Well, I had every intention of listing at least a second movie here but my attempts to get through a 40s classic that I had not seen in a long time failed as I kept crashing over and over. And a second attempt at finishing a cute animated film from recent years continues to fail miserably even though I’m encouraged by the charming film so far. Don’t be surprised if you see these two films pop up in future weeks but for now, alas, just one film do I bring to you. The good news is… it isn’t bad. As always, thanks for reading! ~ Chris K.
(click on images to enlarge on the screen!)
Biography, Drama (2018)
Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates, Sam Waterston, Stephen Root
I couldn’t quite place where I had seen Felicity Jones. For the longest time, I had her totally confused with the actress from the series “The Crown” (wrong! That’s Claire Foy). Then once I looked her up on IMDB after seeing the film, it hit me. THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING. I liked that film but didn’t love it, but the one thing that I was completely on board with was the acting by both Eddie Redmayne, of course, in the lead role of Stephen Hawking and Jones as his wife Jane. Aah, yes, that’s why when she appeared on the screen, I immediately was glued to her in the role of a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Having seen the acclaimed documentary RBG last year, I was eager to see this fascinating person’s story told in a different format and starring another person who always has my eyes glued to the screen but often for much different reasons (read: hubba hubba) Armie Hammer as Ruth’s charismatic and charming husband Martin. When I learned Mimi Leder was the director, I recalled how much I loved DEEP IMPACT for its heart as well as its special effects. It was a tremendously mesmerizing looking film but also so touching with intimate moments including a scene between an adult daughter and her dad prior to what can only be called the end of the world. Ooh, I get shivers just thinking about that scene. Tea Leoni and Maximilian Schell are amazing in that!
So I went into ON THE BASIS OF SEX with much enthusiasm due to the subject matter, the stars and the director. I will tell you that the storyline is much dryer than I anticipated. Unlike most biographies which span a broader period of time and a range of subjects, this one is very true to its title. You will be seeing a film primarily about the law professor’s passion for tackling the double standard built within the flawed law code and her first attempt at toppling over all of it. You will see one case and one case only. I will admit — the very narrow scope of the subject matter and timeline really surprised me and I guess disappointed me a little, too. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still giving this film a good rating because what is on the screen is worth seeing — not only for its relevance but for the masterful way it is filmed and acted, but I could have seen this film go further and broader with its portrayal. Perhaps the limitation was also because this is a living human being who was being shown the script, given an early peek of the film and taking part in the interviews which served as the basis for the script written by one of Ginsburg’s nephews. When I think about how much I learned about Elton John in ROCKETMAN versus Ginsburg in this film, I am reminded that biographies truly can run the spectrum.
But this is one intriguing protagonist, Jones does a fabulous job capturing her spunk and sometimes stubbornness to a fault, Hammer is delightful as Mr. G and the impressive supporting cast fill in the rest of the story nicely. See it for the significance of this remarkable lady and the quirky and unusual marital relationship we see depicted onscreen. I found it so refreshing, and I think you will, too. Jones and Hammer have terrific chemistry. All of these elements make it worth the price of admission. Or in my case, a Redbox rental fee. Even better!
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