20s Movie Review - The Way Back

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Janina Gavankar, Michaela Watkins, Brandon Wilson, Will Ropp, Fernando Luis Vega, Charles Lott Jr., Melvin Gregg, Ben Irving, Jeremy Radin, Matthew Glave

Description: Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) was a high school basketball phenom who walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Years later, when he reluctantly accepts a coaching job at his old school, he may get one last shot at redemption.

Review: When a film gives an actor such a good chance to excel and the story also works successfully towards a beautiful release, but nobody is really talking about this movie, I naturally will look for a reason. I think that people were looking for a good basketball drama. A good drama it is, the film only doesn’t focus on the basketball part. It focuses on the coach and his life now and then.
Jack Cunningham was once a star basketball player. Everyone expected him to get a scholarship to play college basketball, but we meet him in the opening scene as a construction worker who lingers in the pub a little too long after work. So long, in fact, that one of the other guests quite routinely walks him to his home, to make sure he gets in safely.
Slowly it becomes clear that Jack can’t cope with something that happened in the past, which is also the reason that his wife Angela has left him. When the principal of his former high school asks him to coach the basketball time, Jack seizes the opportunity with slight resistance. Together with assistant coach and math teacher Dan he takes on the task, turning a pretty bad team into something the school can be proud of.
The film has a raw look and feel to it, you recognize director Gavin O’Connor’s style in that (he also directed “Warrior” and “Pride & Glory”). This adds to the realism of the film and makes it more relatable and real. And like I stated before, this is not a sports movie, because it doesn’t focus on that element. And I actually kind of liked it because of that, because it separates itself from all the other movies about coaches that come in to change an otherwise bad team. It focuses on the coach instead on the game and its players. Did it have to be basketball? No, it might as well be another sport. But that’s okay.
If you are a frequent reader of my reviews, you might know I’m not the world’s biggest Ben Affleck fan. I either like him or don’t in a movie. And only few movies I really loved him in. Movie liked “The Accountant” (also by Gavin O’Connor), “Argo” and “Gone Girl” made me change my mind about him and I really enjoyed his performances in those films. I can now add “The Way Back” to this list, because Affleck really does excel here. His performance is strong and it’s one of his best roles. Just sad that not a lot of people have witnessed it, because I think a lot of people didn’t see this movie when it came out.
I could recommend “The Way Back” if you want a strong, raw drama, not if you are expecting a sports drama, because that it isn’t.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Brigsby Bear

Director: Dave McCary
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Jane Adams, Greg Kinnear, Michaela Watkins, Claire Danes, Beck Bennett, Andy Samberg, Matt Walsh

Description: After being freed from his life in an underground bunker, a man (Kyle Mooney) sets out to make a movie of the only TV show he has ever known.

Review: Twenty-something James’ life is all about the fictional bear Brigsby. Every week a new adventure awaits him, in the form of a VCR tape on his doormat. Brigsby Bear teaches its viewers life lessons, math and morals. James’ bedroom is filled with Brigsby Bear stuff and you would think a toddler lives there. But James doesn’t know anything outside the bunker he lives in: his parents and the Brigsby Bear TV-show.
“Brigsby Bear” is the type of film I love to watch the most: light drama with a subtle hint of comedy. James’ life inside the bunker is interrupted and he has to try and survive in the real world. But is it necessarily better for him?
The film has a high level of feel-good and you want everything for James that he is fighting for. Two world come together, instead of exchanging one for the other. Because why shouldn’t James introduce the people in his new life to Brigsby Bear. His transition to this reality can go much smoother this way.
In director Dave McCary’s film, there is no room for misunderstanding and intolerance. It never gets mean or hostile. And I loved that about “Brigsby Bear”. There is so much hatred already, it’s great to see a film without any of that nasty behavior.
“Brigsby Bear” is movie that probably not a lot of people saw and that’s such a shame. It’s a movie that shouldn’t be left unseen, I loved this film. Never lose the child within yourself.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 25: In a World...

Director: Lake Bell

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 89 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Lake Bell, Rob Corddry, Alexandra Holden, Eva Longoria, Ken Marino, Demetri Martin, Fred Melamed, Tig Notaro, Nick Offerman, Michaela Watkins, Geena Davis, Stephanie Allynne, Melissa Disney, Olya Milova, Corsica Wilson, Yelena Protsenko, Carly Chaikin, Kanicza Bravo, Jason O’Mara, Talulah Riley, Erin Soto, Mara Lane

Description: The underachieving voice coach Carol (Lake Bell) finds herself competing in the movie trailer voice-over profession against her arrogant father (Fred Melamed) and his protégé (Ken Marino).

 

Review: On September 1st 2008 Don LaFontaine dies. Maybe that doesn’t ring a bell, but you might know his voice. LaFontaine was one of America’s most famous voice actors, who voiced for 5.000 movie trailers and 350.000 commercials and videogames. He opened the trailers by saying the words ‘In a world…’ Actress Lake Bell decided to direct her first movie with the concept of voice actors.

Bell, who also wrote the script, plays leading lady Carol Solomon, a voice coach who dreams to do what LaFontaine did. But that’s not that easy. First, the world of voice-overs doesn’t have any room for female voices. Second, her own dad Sam Soto is the man of the hour in this business. And then there also is Gustav Warner, an upcoming voice-actor, who stands in her way.

The angle of “In a world…” is original and brave. That Lake Bell was ambitious is clear. And she succeeds in a way. Hollywood criticizing Hollywood, it has been done before. Bell does it very subtle and it’s unmistakable, but you have the feeling there could have been more. The movie is carried by strong characters. The somewhat chaotic Carol is the centre of your attention, but also Fred Melamed as her dominant father Sam.

It’s a good directorial debut by Lake Bell and I enjoyed this movie.

Rating: 3,5/ 5