TIFF Film Review: Drive

Drive (2011)
Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
Based on the Book By: James Sallis
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Albert Brooks, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Ron Perlman

Director Nicolas Winding Refn really loves John Hughes movies -- he just wants you to know that.

The Dutch director of Drive, touted as one of the must-see movies at this years Toronto International Film Festival, claimed he was very heavily inspired by both the late-director and 80s movies, in general.

With its 80s-influenced soundtrack and bright pink title credits, Drive has a certain Hughes feel to it -- only imagine Hughes' angst-ridden teen characters going on a violent rampage and brutally murdering each and every one of their high school tormenters in an increasingly violent (and creative) manner. In a recent interview about the film, both Rehn and star Ryan Gosling said they were influenced, in particular, by Pretty in Pink (1986).

"One thing we both agreed on was that we loved 'Pretty in Pink' and that it would have been a masterpiece if it was more violent," Gosling said. "In some ways we tried to make a violent John Hughes movie."

Rehn and Gosling brought up that same idea once again last night during the Q&A session at the North American premiere of the film at the Ryerson University Theatre. So, go into the movie envisioning a really evil, fed-up Duckie from Pretty in Pink and just take it all in.

A Hollywood stunt driver by day, a getaway driver by night, the man known only as Driver (Gosling) discovers that he's a target after a heist gone wrong. With baddies Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman) hot on his tail, Driver rips and roars through the streets of L.A. while simultaneously trying to romance a young mother (Carey Mulligan) who is, at first, completely unaware of his darker side.

What Drive lacks in character development and plot, it more than makes up for in style. It's essentially a blood-soaked homage to both B-movie Hollywood flicks and European art house fare. Graphic violence is around every corner, escalating to the point where each new scene will make you flinch in anticipation of the brutal demise of yet another character. Definitely not for the faint of heart, the film indulges in guilty pleasure thrills and explores the dark recesses of our most violent fantasies.

Gosling during the Q&A session at TIFF.

One scene, in particular, which takes place in an elevator, vividly contrasts the tenderness of a first kiss with a violent (and prolonged) death sequence. You'll never truly feel comfortable in an elevator ever again. Drive is filled with similar scenes -- jarring violent images that will shock you right out of your seat; and, judging from the gasps and applause from the audience last night, it happened on a few occasions.

As the driver, Gosling is a commanding screen presence -- he's absolutely terrifying and will erase all your previous memories of him as a gawky teen on Breaker High or as a romantic lead. His Driver is a man without a name or any past that we are aware of, making his actions all the more chilling since the audience is left without any idea of the true origin of his anger. Gosling proves he can play diverse characters and still bring his A-game to each performance.

Another noteworthy performance, albeit in a much smaller capacity, is Bryan Cranston as Gosling's pal, Shannon. The man can do no wrong, between this and the AMC series, Breaking Bad.  He's one of the few characters that actually inspires audience sympathy.

Despite the performances and the highly-stylized visual concept and direction, Drive stumbles a bit, preventing it from becoming a truly epic piece of revenge cinema. The uneven pacing at the beginning of the film makes it feel a little lopsided -- at first there's minimal dialogue and a whole lot of driving around. Perhaps Rehn's intention may have been to lull the audience into a state of calm before foisting the extreme violence on them. So, if that was his intent, it succeeded. If not, than the pacing could have used some re-tweaking.

Female characters are often relegated to the background in films like Drive -- although in this film they are practically put in a faraway corner. It's unfortunate that Mulligan's character, Irene, had little to do other than glance longingly at the driver -- even after she witnesses one of his violent episodes firsthand. There's no indication as to why Irene would even consider seeing the driver again and placing her son's life in danger just to be nearer to this violent man.

I didn't quite know what to make of Drive once the credits started rolling. I can appreciate where people are coming from when they tout it as one of the most stylish films to come out of Hollywood in years. Yet, there was something missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Visually stunning, yes. An homage to both Hollywood films past and European arthouse flicks, yes. Perhaps it was the pacing or the lack of any real character development -- or maybe my expectations were too high -- but I left wanting a little more substance to accompany the graphic violence. That being said, I realize I'm likely in the minority when it comes to Drive. 

Regardless of my torn opinion, I'm glad I saw it. It will likely be discussed quite heavily among film fans for the next few months and who doesn't love when a film inspires great discussion? So, just sit back and buckle your seatbelts when you watch Drive. You'll certainly be taken for a ride.

FINAL GRADE: B


Question: Drive will likely provoke a strong reaction in anyone who sees it. What did you love or dislike about the film?

Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking

A week ago today I saw Carrie Fisher's one-woman show, Wishful Drinking, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. Based on her 2008 memoir, the show has been a smash hit and even had its own HBO special.

So often associated with her iconic role as Princess Leia in George's Lucas' Star Wars franchise, few fans likely take the time to distinguish the differences between Leia and Carrie Fisher herself. After the show last Thursday, she ceased to be Princess Leia for me. Now she's simply, Carrie Fisher -- comedienne, author, businesswoman and a star of the stage.

We all know Fisher is funny. She has a knack for nailing her lines in one episode stints on hit TV shows like Sex and the City and 30 Rock. But there's no real way of preparing yourself for her refreshing, hilarious, brutally honest and self-deprecating account of her own life story.

And what a bizarre, and often tragic, life she's led! As Fisher herself said at one point, "If I didn't make it (my life) funny, it would just be true. And I couldn't have that."

Fisher structures her show as a series of vignettes -- starting with the sudden death of her close friend, Gregory R. Stevens, in 2005. She woke up to find his corpse lying in the bed next to her. Watching her relate the story full of emotion and humour is fascinating to witness. (You can check out her blog entry on the subject at her official website).

Hollywood Inbreeding 101.

She goes from that heavy opener to her college course-like tutorial titled "Hollywood Inbreeding 101" in which she uses a pointer stick and a chalkboard to methodically walk the audience through the many relationships of her famous parents, singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds.  

She discusses everything from her broken home to her father's countless marriages and affairs -- most famously with Elizabeth Taylor, her mother's best friend at the time. When Taylor's husband, Mike Todd, died in a plane crash, her father Eddie immediately ran to support Taylor. "Daddy rushed to her side, than he worked his way around to her front and finally wound up comforting her with his penis." 

But what is clear from Fisher's show is that, despite her often strained relations with members of her family, she's a woman who loves them dearly. Whether she's recounting the time her aging father accidentally ate his hearing aids or about how her mother insists on stating her own name every time she calls on the phone ("Hello, dear. It's your mother ...Debbie."), Fisher tells her life stories in such a hilariously candid and touching manner. When gushing about her 19-year-old daughter, Billie, Fisher memorably exclaims that "she's the best thing to ever come out of my body." 

Unlike many celebrity memoirs Fisher is not asking her audience for sympathy. She openly blames herself for her own mistakes, saying it would be lazy to blame Hollywood and her broken home for her woes -- and, besides, her brother turned out to lead a perfectly normal and happy life; a rare exception for someone descended from Hollywood royalty.

She will quite openly talk about her bi-polar diagnosis and ECT treatments although she's a little more restrained in her delivery -- as Toronto Star theatre critic Richard Ouzounian wrote: "despite the jokes, quips, the gal-pal merriment, there is something seriously life-threatening underneath."

However, her energy is contagious and, if nothing else, drives home her overriding theme that life is what you make it. If only we were all brave enough to laugh at our faults and failures.

Movie Review: Barney's Version (2010)

BARNEY'S VERSION
Directed By: Richard J. Lewis
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman, Scott Speedman, Minnie Driver and Bruce Greenwood

I went to a Toronto International Film Festival gala last night which was a nice surprise considering I hadn't expected to attend TIFF at all this year (too much school overload). Yet, lo and behold, free tickets to a much-buzzed about Canadian indie landed in my lap.

Based on the novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler, Barney's Version follows the life of Barney Panofsky, an alcoholic, cigar-chomping womanizer who has three ex-wives, a string of broken friendships and an eccentric elderly father. Like Richler's novel, the plot travels through both the highs and lows (and there are a lot of lows) of Barney's life between the ages of 28 to 65. The only things that appear to truly matter to Barney are the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, his brutally frank father and a woman named Miriam.

I didn't know what to expect going into the movie. As it turns out, the trailer for the film is quite misleading as it portrays Barney's Version as an outright comedy about a middle-aged man, the women he both loves and leaves and his kooky father. There's no real indication of the bleak vision and tone that permeates the film. It's actually an honest look at a flawed human being making very human mistakes, often with tragic and fatal consequences. Barney is actually a miserable, often self-loathing man full of residual anger and depression. It's not all a barrel of laughs. Barney struggles in his relationships with women and is even accused of the murder of a friend.

Barney's Version is an unflinching portrayal of a man in a perpetual state of decline. Barney is a man who never seemed to actually be "on top" at any point in his life. When the audience first meets him, he's a mixture of alcohol-fueled resentment and wicked one-liners; a sad old man with one too many tragedies in his life (many of which were self-inflicted).

Right from the opening sequence the viewer is at the mercy of Barney's fragmented memory. The film opens with Barney as a lonely 65-year-old trying to reconnect with the love of his life. As disjointed memories of his younger days both spent traveling Europe and living his later life in Montreal invade his thoughts, the viewer is left wondering how exactly Barney became Barney. His self-destructive behaviour makes for a compelling character study. Barney's Version truly is a grown up film tackling adult issues.

As Barney Panofsky, Paul Giamatti is an early front-runner in the Best Actor category, for those keeping tabs on this years Oscar race. If put in the hands of a lesser actor, Barney could have been a loathsome curmudgeon, undeserving of any sympathy from the viewer. It's hard to imagine loving a man with such an unhealthy and selfish lifestyle; however, Giamatti makes him a likeable anti-hero who is trying to get by on a day-to-day basis while systematically destroying those around him by his mistakes.

Giamatti benefits from a really strong supporting cast, specifically from his main leading lady, British actress Rosamund Pike. As Miriam, Barney's third wife and the love of his life, Pike is nothing short of radiant. Pike makes Miriam more than just a beautiful face; she's the strong-willed, faithful and gentle centre of Barney's erratic life. Without her, Barney would have faltered long ago. Despite their differences in personality, Miriam and Barney work so well as a couple struggling with marriage because Giamatti and Pike work so well alongside one another.

The rest of the supporting cast is just as stellar. Minnie Driver, as the Second Mrs. Panofsky, is hilariously shallow and crass. Canadian actors Scott Speedman and Bruce Greenwood are both charming in their roles as Barney's best friend, Boogie, and Blair, Barney's rival for Miriam's affections, respectively. There is even a memorable cameo from homegrown talent Paul Gross, who appears as an actor playing a Mountie in Barney's television series, O'Malley of the North, in a nod to his days on Due South. Dustin Hoffman nearly steals the film out from under everyone's feet as Barney's raucous, inappropriate father, Izzy, a retired police officer from the Montreal Police Department who spends his days drinking, sleeping with prostitutes and telling people about his exploits and misadventures as a cop.

Despite the strong supporting characters, the attention always goes back to Barney. How much do we really know about this bundle of violent emotions?

In the end, the viewer is left overwhelmed by the fates for many of the people in Barney's life. How much of it is the actual truth and how much of it is simply Barney's version of the truth? And, does it matter?

As Mordecai Richler himself said about his protagonist, Barney Panofsky: "He's not automatically sympathetic, so it's up to your own cunning or craft as a writer to involve the reader with him because the novel wouldn't work otherwise."

Considering Richler worked on an early version of the script before his untimely death in 2001, I'd say the success he had with creating Barney in his novel translated just as well onto the silver screen.

GRADE: A

Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Mae Whitman, Chris Evans and Jason Schwartzman

This review has been a long time coming, considering I saw this film nearly three weeks ago. Better late than never, I suppose.

When I first saw the trailer I didn't understand what all the pre-release hype was over. Sure, it looked pretty fun and I knew it was based on a graphic novel series, but it didn't seem like that big of a deal. I'll be the first to admit that the main reason I eventually went to see Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is because it was set in Toronto. It's so rare for a non-Canadian, mainstream Hollywood film to actually let Toronto play Toronto, as opposed to Chicago (in Chicago) or Baltimore (in Hairspray).

Based on the comics by Canadian Bryan Lee O'Malley and directed by Brit Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), the story revolves around 22 year old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera). All you really need to know about Scott is pretty straightforward: He's from Toronto. He plays bass for his band Sex Bob-omb. He lives with his gay roommate, Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin). He's dating a high-schooler named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), but he's in love with an American girl, named Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who recently moved to Toronto. However, Scott soon learns that, in order for him to date Ramona, he first has to defeat all seven of her "evil" exes. Despite Ramona's obviously bad taste in men (and one woman) aside, Scott thinks she's worth the battle.

That's literally all a viewer needs to know about the plot. Scott Pilgrim isn't so much a film as a series of colourfully vibrant vignettes. Scenes move at a rapid pace and not all of them actually add anything of substance to the plot; however, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you are looking for vivid characterizations or a complex plot, you aren't looking in the right direction. Scott Pilgrim plays out the way one would expect great summer entertainment to play out: action sequences, comedy, romance and the battle of good vs. evil. What's not to like?

For Torontonians, there are plenty of in-jokes and famous sites that only we may fully appreciate: from Casa Loma to Honest Ed's to Pizza Pizza to Second Cup and the prominent use of the TTC, the film isn't so much a "love letter to Canada" as some international critics have been saying, but a "love letter to Toronto." Our city was transformed into a winter wonderland full of swirling colours, fierce battles between local garage bands and, apparently, a safe haven for people with the ability to kick ass.

The cast is what makes Scott Pilgrim work so well. Granted, Michael Cera is essentially playing another version of himself, yet there was something a little more ironic about his performance this time around. It felt more like a send-up of his earlier, endearingly awkward roles, as though Cera himself realizes he's been typecast one too many times. The supporting cast is all strong, especially Kieran Culkin as Wallace and Ellen Wong as Knives. With the force of both of their comedic powers, they almost steal the entire film out from under Cera's feet. Wong, a Scarborough native making her film debut, is almost impossibly adorable as the deceivingly innocent girlfriend to Cera's Scott. She plays Knives as a teenage neurotic; a hyperventilating mass of energy, love and devotion. You almost expect her to explode into a million pieces at any moment. As Scott's best friend and gay roommate, Wallace, Culkin is so wonderfully hilarious you almost wish he got to be more of sidekick to Scott. His droll, dry sarcasm and one-liners work so well simply because Culkin knows how to play the character. In the hands of anyone else, Wallace could have been an annoyingly smart-ass stereotype. I haven't seen Culkin this good since Igby Goes Down.

The only two characters that really suffer from lack of great lines and anything resembling character motivations is Ramona and Kim Pine. Mary Elizabeth Winstead doesn't do much other than scowl and change her hair colour. It's a little hard to understand what exactly Scott sees in her in the first place. Kim Pine (played by Alison Pill, who is usually wonderful in smaller roles), on the other hand, is one of Scott's ex-girlfriends and all she does is scowl, play the drums and pretend to shoot herself in the head. She's probably the most pointless character in a film full of secondary characters running around, competing for attention.

The movie is, essentially, a live action video game, albeit one from the 1980s (think Super Mario Brothers or Pac-Man). I'm no gamer, but the majority of the references are funny and clever enough for anyone with a knack for pop culture to pick up on. Who wouldn't love a movie that also includes the KAPOW! of punches thrown, a la the 1960s Batman. Plus, any movie that includes defeated villains exploding into a pile of loonies and toonies earns extra brownie points in my book. If nothing else, it's movie made by geeks for geeks.

FINAL GRADE: B+