Staring contest, you and me: Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis
Due Date--Todd Philips follow-up to The Hangover proves that a film doesn't need to be fully developed to produce full laughs. Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis star as a mismatched couple who share a car and drive cross-country so one of them can reach his wife's delivery on time while the other has dreams of being an actor. Along the way, they find themselves in crazy situations while they meet crazy people, in the form of Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, and Jamie Foxx, among others. Vastly predictable it may be, Due Date still manages to be quite funny. Effective gags range from Galifianakis' dog to Downey's hilarious excessive anger and frustration, while some of the dialogue is hysterical. The problem is that none of these characters jump out as original, round, or human--they are *all* one-dimensional, and the film garners very few surprises in terms of its story. Thank god this script has a terrific comedic director and cast because, without them, Due Date wouldn't go far. But in terms of this crew, the film adequately manages its predictability to incite a reasonable amount of hilarity. If you're not expecting something highly smart and witty, you'll fare well with this funny (though rehashed) road-comedy.
Grade: B-
Stirring the pot: James Franco as controversial beat-poet Allen Ginsberg.
Howl--It seems as if in terms of biopic, James Franco is your man. In Howl, he portrays legendary poet Allen Ginsberg who's poem of the same name incites an obscenity trial against the work's publishers. Embedded into this courtroom drama are various interviews with Franco as Ginsberg, as well as animated interpretations and collages of his popular poem. Watching the film, I was reminded of both Todd Hayne's I'm Not There and George Clooney's Goodnight and Good Luck, as Epstein and Friedman's film feels like a strange hybrid of both of those movies. It maintains this interesting duality of a conventional courtroom trial (with an array of literary professionals portrayed by Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels, and Treat Williams, among others) and this whimsical, artistic exploration into Ginsberg's mentality. Though just as the film quite didactically expresses near the end, art is something only up for interpretation--oddly, the film has a rather objective nature when dealing with Ginsberg's work. If it were left more ambiguous and mystic, Howl would actually be a much more fascinating film. Though the animation is beautiful and perhaps serves the purpose of adding coherence to Ginsberg, the film would've benefited from an essence lacking in clarity so it would invite much more interpretation, much like "Howl" itself. Nevertheless, as it stands, Howl is still a unique and experimental take on art that features an unusual structure colored by an amazing cast.
Grade: B+
Not exactly on the same page: Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford.
Morning Glory--Much like the above Due Date, Morning Glory is predictability elevated by terrific actors and direction. Rachel McAdams stars as a young executive producer of a morning talk show, Day Break, that is in serious need of heightened ratings. In turn, she pairs her lead female anchor (a vibrant supporting turn from Diane Keaton) with Harrison Ford's ultra-professional, traditional journalist. What ensues? An office romance, a controlling job, and funny supporting characters and quirks in between. Yes, this is formula--but this is formula done extremely well. Though it may be recycled, Morning Glory feels so fresh because of its sharp wit and immeasurable energy that comes from the delightful script as well as the outstanding cast. McAdams has yet to give a performance that doesn't impress me, as she's endlessly charming, funny, and yes, adorable. Keaton is hysterical to the point of me wanting to see more of her, while Ford's growly and grumpy newsman took a bit to get used to but ultimately is an endearing character portrayal by the actor. Patrick Wilson is formidable and Jeff Goldblum is Jeff Goldblum (like that's a bad thing...). The thing with Morning Glory is that it has all its pieces where they should and tend to always be--stock characters, romantic cliches, heart-warming montages--but it's shot too beautifully, written too cleverly, and acted too well for me to just recognize it as a standard romantic-comedy. Yes, I get the genre has its own codes and formula, but I'm sick of those that are so tired and wish they were as fun and energetic as this one.
Grade: A-
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