Withnail & I ***

When I formed my theatre company this year, I made a list of movies, books, and music that I wanted to encourage all our members to experience. I called it the Kick in the Gut list because I felt they were things that did that, they made a big and bold impression on you. Like that insurance commercial during the Super Bowl that everyone got so uptight about with the boy who listed his would-be accomplishments before telling us why he could not ever do them: he was DEAD!  Well, a lot of people were pissed at this, but to me, it was just a thoughtful piece of art that wanted to make you think and feel something.

Anyway, if I can make a list, you can too. And that's what one of our members, James, did over lunch one day. He gave me a list of films that I should see. And now I am in the process of seeing them, and when I do, I will write about them here. I may not always have a lot to say, but I will try to capture the way they made me feel because that is the important thing.

The first one I watched was the British comedy, Withnail & I, which I understand is now kind of a cult classic, and often quoted among British actors. Of course, Britain and America have very different artistic sensibilities. Often, they are not compatible. When America tries to remake a great British show (like Broadchurch), it tends to fall somewhat flat, even if they've managed to import David Tennant, star of the original show!  While I liked at least season one of Broadchurch, and Sherlock, and the recent sci-fi hit, Humans, a lot of British drama (and comedy), I can't get into. You can keep your Downton Abbey and your Monty Python, and probably your Dr Who as well, although I admit I've never given that a chance. I know a lot of people say British things get dumbed down for America, which suggests that Brits are smarter than Americans. Not sure I agree with that. (However, it's shocking how much better they do with book covers in England than in America, from Harry Potter to Jack Reacher.)

So in the opening minutes of Withnail & I, I was ready for an admittedly clever, but difficult ride through the nuances of British humor, of which I can seldom relate. Right off the bat, I couldn't stand Withnail as a character, and that never really changed. I understood that he was chronically unhappy, and seemed to have no ability to empathize with anyone. I much preferred the other character ("& I", if you will), who was also strung out and dysfunctional, but somehow infinitely more likable.

The series of comic mishaps that befall these out-of-work part-time actors and full-time slacker/drunks are certainly absurd and sometimes surreal. As they try to gather essential things for survival--wood for a fire, food, more booze--it's a wonder how they have ever survived at all by themselves. Some of the wacky situations are also quite true to life, like when Withnail's obese gay relative takes a rather tender yet pathetic liking to his young friend. I could relate; he was very cute indeed, which made his natural straight-guy aversion to male intimacy hit home in a way that went beyond the general comedic vibe of the film.

Which brings us eventually to the last 15 minutes of the movie, which--to me--redeemed the whole experience. I won't say what happens, cos I mean for this blog to be a discussion with people who have already seen the works being discussed. But suffice to say, this oddball movie ends in an extremely poignant and dramatic way that pertains to the sad fact that friends sometimes must go their separate ways. Sometimes you realize a relationship just isn't good for you anymore. And when that happens, the other person may feel "dumped" and hurt. Such is life. It's happened to me several times. But I admired the courage and determination it took for the character to break himself away from that which was unhealthy, and start to live for a change.

This movie was an autobiographical film, made by Bruce Robinson, based on his own reckless youth and relationship with a self-destructive friend, Vivian MacKerrell, who died in 1995. Although Robinson obviously looked back fondly on his friend, it seems almost like a betrayal of sorts to dramatize such sordid details of his existence. It makes me wonder if a friend of mine ever made a movie about us, how I might be depicted once I was gone.

Is Miles Teller the new Tom Hanks?

First a housekeeping note. I don't intend to post any photos on this blog. Not one. The reason is I just read someone else's blog about being sued for using a photo, and she thought she had taken every precaution necessary, so since I'm just doing this for fun, and not trying to make money, nor do I even care how big of an audience I get (it's meant for my family and friends more than anything), it's not worth of hassle of trying to post safely. 

Now, back to the promised headline subject. Comparing Miles Teller to Tom Hanks could be a compliment or not...I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. I happened to watch three of his (Teller's) movies this week, and there were some things to observe. First, he's got real acting chops, which is best evident in Whiplash. Of course J.K. Simmons got a zillion awards, and Miles Teller didn't get any that I know of. He should have at least gotten an MTV award for heaven's sake. That drumming was his, and I swear when you look at his face in those intense drumming scenes, it really does feel like you're looking into someone's soul. (I thought about saying "tortured soul", but that only applies part of the time. There are actually many different emotional layers.)  The other thing that makes him like Hanks is that he's not super-duper attractive, and yet he's good enough looking with a suave charm that is very appealing. He comes across as someone you might actually know, which is not something you can say for all the model Hollywood types out there. 

The Spectacular Now and Two Night Stand are both what I would call "millennial romances", the latter being a romantic comedy. I had already seen The Spectacular Now, but I saw it before Shailene Woodley was ever on my radar from The Fault in Our Stars and the inferior dystopian teen angst sci-fi melodrama, Divergent Series (which happens to also feature Teller; apparently they're friends in real life). So especially after seeing Teller in Whiplash, I wanted to give it a second look. And it turns out that while The Spectacular Now is the real deal--great script, wonderful cast, beautifully directed--it presents Miles Teller with a dangerous prospect of being typecast as this sort of carefree, cool cat-type of guy who appears shallow on the surface, but eventually surprises you with tenderness and emotional depth. I say this because that's what you get in Two Night Stand as well: a very similar character, but not nearly as developed. 

But the one worth talking about is Whiplash. In our house, we use VOD (video on demand) and not usually until it's free, so I ended up waiting a long time to see this one. Yes, Simmons deserved every one of those awards. A fascinating character in a fascinating film. You don't really know if he's a complete sociopathic monster, or if there's a human being hiding somewhere in there. There are times you think you know the answer, and then the rug gets pulled out from under you. In the end, it was pretty ambiguous to me. It was unclear whether the Teller character won his personal battle or lost it. Did he have to lose his soul to get his drive of greatness? When the credits roll, I wasn't sure if the two rivals were still bitter enemies, or if there was a possible friendship. At the very least, there was some kind of connection, but what exactly was at the heart of that? These were all very compelling issues, and it took two incredible actors to create that dramatic symphony, not only one.

(Sorry, I'll dispense with the obvious metaphors from now on.)  I did have a few problems with the script. I thought it was under-developed, which is surprising, considering it was extended from what was initially a short. Teller's relationship with his dad was a little confusing; sometimes the dad seemed supportive; other times aloof. There are scenes that don't make a lot of sense, such as the family dinner scene, where Teller and some other men his age are sparring over whose accomplishments are the most impressive. It felt irrelevant to me because there had been no establishment of their relationship before in the film, and there would be none later. So why even bother with those characters at all?  I wasn't even clear on who they were...his brothers, I assume? Similarly, there is the matter of the extremely brief romantic relationship that basically ends as soon as it begins. There is no middle. There is no exploring what these two people mean to each other, which is why the breakup doesn't have the impact that it should. There ought to have been one more scene exploring the chemistry (or lack thereof) between the two characters. I feel like there were crucial scenes that must have been left on the cutting room floor. I don't have the DVD, so I don't know. 

But in spite of its imperfections, I was glad to finally see Whiplash, and Teller at his best. It's a movie that will make you think and feel. And at the end, you may not even be sure what it is exactly that you're feeling. 

Fearless is now about media reviews!

Hi. So a long time ago, I started this blog as a personal journal, but like so many that have gone before, that's bit the dust, and now I'm starting over--but with the same title and web address because it was easier that way--and using it to write about films I've seen, music I've heard, and books I've read. I hope that if I'm faithful to share mine, you'll share yours!

Concert Bucket List: John Mellencamp

Here is a review of this concert I posted on Facebook last month:

First, before going into any details, I must say it was an excellent show, which met all my expectations and more. So even the small negatives aren’t really negatives at all, just things I’d change if I was in control.  I honestly don’t know how these guys do it day in and day out, and John is something like 63 years old, a chronic smoker and former heart attack victim. But you would not know any of that by the level of sheer energy that he and his terrific band put into the show.

Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself. Carlene Carter opened the show, which is not as strange as it might seem considering that a.) she performed on the soundtrack to Mellencamp’s collaboration with Stephen King and T-Bone Burnett, The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; and b.) Mellencamp’s own work in recent years has drifted a long way towards country, especially his latest album, Plain Spoken. (Personally, I don’t much care for this development, although his last two Burnett-produced American roots music albums are very good.)  

Not a fan of country, though, I wasn’t familiar with Carter’s work. She performed solo with only an acoustic guitar and a piano. I liked the fast guitar tracks, which are apparently from her 90’s heyday. The other stuff was mostly a tribute to her famous Carter/Cash family, and there was a lot of talking about being in that family, which just didn’t interest me.

Then she was off, and a half hour later, John and his band came onstage. He opened with “Lawless Times”, which is the last song off the new album, and the only one with a hint of rock-n-roll in it. Kind of an offbeat surprise way to get started. He later did the 2 best tracks from the record—“Troubled Man” and “Isolation of Mister”—and then left the new album alone for the evening.

The set list was surprisingly diverse, covering ground that I never expected him to with album tracks such as a wildly stripped down version of “The Full Catastrophe” from 1996’s Mr. Happy Go Lucky. And later, the biggest shocker of the night, the violinist and accordion player came onstage alone to perform the sweeping “Overture” from that same album. Two songs I never thought I would ever hear live. Another surprising moment was when Carlene Carter returned to the stage to perform a couple of duets from Ghost Brothers.

Others of my favorite albums were untouched. There was nothing from his wonderful 1999 self-titled album, nothing from Big Daddy, Cuttin’ Heads, Whenever We Wanted, or Freedom’s Road. He even left out 2011’s folk foray, No Better Than This. And the reason is obvious: the need to play all those famous 80’s hits, at least one of which (“Crumblin’ Down”) I’ve actually never liked. Some of these songs come with stories he’s told 100 times, and that’s okay; some of them I was hearing for my first time. (Others I’d seen on You Yube.) My favorites of these old songs were “Check it Out”, “Rain on the Scarecrow”, and “Cherry Bomb”, which was the evening’s closer. Even though this band has played these songs many, many times, there is no shortage of vigor and enthusiasm in their delivery. 

It really does seem like they are not tired of these songs. Two notable exceptions might be “Jack & Diane” which he basically admitted that he only plays because “I know you want to hear it” and “Paper in Fire” which lost its fire by the removal of a chorus and a toned down approach.

But honestly, there was so much to love about this show: his tender reflection on mortality in “Human Wheels” which must seem that much more poignant 22 years after its release…his impassioned plea to live life to your fullest, and appreciate it in “The Longest Days”…and his affectionate tributes to his family and band mates, who have seen him through over such a long and brilliant career, a career that is still creative and thriving after these years.

True Detective, season 2 (spoilers for those who haven't watched yet and want to)

Well, it seems like there were a lot of naysayers when it comes to this season. And on one point, I may agree with them. The plot was incredibly and unnecessarily convoluted, and it was very difficult to keep track of everything that was going on. There were too many people, too many names and small details to remember. It may have worked better for a day-long binge watching session, but not week by week. A lot of things happen in a week, and you’re not thinking about the world of the show. To be expected to come back every Sunday night with perfect clarity about all the facets of the mystery that have so far been revealed is not reasonable at all.

Although the acting in season 1 was stellar (McConaughey and Harrelson giving some of their finest performances ever), I actually admired the acting in season 2 every bit as much—though some didn’t see what I saw, obviously—and the characters were much more likable and sympathetic, even Vince Vaughn’s criminal character, Frank. Here was someone you could both like and fear at the same time, which, to me, was refreshing, as I typically avoid gangster stories. The detectives Ray, Ani, and Paul were all deeply flawed—like those in season one—but all searching for redemption, a way to right the wrongs of the past and make peace. The greatest thing that got in their way was not the criminal element at play in the show, but rather their own demons, fueled mostly by anger and self-hate. You could clearly see the origins of this tangled mess in Frank, Ray, and Ani, and to a lesser extent in Paul. Paul Woodrugh is the one character who I think got shortchanged by the writers, not because he died an episode earlier, but because there was a lot of mystery in his background that was left unexplored, and it would have been interesting. Clearly he was a self-loathing homosexual who was trying to be an archetypal straight American male, complete with macho job, a woman, a kid. Obviously someone like me finds a character like that very compelling, and wanted more.

But Colin Ferrell almost makes up for it. He actually is usually cast in the type of role that the Taylor Kitsch character aspired to be in life. But Ferrell also has a sensitive side, as evident in movies like A Home at the End of the World, which is one of my favorite movies that most people have never seen. My heart broke for his alienation by his wife and estrangement from his son, even though his son was a WEIRDO of such proportions that his scenes almost played as comedy. One little tragic moment with Ray and his son that I would have changed is how the very last message that Ray tried to send, expressing love to his kid before he was killed, failed to go through. I would have had it successfully sent. One minor difference if Matt Russell had been the filmmaker.

I really wanted all the main characters to pull through and live happily ever after, but you know with a show like this that it won’t happen. I predicted that Ani would be the only one to live, but Jordan made it as well. As far as redemption, I think Ray came close. He had recently experienced a moment of true connection—perhaps even love—with a woman, which had the potential to be deeply healing after all he’d been through with his wife and kid. He had a moment where he was looking up at the sky through the trees, and I had the feeling that he may have been making peace with God. If not God, then at least with his life and choices. He was letting go of everything, and was able to embrace his destiny before actually facing it. Woodrugh unfortunately didn’t have time for that. He was killed execution style, and all he was able to say was “FUCK!”, angry to the very end. One of the last exchanges he had with his fiancé was him telling her that he was trying to be a good man, and her telling him that he wasn’t doing it very well. But worse by far was Frank, who made his own criminal bed, but it was very sad to see him succumb to his fate, trying to walk through the desert with a deep knife wound (which had to be excruciating) and haunted by the ghosts of his tortured past. Even when he sees the mirage of his one true love, it feels like cold comfort.

Worth mentioning is the Leonard Cohen song, “Nevermind”, at the beginning of the show. Of course everybody likes Leonard Cohen, and when the song came on at the start of each show, I would want everyone to be quiet to I could listen to it and get in the mood. The song is from the album, Popular Problems, and contains some beautiful female verse, sang in Arabic, that is not featured in the show version. It’s worth checking out.