The Fundamentals of Caring

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Tom

Release: Friday, June 24, 2016 (Netflix)

[Netflix]

Written by: Rob Burnett

Directed by: Rob Burnett

A long time ago I made some comment to the effect of being frustrated by how easily I’m tricked into watching movies starring Paul Rudd. This knee-jerk reaction was inspired by a viewing of the terrible 2012 comedy Wanderlust which paired him with Jennifer Aniston. That movie did nothing for the world of comedy or fans of either performer, but it was wrong of me to question my loyalty to Rudd.

Because here’s the thing about him: Paul Rudd is still Paul Rudd in poor films. In great movies he’s . . . holy crap, Paul Rudd. The Oxford grad-turned-professional-penis-joke-teller has weathered a few flops in his time and yet he emerges on the other side grin still intact. Every. Time. He’s never what’s wrong with a film and more often than not he’s the major box office draw. That couldn’t be more true when it comes to Netflix’s road trip comedy The Fundamentals of Caring, a movie that will have no box office intake to speak of, but will still leave audiences satisfied and smiling.

He plays Ben, a retired writer now looking for a way to move on after the loss of his young son. The restraint in his performance marks something of a diversion for Rudd, taking on a more dramatic persona here (though he’s not completely sullen — just think more stoic, as in Perks of Being a Wallflower and dial the infectious inanity of Anchorman down to 1). Ben turns to caregiving and starts looking after Trevor (Craig Roberts), a teen with muscular dystrophy and a dark sense of humor. His mother Elsa (Jennifer Ehle) isn’t exactly enamored when she finds out Ben has little experience in care-taking, especially since her son is more needy than the typical teen.

Ben thinks it would be good for Trevor to get out of the living room and see some of the world before his cynicism suffocates him. So he’s going to take him on a road trip to see “the world’s deepest pit.” Because the rest of the movie needs to happen, Elsa gets over her (completely understandable) fears in a heartbeat and soon we’re on the road, packed into an old van bound for a few tourist traps and maybe even some personal revelations along the way. Of course there’ll be a girl, too. The fundamentals of at least a decent road trip comedy. Check, check and check.

Rob Burnett’s adaptation of Jonathan Evison’s novel rarely breaks out of Checklist Mode, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t moments worth savoring. One manifests as a trip detour when Trevor decides he wants to see his estranged father who he hasn’t seen since he was three. He’ll have the chance to get some answers at the luxury auto dealer he now runs. We all know how this is going to go, but let’s just say there’s even less reconciliation in this scene than what’s expected. Bob (Frederick Weller)’s a cold-hearted bastard who’d rather shell out $160 than offer even a hint of an apology to his son.

The encounter is pretty heartbreaking. It has immediate repercussions that are hard to watch unfold as well, such as when Trevor, in a moment of bitter dejectedness, interprets the entire cross-country endeavor as a favor to Ben to make himself feel better, rather than the mutually-beneficial adventure Ben intended it to be. The fall-out is one of those many boxes the film must ultimately tick but because it, like much of the story’s moodiness, is handled with a particularly appealing brand of brashness (if that’s actually a thing), it doesn’t become another throw-away moment.

In stark contrast to what’s familiar and/or predictable, Selena Gomez ends up doing something absurd. She actually helps endear us to Fundamentals‘ bent-but-not-broken spirit. Though her character, a strong-and-silent type named Dot (terrible name), doesn’t have much to do or say, Gomez finds a way to inject sensitivity into a story that heretofore has largely lacked it. Truly, it’s Roberts’ cynical, self-deprecating outlook that funds the nonchalance. There’s an unshakable sense that Burnett never really wanted his project to be different. Just darker. Gomez doesn’t expose a truly complex character but she helps steer Trevor out of his deep funk. Her presence is perpetually welcomed.

Shot in just 26 days, Fundamentals is only ever a trio of lesser performances away from being forgettable road trip fluff. Because of the obvious comfort and chemistry between said performers, the adventure soon becomes one that’s surprisingly difficult to disembark from.

Recommendation: Performances make The Fundamentals of Caring worth sitting through for there’s not much else separating it from the dearth of other road tripping adventures. Paul Rudd restrains himself once again to effect yet another example of how he is much more than just a penis-joke-teller. Best of all, he never overshadows his co-star Craig Roberts, who is also a lot of fun, and hey, even Selena Gomez is good here. Everyone’s all in on this one, and it shows.

Rated: NR

Running Time: 97 mins.

Quoted: “Yes, and I’m not an a**hole. And since you want an a**hole, my not being an a**hole makes me more of an a**hole than the a**holes that you normally date, because they’re giving you exactly what you want; whereas I, by not being an a**hole, am not. Which makes me an a**hole.”

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.imdb.com

TBT: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Tom

If you’ve been following along with this segment, you might be aware I’ve spent the last several installments picking titles at random — and in a slight panic, with several of them being decided upon (or even watched) at the very last possible second — so it’ll be nice to reintroduce some semblance of consistency here again, in the form of Holiday Cheer movies. Granted, the next several posts should be fairly predictable. Let’s just say that I’ve graduated from scrambling for random film titles to scrambling to find an appropriate monthly theme. 😉 With all that said, I know this entry today revolves around Thanksgiving rather than Christmas but you know what, I’m prepared to take the flak. You want to hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I’m an easy target.

Today’s food for thought: Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Being victimized by public transportation services since: November 25, 1987

[Netflix]

I can’t believe I’ve only now sat down to watch for the first time Steve Martin interact with the comedic genius that was (is?) John Candy. Now the real question: is that something I should have admitted?

I suppose it doesn’t matter as I can say with Del Griffith-like confidence that John Hughes’ classic fits snugly into the brand of comedy I cherish more than any other. That’s not to say, however, that Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the kind of story you can’t find reproduced elsewhere. It’s a tried-and-true road trip adventure featuring two distinct personalities who, despite all odds, wind up growing on one another having endured several days’ worth of mishaps that border on the (amusingly) catastrophic. Replete with sight gags and punchlines that, by comparison to today’s standards, feel sophisticated and novel, Planes is of course capped off with a happy and wholly satisfying ending that epitomizes the feel-good spirit of the holiday season.

The film explores the dichotomy of the psychological effects the hectic holiday season has on people. Ignoring the isolated incidents that seem to occur on Black Friday, the day where everyone seems to take pleasure in being their worst selves, the days and weeks leading up to Christmas have potential to be some of the most stressful all year. It’s that reality that Hughes taps into using Martin, who plays an uptight and rather uncharitable marketing executive named Neal Page, and his polar opposite in Candy’s happy-go-lucky, perpetually cheerful shower curtain ring salesman Del. While it might be more comforting — beneficial, even — to assign personalities and dispositions to a spectrum ranging from very negative to positive, there’s no denying the stereotype is alive and well during the holiday shopping season.

In Planes, Neal faces one setback after another in his attempts to get back to his family for Thanksgiving dinner, starting with missing a taxi to the airport that almost causes him to miss his flight home to Chicago from New York. This is where he first bumps into Del, who would later laugh about how amusing it was that Neal tried to steal *his* cab. Wouldn’t you know it, the two end up sitting next to each other on the flight, one that ultimately ends up having to land in Wichita due to a terrible snowstorm in Chicago. Del is quick to remind Neal once on the ground that given the circumstances it will be next-to-impossible to book a hotel room anywhere, and the two end up taking a room at some seedy motel miles away, which sets up the iconic “I don’t judge you, so why do you judge me” speech.

Things only get worse from there, as Neal is faced with the prospect of continuing to travel with Del as he seems to be the only way he’s going to get out of this crummy town. They board a train that later breaks down and end up having to cram into a city bus that threatens to fall apart at any moment. Much to our amusement the quality of transit vehicles only adds to Neal’s mounting frustrations. It all culminates in a literally explosive car ride that sees the pair brought to their knees at yet another cheap-o hotel, where the question finally must be asked: “is it me, or is it just everyone else around me that’s crazy?”

Existential rumination aside, Hughes’ judgment of character development couldn’t have been more satisfying. There are so many instances throughout the course of this escapade where we think there’s no way Del can screw things up any more than they already are; there’s no way Neal can possibly be any more unpleasant than he was trying to rent a car. And yet developments belie expectations, but only to a point. There’s a wonderful scene at another rundown motel in which the pair are confronted by their own consciences. It’s not like the humbling process isn’t unexpected. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Hughes’ filmography, it should come as no surprise the slide into relative despair can’t be sustained; this is a road trip comedy after all. Yet it’s the aesthetics of the scene that really impact. There’s something about the faux-wooden interior of this particular room that resonates warmly.

In the end, Planes‘ episodic nature epitomizes the oft-exaggerated emotions and experiences of the holiday season. Whether it’s finding the ideal gift for a loved one, putting together a master shopping list for the big dinner or simply attempting to shoulder the responsibilities of throwing a seasonal party, this time of year presents stress in many forms. Hughes is keenly aware of that reality, and he has a field day with it thanks to the interplay between these comedic greats.

Recommendation: Planes, Trains and Automobiles satisfies on many levels with its diverse and highly effective collection of comedic situations and running jokes. It’s another one of those entries that makes one sorely nostalgic for the days of quality comedy. Thanks to great turns from Steve Martin and John Candy this is a film that fans can re-watch over and again.

Rated: R

Running Time: 92 mins.

TBTrivia: Perspectives are a funny thing. John Candy and Steve Martin have both named this film as their favorite films of their own. Ask other crew members who worked on the film and they’ll describe the shoot as “hellish,” as they were obligated to drive back and forth between locations on the East Coast and the Midwest since each time they arrived at one place the snow they were hoping to find melted too quickly. According to some crew members, John Hughes was in a terrible mood for much of the process as he was enduring difficult times in his personal life.

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com; http://www.haphazard-stuff.blogspot.com

The Road Within

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Tom

Release: Friday, April 17, 2015 (limited)

[Netflix]

Written by: Gren Wells

Directed by: Gren Wells

The Road Within is far from a realistic take on how mental illness affects one’s ability to socially interact but I’d be lying if I said it isn’t incredibly uplifting and heartwarming. Gren Wells has created a wonderful pick-me-up and that’s all you really need to know.

I suppose I could go into more detail, else this would be the shortest film review ever.

The schmaltzy-titled film follows a trio of teens who break out of a mental health facility and embark on a three-day expedition during which they bond, sharing in their anguish and collective suppressed emotions. The goal of the journey is for Vincent (the emerald-eyed Robert Sheehan), who has Tourette’s, to reach the ocean and scatter the ashes of his recently passed mother. He is joined by his roommate Alex (Dev Patel), a boy of similar age who is perpetually overwhelmed by his obsessive compulsive disorder, and a girl sporting purple-dyed hair played by Zoë Kravitz. Her name is Marie and she’s battling anorexia.

Vincent’s father (~~T-1000~~ Robert Patrick), unable to cope with his son’s turbulent behavior in the wake of the tragedy, sends him away to this facility run by Kyra Sedgwick’s Dr. Rose, a counselor who means well but is fairly incompetent. Given her hands-off approach and Vincent’s determination, the mechanism for the story’s development still feels a bit too clumsy: all it takes for Vincent’s wishes to come true is for Marie to stumble upon his room one day, flirt ever so slightly with him, and then steal doc’s car keys. It’s fairytale-esque how easily they are able to break from their shackles (and a tiny bit naughty — she stole car keys, thief . . . THIEF!)

The Road Within doesn’t play out as something that would happen in real life yet the adventure is too much fun to dismiss altogether. It features an incredible performance from the young Sheehan, who I was convinced actually had Tourette syndrome. His brown curly hair a perpetual mess and his face beset with worry, Sheehan’s Vincent is hugely empathetic despite his inability to control his temper when his tics have subsided. The 27-year-old actor masterfully steers his teenaged character through emotional turmoil that’s in addition to his literal knee-jerk reactions and spasms. That it becomes difficult to watch on occasion (and listen to — be prepared for a stream of profanities in the early going) is a credit to how committed Sheehan is to inhabiting this head space. It’s easily the crowning achievement of the film.

Less effective, but affecting nonetheless, are Patel’s Alex, whose crippling paranoias have him constantly wearing latex gloves and render him unable to slap his newfound friends a high-five in a brief celebratory moment, and Kravitz’s headstrong yet visibly physically unhealthy Marie. Over the course of their adventure, one which finds the actors juxtaposed against the breathtaking backdrop of Yosemite Valley, their precarious states begin to act as a galvanizing agent — “we’re all sick so we aren’t that different from each other” — though frequently the development rings hollow. I simply couldn’t buy into how quickly the characters moved past their severe illnesses, shedding symptoms as if they were layers of clothing.

The story isn’t completely lacking in validity. Vincent finds himself attracted to Marie (naturally), a development that only compounds Alex’s sense of loneliness and frustration over his condition. While romance is hinted at, it’s wisely handled with vulnerability and even an air of distrust. And while the melting of Vincent’s father’s icy exterior over the course of the story as he and the doctor set off in pursuit of her stolen car and the three renegades similarly sends up red flags, Robert Patrick has the acting pedigree to make the sudden shift somewhat legitimate.

One need look no further than The Road Within‘s emotional conclusion to find everything that’s wrong, and right, with Wells’ handling of the material. It tidies up much too quickly and leaves viewers with the impression that the hellish travails prior to the kids’ rebellion will no longer exist; this is a happily-ever-after for people who sadly do not travel down such a finite road. Mental illness, like an addiction, is permanent. It’s inescapable. It’s infuriating. However, none of these shortcomings are enough to drown the piece. It may be sentimental and unrealistic but The Road Within is immensely enjoyable. It’s optimistic and upbeat, easy to embrace. This is the kind of film you’ll want to reach for when you find yourself enduring a particularly rough stretch, even if you may not suffer from any kind of ailment at all.

Recommendation: The film has its flaws — and quite a few of them — but this is a winning road trip comedy that I recommend on the backs of an incredible performance from Robert Sheehan (as well as Dev Patel and Zoë Kravitz). Upbeat and entirely inoffensive (save for the litany of swear words in the opening third), The Road Within offers something for all but the most cynical of viewers.

Rated: R

Running Time: 100 mins.

Quoted: “You know, there’s a clown in my head and he shits in between my thoughts and he forces me to do the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate moment. So relaxing is pretty much the one thing I cannot do.”

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.impawards.com; http://www.shaanig.org

Decades Blogathon – Tommy Boy (1995)

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Tom

Day six in the Decades Blogathon finds Drew of Drew Reviews Movies taking a look back at the classic ’90s road trip comedy, Tommy Boy. A personal favorite of mine. For fair and balanced film reviews and fun features like the Movie Quote of the Week, you really ought to go check out his site. Now, let me step aside and let Drew tell you why this movie belongs in the blogathon:

Watched: 5/14/15

Released: 1995

Synopsis

Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) is the heir to Callahan Auto Parts who barely graduated college. When his dad (Brian Dennehy) passes away suddenly, Tommy and his father’s assistant, Richard (David Spade), go on the road to sell the company’s new brake pads and keep the business from getting bought by Zalinsky Auto Parts.

Review

Tommy Boy may possibly be my favorite feel good film (I’m not for sure on that but it’s up there). The story is straightforward and light, allowing you to have a ton of fun along the way. Easily the movie’s strongest point is the chemistry between Chris Farley and David Spade. The way they bounce off each other is spectacular. This is evident from their first scene together. Just about every time they are on screen together is side-splitting. There are so many memorable lines throughout the entirety of this movie, mostly from the lead duo but everyone gets quip or two of their own. Below is one of my favorite quotes but truth is, I had a hard time choosing just one. From “a lot of people go to college for seven years” to “housekeeping,” it’s difficult to pick a favorite line or moment.

Most of this movie sees Farley and Spade traveling around the mid-eastern United States, which like most great road trip movies, cause some crazy shenanigans. Thankfully, this film doesn’t follow the normal road trip trope of the leads becoming buddies, and then something happening that makes them not buddies again, then at the end they make up and are closer than ever. Once they become friends, they stay friends, which turns into a touching moment between them towards the end. Tommy Boy is fun, pure and simple. At ninety minutes of run time, you’d be hard pressed to find more entertainment for your time.

Rating

4/5

Favorite Quote

Boy 1: Hey, Tub-o, you ain’t moving!

Tommy: Yeah, need a little wind here.

Boy 2: No, you need to drop a couple hundred pounds, blimp.

Tommy: [Laughs] Rascals. I guess that’s your theory.

Boy 3: Hey, your sail is limp, like your dick.

Tommy: Watch your language in front of the lady, punk! Jeez. You were saying?

Boy 1: Hey, Gilligan, did you eat the skipper?

Tommy: You better pray to the god of skinny punks that this wind doesn’t pick up! ‘Cause I’ll come over there and jam an oar up your ass!

Boys: Oooooh.

Tommy: Jeepers creepers. Those guys keep interrupting us. I’m sorry about that. You were saying about, the, um…

Boy 2: Hey, lady, look out! There’s a fat whale on your boat!

Boy 3: Yeah, free Willy.

Michelle: Listen up you little spazoids, I know where you live and I’ve seen where you sleep! I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry when they’ve seen what I’ve done to you!

[Boys run away] I was just kidding. I have no idea where they live.

Trailer

Cast & Crew

Peter Segal – Director

Bonnie Turner – Writer

Terry Turner – Writer

David Newman – Composer

Chris Farley – Tommy

David Spade – Richard

Brian Dennehy – Big Tom

Bo Derek – Beverly

Rob Lowe – Paul

Julie Warner – Michelle

Dan Aykroyd – Zalinsky

Sean McCann – Frank Rittenhauer

Zach Grenier – Ted Reilly

James Blendick – Ron Gilmore

Land Ho!

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Tom

Release: Friday, July 11, 2014 (limited)

[Theater]

As much a gorgeous postcard from the Icelandic coast, Land Ho! also serves as a warm, sentimental comedy about taking advantage of time we can almost measure out in handfuls. In a perpetual disappearing act, it is a hell of a precious thing.

Fittingly, this neat and trim 90-minute package is mindful of that fact. Land Ho!, the cumulative effort of co-writer/directors Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, neither taxes viewers’ patience nor does it overwhelm the senses unnecessarily. Conversely, you would also have to be knocked-out cold to not appreciate the pragmatism on display — there are no frills here. Growing old may be the natural way of things, but it sure ain’t easy, as this geriatric odd-couple will attest.

Meet loud and audacious Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) and meek and mild-mannered Colin (Paul Eenhoorn), formerly brothers-in-law but recently removed after Mitch’s sister divorces Colin, an occurrence that happens before the film starts rolling. We first see the two convening at Mitch’s humble abode where the two catch up after whiling away many an hour on their lonesome. To get Colin’s mind off of things — not only has he recently been divorced, his wife prior to that passed away much too soon — Mitch has a trip to Iceland planned where they will get away from everything.

The goal is complete detachment from their former selves, to openly embrace whatever comes next. In a sense, this is a send-up of a desire to live fast, die young and worry about the boring stuff we missed later. The irony’s captured in all aspects of this adventure, especially with a 60-something-year-old Mitch whose number one priority seemingly is getting laid. But really though, shouldn’t it be these older gents who earn the right to openly embrace “YOLO” as an actual fact of being?

Earl Lynn Nelson, in his break-out performance is an infectious spirit that perpetuates Land Ho!‘s energy and boundless optimism. He is positively compelling as the geriatric go-getter, even if his commentary at times can fall on the side of sleazy when it comes to talking about women. On offer as well are breathtaking vistas and an absolutely sublime soundtrack, but the chemistry between the pair of “elderly” men reigns supreme. (Although, it’ll be difficult to exit the theater without humming some of the tunes that also happen to strengthen this picture via being laid over several richly visual interludes. Likewise you’ll be forgiven for immediately Googling Iceland when you return home from seeing this one.)

Beginning at the capital port city of Reykjavík our map sprawls outward, encapsulating some classic tourist destinations like the black sand beaches, towering geysers and of course, the hot springs as made famous (and slightly dramatized by) this particular movie poster. Our protagonists make friends with a few locals: a couple who are honeymooning in the quaint bed-and-breakfast Colin and Mitch are inhabiting inadvertently become the direct recipient of Mitch’s advice on successful long-term marriages. Meanwhile, Colin strikes the iron hot with a Canadian photographer while taking a dip in the hot spring-fed rivers nearby Landmannalaugar.

While conversation strictly adheres to matters of practicality and even fatalism — the duo’s rumination on loneliness and wondering where this path ultimately takes them very much mirrors our own — atmosphere and musical selection will distract just enough to never allow the moment to settle too heavily. At times Land Ho! possesses an air of fantasy, as its almost too difficult to believe the turns of fate these two share.

Yet the laughs spill forth freely and come at times at the expense of these good people. Sight gags are in abundance, as are those of an intellectual, buy-into-the-rapport variety. We experience a range of emotion in good old Colin who eventually learns to embrace his surroundings. Watching him cave and take a hit off a joint the size of something Bob Marley would roll isn’t exactly revelatory but it’s the kick in the pants this character needs. There’s also somewhat of a comfort in knowing this would happen sooner or later. Yes, extensive character development is something you will not find but the changes that occur are sufficient enough.

In the end, you must embrace this film in the same way Mitch is embracing a new life as a retired doctor; as Colin, a wounded soul still reaching out for something to make him strong. Dispense with the over-thinking and just go with the flow. I’m not exactly sure how that applies to your viewing habits or how you approach this film but the less you think about Land Ho! and its constant retread of the tracks laid down by road trip movies that have come before, the better you will be for it.

Recommendation: If searching for truly unspoiled territory, the quiet musings of Land Ho! will not be the trip you need to take. Avoiding it on that basis is a choice that will dismiss this film entirely too prematurely, however. You should see this film for a stellar first lead performance from Nelson and the absolutely killer scenery he treads across with his bestest buddy. Its thematic presentation is perhaps a tad overwhelmed by said gorgeous visuals, but I find that one of the most acceptable issues to have in a film.

Rated: R

Running Time: 95 mins.

Quoted: “You know that a lighthouse looks just like a hard cock but with no balls. . . ?”

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.impawards.com; http://www.imdb.com

Locke

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Tom

Release: Friday, April 25, 2014 (limited)

[Theater]

What’s harder to reconcile — the uncertainty and doubt associated with what the future may or may not hold for you, or acknowledging the truth of what’s happened in your past?

If you don’t find yourself moved by this kind of prying, existential question, a question that you can almost feel digging fingernails into your psyche as this simple narrative unfolds, there’s probably not a great deal something like Steven Knight’s brilliantly conservative Locke can offer you.

For anyone who does find themselves so moved, the film offers even less in the way of comfort. Emotionally hard-hitting and complex, this is a film that mirrors reality so well it’s actually more impressive that any of this is scripted. Presented as something of a road trip adventure infused with a touch of film noir, Locke is entirely caught up in the here-and-now, realizing what’s most important should be the thing that’s made most readily available to the viewer, and has little time or interest in distracting with other subplots or storylines. Indeed, what we get is Hardy’s face, a hands-free cell phone and a beautiful BMW (finally, product placement that isn’t obnoxious) as the key ingredients responsible for doling out the drama.

Tom Hardy plays an esteemed construction foreman who is seen at the film’s open leaving a work site for the evening, knocking wet concrete from his boots before getting into his car and driving away. For the remainder of the film this is where both he and the audience shall be confined — a gauntlet on wheels that comes to spawn a multitude of situations and conversations, all of which are not only believable, but also inconceivable. As the drive continues, Locke’s situation perpetually worsens and in ways that are entirely too convincing, with each successive phone call devolving into another nightmarish battle.

That the film is primarily set in the driver’s seat of a four-door sedan should be enough to make for a compelling indie film reel, but that’s not where the film excels the most. Though this intimacy certainly helps elevate the film, it’s the work that Hardy turns in that separates Locke from other limited-setting movies, and by several mile markers at that.

Hardy is a one-man show, an artist so in the moment time almost seems to come to a stand-still. He imbues his character with the perfect sampling of each human emotion that invariably would surface during a car ride of this magnitude, or during any number of stressful — granted, less intricate and bizarre — situations for that matter. Sure, driving may be the only activity the man takes part in here, but the circumstances surrounding what he’s doing have a kind of gravity that will put a lump in your throat.

Locke is, in a word, defiant, and the more that’s left unsaid about it, the better. Suffice it to say, though, expect a story which refuses to bend to convention, as Ivan refuses to lose sight of his ultimate goal. We, the ever curious — bordering on frustrated — third-party simply must sit perched on the edge of our seats, nervous, as we anticipate each precious little detail as they come spilling forward, either from Hardy’s mouth or from the speakers on the dashboard. The genius in this film is that frustration mounts but it never overwhelms, and that frustration is not the end game. It’s only part of the experience. And there are so many different parts.

An existential drama disguised as a road trip movie, Locke is quite simply one of the most inventive and riveting films you will see this, or any other year. There won’t be many things quite like it.

Recommendation: An exemplary indie film that is sure to satisfy the art house crowd and Tom Hardy fans in equal measure. See it for a much more nuanced Hardy performance — it’s really quite something comparing this role to his Bane, or something like Charles Bronson. But see it for far more fundamental reasons also: if you appreciate deeply human stories, Locke is one you cannot afford to miss.

Rated: R

Running Time: 84 mins.

Quoted: “Gareth, with all due respect: f**k Chicago.”

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.impawards.com; http://www.imdb.com

TBT: Tommy Boy (1995)

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Tom

Ah, the time-honored buddy comedy. This subgenre seems like such a fun way to make a living, especially if what you’re making is quality entertainment. The formula for this kind of film is pretty undemanding, and as a director, as long as you have strong chemistry between your leads, your film should serve its purpose well enough. Buddy comedies are perhaps my favorite kind of films, just based on the fact that their only intention is to make the audience feel good. These are harmless distractions, not necessarily works of art. Today’s entry is no exception. It likely isn’t one that will be remembered by everyone for the rest of eternity, but for those who have seen it (and enjoyed it back in the day) are probably going to hold it close to their hearts for a long, long time. Welcome to November on TBT!

Today’s food for thought: Tommy Boy.

Release: March 31, 1995

[DVD]

Saturday Night Live-stars Chris Farley and David Spade team up together for a ridiculous adventure across the country as they attempt to save their hometown brake manufacturer, Callahan Auto from being bought out by the greedy, heartless Ray Zalinsky, a Chicago-based auto salesman.

Tommy Callahan (Farley), the son of Big Tom Callahan (Brian Dennehy) is not exactly the most useful tool in the shop. His graduation from college after a seven year stint results in a ‘D’ average, something which Tommy’s extremely excited about. Stumbling through a gigantic puff of weed smoke, now it’s time to join the family business with pops at the factory. Tommy and Richard (Spade) have remained buds over the years, though Richard is slightly annoyed by the ease in which Tommy’s managed to obtain a spot in a company that he had to work hard to join himself.

His cushy life is drastically altered when his father collapses suddenly and passes away on the same day he is to marry the beautiful Beverly (Bo Derek). Since the town of Sandusky virtually depends on the brake manufacturer for economic sustainability, and with the big man gone, people begin to panic — most notably, the banks.

To prove that he can actually do something for once, Tommy hatches a scheme to try and save the company (and ultimately his home town) by offering to assume his father’s role and go on a massive marketing and sales pitch nationwide. But he knows as well as anyone that he doesn’t have everything it will take to sell half a million brake pads — what they need to stay afloat. Tommy’s a few peanut M&M’s shy of a full bag.

So who better to enlist the help of than his lifelong friend, and Callahan Auto accountant, Richard? Naturally, there is strong opposition from the tightly-wound Richard, but seeing as there isn’t much of an alternative, he must bear down and deal with his dimwitted buddy.

The premise is no more original than a bowl of Corn Flakes, yet the chemistry between two of SNL’s finest (well, at least one of them) makes the cross-country adventure a timeless bit of film, one that can be watched over and over again. . .or at least until the disc becomes too scratched to play. Comic disaster awaits at every turn when Tommy turns out to be as bad at sales pitches as he might be at sailing. Or running. With each ‘No thanks’ that the team receive in the earlygoing, Richard comes that much closer to giving up on Tommy as a business partner.

As their client list eventually shrivels up to virtually nothing, and after Tommy screws up once too many, the friendship is put on trial. It all comes to a head outside a Prehistoric Diner, and the pair resort to fists, inane insults and an amazingly convenient plank of wood. It’s at this point Tommy loses what little self-esteem he had, offering up one of the most memorable scenes in any of his movies — but at the same time, Richard discovers that his road partner may not be so dumb after all. In a flash, the two rekindle their spirits and attempt to make a play for the Windy City, where they hope to change the heart of Zalinsky himself.

Tommy Boy‘s star-studded cast affords it a great deal more laughs than one might expect out of the standard road-trip/buddy-comedy — a package taken straight from the assembly line and built out of comedy scraps that have come before it; however, Peter Segal makes great use of his talented leads. Spade’s Richard is perhaps the best work he’s done to date: the number of smart-aleck comments he rips is off the charts, and are quite possibly the funniest things Spade’s ever gotten to say.

Not to mention, the ‘bad guys’ are thoroughly enjoyable as well, with Derek and Rob Lowe teaming up together to form a suitably incompetent foil for the two dysfunctional salesmen. Dan Aykroyd as Zalinsky certainly isn’t the centerpiece, but he makes the most of his contributions as a greedy corporate executive.

If anything, Tommy Boy offers another great avenue for highly-recitable line-o-ramas from the 90s, and keeping in the vein of Dumb & Dumber in terms of quality and quantity, it earns its place in the canon of buddy-comedy. I recall few movies that have so much of the humor amassing in one-liners. The movie’s also effectively sentimental, leaning on the earnestness of Farley to display a range of emotion throughout. Tommy may not be a highly intelligent person, but boy is the fat guy in a little coat lovable.

Recommendation: Silly, clumsy yet hardly original, Tommy Boy remains a cult classic to those who enjoyed not only Farley and everything he represented post-SNL, but for those who laughing. . .a lot. . .in movies. It doesn’t get much better than when Tommy tries to convince a potential buyer by telling him how much of a loser he is, or when asked whether he huffed paint as a kid, he can’t say “No.”

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 95 mins.

Quoted: “Holy schniekes!!!!”

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.mefeedia.com; http://www.imdb.com

TBT: Eurotrip (2003)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Tom

Well hey there guys and gals. Welcome to the first ever edition of THROWBACK THURSDAY here on DSB!! (In case anyone’s confused, this will basically be replacing the subsections up top that are ‘1990s’ and ‘2000s.’) So from now on, you might/should/would/could expect a new update each Thursday that will discuss a film from back in the day. Seeing as though I couldn’t come up with something more original for the title, I am going to fall in line with the trend of “TBT,” having pressured myself into coming up with a new thread of some sort. And here we are.

Really, though, I’d like to give a shout out to my buddy Mike Hallman for reminding me of this appropriate new social trend, since it fits quite well with reviewing older titles. Hopefully this will be a theme I can stick with for as long as this blog shall stand, and I look forward to many healthy discussions (or unhealthy…whatever) about these little bits and pieces of our youth.

Today’s food for thought: Eurotrip.

Release: February 1, 2003

[DVD]

Written by : Jeff Schaffer; Alec Berg; David Mandel

Directed by: Jeff Shaffer; Alec Berg; David Mandel

Four high school grads spend their summer before college wandering around the streets of Europe searching for fun, freedom and a newfound sense of adulthood in their impromptu adventures. Scotty (Scott Mechlowicz) strikes up an online relationship with someone named Mieke, who is helping him pass his German studies course so he will be able to graduate on time. After a hilarious misunderstanding over the true identity of his email-pal, Scotty and friends Cooper (Jacob Pitts), Jenny (Michelle Trachtenberg), and Jamie (Travis Wester) head to Berlin in order to set things straight, along the way finding plenty of trouble to get into…and just barely enough to allow this film to get by without wearing out its welcome.

Of course, this is a teen movie we’re talking about. Expect no Oscar nominations here. Maybe a Razzie for Most Awkward Brother-Sister Romance, sure. . . (remember that scene where Jenny and Jamie drank Absinthe and then made out? Yeah, I know….gross.) Moments like that abound in this barely-ninety minute romp, and are trademark of the teen comedy genre. In Eurotrip, it’s a strategy that has a 50% success rate. When these over-the-top silly gags work, it’s great; when they misfire, it’s cringe-inducing and awkward.

Some examples of it working include the crazed Manchester United soccer….er, excuse me, football fan club sequences; Cooper’s traumatizing experience at a hostile hostel; and stumbling upon a French nude beach and finding it full of only males.

Now the bad: the group’s detour into Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is simply awful and ultimately a major time-waster; as well, one of the last scenes where we are in the Vatican hunting down this girl who Scotty’s been searching after for all this time is completely ridiculous and cheesy. It’s probably the movie’s cheesiest moment and a rather dull way to round out our European road trip.

Having said all that, Eurotrip is not asking for you to take it all that seriously; the actors/actresses sure don’t seem like they are (or were), either. Each of their performances comes across as barely sufficient evidence that they’ve recited their parts. No one is particularly memorable (nor despicable, for that matter really) and there’s but a few familiar road signs along the way that point to things like Road Trip, certain National Lampoon entries, and Harold & Kumar. This Western European version is a little less successful than those, and only mildly distances itself from a slew of other similarly themed, sexually-frustrated directions that were big on jokes and light on logic.

Recommendation: If you forget to pack your brain for this adventure, that’s how you’d be best prepared for Eurotrip. It’s no smart comedy, but it’s outrageous gags, carefree spirit and use of several famous landmarks blends together for a fairly enjoyable experience. And, truly, what more do you need from a B-list comedy than simply having some fun at the expense of the main characters?

Rated: R

Running Time: 89 mins.

All content originally published and the reproduction elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the blog owner is prohibited.

Photo credits: http://www.imdb.com

Thomas J

My Journey Through Film

Tag Archives: #roadtrip

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TBT: Eurotrip (2003)