GONE GIRL

US, 2014, 145 minutes, Colour.
Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neal Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, David Clennon.
Directed by David Fincher.

Gone Girl seems too slight and juvenile for a title of a novel and film about adults in deep crisis. There is often a problem when a book is a bestseller and audiences find that the cinema interpretation does not live up to their expectations and imagining of characters and plot. This review is based on the film rather than the novel, which was given as a gift, and has been left to read after the cinema experience.

This is a very difficult film to review because of the plot complexities and some twists, not that many audiences, whether readers of the book will not, could not anticipate where the plot would go. The interest is in seeing how the twists are introduced and developed. The screenplay is written by the author of the novel, Gillian Flynn – so we presume she knows what she is doing.

The first sentences of the film indicate that Nick Dunn would like to kill his wife, asking her what is going on in her head and in her feelings. It is their fifth anniversary and Nick goes to The Bar, which he owns, and is managed by his twin sister, Margot. Ben Affleck is Nick and Carrie Coon is Margot. Both give very effective performances.

But we also see Nick’s wife, Amy, in a series of flashbacks, writing her diary of the past, talking about experiences with meeting her husband, the initial exhilaration, the difficult times, and his statement that she fears her husband could kill her. While the leads give solid performances, it is Rosamund Pike as Amy who gives a tour-de-force performance, obviously committed to reflecting the intricacies of her complex character.

When Nick arrives home and finds a room in disarray, with traces of blood stains in the kitchen, he is puzzled and goes to the police to report his wife missing. The main officer in charge of the investigation is played by Kim Dickens, again a very strong performance, especially in comparison with that of Patrick Fugit, her partner, who obviously needs a bit more training in police and detective work.

The screenplay shows each day passing, more and more evidence arising against Nick, including envelopes with clues provided by Amy for the celebration of their anniversary. Margot offers complete support and understanding. And then the media get onto it, especially an interviewer played by Missy Pyle, practically a caricature of this kind of interviewer, until we realise that some interviewers actually are like this, especially American interviewers. She not only goes with the flow, she creates the flow, targeting Nick and eliciting all kinds of sympathies for Amy from her seemingly insatiable audience. Then Amy is discovered, to have been pregnant, information eagerly given in a the evidence from her neighbour, her best friend.

It gets very hard for Nick. He goes to visit one of Amy’s school friends who was infatuated with her, a good acting performance by Neal Patrick Harris as a lover, rather than as a compere of American award shows. He also goes to the best lawyer in Missouri, played by Tyler Perry.

This review will now try to make a comment on the second part of the film without giving any of the plot directions away. All that might be said is that it is quite fascinating as we watch the explanations given of what happened and how it happened.

The two central characters are in no way heroic, rather, each controlling the other, Amy more so than Nick.

Probably what can be said is that Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher, director of Seven, The Game, Panic Room, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is a very interesting exploration of two people, their psychological states and what those states compel them to do.


1. The popularity and acclaim for the novel? The author writing the screenplay? The tone of the title?

2. Missouri, the town, homes and streets, the residence for the elderly, the lake house, the resort and hotel, the contemporary atmosphere? The musical score?

3. The structure of the film: the abduction of Amy, the days listed since it happened, the contrast then with the days of Amy’s re-appearance?

4. Thriller, abduction, possible murder, actual murder? Amy’s plan, madness? The contribution of the media, media frenzy, television commentators, reporters and paparazzi?

5. The introduction, Nick saying the words about killing his wife – and their coming back at the end with more meaning? The presumption that Nick could well kill Amy? Then the end of the first half of the film and Amy’s reappearance?

6. Ben Affleck as Nick, his age, would-be writer, stories? His father, old, alienation from him? His mother’s death, his return to Missouri from New York to be with her? Close to his sister, the co-owning of the bar, his visits to the bar and talking with her, confiding in her? Waking on the anniversary day, seemingly normal, going to the bar, the discussions about divorce? His return home? The chaos in the house? The blood and its being cleaned up? The envelopes with clues, something Amy did? His going to the police, the response, support?

7. Amy, her picture, her words, the diary? The perceptions? Her fears? The flashbacks to meeting Nick, the excitement, the romance, discussions, sexual relationship, being together? Her parents, the famous Amy books, the popularity, people’s responses? Her writing, audience response to her diary? The tensions? The audience having in mind that Nick said that he could kill his wife?

8. Rhonda Boney, as a person, her job, efficiency, the interrogations, believing Nick, the issues of the increasing evidence, the story, growing suspicions? Her dealing with her partner and his unnuanced responses? Going to the house, the shed, the forensics, the explanations? Following the clues? The revelation of Amy’s reappearance, believing in Nick, willing to help him?

9. Nick’s sister, her personality, support, relationship to the father, to the mother? The bar? Supporting Nick, the issues of the evidence, having to deal with them? The media pursuing her? The arrest, the time in prison? With Nick? The issues of the law, bail?

10. Public opinion, the crowds, voicing reactions, liking Nick, turning against him, support for Amy?

11. Amy, alive, her explanations of how she prepared everything, anticipating police reaction, Nick’s reaction? The details of the blood, washing it up, other aspects of the house, the clues? Nick following the clues, to the shed, to his father’s shed, always incriminating himself, the murder weapon?

12. Amy at the resort, lounging, the wealth, the television, the girl and the man at the pool, her interactions, keeping private, the girl working things out, Amy leaving?

13. Her going to Desi Collings, Nick and his going to visit him and Collings turning him away, the relationship in the past, her violence towards him? His success in business, receiving her, the plausibility of the story? Her explanations to him, his listening, expressing her fears, staying, support, their time together? His complete trust in her, love? The brutality of her killing him?

14. Her reappearance, public opinion, sympathy, her story? The murder and her defence of herself, arranging the CCCV footage to implicate Desi as brutal?

15. Nick, his response to her return, his private comments, his public comments, their being seen in public? Her parents – and the other television interviews with her parents about her disappearance and murder? Nick knowing the truth? Her vicious control?

16. Boney, further investigations and suspicions?

17. Amy and her hold over Nick, his possibility of controlling her? A future?

DRACULA UNTOLD

US, 2014, 92 minutes, colour Colour.
Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Dominic Cooper, Charles Dance, Paul Kaye.
Directed by Gary Shore.

Who would have thought there was more to tell about Dracula? There have been so many versions of Bram Stoker’s novel. There have been so many inventive stories(and still many more lacking inventiveness, relying rather on exploitation) about what Dracula might have done in his vampire incarnations. In the prologue to Bram Stokers Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, there was a historical prologue about Vlad the Impaler, his battles against the Turks,his vicious style of massacring his foes, the suicide of his wife and his being angry at the refusal of Christian burial for her, deciding that he would be anti-God.

Something of this latter history is incorporated into Dracula Untold.

Vlad Is shown battling the Turks, after having been taken by them from his father at a young age and brought up by them. However, he has returned to his kingdom, based at Castle Dracula. He has restored peace, is happily married, has a son. The Turks are sending out spies and they have mysteriously disappeared. They have been killed in a cave, inhabited by bats.
Needless to say, the commanding Turk, Mehmed, Dominic Cooper, is not happy and threatens the kingdom.

What follows is very interesting for Dracula fans and so a recommendation to them to see how Dracula confronts an ageing vampire, Charles Dance, and is explanations of how he became a vampire as well as his confrontation with Vlad. A bargain is pledged with Vlad trying to save his people, save his wife, save his son who has in turn been abducted by the Turks.

This means that there are a number of battle scenes, Vlad struggling to keep the bargain with the vampire and his promise to save everyone will still struggling with his craving for blood. The film takes up all kinds of memories of vampire lore, how to protect oneself, how to destroy vampires.

Just before the end, the plot moves to indicate that there will be no sequel, which might be disappointing for those who like British actor Luke Evans as Vlad. But, we have been from definitely told, not untold, that vampires live forever so there is a reassuring ending, along with the big box office that this film has had in the United States, that there will be more to tell about Dracula.

1. This film and traditional stories about Dracula? Bram Stoker’s story? Variations?

2. The title, or the history of Vlad the impaler, as a vampire?

3. The settings, Transylvania, the countryside, Castle, the mountains, the battle sequences? The musical score?

4. Vlad as a boy, taken from his father, brought up with the Turks? His knowing them, the language? Returning home, his wife, his son, peace in the land,
his courtiers and warriors? The news of the Turkish spies, going to the mountain, finding the cave, the eerie interior, the dead, the bats?

5. Mehmed, his past, leading the Turks, his demands, wanting 1000 boys in place of the lost troops? His ambassador, coming into the meal, arrogance, the threats?

6. The portrait of Vlad’s wife, his love for her, his son, volunteering to go with the Turks, asking whether he was brave?

7. Vlad climbing the cliffs, going into the cave, the legend of the vampire and his bargain for power, his appearance, long life as undead? His talking with Vlad, the discussion about the bargain, some hope for the vampire, the blood, the thirst? The days, and the vigils, going to his wife, not giving in?

8. The confrontation with the Turks, the battles, the destruction? The final battle with Mehmed and his death?

9. Vlad returning to his wife, causing her death, rescuing his son, telling him to go away with the monk?

10. Turning the community into vampires, the fierce battle with the Turks, their wanting to continue, the elder, Vlad destroying the them all? His own death?

11. The Igor character, visiting earlier, Vlad repelling him, the legend visit, the blood into Vlad’s mouth? His revival?

12. The 21st century, Vlad in the contemporary world, his clothes, at the restaurant? The old vampire, also well-dressed, watching him? The encounter with the young woman, memories of his wife? Preparation for the sequel?

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL; WORLDS AWAY.

US, 2012, 91 minutes, Colour.
Erica Linz, Igor Zaripov.
Directed by Andrew Adamson.

This is an opportunity for all those millions who do not have the opportunity or finance to visit Las Vegas to see some of the performances of the Cirque du Soleil at the various theatres in the casinos. All these sequences were filmed in the theatres.

There is no plot to speak of. Simply, a young woman goes to the circus, being handed a flyer about the Aerialist and persuaded by a sad clown to go to watch the act. She goes in and is fascinated by the Aerialist, who performs perfectly until he looks at the young woman, misses his grip and falls. The young woman goes to help him but sees that he falls through a fall-breaker and she follows.

The young woman meets a guide who leads her through many of the performances, all of them spectacular and gymnastic, eventually finding the Aerialist and being united with him up on the trapeze, doing performances with him.

The main value of the film is seeing the particular acts by the performers of the Cirque du Soleil.

There is the advantage of seeing them in close-up, a different experience from the real life responses in the theatre. Despite the close-ups, one imagines that at an actual performance, the different sequences are more spectacular.

Audiences who want something to occupy the mind may find acts less interesting, fairly repetitious, and not having an always clear purpose.

However, by contrast, audiences like who love detail, in colour and costumes, and spectacular circus performances, will be more than satisfied.

Somebody noted that this is a 90 minute commercial for the circus – and it works for many who would be determined to go to Las Vegas to see the Circus for themselves.

The film was written and directed Andrew Adamson’s whose work includes two of the Shrek films, the Two Narnia films and Mr Pip.

SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE

US, 2010, 104 minutes, Colour.
Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J.Miller.
Directed by Jim Field Smith.

She’s out of My League is a variation on romantic comedies. This time the hero is a rather nerdy looking Kirk, Jay Baruchel, working at Los Angeles airport, encountering a very beautiful Alice Eve with an unexpected on and off romance, he not believing he could have such a beautiful girlfriend, she having a more ordinary image of herself and finding Kirk a friendly man – despite some ups and downs – and a happy ending.

1. A variation on romantic comedy? The gawky hero? The beautiful heroine?

2. Los Angeles, the airport, apartments, mansions, the camaraderie of young men?

3. Kirk’s story, his background, low self-image, working with his friends at the airport, the ups and downs? His demanding girlfriend, the two years break? Her insisting on re-connecting? And moving into his parents’ house, their liking her, taking over holidays, her boyfriend going with them? His sense of desperation?

4. The portrait of his friends, at the airport, socialising, the conversation, sexual preoccupation? The married friend, his sexual curiosity? Stainer, his nickname and the reasons? The good-looking friend and his self-confidence? Their boss at the airport?

5. The introduction of Molly, at the airport, in a hurry, the treatment of her? Kirk and his helping, her gratitude? Inviting him to the party?

6. Kirk, the relationship with Molly, friendship, his lacking confidence, her liking him? Her friend and interest in Stainer? Stinaer and his better awareness of himself, contacting Molly, the coming to the airport, Kirk on the plane with all his family and the clashes, is getting off and meeting Molly?

7. Kirk and his dysfunctional family, brother, the in-laws, his parents, his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, the behaviour, the meal, the pool? Molly making a good impression?

8. Molly, her job, her friend, organising the party for Molly’s sister?

9. Molly and her friends, not helping her with Kirk? Kirk and his friends, their disbelief?

10. Kirk and Molly, the sexual encounter, Kirk’s embarrassment, Molly and her feelings?

11. The coming together again – overcoming their ideas about themselves, happy future?

CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM

UK, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
John thaw, Keven Whately, Jason Isaacs, Sorcha Cusack, Isla Blair, Anna Chancellor.
Directed by Danny Boyle.

Cherubim and Seraphim is the most personal of the Inspector Morse series. Here we discover that his father left home, that he stayed with his mother, at her death he went to his father with his new wife and their daughter. While he loved the daughter, he contemplated suicide, making a huge list, seeing that if he could make such a list, he could do better with his life and joined the police force.

There are quite a number of scenes or with Morse talking about his past, especially in explaining it to Lewis.

Morse becomes involved when Joyce’s daughter commits suicide and he has to investigate the youth culture, the death of another young person, drugs and the rave parties.

The villain of the piece is played by a young Jason Isaacs, a research scientist on an anti-ageing process who supplies drugs to the rave parties, drugs giving those who take them a heightened sense of reality, seeing so clearly that there was nothing left but to opt out of life.

This episode was written by Julian Mitchell, author of 10 of the Morse films. It was directed by Danny Boyle who also directed The Masonic Mysteries, went on to make Trainspotting and become a celebrated director, winning the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009.

1. The popularity of the long-running series? Television movies? With style? The popularity of Morse and his personality, enigmatic and mannered style? The personality of Lewis? Their relationship? The solving of the crimes? Intricacy of the plot? The psychological dimensions, the mystery and clues? Police work and solving the mysteries with their own abilities? The work of Colin Dexter?

2. The Oxford settings, the city and landscapes, the cityscapes, the buildings? Comments about Oxford and Oxford society? The ironies about Oxford and the dons and scientists and research? The university city? Ordinary people? Their interconnections? So much beauty – and so much crime?

3. The quality of the mysteries, character-driven? Sufficient information, sufficient clues? The exploration of character and clues?

4. John Thaw as Morse, his personality, the changes over the years, yet remaining the same? The mystery of his name? His crusty manner, the bachelor (but romantic at times)? His own authority – exercised over Lewis – and his reaction to authorities? Promotion or not? The changing of his attitudes towards Lewis, bossing him, patronising him about education and culture? The issue of music? Drinking ale? His car? Quietly at home, at work? With Lewis, understanding the situations and characters, the deductions? His being a good listener – but critical?

5. The contrast with Lewis, the family man, the ordinary policeman, education and lack of education, doing revision and for his promotion, being assigned to another, by-the-book Inspector and clashing with him his being put down by Morse – but enjoying his comeuppance now and again? Music and his ignorance? The first reactions, Lewis being patient? His admiration for Morse, having to do so much leg work, to formulate hypotheses? Working under pressure? Collaborator and partner of Morse?

6. The police authorities in Oxford? The medical examiners – and Morse and his attitude towards the female authorities? Sexist and patronising? Changing?

7. The quality of the film as a crime thriller, a thriller with intelligence and demands on the audience?

8. The introduction to the crime, the credits, the background in Oxford, beyond? The opening with the rave parties, drugs, the young people present, hurrying to the warehouse? All the information about rave parties, the collaboration of the Drug Squad, the pirate radios, giving information, the young people going to the parties?

9. The range of personalities, motives? Truth and concealment? Jealousies? Deceits and angers? The academic and religious backgrounds?

10. The film as the most personal about Morse, the story of his father, leaving, staying with his mother, his mother’s death, going to his father with his new woman, and their daughter, Joyce? His being miserable as a 15-year-old, contemplating suicide? His list of the ways to kill himself, realising how well he had done this and deciding to live? The scenes with his stepmother and her vicious antagonism towards him? Joyce trying to make peace?

11. The story of Marilyn, the drug, going to the party, her friendship with Vicki? Seeing things clearly? Killing herself? Vicki upset, with her own family, running away, the boyfriend, the sexual relationship, his urging her to phone home? Morse seeing her at the rave party? A troubled teenager? Not relating well to her parents?

12. The other victim, epileptic, the drugs, listening to the radio, his angry father, his sad mother, the questions, the realisation about his radio, Lewis getting it again, listening? The information for the parties? The boy, his radio, going into the tunnel, his death?

13. The personal story, Morse and his discussions with Joyce, with her husband? Raising unpleasant possibilities? With Vicki’s family? Morse feeling helpless? Trying to understand a 15-year-old?

14. The scientist, his lab, going to the parties, his experiments with mice and animals, anti-ageing? His being unscrupulous, taking the pills to the parties? The interview with Morse, his assured manner? His superior stances, explanations and science? Leaving? The manager of the party venue coming to see him?

15. Morse interviewing the party manager, tracking down the estate agent?

16. Discussions with the drug squad?

17. Going to the party, breaking in, looking down on the event, the noise, the lights, the dancing, Morse and his bewilderment? Seeing the scientist in the corridor, the pursuit, the crash?

18. Young people around 1990, the parties, drugs, relationship with parents? And tragic consequences?

FREELANCERS

US, 2012, 96 minutes, Colour.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Robert De Niro, Forrest Whitaker, Dana Delany Pedro Amandariz.
Directed by Jessy Terrero.

Freelancers is a police action thriller, more along the lines of those films for DVD release only. What gives this film some extra prestige is the presence of two Oscar-winners, Robert De Niro and Forrest Whitaker. However, this is a star-vehicle for Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. He stars as a young police officer, sponsored by Dana Delany who admired his father. He and his two friends had served time but had become officers. During the graduation celebration he is summoned by the head of a special squad, played with ruthlessness by Robert De Niro, who tells him that his father was a partner and that he should be involved in the special activities and profiting by the money and goods recovered from raids. He agrees, but has some hesitations.

These are reinforced when he learns that De Niro was responsible for his father’s death. He then plays a double game. In the meantime, one of his friends is assigned to Forrest Whitaker as part – but he too is corrupt. The white friend’s partner is a bigoted racist.

Ultimately, the young officer and his friends turn the tables on the corrupt police, making contact with the Mr Big for whom De Niro was working. The final sequence is ominous, the Mr Big waiting for the young man as he comes out from the office of the police chief he had helped in targeting the criminals.

1. The police story, African- American police? White police? Honesty and corruption? Special squad tactics?

2. The urban setting, the streets, the homes, bars, police precincts, ordinary settings? Musical score?

3. Malo and his friends, the younger days, arrests, prison? Opportunities, reform? The influence of the older woman who worked in the office? Her
warnings? The celebration?

4. The, summoned by Sarcone, his story, Malo’s father, partner, Sarcone offering the job, corrupt, profits? The special bar and corrupt police, drinking, sexual encounters?

5. The young men, partnering with older police officers? The young man with La Rue? La Rue and his attitudes, one of Sarcone’s men, exploitation, collecting drugs,, sexual favours? The young men persuading La Rue at the end to participate, turning the tables, La Rue’s death?

6. The white young man, with the racist partner, his vocabulary, bigotry, going to the case in the streets, victimisation, La Rue taking charge, the pulling of guns, the police getting the biggest to back down? His humiliation?

7. Malo, his work, against the corruption, going to the officials, getting his friends on side, the dangers, Mr Big, meeting him and persuading him that he was genuine? The setups, the betrayals, and he is relationship with Mr Big? Sarcone, in the car, his confession on tape about Malo’s father’s death, the police, his being killed?

8. A typical police story, the good and the bad, the possibilities for corruption, redemption?

THE FROZEN GROUND

US, 2012, 100 minutes, colour.
Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, Rhada Mitchell, Kevin Dunn.
Directed by Scott Walker.

The Frozen Ground is based on actual events. It is grim story of a serial killer operating in Anchorage, Alaska in the 1980s.

Nicolas Cage portrays Jack Halcombe, the detective who worked on the case – and there is a tribute to him and his work during the final credits. Rhada Mitchell has a rather small, even thankless role as Halcombe’s wife, ready to leave Alaska in two weeks when her husband is called into the case. Vanessa Hudgins, best known from the High School Musical films, portrays a disturbed young woman, victim of sexual abuse at home, an addict, prostitution and pole dancer in the city who was abducted by the serial killer but escaped and was central to his arrest and conviction.

Perhaps the surprise of the film is the eerie performance by John Cusack as Robert Hansen, a killer with over 30 victims, mentally unbalanced, seemingly respectable, able to argue himself out of the accusations until he is confronted by the young prostitute.

One of the difficulties with this kind of film is that at times it might seem exploitative, but, on the other hand, this is the risk of films which portray true crimes.

1. The film based on a true story? A serial killer? Police and detective work?

2. The Alaskan settings, the city of Anchorage, the surrounding mountains, forests, snow-clad? The musical score?

3. The title, the victims, buried in the snow?

4. The mystery of the disappearing women, deaths, finding the graves, the range of cases, the police authorities, DA, John called in?

5. John, his career, skills as a detective, his wife, daughter, leaving Anchorage in two weeks, responding to the case, becoming involved, some neglect of his family? His wife and her hostility, especially about having Cindy in the house? Her change of heart, apologising, sending things for Cindy? Information about John at the end?

6. Bob, John Cusack’s performance? His life in Anchorage, wife and children, dominating? His past, the sex cases, sentences in prison? Psychiatric tests? The fact that he could not pass in order to fly but did? His profile? Respectable, stammer, compulsions, sex addiction, violence?

7. Finding the bodies in the forests, in the frozen ground, the injuries? Forensic evidence?

8. The focus on Cindy, her life, relationship with her parents, the failure of her mother, the abusive uncle, escaping from home, prostitution, her friends in Anchorage, prepared to be a pole dancer, the customers, the pimp, his connections and indirectly linked to Bob? Bob, taking her, the torture, the gunshot hole in the wall? The getting away?

9. Cindy meeting John, his trying to help, her fears, attitudes, the dancing, the escape? Going to John’s home, listening to the quarrel and leaving? Her age, the pimp, the attack of the go-between, her getting away, the hospital, the fear, not wanting to give evidence? Listening to John, his kindness? Going to the room, Bob and his reaction, giving himself away, his violence?

10. The world of clubs, brothels, the women, their clients?

11. Bob, searching for women, following them, taking them, binding them, tormenting them? The girl taken in the plane, torture, hunted and her being shot? His flying the plane, getting the guns and the evidence, dropping them in the snow?

12. The DA, caution, over-caution, what evidence? John and officers, wanting the warrant? The searching of the house while Bob was being interrogated, failing to find the evidence?

13. The interrogation of Bob, his reactions, lies, excuses, explanations? Wanting his lawyer? His past, his arrogance? Cindy entering into the room and his aggressive attitude in giving himself away?

14. Audience emotional response to this kind of story, characters?

15. The final information, the dedication of the film to the victims?

16. Audience interest in this kind of story, the touch of the prurient, exploitative? Yet portrait of true crime?

WAKING THE DEAD

US, 2000, 105 minutes, Colour.
Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly, Hal Holbrook, Paul Hipp, Lawrence Dane, John Carroll Lynch, Ed Harris, Janet Mc Teer, Molly Parker.
Directed by Keith Gordon.

Actor Keith Gordon has directed a number of interesting firms including The Chocolate Factory, Mother Night and A Midnight Clear.

This film is based on a novel by Scott Spencer (Endless Love). It is romantic story. But, it is also a political story.
The film opens in 1974 with the assassination of some Chilean refugees after the downfall of the Allende regime. Watching the footage and deeply grieving is Fielding, former coastguard officer, now studying with the intention of becoming a Senator. The scene moves to 1983 and the senatorial campaign. but, interspersed are many memories of Fielding’s (Billy Crudup) relationship with Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), their love, her work at the Catholic shelter, his wariness, the visit to Chile with two priests and bringing back refugees. One of the great qualities of the film is Billy Crudup’s performance and his quiet communication of his deep love for Sarah. Jennifer Connelly is also moving as Sarah.

The strong supporting cast includes Hal Holbrook as Fielding’s political mentor, Molly Parker as his political niece, Janet Mc Teer as Fielding sister and Paul Hipp as his brother.

It is interesting to look back at the 1970s and their political, leftist tendencies in the light of making the film at the end of the 1990s.

1. Little-seen, but well liked and reviewed?

2. The title, intimations ghosts?

3. The two periods of 1973, 1983? Similarities? Differences?

4. The opening, the television footage of the assassinations? Sarah’s death? Fielding watching, weeping intensely?

5. 1973, Fielding’s story? Coastguard, visiting his brother, the contrast, hippie style? On the table, Sarah coming in, the response? Fielding, the protégé of Isaac? Isaac and his political knowledge, connections, personality? His niece, Janet? Ambitions, political traditions, the “golden boy” of his family and society? Studying law? Ambitions for the Senate?

6. The attraction to Sarah, talking with her, walking, sharing, the meal? The contrast between the WASP and the Catholic? The relationship, sexual relationship? Her work, the, holding the baby, the Project, the people at the shelter? Stephen, Fr Stanton? The discussions, the clientele, the nuns? The assassination of Allende? The decision to go to Chile, the two priests coming to the apartment, Fielding disagreeing, but giving some money? The return, the meal, the refugees and their being anti-US, feeling upset, Stephen and his comment, Sarah agreeing? The sequences as the background to Sarah’s death, the scene of the funeral, the priest protesting, the priest and preaching?

7. The effect on Fielding, the years passing, study, continued support Isaac, the relationship with Janet, sexual, but remembering Sarah? His arguments with Janet, leaving? Janet destined to be a politician’s wife? The love lasting – especially if he lost the election?

8. Fielding’s sister, support, listening? His parents, traditions, Fielding and his talk with his father, wanting to be good? His brother, calming down, publishing, his girlfriend, Asian, in the brothel, his request for Fielding to make a call? Fielding as adamant, his brother not being in his district?

9. The memories of Sarah, being interspersed in the 1983 sequences, feeling that he was seeing her on the street, the airport, the effect, preoccupation? Ghostly image? His sister’s story, thinking she saw her in the street, another woman? The memories, the portrayal of love, the depth of feeling?

10. Tenderness, quiet passion, happy even if they disagreed with each other?

11. The election campaign, the collage of his activities? Support, his upsetting supporters by his erratic behaviour, his speech, his being elected by a small majority?

12. The meal his family, his emotional collapse, his outburst?

13. Sarah appearing, at the apartment, their talking, the realism her not wanting to put him in danger, yet her wanting to be with him? Lying on the floor? The disappearance, hallucination or not?

14. His work as a senator, his comments, the visuals of the various individuals he helped, the causes, their pleas?

THE JUDGE

US, 2014, 142 minutes, Colour.
Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duval, Vera Farmiga, Emma Tremblay, Vincent D' Onofrio, Billy Bog Thornton, Ken Howard, David Krumholz, Jeremy Strong, Leighton Meister, , Balthasar Getty,
Directed by David Dobkin.

It was a bit of a shock to find a reviewer referring to this rather serious film as something of a soap opera. However, in the early part of the film, with the establishing of characters, the setting up of relationships in a dysfunctional family, the sadness of a mother’s death, some melodramatics in a small Indiana town, the idea of some soap opera aspects did come to mind.

But, soap opera is not exactly the tone of the latter part of the film. It is much more serious, probing character, probing relationships, probing integrity, probing justice and the law.

As might be expected from the title, this is a film about law, prosecution and defence, the realities of justice and lack of justice. The judge of the title is Joseph Palmer, played with his usual power by Robert Duval. At one stage he refers to his character’s age as 72 – but the actor made this film at the age of 82, a strong performance by anyone let alone a veteran at this age. The other star of the film is Robert Downey Jr, playing his son, a hotshot lawyer in Chicago, no holds barred. But he has long left his home town and has not returned to see his family, not even his mother to whom he had been devoted.

The tone of the film is set by the opening sequences with Downey, literally peeing on his prosecuting opponent, very glib with his words, extraordinarily shrewd, but then receiving the news of his mother’s death and asking for a continuance of the trial he is involved in.

There were a number of films in the early 1990s where very successful men experience some kind of emotional crisis which led them to reassess their life and their work and move on to a new path. Some examples were The Doctor, Regarding Henry, The Fisher King, starring prominent actors, William Hurt, Harrison Ford, Jeff Bridges. Here is Robert Downey Jr with the possibilities of some kind of change in his life, facing the realities of divorce, his devotion to his little daughter, and, most of all, meeting his father again after many decades.

The emotional crisis is for the whole family, including Henry’s older brother, Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio) who has lived in the town all his life and the autistic younger brother, Nate (Jeremy Strong). Henry also meets his love in High School, Sam, Vera Framiga, who challenges his memories about the past and his abandoning her as well as the family. As the screenplay unfolds, there are flashbacks to Henry’s relationship with his father, very tough in his stances, although he explains that he could see his son going wrong and felt that this was the best way to deal with him. Audiences, interest in father-son relationships, will find much to be interested in and moved by.

Audiences interested in the law will also find much to be interested in. While Hank is a clever and shrewd, articulate lawyer in Chicago, when he has to return to his home town in Indiana at the death of his mother, we realise the distance between himself and his father, but his admiration for him as a judge when he goes into court to listen to him. The events on the day of his mother’s burial are critical, when the judge went to the supermarket to buy some things for the family and there is news of the death of a man who committed murder in the town, had spent 20 years in jail, and was not liked by the judge. When the judge has to go to court, Hank defends him, finds out about his medical and health background, preps his father for the cross examination. Billy Bob Thornton appears as the prosecutor, a sharp performance as he rivals Hank in his abilities to probe and to impress the jury. There are many telling moments in the interplay of the questioning.

Ultimately, this is a story of the judge’s integrity, what he did or did not do at the time of the death, his state of mind and memory, and prepared to accept the jury’s verdict.

An interesting blend of the humane and the legal.

1. A Hollywood prestige film? Entertaining?

2. The cast, their careers, Robert Downey Jr versus Robert Duval?

3. The locations, Chicago, the law courts? The Indiana town, the countryside, homes, the courts, diners, the markets…? The musical score?

4. The title, the focus on the judge? His son? Legal aspects, the law, integrity, prosecution, defence, police work?

5. The theme of fathers and sons? The strict father, the loving husband, the treatment of Glenn, the oldest boy and his baseball talent, his injury? Henry, blaming him, reckless, 17 years old, the accident, the father trying to prevent Henry going off the rails despite being hard? Alienating his son? Nate, his autism, his good nature, the camera, people treating him as retarded? The family support? The judge and his anger at seeing the home movie and destroying the machine?

6. Introduction, Chicago, the tone, the courts, clients, wealthy? The prosecutor, Hank peeing, the discussion about cases, ruthlessness? His telling the client and what to expect? the news about his mother, and asking for the continuance? at home, his wife, the alienation, infidelity? Lauren line, his love and care, wanting custody?

7. Going home, the years, the bonds with his brothers? going to view his mother’s body, his grief? going upstairs in the court, listening to his father, anticipating his comments? the funeral? the formalities of his father’s meeting him, hugging others, just acknowledging Hank? Critical of Hank’s always backing in his car? going to the bar, his brothers, the thuggish men and Hank’s explaining who they were and what they had done, their backing off? Cindy at the bar, the bond with her? Meeting Carla, provocative, the sexual encounter? meeting Sam, the story, Carla her daughter?

8. Glenn’s life, his age, career, his kids, his wife? settled in the town? sometimes desperate, close to his father, and the responsibility for Nate?

9. Nate, his age, agreeable, his camera, taking the films, showing the film to the family, his father being upset, smashing the projector?

10. The judge, going out on the day of the funeral, to the supermarket, his own car, the damage, information about the death, his being charged? Connection with the deceased, his crimes, the court, condemnation, in jail for 20 years? the damage to the car, the police and interrogation, the evidence, blood on the car?

11. Hank taking the case, preparation, C.P.Kennedy and his always be being sick? prepping his father? the desire to spread reasonable doubt?

12. The case, judge, information about the time taken for the judge to drive, CCTV evidence? Dwight Wickham, his attitude, the past encounters with Hank, his attitudes in court, the questioning of the witnesses, the Detroit policeman and the issue of skids on the road with the death of the roadkill, or not? the jury selection, the range of opinions, the bumper stickers, the choices? the judge, his not remembering?

13. The dead man and his mother, her theatric grief and Hank finding she had visited him twice in 20 years?

14. The doctor, cancer, treatment, the consequences and effects? the judge faling to remember Gus’s name?

15. The scene with the judge, incontinence, Hank coming in, cleaning him, the shower? Lauren at the door?

16. The judge more humane, to Hank’s surprise more kindly to Lauren than to Hank?

17. The clash in the court, the cross examinations, Wickham and his questions? The judge sacking his son, unable to do this until the end of questioning?
The judge admitting his dislike of the deceased, his probable hunting him down, but not being able to remember? The jury?

18. The sentence, the judge accepting it, Wickham going to Hank, and quietly leaving? Hank weeping?

19. The aftermath with his brothers?

20. Hank and his fishing the judge, going to prison, allowed out for compassion, Henry meeting him? Going fishing and, their talk, the touch of reconciliation, his father’s death?

21. Sam, her approaches, love for Hank, going to the restaurant, her owning it, wanting to stay in the town, the story of Carla and her education?

22. Back in Chicago, the toilet sequence with the prosecutor, Hank and his change of attitude, his change of heart, behaviour…? his future?

SIDDHARTH

Canada/India, 2013, 96 minutes, Colour.
Rajesh Talling, Tannishtha Chatterjee.
Directed by Richie Mehta.

No, not a story about the Buddha. Rather, it is a contemporary Indian story about a boy who is lost.

This film, an Indian- Canadian production, takes its audience, vividly, into the streets of Dehli, a poorer area where a family lives, where young boys play cricket on the hard ground outside the house, and the father going into a slightly more affluent quarter where, with his megaphone, he announces to people that he can mend their zippers and mend other household articles.

It can be said that, while the film is vivid, it also presents characters and the sad events of the film in a somewhat low-key style. No Bollywood songs and dances here.

Mother and father farewell their young son, Siddarth, as he goes to work in a factory some distance away, doing a job that will bring some money into the home. And, at home, is a little sister, Pinky.

The boy phones his family when he arrives at the factory and promises to be home for a feast in a month’s time. He doesn’t come home. The father tries to get information, an address, phone number, and even talks to the factory owner. He is told his son has run away.

The film makes a point about the changing world, and how difficult it would have been in the past to get information, but even now is still difficult despite computers and everyone, even the poorest, having mobile phones to take pictures, to communicate – the parent generation still bewildered by much of the technology but the film showing how these young children take this technology for granted and are extremely adept at using it.

The rest of film is the sad and quietly desperate father’s search his son. He travels to the factory, is courteously but am feeling the heard by the owner of the factory, and information from the young man that shared his room that the boy might have been abducted. The police offer some help as to personnel and shelters but it emerges that many young boys and girls are abducted in India.

The father’s journey takes him to some homes for runaway children, to no avail. A centre in Mumbai is mentioned but most people don’t know about it. There is some affirmation of human nature when some young men, who admire the father, and say they have been influenced in their own work by him, make a donation, and other means are found to get some money for the father to travel by train to Mumbai.

The father is a good man, loving his son, loving his wife and daughter, suffering through his search, his eyes open to worlds he had not dreamed of.

There are all kinds of stories of disappearances of children, trafficking, sexual exploitation, from many parts of the world. This story is not graphic, and we don’t know where the boy has gone or been taken to. Rather, sadly, we are invited to share the father’s and the family’s experience, and through them the suffering of so many people who experience the loss of their children.

1. A story of contemporary India, Delhi, the suburbs? Mumbai? The world of the family, work, poverty, lost children?

2. Delhi, the poor neighbourhood, the humble home, the boys playing cricket on the ground outside, possibilities for work, the father working around the suburbs with his megaphone? The world of homes, factories, agencies, the police? The towns and the institutions, travel on trains and buses? The city of Mumbai, night and day, the streets, institutions, the railway station?

3. The parents seeing off their son, their love him, his going to work, so far away, the reasons, his not having opportunities for school in the opinion of the woman in the office?

4. The father, his megaphone, calling out, the zippers, his customers, the details of his work? The mother at home, cooking and cleaning? The daughter, Pinky? The world of poverty, yet the computers around, the mobile phones, the ability to take pictures, otherwise families would not have photos? Pinky and her knowledge of how to charge and recharge the phones, make the calls?

5. The boys outside the house, playing cricket, the domestic atmosphere? The ball into the house? The father rousing on them?

6. The son not returning, the time passing, the anxiety of the family, going to the relatives, the promise to provide phone numbers, yet forgetting, eventually getting a phone number, the address, finding out that their son had run away? The relatives knowing this all the time? The discussions with the factory owner?

7. The father’s decision to go? Going to the police, the father not having any photo, the agencies, the personnel, the forms to fill in?

8. The roommate and is mention of Gondri? Nobody knowing where it was? The decision to get the money, sales, collecting, the relatives and their gift? The young men and their admiration for the father, the donation?

9. The train ride, arriving in Mumbai, the taxi driver and his help, the boys and Gondri, the authorities, the father looking at the boys, the search? Going to the station and seeing the boys there for sex exploitation?

10. The return home, sad, accepting fate, allowing the boys to play cricket? His going back on his job with his megaphone?

11. The low-key treatment for eliciting audience empathy and inside?