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 (*****)

Killer Elite

Killer Elite - Dir. Gary McKendry (2011)

The 80's were a wonderful time for action movies. Arnold, Sly, and Bruce Willis ruled the silver screen with Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Steven Seagal close behind them. For a while, it seemed as if those larger-than-life, macho movie heroes fell out of favor. Arnold went into politics, Sly's career derailed, and Norris became a Texas Ranger on TV while Seagal and Van Damme faded into direct-to-video obscurity. Only Willis managed a diversified oeuvre taking roles in pictures like Pulp Fiction and The Sixth Sense. Today, the one person who has been able to take up the mantle of old school action hero is Jason Statham. He's carved out a comfortable niche as a scruffy, steely-gazed badass in films like The Transporter and The Expendables.

Statham is once again called upon to break necks and cash checks as a hired assassin in Killer Elite. It's a role he's very familiar with having already played a hitman in Crank and The Mechanic. This time around, he's got a fantastic co-star in Robert DeNiro and a pair of tough adversaries in Clive Owen and his moustache.

Killer Elite is not to be confused with 1975's The Killer Elite, another movie about assassins that was directed by Sam Peckinpah. This Killer Elite is loosely based on The Feather Men, a 1991 novel by Sir Ranulph Fiennes that is purported to be a recounting of true events, which were largely debunked as pure fabrication. Despite the controversy, Killer Elite still advertises itself as "Based on a true story."

The film cleverly begins with a title stating that the story is set during a time of political instability and economic turmoil. No, it's not today, but 1980. Statham is Danny Bryce, a hitman on assignment in Mexico with his long-time friend and mentor Hunter (DeNiro), Davies (Dominic Purcell), and Meier (Aden Young), an expert in explosives and mechanics. A routine hit almost turns tragic when Danny inadvertently kills the target right in front of his young son. Danny decides to give up the game and retires to a quiet farmhouse in the Australian countryside with his girlfriend Anne (Yvonne Strahovski).

A year later, Danny is called back into action when Hunter is captured by Sheikh Amr (Rodney Afif), a deposed Omani ruler living in exile. Three of the Sheikh's sons were killed by soldiers in the British SAS during the Dhofar Rebellion. Danny must track down the murderers, tape their confessions, and make their deaths look like accident. In doing so, Danny will secure the release of Hunter and be paid a sum of $6 million. Reuniting with Davies and Meier, Danny finds their first target, Sgt. Steven Harris (Lachy Hulme), still living in Oman. However, their not-too-subtle search catches the attentions of ex-SAS officer Spike Logan (Clive Owen), who is employed by the Feather Men, a secretive conclave of former SAS men turned semi-legitimate businessmen.

As evidenced by the use of "Rock You Like a Hurricane" in the trailers, Killer Elite is meant to be something of a throwback to the 80's action movies, but with a modern touch. Director Gary McKendry, in his feature-length debut, goes for a toned-down Paul Greengrass-style approach. The action sequences are done at a frenetic pace with quick cuts and a lot of camera movement, but never descend into a nauseating mess.

Fans of Jason Statham will be pleased as he gets to do a little bit of everything. He's leaping across rooftops and getting into fistfights, shootouts, and car chases. He also has some decent scenes with DeNiro, even if their lines don't sparkle off the page. While any DeNiro is good DeNiro, you can't help but feel that the legendary actor is slumming here. Owen acts as a fine foil for Statham in a showdown of the British tough guys. Just like Danny, Spike isn't an out and out villain though his moral compass points towards a grey area. He also sports a cheesy moustache, yet it doesn't compare to the walrus 'stache and bushy sideburns worn by Dominic Purcell.

What drags Killer Elite down isn't the direction or the cast, but the run-of-the-mill script by Matt Sherring. The dialogue is full of manly clichés like, "This ends today," and "The rules? There are no rules." Sherring also offers up some interesting ideas, but doesn't have the wherewithal to follow through. The Feather Men might have made cool villains, except they are virtually dropped from the story by the third act. One of the challenges faced by Danny is to get confessions from battle hardened soldiers trained to withstand various methods of torture, but those moments are glossed over with each man readily admitting their guilt. A romantic subplot is also thrown in because the rules of formulaic storytelling require one. While it's nice to hear the lovely Yvonne Strahovski (from NBC's Chuck) speak with her native Aussie accent, she's absolutely wasted as the girl who pines for her man whenever he's away.

Killer Elite is a generically staged and below average action film. It never elicits an ounce of excitement despite the presence of three talented and convincing leads.

Rating: * ½ (*****)

Stone

Stone - Dir. John Curran (2010)

The first line of dialogue uttered in the film Stone is, "You keep my soul in a dungeon." If you thought the movie couldn't get any cheesier, you thought wrong.

Robert DeNiro stars as Jack Mabry, a parole officer on the verge of retirement. He's been married to his wife, Madylyn (Frances Conroy), for over forty years. The Mabrys attend church and read bible passages together but, it all seems like an empty act. In the opening prologue, it is a young Madylyn who speaks that line as she intends on leaving Jack. His response is a shocking and frightening threat that keeps Madylyn locked by his side. The years have clearly taken their toll on a woman who is practically zombiefied.

Jack newest case is Gerald "Stone" Creeson (Edward Norton) who has served eight years for a botched robbery that led to the deaths of his grandparents. Stone is what some would call a 'wigger.' He has cornrows and speaks in a faux language of the streets. Desperate to get out of prison, Stone sends his smoking hot wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) to seduce Jack. What happens next isn't a steamy potboiler, but a turgid character study in hypocrisy and spirituality.

Jack merely pays lip service to God. He goes through the motions and constantly listens to Christian talk radio while driving to and from work. But, for all his superficial self-righteousness, God has yet to touch his heart. Stone is merely interested in telling Jack what he wants to hear. He chats with Jack about Zukangor, a New Age religion he discovered from a pamphlet in the prison library. However, Stone has an honest-to-goodness spiritual awakening while witnessing, of all things, a brutal stabbing. For Jack, it is unthinkable that this low-life con gets a direct line to God while he struggles. Lucetta never deals with these sorts of existential quandaries, but she too maintains a façade. By day, she works as a schoolteacher, at night; she's a raging nymphomaniac though still dutiful to her incarcerated husband.

Throughout the film, director John Curran hammers home the themes as bluntly as possible. The talk radio commentators act as a Greek chorus reiterating what we've seen already. The dialogue lacks any semblance of subtlety and the plot just sputters along until it reaches a less than satisfying conclusion. It's a shame since the screenplay was written by Angus Maclachlan who penned the far more engaging Junebug, which introduced the world to the wonder that is Amy Adams.

Stone does feature a solid turn from DeNiro. It's a low key performance from a man who has been spinning his wheels with self-parodying roles in Meet the Fockers and Machete. Norton is good as well playing a character similar to the one from his big screen debut in Primal Fear. Some critics argue that Norton's performance (which he based on actual prisoners he met in Detroit) is too labored, but I believe that is the point. Stone is mimicking the type of persona he needs to survive in prison. Jovovich is also surprisingly good (not just because she gets naked) and tries to put on a performance that is a bit better than the movie will allow.

The cast is talented, but the characters just aren't compelling. Stone is shallow melodrama and when it's over, you'll wonder what was the point of it all.

Rating: * ½

Machete

Machete - Dirs. Robert Rodriguez & Ethan Maniquis (2010)


”If you’re gonna hire Machete to kill the bad guy; you better make damn sure the bad guy isn’t you!”

As the summer movie season draws to a close, the studios can only offer movie-going audiences the scraps of its production slate. All the big blockbusters like Iron Man 2 and Inception have already been released, leaving the doldrums of August and September with films like The Switch and Vampires Suck. Thankfully, a pair of flicks has hit theaters to save us from the dregs. I’m speaking of Piranha 3D and Machete, both of which are throwbacks to the bygone days of drive-ins and B-movies. Also, both movies are drenched in violence, gratuitous nudity, and a wry sense of humor.

Machete began life as one of the mock trailers for Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s ode to exploitation films, Grindhouse. The money shot of the trailer featured Danny Trejo flying through the air on a motorcycle with a mini-gun attached to it as everything explodes behind him. If that didn’t make you want to see a full-fledged Machete film, then you must not have a pulse.

Trejo is one of the most recognizable character actors working today thanks to a body littered with tattoos and a weathered face that looks like he was carved from well-worn granite. He spent over a decade in prisons like San Quentin and Soledad before going legit and getting into the movie industry thanks to ex-con and Reservoir Dogs star Eddie Bunker. Trejo’s first job was for 1986’s Runaway Train as a bit player and boxing trainer for Eric Roberts. Since then, he’s seen as a heavy in films like Heat, Con Air, and Desperado, his first collaboration with Rodriguez. It was then that Rodriguez was inspired to write the original screenplay for Machete with Trejo using his prowess with bladed weapons for good, instead of evil.

The prologue begins with Machete, a hard-assed Federale, heading into a showdown with the ruthless drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal with a noticeable paunch). The opening has about half a dozen decapitations and a naked woman pulling a cell phone out of a very secure area of her body. That pretty much sets the wild tone for the rest of the film. Torrez murders Machete’s wife and leaves him for dead. Also, every time Seagal draws his sword, we hear the bionic sound effect from The Six Million Dollar Man.

Of course, Machete survives and three years later, he has relocated to Austin, Texas where he ekes out a modest living as a day laborer. He befriends Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), a taco vendor who runs an underground network to provide work and safe harbor for illegal immigrants. Both of them are being watched by Sartana (Jessica Alba), a sympathetic agent for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

One day, Machete is approached by wealthy businessman Booth (Jeff Fahey) for a lucrative job. Not knowing who he really is, Booth hires Machete to assassinate Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a Texas politician running a no-tolerance campaign against illegal immigrants. He compares them to parasites and terrorists and advocates an electrified border fence. The Senator is in league with Lt. Von Jackson (Don Johnson), a fanatical border patrolman and leader of a pack of vigilantes that make the Minutemen look like the Girl Scouts. As it turns out, Booth is actually McLaughlin’s campaign aide and is framing Machete to drum up support for his boss in the election. On top of that, all the bad guys are working for Torrez. It’s the kind of excessively complicated plot hilariously lampooned in another exploitation homage, Black Dynamite.

Just to get it out of the way, yes, Machete is a film touching upon hot button topics. While it is obvious where Robert Rodriguez’s sympathies lie, you could hardly call it a politically charged movie. It is hard to take any accusations against the film seriously since the film hardly takes itself seriously. It is doubtful Machete will incite a race war with Mexicans riding into battle in lowriders armed with rocket launchers.

Rodriguez shares directing duties with editor Ethan Maniquis and both thoroughly maintain the picture’s over-the-top tone. Machete dispatches his foes in all manner of gruesome methods. Machete doesn’t just use his namesake weapon; he also utilizes surgical implements and gardening tools. In one scene, he repels down the side of a building using a man’s intestines. Machete isn’t just a fighter; he’s a lover too, bedding down nearly every beautiful lady he encounters. Rodriguez accentuates every love scene by breaking out the 70’s porno music.

Rodriguez and Maniquis know how to shoot action and they know hot to shoot their lovely starlets. Michelle Rodriguez looks particularly sultry with an eye patch and half t-shirt while firing off a double-barreled shotgun. Then, there’s Jessica Alba whose shapely figure is on display during a shower scene though the naughty bits have been strategically hidden.

After making a career of playing anonymous henchmen, Trejo finally gets his chance to shine and he doesn’t disappoint. He fits seamlessly into the lead role. He may not have matinee idol looks, but he has a ‘Don’t F—k with Me’ aura about him. The craggily face and the badass presence are definitely reminiscent of Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. He’s a man of few words, speaking only in short, terse sentences. Don’t ever ask Machete to send you a text message either. ”Machete don’t text.”

With Trejo as his star, Rodriguez fills out the supporting cast with an eclectic assortment of actors. The oddball selection shouldn’t work, but it does as just about everyone plays their parts to a tee. Don Johnson’s cruel border guard is far removed from the pastel wearing Sonny Crockett and Jeff Fahey is wonderfully odious as the crooked Booth. DeNiro affects a Southern accent not too dissimilar to Max Cady from Cape Fear Many of the director’s usual players are also present in Machete including: Cheech Marin as a shotgun-toting priest, Tom Savini as a hired gun who offers his services with 1-800-HITMAN, and former Spy Kid Daryl Sabara as a wannabe cholo. Lindsay Lohan is cast in type as a drug-addled socialite, but doesn’t seem to understand the joke.

Much like Grindhouse, Machete uses artificial scratches on the film stock to give it that vintage feel. It also recycles several scenes originally shot for the trailer.

Described as ‘Mexploitation,’ Machete is pure ultraviolent schlock. It’s popcorn entertainment for R-rated audiences.

Rating: ***

Everybody's Fine

Everybody's Fine - Dir. Kirk Jones (2009)


Daniel Day-Lewis took on the Marcello Mastroianni role in Nine, a musical based on Fellini’s 8 ½, which I recently reviewed. Here, it is Robert DeNiro’s turn to take on Mastroianni’s part in Everybody’s Fine, a remake of a 1990 Italian film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso). DeNiro plays Frank Goode, a retired laborer, who manufactured the coating that wrapped around the telephone wires strung across the state of New York. Goode suffers from health problems due to exposure to the toxic ingredients, but he has no regrets. He did it all to provide his children with the best life possible. Frank, a widower, eagerly anticipates the arrival of his kids, who he hasn’t seen since the funeral, for Thanksgiving dinner. However, the children cancel at the last minute.

Frank figures if they won’t come to him, he’ll come to them. Against his doctor’s advice, Frank travels by train and bus to visit his offspring spread across the country. His first stop is to New York City where his son David, an artist, isn’t at home in his apartment close to an art gallery where his work is displayed. Frank heads to Chicago to see his eldest daughter Amy (Kate Beckinsale), an ad executive living in a modern home with her husband and son. In Denver, Frank visits Robert (Sam Rockwell), a supposed symphony conductor who turns out to only be a percussionist. In Las Vegas, Frank sees Rosie (Drew Barrymore), a dancer living in an affluent apartment looking over the strip.

With each subsequent visit, Frank senses that the Goode clan is keeping secrets from him, especially about David’s whereabouts. Mom was the one they could open up to while dad was always the stern taskmaster. Even into adulthood, they are still the little kids afraid of disappointing their father.

It’s refreshing to see DeNiro in a role where he’s not an intense mobster or a hard-nosed cop. DeNiro is allowed to simply be DeNiro here. The same goes for Drew Barrymore who is her usual bright, perky self. Sam Rockwell provides one of the film’s best performances and Kate Beckinsale does just fine. However, I never once bought them as a family because they didn’t look like they were related one bit. They looked like a bunch of movie stars we’re supposed to believe are related. This isn’t the only inauthentic element of Everybody’s Fine. I don’t mean the badly Photoshopped poster. The story is just so trite and schmaltzy while Kirk Jones directs it like a Lifetime movie of the week. The worst offense comes in the climax when Frank (after suffering a heart attack) has a dream where he has a backyard BBQ with David, Robert, Amy, and Rosie as kids. All his revealed then the clouds turn gray and rain pours down in melodramatic fashion.

Everybody’s Fine is a shallow film masquerading as one with deeper meaning.

Rating: **

Righteous Kill

Righteous Kill - Dir. Jon Avnet (2008)


Two of the most celebrated actors ever, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, both starred in The Godfather, Part II, but they wouldn’t appear together on-screen until Heat. Even then, they spent most of the film apart as adversaries. In Righteous Kill, DeNiro and Pacino share the majority of screen time together as New York City police detectives Turk and Rooster. The veteran partners investigate a series of vigilante murders targeting criminals who have escaped justice.

You’d think putting DeNiro and Pacino together on screen would easily equal electricity. It doesn’t, at least, not here. Both actors are given bland roles that could have easily gone to any other performer. They essentially sleepwalk through the film with as minimal amount of charisma as will do. Righteous Kill features a talented supporting cast to back them up, all of whom are wasted in one-dimensional roles. Carla Gugino appears as Turk’s girlfriend, a fellow officer into rough sex, a character reeking of tackiness and misogyny. Melissa Leo, so incredible in Frozen River, appears briefly in a throwaway role as a grieving mother.

The script was unoriginal and ridiculously predictable. The film opens with a video taped confession from DeNiro’s character admitting to the murders. These confessions are played throughout the film and hammered into our heads so many times; it becomes blatantly obvious he didn’t do it. The weak plot comes as a shock considering it was written by Russell Gewirtz who penned Inside Man, one of my favorite films from 2006. I suppose being directed by the man behind 88 Minutes canceled that out.

2008 was the year of the crappy cop movie thanks to stinkers like this, Street Kings and Pride and Glory. You’d be better served turning on any random episode of The Shield.

Rating: * 1/2

What Just Happened

What Just Happened? - Dir. Barry Levinson (2008)


Hollywood poking fun at its own self-importance isn´t anything new; they´ve been doing it for decades. Some of my favorite movies about movies include Sullivan´s Travels, The Bad and the Beautiful, Singin´ in the Rain, and The Player. More recently, Ben Stiller took an over-the-top, cartoonish approach to the subject matter with Tropic Thunder. Barry Levinson´s latest film, What Just Happened? follows in the footsteps of Tropic Thunder, but takes a far more grounded approach at ridiculing the behind-the-scenes turmoil of La La Land. What Just Happened? tries to take a bite out of Hollywood too, yet lacks the teeth to do it. It just gums at it instead.

Based on the eponymous autobiography of producer Art Linson (The Untouchables, Heat, Fight Club), What Just Happened? focuses on aging producer Ben (Robert DeNiro) as he juggles his personal and professional lives. Ben has one film in the can, Fiercely starring Sean Penn (in a small role as himself) and directed by British auteur Jeremy Brundell (Michael Wincott). Ben hopes to build a ton of buzz at Cannes, but before that he has to leap the tall hurdle known as the test screening. The screening, with all the principal players in attendance, turns into a disaster. Brundell´s masterpiece ends with the hero, Penn, being shot by the bad guys, right after his lovable dog is shot through the head in a sudden, graphic manner. The audience, unsurprisingly, reacts with anger and disgust.

The studio head, Lou Tarnow (Catherine Keener), demands Ben follow her notes and alter the film accordingly. Brundell doesn´t react to this news very well, throwing a tantrum and bursting into tears. Simultaneously, Ben is producing another project that may never get off the ground because of its temperamental leading man. Ben is called to the set immediately when he learns that his star, Bruce Willis (also playing himself), has arrived sporting a beer belly and a big, bushy beard. The never seen studio executives threaten to shut the production down and sue Ben if their obscenely paid A-list actor doesn´t shave. Willis, on the other hand, threatens Ben with physical violence if he isn´t allowed to express himself artistically. With a beard…

Meanwhile, Ben has to deal with two ex-wives and the kids from each marriage. His teenage daughter, Zoe (Kristen Stewart), from his first wife won´t open up to him. He has an on-off, up-down relationship with his second ex, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn). They still have feelings for each other while attending therapy to complete their split amicably. Ben also suspects Kelly is sleeping with his screenwriter friend, Scott Solomon (Stanley Tucci).

As the stand-in for Linson, DeNiro puts in an understated performance, a different type from the larger-than-life characters he usually plays. He´s not the typical producer either or at least not the stereotypical one. He´s tired and world weary. There´s nothing wrong with DeNiro´s work here, but there´s nothing that really jumps out at you. You can say the same thing about most of the film. It too is understated and a bit underwhelming.

Part of the problem lies with the stakes. Not every movie should be about stopping the terrorists from detonating a nuke, but the protagonist should embark on a journey that allows the audience to connect with the character. Basic screenwriting. However, I never felt emotionally invested with Ben. His movie is savaged by audiences and critics? Big deal. Levinson frames the film around a photo shoot for a cover featuring Hollywood´s power players with Ben worrying about where he´ll be placed. Umm…so what? Ben´s familial situation might have elicited some sympathy were it given time to develop. It seems like a lot of the scenes involving the subplots with Zoe and Solomon were left on the cutting room floor.

The humor falls flat most of the time as well. The majority of the gags are so dry, you wonder if that was supposed to be a joke or not. On the rare occasions the comedy is played more broadly and fails to elicit any chuckles. The always dependable John Turturro plays a talent agent so neurotic that he out-Woody Allens Woody Allen. That would have been good enough, but they threw in a bizarre stomach disorder that causes Turturro to scream and cough in pain at random times. It isn´t funny the first time and repeating it again and again doesn´t make it any funnier.

The only scene in the film that has any kind of life to it is Bruce Willis´s tirade when he´s told to shave his beard. Willis looks like he could have given Jeff Bridges a run for the role of Obadiah Stane in Iron Man. The former John McClane is quite entertaining in the scene that was reportedly based on a real incident involving Alec Baldwin on the set of The Edge.

Levinson is undoubtedly familiar with all sorts of bizarre antics from movie folk having worked in the film industry as an actor, writer, director, and producer. He´s tackled the subject before in the oddly prescient Wag the Dog and, to a lesser extent, with the poorly made Man of the Year. This all-star production falls somewhere in the middle of those last two films. Directors with inflated opinions of their own artistic sensibilities, know-it-all executives who don´t really know anything and egoistical actors aren´t exactly revelations. What Just Happened? doesn´t beat a dead horse so much as jabs it with a pointy stick. Levinson set out to mock Hollywood and, ironically, made a film that fits in with the indistinguishable, milquetoast mass that it churns out.

Rating: * 1/2

Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America - Dir. Sergio Leone (1984)

Dreary, overwrought and overly long gangster film. Held aloft solely by Sergio Leone's masterful direction.

Bit role from a young (and positively delicious) Jennifer Connelly is a plus.