Made In Dagenham: Fight For What’s Right!

Made In Dagenham is a British biopic drama film directed by Nigel Cole. It tells the real-life story of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham Car Plant and the fight for equal pay.

I think this film is riveting, I can’t say how close it keeps to reality, but I would assume quite close as the real people were involved. Watching it I learnt about events that I had no idea about, I feel like this part of British history doesn’t get much attention when it comes to films, so I am glad this got made. I think this film raises a lot of key questions about our society and the petty arbitrary divisions within it; with the takeaway being if you want change you need to fight for it.

I think from a characterization position the only character that is done well is Rita (Sally Hawkins), not only do we root for her to win, we get to see through her eyes just how unfair and plain wrong the world was, and to some extent still is. However, the other characters aren’t so rounded and that would be my major criticism of the film. Rosamund Pike’s character Lisa only really exists to give Rita a pep talk when things seem their darkest, outside of that she is not developed at all; she might not a played a vital role in the real events so that might be why she has so little development, but then why include her at all? The same can be said for a number of other characters as well.

Overall, I think the lack of character development doesn’t hold this film back as the main character feels rounded and it is through her eyes that we see this world. I think this is a must watch as it highlights parts of history we might be unaware of and exposes issues that we need to face. I think Hawkins is at her best here and I really recommend you check this one out!

Pros.

Highlight maybe forgotten history.

Hawkins.

Gripping to watch.

You care about the struggle.

Cons.

A lot of the characters other than Rita exist souly to push the story along.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Lodge: Effective Birth Control

The Lodge is a horror thriller film directed by the due behind Goodnight Mommy Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz. The plot follows a father (Richard Armitage), and his two children who go on a camping retreat with their father’s new girlfriend Grace (Riley Keough), after the death of their mother. Spooky stuff related to Grace’s past in a cult keeps happening which makes her question her sanity.

This film is unpleasant, I had to do something else while I was watching it to even finish it. I expect a lot of people will have a very strong reaction to this film either positively or negatively; it is very polarizing like that. Personally, I hated it. I will give the film one thing though, it shows the effects of gaslighting perfectly and I applaud them for taking that risk, simply it wasn’t for me.

The spooky things I mentioned earlier include the oldest boy hanging himself, or at least so we think. It turns out that the kids hate Grace so much, for no reason they hate her from the off, that they have faked everything including the hanging to get her to kill herself. This twist is what put me off the film because it unravels it in two ways.

Firstly, the idea that we are supposed to believe two kids concocted and executed this incredibly elaborate plan is beyond ridiculous. Then when you start to think about the implications this causes for the rest of the film it falls apart even more.

Secondly, after all this is revealed we are supposed to still care about the kids. Why? Why should we care about them after this. Frankly I don’t sympathise with them, they get what they deserve for trying to make a woman kill herself for no reason.

Overall, it was certainly trying to provoke a reason, sadly it wasn’t a good one it got out of me.

Pros.

It has guts to pull that twist.

Cons.

It makes no sense.

The kids are detestable.

It all feel pointless and done without reason.

It was off putting, but maybe that was the point.

1.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Look Of Love: Coogan Takes On The King Of Soho Sleaze

The Look Of Love is a British biopic about the life of pornography/ real estate mogul Paul Raymond (Steve Coogan), directed by Michael Winterbottom. The film charts his life, the highs and the lows, the trials and tribulations. It is a cautionary tale.

This film is a testament to having it all, but also being fundamentally empty. Raymond might be rich, but he isn’t happy, he is never happy. I think this film plays out almost like a tragedy because it shows us how this incredibly wealthy man is just trying to make himself feel something and he just can’t. I think this biopic could easily have just been showy and it is to an extent, I will get back to that, but more so it dives deep it analyse the mind of this man, that is what it sets out to do.

When I say this film is showy it is a critique. This film can be gratuitous at points, I understand the nature of Raymond’s work, but the nudity is constant and not really done in a tasteful way. It almost feels a bit creepy and voyeuristic at points, almost as though it is fantasy fulfilment. I understand that it was probably done to show how the character has everything, however, I thought it could have been done better.

Coogan is on top form here. He is trying to play the character in far more of a dramatic way than he normally does, there are a few comedic moments, but Coogan mostly plays the character straight and it works. Crucially the centrepiece of this film is Raymond’s relationship with his daughter (played by Imogen Poots), and I am glad to say that is strong. Both nails the drama and craft characters we end up caring about; even though they’re terrible people.

Overall, this is more thoughtful drama than comedy it is helped by great performances from Coogan and Poots but let down by over the top nudity.

Pros

Steve Coogan.

Nails the drama.

It makes you care about the characters.

The relationship between father and daughter.

Cons.

The nudity is too much.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Royal Tenenbaums: Family stands together

The Royal Tenenbaums is a quirky comedy film directed by Wes Anderson. The film follows the Tenenbaum family and their associates as their often-absent father appears back in their lives claiming to be dying, but actually wanting to reconnect.

This is the best film I have seen in a while; it rivals The Darjeeling Limited for my favourite Wes Anderson film. There is just something so warm about it even in its sadder moments, we the audience can relate to the Tenenbaums, they’re not perfect and there are issues a plenty, yet they try and be better people and I think there is something heart-warming about that. As cliché as it might be to say, this film has a lot of heart.

The comedy of this film was also spot on for me. It made me laugh a good few time and smile throughout. I particularly liked Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, I thought she was the funniest and had the best scenes overall.

The best thing about this film are the performances. This film managed to do the impossible and make me like Gwyneth Paltrow even if it was just for a few hours, it also boasts fantastic performances from everyone else involved; particularly the Wilson Brothers and a short but sweet turn from Bill Murray.

My one issue with the film, was Ben Stiller. I like Stiller and I think this character grew on me overtime, but he and his performance are in nowhere near the same league as everyone else; he is completely blown out of the water, but then again he always was going to be.

Overall, I can’t recommend this one highly enough, just terrific from start to finish.

Pros.

The heart.

The comedy.

Making me like the snake oil saleswoman that is Gwyneth Paltrow.

The Wilson Brothers.

Cons.

Ben Stiller.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Take Shelter: Are The End Times Nigh?

Take Shelter is a psychological thriller drama film directed by Jeff Nichols. The story revolves around family man Curtis (Michael Shannon), who starts having nightmares about the end of the world as the film progresses these nightmares get worse and start to bleed over into his real world and Curtis becomes convinced that something bad is going to happen.

I appreciate Jeff Nichols; he is one of the most consistent but also incredibly underrated filmmakers working today: check out his whole filmography to see what I mean. What I think Nichols does so well is deal with complexity, in his films nothing is ever clear cut, nothing is ever as it appears. In relation to this film, we are never given an answer one way or the other whether Curtis is getting visons of the end of the world if he is suffering a mental break. The film ends and then it is up to us to draw our own conclusions.

Normally, I would hate that kind of ending I would say it is pretensions and a sign of someone who can’t write an ending. However, here it works, the ending fits nicely with the overall feel of the movie; it is natural. Something that again helps to get rid of any notions of pretentiousness is how down to earth this film feels, everything about it seems set in our world with characters that could easily exist. This is very true of Shannon’s Curtis as well as Jessica Chastain’s Samantha, both feel very real and fleshed out and both actors give magnificent performances.

Overall, this is a terrific film, it is genuinely tense and surprising throughout. My one issue with it is that it does feel a little drawn out and could probably do with a much tighter edit to trim it down. A lot of fun all the same.

Pros.

Chastain and Shannon.

The ambiguous ending.

The tension.

Cons.

It is too long.

A lot of the supporting cast is very forgettable.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

How To Build A Girl: The Teenage Condition

How To Build A Girl is a comedy film directed by Coky Giedroyc; based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Catlin Moran. The plot sees Nerdy shy girl Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein), transform herself into a badass rock reviewer in an effort to escape her hometown and have it all.

I have to say I enjoyed this one more than I thought I was going to; I went in with pretty average expectations as I didn’t know what it was about, Feldstein drew me to it. I recently rewatched Book Smart and thought Feldstein was the highlight of that film. I also enjoyed her small part on the What We Do In The Shadows TV series, so I decided to give his ago and it was a surprisingly sweet, charming film.

Firstly, I want to say Feldstein was terrific I completely bought her performance and I thought she captured the idea of a girl wanting to escape her circumstance, but then not knowing what to do once she had very well. She sold the inner conflict. Also I thought for an American her accent was quite good, quite convincing. Yes, it might have been a bit broad and there might have been times when she sounded as though she was from Liverpool rather than Wolverhampton, but I still thought it was a valiant effort.

Secondly, I thought Alfie Allen was a triumph as John Kite Johanna’s significantly older love interest. The character is supposed to be a deeply tragic one and I think Allen portrays that really well, I think he really shines in the films dramatic scenes. I thought the relationship between them was done just right, with them ending as friends; no icky age troubling romance.

Overall, I thought this film felt very human, it felt very real. By that I mean nothing outlandish happened, you bought that these characters could easily be real people, maybe you could even relate. I think this film is very good and something you should defiantly check out as it proves what a talent on the rise Beanie Feldstein is.

Pros.

Beanie Feldstein.

Alfie Allen.

It was very relatable.

The side characters particularly Paddy Constantine were superb.

Cons.

A little cliché at times.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Capone: Bronson, The Krays and now Al Capone.

Capone is a biographic crime drama film directed by Josh Trank. The plot details the final years of notorious gangster Al Capone (Tom Hardy), as he battle with multiple health issues and slowly loses himself. There is also a subplot about trying to find some money Capone hid when he was a younger man; which still remains hidden to this day.

This is a testament to Tom Hardy as an actor, he manages to do a lot with very little. Some of Hardy’s lines are just gurgles or incoherent babbling and with a lesser actor it would just be dumb and strange, but Hardy manages to sell it. I think this is going to be a divisive performance from Hardy some people will like it and others won’t; it is very much like his Mad Max performance.

If you go into this thinking it is going to be a gangster crime film then you’re going to be disappointed. This is far more of a drama film. It shows us the decline of this once feared gangster to a point where he is a stranger even to himself, in a lot of ways this film is very sad, it makes you care about Capone despite all of his evil deed and it makes you sad to see him like this.

I think for sure this film can act as redemption for Josh Trank, one day I will write about my thoughts surrounding the treatment of Josh Trank during the Fantastic Four years, but for now I will just say that this film much like Chronicle proves him as a strong director with a keen eye. Both Trank and Hardy are on top form.

Overall, I think this might not be what everyone is expecting, but it is still a fantastic film that you will find hard to take your eyes off. A must watch.

Pros.

Josh Trank.

Making you care about Capone.

Tom Hardy.

The mystery around the money.

The flashbacks and the dreamlike feel.

Cons.

There are some unpleasant sights and I am not talking about the blood.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Swallow: Prepare To Wince

Swallow is a horror thriller film directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis. The plot sees often pushed to the side wife Hunter (Haley Bennet), start to eat inedible objects as a coping mechanism for her failing marriage and her fears about giving birth to a child. The horror comes from the very real situational drama/ tension and Hunter’s descent into mental illness.

This film will make you wince, watching a pregnant woman eating a nail is an uncomfortable sight and it only gets worse from there. I think calling this film a horror film might be a misclassification, which might be reductive to the film overall. I certainly understand how people could view it as a horror film, but it fits far better as a drama thriller.

This film has a very similar vibe to The Invisible Man from earlier this year, it deals with very similar themes. Hunters relationship with her husband starts off bad and ends up hellish. The real ‘horror’ of the film as I said would be the way Hunter’s husband and his family treat her; cycles of abuse and escape are both key themes to this film.

I think though this film certainly is original, I have never seen anything like it before, there isn’t enough plot to really justify the runtime. I often pick apart films because of pacing issues and I do this because I think an overly long film is terrible and turns me off. All the best films are tight, every second counts, you can’t look away, however that is not something I can say for this film. This film could have done with a tighter edit, it had some pacing issues, but they weren’t terrible.

Overall, it is a deeply unique quirky film, that I think is wrongly classified as a horror, though there certainly are many horrifying parts of it this is far more of a drama; if slow burn is your thing, I would say it is a must watch.

Pros.

Haley Bennet is good.

The themes.

The uniqueness.

It makes you wince.

Cons.

It could have been tighter, and some bits made me lose interest a bit.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Wine Country: You’re Going To Need The Bottle For This

Wine Country is a comedy drama film directed by Amy Poehler. The plot sees a group of old friends/ work buddies meet up for one of their 50^th birthdays. They try and have a nice weekend away but realise that they have become disconnected from one another and must air and work past their grievances to try and save their friendship.

Maybe this film just isn’t for me, I am not it’s targeted demographic; middle age women. The lessons and messages of the film that cover things like ageing gracefully and accepting your place in the world didn’t connect with me. Personally, I think this film thinks it is far deeper than it actually is, this film adds nothing new to the conversation; a lot of what it has to say is trite and played out, sometimes feeling more than a little out of touch.

The saving grace of this film for me is Jason Schwartzman. He is the only character that made me smile in this supposed comedy film; by shear virtue of his weirdness. Schwartzman feels like a breath of fresh air here and all of his scenes pop. The same could be said of Tina Fey, she is rarely featured but when she is it is usually one of the films better scenes.

As for the film’s lead Poehler she is just playing the same character she always plays, the one she has been playing for the last 20 years, the only difference is that it is staring to get stale and painfully unfunny.

That crucially was my issue with this film overall, it wasn’t funny. This is supposed to be a comedy film and yet I didn’t laugh once, if anything it depressed me and reminded me of my own mortality; I ask is that what you want out of a comedy film?

Pros.

Jason Schwartzman.

Tina Fey.

Cons.

Amy Poehler.

It is not funny.

It is depressing.

2/5

Reviewed By Luke

f r e d: Dancing Through The Pain

f_r_e_d is a drama film directed by Alexander Jeremy. The film highlights the grieving process and shows the different ways in which people grieve after the death of a loved one.

This one hit home for me, I have recently in these last few months suffered a death in the family. So, the idea of having to get on with your life without someone you care about being in it is something I am all too familiar with. I think this film is an emotional triumph. It perfectly captures grief and loss in a way you can relate to.

My favourite moments in this film are when it gets abstract. There are sequences that just come out of nowhere, there is one very early on that is almost like a musical interlude of a man dancing, it is surprising and shocking, and it throws you off guard. I think these segments work perfectly as a reflection of the unpredictable nature of death; one minute you’re here the next you aren’t.

Of course this film has fantastic emotional stakes as well. Susie Kimnell goes through all the stages of grief in this film and nails them all, I completely bought that she was in mourning every second she was on screen; she was terrific, a breath of fresh air.

Overall, this is one struck a chord with me it reminded me of the emotions I felt, it made me laugh, it made me cry, but more than anything else it made me grateful. I highly recommend you check this film out!

Pros.

The performances.

The emotion.

Capturing the randomness of death.

It spoke to me.

It will speak to you.

Cons.

None.

5/5

Ps. Bring a tissue.