While in Hiding, a Woman Discovers Something Hidden Within

Rachel Brosnahan and Arinzé Kene in 
"I'm Your Woman" 
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The opening of director Julia Hart’s slow-burn crime-drama, “I’m Your Woman,” presents the lead character, Jean (Rachel Brosnahan), as she relaxes in her backyard, letting the day sail by.  She doesn’t seem to have much going on, hinting at a life that seems normal on the surface, but possibly missing something.  This is a modest introduction to someone who will experience a complete change in character when her life takes a dangerous turn.

The story takes place in the 1970s and follows Jean, who lives an uneventful life with her husband, Eddie (Bill Heck).  One night, she’s visited by his associate, Cal (Arinzé Kene), who tells her that she has to go into hiding because of her husband betraying his business partner.  Jean soon finds herself in a life-threatening scenario that will have her questioning who her husband really is.

Brosnahan is a captivating presence throughout, proving that she has a promising future in movies whenever she finishes her acclaimed work on TV’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”  The sense of panic and confusion that she elicits as she’s thrown into the uncertainty of her situation grips you as she tries to hold everything together in the midst of this unexpected shift in her life.  However, as time goes on and she must learn to tap into her inner strength, Brosnahan sets a fire ablaze in Jean’s eyes as she becomes aware of what’s at stake and will do whatever she can in order to come out of her situation alive.  This is a fleshed-out evolution of her character that takes its time in developing who Jean is and who she becomes, with Brosnahan embracing this complex character and showing both the before and after in great detail. 

Marcia Stephanie Blake, who the plays Cal’s wife, Teri, is intriguing as an individual who helps to familiarize Jean with the criminal underworld in which their husbands work.  As this unfolds in the second half of the movie, we see a friendship form as Teri and Jean begin working together more and more as the danger keeps closing in.  Blake presents someone who has been through what Jean is experiencing, someone who came to terms with this lifestyle and had make the best of it, but now must fight for her life, just like Jean.

Kene delivers a calm, yet forceful performance as an individual who’s tasked with guiding Jean through the deadly cat-and-mouse chases when people begin hunting them down.  He brings us a character who must make tough decisions, but at the same time, seems used to doing so, showing us how much his mind races as he formulates plans to keep Jean safe.  It’s a startling blend of someone who can be quick and violent in what he must do for his job, but also understanding and quietly compassionate in what Jean is feeling with her life being uprooted.

The screenplay by Hart and her husband, Jordan Horowitz, who have been co-writers for Hart’s other films, takes an approach to the story where it’s all told from Jean’s point of view.  This allows the movie to abandon crime-drama tropes and instead make it a character study about Jean coming into her own as a person who must learn to do what she can to protect her loved ones.  By telling the story from her perspective, we feel the sense of unease that she experiences in being kept in the dark about many aspects of what’s occurring off-screen.  Despite there being some details that are kept from Jean, we’re still given the chance to have other aspects of the story disclosed, as we come along with Jean and have our eyes opened little by little, but never quite all of the way (which isn’t a bad thing), to what’s really going on.

Hart always makes you feel the urgency that Jean experiences.  With many scenes taking place at night, Hart solidifies the uneasy, mysterious feeling of not knowing what’s lurking in the dark, with there always being the possibility of unknown assailants waiting for you to make a wrong move.  In many cases, she uses Bryce Fortner’s cinematography to encourage you to scan the frame for any potential enemies within the image, whether it be when Jean tries to escape a home invasion, or something as simple as her meeting someone in a diner.  Hart always emphasizes that a threat can come from anywhere, making your pulse work overtime as you follow Jean from one location to the next as she begins to further understand the world in which she’s now a part.

If you’re searching for a crime narrative that subverts your expectations from what you’ve seen before in this genre, Jean is your woman.

Grade: A

Through Several Years of Hardship, A Young Man Searches for Success

Dev Patel in "The Personal History of 
 David Copperfield" 
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com 

Although I love to read, I’m ashamed to say that the only two books by Charles Dickens that I’ve read are “Oliver Twist” and “A Christmas Carol.”  However, that’s not to say that I don’t appreciate his writing, and despite having not read much of Dicken’s work, I still enjoy watching an occasional adaptation of any of his books.  

Well, one of the biggest treats of 2020 cinema happens to be a movie based on his novel, “David Copperfield,” from which director Armando Iannucci brings us his latest movie, “The Personal History of David Copperfield.”  With his approach to the source material, Iannucci brings us a movie that’s funny, emotional, heartwarming, energetic, whimsical, and so enjoyable.

The story follows the titular character (Dev Patel) who goes from being an orphan to a young man who must overcome one burden after another in order to find and live the life for which he’s always wished.

Patel delivers a remarkable performance as David, an ambitious individual who works hard to overcome his difficult past.  It’s a spirited portrayal that immerses you in the character’s arc as he tries to make his way in the world and get through the people who try to hold him back.  Patel provides terrific work in exhibiting his character’s dislike and rage against his stepfather and his stepfather’s sister, while also showing his comedic abilities when interacting with some of the more eccentric characters.  Patel brings to life the charming Dickensian nature of his character, showing the enthusiasm that David displays when exploring England, a vivacity that makes this journey irresistible. 

Patel leads an unforgettable cast that’s hard to beat.  There’s Jairaj Varsani as a younger David; Aneurin Barnard as James Steerforth, David’s charming boarding-school classmate; Nikki Amuka-Bird as James’ strict mother; Peter Capaldi as Wilkins Micawber, David’s cheerful landlord; Morfydd Clark as Dora Spenlow, David’s bubbly love interest; Daisy May Cooper as Peggoty, David’s motherly housekeeper; Tilda Swinton as Betsey Trotwood, David’s goodnatured great-aunt; Hugh Laurie as Mr. Dick, Betsy’s eccentric distant relative; Benedict Wong as Mr. Wakefield, Betsy’s booze-loving lawyer; Rosalind Eleazar as Agnes Wickfield, Mr. Wakefield’s hardworking daughter and David’s warmhearted confidante; Ben Whishaw as Uriah Heep, Mr. Wakefield’s conniving clerk who hides his ill intentions from his employer; Darren Boyd as Edward Murdstone, David’s cruel stepfather; and Gwendoline Christie Edward’s frigid sister, Jane.  This is a world-class cast that shouldn’t be missed, as each of them is given the opportunity to shine on screen.

The screenplay by Iannucci and Simon Blackwell, the latter of whom was one of the writers for Iannucci’s 2009 film, “In the Loop,” provides an exuberant amount of detail in terms of portraying David’s life on screen, so much so that, at times, David seems to rise above being a fictitious person and instead someone who lived.  Between all of the people he meets and all of the places to which he ventures, Iannucci and Blackwell construct a fleshed-out narrative that never lose any of its buoyancy.  In just two hours, you feel as though you’ve seen, and lived, someone’s whole life, and you come away from this movie feeling as if you really know these characters.

I haven’t seen “In the Loop,” but what I can tell from Iannucci’s 2018 film, “The Death of Stalin,” is that he has a talent for handling extensive casts and making sure everyone has at least one memorable scene.  He does superb work in coordinating the humorous pratfalls and poignant moments in which the characters find themselves, masterfully weaving in and out of the various tones that come from dealing with many characters and plot points.  This is an ambitious adaptation, not just in terms of balancing all of the cast members, but also when it comes to the abundance of period detail and making you feel as though you’re striding alongside David as he lives his many eventful years.

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” offers a personal history, indeed.  At the end, you don’t feel as though you’ve merely watched a movie, but also feel like you made a friend.

Grade: A

In Trying to Be a Skilled Hunter, a Young Girl Becomes Much More

Mebh Óg MacTíre (left, voiced by Eva Whittaker) 
and Robyn Goodfellowe (voiced by Honor Kneafsey) 
in "Wolfwalkers" 
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Check out my review on SiftPop.com!

Feeling Trapped, a Daughter Tries to Escape Her Unstable Mother

Sarah Paulson (left) and Kiera Allen in "Run" 
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Two years ago, Aneesh Chaganty made one of the boldest filmmaking debuts of 2018 with his psychological techno-thriller, “Searching.”  Teaming up with his co-writer, Sev Ohanian, they delivered an anxiety-inducing story of a father trying to find his daughter, all of which took place on computer and cell phone screens.  It was a creative and immersive moviegoing experience, one where the storytelling approach didn’t come off as a gimmick, but was instead an innovative technique that heightened the suspense of the narrative.

Now, they’re back with their second feature, “Run,” another dive into thriller territory.  Although it’s not quite as gripping as “Searching,” it still offers some enjoyable thrills and a pair of superb performances.

For all of her life, Chloe Sherman (Kiera Allen) has been confined to a wheelchair and taken care of and homeschooled by her mother, Diane (Sarah Paulson).  Despite them having a loving bond, Chloe soon begins to suspect that her mother is harboring some disturbing secrets.

In her breakthrough performance, Allen manages to bring out both the fear and resilience that her character faces in an unthinkable situation.  The panic that Allen’s character exhibits is palpable and anchors you to the life-or-death gravity of being at the mercy or her mother.  However, in the scenes where Allen shows her character’s ingenuity, she gives Chloe an understated ferociousness that invests you in how far she’s willing to push herself towards finding out the menace that’s hiding behind her mom’s seemingly loving veneer.  With this being Allen’s first feature-length movie, she does a commendable job in throwing herself into her role, exhibiting just as much power as her co-star and making you switch between biting your nails as you fear for her life, and cheering for her as she does what she can to fight her way from the unsettling lifestyle in which her mother has trapped her.  In her character’s heart-pounding journey to uncover the mystery behind her sheltered life, Allen’s debut couldn’t be stronger. 

It’s difficult to go into detail about Paulson’s performance for fear of spoilers, but what I can say is that, as always, she displays the fullest commitment to her role. What’s noteworthy is that, even though this is the type of story that can fall into campiness, Paulson keeps her performance from going over-the-top, while still being able to display her character’s disturbed mind in a compelling way.  With all of the time that she’s spent on television’s “American Horror Story,” it’s not a surprise that it doesn’t take much for Paulson to immerse herself in the unsettling nature of the story.  While Paulson has excelled in multiple genres, she has been an unforgettable force in the field of horror and suspense, and here, she’s as engrossing as ever, showing how much her character cares for her daughter, but making you always think about how there’s something that’s very, very wrong with Diane.  It’s a performance that will rattle your nerves, and just like how Chloe’s character will show you how far she’s willing to go to escape from her mom, Diane will show you what she’s willing to do to maintain the poisonous relationship that’s at the center of the story.

The screenplay by Chaganty and Ohanian has a couple of predictable story beats and is a bit of a step back from the labyrinthine nature of their debut feature, but it still offers some entertaining surprises that manage to accelerate your heart rate.  With both this film and “Searching” having small casts, this allows more of an intimate screen-sharing between the cast members.  The scenes with Chloe and Diane become more tense as the movie progresses, keeping you invested in the twisted nature of their dangerous relationship.  Between “Searching” and “Run,” Chaganty and Ohanian have proven that they’re not just skillful at crafting thrills in their narrative, but also building characters that provide those thrills with a bigger impact because of how detailed they are.  By balancing the drama and pulse-quickening apprehension, this duo once again uses those aspects to explore the connection between parents and their children, just as they did with “Searching.”

Despite some of the movie feeling a bit familiar, Chaganty has the ability to get as much tension as possible out of any scene.  Whether a sequence focuses on Chloe and Diane sharing a meal, or one of the film’s bigger scenes, such as when Chloe has to find a way to escape her barricaded bedroom, Chaganty delivers tightly wound thrills that are made even more impressive with the fact that this is only his second feature.  What’s remarkable his that he’s able to keep the movie fast-paced, while also providing us with enough time to get to know the characters, thanks to his “Searching” editors Nick Johnson and Will Merrick.  Meanwhile, composer Torin Borrowdale, who also collaborated with Chaganty on “Searching,” delivers a score that helps amplify the film’s suspenseful nature.

With just two movies, Chaganty and Ohanian have solidified themselves as individuals who exemplify great ambition in their work, showing that they’re not afraid to take their ideas and run with them.

Grade: B+

A Family Searches for the American Dream in Another Country

Carrie Coon and Jude Law in "The Nest" 
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com 

Check out my review on SiftPop.com!