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Speed the Plow / Arrival
Dec. 31st, 2016 08:08 pmIn which I see off the old year with a post to the new journal :)
Saw Speed the Plow (David Mamet), with the excellent Rose Byrne, who I loved in Annie (shhh) but is probably better known for things like Spy and some X-Men movies. I've never seen anything by Mamet, so had no idea what to expect, but I generally trust that when people stage things, there's a good reason for doing so.
The plot concerns a big-time Hollywood producer, Bobby Gould, and his sidekick Charlie Fox, who has just brought his boss the film of a lifetime with star attached. It will make Charlie's name at last, and cover Bobby in glory, and all he has to do is say yes. The news is a delight to Bobby, who has been plowing through ideas for scripts (no pun intended) that are downright terrible, such as this depressing crackpot novel about survivors after some kind of apocalypse who have to rebuild their world. Terrible! His usual assistant is away, and the attractive temp Karen (Byrne) is shy and deferential, but enthusiastic about helping out. Half-flirtatiously, Bobby tosses her the terrible novel to read to let her feel useful. Boys being boys, Charlie privately bets Bobby that he can't get her into bed. That night ( Read more... )
I realise this all sounds a bit harsh, but I didn't actually hate it - it was fine, and I enjoyed the general world of the play and the dilemma at its heart. And the resolution was satisfying, if slight. I loved the connection between set and costume where Bobby's office was being renovated, and the walls and door were all white and beige, which matched Karen's outfit perfectly and suggested her "blank canvas" innocence (or so I read it). There were some amusing moments and some dramatic moments. It just all felt a bit light and insubstantial for the effort put into it.
Then there was Arrival, which I'd heard good things about, and I still don't quite know what to think about it. I do adore Amy Adams, who I first saw singing and dancing in The Muppet Movie, so she was a big plus. And she was excellent in her role - I have absolutely no quibbles from an acting point of view. I did however have extremely mixed feelings about the plot, or at least its execution. It opens well with some effective backstory about eminent linguist Louise Banks (Adams) that helps establish her character, but the 'real' story begins when alien ships mysteriously land (well, hover) at twelve places around the world, and she is approached by the military to help establish communication with them.
( Read more... )
So there it is. Loved it AND thought it was ridiculous. Would recommend, but as a emotional exploration of "what it means to be human", rather than a thoughtful intellectual exploration of a first contact scenario.
Saw Speed the Plow (David Mamet), with the excellent Rose Byrne, who I loved in Annie (shhh) but is probably better known for things like Spy and some X-Men movies. I've never seen anything by Mamet, so had no idea what to expect, but I generally trust that when people stage things, there's a good reason for doing so.
The plot concerns a big-time Hollywood producer, Bobby Gould, and his sidekick Charlie Fox, who has just brought his boss the film of a lifetime with star attached. It will make Charlie's name at last, and cover Bobby in glory, and all he has to do is say yes. The news is a delight to Bobby, who has been plowing through ideas for scripts (no pun intended) that are downright terrible, such as this depressing crackpot novel about survivors after some kind of apocalypse who have to rebuild their world. Terrible! His usual assistant is away, and the attractive temp Karen (Byrne) is shy and deferential, but enthusiastic about helping out. Half-flirtatiously, Bobby tosses her the terrible novel to read to let her feel useful. Boys being boys, Charlie privately bets Bobby that he can't get her into bed. That night ( Read more... )
I realise this all sounds a bit harsh, but I didn't actually hate it - it was fine, and I enjoyed the general world of the play and the dilemma at its heart. And the resolution was satisfying, if slight. I loved the connection between set and costume where Bobby's office was being renovated, and the walls and door were all white and beige, which matched Karen's outfit perfectly and suggested her "blank canvas" innocence (or so I read it). There were some amusing moments and some dramatic moments. It just all felt a bit light and insubstantial for the effort put into it.
Then there was Arrival, which I'd heard good things about, and I still don't quite know what to think about it. I do adore Amy Adams, who I first saw singing and dancing in The Muppet Movie, so she was a big plus. And she was excellent in her role - I have absolutely no quibbles from an acting point of view. I did however have extremely mixed feelings about the plot, or at least its execution. It opens well with some effective backstory about eminent linguist Louise Banks (Adams) that helps establish her character, but the 'real' story begins when alien ships mysteriously land (well, hover) at twelve places around the world, and she is approached by the military to help establish communication with them.
( Read more... )
So there it is. Loved it AND thought it was ridiculous. Would recommend, but as a emotional exploration of "what it means to be human", rather than a thoughtful intellectual exploration of a first contact scenario.
