Saturday, June 29, 2013
FUN
Today's film was David O. Russell's
I got it because I loved Russell's recent Silver Linings Playbook.
I was not disappointed. I had a lot of fun. I was constantly surprised by the success of it as we went along what was basically a road-movie with its set of characters along the way. It was an unconventional treatment of an almost cliché genre.
Russell is a genius with comedy.
I missed this when it came around because, well, maybe I was not paying attention. Or perhaps I had done enough screwball comedy with "big stars" doing crazy things. A disaster in the making itself.
Somehow, Russell has taken a great cast of people and tamed them to his purpose which is clearly to keep a serious center to a hilarious set of premises.
After all, it is not everyday that someone sets out to find their birth mother with explosively funny results.
Stars are, after all, stars for a reason. They are good at what they do. But they need strong confident direction to help them play seriously for small bits of jokes or business which will link together. They have to trust. Otherwise they will emote. They will go over the top. They will try to take charge. They will compete. Egos will be at stake.
Here the ensemble work is meticulous. There is a certain innocence in their participation. That means that they are trusting each other also.
And so on.
I don't want to analyze it to death but it is why Russell was so good at his most recent film. He had A list players. It was, in fact, a far more serious core story. The all brought it off.
I had a lot of fun. I didn't feel raped by the humor as so much of "comedy" depends on today.
I would gladly see it again.
I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5. Maybe even a David O. Russell fest later on? I am getting Spanking the Monkey next week.
Labels: films
