Rated: R
Runtime: 113 minutes
Director: Emerald Fennell
I’m going to be straightforward with everyone right off the bat… Given, I still have quite a bit on my 2020 watchlist, but as of right now, Promising Young Woman is my choice for what would be Best Picture, indie film or not.
This film takes all the nuance and excitement of a femme fatale action-comedy, mixes it with the delicate emotions of a drama, and dashes it with the utterly nail-biting tension of a psychological thriller.
Promising Young Woman delves into some delicate and often polarizing issues as it follows a traumatized and hardened woman (played exceptionally by Carey Mulligan) who constantly puts herself in vulnerable situations with men, and then proceeds to teach them a lesson…of sorts. I won’t say more, but in case you think this movie is predictable just from the trailer, you’ll likely find that you’re wrong. These twists and turns WILL KNOCK THE WIND OUT OF YOU, and there will be inevitable group discussions throughout; if not, positively as the credits roll.
If you were a fan of the writing of The Crown, Killing Eve, or Call the Midwife, you’re in luck. The same Emerald Fennell writes and directs this with such natural precision on human behavior as well as such a sincere take on otherwise divisive subject matters. I’m convinced that even the crudest chauvinist wouldn’t be able to deny the ability this movie has to help one question, or at least analyze, their moral compass. It’s that good.
Again, Carey Mulligan performs beautifully here. She’s always been a very underrated but bankable actress, and this really feels like her moment to break into household familiarity (if enough people watch it). She’s subtly ruthless, even keel, and also charming. I’m not sure the movie would be anywhere near as impactful without her expert performance.
Other cast members include Alfred Molina, Alison Brie, Laverne Cox and Christopher Mintz-Plasse… Oh, and also Bo Burnham! Even though most of them have small roles, it’s the kind of lineup where you can feel that these people said to themselves early on, “This is a big deal, and I want in!”
To conclude, there won’t be any spoilers here, but the ending had me on a 30 minute phone conversation with my uncle who’s in law enforcement, because my mind was THAT blown and I was THAT invested. Go watch it, tell everyone about it, and then watch it again.
Recommendation: Go See It!
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REVIEW: All the Bright Places
NETFLIX
Rated: TV-MA
Run Time: 108 minutes
Director: Brett HaleyThis is an exhausting review. From now on, I feel I can only review comedies. This is no happy-go-lucky review, but I hope you read through and leave your thoughts below, because if I’m going to talk about this, I don’t want to talk about it alone.
All the Bright Places is a Netflix adaptation of the young adult (YA) novel of the same name by Jennifer Niven. It follows Theodore Finch (Justice Smith) and Violet Markey (Elle Fanning)—a pair of Indiana teens who fall in love while completing a geography project (partner projects seem to have a 99% chance of creating romantic relationships in YA novels, but only a 1% chance in real life). Violet is struggling with the death of her sister, and while Finch seems incredibly motivated to help her get out of her dark place, his own struggle is admitting that he needs bright places just as much as she does. The movie’s trailer would have you believe that you’re about to see a typical teen drama in the same vein as The Fault in our Stars. I feel like that’s pretty misleading considering the entire movie—from start to finish—is about suicide.That isn’t a spoiler, because when you press “play” and the Netflix logo appears on your screen, the TV-MA icon appears in the top left corner with the words, “suicide, language.” Just as Disney’s Marvel and Star Wars films have a warning for those with photosensitive epilepsy, shouldn’t we also have warnings for those who might be triggered by portrayals of suicide and self-harm? I want to acknowledge that the effort made by Netflix to be responsible in these portrayals is the best part of the movie. They show students getting help by talking to parents, counselors, and support groups, while most films seem to be about how ineffective those resources are. They are careful not to place blame on the victims of suicide or the people who lose them. At the end of the movie there is a link to a site Netflix constructed with resources for anyone looking for help for themselves or for a loved one. They have come a long way since 13 Reasons Why, and I’m grateful for that.
Elle Fanning and Justice Smith in a scene of All the Bright Places | NETFLIX As the title suggests, there are bright places and moments throughout the film. I loved the “your turn” rock. For fear of spoiling too much of the story, I’ll suffice to say that it provides something that most movies portraying suicide do not: a sense that we have a responsibility to lift each other up, but we also have a responsibility to help ourselves; or at least, a personal responsibility to accept help when it’s offered. Moreover, that responsibility isn’t accompanied by blame or guilt; it’s made clear that everyone is trying their hardest and catharsis is possible. The leads are spot-on—both Elle Fanning’s laughter and tears are so genuine that they broke my heart. And if there were an Olympics for portraying emotions with facial expressions then Justice Smith would have Michael Phelps-level success. Unfortunately, their romantic relationship was the least convincing part of the film for me. It was supposed to be the center of the story, but its cutesy nature felt flimsy beside the tragic and painful subject matter.
Ultimately, as a story, the movie falls flat for me. That’s so hard for me to admit; I wanted to see it succeed because of the obvious care and meticulous work that went into creating it. But I think I wanted something else from this film—I wanted the heart-breaking romance of A Star is Born, or the humorous honesty of Silver Linings Playbook, or the perspective-changing story of A Beautiful Mind, or, if all expectation could be blown out of the water, I wished I could have had something like the Anne Hathaway episode from Amazon’s Modern Love. I would recommend all of those 100 times, but not this one. I want to know how films can be better about addressing mental illnesses and suicidal feelings, so please comment below with movies you feel handle these heavy topics well, in addition to being powerful films.
Recommendation: SKIP IT
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REVIEW: True History of the Kelly Gang
IFC Films
Rated: R
Run Time: 124 minutes
Director: Justin KurzelWhen a film titled True History begins by telling you that nothing you’re about to see is true, you brace yourself for what comes next. Ned Kelly, the infamous bushranger and Australian legend, apparently said that a man should write his own history and thus the True History of the Kelly Gang was born.
Adapted from the 2000 novel of the same name, True History is faithful in the intent to explore Ned Kelly’s life and the personal and political motivations that inspired his defiance to British colonialism. The approach of both projects is what separates myth from reality. Director Justin Kurzel (Macbeth, Assassin’s Creed) bathes this film in ugliness, and cinematographer Ari Wegner juxtaposes what transpires on screen with beautiful color and dream-like landscapes that can only be provided by the Australian wilderness. Combine those visuals with an almost UK punk aesthetic and you get a movie that’s as divisive as its subject matter. Think Guy Ritchie by way of The Revenant.
There were many moments I failed to understand the significance of what I was seeing. I don’t know Australian history, though a few minutes on Wikipedia and Google will get anyone up to speed on “facts.” As I watched True History I couldn’t help but think that there is a cultural significance to the project that I could possibly never appreciate; the most notable example I can think of is Black Panther. As universally accepted as that film has been, there is a cultural level to it that many of its admirers cannot know. I get the impression that True History is much of the same. I have no doubt it hits on different levels depending on Australian politics and ancestry. There’s plenty I can say about the face value of the film. The acting is great and it’s a technically superb and creative movie. I also know there is a deeper context.
George McKay appears in a scene of True History of the Kelly Gang | IFC Films I haven’t decided if the film is worth the extracurricular activity needed to fully appreciate it. Perhaps reading the novel or an Internet history lesson will be enough for you; if so, do it before you watch. True History is an ugly film that goes out of its way to bring you the harshness of life in the bush. It explores violence and masculinity in a way that might make some uncomfortable. Though I now have a better understanding of what the project explores, I have no desire to watch it again. I realize that both the novel and the film are a deconstruction of Ned Kelly’s legend. I also realize that there are pieces to the puzzle that I may never be able to fill in on my own.
Recommendation: SKIP IT
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REVIEW: White Lie
levelFILM
Rated: Not Rated
Runtime: 96 minutes
Director: Yonah LewisWhite Lie is a 2019 Canadian drama film written and directed by Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas. The film stars Kacey Rohl, Amber Anderson, Martin Donovan, and Connor Jessup.
The Story/Direction
White Lie centers around a college student named Katie (Rohl) who lies about having cancer. The story is absolutely fascinating and also horrifying. As a society, we usually will feel sympathy toward people with cancer, but this film twists that sentiment on its head. Why does Katie try her best to keep up this lie? Directors/writers Calvin Thomas and Yonah Lewis don’t really tell you. There are clues that it could be a coping mechanism, but that’s not a guarantee. The film only tells the character’s story over the course of the five days. This felt very true to be a comment on society as a whole; we often feel open and willing to give money to someone suffering. But then there are cases similar to the one in November 2017 where three people fabricated a feel-good story, created a GoFundMe page titled “Paying it Forward” and furthered the scheme by doing numerous local and national media interviews, including one on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
The Characters
We’re not sure why the aforementioned couple chose to con so many generous people, just as we don’t know why exactly Katie goes down this same path. But to see this character unwind is absolutely fascinating. Rohl gives a powerful performance as Katie. You can’t help but hate the character and be fascinated with her at the same time. The movie takes place over the course of five days, but the journey the audience takes is an emotional one. As the film starts the music creates this tense environment that will make the viewer lost trust in Katie. She is sick, but everything is not as it seems. She has a GoFundMe page to help her fight her battle with melanoma skin cancer. The problem is Katie doesn’t actually have cancer. She goes through an elaborate scheme to forge medical documents, fake medication, and pretend to go to weekly chemo treatments.
Not only is Katie fooling the generous people who are donating to her GoFundMe, but she’s also lying to her girlfriend Jennifer (Amber Anderson) about her condition as well. As it goes with all lies, cracks begin to appear. Katie then has to keep everyone believing her story which becomes more difficult as the film plays out. Anderson really shines in the film with her limited role.
Kacey Rohl and Amber Anderson in a scene of White Lie | levelFILM, 2019. The Flaws
There is a slight flaw with this film as the end result is known. We know that the lie will eventually fall apart. However, it’s the journey to that finale which makes this film interesting. This is what makes the story more fascinating than boring. There are similarities to the film’s ending and that of The Godfather (1972).
Overall…
White Lie may play with the ideas of victim-shaming which may be triggering for some and hinder their enjoyment of the film. However, the film’s main purpose is to question the idea of blind validation without looking more into whatever the case is. You can’t judge someone without knowing all of the details and that’s what this film does. It does not ask its audience to judge Katie and that’s what makes it such an interesting character study. A must see if you’re interested in the psychology of human behaviors or if you just love a good story.
Recommendation: STREAM IT
