Displaying items by tag: Michael Keaton

GOODRICH

US, 2024, 110 minutes, Colour.

Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Urie, Kevin Pollak, Vivien Lyra Blair, Danny Deferrari, Laura Benanti, Andie McDowell.

Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer.

The title is the surname of the central character with its interesting and evocative implications of both good and rich. In fact, the film could be seen something of an allegory about the rich, gaining the whole world, the danger of losing one’s good, one’s soul.

As we watch Goodrich, we are reminded that many politicians on retirement, sometimes surprisingly early, claim that they need time for being with their families. This film is a strong reassurance that this should be so.

In the opening minutes, Andy Goodrich, another fine performance by Michael Keaton, wakes to find his wife phoning him that she has gone into rehab because of prescription pills addiction. He is shocked. He does not believe it. He has never noticed. Which means that the film is the unmasking of Andy Goodrich, his discovering the self-centredness, self-focus of his life, his career, always busy, taking his family for granted.

And he has nine-year-old twin children coming to realise how much he has been absent from their lives, especially as they question him about their mother, about his own attitudes towards them, the little girl being precociously questioning and observant. He has to find more time to be with them at home. From his first marriage, he has a daughter in her mid-30s, married to a doctor, now pregnant, Grace (Mila Kunis).

Part of the unmasking is his growing realisation of the difficulties in relationship with his daughter, her devotion to him, his downplaying her doctor husband as a nerd, her complete exasperation while he calls on her help and time, finally revealed in a scene of an extraordinary outburst, emotional truth-telling towards her father, saying afterwards that she regretted, not what she said, but saying it out loud.

Then there is the Goodrich Gallery, a boutique gallery in Los Angeles, fostered by Andy for decades, but falling on hard times, money loans, art not selling, then, at one joyful moment, the possibility for all his problems to be solved by getting a contract on the estate of an artist who has died, almost there, but…

There is a great deal of feeling in this film, written and directed by Hallie Meyers Shyer, daughter of two prominent directors, Nancy Myers and Charles Shyer, who made films with some of these family themes.

A reviewer described the film as “endearing”. Andy Goodrich is not always endearing but our invitation to share his self-discovery and emotional honesty with him is endearing. The final image of him is as grandfather holding his newborn granddaughter. There is hope.

1. The title, the focus on good and rich? Ultimately which prevailed?
2. A piece of contemporary Americana, families, careers, addictions, pregnancies, education?
3. Los Angeles setting, the comfortable home and interiors, the art gallery, the rehabilitation centre, the meditation centre, hospital? The musical score?
4. The prologue, Andy waking up, the phone call, his wife, the message, his incomprehension, denial, not noticing real situations? Self-preoccupied? His work? Going to the centre, the smiling refusals of admission? Phone calls, letters returned? His wife ringing the children and his answering, her silence?
5. The portrait of Andy, his age, his first marriage, his wife leaving, a successful management of a Gallery, Grace as his daughter, her living with her mother, marrying Pete, Andy considering him a nerd, his being a nose and throat doctor, Grace and her pregnancy?
6. Andy, his second marriage, the twins, age 9, precocious, the daughter and her observations, her probing questions, the son and his bonding with his father? Andy having to rise to the situation, meals, accompaniment to school, being tardy and being told off, the criticisms of his children, early leaving, late at home, nights away, their reliance on their mother, devotion to her? His reticence about telling the truth, their finding out? Staying home and watching Casablanca?
7. The friendship with Terry, his son, the three children playing, Terry as an actor, highly strung, his partner leaving him, thinking that Andy was available, the kiss, the repercussions? Terry and his sons collapse, Andy taking him to the hospital? The Halloween shopping and the collection of the sweets?
8. The focus on Grace, her marriage, pregnancy, visits to the doctor, interactions with her father, his calling her Billy, helping him out, minding the children, fending off his comments about Pete, the plan for the hiking, meeting Lola Thomson, going to the breathing session? Andy forgetting to take her to the doctor, her outbursts and truth-telling about his whole life and attitude, later apologising, not for what she said but for saying it out loud?
9. Naomi, her sudden return, meaning as a friend with Andy? Love for the children?
10. The meeting with his first wife, her friendship, the walk, their daughter in common?
11. The Gallery, the financial meetings, the loans, the painting’s not selling, the young artist, Andy and his good relationship with his staff, the young director and the job in Portland, and the longtime friendship and depending on Cy? Andy and his optimism? The prospect of the Theresa Thompson estate, going to the feminist show, approaching Lola, attending the breathing session, the seeming contract, the posters, Lola and her signing with the international company?
12. The closing of the Gallery, the party, his farewell speech?
13. The possibility of a new life, with sequence, Peter arriving, Andy and his words to Grace, the happy birth, his holding the baby, the symbol of his future, good rather than rich?

KNOX GOES AWAY/ ASSASSIN’S PLAN

US, 2023, 115 minutes, Colour.

Michael Keaton, James Marsden, Al Pacino, Marcia Gay Harden, Joanna Kulig, Suszy Nakamura, Dennis Dugan.

Directed by Michael Keaton.

A surprisingly interesting human drama. Even more so when we realise that the central character is a long time, very successful professional hitman. And, the film was directed by its star, Michael Keaton, playing the hitman, an intense performance.

The film was released locally with an alternate title, Assassin’s Plan, indicating violent action. While there is some violent action, the assassin’s plan itself is not what we might expect, quite some twist as the film comes to a conclusion.

The original title, Knox Goes Away, is the more telling title. While we see John Knox take on a commission, generally commissions to eliminate drug dealers and other thugs, we see him momentarily hesitant, just trying to remember, the thought going out of his head, a touch of insecurity. He is covering himself, flies to California for a consultation with a neurologist who gives him a sombre diagnosis, a special kind of dementia coming on, not long before it takes over. There are signals throughout the world film as each successive week comes on.

Incipient dementia has a disastrous effect on the hit. The local detectives, led by the tough Emily Ikari (Susie Nakamura) note the inconsistencies at the murder scene, and a lead to John Knox. But, the screenplay becomes even more complex with the arrival of John Knox’s longtime alienated Myles, son, played by James Marsden, with a violent story of his own. It involves a sleazy trafficking dealer and his relationship with Myles’s daughter.

One of the entertaining aspects of the film is the presence of Al Pacino, longtime coordinator of crimes and hits, a perfect Pacino role which he brings to life, Pacino in his early 80s. There is a later guest appearance by Marcia Gaye harden as John Knox is long-suffering wife.

So, there is double interest in the latter part of the film, John Knox’s relationship with his son, the reason for the alienation, his attempts to rectify the situation, set up for the police. The other interest is Knox’s declining memory, increasing failures, the inevitable onset and its repercussions. While we can’t admire Knox as a person, we can have some compassion as we sympathise with the dementia.

A film that Michael Keaton can be proud of.

1. Title? The focus on Knox, his career as a hitman, his mental decline? The commercial title, emphasising the assassin, the complexity of the plan for his son?
2. Michael Keaton, directing, performing, producing, an effective achievement? And his role as producer for the supporting cast, especially roles for Al Pacino and Marcia Gaye Harden?
3. The portrait of John Knox, his background, military training, the connection with the saviour, the unseen controller arranging the hits, the targets, dealers and thugs, his mentioning only two mistake and deaths? His marriage, alienation from his wife, her love for him, his visiting her, the sadness of the visit, his alienation from his son? His time in prison? Jobs, his collaboration with Mauncey their conversations, planning? Success with their jobs?
4. The indication of oncoming dementia, gaps, the distractions, unable to remember, saying that he would be away, the flight to the neurosurgeon, the discussions, the specialty of his illness, the limited number of weeks? Audience sympathy for his condition?
5. The killing, entry into the apartment, the target, the girl, the shower, killing both? The memory lapse, the mistake with Mauncey, killing him, fixing the situation, the gun in hand?
6. The visit to Xavier, the friendship, Xavier’s character, the conversations, arranging the finances, going to the dealer, the money issues, the plan to leave the money to his wife, son, girlfriend?
7. The girlfriend, coming once a week, his relationship with her, for years, her wondering about him, seeing the book, the irony of her bringing the thugs, the confrontation, wanting the paintings, the stones, his ability to overcome the thugs? Her fear, and the irony of his telling her she would have got more from his will? The final irony of his bequest of the books to her?
8. The detectives, on the scene, the tough chief, her own preoccupations about her ill mother, the experts, fingerprints, the issue of who turned off the shower? The John Knox connection, visiting, interrogations, his going to the station? The discussions, the tests, conclusions, and mystery?
9. The alienation from his son, the visit, Myles and his explanation of the situation, his daughter, online, the predator, Myles confronting him, killing him? Asking his father’s help? The story of the alienation? Knox agreeing to help, the discussion with Xavier, the elaborate plan to divert the police, Knox and his notes? The range of the plan, the blood on the shirt, artificial, the clothes in the dumpster, hiding the knife, fingerprints contrived? The setting up of the plan?
10. Myles, with his wife and daughter, the confrontation in the restaurant, the fight? His being arrested, interrogated, the death of the trafficker? Going to prison? His father’s visit, the truth that he had reported his father and sent his father to jail?
11. The screenplay suggesting weeks passing, Knox getting weaker, forgetting, the search for the stones, his getting lost, having to be rescued?
12. The detectives, the analysis of the situation, Knox’s plan working, that he was responsible for the death, their not being able to keep Myles?
13. The scene of the wife receiving the money and her reaction? Miyes realising the truth, the money?
14. His going to see his father in prison, the farewell, and the final pathos of Knox just gazing into nothingness?

BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE

US, 2024, 105 minutes, Colour.

Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, Nick Kellington, Santiago Cabrera, Burn Gorman, Danny DeVito.

Directed by Tim Burton.

In Beetlejuice folklore, you have to call out Beetlejuice’s name three times and he will appear. But, this time it needed only just one repetition. And here he is, 36 years after his first appearance, ready to entertain old fans and new fans.

Perhaps it is something about the world situation in 2024 that the highest moneymaking films so far have been quite a contrast, the violent fantasy of Deadpool and Wolverine and the wonderful exploration of human motor emotions in Inside Out 2. Now Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice has made over $100 million at the American box office on its first weekend. So, we can ask, is our world with all the wars, deaths in war, cost of living crises, in need of a fantasy distraction, an indulgence in absurd comedy.

Because, that is what we have here, absurd characters in over the top absurd situations, lots of jokes, special ghostly effects, Beetlejuice’s wisecracks, all kinds of unexpected dramatic turns. There is a surface world with strange human characters, Winona Ryder again as Lydia now a TV host on ghost appearances, her mother, Catherine O’Hara again as Delia, an eccentrically loud artist – but Astrid, Lydia’s daughter, Jenna Ortega, has grown up sceptical of the whole Beetlejuice ghostly world. Her scepticism is about to come crashing down. And director, Tim Burton, going back to his old fantasy styles.

In the meantime, there in the Afterlife, Michael Keaton is Beetlejuice, always sly, raucously comic, with a host of office secretaries, all skeletal bureaucrats, especially the hapless Bob, suited, but in for some tormented times because a callous janitor in the Afterlife, played by Danny DeVito, vacuuming and polishing, the machine in water, electric shock and opening up the store of dead severed human parts – especially, of Beetlejuice’s former wife, played exotically by Monica Bellucci who will pursue him relentlessly.

Fans of the original will be happy to get back into the Afterlife, the madcap visuals, the special effects, the eerie creatures… And there is plenty of plot, Astrid tricked into helping a ghost to regain his life, Lydia to the rescue and agreeing to marry Beetlejuice, his wife in pursuit, Delia ending up in the Afterlife, and, to cap it all, Willem Dafoe, seeming to appear in every other film these days, as a skeletal actor who is in charge of investigations, preening himself in his performance, modelled on television shows, of how the police ought to act!

And, right at the end, there is a very long wedding sequence, all kinds of mayhem with a performance of McArthur Park, everybody singing along…

Beetlejuice may not appeal to every audience, especially those who don’t have a high tolerance for dark fantasy. But, he will probably appeal, in his own very distinctive Michael Keaton way, to most everyone else!