COLLATERAL BEAUTY Review

Will Smith is the people's actor. He is a presence that radiates the kind of everyman persona that the actual everyman would like to envision themselves as. It's nearly impossible not to find the presence of Smith in any film he chooses to participate anything other than a force of genuine charisma, but not here. In director David Frankel's (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me) Collateral Beauty Smith is relegated to looking as depressed as possible for the limited amount of time he actually appears on screen despite being touted as the lead of this ensemble piece. It's true-the films wackadaisical plot hinges on the actions of Smith's Howard Inlet, but it doesn't ultimately pay that much attention to him. Still, given it is Smith we care about this human being who is clearly and rightfully dealing with a tragedy on his own terms. Reeling from this great tragedy of losing a child we come to sympathize with Howard mostly thanks to the pain Smith conveys in his eyes that are constantly attempting to fight back both pain and tears. Still, we never become as invested in the character as it seems Frankel or screenwriter Allan Loeb (The Switch, Here Comes the Boom) imagined we might. Moreover, we are too shocked by what actually plays out in Loeb's screenplay as opposed to what type of movie the trailers sold this one to be. Going into Collateral Beauty there was a line of thinking that, being it was the holiday season, Loeb and the studio had intentionally written the story to take place at Christmas and released it around Christmas due to the similarities it seemingly shared with Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. While Smith's Howard is certainly no Scrooge it seemed Loeb had more or less reverse engineered the situation and played things out as if Bob Cratchit were the boss of his own ad agency and whom he moves forward enough that Tiny Tim does in fact pass away only to have the three ghosts that are this time incarnated as Love, Death, and Time rather than Past, Present, and Future come visit our protagonist revealing the secrets to happiness long thought to be lost. Loeb certainly could have played with a few different ideas and themes coming at the story from this new perspective, but ultimately Collateral Beauty was never brave enough to try and update and/or re-engineer that Christmas classic, but would rather be as deceptive about what it actually is the same way many of its characters are.

First Trailer for COLLATERAL BEAUTY Starring Will Smith

Like I said in my article Saturday counting down my most anticipated films of this fall/winter a trailer could drop any time for the Will Smith-starrer Collateral Beauty, but for some reason I felt the film, directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me), would be delayed given it was supposed to arrive this Christmas and we'd yet to even see a production still from the picture. My train of thought went in this direction because it is what happened to Frankel's 2011 film, The Big Year, that carried the weight of names like Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin in the same movie together. That movie came and went without so much as a peep. I was hopeful Frankel's latest venture wouldn't be of the same variety given, aside from Smith, it has a cast to die for despite coming from prolific if not exceptional screenwriter Alan Loeb (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Just Go With It). That all changed today as the teaser for Collateral Beauty has arrived and the film looks to pull at the heart strings as it it tells the story of a man (Smith) who experiences a tragic event that sends him into a downwards spiral-causing him to examine life and the things that connect each of us-our longing for love, our constant wish for more time, and our fear of death. The debut trailer tells us Smith's Howard Inlet begins writing letters to these things-to the universe-as a therapeutic way of dealing with this tragedy. What he doesn't expect is a response and yet he gets some in the form of Helen Mirren, Jacob Latimore, and Keira Knightley. Though the music hits you a bit over the head this certainly looks as if it will hit the strong emotional beats that Frankel was able to do in his "Why People Love Dogs" story that had every theater it was shown in in tears. I don't know that we'll necessarily see the film in contention come awards season, but this looks like a genuinely great movie to see with the family during the holidays and hopefully Frankel and his A-list cast can convey all the ideas and emotions this trailer sets up in interesting and powerful fashions in the final product. Collateral Beauty also stars Edward Norton, Michael Pena, Naomie Harris, Kate Winslet and opens on December 16, 2016.

TIFF 2015: THE MARTIAN Review

It's weird. With everything The Martian has going on and going for it you'd think it might be more of a straightforward action film, but rather this is a movie about problem solving. Problem solving in the cheesy sense of never giving up, but legitimate in that our protagonists circumstances have him stranded on Mars. These days, one almost goes into a Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator) picture with the expectation of receiving something handsome without necessarily having any sustenance and that reaction has been warranted over the last few years (Prometheus has it's lovers and it's haters, but I'm in the former camp). What makes The Martian different than say Robin Hood, The Counselor or even Exodus though is that it once again sets the director up in what seems to be his most comfortable and inspiring setting: space. In going back to the cosmos, the director does his own problem solving and dives head first into his grand new science fiction film by embracing every aspect that makes up this story. Whether that be in the Mars-based segments with Matt Damon's astronaut Mark Watney or on Earth at the various NASA headquarters with engaging intellects like Chewitel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. Beyond having rounded up a stellar cast Scott has more or less crafted his most entertaining film in years by really seeming passionate about the material. Of course, rather than space, this could be the reason all of his films taking place out of our planet's orbit tend to generally turn out for the best. Scott is an explorer, a man who likes his scope large and his stories fairly bombastic. What bigger canvas is there to paint on than space?

First Trailer for Ridley Scott's THE MARTIAN Starring Matt Damon

I picked up Andy Weir's novel, The Martian, a few months back and plan on beginning to read it within the next few days. Naturally, my goal is to finish Weir's book before the film version arrives this Thanksgiving, but while that sounds completely plausible I have a bad habit of taking long breaks in between books. That said, I will at least have a strong point of visual reference once I do begin to read the novel as the first trailer for director Ridley Scott's (Gladiator, Alien) film adaptation has now premiered and gives away slightly more than I wanted or expected it to. Over the last few weeks we have received a barrage of marketing material in the form of stills as well as an introductory video yesterday to the Area 3 crew before the launch of their mission to mars. With the trailer though, we get our first glimpse at the tone of the film and Scott's visual style this time around. I have really relished in his visual approach for his last few films (Prometheus naturally coming to mind) and that seems to have been applied here as well. The visuals are stunning and, without knowing more of the story than what the trailer indicates, the narrative seems to have some exceptionally gripping aspects that I hope push this further than the rather lackluster efforts he's delivered as of late. The guy simply turns around projects so quickly it's hard to see how he can take the necessary care, but at the age of 77 it's likely not wise to argue with then man. The Martian stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover and opens in 3D on November 25th. Hit the jump to also see the featurette released yesterday as well as several stills from the film.

FURY Review

Ernest Hemingway said, "Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime." Hemingway means to inform us of the repercussions of getting carried away with violence as power, but director David Ayer asks us to contemplate not the repercussions but the mentality it takes to execute such acts of war. Is the ruthlessness with which these men approach their actions acceptable? Is their matter-of-fact attitude towards taking a life understandable within the confines of the circumstances? There is never a moment in Ayer's latest effort, Fury, where we let ourselves become distracted by the action sequences or the curiosity of where the story is going because we know exactly where it's taking us and that, in many ways, is the only let-up the film offers as it's otherwise a consistently tense and mentally exhausting experience. In order to deliver this disjointed, but outwardly insightful look Ayer has combined a typical plot-driven narrative with large elements of a pure character study. The director clearly wants to depict the type of men and personalities it took to win World War II, but further than this it is about how they became these beings free of any kind of moral compass yet trapped in a mindset that left nearly every other human an enemy. When we look at history we see what we are taught in textbooks and reference what we learn in lectures, but the little details escape us, the unimaginable is left at that and the countless lives sacrificed are best forgotten as their bodies are lost in a sea of limbs. Carnage is a disgusting act of man that seems to settle little more than who has more men fighting for them and Fury gets to the heart of this ugly method that sees men, people just like you and I, transformed into these conditioned warriors that see things in nothing but black and white, all or nothing, live or die. It is in these hands governments put as much power as they can muster which naturally translates to the indestructible mentality of soldiers thinking of themselves as an exception while the talkers, the leaders sit back and hope for the best possible outcome. Fury commentates on the ugliness of war by laying waste to the idea those we call heroes couldn't feel less like one.

First Trailer for FURY

I have to admit I am a little underwhelmed by this first trailer for David Ayer's Fury. Ayer's second release of the year after the disappointing Sabotage in March is easily one of my most anticipated films of the year. I highly doubt the film will turn out to be that way given Pitt has become the kind of actor very choosy of his projects and only investing his time and talent in projects he considers worthwhile and transcendent of cinema, but if a trailer is meant to elicit interest from people who aren't familiar with the project all this spot has going for it is the star power. Yes, Pitt is in it and it is a war movie and we are served that premise throughout while also getting highlights of Pitt's crew that includes Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman (Perks of Being A Wallflower, Noah), Michael Pena (Crash, End of Watch) and Jon Bernthal (Walking Dead, Wolf of Wall Street). The cast is strong and while Sabotage wasn't all it could have been Ayer's previous writing and directing effort, End of Watch, was one of my favorite films of 2012 and that being on his resume alone means I will reserve judgement on this WWII tank film. While the trailer overall tries to do too much in divulging one too many plot points it does wash us over with the gorgeous photography from cinematographer Roman Vasyanov (End of Watch, Charlie Countryman) . I worry only about the story as this is from an original screenplay by Ayer in that it might fall into convention, but again Pitt and his impressive supporting cast clearly had enough faith to sign on and so my excitement level will remain high until Fury opens on November 14th.

CESAR CHAVEZ Review

When Diego Luna's second directorial effort opened quietly this past weekend I was quick to associate it with another recent biopic of an important historical figure that floated under the radar last awards season and never picked up the steam to garner the recognition I felt it deserved. I, more than most, truly enjoyed Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and the fully invested performance of Idris Elba that turned the film into a powerful statement showing that while working with a bigger life than a single film could capture, one is still able to capture the intended scope and impression the subject leaves behind them. I knew little of Mandela before seeing the film besides his stint in prison and the same could be said about Cesar Chavez whose name I only associated with his hunger strike that I'd read and learned about so long ago I couldn't tell you who taught it to me. Luna's film attempts to do very much the same things as Justin Chadwick's take on the South African President and while the struggles they fight for are both radically different and virtually the same in terms of basic human rights, the films seem to follow the same rules in how they mean to convey all the information necessary to create a compelling narrative within the time span of two hours (give or take a few minutes on either). This similarity from a standpoint of storytelling makes Chavez's plight no less admirable in the context of the film and because Luna is still somewhat of a novice filmmaker in the sense that his material here, while no doubt a passion of his and a subject he is well educated on, can still be overwhelming and this becomes clear as the way in which this story is conveyed feels all to safe and well-constructed to be about a man who took the necessary risks and was an intelligent strategist allowing him to outwit his opponents in the game of pride he often found himself playing. There is of course the obvious fact that because the plight of Chavez is interesting and compelling on a basic level that the movie will inherently share some of these elements and while it is also clear the film comes from a place of good intentions with true heart behind it that unfortunately can't always make up for the simple lack of insight and freshness that feels sorely lacking here.

AMERICAN HUSTLE Review

From its inception a lot was expected of American Hustle, or "American Bullshit" as it was once called, director David O. Russell’s follow up to his Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook that put an actor in every major category and was even able to take one of those home. The key element of Russell’s films since re-certifying himself as a force to be reckoned with was the frenetic energy with which they carried themselves and while his latest is no different this time around it feels like there was nowhere specific to focus this energy and so it gets sprawled across a multitude of characters and a convoluted plot that concerns itself with con artists, IRS agents, mobsters and politicians. It seems unfair that with the good will Russell garnered not only with Silver Linings, but also with The Fighter that he immediately be expected to deliver more great cinema simply because he is working in the same time period and has recruited the same group of actors from each film to make up a stellar cast because it almost seems it would be impossible to deliver. The problem is, expectations were set so high that critics and cinephiles automatically assumed it was going to be quality movie-going and so they have seemingly lapped up this picture to be what they wanted it to be rather than taking it for what it actually is: a solid piece of Scorsese tribute with a cast that transcends the messy script. It is hard to say whether this would have come off as a better film without the expectation or if the expectation indeed helps it appear more impressive considering that is what we expected. Either way, I was never particularly excited about the film as I wasn’t familiar with the events that inspired it, but more I was excited to see what Russell would do with his impressive cast and his old school setting. I really enjoyed Silver Linings and I absolutely adored The Fighter for being able to take a stock story and make it more than that, with performances that never failed and lifted the material above the standard and maybe I, too, was hoping for that to happen here. I simply found it hard to really dig into the film as it never pulled me in and kept me there the way those last two efforts have. And that may be a problem as well, both that we expected American Hustle to be of the same quality and to do many of the same things to our senses that those two films elicited, but this is a different film altogether and to take it on those terms alone would be to realize by no means is this a bad film, it also isn’t one of the best things I’ve seen this year.

TURBO Review

Turbo is a completely complacent piece of entertainment. There isn't anything particularly intriguing about the film and there is absolutely nothing that might offend or cause someone not to enjoy it. In fact, the viewing experience I had was one of initially low expectations that were met with a sense of pure ease and joy that radiated off the screen and into the creative juices the film had flowing allowing for it all to be very colorful, very fun, but most importantly, entertaining. It held the children's attention, it never slowed for too long and it didn't take any detours in getting where it wanted to go. There is a very basic, straightforward plot, a message that is easy to understand and characters that are completely endearing while being both supporters and detractors to our titular heroes dreams. It is tough to come up with much to say about a film so middle of the road that you find neither anything spectacular to love about it or insulting enough to hate. I guess there could be some magic in that, in the fact that parents can take their kids to the movies and have a fun enough time themselves while not having to worry about whether or not the kids will actually stay in their seats and remain entertained, but as far as quality of the overall film goes, whether it has anything profound to say or not, or whether it will stand as a classic of the genre it fits so comfortably into, that is where the film fails to meet any real standards. Still, the fact of the matter is the makers of Turbo likely weren't shooting for any such standards, but instead had the humble aspirations of making a fun, entertaining ride with a positive message that informed kids no matter how small they are that their big dreams were worth going after and could indeed be accomplished. I applauded Monsters University earlier this summer for taking the road less traveled in preaching life lessons to its young audiences, but while Turbo chooses to go the road most traveled in pretty much every aspect it likely won't stand a chance of rising above other animated films in a summer so saturated with minions and monsters. I liked Turbo well enough and I'm sure plenty of kiddos will see it and feel the same way, but I doubt any of them will take much away from it.

New Trailers for DESPICABLE ME 2 & TURBO

With The Croods opening this weekend two new trailers for two of the biggest family films of the summer have been released. While Ryan Reynolds provides voice work in both this weekends Dreamworks release and plays the titular character in Turbo, kiddies will likely be more excited to know that there will first be a sequel to Despicable Me that looks as promising as I could have hoped. We've seen a few short spots for the highly anticipated sequel to the surprise 2010 hit, but nothing really that has given us a glimpse of what will be going on story-wise. This full length trailer reunites us with Gru (Steve Carell) and finds him being recruited by Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) for the Anti-Villian league that pits him against an unseen baddie voiced by Al Pacino. The trailer looks great and the original voice cast has returned to provide what seems like a solid bet and yes, there are plenty of minions. They naturally get some of the biggest laughs here and I'm anxious to see how their own separate feature will pan out and work in conjunction with this world. Despicable Me 2 opens in 3D on July 3rd. As for Turbo, the premise feels a little worn with the trailer not seeming to bring anything new to it. Needless to say, the one note joke of a snail wanting to go fast seems to be all the development team had going for it, but I'll be optimistic as I loved last years Madagascar 3 and The Croods is so far receiving great reviews. Plus it has a stellar voice cast that includes Paul Giamatti, Michael Pena, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Kurtwood Smith, Snoop Dogg, and Samuel L. Jackson. Turbo opens in 3D on July 19th.  

GANGSTER SQUAD Review

What has happened to director Ruben Fleischer? The guy had such a promising feature debut in Zombieland and has had ample opportunity to make equally fun films in his two follow-ups yet each have failed to capture that same magic that invigorated his first. In saying that, his latest Gangster Squad isn't necessarily a bad film but it certainly isn't anything spectacular. With a cast that features the likes of Josh Brolin (who actually seems to be losing credibility with each role), the re-teaming of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone (whose relationship has none of the substance their previous screen incarnations did), supporting players like Anthony Mackie (loving these low grade B-movies, isn't he?), Michael Pena (he deserves much better than this), Robert Patrick (maybe the best part of the movie), and Nick Nolte (is he even acting?) you expect there to be some level of fun that comes along with it. Unfortunately, the experience of the film is something more akin to an assignment you feel more relieved to have finished after going through the doldrums of every standard cliche and requirement rather than having experienced anything close to a genuine emotion. In other words, Gangster Squad is very simply a complacent piece of entertainment that reaches for nothing more than what requirements it needs to qualify as a coherent story. Then there is the issue of Sean Penn as head gangster Mickey Cohen. The likes of which could have been a great, flashy, over-the-top character but instead turns out to be a campy, cheesy villain instead. This also echoes an issue with the entire film in general where it doesn't know exactly what it wants to be and if the makers don't know where to go with it, we don't know how to take it and it all falls apart from there.

END OF WATCH Review

End of Watch is a great movie. It is as plain and simple as that. There could honestly be nothing more said about it and if, on that alone, you walked into a theater and experienced it for yourself you would come out nodding in agreement. It is a brutal, unflinching look at two cops in one of the most dangerous areas in the U.S. It centers around two partners and friends who are not related by blood but share the bond of family and hold it to be just as sacred. While there have been plenty of cop dramas in the last few years, and very good ones including this years Rampart, there is something fresh about this take on the day-to-day lives of two inner city cops. Maybe the fact this doesn't feature corrupt cops, cops getting in too deep undercover or any of the other typical situations we find our movie law enforcement officials getting into but instead are doing nothing more than going along for the ride. Watching End of Watch is like experiencing an in your face, real and raw episode of Cops. If Cops were to air on HBO this is probably what it would look and feel like. I didn't really know what to expect going into the film. Both leading men here have had their fair share of credible and award-worthy type films while also having starred in plenty of B-movies and nonstarters. This looked to naturally be in the former category for both actors but the same could also be said for writer and director David Ayer who has made a few films in this genre before. Sure, he wrote Training Day and directed the underrated Harsh Times, but he too has had a hand in a number of projects that attempted to capitalize on his successes that instead ended up being nothing more than generic. Do you remember Street Kings? Probably not. It is safe to say with End of Watch though that everyone involved has hit a home run.

Officer Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and new girlfriend Janet
(Anna Kendrick) share a first date together.

From the beginning Ayer decided to keep it simple. Telling the story in its most basic form and not becoming overly worried or concerned with plot complications but instead allowing the characters and their interactions, their attitudes to do the work. Ayer has created two seemingly naturalistic characters on the page and Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena have taken those blueprints and fleshed them out to living, breathing people who we could see actually hanging out with were they not the most fearless guys on the force. They have an intimidation factor to them, as any cops on film with certain egos will, but these guys are not above bowing down to the system either. They know their place and know better than to test their limits. They are rewarded by the work they do even if they feel like every single day pushes them to the limit of what they might be able to handle. As Brian, Gyllenhaal exudes a confidence in knowing what he wants to do with his time. He is smart, capable, and eager to move up in the ranks thus is the reason he is going to Law school and in the process has to take an art elective where he lands on filmmaking. With this little (and unnecessary) tidbit we are given the handheld camera that re-defines the "found footage" film. There is no pretending this really happened, it isn't cast with unknowns, the technique isn't used as much for the gimmick as it is to make the audience feel they are actually right in the middle of the action. It works, for the most part though it does sometimes feel like a stretch that even the gangs so conveniently have cameras in the most crucial of times as well. This little qualm can be easily dismissed and forgiven as the feature grabs you from moment one and doesn't let go over its nearly two hour run time.

Actors Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena as Officer Zavala
give award worthy performances.

Over the course of the film we become closer and closer to Officer Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Officer Zavala (Pena) learning more about them and their tendencies as police officers. There is also a nice little community of officers that our two protagonists fit in with that is filled with small but merited performances of real value that are filled out by the likes of America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) Cody Horn (Magic Mike) and David Harbour as Officer Van Hauser. Beyond these small, but crucial roles in the believability of the atmosphere we also have Anna Kendrick (who is apparently the female Chris Messina) and Natalie Martinez as Taylor and Zavala's significant others. Talk of love, happiness and where to find these fill most of the conversations that our heroes have as they ride around patrolling the streets daily. There personal lives absolutely inform there day jobs and we see each of them develop in how much they allow what is going on outside of the patrol car inside it and what calls they decide to take, when they have the power to choose. As we are introduced to the two of them though they have a made a name for themselves by being legit street cops who don't take in the street criminals unless they absolutely have to. They don't abuse their power and they gain a reputation of respect among the locals who live in the decrepit houses on their block. That is of course until they stumble upon one too many cases involving a Mexican cartel that have taken over these neighborhoods. In doing this they uncover disturbing secrets upon more disturbing scenes. The in your face, unfiltered honesty of the piece mixed with the great chemistry that Gyllenhaal and Pena have make the movie not what you would traditionally call enjoyable entertainment, but it is inescapably engaging.

Mike Zavala and his wife Gabby (Natalie Martinez)
welcome a new addition to their family.

Though I didn't really know what to expect going into the film I certainly had high hopes after hearing such positive word of mouth. The film did not disappoint, if anything it surpassed anything I might have expected from another cop drama. That it is not just another cop drama allows it to stand out for defying the genre restrictions and by turning itself into a character study of the kinds of men it takes to wake up every day and go out there not knowing what they might face is exhilarating enough from a theater seat. I can't imagine the rush it must give these guys who enjoy such things. It is something I don't think I could ever do. It is made clear that not every police officer faces the day to day risk these guys do and that they pull their guns out more in one day than the majority would in an entire career. We understand this is specific to the region of LA it documents and it only makes the performances of the two lead actors all the more genuine in their portrayals. It shows how much they want it, how much they honestly couldn't live without it. No matter the story, the action or even the surrounding players, what it comes down to in the end that makes End of Watch not only so good as a film, but so exciting and real are the performances of Gyllenhaal and Pena. Their acting, their commitment is what raises the film above standard cop dramas that you might otherwise be able to catch on network TV any night of the week. As commanding and charming as Gyllenhaal is Pena could not have been a better match for him to feed off of and to make every scripted moment truly feel like the camera was catching two friends goof around while at the same time seamlessly slipping into moments of real meaning. The film will likely go unrecognized during the awards season for its standard premise, but End of Watch is something special, an experience not soon forgotten.

END OF WATCH Review

End of Watch is a great movie. It is as plain and simple as that. There could honestly be nothing more said about it and if, on that alone, you walked into a theater and experienced it for yourself you would come out nodding in agreement. It is a brutal, unflinching look at two cops in one of the most dangerous areas in the U.S. It centers around two partners and friends who are not related by blood but share the bond of family and hold it to be just as sacred. While there have been plenty of cop dramas in the last few years, and very good ones including this years Rampart, there is something fresh about this take on the day-to-day lives of two inner city cops. Maybe the fact this doesn't feature corrupt cops, cops getting in too deep undercover or any of the other typical situations we find our movie law enforcement officials getting into but instead are doing nothing more than going along for the ride. Watching End of Watch is like experiencing an in your face, real and raw episode of Cops. If Cops were to air on HBO this is probably what it would look and feel like. I didn't really know what to expect going into the film. Both leading men here have had their fair share of credible and award-worthy type films while also having starred in plenty of B-movies and nonstarters. This looked to naturally be in the former category for both actors but the same could also be said for writer and director David Ayer who has made a few films in this genre before. Sure, he wrote Training Day and directed the underrated Harsh Times, but he too has had a hand in a number of projects that attempted to capitalize on his successes that instead ended up being nothing more than generic. Do you remember Street Kings? Probably not. It is safe to say with End of Watch though that everyone involved has hit a home run.

THE GOOD DOCTOR Review

Orlando Bloom is an interesting case. He has always come off as a prestigious type of actor who peaked early and has since been unable to deliver a successful film that wasn't a part of The Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean franchises. He'll get a bit more exposure of course this winter as he reprises the role of Legolas, but in the mean time he has starred in and produced this small indie film that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Good Doctor is a simple little psychological drama that is straightforward in the way it approaches its story allowing the real focus of the film to be on the odd principle character. The way in which I interpreted the film was more in the vein of a character study rather than any kind of commentary on the healthcare system or any allusions to what is wrong with that system. The film actually cares very little about commenting on those types of issues, if at all, but is instead more invested in the idea that someone with such knowledge and power will abuse it for personal gain. That is of course nothing new, people do it all the time, yet the angle the film takes on the idea the person with that power might not be of the right mind; that they would abuse that authority to the point it affects the entire life course of those who willingly submit themselves and their welfare to that person is what's instilled in the audience. It is enhanced by the films creepy tone and a rather impressive performance from Bloom who becomes increasingly dependent on this need for praise and respect he feels he rightly deserves. He believes it so much we can only hope he lives up to the reputation he's given himself and will be able to cure his own serious condition.

Martin Blake (Orlando Bloom) finds it odd a nurse
(Taraji P. Henson) is so rude to him.

In The Good Doctor Bloom plays Martin Blake, a first year medical resident who strictly believes in the train of thought that with all he has accomplished academically he should of course be regarded in a higher esteem then those around him. At first, it is hard to argue with this. He is a doctor in a hospital and he deserves respect, that is a given. It is the small things that bother the young doctor though such as a nurse who is somewhat rude to him when confirming what his sloppy handwriting says. He is, on the outside a shy, polite young man who only wants to be the person or the doctor that his aspirations always wanted him to be. It is the underlying tension that builds in him that creates the unease with us as a viewer and when we allow ourselves to take a step back makes us appreciate the full effect of Bloom's subtleties. It is hinted at early on that Blake is not a sinister character but someone who honestly wants to be what the title professes. He is scared to mess up and is frightened for his reputation when a mistake and lack of understanding create an incident that seems like it should have been handled a little more seriously than it was. It is when the good doctor becomes entranced by a patient who seems to adore him for all the reasons he feels he should be that he can't help but to want that admiration to continue. The engaging patient is a young high school student named Diane (played by an angelic Riley Keough) who girlishly flirts with the doctor and feeds his ego to the point he can't have her leave. When she does get better and her thankful parents invite the good doctor over for dinner he spikes her meds to make sure she will return to the hospital under his care.

Blake becomes fascinated by a young patient
(Riley Keough) that shows interest in him.

While it becomes painfully obvious to the audience what Blake is up to and how he plans to keep Diane at the hospital to the point she becomes deathly ill, it is a kind of a revelation to the audience that Blake can so cunningly get away with everything that he does. He is able to go to extremes while the colleagues around him either feel bad for him or are too afraid to question him though the feisty Henson does seem to go in and out of suspicions about the new doctor. We can't decide whether Blake is completely evil or if he has simply gotten himself in so deep that he feels no other way to escape his current predicament than to keep going down the rabbit hole. This is both where the film gets to its most meaty sections while also raising the most important question it fails to answer. We see Blake nearly lose it as he goes out of control to try and cover his tracks when an orderly at the hospital who blackmails him. Michael Pena gives a deceptive performance but he rises to match the doctor when he finds a diary that includes some incriminating evidence using it to hold one over on Blake to acquire drugs. While Blake exists in a world cleansed of everything that isn't unsettling and while we are certainly shocked at the turns the story takes we never truly feel we get to know who Blake is beyond his actions. What motivates him? There is never a sense outside of this small, narcissistic view that he displays that we get to know him. I wanted to know where he came from, what he was like in college, had he done this before? Certainly there must have been cases in his schooling where he thought of the situations this film documents. What fed his need to feel different and important before becoming a doctor? There is more to explore here, more to study about the character than the script gives him credit for and unfortunately the movie wastes more time setting up what the doctor is doing than examining why.

Blake makes a deal with an orderly (Michael Pena) to
keep what he found hidden.

Director by Lance Daly (an Irishman likely most known for his 2008 film Kisses) gives the world we watch Blake operate in a saturated look and an isolated feel. Its not often that we find Blake in the company of other human beings outside of the hospital and even there Daly and his cinematographers make the hospitals look as bland on film as they usually feel when you're stuck waiting in one. The elements of the film make it an enjoyable one, culminating in a final shot that is similar to one of my favorite films of last year Martha Marcy May Marlene. It simply cuts off, leaving you the opportunity to interpret what might come next or giving us the inclination about how the doctor will approach his life and work from that point out. It is an interesting route to go, but despite all of the things the film has going for it I never felt as if I was truly engaged in the story or wrapped up in the drama. Is it horrible what happens, yes of course and it does make its point with a good amount of effectiveness but it doesn't necessarily entertain or draw you in the way you might have expected it to after reading the plot synopsis. I expected something more along the lines of One Hour Photo but instead wound up with a film that while certainly borrowing some kind of tone from that film doesn't embrace its psychological study the same way. It could also be attributed to the fact Robin Williams gave such a drastic performance than his public persona we felt more informed about just how sick his character was. While Bloom doesn't have that strong of a persona it is not the actors fault that the film fails when it does. He puts on a solid show and the film is worth checking out for that alone, but everything else crumbles around him leaving the movie as it does the man, empty inside.

    

THE GOOD DOCTOR Review

Orlando Bloom is an interesting case. He has always come off as a prestigious type of actor who peaked early and has since been unable to deliver a successful film that wasn't a part of The Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean franchises. He'll get a bit more exposure of course this winter as he reprises the role of Legolas, but in the mean time he has starred in and produced this small indie film that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Good Doctor is a simple little psychological drama that is straightforward in the way it approaches its story allowing the real focus of the film to be on the odd principle character. The way in which I interpreted the film was more in the vein of a character study rather than any kind of commentary on the healthcare system or any allusions to what is wrong with that system. The film actually cares very little about commenting on those types of issues, if at all, but is instead more invested in the idea that someone with such knowledge and power will abuse it for personal gain. That is of course nothing new, people do it all the time, yet the angle the film takes on the idea the person with that power might not be of the right mind; that they would abuse that authority to the point it affects the entire life course of those who willingly submit themselves and their welfare to that person is what's instilled in the audience. It is enhanced by the films creepy tone and a rather impressive performance from Bloom who becomes increasingly dependent on this need for praise and respect he feels he rightly deserves. He believes it so much we can only hope he lives up to the reputation he's given himself and will be able to cure his own serious condition.