Movie Review The Old Way

The Old Way (2023) 

Directed by Brett Donawho 

Written by Carl W. Lucas 

Starring Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Shiloh Fernandez, Noah Le Gros 

Release Date January 6th, 2023

Published January 10th, 2023 

The Old Way stars Nicolas Cage as former gunfighter Colton Briggs. A well known and much feared outlaw in his day, Colton is now domesticated. He has a wife, Ruth (Kerry Knuppe), and a daughter, Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and a dry good store in town. He's become an upstanding citizen so naturally, his past is coming back to haunt him. Enter a group of bandits led by James McCallister (Noah Le Gros). McCallister and his gang are on the run from the law when they happen upon the Briggs' home while Colton is away at work. 

Through a fluke of fate, the home that the bad guys want to hole up in for a night is that of the man that killeed McCallister's father and uncle right in front of him more than a decade ago. Though he's well aware of Briggs' reputation as the coldest of cold blooded killers, McCallister and his goons, Boots (Shiloh Fernandez), Big Mike (Abraham Benrubi), and Eustice (Clint Howard), set about torturing and murdering Ruth with McCallister hoping that her murder will bring Briggs out of outlaw retirement. 

Indeed, this does provide motivation for Colton to dust off his long black coat and revolvers but there is a potential impediment to Colton's roaring rampage of revenge. Colton's daughter is still alive. She was with Colton at his story when her mother died. Thus Colton must decide what to do with his little girl while pursuing his outlaw revenge. Lucky for him, Brooke has a lot more of her father in her than he might imagine. Brooke doesn't cry over her mom's death, she picks up a shotgun. 

That's a good set up for a western story. Sadly, as that story plays out in The Old Way, it never gains much life. What's lacking in The Old Way is something to really set the story apart from other similar stories. You might reasonably assume that casting the wildly charismatic and unpredictable Nicolas Cage might provide that unique quality but you'd be mistaken. Unfortunately, Nicolas Cage delivers one of the most by the numbers performances of his career in The Old Way. 

Find my full length review at Geeks.Media. 

Movie Review Head of State

Head of State (2003) 

Directed by Chris Rock

Written by Chris Rock, Ali LeRoi 

Starring Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Dylan Baker, Nick Searcy, Lynn Whitfield 

Release Date March 28th, 2003 

Published March 27th, 2003

Just over a year ago rumors of two competing film projects about unlikely guys who become the first black President sparked rumors of a feud between the film’s respective creators. Both Chris Tucker and Chris Rock wrote and prepared to direct the competing projects and many wonder if there was some bad blood between the actors. Both quickly put those rumors to rest and now Chris Rock is the first out of the gate with Head Of State, a politically charged satire that combines Rock's biting stand up material with Farrelly Brothers style overstatement.

Rock is Mays Gilliam, an alderman from the poorest neighborhood in Washington DC. When Mays makes the news for saving an old lady and her cat from a house explosion, the headlines bring him to the attention of a shady Senator (James Rebhorn). The Senator needs a guy like Mays Gilliam because his party's Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates have just been killed; their planes ran into one another. Because the candidates were already pretty far behind in the polls and the other party's candidate (Nick Searcy) is the current Veep, a war hero and Sharon Stone's cousin, the party is ready to throw in the towel. They need a candidate that they can throw to the wolves and pave the way to the next election.

So Mays is the man and with the help of campaign advisors Martin Geller (Dylan Baker) and Debra Lassiter (Lynn Whitfield), he sets out to lose just like he's supposed to. That is until May's brother Mitch (Bernie Mac) sets his little brother straight. Stop reading the speeches you're supposed to read, quit sucking up to the special interests and just tell the plain simple and hard-to-accept truths. Once turned loose Mays actually starts connecting with voters to the dismay of the Senator and his opponent.

The film is not about its story, it's about the jokes and it's packed with laughs from beginning to end, all of them with Rock's searing satirical touch. The political humor that comes from May's speeches comes directly from Rock's standup and it's just as brilliant as it was in Bring the Pain and Bigger & Blacker. Some may be uncomfortable with Rock's take on white people in general, but it's done in a clearly satirical way and those who are too uncomfortable with it may just feel it hit too close to home.

Some critics are missing the point of Head Of State attempting to contextualize the film’s realistic characters and its over the top set pieces. None of the Head of State should be considered as reality. It's a satire with a serious point of view that takes some shots that will make many people uncomfortable. Some have compared Rock's political stances in Head Of State with those of Michael Moore and they aren't far off. They are the individual concerns of every American something Rock and Moore seem far more in touch with than any politician does.

While Rock's direction is definitely that of a rookie, he can only get better; his scriptwriting is pro level. It's funny and intelligent. The script and the film have respect for the audience’s intelligence and it will leave with as much of a smile on your face as it leaves you with issues to discuss.