For a Judge’s New Case, a Young Life Hangs in the Balance

Emma Thompson in "The Children Act"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When it comes to film dramas, those that take place in a courthouse can be some of the most compelling.  With films like “12 Angry Men,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “A Few Good Men,” audiences have been given layered movies that deal with the intricacies of law and absorb them in these stories as they watch the trials unfold.

Director Richard Erye brings us his contribution to the courtroom-drama genre with “The Children Act.”  While the movie doesn’t reach the full potential of its screenplay, the film is held together by the strength of the performances from Emma Thompson and Fionn Whitehead.

Fiona Maye (Thompson) is a judge in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales who has handled many cases in her respected career.  One day, she’s given a case where she must decide whether or not to allow a hospital to administer a lifesaving blood transfusion to a 17-year-old leukemia patient, Adam Henry (Whitehead), even though the treatment goes against his and his family's beliefs as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Thompson exhibits a commanding presence as a judge who displays intense dedication to her profession.  You're drawn into Fiona's arc as you see her character pour over her work to make sure that the right side wins.  Thompson does a superb job in showing the audience her character’s thoughts as she makes tough decisions that risk placing Fiona in bad standing with the public, and she exhibits the firmness in which her character stands by her choices, creating a fascinating character in the process.

Stanley Tucci, who plays Fiona’s husband, does fine in his role, but his character isn’t given much to do.  Also, it’s a little distracting that he doesn’t attempt a British accent, which takes you out of the movie from time to time.  Tucci’s a talented actor, and I'm sure that he could have pulled off an accent if he had attempted.

Whitehead, who made his feature-film debut last summer as the lead in Christopher Nolan’s war drama, “Dunkirk,” has a role that allows him to display more of his acting abilities.  Although he was terrific in “Dunkirk,” that movie had limited dialogue, so you couldn’t quite see what Whitehead could do beyond acting with mostly facial expressions.  But, we now see of what he’s capable when given more dialogue with which to work.  While Whitehead makes a strong first appearance when Fiona meets Adam in the hospital, it’s his scenes in the final third of the movie (the section of the film where most of his screen time is allocated) where more of the emotional complexities of his character come into full view, and it's here where you're provided with a wider glimpse of the talent that he possesses.

The screenplay by Ian McEwan, which is based on his 2014 novel of the same name, could have used more scenes between Adam, his parents, and them going between whether the former should receive the treatment, or if they should adhere to their beliefs.  Whitehead is only given about 15 minutes of screen time, so it would've been great for his character to be expanded.  Although Adam's situation in the film is time-sensitive, he and his parents have a lot of dramatic potential, so I would have liked to have a few more scenes that have him and his parents figuring out which route to take.  While we're given a couple of scenes that show us a view of their beliefs and how they're influenced by them, I'm sure there's more to this aspect of the story that could've been shown. 

One of the subplots involves a difficult stage in the marriage between Thompson and Tucci’s characters, and while their talents make this part of the narrative passable to watch, it's rather clichéd, and the story would have been better if it used those sections of the runtime to place more focus on Adam and his family.  I know that the movie follows the same events as the novel, but a change like this would have worked in the story's favor.

Despite the shortcomings of the script, Erye is able to have the cast deliver the strong emotions of their characters as they traverse the difficult events at hand, and he does so while capturing the drama that transpires both inside and outside of the courthouse. 

While "The Children Act" could've been better, Thompson and Whitehead still manage to give the film their all, despite the narrative not quite doing the same.

Grade: B

In Just an Afternoon, the Lives of Two Moms Become Intertwined

Anna Kendrick (left) and Blake Lively in "A Simple Favor"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Over the last few years, books and films have given us several thrillers involving a missing person.  We’ve had “Gone Girl,” a novel by Gillian Flynn, which was made into a movie by David Fincher; “The Girl on the Train,” a novel by Paula Hawkins, which was made into a movie by Tate Taylor; this summer's psychological techno-thriller, “Searching,” from Aneesh Chaganty; and “The Woman in the Window,” a novel by A.J. Finn, which will be adapted into a film by Joe Wright in October 2019.  While some of these stories may be more predictable than others, it’s still kind of hard not to have your curiosity peak with this type of narrative.

Director Paul Feig now brings us a mystery-thriller in the vein of these aforementioned films and books with “A Simple Favor,” a wicked good time of a movie that has two magnetic lead performances and equal measures of suspense and dark humor.

Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) is a vlogger and single mother living in a Connecticut suburb.  One day, when she picks her son up from school, she meets a mother named Emily Nelson (Blake Lively), who leads a life of riches and works a high-profile job in the city.  While the two have drinks at Emily’s home that afternoon, they become friends.  When Emily vanishes, Stephanie will try to figure out the circumstances that led to her friend's disappearance.

Kendrick proves to be perfect for her role, as her real-life bubbly personality fits well with the character of a squeaky-clean, eager-to-help mother.  The role allows Kendrick to display her comical sensibilities that are always endearing to watch, but it also lets her garnish that wit with a darker tinge as the story becomes more twisty.  This is an entertaining departure for Kendrick as we see her character's normal life take a dangerous turn after becoming friends with Emily, and Kendrick's transition from her character's initial personality to her edgier one keeps you hooked to see what Stephanie will do next.

Lively provides a strong aura of intrigue in her character, one who has a lifetime of secrets.  With the film possessing a high level of suspense, it's easy to imagine Lively as one of Alfred Hitchcock's mysterious blondes, having an abundance of mystery to her that could be shared throughout several of his movies.  She's a character about which you're begging to learn more because of how enigmatic she is, but her secretiveness is what's so appealing about her, so you don't want to know everything right away.

Kendrick and Lively have a dynamic chemistry in the film, as their characters’ personas are so opposite, that there’s endless fun in watching the two of them share the screen.  While the scene depicting the first time that Stephanie is at Emily’s house has the usual exchange of the middle-class character being amazed by the luxurious lifestyle and the richer character being bored by it, this is just the beginning of an extended interaction that builds a friendship upon comically incompatible personalities.  This is what makes their characters' first afternoon together one of the best scenes in the film.

The screenplay by Jessica Sharzer, which is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, can be a tad predictable and is one of several missing-person films to come out over the last few years, but the increasing intricacy of the plot still keeps you guessing, even if you think that you have a certain aspect figured out. 

Besides the twists within the narrative, the film excels in crafting its two main characters.  It provides Stephanie and Emily with enough time to interact before the latter goes missing, which means that you're absorbed in their friendship and have seen enough of them together in order to become invested in their connection.  Meanwhile, you still know that there's more to Emily that you have yet to learn, which motivates you to stick with the mystery as a succession of discoveries are made, all of which stem from that simple afternoon get-together.

Much of Feig's work has been involved with directing comedies, such as "Bridesmaids," "The Heat," "Spy," and the "Ghostbusters" reboot.  Despite this, he's able to handle this new territory and does well in imbuing the story with an abundance of dark wit that blends in with the suspense, managing to not make the tonal shifts feel jarring.  This all results in a movie that’s so enjoyable to watch as you alternate between the shocks and laughs.

"A Simple Favor" is a sharp and humorous take on the missing-person narrative, and investigating the murkiness of the characters’ lives will provide you with a mystery that you’ll want to solve as soon as you can.

Grade: B+

In a Story of Love and Fandom, a Rock Musician Seeks Help

Rose Byrne and Ethan Hawke in "Juliet, Naked"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Whenever an author writes multiple books, although the characters and settings will change, the author might have a common theme that runs underneath several of their stories.  Nick Hornby has done this with some of his novels where music plays a part in the narrative, such as in "High Fidelity” (1995) and “About a Boy” (1998).

In 2009, Hornby published another novel that involved music within its story, called "Juliet, Naked,” which has now been brought to the big screen with director Jesse Peretz.  Although this romantic comedy-drama has a story that’s somewhat familiar, the work between the three lead performances elevates the film above its conventions.

Annie Platt (Rose Byrne) is a museum curator living in a coastal English village with her boyfriend, Duncan Thomson (Chris O'Dowd), whose life is dedicated to the music of alternative-rock musician, Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke).  Circumstances soon arise that cause Annie to begin e-mailing with Tucker.  Then, when the two meet, Annie's complicated relationship with Duncan will be made even more so.

Byrne is an actress who can always be counted on for her comedic talents, as we’ve seen with her performances in "Spy," "Neighbors," "Bridesmaids," and "Get Him to the Greek.”  She has a great habit of being a standout of any comedy in which she appears, and "Juliet, Naked" isn't any different, in which she exhibits a screen presence that’s equal parts humorous and charming.  Despite her character being a grounded individual, Byrne is able to elicit a terrific deal of laughter because of her line delivery and the way in which she has her everyday-person of a character approach the story’s comical situations.

Although Hawke’s character is of a kind that we’ve seen before, he succeeds in the role by displaying the wit and drama that Tucker faces in regard to his dysfunctional family life and faded career.  Hawke proves that he can be funny, but it’s in the dramatic sections of the film where he’s most memorable, as he’s able to show the emotional toll that his character’s questionable decisions have had on him and his family.  It’s a familiar scenario, but his character isn’t let off quite as easily as we’d expect, and Hawke is able to sell the ache that Tucker feels with the direction in which his life has taken him.

O'Dowd is terrific as an uberfan of Tucker’s, heading an online group of fellow enthusiasts who deconstruct his work. He delivers the witty obsessiveness that his character has for Tucker’s music, allowing you to identify with him because of how we all have that one thing over which we obsess, be it an artist, movie, book, or anything else.  This all leads to a fun performance that gets you caught up in Duncan's worshipping of Tucker.

The screenplay by Tamara Jenkins, Jim Taylor, Phil Alden Robinson, and Evgenia Peretz is clichéd in spots, but the story still manages to subvert our assumptions at other points, providing jokes and set-ups that lead to some noteworthy scenes, such as a humorous reunion of Tucker's family.  And, despite the commonplaceness of some parts of the story, the writers are still able to give the trio of leads enough to do that make their time together entertaining.

Besides the blossoming friendship between Annie and Tucker, the story sheds light on other aspects of their characters, making them more engaging.  During several scenes, we get a look at Annie’s professional life, as well as an in-depth look at Tucker’s family, which lets us see the extent of the disorder that’s occurred throughout his life.  All of this provides the story with characters who go beyond what we might expect from a movie in this genre.

As a director, Peretz uses the wonderful chemistry between the three leads to evoke the laughs that the film’s scenarios have to offer.  He lets the natural humor within the situations come out through the interactions of the characters and doesn't make any of the jokes feel forced, all while showing an ability to balance the film's comical and dramatic tones.

"Juliet, Naked" isn’t anything groundbreaking for this genre.  But, if it’s given a chance, it will surprise and delight.

Grade: B+

Buried Resentment Troubles a Literary Family

Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in "The Wife"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When reading a piece of fiction, you can’t help but wonder what helped the author construct the story that has you riveted from page to page.  You’re left wondering if the story came from the author’s experiences, if it just came to the author unexpected, or if it’s from a different source that you wouldn’t expect.

This is something that’s explored in Björn Runge’s film, “The Wife.”  Although it has a couple of faults in the narrative, it’s nevertheless anchored by two powerhouse performances that make the film worth a watch.

In 1992, Joan Castleman (Glenn Close) and her husband, Joe (Jonathan Pryce), an acclaimed author, are living a peaceful life in Connecticut.  One morning, Joe receives a call that informs him that he’s the next recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.  As they visit Stockholm, Sweden, to attend the ceremony, a festering, decades-old anger within Joan emerges that threatens their marriage.

Close’s performance is one that excels in the small details.  This is seen right away in the beginning of the film when Joe’s on the phone with the Nobel Prize committee, with Joan listening in on another phone, and we see a conflict play out on Joan’s face that seems to go between elation and displeasure in the most subtle of ways.  Of course, Close is given the chance to let loose dramatically, and to great effect, in the big confrontation near the end of the film.  But, before all of that, Close gives audiences the chance to try to decipher what she’s feeling as she exhibits mannerisms and facial expressions that could have a couple of meanings.  This is a performance that could have fallen into melodrama, but Close is able to keep it restrained and not give away all of her character’s emotions at once.

Pryce is wonderful as an individual who can’t decide whether to celebrate his success or give in to the truth of his wife’s secret, of which he’s aware.  We see the increase of the strain that builds on him as the film progresses, which leads him to an ethical dilemma that adds to the mystery of where the film is heading, and Pryce does well in displaying Joe’s internal conflict.

Max Irons appears as Joan and Joe’s son, David, an aspiring writer, and while he does what he can with his character, his role is written in a way that has him come off like a childish adult who seems to just want to be told that he’s a good writer, even if that might not be the case.  His character’s arc doesn’t go anywhere, making David a source of drama that isn’t needed because what we have going on between Joan and Joe is compelling enough.  Because of all of this, David can be cut out of the movie and it wouldn’t impact the plot at all.

The screenplay by Jane Anderson, which is based on Meg Wolitzer’s 2003 novel of the same name, offers a look at Joan and Joe’s current marriage, while also exploring the early years of their relationship.  For a short time, the flashbacks seem like they’ll add to the story.  However, as the film goes on, the flashbacks tend to lessen the dramatic tension because they interrupt what’s going on between Joan and Joe in 1992 in order to emphasize things that we know or aren’t important to know.  Close and Pryce are tremendous actors, and the drama that they present is more than enough to keep you invested in the movie without adding a storyline that involves their past.

As a director, even though Runge might not do much that’s memorable in terms of providing a specific visual style, he’s at least able to capture the simmering discontentedness between the two lead characters.  While we see bits of hostility here and there, with Runge exhibiting the strain within Joan and Joe’s marriage, it’s in the final 15 minutes when he shows the unease between them as it reaches its peak and lays bare the unuttered sentiments that have been piling on their minds for decades.

Despite there being a few areas where “The Wife” could have been stronger, it’s still able to fascinate from time to time with its view of how the main characters’ lives shaped their art, and how their art shaped their lives.

Grade: B