Movie Review: Far From Heaven

Far From Heaven (2002)

Directed by Todd Haynes 

Written by Todd Haynes

Starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson, Viola Davis, George Clooney

Release Date November 8th, 2002

Published December 24th, 2002

The 1950s is bathed in that Donna Reed/Leave It To Beaver sheen that seems, to irony, impenetrable. The earnestness and honesty of the times is anathema to our current state of affairs. Not that I would prefer the constricted fifties to our open society, rather, I'm merely illustrating the differences that are in conflict in Todd Haynes 50s era drama Far From Heaven, which attempts to openly comment on modern social issues while maintaining the earnestness of its time period. It is a balancing act that ends up in mixed results at best.

Inspired by the works of fifties era hauteur Douglas Sirk, Far From Heaven is a domestic drama that casts Julianne Moore as mother and housewife Catherine Whitaker. Living in the perfect suburb with her perfect children, home and lifestyle, Catherine is the Donna Reed-like ideal 50s woman. Perfect to the point that she and her husband are cast as the perfect couple in an advertisement for her husband's TV manufacturing company. So perfect that a local reporter profiles her as the womanly ideal.

However, cracks are beginning to show. Catherine's husband Frank continually arrives home later and later from work. Then, as Catherine waits for Frank to arrive home to escort her to a party, she is called to the police station to bail him out. She never questions why Frank was in jail; he claims the officer mistook him for the real criminal. The cracks become a huge gaping hole when Catherine decides to deliver dinner to a late working Frank and finds him in flagrante delicto with another man.

Rather than risk her perfect life, Catherine is very forgiving of Frank, escorting him to a psychiatrist where he hopes to be cured of his "affliction." So how does Catherine deal with her emotions? Rather than confide in her closest friend, played by Patricia Clarkson, she takes solace in the kind ear of her new gardener a black man named Raymond Deagen. The attraction isn't overtly sexual; at first, it is friendly and supportive and, slowly, an undercurrent of passion develops that both are fearful of exploring. Especially after a neighbor begins gossiping about the relationship.

Writer-director Todd Haynes is extremely faithful to his period and anyone who has flipped past Turner Classic Movies will recognize from the title sequence, the score by Elmer Bernstein, all the way to the closing credits, the look of the 50s dramas that were actually made in the 1950s. It is really remarkable but also troublesome. Haynes is so successful in his homage that it almost becomes comical, a parody.

The film deals with serious issues in the same ways that the movies that influenced it did, but far more overtly. Films of the 50s couldn't portray overtly homosexual characters or interracial romances, so commentaries on those topics were done through complicated metaphors that are still being discovered today. It is here that Haynes' freedom to portray these issues openly betrays him. Far From Heaven doesn't have the benefit of the mystery of metaphor that was invoked by the films that influenced it.

Julianne Moore gives a fine performance but, at times, only her natural warmth and audience credibility save the character from drifting into Stepford Wife-like parody. Dennis Quaid, as her closeted husband, has an easier time with his role, which has a natural conflict that allows him to be human from beginning to end (whereas Moore's character is at first required to be a Donna Reed clone and then gradually becomes a realistic character.) Haysbert has the difficult task of being saintly from beginning to end, at times taking on an almost beatific air. How a character in his situation could so naively wander from scene to scene without conflict is rather unbelievable.

Todd Haynes shows maturity and savvy that are quite remarkable; he has a very bright future ahead of him. Haynes will do especially well if he maintains his team of art director Peter Rogness, cinematographer Edward Lachman and production designer Mark Friedberg, who bathe every scene in the film in beautiful colors. The look of the film is remarkable for its clarity and will look truly amazing on DVD.

Far From Heaven is a good movie, but it is also a movie that cannot transcend its scenery. The 50s setting is a blessing and a curse. A blessing for the palate it provides for the production design, a curse for the faithfulness and attention to detail it seems to require, that cause the film to seem like almost a parody of itself.

Movie Review Intolerable Cruelty

Intolerable Cruelty (2003) 

Directed by The Coen Brothers 

Written by Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone, The Coen Brothers 

Starring George Clooney, Catherine Zeta Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Billy Bob Thornton, Cedric the Entertainer

Release date October 10th, 2003 

Published October 10th, 2003 

There are two unique qualities that mark Joel and Ethan Coen when working in comedy. The first is their writing, smart, funny, and slightly off-kilter surrealism tempered with sweet natured humor. The other is the look of their films, established with the help of cinematographer Roger Deakins. Consistent color patterns that have the same surreal quality of the stories they are background to. These two things are once again on display in Intolerable Cruelty, the Coen's skewed take on the modern romantic comedy.

George Clooney stars in Intolerable Cruelty as divorce lawyer extraordinaire Miles Massey, author of a prenuptial agreement so tough it's never been broken and is the subject of its own course at Harvard law. Miles' specialty is “impossible to win” divorce cases. Miles chooses cases specifically for the challenge of winning the ones no one expects anyone to win. Miles' latest case is that of Rex Rexroth (Edward Herrmann), a real estate millionaire who was caught dead-to-rights cheating on his wife Marilyn (Catherine Zeta Jones).

Marilyn, you see, hired a private investigator named Gus Petch (Cedric The Entertainer) to follow her husband and Gus now has videotape of Rex's infidelity. Obviously Rex is caught but with Miles as his lawyer, he somehow walks out of court on the good side of the settlement. In fact, Rex's now ex-wife got nothing. Nothing that is, except for the admiration of her husband’s lawyer.

Despite all of Miles' instincts about marriage and divorce, he is totally smitten with Marilyn and her shady search for gullible rich husbands. Even after she has married yet another rich dupe, a Texas oilman played by Billy Bob Thornton, Miles still can't help but fall for Marilyn. She, of course, has a few more surprises for Miles to come throughout this comedic story.

Intolerable Cruelty is a surprisingly conventional piece from the usually more off-kilter Coen Brothers. It is, in most respects, a romantic comedy and contains a number of the perfunctory touches of that genre. The coincidences and luck that are hallmarks of most romantic comedies also show up in Intolerable Cruelty, only slightly skewed by the Coen's snappy dialogue and bright colorful production design. The production design of the film is far better than most other films of the genre.

George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones spark some terrific chemistry but some of the film’s third reel twists undermine that chemistry with a little more detachment and cruelty than you want from a romantic comedy. Nevertheless this is still the Coen Brothers and the dialogue is smart and snappy and the two leads are more than equal to it. The good definitely outweighs the bad in Intolerable Cruelty. I'll take their version of the romantic comedy over any of the most recent releases in that genre.

Movie Review Ocean's 13

Ocean's 13 (2007) 

Directed by Steven Soderbergh 

Written by Brian Koppelman, David Levien 

Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin 

Release Date June 8th, 2007 

Published June 7th, 2007 

The breezy filmed cocktail party atmosphere of the first two Ocean's pictures continues to charm in Ocean's 13. However, even as the stars remain witty and charismatic and director Steven Soderbergh's direction becomes more confident and experimental, there is a fatigued quality setting in. Like a party beginning to wind down, Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta Jones have already left, Ocean's 13 has drifted late into the night and it's time to lock the doors and send everyone home. But, hey, we did have a good time.

Al Pacino sets the plot of Ocean's 13 in motion as a jerky hotel financier named Willy Bank. Having entered into a deal with our old friend Reuben (Elliott Gould) to open the biggest new resort on the strip, Willy has decided to renege on the deal. Reuben is out, his steak of several million dollars is gone, but mostly he has lost his pride. Not long after Willy rips him off, Reuben has a heart attack that leads to severe depression and a nearly comatose state.

Enter Reuben's old pals Danny (George Clooney) Rusty (Brad Pitt) and Linus (Matt Damon) seeking vengeance. Reuben was a surrogate father to Rusty and Danny and after helping the Ocean's crew in each of their largest ventures, Reuben is family and so the plan is set in motion to ruin the casino and find a way for Reuben to get his cash back.

The plot set in motion is... complicated. It involves kidnapping a group of high roller gamblers, putting down a workers revolt in Mexico, and generating an Earthquake in Nevada. If that isn't complicated enough, how about throwing in Super Dave Osbourne as an FBI agent ready to throw the whole scheme into uproar, seeming to trip his way into Danny and Rusty's deeply complicated con. 

Director Steven Soderbergh is one of the busiest, most involved directors in the game. Even in the slick trifle that is Ocean's 13; Soderbergh not only directs, he slaps the camera on his shoulder and shoots the picture (the credits say Peter Andrews but that is just Steven Soderbergh's alias). Soderbergh is also the executive producer on the film and is seemingly involved in every aspect of the film down to the dice chosen for a pivotal scene.

It is Soderbergh's attention to detail that keeps this bloated cast party from becoming just a star vehicle. Don't get me wrong, this is still predominantly a star vehicle, but Soderbergh's herculean efforts lend the production a little artistic credibility.The film doesn't need it but it doesn't hurt to have it. Soderbergh crafts a dynamic look for Ocean's 13 that is perfectly fitting of the Vegas setting. It's what he's done throughout this franchise but it remains a notably positive element. 

Ocean's 13 is a charm factory. The glint in the eyes of this group of actors is why we turn out and why we have such a good time. When Clooney, Pitt, Damon and the gang are obviously having a great time the vibe is infectious and it radiates from the screen. Whether it's Pitt and Clooney's clowning on one another or the way Matt Damon is very much the little brother of the three, we can't help but feel like we are being let into the inner circle of our favorite stars, even for just a moment.

It's unfortunate that neither Julia Roberts or Catherine Zeta Jones could not stick around for the end of the extended cocktail party that are the Ocean's movies. Those knockout stars are replaced in Ocean's 13 by Ellen Barkin, a beautiful actress whose career has languished in B-movie leads the last few years. Reunited with her Sea Of Love co-star Al Pacino, Barkin's role is sadly underwritten and she plays things overly broad to cover.

As for Mr. Pacino; he seems invigorated by this role. He gets into the spirit right away with good humor and quick wit. If only his casino owner character were a more formidable foe for Danny and company. Despite what we are told is the most sophisticated security system in the world, Willy Bank's casino gets knocked over by the most outlandish scheme imaginable. It reduces Pacino's villain to merely a plot hanger, a reason why things happen and little more. 

Keep in mind however, dear reader, the scheme is not the point of Ocean's 13. Rather, the heist just provides the setting for the charm assault of this exceptional group of actors. Whether it's Casey Affleck and Scott Caan leading a worker revolt in Mexico or Bernie Mac flashing that sneaky bright white smile undercover as a domino dealer, every actor in the Ocean's crew has at least a moment where they delight the audience. And then there is David Paymer as a Hotel critic who gets wrapped up in the Ocean's 13 scheme. Keep an eye on him because his few moments of sad sack humor are priceless. Paymer is a small but welcome addition to the Ocean's canon. 

Ocean's 13 is yet another superfluous, throwaway blockbuster; entertaining in exactly the ways that all throwaway blockbusters are. Perfectly aware of its charm and good looks, Ocean's 13 proceeds from one scene to the next with supreme confidence and great humor. The good vibes are infectious and while you are unlikely to remember much of what you saw later, you will be entertained in the moment and with this kind of blockbuster, that's all you can ask.

Movie Review Solaris

Solaris (2002) 

Directed by Steven Soderbergh 

Written Steven Soderbergh 

Starring George Clooney, Natascha McElhone, Jeremy Davies, Viola Davis, 

Release Date November 27th, 2002 

Published November 27th, 2002 

The teaming of Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney is one of the most promising in Hollywood. Already the team has delivered the sly entertaining popcorn movie Ocean's Eleven. They produced the well-reviewed drama Far From Heaven. Finally, they have in the pipeline the highly buzzed about Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, Clooney's directing debut. The biggest challenge to the team opens this weekend, the tough sell sci-fi romance Solaris. “Challenging” and “experimental” don't often lead to much in the way of box office but I'm happy to say that at least artistically. Solaris is a hit.

George Clooney stars in Solaris as Chris Kelvin, a psychologist who is asked by the government to go to a far-off space station orbiting an unusual planet called Solaris. Once on the space station Chris should investigate the strange behavior of the station’s crew. Upon his arrival at the station, named Prometheus, he finds a good friend dead and is informed by one of the remaining crew members that the friend committed suicide. The two remaining crew members are Snow (Jeremy Davies) and Gordon (Viola Davis), and both of them are exhibiting odd behavior. 

Gordon refuses to leave her quarters and Snow rambles vaguely about the odd phenomena that befell the crew. Snow warns Kelvin about going to sleep, because when he awakens he will understand everything. Upon awakening Kelvin finds himself in bed with his wife. This would not be unusual except Kelvin's belovd wife has been dead for a number of years. Natascha McElhone plays Rheya Kelvin, or at least that's who the character thinks she is. Logically she can't be but she feels physically real to Chris.

Only a master craftsman like Steven Soderbergh could manage to make a woman as beautiful as McElhone seem so creepy. The scene where Rheya is revealed is a dizzying ride of camera spins and out of focus shots that draws the audience into Chris's nightmare, or fever dream, or whatever it is that is happening to him. From there Solaris spins into the realm of existential crisis, religion and human nature. It's like the best episode of Star Trek: Next Generation ever.

George Clooney is sensational and his chemistry with McElhone is electric. As the couple’s back-story unfolds and we learn what happened to Rheya and the nature of Solaris, Soderbergh toys with the audience, offering innumerable explanations that will have people talking long after the film is over. The film is daring and intelligent in toying with questions of what counts as existence, what approximates experience, if something feels real isn't it then real? 

Solaris is a great film with an intelligent script and a truly magnificent performance by Clooney. That Steven Soderbergh also includes numerous visual and storytelling homage to Kubrick's 2001 and , of course, Tarkovsky's original Solaris from 1972, only deepen the film’s message and help make the film a transcendent sci-fi experience.

Movie Review The Good German

The Good German (2006) 

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Written by Paul Attanasio 

Starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire 

Release Date December 15th, 2006 

Published September 10th, 2007

Before Tarentino and Rodriguez put the clicks, pops, scratches and cigarette burns back into film in Grindhouse, Steven Soderbergh had already used technology to revive the look of another Hollywood era. In The Good German, Soderbergh crafted a wartime noir love triangle but it was his attention to period detail, and the way he recreates the way movies looked in the 40's and 50's that makes The Good German notable and modestly watchable.

In The Good German George Clooney stars as an investigative reporter for the New Republic and an ex-soldier who returns to Germany for the first time since the end of the war and the beginning of the reconstruction of two different Germany's. Upon his return Clooney's Jake Geismer seeks and finds trouble in the form of his ex mistress Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett) who had been his stringer before the reconstruction forced her into prostitution to pay the bills.

When Jake and Lena reunite it's not a warm moment. Lena is now involved with another American, a motor pool con man named Patrick Tully (Tobey Maguire). Tully is no stranger to Jake, when he arrived in the country for this assignment, Tully was made his driver. How did the current boyfriend of Jake's former flame end up his driver upon his return to Germany? Jake is not a believer in coincidences and his reporter's instincts lead him to a dangerous conspiracy.

Steven Soderbergh's painstaking detail in making The Good German resemble the films of the 40's and 50's is admirable and intriguing. Unfortunately, all of that fascination with technique and style left the story of The Good German in neglect. The story plays out in three acts from three different perspectives and plays like rough character sketches that were only integrated at the final moment.

The script by Paul Attansio, the talented writer and creator of TV's Homicide and Oz, plays second fiddle to the technology on display to recreate the era. It's quite clear that Soderbergh is more interested in his black and white toys than he is in this script. As evidence, the script highlights anachronisms that undermine the period detail Soderbergh is going for. The Good German is R - rated for nudity and naughty language; two things that would never have made it into a film made in the period Soderbergh is attempting to recreate.

A more bold and clever play, in a script the director cared about, would have been to make The Good German meet the standards of the Hays code, the ratings system of the day that was essentially institutional censorship. Not to say that the Hays Code was good, it wasn't, but how clever might this movie have been had they explored the boundaries of the period and employed the kind of subtext and layers that directors like Michael Curtiz made such wonderful use of during the Hays Code period. But then that would have taken far more work than what went into this rough draft of a script.

If the biggest draw of The Good German is the period evoking technology , the biggest issues may be the actors on camera. Though few actors can evoke golden age leading men as well as George Clooney, he seems ill-suited for the role of a putzy patsy taken for a ride by a nitwit like that played by Tobey Maguire. Maguire may be Spiderman but take away the web slinging and the costume and he is no match for the star wattage of Clooney.

As the alleged mastermind of this plot, Maguire is tremendously over-matched. With his high pitched voice and slight frame, Maguire is the least believable tough guy ever to start a bar fight in a German grog hall. Opposite Cate Blanchett in romantic scenes early in the film, scenes in which he is supposed to be intimidating, Maguire looks as if Blanchett could break him in half if she had to. Blanchett is more of a mother figure to Maguire than a lover and I don't believe that was the film's intention.

As for Ms. Blanchett, hampered by an ugly German accent, and despite her remarkable talent, she is at a loss to make this underwritten character work. As she attempts to evoke Ingrid Bergman, Blanchett at times crosses the line from serious drama to melodramatic parody. As the character is written, as a classic femme fatale, Blanchett is all grandiloquent gesture and emotional projection. Sometimes it works, other times she seems something out of Ed Wood.

The technique is the star of The Good German. Credit director Steven Soderbergh for his bold ideas and loving homage. What a shame that the same care was not taken in crafting a plot to match the technique in depth and complexity. As it is, The Good German is a notable failure. A wonderful experiment in the possibilities of film technology but not a movie that will be remembered for anything other than its technique.

Movie Review Leatherheads

Leatherheads (2008) 

Directed by George Clooney 

Written by Duncan Brantley, Rick Reilly 

Starring George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce 

Release Date April 4th, 2008 

Published April 3rd, 2008 

George Clooney is a big fan of old Hollywood. At his best Clooney throws back to the stars of the 40’s 50 and 60’s with flair and relish. Evoking the look of Clark Gable, the charisma of Cary Grant, and the cocktail hour suavity of Frank Sinatra, Clooney is a throwback in modern times. You can see this in his film resume. Movies like Intolerable Cruelty which threw back to the classic 50’s and 60’s style romantic comedy, The Good German, shot in black and white no less evoked Bogart in mystery mode with a dash of Spencer Tracey. And, of course, there are the Ocean’s movies; which modernize the 60’s cool of Sinatra’s rat pack.

No wonder then that Clooney is so at home in his latest role, a period comedy with period clothes and a period romance. Leatherheads stars George Clooney as Dodge Connelly the leader of a ragtag group of pro footballers watching their league slowly collapse around them. Set in the mid 1920’s Clooney could not be more at home with style, grace, and rapid fire banter that filmmakers of the day like Preston Sturges and Howard Hawks made legendary.

In 1925 College Football was America’s game and its stars were the stars of American sports. Pro football on the other hand was played on fields, literally, corn fields, wheat fields, anyplace with a fair patch of grass and enough room for a few rickety bleachers. Better known for its ugly cheating and brawling. Pro football of the time was an outlaw sport and Dodge Connelly and his Duluth Bulldogs were the Oakland Raiders of their day. The Raiders have a reputation for being tough and bending the rules. 

Unfortunately for Dodge, his beloved Bulldogs and their fellow barnstorming pros in Milwaukee, Decatur and even Cleveland are struggling financially and folding up at an alarming rate. Eventually, even Duluth can’t afford to keep playing and the Bulldogs are out of a job, forced to return to the mines and other menial work. The team and their pro league is sunk until Dodge gets a great idea. 

Traveling to Chicago, Dodge meets with the top college football star of the day, a kid nicknamed The Bullet, Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), Princeton University football captain and a bona fide war hero. If Dodge can convince The Bullet, and his smarmy agent C.C (Jonathan Pryce), to come to Duluth and play for the Bulldogs, Dodge believes that he can save his team and likely the sport of pro football.

Following the story of the football star/war hero is a crafty reporter named Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger). Posing as a sports reporter, Lexie is chasing a scoop about The Bullet’s war hero story being a big fake. Her task is to convince The Bullet to confess but after meeting Dodge, it’s all Lexie can do to avoid a scandal of her own.

Like Clooney, Renee Zellweger is a star out of time. Her work in Chicago and the little seen gem Down With Love showcase a talent that would have been perfectly at home with Howard Hawks, Preston Sturges or opposite Gable, Bogey or Grant. Zellweger banters like Rosalind Russell and paired with Clooney she smolders like Bacall.

The chemistry of Clooney and Zellweger nearly overwhelms the lightweight football comedy and definitely puts co-star John Krasinski at a disadvantage. The breakout star of TV’s The Office is an affable young actor with a bright future but his burgeoning talent is no match for the veteran Clooney and the experienced Zellweger.

Krasinski simply cannot sell the love triangle aspect of Leatherheads and fades through the background when Clooney and Zellweger are on screen. I don’t mean to demean Mr. Krasinski, not many actors could match the kind of fizzy chemistry of Clooney and Zellweger. It’s just a shame that so much of the movie rides on us buying The Bullet as a viable alternative to Clooney’s mantastic Dodge Connelly.

Quick witted if a bit dawdling at times, Leatherheads is a pithy, sweet romantic comedy that happens to feature sports. A throwback to a completely different era of movie history, George Clooney directs Leatherheads with the verve of Howard Hawks if not the complete skill set of that film legend. Charming and funny with a pair of great lead romantic partners, check out Leatherheads for Clooney and Zellweger and wish John Krasinsky well on the future of his career.

Movie Review Syriana

Syriana (2005) 

Directed by Stephen Gaghan 

Written by Stephen Gaghan 

Starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, Tim Blake Nelson

Release Date November 23rd, 2005 

Published November 22nd, 2005 

2005 has been an extraordinary year for George Clooney. His second directorial effort Good Night and Good Luck, a film about the pitched battle between newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy, has been lauded by critics for its intellect and social relevance. Both Good Night and Good Luck and Clooney's latest acting effort Syriana are awards contenders with Clooney likely competing against himself as a supporting player in both films. In Syriana, Clooney is part of one of maybe a dozen subplots in a byzantine tale of corruption and futility. An exceptionally thought provoking narrative that is as fascinating as it is depressing.

Describing the plot of Syriana is a somewhat futile task. The complex, non-linear form of the script defies any simplistic description. The film is essentially about how business is done in the oil industry. But the real essence of Syriana is futility. The futility in attempting to stop the madness in the middle east. Futility in attempting to discern the culpability of oil companies in creating the instability of the middle east. And finally the futility of following the myriad of motivations of each of the characters in Syriana.

There is George Clooney's Bob Barnes, a CIA operative in the middle east, who we first meet as he is setting up some potential terrorists in Iran to be killed. Bob is getting older and his colleagues back in Washington are talking about the end of his career. Bob's career, the chance at a cushy desk job, rides on one last task. He must kill a potential new middle eastern king. When that job goes bad, Bob's career is beyond merely being over.

Matt Damon plays Brian Woodman, an oil industry analyst who lands a major new middle eastern client after his own son is killed at a party held by this new client. Naturally, this arrangement does not sit well with Brian's wife (Amanda Peet) who cannot abide profiting from her son's death. This does not deter however as becomes the top economic advisor to his new client. With this client about to become the biggest player in the Middle East, Brian stands to get very rich. This, however, puts Brian's interests at odds with a number of other competing interests.

Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper and Christopher Plummer inhabit another of Syria's many plots. Wright is an ambitious Washington lawyer who lands a gig trying to smooth the way for two major oil companies to merge into the fifth largest company in the world. Cooper is the CEO of one of the two companies, Killen Oil of Houston, Texas, and Christopher Plummer plays Wright's boss whose CIA connections are key in helping the merger succeed.

How these plots intrude on one another only becomes clear well into your post-film analysis. While watching Syriana you are dazzled individually by each plot, even as you have little idea what they mean or where they are headed. It's a rather astonishing film that can leave an audience so bedeviled and at once so fascinated. Syriana is as compelling a film as they come.

Director Steven Gaghan knows a little something about sprawling multi-layered, massively cast epics. It was Gaghan who scripted the Oscar nominated Traffic. Syriana and Traffic are each muckraking cousins in terms of stirring debates on important issues. Traffic is slightly superior in that it somehow feels more complete and its characters' motivations so much clearer. But both films are a testament to Gaghan's talent for complex and meaningful stories. 

When late in Syriana Clooney's CIA agent is chasing through the desert in attempt to save someone's life you cannot figure if it's just dumb luck that landed him in exactly the right spot or just an editing decision that excised the scene that might explain his luck. At one moment he looks lost, the next he is tearing off after exactly the people he's searching for. I say that Clooney's character was trying to save a life, but his motivation may be more ambiguous than that. There are a few more scenes missing from Syriana that might make the narrative clearer but, in the end, they aren't needed. Part of what makes Syriana fascinating is a level of ambiguity left to the audience to consider well after they have watched the film.

Working from a book by former CIA agent Robert Baer called See No Evil, director Steven Gaghan posits that much of the fictional tale of Syriana is based on reality. If this is true, Syriana could rank as one of the more depressing films of the year. Essentially it depicts oil companies, the CIA, and our government as morally bankrupt and completely corrupt. They do business with people in the middle east who are equally as corrupt and often more murderous than us, though we do more than our share of killing. 

Corruption, as illuminated in a quick but resonant speech by Tim Blake Nelson, in a pivotal cameo, is not only necessary, it is simply what we do. Corruption is American foreign policy. It is the cost of doing business, an everyday part of how things move through the Middle East. Both here and abroad corruption is everywhere and you can do nothing about because all of us, no matter how much you may deplore it, benefit from this corruption every day.

The gas you buy so cheaply as compared to other countries is the result of this corrupt system. Most of the products you buy are produced in some way, shape, or form using the oil that is siphoned from middle eastern oil fields. The corruption is inescapable unless you're willing to accept some major new inconveniences and even then you have to find a way to elect people who will put those new inconvenient policies in place, which means working around the corruption in place to hold up the corruption already in place. Good luck with that.

In a way Syriana reminds me of the first amendment documentary Orwell Rolls In His Grave, which details the corruption that has led all of America's communications industries to fall into the hands of a few wealthy elites. The thesis of 'Orwell' was that fighting the battle against the major media is a waste of time because they have all the power. Leaving Orwell I felt pretty hopeless and I had a similar, if slightly less desperate feeling leaving Syriana.

There is something hopeful in just the fact that a movie like Syriana got made. The film shines a light on some things I'm sure those in power would rather not become part of public discourse. That is not to say that Syriana has the power to change the nature of the way we do business in America but it's like the old saying about how people love bacon but no one wants to see how it's made. Syriana shows you just how our American economy is made in all of its gory, blood-soaked, greed-obsessed ways and leaves it to the individual viewers to decide how to live with that information.

Syriana is exceptional in executing its maze of plotting and leaving the audience with questions and feelings that could have a lasting impact. However, if you are looking for a simple movie to pass the time, you might want to look elsewhere. Syriana is not interested in being a simple entertainment. The makers of Syriana are intent on making you think about American foreign policy, about the feelings and interests of our allies, and enemies, and about the dirty business of making money in America. Often disheartening but never boring, Syriana is a powerful film going experience.

Movie Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) 

Directed by Wes Anderson

Written by Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach

Starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Wallace Wolodarsky, 

Release Date November 25th, 2009 

Published November 24th, 2009 

Is the Wes Anderson genius wearing thin? After loving Rushmore and, the even more brilliant The Royal Tenenbaums, I seem to have lost my taste for Mr. Anderson's low key, off-kilter charm. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou was strong on production design and short on story. Darjeeling Limited was a patience testing observation of exceedingly low key, mannered behavior. Now, for Mr. Anderson's latest overly precious, affectedly quiet effort he has turned to stop motion animation. The result is elegant in production, eye popping even, but yet again a test of the patience of those tiring of Wes Anderson's brand of twee storytelling.

Based on the Children's book by the legendary Roald Dahl, The Fantastic Mr. Fox tells the story of Mr Fox (Voice of George Clooney), a chicken thief turned newspaper man. Mr. Fox gave up his animal nature, stealing chickens, to focus on raising a family with Mrs. Fox (voice of Meryl Streep). Together they have a son (Voice of Jason Schwartzman) who is quite odd and for a time the family is joined by a cousin named Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson). 

The story hinges on Mr. Fox's covert move back into the stealing biz, against Mrs. Fox's wishes. Enlisting the help of his pal Kylie, an opossum voiced by Wallace Wolodarsky, Mr. Fox intends to steal from the three meanest, nastiest farmers in the land; Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. He's quite successful at first, but it doesn't take long for the evil farmers to find about the thieving Mr. Fox and when they do, it's war.

The old fashioned, stop motion animated style of Fantastic Mr. Fox is warm and inviting and at the same time a technical marvel. These creatures have astonishing life in their exaggerated features, right down to the shine on Mr. and Mrs. Fox's coats. The production design is flawless and really steals the show from director Anderson's exceptionally low key storytelling.

With his characters modulated to just over a whisper, Wes Anderson turns Fantastic Mr. Fox from a child's adventure story into one of his monotone, pretentious character observations. In the past I have enjoyed observing the behavior of Mr. Anderson's just left of center characters but as his style has aged, it hasn't evolved. Fantastic Mr. Fox is the same blend of absurd quietude and quirky characters as was his Rushmore only without the charm of being something new.

Where Rushmore had an indie, hipster edge and Royal Tenenbaums had airy refinement bordering on arrogance, Mr. Anderson's three succeeding features have become cute and overly precious. His style has become an affectation, an artificial exercise in style. It's an eye catching, often well produced style but with each picture there is less and less substance to back it up. Though the production design is first rate in Fantatic Mr. Fox, the movie as a whole comes up short as little more than an exercise in style. Wes Anderson's ever more affected filmmaking is taking his career in the wrong direction.

Movie Review: Ocean's 11

Ocean's 11 (2001) 

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Written by Ted Griffin 

Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Julia Roberts

Release Date December 7th, 2001 

Published December 8th, 2001 

It's been years since I've seen the original Ocean's 11 starring the Rat Pack and there closest friends, but I can remember the film wasn't so great from the standpoint of filmmaking as art. It was great though as filmmaking from the standpoint of a filmed moment in history, the last gasp of a generation in Hollywood who knew their time to just have a good time was nearly up. The original Oceans 11 can be described as a heist movie but it's not really about the heist it was about how cool the Rat Pack looked pulling off the heist and that worked for me. 

The new Oceans 11 is as much about the heist as it is about how cool the cast, headed up by George Clooney and Brad Pitt, look doing it and for me it didn't work as well. Clooney plays Danny Ocean, a con man fresh from a prison stay in Jersey. He's ready to score and score big, but first he needs a crew. Cut to LA where cardsharp Rusty (Pitt) is showing some young WB stars including, Barry Watson and Josh Jackson, how to play poker for a movie. Enter Danny Ocean setting up a fun scene where the young actors smartly allow Pitt and Clooney to make them look stupid, while Topher Grace from That 70's Show shines with hilariously self-effacing humor.

From there we move to Vegas and filling out the crew with scenes that reminded me of Gone in 60 Seconds, a sort of where are they now ex cons montage. These scenes are slick and humorous but a little too familiar, which seems to be the problem with the whole film. The original Ocean's 11in retrospect has a sort of camp feel to it, of hepcats and martini's and oh yeah there's a movie in there somewhere. Mostly, they're just hanging out and drinking and the plot occasionally interrupts them. 

The new Ocean's 11 struggles with that, it wants to be a hang out and a movie. The new Ocean's 11 wants the atmosphere of cool and gets it for the most part, but it also wants to be a real movie as opposed to the filmed cocktail party that was the original. It's the movie stuff that gets in the way. The plot to take the casino in the original is where the actors hung their hats. In the new version we're given computers and cameras and electronic wizardry and the old video tricks seen many times before in many lesser films. 

On the bright side, the actors pull some of it off with the sheer force of their charm, especially Clooney who has grown into his star status like a comfortable suit. Brad Pitt shows a new side to his persona each time he's onscreen be it Ocean's 11 or an episode of Friends. The film's best performance however, comes from Matt Damon as Linus, the ace pickpocket and late addition to the crew. Damon has made it clear in previous films that he's not comfortable in comedic roles but he really is very funny and has a great scene with Bernie Mac late in this film that was by far my favorite in the film. 

Oh yeah, Julia Roberts is in the movie too. She plays Tess, the arm candy of casino owner Terry Benedict, played by Andy Garcia and she's also Danny's ex wife, thus adding an extra level to the heist but also a convenient way to shoehorn a huge star into a film already overflowing with star power. Roberts isn't given all that much to do, she has a scene with Clooney, set in a hotel lounge very reminiscent of a scene in Out Of Sight which was also directed by Steven Soderbergh and starred Clooney opposite Jennifer Lopez. The scene is well played but the chemistry of Clooney and Roberts pails in comparison to the chemistry of Clooney and Lopez who nearly set the screen on fire with sexual heat. 

The main problem with Ocean's 11 is not its cast, they are all great. It's just all been done before: the heist, the techno trickery, and the Robin Hood heroes. Ocean's 11just isn't very original. I expect more from director Steven Soderbergh. He's a brilliant talent who usually can spice up a genre piece like this with clever ideas. He did that in Out of Sight, a movie with similar goals as Ocean's 11. Sadly, it seems that Soderbergh is coasting on cliches in Ocean's 11 whereas in Out of Sight, he was having fun messing with genre conventions and delighting in what and his cast came up with. 

Movie Review The Descendants

The Descendants (2011) 

Directed by Alexander Payne 

Written by Alexander Payne 

Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer 

Release Date November 18th, 2011 

Published November 17th, 2011 

"The Descendants" is filled with glorious flaws. From the strangely clumsy exposition to the at times awkward voiceover narration to the occasionally intrusive score, the flaws are undeniable no matter how much you may like the movie. These and similar flaws are included in every film that writer-director Alexander Payne has made. Yet, we still consider him a genius as a filmmaker. Why? Because, every mistake, every imperfection of an Alexander Payne film is a reflection of the mistakes and imperfections of his oh so compelling characters.

George Clooney stars in "The Descendants" as Matt King. Matt's life is far from paradise; despite the fact that he owns a large stretch of what is undoubtedly considered paradise. Matt lives in Hawaii and while his opening narration is meant to convey the ugly side of Hawaii, what we will soon see, the stretch of land that Matt's family owns, is the side of the Big island that gives Hawaii it's reputation as paradise. Matt's personal life however, reflects the ugly side of things. Matt's wife is in a coma following a boating accident. This leaves Matt in charge of his youngest daughter, Scottie (Amara Miller) for the first time in years. It's not that Matt's a bad father he's just never been called upon to be a very good father.

Matt's oldest daughter, Alex (Shailene Woodley) is away at boarding school but with her mother's health failing Matt decides to bring her home; whether she wants to come home or not. Alex knows something that her father doesn't. It's the reason Alex has been acting out: Matt's wife was cheating on him. This revelation sets the story of "The Descendants" in motion as Matt and Alex form an unusual new bond over trying to find the man who his wife was sleeping with and considering leaving him for. The search leads to a trip to Matt's fabled track of land; which, in a strange twist has also drawn the attention of his wife's lover.

Running parallel to the cuckolding story is that of Matt and his family and Matt's decision about who to sell his family's land to or whether to sell it at all. The land issue gives "The Descendants" grounding in Hawaiian history that is surprisingly resonant and well founded. George Clooney's performance as Matt is phenomenal. While you will have to suspend belief that a woman would really leave Clooney for Matthew Lillard, Clooney sells the part with panache and a striking mix of drama and good humor. There is darkness to the humor of "The Descendants" that can be hard to take but Clooney is the best possible guide over the rough spots.

"The Descendants" is undoubtedly flawed but I've come to expect flaws from Alexander Payne. Alexander Payne's focus is on allowing his actors the space to create indelible characters that employ his words to the best comic or dramatic purpose. These characters, like Matt and Alex, are more often than not so wildly compelling that the flawed directions and moments of clumsiness fade away in their presence.

I was reminded often during "The Descendants" of Alexander Payne's "About Schmidt" starring Jack Nicholson. Like "The Descendants," "About Schmidt" employs an occasional voiceover that is at times a little too knowing and cute. The exposition of "About Schmidt" is heavy-handed in the same way it is in "The Descendants." And, as in "The Descendants," "About Schmidt" ends on an awkward yet peaceful beat. I love "About Schmidt." The flaws of that film are the flaws of the main character played by Jack Nicholson. Truly, "About Schmidt" would be less of a film without these flaws; without Alexander Payne's willingness to let his film be flawed in the same ways his characters are flawed.

The same can be said of "The Descendants" where the clumsy exposition reflects the clumsiness of Matt King as he approaches this strange and unfamiliar place in his life. George Clooney is brilliant at bringing Matt's problems to the surface with quiet dignity that gets punctured with strong comic effect. "The Descendants," warts and all, is a terrific film populated by compelling characters that carry the ability to make you laugh or cry. The imperfections are glaring but easy to forgive because these characters are so very compelling.

Movie Review The American

The American (2010) 

Directed by Anton Corbijn 

Written by Rowan Joffe 

Starring George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten 

Release Date September 1st, 2010 

Published August 30th, 2010 

Let's get this out of the way right off the bat, before I am accused of having a short attention span or lacking a classic or European or Asian movie education. I have been a critic for more than 10 years and my patience has been tested on more than one occasion. Over the years I have worked to expose myself to the works of Antonioni, Truffaut, Bergman, Renoir and many of the great masters of European cinema.

I have seen both American and Italian westerns and many classic samurai dramas. I have just the education and patience needed to assess the new George Clooney movie "The American" which takes its influences from these varying classic approaches. With that out of the way, influences aside, "The American" is a yawning, empty chasm of a movie. Boredom encapsulated in over 100 minutes of film stock.

George Clooney plays a man variously referred to as Jack, Edward and Mr. Butterfly. In a stunner of an opening sequence we watch him assassinate a pair of men trying to kill him and before this sequence is over we think we know all that we need to know about this dangerous and calculating killer. Unfortunately from there it's all downhill. In at attempt to evoke a meditative state director Anton Corbijn sucks the life out of this character and his star, advising Mr. Clooney, it would seem, to internalize his performance to a degree where inscrutability becomes incomprehensible stillness. 

Many will admire Clooney's restraint; I was left baffled as to what I was supposed to find fascinating about this character beyond his handsome face and seeming ability for violence. The approach is meant to be meditative, restrained and calm to a point of almost complete stillness, a style that Euro cinema goers have, in the past, admired but that Americans, like myself, find dull and ponderous. However, I don't chalk this up to some continental divide, rather; I am willing to bet that just as many European audiences will find "The American" as mind numbingly dull as I did.

By the second time we watch George Clooney assemble a gun meant for another assassin, played by actress Thekla Reuten, patience will have been tested to the breaking point by repeated scenes of Clooney driving, parking, the back of his head as he's lost in thought and a most tedious and ultimately meaningless conversations with an Italian priest (Paolo Bonacelli) that drags the already stagnating film to a complete halt.

The scenes featuring the priest could be lifted entirely from the film and not affect the plot in any fashion. It's not that the scenes are completely pointless, an assassin without an existential crisis is a villain and Clooney is not necessarily a villainous killer. The problem is that the Priest character is about as engaging as a brick wall. On top of that we don't really know what Clooney's motivations are or whether indeed, he has an existential crisis to explore. The character is so quiet and brooding that he becomes obtuse and incredibly boring. 

"The American" is at times a very good looking movie with gorgeous actresses often in states of undress and the handsome Mr. Clooney repeatedly seen working out sans shirt. The eroticism is good but like everything else it lacks energy beyond its mere presentation. The same goes for the Cinematography which is often striking but often quite distracting, rather than being impressive, the cinematography by Martin Ruhe overtakes many scenes. Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and invites gorgeous visuals but because the rest of The American is so dull, the scenery becomes both an oasis and a distraction. 

Mistaking meditation for pacing and stony silence for style, "The American" is an inscrutable bore that pretends toward being a high class, Euro influenced, thriller. I am a huge fan of George Clooney but "The American" is not Clooney at his best but rather at his most affected and dull.

Movie Review Michael Clayton

Michael Clayton (2007) 

Directed by Tony Gilroy 

Written by Tony Gilroy 

Starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sidney Pollack 

Release Date September 24th, 2007 

Published September 23rd, 2007 

George Clooney has long been a movie star but I have never thought of him as much of a capital A Actor. That has changed however, thanks to his terrific performance in the flawed new thriller Michael Clayton. This John Grisham-eque legal thriller allows Clooney to flex those charismatic movie star muscles and dig into a character and give a heartfelt, conflicted and oh so believable performance.

The rich and the super-rich can sometimes find themselves in situations that even their lawyers can't get them out of. That is when they are turned over to Michael Clayton. He is 'the fixer', the guy who makes problems go away. So, when the New York law firm where Michael is in business, has a partner flip out in the middle of a deposition in an extremely important case, it's up to Michael Clayton to fix it.

The partner is Howard Eames (Tom Wilkinson) a longtime manic depressive who has gone off his meds. During a deposition in a case involving a high powered farm chemical company and a group of family farmers, Howard stripped naked and began telling one of the plaintiffs how much he loved her. Running naked through the streets, Howard claimed that the stench of his misdeeds in this case forced him to strip himself of his sins. Naturally, it falls to Michael Clayton to try and fix this situation. However, when he discovers that Howard may not be entirely nuts, Michael finds his own conscience being tested.

Michael Clayton is a flawed, near masterpiece of suspense and a story of redemption for a morally questionable character. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, with a career best performance by George Clooney, Michael Clayton suffers slightly from being overlong, just over two hours, and with just a few too many of those convenient moments where characters perform unmotivated actions solely for the purpose of furthering the plot.

A few convenient moments however, cannot upend the mesmerizing performance of George Clooney on who's work alone Michael Clayton is a must see. Clooney has always been a "movie star" but in Michael Clayton he is an actor and he delivers a tough, vulnerable character at the end of his rope. Self loathing replacing his usual confidence, Clooney's Clayton isn't quite down on his luck but he's on his way. Clooney nails both Clayton's desperation and his attempt at redemption.

One of the things I found interesting but mostly unsatisfying about Michael Clayton was the odd bit of optimism in the story. The film is about an evil corporation that will do anything to anyone in order to hide their misdeeds and the crusading lawyer who goes to any length to punish them. Though people are murdered and others are threatened the film tries to have it both ways in terms of cynical corporate misdeeds and the optimistic idea of how that evil is punished. Myself, I would have preferred an equally cynical solution to such cynical action. As it is, it works well enough, especially because of the way Clooney carries it all off, but a darker more malevolent solution might have played stronger.

Another quibble I have with Michael Clayton is a little too much tell and not enough show. We are told that Michael is a fixer for rich clients in a bind. The description conjures images of backroom deals, payoffs, and shady characters. And yet, we never actually see Michael in action. We are told how good he is, how he can slither out of any situation but that's it, we are just told. What we see is Michael lamenting his place in the world but without the example of why he so laments and it's less effective.

All of that said, Michael Clayton is solidly entertaining despite its flaws. George Clooney has never been this good. His movie star-ness in check, Clooney shows the kind of talent that people have underestimated throughout his career. Tough but vulnerable, charismatic without being overwhelming, Clooney is mesmerizing in a role that should earn him an Oscar nomination. On Clooney's performance alone Michael Clayton is worth the price of admission.

Movie Review: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) 

Directed by George Clooney 

Written by Charlie Kaufman 

Starring Sam Rockwell, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Rutger Hauer

Release Date December 31st, 2002 

Published January 5th, 2002 

You wanna know what my favorite part of the Gong Show was? Keep in mind I was too young to see the show when it originally aired. I watched reruns of the show on cable as a kid. I loved watching these B-list celebrities like Jamie Farr or Joanne Worley stare incredulously at some backwater hick blowing on comb to the tune of Oh Susanna. Then as the humorousness of how surreal the act was began to fade and they slowly raised from their seats reared back their drumsticks and banged that Gong. They would always take their time, they would look at each other to decide who was going to gong the act first before finally relieving the pain of the audience by banging away as hard as they could on that big metal gong.

At this point, Chuck Barris would stumble in from stage left and ask derisively why they would gong such an incredible act. Other than his ridiculous hats and sometimes witty one liners, I never gave Chuck Barris much thought. After seeing the film of his supposed life story, Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, I wish I would have looked at a little closer at those reruns for a hint of the guy whose life, at least as it is in this film, was so fascinating.

Sam Rockwell, best known for his bad guy role in the Charlie's Angels movie, plays Chuck Barris as a a real creep who's idea of dating is trying to kiss a girl in a movie theater while showing her his dick. A real charmer. The main interests of a young Chuck Barris were blowjobs and bar fights but eventually he settles for a career in television. Beginning in New York City as an NBC page, Barris decides to apply for a management-training course so he can impress a fellow page that he wants to score with. And he does. However neither the relationship or the job at NBC last very long.

Barris moves on to Philadelphia where he takes a job as assistant producer on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand." It's Barris' job to keep an eye on Clark to make sure he isn't accepting money to play certain records, a crime known as payola. Of course Barris could care less what Clark is doing, he just wants to get laid. Eventually he falls into bed with another Clark staffer played in cameo by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It is then that Barris meets his future wife, Honey played by Drew Barrymore. The relationship isn't much more than sex at first but it is Honey that inspires Barris' first endeavor into the game show arena with "The Dating Game."

Meanwhile, as Barris is breaking into television, he also has another life as a hired assassin for the CIA. Recruited by a man named Bird (George Clooney), Barris was sought by the CIA because he supposedly fit the profile of a killer. Barris had a penchant for random violence and was a loner with few real attachments, traits apparently prized by the CIA. As the film progresses, we see Barris reinvent afternoon television with "The Dating Game" and then "The Newlywed Game," we also see him use those shows as cover to fly around the world killing people. With the help of a sexy vixen and fellow assassin played by Julia Roberts and quasi-insane German played by Rutger Hauer, Barris claims that he killed 33 people.

I don't believe that at all.

None of Barris' fantastical stories, as adapted for the screen by the brilliant Charlie Kaufman, has a ring of truth. Each of his supposed escapades have the tawdriness of a guy who has always been able to tell a good lie. Don't get me wrong, these are some very entertaining stores, but they have a mythical feel. Watching Confessions and knowing Charlie Kaufman adapted the screenplay, I flashed back to Kaufman's script for Adaptation which was also a fantastic piece of mythology. Both films are a unique mixture of reality and fiction and the blurred lines in Confessions are just tantalizing enough to make you change your perception of Chuck Barris from weirdo creep game show host to hip Elmore Leonard-esque character.

George Clooney, making his debut behind the camera, shows just the right mixture of sure handed technician and experimental newbie. He never shows the nerves of a first time director. Clooney appears to have a clear vision of what he wanted to film and then toyed with the processes along the way. Mixing actual interviews with Barris' friends and colleagues with different film stocks and unique camera placements, Clooney directs like a kid with a new toy to play with and his excitement comes through the screen.

Confessions of A Dangerous Mind is an exciting, flashy and funny film. It's an excellent debut for Clooney behind the camera, and a mindbender for those of us who only knew Chuck Barris as the guy in the funny hats. It's unlikely to convince you that the host of The Gong Show was also an assassin for the CIA but it's not really trying to convince you of that. Rather, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is about a director and a writer each toying with the idea of how to tell a story. From that perspective, it's a pretty terrific movie. 

Movie Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading (2008) 

Directed by The Coen Brothers 

Written by The Coen Brothers 

Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins 

Release Date September 12th, 2008 

Published September 11th, 2008 

As a way of cleaning the fictional blood off their hands, Joel and Ethan Coen followed their Oscar nominated, blood-soaked masterpiece Fargo with the brilliant, offbeat comedy The Big Lebowski, a movie so wonderfully fun and gentle it could heal even the darkest mind. This same pattern plays out for the Coen's again with the back to back, triumph of opposites, No Country For Old Men and Burn After Reading. After going dark and broody, for an Oscar win, the Coen's did another 180 and deliver arguably their silliest, giddiest effort to date.

In Washington D.C a CIA analyst, Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich), has just been fired. In a fit of pique he tells his wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) he wasn't fired he quit. Osbourne plans on writing his memoirs, though his wife wonders, to his face, who would want to read that? Naturally, the wife is cheating on him. She is cheating with someone sunnier and far less complicated, a doofus federal marshal named Harry (George Clooney) who likes to jog after sex.

On a different planet yet somehow the same movie are Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt). Best friends and employees of the same cookie cutter franchise gym, Linda is desperate for plastic surgery that is beyond both her means and necessity and Chad is basically along for the ride, his good nature being all that bonds him to the story.

Banging these two universes together is the discovery of a computer disc at the gym that contains Osbourne's memoirs filled with CIA secrets that Linda and Chad believe will be worth money to Cox and if not Cox maybe the Russians. Watching everything in permanent apoplexy are the CIA brass played by David Rasche and J.K Simmons who manages to bring his dad from Juno and his Spider-Man newspaper boss together for another brilliant supporting turn.

The bonds of these characters deepen in ways that are entirely contrived but who cares when we are all having such a good time. Joel and Ethan Coen establish a tone of such wonderful goofball whimsy in Burn After Reading that one forgets to fact check the movie as it goes along to make sure everything makes sense.

I have a theory about the Coen Brothers and George Clooney. After three movies together in which Clooney has become more and more of a doofus, it's clear the Coen's enjoy taking one of the world's handsomest actors and making him a fool. Like the kids picked on in High School taking their psychic revenge on the most popular kid in school, the Coen's appear to revel in making Clooney the fool and he appears to be having a ball doing it. 

The Coens make similar magic with Brad Pitt, taking another of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive and turning him into a himbo doofus to wonderful comic effect. Brad Pitt is hilarious as an airhead who has no awareness of his own ludicrous attractiveness. There is a subtext to the way the Coen's use both Clooney and Pitt, cleverly twisting the cool, charismatic personas of both actors into something wild, strange and hilarious all at once. 

Burn After Reading is a good natured, if occasionally dark and violent, little comedy. The Coen's can't seem to escape a slight body count and yet they still manage to keep things on a ludicrously, deliriously bright and funny tone. Burn After Reading has some faulty bits of logic and a couple of plot holes and contrivances that would come to light under more scrutiny but who cares. The point of Burn After Reading is just being hilarious. 

The Coen Brothers do such a terrific job of distracting us with goofiness and good nature that we forget the plot, the motivations, even the surprising amount of violence. The film is R-rated for violence and for something that Clooney's character builds that will either make you gasp or laugh uncontrollably. Either way, that scene alone with a smiling Clooney and a curious McDormand is worth the price of admission. 

Movie Review: Up in the Air

Up in the Air (2009) 

Directed by Jason Reitman 

Written by Jason Reitman 

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride 

Release Date December 4th, 2009 

Published December 3rd, 2009 

It's a horrifying idea but I am told it is real. Companies actually do hire people to fire employees for them. It's bad enough losing your job but to have the people you have given your hard work and dedication to for however many years hand you off to someone else for the worst moment of your career is a disgusting thought. It's just the kind of cowardly and dehumanizing effect of modern capitalism that turns my stomach. 

George Clooney gives life to one of these workplace specters of career death in a snappy suit, a  and a pamphlet for a sickle. He's the villain of this story in many ways but by drilling down on this character, we don't find a villain but a lonely, sad result of what soulless capitalist pursuits can do to a human soul. George Clooney delivers the best performance of his career under the direction of Jason Reitman in Up in the Air. 

In “Up in the Air” George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a man who takes pride in spending some 330 days of the year traveling. He has a semblance of a home, a tidy bachelor hovel in Omaha, near the corporate headquarters of the company he works for but rarely sees. It is Ryan's job to fly into cities across the country, visit some no name corporate outlet and do the boss's dirty work - firing people. He and the company have some cruel euphemism for firing but it's a firing and it's as ugly as you imagine. 

Ryan is very good at his job, occasionally he's actually soothing which, given the circumstance, is rather impressive. Ryan doesn't love his job, though when asked to he can romanticize and defend it. What he truly loves is the travel which allows him the comfort he's never found at home. In passing relations with fellow travelers and the faux kindness of the service industry professionals he encounters Ryan finds the kinds of relationship he's never achieved with just one person. Simple relationships unencumbered by emotion or instability.

Naturally, all of Ryan's notions are soon challenged. The first challenge is personal as, while on a layover in some airline lounge, he strikes up a conversation with Alex (Vera Farmiga) over her choice of Blackberry. The conversation soon turns to travel, rental cars, hotel upgrades and all of the things both truly cherish. He tells her he has a goal for airline miles but refuses to tell her what it is. That, for Ryan, is too personal.

The second challenge is professional and arrives in the form of Natalie (Anna Kendrick), an up-and-comer from the home office in Omaha who has a plan that will take Ryan off the road and strand him in Nebraska. She wants to fire people over a computer link up and the honchos, led by a less than convincing Jason Bateman, are ready to back the idea. In defending his way of doing things Ryan inadvertently ends up with Natalie as his protégé and traveling partner as he teaches her how to do his job.

Jason Reitman and  co-screenwriter Sheldon Turner tell a two track story in Up in the Air that coalesces into one spectacular series of scenes that includes gate-crashing a computer convention and an appearance by rapper Young MC. These scenes show Ryan and Alex falling in love while young Natalie unwittingly challenges each of their notions about who they are and why they are attracted to one another. This happens as she mourns the loss of the only relationship she has known in her own life. 

Of course, the scenes that will strike a chord with 2009 audiences are scenes featuring real people who went through the pain of being fired during the bailout crisis and recession of this late portion of the decade. Director Jason Reitman hired real people who had lost their jobs to take part in these scenes and the pain in their voices as they talk about the loss of their jobs is exceptionally powerful.

The firing sessions give the film weight and allow the romance to blossom around them in unexpected ways. Scenes with actors Zach Galifianakis and Reitman favorite J.K Simmons provide the visual link between the film world and the real world. Without Galifianakis and Simmons, among others, the transition between the real world of these awful firings to the film world's comedy and romance would be too jarring. It’s among many smart choices in this terrifically smart film.

In the end, “Up in the Air” is a film about connections - literal and figurative. The unique ways in which Ryan Bingham’s personal and professional lives connect are at the heart of a film that may not strive to define the last decade of American culture but in many ways does. From our current economic uncertainty, to our ever more casual sexuality, to our changing attitude about infidelities and modern obsessions with gadgetry, “Up in the Air” offers a modest comment on each and does so with style, wit, a little romance and never feels arrogant or overblown doing it.

Writer George Will flippantly called “Up in the Air” ‘Grapes of Wrath for the service industry.’ He’s not entirely wrong. Where that book and film defined a movement toward social justice coming out of the Great Depression, inside the romance of “Up in the Air” is an inkling of a cry for a just truce between greedy corporate titans and the humans they refer to as resources. It is only an inkling; this is still a modern, big star, Hollywood production, just one with a big beating heart for those who are struggling.

Movie Review: The Ides of March

The Ides of March (2011) 

Directed by George Clooney 

Written by George Cloooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon 

Starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright 

Release Date October 7th, 2011 

Published October 6th, 2011 

It's hard to believe that America has ever been more cynical about politics and politicians than we are right now in 2011. The divisions between Democrats and Republicans are at ocean's depth and that division has fed a distrust of government like nothing since the Civil War. Into this angry, cynical fray comes a cynical movie, "The Ides of March," directed by and starring George Clooney, which audiences will either embrace as a cynical sign of the times or reject as a more of the ugly animus that has weighed on us for several cynical years.

Ryan Gosling is the focus of "The Ides of March" playing an up and coming communications specialist named Stephen Meyers. Though only 30 years old, Stephen is a veteran on the campaign trail. Now, he's the second in command on what may be a game changing Presidential campaign. Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) is the candidate the Democrats have been searching for, a Liberal from a prosperous and politically pivotal state, Pennsylvania, with a spotless record and endless charisma. More importantly, Morris's uncompromising convictions are of a kind that inspires even the most jaded politico, like Stephen.

Grasping at a first opportunity to win the right way, in the arena of ideas, Stephen has become a true believer in Governor Morris. Naturally, such blind faith is a dangerous thing. When Stephen discovers the chink in Governor Morris's armor his devastation has shockwaves that reverberate through the whole campaign. Unfortunately, there is an inherent flaw in "The Ides of March" that cannot be escaped. I won't reveal the secret here but it involves a supporting character who preposterously exists in the lives of Stephen and the Governor. The laziness and obviousness of this character's function undermines much of The Ides of March.

Not only does this character function in a way that is hard to believe, the character is also quite dated. Political scandals have evolved and while the occasional old school, 90's style scandal still bubbles up, the bigger more elaborate scandals involving money and abuse of power are more resonant today. That said, "The Ides of March" contains scenes that are transcendent and would make a better movie into one that would be talked about for a very long time. One scene involves Gosling's Stephen and Paul Giamatti, the campaign manager for a rival campaign, which contains the kind of political inside baseball that political junkies won't be able to resist.

Another great scene involves Gosling and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in which Hoffman delivers a glorious speech about loyalty. Hoffman is Gosling's boss and when he finds out that Stephen has met with Giamatti he unleashes a fury that is Oscar quality. The cast of "The Ides of March" is first rate, including strong supporting roles for Marisa Tomei as a cynical journalist and Max Minghella (The Social Network) as an ambitious campaign operative. The main cast is very good as well but they cannot overcome the flaws of the film's 'twist' and a distinct ugliness that is magnified by our real life political climate.

Movies cannot ignore the times in which they exist, especially one that aims to mimic real life. "The Ides of March" is a mirror image of the negativity and vileness of our current politics. George Clooney has every right to make a movie that reflects our current politics but that doesn't make "The Ides of March" enjoyable to watch. Count me among those who are exhausted by politics; exhausted by the cynical game playing. 

I'm tired of being suspicious of all politicians. I'm sick of all the lying and gamesmanship. I want to believe in something again, anything. "The Ides of March" believes only in the ugliness of politics and while that's a perfectly valid perspective, I don't want to watch this or any movie about this ugliness. I'm tired, too tired for any more cynicism than I am already burdened with. "The Ides of March" invites us only to wallow in our cynicism and I am too tired to wallow.

Movie Review: The Men Who Stare at Goats

The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) 

Directed by Grant Heslov

Written by Peter Straughan 

Starring George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey 

Release Date November 6th, 2009 

Published November 5th, 2009 

Remote viewing is sort of a real thing. Real in that some people believe they can do it or enjoy conning others into thinking they can do it. So good were some of these con men that they convinced the United States government to fund a program that allowed them to train their remote viewing techniques. The book The Men Who Stare at Goats, by journalist Jon Ronson, is about the real life nuts and con men who took advantage of cold war paranoia to further their work in the world of the paranormal. 

The book is now a quite funny movie that slowly morphs into a mawkish tribute to morons and con men. Ewan McGregor is the star of The Men Who Stare at Goats. MacGregor plays Bob Wilton a journalist who, after his wife leaves him, decides to get embedded in Iraq to cover the war. Once their he stumbles upon Lyn Cassady (George Clooney). Bob knows Cassady from an interview he did with a wacko who claimed the ability to stop an animal's heart with his mind. The nut claimed Cassady was the best psychic spy in the world.

Cassady prefers the title Jedi Warrior and maybe through some pop culture osmosis, McGregor was Obi Wan Kenobi, he senses a kindred spirit in Bob and decides to take the reporter with him on a 'psychic mission.' The two men wander out into the desert of Iraq and along the way Lyn recounts the wild, unbelievable story of his introduction to, and the creation of, what the government called 'The New Earth Army'.

Lead by Colonel Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) the New Earth Army was a plan to fight wars without weapons. Col. Django believed that the mind could be used to fight wars and encourage peace. Django recruited young men willing to explore their minds and dance free and grow their hair. Lyn Cassady was his prize student while Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey) acts as the snake in the New Earth garden of Eden.

Director Grant Heslov tackles Jon Ronson's book with an eye toward satire. It is after all quite a wild idea that the US government paid to train psychic warriors. However, as the movie goes along, what begins as a biting satiric send up of this lunatic idea turns into a mushy tribute to goofballs who believe in the ridiculous. Instead of sending up the idea of psychic warriors, the director appears to buy into the idea, though not completely, and what appears intended to be a comedy becomes something closer to a tribute to weirdos and kooks. 

In the final act of The Men Who Stare at Goats a film that was building some satiric momentum devolves into a nutty homage to the numbskull characters who believe they have psychic abilities. It's a shame because a healthy dose of skepticism and reality is just what this material needed. A great cast in the end is drowned in lunacy and goofiness and while it's all very good natured, it also feels like a major missed opportunity. The Men Who Stare at Goats, in the end, is a disappointing sop that should have been a giddy satire.