Lucky You, The Flying Scotsman, Waitress
Lucky You *
Directed by Curtis Hanson
124 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for some language and sexual humor.
I have always enjoyed Curtis Hanson's work-from the intense "L.A. Confidential" to the surprise "In Her Shoes." "Lucky You' seemed like a recipe for success-perhaps a decent love story, both Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore are fine actors. And then it turned out to be one of those "great opening scene movies." In the film, Bana plays a gambling man, and in the first scene we are introduced to him trying to pawn off a digital camera to a woman that wants to give him a small amount of money for it. The scene is very well written and convincing, and promises a fun time for the next two hours. Instead we get a horribly written, poorly acted, cliched love story/father son relationship story, about a father and a son who have a poker rivalry. Bana plays Huck Cheever, who does not have a job, he just gambles in a Las Vegas casino. And when he isn't playing poker, he's playing small bets-one example is how he has to run five miles and then play eighteen holes of golf in under three hours. He rivals with his no good father, played by Robert Duvall, and then meets and falls in love with Billie, played by Drew Barrymore. Billie is warned by her sister, played by Debra Messing in both scenes, that Huck is a heart breaker who often puts himself first. Billie does not listen.
"Lucky You" is not a convincing love story-for one thing there is zero chemistry between Bana and Barrymore. It is a forced story as well. Most of the film is just poker game after poker game with no tension at all. It became boring to watch-and the last thirty minutes as all one game. It was endless, and I am not one of those guys that watch the poker games on ESPN. Often times I did not know what was happening-the poker lingo-or even which cards beat what. The love story was a mere afterthought in between the poker games, and I wondered if perhaps the love story was tacked on to get a film about poker out there to the masses. The script is very poorly written, but some pretty bad wordplay-"Sometimes nothing is everything. . . .You got it backwards kid. You play cards the way you should lead your life. And you lead your life the way you should play cards. . ." etc. "Lucky You" ends up being just a cliched mess, hitting all the standard bases you would expect in a film like this. No magic, no mystery. It isn't even directed well, as if Hanson got bored halfway. I expect better from him, and hope he redeems himself in the future. This is a boring "romance" film.
The Flying Scotsman **
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
96 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements and strong language.
We've seen this movie before. The underdog tries to set a world record, and will stop at nothing to accomplish this task. When it comes to speed, the best film of that genre that I could think of is "The World's Fastest Indian," only here instead of machine power being needed to get to it top, it's the speed of man. Jonny Lee Miller delivers an acceptable performance as Graeme Obree, a cyclist who created his own bike using parts from a washing machine as a way to beat the one hour land record. With the help of his wife Anne and his manager Malky, Graeme dons a sweatsuit and becomes "The Flying Scotsman." After getting the record he not only has it stripped away from him, but begins to suffer from mental health problems that put himself and his family at risk, and yet he continues to press onward.
I would expect better from art house fare, and yet "The Flying Scotsman" does resort to Hollywood underdog techniques. Sometimes I do not mind, however the screenplay doesn't exactly get me involved, and never made me want to even bother rooting for Graeme. In a film like this, with a plot that I have seen before, care for the characters is exactly what is needed. The best thing to say about it is Mackinnon's direction, which has some beautiful dark shots of the area, and I can admire his use of one takes. "The Flying Scotsman' is mere entertainment, and at times it isn't even that.
Waitress ***1/2
Directed by Adrienne Shelly
107 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and thematic elements.
"Waitress" is quite a wonderful movie, and the last film in what could have been a very good career by writer/director Adrienne Shelly, who was killed late last year while the film was in post-production. "Waitress" is certainly going to be the vehicle that will propel Keri Russell (from TV's Felicity) into a more high profile career, and this is her movie thick and thin. Virtually in every scene, Russell plays Jenna, a thirtysomething year old woman in an unhappy marriage to Earl, who is abusive and needy. Jenna works in a small pie diner where she bakes pies all day long, and she is somewhat of a genius when it comes to cooking. She ends up getting pregnant and even though the baby is completely unwanted, she decides to have it anyway. Jenna ends up having an affair with her doctor, and plans on saving up enough money to run away without Earl ever knowing that she was pregnant. And even though things stand in her way she is determined to be happy with her life.
Russell plays her part so well. She certainly is cute enough for a lead role-not beautiful but pretty nonetheless. She has a certain comic timing, aided well by Shelly's direction. Shelly plays a bit part as one of Jenna's waitress friends, the nerdy Dawn, which is more quirky comic acting done right. What I like about the film is that it is not your standard love story with Jenna falling in love with her doctor. Jenna never does fall in love with her doctor-instead it is just about escaping from her current situation. This is a film about a woman and not a romance, and "Waitress" passes with that concept. There is a fine performance by Andy Griffith as the owner of the pie shop, and he is still good after all these years. "Waitress" will have you leaving with tears at the end-not only because it ends on a note as sweet as the pies featured in every scene, but because you'll know that it is the last film you'll see by Adrienne Shelly, who possesses a certain knack for direction that will be sorely missed. It is a real shame, but this last film is a great tribute to herself. I loved this movie.
Directed by Curtis Hanson
124 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for some language and sexual humor.
I have always enjoyed Curtis Hanson's work-from the intense "L.A. Confidential" to the surprise "In Her Shoes." "Lucky You' seemed like a recipe for success-perhaps a decent love story, both Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore are fine actors. And then it turned out to be one of those "great opening scene movies." In the film, Bana plays a gambling man, and in the first scene we are introduced to him trying to pawn off a digital camera to a woman that wants to give him a small amount of money for it. The scene is very well written and convincing, and promises a fun time for the next two hours. Instead we get a horribly written, poorly acted, cliched love story/father son relationship story, about a father and a son who have a poker rivalry. Bana plays Huck Cheever, who does not have a job, he just gambles in a Las Vegas casino. And when he isn't playing poker, he's playing small bets-one example is how he has to run five miles and then play eighteen holes of golf in under three hours. He rivals with his no good father, played by Robert Duvall, and then meets and falls in love with Billie, played by Drew Barrymore. Billie is warned by her sister, played by Debra Messing in both scenes, that Huck is a heart breaker who often puts himself first. Billie does not listen.
"Lucky You" is not a convincing love story-for one thing there is zero chemistry between Bana and Barrymore. It is a forced story as well. Most of the film is just poker game after poker game with no tension at all. It became boring to watch-and the last thirty minutes as all one game. It was endless, and I am not one of those guys that watch the poker games on ESPN. Often times I did not know what was happening-the poker lingo-or even which cards beat what. The love story was a mere afterthought in between the poker games, and I wondered if perhaps the love story was tacked on to get a film about poker out there to the masses. The script is very poorly written, but some pretty bad wordplay-"Sometimes nothing is everything. . . .You got it backwards kid. You play cards the way you should lead your life. And you lead your life the way you should play cards. . ." etc. "Lucky You" ends up being just a cliched mess, hitting all the standard bases you would expect in a film like this. No magic, no mystery. It isn't even directed well, as if Hanson got bored halfway. I expect better from him, and hope he redeems himself in the future. This is a boring "romance" film.
The Flying Scotsman **
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
96 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements and strong language.
We've seen this movie before. The underdog tries to set a world record, and will stop at nothing to accomplish this task. When it comes to speed, the best film of that genre that I could think of is "The World's Fastest Indian," only here instead of machine power being needed to get to it top, it's the speed of man. Jonny Lee Miller delivers an acceptable performance as Graeme Obree, a cyclist who created his own bike using parts from a washing machine as a way to beat the one hour land record. With the help of his wife Anne and his manager Malky, Graeme dons a sweatsuit and becomes "The Flying Scotsman." After getting the record he not only has it stripped away from him, but begins to suffer from mental health problems that put himself and his family at risk, and yet he continues to press onward.
I would expect better from art house fare, and yet "The Flying Scotsman" does resort to Hollywood underdog techniques. Sometimes I do not mind, however the screenplay doesn't exactly get me involved, and never made me want to even bother rooting for Graeme. In a film like this, with a plot that I have seen before, care for the characters is exactly what is needed. The best thing to say about it is Mackinnon's direction, which has some beautiful dark shots of the area, and I can admire his use of one takes. "The Flying Scotsman' is mere entertainment, and at times it isn't even that.
Waitress ***1/2
Directed by Adrienne Shelly
107 Minutes
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and thematic elements.
"Waitress" is quite a wonderful movie, and the last film in what could have been a very good career by writer/director Adrienne Shelly, who was killed late last year while the film was in post-production. "Waitress" is certainly going to be the vehicle that will propel Keri Russell (from TV's Felicity) into a more high profile career, and this is her movie thick and thin. Virtually in every scene, Russell plays Jenna, a thirtysomething year old woman in an unhappy marriage to Earl, who is abusive and needy. Jenna works in a small pie diner where she bakes pies all day long, and she is somewhat of a genius when it comes to cooking. She ends up getting pregnant and even though the baby is completely unwanted, she decides to have it anyway. Jenna ends up having an affair with her doctor, and plans on saving up enough money to run away without Earl ever knowing that she was pregnant. And even though things stand in her way she is determined to be happy with her life.
Russell plays her part so well. She certainly is cute enough for a lead role-not beautiful but pretty nonetheless. She has a certain comic timing, aided well by Shelly's direction. Shelly plays a bit part as one of Jenna's waitress friends, the nerdy Dawn, which is more quirky comic acting done right. What I like about the film is that it is not your standard love story with Jenna falling in love with her doctor. Jenna never does fall in love with her doctor-instead it is just about escaping from her current situation. This is a film about a woman and not a romance, and "Waitress" passes with that concept. There is a fine performance by Andy Griffith as the owner of the pie shop, and he is still good after all these years. "Waitress" will have you leaving with tears at the end-not only because it ends on a note as sweet as the pies featured in every scene, but because you'll know that it is the last film you'll see by Adrienne Shelly, who possesses a certain knack for direction that will be sorely missed. It is a real shame, but this last film is a great tribute to herself. I loved this movie.
posted by Eric at
9:00 PM
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