None of the main stream movies coming out in theaters and on DVD have been wowing me lately. When this happens, I tend to go on an indie movie kick to have faith that there's still good cinema being made. I've seen four this month that are worth mentioning.
The first was a rental, "Win Win." This 2011 movie star Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor. It was written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, who is also a recognizable actor (although is not in the film). Giamatti plays a struggling lawyer and volunteer high school wrestling coach who unethical claims guardianship over a senile elderly client to help supplement his income. His client's grandson shows up and Giamatti brings him in to help his wrestling team's record. Before long, the grandson (Kevin) becomes a part of the family. Drama ensues when Kevin's mom shows up and when Giamatti's indiscretions surface. Fun fact about Alex Shaffer, the kid who plays Kevin. He won the 2010 New Jersey State Wrestling Championship, which got him the role in this movie. It looks like he has two more films in post-productions, so we'll see if he wrestles in those. The movie was heart-warming and funny. The acting was superb all around and had me rooting for and becoming invested with the characters. I can see why it was buzzed about and nominated for a bunch of indie awards last season. "Win Win" has an amazing 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
When my mom was visiting earlier this month, we went to see "Friends With Kids" in the theater. This movie was pretty timely for me, as a close friend just had her baby. The movie centers around a group of six friends in their 30s, four of whom who are married and the other two are best friends. After both the married couples in the group have kids and the friends see how it affects their marriages and happiness, they decide to have a kid while maintaining their platonic friendship. They feel that this will let them lead happy lives, find romance and still have a child. The writer, director, producer and star of the film is Jennifer Westfeldt. She hasn't been in many movies but works on the NYC theater scene and has had walk-ons roles on a lot of TV shows. I'm guessing the reason she was really able to produce this was that it's co-produced by Jon Hamm (Mad Men), her longtime beau in real life. The screenplay is clever and witty, which great timing. The whole movie is probably relevant to a ton of people. I just wish she hadn't cast herself as the lead, as her acting seemed fake and flat. It also could be that she surrounded herself with great comedic actors including Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott and Chris O'Dowd. Jon Hamm of course has another lead role and Megan Fox is the key supporting actress. And yes, if you just saw "Bridesmaids," this is half of the exact same cast, they just switched partners. I think a lot of people had similar feelings on this, as it garnered a 63% on Rotten Tomatoes.
I went on a date last Saturday night and there wasn't too much playing, so we went to see "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" (I like to test men by seeing if they can get into anything outside of blockbuster action films). This comedy is written and directed by Mark and Jay Duplass, the brother duo that did the recent creepy comedy "Cyprus," which also focuses on odd family dynamics. "Jeff, Who Lives at Home," is about slacker/stone Jeff, who lives in his mother's basement and believes his destiny will be shown to him through a series of signs (coincidentally he's also a huge fan of the movie "Signs"). When the signs lead him on a hunt for the elusive Kevin, he runs into his neurotic brother who is on the search for this adulterous wife. The film also shines a light on their mother, who is feeling let down by her life and disappointed with her sons. Jeff is played by the hilarious Jason Segel. Ed Helms nails the role of the brother with Judy Greer as his philandering wife. Susan Sarandon embodies a warn down office worker, who perks up at the thought of romance. I don't really understand the turn the mother's plot goes down but everything else in the movie was great. It's comedic, but in a clever way. It also has a lot of substance once you get deep into the plot. I really enjoyed it. It only has a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes right now, but I bet it will go up once more people see it.
The last one I saw was last night, when I sat on my couch and tried to watch "Tree of Life." I have a weird problem where I need to see how a movie resolves itself, no matter how bad the film. However, there have been 3 movies that were so awful I was able to just shut it off. They were "Driving in Cars with Boys," "Rango," and now "Tree of Life." It stars Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and upcomer Jessica Chastain and centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. Sounds simple enough right? It's not. They try to show the journey of one of the boys, who loses his innocence, has a complicated relationship with his father and grows up seeking answers to the meaning of life. However, the film doesn't clearly explain this, it just murmurs, then flashes to images of supernovas, clowns, sharks, dinosaurs and a lot of visual imagery. It feels like it's trying to be heavy and explain spirituality, but it's just disjointed, confusing and boring. The nonsensical narrator rambling, along with bold visual imaging, feels like you're watching a Werner Herzog film, but without a clear direction or learning. I don't recommend this movie, even though it somehow go a 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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