More TIFF capsule reviews of films we’ve already written full-blown reviews of – this writer just wants to get some thoughts off his chest.
So mainly, make fun of Nicole Kidman all you want, the fact remains that she’s a terrific actress and whenever coupled with a strong director (Lars Von Trier, Jonathan Glazer, Gus Van Sant), she does some stellar work and that certainly applies to John Cameron Mitchell’s third, feature-length directorial effort, “Rabbit Hole,” a grieving drama about two parents who have lost their child and easily his most mature and understated piece of work. Mitchell’s lens is staid, observational and he lets his actors do all the heavy emotional lifting and it works in spades. If Lionsgate, who just picked up the film has the mettle, they should be able to secure Nicole Kidman and the always-excellent Dianne Wiest (who plays Kidman’s mom) Oscar nominations (Wiest probably has a nomination in the bag to be honest). Truthfully, Aaron Eckhart is just as good, but he’s likely going to be overlooked. Another exemplary element of the film is Anton Sanko’s beautiful score which we’re hoping isn’t ignored during the awards season either. We called the film initially, “an honest and powerful… [exploration] of the lasting wounds caused by the loss of a loved one and the unsteady road that must be taken to heal,” and this writer couldn’t agree more. It’s an affecting and lasting piece of work. [A-]
Is there much sense in reviewing “The Town” now that it’s in theaters? Possibly not, but we did want to note that it’s a sturdy workman-like effort and Ben Affleck proves not only was “Gone Baby Gone” not a fluke, but he can seamlessly act and helm at the same time. Now “The Town” isn’t without its flaws, the film seems to shortchange the central romance of the picture in favor of action and the last exchange of sweat and bullets in the finale is a bit anticlimactic, and not as exciting as some of the other visceral setpieces, but “The Town” is still a gripping, emotional and moving crime thriller (and kudos for the thrilling opening heist scenes). While we have seen it before, it’s an admirable and solid effort. Jeremy Renner shines as a volatile and pitbull-like criminal who seems to love the life, Affleck is intense as the disillusioned man who wants to break free from the profession, and the lovely Rebecca Hall is always easy to watch both from an acting and portrait perspective. If there’s a weak link it’s John Hamm, or rather his one-note character that doesn’t bring much to the table, but it’s oddly enough, not much of a dealbreaker. And when you have stalwart supporting veterans like Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaite, it’s hard to go too far wrong (Blake Lively’s greatness is overstated though, she was superb in “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,” but she doesn’t have a lot to do here). “The Town,” was number one at the box-office with good reason last week, but awards and Oscars are probably just out of reach. Maybe Jeremy Renner will grab a Golden Globe supporting nod. Then again, this is a mainstream movie which perhaps doesn’t have the greatest performances you’ll see all year, but the Academy does watch and notice these pictures. We’ll see. [B+]
The most purely pleasurable and entertaining film of the festival was one, ironically, that didn’t belong there. Will Gluck’s “Easy A” starring Emma Stone is in no way a traditional fall film festival picture, but often times the fest includes this type of picture for star power and diversity. Immensely entertaining, “Easy A” strikes the right tone throughout and never falters. Never too cute and never too saccharine, the teen comedy is one of the best of its modern day ilk (on a par with “Mean Girls,” the previous best-in-genre). Sharply written and contemporary without inundating with pop culture references, the comedy is a pure delight and it’s no wonder it did well at this weekend’s box-office. While Stone is charming and cute as a button, her supporting players steal the show. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson are gloriously funny as her always-understanding parents; their chemistry and comedic timing is impeccable, and kudos to the script that renders them like characters out of “His Girl Friday.” Thomas Haden Church is excellent as a sarcastic, but supportive teacher, and Lisa Kudrow is perfectly cast as his wife. This is a picture that will make you smile without making you feel like you’ve lost brain cells in doing so. Intelligent, witty, funny and endearing; dear Hollywood, more of these please. [A-]