I was perusing the Independent category on Netflix and found that a film whose trailer I had seen ages ago was now streaming. I actually enjoy watching films like The Kitchen after they've left cinemas. There's something much more intimate and much less pretentious about them, once they've made their way to my living room.
The Kitchen stars Laura Prepon (yes, that Laura Prepon, Donna from That 70s Show) as Jennifer, a young art manager who's turning 30. Her roommates and friends are throwing a birthday party for her, despite the fact that her boyfriend of two and a half years revealed his infidelity the night before. It's very much what you'd expect from a house-party film, with the saving grace of integrity for a few central characters. Jennifer and her sister Penny (a very funny Dreama Walker) have their own baggage to deal with, never mind a houseful of campy secondary characters with chaotic, if realistic, stereotypical subplots.
The reason The Kitchen works at all is the perfect dynamic struck between Laura Prepon, Dreama Walker, Matt Bush, and Tate Ellington. Everyone else flows around them like a stream. I actually do buy Prepon and Walker as siblings, with Prepon sporting her naturally blonde locks, and Walker taking on the sassy role, whereas her performance as June on Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 had her playing the doe-eyed country girl. But this is so much more fun! Matt Bush is Stan, the friend hopelessly in love with Jennifer; Tate Ellington (who also costarred on Don't Trust the B, as June's ex, Steven) is charming and adorable as roommate Kenny, whose heart belongs to Penny.
Even with the conceit that the entirety of the action takes place in the kitchen, the film stays fresh, moving the camera and making use of the various entrances and exits - and windows. Director Ishai Setton lets the action play out fast and loose, but keeps a close hold on the reins.
We've all been to parties like Jennifer's, even if we haven't been at the center of the drama. When it's over, the lack of total resolution actually works - because that's how life is. And at less than 90 minutes, it doesn't last as long as those tedious, high-school, house-party films. You could do worse to have The Kitchen make an appearance in your life.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Page Eight
Masterpiece Theater has is having a resurgence with the remarkable popularity of Downton Abbey, and has been parodied on Sesame Street since 1978 (who could forget Monsterpiece Theater?), but the BBC has produced some truly excellent material for another relative of the classic: Masterpiece Contemporary. Previously, I reviewed (albeit briefly) The Last Enemy, which premiered as the debut presentation from Masterpiece Contemporary. In November 2011, Sir David Hare wrote and directed Page Eight, an old-fashioned intrigue. If Jason Bourne had been English, and well over the hill, perhaps this would have been his story.
Page Eight starts off like a film noir, introducing Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy) on his way home, accompanied by a slick jazz track. He's a long-time employee of MI-5, the UK answer to the CIA, college classmate of the Director General, Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon - are you seeing the caliber of performers here?). When Benedict dies suddenly, it's up to Johnny to find out what plans Benedict had for the unpopular intelligence he'd just revealed. Who was Benedict's source? Why share the information? The information printed at the bottom of page eight will decide: Who stands for country, and who looks out only for his or her career?
Rachel Weisz features as Nancy Pierpan, Johnny's neighbor. Nancy's brother died recently, and she believes his death may have been covered up by the government. Regardless, her tenuous friendship with Johnny is founded in mutual awkwardness, and grieving.
Johnny explains his work at MI-5 by saying, "Deciding who to trust. That's what the job is." My biggest problem with this piece is my own preconceived associations of the actors in the film. While my tendency to trust the esteemed Nighy and Gambon works in their favor, my desire to trust Ralph Fiennes (as Prime Minister Alec Beasley) and Saskia Reeves (as Home Secretary Anthea Catcheside, but familiar from BBC detective series Wallander and Luther) works against the goal of uncertainty or ambivalence. My recognition of Rachel Weisz from her brilliant role as Evelyn in The Shape of Things makes me distrust her, despite Johnny's decision to trust Nancy.
Page Eight is slow, but rewarding viewing. Even though Johnny declares himself impartial party in the political tug-of-war started by Benedict's death, the drama takes a rather anti-establishment stance, finding fault in both American and British leadership. With questionable principles on both sides, even Johnny is less neutral than he would like to believe. Even an old man, whose priority had been the good of the country, is apt to doing what's best for those he cares about.
Notes:
- Sir David Hare was hoping for a trilogy; the success of this first installment means that Johnny Worricker, Alec Beasley, Anthea Catcheside and several of their colleagues are set to recur in two forthcoming episodes titled, "Salting the Battlefield" and "Turks & Caicos." We should see these films sometime in 2014.
- Ewen Bremner will return for the next two films, reprising his role as journalist Rollo Maverley. If he looks familiar, you probably know him from Trainspotting, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, or AVP: Alien Vs. Predator. He also gave memorable performances in Death at a Funeral and The Reckoning.
- Need a good jazz score? Composer Paul Englishby provided the music for Page Eight; he also provided a really fun score for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. He's also written the music for Luther and David Tennant's Hamlet. Seriously, how do I get involved with the BBC? Those folks keep good company.
Page Eight starts off like a film noir, introducing Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy) on his way home, accompanied by a slick jazz track. He's a long-time employee of MI-5, the UK answer to the CIA, college classmate of the Director General, Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon - are you seeing the caliber of performers here?). When Benedict dies suddenly, it's up to Johnny to find out what plans Benedict had for the unpopular intelligence he'd just revealed. Who was Benedict's source? Why share the information? The information printed at the bottom of page eight will decide: Who stands for country, and who looks out only for his or her career?
Rachel Weisz features as Nancy Pierpan, Johnny's neighbor. Nancy's brother died recently, and she believes his death may have been covered up by the government. Regardless, her tenuous friendship with Johnny is founded in mutual awkwardness, and grieving.
Johnny explains his work at MI-5 by saying, "Deciding who to trust. That's what the job is." My biggest problem with this piece is my own preconceived associations of the actors in the film. While my tendency to trust the esteemed Nighy and Gambon works in their favor, my desire to trust Ralph Fiennes (as Prime Minister Alec Beasley) and Saskia Reeves (as Home Secretary Anthea Catcheside, but familiar from BBC detective series Wallander and Luther) works against the goal of uncertainty or ambivalence. My recognition of Rachel Weisz from her brilliant role as Evelyn in The Shape of Things makes me distrust her, despite Johnny's decision to trust Nancy.
Page Eight is slow, but rewarding viewing. Even though Johnny declares himself impartial party in the political tug-of-war started by Benedict's death, the drama takes a rather anti-establishment stance, finding fault in both American and British leadership. With questionable principles on both sides, even Johnny is less neutral than he would like to believe. Even an old man, whose priority had been the good of the country, is apt to doing what's best for those he cares about.
Notes:
- Sir David Hare was hoping for a trilogy; the success of this first installment means that Johnny Worricker, Alec Beasley, Anthea Catcheside and several of their colleagues are set to recur in two forthcoming episodes titled, "Salting the Battlefield" and "Turks & Caicos." We should see these films sometime in 2014.
- Ewen Bremner will return for the next two films, reprising his role as journalist Rollo Maverley. If he looks familiar, you probably know him from Trainspotting, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, or AVP: Alien Vs. Predator. He also gave memorable performances in Death at a Funeral and The Reckoning.
- Need a good jazz score? Composer Paul Englishby provided the music for Page Eight; he also provided a really fun score for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. He's also written the music for Luther and David Tennant's Hamlet. Seriously, how do I get involved with the BBC? Those folks keep good company.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Performer Profile: Kenneth Branagh
Hamlet was first, for me. I was smitten with the ill-fated Prince of Denmark. The infamous four-hour epic film adaptation brought Shakespeare to life with a vibrancy and a clarity I hadn't fully grasped til then. Some thought it was too lavish, too long;-film wasn't supposed to capture the entire play as such, in so much detail, and with so much... zeal. (I believe the word the critics used was "overacting.") Yet, Hamlet was Branagh's fourth screen adaptation of Shakespeare in seven years - surely, he's onto something.
Despite a number of high-profile roles, the title role in Shackleton, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Franklin D. Roosevelt in Warm Springs, and Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn, excellent performances all, Branagh found a home in playing Swedish detective Kurt Wallander in several series for the BBC, based on the novels by Henning Mankell. An unusual structure for a television broadcast, each series consists of three ninety-minute episodes, each a film in its own right. (Sherlock owes its similar contract to the success of Wallander.) Wallander himself is an uncommon figure on telly screens, as he is not the hard-boiled detective so frequently portrayed on crime series. Damaged, yes, clever, absolutely, but there's a soft side to Wallander. His family life is, of course, complicated, and the obstacles he's forced to endure make it seem like he just can't catch a break. He's got a crack team to help him, and his doggedness is endearing. A fourth series is due out in 2014.
Branagh's first Shakespearean film, Henry V, garnered Best Actor and Best Director Oscar Nominations, but more importantly won him the BAFTA for Best Direction. I thought Branagh's turn as Iago in the Bard's Othello was overlooked, though Hamlet, Henry V, and Much Ado About Nothing have been standard classroom fare since their VHS releases. Less commonly seen was Branagh's musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost, which dared to make one of the most challenging comedies light, accessible, frivolous, and fun. I adored this version. Everyone knows Shakespeare to be a poet and the namesake for top wordsmiths, why shouldn't the great standard love songs be held in such esteem? We need only to look at Twelfth Night for the infamous line, "If music be the food of love, play on." It is apt, even if the performers are less than stellar, and Branagh is clearly ten years older than his princely compatriots. If you're surprised to see Alicia Silverstone and Matthew Lillard amongst the cast, keep in mind that this is the man who put Keanu Reeves and Michael Keaton in Much Ado, and Robin Williams as Osric in Hamlet. No one can say Branagh doesn't know how to take chances.
Branagh has been a big-screen presence for years, directing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (with himself in the title role), and taking leads in Peter's Friends (with then-wife Emma Thompson), The Gingerbread Man, and Woody Allen's Celebrity. Not every job had to be Shakespearean, top-notch drama, or even high-brow comedy - how else can we explain Dr. Arliss Loveless, of Wild Wild West? A picture like How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog is much more Branagh-worthy.
Highly underrated and unusual, How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog isn't the instructional video its title would have you believe. As Branagh's character Peter McGowen says, "Maybe that's everything in writing - a catchy title." While it does cater to a particular audience - most indie films do, anyhow - the one-liners are deadly, if you can find them in the desert-dry humor. Peter's not doing well, and the stakes are high. You're only as good as your last play, and this current production is struggling. He's not sleeping, his mother-in-law is losing it, there's a strange man claiming to be him, and his wife wants a baby so desperately that she's offered to babysit the girl next door. At first, little Amy is Peter's nemesis: the child his wife wants, the babysitting responsibility he doesn't want, a distraction from his writing, and a girl (women don't tend to favor Peter). But Amy's got a sassy side that takes Peter by surprise, and they become friends. Their unlikely friendship changes Peter, his work, and his home life. As Peter's wife, Melanie, Robin Wright (still using her surname of Penn at the time) is almost unrecognizable, but a sheer delight. The perfect counter to Branagh's curmudgeonly writer. It took several viewings for me to fully appreciate the film, but it's even funnier if you know/realize that these characters - these people - actually exist, somewhere.
Despite a number of high-profile roles, the title role in Shackleton, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Franklin D. Roosevelt in Warm Springs, and Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn, excellent performances all, Branagh found a home in playing Swedish detective Kurt Wallander in several series for the BBC, based on the novels by Henning Mankell. An unusual structure for a television broadcast, each series consists of three ninety-minute episodes, each a film in its own right. (Sherlock owes its similar contract to the success of Wallander.) Wallander himself is an uncommon figure on telly screens, as he is not the hard-boiled detective so frequently portrayed on crime series. Damaged, yes, clever, absolutely, but there's a soft side to Wallander. His family life is, of course, complicated, and the obstacles he's forced to endure make it seem like he just can't catch a break. He's got a crack team to help him, and his doggedness is endearing. A fourth series is due out in 2014.
For a long time, the press wasn't quite sure what to make of him: wunderkind, or pretentious sod? Since remarrying in 2003, he seems to have settled down, and with Wallander, found favor with audiences and press alike. After a number of directorial duds (sadly including Love's Labours, a widely panned As You Like It, little-seen adaptation of The Magic Flute, and the modern remake of the Michael Caine/Laurence Olivier film Sleuth), Branagh brought his flair for grand scale theatrics to the big screen with Thor. It's thanks to Branagh that we have the Loki phenom of Tom Hiddleston, who previously costarred as one of the good guys in Wallander. In January, Branagh himself will take on the villain role in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, opposite Chris Pine. But first: the Scottish play.
Macbeth. Working with co-director Rob Ashford and a cast of nearly thirty, the production dominated the Manchester International Festival, selling out in nine minutes. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is the locale: performances were held in a decommissioned church in Manchester. Audience members sat on both sides of a long, dirt hall of a stage; battle waged back and forth, even through rain. When they appear, the Weird Sisters earn their name, and with the church for a backdrop, themes of demonic possession are easily evoked. Alex Kingston (Doctor Who's River Song) is a worthy companion (haha!) for Branagh's Lady Macbeth. It's a testament to the wizened Branagh that he so generously shares the limelight, rather than dominates it. As wonderful as he is in the leading role, it's the supporting cast that makes Macbeth so good. Ray Fearon's Macduff stands out, as soon as he begins to recruit natural heir Malcom (Merlin's Alexander Vlahos) to reclaim his throne. Norman Bowman's Ross reminded me of Willem Defoe (that's a compliment), and Daniel Ings's Porter provided some much needed comic relief. Watching Shakespeare without concurrent study of it can be challenging, but Macbeth is entertaining, at the least. The vocal work is impeccable, from the strange intonations and deliveries of the Weird Sisters, to the variation in cadence from Branagh himself, which is always enlightening.
Leaving the theater, I couldn't help but think, "Branagh's still got it." He's a long way from retirement, and I expect we'll see many more important, creative contributions from him.
Notes:
- The last time I was at the Avon, it was to see Benedict Cumberbatch in Frankenstein. (I called it "FrankenBatch.") This time, it was Kenneth Branagh in Macbeth (I call it "MacBranagh"). Both productions are produced by the National Theatre in London; both men have played Victor Frankenstein.
- Branagh is a real-life Frankenstein. By casting Hiddleston as Loki, he has created a monster. I'm hilarious.
- Wait for it... Branagh's Chamber of Secrets costar Daniel Radcliffe is set to play Igor to James McAvoy's Frankenstein in a January 2015 release. It should go without saying, but: release date subject to change. When's Hiddleston's Frankenstein going to surface? Was he not invited to the club? Is that why he left Wallander? (Just kidding. I'm pretty sure I made that up.)
- With the new Jack Ryan film, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Kenneth Branagh will have played villains opposite Chris Pine. What would happen if we pitted them against each other? What project would that be? Julius Caesar? An all-male cast of All About Eve? Perhaps Branagh would be willing to play Claudius in the (rumored) Cumberbatch Hamlet next fall in the West End.
- Macbeth Composer Patrick Doyle has worked on eleven films with Kenneth Branagh, starting with Henry V. He will be providing the music for Branagh's upcoming Cinderella, starring Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Lily James, and Richard Madden.
Macbeth. Working with co-director Rob Ashford and a cast of nearly thirty, the production dominated the Manchester International Festival, selling out in nine minutes. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is the locale: performances were held in a decommissioned church in Manchester. Audience members sat on both sides of a long, dirt hall of a stage; battle waged back and forth, even through rain. When they appear, the Weird Sisters earn their name, and with the church for a backdrop, themes of demonic possession are easily evoked. Alex Kingston (Doctor Who's River Song) is a worthy companion (haha!) for Branagh's Lady Macbeth. It's a testament to the wizened Branagh that he so generously shares the limelight, rather than dominates it. As wonderful as he is in the leading role, it's the supporting cast that makes Macbeth so good. Ray Fearon's Macduff stands out, as soon as he begins to recruit natural heir Malcom (Merlin's Alexander Vlahos) to reclaim his throne. Norman Bowman's Ross reminded me of Willem Defoe (that's a compliment), and Daniel Ings's Porter provided some much needed comic relief. Watching Shakespeare without concurrent study of it can be challenging, but Macbeth is entertaining, at the least. The vocal work is impeccable, from the strange intonations and deliveries of the Weird Sisters, to the variation in cadence from Branagh himself, which is always enlightening.
Leaving the theater, I couldn't help but think, "Branagh's still got it." He's a long way from retirement, and I expect we'll see many more important, creative contributions from him.
Notes:
- The last time I was at the Avon, it was to see Benedict Cumberbatch in Frankenstein. (I called it "FrankenBatch.") This time, it was Kenneth Branagh in Macbeth (I call it "MacBranagh"). Both productions are produced by the National Theatre in London; both men have played Victor Frankenstein.
- Branagh is a real-life Frankenstein. By casting Hiddleston as Loki, he has created a monster. I'm hilarious.
- Wait for it... Branagh's Chamber of Secrets costar Daniel Radcliffe is set to play Igor to James McAvoy's Frankenstein in a January 2015 release. It should go without saying, but: release date subject to change. When's Hiddleston's Frankenstein going to surface? Was he not invited to the club? Is that why he left Wallander? (Just kidding. I'm pretty sure I made that up.)
- With the new Jack Ryan film, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Kenneth Branagh will have played villains opposite Chris Pine. What would happen if we pitted them against each other? What project would that be? Julius Caesar? An all-male cast of All About Eve? Perhaps Branagh would be willing to play Claudius in the (rumored) Cumberbatch Hamlet next fall in the West End.
- Macbeth Composer Patrick Doyle has worked on eleven films with Kenneth Branagh, starting with Henry V. He will be providing the music for Branagh's upcoming Cinderella, starring Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Lily James, and Richard Madden.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Double Feature: Frankenstein and The Fifth Estate
I promise I do not intend to write a love letter. It's true that the primary reason I saw both Frankenstein and The Fifth Estate is Benedict Cumberbatch - but none of my favorite performers have ever been exempt from my critical eye. Liev Schreiber, Marion Cotillard, Lee Pace. No one's perfect.
Except Cumberbatch.
Just kidding.
But seriously: when London's National Theatre produced Frankenstein in 2011, Benedict Cumberbatch had not yet achieved fame stateside, though his renown Sherlock had already made it's mark in the UK. Still, with three huge names to carry the show, it did not require that the 'Batch' (as he is [too?] affectionately known by his fans) carry the entire production. In the screening I attended (Halloween at the Avon in Providence), Cumberbatch played the Creature, while Jonny Lee Miller fulfilled the role of creator, Victor Frankenstein. Directed by Danny Boyle - whose award winning work includes Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Trainspotting, and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games - this faithful and dynamic adaptation by playwright Nick Dear has been brought to vibrant life. (Get it? Brought to life? Like Frankenstein's monster? I'm hilarious.)
I'm reticent to apply the word 'visionary' to someone whose best work is composed almost entirely of adaptations of novels, but there's something to be said for the director who encourages his designers to push boundaries, be creative, push the poetry and metaphors of what they're doing. I've just looked up the creative team - the lighting designer's name is Bruno Poet. It is apt. Mark Tildesley's set is exceptionally dynamic, quickly establishing locales, themes, and actively facilitating the incredible performances within. Truly, the emotional impact of those performances was enhanced by the scenic design. Really remarkable work. Equally remarkable is the fact that the superior design work is not lost on screen. While I can't say what influence it bears over a live audience, I know that I am seldom impressed or even satisfied with the filmed version of a staged show. This is the third year that the National Theatre has broadcast or redistributed Frankenstein, the demand is so great. The actual run of the show frequently sold out, and subsequent screenings of the production have been a no-brainer. With something as thematically relevant as Frankenstein, perfect for Halloween capitalization, especially after one of the stars rode a rocket to international fame.
The Batch's costar, Jonny Lee Miller, is no stranger to American audiences either. Whether you liked him in Trainspotting, Dexter, Eli Stone, or most recently as Sherlock Holmes on Elementary, he may strike you as somewhat familiar. His husky voice is an unexpected choice for Victor Frankenstein, but we must remember that Boyle cast Cumberbatch and Miller with the intension of having the actors alternate leading roles. I wonder what Miller's voice would have brought to the Creature. Cumberbatch, on the other hand, is a man you would expect to play a scientist - which he's done, in Hawking. It's more interesting, then, to see him put his lanky frame to use as the Creature. In a pre-show featurette, Cumberbatch says his physicality as the Creature was drawn from footage of stroke survivors, grown men and women re-learning how to use their bodies, a choice that is suddenly so strikingly obvious and relevant, I'm amazed to have not seen it before. Props to Toby Sedgwick, whose guidance as director of movement likely nurtured the development of that choice. Miller, incidentally, indicates that there is much of his two-year-old in his Creature. If the Avon had screened the alternate casting as well, I would have stayed! I envy those who have been able to see both versions.
I laughed, I cried; I was incredibly moved. Whether it owes to Cumberbatch, the material, the production values, the combination thereof - we shall see, as I've since been inspired to catch further broadcasts from the NTLive.
Frankenstein shot Cumberbatch to the fore and earned him an Olivier Award for his performances as Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, Star Trek Into Darkness was completely dominated by him, his AMA (Ask Me Anything) interactive interview on Reddit.com was hugely popular and has been cited in subsequent media, and yet the September release of The Fifth Estate was, by all accounts, a failure. Too much press? Not enough press? Did Assange burn the Batch? (I'm hilarious, how am I still single? But I digress...)
Not going to lie: the movie's a mess. It feels like the team effort of a bunch of film students. The opening sequence, in which we get brief summary of journalism, is stylistically different from the rest of the film. Inconsistent visual style combined with an inconsistent script, a story reliant on men typing away at computers; it's not a good mix. Ideas about Assange's youth wedged into the story via some early bromance scenes with Berg, the screenplay constantly shifts focus between Berg, Assange, and the infamous leak of classified US military documents, all while grasping at big ideas about whistle-blowing, morality, and privacy. I'm not sure if the film wants to be about people or ideas. I attended the film with the understanding that it is a fiction, not a documentary, not a retrospective, but a fiction, yet even the fiction remains unclear.
There's no doubt that the events suggested in the film played out differently, but with such a recent, controversial, unresolved story, I also have no doubt that the film was poorly conceived and executed. The performances are superb, without question, and not just Cumberbatch, whose Assange is fascinating, if not entirely likeable, but Daniel Brühl as Daniel Berg is excellent (though he does have the advantage of being in the bias of the source material). It's almost a shame that Cumberbatch has been the primary press figure, because so much of the film belongs to Brühl. Of course, allowing Brühl to become the face of the film would be to emphasize the bias of the film. Marketing and public relations for the movie were likely counting on Cumberbatch's inherent charm and good favor (with the public) to counter any backlash from Assange or critics as to the films bias. Unfortunately, even in this, The Fifth Estate failed.
So maybe it didn't cement Benedict Cumberbatch as a bankable leading man. All actors have at least one credit they're ready to bury in their résumé. Cumberbatch needn't worry too much - he's reuinted with Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as the dragon in the film's title, with roles in 12 Years a Slave and August: Osage County to follow. Plus, there's finally an air date for the third series of Sherlock (January 19th, yay!).
Notes and trivia:
[Links go to older blog entries unless otherwise indicated.]
- In case you missed it, yes, both Frankenstein leads are playing Sherlock Holmes on television. Cumberbatch stars on the BBC Sherlock while Jonny Lee Miller heads up the cast of Elementary for CBS.
- In another round of "It's A Small World After All," both Cumberbatch and Miller costarred film projects with Robert Carlyle (Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin on Once Upon a Time). Cumberbatch worked with Carlyle on the very excellent miniseries The Last Enemy, while Miller was in Plunkett and Macleane with him. Plunkett and Macleane also featured Liv Tyler, who is lucky enough to have gone a date with Cumberbatch, like, once.
- The Fifth Estate had two cast members whose names were familiar to me, but it wasn't until I got home later that I realized just who they were. Peter Capaldi, who plays the editor of The Guardian, was recently announced as the 12th Doctor. Anthony "Where-Have-I-Seen-Him-Lately" Mackie was also looking handsome in Runner Runner, and someone I recognized from Man on a Ledge and The Hurt Locker.
- Make fun all you want, but at least a good number of people know Benedict Cumberbatch by name. Upon seeing Dan Stevens onscreen in The Fifth Estate, I could only think, "Matthew Crawley!" (That's Stevens's character on Downton Abbey.)
- For more information on what's coming from the National Theatre Live, visit their website. Upcoming productions include Macbeth with Kenneth Brannagh and Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston.
- Other Double Feature blog posts highlighted films from Greta Gerwig and Mark Duplass. Who's next?
* Listing as Recommended for Frankenstein (obviously).
Except Cumberbatch.
Just kidding.
But seriously: when London's National Theatre produced Frankenstein in 2011, Benedict Cumberbatch had not yet achieved fame stateside, though his renown Sherlock had already made it's mark in the UK. Still, with three huge names to carry the show, it did not require that the 'Batch' (as he is [too?] affectionately known by his fans) carry the entire production. In the screening I attended (Halloween at the Avon in Providence), Cumberbatch played the Creature, while Jonny Lee Miller fulfilled the role of creator, Victor Frankenstein. Directed by Danny Boyle - whose award winning work includes Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Trainspotting, and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games - this faithful and dynamic adaptation by playwright Nick Dear has been brought to vibrant life. (Get it? Brought to life? Like Frankenstein's monster? I'm hilarious.)
I'm reticent to apply the word 'visionary' to someone whose best work is composed almost entirely of adaptations of novels, but there's something to be said for the director who encourages his designers to push boundaries, be creative, push the poetry and metaphors of what they're doing. I've just looked up the creative team - the lighting designer's name is Bruno Poet. It is apt. Mark Tildesley's set is exceptionally dynamic, quickly establishing locales, themes, and actively facilitating the incredible performances within. Truly, the emotional impact of those performances was enhanced by the scenic design. Really remarkable work. Equally remarkable is the fact that the superior design work is not lost on screen. While I can't say what influence it bears over a live audience, I know that I am seldom impressed or even satisfied with the filmed version of a staged show. This is the third year that the National Theatre has broadcast or redistributed Frankenstein, the demand is so great. The actual run of the show frequently sold out, and subsequent screenings of the production have been a no-brainer. With something as thematically relevant as Frankenstein, perfect for Halloween capitalization, especially after one of the stars rode a rocket to international fame.
The Batch's costar, Jonny Lee Miller, is no stranger to American audiences either. Whether you liked him in Trainspotting, Dexter, Eli Stone, or most recently as Sherlock Holmes on Elementary, he may strike you as somewhat familiar. His husky voice is an unexpected choice for Victor Frankenstein, but we must remember that Boyle cast Cumberbatch and Miller with the intension of having the actors alternate leading roles. I wonder what Miller's voice would have brought to the Creature. Cumberbatch, on the other hand, is a man you would expect to play a scientist - which he's done, in Hawking. It's more interesting, then, to see him put his lanky frame to use as the Creature. In a pre-show featurette, Cumberbatch says his physicality as the Creature was drawn from footage of stroke survivors, grown men and women re-learning how to use their bodies, a choice that is suddenly so strikingly obvious and relevant, I'm amazed to have not seen it before. Props to Toby Sedgwick, whose guidance as director of movement likely nurtured the development of that choice. Miller, incidentally, indicates that there is much of his two-year-old in his Creature. If the Avon had screened the alternate casting as well, I would have stayed! I envy those who have been able to see both versions.
I laughed, I cried; I was incredibly moved. Whether it owes to Cumberbatch, the material, the production values, the combination thereof - we shall see, as I've since been inspired to catch further broadcasts from the NTLive.
Frankenstein shot Cumberbatch to the fore and earned him an Olivier Award for his performances as Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, Star Trek Into Darkness was completely dominated by him, his AMA (Ask Me Anything) interactive interview on Reddit.com was hugely popular and has been cited in subsequent media, and yet the September release of The Fifth Estate was, by all accounts, a failure. Too much press? Not enough press? Did Assange burn the Batch? (I'm hilarious, how am I still single? But I digress...)
Not going to lie: the movie's a mess. It feels like the team effort of a bunch of film students. The opening sequence, in which we get brief summary of journalism, is stylistically different from the rest of the film. Inconsistent visual style combined with an inconsistent script, a story reliant on men typing away at computers; it's not a good mix. Ideas about Assange's youth wedged into the story via some early bromance scenes with Berg, the screenplay constantly shifts focus between Berg, Assange, and the infamous leak of classified US military documents, all while grasping at big ideas about whistle-blowing, morality, and privacy. I'm not sure if the film wants to be about people or ideas. I attended the film with the understanding that it is a fiction, not a documentary, not a retrospective, but a fiction, yet even the fiction remains unclear.
There's no doubt that the events suggested in the film played out differently, but with such a recent, controversial, unresolved story, I also have no doubt that the film was poorly conceived and executed. The performances are superb, without question, and not just Cumberbatch, whose Assange is fascinating, if not entirely likeable, but Daniel Brühl as Daniel Berg is excellent (though he does have the advantage of being in the bias of the source material). It's almost a shame that Cumberbatch has been the primary press figure, because so much of the film belongs to Brühl. Of course, allowing Brühl to become the face of the film would be to emphasize the bias of the film. Marketing and public relations for the movie were likely counting on Cumberbatch's inherent charm and good favor (with the public) to counter any backlash from Assange or critics as to the films bias. Unfortunately, even in this, The Fifth Estate failed.
So maybe it didn't cement Benedict Cumberbatch as a bankable leading man. All actors have at least one credit they're ready to bury in their résumé. Cumberbatch needn't worry too much - he's reuinted with Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as the dragon in the film's title, with roles in 12 Years a Slave and August: Osage County to follow. Plus, there's finally an air date for the third series of Sherlock (January 19th, yay!).
Notes and trivia:
[Links go to older blog entries unless otherwise indicated.]
- In case you missed it, yes, both Frankenstein leads are playing Sherlock Holmes on television. Cumberbatch stars on the BBC Sherlock while Jonny Lee Miller heads up the cast of Elementary for CBS.
- In another round of "It's A Small World After All," both Cumberbatch and Miller costarred film projects with Robert Carlyle (Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin on Once Upon a Time). Cumberbatch worked with Carlyle on the very excellent miniseries The Last Enemy, while Miller was in Plunkett and Macleane with him. Plunkett and Macleane also featured Liv Tyler, who is lucky enough to have gone a date with Cumberbatch, like, once.
- The Fifth Estate had two cast members whose names were familiar to me, but it wasn't until I got home later that I realized just who they were. Peter Capaldi, who plays the editor of The Guardian, was recently announced as the 12th Doctor. Anthony "Where-Have-I-Seen-Him-Lately" Mackie was also looking handsome in Runner Runner, and someone I recognized from Man on a Ledge and The Hurt Locker.
- Make fun all you want, but at least a good number of people know Benedict Cumberbatch by name. Upon seeing Dan Stevens onscreen in The Fifth Estate, I could only think, "Matthew Crawley!" (That's Stevens's character on Downton Abbey.)
- For more information on what's coming from the National Theatre Live, visit their website. Upcoming productions include Macbeth with Kenneth Brannagh and Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston.
- Other Double Feature blog posts highlighted films from Greta Gerwig and Mark Duplass. Who's next?
* Listing as Recommended for Frankenstein (obviously).
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