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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 October 2020

Irresistible is a fictional tale that begins with a real-life event.  You’d have to be living under a rock to not recall 8 November 2016 – the night on which Donald Trump shocked many pundits and became the 45^th President of the United States.  It provided a sobering wake-up call to the Democratic Party who lost key swing states including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Florida.

Campaign consultant Gary Zimmer (Carell) is still reeling from the result and is strategizing ways for Democrats to win back votes in the “American heartland”.  His team stumble across a recent Youtube video of a Marine Corps veteran, Jack Hastings (Cooper), standing up in a town hall meeting and passionately criticising the decisions of the long-time Republican mayor.

Gary senses an opportunity.  He flies to Wisconsin, meets with Jack, and convinces him to run in the upcoming mayoral elections as a Democrat.  The town of Deerlaken may be home to just 5,000 people (who all seem to know each other) but Gary realises that if the Democratic Party can win the election, it’ll send a broader message that his party can connect with rural America.

What follows is a dirty, messy mayoral election that unexplainably becomes the talk of news networks across the country.  Realising the Democrats are bringing in big teams and big money, the Republican Party retaliates by bringing in one of their top consultants, Faith Brewster (Byrne).  It reaches the point where the town has been completely overrun by news/political folk and the locals are struggling to find a seat in their normally quiet bars and cafes.

There’s no shortage of great political comedies to come out of the United States.  Any “must see” list would include Bulworth, Wag the Dog, Election, In the Loop and Dave.  The problem with Irresistible is that it’s not selling any new messages (e.g. we know money ruins politics) and, by over-exaggerating every scene, it’s pitching itself to the lowest common denominator.  I was expecting something with more edge given it’s written and directed by comedian/TV host Jon Stewart.

The depiction of Steve Carell’s character is the best example in terms of the film’s zany tone.  He tries to act like a “normal guy” but it’s clear to everyone that his a posh wanker who is detached from reality.  When he arrives in Deerlaken, he’s rude, he’s condescending and he’s using complex political jargon that the townsfolk can’t understand.  This asks the obvious question – how has Gary been a success within the industry for so long and why is he employed by the Democratic Party?  It’d be like getting me to teach chess (footnote: I can’t play chess).

With so much focus placed on Gary’s character, others unnecessarily fall by the wayside.  A lot of good points are made in Jack’s original Youtube video but once the election campaign gets started, we learn next-to-nothing about his policy platform and how he intends to reinvigorate the struggling town.  Rather than delve into ways that American can be transformed for the better, the film falls back on easy laughs (like Carell being mean to a coffee shop owner).

Irresistible represents a missed opportunity to show the world something new when it comes to dirty politics.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 September 2020

In late 2019, Mariah Carey’s reboot of the festive song “All I Want for Christmas is You” went to #1 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart.  It was just the 7^th time (the list began in 1958) that a solo female artist over the age of 40 had claimed the top spot – the others being Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Cher, Madonna and Sia.  It’s worth noting that just one of them was over 50 – Cher in 1999 with her chart-topping “Believe”.

Highlighting the ageism that exists within the music industry, particularly when it comes to women, was a major attraction for Canadian director Nisha Ganatra (Late Night) on reading the script from first-time screenwriter Flora Greeson.  Greeson drew on her own experiences working as an assistant at Universal Music in New York City and as an assistant for a talent agency in Los Angeles.  That’s part of the reason why, similar to The Devil Wears Prada, the story is told from the perspective of the “hired help” and not the high-profile celebrity.

To delve into the film’s narrative, Maggie Sherwoode (Johnson) has spent the last three years working as the personal assistant to 11-time Grammy Award winning R&B singer Grace Davis (Ross).  It’s tough, demanding work but Maggie relishes the opportunity to get “up close and personal” with an artist she has long-admired.  Her best friend (Chao) sees things a little differently and, sensing Maggie’s career progression has stalled, justifiably asks “can you please want more from yourself?”

There are several subplots but two feature most prominently.  The first is the exploration of the relationship between Maggie and Grace.  It’s an interesting dynamic when someone is hired in a professional capacity but, slowly over time, becomes of more value in a personal capacity.  Still, there are always going to be points of tension when expectations and responsibilities become blurred.  The interaction between Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) in these two lead roles is the film’s strongest attribute.

The second key narrative involves Maggie partnering with a young singer-songwriter named David (Harrison Jr) who she first meets in a music store.  Misrepresenting herself as an influential producer, she takes David under her wing, organises studio recording time, and tries to set him up for stardom.  This is a clumsier, less credible storyline that includes a splash of unnecessary romance.

For those looking for insight into the music industry, The High Note has something to offer.  One of the most powerful scenes features Grace sitting at the head of a boardroom table while a group of music executives, who are all male, try to coax her into making an uncomfortable decision.  A subsequent argument between Maggie and Grace in the female bathroom further emphasises their conflicted psyches.

The High Note doesn’t tick every box but it’s easy to watch and easy to enjoy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 06 October 2020

Two strangers meet in a small seaside fishing town in Western Australia.  They chat, they hook up, and they fall in love.  All of this happens inside the opening half-hour of Dirt Music, the latest from director Gregor Jordan (Two Hands).  You might hope this is the start of a long, beautiful relationship but the problem is that neither person is allowing themselves to be happy.

These two characters know they’ve got demons to exorcise but, for those of watching the movie, we don’t know what they are.  Thus, the majority of the film is about filling in those gaps via gradual reveals and short flashbacks.  It’s a formula that might have worked in the pages of Tim Winton’s 2002 award winning novel, on which the movie is based, but it’s less effective in cinematic form.

Stars Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men) and Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) struggle to make much of the material.  As the guy, Hedlund is the quiet, mysterious type who keeps to himself and avoids conversations.  As the girl, Macdonald is more open with her thoughts but she’s directionless when it comes her career and future plans.  Australian David Wenham (The Lord of the Rings) also has a role to play but his character is slight and poorly developed.

Dirt Music wants to elicit an emotional reaction but it fails to do so.  There’s a scene where Macdonald learns a shocking truth and it’s immediately followed by a sequence of her playing with sand on the beach.  It’s one of many odd moments that shake the film’s credibility.  Is that really how someone would react?

The final nail in the film’s coffin comes in the form of a head-scratching climax.  It’s hard to understand what’s going through their minds as they stumble across a group of rocky islands off the coastline (without giving too much away).  There are corny lines (“I just need a one-way ticket”) and a final, cliché-laden scene that defies comprehension.

The cinematography from Sam Chiplin might be good for tourism in Western Australia (particularly when the borders open back up) but if you’re looking for a great movie with interesting characters and an engaging storyline, look somewhere else.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 September 2020

The Translators is brought to us by French director Régis Roinsard.  There are many characters but it’s centred on the world of publisher Éric Angstrom (Wilson) who is about to release the final instalment in a best-selling trilogy.  Given the enormous hype (think Harry Potter level of excitement), it’s a book that will make Wilson and his company a VERY large sum of money.

The plan is to release the book simultaneously across the globe in a variety of languages but to do so will require significant work.  Angstrom has assembled a team of nine translators who will take the manuscript and perform the necessary translations over a period of several weeks.  They’re an eclectic group who include young, old, male, female, French and international.

Given the secrecy which surrounds the book, Angstrom has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid leaks.  All of the translators are required to perform their work in an underground bunker where they have no access to phones, the internet or the outside world.  The working conditions sound horrible but they are provided ample living quarters (including a gym and swimming pool) and decent food.  The money isn’t too bad either.

As we learn from the opening scene, Angstrom’s controls have not been effective.  He receives anonymous threats via email that demand a huge ransom or else the book will be released online.  Given that only he and the author have been in possession of the original manuscript, Angstrom is pointing the finger at the nine translators and trying to establish who is responsible and how they did it.

Borrowing from the formulas made famous by Agatha Christie, The Translators is designed as a classic “whodunit”.  Roinsard teases the audience by essentially giving everyone a motive and then it falls upon the audience to pick the mystery before all is revealed.  Unfortunately, despite the early intrigue, I wasn’t convinced by the film’s second half when the curtain is pulled back.  The screenplay is a little too tricky for its own good and hence, it loses credibility.

There’s still fun to be had from watching this.  I liked the setting (much of it taking place in the underground bunker) and the broad cast that includes Italy’s Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick: Chapter 2), France’s Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), and England’s Alex Lawther (The Imitation Game).  They’re a great group who work well alongside one another.

Every few weeks, we have a film that sounds great on paper but can’t quite deliver on its lofty ambitions.  The Translators is the latest example – a watchable movie that comes with a few flaws.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 September 2020

Even before the arrival of COVID-19, the relationship between production companies, streaming platforms, and movie theatres was starting to change.  We saw it last year with two Oscar nominated films – The Irishman and Marriage Story.  They were financed by Netflix, produced by separate companies, screened for a few weeks in cinemas (to qualify for awards season), and then immediately made available to stream.

That same model has been picked up by Apple TV who, over the past two years, have secured details with smaller distribution companies (A24, Bleecker Street, Greenwick Entertainment) to create original content.  Their first major title is On the Rocks and it’s likely to attract attention given it stars Bill Murray and is written and directed by Sofia Coppola.  It’s their first big screen collaboration since 2003’s award winning Lost in Translation (as likeable today as it was back then).

Unfortunately, those expecting something the equal of Lost in Translation will be disappointed by this latest creation.  It’s a slight, less profound movie that lacks the humour and life-affirming messages that made their earlier film so memorable.  The crux of this tale revolves around trust and fidelity.  Laura (Jones), a mother with two daughters, suspects her husband (Wayans) is having an affair with a co-worker based on the limited amount of time he is spending at home.

Voicing these concerns to her alcohol-loving father, Felix (Murray), the pair team up and become quasi private detectives.  They look through his mobile phone, monitor his calendar, and drive around town following his late-night movements.  This could have been given the full dramatic treatment (ala Marriage Story) but Coppola has gone with a lighter touch.

For example, there’s a scene where Laura and Felix recklessly weave through the streets of Manhattan in a red Alfa Romeo (not exactly discreet) before sweet-talking a naïve police officer out of a dangerous driving fine.  It’s one of numerous sequences that feels clumsy, contrived and unoriginal.  It certainly doesn’t generate the laughs that Coppola would have been seeking.

Rashida Jones (The Office) and Bill Murray (Caddyshack) are both accomplished actors and whilst they are trying to illustrate the rocky relationship between father and daughter, it’s a challenge given the imperfect screenplay.  The most interesting cast member is Marlon Wayans (Requiem for a Dream) who, in a rare yet refreshing dramatic role, keeps you guessing as to his thoughts and intentions.

Culminating with a rushed, goofy moment in Mexico, On the Rocks is a weaker inclusion on Sofia Coppola’s otherwise strong resume.