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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 October 2011

It was 10pm on a Sunday night at the Toronto Film Festival.  I was sitting in a small theatre waiting for a movie to start when I struck up a conversation with a Canadian film student who was sitting beside me.  We’d seen 32 different films between us (not bad for 4 days work) but there was only one that we’d both managed to see – The Hunter.

We compared notes about the film’s strengths and we couldn’t come up with too many weaknesses.  This may sound corny but I kind of felt proud to be Australian.  A small film set in an isolated part of Tasmania was playing in front of huge crowds at one of the world’s biggest film festivals.  Not only that, it had become a talking point.  It was very cool.

I can’t take any credit however.  Most of it belongs to the film’s director, Daniel Nettheim.  I admit to being sceptical when I first read the premise for The Hunter.  A guy has been hired by some secretive biotech company to try to find a Tasmanian tiger, despite the fact they’ve been extinct for almost a century.

It’s a story that could easily be laughed at but Nettheim has transformed it into a moving, compelling drama.  The focus isn’t on the elusive tiger but rather this man’s discovery of who he is and what he stands for.  We learn a little more with each scene and it builds to an emotional climax.

Two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Shadow Of The Vampire) delivers a strong performance in the leading role.  We don’t usually see high profile American actors in small Aussie films but Dafoe read the script and was immediately attracted to this intriguing character and the isolated setting in which he finds himself.

The cast also includes two familiar Aussie names – Frances O’Connor who plays a single mother trying to get her life back on track follow the disappearance of her husband and Sam Neill (working with Dafoe for the third time) who plays a local guide with an intimate knowledge of the area and its inhabitants.  Both are great but it’s the delightfully natural performance of 9-year-old Morgana Davies that will leave many saying “wow” on leaving the cinema.

Much of the film was shot in the remote Tasmanian wilderness and it wasn’t the easiest of shoots for the cast and crew.  Let’s just say that the rain and snow that you’ll see in the film weren’t produced with special effects.  I don’t think cinematographer Robert Humphreys (Somersault, Suburban Mayhem) would have been complaining though.  The beautiful setting allowed him to showcase some stunning images of a seldom seen part of our country.  Tourism Australia will be thrilled with the free advertising.

A storyline involving a group of loggers isn’t developed in enough detail but that’s about the only weakness worth mentioning.  The Hunter is one of the best Aussie releases of the year and I expect it to earn several nominations when the revamped Australian Academy Awards are held later this year.  Don’t miss it.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 August 2011

Brendan Gleeson’s performance in The Guard will be remembered as one of the best of 2011.  There’s no doubt about it.  It’ll be hard work mounting an award campaign given (1) the film’s limited release in the United States and (2) the fact that it’s a comedy, but I still hope that he will receive his due.

Gleeson plays Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a disenchanted police officer from a small Irish town.  If you think he’s going to spring into action following the discovery of a murder… then think again.  Boyle doesn’t really care.  He takes drugs from the victim for his own use and he seemingly has no interest in protecting evidence at the crime scene.

It turns out the murder is linked to a massive drug ring that has attracted the attention of the FBI.  They’ve flown Agent Wendell Everett (Cheadle) over to Ireland to help intercept the cocaine shipment and apprehend those responsible.  He plans on using the knowledge and expertise of the local authorities to help get the job done.

Boyle and Everett end up working together on the case and as you’d expect, they’re as different as chalk and cheese.  Agent Everett is the consummate professional who likes doing things by the book in a diligent fashion.  Sergeant Boyle is a politically incorrect bigot with no concern for anyone else but himself.  At a police briefing, Boyle publically expresses his shock when he sees photos of the suspects.  The reason?  He “thought only black lads were drug dealers.”

What’s so great about the screenplay is that you’ve never quite sure what to make of Sergeant Boyle.  He is a complete moron who has no idea what he’s saying?  Or is he somewhat more astute?  Does he like flying under the radar and pushing people’s buttons.  My opinion changed numerous times throughout the film.

Gleeson deserves rapturous acclaim for his performance but just as worthy is the film’s writer-director John Michael McDonagh.  He’s the guy who put pen to paper and came up with this iconic character.  You could make a strong argument that talent his hereditary given that his younger brother, Martin, crafted the equally witty black comedy In Bruges (released in late 2008).   

The film’s only weakness (and I come at this from an Australian perspective) are the very thick Irish accents.  It’s hard to understand what the characters are saying at times and I definitely missed some of the jokes.  I’ll have to make sure I pick this up on DVD in a few months.  The rewind button will come in handy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 September 2011

Love can be complicated.  It’s not an earth-shattering revelation but it’s clearly a point that writer Dan Fogelman is trying to get across with Crazy Stupid Love.  He has taken three separate stories and woven them together with a mix of comedy and drama.

The first couple are Cal (Carell) and Emily (Moore).  They’ve been married for over 25 years but the romance between them has slowly faded away.  It comes to a head when Emily admits to sleeping with another guy from work (Bacon).  Saying virtually nothing in response to the confession, Cal packs his bags and moves into his own apartment.

He tries to get back into the “dating scene” at a nearby bar.  He’s no hope though.  His dress sense is awful and his pick up lines are even worse.  Taking sympathy on him is a smooth young go-getter named Jacob (Gosling) who is the epitome of sophistication.  He can charm practically anyone and his night often ends in bed with a gorgeous woman.  Jacob offers Cal a few tips and yep, they start paying off.

Jacob’s world is soon upturned however when he meets a “game changer”.  Her name is Hannah (Stone) and it leaves him revaluating his own womanising lifestyle.  Is it time to settle down and finally have a meaningful relationship with someone?  It’s a scary thought for a guy who seemingly has all the answers.

The final relationship is the most awkward of all.  Cal’s 13-year-old son, Robbie (Bobo), has developed a huge crush on his 17-year-old babysitter, Jessica (Tipton).  He’s not one to hide his affections either.  Cal proclaims his love to everyone at school and it’s making life for Jessica very uncomfortable.

There are a few more pieces to this puzzle but I won’t reveal them all in this review.  The film’s best scene is near the very end when a few of the above mentioned stories overlap at a backyard get-together.  It’s a fun moment and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa extract as much humour from it as possible.

As for the rest of the film, well, I didn’t like it.  These characters reflect no people that I’ve ever met.  They’re as crazy and stupid as the title suggests.  Did Cal really need to jump out of a moving car when his wife admitted to having an affair?  Did Cal’s boss really need to make a joke when he heard him crying at work?  Did Jacob really need to stand buck naked in front of Cal while talking to him in the gym?  Don’t even get me started on Marisa Tomei’s character as a hyperactive school teacher in search of a new guy.

Crazy Stupid Love is trying to hard to be a crowd pleaser.  Perhaps my distain for the romantic comedy genre is to blame but significant doses of realism would be required before this tale would earn my appreciation.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 August 2011

When I first heard the title Horrible Bosses, I was hoping it would be a shrewd exposé of the way our bosses drive us crazy.  We’ve all been there.  Who hasn’t had a therapeutic vent about their supervisor while having a few drinks after work?  I’ll save my horror stories for a less public forum (damn that confidentiality agreement) but thanks to the popularity of television shows such as The Office (both the UK and US versions), we can all enjoy a good laugh at the expense of our superiors.

Horrible Bosses struggles early because of its insistence to portray these three bosses as ridiculous caricatures.  It wins no points for subtlety.  Dave (Spacey) heads a financial services firm and frustrates his staff by making them work long hours and denying them promotions.  Julia (Aniston) is a dentist who has drugged a male co-worker and taken photos of them together in compromising positions.  Um, isn’t that borderline rape?  Bobby (Farrell) manages a small business and decides that he wants to fire all the fat people in the office.  It’s his interpretation of “trimming the fat”.

Whilst the bosses are unnecessarily over-the-top, the film still manages to work as a light-hearted buddy comedy.  Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day play three ordinary guys who are out to get revenge against their imposing superiors.  I’m not talking about something simple like letting down their bosses’ car tyres on a Friday afternoon.  They want to kill them!

Knowing that they’d be one of the first suspects in any murder, the guys come up with a plan to cover their tracks.  Firstly, they’re going to make each death look like an accident.  They’ll need to follow their targets and see if they can spot any opportunities or weaknesses.  Secondly, they’re going to kill each other’s bosses.  That should also help avoid suspicion as the murderer won’t have any direct connection with the victim.

It’s an insane storyline that wanders all over the place but I had to laugh at the banter between Bateman, Sudeikis and Day.  They make a great team and they’re the main reason why you should see the film.  Bateman plays the level-headed one and it gives Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) and Day (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) full reign to showcase their comedic talents.  The film’s most unexpected performance however is turned in by Jennifer Aniston.  It is both stimulating and provocative.

Likely to lure many in based on the title alone, Horrible Bosses should leave you with a smile on your face as you exit the theatre (particularly if you stay for the outtakes).

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 August 2011

I’ve been disappointed with this year’s crop of animated features (Yogi Bear, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Gnomeo & Juliet) and so it’s a refreshing surprise that I many positive things to say about The Illusionist.  It’s a shame it’s taken so long to reach Brisbane cinemas given it premiered at the Berlin Film Festival more than 18 months ago and it earned an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature earlier this year.

The film is French but it doesn’t contain a single sub-title.  Don’t be perturbed.  There’s a simple reason – there is no dialogue whatsoever.  It’s reminiscent of the silent films from the 1920s where actions, hand gestures, facial expressions and music do all the talking.  It’s such a beautiful way to present an animated film.  So very different from what is churned out from the major studios in the United States.

The story is set in 1959 and revolves around a struggling magician trying to find work.  Audiences are no longer interested in his array of tricks.  They’ve seen them all before.  They know most of his secrets.  He now realises that people would pay to see a new, hip rock band than watch an elderly illusionist pull a rabbit from a hat.

He leaves his home in Paris and goes in search of fresh audiences overseas.  He travels to London and then further north to Edinburgh.  He doesn’t have much luck finding a steady job but he meets an innocent young girl who is unexpectedly enchanted by his simple magic act.  The two become friends with each drawing on the other for support.

Written and directed by Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets Of Belleville), The Illusionist is a charming piece of cinema.  Whilst they hardly say a word, I felt much sorrow for these two lonely characters and the changing world in which they find themselves.  The exquisite film score, also composed by Chomet, further adds to the film’s emotion.

It’s worth noting that The Illusionist features no 3D animation and has been put together using traditional hand drawn animation.  It hasn’t stopped Chomet from coming up with some truly memorable images.  They include everything from panoramic shots of Edinburgh at night to the simple reflection of a flashing “HOTEL” sign through an open window.

The film is only receiving a limited release in Australia and I urge you to check out The Illusionist while the opportunity presents itself.