The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Gone Girl

Movies provide a familiar comfort for me, even if the subject matter isn’t warm and fuzzy. Thrillers in particular give me a nice buzz of excitement, and they’re my favorite. When I saw the trailer for Gone Girl, I was drawn in by the promise of a suspenseful thriller and thought: my kind of movie. David Fincher has been one of my favorite directors for a long time. From Se7en and Panic Room to his remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher has proven time and again that he’s a 21st century master of suspense – no disrespect to the late great Alfred Hitchcock. With Gone Girl, he’s simply outdone himself.

I hadn’t read Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, and I went in to the movie ‘cold.’ My opinions are solely based on Fincher’s dramatic interpretation and Flynn’s adapted screenplay. Fincher masterfully manipulated the viewer’s emotions by crafting a very specific perception of the main characters and in the sequential narrative he wanted to tell. The movie opens with no pretense, quickly establishing the essential plot. It’s the day after Independence Day, and Nick Dunne’s wife Amy (Rosamund Pike, The World’s End) has gone missing. Nick (Ben Affleck, Runner Runner) and his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon, The Leftovers) don’t seem too broken up about her disappearance, though people admittedly express grief and anxiety in different ways. Nick does the “right” things after noticing signs of a struggle at their home by informing the authorities, and he co-operates with their investigation, at least initially.

As the film unfolds, my opinion of Nick began to shift – and this was a testament to an outstanding screenplay from Flynn and flawless direction from Fincher. While people grieve differently, at some point the shock wears off and real emotions come out. That never happened with Nick, and I assumed that he must’ve had something to do with his wife’s disappearance. Circumstantial evidence mounted, and it was apparent from minute one that Nick and Amy weren’t happy. Juxtaposed with current happenings were narrative excerpts from Amy’s diary, and these musings were dramatized through flashbacks. We see how Nick and Amy first met, and witness the undeniable chemistry they once shared. We know that something changed along the way, but for the longest time we don’t know how or when. Nick sure looks guilty, but things aren’t always what they seem.

A movie rife with mystery and twists such as this needn’t be spoiled, so I’ll leave the plot synopsis where it stands. I’ve lauded the writing and direction, but the performances were similarly excellent. For whatever reason (maybe it’s the memory of J. Lo and Gigli), most people don’t think much of Ben Affleck. But I think he’s extremely talented behind the camera (The Town) and in front of it as well. His initial aloofness was contemptible, but as the plot unfolded he became a sympathetic character, and his performance was unwavering. But the real linchpin of this movie was Pike, whose veneer of warmth belied an icy core. Her versatility and depth were impeccably nuanced, and she was a revelation. Even Tyler Perry was impressive as Nick’s shrewd defense attorney. Carrie Coon also made the most of her supporting role, and the entire cast was perfect, from top to bottom. I’ve talked to a couple of people who didn’t like the ending, but for me – a resolution doesn’t have to be popular to be effective. What more can I say? Make this the next movie you see. Grade: A

Side Effects

Known as the “master of suspense,” Alfred Hitchcock is considered a true pioneer of the contemporary thriller.  He popularized the idea of the “femme fatale,” a woman whose beguiling attributes rendered men helpless, often with deadly consequences.  So, when someone references Hitchcock or describes a film as “Hitchcockian,” I’m curious to see the supposed hallmarks of one of my favorite directors.  When I heard one of the stars of the new movie Side Effects describe it as reminiscent of Hitchcock – I was convinced to give it a look.

Side Effects is Steven Soderbergh’s (Contagion, Magic Mike) latest addition to a prolific career.  I’m a fan of his slick cinematography and the occasional languid feel of some of his movies, and Side Effects was no exception.  The movie features Channing Tatum (The Vow, Magic Mike) and Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), as Martin and Emily Taylor, a young couple trying to rebuild their lives after Martin’s release from prison for insider trading.  Separated for five years, the couple is eager to reunite, and they seem very loving and loyal to each other.  Emily appears devoted, having stood by Martin during his fall from grace.  However, soon after his release Emily falls into an inexplicable depression.  I suppose some jittery anxiety is normal, as the pair hasn’t been intimate in quite some time.  Yet Emily’s mood doesn’t comport with what should ostensibly be a very happy time in their lives.  After she commits a dangerous act that shall remain nameless (you’re welcome), she comes under the care of Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), a psychiatrist who believes she may simply be feeling overwhelmed by Martin’s return.  Eventually he gives her a prescription, but she continues to deteriorate both rapidly and publicly.  She melts down at a black-tie party in front of their friends, and she needs consolation from a co-worker at her job.

Throughout her struggle, Martin remains patient and understanding as Emily listlessly goes through the motions of everyday life.  She tries one prescription pill after another, as nothing seems capable of snapping her out of her funk.  People suggest different medicines to her, and Banks gives her a sample of a drug called Ablixa (http://www.tryablixa.com/) after consulting briefly with her former psychiatrist (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Broken City).  What follows is a series of events that will leave you shocked and scratching your head.  The movie really shifts gears about halfway through, and I understand the Hitchcock comparisons.  There was an intimate, dream-like quality to the film that made it feel mysterious and slightly foreboding, and I appreciated that aspect of the movie.

Despite the intriguing plot and expert cinematography, I found a lot to be desired when it came to performances.  To be fair, it was only Channing Tatum that left me underwhelmed, yet again.  I think he’s very good-looking and charming.  According to some, he’s even the ‘sexiest man alive.’  Unfortunately for Tatum, this was a trait that served him better in Soderbergh’s last film, Magic Mike.  Here I found him serviceable, at best.  There just never seems to be much beneath the surface, with him.  By no means do I think he’s unintelligent, but his performances always strike me as one note, failing to resonate.  Rooney Mara, on the other hand, was convincing as a troubled, unstable young woman.  Perhaps it’s her diminutive stature, but she always seems vulnerable, and I thought her physical make up served her well in the role.  Her character required a duality that she ably conveyed.  Lastly, Jude Law was effective as the well-meaning doctor who genuinely wants to help Emily but is clueless as to what deeper issues may be bubbling under her troubled veneer.  The pacing was a bit slow in certain spots, but this was remedied by the final act.

I’ve tried to reveal as little as possible, but I’ll leave you with a solid recommendation for this tense thriller. Side Effects was sexy, mysterious, and suspenseful.  Amidst a sea of Oscar contenders currently in some theaters, I thought it was a welcomed reprieve.  Grade: B+

 

Prometheus

This ain’t gonna be my best review, cuz I wasn’t feelin’ it. Glad to have that disclaimer outta the way.

I don’t care about the backstory of Prometheus.  I know it’s the latest effort by the acclaimed Ridley Scott (American Gangster), but other than that I know nothing about it.  I later discovered that it was intended as a prequel to the Alien franchise, Scott’s hit science fiction offering starring Sigourney Weaver as a space traveler who becomes infected/possessed by an alien.  I wasn’t particularly intrigued by the trailer, but the buzz around Prometheus began to swell, so I thought – why not check it out? The cast looked good, if nothing else.  I’m a fan of Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Charlize Theron (Hancock), and Idris Elba (Thor).  Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) was another noteworthy addition.

Rapace stars as Elizabeth Shaw, one of a cadre of intergalactic space travelers who are heading across the galaxy in a quest to uncover the secrets of the universe.  She is joined by Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green, Devil), who shares her rabid curiosity.  In total there are about seven or eight crew members, and their ship is piloted by Elba’s character Janek.  After landing on a foreign planet, two members of the crew discover a mysterious black goo.  They also learn that the human race descended from some early alien species bearing slight resemblance to humans now, only much larger.  Elizabeth is fascinated by the idea of learning about the inception of humanity and wants badly to know who or what created the human race and why.  They think the key to learning this will be instrumental in helping their home planet.  Elizabeth’s curiosity is premised on the idea that we were created by benevolent beings for a meaningful purpose.  This reminded me of the tenets of Christianity, as Christians believe that they were created with love by God in His own image.  However, the crew soon learns that our distant intergalactic ancestors were not so magnanimous in their creation of mankind.  When they encounter one in their exploration, he seems like he doesn’t appreciate being disturbed.  Meanwhile, the two members of the crew that discovered the black substance have been infected by it.  One is dead and the other barely alive.  Charlize Theron’s character is the leader of the crew, and she refuses to let the infected member return to their ship.  Unbeknownst to her, Elizabeth has also been infected, much like Sigourney Weaver was in the previous Aliens movie.  Elizabeth manages to oust the creature from her body, but it is still contained on the ship.

That was a very basic plot synopsis.  I really don’t know what else to say about Prometheus, other than I didn’t care for it.  It was not a bad movie, but it just didn’t do anything for me.  I probably got some of the finer points of the plot incorrect; but it doesn’t really matter, it’s close enough.  I was drawn in the by cast, and I did find them capable – but that was about it.  I asked others what they enjoyed about the film and they mentioned Noomi Rapace’s resilience.  I agree that her character was a strong one, and I do think she is a wonderful actress.  However, it wasn’t enough to say that the movie was ‘good.’  Charlize Theron’s role was almost entirely inconsequential.  No big deal.  Neither was Idris Elba.  His American accent was horrible.  I should have listened to my first instinct and avoided this movie, mainly because Sci-Fi movies are not my preferred genre.  I don’t like the average Sci-Fi movie; I only enjoy the very high concept ones like Inception or Avatar.  I usually give letter grades for movies, but I think I should abstain in this case, because it wasn’t a bad movie; I just didn’t care for it.  Remember those pass/fail classes you took in college, where no letter grade was given, you simply just pass or fail?  Prometheus gets a pass.