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Tag Archives: Jean-Marc Vallée

Big Little Lies

23 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by vinnieh in Television Reviews

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

2010's, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies, James Tupper, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jeffrey Nordling, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz

A suspenseful, occasionally darkly funny and very addictive series, Big Little Lies tackles the myth of perfection in a seemingly ideal place that unravels with a deep-seated mystery. Bolstered by superb work from the cast, primarily the ladies, Big Little lies pulls you in with its story and visuals. This review will contain some spoilers, but I promise not to ruin the big mystery.

In Monterey, California, a murder occurs. But we are not privy to who the victim is and why it ended with the taking of life. Flashing back to the start, we build a series of events within the picturesque surroundings that are dark and enigmatic. It all begins with the arrival of Jane Chapman(Shailene Woodley), a single mother  who enters the community with her son Ziggy at the beginning of the school year. She is befriended by the fierce Madeline Martha Mackenzie(Reese Witherspoon); a resident queen bee who prides herself on knowing everything and everyone. Jane also meets the elegant Celeste Wright(Nicole Kidman), a former lawyer who gave up her career to raise twin boys. All three are linked by children in the first grade and everything starts to happen on orientation day. Ziggy is accused of assaulting Amabella, the daughter of the highly strung business mum Renata(Laura Dern). This drives a wedge between people and Madeline draws a line in the sand as she’s never liked Renata and lets it be known. From that moment, things start to unravel for the women of the area. The lives of these women appear to be ideal, but scratching beneath the surface unearths another story.They all have their secrets that they attempt to keep under wraps, such as something dark in Jane’s past that she’s running away from, Madeline’s feelings that her daughter is slipping away from her( plus a past affair) and Celeste being in a volatile marriage where she is frequently abused by her husband Perry( Alexander Skarsgård )but can’t seem to leave him. With us knowing that someone is going to end up dead, things get darker and more revealing as the facade of perfection slips and the various events culminate in death for someone.

The first thing that gets your attention about Big Little Lies is the script. It’s both bitingly funny when focusing on society’s image of perfection and alternately darker in the next breath. Having the framing device of a gossiping Greek chorus of supporting characters giving their views on events provides much in the way of intrigue and humour. We go from zingers, bitching at the schoolyard, secrets hidden behind the closed doors of seeming bliss and female bonds are just some of the areas Big Little Lies goes into with its blend of wit, mystery and entertainment. From a stylistic point of view, this show is intoxicating. With the talented Jean-Marc Vallée on direction duties, it’s not surprising that Big Little Lies is such a hit. The vistas of the sea and the fabulous houses that the characters reside in provide much in the way of eye candy. And the editing and direction of the whole thing is very on point. Often, scenes blur into each other and the past bleeds with the present in unique ways that you get more accustomed to as the story gathers momentum. Montage and scenes cut to specific music abound and entice in how they connect the women and display just what’s really going on inside this bubble of supposed domestic paradise.

One of the biggest draws of Big Little Lies is how the mystery stems from the fact that we aren’t told who the murder victim is. Instead, the series flashes back to what lead to the act, excellently drip feeding us with occasional information about it. Most shows would have established who it is that was deceased, but Big Little Lies has other things on its mind to blow the big enigma straight away. Never mind whodunnit, it’s more like a who did it to who in the best possible way. And one shouldn’t forget that Big Little Lies goes to some disturbing places that put jolts into the action and are frequently shocking. Blending both humour and uncomfortable issues, it’s a show that in a sure-footed manner straddles each aspect with an eye for unearthing what sinister and pressure filled things are lurking beneath society’s obsession with paradise. And the succession of strong and rounded female characters is yet another praise worthy part of Big Little Lies. Whether lying, helping each other or trying to deal with life struggles, the vision of women is one that is excellently executed. And the last scenes of female solidarity are some of the best in the show and proudly showcase the excellence at hand here.

Reese Witherspoon heads the cast with energy as the local watcher of all things around her and someone you don’t  want to cross. Madeline as a character has a lot of layers and is not just the overprotective and domineering woman of the one-dimensional variety. Witherspoon and her natural perkiness are on show mixed with something more bitchy and flamboyant, yet tempered by hidden fears and insecurity. Nicole Kidman is riveting as the quiet and seemingly calm Celeste, whose life is so much more complicated than it seems to others. With Nicole Kidman essaying mystery and a very complex set of turmoil through nuances, you can’t help but be in awe of her talent. Her eyes are always searching for an answer to her future and are subtly but movingly expressive. Kidman’s ability to register so many emotions in a restrained manner is simply marvellous to watch as she covers such a wide array of feelings within the character of Celeste. Shailene Woodley portrays the youngest mother in Jane, who is something of an outsider in the community. She’s our vantage point into this world of mothers, children and image and one that is terrified yet determined to build a new life for herself and her son. Woodley suggests inner suffering and a deep love for her son in many excellent ways that are explored by her skill and ease in the part. Stealing a lot of scenes with intense and fierce action is Laura Dern. She stars as the pushy, overprotective and snotty mother who lauds her businesswoman acumen over everyone yet can’t cope when things don’t go her way. She manages to be both aggressive and funny within minutes of each other. Zoë Kravitz has the right free spirit and bohemian charm for the role of Bonnie; who is married to Madeline’s former husband and not exactly popular with Madeline who sees her as being too perfect.

The rest of the characters are fleshed out by an array of fine actors. Alexander Skarsgård exudes menace as a weak man whose insecurities are exposed when he beats his wife and feels like he has some power. A loathsome character, Skarsgård plays his to a tee. Adam Scott showcases his nice, average guy persona but colours it with areas of resentment that make him interesting to watch. James Tupper is childish and up for an argument playing Madeline’s former husband who can’t resist confrontation with Adam Scott’s character. And then there is the relaxed and chilled out Jeffrey Nordling, who compliments Dern’s manic behaviour with his no cares attitude. The men are great in Big Little Lies, but the show belongs to the women of the cast who turn in exemplary work.

A highly addictive series that is funny, dramatic and mystery, Big Little Lies is hard to resist, especially with a cast like this and direction this good. And if you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the opening titles to entice you.

Wild

21 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 55 Comments

Tags

2010's, Based on a true story, Drama, Jean-Marc Vallée, Kevin Rankin, Laura Dern, Michiel Huisman, Reese Witherspoon, Thomas Sadoski, Wild

Film Title

Wild

Director

Jean-Marc Vallée

Starring

  • Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Stayed
  • Laura Dern as Bobbi Grey
  • Thomas Sadoski as Paul
  • Michiel Huisman as Jonathan
  • Kevin Rankin as Greg

Based on the true story of Cheryl Strayed, who embarked upon a self-reflective journey to get her life back on track, Wild is a quietly stirring film that unfolds quite beautifully and gains excellence from a physically enduring performance from Reese Witherspoon.

We pick up with one Cheryl Strayed in 1995; a young woman hiking 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to the Washington-Oregon border. wild-movie-posterThrough flashbacks, we get to glimpse Cheryl’s life up to this point and what drove her to embark on this journey. The biggest event is the death of her beloved mother Bobbi, who always retained a positive outlook on life even when the odds were stacked against her. Her death subsequently left a hole in Cheryl’s life that she tried to fill with drug abuse and promiscuity. This had a knock on effect on her marriage to Paul, which ultimately ended in divorce when he couldn’t get through to her. Now on the journey, despite a lack of experience in hiking, Cheryl is attempting to forgive herself and come to terms with what her life has become after it fell completely apart. The journey she takes is one of both mental and physical anguish; her shoes are too small, she doesn’t have all the right materials and being a novice at hiking is not exactly helpful to her in the arduous voyage. Though she considers at various stops giving up because of how harsh and painful the journey is, something ultimately pulls her back and with the people she encounters, Cheryl grows stronger and finally begins to take stock of everything she has been through and the ways in which her travel will change her.

Films where characters go on journeys of self-discovery and change can often come off as saccharine and clichéd. Wild is thankfully not one of those films as it retains a natural quality that keeps it rooted in emotion and feeling throughout, without needing to go for big scenes of drama. Jean-Marc Vallée gives deep drops of intimacy to the proceedings through expressive close-ups and having Cheryl’s experience link to her past. He also isn’t afraid to show the darkness of Cheryl’s life in detail, where other films would shy away from doing so in order to keep something of a nice vibe. We are given the chance to witness Cheryl’s life, warts and all, and can really understand why she would want to just get away from all of it. Wild MovieWild in itself is something of a contained story, which might seem strange as it is about a long trek, but what I mean is that the story is largely Cheryl’s and how events have impacted on her and her growth along the way. The film eschews bellowing histrionics for rumination and nuance( thanks to the assured direction of Jean-Marc Vallée and sensitive Nick Hornby script-which brings sprinkles of heart and small bits of humour to the film), which stand Wild in good stead as we gain a significant understanding of Cheryl through the flashbacks presented. And talking of flashbacks, the way they are placed within the narrative is seamlessly done and never becomes confusing as to which time frame we are in. From a visual standpoint, Wild is a lovely looking film, particularly at showing both the beauty and harshness of nature in the wilderness that can be very unpredictable. There are those out there who will sniff at Wild and say that not a lot happens within the story and that it isn’t anything particularly new. This is to miss the subtlety at work as everything is rooted in something of a realness that grows on you as the film continues. Quite a lot happens within the film, it just transpires in small vignettes of triumphs and tests that Cheryl must go through and endure to fully get herself together again. There are a few niggles in the narrative that slow it a bit, yet these are few and far between, as Wild stays on a relatively equal and level footing thanks to the talent both behind and in front of the camera. Music is used in a most complimentary fashion that joins together moments from the past with the present in Cheryl’s reveries.

Wild’s ace in the pack is Reese Witherspoon in a revealing performance that carries a large chunk of the film on her shoulders. She keeps Cheryl grounded in the long run of the story but also delves with nuances, into the wealth of emotional turmoil that still haunts her. Reese Witherspoon WildI admired the way that Reese Witherspoon showed off a very different side to herself in this film; she really made the part feel organic and natural from the very first moment we glimpse her. She gives an authentic, raw and fearless energy to the part that displays Cheryl as flawed but still relatable to the audience as we understand her sadness and want her to succeed. It has to stand as one of her best performances, as it is mightily impressive watching her reflect and react to the things that have been thrown her way, both mentally and physically. Supporting Witherspoon is the lovely work from Laura Dern as her mother, largely seen in flashback. Dern projects such a ray of sunshine to the film that you can see why Cheryl would go into a real tailspin as her lifeline of happiness is gone. Thomas Sadoski is well cast as Cheryl’s ex who still tries to be of help to her, even after their divorce. Michiel Huisman and Kevin Rankin each play people Cheryl meets a long the way, and who each give her something to spur her on.

The odd wandering bit of film can be forgiven as Wild wisely retains a modesty and reflection that makes for a subtle yet moving film, headed by a commanding and committed Reese Witherspoon, in one of her best roles.

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