Displaying items by tag: Stephen Lang

 TWICE IN A LIFETIME

US, 1985, 111 minutes, Colour.

Gene Hackman, Ann Margret, Ellen Burstyn, Amy Madigan, Ally Sheedy, Stephen Lang, Brian Dennehy.

Directed by Bud Yorkin.

The cliche is that love is once-in-a-lifetime. The screenplay here raises the question whether it can be twice.

The screenplay is written by British, Colin Welland (soon to win an Oscar for Chariots of Fire). It is a British writer observing and researching in Washington State, in Seattle. The direction is by Bud Yorkin, best known for light entertainment is including The Thief Who Came to Dinner, Start the Revolution Without Me). Which means that the screenplay is both serious and sometimes with a lighter touch.

Gene Hackman is completely persuasive as Harry, steelworker, turning 50, celebrating, attracted by Ann Margret as Audrey at the bar, unsettled in his long marriage to Kate, Ellen Burstyn. There is the attraction, the mutual response, his decision to leave home, the drama of the discussions with Kate, the challenge of his older daughter, Sunny (Amy Madigan in an Oscar nominated performance), and the more sympathetic younger Helen, Ally Sheedy, about to be married.

This is a film of the 1980s – and attitudes towards marriage, separations, divorce became much “freer” in succeeding decades. However, here is a story which can resonate with middle-aged couples throwing some light on the crises.

1. Title? Expectations? Treatment of the themes and issues, quality?
2. Americana, universal message? Seattle and Washington State locations? The city, the suburbs, factories, bars?
3. The themes, perennial? The British screenwriter and his perspectives?
4. The realities of situations, midlife crisis, years of work, fulfilment, lack of fulfilment, marriage, love, taking spouses for granted, men and women, stereotypes, idealising of situations? Anger, coping, surviving? The next generation?
5. The focus on Harry, Gene Hackman performance, turning 50? Seeing him at home, seeing him at work, his range of friends? The quality of his relationships, individuals? The party, the presence? Kate and his long relationship with her, sleeping, his going out, Kate staying home? The job, Nick? The party, Audrey, the kiss, the opportunity?
6. Harry and his behaviour, going out, the car park, nervous, enjoying Audrey’s company, sharing? His stories, memories with Kate? Knowing the reality, the issue of being caught? Confrontation and response? Sunny and her reaction, Audrey and anxiety, Nick and the break? His talking with Kate, angers, with each member at home? Leaving, in the city, the neighbourhood, the apartment? With Audrey, buying the watch, becoming a new man, severing ties, ringing Helen and talking with her, the wedding and his enjoyment? The photo, not going to the party, alone?
7. Ellen Burstyn as Kate, long-suffering, the long marriage, at home, supportive of Harry, bringing up the children, relationship with the children? Not noticing his crisis? His leaving, the repercussions, the discussions, angers? And the reaction of the children?
8. Sunny, anger, older daughter, the challenge to her father? Her own life? The contrast with Helen, about to be married, Harry’s warming towards her? The preparations for the wedding? His attendance or not?
9. Audrey, and Margaret’s glamour, even in the bar? Her work, personality, noticing Harry, the attraction, his response to her, the kiss, her consenting to the affair, the meetings, in the car, the effect on Harry, the effect on her? The future?
10. The characters in the background, Nick, at work, his workmates, 50^th birthday, the friendship? Helen and the preparations for her wedding, the fiance, the marriage?
11. Familiar material? How well written and insightful? How well portrayed? Insight into midlife crisis, its effect on men, on women?

MUZZLE

US, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Aaron Eckhart, Penelope Mitchell, Diego Tinoco, Stephen Lang, Paul Johansson, Nick Searcy.

Directed by John Stalberg Jr.

The title indicates restraining animals. Here, in the K-9 department of Los Angeles, there are police dogs, especially one in the opening sequences called Ace, then an attractive dog later in the film, Socks. However, the central character, Aaron Eckhart Jake Rosser, is a Marine suffering from PTSD, asked whether he struggles with anger and replying that it has long since won, needing to be restrained, especially his violent reactions at crime scenes, shooting, needing some kind of muzzling.

On the one hand, this is a police thriller, criminal gangs, drug dealing, violence on the streets, in warehouses… And glimpses the way through of rundown neighbourhoods of Los Angeles.

On the other hand, this is a character study of Jake Rosser, the impact of his past, his commitment to his police work, his angry outbursts, scenes of affable conversations with his dogs, tending them, grieving when Ace is killed in action, referring to him as a police officer rather than as a dog.

Stephen Lang appears as the trainer of the dogs for the police force, sympathetic, helping Jake to find a new dog. Penelope Mitchell appears as a sympathetic nurse, Jake attracted to her, but then her disappearance. There are several of his sequences, and, there are the various police officers throughout the film, the superiors, the partners, those despising Jake but one of them helping ultimately in the confrontation with the criminals.

In the past there was Tom Hanks in Turner and Hooch, James Belushi and K-9.

1. The title? Police dogs? Owners and trainers?
2. A police thriller, Los Angeles, familiar material in treatment, but with differences?
3. The streets of Los Angeles, the poor neighbourhoods, drug dealers, gangs? Police precincts, offices? Crime scenes? Ambulances? The musical score?
4. Jake Rosser and his story, the Marine background, post-traumatic distress, memories of his overseas service, the demands, his responsibilities, the American male and his tough image, in denial for need of treatment? The importance of his dog, the opening, driving his vehicle, talking to the dog, considering the dog as a police officer?
5. In action, the crime scene, Jake and his gun, the shooting, the pursuit of the criminals, his dog, the tactics, Jake and his reactions, the shooting, his dog injured, demanding attention for a police officer, the ambulance treating the humans, his attacking the medic? The consequences, his status, the authorities, the discussions with him, the advice that he see a therapist?
6. The scenes with the therapist, moods, advice, self-reflection?
7. Going to the dog pound, the attraction to the new dog, the friendship of the manager, training, advice?
8. The familiar story of the police, going on his own, the investigations, the interrogations, tracking down clues leads, fellow police officers and their reactions? The authorities?
9. The information, the old man sitting and observing, reluctant information, leads, the help of the fellow police officer, the setup, the role of the dog, the dog and the previous connections, menacing?
10. The final confrontations, Jake, the dog and his devotion, the criminals, the setup, achieving his girls? His future?