Tag: Chris Cooper

GUILTY BY SUSPICION (1991)

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Written & Directed By: Irwin Winkler
Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus 
Editor: Priscilla Nedd 

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Annette Benning, Patricia Wettig, Chris Cooper, George Wendt, Adam Baldwin, Tom Sizemore, Martin Scorsese, Barry Primus, Sam Wanamaker, Luke Edwards, Ben Piazza, Stuart Margolin, Roxann Biggs, Allan Rich, Illenana Douglas, Stephen Root, Jon Tenney, Jonathan Ames 

David Merrill, a successful director, has spent the last couple of years working on movies overseas. He returns right in the middle of the McCarthy-era Communist witch-hunt that was sweeping through Hollywood. When first approached by the ‘inquisitors’ he rebuffs them, not realizing how much influence they have. He soon finds that he can’t get work, having been blacklisted for failing to cooperate. However, if he will just tell them what they want to know, he can go back to work.

This might be a career-best for director Irwin  Winkler. This Is obviously an in-house passion project for Robert DeNiro and his production company bringing in friends to help make and be in the movie (Martin Scorsese and Barry Primus) it offers Scorsese one of his very few acting roles.

The film dramatizes the Hollywood blacklist from a deeply personal level of the characters who were not only involved but destroyed by it and the different ways and levels the government was going after them. 

The destruction of the blacklist even though it was truly ultimately a witch hunt that didn’t truly amount to much except for the lives it destroyed and upped the standing of certain politicians. Maybe even allowed the government to punish the stars and studios for having more of a moral code.

The film comes across as an artifact, seeing so many well-known actors of today who play smaller supporting roles.

This ends up being like a ROCKY movie in the way the House of unAmerican Activities keeps stalking Deniro’s character and questioning any of his employers or anyone he associates with. So you anticipate once he finally is in front of the committee.

We see how it destroys his career and his friends around him. As they either are willing to betray, sell out, or drop out ultimately. For something many didn’t even take seriously in their past. Some even used it as leverage for revenge against others who they feel wronged them. 

The film is a drama that at times works more like a thriller. As it is just as chilling as it happened in real life. It’s scary and no physical weapons are used just hints and accusations. 

It hit home with me as with so many characters who thought Deniro’s character would be a team player. He cares more about movies particularly his than anything or anyone around him. Even though most people in his life seem to like him and be in the business. 

The FBI agents following him seem like the agents in THE MATRIX emotionless and remind the audience of Deniro’s roles in crime pictures as they seem to relentlessly stalk him just trying to find any little thing to nail him or put him away. It offers DeNiro one of his most affable roles. 

The character of Bert Alan, a producer played by Barry Primus seems out of place as he seems more like a 1980s mobster in 1950’s Hollywood.

Watching how an old female ingenue discovery goes from seduction to scared to disgusted. Before trying to finally bribe him to go away. Shows how powerful and scary the blacklist was in its heyday 

The film tries to be an epic on the subject from the point of view of a victim’s point of view but not An overview. 

This also brings one back to a time and place when movies looked like they might have been prestige but were also made due to the lead actor’s strength and popularity as an actor. Guaranteeing that there will be an audience for the film. Not so much based on popularity it metrics of money-making.

Really a power move trying to spank those who are more successful and who they feel have more influence. Feeling like they are putting them in their place and saving the American people from the influence of the powerful they actually believe to be anti-government. Like they wouldn’t be after being persecuted for nothing really. The betrayal of friends begging him to let them inform on him to save their own skins by naming someone.

In the end, it still leaves time for a powerful speech. This is my kind of history movie.

GRADE: B

BOSTON STRANGLER (2023)

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Written & Directed By: Matt Ruskin 
Cinematography: Ben Kutchins 
Editor: Anne McCabe

Cast: Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, Chris Cooper, Alessandro Nivola, Rory Cochrane, David Dastmalchain, Peter Gerety, Robert John Burke, Ryan Winkles, Morgan Spector 

Loretta McLaughlin was the reporter who first connected the murders and broke the story of the Boston Strangler. She and Jean Cole challenged the sexism of the early 1960s to report on the city’s most notorious serial killer.

The film is well shot almost like an episode of the show MINDHUNTER. This might be why it feels like an R-rated tv-movie, but it lacks the drama, tension, and strength of that television show. 

In fact, it ends up representing those made for cable movies of the 1990s and 2000s. That was meant to be an event. where they got an all-star or established cast of recognizable names.

The movie plays like it’s own version of SHE SAID, though instead of tackling the Harvey Weinstein case. There is two female reporters who are looked down upon. One established and one rookie, cracking a case wide open that established reporters didn’t. As they are even the first to notice a pattern. 

Similar to that film we get to see their domestic lives while also tackling this story. Only here Kiera Knightley gets more screen time. As the rookie and how this case is also disrupting her domestic situation. 

The film short changes Carrie Coon a bit. As she is the mentor to Knightley’s character. We learn a bit less about her. She also doesn’t have as much screen time or moments. 

I can admit so far I have never been a fan of the movies based on this true crime case. Including the film THE BOSTON STRANGLER from 1968 

Directed by Richard Fleischer and starred Henry Fonda, Tony Curtis, and George Kennedy. Though that movie focused more on the killer and the police detectives. 

As a true crime movie, you could easily look up the case to discover the ending as well as the ins and outs. What the film does actually do successfully is offered up the surprise of the suspects and the realization of how many men got away with murder using the M.O. of the strangler, but when not being able to be linked with the other crime of the strangler were let go.

As towards the end, a character pretty much defines what the movie is about and sums up the point of this dramatization. Which is the changing times and realizations of things either kept hidden, quiet or never acknowledged. That was unfortunately showing that society could never go back to being so innocent. 

Though the film at least offers some hope for two female reporters challenging the status quo and finding courageousness and leading a way for females in the future. Even as they are pretty much the prey out there at that time. 

Grade: C+

BREAST MEN (1997)

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Directed By: Lawrence O’Neil

Written By: John Stockwell

Cinematography: Robert Stevens

Editor: Michael Jablow

Cast: David Schwimmer, Chris Cooper, Emily Procter, Matt Frewer, Kathleen Wilhoite, John Stockwell, Louise Fletcher, Terry O’Quinn, Lisa Marie, Amanda Foreman, Lyle Lovett, Julie McCullough, Rena Riffel, Raphael Sbarge 

Two doctors create breast implants. However, when success and money come their way, they separate and follow different paths.

An HBO original tv-movie made for cable when it came out. Using the formula of two popular actors not quite strong enough for a box office release. As the subject which you would think fills seats isn’t quite ready for the big screen. 

The film has a good handle on the subject by presenting us a story of characters who seem to have our attention and sympathies at first but then get affected by greed and sort of switch places but in the end are characters we despise.

Don’t know how exactly fact-based the film is but it stays sleazy as the characters and subject matter does. While keeping your interest. It is loosely based on fact obviously to keep it more dramatic and interesting and offer a more moralistic tale. 

As there is plenty of nudity on display which is understandable considering the subject, but obviously more under the male gaze most of the time. As well as having unnecessary sex scenes. 

As we have scenes where women offer their stories and confessions. Where we never see their face, only their breasts, as they talk.

So that it becomes more exploitive than maybe it was initially conceived or maybe that was the plan the whole time to mix the exploitive with the dramatic and offer some kind of poignancy.

As David Schwimmer’s Character goes from being a brilliant surgeon to more on the shy side and having an obsession with breasts and an idea on how to revolutionize plastic surgery on them. To begin, change by success and general greed. To where he seems to have lost his soul. When the consequences of these surgeries present themselves later and he finds no guilt within himself even when his mother is one of the people he performed the procedure on.

Chris cooper’s character at least shows having the most soul. At first not have faith in Schwimmer’s character then goes into business with him but goes their separate ways when Schwimmer feels he deserves more credit and copper’s character is more conservative and performs more for the elite. Whereas Schwimmer seems to perform for whoever as long as they can pay and alter the ethics. As They both reach cruel yet poetic justice ends.

One of the obvious problems of the film is the title says it all. How to tell this story delicately or at least tastefully and there isn’t.

As it is an interesting subject but unfortunately this story of discovery isn’t populated with worthwhile Decent characters. They are filled with characters who seem to want to do the right thing but money and success go to their heads.

In the end, it feels like a film that wants to be moralistic and a dark comedy with dramatic overtones. That unfortunately isn’t that funny and comes off as awkward and dirty.

Grade: C+

DEMOLITION (2016)

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Directed By: Jean Marc-Vallee
Written By: Bryan Sipe
Cinematography By: Yves Balenger
Editor: Jay M.Glen

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, Polly Draper, Debra Monk, Heather Lind 

A successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. With the help of a customer service rep and her young son, he starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.

The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2007 Blacklist; a list of the “most liked” unmade scripts of the year.

This is one of those almost movies. That feels like it is almost o to something but seems to get lost before it can say ultimately what it wants to or before actually saying something profound.

The film stays off-center yet always pretty in its presentations the films end up feeling too designed like the products he dismantled to see how they work. Which the film tries to work in the same way. But seems too on the nose to be quirky and accepting as it seems to want to be offbeat.

A character study where the protagonist tries to find himself and ends up attracting other so-called misfits fighting to find and be themselves. While also trying to be seen as normal and fit in. Though really questioning what that is.

It is basically the main character having to dismantle and destroy his life to rebuild and start again. Which is why his character seeks to take things apart and study them. To see how they work and how they function.

The film is meant to be more of a character study which it achieves and as usual unfortunately also introduces characters more interesting than the lead. Who get scenes of depth and drama, but ultimately seem more like ornaments meant to distract and beautify the film add some flavor, but never really get to shine themselves.

Which is becoming more common in director Jean Marc-Vallee oveure of films. Presenting a kind of reality that always comes with some quirk or bigger than life or life-affirming meaning that seems more magnified than normal. Her he seems to go through realistic characters take on life and challenges as we watch to see their journey through it to the other side. More like emotional action movies with a sharp eye for visuals

It feels more a film about trying to win awards. Though there is some heart in here and tries to say something about the human condition. More about finding yourself. Here it seems like the character was already on that path. Only a tragedy happened that really opened his eyes and lead him to it.

The film feels transparent. It speaks to the audience as the film asks how are you supposed to react to tragedy? Is it disrespectful if in your reaction you aren’t emotional enough or know how exactly to feel? It’s not exactly Always textbook. As we are all individuals. So it Aldo’s how do you feel when what came before was almost on autopilot of what was expected but. Ever felt fulfilling, deserving so that it was almost a lie.

It feels like a film as all of the things that happen seem more announced. I can go with the suspension of disbelief, but when made so obvious it is hard.

This is a feel-good film, yet it becomes what it seems to want to avoid by becoming overbearing after a while.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s detached performance is what will win you over. As he is at total opposites at times but he keeps the film spirited and lively. Where he not only becomes the center of attention, but the most entertaining aspect of the film.

What is at least original is that the film doesn’t paint the main character as some kind of saint or hero. He freely admits his faults and the bad things in the past. It doesn’t praise his wife but makes them look more like a human coup going through the motions of a relationship and never really talking about their problems or dealing with them before this accident happens.

I wish the same could be said of Naomi watts character who is interesting. As her problems are laid bare, but her wrong decisions make her at least interesting when it comes to her character’s psychology. Even as we are used to Naomi watts playing these complicated characters. The character is there but the performance never quite catches on as it feels too plain when it might be better to showcase more of her at war with herself. Here her character keeps it maintained maybe due to her pot smoking. Which might regulate those feelings.

As his late wife throughout the movie haunts him and the other characters but we learn little about her though by the end she becomes more real for us in the audience to get more of a sense of her and not exactly the saint she has been made to be at the beginning. Just that something bad happened to her that she didn’t deserve. As with most of the characters. She was just trying to figure things out and all the people who believe they have it all figured out have comfort but aren’t necessarily being truthful to themselves or are rather simple The other aspect of the film that is eye-catching is the more modern designed clothing and appliances. That comes off shiny and smooth and provide the perfect facade, before revealing their grungy and dirty insides once explored.

Other Than the tragedy the film easily comes off as more middle-aged wish fulfillment than anything else.

Though the film does manage to win you over at certain points and feels personal to a degree when it’s supposed to.

GRADE: B-

MONEY TRAIN (1995)

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Money Train - Wesley Snipes - Woody Harrelson

 

Directed By: Jospeh Ruben
Written By: Doug Richardson & David Loughery
Story By: Doug Richardson
Cinematography By: John W. Lindley
Editor: George Bowers & Bill Pankow 


Cast: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Blake, Chris Cooper, Skip Sudduth, Bill Nunn, Joe Grifasi, Larry Gillard Jr., Vincent Pastore, Aida Turturro, Vincent Laresca 


Two foster brothers work as transit cops. While one’s life is as good as it gets, the other’s is a pit. After losing his job, getting dumped by his brother, and getting the crap kicked out of him by a loan shark for the umpteenth time, He implements his plan to steal the “money train,” a train carrying the New York Subway’s weekly revenue. But when things go awry, will his brother be able to save him in time?

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