Hail, Caesar!

Have you heard the name Eddie Mannix? I hadn't. He worked in the film industry for years as a "fixer," making problems go away for Hollywood studios with its stars, productions and films so everything ran as smoothly as possible. A natural idea for a feature flick, right? You bet. Here's the latest from the Coen brothers, 2016's Hail, Caesar!

Working for a major Hollywood film studio in the early 1950's, fixer Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is good at what he does. No, he's great. If a problem comes up with a movie in production or the studio's stable of stars, Eddie pulls some strings, pays off this guy, massages this situation...and poof, it's gone! Well, there's a pretty big problem. One of the biggest stars on the lot, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), has gone missing with no trace. Baird is starring in the studio's blockbuster biblical epic in the lead role and every hour he's missing is costing oodles of money. No one's quite sure what happened until Eddie receives a ransom note demanding $100,000 for a group called 'The Future.' What to do? Eddie gets the money from the studio to pay them off, but that's just the start of his problems as all sorts of drama appears around the studio lots.

The idea for this film dates back to the early 2000's when the brother director duo, Joel and Ethan Coen, originally intended to do a like-minded film set in the 1920's about a play based in biblical times. It sat around for years before the brothers finally tackled it again and here's the finished product. The Coen brothers and their films can be an acquired, oddball taste so here's a quick moral of the story. If you like their previous movies (especially their comedies), you'll like/love 'Hail.' If not, it's probably more of a mixed bag.

What appealed to me most about this film was the absolute love the Coen brothers have for film and movie history. 'Hail' is set in Hollywood's Golden Age of Film when studios ran things with an iron fist, where stars were owned by said studios, and America was still (well, mostly so) innocent and naive. Even when they're having fun in quasi-spoof form, there is evident love of the history of film everywhere. Much of it -- as the Coens are known for -- is snappy, knowing dialogue throughout, brief asides, seemingly throwaway lines, underplayed deliveries that pay huge dividends. It's also the look of the film with cinematographer Roger Deakins (he's kinda good) giving the story a distinct visual look that changes from scene-to-scene in a good way. The same for Carter Burwell's score (another Coen favorite) that is able to delicately bounce among genres from epic to western, heavy drama to musicals.

In basically a complete departure from his previous pairing with the Coens, No Country for Old Men (he also worked with them in True Grit), Josh Brolin gets to play the straight man through all the lunacy and craziness as studio fixer Eddie Mannix. Oh, and he still manages to get some laughs along the way. He's the heart of the movie, the baseline it always comes back to. It's fun watching him navigate one perilous situation after another seamlessly, always knowing what to do, how to fix it and most importantly, how to spin it. The most important part of the character? It is something that reflects the general tone of the movie. Through all the craziness thrown his way, Eddie loves movies and what they represent to audiences. Maybe all the drama and long hours he goes through wouldn't be worth it to many people, but Eddie Mannix loves films and the feelings they can produce in its audiences. A bit of a thankless part but one Brolin manages to make his own.

The movie as a whole is more of an ensemble though. Brolin's Eddie is the point man, navigating us through one studio situation after another. The biggest focus goes to that actor named George Clooney who you may have heard of. His Baird Whitlock is a great character, a bit of a doof, a pretty actor, and a tad on the naive side. I don't want to give away who/what kidnapped him, but it provides some truly funny moments as Baird gets duped into the plan. As for the rest of the ensemble, there's Scarlett Johansson in Esther Williams mode, Ralph Fiennes as an English director of spectacle films, Channing Tatum in Gene Kelly mode, Tilda Swinton in dueling roles as twin sister gossip columnists, Frances McDormand as a mousy film editor, and Jonah Hill as an accountant of sorts who helps the studio get themselves out of a variety of different jams. These are all smaller parts though so don't expect it to be a Channing Tatum movie or Scarlett Johansson movie. These are the definition of supporting parts.

By far though, the best performance here goes to Alden Ehrenreich as Hobie Doyle, a star of B-westerns in the vein of Gene Autry/Hopalong Cassidy/Roy Rogers. A man of few words on-screen, Hobie is forced to take part in a very distinguished, high-class film -- directed by Fiennes -- that...well, makes him talk. What a hilarious character, and it works so well because Hobie seems like such a genuinely nice young actor, especially on his date with a Carmen Miranda-inspired actress (Veronica Osorio). There's not much meanness in Hobie, just a nice guy thrust into some Hollywood dramatics. His enunciation scene with Fiennes is sublimely perfect and perfectly underplayed. No matter who he's on-screen with, Ehrenreich steals those scenes and makes it look easy as he does it.

The ensemble leans toward a story with more moments than a linear plot. 'Hail' has all these great singular moments that work exceptionally well. Mannix sitting down with representatives of different churches to see if their prestige biblical epic is God-approved is priceless. Tatum's "On the Town" dance scene is ripe with innuendos and judged solely as a choreographed dance scene, a treat to watch. Johansson's swim scene looks ripped out of an Esther Williams movie, albeit with a great twist as a capper. The movie is full of these memorable moments from one scene to another that makes it fun to see where things will go next, regardless of a less than pointed, linear story. The Coen brothers script and a remarkably talented cast holds it all together and then some.

Fair warning, it will probably help your enjoyment here if you have some knowledge of Hollywood and film history. 'Hail' isn't necessarily a laugh out loud comedy. It gets its laughs from a sly line here, a clever reference there, a line inflection that brings that line to life. If you're a fan of film and movies in general, the guts and business of making those movies, Hail, Caesar! is for you. It isn't doing so hot in theaters, but I absolutely loved it. Highly recommended!

Hail, Caesar! (2016): *** 1/2 /****

Moonrise Kingdom

One thing comes to mind when I hear director Wes Anderson's name. He is one quirky dude. With movies like Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic, he's created a niche for himself in the smart (usually), quirky comedy department. That generally off-the-wall, unique humor can be dividing among viewers so head into 2012's Moonrise Kingdom knowing what you're getting into.

It's 1965 on a small New England island called New Penzance and a major storm is rolling in, and in more ways than one. A Khaki scout camping with his troop, 12-year old Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) is a bit of an odd duck, and now he's up to something. One night, he escapes from the troop at Camp Ivanhoe, forcing Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton), to start searching for him. Sam isn't alone though. He's running away with 12-year old Suzy (Kara Hayward), the oldest daughter in a family with three younger brothers and two lawyer parents. The whole island scrambles to find them, but what are the two pre-teens up to, and where do they hope to get?

Watching an Anderson film, you really, really need to know what you're watching. The comedy is so ridiculously underplayed and understated that you've really got to pay attention to every line, every delivery and facial reaction or you're going to miss something. It's quirky humor with style though. Anderson's camera is pretty stationary, rarely moving into the action, shooting the film almost like a stage play, occasionally moving in for a close-up. Setting the story here in 1965 adds to a quirky, retro style from the throwback clothes and cars to the general awesomeness of the 1960s (a documented scientific fact). It's a beautiful movie, full of colors that could make up paintings if need be. Get in rhythm with the style and generally kooky humor early, and things should fall into place for you.

Actors and actresses certainly like working with Anderson as a director because he continues to attract big names to his films. Along with Norton as Scout Master Randy, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, and Harvey Keitel (buried far down in the credits) and Anderson regulars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman round out the cast. There isn't a bad performance in the bunch. Willis especially stands out as Captain Sharp, Penzance's police officer, Schwartzman is a crazy scream as Cousin Ben, an older scout, and McDormand and Murray as Suzy's parents working through some personal things. I won't list all the names, but Scout Master Randy's troop features some solid performances from some young actors while Suzy's brothers also have some funny moments.

The most quirky part of the story is definitely the teenage crush turned love that develops between Sam and Suzy, two pre-teens that find a common bond that brings them together. They're both loners, what most would consider weird to other kids their age (probably because they're wise beyond their ages), and they don't like what their lives are. Solution-oriented? Run away with plenty of supplies...on an island. While the duo is both obsessively quirky and appropriately odd, there's also a real charm to their relationship. Because neither is the accepted 'norm,' they must automatically be vastly different. Their runaway has some really funny moments, some truly odd and even unsettling moments, but it ends up being a good mix. Sam wears a coonskin cap, smokes a pipe, and is quite the Khaki scout in terms of skills. Suzy loves a French record given to her by her godmother, loves fantasy books, and always wears binoculars. How is that not a match made in heaven?

I think Anderson is a talented director who treads that fine line. He's really close to being too quirky, too cute, too disgustingly quirky even. There are times it tries too hard to be different in its humor. To his credit, Anderson seems to know when to tap the brakes as he approaches that fine line. There are moments he seems like he's losing it, but he regains control quickly. I don't mean it as a huge criticism -- he's very talented and a very good director -- but each of his movies have those moments that are just too odd for their own sake.

It's still a funny movie, worthwhile to check out for sure. When it works, it is clicking on all cylinders. Phone calls with a split screen are simple but effective. Norton's Scout Master exploring the camp with all its eccentricities is pretty perfect, as is the surreal scenes when Schwartzman arrives to help Sam and Suzy. Weird? Yes. Enjoyable? Oh, yes, that too.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012): ***/****

Miller's Crossing

Quirky, darkly funny, extremely violent, all trademarks of the films of the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan. You basically know what you're getting yourself into when you head into a Coen brothers film. While I've liked all their movies -- some more than others -- I've noticed a recurring trend. The movies? They're entertaining and technically? Pretty much perfect. But they often keep you at arm's length, forcing you to watch a story develop without having a huge interest or personal investment in the characters. Win-lose? That was my first thought on 1990's Miller's Crossing.

It's the Prohibition and in an unnamed city, Irish gangster Leo (Albert Finney) rules with an iron fist, his right-hand man, Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne), at his side. Leo's power is hanging in the balance though, Tom seeing that things can change with the snap of a finger. The hard-drinking, gambling Tom is caught in the middle and not helping matters by sleeping with Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), Leo's girl. While Leo tries to hold onto his power, an Italian gangster, Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito), is moving quickly to step into what he hopes will be a power void. Able to think things through easily, Tom concocts a plan to get out cleanly, but with so much on the line, nothing is going to be easy, and it's going to come at a bloody price.

In his 1990 review, Roger Ebert pointed out that 'Crossing' is the best of two worlds; a gangster pic with a film noir setting. At its best, it succeeds because of that. Made on a relatively small budget, it wreaks of authenticity (I mean that in the positive sense by the way) from the 1920s period authentic suits and hats to the classic cars to the weaponry. It feels like we've been dropped into a 1920s city about to be torn apart by a mob war. The look of the movie is incredible, dark colors and backgrounds, shadows everywhere hiding things as needed only to reveal secrets suddenly and shockingly. The heavily Irish-themed score  (listen HERE) from Carter Burwell is hit or miss, but when it works, it really works. I get it. 'Crossing' is a great movie to watch and revel in, enjoying it for all the elements that help make a movie a classic.

Yeah, that's right. Here comes the curveball. Why then do I feel so apathetic to the movie? It was a good movie, but it is missing that special something. The cast -- more on that later -- is immensely talented, the script full of witty banter, surprising, startling violence, and a twisting, turning story that only comes together late. But many reviews I read simply said "You should like this movie if not love it." Not many actually say why so in my head? I'm thinking people like this movie simply because they're told to. Yes, I know there's more to it than that. It's a cold movie, one that I enjoyed but didn't jump into head first. I wasn't particularly interested in any of the characters so as the story threw twists and turns at me, I wasn't surprised, shocked or even that interested. I hear reviewers say "It gets better on repeated viewings." To me, that sounds like a huge cop-out.

Now just because the characters aren't likable doesn't mean the performances aren't worth mentioning. A self-identified 'son of a bitch,' Byrne's Tom is the perfect anti-hero. He's a lead character who is nearly impossible to read, much less completely figure him out. I especially liked the brotherly, even father-son relationship, between Byrne and Finney's Leo. It's the longtime partner and the veteran crime boss, both very talented in their unique fields. Polito is a surprising scene-stealer as Caspar, the Italian (eye-talian according to the Irish) gangster caught up in a developing mob war, and Harden is an out of left field but dead-on pick for Verna, the femme fatale. John Turturro is appropriately slimy as Bernie, Verna's conniving brother, J.E. Freeman as Dane, Caspar's enforcer of sorts, Steve Buscemi as the weaselly Mink, and Mike Starr and Al Mancini as Caspar's on-the-street enforcers. Frances McDormand (the Mrs. Joel Coen) also has a small part as the Mayor's secretary.

Many of the usual Coen brothers touches are there. The violence isn't graphic, but it certainly jumps off the screen. A hit attempt gone wrong on Finney's Leo is a gem, the experienced Irish gangster blazing away with a stolen tommy gun, seemingly never reloading despite firing hundreds of rounds. The sound and visual is indescribable in this extended scene. For the most part, the touches are a little off though. Attempts at that very dark, even sinister, humor felt incredibly out of place and even forced at other times. Other scenes are just plain weird, like Caspar slapping his son for telling him what he had for lunch or a schlub boxer screaming like a little girl while someone else gets beaten. The story is pointed and knows where it wants to go so these outlandish attempts at the dark humor fell short for me.

I'll give credit where it's due though. Emotionally investing? Maybe not, but 'Crossing' is definitely an interesting movie. Many parts felt like the script was trying to tell us something, deliver a profound message. Symbolism is everywhere, leading many fans/viewers to make all sorts of crazy conclusions, many of them oddly related to whether all the male characters were gay. Tom's hat comes to take on a deeper meaning, but what exactly? I can't say I even have the vaguest notion. Maybe this is a movie that would drastically improve with repeat viewings, but while I moderately enjoyed it the first time, I don't see myself revisiting it very soon. I feel like I've been writing this a lot lately, but here it is again. Lots of potential, didn't quite live up to it for me.

Miller's Crossing <---trailer (1990): ** 1/2 /****

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

I'm not quite sure why I went to the midnight showing of Transformers: Dark of the Moon late last night/early this morning. It still seems ridiculous to pay $11 to see a movie regardless of how much I actually like going and seeing new movies (a lot by the way). The first Transformers movie was tolerable even if I didn't love it, and the sequel -- Revenge of the Fallen -- has to be one of the most painful experiences I've ever had in a movie theater. But here I sit having watched the third one, and who would have thought of this? I liked it.

No, I didn't love it, and I probably don't ever need to see it again, but for a one-time viewing I can admit it. I....actually....enjoyed.....a.....Transformers....movie. Wooo, it's almost therapeutic admitting that. Each movie in this trilogy at its best is a disposable summer blockbuster and epic that is supposed to entertain, excite and dazzle.  The master of everything extravagant, over the top and needlessly ridiculous, director Michael Bay actually tightens his final movie. Yes, some of the humor is still a little much, and as cool as the finale is, it does goes on for far too long. Compared to Revenge of the Fallen though, it's a masterpiece in filmmaking.

After teaming with Optimus Prime (voice of Peter Cullen) and the rest of the Autobots to save the world twice, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is struggling to adjust to adult life. He's living in Washington DC with his new girlfriend, Carly (Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), but he can't manage to find a decent job. He's thrust back into the battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons once again when Megatron (voice of Hugo Weaving) unleashes a plan that threatens to destroy the Earth. Dating back to the original Moon landing in 1969, the government has managed to keep a secret about this battle between factions. But now it threatens to tear the world apart. Trying to save Carly and teaming up with Bumblebee and the NEST team, Sam joins the fight in hopes of finding some way to defeat the seemingly impregnable Decepticons.

I'll say this now, and get it out of the way. This review is going to ramble some, but I'll do my best to keep it on point and somewhat focused....unlike the movie. At 157 very long minutes, this movie is just too long however you cut it. The first 90 minutes are surprisingly un-Michael Bay like with a minimum of action. To his credit, Bay pulls back the reins on the humor department, actually turning to some character development and surprise, surprise, some decent dialogue. Who would have thought of that? Still, there's too many characters, far too much going on at all times, and flaws galore, but I still found myself liking the movie in spite of its flaws.

Maybe the biggest surprise is how far LaBeouf has come from the first movie. By this second sequel, I found myself actually liking the character and rooting for him. The early parts of the movie actually humanize him a bit so you feel like rooting for him. Some of LaBeouf's acting eccentricities are still there, but they just work better here.  Whether it is his relationship with Carly or his feeling of loss not seeing Bumblebee, there is actual emotion in the script. It sounds so simple, but after the generally organized chaos of the first two movies, I'm stunned. Set the bar low enough and see what happens? Good things! He has a solid chemistry with the very beautiful, Barbie doll-like Huntington-Whiteley and manages to provide some of the movie's funnier moments as he copes with being an adult.

I can't explain it, but Bay is able to assemble some serious talent for his scripts that typically have 800 or 900 speaking parts. The best and newest additions to the trilogy were Frances McDormand as a CIA defense agent and John Malkovich as Sam's eccentric, partially crazy boss. Neither part requires either actor to do any heavy lifting, but both consumate professionals look to be having a lot of fun -- especially Malkovich. Patrick Dempsey joins the cast as Dylan, an extraordinarily rich businessman working with the Decepticons. Those are the best additions, but a majority of the cast returns too.  Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson return as Colonel Lennox -- leader of NEST -- and Epps, since retired from the unit but back to join the fight with Sam when needed. John Turturro gets to ham it up as since-retired special agent Simmons, but in a slightly more subdued way than 'Revenge.' A small part for Hangover star Ken Jeong is everything that's wrong with Bay, his sense of humor and his lowest common denominator for laughs while Alan Tudyk is a scene-stealer as Dutch, Simmon's assistant. Also a bonus, Sam's parents (Kevin Dunn and Julie White) are relegated to much smaller parts.    

Living in Chicago the last couple years, it was hard to miss Michael Bay and his production descend on the Windy City. News and media covered it extensively, and as a Chicagoan I was definitely looking forward to seeing how the city looked on the big screen.  It was worth the wait. I wasn't checking my watch, but I'm guessing at least the last hour takes place exclusively in downtown Chicago on Wacker Drive along the Chicago River. It is an orgy of action and CGI (superbly well-done by the way) that doesn't know when to quit, but it is something else to watch. Seeing the city torn to pieces was more than a little odd, but the combination of all these gigantic robots duking it out with Sam, Carly, Lennox, Epps and their teams maneuvering through the city is great. The action is top-notch that could have easily been edited/shortened, but I don't think either of those words is in Michael Bay's lexicon.

The movie certainly starts off on a high note as some history is explained, tying the first Moon landing in 1969 into the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons. It's that type of conspiracy theory that's absolutely ridiculous but is still a lot of fun to watch and just go along for the ride. 

Comparing the three movies there isn't/wasn't a huge difference among them so I'm struggling to put my finger on why I liked this movie. Some of it has to do with the on-location shooting in Chicago, some of it Bay actually toning things down, and even the cast making the most of an average script. Composer Steve Jablonsky turns in a solid, exciting and action-driven score, and Linkin Park adds their new song -- Iridescent -- to the soundtrack. The action is crazy, the CGI amazingly real, and even when I'd felt like I'd been sitting in the theaters for days watching the movie, I still enjoyed it. A classic it is not, but it is the definition of a summer blockbuster flick that goes perfect with a jug of popcorn. That's all I was looking for.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon <---trailer (2011): ***/****

Almost Famous

One thing that always drives me nuts is when people say "They don't make them like they used to." It usually drives me nuts because I've said it enough, and I realize I sound like a pretentious dolt when saying it.  You know, that feeling you get when you say "Yeah, I saw the movie, but the book was much better." I stand by that statement still.  So anyway, that's my lead in. I grew up listening to the classic rock groups, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, any number of other bands I'm forgetting as I write this at 2 in the morning. The late 1960s and early 1970s were a heyday for these great rock groups.

In one of the best examples I can think of that captures a time and an era in history, 2000's Almost Famous could serve as a blueprint for how to make a coming of age, rock and roll movie. For some reason, this movie slipped past me over the last 10 years, and I'm only now catching up with it.  Well worth the wait.  This is a movie that is a lot of things, doing all those things well.  It is a coming of age story. It's a fictional, almost documentary look at a fictional mid-level rock band in 1973. It is about friendships, relationships, love, maturing, and without sounding too incredibly cliched, just living life.

A highly intelligent high schooler and a huge fan of rock-n-roll, 15-year old William Miller (Patrick Fugit) has landed his dream job. After writing a few stories for an underground rock magazine, William is offered a job that pays $700, requiring him to write a story about mid-level and possibly up and coming rock band, Stillwater, as they go on their summer tour, the Almost Famous tour, in the spring of 1973. He's told to just write an honest story, write what he sees and hears.  William goes along with it, quickly being welcomed onto the tour by the group with open arms, especially lead guitarist Russell Hampton (Billy Crudup) and frontman Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee). He's not quite sure how to read the group though. Are they using him so he'll write a favorable story, or do they genuinely look at him as a friend? That's just a start for the teenager, who also falls madly in love with Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), not a groupie, but a band-aid. Can he figure it all out in time?

With just 10 titles to his name, director Cameron Crowe has nonetheless carved a name for himself in Hollywood with an ability to make very personable, very relateable stories. Above all else, that's where this movie succeeds, or at least for me it did. It is a coming of age story that doesn't smash you over the head with a message. William is a really smart kid, but he's also naive, impressionable, and just looking to be accepted, to be one of the group.  Fugit does a great job keeping this main character grounded in this turbulent world he's thrown into.  He is the viewer, experiencing all the craziness and trying to handle it all in stride.  Is he getting played, or is Stillwater genuinely looking out for him? Or could it be both?

Part of the fun was this quasi-documentary movie of a 1970s rock group and all the touring, the partying, the excess that was a part of everyday life for these musicians.  For one, the look of the movie is right, the bad haircuts, the even worse facial hair, the clothes, everything is right on target.  With this fictional band, we get an inside look at the inner workings of a moderately successful rock group, the in-fighting, the bonding, the performances that bring them all together.  Think of any episode of VH1's Behind the Music, and you've got the drama levels for the fictional Stillwater. The soundtrack is solid too, using plenty of 70s rock without overdoing it.  There's also some underplayed digs at Zeppelin, Bowie, Dylan, the Stones (especially Mick Jagger) that produce some good laughs.  It never goes too cliched though or too far down the spoof road, maintaining a level of seriousness through all the craziness.

Almost Famous is a good example of how great an ensemble cast can be when it's clicking on all cylinders, and Crowe gets winning performances out of the whole group. Crudup is the high point, the scene-stealer as Russell Hammond, Stillwater's lead guitarist and possible breakout star.  He's the one William is drawn to right away, and it's easy to see why. Crudup makes a character that would have been easy to hate incredibly personable.  Hudson earned an Oscar nomination for her Penny Lane part, the mysterious non-groupie searching for some sort of reality in her life whether she realizes it or not. Always a scene stealer herself, Frances McDormand is just that as William's mother, Elaine, trying to look out for her son while also allowing him to grow up on his own.  A favorite actor of mine, Philip Seymour Hoffman nails his small part as Lester Bangs, a rock journalist who ends up becoming a mentor to William in his adventures and how to handle the job.

Those are just some of the names from this incredibly deep cast.  Here's just a few more.  Lee plays Jeff Bebe, Stillwater lead singer who wavers between the money and the message, Zooey Deschanel as William's sister trying to rebel in her own way, Noah Taylor as Stillwater's on-tour manager, Anna Paquin and Fairzua Balk as two band-aid/groupies, and Jimmy Fallon as a manager sent out to help the group from the record company. I don't know what else to say. It's one of those movies that is just hard not to like.  It is an enjoyable story with drama and comedy, a great cast, a great soundtrack, and believable, interesting characters.  Hard to beat that combination.

Almost Famous <---trailer (2000): *** 1/2 /****       

Primal Fear

If a major movie in theaters or since released on DVD has a major twist, do you want to know about it going in?  Knowing a twist is coming can make viewing more enjoyable, more involving because you're trying to figure the twist out before the reveal.  On the other hand, going in blind to that knowledge can be just as enjoyable -- if not more -- because you're not worried about figuring the movie out.  You can just let the movie wash over you during viewing.  I go back and forth, but typically I like to be surprised.

Going into watching 1996's Primal Fear, I was quite aware there was a twist coming, and a good one at that.  A friend of mine is a huge fan of Edward Norton (making his screen debut) and said the movie was worth watching for his performance alone.  That twist toward the end? Just a cherry on top.  So with a knowledge that the movie was going to try to trick me in some way, I dove in.  It is a solid courtroom drama -- which I'm typically a sucker for anyway -- with a great cast, and an ending that does not disappoint.  At a certain point to me at least, it becomes fairly obvious where the twist is coming, and I was able to call it...to a certain degree at least.  No spoilers here though, I don't want to ruin it.

One of Chicago's best defense lawyers and more than that, one of the best defense lawyers anywhere, Martin Vail (Richard Gere) has a knack and an ability for getting high-profile clients an acquittal when it seems certain a lengthy jail sentence is heading their way.  Never one to shy away from major cases, Vail takes one that seems like a slam dunk for state district attorney Shaughnessy (John Mahoney) and his two assistants, Janet Venable (Laura Linney) and Bud Yancy (Terry O'Quinn). A 19-year old altar boy, Aaron Stampler (Norton) is accused of brutally murdering the archbishop.  But as Vail digs into the case and examines all the evidence, it seems the archbishop was involved in some deep, dark stuff that goes much deeper than he thought.

The courtroom drama is a movie genre all to itself, and more than that in TV shows, novels and theatrical plays.  When that drama is handled the right way, it can be a riveting experience watching two sides butt heads for the jury's expense.  'Primal' does everything a courtroom drama should and for that reason alone is worth watching if you like that type of movie.  The trial sequences are quick-moving and never drag, keeping you guessing at to Vail and opponent and former girlfriend Linda's intentions.  On top of that, playing a prosecutor or a defense attorney has to be a favorite for actors everywhere.  The camera is on them almost exclusively with nothing to distract them.

Lost in the quality of that drama and the story is what a good performance Gere turns in.  He's vain, egotistical, arrogant, a blatant self-promoter and one who never steps away from the limelight.  And you know what?  He's still likable.  It's easy to see why Gere's Vail is such a good lawyer.  He is charming, very intelligent and able to twist things to his own advantage no matter the odds stacked against him.  Linney matches Gere as his female counterpart in the courtroom, giving Linda a self-confident, sexy vibe.  The rest of the cast includes Frances McDormand as Molly, a psychiatrist brought in to examine Aaron, Alfre Woodward as Shoat, the presiding judge, Andre Braugher as Goodman, Vail's investigator, and Steven Bauer as Pinero, a high-ranking local hood who may or may not have more involvement in the case than he's letting on.

But making his screen debut, Norton is the surprise out of left field here.  Without giving it away, I can say the twist involves his character.  Working with huge talents like he does here, Norton still has a way of having all the attention focus on him.  Granted, hindsight is 20-20, but it's easy to see that he was destined to be a star, and it is a performance that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor (he somehow lost to Cuba Gooding Jr from Jerry Maguire).  His Aaron is a country boy from Kentucky trying to survive in the big city.  He's a naive young man who talks with a stutter and clearly has some personal demons from his past that he struggles to deal with.  A great performance that with Gere's carries the movie.

Beyond the acting and story, 'Primal' benefits from the on-location shooting in Chicago, and not just some of the more glamorous locations you might be used to seeing on film or in TV shows.  Some gritty locations add to the more realistic feel of the movie which is also added by a score from James Newton Howard that has a throwback feel to it, something out of a 40s film noir.  All these elements come together in this engrossing courtroom drama aided by a deep, strong cast and a solid story that keeps you guessing right till the end.

Primal Fear <---trailer (1996): ***/**** 

Burn After Reading

Over a career that's spanned 20-plus years and is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down, the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, have given movie fans a long list of often bizarre stories that are successful because of their weirdness. With movies like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Ladykillers, and Intolerable Cruelty, the brother directing combo has set a tone for their off-the-wall, extremely dark sense of humor. But of all their movies -- funny or serious -- my new favorite is 2008's Burn After Reading.

Imagine 2004's Crash as a model for this Coen brothers comedy where all the characters are somehow linked, although they don't even know about it. Their stories cross repeatedly in a story of extremely low-level political intrigue that ends up in murder and mayhem. Sounds hilarious, doesn't it? Working with such high quality directors like the Coens must appeal to big name actors because the cast assembled here is as pitch perfect as possible with several stars playing completely against type, their image that has helped make them stars.

A long-time analyst for the CIA Balkan desk, Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) is being reassigned because of a drinking problem which he may or may not have. Much to his wife's chagrin (Tilda Swinton), Osborne decides to write a memoir about his days in the CIA. After some early struggles, the disk with all of Osborne's files ends up in the very uncapable hands of two gym employees, Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand), a middle-aged woman who's decided she's gone as far as she can with this body and needs massive amounts of plastic surgery, and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), Linda's dimwitted friend who goes along with her plan for some reason. Thinking they've stumbled on to a jackpot, Linda and Chad attempt to blackmail Osborne into paying for his CD back. So starts events that snowball and gets much, much worse before they'll get better.

The first 30 minutes or so set the stage and introduce all the characters and because of that is somewhat slow. There's also Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), a U.S. marshal and generally pretty clueless guy who's having an affair with Cox's wife, and Ted (Richard Jenkins), the manager of the gym Linda and Chad work at who is also madly in love with Linda. The pace picks up quickly once they do find the CD, and it never really slows down from there. I'm not talking a chuckle here and there, I mean deep, guttural laughs from your stomach where you feel you're going to pee. It is as dark as dark humor can get, completely born out of the situation these idiotic characters have created for themselves.

While the whole cast is phenomenal, the star is Brad Pitt who has a supporting role and limited screentime as dimwitted but lovable Chad. Pitt has done comedy before, but nothing quite like this. He pulls off the physical humor -- Chad is always dancing with his ever-present IPOD never too far away -- and completely commits to looking like a dork. Here's a fan-made best of Chad moments. I hope Pitt continues with these against type comedic roles. That's not to say the rest of the cast isn't good, but Pitt steals the movie. Malkovich gets to play the straight man and is hilarious because he is playing it seriously. His Osborne Cox is just going through a rough patch that gets worse and worse every day. McDormand does not disappoint either as plastic surgery driven Linda.

What makes this all work (besides the absolute idiocy of the characters' reactions) is the commitment to making this a serious movie. There's no pandering to audiences with easy laughs or clues -- LAUGH NOW, THIS IS FUNNY! -- with the Coen brothers script building to these crazy moments, including one of the funniest scenes ever, a meeting between Chad and Osborne. Selling this all is a perfect score from composer Carter Burwell which sounds like something you'd hear in a political thriller and therefore is completely out of place. It works because it points out the ridiculousness of it all.

As for the last 30 minutes or the movie, think of Fargo's finale and you've got an idea of where this story is going. The bodies mount up and the paranoia grows as everyone assumes someone else is trying to turn them in. It builds to a great ending with J.K. Simmons and David Rasche as two CIA officers trying to figure out exactly what's happening (seen HERE, not the greatest quality). If you enjoy extremely dark comedy or are a fan of previous Coen movies, this one should be right up your alley.

Burn After Reading <----trailer (2008): ****/****