strung out on coke while the youngest, Darren (Luke Ford), follows the others like a lost puppy. He's so close to age with J that he refuses to be called Uncle Darren. The Cody brothers work with Barry Brown (Joel Edgerton who also co-wrote and starred in The Square), a stable family man looking to get out of the business. The matriarch of the Cody family is Janine (Jacki Weaver), a petite woman with arching eyebrows who plants prolonged kisses on the lips of her sons. She's Florence Henderson on the outside, but we soon learn she's black as night on the inside.

When Barry is gunned down by the gung-ho cops, Pope and Craig hatch a plan to get even by murdering two patrolmen. Darren and J are dragged into the muck with them. The investigating officer, Det. Leckie (Guy Pearce, sporting a goofy mustache), seems to genuinely be concerned about J, but has no problem using him to drive a wedge within the family. J finds himself caught between the law and his amoral relatives.

As the title suggests, the film is all about a pecking order with J at the bottom of the food chain. The passive protagonist is forced to become predator or prey. Michod is economic in his focus on the familial relationships. He never shows the Cody clan in action nor does he take us into the courtroom drama that unfolds during the third act. They aren't needed. However, Michod stumbles when he overplays his hand. He underlines the movie with unnecessary voiceover narration by J as he explains themes and story elements that are transparent. Animal Kingdom becomes excessively dour to the point of self-parody. Pope's increasing instability is summed up in a scene where he broods menacingly to the tune of "All Out of Love" by Air Supply. As the passive lead, J is only as interesting as the more compelling characters he's surrounded by. Once he becomes the center of the film, his innate inertia isn't enough to carry the picture.

Rating: **