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THE DARJEELING LIMITED

What happened to Wes Anderson? After his first few films (Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998) and The Mighty Tenenbaums (2001), the Salinger-influenced heir to both Robert Altman and the French New Wave seemed certain to develop into one America’s top directors.  

In ‘Esquire,” Martin Scorsese himself called Anderson “the new Scorsese.” But Anderson is beginning to look more and more like the new Peter Bogdanovich. Bogdanovich made a string of critical and box office failures after prematurely being labeled a genius. 

Anderson’s first serious misstep was The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). It was a passable film with fine characterizations, good acting, and a few good chuckles. But the story went nowhere, and the film lacked the depth and focus of Anderson’s earlier works. The film seemed to be trying too hard to be quirky for its own sake. If his first three films were A’s or A-minuses, then The Life Aquatic was a B or B-. 

Now, with his new film, Anderson has hit rock bottom. It is a comedy-drama that is completely devoid of any big laughs or any dramatic weight. It’s an hour and a half of pointless rambling and traveling in front of great scenery. 

The Darjeeling Limited wastes the considerable talents of Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, and Anjelica Huston. Anderson puts them through the paces in a banal, dysfunctional family reunion scenario that echoes his previous works without matching them. 

The story begins when a trio of brothers unites shortly after the death of their dad (played briefly by the wonderful Bill Murray). The brothers meet up in India, and go on a spiritual quest, hoping that they will reconnect with each other and perhaps the world, in a deep way. 

Unfortunately, they are so different, antagonistic, and juvenile that it’s hard for them to get along. The eldest brother, Francis (Owen Wilson) is a control freak, who even steals his brothers’ passports so that they can’t leave early. The middle son, Peter (Adrien Brody), resents Francis’s tyranny, and insists on making his own decisions. The youngest brother, Jack (Jason Schwartzman), is both the most obedient and impulsive of the three. He usually listens to his eldest brother, but he also puts them at risk when he convinces a pretty Indian flight attendant to meet him in the bathroom for a “quickie.” 

All three of the men also constantly abuse medications, and they are ready to punch each other out at the drop of the hat.  It’s not exactly a surprise when the brothers get kicked off the train. 

Eventually, they go on a quest to find their mom who lives at an ashram. By the time, the inevitable brotherly bonding occurs in the film, viewers will probably be too bored to care. 

Art film fans that want to explore the collision of Indian and Western culture would be much better off seeing any film by Mira Nair or Deepa Mehta. The Darjeeling Limited is a tedious exercise in cultural tourism disguised as a hip indie film. 

 The Assassination of Jesse James

   Even as he robbed banks and murdered innocent people, sensationalized “dime novels” were being circulated about the exploits of Jesse James and his gang.  It was the late 1800s, in a United States with rapidly growing cities, and the notion of celebrity was alive and kicking.  

Spun into a folk hero who was disenchanted with the reconstruction after the Civil War—a sort of Robin Hood who rarely robbed train passengers, only the express safe in the baggage car—the real Jesse James was a sociopath with killer eyes and a ruthless spirit.  

His notoriety lives on in the numerous museums located in the towns he robbed, in the lyrics of many songs, in the pages of countless fiction and nonfiction narratives and the screenplays of dozens of films.  

Even his own son, Jesse James Jr. appeared in several movies in the 1920s, portraying his father to rapt audiences. Director Sam Fuller’s first film was 1949’s I Shot Jesse James. Actors as diverse as Robert Wagner, the future Lone Ranger Clayton Moore, Colin Farrell, Stacy Keach and Robert Duvall have taken on the personae of the legendary outlaw.  Indeed, this bad guy has been thoroughly dissected in the media.  

This latest incarnation, written and directed by New Zealand native Andrew Dominick, is perhaps the most hypnotizing of the cinematic explorations of James. Its success is largely credited to the mesmerizing cinematography of the well-respected Roger Deakins. Lauded for his striking visuals in some 60-plus films, Deakins’ gift behind the lens upped the ante on films like The Shawshank Redemption, Jarhead, Fargo, House of Sand and Fog, A Beautiful Mind, and In the Valley of Elah.  

In The Assassination of Jesse James, every shot is composed like a work of art.  And it is this feast for the eyes that forgives the film’s extraordinary length of 160 minutes.  With so many striking images to absorb, the movie is a visual treat that moves the screenplay’s languid pace.  

Based on Ron Hansen’s critically acclaimed historical novel of the same name, this film version is loyal to the book in tone and delivery. Set in September of 1871, James has already “grown into middle age” and is living a seemingly quiet life in Missouri.  Brad Pitt is cast as the moody, suspicious outlaw whose gang has dissipated through death and imprisonment.  Even brother Frank seems disenchanted with Jesse and disappears quickly from the story—a better explanation of their relationship would have been welcome.  

Inexplicably, James—who has learned to trust no one—welcomes the Ford brothers into his home and his lair of thieves.  Charley Ford, a goofy, fast-talking nervous-Nelly, perfectly captured by Sam Rockwell, is certain that Jesse is out to kill them for a recent betrayal. Bob Ford (Casey Affleck) is torn between his adoration of the famous Jesse James (he keeps a box of memorabilia in his room) and his desire to murder Jesse in an attempt to steal his fame.  

And so the film becomes this psychological cat-and-mouse drama that ultimately reveals the worth of celebrity—or at least the lure of the notion of fame and its capacity to backfire.  

There are long pauses in this film and this slow tempo may drive some to the concession stand. But once the viewer succumbs to the movie’s deliberate snail-like speed, it will become obvious that this is all part of the nerve-wracking atmosphere that is imperative in this story of betrayal. Jesse James is known for his trigger-happy finger and his quick temper. The brothers are literally tortured by his squinty-eyed silence and (in today’s language) bipolar-like personality swings.  

The performances here are stellar, with Casey Affleck a shoe-in at Oscar time. His smooth, blank face is a perfect foil for the turmoil within him as he delivers his lines in a near monotone. What is this guy really thinking?  

A film that gives The Northfield Minnesota Raid and The Long Riders a run for their money in the Jesse James legacy sweepstakes, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is movie worth the ridiculous chunk of time it demands. And it truly requires viewing on a large screen for the photographic artistry of Roger Deakins. 

 Michael Clayton

George Clooney slips on the character of Michael Clayton like the nicely tailored suit coat he wears as part of his guise of misdirection as a high powered attorney for a top law firm. Clayton is the definite go-to guy when there’s a job to be done that requires finesse with a bold and deliberate touch. He’s a fixer for the firm’s well-heeled clients, a self-described “janitor,” who cleans up messes. All except his own problems, which include tremendous debt on a restaurant gone bad and money he owes the mob, along with a loser brother who has skipped out on him and the debt.  

Now Clayton is being called on by his boss, Marty Bach (Sidney Pollack), to stop an old friend and colleague, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), from blowing a multi-million dollar deal with a client corporation called U/North. Edens is bipolar and has gone off his medication. He also stripped off his clothes during a deposition and claims that U/North is guilty of causing cancer in the community, as charged by the local farmers. Edens is on the wrong side and Clayton wants to rein him in before it’s too late. 

Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) is the calculating chief legal counsel for U/North. She is ruthless in her approach to protecting the company. Pay attention to Crowder’s measured conversation with an assassin, where she creates deniability as she gives the okay for murder.   

This is Tony Gilroy’s first (and first rate) outing as a director. He wrote the screenplays for the Bourne trilogy of films, and Proof of Life. The characters Gilroy has created here and the story that they tell is best described by the game that fascinates Michael Clayton’s young son in the film. The game is called Realm and Conquest, and in it the hero seeks cover from his pursuers in the woods, his realm, and determines his moves. Then it’s each person for him or herself, until the conquest. 

A powerful and well cast film.  

 Why Did I Get Married?

Writer/Director Tyler Perry is a genius at twisting the commonplace into laugh-out-loud funny. It’s not often that a film gets three raucous laughs from an audience and this film does that and more. Then, there are the serious moments for the characters on screen when you might recognize a situation from your own life.  

The four couples who are questioning why they got married are long-time friends. They set out for their annual vacation together. This year it’s at a picture perfect, Colorado mountain retreat. Then, of course, the heavy storm clouds roll in, and some long hidden secrets come out. 

Terry and Diane (Tyler Perry and Sharon Leal) seem to not have time for one another. They’re both busy in their careers, he’s a doctor and she’s an attorney, who has just made partner at her firm. Terry wants to have a second child but Diane is not up to that. They say the right things but the action does not support it. Angela (Tasha Smith) is the owner of a successful salon and a line of hair care products. Her husband Marcus (Michael Jai White) is a former pro football player that she constantly puts down. Patricia (Janet Jackson, who we think is a terrific actress) is a sought after psychiatrist and best selling author, and her husband Gavin is a successful architect. They are dealing with the loss and guilt of a deceased child as if he never existed. Arguably, the most interesting couple is Sheila and Mike (Jill Scott and Richard T. Jones), where affairs, disrespect and self-image come into play. 

A well-written script and great acting, especially by Jill Scott, elevate what would otherwise be a run of the mill romantic comedy. Granted, it’s a little over the top near the beginning. Why Did I Get Married? has a universal message, even with its special references to African American culture (e.g., throwing hot grits at a lover means Al Green). Everyone can identify with what is and is not appropriate with regard to relationships, and the humor inside the pathos is a definite Tyler Perry trademark. 

On the very serious side, for young African Americans, especially men, the tone and look of this film addresses financial success as being both realistic and not sourced from hip hop music or drugs. 

Look for this film to be around a while as it’s going to get great word of mouth. I know that’s right. 

 The Savages

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Broken

Broken is a well intentioned but undistinguished melodrama with a strong anti-drug message.  

The film, about a woman who works as a waitress after her music career ceases to ignite in LA, uses a number of flashbacks that show her past drug problems and romantic misadventures. 

The first rate cast includes Heather (Boogie Nights) Graham, Jeremy  (Waitress) Sisko, Tess (Tender Mercies) Harper, and even Linda (The Terminator) Hamilton. It’s a little sad to see such distinguished talent wasted on such a trite, predictable story, when so many mediocre talents get choice parts in big name films. 

Heather Graham is warm and likeable as Hope, an ambitious, pretty, and modestly talented singer/songwriter. She moves to LA to pursue her dreams of becoming a successful recording artist, but she becomes disillusioned after having too many doors slammed in her face.  

She meets a scruffy, unkempt looking bad boy named Will at the beach, and she succumbs to his rebel charm (we can tell right away that he will be trouble because he is unshaven). 

Gradually he initiates her into drug addiction, and she even loses an acting gig because she has needle marks on her arms. She finally finds the strength to escape her private hell.  She tries to stay away from Will (but he is very strong willed-get it?) and stay straight, but she finds that old habits are hard to break. 

She also has a caring male friend that watches out for her at the restaurant where she works, but of course, she seems unaware that he has a crush on her.  He even saves her life one night after she ODs. 

One of the regular customers in the diner offers her an escort job, but she would rather stay poor than sell out.  

Broken is not a terrible film, but it compares poorly with many previous films about addiction, including Drugstore Cowboy, Almost Famous, Blow, Traffic, Good Fellas, and especially Requiem for a Dream. It’s a shame that the predictable script never matches the performances. 

 Lake of Fire

Lake of Fire is a soul-searing documentary about the controversial issue of abortion. The film does not take a side, and it depicts some extremes on both sides of the issue, as well as arguments from many people in between. 

The film will have a lengthy run at the Gene Siskel Center, in Chicago, from October 26-November 8. Show times are: Friday, October 26 at 5:45 PM and 8:30 PM; Saturday, October 27 at 2:45 PM and 7:30 PM; Sunday, October 28 at 2:30 PM and 5:15 PM; Monday, October 29 through Thursday, November 1 at 6:30 PM; Friday November 2 at 6:30 PM; Saturday Nov. 3 at 3:15 PM and 7:30 PM; Sunday, November 4 at 3:30 PM; and Monday, November 5 through Thursday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 PM. 

The film was completed in 2006, then it sat on the shelf for a year, and it’s not hard to see why.  A three hour long documentary shot in black and white is not exactly an easy sell. Most of the footage was actually shot in the ‘90s, but the material is still relevant today. 

The film will undoubtedly disturb most viewers because it actually shows two on-screen abortions in detail. The discarded tissue and body limbs from the aborted babies are recognizably human, and this is a more persuasive argument against abortion than all of the pro-lifer’s speeches. There is also a shocking scene in which a female underground musician (presumably she’s pro-choice) simulates an abortion by coat hanger during a concert. 

There are also some meaty interviews with Noam Chomsky (who takes a logical approach to the moral issues), Alan Dershowitz (who discuses the issue with an amusing joke), and Clifford Terry, who sums up the pro life arguments nicely. 

Lake of Fire may not change anyone’s mind about abortion, but it sheds lights on the complexity of the issue. The film is a diverting documentary that works well despite the overuse of mood telegraphing music. It’s a worthy successor to director Tony Kaye’s earlier American History X. 

 Everything if Fine

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Control

 Control is a soul searing musical biopic about the tortured singer Ian Curtis, who took his own life in 1980. Curtis was the lead singer of Joy Division, the inventive post-punk band that never sold that many records in the USA.  

Their influence on other musicians was enormous, however, and many popular contemporary American bands such as Interpol and She Wants Revenge often sound like pale imitations of Joy Division. Curtis is also considered by some to be one of the godfathers of Goth. 

The title of the film comes from a Joy Division song, “She’s Lost Control,” and it reflected Curtis’s fear of losing control of his own body. Curtis suffered from epilepsy, and he wrote the song after he saw an epileptic girl die during a seizure, which brought out fears about his ability to deal with his own condition. The incident is recreated in one of the most tragic and memorable moments in the film. 

Control is the feature film debut of director Anton Corbijin, a talented video director from the Netherlands. Corbijin’s background as a rock photographer is evident, and some of the individual shots in the film look like gorgeous black and white still photographs. 

But it’s Sam Riley’s magnificent performance as the moody singer Ian Curtis that ultimately carries the film (although Morton is almost as good as his wife). Riley gets Curtis’s strange stage movements and brooding demeanor down pat.  During the spell binding concert scenes, his awkward dancing and bizarre stage movements are so convincing he seems to be channeling the spirit of Curtis.  In its own way, the lead performance in Control is just as compelling as those of Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line, and Jamie Foxx in Ray. 

The film is based on “Touching from A Distance,” the autobiographical novel written by Curtis’s widow (well played by Samantha Morton in the film), and it never sensationalizes or exploits its tragic subject. Curtis went through big changes as he found fame, but his wife went on with life as usual. In the film her character even says, “He’s quite famous, but not to me—I still clean his underpants.” 

The film depicts Curtis as a shy, brooding, and socially disconnected teen-ager who wrote poetry and worshipped Iggy Pop and David Bowie. He meets his future wife Deborah through a friend, and they attend concerts together, including an early Sex Pistols gig.  The punk explosion inspires him to try his hand at singing. He joins Warsaw, the band that would eventually become Joy Division (after his death they became New Order). 

Curtis’s marriage begins to crumble when he starts having an affair with a beautiful Belgian journalist. Curtis couldn’t choose between the two, and he eventually made a tragic choice, which allowed him to avoid the decision completely. 

The film is not completely bleak or serious. There is a great in-joke in the film that only people who saw the movie 24 Hour Party People will get. At one point, a fellow band member tells Curtis, “Things could be worse; you could be the lead singer in The Fall. In 24 Hour Party People Sam Riley played The Fall’s leader, Mark Smith. 

Of all the films I saw at this year’s Chicago International Film Festival, Control had the best acting, and it also had some of the richest shot compositions. It deserves to reach a much wider audience than your typical Indie film, and it deserves to be remembered at Oscar time. 

 Freaks