Displaying items by tag: Elizabeth Banks

SKINCARE

US, 2024, 96 minutes, Colour.

Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Luis Gerardo Mendez, Michaela J (M.J.) Rodriguez, Nathan Fillion, Eric Palladino, John Billingsly.

Directed by Austin Peters.

The title is very straightforward and for audiences who follow the beauty industry, the developments for skincare, the range of products, the applications, endorsements by celebrities, there is much to enjoy. However, this is a tongue-in-cheek focus on an ambitious businesswoman, 20 years working, Hollywood and LA clientele, about to launch her own beauty line.

Non-skincare fans may well cross off this film for their viewing list. But, a hesitation. Some have called it a thriller. There is some violent action, a death, police investigation, twists and betrayals. But, it may be better to avoid the word thriller with its expectations these days of continued fast action, and see Skincare as something of a dark comedy with satiric touches.

The audience is certainly taking into the world of skincare, beauty centres, rivalries, marketing, finance and difficulties, promos on popular television shows. And, at the centre, making up her face in the mirror in close-up during the opening credits, is Elizabeth Banks as Hope Goodman. All seems to be going well (except for her landlord demanding the rent which she doesn’t quite have), anticipating the launch, and having her moments being interviewed on a television chat show.

In fact, for most of the running time, the plan goes to pieces. First of all, Latino charmer, Angel, with slick expertise sets up Shimmer Beauty only 20 paces away from Hope Goodman’s Salon. And she loses a lot of her clientele because of his publicity. As expected. And he gets the television slot instead of her.

Then things go quite skewiff. Enter a young man, (Lewis Pullman) martial arts training, setting himself up as a life counsellor, charming Hope, ready to intervene. Especially as a horrifying online campaign against her spreads like social media wildfire, false texting, manufactured photos, and even the advertising of sex programs at the salon. She needs Jordan’s help. And after her tires slashed, she needs the help of her friend, Amin, where her new stock is stored.

Most of us in the audience will pick up what is happening before Hope does. Which is a pity, because she tangles issues, her calls for help, attacks on Angel, some disillusionment for her – and the police arriving.

If this sounds interesting and/or entertaining, that is certainly what we are offered. And, her TV interview finally being played but with excerpts edited in a twist against her. Entertaining if not memorable.

1. Based on a true story, Hollywood, the beauty industry, rivalries, tactics, violence, consequences?
2. The title, the opening and Hopes face, the range of cosmetics, preparing herself, the arrival of the police? The action going back two weeks?
3. The Los Angeles setting, Hollywood atmosphere, affluence, business, the beauty industry, realistic aspects, satirical aspects? Implied criticisms?
4. Elizabeth Banks as Hope Goodman, her age, career, devoting herself to beauty, her clients, facials and massages, her own line, made in Italy, the preparation for the launch? Marina working with her, loyal assistant? At the television station, the popular compere is, the filming, her confident talking (and this later being used against her)?
5. Hope and her relationship with our clients, the list, the visits? The business opposite her, her going over, the encounter with Angel, Shimmer as his title, beauty, his premises, his clients?
6. Hope and her reaction, going to the landlord, business is business, the threats about the rent, her plea? Lyons visit and her bringing Jordan, young, his age, the discussions, her attraction?
7. Jordan, initial information, in jail, photographer, his photographing Hope and his charm, flattery? His being a life counsellor? Hope and the conversations about Angel, the various clients and meeting with Hope, that changing and going to Angel, her challenging them?
8. Use of the Internet, messages in texting, for some messages, photos, sex programs listed? The effect on Hope, with Marina, desperate, tires slashed going to her friend, Men, and his holding the boxes of her cosmetics before the launch? The effect on Hope her becoming more and more desperate? The slashing of her tires? The big men approaching her, violent, sex, Jordan arriving and fighting them?
9. Hope, the police and complaints, listening and not listening?
10. Television, Angel and his appearance and talk, the host, Hope contacting Brett, his sexual proposal, her reaction, recording him? His desperation, her saying she deleted the recording? Holding it over him, the phone calls, putting her segment to air? The mysterious man watching her in the diner, following her in the street – and the final revelation that he was hired by Brett and said that the tape was deleted?
11. Hope, following Angel, at home, his karaoke singing?
12. Hope, the phone calls, demanding on Jordan, his coming, waiting, and the audience knowing who really was, the men in his martial arts and life course, hiring them for a further attack on Hope? His becoming more and more desperate, phoning the police anonymously about Hope?
13. Hope, finding the truth about Jordan, his slashing the tires? Her wanting to set him up?
14. Yet her continued animosity towards Angel, going to Amin, his going to the house, assaulting Angel, his own wound, driving, his crash?
15. Marina, a relationship with Jordan, giving up hope the address, her going to confront him, the baseball bat?
16. The police, the assault on Angel, suspicions?
17. Angel in his recovery, the effect on Hope, the suspicions because of the men and Jordan, the police coming to get her, her moment in the limelight, photographed?
18. Brett and the host, playing the interview with Hope, her own words implying that she had gone into action against her arrival?

EAT WHEATIES!/ DEAR ELIZABETH

US, 2021, 88 minutes, Colour.

Tony Hale, Alicia Cuthbert, Danielle Brooks, David Walton, Alan Tudyk, Sarah Clarke, Paul Walter Hauser, Robbie Amell, Kylie Bunbury. With thanks to Elizabeth Banks.

Directed by Scott Abramovich.

Tony Hale is very well known to television audiences, 65 episodes of Veep, 84 episodes of Arrested Development as well as many films and other television series.

This is his film.

He plays a genial middle-aged man, competent in his work, but rather simple in many of his approaches to life. It is one a sympathetic brother and an unsympathetic sister-in-law. He is awkward in relationships. And he has a sometimes peculiar sense of humour which irks some of his audience.

There is a reunion for his college group and he is asked to be on the coordinating committee. The key to the film and his response is that he was at college with actress and director, Elizabeth Banks, dating one of her sorority sisters. He makes a lot of this – writing to her agent for an autographed photo as a gift for his brother, sending it back when it is smudged, alienating her agent with his continued requests, her eventually getting a restraining order on him – which, of course, bewilders him.

He decides to overturn the restraining order, finding lawyers too expensive but finding one, played by Paul Walter Hauser, with an online qualification but less expensive. A lot of the enjoyment in the latter part of the film is the court case, the speeches, the antagonism of the agent, the attentive listening to the judge, and the lifting of the order.

Alan Tudyk plays a sympathetic friend who turns on him. There is the reunion, his being shunned.

But, there is a happy ending, the sister-in-law giving birth and becoming more sympathetic, his invitation to be godfather, and finally, a message from Elizabeth Banks who has been away and not privy to all the upsets, a sympathetic message.

And, the titles? Dear Elizabeth is obvious. But Eat Wheaties! is a quote from Elizabeth, encouragement, that she used in her early years.

1. The two titles, dear Elizabeth Banks, her saying, “Eat Wheaties!”?
2. Offices, homes, barbecues, hospitals, class reunions, the courts…? The musical score?
3. Tony Hale as Sid Straw? A good man, limited, work at the office, relationship with his brother, Tom, the jokes at the wedding and Jenny’s reaction? His long speeches and jokes? With people at the office, Bruce? Black joked with Sam? The meeting with Katelyn, the outing, the night together, her later reactions, the breakup? His acceptance?
4. The question of Elizabeth Banks, class reunion, his being the co-chair, the organisation, his memories, dating one of Elizabeth Banks’ sorority sisters? Asking the signed photograph for his brother’s birthday? The smudged copy? His continued appeals, agent, Frankie and her harsh reactions, the sympathetic assistant? Asking for the restraining order, its imposition, the effect on Sid, approaching the various lawyers, their costs, finding James Risk, with his family, qualifications, online degree, dodgy, less expensive? Sid going with him, the friendship, in the court, James and his speeches, awkward, his impassioned plea? And winning the case, going back to Bruce and the other managers, apologies and recompense, the previous insult at the bank, showing the tellers the cheques, going to a bank which is courteous?
5. The online posts, poetry, outpourings, his not realising they were going viral, his brother’s response, the agent’s response, the reaction in the office, Bruce giving notice, firing him? His attempts at other jobs?
6. Sid and his being friendly, his brother’s speech about him and their friendship, support, Jenny objecting, her later relenting, his speech before the guests arrived, Brandon and the jokes, Alison, the connection with Frankie? Alison in the court prosecuting for Frankie? And the birth of the baby, their asking him to be Godfather and laughing at jokes?
7. Wendy, at the diner, friendly, chatting, giving him the drinks, the final talk, at the hospital, the kiss?
8. The reunion, the various meetings with Dave Lambert, friendship, his son, the smells? Dave not wanting to mix with Sid? The guests awkward?
9. Sid, writing the children’s book, the recitation, the publication, success? Softball sequences, David and his son? Sid finally enjoying softball?
10. And the finale message from Elizabeth Banks, and the outreach to Sid?