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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 02 December 2005

Domino Harvey (Knightley) is a bounty hunter.  Her job is to capture accused criminals who have skipped bail.  It may sound like another far-fetched storyline but bounty hunting is a legitimate profession in the United States.  They are usually employed by bail bondsmen and they have rights which aren’t available to a police officer (including entering a property without a warrant).

The hard-hitting Domino wanted to get into the industry “for a bit of fun” and works with two others – Ed (Rourke) and Choco (Ramirez).  They are a successful team and get much of their work from bail bondsman Claremont Williams (Lindo).

The film is loosely based on a true story and the real Domino Harvey died in September 2005 of a drug overdose.  Domino is dedicated to her memory.  Keira Knightley is exciting in the leading role and the merciless, tough persona is something I haven’t seen from her before.  She won’t be winning awards but it silences those (including myself) who saw her as an actress with a very limited range.  It’s worth emphasising because higher profile actresses who have tried to break into the action genre in recent years (Halle Berry, Kate Beckinsale, Angelina Jolie) have been less convincing.

A story develops and it concerns our three bounty hunters and a conspiracy they have become entangled in.  $10m has been stolen from the armoured car of a casino boss who has close ties with the mob.  Claremont has employed Domino, Ed and Choco to find those responsible but exactly who is Claremont working for and why are they involved in this unusual assignment?

Answers will be revealed but it may require Panadol when you see how Tony Scott (Man On Fire, Spy Game) has directed this film.  The camera is never at rest and the fast-paced editing makes it difficult to follow.  Scott’s style gives new meaning to the term “motion” picture.  It looks cool but the continual flashes of light and changes in colour irritated me at times.

It’s predominantly an action flick but there are a few laughs thanks to the arrival of two soap stars (playing themselves) and a television executive.  Fans of Beverley Hills 90210 might find it even funnier.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 28 November 2005

We all know Steve Martin as a great actor but you might be surprised to hear some of this other achievements in life.  He started out as a stand-up comedian and won back-to-back Grammy Awards in 1977 and 1978 in the category of best comedy recording.  He plays the banjo and won another Grammy in 2001 in the category of best country instrumental performance for appearing in the Earl Scruggs and Friends video for "Foggy Mountain Breakdown”.  He collects art and is a trustee at the Los Angeles Museum Of Art.

In 2000, Steve Martin published his first fiction novel.  Entitled Shopgirl, it was the story of a quiet young lady who worked at a plush department in Los Angeles.  After being single for some time, she finds herself being pursued by two possible suitors.  One is an elderly millionaire who can give her anything with a price-tag but cannot give her a life-long commitment.  The other is a free-spirited musician who needs lessons in maturity and has hardly a cent to his name.

The novel has now been brought to the screen with Claire Danes (Romeo & Juliet), Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore) and Steve Martin in the three roles.  The last time I can recall Steve Martin appearing in a drama was in David Mamet’s brilliant The Spanish Prisoner.  His role in Shopgirl gives Martin the opportunity to be subtle and mysterious.  It’s a pleasant change from his recent garbage comedies including Cheaper By The Dozen and Bringing Down The House.

The film starts a little slowly but there’s intrigue as Ray (Martin) begins to court the willing Mirabelle (Danes).  Sadly however, the film doesn’t progress past this point.  The story loses momentum and we are left with several musical interludes where we watch the characters go about their business to the backdrop of a soft piano melody.  It may sound nice if you’re sitting on a balcony overlooking the city with a glass of red wine.  It doesn’t sound as nice if you’re sitting in a movie theatre getting restless from an over-abundance of reflective scenes.

I have respect for the talented cast but Shopgirl is a tiring romantic drama that never generates much passion or interest.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 December 2005

In the late 1940s, the FBI compiled a list of communists and communist sympathisers who were either working in or had very close ties to the U.S. Government.  No one would have cared before World War II but in its aftermath, people were suspicious of anyone who believed in a communist regime.

Congress was given the list but little was done.  Some say the lack of action was due to there being too many communist supporters in the upper echelon on government.  Senator Joseph McCarthy then took it upon himself to inform the American public.  McCarthy had the names of over 200 people who he believed had communist ties.  With growing public support, McCarthy became Chairman of the Senate’s Investigations Subcommittee and in 1953 he interrogated more than 500 witnesses.

Around the same time, the wonder of television was flourishing across the country.  A popular show on CBS was See It Now, hosted by Edward R. Murrow.  It was a late evening current affairs broadcast in a similar vein to today’s 60 Minutes.  In 1954, Murrow and his team of journalists put together a show on McCarthy and the dirty, misleading methods he was using to find the truth.

The public started to think twice about Senator McCarthy and when the press started jumping on the Murrow bandwagon, McCarthy found his popularity waning.  Even members of his own Republican Party were turning on him.  In late 1954, the Senate voted to condemn McCarthy for bringing the Senate into disrepute.  He died three years later. 

Good Night, And Good Luck brings this story to the screen through the eyes of Edward Murrow and his team at CBS.  Some might believe otherwise but I think it to be a fair depiction of events and a fascinating insight into the power of television.  This may have happened 50 years ago but the issues of the film are as relevant today as they were.

You’ll be surprised to see that no actor plays McCarthy – he actually plays himself.  All the footage of McCarthy has been taken from news archives.  It’s a brilliant idea by director George Clooney and it removes any criticism that McCarthy has not been portrayed justly.  We see the real McCarthy for who he is.  For this reasons, the film has been wisely shot in black and white.

David Strathairn (Limbo) plays Edward R. Murrow in a role which must see him nominated for an Academy Award.   His expressionless face and monotone voice are hypnotic.  The whole cast is terrific (including Jeff Bridges, George Clooney and Patricia Clarkson) but it’s Strathairn star who shines brightest.

Films such as The Corporation and Fahrenheit 9/11 have put America under the world’s microscope and Good Night, And Good Luck will only increase the debate about U.S. politics and its absolute power.  It’s a very powerful film and regardless of who you see it with, there’ll be plenty to discuss on the car ride home.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 November 2005

It’s Harry Potter’s fourth year at Hogwarts.  Instead of having to study and attend classes (which are seldom seen), it would seem the school’s focus is on the special Tri-wizard Tournament.  Three schools are competing and those who wish to take on the difficult tasks have placed their names inside the goblet of fire.

The Goblet has narrowed the field down to three and Headmaster Dumbledore (Gambon) reads the names to the students – Victor Crum, Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory.  But wait, there’s more!  Harry Potter’s (Radcliffe) name is read out which comes as a great shock since he never put him name in the Goblet and is below the required age of 17.  Something is suspicious but Dumbledore and his loyal teachers have accepted the decision that Harry should compete.

When not competing or preparing for the Tournament, Harry and his two close friends, Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson), are discovering new feelings.  Harry’s developed his first crush on fellow student Cho Chang and both Ron and Hermione are struggling to hide their own feelings for each other.  Their newly found puberty provides the humour of the film and the cute performances of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson show they’re acting abilities are progressing nicely.

If you’ve read Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire, you’ll remember it exceeded 600 pages.  How can you squash so much material into a three hour film?  The answer is with great difficulty.  Screenwriter Steve Cloves (who adapted the three previous novels) has been forced to rush much of the plot and leave out several interesting subplots.  Some characters, such as Malfoy, Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall, are hardly seen.  If it wasn’t for the rapid rate at which the younger cast members are aging, I’d almost prefer to see the book split into two separate films.

A new director is at the helm with Mike Newell (Four Weddings & A Funeral) taking on the important responsibility.  There is a heavy reliance on visual effects (as expected) but Newell has choreographed some very suspenseful action sequences.  All three tournament contests look fantastic but once again, I only wish there was more time to show more.

As has been well documented, this new Harry Potter film is the darkest yet and has earned an M-rating here in Australia.  It’s a valid classification and even I was surprised by how disturbingly graphic some scenes were.  When you see Harry’s confrontation with the talkative Lord Voldemort (Fiennes), you’ll agree.

I’ve read all six Harry Potter books released to date and whilst she’s no Mark Twain, author J.K. Rowling has a knack for capturing her readers.  Her books are difficult to put down and I’ve had many late nights reading on in eager anticipation.  The Harry Potter movies have given us the opportunity to visualise her work but without the depth and detail offered by the novels, it’s harder to become engrossed and harder to be enthralled.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 November 2005

Justin Cobb (Pucci) sees himself as a troubled teenager.  He has little self confidence, has few friends, has never had a girlfriend, and gets poor results at school.  He also has a noticeable habit of sucking his thumb.

Justin’s orthodontist (Reeves) thinks Justin’s thumb sucking problem can be helped through hypnosis.  Justin’s teacher (Vaughn) thinks he has attention deficit disorder and suggests he take the drug Ritalin to help him focus.  Justin’s father (D’Onofrio) thinks a good slap across the head will curb his negative behaviour.

Everyone is meddling in Justin’s life and here in lies one of the messages in this low-budget, independent film.  We all have problems and we all want to make things better but sometimes we should just accept who we are.  By obsessing with our own self-improvement, we lose focus on the good things and the richness of life passes us by.

There’s more to the story and I’m sorry for getting mushy but I like what Thumbsucker has to offer.  Newcomer Lou Taylor Pucci stars as Justin in a performance which won him best actor prize at the lucrative Berlin Film Festival.  Previous winners have included Benecio Del Toro (Traffic), Denzel Washington (The Hurricane) and Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo & Juliet).

Thumbsucker is a smart comedy but if you’re not taken in by the story, its off-beat tone will drive you to distraction.  See it… but only if you want to see it.