“Her Smell”– Movie Review

On the first weekend of The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended the U.S. Premiere of the new drama by Alex Ross Perry, “Her Smell”, starring Elisabeth Moss. 

Synopsis

When the leader of a successful rock band begins to melt down, can her career be salvaged?

Story

In the 1990’s, the all-female rock and roll band Something She was at the height of its success.  Signed to the record label Paragon, run by Howard Goodman (Eric Stoltz), they fill concert venues with their loyal fans – primarily female as well.  The band’s biggest star is lead singer Becky Something (Moss).  Unfortunately, Becky is incapable of enjoying her success due to the erratic behavior which is only intensified by her substance abuse.  This has an impact on her personal life (her husband wants a divorce and assume custody of their daughter) and professional life (internecine squabbles with band mates threaten a break-up). 

Becky’s inability to focus threatens the band’s recording sessions, too; Howard is going into debt renting studio time when she’s unable to pull herself together to assemble a new album.  Meanwhile, her personality has distorted so much that she’s feeling anger and paranoia towards a rival band.  The new group, which has been signed to Paragon by Howard, idolizes Becky but she feels as though they are in competition and is being pushed out due to the fact that her music is no longer in touch with what the young people currently want. 

Finally, Becky goes too far in her rants; not only is she unable to perform, she has alienated the other members of her band.  They break up and go their separate ways; what this means for Becky is that she retreats to her house in the country where she is able to live a more normal life and manages to stop her drug abuse.  Some years later, with her daughter now growing up, she is alone, miserable and broke due to the various lawsuits that have targeted her.  But there is an opportunity to right her ship:  Paragon is celebrating its 20th anniversary and would like Something She to perform at its concert.  Can Becky get her act together to perform one final concert with her old band?

Review

The most identifiable problem with “Her Smell” (aside from, possibly, its title) is the fact that it is difficult to muster much in the way of empathy toward the character of Becky.  At the start of the movie – which assaults the senses visually and audibly, but thankfully not in an olfactive regard, given its title – we bear witness to Becky after the point at which her demons have taken control of her behavior and actions.  If we had seen her before that period – even if it was only displayed in flashbacks – then we might have some semblance of compassion for her.

Over an hour into “Her Smell”, the mood has changed and we experience Becky in a more normal setting.  But by then, it’s too late to feel sorry for her since it’s clear that much of her collapse was her own doing.  Also, even though she is now effectively cleaned up and is in the recovery stage, Becky displays some severe personality deficits.  This suggests that the substance abuse did not cause the disruption in her behavior, but instead, only served to accentuate what was already there.  Why an audience should care about the character or her journey remains a mystery.   

Following the screening, there was an interview with Alex Ross Perry, Moss and others who worked on the film.  What inspired him to make this movie was the music; he was a big fan of both punk and grunge when he was growing up.  Also, what he wanted to focus on was a woman in music, which has been somewhat limited in past motion pictures about musicians.  Moss said that he had texted the idea to her about three years ago; at that time, it was a loose concept dealing with a rock star coping with an addiction.  Two years later, he sent her a script with a Shakespearean five-act structure.  It had turned into a much bigger story than she had originally envisioned.  She approached the character by not worrying about whether or not Becky was likeable.   

“The Favourite”– Movie Review

On the opening night of The 56th New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new historical drama, “The Favourite” starring Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. 

Synopsis

When an ambitious young woman is hired to be a maid for The Queen Of England, she tries to supplant the Queen’s personal assistant – but if she succeeds, at what cost?

Story

In the early 18th century, England was fighting The War Of The Spanish Succession.  This war took its toll on the country’s resources, especially financially.  That’s why Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) was so eager to raise taxes – the country needed to find ways to fund its war, largely at the expense of its citizenry.  Crucial in The Queen’s efforts was her long-time trusted aide, Lady Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough (Weisz).  But Lady Sarah could not be entirely objective when it came to this issue because it was her husband who was leading England’s military. 

It is around this time that Abigail (Stone) applies for a job working at the palace.  Abigail should not have been destined for this; she started out her life as Lady Abigail, born into privilege.  However, when Abigail’s father lost his money, that life of privilege soon vanished and she was forced to live in poverty.  Partially out of pity and partially because Abigail’s father was a distant relative of hers, Lady Sarah takes pity on her and hires Abigail to work as a scullery maid.  Grateful for any opportunity – no matter how unsuited she may have been for the position – Abigail immediately accepts. 

Before long, Queen Anne falls ill and it is Abigail who comes to her aid doing a stellar job in caring for Her Highness.  When Lady Sarah sees that The Queen is growing quite fond of Abigail, she becomes rather jealous and wants to fire her.  But Abigail has the goods on both Lady Sarah and Queen Anne – she accidentally becomes aware of the fact that they have a sexual relationship.  In order to gain her trust and secure her own job, Abigail, too, offers herself to The Queen.  Gradually, Abigail finds that she is taking Lady Sarah’s place.  But can Lady Sarah stop this before she finds herself out of a job?     

Review

Ho-hum.  “The Favourite” is your typical lesbian-centric period piece focused on palace intrigue.  Wait, what?  Don’t be fooled by the fact that its genre is listed as “drama” because much of it is wonderfully hilarious. This delightful movie is just so deliciously wicked that you’ll want to bring your friends to a subsequent viewing; the curators of The New York Film Festival at The Film Society Of Lincoln Center have picked the perfect film to kick-off this year’s festival.  Although all the lead characters are women, this is a motion picture men will enjoy because it can be compared to climbing the corporate ladder.

Thematically, “The Favourite” seems to be saying that while ambition can sometimes be a good thing, it can be very dangerous when unchecked.  Or, to put it a bit more simply, “Be careful what you wish for because you may just get it”.  Ambition is partly what got Lady Sarah into the position she holds with Queen Anne, but it is also what drives her to keep Abigail in her place as a mere scullery maid.  It is the fact that Abigail can see Lady Sarah’s ambition that is an ingredient of what drives her to want to be Sarah’s replacement.  It should not be overlooked, however, that it is also Abigail’s own ambition that serves as her own motivating force.  

What shines through, aside from the clever storytelling by director Yorgos Lanthimos, is the acting.  Based on the performances in “The Favourite”, the cast appeared to have an incredibly clear vision of precisely who these characters were and what each wanted either in life or in any given moment.  Whether that can be attributed to Lanthimos or the screenplay or a combination of the two, it’s hard to say.  But as with any motion picture, its end result is a collaboration of various and sundry skills and talents by a collection of people.  There is no better example of that than in “The Favourite”.       

“The Old Man And The Gun”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a New York Times ScreenTimes screening of the new crime drama “The Old Man And The Gun”, starring Robert Redford, Casey Affleck and Sissy Spacek. 

Synopsis

When an elderly man escapes from San Quentin and resumes his career as a bank robber, will he succeed or return to prison?

Story

Forrest Tucker (Redford) has lived outside the law since childhood and has suffered the consequences for it, being institutionalized many times.  The funny thing, though, is that every time he was locked up, he somehow managed to escape, so he never fully did his time.  Whenever he got out, he would return to doing what he knew deep down in his heart what he did the best and loved the most:  robbing banks.  After his most recent escape, he winds up in Texas of the 1980’s and goes back to being a bank robber – even though he is now in his seventies.

Following his latest heist, Tucker finds himself being chased by the local police as he heads to Dallas.  On the way, however, he makes the time to help out Jewel (Spacek), a damsel in distress.  Her truck broke down and she’s on the shoulder of the highway trying to see if she can fix it and be on her way.  Tucker generously offers to drive her into town to get a mechanic – which works out quite well for him as it also aids in his being able to elude the police (at least for the time being).  Once in town, Tucker takes Jewel for a cup of coffee; the two quickly hit it off and develop a close friendship.

Meanwhile, there is a rash of bank robberies not only throughout Texas but also other states in the south – all of which have been performed by Tucker, and occasionally, with his gang, such as it is (Danny Glover, Tom Waits).  Since some of these robberies have occurred in the Dallas area, that’s where John Hunt (Affleck) comes in.  A Detective in the Dallas Police Department, Hunt investigates the string of bank robberies in order to see if he can find a pattern in order to solve the crimes.  Eventually, his investigation leads to a major clue that might help him crack the case.  Will Tucker wind up going back to prison one more time or can he keep the police away?    

Review

If you think that the only reason to see “The Old Man And The Gun” is because it will likely be Robert Redford’s last movie as an actor, then you’re wrong.  You should see it because it’s so damned entertaining.  Based on a true story (from an article that appeared in The New Yorker magazine), writer/director David Lowery has done a wonderful job of crafting a cleverly told, multi-layered story that will keep you in rapt attention from beginning to end as it’s next steps are so incredibly unpredictable.  This is a motion picture that’s worth the effort of seeing in a theater. 

The cast of “The Old Man And The Gun” is remarkable on its own; both individually and collectively, they do an excellent job – this includes singer Tom Waits who, in his rather small role as one of Tucker’s henchmen, is quite funny.  Given the extensive and varied career of both Redford and Spacek, it is hard to believe that “The Old Man And The Gun” marks the first time these two actors have worked together; as it turns out, it was well worth the wait.  The two are an utter delight to watch in their scenes together and appear to have an outstanding chemistry. 

In his screenplay, Lowery has wisely made this into something of a mystery in the sense that like Jewel, we only learn Tucker’s real story over the course of the film.  Lowery’s story telling style is parsimonious in that he only tells you what you need to know in that very moment and nothing more.  If you want to acquire more information about these characters – and especially Tucker himself – then you’ll just have to hold on and go for the ride.  And what a ride it is!  Basically, the theme of the story is that no matter how old you may be chronologically, you stay young by doing what you love most.     

“Life Itself”– Movie Review

Recently, I attended an advance screening of the new romantic drama, “Life Itself”, starring Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde.

Synopsis

When a young couple have a child, they embark on a wild series of events that spans continents, decades and generations.

Story

Will and Abby (Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde) meet in college.  After dating for about a year, they get married; eventually, Abby becomes pregnant with their first child.  All of this would be a storybook ending except for how it all turns out. As Abby nears giving birth, she tragically dies when accidentally hit by a bus.  This drives Will into a massive depression, causing him to be institutionalized. Upon dismissal, he learns that the baby survived the accident; he has a daughter named Dylan, who’s being raised by his father, Irwin (Mandy Patinkin).  Unable to cope with meeting his daughter, Will commits suicide.

Despite some obviously catastrophic circumstances, Irwin is able to raise Dylan to be a strong and independent young woman.  She does, however, carry with her the severe emotional scars she inherited from her family and this overwhelming darkness informs many of her subsequent lifestyle choices.  Dylan is hard-partying with a rough-and-tumble approach toward others, not suffering any fools; in addition, she has joined a punk rock band as its lead singer. Since Dylan was named after the folk singer Bob Dylan, she feels almost as though pursuing a music career is her birthright. 

In Spain, Javier (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) is an employee on a farm owned by Mr. Saccione (Antonio Banderas).  In recognizing his good work, Saccione promotes Javier to foreman. With greater job security, Javier proposes to his girlfriend Isabel (Laia Costa); they move into a small house on Saccione’s land so Javier can be near the farm. A while later, they have a son, Rodrigo. Although Javier is happy both professionally and personally, he winds up abandoning his family when he realizes that the wealthy Saccione can better care for them.  When Rodrigo grows up (Àlex Monner), he attends college in New York City where he meets and dates Dylan. But when Rodrigo reveals a secret about his past that relates to Dylan’s background, will their relationship survive?

Review

“Life Itself” is the feel-bad movie of 2018 and we have the creator of the hit NBC television series “This Is Us” to thank for this.  It’s basically a two-hour soap opera that takes the audience on a journey around the world with many characters.  On its surface, this is of course not necessarily a bad thing. The problem comes when the story resorts to scenes with a shock value to either throw off the viewer or to simply emotionally manipulate the audience.  Apparently, the filmmaker feels the need to do this because he lacked the confidence to draw in the audience naturally so he resorts to cheap tricks.

The various characters are, for the most part, not very likeable.  As we move from one story line to another, these people come across as either selfish or narcissistic or self-pitying or some combination of those attributes.  Adding to this, “Life Itself” does not help its cause by being stunningly lugubrious, almost to the point of derision. Writer/director Dan Fogelman seems to have used the success from his television series as leverage to get the big names in this cast; it would be difficult to believe that after having read this screenplay a star would commit to the project otherwise. 

Even though “Life Itself” is only about two hours in length, it takes the long way around to get to its point, making it feel as though the film is considerably longer than its true length.  Its convoluted nature does not serve the motion picture well. The movie seems to be trying to say, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, or something to that effect.  Perhaps a better way to convey this message is to listen to Monty Python’s “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” from “The Life Of Brian”. It’ll save you time, money and aggravation.

Fahrenheit 11/9 – Movie Review

This week at The Film Society Of Lincoln Center, I attended the New York City Premiere of Michael Moore’s new documentary, “Fahrenheit 11/9”.

Synopsis

In The Trump Era, political documentarian Michael Moore poses (and attempts to answer) two questions:  How did we get there? How do we get out?

Story

How did a nation as great as The United States of America manage to elect Donald Trump to be its President?  Moore summarizes this in a single word: Compromise. Going back to Bill Clinton’s presidency, he points out that Clinton enacted many programs that made the GOP happy in order to keep his own power base.  From that point on, Moore insists, the Democrats in Congress were to ready to sublimate their own interests to conform to what the Republicans wanted in order resemble progress. Also, rather than listening to the will of the people when nominating candidates, the Democratic Machine would instead foist their own people on the public.  All of this resulted in an increasing amount of the citizenry growing disaffected and choosing not to vote at all – which is part of the reason why Republicans gained control.

How do we fix this problem?  Moore maintains that the nation overwhelmingly believes in Democratic ideals.  The reason why they don’t come about is due to voter apathy. He posits that in order to get Democrats elected, people need to be motivated to vote.  While roughly 130 million people voted in the 2016 presidential election, there are millions more who did not vote at all; these are the people that need to come out and vote because, in Moore’s opinion, if they do, then they will vote for the Democrat.  In addition, Moore reasons we must abolish The Electoral College; he thinks it’s an antiquated concept that’s no longer necessary, especially considering Democrats have won the popular vote in most of the presidential elections for the past quarter century. 

Review

Even if you are a fan of Michael Moore’s documentaries and share his political views, there are nevertheless easily-identifiable problems in much of his work.  One of them is his ego: he typically finds a way to make whatever subject matter he’s covering all about him. This continues to be the case with “Fahrenheit 11/9” as he manages to insinuate himself into the conversation, above and beyond any interviews.  That said, if you don’t mind it so much, “Fahrenheit 11/9” is the must-see film of the year, especially given that midterm elections are coming in November.

This documentary is rather like foul-tasting medicine:  unpleasant to ingest, but in the end, good for you. If you haven’t been motivated to vote, then seeing “Fahrenheit 11/9” will likely change that –  if not, check your pulse (you may be dead).  At this screening, the cut of the film ran about two hours in length – a bit long for the average documentary, but in this case, quite necessary because it’s so fascinating. Those who expect that this will just be non-stop bashing of Trump will be greatly surprised; many Democrats take a beating, too.  These include Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and yes, even Barack Obama. Institutions are not immune to Moore’s attacks as well – the Democratic party and The New York Times are two that come immediately to mind.

One criticism is that it seems to go off-topic at various points.  Instead of just focusing on Trump, Moore extensively explores the crisis in Flint, Michigan where the citizens  are forced to drink, bathe and wash clothing in contaminated water. In trying to tie all of this into Trump, he points out the state’s Governor, Rick Snyder, a former businessman (ex-CEO of Gateway Computers) is a good friend of Trump.  It seems Moore wanted to make two movies on different topics but only had the bandwidth for one, so he included the Flint situation with his anti-Trump screed. Quite frankly, it’s a bit of a reach.

Following the screening, there was a question and answer session with Michael Moore.  In the documentary, Moore interviews John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Chairman.  Moore mentioned that in editing the film, some of that interview was cut; one of the questions omitted had to do with Clinton’s failure to campaign in several key states she lost.  According to Podesta, the team gave her bad advice: they told her not to go to those states because they believed visiting them would do more harm than good. For example, she didn’t go to Michigan because Bernie Sanders won that state in the primary; she wound up losing there in the general election by 10,000 votes (averaging something like two votes per precinct). 

“White Boy Rick”– Movie Review

This week, I attended a special screening of the new crime-drama, “White Boy Rick”, starring Matthew McConaughey, Bel Powley and Jennifer Jason Leigh.   

Synopsis

When a teenager turns drug dealer after serving as an FBI informant, will the FBI help to get him out of prison when he’s given a life sentence for dealing?

Story

In Detroit of the 1980’s, Rick Sr. (McConaughey) big has dreams.  Abandoned by his wife, he hopes to elevate his family – son Rick Jr. (Richie Merritt) and daughter Dawn (Bel Powley), both teenagers.  He wants to open a video store but needs a little seed money. That’s where his side-gig comes in: Rick Sr. sells guns. Problems arise with law enforcement as Rick Sr. doesn’t discriminate when it comes to his customers – he’ll sell to anyone who can pay, regardless of what side of the law they’re on.  Additionally, he sells aftermarket add-ons (silencers) he manufactures himself.

Looking to expand this business, Rick Sr. enlists the aid of Rick Jr. to sell the guns; unfortunately, he can’t have his daughter Dawn do much because she’s preoccupied with her drug addiction.  Rick Jr. winds up selling some rifles and accessories to a local gang whose leader takes a liking to him; dubbing him White Boy Rick, they become extremely friendly. Around this time a team of FBI agents led by Agent Snyder (Jennifer Jason Leigh) investigates Rick Sr.’s arms dealing; in order to keep his father out of trouble, Rick Jr. becomes an FBI informant, updating Agent Snyder on any street action.

Things take a wrong turn when members of the gang get arrested and wind up in prison.  The leaders of the gang suspect a member of their crew might be a rat.  Since Rick Jr. is the most likely choice, a member of the gang must take him out. Although Rick Jr. is shot, he manages to survive his wounds but retires from both selling guns and being an FBI informant.  With the family still strapped for cash, he works for a connection of his by selling crack. But when he’s arrested for selling drugs and given a prison term of life without parole, can his former cohorts at the FBI come to his rescue?    

Review

Although “White Boy Rick” is a fascinating story with great performances (especially by McConaughey), it  is never particularly compelling – it never truly draws in the viewer emotionally.  In part, at least, this may be attributed to the characters are never really seen as being especially sympathetic. We are given to understand that the family is not financially well-off and that this results in their making some bad decisions in order to improve their situation.  While that may be true, the net result is that these are people who engaged in illegal acts willfully, regardless of the reasons (or excuses, if you prefer).

The protagonists of this story are supposed to be Rick Jr. and Rick Sr., but mostly Rick Jr. since he is a teenager and the main focus.  In reality, though, we often find ourselves rooting for the FBI since they are the ones who are seen actively trying to rid the Detroit streets of crime.  It’s incredibly difficult to feel sorry for Rick and his family when we know they are the ones responsible for being in the position in which they find themselves – they are in no way someone else’s victim.  They’re miserable because they chose to live a life that led them to be that way.

If anyone is a victim in this story, it is the people whose lives they ruined in dealing guns and drugs as they wound up getting individuals either imprisoned or killed.  In some regards, the story of White Boy Rick is similar to that of boxer Jake LaMotta from “Raging Bull” – both are unsympathetic characters who only have themselves to blame for turning their life into a catastrophe.  The only difference is that LaMotta actually attained some professional success in life, unlike Rick. But the comparison ends there because “White Boy Rick” is not in the same league as “Raging Bull”.

“A Simple Favor”– Movie Review

This week, I attended an advance screening of the new comedy-mystery, “A Simple Favor”, starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively and directed by Paul Feig.

Synopsis

After a woman’s best friend is missing, she tries to find her – but when the search turns up some rather unpleasant facts, will she continue her search or give up?

Story

As a popular vlogger on homemaking tips, Stephanie (Kendrick) shares with her audience what’s going on in her personal life:  Emily (Lively), her pal and Connecticut neighbor, has suddenly disappeared. Ostensibly, Emily was supposed to be working late at the office due to an unforeseen emergency, leaving Stephanie to care for both her own son Miles as well as Emily’s son Nicky while Emily’s husband Sean (Henry Golding) is overseas visiting family.  As it turns out, however, five days pass without hearing from Emily, leaving Stephanie, Sean and Nicky understandably worried.

Upon reporting this to the local police department, an investigation ensues.  Following a search around the country, Emily’s rental car is located, submerged in a lake; a body is recovered and when lab results return a DNA match, Emily is officially declared dead.  Stephanie, who is herself a widow, now comforts Sean, Nicky and Miles. Before long, Stephanie and Sean develop a romantic relationship.  All is not well, however, when Stephanie gets a mysterious telephone call from Emily. Confused and scared, Stephanie now proceeds with her own investigation of Emily.

Eventually, Stephanie’s research sends her out of state to learn more about Emily’s background.  Gradually, layers get peeled away like an onion and disturbing information is uncovered. Stephanie soon realizes that although Emily was her best friend, there was a great deal she did not know about her – and a great number of secrets Emily withheld as well.  Did Sean know these secrets or was he as much in the dark as Stephanie? The deeper Stephanie burrows down this warren, the more she finds she may be endangered. Will Stephanie be able to complete her investigation before harm comes to her?

Review

When writing reviews for this blog, the following problem occurs:  there’s very little to say when seeing a particularly bad flick other than simply, “Don’t go”.  However, when screening a really good film, writing effusively is effortless. After catching a viewing of “A Simple Favor”, there’s a unique problem:  it’s an uproariously funny and most entertaining motion picture that leaves little to state other than, “Go see it immediately!”. A more enthusiastic offering cannot be stated – and as challenging as it may be to continue, it is welcome to finally be able to say this. 

You will be forgiven if you become delirious from laughter after seeing “A Simple Favor” because it’s just that funny.  The filmmakers have concocted a story that is not only hilarious (based on a novel), but also an enthralling mystery that contains one twist after another, with double-crosses, triple-crosses and even quadruple-crosses, if such a thing is even possible.  The return-on-investment of your entertainment dollar will pay for the ticket and maybe the popcorn, too.  Director Paul Feig and the cast have done such a wonderful job on this movie that it deserves support.

At the risk of sexism, one thing should be mentioned:  this screening was overwhelmingly women, very few men. That’s too bad.  If guys fail to see “A Simple Favor”, they’re missing out on a fun time. While the gals definitely seemed to enjoy the movie, it should not be assumed that it is a “chick flick” just because its leads are Kendrick and Lively (and is directed by Feig, a noted women’s comedy director).  This is an outstanding date-night film – in fact, bring another couple if you can because you’ll want to share this wonder with as many of your friends as possible.

“Peppermint”– Movie Review

This week, I attended an advanced screening of the new action thriller “Peppermint”, starring Jennifer Garner.

Synopsis

After a woman’s family is murdered, will she be able to get revenge once justice is denied by the legal system?

Story

When Riley North (Garner) witnesses her daughter and husband murdered by a gang of drug dealers, she testifies against the killers in court.  Although it looks like an open and shut case since she was able to clearly identify these three men in a lineup, her testimony is discredited and the judge allows them to be set free.  Alone, understandably frustrated and angry, Riley mysteriously disappears. It would seem that she’s dropped off the face of the earth – or at the very least, has dropped off the radar of the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Five years later, the FBI believe that Riley may have turned up again.  The LAPD are shown evidence that she has been traveling around the world, learning how to fight, shoot and rob banks.  After some crimes have been committed – and men belonging to the gang of drug lord Diego Garcia are discovered either missing, injured or dead – the police start looking for Riley, who seems to have re-emerged as something of a self-styled vigilante with headquarters in the Skid Row section of Los Angeles.  Given how elusive and skillful she is, the police realize that they have their hands full.

Tracking down Garcia’s location, Riley is finally able to confront him directly.  But when escapes at the last minute, Riley is forced back into hiding.  Garcia is subsequently tipped-off to Riley’s whereabouts and leads his gang into Skid Row to search for her.  Upon their arrival, Garcia soon learns they’re in competition with the police, who are in pursuit of both Garcia and Riley.  Thanks to a corrupt cop who has long been on Garcia’s payroll, Riley is finally cornered. When she tries to take on Garcia one-on-one, will Riley finally be able to get her revenge or will she be killed before she can do so?         

Review

Unable to overcome either a trite screenplay or dreadful miscasting, “Peppermint” feels like it was better suited for another time – say 30 or 40 years ago.  Had this movie been released in the early to mid-80’s, it might’ve had a chance at some popularity. As it is, it seems like a truly bad fit for 2018.  This is especially true when you consider that the filmmakers throw any attempt at political correctness to the wind as they make it seem every Mexican in East Los Angeles is connected to crime.  One might get the impression the script was written by Stephen Miller, the Senior Adviser to President Trump.

With respect to the screenplay, there is a distinct lack of cleverness, originality or humor.  That last part is particularly worrisome given how drab the script is.  There are many missed opportunities throughout “Peppermint” where any number of jokes could have been inserted at various points, just to show that the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously.  This is especially true since the film stars Jennifer Garner; there’s a scene where she demands a man surrender his wallet – given her Capital One commercials, it would’ve been a good opportunity for her to say, “What’s in your wallet?”. 

Regarding the casting, it takes a great deal of effort to suspend your disbelief sufficiently to buy into the idea that Jennifer Garner could evolve into a badass.  Her persona is too much of a girl (or mom) next door type to be able to take seriously the thought that she could transform herself into this one-person wrecking crew – a vigilante capable to taking down an entire crime syndicate all alone (especially at this point in her life).  “Wonder Woman” is more realistic. As if to make matters worse, the end of the movie hints that there might be a sequel. Let’s try to prevent this from happening.

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