The Smashing Machine

Director: Benny Safdie
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk, Olga Dzyurak, Lyndsey Gavin, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, Yoko Hamamura, Stephen Quadros, Whitney Moore
Running Time: 123 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)    

It seems odd that the biggest question going into The Smashing Machine was whether Dwayne Johnson could capably play the role of former amateur wrestler turned MMA fighter Mark Kerr. But that we still  ask given the actor's history on the mat speaks to just how far removed he's been since becoming a major movie star. It's less whether he can do it than if audiences would bite after an endless string of action vehicles had us thinking he gave up being taken seriously as a dramatic actor. Johnson came out of the gate with such undeniable charisma and early promise we knew he'd eventually jump into more challenging roles in different genres. It's only when the big paydays came and his movies kept dominating the box office that he resisted straying from his familiar formula. 

Now after stumbling with Black Adam and the PR mess that followed, Johnson's asking fans to accept this sudden shift that can best be called a calculated gamble. But while that and a depressing subject matter are potential reasons for why audiences stayed away, it isn't a reflection of the film's quality. Everything that can go right does, even as writer/director Benny Safdie crafts a somewhat familiar sports underdog story laced with tragedy. Unfolding with almost documentary-like truthfulness, how it's told and Johnson's performance help lift it, making for an emotionally raw character study.  

It's 1999 and we see grainy, VHS fight footage of UFC competitor Mark Kerr (Johnson), being interviewed about his impressive winning streak as he heads to Japan for his next fight, accompanied by trainer, best friend and fellow competitor Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader). But it's Kerr's volatile relationship with girlfriend Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) that causes problems, especially as he becomes increasingly dependent on drugs, injecting opioids around the clock to numb the pain and continue fighting. 

Between arguing with Japanese officials about his pay and getting into locker room screaming matches with Dawn, a glassy eyed Kerr reaches the end of his rope after a devastating loss sends him home and eventually to rehab following an overdose. While he diligently commits to staying clean, rehab and recovery is a change Dawn can't deal with, especially once he begins training for his comeback under the tutelage of MMA legend Bas Rutten (playing himself). With one last shot at redemption, Kerr attempts to maintain his sobriety and career, as he and Dawn continue to lock horns, headed for a nasty collision course.  

There's this moment early on when Kerr's asked by an interviewer what he'd do if he lost and his reaction speaks volumes. It's almost as if he can't wrap his head around such an idea, much less the actual possibility, despite it being a prerequisite for every great champion. Watching, you're reminded of Ronda Rousey, a fighter so driven by her hunger to win that she couldn't psychologically process the alternative. When it came, she unraveled, just as Kerr does, going into immediate denial and frantically grasping at straws to search for a loophole that might overturn his worst nightmare. 

Of course, Kerr being high all the time doesn't help, transforming him into someone far different from the polite, mild mannered giant who befriends grandmas and kids in doctor's offices at the film's start. On the mat he's a maniac, but the loss marks a turning point in his personal life, causing him to direct much of that rage at a frustrated Dawn, who gives it right back. Nearly from the jump, Safdie plant the seed that she's an outsider in her boyfriend's world, always taking a back seat to his love of competition. 

Accustomed to being the center of attention, Dawn tries to connect with him, only pushing his buttons instead, leaving a patient, levelheaded Coleman to act as intermediary while facing media criticism his own MMA career is winding down. Ironically, it's when Kerr gets clean that things get far worse, prompting us to realize his toxic relationship with Dawn can't exclusively be chalked up to the drugs. At times it's more a symptom than a cause since there's more than enough blame to go around for both. Only when he starts making real strides in his recovery do they drift even further apart, causing an isolated Dawn to spiral.

Buried under facial prosthetics, a bigger, more jacked than usual Johnson sort of resembles a cross between Lou Ferrigno and Kurt Angle, with a little of The Rock peeking through. Claims that he's completely unrecognizable or totally disappears aren't exactly accurate, but that's a good thing, since this portrayal wouldn't be nearly as effective without the actor's real persona enhancing it. And though his skills are stretched beyond anything we've recently seen from him, it still incorporates a showmanship and intensity similar to that he displayed between the ropes. We glimpse it in scenes where he's demolishing doors and walls, but it's actually the quieter, emotional moments where he's most impressive, breaking down like a small, helpless child as his character crumbles. 

Eyes rolled when it appeared Blunt would be saddled with another suffering wife role, but Dawn has a meatier arc than that, particularly in the film's second half, mostly due to the actress and a certain level of awareness in Safdie's script. And while Kerr's pairing with her is marred by addiction and mental instability, it strays from the usual template of a abusive relationship, creating a murkier than usual dynamic. MMA fighter Ryan Bader is also excellent in his acting debut, bringing a grounded believability to pal and cornerman Mark Coleman while Bas Rutten's brief but memorable appearance is as crazy as you'd want. 

The ending notably diverges from the "final fight" sports biopic trope in that there's no victory, at least in a traditional cinematic sense. What Kerr achieves is subtler, less tangible and only achievable through continued progress. The very last scene is a keeper, delightfully showing us the real Kerr out and about in the present day. But for those blaming the film's perceived failure on no one knowing who this guy is, it's best to remember all characters are strangers before the credits roll, whether we've heard of them or not. An actor's job is to fill in the blanks, which Johnson compellingly does from its opening minutes.  

I'll gladly take ten Smashing Machines over the projects Johnson's recently chosen, while hoping its muted reception doesn't cause him to swear off riskier parts and head straight back to the action realm. Ideally, he should do a variety of both, which would have already gotten fans used to the idea of him tackling heavier material. But he's on the right track, even if it didn't pull viewers who flocked to Johnson's other movies. Unflinchingly honest, it rarely pulls its punches, dropping us into a grittier era to tell the story of the fighter who helped put UFC on the map.                                         

Jungle Cruise

Director: Juame Collet-Serra
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti
Running Time: 127 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)
 
It's hard not to have a conflicted internal dialogue regarding Dwayne Johnson's on-screen career, which seems to grow by leaps and bounds with each new release. In case you haven't heard, he gets paid a lot of money to star in some very big movies that make serious bank and audiences seem to really enjoy. While some are undeniably better than others, it wouldn't be irrational to categorize all of them as pure escapism or entertainment with a capital "E." And that's not a dig. His projects may have little sustaining nutritional value but he has the charismatic ability to basically pull off anything, making you wonder whether he should attempt some seriously challenging material instead of continuing to elevate lesser mainstream movies that more desperately need him.

Maybe that pivot will eventually come for Johnson, but for now we're kidding ourselves if we think he's going to stop making movies like Jungle Cruise. He knows his audience, cleverly blazing a career path even the biggest stars would be envious of. In other words, if it aint broke, don't fix it. For now. This one's more of the same and pretty disposable, sharing much in common with the Disney theme park attraction on which it's based, genuinely feeling like a movie adapted from a ride. It's occasionally funny, the performances are enjoyably hammy and there's a lot happening. In fact, so much is going on that for a while I actually just started to tune out, only making a rebound of sorts toward the final act. It's a mess, though not an agressively offensive one, improved greatly by two winning leads who deserve better, but remain undeniably great together. 

After a flashback to 1556 shows a Spanish conquistador-led trek to South America in search of the mystical Tears of the Moon healing tree, Dr. Lily Houghton's (Emily Blunt) research on it is presented by her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) to the Royal Society of London in 1918. Despite the siblings' claims that the tree's healing flowers can revolutionize medicine and cure disease are met with skepticism and derision, Lily steals an arrowhead artifact she believes is key to discovering its whereabouts. With that and an ancient map in hand, Lily and MacGregor arrive in Brazil as she recruits cheap jungle cruise skipper Frank Wolff (Johnson) to take them down the Amazon. 

Upon stealing his boat back from his scuzzy boss Nilo Nemolato (Paul Giamatti) Frank heads down the river with the Houghtons, unaware they're being followed by a German sub commandeered by the conniving Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons), who's desperately seeking the Tree for his own fame and fortune. With Lily unsure she can trust the cocky Frank, he views her as a humorless, pampered princess. Even if there's a lot more to both, they'll have little choice but to co-exist to survive this trip, if they want to reap the benefits of the elusive Tears of the Moon.

Sticking strictly to the Disney playbook, anyone expecting to be dazzled by plot twists and suprises or taken aback by its unexpected edginess will be disappointed. Co-writers Michael Green, Glenn Ficara and John Requa actually bring more narrative nuance to the brief flashbacks involving Frank's backstory and that of Edgar Ramirez's embattled Spanish conquistador than a lot of main arc involving the hunt for the Tree. Most of the mission revolves around slapstick silliness and the mustache-twirling Prince's cat-and-mouse game with the Houghtons and Frank. Thankfully, none of this is completely unbearable, in no small part due to the chemistry between Johnson and Blunt, with the former having some real fun with the character's one-liners and cheesy puns throughout. 

With Johnson's overconfident con man taking center stage, it's been somewhat overlooked just how good Blunt is opposite him, showcasing some excellent comedic timing and physical chops in over-the-top sight gags they could have easily fallen flat with less game actress in the part. If there's a drawback, it's that the pair bounce off each other so naturally that their relationship seems almost asexual, strangely lacking any romantic sparks to the point that they seem more like siblings than Blunt and Whitehall do. Of course, this doesn't entirely fall on them, as bringing heated chemistry to a family film based on a kids' park ride probably wasn't high on Disney's priority list, nor should it be. 

Plemons isn't exactly miscast in the Prince Joaquim role since he's played more than his fair share of villains, but it's still odd watching him play one this over-the-top. He's compulsively watchable in a scenery-chewing kind of way, occasionally making you wonder if he stepped in after Chistoph Waltz passed on what plays like one of his trademark parts. As a sidekick character, Jack Whitewall is more entertainingly endearing than you'd expect given MacGregor was probably intended as more of a one-dimensional, snobby irritant. 

The real star might be composer James Newton Howard's clever reworking of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" as the backdrop to what's by far the best sequence in the entire film, where Frank's origin story is revealed in full. Skillfully constructed, exciting and well shot, you'll wish the whole film were as absorbing as these five minutes, offering up substantial proof there was potential to be mined from at least part of this premise. And it's not that the rest looks bad per se, just very artificial and effects heavy. At certain points many shots have this enticing, picaresque quality to them, until you realize it only looks nice in the superficial way you'd expect to appreciate in a Thomas Kincaid painting. And the less said about Frank's pet tiger the better, as it's about time to call a moratorium on CGI animals if this is the best they can do.

The African Queen this isn't, but it doesn't need to be, even as it deliberately draws upon the 1951 film as a blueprint, along with some added inspiration from the Indiana Jones franchise (mostly Crystal Skull though). At just over two hours it isn't a total slog and reliable action director Juame Collet-Serra keeps the story moving at a fast enough clip that you can imagine families losing themselves in all the bells and whistles, as intended. But many more will have little difficulty filing Jungle Cruise under "not my thing," acknowledging its obvious strengths while recognizing it's nothing we haven't seen before.

Skyscraper

Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Noah Taylor, Pablo Schreiber, Roland Møller, Byron Mann, Hannah Quinlivan, McKenna Roberts, Noah Cottrell
Running Time: 102 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Judged exclusively by its trailers and commercials, you'd be forgiven for thinking the latest Dwayne Johnson action spectacle, Skyscraper, could be the silliest, most ridiculous big budget cash-in yet for the industry's highest paid actor. And the given some of the questionable creative choices he's made over the past five years, that's really saying something. With his movies further widening the gap between actual quality and box office dominance, we have to believe his success is entirely due to his drawing power and innate charisma, as considering the notion those projects did anything right other than give him top billing is a possibility I'm not quite ready to face.

This time, by diving headfirst into its fun premise and embracing it, Skyscraper becomes Johnson's first legitimately worthwhile project in some time. But since the trailers weren't exactly wrong about what's delivered and critics gave him their usual thrashing, it's a mystery why moviegoers stayed far away. Or at least why they decided to this time, since we know what we're getting from him and it never seemed to bother anyone much before.

While it would still be a stretch to declare this Johnson's trip out of his comfort zone, it's at least at the service of a solid story that manages to play within the rules and boundaries of its own universe, as over-the-top as those may be. Drawing some inspiration from the likes of Die Hard and The Towering Inferno, it also happens to be a lot of fun. Johnson may not have "needed" this and can't keep doing these types of movies forever, but until he's ready to flip that switch and truly be taken  seriously, this helps prove he's capable, putting his natural strengths as an actor to good use.

Johnson is U.S. Marine war veteran and former FBI Hostage Rescue Team Will Sawyer, fitted with a prosthetic after losing one leg below the knee in an explosion years ago. Now, he works as a security accessor, with his latest account being "The Pearl," the world's tallest skyscraper built in Hong Kong and funded by wealthy Chinese entrepreneur Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han). Working with Zhao and his friend and fellow ex-FBI agent Ben Gillespie (Pablo Schreiber), Sawyer's in the process of insuring that the building's fire and security systems are a go when he unwittingly becomes the target of international terrorist Kores Botha (Roland Møller). 

Eventually gaining control of Sawyer's tablet, Botha and his men start a fire on the building's 96th floor and disable the extinguishing system. But knowing that his wife Sarah (Neve Campbell) and two twin children, Georgia and Henry (McKenna Roberts and Noah Cottrell) are trapped inside, Sawyer formulates a plan to get above the fire and rescue them. But between being chased by police and targeted by Botha's henchmen, it'll be a race against time, and a rapidly raging inferno.

Once you completely let yourself go and buy into the premise, much of the material works, as does the manner by which writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber (2016's Central Intelligence) translates it to the screen. The flashbacks to Sawyer's time in the FBI and the event that took his leg effectively set the stage early for a Johnson action hero that actually has some degree of physical vulnerability, giving him some slightly different notes to hit this time around. It also leads to more than a few clever situations involving the prosthetic limb, which is rarely forgotten about in the heat of the action, despite some of Sawyer's more superhuman feats.

If the conceit of the protagonist's diability seems right out of Screenwriting 101, those involved still deserve credit for making it work and appear substatially less silly than it appeared in previews. Like most everything here, it's CGI, but it's effective, as there were very few instances where the visuals stuck out like a sore thumb or seemed laughably inauthentic. Compared to most entries of its ilk, many of the bigger set pieces hold up well, and at just over an hour and a half, I'd be surprised if anyone would be looking at their phones waiting for it to end. In an era of bloated, nearly three hour cinematic endurance tests, its brevity becomes a relief that can't be understated. And even with very few surprises in the way of plot, there's still something to be said for executing a relatively straightforward story well.

As Sawyer, Johnson is his usual charismatic self, and if that doesn't come off as the most effusive of praise, it's only because he seems to have settled into a rather predictable zone that's likely a side effect of having become such a gigantic star over the past couple of years.The poor returns for this outing could be viewed as less of a reaction to this material than the result of audience burnout from his lesser projects. This at least gives Johnson the opportunity to showcase his action chops and sense of humor in a situation that falls just on the right side of ridiculous, even allowing him to inject an occasional infusion of credibility to the proceedings.

It's worth admiring the completely unexpected, but inspired casting of Neve Campbell as Sarah Sawyer in one of the very few instances of a male action star being paired with an actress who isn't half their age. The character isn't an afterthought either, as her history and relationship to him provides a level of involvement that wouldn't otherwise exist in lesser action spectacles. Unfortunately, what's missing is a truly memorable villain, replaced instead by your run-of-the-mill foreign terrorist baddies that seem ripped from a straight to cable 90's thriller. The only interest in them comes from their relationship to the meglomaniacal billionaire Zao, whom Chin Han plays with his cards close to the vest, providing some doubt as to his true motivations.

There's a visually sensational sequence toward the end of this film that seems to have been altogether ignored by both critics and audiences. In fact, it's so strong that it nearly justifies the project's entire reason for being, even while making you wish the rest of it was as inventive. It's a climax and pay-off to a projection technology introduced by the Zao character, culminating in a hall of mirrors reflection sequence that's notably impressive, regardless of how anyone feels about the story containing it. It's tough to watch that and claim Skyscraper offers nothing, even while continuing to hold out hope for the day when it feels uneccessary to grade Johnson's movies on a curve.

Pain and Gain

Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shaloub, Ed Harris, Rob Corddrey, Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong, Bar Paly, Michael Rispoli
Running Time: 129 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

The commercials, trailers and ads for Pain and Gain would lead you to believe it's a certain type of movie aimed at a very specific audience. So naturally, it's easy to be unsure as to whether you'll be on board when Michael Bay's name appears over the opening credits as director. But you know what? It's actually pretty good. While declaring it his most interesting film runs the risk of damning with faint praise, no one has ever disputed the guy has talent and knows what he's doing. The problem has always been harnessing it. This is the closest a project has come to doing that thus far and it's easy to see why. It's over-the-top, outrageously dumb and in-your-face, while still carrying some of what you'd expect from a Bay movie. Except this one has characters worth watching in a story that's just crazy enough to be true because it actually is. It's certainly no masterpiece and, at almost two and half hours, probably could have been trimmed, but it does earn its running time if just the sheer scope and audacity of it all. Consider this his testosterone-fueled epic, albeit on a smaller budgeted, more intimate scale than we're used to getting from him. Featuring two performers who couldn't have possibly been a better fit for their roles, it's both darkly comical and pathetically tragic in all the right ways, resulting in a surprisingly fun time.

Based on 1999 series of true crime articles published in the Miami New Times, the film tells the story of dim-witted musclehead Danny Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) who upon being hired by Sun Gym, nearly triples their membership almost overnight. But despite already rolling in the cash, he wants more. Inspired by motivational speaker Johnny Wu (Ken Jeong) to become a "doer" and take what he wants in life, Danny yearns to live the American dream and amass the vast wealth achieved by Victor Kershaw (Tony Shaloub), an arrogant, sleazy client he's been training. With the help of friend and workout partner Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) and cocaine-addicted convict Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), Danny sets in motion a  clumsy plan to kidnap and extort Kershaw for all he's worth. Needless to say, this doesn't exactly work out, or rather it does, just not at all in the way you'd expect. They've left a giant mess, and with a retired private eye (Ed Harris) hot on their trail, these bumbling criminals have somewhat unintentionally added torture and murder to their rap sheets.

Despite having little idea how much of the "real-life" story was retained in the screenplay and what was embellished to make a more exciting impression on screen, it's tough to criticize the direction Bay took with the material. It's too ridiculous and unbelievable to be played straight as a crime drama, yet contains enough darker elements that it wouldn't be fair to classify it entirely as an action-comedy either. More often than not it fits into the latter category, but what's most surprising is how well, and for how long, Bay straddles that line without slipping up. It's the kind of story that's the perfect fit for a big screen treatment because it contains characters who are blissfully unaware of just how delusional they are. To say that Danny has a warped perception of the "American Dream" would be an understatement, but Wahlberg makes his cluelessness likable to the point that even when he's doing the most heinous things, we're still kind of rooting for him and his pals to get away with it. Part of it could be that their target is such a jerk, but it does almost seem almost unfair that a character so stupid could even be held responsible for his own actions. At points it seems as if he doesn't even know what actions are, or at least that they carry consequences.

Unsurprisingly, the real standout is Johnson, who's given a break from headlining pure action franchises to prove again just how strong he can be when asked to turn in meaningful supporting work with a comic bent. Of course, it just so happens to be a performance that's arguably still in a pure action movie of a different sort, but it's easily his most interesting role since, yes, Southland Tales. As a born-again bible thumper seeking to avoid confrontation at any cost, Paul is the worst choice of partner imaginable to successfully help execute a kidnapping and extortion plot, providing the film with its funniest moments. The most hilarious of which comes when all three together can't successfully commit a necessary murder no matter how hard they try, resulting in the fallout that follows them for the rest of the picture. Of the three leads, Mackie has the least to do and his sub-plot involving his impotence from steroid use and a relationship with a sex-crazed nurse (Rebel Wilson) is probably (along with a third-act development better suited to a Saw film) the weakest story thread, but even that plays better than it has a right to. Shaloub is perfectly detestable as the villain while Ed Harris seems to be playing a spoof of serious Ed Harris roles as the retired investigator. He clearly knows what movie he's in and has fun with it.

While the story takes place in 1995 and strangely feels every bit like it really does, it's easy to envision it happening today. Not so much in terms of the events that go down, but the behaviors and attitudes of the three main characters, which could easily be summised by any reality show on TV right now. Watching this it's impossible no to wonder if Bay understands this or he just thought that what these guys did was really cool. Going against popular opinion, I'd wager on the former (okay, maybe a little of the latter) because it's all just too cleverly made to assume anything else. Technically, it's his best effort just in terms of the visuals and music working together to tell an actual story.

Besides the movie just flat-out looking great and featuring some really memorable shots, Steve Jablonsky's moody, electronic tinged score is one of the year's best, not garnering nearly enough attention for how well it fits the material and setting. And how can you knock any movie with a montage proudly set to Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory?" What Pain and Gain is, and ultimately what gives it away as a Michael Bay movie, is that it's a guy's movie through and through. Explosions, violence, women, money, working out, drugs. What sets it apart is that he actually seems to be aware of it this time and has some fun with an actual story he can turn and twist to fit his every whim. When we find out what happened to the characters' real-life counterparts at the end, there isn't much doubt what we watched, true or not, was the best possible representation of how exciting it could have been.   
      

Dennis Has a Podcast: 2012 Movie Preview

I once again joined Dennis on Dennis Has a Podcast to discuss some of our most (and least) anticipated movies of 2012 and a bunch of other fun topics including the Hunger Games craze, Kristen Stewart, Joseph Gordon Levitt, The Rock, the James Bond franchise and The Dark Knight Rises. 

Listen here (51:16)

...And be sure to check out previous episodes of DHAP on itunes.

Get Smart

Director: Peter Segal
Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, James Caan, Dalip Singh
Running Time: 110 min.
Rating: PG-13

**1/2 (out of ****)

Get Smart is a rarity among TV to film adaptations in that it actually manages to get a few things right. It’s perfectly cast. It’s well-acted. And it even stays reasonably faithful to the spirit of Don Adams’ 1960’s spy spoof series from which it’s based. I want to recommend it…badly. But I can’t because while it only does one thing wrong, it’s the most important thing. The story is lacking, an effort close to bordering on complete laziness. While nothing about the movie necessarily screams that producers were just trying to make a quick buck, the script feels like it was haphazardly hammered out on a napkin at Starbucks during someone's lunch break.

Because of the actors’ energetic performances I cared about the characters but not what happened to them. Save a couple of scenes, there’s nothing about the story that’s funny or engaging. It’s a somewhat enjoyable romp but at the end of the day there’s just not a whole lot here and its two extremely likable stars have to carry the whole thing. I expected one those stars to easily be able to do that (which he does), but the other really surprised me. When both are on screen together the film is at its absolute best but when they’re not, we’re reminded just how messy everything else is. Comic performances this strong deserve better material and if the forthcoming sequel to this film provides that for them, I’m all for it. All the ingredients were there for this to be great, but because of lazy writing the film toils in mediocrity. But sadly, as far as dreaded TV adaptations go, it could almost be considered a modest success.
Steve Carell is the bumbling Maxwell Smart, a detail obsessed information analyst at the top-secret government intelligence agency, CONTROL, led by The Chief (Oscar winner Alan Arkin). When CONTROL headquarters is ambushed by its rival KAOS and many of their agents are killed or have their identities compromised, Smart finally achieves his career goal of being promoted to field agent. Of course, it’s more by default and necessity than any faith in him being able to excel but Smart is so happy he couldn’t care less.

Now known as “Agent 86” Max is partnered with the sexy “Agent 99" (Anne Hathaway), who (in a really unnecessary plot detail) was forced to undergo radical plastic surgery to alter her appearance. She isn’t the slightest bit pleased in having to show this incompetent rookie the ropes while the agency’s gifted but arrogant “Agent 23” (Dwayne Johnson) is stuck pushing papers at headquarters since he’s instantly recognizable to the enemy. Together, Max and 99 have to bring down KAOS’ evil operative Sigfried (Terrence Stamp) and thwart his plans to nuke everyone.

Criticizing the plot of Get Smart may seem a little silly since this is supposed to be a mindless comedy and the original series wasn’t exactly known for its Emmy-award winning writing. But even by those low standards it feels very much like everything was thrown together on a whim. You’d figure the first order of business would be to give Max a strong villain to play against and by casting Stamp in the role I figured they did that. Unfortunately he’s hardly in the film at all and the few scenes he has don’t generate much heat. Since this is essentially a spy spoof not having a strong, central villain takes away many comic possibilities. Although there is an amusing periphery villain played by Dalip Singh (better known as WWE wrestler The Great Khali). His scenes are funny, but a lot of that probably has to do with just how freakishly goofy and big he looks.

Johnson, as usual, oozes charisma, but isn’t given much to do. It was probably wise from a career standpoint for him to take the role but it can’t help but feel like a step-down after his impressive lead turns in The Game Plan and Southland Tales. While this part fits him like a glove and he plays it well it’s still underwritten and beneath him. The role should have (and easily could have been) beefed up to better exploit his talents.

Stars like Billy Murray and James Caan have pointless cameos with Murray’s being especially unfunny. He actually got paid to show up and do THAT? What a waste. There’s also some shenanigans involving nerdy CONTROL analysts Bruce (Heroes’ Masi Oka) and Lylod (Nate Torrence), characters spun off into a direct-to-DVD release, Get Smart’s Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control. I’m not inclined to check it out after watching their antics here, even if they’re not nearly as annoying as I thought they’d be. Combine all this with an obvious third-act plot twist you can see coming half a film away and you have a rather disappointing effort overall.

With Carell they found the perfect actor to tackle the role made famous by Adams. When he was announced as the lead for this I immediately became interested because I thought it was brilliant casting. The rest of the film may not hold up its end of the bargain but Carell definitely does. What’s so special about his take on the character is how he effectively balances portraying Max as somewhat as a moron, yet resourceful and still very good at his job. It’s an important component that gives the film an undercurrent of intelligence absent in the script and is faithful to Adam’s version, without trying to mimic it. While I have only a passing, casual familiarity with the old series I appreciated the nods to it such the very funny opening sequence with the locking doors and phone booth that takes him to headquarters, the shoe phone and Carell memorably delivering some of Max’s classic lines.

Carell has slowly been flying under the radar to emerge as one of our most talented comic actors. Will Farrell, Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler’s attempts to balance slapstick projects with more meaningful work and have failed either critically, commercially or both. Meanwhile Carell has been the best thing in bad movies (Evan Almighty) and has elevated standard material (Dan in Real Life) to a higher level. He’s kind of like a modern day version of Peter Sellers in that he’s capable of playing any role believably.

If Carell was a sure bet as Smart but I thought the idea of Hathaway trying to fill Barbara Feldon’s shoes as Agent 99 was a terrible idea. To say I never found Hathaway the slightest bit attractive would be the understatement of the year and as an actress I didn't think much of her either. Going into this I was fully prepared to bash her. To me the idea of her playing a sexy super spy was not just a massive stretch but flat-out miscasting. I thought it was a joke, even for this movie. As it turns out, she shut me up.

First of all, Hathaway looks so incredible in this I practically didn’t recognize her. In fact, she looked so good I found it difficult to concentrate on anything else in the film. All red-blooded males owe it to themselves to see this just for her and if you’re worried your girlfriends won’t like that have no fear. When they see her they’ll probably want to bat for the other team anyway. But I hesitate dwelling on her looks because that would imply the role is just eye candy. It isn’t. Not how Hathaway plays it.

Besides being completely believable as an ass-kicking secret agent she’s saddled with the film’s most thankless dialogue when her character has to pour her heart out about her past. Somehow, inexplicably, she manages to make this dumb confessional scene emotionally moving! Don't ask me how but she does. If she’s that good in inconsequential fluff like this it’s scary to think what she could do in something with real substance. Her acting future is very, very bright. Anyone who thinks this is just a throwaway part and Hathaway could have been replaced by any random hottie is WRONG. Just try imagining what kind of film we'd have with Jessica Alba in the role if you don't believe me.

It’s sad that writers Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember actually took the time to come up with a silly plastic surgery sub-plot for Agent 99 to “justify” the age gap between and Carell and Hathaway because it isn’t necessary at all. Carell possesses a youthful exuberance while Hathaway radiates a class and sophistication beyond her years. This might actually be the first believable May-December pairing we’ve seen in a while and age was the last thing on my mind…until the writers decided to point it out.
Strangely though, when the movie tries to take their relationship to the next level it doesn’t feel right. They have incredible chemistry as partners and friends but it never comes across as anything more than platonic, which isn’t due to a lack of effort from the actors. Nearly every scene the two share together is funny and entertaining, especially a memorable ballroom “dance off” in the middle of the film. Whenever the actual plot interferes the fun stops. Maybe it would have been better if they just let the two stars do an hour and a half of improvisation. Actually, I KNOW it would have been. The creative forces were working against them.

This is such a close call. It may be the first film I didn’t like where I’m looking forward to the sequel. I want to see Carell and Hathaway in these roles again (especially Hathaway) because I think with a better script this really has the potential to be a successful franchise and produce a great series of films. I think this was a modest hit only because of its two stars and the critics were kind because they were shocked that a television adaptation came along that actually didn’t suck. While it’s true that Get Smart could have been much smarter, its actors couldn’t have come across any better.

Southland Tales

Director: Richard Kelly
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore Running Time: 144 min.
Rating: R

**** (out of ****)

For the past two years or so I’ve been telling anyone willing to listen that if something were to happen to me like, say, accidentally getting hit by a MAC truck, that my only request is that it occurs AFTER I’ve seen and reviewed Southland Tales. To fully understand why requires a little bit of explanation. You see Southland Tales is what I like to refer to as a "Jeremy Movie." Such films, which only seem to come down the pike every few years, follow a certain set of rules. The first of which is usually that they don’t follow any. They’re also self-indulgent, tend to make little or no sense on an initial viewing, take huge risks, feature insane casting and sometimes, but not always, are directed by a filmmaker who just doesn’t seem to give a shit whether their movie is embraced by the public.

These films often elicit harsh, polarizing reactions from audiences and critics. When I tell anyone I happen to love one of them I can read the frustration on their faces, even if they’re too polite to say anything. They just can’t stand it. The second I saw the trailer for for this I thought: "Awesome. Richard Kelly made a really insane film…just for me." Well, me and just a couple of other people who might be crazy enough to appreciate what he’s trying to do. Nearly everyone else will probably despise it.

Southland Tales is the most ambitious, self-indulgent film to ever be released by a major studio. By comparison, Kelly’s own Donnie Darko and last year’s Grindhouse look like tame, mainstream crowd pleasers. It’s a sci-fi epic, a dark comedy, a drama, a romance, a musical, an action-adventure and a religious allegory all rolled into one messy inaccessible package. It’s also the most biting political satire since Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. In presenting a dystopian fantasy, it ends up saying more about the world we live in than any of the heavy-handed political dramas Hollywood force-fed us over the past year.

Its nearly 3-hour cut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006 screened to the harshest reception there since The Brown Bunny. This cut is shorter at 144 minutes, but I can see how Kelly would’ve needed more time to tell such an expansive tale that bursts at the seams with such force and energy. Its reception at Cannes makes perfect sense. This isn’t a movie for film festivals, critics or even most audiences. Hell, this isn’t really a movie for anyone except a few. But for those few it will be very special. A little while back I almost felt the need to actually apologize for liking Juno, a polarizing movie reviled by many. You won’t be able to beat an apology out of me for this one.

It’s an alternate 2008 and the country is in political, social and environmental upheaval. A set of nuclear attacks in El Paso and Albilene, Texas in 2005 have set off a chain of events that has led America into World War III. We’re told this via clever Fox News-like visuals and a T.S. Elliot and Robert Frost quoting voice-over supplied by wounded Iraq War vet, Private Pilot Abiline (Justin Timberlake). The government responds by beefing up the Patriot Act and creating USIDent, an oppressive "Big Brother" police state. With a gas crisis on its hands the country makes a deal to use an alternative source of energy known as "Liquid Karma," the brainchild of mad scientist Baron Von Westphalen (The Princess Bride’s Wallace Shawn). The fate of the upcoming election rests solely on the electoral votes in the state of California.

Amongst the political unrest, extreme liberal cells to emerge, specifically a group called the Neo-Marxists. They’ll stop at nothing to destroy USIDent and break the Republican stranglehold in office, using movie star Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson) to do it. Having recently disappeared in the middle of the desert, Boxer has returned to the California Southland with a mysterious case of amnesia, which right after impotence has to rank as the next worst condition with which to be afflicted if your wife is Mandy Moore. He’s shacked up with porn star and aspiring reality talk show host, Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar). They’re working on a screenplay, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the events that unfold in this film.

Boxer becomes the target of an extortion plot by the Neo-Marxists to bring down his in-laws, Republican Presidential candidate Bobby Frost (Holmes Osbourne) and his Lady MacBeth of a wife Nana Mae (Miranda Richardson. The other two pieces of the apocalyptic puzzle are twins Roland and Ronald Taverner (both played by Seann William Scott). And this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the plots and sub-plots contained within this jam-packed film or how they merge together for a visually stunning July 4th finale that takes you as far down the rabbit hole as humanly possible, owing more to Donnie Darko than you might expect.

It’s literally impossible to see this film once and attempt to make any sense of it at all, much less form an opinion on it. This creates a problem because an initial viewing will be so frustrating for most audiences that the last thing they’d want to do is revisit it, which is a shame because they’d be missing out. I’ve only seen it twice and I say "only" because I still don’t believe I’ve come anywhere close to extracting all there is from it. I don’t think I ever will. But it is amazing how much you pick up on in another viewing because it’s structured in such a way that you really do have to pay attention to every little detail. The narration. Those tickers at the bottom of the screen. The frequent news updates. They all play a role in filling in the blanks and dropping hints. The plot is complicated in its details, yet so meticulously crafted and constructed that from a big picture perspective it holds together in some sort of insane way when you step back and look at it all. More directly, it’s an extremely loose and very clever creative adaptation of the Book of Revelation, which is quoted many times during Timberlake’s voice-overs throughout the film.

As I experienced Southland Tales I could swear it must have been based on a comic or graphic novel because what’s onscreen comes so close to creating a living, breathing comic universe. As it turns out, the story is Kelly’s creation and while graphic novels were released separately from the film, they’re based on his screenplay, not the other way around. Not unlike George Lucas with Star Wars, Kelly had originally envisioned this as a nine-part series. What we get here is the final three parts entitled: Part Four: Temptation Waits, Part Five: Memory Gospel and Part Six: Wave of Mutilation. The graphic novels are prequels and this method likely alienated mainstream moviegoers who could point to it as yet another example of Kelly’s self-indulgence. To an extent they’re right, but I’d argue the three parts we get here wouldn’t be necessarily any more comprehensible if we had more background. And the prologue (which the studio pushed Kelly to include) does help make sense of this…if you pay close attention to it.

If I could compare it to any film, the closest it comes to matching, at least in tone, is Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. But it really isn’t like that movie at all, or like anything else for that matter. Kelly wears the influences of David Lynch, George Orwell and Phillip K. Dick proudly on his sleeve, yet he somehow still manages to build a universe that’s completely fresh and original. The movie is also incredible to look at with visionary production design and special effects that, if the film had been better received (or received at all) could’ve warranted Oscar consideration. Moby’s synthesized dream-like score seems almost ingrained into the fabric of the film and story itself. It’s hard to imagine any other composer’s work being as close of a match to this challenging material as his. Music also provides the exhilarating centerpiece of the film, a Justin Timberlake lip-synched musical number set to The Killers’ "All These Things That I’ve Done." After watching it you won’t hear that song the same way again. I have no idea how much was paid for the rights to use it, but it was worth every penny.

If someone asked me what my dream cast for a movie would be, the list would read almost exactly as you see above. It’s almost surreal seeing these names assembled together for one film. You may have noticed for the first time the conspicuous absence of "The Rock" moniker in Dwayne Johnson’s billing in the credits and the ads for the film. It’s appropriate. As a wrestling fan I was disappointed when Johnson hung up his trunks and retired for a movie career. If you looked at the long, unsuccessful list of wrestlers who’ve tried acting you’d know where I’m coming from. That disappointment officially ends now. I don’t want ever to see this guy anywhere near a ring again. I had a feeling he’d star in a great movie eventually, but I didn’t think it would be this early. The role of Boxer is right up his alley and Johnson deftly handles some of the most difficult material an actor can be given: the frustrating, incomprehensible kind. He’s no fluke and that this flopped won’t hurt him in the slightest. His performance drives the movie.

Sharing top acting honors with him is Sarah Michelle Gellar, who gives real heart and depth to what should have been the shallowest character in the film while Seann William Scott comes closest here to fulfilling the potential we’ve been suspecting he had all along. As the narrator, Timberlake is our eyes and ears in a story where we need a lot of help. Compared to his larger recent roles in Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan, this doesn’t let him show as much dramatic range, but of the three, his work here is the most memorable…and craziest.

One of the biggest thrills in this is for me was seeing actors who I never thought would get a good role again (some of whose careers peaked a decade ago) finally given a chance to impress. You really get to see them like you never have before. Jon Lovitz as a psychotic cop. John Larroquette as a clueless Presidential advisor. Christopher Lambert as a weapons dealer. MadTV’s Will Sasso as a drug-dealing movie producer. Saturday Night Live’s Amy Poehler as an unhinged "performance artist." The biggest surprise of the film is another SNL vet, Cheri Oteri. Anyone familiar with her work on that show will be surprised that as Zora Carmichaels, the leader of the Neo-Marxist movement, she actually gives one of the strongest dramatic performances in the film… a dramatic performance made all the more impressive by the fact that it’s given in the midst of a screwball comedy.

As Madeline Frost Santaros, Mandy Moore’s free fall of terrible film choices comes to a screeching halt. It isn’t a big role yet in some strange way it ends up being one of her most exciting and, much like 2004’s Saved, represents the risky parts that for whatever reason she’s strayed away from. A completely unrecognizable Kevin Smith (looking EXACTLY like music producer Rick Rubin) even cameos as a military expert, who may have the answers everyone’s looking for. Also, keep an eye out for the appearance of one of America’s most hated directors in a "blink and you’ll miss it" moment. There are so many wild performances and cameos its impossible to single them all out and I know I’m missing many. When there are this many big names in a movie there’s a tendency for it to become a massive distraction but here there’s none of that. Everything is dead-on.

Regardless of how important it is for filmmakers to take risks and give us something we haven’t seen before, most don’t because they’re not given the creative freedom and the few that are know that walking this close to the edge is too dangerous for their careers. There’s much less downside when you have modest goals. No one will ever accuse Richard Kelly of lacking ambition or playing it safe. That says something, and it's something we desperately need more of. I’m not praising this film to be cool or different. Nor do I think being ambitious and risky automatically qualifies a movie as brilliant. You shouldn’t take chances just for the sake of taking them. The risks have to be good ones that pay off. And I’d never imply anyone who hates the film just doesn’t "GET IT." Even those who love it will probably never "get it." From where I’m sitting, the mystery accounts for much of its appeal.

Despite my admiration for Kelly’s previous feature, I’m far from one of those Emo, glue sniffing, wrist-slashing Darko fanboys who would have salivated over anything he put up on screen. I knew what I was getting into and expected to be entertained, but was also fully prepared for the possibility I’d hate it. Either way I knew I’d be getting something daring and original. There’s just no telling how something so "of the moment" and reflective of our times will hold up over the long run, but I have this sneaking suspicion it’ll age very well.

I’ve been very critical of films incorporating, or even worse, preaching politics, but when presented in the context of such a creative fantasy, it goes down so much easier. It helps that Kelly is an equal opportunity offender, hilariously taking swipes at both sides. It works as a hysterical spoof of everything from YouTube to cable news channels to celebrity culture. Maybe it’s just my weird sense of humor, but I laughed harder during this than any mainstream comedy in years. Labeling this a masterpiece is false advertising if only because it’s just such a beautifully flawed mess. Perfect in its imperfection.


In a rare, welcome case of an actor not running for cover when their film flops, Sarah Michelle Gellar has been vehemently defending Kelly and the movie. She told Sci-Fi Wire:

"You know, at the end of the day, I hope people talk about it. That’s the whole point of it. It’s not a movie made for every audience. This isn’t a film made to go across the board. And what I love about it is, I went and saw the new cut with, like, five people. And afterwards for about three hours we all talked about it, because everybody took different things out of it. She added that "The true fans, the people that are the Donnie Darko fans, that are my fans, Dwayne’s fans, I think they’re going to enjoy it. And you know what? Those are the reasons I make movies."

She offers up a much better defense than I ever could. If you want a sterile, emotionless exercise (albeit a very good one) then see No Country For Old Men. If you feel like being challenged, then see this. Sometimes I’m asked which kinds of movies excite me and get my pulse racing. Pop in this DVD and you’ll have your answer.

I was counting down the days until its theatrical release but was then disappointed when its run came and went within a week. But interestingly, when I went to pick it up the DVD this past week it was almost sold out everywhere. Either the stores didn’t order enough copies or, much like Donnie Darko, there may be a second life yet for this film. I have a theory (which admittedly isn’t much of a stretch) that Kelly deliberately set out to make a cult film with Darko. He’d probably even admit it himself. That goal seems even more intentional here since he now actually has a cult to cater to. This already feels like a cult classic so it shouldn’t be long before it unofficially becomes one.

It’s shocking Kelly was given this much freedom by the studio but even his biggest detractors have to give him credit for abusing the privilege and making the movie he and his fans wanted to see. It’s so challenging, visionary and daring he may have also just lost some of those very fans he was making it for. That any cut of this almost totally impenetrable film was even released at all is somewhat of a miracle. It was worth the wait for me.

I’ve never really had the burning desire to write or direct a film. I know my limitations and far prefer writing about them. But if I did, I do know the type of movie I would want to make … and Richard Kelly has filmed it. He even stole my cast. For nearly two and a half hours all my crazy cinematic dreams played out on screen. I still haven’t completely processed what I saw, but I know I’ll be returning to it over and over again. While nothing makes me happier than singing the praises of an underappreciated, overlooked film that needs the support, it is awkward recommending one most of you will hate. But love it or hate it, no one can deny that they’ll only ever be one Southland Tales.

The Game Plan

Director: Andy Fickman
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Paige Turco
Running Time: 110 min.
Rating: PG

*** (out of ****)

It is what it is, and for what it is, it works. That's my reasoning for mildly recommending Disney's The Game Plan starring The Rock, excuse me, Dwayne Johnson. Maybe I'm getting soft, but even I have to admit it's a movie kids will likely love and their parents will find reasonably amusing and entertaining. It's a good way to pass the time but if you happened to miss it, it wouldn't be the end of the world. It's a sappy paint-by-the numbers Disney movie that, to its credit, executes its premise well enough to earn a look.

This is the first film I've actually ever seen starring Johnson, and I figured that in the best case scenario maybe he'd be able to take a mediocre movie and make it at least watchable just on the strength of his natural charisma. I was wrong. He does one better and takes a movie that has little going for it and makes it pretty good. He gives a fantastic comic performance and the best news to come out of this film is the prospect that with stronger material he could really turn into something special as an actor in the future. In a way I kind of felt sorry for him having to "pay his dues" here this but it is good role for him and a showcase for his strengths as a performer.

At times I was blown away by how good his comic timing was and what he brought to what could have been a middling effort. He also gets a little help from an adorable and unannoyingly precocious child actress who also gives it everything she has. Despite its obvious shortcomings, the film has its heart in the right place and is quality family entertainment, an increasingly rare phenomenon in Hollywood lately. It's far from perfect and occasionally very stupid, but mostly on the strength of the lead performances it reaches the goal line in achieving everything it sets out to do.

Johnson is Joe "The King" Kingman, the cocky, arrogant star quarterback of the Boston Rebels who's in for the surprise of his life when little eight-year-old Peyton (Madison Pettis) shows up at the doorstep of his palatial bachelor pad, suitcase and all. She announces that she's the daughter his ex-wife conveniently neglected to tell him about after they divorced. At this point I was watching very carefully to see if the movie would be so dumb as to not address the fact that a child that age is traveling alone without a guardian and showed up unattended in a big city apartment complex. Most films wouldn't. This one does, however, as Joe is as flabbergasted as we are and we get a reasonable explanation for the whole situation later on.

Joe isn't exactly "Mr. Mom" and much to the distaste of his overbearing agent (a grating Kyra Sedgwick) his time is now spent unwittingly wearing bedazzled clothes and chauffeuring Peyton to ballet class. The dance teacher (Rosalyn Sanchez) demands full parental involvement in the class and isn't the slightest bit impressed by Joe's fame and accomplishments. Obviously, she's being set up as a love interest for Joe, but I was surprised at the restraint the writers showed in handling it. Actually, it really isn't handled at all, which was a welcome relief. Although I'm sure a lot of that had to do with the fact this is supposed to be a PG rated family movie.

We know exactly where all of this is going and where it'll end up yet somehow I found myself entertained throughout the slightly overlong picture and most of why is the chemistry between Johnson and Pettis. They play off each other really well and are believable as father and daughter. It's fun watching Johnson's reactions to her behavior as he tries to find a way to contain himself and deal with it in a reasonable manner. She isn't a brat, just a regular hyperactive kid, but this guy is still in way over his head.

I also like how director Andy Fickman lets Johnson slide in some personality traits and mannerisms from his wrestling character, like his Elvis obsession and tendency to refer to himself in the third person. It fits perfectly and the opening sequence where we're introduced to the character is great, in no small part due to the fact he has one of the coolest apartments in existence. As a wrestler The Rock was known as a guy who could flip from "good" to bad" at the drop of a hat. I never would've thought that skill would come in handy for him as an actor, but it does here. How Johnson conveys his character's transformation throughout the film is subtly and skillfully done and as much as I tried to fight it, by the end, I really ended up caring about this father-daughter relationship.

The film does hit a couple of sour notes, namely musical ones. Nathan Wang's score is annoying, unnecessarily adding an exclamation point to each scene and highlighting every little emotion. It actually calls attention to itself, something a film score should never do under any circumstances. Kyra Sedgwick's agent is also unbearable, but most of the blame can be put on Fickman for letting her indulge that broadly. I know it's a Disney film and the villains are supposed to be cartoonish, but it didn't seem to fit and her performance seemed excessive even for this type of film. At 110 minutes it could have used a little bit of a trim job, but I can't say it dragged or I was ever bored. The charm of the two leads carried it through.

To the surprise of many, this film actually cleaned up at the box office and I can see why. This is one of those rare cases where audiences were right and the critics struck out, overanalyzing things. It's just inoffensive fun and a welcome throwback to an era when Disney used to release quality live action films that were marketed as family affairs. Yes, the script is corny and simplistic but it's executed well onscreen and serves the audience it's aimed for.

You couldn't convince me The Game Plan is any less intelligent than other lightweight fare from 2007 like Hairspray or the fluffy Waitress, and I'd go out on a limb and say this is actually smarter than the latter, which dished out life lessons with a helping of sugar so sweet it could put a diabetic in a coma. That took an adult problem and approached it with a five-year-old mentality, while at least this is supposed to be simplistic and doesn't put on false pretences of being highly intellectual. It knows what it's trying to do and does it. What more could you ask for?

I'm not even a part of the audience this movie is aimed for and enjoyed myself, so I can only imagine how much kids would love it. They'll also love Johnson, who takes low-level material and knocks it out of the park. It's scary to think what he's capable of delivering if ever handed material of genuine substance. I have a feeling it won't be too long before we find out.