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Halle Berry takes the worst call of her life in #TheCall #film #review #movie

18 Sep

Screen Shot 2013-09-18 at 09.09.47A gripping thrill rollercoaster of a ride, The Call is an interesting insight into the world of the Los Angeles 911 emergency services.

Starring Oscar winner Halle Berry as Jordan Turner a veteran 911 operator, we watch her journey as she takes a life altering call from a teenage girl played by Little Miss Sunshine herself Abigail Breslin. Not only does this call mean Jordan has to try and guide this girl to safety, she also has to confront a killer from her past and overcome her fears.Screen Shot 2013-09-18 at 09.09.37Cut back and forth between the abduction and ‘The Hive’ (the department for 911 emergency assistants who work away like busy bees) the audience are taken on a tense ride and education as to what it really means to be a 911 operator. Making judgments between protocol and human instinct is a fine line in lifesaving situations, as we see through this film. Halle Berry is back to her finest in the majority of this film, as she showcases a mix of emotions that make the audience empathise with the difficult job she is faced with. Just like her character we understand the stress of the job and the natural (probably female) instincts that she has when faced with a child being abducted, and the consequences that lie ahead should Jordan as the operator put a foot wrong.

We also see a fantastic performance from Abigail Breslin as the victim. We follow her day as a normal girl shopping in a mall with her friend, and then once left alone, gets drugged, abducted and thrown in the trunk of a car by her kidnapper. The most tense and exciting part of the film is the interaction between the victim and Jordan. From the trunk she manages to make a 911 call which initially goes through to a rookie who finds herself way out of her depth and then gets passed on to Jordan. From this point on, you as the audience find out some really clever tricks to try and get yourself rescued from a kidnapping, using everything you can find to discover where you are travelling to, what the car looks like and most importantly anything you can do to pop open that trunk and jump out.

Breslin shows here that she has matured from a child to young adult actor seamlessly. Matching Halle Berry’s ranges of emotions, you watch her go from despair to sheer determination to get herself out of this situation alive. It’s this that makes the first three quarters of this film so engaging to watch…Screen Shot 2013-09-18 at 09.10.03

…And then, sadly, in the last fifteen minutes or so, the film takes a tumble, so prepare yourself for this. After an hour and fifteen minutes of an intense, edge of your seat adrenalin filled thrill ride of a film, The Call sadly falls into the depths of B-Movie status and takes a route so completely left field of the original plot its not only difficult to watch, its also totally disappointing. It’s a shame that the film leaves you with such a sour taste at the end, it had so much promise, but there is still the opportunity to remember the immense film you had watched just before this semi-car crash.

Regardless of it’s ending, The Call is still very much worth a watch. For the majority, it’s an intelligent, intense and exciting film with great performances.

The Call hits cinemas on the 20th September 2013.

3 Stars.

 

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The Bodyguard – The Musical…my must see!

8 Dec

 

 

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Often it is the conversion from stage to screen, which is the success (Warhorse, Evita and hopefully Les Mis), and sometimes converting something from screen to stage can go wrong…very wrong (Dirty Dancing). So you can understand my skepticism when going to one of the preview nights of The Bodyguard – The Musical. In the back of my mind I feared a cheesy homage to Whitney and a poor stage version lifted from one of my much-loved films, but I’m pleased to report no such thing.

 

Directed by one of London theatre’s brightest stars Thea Sharrock (The Misanthrope) the stage version of The Bodyguard stays true to the films roots but brings an innovative and exciting new twist to the tale and how it is set. The setting, was one of the most impressive elements. It Screen Shot 2012-12-08 at 11.30.14crosses the boundary between theatre and film, combining previously filmed montages and live action which allow for the expert scene changes to keep the story’s momentum throughout – I found myself trying to work out how Heather Hadley’s Rachel Marron appears in one door and a minute later manages to make a costume change and appear at the top of the set, with breath to spare. I realize the trickery of this, is the engagement the audience has with the characters filling in the time between these stage/costume changes, that time just flies by through what is probably a fair few verses of one of The Bodyguard’s unforgettable soundtrack.

 

One particularly impressive piece of set is Frank Farmers fathers house – you remember from the film, his retreat in the snow, far far away from LA LA Land. As if out of nowhere, an (almost) full sized log cabin appears and dominates the stage, rotates and provides a fitting setting for the start of the third act of this story. A spectacle that really must be applauded.

 

But it’s not just the set that keeps the audience wanting more, the performances of all the cast members are top notch. The Bodyguard has one of the most iconic soundtracks of the last fifty years and with everyone in the audience knowing the majority of the songs back to back, the pressure is well and truly on. So for Heather Hadley taking on the iconic role of Rachel Marron, daunting is probably one of the words that would describe this prospect. But Hadley, manages to embody this character with such ease and effortlessness that she deserves all the praise Screen Shot 2012-12-08 at 11.31.03she gets for being one of theatre-lands “next big things”. Barely opening her mouth she manages to hit some of the highest and most powerful notes, and the finale of I Will Always Love You is a fitting crescendo which demands a standing ovation at every performance.  But its not all about her singing, Hadley manages to act the part as if in front of the camera, a cool, understated and relaxed performance, which makes this musical something far removed from some of the hammed up “hen do” musicals which scatter London’s West End.

 

As her bodyguard, RADA trained Lloyd Owen is equally as cool if not as relaxed in the role as Hadley. With no singing required (well, apart from one little gem), his stern portrayal draws comparisons with Kevin Costner’s original Frank Farmer, but the familiarity is forgivable given the characters lack of ability to be anything other than what is required. Never the less, the chemistry between Owen and Hadley is clear and in the encore, where the actors truly let loose, you can definitely see that the two leads have had a blast bringing these characters to life.

 

Additional mention must go to Debbie Kurrup as Nicki Marron, Rachel’s sibling in the shadows, if anyone was to have a talent rivaling Rachel Marron, its her sister. The duet of Run to You quite easily brings a tear to your eye as it is sung on a rollercoaster of amazing harmonies and fully believable passion from both the characters for Frank Farmer – one of the highlights of the entire set list.  You feel the pain of unrequited love for Nicki and I’m sure anyone who has been in the background of an over achieving sister or brother will easily relate to this character.

 

There are still elements of this show that can be tightened up, the dancing for example is not always as ‘on point’ as it could be, and the larger Screen Shot 2012-12-08 at 11.30.38ensemble cast feels at times that they are still finding their feet, but if this run continues for a considerable amount of time, this show has the ability to become a very well oiled machine, but is still quite obviously in its embryonic stages. Additionally, there is a lack of magic in the costume department. I was excited to see Queen of the Night performed complete with metal head-dress and matching outfit – something I was hoping to be replicated from the film, however I was faced with tacky looking corsets and jeans – slightly disappointing. However to the show’s defense I was quickly reminded that Heather Hadley does have around thirty costume changes throughout the show itself, so a few dodgy but easily wearable items can be forgiven…ah the magic of the theatre.

 

Overall The Bodyguard The Musical provides strong musical theatre performances as they should be, staging so bafflingly clever you could be still trying to work it out days later and a show which is the perfect go to on a night out with the girls (and boys) and a brilliant date night! Whitney really would be proud.

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The Dark Knight Rises…in your living room…in time for Xmas

3 Dec

 

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Plot: 

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

The Good:

The Dark Knight Rises finally comes home, literally, to our movie loving TV screens. Whether you have a Blu-Ray or plain old DVD player, this will most certainly be one hotly anticipated addition to your collection, and will most likely provide the filler Screen Shot 2012-12-03 at 13.20.01to many peoples stockings this Christmas season.

So how well does this final piece of Nolans puzzle fit into our home entertainment viewing needs? Quite well actually. Following the excitement of seeing the film initially in all its IMAX or cinema glory, taking this story into your own home allows you to fully appreciate the complexities of this film, more as a final chapter for this Batman trilogy rather than a stand out film in its own right.

From the opening “prologue” scene, thankfully one of the major improvements is the audio on Bane. A much clearer dialogue is apparent, without losing the edge and menace that his character holds. This was hugely important to rectify as it was potentially one of the worst things about this film in the cinema. It’s also a massive pet hate of mine! This sub-villain aside, on second viewing of this film, one begins to notice the clever linking of the majority of the characters, and their ability to go far and beyond what could have been quite base interpretations.

One of the bravest performances comes from Anne Hathaway. Her interpretation of Selina Kyle is so far removed from Michelle Pfeiffer’s original, and indeed any other character Hathaway has played in the past, that those who previously weren’t sure in her ability can be safe in the knowledge that she deserves her position as one of Hollywood’s heavyweight actresses. Selina Kyle provides, in this film, a confidence that counterbalances Christian Bales worn out, battered and bruised Batman, and with this brings back that element of “comic book fun” which this trilogy has in the majority steered away from – a quite refreshing turn throughout, which reminds you that this really is fantasy, not a bleak reality.

Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Blake, also maintains a strong supporting role, which upon second viewing you pay more attention too, and with so many key characters in this film, it is a testament to Levitt’s portrayal that you don’t forget about him. Additional supporting characters such as Michael Caine’s Alfred and Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon take a slight step back from the previous films, but are none the less important to the carefully woven storyline.

One of the genius elements of Nolan’s re-versioning of this classic comic book caper, is his ability to see the long term future. Everything in its seven-year career has its own long term goal, and that all builds to one epic conclusion in this final film, without leaving you wondering what happened to “XX” character. As an audience member on this film’s first, second and even third viewing, you are still reminded that everything has its place. Alfred has to take a back seat in this film to allow Bruce to follow his fate to find some sort of solace and closing, and Marion Cotillard’s Miranda, had to return to avenge her fathers death and keep you guessing what the long term effects of Ra’s Al Ghul’s legacy really meant.

The Bad:

Although in this high end character crowded film, where you do have some exceptional performances, there are one or two Screen Shot 2012-12-03 at 13.20.12underplayed portrayals that may keep you wondering why they were included in the first place. Most notably is Juno Temple’s character Jen – a relation of sorts to Selina Kyle, but frustratingly never elaborated on. Additionally, the return of Cillian Murphy, who you may remember from Batman Begins as Dr Johnathan Crane / Scarecrow, who was locked into Arkham Asylum, never to be hear from again – until now. For a few brief minutes you see this character pose judgment on Gordon and other members of Gotham’s “good guys” but you do end up questioning what happens to this “dangerous criminal” when justice is restored to Gotham, surely he’s not someone you would still want on the loose?

Finally, although the majority of this film remains in a positive light, its DVD extras are light in a very different way. With only one extra feature which feels like a five minute reel of visual production notes, there are no elements such as: Deleted Scenes, EPK material etc which audiences may feel slightly short changed by, this is not the epic conclusion of featurette material one had hoped for!

 

The Ugly Truth:

Although you lack the feel of watching this film with a hundred other eager Batman fans, taking it home, having this final film in your possession still feels somewhat sacred, this is a film collection for a generation. It will be a long time before another director has the courage to take this film and turn it into something new, and for the time being, its unimaginable how that can be done! So for a film which triumphs in the majority with only a few minor bumps throughout, it will be something that audiences will go back to time and time again to remind themselves what a superhero vigilante could really do…but remember, no matter how real Nolan makes it, its just make believe, so don’t try this at home!

WRITTEN FOR RED CARPET NEWS TV

 

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Silver Linings Playbook has a few silver linings and even fewer faults…

9 Nov

 

The Plot:

After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.

The Good:

The performances, Jennifer Lawrence (Tiffany) Bradley Cooper (Patrick) and Robert De Niro (Patrick Snr) each show fantastic turns and deadpan comedy in this crowd pleasing, unconventional romance story. With such an excellent cast it’s great that the film has a simple setting focused firmly on those performances.

The film’s central figure is Cooper’s character Patrick, a man who’s just spent 8 months in a mental institute because he nearly beat his wife’s lover to death after discovering their affair. Finally released and convinced he’s cured, Pat is fiercely determined to get back to work and reconnect with his estranged wife. Nothing can distract Pat form his obsessive goals, until he meets Tiffany.

Jennifer Lawrence yet again demonstrates an accomplished acting prowess, getting to grips with a character just as complicated as Cooper’s, but not as naïve… The troubled bond between them becomes a captivating “will they, wont they” battleground of emotion as the story progresses.

Silver Linings Playbook is essentially focused on a close knit community of friends and family, who know a little too much about each other but nevertheless are striving to do the right thing by each other. Patrick and Tiffany are both clearly equally detached from the claustrophobic but loving environment that surrounds them.

Robert De Niro delivers a notably fantastic turn as Patrick Snr, Pat’s short tempered OCD suffering father. Accepting but overly worried about his son’s illness, he’s a soft sided character that audience will find warm and charming. The character may also be a reminder for many people of the actual relationships within their own family units.

The film also boasts credible dead pan comedic performances from Julia Stiles and Chris Tucker; providing light relief as a “have it all wife” and “mental institute escapee.”

The Bad:

Silver Linings Playbook doesn’t have any damning faults, thanks in large part to strong performances which hold an excellently executed story together. However, there may be some concerns about exactly what type of audience the film will really appeal to.

The film doesn’t fall neatly into the easy category of ‘romantic comedy’ and audiences looking for a familiar feel good fix may be a little put off by the film’s more serious undertones about mental health. Likewise the way the film gradually replaces an early focus on that theme with humor and predictable romance may leave people hoping for a more serious examination of a challenging issue a little unsatisfied. Blending comedy with the drama of mental health issues is also obviously sensitive territory. It’s a fine line between laughing with and at someone with an affliction.

Though the film gets a lot of things very right, some motion sickness inducing early camerawork and an increasingly predictable story may stop it becoming a treasured favorite.

The Ugly Truth:

Silver Linings Playbook is definitely worth a watch and should leave you happily charmed by the end. Cooper and Lawrence are understandably firm favorites for male and female audiences. There’s definitely some fantastic sparing and romantic chemistry between the talented pair in this film. However if you’re looking for a meaningful examination of the challenges and stigma of mental health issues you may need to look elsewhere.

WRITTEN FOR: RED CARPET NEWS TV

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For the new generation of British talent, its PAYBACK SEASON!

9 Mar

So in the same week that The Guardian brought out an interesting article about the number of upper class, well educated men and women becoming successful actors – http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/mar/07/being-posh-helps-actors – I attended the film premiere for Payback Season, featuring “the underdog” Adam Deacon. 

The stars of this film are not the graduates of Eton and Cambridge, but lesser known schools with, in some cases, the Anna Scher theatre training as the most notable training credit on their cv as opposed to RADA or LAMDA. They are the ones really living the dream, feeling privileged to be walking the red carpet for yet another successful British film, if not by the critics, then by the masses of 13-2o year old girls who scream as they arrive on the red carpet, and the boys who admire these actors as they’re at home nurturing their X-Box’s.

If I had my preference for which red carpet events to attend and soak up, it would be these types of films, the energy in the room is amazing. No star of the film takes for granted the privileged positions that they are in promoting these films, they talk to people like me on the other side of the tape for as long as I’d like (instead of “one question only”) and you get the sense of pride in their achievements, passion for their work and support for their co-stars. More often than not, I’ve heard stories of junkets featuring stroppy actors who see this element of the promotional tour as a chore, and hate the publicity of the red carpet, and when asked simple questions about why they would take on a particular role and the challenges they faced embodying it, give some overtly artistic and pretentious answer.

Here you see their eyes light up and when questioned, hear the words, hard work, determination and dedication. And when you see this level of genuine love for what they do and how far they have come, you can’t but help become the next number one fan of this film even before seeing it.

All this is what makes me as an audience member realise that we really are in the presence of a new type of British film making and talent – and that its here to stay. Since Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters paved the way for the urban british film revolution, its been going from strength to strength and without egos to destroy it – if anything I feel that you’re being guided through this new wave by one large family of film makers and actors who know each other like they’d grown up together, support each others choices as family does and talk proudly not of themselves, but of their “brother and sisters” achievements next to them.

We’re seeing the stars who began their paths being plucked from obscurity in Kidulthood and Adulthood become the next writers, directors and BAFTA award winning actors. Next according to Adam Deacon is the international market, an exciting time to showcase what makes London unique in its approach to film and with that we wish him all the very best of luck.

Payback Season hits cinemas today so make sure you support your next generation of British film talent and go check it out…

Thanks for reading

 

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