Sam Rockwell

Tag: Sam Rockwell

QuickView: See How They Run (2022)

“It’s a whodunit. You see one, you seen ’em all.”
Leo Kopernick

A theatrical whodunit set in London’s West End in the 1950s with a delightful ensemble cast, See How They Run is a comedy drama that draws you along for an entertaining ride rather that setting up a particularly compelling mystery for the viewer to solve as an active participant. Gleefully self-referential with its setting during the initial run of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and machinations to adapt the play into a movie, it provides light satire of both the theatre and film industries. The ending is structurally foreshadowed without revealling the killer, but having the culprit ultimately reveal themselves unprompted is rarely satisfying. The journey is enjoyable, however, largely due to Mark Chappell’s deftly paced and witty script. Saoirse Ronan stands out as the enthusiastic but inexperienced constable, jumping to conclusions each time a suspect emerges. The cinematography juxtaposes the artificial opulence of the theatre with drab reality of the streets outside, Jamie Ramsey also being responsible for Living‘s recent depiction of period London. Brief split screen cuts are frequently deployed — used stylistically rather than for any narrative purpose — and the sudden changes to the aspect ratio can be jarring, feeling somewhat cartoonish. It is unlikely to be remembered beyond the end of the year, but See How They Run is a droll diversion despite its weaknesses as a whodunit.

7/10

Adrien Brody Charlie Cooper Daniel Pemberton David Oyelowo Jamie Ramsay Mark Chappell Pippa Bennett-Warner Reece Shearsmith Ruth Wilson Sam Rockwell Saoirse Ronan Tom George

QuickView: Choke (2001)

“I have sex with strangers because I’m incapable of doing it with someone I actually like. I can’t even ask anyone out on a date because if it doesn’t end up in a high speed chase, I get bored.”
Victor Mancini

Although Fight Club became an enduring success on home video (notwithstanding its misguided adoption by incels), to date Choke is the only other Chuck Palahniuk novel to be made into a film, and it’s safe to say it has not reached a similar status. In many ways Choke exemplifies the difficulty in adapting modern literature to the screen, where so much relies on knowledge of the characters’ perspectives, mental states, and thought processes. This often results in the lazy crutch of voice overs. Our inability to connect with the characters is no fault of the actors — all the leads are good — but rather a rapidly-paced script that never allows us the time to understand these individuals in more than the cynical overtones that drive the narrative and satire. Writer/director Clark Gregg is able deftly to shift tone between sombre and comedic without it feeling jarring, and Choke fully commits to both its cynicism and raunchiness. This provides the viewer with something to enjoy, even if the film struggles to elicit an emotional reaction.

5/10

Anjelica Huston Clark Gregg Kelly Macdonald Nathan Larson Sam Rockwell Tim Orr

QuickView: The Way Way Back (2013)

“There’s a whole world out there for you, Duncan. Don’t settle. Not yet.”
Owen

The Way Way Back is a delight that has instantly earned a place amongst my favourite coming-of-age films, not because it breaks new ground but because it populates the familiar template with such well-realised characters that I am certain to rewatch it just to spend more time with them. This is perhaps more surprising from a pair of comedian writer-directors, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (Community‘s Dean Pelton), who let the humanity drive the humour rather than the other way round. Our sympathy for Duncan arises not from his adolescent awkwardness but the difficult family dynamic of this summer holiday, coping with his parents’ divorce and the distance he feels from his mother due to her overbearing new boyfriend Trent. Shot with a visual sheen of sun-drenched nostalgia, there is a sense of fortuitous absurdism in the ease with which Duncan is taken under the wing of workers at a water park and offered a job. Although the whole ensemble cast excels, Sam Rockwell’s performance as Owen is perhaps the key, acting as a counterpoint to Trent, immature but self-aware and unburdened by ego. The Way Way Back deserves praise for not seeking easy or fantastic resolutions to its more serious confrontation, leaving viewers with hopefulness rather than closure.

9/10

Allison Janney AnnaSophia Robb Jim Rash John Bailey Liam James Maya Rudolph Nat Faxon Rob Simonsen Sam Rockwell Steve Carell Toni Collette

QuickView: Jojo Rabbit (2019)

“You’re growing up too fast. Ten-year-olds shouldn’t be celebrating war and talking politics. You should be climbing trees and then falling out of those trees.”
Rosie Betzler

It’s disappointing to have to call a satire of Nazism timely two decades into the twenty-first century, but such is the present state of the world. Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit is frequently funny in skewering inane propaganda-driven views of Jews and the Allied armies, though its satire is content to show up these ideas as ridiculous rather than delving much deeper. It is heartbreaking to see a child manipulated into such baseless hatred and the film’s dramatic side is far darker. These tonal shifts are often jarring, leaving the film a somewhat disjointed experience rather than feeling like a cohesive whole. The script often feels like one of Wes Anderson’s weaker projects but Waititi’s direction and his caricature of Hitler (as the the titular Jojo’s imaginary best friend) keep things energetic throughout. Ultimately, however, despite at least one dramatic punch, a weak resolution takes the sting out of the satire, leaving little to take away from the experience. Except that Nazism is ignorant and stupid. So that’s good.

6/10

Michael Giacchino Mihai Mălaimare Jr Roman Griffin Davis Sam Rockwell Scarlett Johansson Stephen Merchant Taika Waititi Thomasin McKenzie

QuickView: Vice (2018)

“It’s no surprise that when a monotone bureaucratic Vice President came to power we hardly noticed. As he achieved a position of authority that very few leaders in the history of America ever have.”
Kurt

Dick Cheney is a strange choice for a biopic: despite his impressive consolidation of power and unprecedented control of the White House during his tenure as Vice President, the man himself was, for the most part, a dull bureaucrat. We already know how the key events unfolded with 9/11 leading to the devastating wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the film largely glossing over the darkest results of Cheney’s policies in a strange montage. Adam McKay conveys little new information in Vice, though he deploys moments of directorial flair like an amusing false ending early in the film or a waiter offering scheming politicians a menu of unorthodox ways to expand their power. As Cheney, Christian Bale undergoes another incredible — clearly unhealthy — physical transformation (he says it will be the last time), though Sam Rockwell’s performance as George W Bush stands out in particular. The film’s most interesting dynamics are probably the familial, from Lynne Cheney’s role in motivating her husband’s ascent to his supportive relationship with his daughters despite political ramifications. Ultimately, however, it is difficult to identify what one takes away from Vice beyond the closing accusation to the American people, “You chose me. And I did what you asked.”

6/10

Adam McKay Amy Adams Christian Bale Greig Fraser Nicholas Britell Sam Rockwell Steve Carell Tyler Perry

QuickView: Mr Right (2015)

“Martha, at some point you’re just going to have to start recognizing these red flags.”
Sophie

Mr Right is a screwball action comedy with a fun premise, hamstrung by a lazy script and dull direction, yet almost saved by the charm of its leads. Sam Rockwell is on top form as Francis, an eccentric savant hitman who has developed a conscience. Much of the film’s creativity appears to have been expended on an inspired opening sequence in which a hit squad destroys a hotel wedding venue whilst trying to neutralise Francis, unfolding from the perspective of an agent in a surveillance van charting their deaths. Meanwhile, Anna Kendrick sells us sufficiently on Martha’s craziness to make the impulsive decision to date Francis believable. This sets up a wonderful opening act of misunderstandings as Martha mistakes Francis’s honesty for dark humour, buoyed by the warm chemistry between the two. Once she discovers the truth, however, the plot largely shifts gears to focus on everyone gunning for Francis, with the clever choreography of the opening giving way to stale action. The film barrels toward an obvious conclusion with little payoff and yet, for all its failings, it’s not quite enough to ruin the strength of that first act.

5/10

Aaron Zigman Anna Kendrick Daniel Aranyó Max Landis Paco Cabezas Sam Rockwell Tim Roth

QuickView: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

9 May 2018 | |[P]| | Reading Time: < 1 minute | 0 Comments

“My daughter Angela was murdered 7 months ago. It seems to me the police department is too busy torturing black folk to solve actual crimes.”
Mildred Hayes

Based on the talent involved, I expected to like this but I had no idea just how much. Starting with a mother seeking justice for her murdered daughter by calling out the local police department, this is really a journey through multiple characters dealing with grief and exploring the effect of tragedy upon our relationships, emerging as anger, love and fear. Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell are stellar in portraying richly nuanced characters, and are accompanied by an excellent supporting cast. Many scenes are soaked with such powerful emotion, whilst avoiding sentimentality through use of raw drama and dark humour, that watching the film is a cathartic experience. Of particular note, it is rare and refreshing that we see a female character whose grief is expressed through violent, misplaced rage. Martin McDonagh proved his talent with In Bruges but has seriously upped his game.

10/10

Ben Davis Carter Burwell Frances McDormand John Hawkes Lucas Hedges Martin McDonagh Peter Dinklage Sam Rockwell Woody Harrelson

Meewella | Critic

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