Vince Vaughn takes a trip to the North Pole to visit his brother Nicholas in the holiday comedy, FRED CLAUS. Vaughn is the title character, the distant brother of Santa, or as Fred refers to him, Nick. The brothers had a falling out during their childhood, as Nick grabbed all of the spotlight and praise from his older brother Fred. Years later, the same song rings true, with Santa as popular as ever, while Fred lives in Chicago as a repo-man, with dreams of opening a downtown casino. Fred needs a loan in a hurry to make his casino dream come true, so he makes a wish to Santa, and Nick agrees with one stipulation: Fred must come to work for Nick at the North Pole.
FRED CLAUS plays much like the modernized materialistic celebration of Christmas: superficial, loud and mildly amusing. This latest Christmas comedy is attempting to be more ELF than BAD SANTA, featuring an odd-mix of sugar sweet sentimentalism with a touch of naughtiness. This is the result of having WEDDING CRASHERS director David Dobkin take the reins of an apparent family comedy. The general gist of FRED CLAUS is in line with family fun, with a Santa storyline, an orphan sub-plot and a North Pole that visually stacks up with any of its celluloid predecessors. Dobkin, and more importantly, screenwriters Dan Fogelman and Jessie Nelson, must not have been confident writing broad, family humor, because many scenes play strictly for adults, none of which work. Each ensuing scene targeted for adults falls flat, whether its Fred being beaten by a group of Salvation Army Santas, Santa being audited by an uneasy Kevin Spacey or a Siblings Anonymous group with some truly lame cameos. Vaughn’s rapid wit still lights up the screen a few times, and he and Giamatti make a fairly comedic odd-couple, but the burden of the screenplay weighs down both talents, and the rest of the high-profile cast.
Grade: C-
Thursday, November 29, 2007
MICHAEL CLAYTON
George Clooney begins to unravel the sordid details of a class-action lawsuit in the thriller MICHAEL CLAYTON. Clooney is Michael, a former attorney who is now a “fixer” for the law firm of Kenner, Bach and Ledeen. Michael’s value as a man who can fix problems and major obstacles for the firm is even greater than an attorney, according to the firm’s partner, Marty Bach, played by Sydney Pollack. Michael’s latest fix is Arthur Eden, one of the firm’s attorneys, who’s been getting to close to a plaintiff who’s seeking damages against U/North, the company Kenner, Bach and Ledeen are defending.
Despite the impressive, yet slowly developing screenplay from first-time director, but successful screenwriter Tony Gilroy, and with all due respect to his fine work here, MICHAEL CLAYTON is George Clooney’s movie. The film lives and breathes through the calculated, mannered, complicated and determined character that Clooney crafts. The screenplay allows Clooney to be seen in several different lights: as a manipulative attorney, a problem solver, a self-sacrificial brother, a flawed father and more than anything a deeply troubled individual. Although the film works as a somewhat conventional thriller, the depth and mystery which lurks beneath are a credit to Clooney’s portrayal. Each move Clayton makes is based on a number of variables from his standing with the firm, the debt that he owes, the relationships that he’s built and the ones which have fallen apart. As events unravel in MICHAEL CLAYTON it isn’t the plot’s outcome which peaks one’s interest, but rather the impact the outcome will have on one man’s decisions.
Grade: B
Despite the impressive, yet slowly developing screenplay from first-time director, but successful screenwriter Tony Gilroy, and with all due respect to his fine work here, MICHAEL CLAYTON is George Clooney’s movie. The film lives and breathes through the calculated, mannered, complicated and determined character that Clooney crafts. The screenplay allows Clooney to be seen in several different lights: as a manipulative attorney, a problem solver, a self-sacrificial brother, a flawed father and more than anything a deeply troubled individual. Although the film works as a somewhat conventional thriller, the depth and mystery which lurks beneath are a credit to Clooney’s portrayal. Each move Clayton makes is based on a number of variables from his standing with the firm, the debt that he owes, the relationships that he’s built and the ones which have fallen apart. As events unravel in MICHAEL CLAYTON it isn’t the plot’s outcome which peaks one’s interest, but rather the impact the outcome will have on one man’s decisions.
Grade: B
GONE BABY GONE
The Affleck brothers team up in the morality thriller, GONE BABY GONE. Ben Affleck steps behind the camera to direct his brother for the first-time in the story of a missing girl. Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan are Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro, two young private investigators who are called on to find Amanda McCready, a missing child from downtown Boston. As Patrick and Angie dig deeper into the case, the more complex it becomes, with variables including Amanda’s doped-out mother, red-tape from the police and a media circus surrounding the girl’s disappearance.
The cleverness in GONE BABY GONE’s screenplay is matched only by its morally-complex and challenging conclusion, one which does not conform to convention, but is dead-set on creating conversation. Ben Affleck returns to his GOOD WILL HUNTING roots, penning a Boston-area screenplay that absorbs the bean town atmosphere into the characters and events, providing an authentic and realistic feel. Casey Affleck, who had yet to impress me on screen, delivers a powerful performance, with grit, fortitude and depth. Casey’s Patrick is no more complex than many of the other characters, but through his eyes we view the areas of gray that form in crime and punishment. The film is a tremendous work for Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Outside of a fairly contrived latter fourth, GONE BABY GONE poses some serious questions, and several answers through its murky characters. Affleck and co-scribe Aaron Stockard have created several conflicted characters, willing to bend the law at certain times, and at other times willing to follow it by the book. There’s no easy ending for GONE BABY GONE, but a difficult and engaging finish that will leave you with plenty to talk about.
Grade: A-
The cleverness in GONE BABY GONE’s screenplay is matched only by its morally-complex and challenging conclusion, one which does not conform to convention, but is dead-set on creating conversation. Ben Affleck returns to his GOOD WILL HUNTING roots, penning a Boston-area screenplay that absorbs the bean town atmosphere into the characters and events, providing an authentic and realistic feel. Casey Affleck, who had yet to impress me on screen, delivers a powerful performance, with grit, fortitude and depth. Casey’s Patrick is no more complex than many of the other characters, but through his eyes we view the areas of gray that form in crime and punishment. The film is a tremendous work for Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Outside of a fairly contrived latter fourth, GONE BABY GONE poses some serious questions, and several answers through its murky characters. Affleck and co-scribe Aaron Stockard have created several conflicted characters, willing to bend the law at certain times, and at other times willing to follow it by the book. There’s no easy ending for GONE BABY GONE, but a difficult and engaging finish that will leave you with plenty to talk about.
Grade: A-
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