Last night I saw The Bookshop, starring Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson.
Florence (Mortimer) is a British widow who decides to take back her life after grieving her husband's death. She makes her dream of opening an independent bookshop a reality in the small village of Hardborough.
The town reacts positively to the shop, visiting in droves to buy forbidden titles such as Lolita. Florence also develops a friendship with a wealthy recluse (played by the always-great Bill Nighy) who has her send him as many Ray Bradbury titles as she can find.
Trouble brews when the town powerhouse, Mrs. Gamart (Clarkson), wants to use the building Florence opened the shop in for an arts center. Florence must decide whether or not it's worth it to deplete her resources and take on the legal battle, or let it be and move on.
Though the pace of the film is incredibly uneven, there are many enjoyable aspects to it. Watching Clarkson as a villainess is fun, as is seeing Nighy in a more understated role. Perhaps the most compelling touch is the fact the film's story is told like a book, complete with voiceover narrations and actors who behave like caricatures.
More importantly it's an assessment of the toxicity that can surface in communities when gossip and abuse of power rule.
See it for the performances, the ambiance and the satisfying twist ending.
~~~
Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Monday, September 02, 2013
Austenland
Today I saw Austenland, starring Keri Russell and Bret McKenzie.
Jane (Russell) is a single American girl, obsessed with the world of Jane Austen books. She has a cardboard cutout of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy next to her couch, boasts an Austen-themed bedroom and "takes tea" a lot more than normal Americans would.
Her boyfriends scoff at her distraction; her friends just want it to come to an end. She can't get enough of the culture, so she spends her life savings on a trip to Austenland, a theme park dedicated to immersing oneself into the world the author so famously created.
Upon arrival, Jane isn't as dazzled as she thought she'd be—because she only booked the basic experience, she sleeps in the servants quarters and wears gowns that aren't as extravagant as those of higher paying guests.
Becoming claustrophobic to the clutches of the dominant owner of the place, she soon seeks solace in her moments away with Martin (McKenzie), the "hired help" that becomes as enamored with her as she does with him. Or does he?
Because the actors on the land are supposed to offer a romantic experience to each attendee, Jane soon becomes confused about what is real and what isn't. The glamour of behaving like someone in a novel becomes less and less appealing as true feelings fight their way to the surface.
Sure, there are several cheesy moments throughout the film with flamboyant supporting characters and cleavage jokes, but at the end of it all, we're all there to see an Austen-esque ending, and that's exactly what we get.
Russell's charms carry the film without effort and if you're willing to hang on for the whole ride, you'll probably leave smiling.
~~~
Jane (Russell) is a single American girl, obsessed with the world of Jane Austen books. She has a cardboard cutout of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy next to her couch, boasts an Austen-themed bedroom and "takes tea" a lot more than normal Americans would.
Her boyfriends scoff at her distraction; her friends just want it to come to an end. She can't get enough of the culture, so she spends her life savings on a trip to Austenland, a theme park dedicated to immersing oneself into the world the author so famously created.
Upon arrival, Jane isn't as dazzled as she thought she'd be—because she only booked the basic experience, she sleeps in the servants quarters and wears gowns that aren't as extravagant as those of higher paying guests.
Becoming claustrophobic to the clutches of the dominant owner of the place, she soon seeks solace in her moments away with Martin (McKenzie), the "hired help" that becomes as enamored with her as she does with him. Or does he?
Because the actors on the land are supposed to offer a romantic experience to each attendee, Jane soon becomes confused about what is real and what isn't. The glamour of behaving like someone in a novel becomes less and less appealing as true feelings fight their way to the surface.
Sure, there are several cheesy moments throughout the film with flamboyant supporting characters and cleavage jokes, but at the end of it all, we're all there to see an Austen-esque ending, and that's exactly what we get.
Russell's charms carry the film without effort and if you're willing to hang on for the whole ride, you'll probably leave smiling.
~~~
Monday, January 05, 2009
The Reader
Tonight I saw The Reader, starring Kate Winslet and David Kross.
Based on the bestselling book by Bernard Schlink, the story begins in Germany when Michael (Kross) falls ill on the way home from high school and is found by Hanna (Winslet), an older woman who works on the local trains. She cleans him up and helps him to his home—a random act of kindness not soon forgotten by the boy, who returns three months later when he recovers to offer her flowers in gratitude.
One thing leads to another and the two become passionate lovers. However, it's not just an affair based on sex; it's a meaningful relationship filled with endless lovemaking that's precluded by the young man reading to his partner. Hence, the title.
Before I go any further, I'm in agreement that seeing a film where a woman in her mid-thirties teaches a teenage boy how to make love may seem embarrassing, but let me reassure you that the scenes between Winslet and Kross are incredibly tender, yet sensual, and do the original book every justice (note: I read it years ago and loved it, so I was prepared to be let down by the film). In fact, watching them act so convincingly makes you want to grab a lover and re-invent foreplay with a couple of classic novels. But I digress...
The lovers part before the boy becomes a man and he doesn't encounter Hanna again until he is a law student several years later, sitting in on a Nazi crime trial in which she is a defendant. It seems she was once an Auschwitz prison guard.
From there, the film is a collection of spoilers so I will tell the story no further, but I have to say that if this isn't the year Winslet takes home the Oscar, for this role, there is a conspiracy brewing in the Academy.
She is beyond phenomenal as a tough, yet tender woman following suit in life, making bad decisions she knows are wrong in her heart but is not wise enough to correct. The amount of acting Winslet does in her expressions would allow one to turn off the sound and still feel the gravity of the emotion in the film. I've liked her in every role I've seen her in, but I don't know that she's ever been this good.
Also wonderful is the young David Kross (so young in reality, they had to wait for his 18th birthday to shoot his graphic sex scenes with Winslet), who shows the right balance of innocence and pain as their lives unfold.
Finally, I never thought I'd envision the man who played the most convincingly horrific Nazi 14 years ago, turn the tides and be just as authentic as a citizen shocked by the brutality of the Holocaust. Bravo, Mr. Fiennes.
I can't think of many ways this story could've been told better—and that's why for me it ranks as one of the best films of 2008.
Based on the bestselling book by Bernard Schlink, the story begins in Germany when Michael (Kross) falls ill on the way home from high school and is found by Hanna (Winslet), an older woman who works on the local trains. She cleans him up and helps him to his home—a random act of kindness not soon forgotten by the boy, who returns three months later when he recovers to offer her flowers in gratitude.
One thing leads to another and the two become passionate lovers. However, it's not just an affair based on sex; it's a meaningful relationship filled with endless lovemaking that's precluded by the young man reading to his partner. Hence, the title.
Before I go any further, I'm in agreement that seeing a film where a woman in her mid-thirties teaches a teenage boy how to make love may seem embarrassing, but let me reassure you that the scenes between Winslet and Kross are incredibly tender, yet sensual, and do the original book every justice (note: I read it years ago and loved it, so I was prepared to be let down by the film). In fact, watching them act so convincingly makes you want to grab a lover and re-invent foreplay with a couple of classic novels. But I digress...
The lovers part before the boy becomes a man and he doesn't encounter Hanna again until he is a law student several years later, sitting in on a Nazi crime trial in which she is a defendant. It seems she was once an Auschwitz prison guard.
From there, the film is a collection of spoilers so I will tell the story no further, but I have to say that if this isn't the year Winslet takes home the Oscar, for this role, there is a conspiracy brewing in the Academy.
She is beyond phenomenal as a tough, yet tender woman following suit in life, making bad decisions she knows are wrong in her heart but is not wise enough to correct. The amount of acting Winslet does in her expressions would allow one to turn off the sound and still feel the gravity of the emotion in the film. I've liked her in every role I've seen her in, but I don't know that she's ever been this good.
Also wonderful is the young David Kross (so young in reality, they had to wait for his 18th birthday to shoot his graphic sex scenes with Winslet), who shows the right balance of innocence and pain as their lives unfold.
Finally, I never thought I'd envision the man who played the most convincingly horrific Nazi 14 years ago, turn the tides and be just as authentic as a citizen shocked by the brutality of the Holocaust. Bravo, Mr. Fiennes.
I can't think of many ways this story could've been told better—and that's why for me it ranks as one of the best films of 2008.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Starting Out in the Evening
Today I saw Starting Out in the Evening, starring Frank Langella and Lauren Ambrose.
The narrative takes us into the lives of washed-up novelist Leonard Shiller (Langella) and righteous graduate student Heather Wolf (Ambrose). Her mission seems to be resurrecting his career, while his goal is simply to finish his final book before dying. He is a senior citizen with heart problems; she is a twentysomething with a hungry heart.
It's inevitable that in the course of her spending time with him to complete her thesis (based on him) that these two will develop a chemistry. Thankfully, they do. It's what saves this film from being a completely predictable starry-eyed-girl-wants-crotchety-old-man bore.
Although Heather is slightly too righteous to be endearing, there are so many real people like her, I could look past her irritating nature. What's also great is the subplot of Leonard's daughter Ariel (played by the amazing Lili Taylor—Ambrose's former Six Feet Under co-star) and her inability to have a successful relationship.
The thing is, all of these characters seem to be making the choices they need to make for themselves as their lives intersect. Heather is persistent in her quest for information from Leonard (and in her sexual attraction to him), Leonard will only talk about the topics of his choosing and fights to focus on his writing. Ariel wrestles with feelings for two men in her life; neither who share her desire to have children.
These simple, yet interesting situations are all presented in a well-acted, well-written package with believable dialogue and character progression.
I'll confess to being alternately touched and disgusted by Leonard and Heather's love story, but I can't help but admit it felt real.
I also wouldn't be surprised if Langella and/or Taylor were nominated for their performances.
Nor would I be sorry if they won.
The narrative takes us into the lives of washed-up novelist Leonard Shiller (Langella) and righteous graduate student Heather Wolf (Ambrose). Her mission seems to be resurrecting his career, while his goal is simply to finish his final book before dying. He is a senior citizen with heart problems; she is a twentysomething with a hungry heart.
It's inevitable that in the course of her spending time with him to complete her thesis (based on him) that these two will develop a chemistry. Thankfully, they do. It's what saves this film from being a completely predictable starry-eyed-girl-wants-crotchety-old-man bore.
Although Heather is slightly too righteous to be endearing, there are so many real people like her, I could look past her irritating nature. What's also great is the subplot of Leonard's daughter Ariel (played by the amazing Lili Taylor—Ambrose's former Six Feet Under co-star) and her inability to have a successful relationship.
The thing is, all of these characters seem to be making the choices they need to make for themselves as their lives intersect. Heather is persistent in her quest for information from Leonard (and in her sexual attraction to him), Leonard will only talk about the topics of his choosing and fights to focus on his writing. Ariel wrestles with feelings for two men in her life; neither who share her desire to have children.
These simple, yet interesting situations are all presented in a well-acted, well-written package with believable dialogue and character progression.
I'll confess to being alternately touched and disgusted by Leonard and Heather's love story, but I can't help but admit it felt real.
I also wouldn't be surprised if Langella and/or Taylor were nominated for their performances.
Nor would I be sorry if they won.
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