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The Nest: A House but Not a Home

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Written and directed by Sean Durkin, The Nest is a powerful and unflinching look at the emotional termites that can eat away at the foundations of a marriage. After bursting onto the scene with his Sundance darling Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, Durkin has remained relatively quiet as a filmmaker. With The Nest, Durkin yet again proves his skill at delving into the psychology of his characters, especially as they begin to unravel. Stars Carrie Coon and Jude Law are simply incredible as a couple who watch as the intimacy that they once enjoyed together gradually erodes at the hands of selfish ambition and pride.

Set in 1986, The Nest follows Rory (Law) and Allison (Coon), a married couple who love their kids and enjoy a solid relationship built on intimacy and trust. Living in a New York suburb, they are the picture of middle-class success. Even so, when Rory receives an invitation to take a higher profile (and potentially higher paying) job back to his hometown of London, he convinces Allison that this will be best for them all. Renting an extravagant English country manor, everything starts out well for the family as they are excited to start their new lives. However, as time marches on and debt piles up, Rory and Allison’s unspoken frustrations begin to bubble to the surface and threaten their entire relationship.

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Though the emphasis of the film is on the marriage between Rory and Allison, their elaborate English manor plays an equally important role within the film. Set in a 16th century home, the titular ‘nest’ is an exquisite piece of historical architecture that is stunning to behold yet ominous to be in. Decorated with an endless amount of ornate decor, Durkin manages to make the manor’s spacious walls and landscapes feel suffocating and claustrophobic. The home’s imposing structures and endless lines of crown molding and windows feel increasingly like a prison. Increasing shadows and filtered light gradually swallows them whole. Due to Durkin’s use of set design, every backhanded compliment between Rory and Allison seems to make the manor grow colder and more threatening.

At the heart of their conflict lies a power struggle over personal ambitions and unfulfilled dreams. While Rory may say that he believes that returning to his home country will provide greater opportunities for them all, he is ultimately more concerned about his next big deal than his family’s well-being. Constantly overspending, he lives for a paycheque that never seems to arrive. Convinced that his financial gain will translate into happiness, Rory immerses himself into his work, gradually creating an identity of success based on self-delusion. Meanwhile, the formerly empowered Allison struggles with the gender inequality that has seeped into her home as a result of London’s circles of high society. Though she goes along with things at first, her spirit slowly begins to die as her life feels increasingly empty. Eventually, Allison retreats emotionally from her marriage and family, seeking solace with her beloved horse.

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In much of Durkin’s work, the most terrifying aspect of his stories is how naturally darkness lurks under the veil of innocence. In The Nest, Rory and Allison’s marriage begins as one of intimate love and support. However, as things unravel between them, both Rory and Allison lose sight of that humility and attempt to fill the void within them with power and dominance over one another. (One particular dinner at a restaurant where the two attempt to order for each other is particularly uncomfortable.) Like many couples that lose their spark, Rory and Allison focus increasingly on themselves and their own interests and steadily lose hope that they’re family will survive. However, by choosing to bookend his film with similar images, Durkin reveals that there is an eb and flow to all relationships that may offer some comfort to those who choose to fight through their struggles.

In only his second (!) feature, Durkin yet again demonstrates his remarkable skill at creating honest windows into the soul of his characters. As he slowly eats away at the foundation of Rory and Allison’s relationship, Durkin shows how good intentions can quickly turn to vanity when left unchecked by humility. When that happens, any relationship can feel as lonely as an empty house, regardless of how many people live within its walls.

For audio of our conversation with writer/director Sean Durkin, click here.

The Nest is available on VOD on September 18, 2020.

TIFF20: I Care a Lot

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I Care a Lot follows Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), a highly successful legal guardian who takes responsibility for the elderly and then exploits them for their vast fortunes. Sensing a huge potential windfall, she takes on a seemingly innocent new client named Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), immediately placing her in a nursing facility and strips her of her financial assets. However, when Jennifer’s ruthless benefactor Roman (Peter Dinklage) hears of her plight, Marla and her partner (Eiza Gonzalez) must go to war to protect their investments and potentially, save their lives.

Written and directed by J Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), I Care a Lot is an energetic dark comedy that commits to its wicked machinations and never looks back. Bursting with fire and entertaining from start to finish, Blakeson’s script pops with devilish glee as it highlights the malicious nature of corporate greed at the expense of the poor and oppressed. 

By unleashing its inner darkness, I Care allows greed to become the soul of Darwinian business practices. Ferociously attacking each other’s livelihood, both Marla and Roman exemplify the very nature of ‘survival of the fittest’. 

Though the heart of I Care a Lot may sound bleak, the film’s style and enthusiasm are hard to resist. Featuring solid performances across the board and a brutally fun script, Blakeson’s film breathes satirical fire that demands attention. As the stakes continue to rise and the inner darkness of his characters is unleashed in all its fury, Blakeson never loses sight of the damages caused by their carelessness.

Even if they seem completely unaware.

I Care a Lot is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Shadow in the Cloud

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Set during WWII, Shadow in the Cloud is an action-packed horror movie that stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Maude Garrett, a flight officer who embarks on a secret mission to deliver a confidential package. As a woman alone in a group of men on a rickety aircraft, Garrett finds herself forced to take the ride in the worst seat possible, the bottom glass turret located on the belly of the plane. Soon after, strange things begin to happen on this aircraft and Garrett’s position on the plane forces her to come face to face with a mysterious, unexpected passenger. 

Set in the 1940s, this was a time filled with sexism and toxic masculinity. Though she’s an incredibly accomplished and well-trained soldier, Garrett remains at the very bottom of the social ladder due to her gender. Symbolic of the social hierarchy of men and women of the 1940s, Garrett is forced by the men to stay down in the glass turret located in the bottom of the aircraft. Meanwhile, as she languishes in the most terrifying and cramped area of the ship, the egotistical—and less talented—men undeservingly get to relax in the comfort of the cabin area. Even so, Garrett bites her tongue and, as the film progresses, she helps fight off enemy fighter jets and, yes, even gremlins, in order to save the same men who were belittling her initially. (Incidentally, it’s worth noting that the ‘gremlin’ was an imaginary scapegoat in the 1940s for pilots to blame if they ever made a mistake while flying.) In doing so, Garrett’s bravery symbolically takes her from the bottom of the plane to its highest position, the pilot’s cockpit. 

One of the most unexpected and spuriously badass scenes of the movie comes as Garrett is confronted with one of the gremlins. As Garrett battles the creature with her bare hands, with the supposedly brave men watching from the sidelines. In this moment, the gremlin becomes more than a beast to fight as it also represents the stupidity and sexist attitudes of the male pilots. In doing so, Cloud suggests once again that, despite the social inequalities set into place by our culture, women continue to show strength and perseverance.

Writer/director Roseanne Liang does a great job in utilizing Moretz in the lead role. Personally, I think that Shadow in the Cloud is an excellent example of how directors can create strong female roles in other action movies. As Garrett, star Chloe Grace Moretz oozes confidence as a strong, independent women in this film. Often times, I have found that female-driven action films and tv series include moments that focus too much on addressing its agenda through poor writing. (I’m looking at you, CW…) In doing so, while well meaning, these moments try too hard to prove why women are equal to or better than men. By directing attention to the issue in this way, this style of writing can undermine their agenda by emphasizing differences over gender equality, despite their well-meaning intent. In doing so, these moments can unintentionally create a gender gap where women are required to ‘step it up’. However, in Shadow in the Cloud, Moretz isn’t trying to prove anything to the sexist men or constantly trying to validate why she is strong like them. She simply is. Through her actions, perseverance, flight abilities, combat skills, and ingenuity, Garrett embodies female strength and courage in a way that inspires. 

Shadow in the Cloud is an adventure that will thrill you and surprise with its twists and turns. Personally, I never expected to see Chloe Grace Moretz in such a serious and empowering role as she sets an example for all female action heroes going forward. I highly recommend it.

Shadow in the Cloud is currently streaming at Bell Digital Cinema at the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Good Joe Bell

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Directed by Renaldo Marcus Green, Good Joe Bell tells the true story of Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg), a loving husband and father from the American Heartland. The picture of traditional manhood, Joe’s conservative worldview is threatened when his son, Jadin (Reid Miller) tells him that he’s gay. After Jadin is bullied mercilessly at his high school, Joe sets out on a mission across America to speak to school groups, communities or anyone who will listen about the corrosive dangers of bullying. However, as he sets out on his journey, Joe must also confront his own inner demons in an effort to be fully transformed by his experience. 

Good Joe Bell is a timely look at what means to be truly changed from within. By telling the story from Joe’s perspective, the film effectively delves into inner biases that create a dangerous culture of oppression, as opposed to merely citing examples. Known for action blockbusters and comedic roles, Wahlberg is not generally known for subtly within his work yet his performance as Joe feels both personal and authentic. As Bell, Wahlberg offers an honest portrait of a man searching the very depths of his soul for new understanding. 

For this reason, the beauty of Good Joe Bell is that it feels so much larger than Joe himself. Structurally, the story may be a tale of one man’s attempt to confront his own prejudices out of love for his son, it also serves as an example of a Conservative culture in dire need of doing the same. Moving and sincere, Green’s story of a man who understands the need for change within his own life comes at a time when Joe’s voice needs to be heard.

After all, though his walk is his own, Joe’s journey to redemption could be anyone’s.

Good Joe Bell is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF20: Trickster

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Trickster follows Jared (Joel Oulette), an Indigenous teen who lives his life from one disaster to the next. Whether he’s dealing with his wild-child mother (Crystle Lightning) or supporting his father (Craig Lauzon), Jared struggles to get through the day, especially financially. When his part-time job selling drugs comes to an end, he feels lost within his own unstable, yet familiar, life. After he meets a mysterious stranger, Jared’s world is shaken as he begins to see talking ravens and doppelgangers. At first, Jared is able to write them off as wild, drug-induced hallucinations. However, as he explores the meaning of his visions, Jared soon discovers that the answer may lie in a tradition that he has long ignored.

Directed by Michelle Latimer (ALIAS), Trickster is a dark and mysterious ride through mythology as it collides with the modern era. While the series falls neatly into the ‘supernatural sub-genre’, Trickster‘s style and celebration of Indigenous culture keep the series fresh and engaging. Through her use of colour and tone, Latimer visually interweaves the mundane with the mystical, seemlessly blending the interaction between them. Featuring solid work by its entire cast, the series also crafts some truly unique characters that bring the world to life. (Crystle Lightning, in particular, is an absolute joy to watch as Jared’s free-wheeling but loving mother.)

In this way, Latimer has created a world that intrigues as well as challenges. Fun and mysterious, Trickster is an entertaining ride that draws you in through its premise but entices you to stay through its strong characters and storytelling. What’s more, while it thrives in its celebration of Indigenous traditions and folklore, it also serves as a humbling reminder of what can be lost when we misjudge our own place within the universe.

Trickster is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival and premieres on CBC on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 at 9:00pm.

TIFF20: The Father

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In The Father, Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Anthony, an elderly but wealthy man who cannot admit that he can no longer care for himself. When his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) informs him that she intends on moving to Paris, she attempts to bring in a home care nurse, Laura (Imogen Poots). As his condition deteriorates, Anthony struggles to adjust to the changes with moods swings that range from charming to insulting and Anne is forced to consider that her father may be better off in a long-term care facility instead of his beloved London flat.

The debut film from director by Florian Zeller, The Father is an emotional journey into the heart of dementia and the how it affects those on the outside. Though the film features an incredible performance by Olivia Coleman as the caring but torn Anne, the film is truly anchored by Sir Anthony Hopkins, who may have turned in one of the best performances of his career. As the centre of almost every scene, Hopkins is simply remarkable as the fading elder, imbuing his character with both vibrancy and terror.

In The Father, Anthony is a man who is constantly loved yet causes chaos within the home. Even so, while we bear witness to the fact that those around him struggle with his health, we also feel torn for Anthony as he continues to misread situations and react accordingly with fear, humour and rage. Honest and heartbreaking, The Father is an incredible example of what love looks like on the ground in the midst of struggle. The film’s shift in perspective serves as a reminder that the real terror may be within the mind of the person we love and the need for grace in the midst of that understanding from those around them.

The Father is currently streaming on the TIFF Bell Digital Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things – And Thinking and Thinking

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How best to describe I’m Thinking of Ending Things? The easy answer is that it’s a Charlie Kaufman film. (He both writes and directs.) His scripts (cf. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Synecdoche, New York) are always mind games (not only for the audience, but for the characters as well). He leads us through a twisted perception of reality. He challenges us to think about what identity means. He challenges us to think about what reality means. He challenges us to think about what life means. I would categorize him as an existentialist, but one who might befuddle Jean-Paul Sartre.

Jessie Buckley as Young Woman, Jesse Plemons as Jake in Im Thinking Of Ending Things. Cr. Mary Cybulski/NETFLIX © 2020

The story centers on a young woman (Jessie Buckley) and her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons) on a road trip to his childhood home to introduce her to his parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis). The young woman (in voice over) speaks of a thought in her mind of ending things—specifically, her relationship with Jake, which she thinks is going nowhere. As they drive through the snow, they talk about many things, sometimes in great depth.

Jesse Plemons as Jake, Jessie Buckley as Young Woman, Toni Collette as Mother, David Thewlis as Father in Im Thinking Of Ending Things. Cr. Mary Cybulski/NETFLIX © 2020

Perhaps you’ve noticed I haven’t told you the young woman’s name. It keeps changing. At various times she is called Lucy, Louisa, Lucia, and possible Amy. Her clothes change from time to time as well. And she is studying painting, quantum psychics (or physics), neurology, and/or genealogy. The disjointedness of her identity is just one part of the intentional confusion of the film. The young woman also sees the characters at different times of their lives. There is a bit of a dream/nightmare quality to what the young woman is experiencing.

As all of this plays out on the road, at the house, and on the road again going home, the discussions touch on poetry, musical theater, physics, cinematic history and criticism, and David Foster Wallace. People deliver very long quotations from a wide range of sources. And finally, we arrive at an empty school in the midst of a blizzard where we see a pas-de-deux based on Oklahoma in the hallways while the janitor (is it an old age Jake?) cleans the floors.

Guy Boyd as Janitor in I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Cr. Mary Cybulski/NETFLIX © 2020

Yes, that is a lot of input for a film. There are lots of moving parts in this invention. If I were to try to look at this film in depth, it would require a dozen or so viewings, plus various trips to the library to search out some of the quotations and people who are mentioned or alluded to. It would end up a term paper (or maybe a dissertation) with several chapters. But of course, most of us won’t be going down that rabbit hole. Instead we can just enjoy the rabbit hole that is this film.

Jessie Buckley as Young Woman in Im Thinking Of Ending Things. Cr. Mary Cybulski/NETFLIX © 2020

Like I said, it’s a Charlie Kaufman film. We know going in that things will get strange—that we may not know what is really happening. And what we experiencing and how we interpret what is happening is really what Kaufman is trying to get at. Our reactions are the real point of watching a film such as this. Our perceptions, our feelings, our sense of self are really what this film is ultimately about.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things is available on Netflix.

TIFF20: Enemies of the State

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Enemies of the State' Review: Whistle-Blower Doc Shocks Until the End - Variety

No stranger to American whistle-blower stories, Director Sonia Kennebeck (National Bird) tackles the unique and complicated life of Matt DeHart, formerly of the Air National Guard.  The Indiana home where Matt DeHart lived with his parents was raided based on the suspicion of child pornography.  Assuming that a child pornography charge was just a ploy to catch him with sensitive government documents (and because of his alleged ties with Anonymous and Wikileaks), Matt took action.  He drove to Mexico, and subsequently attempted to seek help with the Russian and Venezuelan embassies in Washington, D.C.  He believed the government was out to get him and realized that it was only a matter of time.

This wild story was only the beginning of a years long dance between DeHart and the United States government, including arrests, alleged torture, and seeking asylum in Canada.  Even after the attempt at seeking asylum in Canada, this story continued to evolve and get more complicated.

One constant throughout this whole story was how close the family bond was between Matt and his parents, Paul and Leann.  Paul and Leann were willing to protect their son by any means necessary.  Despite Paul and Leann both serving their country in the US military, they believed their son, lost faith in their country, and stuck with Matt every step of the way.

Matt DeHart, the hacktivist who was refused asylum in Canada, sentenced in U.S. on child porn charges | National Post

Not unsurprisingly, Enemies of the State came off as quite biased for the first three quarters of the film.  There were nominal scenes with statements from people who were against DeHart, but mainly it was Matt’s parents telling their terrifying story.  

However, the last half of the documentary certainly takes a different turn when new evidence is uncovered.  In fact, these new revelations make you question a lot of what you heard earlier on in the film.  You will likely question where the truth lies and whether or not what you just heard really is a giant conspiracy theory.

Enemies of the State is an entertaining and well put together documentary that gives you as much information as possible but still made you question the truth.  In fact, to this day (and largely due to Matt’s silence in the last year after being released from prison), we still don’t have the additional information that I felt was needed for closure.  Needless to say I’m interested to see what, if anything, happens with Matt in the future.  Matt DeHart has been compared to Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden.  Is he a hero who intended to release information that America needed to hear?  Or is he a criminal who attempted to cover up his wrongdoings with a conspiracy theory? 

Enemies of the State premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2020.

The Broken Hearts Gallery: Sifting through the Stuff

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Stuff is a funny thing.

I imagine the majority of us can sit down on any given day, look around and ask, “how did I get all this stuff?” I mean, at least that happens to me actually multiple times a day. I have antique heirlooms, random pieces of clay “art” that I have accumulated from each child during their pre-school and kindergarten years, more books than I will ever actually read, and notebooks…oh, how many notebooks I have.

But when I look at these items, whether in passing or in moments of contemplation, those items take me somewhere. They take me to my grandmother’s house and I remember exactly where it sat on the day we came back from her funeral 17 years ago this past August. They take me to the tiny, chubby hands presenting me with a painted “bowl” or “jewelry holder,” with the biggest grins of pride and accomplishment and tears begin to form. They transport me to my rough teenage and college years, or the early months of marriage, when I was figuring out just who I was and wanted to be. It’s stuff, yes, but that stuff comes with a message – of the past, of the present, of love, of heartbreak.

As such, I immediately connected with The Broken Hearts Gallery from Writer/Director Natalie Krinsky with Selena Gomez as an Executive Producer. Art curator Lucy (played by my new favorite comedic actress, Geraldine Viswanathan) collects mementos from all of her past relationships. Whether they are shoe strings, earbud cases, or ties, Natalie has these items meticulously placed throughout her room, much to the chagrin of best friends and roommates Amanda (Molly Gordon) and Nadine (Phillipa Soo, yes, of Hamilton). Despite their attempts to coax her out of her hoarder habit, Lucy is adamant that these items don’t just remind her of past loves, they hold memory of the good moments as well. On the heels of her most recent break-up mixed with a case of mistaken identity, Lucy stumbles into the path of Nick (Dacre Montgomery, aka “Billy” from Stranger Things). Their conversation on break-ups and stuff leads to Lucy’s inspiration for the Broken Hearts Gallery, which quickly becomes a social media sensation as people bring their mementos into Lucy’s care and later, on display.

I basically loved every minute of this movie. The script was delightfully witty and insightful, the chemistry between all the actors was electric. Viswanathan’s delivery and embodiment of Lucy had me wishing she was my new best friend, and Montgomery’s subtle charm had me smitten. 

Lucy’s heartfelt journey from collecting to freedom was authentic and moving, especially when she described heartbreak as “the great equalizer.” Pain and loss are universal. And while we all cope in unique ways, often we hold onto the physical mementos in an effort to hold onto the good memories before they fade away. 

But, even in our brokenness, we stitch pieces of ourselves back together. Sometimes it is through cleaning out the stuff. Sometimes it’s having a hard conversation with someone from our past. Sometimes it is opening ourselves up to a new kind of love, whether it be with another person or a new understanding and appreciation for our own self. No matter the how, The Broken Hearts Gallery does a phenomenal job of illustrating the why. And this is why it has earned a spot in my “must watch” collection. 

The Broken Hearts Gallery is available in theatres and on demand now.

I Am Woman – Raising Her Voice

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♫ “I am strong. I am invincible. I am woman.” ♫

Those words were part of what became the anthem of the Second Wave Women’s Movement in the 1970s. Unjoo Moon makes it the cornerstone of her Helen Reddy biopic, I Am Woman. The film is in part a celebration of her music set within her story amidst the background of the Women’s Movement.

Helen Reddy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) arrives with her daughter in New York in 1966 thinking she has won a record contract. It turns out the label has no plans for her. She sings in a lounge trying to make ends meet, but it is a struggle. She is befriended by fellow Aussie Lilian Roxon (Danielle Macdonald). At a party, she also meets Jeff Wald (Evan Peters) who is seeking a way into the management business. Jeff and Helen hit it off romantically. They move to Los Angeles where Jeff gets his foot in the door of the industry, but Helen is languishing in the role of housewife. She nags him into doing for her what he does for other clients, eventually getting her a chance to record some covers. That gets her started on her career.

Throughout the first half of the film, the demeaning nature of the male dominated entertainment industry (and culture as a whole) is obvious. She is pigeon-holed in a certain genre of music. Her husband is in many ways just as bad as everyone else in his view of the place of women, but he knows how to help Helen find success. It becomes obvious when she writes “I Am Woman” and wants to include it on her album. The men react to it, thinking it sounds “angry” and “man-hating”. But Jeff convinces them to bury it in the last half of the album because no one listens to that part anyway. But Jeff promotes that song in ways that make it a hit. Helen is one her way.

This is a by-the-numbers biopic. Intro. Struggle. Love interest. Success. Marital problems. Finding a new personal fulfillment. That motif is frequently used to tell stories that are designed to inspire. I Am Woman is a story of a woman who has to overcome both the struggle to find success, and the effects of attaining it.

Playing in the background is the society-wide struggle that women faced during that period. We see bits of the Women’s Movement and the battle for the Equal Rights Amendment. In some ways, Helen Reddy’s story reflects that period. She faces being talked down to because she is a woman. But she also becomes a symbol of a successful woman, with her own TV show, and worldwide fame. But there is also a downside to the life she has tried so hard at achieve. And in the end, like the ERA, perhaps all the success is just for show and there needs to be more done.

I Am Woman is playing in theaters and on VOD.