Nights in Rodanthe

Tags

2000's, Christopher Meloni, Diane Lane, Drama, George C. Wolfe, James Franco, Nicholas Sparks, Nights in Rodanthe, Richard Gere, Romance, Scott Glenn, Viola Davis

Film Title

Nights in Rodanthe

Director

George C. Wolfe

Starring

• Diane Lane as Adrienne Willis
• Richard Gere as Dr Paul Flanner
• James Franco as Mark Flanner
• Christopher Meloni as Jack Willis
• Scott Glenn as Robert Torrelson
• Viola Davis as Jean

A predictable and schmaltzy romantic drama, Nights in Rodanthe is made at least watchable and bearable by the presence of Diane Lane and Richard Gere, who bring a much-needed heart to an utterly contrived and unoriginal movie.

Adrienne Willis is a mother of two trying to keep it together after her husband Jack left for another woman. The trouble is now he wants her back and Adrienne is caught in a conundrum of whether to forgive him for his affair or continue as she is. Her strained relationship with her teenage daughter, who always takes her father’s side does little to help matters. So while her kids are staying with their father for the weekend, she decides to go to her best friend Jean’s inn in Rodanthe, North Carolina to tend to the rustic place on the beach. She hopes that while there she can come to a decision about her future while clearing her head. Also staying at the inn for the weekend is Dr Paul Flanner; who has his own troubles regarding a patient who died on the operating table, the family of the deceased patient suing him and his fractured relationship with his son, who is also a doctor. At the beginning of the weekend, the terse Paul is withdrawn and not at all talkative towards the conflicted Adrienne. But as Adrienne begins to coax him to talk, he also helps her reveal her pain. With a hurricane forecast and it best to stay inside, it is here where the two emotionally conflicted people really get to know each other. Over the course of the stormy weekend, Adrienne and Paul begin to open up to each other and help at least make some repair to their wounds and conflicts. Soon enough, a genuine romance sparks between them. But can their burgeoning romance blossom when they still have difficult decisions to make?

Firstly before I begin discussing my thoughts on Nights in Rodanthe, I’ll admit that I knew that it would probably be contrived and predictable. I mean it’s based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, who always churns out romances that all bear striking resemblances to the last. But I at least expected there to be something else brought to the table with this movie. Sadly, it settled for the inevitable story line and cloying sentimentality that it seemed destined for. Unconfident direction from George C. Wolfe does nothing to distinguish this movie from the endless glut of schmaltzy romances that populate cinemas on a regular basis. He seems more interested in basking in the glowing sunlight and changes of weather that occur over the weekend, rather than the romance that develops between Paul and Adrienne. And while  everything looks nice in Nights in Rodanthe, the scenery of the beach and crashing waves is pleasant enough, once again the ghost of every other cliché in the unoriginal romantic movie book is ever-present. Cue kisses in the wind, walks along the beach and cuddling by the fire. Clunky dialogue is another problem that makes some of it just feel ridiculous, especially the parts involving Adrienne and her daughter that come off as boring and melodramatic. The music score is lush but uninspired and occasionally lurches all over the show, and doesn’t manage to compliment some nice visuals. Saying all of this, Nights in Rodanthe does have some emotional impact, particularly as it nears the end and it’s inevitable that you’ll be reaching for the tissues.

Thank goodness we at least have Diane Lane and Richard Gere to enliven events and give Nights in Rodanthe at least a shred of believability and lovely chemistry. Diane Lane has always been an actress of depth and authenticity and that shines through here. Showcasing Adrienne’s worries that give way to a more relaxed persons, Lane just feels so radiant and lovely that it’s hard to take your eyes off her. She makes even the most clunky dialogue ring true and that is saying something with the material she’s given here. Richard Gere also does his best as the tortured Paul, haunted by emotions and pain. As previously mentioned, the two of them have a great rapport with each other and work very well together. Having worked together before in Unfaithful, you can just sense that they share something special when working with each other. Sadly, everyone else in this movie suffers from either being seen to little or just having roles that aren’t that interesting. Which is a shame when you have people like James Franco, Christopher Meloni, Scott Glenn and Viola Davis.

So despite the presence of Lane and Gere, boasting natural chemistry, Nights in Rodanthe falls very flat and ends up just another run of the mill romantic drama that you’ve seen been done countless times before.

 

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Final Analysis

Tags

1990's, Eric Roberts, Final Analysis, Kim Basinger, Neo Noir, Paul Guilfoyle, Phil Joanou, Richard Gere, Thriller, Uma Thurman

Film Title

Final Analysis

Director

Phil Joanou

Starring

• Richard Gere as Isaac Barr
• Kim Basinger as Heather Evans
• Uma Thurman as Diana Baylor
• Eric Roberts as Jimmy Evans
• Paul Guilfoyle as Mike O’Brien

A twisting neo-noir that alludes to the works of Hitchcock, Final Analysis is a good enough thriller that although derivative and more than a little flawed manages to keep the attention with glossy style and cast.

Isaac Barr is a dedicated psychiatrist in San Francisco who is treating a strange patient by the name of Diana Baylor. The unusual young woman is plagued by traumatic dreams that seem to stem from her childhood, but every time Isaac gets close to getting to the bottom of it, Diana somehow switches off and refuses to talk. Wanting to get to the root of Diana’s case, Isaac contacts her older sister Heather in the hopes of possibly discovering something. What Isaac gets is something he least expected. The gorgeous Heather captures his attention immediately and he feels for her because she is locked in a loveless marriage with Jimmy Evans, a hotheaded gangster who controls her every moved and exercises complete domination over her. Soon enough, Isaac and Heather have entered into a steamy affair after the stunning Heather secures him, despite the implications of him going against medical ethics. Yet while their affair is dangerous, there is also the matter of a strange condition that Heather suffers from. If she consumes even a tiny bit of alcohol, she flies into a violent and uncontrollable rage after which she can’t recall any of her actions. Events for the unsuspecting Isaac get more complicated when the vicious Jimmy is killed by Heather during what appears to be one of her violent episodes. Put on trial for murder, Isaac acts as a help to her because of his desire for her and tries to aid her in getting off through his friendship with her defence attorney Mike O’Brien. Yet as the case begins to open, several things begin to test Isaac’s faith in Heather as he starts to suspect she may not be the vulnerable and abused woman she appears to be. Mystery and deception meet as Isaac digs into the twisting case that is not what it seems on the surface.

As aforementioned, Final Analysis owes a lot to the movies of the masterful Alfred Hitchcock. And while it can be neat counting the references to his work, especially Vertigo, it can grow a bit bothersome as it is a film that is never going to be put in the same category as his work. Regardless of that, director Phil Joanou keeps things very stylish and moving along nicely, and it’s not hard to see that he knows how to frame an enticing shot for this neo noir. Good examples of these skills are the opening credits that provide vignettes of what is to come being illuminated by a searching fog light, a tight close up of the haunted Diana recounting her dream and later a stormy climax at a rickety lighthouse. Derivative as Final Analysis may be, it still is sure as hell an entertaining mystery. The writing is good for the most part, yet while it builds a sense of unease in the beginning, it starts to squander it in the middle by revealing a bit too much information and throwing in some very incomprehensible twists. Thankfully, the tense climax makes up for the floundering middle half with panache and thrills. A string heavy score delightfully recalls the work of Hitchcock regular Bernard Herrmann with its romantic undertones and sense of passionate danger.

Richard Gere is very good as the unsuspecting Isaac, whose confidence in his beliefs and love for Heather are sorely tested as the case opens up. Gere successfully makes Isaac a character who finds himself caught in a web and tries to navigate his way out, only to uncover more deception. The beautiful and talented Kim Basinger sizzles as the mysterious Heather, who is by turns sad, beguiling and extremely seductive. Basinger brings energy to the part as we like Isaac, begin to witness how the afraid surface she projects may in fact hide something a lot more deadly. A young Uma Thurman projects a haunted and almost ghostly quality to the role of the traumatised Diana, who may know more than she is letting on as the web of deceit intensifies. Eric Roberts may only be on screen for a short amount of time, but when he’s there he exudes an animalistic intensity and thuggish demeanor as Heather’s ultimately ill-fated husband. Paul Guilfoyle is very amusing as Isaac’s best friend and lawyer who showcases humour during the trial.

Flawed but still very entertaining, Final Analysis has enough visual flourishes and contributions from a game cast to make it watchable. It may not be going down as the best thriller out there, but it is still well done and effectively directed by Phil Joanou.

Chicago

Tags

2000's, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago, Christine Baranski, Drama, John C. Reilly, Musical, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Rob Marshall, Taye Diggs

Film Title

Chicago

Director

Rob Marshall

Starring

• Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart
• Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly
• Richard Gere as Billy Flynn
• Queen Latifah as Matron Mama Morton
• John C. Reilly as Amos Hart
• Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine
• Taye Diggs as The Bandleader

A flashy, well-mounted musical based on the stage show, Chicago smolders with dark sensuality, exuberant, sensational music numbers and tons of smoky atmosphere. This jazzy film is a feast for the eyes and ears and full of scandal, sex and corruption to entertain all.

1920’s Chicago: meek housewife Roxie Hart desperately wants to be a vaudeville star. Although married, she is having an affair with a sleazeball who has been promising her a path to stardom, but has been stringing her along. When she finds this out, she flies into a passionate rage and shoots him dead. At first, a panicked Roxie tries to get her lovingly devoted husband Amos to confess to the crime, but the police see through the story as Amos becomes aware that his wife was having an affair behind his back. Subsequently arrested for her crime of passion, she is sent to the Cook County Jail to await trial. While there, she meets her idol Velma Kelly, an established star who has been imprisoned for shooting dead her husband and her sister/stage partner after discovering their affair. Velma is the queen bee of the spotlight and has no intention of giving it up. Meanwhile, Roxie is prompted by the corrupt but caring Matron Mama Morton to enlist smooth talking lawyer Billy Flynn to represent her in trial. Roxie accepts and soon becomes something of a sensation under the ruthless and manipulative tutelage of Flynn, and proves herself as equally cold-hearted and deceptive in her rise to the top. The media pounces on the story and it seems that murder and ensuing trials are just as much a form of entertainment as vaudeville. This sudden turning of the tables doesn’t sit well with Velma, who wants her stardom back. And with there only being room for one person at the top in the cut throat show business industry, it’s a fight for the spotlight indeed as music, celebrity and murder meet in glamorous fashion.

Rob Marshall invests Chicago with a dark heart and glamorous allure of stardom, complete with a stunning rendering of the scandalous 20’s and the decadent calling of the time. A whole lot of panache is thrown into Chicago that adds to the enjoyment, especially in the musical numbers. Crafted from Roxie’s point of view and filtered through a dreamlike gaze, these are stunning achievements that hark back to the classic musicals from Hollywood’s Golden Era. The opening number ‘All that Jazz’ is sexy and vibrant as sung by the brash diva Velma.  ‘Cell Block Tango’, in which female inmates narrate their crimes while dancing up a darkly seductive storm is a feverish delight. ‘Mister Cellophane’ sung by Roxie’s good-hearted but used husband Amos, dressed as a melancholy clown and reflecting on how he is looked over by everyone because he is unimportant. And my personal favourite ‘When You’re Good to Mama’ where Mama Morton explains the process by which she works known as reciprocity, all while performing a burlesque number with an ostrich feather. Everything comes together in the musical numbers and they really help expand the story and move it on. I couldn’t possibly talk about every musical number without going into extreme detail, so I’ll just say that they are knockouts. I was especially impressed with the portrayal of stardom in this film. A corrupt, dark but very entertaining business that can make you a star and then forget about you the next. There’s something amusingly cynical about this portrayal but also truth to it. And while some musicals rely too much on the numbers to carry them, Chicago has a witty script of catty one-liners and waspish remarks to boast.

In the lead role of fame-seeking Roxie, Renée Zellweger is very convincing, showing off excellent vocal skills and dance moves. She encapsulates Roxie’s naive attitude in the beginning and her rise to stardom which makes her a manipulative woman who cradles every ounce of that spotlight. Considering Zellweger had no prior training in either dance or singing, you really couldn’t tell from watching her fine work here. Yet while Zellweger is excellent in the lead, it’s Catherine Zeta-Jones who steals the show in an Oscar-winning performance. Sexy, bitchy and diva like, she is a marvel to watch whenever she is on the screen. And her sensational dancing skills and beautiful singing voice complete this impressive turn that deservedly won her many awards. Richard Gere is a natural fit for the role of the greasy, silver-tongued lawyer who turns his clients into stars. Queen Latifah is funny, sneaky and fabulous as the matron who will help you out if you provide money. John C. Reilly makes the most of his role of Amos, the neglected husband who is walked over by everyone. Reilly just has this knack for really wringing out deep emotion in this part as we witness how he is used by everyone around him simply because he is a decent person in a time of lies and schemes. Christine Baranski is impressive as the sensational journalist jumping on the scandal, while a mysterious cameo from Taye Diggs as a bandleader who introduces the musical numbers completes the impressive acting on show.

Flamboyant and exuberant, Chicago is a triumph of the musical genre that entertains throughout.

 

Unfaithful

Tags

2000's, Adrian Lyne, Diane Lane, Drama, Erotic Thriller, Olivier Martinez, Richard Gere, Thriller, Unfaithful

Film Title

Unfaithful

Director

Adrian Lyne

Starring

• Diane Lane as Connie Sumner
• Richard Gere as Edward Sumner
• Olivier Martinez as Paul Martel

Executed with style and erotic frisson from director Adrian Lyne, Unfaithful examines the price of a chance encounter between two people and the subsequently dangerous affair that begins.

Connie Sumner appears to have it all: a beautiful house in a New York suburb, Edward, her loving husband and her excitable young son Charlie. While her marriage seems to be stable and all she could ask for, you can’t help but get the feeling that something is missing from it. One day Connie is picking up supplies for her son’s birthday party in downtown SoHo, when a fierce wind blows in. She is literally thrust into the arms of Paul Martel, a handsome, French book seller. He offers to help her clean up her grazed knee and begins to flirt with her. She initially dismisses this and returns home. Yet somehow this chance meeting with a dashing stranger has deeply left a mark upon her. Although she knows what she is about to do is wrong, Connie throws caution to the wind and returns to see Paul, culminating in a passionate love affair. As the relationship grows bolder and Connie becomes consumed by her obsessive desire for the virile Paul, Edward begins to suspect something is wrong. He hires a private detective to watch his wife’s actions to see if she is playing away. Let’s just say that events become complicated and tragic when passion, jealousy and rage meet head-on.

Director Adrian Lyne is the perfect choice to direct Unfaithful as he has dissected adultery and infidelity in many of his films. He gives Unfaithful a stormy and moody visual style as well as a burning amount of animal passion. The camerawork is marvellous in conveying a sense of foreboding such as the sensual windstorm that sweeps Connie into the path of Paul. One can read it as a precursor to the heat that will inevitably drive their affair, but also as a warning for the damage it will cause in the process. And speaking of intense passion, the many love scenes between Connie and Paul are provocative and supremely sexy. With genuine chemistry, sizzling direction and palpable connection, you can practically feel the heat between the characters locked in this love affair. Unfaithful may be billed as an erotic thriller and certain parts of it conform to the genre, but it fares better as a drama about the price of betrayal and obsessive desire. And while some scenes linger on for longer than needed, one can’t deny the steamy and dramatic pulse of the piece. A slow-burning score of clashing passion and serious indecision gives another layer to Unfaithful.

Diane Lane delivers a standout performance in the central role of Connie. We see that Connie is conflicted and passionate at the idea of an affair, but can’t resist the temptation. Rather than make Connie very unsympathetic as a character, Diane Lane brings something else to the part. Coming across as luminous and natural, we may not agree with what Connie is doing but rather we see her wrestle with the scale of what this affair could bring. The crowning moment of this complex performance is Connie on her journey back from sleeping with Paul. A whole collection of emotions flicker across her face: she’s excited, sad, doubtful and slightly elated by the whole thing and Lane makes her feelings so believable and palpable. It truly is a wonderful performance from Diane Lane that gives Unfaithful a whole lot of impact. Richard Gere turns in a quiet performance as Edward, Connie’s husband suspicious of her whereabouts. He is just a mild-mannered man who wants answers and that’s what makes Connie’s betrayal all the more devastating. There is also a rage to Gere’s performance as he begins to feel the betrayal of the women close to him. Olivier Martinez is mainly required to be virile, charming and seductive and he does this with aplomb as he captures Connie’s attention and won’t let go. While the role isn’t much of a stretch in terms of astonishing acting ability, it fits the part well enough.

Sensual and steamy while also being dramatic, Unfaithful is an erotic drama with stylish direction and excellent work from the cast, especially Diane Lane.