[Review] Tallulah

Written and directed by Sian Heder, Tallulah is an impressively well-wrought dramedy about a taken baby. As warm as it is poignant, this must-see Netflix Original film highlights a couple of magnificent performances from Ellen Page and Allison Janney (who were daughter and stepmom in Juno).

Tallulah "Lu" (Page) is a young vagrant living out of an old van. One day, she happens upon a neglected toddler and decides to nab her away from her alcoholic mess of a mother (Tammy Blanchard). With no parenting experience (or money), Lu enlists the help of an unlikely subject--her ex-boyfriend's mother Margo (Janney), who's dealing with some problems of her own.

The narrative avoids going the madcap screwball route and anchors itself in a genuinely dramatic tone that still leaves room for a good amount of comedy. As expected, Lu becomes immensely attached the baby. "Isn't she just the weirdest coolest thing you've ever seen?" But of course--heavy conflicts and legal obstacles loom as the "MISSING BABY" headlines begin hitting the news.

Ellen Page is absolutely fantastic in this, immediately embodying Lu with dimension, sympathy, complicated humanity, and a blunt sense of humor. Allison Janney is great too, entering full serious mode--miserable, stressed, and assertive with an underlying soft spot. The two of them shine together on screen as Lu and Margo clash and bond and go through emotional whirlwinds.

Along with diving into a sudden bout of parenthood (like, extremely sudden), Tallulah is a bittersweet display of interesting and richly-developed characters going through hard times and hoping to turn their situations around. In an always pleasant trait, the film even breathes life into the secondary characters, whether it's the apartment doorman (Felix Solis) or the case's social worker (Uzo Aduba, "Orange Is the New Black"). The film has difficulty resolving things and it leaves a couple of loose ends, but sometimes that's the nature of a story like this. In many ways it reminded me of the Oscar-winning South African film Tsotsi.

Anyway, go watch Tallulah. Actually, watch Tsotsi too. Right now.

( 8/10 )

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[Review] Morgan

In his directorial debut, Luke Scott (Ridley's son) crafts Morgan, an artificial intelligence based sci-fi flick that's an awful lot like last year's brilliant Ex Machina but with less complexity, style, and intrigue. It's like the film showed up late to the party wearing the same thing as someone else.

Lee (Kate Mara) is a high-profile troubleshooter tasked with investigating an "accident" that occurred within a top-secret lab that's housing a bioengineered child who goes by Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy, great in The Witch). And by "accident" I mean Morgan snapped out and stabbed someone in the eyeball. After a full assessment, Lee will be faced with the decision to spare or terminate Morgan.

Early on, the film drops enough exposition on you to make your own brain malfunction. The tone is glacial, detached. and frankly boring. Fortunately, things get a boost when an ornery doctor played by Paul Giamatti enters to perform a psych evaluation, which allows Giamatti's intense acting chops to go face-to-face with the eerie and unhinged Morgan. It still can't help but feel like Ex Machina déjà vu, but at least we get to hear Giamatti repeatedly yell "SHOW ME HOW YOU FEEL!"

In addition to the Giamatti scene, Anya Taylor-Joy is virtually the only other player that keeps this film from being a throwaway. She injects a certain vulnerability and heart into Morgan, rendering the being as more dimensional and human than the actual humans (perhaps by design). Taylor-Joy is definitely a major talent. Boyd Holbrook (Gone Girl, "Narcos") is completely wasted. And "Game of Thrones" alum Rose "You know nothing Jon Snow" Leslie is as bland as can be in this.

The narrative fails to present any unique dilemmas or deliver any new ideas or payoffs. Instead, it warps into a blur of choppy action and experiment-gone-wrong tropes. That said, it isn't the worst thing in the world to watch Morgan go around and beat the living crap out of people.

( 6/10 )

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[Review] Sully

Sully sees Tom Hanks teaming up with director Clint Eastwood for a retelling of the "Miracle on the Hudson". Like many people, I had my reservations about this film. Given that this was such a recent and well-covered story, what more is there to say? Is there any aspect of suspense or surprise? And considering that Captain Sullenberg is widely recognized as a hero for safely landing a damaged plane in a river where all 155 passengers survived with minimal injury, why is the dude getting grilled in the notably drab trailer? Well, it turns out that the film actually does a so-so job of diving into the behind-the-media drama, and an even better one at portraying the landing and rescue mission.

Early on we meet the humble and dedicated Sully (Hanks), as well as his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles (Aaron Eckhart). The non-linear narrative alternates between three periods: The events leading up to the flight, the actual flight & water landing, and the aftermath involving an NTSB investigation that insists Sully had better options--which puts his reputation, career, and peace of mind in jeopardy.

The procedural stuff does feel a lot like the 2012's Flight but without the alcohol. And it's frustrating (by design), as the film attempts to place doubts in our heads (and Sully's) about the Captain's decision while the investigators relentlessly try to blame him for something... anything. At one point I was just waiting for Tom Hanks to yell "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Of course, the film is at its most compelling during the second half when we begin to meet the Flight 1549 passengers and witness the intense, highly detailed, and well-executed sequence of the remarkable landing.

It's no surprise that Tom Hanks is solid as Sully, but it isn't a role that quite screams *Oscar nomination* like 2013's Captain Phillips. Hanks and Eckhart do make a good duo though, and their mustache game is strong here. Thematically, the film celebrates the valiant effort of many different people coming together and doing their best to avoid a tragedy. There's also a bit of commentary on the computer simulation vs human element, along with some hints at post-9/11 fears. What went through onlookers' minds when they saw another low-flying plane cruising through the city?

The film would've been a complete drag had it pushed toward two hours, but thankfully it clocks in at about 96 minutes, which is crucial because it doesn't go too overboard on the padding. However, the phone calls between Sully and his wife (played by Laura Linney) come off as really generic, and the series of after-climax scenes play more like a redundant recap than a smooth resolution.

So, despite some clunkiness, Sully is a fairly serviceable based-on-real-events tale that could've ended up a lot worse.

( 7.5/10 )

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[Review] Don't Think Twice

Brilliant comedian, performer, and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia gave us the deeply personal one-man show turned feature film Sleepwalk With Me in 2012. He follows that up with Don't Think Twice, an improv-themed comedy that will make your belly jiggle and your heart sink.

The story revolves around an improv group called the Commune, comprised of very funny and neurotic souls: Miles (Birbiglia), Jack (Keegan-Michael Key), Samantha (Gillian Jacobs), Allison (Kate Micucci), Lindsay (Tami Sagher), and Bill (Chris Gethard). Things get shaken up when Jack (the group's standout) lands a gig with "Weekend Live" (a stand-in for "Saturday Night Live").

First of all, this film is hilarious. As you'd expect, the script (or non-script) is filled with some killer comedy, whether its within the sketch scenes or the narrative itself. The laughs-per-minute volumes are high, and the humor is biting, fresh, well-seasoned, and inspired. It contains that magical energy that occurs when a bunch of quick-witted people are in the same room together. But there's also pathos mixed in with it all, especially during the story's second half. The troupe should be happy for their comrade's success, right? Well, given the group's own individual aspirations and tight-knit team mentality, it's only natural that tensions, insecurities, self-doubt, and jealousy arise. Birbiglia tackles these conflicts with uncomfortable observations and unflinching insights. It's honest. It's human.

What happens when your collaborator moves onto bigger and better things and you're left in the dust? What happens when your understudy surpasses you and gets what you've been trying to achieve your entire life? What happens when you've faced rejection so many times that you're forced to confront the idea of your passion coming to an end? What happens when you run out of material?

It's quite depressing, really. But the sympathy isn't a one-way street here. I mean, we can't hate on Jack for rising up and accomplishing his dreams. He faces problems of his own, too. There's the spotlight pressures of staying afloat in the cutthroat entertainment industry and not blowing his opportunity on a primetime stage. And though he'd like to share a piece of the pie with the crew he came up with--it's not that easy. "Just focus on not getting fired this first year," the producer tells him.

The cast is terrific across the board, and the ensemble of characters are nicely developed, even considering the film's brief 90-minute runtime. The charismatic Keegan-Michael Key shines as the group's emerging star (the Obama impression is always on-point). Mike Birbigs holds it down with his underlying anxieties and the bitterness of someone whose window for a big break is narrowing while his general direction in life is uncertain, especially as he approaches 40. Gillian Jacobs is great during the sketches and gives a show-stopping monologue during the film's catharsis.

Don't Think Twice is a definitive depiction of the improv world, as well as a touching look at ambition and desperation, success and failure. It's amusing how it shares many of the same themes and truths as this year's uproarious Lonely Island showcase Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. It's also true that these two films happen to be the best comedies of 2016. I'm not joking.

* 9/10 *

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[Review] The Fits

Anna Rose Homer makes a striking directorial debut with The Fits, a unique and difficult-to-categorize psychological drama about adolescence, seen through the eyes of a young girl.

11-year-old Toni (Royalty Hightower) is a confident and athletic boxer. One day at the rec center, she glimpses upon a dance drill class and decides to join the squad. Seems like a typical coming-of-age competition flick, right? Wrong. Things get real weird when Toni's teammates sporadically begin to have seizure-like fainting spells in a pretty dramatic and contorting manner.

It's strange, mysterious, and ambiguous. What exactly is causing these episodes? Unsafe water?Cooties? It Follows but for kids? Puberty hysteria? ("It's pretty much happening to all the older girls.") A metaphor for the first period? ("It hasn't happened to any of the boys.") The latter two are my guess. But even those doesn't fully fit, because the teachers aren't even sure what's going on. That said, all the adults in this film are relegated to the peripheral, sometimes even blurred or chopped out. If it weren't for their clear voices, it'd be the equivalent of the grownups in "Charlie Brown".

Every frame is exquisitely shot, radiating with lyrical verve--kinetic and poetic. The film is minimal with dialogue, and instead takes a quiet, naturalistic, observational approach of curiosity. What initially appears to be a run-of-the-mill rec center, takes on a singular magical realism quality, while the sound design still intently captures the grit of all the echoed claps, steps, bounces, and punches.

A few scenes in the The Fits don't really push the story forward and they can come off as a bit repetitive, even given the whoppingly short 71-minute runtime. And the film might just be too lo-fi and abstruse for some audiences. But either way, Anna Rose Homer and Royalty Hightower are names that we'll probably be seeing more of in the future.

( 7.5/10 )

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