The Music Never Stopped

First Hit: I fell in love with this film because of the music and the power of its ability to connect the dots.

What would you do and how would you feel if your 17 year old son stormed out of your house and life because of an argument and then you receive a call 20 years later that he is in the hospital suffering from a large benign tumor?

This is that story and the story of how the father, Henry Sawyer (played by J.K. Simmons) and his son, Gabriel (played by Lou Taylor Pucci) begin to repair their relationship even though the son has no long term memory.

The film begins with the young family enjoying music together with the father quizzing his son on the song titles, who composed them, and what that song means to the father. The father is innocent enough in his zeal to connect with this son in this way. But what isn’t happening, as the son enters his teenage years during the sixties, is that the son is creating memories of his own to the music of his time.

After the son has the operation to take out a significant part of his brain, the father tries to help his son regain some memory through music therapy as practiced by Dianne Daley (played by Julia Ormond). Daley discovers that with certain songs of the sixties; exact memories are brought forth for Gabriel and he’s totally lucid when the song is playing.

The memories which are brought forth are sometimes painful and other times joyous and fun. During the lucid moments Gabriel talks about the pain of not being understood by his father. In one painful memory is the story as to why he left home some 20 years earlier.

In a beautiful telling moment Henry’s wife Helen (played by Cara Seymour) tells Henry that his son’s memories are correct and exactly how she saw them and that as long as he refuses to see this truth, she will not sleep in the same bed with him. This hits Henry straight in the heart and he sets out to learn his son’s music and learn about his son through the music.

Simmons is dead on perfect for this role. He carries the belief that Nixon team was right, yet humbles himself beautifully when he learns that he was wrong. He carries the joy of connecting with son so fully that one cannot simply let a tear or two fall from one’s eye. Seymour is fabulous as the fifty’s wife who decides to step out of that role and become a more prominent figure in the family. Pucci, is amazing as the almost brain dead person who comes to life when the music is played. Ormond is very good as the music therapist who helps guide both Gabriel and his father back together again. The music – was great to hear and fortunately for me it was my music as well. Gwyn Lurie and Gary Marks wrote a stunning script. Jim Kohlberg created a wonderfully paced magical film with a little help from some wonderful musicians which gave him music.

Overall: This was a surprisingly wonderful film which reminds people how much we associate our life to the songs we heard and remember.

Jane Eyre

First Hit: Beautifully shot, well-acted, but there was something dramatically missing.

This story has been done many times and this version was one of the most beautifully shot of all of them.

The feeling of the cold moist damp rain of England, the moors, the stone floors, the heavy drapes, the wavy glass windows, the candle and fire lit rooms were all visually arresting and felt true to the time. Here the director got it right.

The film begins with Jane (played by Mia Wasikowska) running away from the home of Mr. Rochester (played by Michael Fassbender) where she had been governess to his child ward. Her journey there began as an unwanted child (played by Amelia Clarkson) by her guardian Mrs. Reed (played by Sally Hawkins). Reed ships her off to a boarding school where she is treated poorly but becomes educated.

Unfortunately there is no resemblance between the actresses of the young and older Jane and this obvious mismatch was troublesome. Although there was a consistent feeling of Jane through these two actresses, and both were very good, the obvious physical discrepancies (mouth, lips, eyes and nose) were disconcerting to me and kept me from buying the story.

When the older Jane arrives at Mr. Rochester’s home she is greeted by Mrs. Fairfax (played by Judi Dench) who guides her into the role as governess. Mr. Rochester is intrigued by Jane and her direct fearless openness towards him and compels him to want to marry her.

In the rush to get the wedding done, a relative of his first wife barges in to object to the marriage. Jane is heartbroken and runs away (the opening scene). She makes her way to St. John Rivers (played by Jamie Bell) and his two sisters. They take her in and give her the opportunity to begin life again as a teacher in a small countryside school. But Jane’s heart yearns for Mr. Rochester and eventually she finds her way back.

Wasikowska is very good and endearing in this role, however I don’t know if it was something her acting, in the direction or in the lack of chemistry between her and Fassbender that left me unconvinced of this story. Fassbender was good as the troubled wealthy man looking for love and peace. But as previously stated something didn’t work in this film. Clarkson was wonderful as the young Jane and despite the obvious physical dissimilarities between her and the older Jane she did a wonderful job. Bell came off as fully untrustworthy from the get go. Whether his was supposed to come off this way or not, I don’t know. But the moment he picks up Jane from his front door, he felt creepy and it bothered me that Jane didn’t see it. Dench was strong as the house head housekeeper and guiding light for Jane. Moira Buffini wrote a good script from the Charlotte Bronte novel. Cary Fukunaga shot this film exquisitely, however there was something missing, a compelling chemistry, to make this version the best ever done.

Overall: I like this film, but left the theater wanting something more compelling.

Lincoln Lawyer

First Hit:  A wonderfully acted rendition of a Michael Connelly novel.

When a film begins it is important that the audience becomes quickly engaged in what is happening on the screen.

Lincoln Lawyer sets us up with a slightly stubbled Mick Haller (played by Matthew McConaughey) in a nice suit sitting in the back of an older black Lincoln Continental being followed by a group of bikers. Pulling over he is in his element, part street smart, part smart aleck, and overall trusted lawyer to help the biker's man in jail; for a price.

A bail bondsman named Val (played by John Leguizamo) hooks Haller up with a rich young man named Louis Roulet (played by Ryan Phillippe), who has been accused of killing a prostitute. We learn early that Haller has a history of getting people off and this reputation for getting guilty people off is why the police department doesn’t like him and his former wife, a DA, left him.

Marisa Tomei plays his former wife with which Haller shares a child and she has to excuse herself from prosecuting Roulet because Haller is his lawyer. As Haller learns more about his client he also realizes his isn’t as innocent as he claims but what pisses him off more is Roulet’s lying and manipulation.

As Haller has his investigator Frank (played by William H. Macy) find out more about Roulet, Frank is all of a sudden killed by Haller’s own antique gun. Tension builds, what will Haller do? He applies his craft and out thinks his client to make his life more right.

McConaughey is fantastic as Haller. He carries his intelligence in a suave, street savvy way. In this film you can clearly see McConaughey can act. Leguizamo is good in his small, yet critical part. Phillippe is naturally good as a slick rich boy who thinks he’s entitled to be above the rest of the people. Tomei has a small yet effective part in providing a viable backdrop of a life for Haller. Macy is wonderful as Haller’s right hand man. John Romano did an excellent job of writing a screen play from the Connelly novel. Brad Furman did an outstanding job of directing this fine cast through this well written script. He kept the film moving, crisp, and suspenseful.

Overall: A nicely done film and one worth seeing.

Unknown

First Hit: A well done and well-acted suspenseful story.

The story starts quiet and with an even handedness as Liam Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris heading to Berlin to give a talk at a biological convention. He is flying to Berlin with his wife Elizabeth (played by January Jones).

Upon realizing he left his briefcase at the airport, he finds a cab and heads back. On the way he is in an automobile accident, flies off a bridge and drowns. However, he’s only dead for a few minutes and he is brought back to life.

He has amnesia but ends up back at the hotel where he left his wife. He confronts his wife who says she doesn’t know him and then she introduces her husband Dr. Martin Harris (played by Aidan Quinn). Now we’ve got two Martin Harris’s and both of them make a good show as to who is the real one.

The film spends most of the time with Liam’s Martin trying to prove he is the real Martin Harris. The events are intense and Neeson proves to be the right man for this part. Towards the end we find out a whole new identity exists and from there the film ends with well executed twist.

Neeson is perfect for the part. He is smart, intelligent, intense and capable in physical altercations and movements. Jones is good as the wife of both Harris’s. Quinn is OK as the other Martin Harris. Bruno Ganz is wonderful as the old German spy/investigator assisting Neeson to find out who he is. Diane Kruger is great as the cab driver who ends up befriending Neeson’s Harris. Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell wrote an excellent and tight script and Jaume Collet-Serra’s direction was crisp, clear and concise.

Overall:  This film held and did not give away the surprise ending and action was well paced.

Biutiful

First Hit: A sad story and beautifully acted.

Everyone in this film is superb.

This Spanish film is dark, engaging, asks deep questions and is wonderfully acted. Uxbal (played by Javier Bardem) is a hustler. He assists illegally resident Africans sell illegally produced purses and DVDs on the streets of Barcelona. He learns he only has months to live because of cancer.

He has custody for his two young children Ana and Meteo (played by Hanaa Bouchaib and Guillermo Estrella respectively), his former wife Maramba (played by Maricel Alvarez) is a part-time whore, and he accidently has a hand in killing 20+ Chinese workers. He also makes some side money by listening to dead people who are struggling to leave this life. By listening to them he passes information on to their family.

He is looking for redemption for his life. He has a heart which shows up with the compassion he has for his children and for some of the people who work with him. He does what he can to give his children a home and support as he begins to fade from life.

However, it appears that what he did in life catches up to him, and as he dies we know his children will have a difficult life, the kind he had.

Bardem is amazingly wonderful in this role. He compassion and deal making are equally transparent. Alvarez is amazingly wild and free flowing in her role as an unstable former wife. Bouchaib was excellent as the 10 year old daughter. Estrella is wonderful as the son. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu wrote and directed this very fine film.

Overall: This isn’t a feel good film but this is an outstanding film telling a very good story in a creative way.