Gran Torino

Clint Eastwood's latest has him portraying a crotchety curmudgeon of a war veteran living in a Hmong area of Detroit. Hardly a stretch for him considering his past body of work. Gran Torino had some potential, but the uncreative emotional manipulation that Eastwood has used in the past backfires here with a shallow story that is driven primarily by his gravelly voice and disapproving glare.

I have long admired the simplicity of Eastwood's creations - Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven, even Mystic River (a little more complex than the others), but his formula for success hits a brick wall here as there is little more than clever insults that seem almost charming coming from the old man.

The family is almost comic relief, and although the film is good for a few laughs via good lines, it detracts entirely from the point of the film, and the deeper themes of morality, and the old Eastwood favorite - street justice.

The build-up is slow, although there is some enjoyment getting to know the old man who bides his time sitting on the porch smoking, chewing and drinking with his dog, just watching the neighbors and using antiquated racial insults.

The problem is that there is no real hook. Why is this bigot going out of his way to save the neighbor boy? Why does he care? Maybe it is some sense of lifelong regret or a need for atonement, but it doesn't fit with the rotten nature of his character, so it is a little unbelievable.

I enjoy Eastwood films for the most part, and this one makes a genuine attempt to tug at the heart strings, but the facade is transparent, and ineffective. I wouldn't expect to see any nominations for this one besides original song (which there are typically few enough to warrant absurd nominations). 6/10.

The Wrestler

There are typically very few redeeming qualities that make a viewer sympathetic to a miserable character. The Wrestler strikes the chord of one of those qualities and transforms a drug-addicted, trailer-living loser who has neglected his family and his financial responsibilities in favor of his passion and only true skill. Not unlike Rocky Balboa, he is a champion for the common man, but with less notoriety and support from family and friends. He is a lonely warrior in the decline of his life.

What makes him so endearing is both passion and generosity. He loves what he does - to the point that his body is a degenerating mass of muscle. Most people would have quit when the sheer weight of the punishment that they have taken cause painkiller addiction, constant aches and pain, hearing loss and constant agonized breathing that is shown so sincerely by Mickey Rourke. Despite a brief tenure at the top of his craft, he is a consummate professional; respectful to his fellow wrestlers, adoring of his fans, and great with the kids who live in his trailer park. His gentle nature is shown through his sad, pained eyes and his ragged beat-up body and face.

This would have been a terrible movie had anyone else been cast in the lead role. Rourke was born to play this role as he passes both physically and personally as a legitimate wrestler. The sadness and longing for the life he had while at the top of his game is clear through the entire film as he struggles to cope with his declining health, and attempts to reconcile with his estranged daughter.

The secondary story of his failed attempts to connect with a local stripper (Marissa Tomei) is yet another indicator of the irony in his character's nature. Through the surface appearance of a string of misguided and questionable decisions, at the heart of the matter, he is just a man in need of a friend.

The scenes where he confronts his daughter are the most emotionally poignant. The confluence of strong and weak is riveting and sincere without being overdone.

I don't think Darren Aronofsky knew what he was getting from Rourke when he was cast. The raw emotion, although subtle and natural, carries the film to the brink of greatness. This film is exceptionally acted by Rourke, but I do think that the small scale of the film, as well as the narrow target audience will prevent it from taking home any awards - with the exception of original song. There is something catchy and familiar about Springsteen's the Wrestler. Although unoriginal, it may bring home the gold. I would expect nominations for Rourke, as well as original screenplay, but Langella still owns the best performance of 2008.

Great film, and a comeback vehicle for Rourke. I loved him in Sin City, and am looking forward to his role as the villain in Iron Man 2. 3 Nominations and 1 win. 8/10.

Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road is an adaptation of the classic Richard Yates novel which follows the Wheelers; your average, starry-eyed suburban couple growing up in the 1950's, starting career and family. The tagline "how do you break free without breaking apart?" sums up the despondence and sense of hopelessness that bubbles to the surface - marring the picture perfect existence that they both admire and despise.

April and Frank, played by Kate Winslett and Leo DiCaprio respectively, embody the spirit of the characters intended by Yates. April finds herself raising two kids, keeping the home, and giving the appearance of a happy, young wife and mother. There is something missing however, and her struggle is to define and capture it. Frank is a rising star as a salesman for the company that his father toiled at for his entire career. He is finding comfort in the normalcy of his respectable place, yet realizes that there is something robotic and inhuman about his life.

Together, they begin to scrutinize the inane rules that dictate their silly lives, and hatch a plot to cash in their assets and move to Paris to experience life the way it was meant and the way that they have both always wanted. Met with disapproval by friends and neighbors, they begin to make preparations, but the old adage - "best laid plans" sums up the tragic turn of events that follow.

The story is depressing enough to discourage a large portion of the prospective audience - This film will turn off the Titanic faithful as much as Saving Private Ryan did for the Matt Damon crowd. The two of them are wonderful together. Their relationship is so natural that it seamlessly integrates the characters into the story and actually evokes some feelings of unease as the director is Winslett's real life husband (Sam Mendes).

Mendes has propelled himself to the A-list as a unique and premier filmmaker over the past decade with American Beauty (for which he won an Oscar), Road to Perdition, Jarhead, and now Revolutionary Road. His directorial style is subtle, and can really only be recognized during a few scenes - one in particular near the end of the film that brings chills just thinking about it.

The supporting cast is wonderfully complementary to the leads with the exception of Michael Shannon. He plays the son of the Wheeler's real estate agent who has been institutionalized, although holding a PhD in mathematics. The Wheeler's agent (Kathy Bates) brings him over for some much needed socialization, and he steals every scene he touches.

He plays crazy with such ease, that he has been type-cast over the years. This may have to do with his lack of Hollywood looks, but he is a great actor, and has been for years. The irony of his character is that the Wheelers see him as the only other person who sees the hypocrisy and hopelessness in society and the underpinnings of their bond borders on insanity itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The adaptation was represented more tastefully than it could have been, and the actors and director are fully in their elements. I do agree with some critics that the content of the film will prevent major awards from befalling any of them - with the exception of Winslett. She delivered the finest performance by an actress that I have seen this year, and her hard work and numerous nominations will finally pay off with this one. DiCaprio was equally as captivating, but this won't be his year. He deserves a nomination, but is up against too much competition to win. If he continues choosing great scripts and projects, he will be a multiple Oscar winner before his career is over.

Mendes adds to his already impressive resume, and is taking a turn to comedy in his next couple of projects. A little disappointing to me, but I'll let the work speak for itself. Expect nominations for the leads, and maybe a dark horse supporting actor nod for Shannon. Best Picture and Director are maybes at this point. I will put them in the nominated category on my ballot, but that doesn't count for much. 9/10.