Movie Reviews By Robert Waldman
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Updated: April 1, 2025
100 Yards A Complete Unknown Black Bag Bring Them Down Can I Get A Witness! Clear Cut Hard Truths I’m Still Here Last Breath Little Miss Sociopath McVeigh My Dead Friend Zoe Parthenope September 5 Superboys of Malegaon The Brutalist The Friend The Last Showgirl The Penguin Lessons Young Werther To see my reviews of some great older movies please visit and subscribe to my YouTube Channel. And maybe give a thumbs up if you like the review. Many more reviews to come soon. So stay tuned and be safe. |
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The Friend(PG) * * *
Puppy Love!
It's an unusual love story to be sure. Heartfelt and emotional are the performances that unfold effortlessly in the New York set The Friend. Brought to British Columbia by Mongrel Media this loving portrait is currently playing at Vancouver's Park Theatre.
Losing a loved one is a painful process. So when author and educator Walter dies it leaves a big hole in the hearts of all his friends, including Iris. Funnyman Bill Murray (Caddy Shack) turns down the comedy while Naomi Watts rises to the occasion and steps up to take care of her friend's prized possession - a pooch named Appolo. (Played by Bing).
Maybe it's the dog that's the real star of this show as it takes centre stage turning Iris's life upside down. At first reluctant to take in The Great Dane over time the two "bond" in a poignant way. Just how this woman copes with looking after an animal in the big city is wonderfully depicted in an honest, accurate and emotional way.
Front and centre in The Friend is the realistic way with which it portrays the grieving process. Adding to the drama are the problems associated when trying to find a place to rent which are exacerbated when an animal is thrown into the mix.
Ideal for both romantics and dog lovers The Friend is full of good vibes and will leave its mark on you.
McVeigh(PG) * * * *
Lone Wolf!
Go behind the scenes to track a determined killer in the spine-tingling McVeigh. Based of course on the life of notorious bomber Tim McVeigh this drama from Route 504PR being backs lots of memories. Bad memories. Check out this slice of American folklore and history at select theatres across BC. Before it makes its way onto streaming services as well as on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Shot in the land of bourbon and fabled thoroughbred horse farms and racing in Kentucky McVeigh follows the drive and determination of the ultimate loner/loser. A man of few words and questionable motives actor Alfie Allen is as intense as they come in portraying Tim McVeigh, superbly conveying all that raw rage and pent-up emotion buried deep inside a calm demeanor.
Director and co-writer Mike Ott does a great job recreating an unsettling atmosphere as this determined man out to blow up a federal building in Oklahoma makes his way from Kentucky to his final destination. Along the way he meets up with the usual suspects and undesirable wannabe revolutionaries, Nazis and the hard right extremists. More into gun shows than hooded rallies you can sense the desperation in all who cross paths with this ticking time bomb who somehow succeeds in creating chaos at a troubling time in American society. Chilling to the core.
Black Bag(PG) * * *
Lover's Tryst!
It's spy vs spy with a sexy twist in Black Bag. Forgot about all those fanciful James Bond extravangzas a la Connery. Consider all those Mission Impossible and Jason Bourne escapades to take a back seat to the danger a loving couple faces In this meticulously acted espionage thriller from Touchwood PR which is now entertaining audiences at Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres around B.C.
Moles aren't just blemishes on your face. In spy parlance a mole is a "plant" embedded in a security organization. On the surface husband and wife tag team spies George Woodhouse and Kathryn St. Jean seem to have a good thing going. Too bad for them MI6's top pair of assassins may be guilty of betraying their paymasters. Both Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are superb as the meticulous lovers who get caught up in a dastardly plot to ruin their careers, bring down MI6 and maybe destroy the world. Sounds interesting.
A list director and George Clooney partner Steven Soderbergh is in top form reviving that spy who came in from the cold Harry Palmer era. To make the movie work you have to buy into the whole premise of a husband wife spy team not letting their personal feelings interfere with their work. Yes, we've seen films like this before. But thanks to the great acting from Fassbender and Blanchett it all seems so real.
you really don't know what's going on and who are the traitors in this smartly written story that truly leaves you guessing. If you want to see great characters going at it hot and heavy then Black Bag will be worth your time. Besides, it also features Pierce Brosnan and Naomi Harris .
The Penguin Lessons(PG) * * *
Lesson Learned!
A lesson learned. And earned. That about sums up the goings on in The Penguin Lessons. Sometimes small films can be good. And entertaining. So let the good times roll and flow which they do in this quaint little movie from Mongrel media now enchanting folks at select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres across B.C.
South America Is full of mystery. And danger. But let's not forget instability. Into this smouldering setting wanders globe-trotting teacher Tom Michell. Funnyman Steve Coogan ( Night at the Museum) turns down the comedy and ramps up the drama as a long haired English teacher doing his best to tutor some well-heeled boy students at St. George's college a prestigious boarding school in Buenos Aires.
Set in Argentina during the turbulent mid 1970s when martial law was in vogue The Penguin Lessons shows the fine line that had to be drawn between doing the right thing or staying out of jail. With whimsical humour thrown in to take the edge off the incessant danger communities were facing at the time Coogan carefully weaves his way through the countless challenges he faces to retain his job, his sanity, and a new Penguin friend named Juan Salvador who somehow provides the glue it takes to survive.
Poignant, uncertain and thoroughly enjoyable The Penguin Lessons is based on a real story and shows how people can overcome fear and desperation when all hope seems to be lost. Bolstered by a charming performance by former James Bond nemesis Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies) as Buckles, the flimsy school headmaster The Penguin Lessons will leave you smiling all the way home. And happy you saw it!
Little Miss Sociopath(PG) * * *
Fraudsters!
Watch out for those small indies! Hot on the heels of Oscar winning surprise winner Anora comes an equally sizzling Little Miss Sociopath. Can lightening strike twice?You never know. Check it out on streaming services in British Columbia such as Amazon, Google Play and YouTube Movies thanks is your Access 2 Productions.
At a time when audiences are by and large fed up with superheroes and train wreck dull stories along comes another offbeat lark that may just click with the cinematic minions. Enter into the fray Little Miss Sociopath, otherwise known as one Clementine, who is a hard worker seemingly getting nowhere at a medical office. In an over the top yet captivating performance Jenny Tran lights up the screen as just an ordinary girl who wants to get ahead.
Chances of upward mobility are hard enough for the best of us. So with the aid of an unscrupulous friend the pair latch onto an outlandish get rich scheme. Heaven help anyone who gets in Their way.
Director/writer Miv Evans effectively uses what looks like quite the low budget well and allows her characters to blossom in some very unpredictable ways. Not to be co fused with Little Miss Sunshine this dark comedy lark keeps you on your toes throughout which is one of the most Important factors in any movies success. You just don't know what's going to happen next in this movie, Fun and flambouyant make Little Miss Sociopath well worth delving into when it reaches streaming services and comes out on DVD and Blu-ray.
Can I Get A Witness!(PG) * * * * *
Tough Love!
Talk about an offbeat film. Dark, mysterious and definitely different along comes Can I Get A Witness? On the surface one might think this film has something to do with the courts or police. Not so. Here we have a spooky look at a futuristic society where end of life comes under close scrutiny. Brought here by Mongrel Media and now showing at The Fifth Avenue Cinemas this movie might even be thought of as a wake-up call for a brave new world. Or not.
What a mixed bag. Made with loads of Canadian money and your hard earned tax dollars this movie presents a jaded look at a future where government controls everything - even death. Two young people are thrust into the limelight as greeters of sorts set to help "guide" their clients into a better (?) world. Creepy in the extreme are the final rites visited on various people in this utopian society.
Steady as he goes slick well-mannered Daniel is a mentor of sorts to new assistant trainee Kiah. Kind of believable are the performances of Joel Oulette and Keira Jang who are an unusual couple trying to work with each other as well as others to send them off to a better world. Just how they deal with these patients is spooky and interesting,
Surreal to be sure this movie also is relying on the "star power of Sandra Oh. Definitely offbeat and for acquired tastes Can I Get A Witness is a pretty somber affair and deals with a subject most of us fear. Filmed in Vancouver this film has good creepy performances and takes onnrather difficult subject matter that likely won't have mainstream appeal.
My Dead Friend Zoe(PG) * * * *
Second Thoughts!
Compelling. Considerate. And full of compassion. That about sums up My Dead Friend Zoe. Give it up and give in to small independent cinema. Despite having a few big stars it's the story and acting of the "smaller" performers who turn in some memorable performances here. Consider this film to be symbolic of the little movie that could. My oh my there's a lot going on in this small gem from 504PR now staking out its territory at select Cineplex Screens and Landmark Theatres around B.C.
War is hell. Someone smart said that back in the day and was 100% right. Move onto 2016 where we encounter two young women pressed into duty for the army in Afghanistan. The friendship that Merit and Zoe would forge on the battlefield would come home to haunt them and others upon their return to Portland Oregon when their tour of duty ended a few years later. Both Sonequa Martin-Green and Natalie Morales are sensational as the long term buddies whose friendship is put to the test when they return.
Yes, we've all heard about post dramatic syndrome and the way vets have been treated when they return to civilian life. All that plight and trouble is on full view when Merit must cope with not only the pressure and demons she encountered while overseas, as if that wasn't hard enough, but the difficulty she must face with an aging family member. Just how this plays out is meticulously crafted by director/writer Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and brilliantly presented by Ms Martin-Green who absolutely hits it out of the ballpark. It's hard to imagine a seasoned veteran actress doing a better job.
Imagine having a movie that includes acting heavyweights Ed Harris (Absolute Power) and Morgan Feeeman (Seven) not taking the lead. instead their compassionate and caring work as a respective therapist and career military man simply adds to the intensity of this well written well thought out movie that was actually inspired by real events.
Though some folks have suggested this film has elements of comedy they are wrong. Forget about the romance and sporadic joke thrown it. My Dead Friend Zoe is all about just how screwed up someone can get during and after going to war. It's a lesson some of our leaders should well learn from. And heed.
100 Yards(PG) * * * *
Battle Stations!
A call to arms. You want action ? You got action and then some in the crowd-pleasing 100 Yards. Settle in to a soon to be classic actioner from Well Go USA now out on select streaming services as well as on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Set in ancient China where martial arts was born our saga follows the quest to take control of a highly regarded Kung-fu school. This dynasty is run by a committee of sorts who must who must find a "suitable" candidate to replace the school leader. Can you say a fight to the death? You should.
Two men go toe to toe with gangs aplenty vying to control the streets In this action-packed saga. Family intrigue, double crosses and hard to fathom explicitly choreographed battles put you in the zone for all the mayhem that ensues.
Far-fetched to be sure yet yet 100 Yards is acfion-packed to the max. It's a cut above! Moody performances put you in the right frame of mind as you can't help but wonder who will ultimately win the prize - and of course survive.
Superboys of Malegaon(PG) * * *
Fan Boys!
Hollywood, look out! Bollywood comes of age big time in the delightful Superboys of Malegaon. Made by the newly minted MGM Studios under new James Bond owner Amazon comes this breath of fresh air accounting of a group of young men out to make a movie. Based on a true story you can't help but be in awe of the entire spectacle. Even Steven Spielberg would be chuckling to himself at just how these nobodies managed to pull the whole thing off. Check out this highly engaging movie at various Cineplex Cinemas and select Landmark Theatres around B.C. Thanks to Touchwood PR.
Made in Hindi Indian with English subtitles Superboys of Malegaon is an uplifting tale of good old fashioned hard, work, guts and determination. Our tale follows the tried and true plight of a group of young dreamers who just want to make a movie in their city. Faced with family opposition and a lack of funds this is the classic case of people being told their idea is stupid and just can't be done. Needless to say the boys refuse to give up or give in and press on. Apart from this grand desire the movie also touches on some serious social issues that have confronted Indian and other societies such as arranged marriages and health care concerns.
Exuberant, heart-felt and lots of good humour help bring this delightful true story to life.
Last BreathFail-Safe?
Films based on real events can be hit or miss affairs. On the plus side in a big way is Last Breath, a terrific tale from Elevation Pictures now on screen at select Cineplex Cinemas and lucky Landmark Theatres around B.C.
Talk about an original movie. Backed up by a few Hollywood stars Last Breath is a film whose title is true to form. Actually everything about this movie is true. And scary. It recounts just a harrowing experience that befalls a sort of salvage operation deep in the bowels of the earth some 300 meters under water. In reality a group of brave men and women engage in a complicated repair job that suddenly, somehow goes astray. Look at the close quarters as a sea awakening and gut check on a vessel not unlike the ancient Seaview from the classic Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea or the even more recognizable USS Enterprise exploring the ocean flower.
We all appreciate living a good life in the modern world. Sometimes we take the littlest of things for granted - like heating your home. So when a deep underwater cable suddenly somehow comes undone at the bottom of the ocean who you gonna call? Definitely not Ghostbusters. Instead quite naturally the Scottish government calls In the company who installed and upkeeps this vital undersea cable.
Now this firm has done repair work before. When a team of professionals sets out to fix the mess one of their deep sea dives goes wrong. Two men take the plunge but only one scientist resurfaces. Back on Board the mother ship panic sets in as the lone diver is slowly losing oxygen. So it's a battle against time In this ticking time bomb of a movie that's as tense as it gets.
You can cut the tension with a knife as Chris Lemons and Dave Yuasa take the plunge while wing man Duncan Allock guides them down from above. Cast as these real life hero's are Finn Cole, Simon Liu and Woody Harrelson. Each of these characters is exceptionally well defined from start to finish as we see the great pressure they are under when what should have been just a standard repair job turns into a life and death struggle with lives at stake and the clock ticking. Talk about a real pressure-cooker.
Emotions run high throughout Last Breath. Just a great atmosphere puts you right at the heart of the action. Filmed largely underwater as well as just above the surface all the acting here is superb.and reliable Cliff Curtis (Colombiana) also is in hand as a steady as he goes Captain mostly responsible for bringing his crew home safely.
Parthenope(PG) * * *
Fellini Light!
Ah, reward season is upon us. A foreign gem set to vie for top honours is Parthenope. Perhaps a strange name for an equally strange movie this sleeper hit from A24 and Mongrel Media is already causing major waves in Cannes. Expect those faint ripples to become a tidal wave once this quint little charmer hits North American. Go see this good foreign film at the Vancouver international Film Centre.
Good filmmaking is all about taking chances. Often the risks outweigh the rewards. Maybe not here. Director Paolo Sorrentino pulls out all the stops and truly generates a strange yet captivating movie that reminds one of master director Federico Fellini's winning ways. The moment the film opens you will learn all about a one of a kind character who shares the same name as the title of this movie.
Told in a time capsule Parthenope is all about the jaded and wealthy life of a young girl called Parthenope. Born into fabulous wealth this vexing babe lives with her family in a Luxury Villa overlooking the water near the city that invented pizza - Naples. Against this gorgeous backdrop appears actress Celeste Dalla Porta whose undeniable beauty breathes life into this complicated lady - and for all those around her. My oh my does the camera like Ms. Porta! They say too much beauty can lead to problems and this woman on screen is not immune from her share of heartbreaks and setbacks in real life.
Over time we see changes in Parthenope's world proving the old adage from a famed Beatles tune "Can't Buy Me Love". In and out of her life the strangest people come and go as we are transported into a fantasy lifestyle that even noted celebrity groupie Robyn Leach would find hard to believe.
Apart from the drop dead gorgeous scenery and most alluring appearance of Ms. Porta whose undeniable beauty would take even a blind man's breath away the story and script are completely interesting and entertaining. Sorrentino wrote this story which has something for everyone though it is may be 10-15 minutes too long. Still the bizarre characters and unique exchanges make up for this minor setback.
Exploring wealth, kink and of all things The Church Parthenope is one film that will keep you entranced and wondering what did you just see. All in all it's quite the movie experience and deserves to be seen by both dreamers and realists.
Bring Them Down(PG) * *
Irish Eyes!
Say what you will Ireland has a history of making offbeat films. To this list should be added Bring Them Down. Hard-edged to be sure soulful acting highlights this provocative drama from MURI Films and Touchwood PR now making its case heard at select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres around B.C.
The Emerald Isle is known historically for Guiness Beer, a famine or two and more recently a far left leaning ultra racist government. On a happier note one of the strengths of the green island has been the wool industry. Lambs play a central role in Bring Them Down in a violent trajectory not unlike the terror found in Silence of The Lambs minus the serial killer at bay.
Here we see the lives of two distinct families who come to blows over their share of the rural sheep industry. Well-fleshed out characters show the slow build up of animosity between Michael, on the one hand, and father and son team of Gary and Jack on the other. Both Christopher Abbot And Gary Keoghan sizzle as the two head down a road of no return. If you can get though some of the ancient Irish dialect you may just understand how bad things have gotten as a neighbour rivalry spirals slowly out of control.
Not for the squeamish Bring Them Down is all about relationships gone sour in a big bad way. Director Chris Andrews also wrote this story which ably shows how stress and strain and misunderstandings can take on a whole new meaning with untold and catastrophic consequences. Surprises abound in this snappy well-acted thriller.
I’m Still Here(PG) * * * *
Nowhere Man!
With apologies to John Lennon and The Beatles comes along I'm Still Here. Again Mongrel Media continues its winning streak by letting British Columbians see this wonderful thriller that seems to have been taken from the pages of history. Settle in to watch this high stakes drama at the Fifth Avenue Cinemas and select Cineplex Cinemas and landmark Theatres across B.C. Though in Portuguese the English subtitles do not distract.
Rio de Janeiro is said to be one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world. Over the years South America has been a hotbed of political unrest with Brazil often been the epicenter of such movements. Into this mix comes a bon vivant engineer and his young family. By all accounts Rubens Paiva is a man enjoying life to the fullest. Actor Shelton Mello effectively plays this individual who seems to be living the good life with a wide circle of friends. Blessed with Eunice, a loving wife, the pair don't seem to have a problem in the world. Trust actress Fernanda Torres to perfectly complement her husbands upper middle class lifestyle. Ah, but paradise found by the beach can be rather fleeting as the pair find out the hard way.
Remember Latin America has a checkerboard history of uprisings, dictatorships and revolutions . So during this time period when political kidnappings are part of society the Paivas become embroiled in political intrigue.
Director Walter Salles knows how to create atmosphere and in I'm Still Here he pulls out all the stops as the Paiva family's lives are turned upside down when they are accused of wrong-doing. Just how the pair cope with the misfortune is riveting as are the prisons where the pair end up in.
Told over a series of years I'm Still Here takes us back in time when no one was safe throughout many parts of South America. And with an Oscar-worthy performance from Fernanda Torres it's a film steeped in history and one that should not be missed.
Hard Truths(PG) * * * *
Cold Ice!
Sparks fly easily and endlessly as acclaimed director Mike Leigh turns his sights on exploring the rather tumultuous life of a wayward woman in the penetrating Hard Truths. Watch the turmoil and pressure reach the boiling point in this hard-edged drama from Mongrel Media now causing big debates at select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres fortunate to be showing this movie in British Columbia. See it unfold at Vancouver's Fifth Avenue Cinemas .
Get set for one tour de force performance as we travel to London and head into a rough and tough working class neighbourhood populated by Blacks and Caribbean transplants. Let's meet Pansy. It's not hard at all to see the Oscar buzz revolving around the way actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste portrays this mixed-up messed-up freaked-out woman. To her cleaning is everything and she believes everyone in the community is out to get her -including her own family which is made up of son Moses ( now there's a revealing name for you) and her handyman husband .
Talk about a mean woman. Or confused lass. You will cringe as you see how this lady treats others. Yes, there are probably mean-spirited people out there like this person but the portrayal is just hard to stomach. Contrast this personality to that of her more tolerant sister Chantelle, a hairstylist by day and shoulder to cry on by night. Seeing the difference between these two families is like the contrast between night and day.
Director Leigh definitely knows how to get under the skin of audiences. With Hard Truths we learn just how far some folks will go to endure, struggle and survive. It's really an emotional high and this movie is high stakes drama at its best.
September 5(PG) * * * * *
Riveting!
Lessons can be learned . How appropriate it is for Paramount Films to bring out September 5. Those old enough will remember the 1972 Olympics In Munich Germany. Known not for sports but cold blooded murder this riveting movie is must see entertainment that is historic and meaningful. It is now showing at select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres across B.C. thanks to The Taro group.
At a time when Anti-semitism is spreading across the world September recounts how a group of Palestinian Terrorists took captive 11 Israeli athletes and murdered them in cold blood. No one did anything and the games went on - at least for a while. Funny but sad it is so ironic how history has a way of repeating itself as leaders like Canada's Trudeau and those in Australia and Ireland are so blind to hate that they allow Jew hatred to run rampant in their society. A movie like September 5 shows how sick these warped people are and their followers are as just as culpable as the trigger pullers.
What sets September 5 apart from most thrillers is that it real. Unbeknownst to many while the athletes were kidnapped and tortured no one knew what was going on. Somehow a sports program was able to connect the dots and turned out to be the only feed to the outside program. That show was ABC sports and this film goes behind the scenes to see how a team or rag tag jocks was able to make broadcast history by finding a way to document and film the horrors on display while the rest of the world stood idly by in silence.
Full of raw emotion and sizzling performances backstopped by Peter Sarsgaard and Ben Chaplin hearts will go out to these brave gutsy journalists who pulled out all the stops to let the world what was happening in Munich. Never again.
The Last Showgirl(PG) * *
Last Gasp!
Work is good. Sooner or later all people need to retire. Watch the fallout when a dancer needs to come clean in The Last Showgirl. Like the title to this Mongrel Media film suggests here's a movie about the ups and downs of a dancer. See this penetrating documentary now at select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres around B.C. Before it arrives on streaming services.
Fresh off its world premiere at the recent Whistler film festival former Baywatch babe and ex-British Columbian Pamela Anderson returns to familiar territory and the big screen as Shelly. Life has been good for Shelly. Or so it seems. Long a staple "performer" in the Razzle Dazzle revue in Las Vegas all seems to be going well for the seasoned vet. But after 18 years on the job change is inevitable.
What The Last Showgirl does so well is its ability to get into the mindset of the dancers. People are people and we get up close and personal with the girls whose livelihoods all revolve around their physique. Age can be hard on people and aging has not gone well for Shelly. Anderson does a great job showing the emotional toll a cabaret dancer experiences with a life in front of the public.
Director Gia Coppola goes deep into the personal lives and personalities of the performers who make their livings showing off. Here the atmosphere is spot on as are the personal pettiness that many reveal which appears to be a pretty honest portrayal of this industry.
Bolstered by strong backup performances from most notably former James Bond baddie Dave Bautista The Last Showgirl is an honest portrait of the struggles aging has on people?
A Complete Unknown(PG) * * * *
Rebel!
Born to rock. And to talk. That about sums up the story behind A Complete Unknown, the newest film from Searchlight Pictures. Now playing to sell-out audiences at Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres across B.C consider this biography to be a must see movie for fans of musical icons. Mind you, what else would you expect from master director James Mangold who always gets up and close and personal with his subject matter. Can you dig it?
Hot off his captivating role in Dune chameleon-like actor Timothée Chalamet turns his talents to bring the unbelievable life of Bobby Zimmerman to life. Oh, check that. This was this talented man's name before he changed it to Bob Dylan and the rest, as they say, is history.
Here the cameras tracks this magical minstrel as he sought out and found his musical icon Woody Guthrie. Didn't Guthrie or friend Pete Seeger know that this young nobody could write? And how! From playing tiny bars to headlining the prestigious Newport Folk Festival and its Monterrey California counterpart A Complete Unknown does an impressive job sketching out the life of an aloof loner who did his own thing, created his own songs and in the process took the world by storm.
Blessed with an impressive cast Including an almost unrecognizable Ed Norton here Mangold does an excellent job recreating the 60s with all the unrest over Vietnam and Civil Rights bubbling to the surface. Through it all Dylan's somewhat tumultuous personal life and relationships are front and centre with Chalamet uncanny resemblance to the great one (sorry number 99) and his remarkable singing voice making for a remarkably entertaining two and a half hours.
Young Werther(PG) * * *
Puppy Love!
Love is a many splendored thing. Watch the trials and tribulations a young man endures in the rambunctious Young Werther. Based on the hit novel VVS Films and Route 504PR smoothly release this fun romantic flick now showing at Cineplex Cinemas and Lionsgate Theatres across B.C.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner comes along this tender tale of a lost in love prep boy who, you guessed it, gets smitten by a vexing blonde beauty. To buy into this story you have to just go with the flow and believe in the main characters. And you do! That's half the battle as this sad sack loser (?) goes all out to win the girl of his dreams.
Cast as the Romeo with a big vocabulary but not so much winning way with the ladies is Douglas Booth (Jupiter Ascending). This likeable actor is spot on as a fish out of water and his cocky yet charming attitude and approach to life reminds one of Canadian Ryan Reynolds in his breakout role in National Lampoon's Val Wilder. Alls fair in love and war and the girl caught in the middle of an impossible love triangle is Charlotte. Bubbly Allison Pill (Milk) pulls off a complicated role in captivating fashion. You just like these people while even the outliers in the piece have a lot to say.
Funny, poignant and full of twists and turns Young Werther is a winning date movie perfect for romance enthusiasts and those looking for a little harmless fun with heart.
Made by double threat man with the long name Jose Lourenco Young Werther is definitely worthy of your time.
The Brutalist(PG) * * * * *
Comeback King!
First off: Don't let the length of this film turn you off. Quite the contrary . Very few films can hold your attention for an hour, let alone 3 1/2 hours . This one can. And does. Superb on every level The Brutalist is an astounding movie that will make you think and cry. See superb performances unfold in this magnificent tour de force experience from Elevation Pictures now unraveling at The Park Theatre and select Cineplex Cinemas and Landmark Theatres across British Columbia.
With the rise in racism and anti-semitism sweeping across the world fueled by left leaning radicals and fanatical terrorists and their misguided messed up supporters the release of The Brutalist couldn't be more timely. Or appropriate. Set during World War 2 and its aftermath this film traces the life of a Holocaust survivor with a will to live.
For Laszlow Toth all that mattered was to escape the concentration camp he was sent to. And to live. Adrien Brody gives everything to this role and leaves nothing on the screen as the conflicted prisoner who miraculously gets a new lease on life. Unfortunately Good news was lacking at the time for his wife Erszebet. Felicity Jones is beguiling and compelling as the left behind woman. Separated from his loving life this once renowned architect somehow managed to flee to the promised land: America.
Told in two parts with a 15 minute intermission The Brutalist really hones in on three things: the immigrant experience, business and anti-semitism. Director Brady Corbett co-wrote this story and managed to blend all these experiences together flawlessly. Where the business angle kicks in again concerns the plight of immigrants and need for money to survive. In Laszlow's case the pivotal point was a chance meeting with Philadelphia industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. Somehow these two men clicked and thus begins a new chapter in this displaced man's life. Trust Guy Pearce (LA Confidential ) to pull off a captivating performance as the intriguing millionaire. Build baby Build is this tycoons motto. Canadian politicians take note.
Full of surprises, twist and turns and mesmerizing performances.
Along with a pitch perfect sometimes eerie sound track consider The Brutalist to be the best film of 2024. And you can take that to the bank. Guaranteed.
