MOVIE REVIEW: THE ORDER

 

A string of violent robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads veteran FBI agent Terry Husk to a white supremacist group that plans to overthrow the federal government.

Director: Justin Kurzel 

Cast: Jude Law; Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Alison Oliver, Marc Maron

Release Date: December 6, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for some strong violence, and language throughout.

Runtime: 1h 58m

Review:

Justin Kurzel's tense police procedural feels like a throwback to classic Michael Mann films from the 80's and 90's with its straightforward single-mindedness buoyed by stellar performances across the board.  Kurzel's film is hauntingly beautiful in how its shot by taking full advantage of the natural beauty that hides the sinister workings of the white supremacist domestic terrorist at the heart of the story.  It’s a fascinating juxtaposition that offers up a hefty bit of thematic subtext to the story playing out on screen.  It’s all wonderfully shot but straightforward and lean with very few visual flourishes thrown into the mix.  It’s an incredibly efficient film from start to finish that never loses sight of where it's going or how it wants to get there.  Jude Law embodies the film's no nonsense approach with his turn as the hardboiled FBI agent who drives the story.  Law has rarely been better as he gives his character a hardened intensity that drives his relentless pursuit of his target regardless of the personal toll it takes on him.  We are given only a few morsels of background information on the character, but Law manages to give him enough layers so that we understand the depths of his determination even if not the reasons.  On the other end, Nicholas Hoult takes advantage of his boyish looks paired with a tangible sense of charisma that becomes more an unnerving as his groups actions become more extreme.  There's subtle work from both actors on display with Law's performance being the showier of the two but Hoult is just as good with his measured approach.  They only share a few moments on screen but when they do the screen screams with tension as each party attempts to size up each other.  Tye Sheridan and Jurnee Smollett are solid in smaller supporting roles with Sheridan leaving a sizeable impression on the film.  There's plenty to appreciate about The Order, especially since it brings a certain level of immediacy and importance due to some readily apparent modern day connections.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: RESPECT

 

Following the rise of Aretha Franklin's career -- from a child singing in her father's church choir to her international superstardom -- it's the remarkable true story of the music icon's journey to find her voice.

Director: Liesl Tommy

Cast: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, Mary J. Blige

Release Date: August 13, 2021

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, strong language including racial epithets, violence, suggestive material, and smoking

Runtime: 2h 25min

Review:

Aretha Franklin was a seminal star whose impact on the musical world still reverberates through the musical world.  Unfortunately, Liesl Tommy’s biopic is a paint by the numbers affair that plays more like a high end Lifetime film with better actors.  The film’s structure is a painfully predictable with melodramatic moments that will make most have flashback of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  The film’s saving grace is it’s cast with Jennifer Hudson leading the way with her spectacular voice making the musical sequences the highlight of the film.  Hudson is ready made for these types of roles which highlight her voice over her acting ability.  She’s a capable actress but the script isn’t interested in any sort of deep dive into what made Aretha tick as it only scratches the surface of her trouble upbringing and relationships with men.  Still, she’s able to shine in the moment where she belts out Franklin’s songs.  The film stages those moment with the type of loving affection that they deserve.  The supporting cast do solid work with Forest Whitaker making the biggest impression.  Whitaker is the type of performer that can take small moment and imbue them with emotions that range from menace to tenderness.  When he and Hudson share the screen the movie pops in a significant way that makes the rest off the film feel like a bit of a letdown since it never maintains that type of quality.  Respect, sadly, ends up being a run of the mill biopic that doesn’t do anything truly meaningful deserving of it’s subject.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: JOKER

Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron

Release Date: October 4, 2019

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images

Runtime: 2 h 2 min

Review:

After watching a bit of Todd Phillip’s Joker you get the strong feeling that Phillip’s really hopes that you’ve never seen Taxi Driver.  To say that he mines that particular film seems like a understatement since there are multiple direct references to it through out.  Needless to say, Phillip’s film isn’t as groundbreaking as it thinks it is.  The story of a disaffected loner pushed to the edge is story that’s been told multiple times particularly in Taxi Driver or the underappreciated Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer.  The film can stand on its own merit with some wonderfully composed shots that really leave you feeling grimy and dirty.  Ultimately though, the gas in this particular vehicle is Joaquin Phoenix who throws himself into the roles with such intensity that it’s hard to look away.  His performance elevates the material and makes the whole thing much more prestigious and watchable than it deserves to be.  As for the story, it’s an interesting take on this character but it’s hard to tell if Phillip’s wants us to root for character or despise him.  Nearing the finale you get a sense that Phillip’s is propping him up as a sort of hero of madness and chaos which is a strange message to send in a film like this even as some of the more ham fisted attempts at modern day relevancy fall flat.  It’s certainly a film that will draw plenty of discussion even though it’s really a shadow of better films.  


B-