Displaying items by tag: Toby Jones

THE INSTIGATORS

US, 2024, 101 minutes, Colour.

Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Jack Harlow, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Ronnie Cho, Ving Rhames, Paul Walter Hauser.

Directed by Doug Liman.

This is a robbery story with a very strong cast, intended as an enjoyable pastime. Audiences might like to ponder who the actual instigators are in this story and what they were instigating in reality!

The setup is a buddy film, but two unlikely characters forced to work together, involved in a high-stakes robbery. We are introduced to the two, Matt Damon, always a solid presence, in therapy with his psychiatrist, Hong Chau, wanting an exact amount of money to be able to reunite with his son. By contrast, there is the alcoholic ex-conman played by Casey Affleck.

The situation is an election in Boston, Ron Perlman as the Mayor, corrupt, aiming for re-election against his ethnic rival, played by Ronnie Cho. The mayor is surrounded by his yes-men, especially his lawyer, played by Toby Jones.

In the meantime, there is a range of criminals played by Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina. They have the plan for the buddies, with the young nephew, to rob the vans carrying the money before it is delivered to the mayor.

They might be instigators but, of course, everything goes wrong. The money has already been transferred, they go into the Mayor’s office, still his keepsake with the number of his safe, a shootout, and escape in the van, chases through the city…

Ving Rhames appears as a corrupt police investigator.

When they are taken, there is a siege situation and the therapist is invited into mediate – enabling her to get out with some of the money to pay off Damon’s debt in view of a happy ending, and Casey Affleck escaping to Canada. The reason that they do escape and there is a happy ending is that the new Mayor, coming into possession of the money, anonymous money from the previous corrupt Mayor, is not declared and they can keep it as long as the two are not arrested and brought to court. So, off to Canada and happy ending.

The director is Doug Lyman (Bourne Identity, Jumper, Edge of Tomorrow), skilled at some action shows – but this is more relaxed for streaming audience.

1. Title? Robberies? Who were the instigators?
2. The Boston setting, the neighbourhoods, public spaces, the streets, car chases and pursuits, the mayor’s office, meeting places planning the robberies? The election – the rooms, corridors, social areas, the strong room with the safe? The musical score?
3. The situation, introduction to Rory, therapy with the doctor, her questions, his responses, his crisis? The situation with his son? The need for money?
4. The setting up of the robbery, the mind behind the robbery, his moods, dealing with his men, with Scalvo, young and inexperienced, the connections with Richie at the bakery? The plan, the testing of Rory and Cobby, details of the plan? The corrupt Mayor, as target, corruption and money?
5. Rory and Cobby, personalities, interactions, slow, the as matter-of-fact, the precise amount needed, the bargain with the boss?
6. The setup, the vans, the election night, the television news, the alternate candidate, Rory praising him, the presumption the corrupt Mayor would win? The scenes of the Mayor, his staff, tough tactics, reliance on his attorney, Alan Flynn?
7. The comedy of the robbery gone wrong, the timing, the amount of money, the earlier van taking the money, guns and shooting, confrontations, the little money in the safe, Rory and the bag, the shooting, the deaths, Scalvo dead? Cobby wounded?
8. Going to the doctor, the pressure on her, the discussion about her being a hostage, going with them, treating the wound, the consequences? Her later being chosen as the mediator for the hostages, her bargain with Rory and getting the money out under her uniform, helping Rory with his debt – but continually asking how he was feeling, especially during the negotiations? And copy finally returning to her?
9. The mayor, his cronies, the defeat, Cobby with the money, the various positions, having the code number to the mayor’s safe, his not being able to remember, the various combinations?
10. The boss, fleeing, contact with Richie, Richie and the interviews, sending the henchmen, tracking down Rory and Cobby, their escaping him? Frank, in the pay of the mayor, the dealings with Richie, his continued pursuit of Rory and Cobby? The finale and their doing the deal with him? And the final credits seen of the boss dead in the snow?
11. The vans, the pursuits, the desperation of the chase, guns, Cobby wounded again, his complaints?
12. The confrontation with the mayor, his desperation, the arrest, in jail?
13. The return to the scene of the crime, Alan Flynn present, to do a bargain deal, opening the safe, all the money? The dilemma, the doctor as mediator? The device for escape, throwing the safes out the window, the scattering of money everywhere, the crowd racing for the money?
14. Rory, finally, deciding to give himself up? The new mayor – and the information about the contracts, the new potential corruption? The two men let out, Rory going to see his son, reconciliation?

MERCY ROAD

Australia, 2023, 86 minutes, Colour.

Luke Bracey, voice of: Toby Jones.

Directed by John Curran.

On Mercy Road there is no mercy.

This is a very intense film, focusing on a man driving a car through the night, his momentarily getting out of the car, but the camera inside the car, focusing on the man, on the dashboard, on his face, on the continued phone calls and his responses. He is played, even more intensely, by Australian actor with international career, Luke Bracey.

The audience has to pay attention, listening to the man and his sometimes confused outbursts, the range of phone calls he gets, commanding sum to be listened to, cancelling others. We gather that he has committed a crime, that a man, business connection, husband of his ex-wife, has been killed. But, his more frantic about the disappearance of his young daughter.

In the pounding score reinforces this frantic atmosphere, often desperate.

By contrast with the anxieties of the driver, there is the caller whose voice is very calm, controlling, giving advice, driving directions, information about his daughter, about the dead man, about the ex-wife, seemingly detached, called in to handle situations. And the voices that are British actor, Toby Jones.

Filming inside a car has been a test of many directors, an expert was a bus tourist Army from Iran. But, there was also the British drama, Locke, with Tom Hardy behind the wheel, and a desperate situation.

The phone calls heighten the tension. Apart from the calmly sinister voice of the mediator, there are phone calls from community services concerning the daughter, some contact with his ex-wife, and, somewhat out of the blue, business partners expecting him to turn up for work. They have a cumulative effect.

Some audiences may find this a drive to claustrophobic and intense. On the other hand, it is a bold experiment by American director, John Curran, Chappaquidik,, The Painted Veil, who spent some time in Australia and directed films like Praise and Tracks.

1. The title, the location, the tone?
2. Australian production, the Australian star, voices? Of the menacing voice of Toby Jones? The musical score? Tone, intensity?
3. The situation, the father, searching for his daughter, relationship with his ex-wife, with her husband, the business deals, his contracts and commitments? The confrontation with the husband? The threat to his daughter?
4. The film within the car, his momentary stepping outside the car, the camera within, the focus on the driver, his face, the spaces of the car? The phone? The intensity of the pace, the editing?
5. The character of the driver, his background, favours, drinking, the broken marriage, his daughter, business partner? The crime, the murder, driving, getting away, the night?
6. The voice, sinister, controlling, knowing everything about the driver, his daughter, statements of detachment? Being present in crises? Control? The psychological pressure, the conversations? Threats and menace yet calm? The directions, the turns, the destinations? The information about his wife, her husband, the death? The taking of the daughter?
7. The intensity of pressure, the phone calls, his business associate expecting him to turn up, putting them off? The voice control, excepting calls, refusing calls? The social welfare calls, the information, the appeals? His wife? Her following his directions? Her fate?
8. The buildup to saving his daughter, communication with his daughter, his crime, sense of guilt, defiance? Desperation?