Saturday, November 03, 2012
I had the choice of Bachelorette or End Of Watch this week, but picked this for convenience. Can't say I'm here or there about it... On the other hand, my classic for this week, The Age of Innocence, gives us one of cinema's finest-looking period drama gentlemen ever in Daniel Day-Lewis (although I still think Colin Firth wins on the basis of that pond scene). He was probably the best thing about it in retrospect.
Bachelorette (MA 15+)
HIGH school cattiness is for the most part unforgettable –
most of us try to avoid it and then cast it aside as we enter adulthood, but
the thing ususally rears its head and comes back to bite you. For some unlucky
ones, it’s more often than not something that comes to define them through who
they continue friendships with and how their lives eventually pan out.
Capturing that notion isn’t particularly hard, but how to point it out as
definitive provides another challenge.
Leslye Headland had moderate success
with her stage play but was quickly invited to adapt it for film. In taking the
scripting and directing roles, her control has essentially remained over the
feature with no restrictions on the tone of content. To top it all off,
Headland manages to stage a great casting coup including the likes of Kirsten
Dunst, Isla Fisher and James Marsden.
Hollywood’s latest comic Aussie darling Rebel Wilson is
Becky, a girl with weight issues but happily about to marry dream man Manny
(Andrew Rennells). This news is devastating to schoolfriend and maid of honour
Regan (Dunst); perfect on paper, but yet to be asked the big question herself.
Alas, she plans the wedding and finally breathes a sigh of relief when friends
Katie (Fisher) and Gena (Lizzy Caplan) arrive.
They’re a trio that like to party, and get their chance when
a low-key bachelorette night ends badly. But their attempt at a good time
quickly backfires, with potential repercussions on the big day a threat strung
across the story. Much like The Hangover
in that the focus steadies on the antics of the bridal party, there are
glimpses of remorse surrounding where life has taken each of them - in between
what’s meant to be a show of interest for their friend, unsuspecting in the
firing line.
It’s hard to believe anyone would keep these three women around. They hold no respect for others or themselves, and each live in a stubbornly distinguished bubble no one can burst. Their lack of interest when Becky is around is a mix of disbelief and jealousy. To them, there’s just no way this is happening – it’s impossible that the fat one could get married first.
This self pity-turned-stroppy outlook on life is comical in
doses but even at just 87 minutes wears thin to become demoralising. Scenes
involving Becky, with such an overall positive outlook, try to balance the
situation, but the story quickly returns to the dark side. Odd moments of
genuine comedy are hidden in between but it’s not enough to really lift the
mood.
Seeing Dunst in a comedy is rare these days, however, Regan’s
domineering nature allows her no time to attempt a joke. The same could be said
for Wilson, whose funnygirl talent is oddly utilised to show as saccharine;
Marsden in turn is also taken to annoyingly portray a bit of an idiot. Mean Girls’ Caplan, and particularly
Fisher, get the most from the script.
Based on the cruelties underlying general school
friendships, it only takes one wrong choice to throw a whole series of events
into disarray. In retrospect, that is shown to effect by Headland, but the
concept (not to mention the serious crudeness of general discussion) is
uncomfortable to see unravel.
Rating: 2.5/5
*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 3/11/2012
***
The Age of Innocence (1993)
MARTIN Scorsese calls this film
the “most violent” he’s ever made. Coming from the man who made films like Goodfellas and Mean Streets, you could say it’s a debatable statement. But once it
was put into context by explanation that it referred to emotional versus
physical states of being it becomes clearer.
The adaptation of Edith Wharton’s
novel about New York’s elite society in the late 1800s sticks with Scorsese’s
general comfort of displaying different sides to the Big Apple. But a torn
romance full of regrets and suppressed desires is more foreign territory.
Newbald Archer (a dashing Daniel
Day-Lewis) is engaged to May Welland (Winona Ryder), but falls for her cousin
Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer) as she separates from her European
husband to return to America. May is pure and inadvertently suspects Archer’s
potential conduct, but Archer is bound by social and family obligation to do
what is right.
Scorsese goes dramatic with a mix
of music suited to both New York and European societies, and uses block colour
to end scenes with thoughts swimming from their heads into the effective,
consistent narration. It’s lavish but a slow film to say the least, agonising
Archer’s relationship with Ellen further. Violent to the emotional state
indeed.
*Published in the Mailbox Shopper (Dubbo) on Wednesday 31/10/2012
MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEWS? See what I thought of Argo and The Outlaw Josey Wales.
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