This site will share with you hundreds of book and film reviews written since 2009. Also a chance to discuss these reviews together with some of my creative writing to be added.
A beautiful young woman remains clinically depressed even after her husband is released from jail for insider training. A failed suicide attempt brings her to the attention of a caring but ambitious psychiatrist (Jude Law) and it seems we are set for an exposé of the US drug industry, by turns reducing everyone to casual pill popping, often ruining the lives of vulnerable patients whose sickness is relieved only at the price of grim side effects, and corrupting medical professionals in the process. In short, this starts off very much in the same vein as the director Soderbergh's crusading Erin Brockovich with its attack on corporate environmental polluters.
Halfway through, the film takes a sharp turn to become a complicated and fast-moving thriller of the type which causes you to risk missing a point if you spend too much time trying to work out the previous clue. It was entertaining at the time but left me feeling dissatisfied with too many somewhat implausible plot twists.
This is well-acted, skilfully filmed, is hard to review without giving away too much of the plot but would have been much more powerful if it had kept to the moral dilemmas of modern psychiatric medicine.
Not expecting too much after some lukewarm reviews, this proved to be a well-made drama, part psychological study, part thriller, a tart comment on the greed and sharp practice recently revealed in the world of hedge fund trading.
Although not quite in the same league as Bernard Madoff, Robert Miller appears to be a successful and ruthless business tycoon. At the outset, we see him celebrate his sixtieth birthday in style with his apparently loving wife and family but the cracks in the facade soon begin to show. Miller’s angry frustration over the elusive James Mayfield’s reluctance to sign the contract for a major purchase is explained once we realise that an old associate of Miller’s is threatening to pull the plug on a business loan, without which a large hole in the company accounts will be exposed.
When Miller goes to seek solace with his beautiful but possibly loose-cannon mistress, events begin to spiral out of control in a series of mishaps. Is Miller wily enough to save himself when fate seems to have turned against him so abruptly?
There are several dramatic exchanges between, for instance, Miller and the persistent detective played by Tim Roth, or Miller and the young black man he turns to for help, improbably until the reason is explained. Although you can enjoy this as a lightweight piece of entertainment, this film explores the personalities of the main characters and moral issues raised by the pursuit of wealth, power and personal satisfaction. Is Miller more than a cold-hearted money-grubber who has to win every battle?
I was wrong to fear that the fourth series of "Spiral" would have run out of steam plot-wise. It proves compulsive viewing as ever, with at least half-a-dozen dramatic interwoven storylines, involving at one extreme an anarchist group bent on creating the "state of terror" of the title and a family of arms-smuggling Kurds, at the other touchingly naïve Judge Roban, back at his desk but ostracised by his slimy colleagues for previous abortive attempts at whistleblowing, yet determined to press on regardless out of principle.
Somewhat implausible as ever (but who cares?), driven, designer-scruffy Capitaine Laure Berthaud continues to rush about, hair escaping from its clip, T-shirt slipping off one shoulder, turning a blind eye as her male underlings beat up uncooperative suspects in the office, and screaming "Putain" on the frequent occasions when, having done an impressive job identifying a gang's rendezvous, they let the criminals escape. To be fair this is usually because they have insufficient back-up.
Also implausible yet entertaining is Pierre's continued working partnership with the seductive, talented yet unscrupulous Josephine, although at last we learn some reasons for her warped emotions. Pierre seems to be swapping one devil for another, in quitting the state legal service out of concern over its corruption only to take on as a client a notorious villain, against even Josephine's advice.
The dramatic final scenes avoid a run-of-the-mill "happy for everyone against the odds" ending. Although the key aspects of the conclusion are predictable, there are enough twists to continue the suspense to the last.
For a viewer dependent on sub-titles, the fast-moving plot requires total concentration, but the recap, "précédemment" opening each of the twelve episodes helps one to focus on the key points. Once again, I cannot imagine what the producers will pull out of the bag for what I believe is the final series, but am confident it will be good.
First produced in 1990, but dated in its fifties setting, this play with its focus on a neurotic young woman reminded me strongly of Tennessee Williams but with an often comic dialogue which seems at times out of kilter with the underlying pathos and forewarnings of possible tragedy.
In the remote Catskill Mountains, a beautiful although apparently unstable girl flirts with a young man who climbs up from a lake onto the jetty where she sits reading. Is her widowed German Jewish mother really a control freak who has spent several previous summers scaring off her daughter's boyfriends, and will she do so again? Is the young man himself quite what he seems? Who is the the publisher of about the same age who insinuates himself into the isolated household shortly afterwards?
This is about the blighting effect of lies, and the way in which people may be reduced to inaction by conflicting desires and emotions.
Greenberg develops some interesting relationships, such as that between the snobbish, prejudiced mother and her enigmatic black servant, who is prepared to "play her part" in public whilst communicating with her in an almost equal role of companionship in private. The author establishes an intriguing drama which promises much, although I found the ending rather flat and disappointing. His suggestion that "happiness is for others" seems a bit trite, simplistic and unmoving in its self-absorbed excuse for passive acceptance of life's blows.
This has all the trademarks of a Poliakoff drama: immaculate, beautiful upper crust people in artistically posed scenes, long meaningful looks, and an obsession with photographs. Yet despite the often slow pace, the dialogues are much sharper than I expected and it also has quite a tight, intriguing and at times tense plot. This is what probably made me enjoy it more than any previous work by Poliakoff, together with its focus on an interesting and little-covered aspect of 1930s Britain, in which we see the mercurial rise and sad fall of a talented band of black musicians. After catching the eye of Stanley, an ambitious young music journalist, they gain bookings at the once grand now gradually decaying Imperial Hotel and even attract the attention of the Prince of Wales and his brother before tragedy and scandal destroy their budding popularity. The prejudice the players face is probably quite realistic for the period, and borne with great dignity by the suave and super-controlled pianist Louis. And of course, there is the alternating rhythm and pathos of the music played with such verve beneath the distinctive rainbow arch of The Imperial.
Although now established undeniably as a soap opera, Series 2 of Borgen is not afraid to tackle such issues as who should represent Denmark as an EU Commissioner, rejected as too dry by the compulsively odious Michael Laugesen, Editor of the tabloid rag "Ekspres". In a fast-moving tightly woven plot which manages to cover many issues, both political and domestic, we see Birgitte Nyborg both steelier, more calculating and ruthless as she gains experience in the exercise of power, but also personally more vulnerable in seeking excuses not to sign her divorce papers, unable to face up to the fact that her husband Philip wants a permanent split. The effect of this on their children is also handled sensitively.
A major parallel thread is the evolving relationship between the ambitious, idealistic journalist Katrine and the talented but emotionally scarred spin doctor Kaspar, who loses his emotional detachment when a right-wing move to reduce the age of criminal responsibility touches a raw nerve from his troubled past.
Although a few plot twists may seem implausible, this is absorbing drama, by turns tense, humorous and moving, with some interesting character development and consistently high standard of acting including at the level of minor characters, such as Birgitte's humourless PA who demonstrates that efficiency may count for less than empathy – serving Birgitte's long-suffering young son Magnus a bitter lemon – or the psychiatrist caught smoking in her private office to relieve tension.
Some of the political scenes are rushed through at a frenetic pace which proves hard to absorb via subtitles, and my opinion that "Borgen" is not a good advertisement for coalition government has not changed, but it has reinforced my respect for a small nation with an understandable pride in its essentially liberal-minded, progressive, democratic and egalitarian values.
Based on Dorothy Kearns excellent "A Team of Rivals", this film is wisely focused on a specific period to make it more manageable, namely the final few months of the traumatic American Civil War and Lincoln's controversial decision to pass a "Thirteenth Amendment" giving a blanket freedom to all slaves, rather than try to end the bloodshed by negotiating a peace with the South which stopped short of abolition.
Clearly designed to instruct us, the film proves heavy-going at times: some of the political debates and meetings are couched in complex language of the day delivered at speed and so hard to absorb, some complicated points could have been made a little clearer and some sets are perhaps realistic for the period but too dark to engage the viewer. Spielberg may be guilty of making a fascinating situation unduly dull.
I have heard reviewers criticise the lack of significant black anti-slavery campaigners who were active at the time, and this appears to be a serious omission. The opening scene of Lincoln fraternising with soldiers spouting his speeches struck me as contrived, and the decision to report rather than show Lincoln's assassination at the end also seemed a missed dramatic opportunity, and underplayed the irony of his untimely death before he had a chance to manage the peace.
On the plus side, there are strong performances from the lead actors with Daniel Day Lewis unquestionably outstanding, his high-pitched voice apparently a deliberate choice based on research. He conveys Lincoln's charisma: his "common touch", lack of affectation, penchant for telling stories (which drove some people mad), very broad-minded approach with a desire to hear different sides of the argument which laid him open to a charge of indecisiveness, but occasional flashes of steel. We see something of his oratory and obvious integrity, although he was capable of quite cynical wheeler-dealing, in this case employing shady characters to persuade Democrats (we have to keep reminding ourselves that this was the pro-slavery party) to vote for the Thirteenth Amendment in return for government posts.
Although the film is not as moving as it should be, there are some effective scenes such as Lincoln's son concluding that he must fight, Lincoln arguing with his wife over his son's right to fight in the war or Lincoln reviewing the horrors of battle first-hand. There is a little humour in some of the repartee, although I found the scenes with the three fixers trying to get Democrats to vote against slavery bordered on slapstick.
Coming to it with the “clean slate” of not having seen “Les Misérables” on stage, I find it hard to fault this film version of the musical. It succeeds in creating an epic spectacle which also captures the essence of Hugo’s masterpiece, designed to show the suffering of the masses, and to explore the issue of redemption in a world where social condemnation – of a mother abandoned by her lover, or a man forced to steal bread for his sister, can create “hell on earth”.
I was apprehensive about the reported length of three hours which turned out to be more like two-and-a-half, and passed without my feeling bored. Similarly, although I had feared that the delivery of virtually every line by actors rather than professional singers would be cringe-making, I soon realised that the sincerity with which they sing without losing the note gives a raw life to their performance which technically superior classical performances often lack. I admit I would not choose to listen to the film soundtrack alone.
Even if the music leaves you underwhelmed, there is a feast for the eyes and constant source of interest in the technically brilliant, imaginative sets.
Yes, the film is highly emotional, but that reflects the style of Hugo’s day, when being forced to watch the rapid decline and death of friends and relatives was a common experience, and deep poverty and suffering were widespread. The “love at first sight” romance between Cosette and Marius appears less important than the parallel tales which reflect what Hugo was trying to convey “a progress from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsehood to truth, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from corruption to life … The starting point: matter, destination: the soul. The hydra at the beginning, the angel at the end”.
I was impressed by the number and range of “good songs”. Apart from the well-known “I dreamed a dream” sung very movingly by Fantine (Anne Hathaway) who has been reduced to prostitution to feed her child Cosette, there is a rousing chorus delivered by the idealistic young revolutionaries at the barricades, complex love trios and quartets, and some striking solos such as Eddie Redmayne’s “Empty chairs and empty tables” reflecting the feeling of loss and utility in the aftermath of a battle. The child actors perform well: the young Cosette sings beautifully, and the cheeky Gavroche exudes confidence and energy in an Artful Dodger-style role.
Russell Crowe has been criticised for his weak singing, but I found it more than effective for the role of Javet, the inspector obsessed with tracking down Valjean who, sent to gaol for stealing bread, breaks his parole on being released after twenty years, but goes on to become a successful man, dedicated to living a good life. Crowe conveys well Javet’s growing sense of confusion that upholding the law means pursuing a former thief whose actions suggest he is a man of greater integrity than the inspector himself.
Season 2 of Homeland is faster paced, more exciting yet also less plausible than Season 1 which you need to watch first.
Brody (Damien Lewis) continues to walk the tightrope between his role as a war hero Congressman being groomed to serve as future Vice President under the unscrupulous Walden, and that of a closet Muslim convert manipulated by the fanatical al-Qaeda member Abu Nazir to perpetrate acts of terrorism. Although not fully recovered from her manic episode, her confidence shattered from the mistaken belief that she was "wrong about Brody", CIA agent Carrie Mathison is called back to work on an assignment requiring her unique rapport with a would-be defector in Beirut, and is allowed to stay despite her loose cannon unreliability.
Although increasingly ludicrous, the plot twists are no more so than in many equivalent series. It is also quite amusing to spot the occasional error, as when a supposed Beirut street seems to contain a number of Hebrew shop signs.
"Homeland" stands out for me as the only popular mainstream American drama which avoids an unquestioning, gung-ho, patriotic stance on US foreign policy on the lines of "US good no matter what – Muslim terrorists bad". Apart from the fact that, in real life, Brody would surely have had more counselling, we remain unsure as to what extent he really is a terrorist, and whether his embracing of Islam is the result of brainwashing or a genuine spiritual response. Walden, a former Director of the CIA, now Vice President, and Estes, the Head of CIA Counterterrorism are portrayed as corrupt and amoral "bad men" in contrast to Abu Nazir who sometimes arouses sympathy, and to the complex Brody who at one points expresses the desire to prove that he can be "a good man". In the background, the confusion and shifting emotions of Brody's wife, children and former friends are convincing, adding depth to the thud and blunder main plot.
Although I felt that the final episode was very much a case of putting everything in place for Season 3, at least I can look forward to this as a fresh knotted situation to unpick rather than the "flogging to death" of a worn-out scenario.
Not having read the bestselling book on which this film is based, I came to the cinema with no great expectations, apart from thinking, as proved the case, that judging by the trailer this would be an excellent theme for 3D film and the use of CGI.
From the outside we are transported to the magical beauty of the Botanical Gardens of Pondicherry, where the oddly named hero Pi's father runs a zoo. Political pressures cause him to take a Japanese ship for French-speaking Canada, with his animals caged in the hold, but disaster strikes when the vessel sinks in a storm and Pi finds himself in a waking nightmare, confined to a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger inappropriately named "Richard Parker".
We know that Pi will survive the ensuing Odyssey, since he is narrating the tale years later to a young writer, but that does not detract from the tension of his struggle to exist, leavened by moments of humour and the astonishing beauty of vast starlit skies, oceans suffused with phosphorescence and a passing school of leaping dolphins. The striking scenes give you a real sense of Pi's loneliness, leading to a subtle identification with the tiger, and of his increasing sense of closeness to the natural world. This in turn helps you to appreciate how such experiences may give people a "sense of god", and Pi is, as we know, very susceptible to spiritual experiences anyway.
At some points the story turns to magical realism, which the computer graphics makes wonderfully vivid and somehow more plausible than might be the case in a novel. The mind plays tricks on people under stress, so we are left uncertain as to whether Pi may have imagined or even invented the story to replace a more mundane and sordid truth.
I recommend this film which can be enjoyed both as simple entertainment, or taken on a deeper level. But to do it justice, you must see it in 3D.
Antenna Reviews 