In Paris, a Small Crime Turns Into Turmoil for Police and Civilians

From left: Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, and Djibril Zonga
in "Les Misérables"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Victor Hugo’s novel, “Les Misérables,” has a timeless and inspirational story of what people are capable of when they band together to overthrow a government that doesn't have the best interests of the governed at heart.  With characters who instill a sense of empowerment in readers, it’s not hard to see why a story such as this has endured since its first publication in 1862.

However, the ideas of that book are presented from a whole new angle in Ladj Ly’s full-length feature directorial debut, “Les Misérables.”  Based on his 2017 short film of the same name, this is a visceral, layered, and haunting drama that tosses you into France’s criminal underworld and escalates without a stop.

Stéphane Ruiz (Damien Bonnard) moves to Paris and is given a job with the anti-crime squad in Montfermeil.  As fellow squad members Chris (Alexis Manenti) and Gwada (Djibril Zonga) begin showing him around the streets of the slums, the three of them will soon become embroiled in a theft that spreads tensions further than they could have anticipated.

The performances from Bonnard, Manenti, and Zonga (all of whom starred in the short film) provide magnificent work as a trio of characters with conflicting personalities that not only threaten the integrity of their work, but also their lives.  Bonnard is a law enforcement official who wants to make a change in his community; Manenti is a brash, impulsive agent who thrives on his inflated sense of power; and Zonga acts the middle man who tries to calm the roughness between his two partners.  The differences in how each of them conducts himself on the job helps to provide a lot of the film’s drama because you’re always wondering how the growing animosity of the situation is going to effect their different ways of thinking.  Their performances feel so grounded in the film’s environment that it’s impossible to not be enthralled by where their character arcs will take you.

Along with the three leads, the supporting cast is close to the bone in how realistic their performances are, such as Steve Tientcheu as the slum’s mayor; Issa Perica as Issa, a young boy whose actions put future events in motion; and Almamy Kanoute as Salah, a restaurant owner.  The rough connections that they build with the police allows us to see the strained relationship of the two groups, and the commitment of the supporting characters to their roles matches that of the actors playing the officers, resulting in a level of hostility between the main and supporting characters that brings you into the danger of the streets in which these characters work and live.

The screenplay by Ly, Giordano Gederlini, and Alexis Manenti takes a timely story of the growing animosity between police and civilians and uses it to explore the questionable actions of both sides.  There isn’t anything that’s clear cut about the situations in the movie, and it encourages you to ponder all of the actions that are made by the characters on both sides of the law, providing an ambiguousness that’s ensured to encourage impassioned discussions.  Given the amount of time that’s spent on both the cops and the civilians, we feel the full impact of the decisions that they all make, and the narrative succeeds in showing us several factions within the community, giving as much attention to the supporting characters as they do with the main trio.  This provides a genuine view of the details involving the slums and offers multiple perspectives amongst the many characters as to how the film’s scenario effects the town’s different groups, which gives us a chance to see the complexities within their interactions.  With the numerous characters involved and a story that never lets up on its escalation into chaos, the screenplay brings forth a movie that’s scorching in its unpredictability, something that’s made all of the more potent because of the story’s relevance.

Almost 90 percent of the movie takes place over the course of one day, creating a feeling of seeing the intensity that just 24 hours on the job can bring.  It’s overwhelming when you experience the trio of police officers go through so much in one day, and it makes you go up against the stress through which they traverse as they go from location to location and from person to person as they try to unravel the crime that has been committed.  However, the movie then ramps up the tension between law enforcement and civilians even more in the later part of the third act, during which an apocalyptic riot takes place that will leave you aghast as it unfolds.

While the cinematography by Julien Poupard is impressive throughout, the most notable aspect of his camerawork is the extensive use of aerial shots, several of which are from the point of view of a drone.  One of the film’s plot threads involves a teenage boy named Buzz (Al-Hassan Ly) who records a turning point of the movie with his drone camera.  Through these drone shots, Poupard captures the sense of the police having their every move watched, emphasizing how this is a situation where it’s the word of the police against that of the civilians.

Ly captures both the dramatic tension within the trio and the violent tension between the factions of the community.  The way in which the camera pretty much breathes down the characters’ backs provides the film with a documentary feel as we travel along with Stephane, Chris, and Gwada as they patrol the community and get deeper and deeper into the crime-ridden slums.  The way in which Ly employs tight closeups of the many characters helps you experience the frustration that emanates from their heated interactions.  The sense of apprehension that he brings to every scene pairs well with the uncertainty that a day in the profession of the three main characters brings them.

Ly presents us with a film that promises that he’s sure to astound us with whatever he does next.  But, for now, what he accomplishes with “Les Misérables” as his first full-length movie shows us what great foreign-language films do, which is to provide audiences with an idea of what current society is like in a country beyond our own.

Grade: A

While at a Crossroads, a Cardinal and Pope Seek Help from Each Other

Anthony Hopkins (left) and Jonathan Pryce in "The Two Popes"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

While the election of a new pope is one of the biggest events that could happen in the world, there’s a shroud of secrecy that surrounds it as thousands gather outside the Vatican as the College of Cardinals gathers to submit their votes.

Despite the pope being the leader of the Catholic Church, there are times when he himself even needs guidance, and this is something on which director Fernando Meirelles focuses in his new biographical drama, “The Two Popes,” a captivating true story that takes you into deep and personal conversations with its two main characters that lead to a compelling friendship.

Following the passing Pope John Paul II in April 2005, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Anthony Hopkins) is elected as Pope Benedict XVI.  Seven years later, the church experiences the Vatican leaks scandal, and Pope Benedict seeks guidance on how to handle it.  When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) travels to the Vatican to submit his resignation, the two will learn about each other and find ways to encourage one another to make important decisions that need to be made.

Pryce gives a performance of someone who’s admirable in their humbleness, but is also experiencing doubts of himself after tragic events in his past, for which he feels responsible.  He presents a sereneness to his character, showing an individual who’s simply just looking for advice on what he should do in terms of resigning or not resigning, all while displaying a quietly troubled persona as he tries to come to terms with the cruelty he saw done to others in his earlier years as a priest during his time under the Argentine military dictatorship in Buenos Aires.

Hopkins’ wonderful performance is one that mirrors Pryce’s, from a narrative standpoint, as both characters wish to resign from their positions.  He portrays Benedict’s changing beliefs and how he thinks the church should adapt to the changing world and exhibits the world-weariness that holding such a position can have on someone, bringing to life a figure who has seen much over the years and is trying to pass his position onto Bergoglio, making sure that it’s taken by an honorable individual.

The chemistry that Pryce and Hopkins bring to their on-screen relationship is equipped with a great deal of affecting interactions.  Their friendship unfolds over conversations about the church, their personal like and dislikes, and their pasts.  These are both meditative performances as the two characters ponder everything that has led them to where they are now, and where they would like to go, and Pryce and Hopkins’s towering work provides unlimited emotion and life to the connection between their characters.

Juan Minujín, who portrays a younger Bergoglio, gives a performance that’s every bit as strong as Pryce’s, showing an enthusiastic man who ventures out to follow his dreams of becoming a member of the Jesuits, but to then call those dreams into question when his country sinks into turmoil, leading to events that leave him guilt-ridden and haunted.  Minujín shows all of the sense of conflict coursing through Bergoglio as he tries to maintain friendships with those who have turned against him, resulting in a performance that helps us see the build up of emotion that comes with the uncertainty of one’s future when that future first seemed so clear.

The screenplay by Anthony McCarten, which is based on his 2017 play, “The Pope,” has a great deal of its runtime focus on its two main characters, creating a portrait of a pair of individuals who must try to solve a problem that has them both wishing to resign from their positions, and the interactions that they share offer plenty of details concerning both characters that helps us become invested in their growing friendship as they bond over the notion of resigning.

Within his script, McCarten also provides some extensive flashbacks that focus on Bergoglio’s time as a Jesuit in Buenos Aires and the political upheaval that transpires.  He goes as far back as the ‘50s, and then continues through the decades as he shows the troubled years of Buenos Aires.  The details of the historical context allow us to see the hardships that Bergoglio and the rest of the city experience, adding considerable depth to Bergoglio’s arc as we see how the events from his past have rested on his mind for many, many years.

The cinematography from César Charlone’s, who worked with Meirelles on “City of God,” “The Constant Gardener,” and “Blindness,” has a documentarian approach to the camerawork, with a lot of the footage having an authentic look to it, as though a filmmaker is actually sitting in front of these two figures and recording candid conversations between them, which allows us to become closer to the characters.  This documentary style is also of great benefit to the movie because of how well it compliments the news footage that’s used throughout the film, and the blend of the documentary style for the scripted parts and the actual news footage provides the story with a more-intimate feel, which, given the bigger context of the narrative, is something that a story like this needs.

Meirelles provides a quiet atmosphere within the Vatican and Benedict’s summer residence of Palace of Castel Gandolfo that allows for the weight of the dialogue to make an appropriate impact.  He allows us to experience the feeling of camaraderie and trust between Benedict and Bergoglio as they confide in each other what they have been wanting to say.

With this captivating story of a pair of religious leaders seeking a source of guidance, “The Two Popes” is an inspirational film of how even those in positions of power should ask for help because, no matter what, everyone eventually needs it.

Grade: A

Without Time to Waste, Two Soldiers Must Prevent an Attack

Dean-Charles Chapman (left) and George MacKay in "1917"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Check out my review on SiftPop.com!

After Years of Illicit Behavior, a News Empire is Exposed

Charlize Theron and Liv Hewson in "Bombshell"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com 

Over the last decade, director Jay Roach has found success in bringing us several television films  that focus on topical political stories, such as “Recount,” which dealt with 2000 presidential election; “Game Change,” which focused on presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin; and “All the Way,” which dealt with Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency.  He also gave us the theatrical films “The Campaign,” a fictional political comedy about a congressional race; and “Trumbo,” the true story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo being blacklisted for his involvement with the Communist Party of the USA.

His latest film, “Bombshell,” deals with one of the biggest news breaks of the past few years, once again bringing an extensive and talented cast to dive into the complexities of a story that show us the details of what were once secrets of a major news corporation.

In 2016, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) faces backlash over an interview in which she confronts Donald Trump over his comments about women.  Meanwhile, “Fox and Friends” co-anchor Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) prepares to file a harassment suit against Fox News head Roger Ailes (John Lithgow).  During all of this, Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), a new hire at Fox, works hard to assimilate into her job, but then becomes the latest victim of Ailes' sexual advances.  Megyn, Gretchen, and Kayla’s stories soon intersect as they try to put a stop to the long-running series of harassments that have impacted many at the network.

Theron provides a chameleonic performance as Kelly, immersing herself in a role that shows us a character who’s conflicted between admitting to the wrongdoings of Fox and keeping her job.  Theron exhibits the weight that the situation has on Kelly, showing someone who’s always under a microscope and inundated with opinions of others on how she should handle herself in her career and throughout the momentous events of the film.  Theron shows Kelly having a million thoughts race through her head as she tries to figure out what to do, and thanks to Theron’s commitment to the role, Kelly’s uncertainty of what to do keeps us absorbed as she moves toward making some of the most important decisions of her life.

Kidman shows Carlson as someone who knows everything that she needs to accomplish in order to win her case, giving her character an energy of never intending to back down from the fight.  In regard to what she plans to do, hesitation never crosses her mind, and Kidman presents someone whose confidence presents glimmers of hope to those who soon come forward and reveal the harassment that they endured. 

Robbie, who portrays a composite character, exhibits an individual who’s trying to do her best at her new job, only to then have her eyes opened to the true nature of her workplace after having a disturbing encounter with Ailes.  To see her go through that meeting is heartbreaking to witness, and Robbie brings plenty of emotion as her character goes from bright-eyed ambition to confusion as Kayla tries to figure out whether or not to come forward.  With Robbie’s  performance, she brings to life someone who’s trying to find her voice, and then uses that voice at a crucial time.

Lithgow provides unsettling work as the predatory Ailes, managing to get under your skin because you know what this character is capable of, managing to make you shiver in Ailes’ quiet moments every bit as much as those where he loses his temper.  Lithgow makes you shake your head in disgust and recoil in your seat as he brings out Ailes’ cruelty, and you sit there waiting to see him get what’s coming to him and feel relieved when he does.

The movie comes equipped with a cast of many other talented performers.  Although a lot of the secondary characters are each only given a few minutes of screen time because of how big the ensemble is, they all still make the most out of their time on screen.  However, one supporting cast member who’s given quite a few scenes is Kate McKinnon, who plays Kayla’s coworker, Jess Carr.  After being on “Saturday Night Live” for several years and having prominent roles in several comedy films, she’s given a chance to show some glimmers of potential in terms of her dramatic talent.  It’s a performance that’s more poignant than I thought it would be, and that aspect mixes well with the bits of humor that McKinnon brings to the role.

The movie could have been a little longer, given that there are many factors that are involved with this story, and at times, it feels as though it’s trying to include too much in its fairly quick runtime, but Charles Randolph’s screenplay does an admirable job in doing what it can to bring this story to moviegoers.  Randolph cowrote “The Big Short” with director Adam McKay, where they focused on the 2007-2008 financial crisis, and he uses the experience of focusing on breaking news to bring us another front-page story.  Despite the movie feeling a little rushed, Randolph is still able to give us an intriguing behind-the-scenes view of Fox News, most notably in the opening scene in which Megyn Kelly addresses the audience and takes us through the hallways and shows the inner workings of the studio.

Although Randolph co-wrote “The Big Short,” which used some well-placed humor to help tell a serious story, he chooses not to incorporate too much humor into his script for “Bombshell,” seeing as this particular story should be told with a more dramatic approach.  There are some bits of humor here and there, but they don’t dilute the seriousness of these true events, allowing Roach to have us feel the oppressive tension of Fox’s work environment, as well as the critical need to disclose the wrongdoing of those who are responsible for the harassment of others, which leads to you feeling proud when more and more women come forward to reveal the guilty parties.

This was a big story to handle, but Roach and his team show confidence in handling this topic.  And, despite some narrative shortcomings, you’ll see that “Bombshell” still provides enough of the explosive force that this story requires.

Grade: B+

During a Turning Point in America, Four Young Woman Find Themselves

From left: Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan,
and Eliza Scanlen in "Little Women"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Two years ago, writer-director Greta Gerwig brought audiences the coming-of-age story, “Lady Bird,” in which she used her solo directorial debut to tell the semi-autobiographical story of her life growing up as a teen in Sacramento in the early 2000s.  It told a humorous and emotional account of a young woman traversing the difficulties of high school while trying to achieve the goals that will help her get out into the world.

Gerwig now helms another coming-of-age story, but from a much different era, with “Little Women,” the seventh film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name.  With the help of her screenplay and direction, as well as an exceptional cast, Gerwig brings this moving and relevant story to thrilling life.

As the Civil War is fought, the March sisters live lives that are full of ambition, with Josephine (Saoirse Ronan) wanting to be a writer, Margaret (Emma Watson) desiring to be an actress, Amy (Florence Pugh) striving to become a painter, and Elizabeth (Eliza Scanlen) endeavoring to be a pianist.  While they’re expected to marry and raise families, they will do what they can to make their dreams come true.

Ronan, who collaborated with Gerwig for “Lady Bird,” Pugh, Watson, and Scanlen all deliver spirited performances as they display their characters’ strong enthusiasm that absorbs us right away as we follow the journeys of the March sisters and get a view of the artistic creativity that each of them possesses.  Whether it’s Josephine running excitedly down the streets after selling one of her stories, Margaret creating a play, Florence studying her canvas, or Elizabeth sitting down at a piano to make music, we see how much their talents mean to them and their determination to form their own paths in the world.  Through their laughter and their tears, this quartet of actresses makes us feel the depth of their characters’ experiences and how much they value their family and aspirations.  All of this makes the dynamic between the four sisters a joyful bond to watch, seeing the care and love that they have for each other and making sure that they encourage each other to do what’s best.

In terms of a supporting cast, you couldn’t ask for a better one for bringing this classic novel to life.  There’s Laura Dern as the March sisters’ mother, Marmee; Timothée Chalamet, who appeared alongside Ronan in “Lady Bird,” as Theodore Laurence, a neighbor and childhood friend of the March sisters; Meryl Streep as Aunt March; Tracy Letts as Josephine’s publisher, Mr. Dashwood; Bob Odenkirk as Father March; James Norton as Theodore’s tutor, John Brooke; Louis Garrel as Friedrich Bhaer, a professor whom Josephine meets when in New York City; and Chris Cooper as Theodore’s grandfather.  All of these characters help provide a well-rounded view of the lives of the March sisters and show how each of these supporting characters impacts the siblings in one way or another.

The screenplay by Gerwig tells its story in a nonlinear fashion, cutting between 1861 and 1868.  By doing so, there’s more of an impact as we transition back and forth between the more idealistic times shared by the March sisters and the times that bring them tribulations.  The drastic changes that we see from the earlier parts of the narrative to the later parts show a great emphasis on the optimism that’s felt among Josephine, Margaret, Amy, and Elizabeth, which later on leads to them living lives that become much more complicated.  The script’s terrific use of the abundance of characters makes it easy to become invested in the loving relationships between all of them, relationships that soon become much more difficult as time goes on, and Gerwig is adamant to touch upon all of the emotional effects.  Part of the success of the screenplay comes from the accomplished editing by Nick Houy, who collaborated with Gerwig on “Lady Bird,” and his work in this film gives the story smooth jumps between 1861 and 1868, with a few of the finest edits coming when we switch between scenes that play out with some similarities across time.     

The cinematography by Yorick Le Saux offers stunning views of the beautiful New England scenery, showing views that would capture the imagination of any artist, be they a writer, an actress, a painter, or a pianist, and we see how much these grand sights can inspire the March sisters as they see the world around them and the possibilities that it can offer.

As a director, Gerwig exhibits a strong attention to the details of the Civil War era, giving you the feeling of watching a classical Hollywood production.  Whether it be a lavish party or the warmth of Christmas morning, Gerwig works her hardest to make sure that the gorgeousness of the aesthetic details throughout the film transports you to the era that’s depicted in the film.  However, this is just part of what makes Gerwig’s filmmaking a memorable sight, as the most noteworthy aspect between this movie and “Lady Bird” is how Gerwig shows that, despite the massive differences between the time periods where these stories take place, the concept of coming-of-age is, at its core, the same from century to century.  She shows the fun and hardships that can come with trying to figure out who you are, taking us on every step of the way as the March sisters set out to become the people who they want to be.

“Little Women” has been around for a little over 150 years, but there’s still a lot that it can teach us because it’s not only a story that can lift you up with its inspirational characters, but it’s a story whose themes transcend time.   

Grade: A

In Dire Straits, a Jeweler Tries to Reverse His Fortune

Kevin Garnett, Lakeith Stanfield, and Adam Sandler
in "Uncut Gems"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Check out my review on SiftPop.com!