Tag: Morgan Spector

I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU (2025)

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Written & Directed By: David Joseph Craig & Brian Crano

Cinematography: Lowell A. Meyer 

Editor: Nancy Richardson 

Cast: Nick Kroll, Andrew Rannells, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Spector, Eleonora Romandia, Nunzia Schiano, Vincenzo Gallo, Arcangelo Iannace 

An American couple, on the verge of adopting a baby, goes on an Italian vacation – an opportunity to reconnect before the new addition arrives. Everything is picture-perfect; the epitome of a European baby moon, when things begin to spiral out of control. On the way to a fabulous dinner, they get their rental car stuck in a ditch and are stranded in rural nowhere in a downpour. These two Americans, who are used to being catered to, are now in a foreign land without service, an Italian language comprehension of about zero, and clear relationship turmoil that could explode at any minute. Fear obviously takes over.

This is a film that at first seems like it will be your typical couple comedy. Which it stays throughout until it takes a dark turn and seems to stay on that road until the end.

Where usually I enjoy films like these. There is something a bit off. As it stays true to it’s title. As most of the trouble comes from miscommunication. That seems to escalate Into violence seemingly accidently.

It’ not the characters exactly as they seem to be normal and just reacting to their situations that seem to get out of hand. it’s the films attitude that tries to humanize the victims, but also makes them caricatures and easily either forgettable or challenges. There isn’t much to truly dwell on or feel sorry for.

While the characters aren’t hateful or malicious. They might be a bit extreme in some situations, but by the ending they cone off too easy. That leaves a bad taste in the audiences mouth. That just feels like a reminder of rich caucasian males getting away literally with murders. Not that they should be especially punished but it feels like there should be something they lose or some way in which they have to pay or lose something. As there is some evidence that they left behind that could come back to haunt them.

Though the film seems to want us to root for them Abd let them drive off and be happy. As the film gives them something that humanized them and makes us identify with them in the form of having them await the birth of a baby they are adopting. After bei g brined before they are hoping this time. They will finally get a chance to be parents. That is the only sympathetic part of the story. We truly have for them.

The movie constantoy up’a the stakes but nothing lingers. So that it feels like it’s making a cake and it comes out as a tart. As the film reminds the audience of so many sitcoms only with better production values. As at least Nick Kroll and Andrew Rennells work well off of one another that makes their pairing feel effortless and like they are inorigng in the situation that makes them and their relationship come across as natural and real. If only the rest if the film came off that way. 

In the end, It just never feels like it has any real stakes. It breezes through like a wind storm (not a hurricane as the material isn’t that strong or wacky) and throws plenty against the wall to see what sticks.

Grade: C

NANNY (2022)

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Written & Directed By: Nikyatu Jusu 

Cinematography: Rina Yang 

Editor: Robert Mead 

Cast: Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls, Morgan Spector, Leslie Uggams, Olamide Candice-Johnson, Princess Adenike 

Piecing together a new life in New York City while caring for the child of an Upper East Side family, immigrant nanny Aisha is forced to confront a concealed truth that threatens to shatter her precarious American Dream.

The film is scary but more human and emotional. It is not exactly a horror movie but more magical realism. Yet still manages to stay haunting.

The film deals with the degradation of what she suffers. The microaggressions are harassed sexually by an oversexed person who believes her to be naturally sexually available. She is treated almost like slave labor by doing unscheduled overwork and not being paid on time or enough.

Then getting mad when she deviates a bit from their rules and instructions. yet are never there to deal with the problems of the child. The reason she went against them was to improvise with the situation 

Where the people she works for make money off of the culture and pain of others and yet feel sorry for her, At least one of them. Yet never try to get to know her and expect her to have sympathy for their own problems and dysfunctions. Like she owes it to them.

At least they are not Painted as total villains, just characters who have their own personal problems and take them out on others and expect them to be their caretakers. When they have never shown them any true sympathy. They at least are not just one thing or shown to be one-sided.

The main character has a romance that is explored but doesn’t become the main narrative. 

She is haunted by vivid dreams of water and insects that are nightmares or premonitions of what is to come or a kind of connection to the world and those close to her.

The film stays beautifully stylishly directed and well-acted with worn-in believable performances. That feels like not only a character study but a sharp slice of life.

Where the strength lies in the storytelling is that on the one hand, we have this supernatural tail that we believe we’re watching more of a horror film, but while we watch, we notice all these other issues being brought forth that are much scarier, because they happen more often every day. Yet for some, the supernatural terrors are more believable, or at least the ones they choose to believe in more.

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+