Film Review: J. EDGAR (2011)

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writer: Dustin Lance Black
Running time: 132 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama/Biography/Crime
UK Release date: 20^th January 2012

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 3^rd February 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I’ll admit to being a bit of a fan of the films of Clint Eastwood; both as an actor and as a director he has given us some excellent entertainment over the years. Now, I knew ‘J. Edgar’ wasn’t particularly well received on release, but I decided to give it a look anyway due to my admiration of Eastwood’s work. I’m very sad to say this one didn’t hit the mark by some distance. I will explain more after this very brief summary.

We are told the story of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio), from his early days in the 1920’s fighting communism, through his rise to power and the formation of the FBI and right up to his death. On the way we meet many of the characters that shaped the man; his domineering mother Annie (Judi Dench); his personal secretary, Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts) and his friend and confidant Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). Many of his achievements and several high-profile cases are highlighted but it is also a very personal story about his struggles with both bureaucracy and his own sexuality that make up the bulk of the film. I think that about covers it.

Although well made, I found the subject matter all a tad too dry; there was little excitement and what there was appeared very sporadic. I did like the look of the film though; the muted colours matched the mood; Eastwood always has a good eye for a shot and it shows. I also quite liked the original music, also written by Eastwood, nothing too ostentations, but nicely matched to the action. The performances were all very good with DiCaprio easily standing out but I thought Naomi Watts was woefully underused. Over all, I can’t say I was entirely thrilled with this one. I felt the whole thing was maybe too ambitious. If they had concentrated on (say) the Lindbergh kidnapping and used that as the backdrop to the narrative then maybe it would have worked better. But sadly this is not one I can recommend I’m afraid.

SteelMonster’s verdict: NOT RECOMMENDED

My score: 4.8/10.

IMDb Score: 6.7/10 (based on 56,367 votes when this review was written).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1616195/?ref_=sr_1

MetaScore: 59/100: (Based on 42 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 44/100 (based on 218 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 45/100 (based on 35,342 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/j_edgar/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[first lines]
J. Edgar Hoover: Let me tell you something. The SCLC has direct Communist ties. Even great men can be corrupted, can't they? Communism is not a political party. It is a disease. It corrupts the soul, turning men, even the gentlest of men, into vicious evil tyrants.

J. Edgar Hoover: It's easy to be the expert if you're the only person in the world with any interest.
Clyde Tolson: He does also claim he can tell as much from a cut of wood as a doctor can from an autopsy.
J. Edgar Hoover: Ah.
Clyde Tolson: He has, um, social difficulties.
J. Edgar Hoover: He is mentally ill, isn't he?
Clyde Tolson: He's only as mad as you are - sir.

Congressman: But your agency is already one of the most well-funded in Washington, is it not?
J. Edgar Hoover: Yes, that is true sir, but our car and bank robbery recoveries totalled 6.5 million last year, and our budget is only, well, 2 million. Unlike other departments in Washington, we actually run a profit.

LINKS:
(NOTE: All links were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://jedgarmovie.warnerbros.com/dvd/#/home
Trailer:

Film Review: 21 GRAMS (2003)

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Writer (Screenplay): Guillermo Arriaga
Running time: 124 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama
UK Release date: 4^th March 2004

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 10^th December 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film has touched many lives buts sadly not mine. This is the second time I’ve seen it and I must say it still hasn’t gripped me in the way is has many. I can see how it might, it’s a very touching story, but I guess I find it hard to sympathise, in particular, with Sean Penn’s character. I will explain after this very brief summary.

A group of seemingly unrelated people are brought together by a tragic accident. A man with a heart condition, Paul Rivers, is given new heart and he seeks out the family of the person that donated it. It turns out the donor was the victim of a hit-and-run accident that took both him and his two daughters. Rivers finds his wife, Cristina Peck, and together they decide to seek out the man responsible for the accident. He was called Jack Jordan, a religious man who had given himself up and had served time for this deed. His wife had hired a lawyer and got him out early. What will happen when these three collide? Well, I really can’t tell you here or the Spoiler Police will be having me up for jaywalking or some other trumped-up charge.

There is much I missed out of my summary, but that’s the gist of it. I must admit I did find it quite confusing to watch at first because the action jumps from one point in time to another and from one set of characters to another; this makes it all pretty intense. Great performances from both Sean Penn as Paul Rivers and Naomi Watts as Cristina Peck, they both deserved all the praise they got! Also worthy of note was Benicio Del Toro as Jack Jordan, he really nailed it too! I will also give honourable mentions to Charlotte Gainsbourg as Mary Rivers, Eddie Marsan as Reverend John and Melissa Leo as Marianne Jordan.

I mentioned at the beginning that I had a problem with Sean Penn’s character, Paul Rivers, well, for a man who has had a heart transplant, he seems to have a death wish. Not only a death wish, but absolutely no respect for the person whose heart he now carries. What makes me believe this? Well, he spends much of the film smoking and drinking which; and I’ll be very pleased if someone can tell me otherwise so I can take up the evil weed again; is really not what anyone would recommend, particularly for a heart transplant recipient. He is so self involved that he doesn’t see that he’s killing himself all over again… Sorry, but no respect for him! Aside from that, I found this film very intense and quite compelling at times. I’m sure there are many that liked it more than me, but it still I deem it… Recommended.

My score: 7.0/10.

IMDb Score: 7.8/10 (based on 97,983 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0315733/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 81/100 (based on 175 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 83/100 (based on 186,068 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/21_grams/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[after waking up in the emergency room]
Paul Rivers: So this is death's waiting room.

Jack Jordan: God knows when a single hair moves on your head.

Paul Rivers: You shouldn't have done it.
Jack Jordan: Done what?
Paul Rivers: [shouting] You shouldn't have done it!

Paul Rivers: There are so many things that have to happen for two people to meet.

LINKS:
Official Site: http://focusfeatures.com/film/21_grams
Trailer:

Film Review: EASTERN PROMISES (2007)

Director: David Cronenberg
Running time: 100 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

UK release date: 26th October 2007

Watched on Sky+ Monday 19th July 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

David Cronenberg has directed some really good films over the years, unfortunately there have been one or two duds along the way too. Fortunately this one falls in the ‘good’ category, which, considering the reviews I have been reading comes as a great relief. The setting is London in modern times.

Anna is a midwife who lives with her mother, Helen, and her uncle Stepan is visiting for Christmas. Her father, who was Russian, passed away some years earlier. When a fourteen year old girl is brought into the hospital where Anna works and dies giving birth to a daughter Anna decides to try and track her family down. Her only clue is a business card from a restaurant stuffed into the pages of her dairy which is written in Russian. Anna goes to the restaurant where she meets the owner, Semyon, and his son, Kirill. Seymon offers to translate the girl’s diary and Anna agrees. She is met outside by the mysterious chauffeur, Nikolai, who proves to be more than he seems. Little does Anna know she has just entered the Russian criminal underworld, a very dangerous place to be. I will leave my little summary here, don’t want to give too much away.

A very well made film in a style we have come to expect from David Cronenberg. The story slowly evolves with many twists and turns in the plot to keep the audience interested. Very good performances from all of the main cast, Viggo Mortensen as Nikolai, Naomi Watts as Anna, Armin Mueller-Stahl as Seymon and Vincent Cassel as Kirill.

There are some very brutal and graphic scenes in this movie that may not be to everyone’s taste, but they all serve a purpose. I found it a very engrossing film with a very understated and atmospheric score that fitted just nicely into the piece. Over all, an interesting and very enthralling drama, recommended.

My score: 7.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0765443/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2947612953/

Film Review: THE INTERNATIONAL (2009)

Director: Tom Tykwer
Running time: 114 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 15

UK Release Date: 27th February 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 11th April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film is about the banking industry and the measures they’ll go to to remain profitable. It doesn’t sound too promising for the outline of an action thriller, but believe me it’s a lot better than it may first seem. The film is set in various locations in both Europe and the US and this is reflected in the international cast assembled for this picture.

Louis Salinger is an Interpol agent investigating the suspicious deals being done by the International Bank of Business & Credit (IBBC). He is working with New York District Attorney Eleanor Whitman, who is looking at the case because of suspicions that the New York branch may be involved. When Stalinger’s partner, Thomas Schumer, is killed shortly after making contact with an informant from the bank, the trail looks to be going cold. But Whitman persuades the informant’s widow to give them a name, Umberto Calvini, an arms manufacturer and political activist in Italy. They meet with him and he gives them information about the bank’s dealings and how they will use debt to stay rich. He goes to speak at a political rally and is assassinated. The bank still wants to do the deal, but now have to work with his sons, and time is running out. Eventually a new informant arrives on the scene, Wilhelm Wexler, who Salinger uses to bring about the inevitable end… which I’m not going to give away.

That’s a very simplified version of events; there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep you amused. It’s a very well made film that was made in some quite exotic locations around Europe and New York. There are some very good fight sequences and stunt work; in particular the gunfight in the Guggenheim Museum in New York is excellent. I particularly liked the performance of Armin Mueller-Stahl as Wilhelm Wexler; he certainly has a lot of screen presence. Honourable mentions go to Clive Owen as Louis Salinger, Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman, Ulrich Thomsen as Jonas Skarssen, Brian F. O'Byrne as The Consultant, Michel Voletti as Viktor Haas and Patrick Baladi as Martin White.

Over all it’s not a bad film, a little too long and a little over complicated in the plot department. Well shot with some great locations and some good action sequences. Adequate performances with, for me, Armin Mueller-Stahl being the star turn. It’s not great, but at the same time, it’s not too bad. Recommended for TV viewing on a wet Sunday afternoon.

My score: 6.5/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0963178/
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/theinternational/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi815137561/