The Walk

Heights scare the bejesus out of me. Let's get that out of the way early. I'll do roller coasters, I'll go up in skyscraper, and the upper upper deck at a baseball game doesn't do me in. But something about heights, it just gets me. So naturally 2015's The Walk seems a perfect fit for this guy, doesn't it? Putting aside my genuine fear, I still had to check it out!

Working on the streets of Paris in the early 1970's, 20-something Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a street performer who specializes in sleight of hand, magic, his mime-esque performances and above all, performing tricks on a rope he ties up and acts as a street-improvised "high-wire." He's worked for years to improve and become great as he performs his high wire act, but for several years now, he's had one huge dream. Philippe wants nothing more than to string a high-wire at the very top of the newly-built World Trade Center towers in New York City. It seems impossible for any number of reasons from the whole it's illegal to do it to the obvious and inherent dangers, but Philippe will hear none of it. He will get it done no matter the risks. Assembling a small crew of friends and accomplices to help him pull off his "coup," Philippe begins to put it all together, hopefully pulling off the impossible high-wire act.

I saw the trailer for this film from director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future trilogy, Forrest Gump) and was instantly hooked. The camera flies up the still under construction World Trade Center, finally revealing where it is at the top of the tower when a man walks out toward the ledge and proceeds to almost walk off, only to stop and balance off a steel beam. How about that for going for the jugular, huh? I must have seen the preview for Zemeckis' film each time I went and saw a new flick in theaters. Finding out it was based on a true story, I went into curiosity lockdown, not wanting to know what really happened on the World Trade Center in 1974. If you don't know already, I recommend doing the same. Go in with a clean slate and no knowledge of where 'Walk' is going.

So how does the finished product measure up against the impressive trailer? It's a good film, a very interesting story, but not one I loved. I liked it. In a way, 'Walk' is impressive because it is simply a story about a man trying to achieve his dream. Though there is a love interest, it isn't a love story. There's adventure, but it isn't an adventure film. It is a solid, well-told character study of a man -- Philippe Petit (<--- avoid="" don="" if="" nbsp="" p="" pesky="" spoilers="" t="" those="" want="" you="">
Long since removed from his Third Rock from the Sun days, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the best actors working out there. He dove headfirst into this role, both learning how to speak French and more importantly, to look like a competent high-wire walker. It is a performance bursting with energy, Petit coming to life with a glee for life, a stubbornness to do what others say he can't, and maybe an obsession. The French accent gets laid on a little thick at times, and through no fault of his own, the performance does hit some overdone moments, but I'll give credit. It is a very interesting part for a very talented actor. Petit is an artist who isn't doing his death-defying stunt for publicity or fame or money. He sees something beautiful and simply wants to do his act, do something profound and beautiful, while paying tribute to something so awe-inspiring as the towers of the World Trade Center.

The rest of the cast is solid, but nothing flashy. Charlotte Le Bon is Annie, Philippe's supportive girlfriend who begins to realize how truly driven her boyfriend is to accomplish the walk. Clement Sibony plays Jean-Louis, Philippe's closest friend, confidante in his "coup," and right-hand man in putting it all together. Oh, he's also the official photographer! Their motley crew of assistants and accomplices is headlined by the always solid James Badge Dale as J.P., a New Yorker with some connections, and Steve Valentine as Barry, the inside man working at the World Trade Center. The team also includes Cesar Domboy, Ben Schwartz and Benedict Samuel. And last but not least, Ben Kingsley is excellent in a supporting part as Papa Rudy, Philippe's mentor and teacher who tries to teach him all the ins and outs of being a high-wire performer.

Admission of guilt...I didn't see 'Walk' in 3-D. Maybe I should have. Why? Well, there's that whole walking between the World Trade Center towers scene....if you're into that sort of thing. It's an incredible sequence that really puts into perspective the absolute insanity of what Philippe is attempting to do. He can do everything humanly possible and still fail because the wind picks up, he loses focus, his equipment fails, any and all. The build-up can be a touch slow in the process getting to this point, but the high-wire finale is well worth the price of admission (3-D or not). My counter is that the actual build-up to the act is far better. What Philippe intends to do is HIGHLY ILLEGAL so it's not like he can just walk up to the still under-construction tower and do his thing.

The end result? An extended sequence of about 25-30 minutes of Philippe and his team of accomplices getting into place. It develops like a heist sequence and for me at least, was absolutely as intense and riveting as the actual high-wire act. A spectacle movie with some character and heart, it's a flick well worth catching up with. As for the 3-D, that's up to you. A good movie is a good movie regardless of where or how you see it.

The Walk (2015): ***/****

Forrest Gump

For some movies, it takes years for it to reach classic status, an accumulation of word of mouth, DVD sales, positive reviews. For others, it takes very little time, audiences flocking to see it in theaters like their lives depended on it. Released in 1994, Forrest Gump became an instant classic. Some 19 years later -- aaaahhhh! It's 19 years old!!! -- thanks to an insanely quotable script, great acting, and linear-story bending flashbacks and an almost non-stop replay on TV, it still is and still deserves its status.

Sitting on a park bench, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is waiting for his bus. A fellow waiting passenger sits down next to him, and Forrest strikes up a conversation. He starts to tell the story of his life dating back to all his childhood memories, all of them right up until the moment that brought him to this bus stop. Raised by a single mom, Mrs. Gump (Sally Field), in rural Alabama, Forrest has an IQ of just 75. He's not mentally challenged, just a little slow, but his lowish IQ isn't going to stop him. Growing up, he meets Jenny, a young girl from a broken home and instantly becomes friends. From kids to adults, Forrest wants nothing more than to be with Jenny (Robin Wright), but their lives seem to be on different paths. What does Forrest's hold? Living in one of the most turbulent times in American history, Forrest's life is destined to be a part of some of America's biggest historical events.

As I watched 'Forrest' last night, a terrifying thought raced through my head. How do I even begin to describe this movie's plot? It basically defies any one-paragraph description because it covers so much ground, introduces so many characters, and does so with a unique storytelling device. For the most part, the story is told via flashback, Forrest sitting on a park bench, talking to a variety of passengers over the course of a couple hours as he waits for his bus. The people come and go, but the story continues on. Then, in the last 30 minutes, Forrest's story takes a step forward as his reasoning for waiting for the bus comes to light. It is a unique device, but it works. The Oscar-winning script from Eric Roth is a gem, the flashbacks working flawlessly, not to mention some great asides -- Forrest's namesake, Lt. Dan's family's military "history" -- fitting in effortlessly. Throw in a soundtrack featuring music from The Doors to Jimi Hendrix and a whole lot of classic songs, and we've got quite the formula.

Where to start though? Well, I think Tom Hanks is a fair place to start. Coming off his Oscar win from 1993 for Philadelphia, Hanks followed it up with....another Oscar-winning performance. Hanks has a career of really good to great performances to his name, but for me, it's easy to peg this one as his best. It's remarkable what he does with the character, avoiding stereotypes and cliches in bringing Forrest to life. He gives him all these great little mannerisms from a walk to putting his hands high on his hips, his very pronounced speech patterns to his little, quick moves that you pick up on multiple viewings. Forrest's IQ is just 75, but he's not mentally challenged in the least. He is smart in many ways, but he's also fiercely loyal, honest to a fault and takes life in stride no matter what's thrown at him. Hanks is phenomenal. His line deliveries are perfect, his inflections bringing these lines to life with that perfect Southern drawl. It has to be one of the most beloved characters in film history, and Hanks deserves every single accolade he got for the part.

Without a doubt, this is Hanks' movie, but part of the fun and enjoyment is meeting all the people that Forrest meets in his life. Wright does a fine job as the love of Forrest's life, Jenny, a young woman who explores all the 1960s and 1970s can offer, sex, drugs and everything in between. With repeated viewings, I've come to like Jenny less and less -- Forrest deserves far better - but Wright makes the character a human being, commendable in itself. Field too is perfect, the ideal mother, a woman who does anything she can to provide for her son. Gary Sinise delivers a career-making performance as Lt. Dan Taylor, Forrest's commanding officer in Vietnam, a relationship that goes far beyond the battlefield. Mykelti Williamson does just the same as Benjamin Buford Blue, or simply, Bubba, Forrest's best friend he meets in basic training before heading to Vietnam together. Also look for a very young Haley Joel Osment (just six years old) in a key supporting role late in the movie.

What's remarkable about the story is how much ground in terms of character development and actual years it covers. Forrest is born in the late 1940s in Alabama so he grows up in the midst of the Civil Rights movement as the deep south goes through the definition of turbulent time. The story is obviously pretty episodic, following Forrest through all the different parts of his life. At different points, he goes to the University of Alabama as a football star, heads to Vietnam as a rifleman in the infantry, develops into one of the world's best ping pong players, becomes a shrimping boat captain, and runs across the United States multiple times among many other smaller things. He meets multiple presents including JFK and Nixon while also being involved in the Watergate scandal, the desegregation at the University of Alabama and meets everyone from a young Elvis Presley to John Lennon. Some cool CGI techniques actually insert Forrest into some footage from the 60s/70s, giving it all a sense of reality and authenticity as the years pass.

It has to be mentioned that this is a script that helped turn 'Forrest' into one of the most quotable movies of all time. Director Robert Zemeckis -- winner of the Oscar's best director that year -- has a gem, a movie with countless memorable scenes. Ask anyone who's seen this movie, and no doubt they can recite at least a handful of lines. Everything from 'Run, Forrest, rrrrrrun!' to 'Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get,' 'My name is Forrest, Forrest Gump' to 'That's all I have to say about that' and everything in between. It works and flows from scene to scene, unifying an episodic story that runs an always entertaining 142-minutes. The story never drags and instead races by, the two-plus hours going by in a flash.

Above all else, I keep coming back to Hanks' performance as Forrest Gump. I rewatched this movie in one viewing recently for the first time in years, and I liked the performance more than ever. He holds all the story together, drama, human emotion good and bad, action, comedy, romance, unifying it all. Forrest has a scene late with Wright's Jenny, talking about all the beauty the world has to offer, a sunset at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, the rain letting up in the Vietnam night, the sun rising in the desert mountains. He talks about the purpose of life, drifting along without a purpose or working toward a destiny. Forrest reasons that maybe life is somewhere in between, finding your own path. It's a beautiful monologue, perfect in its simple honesty. That's the movie. A moving, very emotional, very funny story with great performances and too many great moments to mention.

Forrest Gump (1994): ****/****

Flight

Released in theaters in November 2012, director Robert Zemeckis' film Flight has generated all sorts of positive buzz. It received almost uniformly glowing reviews, and star Denzel Washington has earned a Best Actor nomination for his lead performance. It's a decent enough film, but seriously....did I miss something? I came away hugely disappointed, even bored, with this one.

A longtime pilot, Captain Whit Whittaker (Washington) heads to the Orland airport to pilot a quick flight from Orlando to Atlanta, barely in the air for an hour. But as the flight nears its destination, Whittaker's co-pilot (Brian Geraghty) freaks out when the plane's controls go dead in his hand. Whittaker calmly tries to right the ship, but nothing he do seems to help, especially when the airliner starts to nose dive straight down to the Earth. With time running out, Whittaker does save the day, controlling the plane and turning it so he's actually flying upside down. He puts the plane down in a field, and 96 of 102 people onboard make it through the horrific incident. Whittaker is a hero, or is he? A toxicology report says otherwise, and an investigation reveals a much deeper, darker side to the supposedly heroic Captain Whittaker.

I'm vastly disappointed that I have to say I was hugely disappointed with this film. The combination of Washington, Zemeckis and a strong supporting cast seemed like it would be all I needed to go along with this one. So what happened somewhere along the road? I'm not quite sure. The best I can come up with is that I don't really know the point of the movie. I don't know what Zemeckis and screenwriter John Gatins are trying to say. The movie clocks in at 138 minutes, and we get our money's worth. It feels long, very long. The story isn't quite episodic, but that's only because nothing really happens. We see Whittaker talk to a long list of people, all in hopes of figuring out his own fate and involvement with the crash. There are some truly dumb transitions, plot twists and turns that are horrifically stupid, but the story needs them to happen. That's never a good reason. Dumb rarely helps a smart movie.

All I can come up with as to Zemeckis and Gatins' intentions is a character study of a truly unpleasant, very dark, flawed individual. Washington has done dark before, but nothing quite like this. His Whit Whittaker is one of his most easily hated characters. SPOILERS STOP READING SPOILERS Whit is addicted to all sorts of drugs and is a functioning alcoholic. He flies the plane drunk and with drugs in his system, most notably cocaine. Was it his fault? No, it was a mechanical issue, but how can anyone trust him? Does he want anyone to trust him END OF SPOILERS KEEP ON READING I don't need a main character to be 100% sympathetic -- I love dark main characters -- but here, I was actually rooting against Whit. He is offered help by everyone around him, and still he refuses. It's a decent enough performance from Washington, but Oscar nomination worthy? I think not.

Where the movie doesn't fall short is in the supporting cast. Bruce Greenwood plays Charlie Anderson, the pilots' union representative working closely with Whit as the crash investigation grows. Don Cheadle plays Hugh Lang, a top-level lawyer who knows every nook and cranny, and he's going to use all of them to help get Whit off unscathed. I liked both performances a lot, two men genuinely trying to help Whit even though they're rebuffed at every opportunity. John Goodman hams it up as Harling Mays, Whit's drug supplier, who is around for three quick scenes. Along with Geraghty, Nadine Velazquez and Tamara Tunie play two of the flight attendants on the doomed flight. Kelly Reilly plays Nicole, a woman in her late 20s struggling with drug addiction who meets Whit following the crash. And last, Melissa Leo plays Ellen Block, the head of the NTSB investigating committee.  

Is the point of the movie to show a truly flawed, not particularly likable character like Washington's Whit Whittaker? I feel like there should have been more going on than just that. Flaws are interesting, but alcoholism doesn't translate well in the interesting department. Similar to Days of Wine and Roses, it isn't appealing in the least to watch an individual keep regressing into their own inner demons. How many times can we see the same thing before it gets repetitive? I was intrigued by Whittaker, but that's all. I was never truly into the character, the film, or the story. His budding relationship with Reilly's Nicole doesn't go anywhere and drags down an already slow-moving story.

Some scenes do work. The opening plane crash sequence is startling and unsettling, but it doesn't come as much of a surprise. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen it. Just the same, the image of Whit's plane flying upside down is an amazing visual to watch. As well, the final scenes at the NTSB hearing are solid as Whit is interrogated, his inner demons torturing him as he decides how much to admit to. The build-up to those scenes feature some of those awfully dumb twists that come across as unnecessary. I just don't know. Almost all the reviews were positive, but I just didn't like this film enough to recommend it. Very disappointing.

Flight (2012): ** 1/2 /****