Adrien Brody – Cut To The Chase

Written & Directed By: John Trengove

Cinematography: Wyatt Garfield

Editor: Julie Monroe and Matthew Swanepoel

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Ethan Suplee, Odessa Young, Lamar Johnson, Philip Ettinger, Sallieu Sesay, Evan Jongigent, Caleb Eberhardt

Conflicted about his girlfriend’s pregnancy, Ralphie’s life spirals out of control when he meets a mysterious family of men.

————————————————————————

Manodrome is a film with a cast far too good for the material they’re strapped to. What begins as though it might tackle the incel phenomenon, the so-called male-loneliness epidemic, or even the seductive pull of male-only cults, quickly turns into a character study of a protagonist we’re never truly allowed to know. Instead of insight, we get glimpses, most of them involving Jesse Eisenberg screaming or pumping iron under red-headed territory. so glaring it almost feels like an emotional shortcut. Are we supposed to feel sympathetic simply because he’s a ginger giant now?

The film flirts with psychological depth but never commits. It gestures toward big themes: masculinity vs. femininity, queer repression, emotional stunting in men, but abandons each just as quickly. There are moments where it feels like the film might actually be about a closeted man’s struggle for comfort in his own skin; then it swerves back into gym-bro asceticism. It raises the question of what the film thinks its own subject is: toxic masculinity, queer panic, vulnerability, male bonding, or just the world’s most intense Fitness recruitment video?

Eisenberg’s character seems written as a case study in emotional volatility, desperate for attention, terrified of receiving it, pushing away anyone who offers care, and ultimately betrayed by the one person he lets in. But because the script avoids true psychological exploration, these behaviors drift into abstraction. They happen, but they’re never grounded. We observe him, but we’re not invited to understand him.

Technically, the film is competent sometimes striking. The cinematography aims for a chilly, Lanthimos-adjacent precision, but without the thematic or tonal control to justify the comparison. Scenes play out with an almost clinical frankness, hinting at a sharper, more daring film beneath the surface.

You can’t help but wonder what Manodrome might have become under the guidance of a director truly adept at blending psychological discomfort with stylistic purpose. Yorgos Lanthimos comes to mind simply because he excels at exactly the things this movie only imitates.

Meanwhile, the supporting cast feels underused. Adrien Brody, who once won an Oscar for throwing himself into the void emotionally, seems here to be collecting an easy paycheck. Eisenberg, a former nominee himself, does admirable work inside a role that ultimately gives him little to explore besides a ringtone so annoying you begin to suspect it’s the film’s real antagonist.

Every twenty minutes the movie seems to reinvent itself, without ever improving. The plot wanders, the tone shifts, and by the end you’re not sure the film knows what it wanted to be in the first place. For all its supposed psychological weight, Manodrome proves surprisingly hollow, a film that demands interpretation but offers little reward for the effort.

these are some of the thoughts I had while watching the film…

It would be brilliant if this whole man cult plan was just a financial scheme to build a members only gym

I don’t know if it’s the movie or how many times we hear it. Jesse Eisenberg’s character has the most annoying ringtone

In the end, it’s a puzzle that doesn’t feel worth solving. You’re free to skip it; you won’t be missing anyone’s best or even notable work.

Grade: D+

Directed & Cinematography By: Tony Kaye
Written By: Carl Lund
Editor: Michelle Botticelli, Barry Alexander Brown & Geoffrey Richman

Cast: Adrien Brody, James Caan, Christina Hendricks, Sammi Gayle, Tim Blake Nelson, Bryan Cranston, William Peterson, Betty Kaye, Lucy Liu, Marcia Gay Harden, Blythe Danner, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Josh Pais, Doug E. Doug,

Detachment is a chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators, and students through the eyes of a substitute teacher named Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment. A perfect profession for one seeking to hide out in the open. One day Henry arrives at his next assignment. Upon his entry into this particular school, a secret world of emotion is awakened within him by three women. A girl named Meredith is in his first period. A fellow teacher Ms. Madison, and a street hooker named Erica, whom Henry has personally granted brief shelter from the streets. Each one of these women, like Henry, is in a life and death struggle to find beauty in a seemingly vicious and loveless world.

The film-like its main character shows us the problems. Makes us aware of the problems, but also offers no answers. So not only is it bleak but also nihilistic. While it is heavily philosophical at times and becomes cerebral. It also at times becomes a bit too much.

The storyline of him taking in a girl off the street is understandable as he seems to try to prove to himself he is a good person and help someone he sees as innocent while one of his students sends out warning signs of trouble yet he is blind to it. It also shows a way to make up for things in his past. I also believe it is a way for him to communicate with someone as lonely as he is. In one scene he even witnesses a teacher clearly with mental problems, yet does nothing about it.

The film shows the hardships not only he but most teachers and administrators have to go through not only from students but also parents and the state. They seem to be battling in a losing war that they are not supplied to handle. Where the only hope is that you can grab one kid, one mind, and teach them something then you have succeeded. You have kids who don’t care. Parents who look to you to babysit and raise their children have no funds for anything.

Tony Kaye Makes another powerful hard-hitting film that while a little too indulgent at times makes you think and delivers a message. Despite his past troubles, his talent as a director is undeniable. He gets solid performances from the supporting cast who don’t have much to work with as far as characters but you feel the world-weariness.

James Caan’s character is full of spirit and funny yet has the feeling of hitting a brick wall way too many times. Kaye even casts his daughter in a key role and she is effective as is Sammi Gayle as a teen prostitute staying with Brody’s character. Tony Kaye also gets a boost from getting a natural and powerful performance from his lead Adrien Brody who hasn’t been this good in years, His performance is full and realized. He is soulful and complicated but comes through as solid. IT’s also his first leading role in quite some time.

The storyline of taking the girl off the street is far-fetched. In a real-life way, but works for the film. Marcia Gay Harden’s breakdown feels a bit over the top and far-reaching. The film feels important if only hopefully as a time capsule. More to look back upon as how bad a problem the school system was. More of a social problem film, than a dramatic one. As at times, we get to know the teacher’s home life some of whose is just as bad as the school system is but they are quickly jettisoned and forgotten for the rest of the film. ‘
The film provides dramatic characters and situations but is more concerned with the dilemma of these characters. Though it also is more focused on Adrien Brody’s character and problems.

I warn you this is not a happy film. It is very sad and depressing. It is worth watching for filmmaking and the performances. The film is definitely Worth Watching. An Addition to the film library you can come back and look from time to time.
GRADE: B

Tag: Adrien Brody

MANODROME (2023)

DETACHMENT (2012)