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Sam's Review: Friends With Money
Hello Filmspotter,
From Chicago, this is The Dope Sheet...
When director Nicole Holofcener's "Friends With Money" came out a
couple of months ago, listeners wrote in to tell us we should see it,
that we were missing one of the better films of the year. I have to
admit, I was doubtful. I didn't care at all for Holofcener's "Lovely
and Amazing." In fact, it may be solely responsible for my
anti-Catherine Keener bias.
But Holofcener is the most prominent independent female director
working today, and for that alone I thought it would be worth seeing
her latest.
Well ... I liked it better than "Lovely and Amazing."
Female friends, including my fiance, have told me that what makes
Holofcener's films unique is that they contain observations about
being a woman that they have never seen before. Of course, I would
never dispute that. But here's my problem: "Friends With Money,"
like "Lovely and Amazing," is full of observations about
relationships, about women, about a number of things ... but that's
all they are. Observations. Observations about shampoo, about the
money spent on children's shoes, about charity. I imagine a
cork-board in Holofcener's office covered with index cards containing
these observations and overheard snatches of conversation. Her films
strike me as an effort to shape all those index cards into a script.
And I think Holofcener cares more about her observations than her
characters.
A couple of things I liked about "Friends With Money" ... The
movie is about three married couples and their poor, directionless
friend (Jennifer Aniston). A good part of the movie is couples
talking about other couples. This is right on the money. In my
experience, couples do talk about other couples ... especially those
other couples' "problems." It's a great way to avoid talking about
your own problems, or pretending you don't have any problems at all.
I also liked the fact that two of the three couples were happily
married. Is it so rare to see good marriages depicted in movies? It
sometimes feels like it. And I liked that Holofcener didn't
villainize the (exceedingly) wealthy couple, played by Joan Cusack
and Greg Germann. In fact, they have the happiest marriage. It's
Holofcener's clever way of challenging the maxim that money can't buy
you happiness.
With the exception of Aniston (so good in "The Break-Up," but, I
think, miscast here), the acting is fine. Particularly good is Simon
McBurney as Frances McDormand's is-he-gay-or-isn't-he? husband.
Still, I think the actors suffer from having to bear the burden of
Holfcener's frequently graceless script.
And, after making peace with Catherine Keener thanks to her
wonderful, restrained performances in last year's "Capote," "The 40
Year-Old Virgin" and "The Ballad Of Jack and Rose" ... she's back to
her old schtick again here. Angry and bitter in a failing marriage,
Keener returns to the emotionally removed, unnatural speaking rhythms
that drove me crazy in "Being John Malkovich," "Lovely and Amazing,"
"Full Frontal" and "The Interpreter."
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Overlooked DVD Pick: Shadow of the Vampire
 Adam here... It's always great when a listener perfectly sets you up
for an Overlooked DVD Pick. Patti B. wrote in last week urging
us to check out E. Elias Merhige's "Shadow of the Vampire" with
Willem Dafoe as star Max Schrek and John Malkovich as filmmaker F.W.
Murnau: "If you haven't seen it, don't walk - RUN - to your video
store or your computer and get it in your DVD player soon!!. The only
complaint I have is it wasn't long enough -- I wanted more when it
was over!"
What a great tie-in with our Herzog Marathon. You've got the
obvious Nosferatu connection, plus the struggle to realize one's
artistic vision... a struggle that obviously permeates Herzog's films.
I reviewed "Shadow of the Vampire" when it was released and
definitely recommend it, especially to those brave souls who were
following along with the Herzog Marathon. Here is an excerpt from my
review:
"Shadow is a darkly funny and often insightful meditation on the
creative process, thanks primarily to the skill of its stars. John
Malkovich finds just the right balance of artistic genius and
obsession as Murnau, while Willem Dafoe is intensely creepy as
Schreck. It's difficult to imagine anyone else playing either part.
In fact, I began to wonder whether Dafoe "became" Count Orlock during
filming, much like the film suggests about Schreck.
The cinematography and art direction are also remarkable, as
Merhige seamlessly cuts between the color of the "real world" and the
black-and-white film stock of Murnau's film.
If Shadow fumbles at all, it's in the editing of the story, which
is somewhat disjointed. The movie sometimes feels like a collection
of scenes (perhaps appropriate considering the subject matter) and
not a free-flowing narrative.
Still, Shadow will entertain and inspire anyone who is interested
in creating art, whether it be film or music or poetry. One of the
film's best lines is Murnau's remark that filmmaking is a science --
'the science of making memories.' Merhige has made a film that is
difficult to forget."
Shadow of the Vampire is available on Peerflix.
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Another Character Actor Regret
Caleb Strange in Oakland put Barry Pepper #3 on his Top 5
Character Actors list: "I first noticed him in Saving Private Ryan as
the religious sniper Private Jackson. He's excellent at being the
honorable, loyal friend we all hope for. Also look for his "Roger
Dodger" depiction as a trader in the film 25th Hour."
Great pick, Caleb! I also noticed Pepper in 'Ryan' and then
really jumped on the bandwagon after his portrayal of Roger Maris in
61*. He's also solid in The Green Mile and We Were Soldiers (both
flawed films). But yes, if you haven't had the pleasure of watching
Pepper's scene early in 25th Hour where he lies to his boss while
waiting for the unemployment numbers to be announced, all while
bickering with Aaron Stanford (aka "Pyro), then you're really missing
out.
I could print 20 of these... David Strathairn... John Tuturro...
hello? But my Barry Pepper omission really jumped out at me.
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Agreeing to Disagree - Part Deux
In last week's Dope Sheet, I responded to an email from Mark in West
Hartford, CT, who so enjoyed the 'Battle Over The Lake House' that he
suggested we do our Top 5 Movies Adam and Sam Disagree On. I through
out these candidates and asked if anyone recognized a pattern:
Sin City
Closer
The Wild Bunch
Garden State
Match Point
Scent of a Woman
25th Hour
Sam Murray wrote in suggesting: "I haven't seen all of
these, but a lot of the movies that Sam hates are crappy people doing
crappy things to other crappy people. I can't explain Garden State."
And Sam is exactly right. As it turns out, Garden State didn't
even really belong on the list. Sam -- Hallgren -- doesn't hate
Garden State; he just thinks it's a 3-star movie, while most of our
listeners consider it a 4 or 5-star movie (myself included). In other
words, it's just another great -- or, at least, very good -- movie
that Sam thinks is overrated.
We also got a number of great emails like this one from
Jeffrey in Hunstville, AL:
"In response to your dogfight over The Lake House and your Dope
Sheet call for comments on a film that a friend and I cannot see eye
to eye on, I have six words for you: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Going into this film for a midnight showing, I was psyched.
Johnny Depp, my favorite actor getting inside the skin of one of the
counter culture genuises of our time. Terry Gilliam, a director
coming off two of my fave films of all time: 12 Monkeys and The
Fisher King. How could it miss?
One hour and 15 minutes later, I walked out of a theater for only
the third time in my cinema going life. All I could think of is how
stupid the two characters Depp and Benico Del Toro were
playing....and by the half hour mark, I'm saying to myself, if Depp
cranes that neck with that wild look in his eye and a cigarette
holder dangling from his mouth again, I'm going to scream....and if
Del Toro has another bad reaction to the loads of chemicals in his
system, I'm going to puke myself.
A few days later, I was talking to my fellow movie loving pal and
best friend Stan about my Fear and Loathing horror experience when
another took shape. He couldn't believe I hated this so-called
brilliant piece of filmmaking... and to this day, it remains one of
the few artistic sore points between the both of us. Part of me wants
to go back, maybe give the movie another chance... and then that
visual of Depp with neck craning, wild look in his eyes and cigarette
holder dangling from his mouth comes back into my mind."
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Podcast Alley Vote/Awards
It's a new month, so please take a moment to
vote for us over at PodcastAlley.
Also, as we mentioned recently on the show, we wouldn't turn down
your
nomination for a Podcast Award.
You can nominate us under Movies/Film or anywhere else you see fit.
As always, thanks for your support.
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