'Spenser Confidential' A Review

*given the state of affairs I'll be reviewing movies that are available to rent or stream until movie theaters reopen*

Spenser Confidential is an action thriller about Boston cop Mark Wahlberg aka the titular Spenser. The movie opens devoid of context with Marky Mark beating up his Captain in front of his wife. Smash cut to his last day in prison where he beats up three MMA fighters and Post Malone(inmates). He's picked up by his old boxing coach(?) Henry (Alan Arkin) while running away from his hot headed ex-girlfriend Iliza Shlesinger(who's name is Cissy but I'm not sure any character actually says her name) who drove an hour to the prison to pick him up. Cool! Marky Mark meets Hawk(Winston Duke) who is Henry's boarder and protege. That night the Captain is beheaded with a machete in a school bus parking lot and Spenser is on the case. Confidential!

Wahlberg has some presence and talent but I'm not sure he as ever been successful as a lead outside Boogie Nights. Don't get me wrong he's made some good movies but they are primarily ensemble pictures. This asks too much of his narrow abilities and relies on him too heavily and the flimsy, wavering script does him and the entire cast no favors. Arkin is fine but is clearly just working. Shlesinger is surprisingly good and gives significantly more effort than the movie deserves. The same is true of Duke, an incredible actor, who gets lost in the odd unsuccessful tone and unnecessarily convoluted plot which is light on actual character. The one actor who seems totally comfortable and approaches the material with the exact amount of casualness it warrants is Bokeem Woodbine, who plays Marky Mark's old partner, it's always a delight to see him and he is unflappably cool and charming here.

Visually the movie is flat and washed out, the sound mix is awful, but the soundtrack is great. It's clearly shot on location which gives it points but overall the movie looks and sounds look a total mess. Whether true or not the production comes across cheap and with the star power of the cast that is noticeably incongruous.

A muddle of a mess of a snooze. Available on Netflix.

Don't See It.

Post Show Depression

I was going to write a poem
about the feeling after a show
that apathy that inevitably follows
the immediacy and vibrancy
the stage provides
when time slows
and it's just you, your cast,
and the audience
sharing patiently the present moment
without distraction
and it's not the laughs or the attention
it's time when all of us
are simply living
together
and sometimes I love that more than anything
so when it passes, as it's always fleeting
I wouldn't say I sadden but I do retreat.
But now
in observance of the pandemic
there will be no shows
at least for awhile
and perhaps this poem
is about something else.

'The Way Back' A Review

The Way Back is a sports drama about former high school basketball star and current struggling alcoholic Jack(Ben Affleck) who is given an opportunity to coach his old team. Less a typical feel-good sports story and more a character study the film follows Jack as he invests in the team, makes attempts at sobriety, and grapples with familial and marital wreckage.

Perhaps an odd casting concurrence of art-imitating-life Affleck gives his best performance since his last collaboration with director Gavin O'Connor in 2016's The Accountant. He's able to authentically channel the reality, tedium, despair, and sheer devouring grind of alcoholism that few films about the disease get to or even attempt preferring to romanticize it or follow prescribed conventions(looking at you Star Is Born). But that is tempered by a clear compassion and resilience that balances the potential bleakness. And the character makes progress but, much like life, it's not linear. Another brilliant piece of casting is Al Madrigal as Dan the assistant coach/geometry teacher, primarily known for his comedic work he gives an incredibly vulnerable, subtle, and effortless performance balancing Affleck perfectly and bolstering up the reality of the film. The supporting cast are equally done, the team, Affleck's family and ex-wife, notably the always incredible Michaela Watkisn as his concerned sister. But the focus, justly, is on Affleck, this is more a film about alcoholism and grief not basketball which it's too it's credit.

Excellent percussive editing and hand-held visceral camera work create a transportive feel for this, ultimately personal emotional drama, the feelings of peril, the struggle, the progress are all conveyed not only by the script and performances but by the pitch perfect production elements.

The rare and surprising Hollywood film that gets alcoholism right and offers more hope than rubbernecking destruction.

See It.

'First Cow' A Review

First Cow is a western from writer/director Kelly Reichardt about a cook Cookie(John Magaro) who travels with trappers in the Oregon territories. He becomes friends with Chinese immigrant King Lu(Orion Lee) and the two begin a baking business with the milk stolen from a wealthy landowners cow.

Magaro and Lee have a low-key electric chemistry, a comfortable but powerful connection that lights up the screen. Magaro is the more reserved, the more emotional, distinctly out of place in the frontier with a passion for the creativity of baking. Lee is more at ease, contented, and warm but also the more ambitious and adventurous. Over the course of the sedate story the two's friendship blossoms in the most moving, organic, and quiet ways. Although early in the cinematic year the two put in performances in contention for best of the year. The supporting cast are also remarkably authentic, patient, and quiet dynamic.

Visually the film is stunningly transportive without being showy, shot in 4:3 aspect ration that enhances the feeling of both reality and magic. The score is also masterful and all the production elements weave and elevate an already powerful narrative and superb performances.

Reichardt is a master of tone and restraint without skimping on extraordinary humanity. There's a stillness about the film, a silence, but also an incredible intimacy and sense of exuberance. A one of a kind film that is essential viewing for these uncertain times.

Don't Miss It.

Coronavirus

Honestly
I'm more concerned
with enduring
all the discussion and coverage
of the viral outbreak
than weathering
the actual viral outbreak.

This has really given all my
ovine suburban co-workers
a license to open up and gab.

Anti-Depressants

I took them for a while
then stopped
for though
they brought the bottom up
they also
brought down the top

'Sonic the Hedgehog' A Review

Sonic the Hedgehog is a family action comedy based on the SEGA video game franchise of the same name. The movie opens on extraterrestrial anthropomorphic hedgehog with super-speed Sonic(Ben Schwartz) criss-crossing San Francisco being pursued by Dr. Robotnik(Jim Carrey). The movie then cuts back to Sonic's arrival on Earth and the circumstances perpetuating the confrontation.

Schwartz vocal performance is wonderful, he nails the rebellious edge, the impetuous, but most of all the carefree cocksure humor. Carrey clearly relishes the chance to go so big giving an Ace Ventura era type of performance, something we haven't seen from him in quite awhile, and it's really fun. James Marsen as Tom Wachowski is surprisingly affable and light and grounds the movie and the character of Sonic that really holds together the at sometimes extremely absurd plot.

The visual blend strikes a surprisingly effective balance, melding reality with some pleasing omages to the video game source. Ultimately the story is relatively simple, assisted by the structure- beginning at the end and flashing back to how we got there- which is necessary given the how over the top a lot of it is. In general video games fail because they are taken too seriously, here the humor, playfulness, and fun are focused on and as a result it may not be high art but it is certainly solidly entertaining.

Rent It.