ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Reviews

The Greatest Beer Run Ever: Neither the Greatest, nor the Worst

by Leave a Comment

Set in the summer of 1967, The Greatest Beer Run Ever tells the true story of John ‘Chickie’ Donohue (Zac Efron), a young New Yorker who loves his boys, his beer and his country. As the Vietnam war continues to escalate, Chickie and his friends at home are sitting in a bar talking about what they can do to support the troops. Then, in a drunken dare, his friends challenge him to go overseas and send their friends a message of support from home in the form of some American beer. Fearing that they’ll think him a failure, he accepts and sets out across the ocean, with his cargo in tow. What Chickie  doesn’t anticipate, however, is the horrors of war that await him. Teaming with Coates (Russell Crowe), a photographer on a mission to tell the truth, Chickie soon realizes that the troops are going to need a lot more than a few brews to survive this tragedy.

Directed by Peter Farrelly, The Greatest Beer Run Ever may live up to its name, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t entirely worth the trip. Throughout the film, Farrelly goes out of his way to both support the troops and deny the war by highlighting the men who sacrifice their lives on behalf of the cause. (It’s worth noting that there are no women in the military on this Beer Run.) However, at the same time, Farrelly also wants to show the violence and horrors of war in ways to changes Chickie’s mind along the way. 

And, in a lot of ways, the film is fairly successful.

Often funny but clear on its agenda, Farrelly tells his story with a certain sense of affection. As the optimistic and energetic Chickie, Efron does an admirable job with what he’s given. Boarding a boat and trekking out into the jungle, Chickie has the best of intentions and Farrelly makes sure that we understand his good-natured spirit. However, if there’s a problem to be had with this particular Beer Run, it lies the writing.. Having cut his teeth on R-rated comedies in the late 1990s, Farrelly moved into the realm of ‘serious’ filmmakers with 2018’s controversial but Oscar-winning Green Book. 

But that may be the problem. Despite his growing skill behind the camera, Farrelly still leans into the humour as opposed to the horror. As a result, despite the opportunity to show the true damage of war, Farrelly pulls his punches when the film approaches difficult social issues. While violence and gore are not essential in a war film, Farrelly seems to hold back the worst aspects of war, allowing the audience to feel safer in the conversation than had it been left in the hands of another filmmaker. (In other words, there’s a little too much ‘good ole boys’ for a film that wants to change minds about the field of battle.) As a result, Beer Run is held back from becoming something truly memorable, despite its intriguing premise and some enjoyable performances. 

To paraphrase Crowe’s Coates character, “Beer Run isn’t the best idea… but it isn’t the worst idea either.”

At a heart, Beer Run is actually a film about political propaganda. Living in New York, Chickie and his friends are adamant that his military pals are on the side of justice and right righteousness. As they battle against the communists, Chuckie believes that his friends are fighting a war that matters. As a result, he and his friends are angered by the ‘one-sided’ reports that the press highlight on television. They’ve been told by the government that what they’re doing is right, and they’re ready to fight for it themselves. (In fact, when he’s in Vietnam, Chickie even stands up to the members of the press, arguing that they show too much of the dark side of the ward and not enough of the positive to rally the folks at home.)

However, after his experiences on the field, Chickie’s eyes are opened and he begins to realize truth behind the lies that he has been fed. Watching the cruelty of American military tactics, his opinions begin to shift. All of a sudden, he understands the role of the press is to community the truth about what’s happening, even if it means exposing a government that seeks to save face. (Without giving any spoilers, one scene in a helicopter is a particularly powerful catalyst for his journey.) The darkness he sees is unlike anything that he could have imagined.

And it leaves a mark on his soul.

In this way, Farrelly salutes the bravery of the press and the military at the same time. While this serves to make the film more enjoyable, Farrelly’s inability to pick a side waters down his overall message. It’s here that Beer Run fails its mission. While it may be the story of one man’s amazing journey, Chickie also represents the hearts and minds of so many others who simply swallow media coverage without question. This film was an opportunity to challenge the propaganda that people are willing to digest, even though we live in a world of ‘fake truth’. So, unfortunately, while The Greatest Beer Run Ever may be worth a drink, I’m not quite ready to toast to its success.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever streams on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 30th, 2022.

God’s Creatures – Problem Prodigal

by Leave a Comment

“We’re all God’s creatures in the dark.”

Jesus’ parable of the return of a prodigal son (Luke 15:11ff) is a complex tale of grace and of judgment. In the parable, we see the perspectives of the son, his father, and his brother. In God’s Creatures, directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, we get a glimpse at what the Prodigal’s mother might have gone through on his return.  There is great joy, but there are also problems that could tear apart her community and her family.

Brian O’Hara (Paul Mescal) returns home to his small Irish fishing village after seven years away in Australia. His mother, Aileen (Emily Watson) sees this as her prayers being answered. She’s even happier when Brian sets out to restore their long-abandoned oyster bed. When Brian is accused of a sexual assault, Aileen lies to give him an alibi. That lie, and Aileen’s sense of morality create a struggle she must deal with as the consequences compound.

This is a tightknit community. The men all work on the sea, the women in the processing plant. Everyone depends on the sea and its dangers for their survival. The tides and the storms of the sea are reflected in the tumultuous emotional journey that Aileen will face as the story develops.

Aileen may be protecting her son, but she also knows, works with, and likes the woman who accused Brian. As is often the case, it is Sarah, the victim, who is ostracized by the community. But there are some, even in her own family, who believe Sarah’s accusations. Aileen struggles between protecting her son, and doing what is right for the community and for Sarah.

The emotional and ethical struggle that Aileen goes through is very much like the life in the seaside village. It is ruled by tides and storms. The sea is beautiful, but dangerous. It gives life, but it can also destroy. As Aileen deals with the repercussions of her lie, it is as if she is facing the sea itself. She begins to see that there are dangers she hadn’t imagined. It may not be possible to face this storm without losing more than she can stand.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (or “Waiting Father” or “Elder Brother”) is one of Jesus’s most complex parables. It offers a wide range of points of view. It also raises some important issues. The Prodigal is never held to account, and in the end, we don’t see that he’s changed. If we use that parable as a lens to view God’s Creatures, we too may wonder if a welcome home was warranted by one who seems to have squandered so much.

God’s Creatures is available in select theaters and on VOD on Friday, September 30th, 2022.

Don’t Worry, Darling: Haunted by Toxic Nostalgia (Spoilers)

by Leave a Comment

Within certain sectors of American Christianity – particularly those on the Nationalism side of the fence – is a huge enamoring of 1950’s – mid 1960’s culture. In their minds, those suburban Leave It To Beaver days was America at its most perfect. Perfectly manicured homes. Beautiful landscaping. The dinner parties. The laughter. Girls were girls and men were men…

…unlike 2022 when women were finding success as doctors working 30 hour shifts, CEO’s, managers, project directors and countless other careers. These women are thriving. Some of their men, not so much. Job opportunities run dry. Passion is lost. They let their hair grow out and just sit in front of the computer salty and jealous because their women have lives of their own and they don’t. 

And that is the plight of Jack (Harry Styles); who watches his wife Alice (Florence Pugh) working those shifts with a simmering rage and jealousy. One day while searching the internet, he finds a podcast ran by Frank (Chris Pine), the leader of the Victory Project. Victory promises Jack the life that he wants – where he can be THE MAN and Alice can be the dainty little girly wife he wants her to be. 

So…as with all 2022 era movies, he arranges the both of them to be put into…a 1950’s metaverse. In said metaverae, Alice is the perfect wife. Dinner prepped every night. Ballet classes daily to practice uniformity. Clothes immaculate. Swinging and swanky dinner parties. Passionate PASSIONATE sex. It all seems perfect…

…except for Alice being haunted. Haunted by memories of a forgotten past. Haunted by her neighbor who has caught on the deception. Haunted by an overwhelming sense of being trapped and suffocated. 

Here’s the kicker about Don’t Worry Darling: the first 90 minutes of the flick are all in the metaverse. We don’t find out what REALLY happened – as detailed in the first section of this review – till the last 30 minutes or so. The moment we find out just what the heck is going on, I grinned. 

Why?

Because I thought about those Nationalists. I thought about those pastors who have been outed for their indiscretions. I thought about those men who lost their careers over #metoo #timesup and others. 

I thought about the vitriol I’ve seen from Christian communities, social media pages and comments from 10001 posts that shame our sisters for rising up and taking their authority as women of God AND women of modern society. I remembered the jealousy. The mocking. The sneering. The hate. The blaming of “woke” and “liberal culture.” The tweets I saw from Christian leaders and influencers that insinuate that women who pursue careers and college degrees are being deceived by Satan in an attempt to destroy God’s plan and design for family. To them, true deliverance is to go back to a modern day hybrid of that 1950’s utopia with Jack in his board meetings having cocktails after work and Alice in her SUV/Minivan shuffling off to school dropoffs, Target runs, soccer practices and all that…while she’s secretly haunted by memories of the woman she once was; the woman she STILL wants to be. 

Yeah. I thought about all that. Amazing how Olivia Wilde and team packed all that allegory into this movie. This is one of those “either you get it or you don’t” kind of movies. I got it. And every time I think about it – and the truth and lies that it exposes, I can’t stop grinning!

Don’t Worry Darling is now available in theatres.

TIFF ’22: MURU

by Leave a Comment

Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi, MURU tells the story of ‘Taffy’ Tawharau (Cliff Curtis), a Maori police sergeant who spends his time in relative quiet. Caring for his ailing father and driving a school bus, Taffy is a respected voice in the community. Though, unbeknownst to Taffy, trouble is brewing as the government has their area under surveillance for potential terrorist threats. The current focus of their investigation is Tame Iti, a Maori rights activist who yearns to help his people reclaim their identity. Meeting around the campfire to inspire those who will listen, Iti is believed to be the leader of a home-grown terrorist cell and the tensions bubbling under the surface soon begin to boil over. 

Based on the true story of the raids against New Zealand’s indigenous population, MURU is an intense thriller that demands attention and response. From start to finish, Kahi unleashes his story with passion and heat. This is a film with a heart for justice that’s packaged in the form of a gripping action piece. Although the film plays with some of the historical nature of the events, MURU reveals the damage caused by an oppressive government over the past century that have left irreparable scars on the Moari people.

Leading the way are some wonderful performances by its cast, especially that of Curtis and Jay Ryan. As Taffy, Curtis reveals the humility and humanity of his character as he attempts to reconcile his own emotional conflict. At the same time, Ryan brings a conflicted strength to military leader, Gallagher. Gallagher is a man whose responsibility is to the job yet, as the film progresses, he, too, must decide with the ramifications what he is willing to do when the mission no longer makes any sense. As things begin to escalate, the chemistry between the two actors helps draw out the brokenness of the situation by exposing the unfair 

In a lot of ways, MURU is a rallying cry for an indigenous population that continues to fight for their voice to be heard. Misunderstood by the military and the government, they are viewed as criminals through the lens of toxicity and racial bias. This is a world where carrying a broom to clean up your mess can be considered a concealed weapon and family disputes are viewed with ire by a government that does not understand. Interestingly, MURU is wise to be told in both English and their native language, as this is very much a film about the damage created by a lack of communication. Armed by their own flawed perceptions, the New Zealand government had created their own narrative about live amongst the Indigenous population long before the raids began. Although they espoused the desire to ‘keep the peace’, their selfish interests and false beliefs shaded their judgment and prevented any opportunity for them to build bridges between the two cultures. MURU catches this tension beautifully by highlighting misunderstandings that escalated into violence instead of creating spaces for conversation. 

What ensues is a tension that causes issues between both worlds and several of its main characters appear torn between two sides. The best example of this within the film remains Taffy, the indigenous police officer whose life is torn between his culture and his badge. Although he believes in justice, what he witnesses forces him to make a choice. Caught between his demands as an officer of the law and his commitment to his people who are being oppressed, Taffy wants to live with integrity yet struggles to know what that means. As MURU blurs the lines between right and wrong, so too does it acknowledge the need for police protection while also showing the horrific reality of police brutality. 

In this way, MURU wears its heart on its sleeve, crying out for justice in a place where there is none. 

To hear our conversation with Tearepa Kahi, Cliff Curtis and Jay Ryan, click here.

MURU premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.

TIFF ’22: My Policeman

by Leave a Comment

Directed by Michael Grandage, My Policeman is a love story that wants to demonstrate the height of passion yet leaves the viewer disappointed. Despite its willingness to show graphic scenes of sexuality, the film feels less like a breakthrough for the LGBTQ community and more of a failed opportunity to process the pain of the past.

Set in the 1990s, married couple Tom and Marion (Linus Roache and Gina McKee) live a contented and quiet life. However, their tranquility is threatened with their friend Patrick (Rupert Everett) suffers a severe stroke that requires Marion to invite him into their home to care for him. When she tells him of her decision, Tom is furious at his wife and refuses to speak with their old friend. Sitting in their grief and anger, Tom, Marion and Patrick reflect upon their youth (played by Harry Styles, Emma Corrin and David Dawson) and the complex and complicated relationships that set their world into motion.

In many ways, the most divisive aspect of Policeman will remain its cast. Led by Styles and Everett, the film has a certain sense of chemistry within the two groupings that helps their performances on screen. However, at the same time, there’s also seems to be something missing. 

Written by Ron Nyswaner, Policeman has an excellent opportunity to explore the injustice of oppression against the homosexual community. Set primarily during a time when homosexuals were thrown into prison for their behaviour, the film highlights their desire to express their love without fear or persecution. At this time, to be known as a homosexual meant imprisonment or worse and they are left to find one another amongst the shadows. Even so, within Nyswaner’s script, this potentially compelling conversation settles for bland romance and leaves its cast adrift in the process.

So, unfortunately for this viewer, the verdict is still out.

My Policeman premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here. 

TIFF ’22: How to Blow Up a Pipeline

by Leave a Comment

Written and directed by Daniel Goldhaber, How to Blow Up a Pipeline begins with Xochitl (Ariela Barer) slashing the tires of a nearby SUV in order to send a message. Committed to environmental protection, she believes that it is her responsibility to punish those who care little about the planet, especially if the law ignores them. Frustrated and hurt by the damage left by the climate crisis, Xochitl begins to recruit a team of like-minded people who are willing to take matters into their own hands by targeting a West Texas pipeline in an effort to garner some justice.

Set amidst the dry heat of Texas, How to Blow Up a Pipeline is an absolutely gripping thriller about a team of young environmentalists who set out on a mission to save the planet. Brilliantly executed by Goldhaber, Pipeline throws you into the action from the outside and never lets go. Following its characters with a broken narrative style, Goldhaber keeps the emphasis on the moment while also never forgetting the individual journeys that brought them together. As a result, he is able to reveal the motivations of his characters in ways that actually add to the overall storytelling and augmenting the heist itself. 

With fire and fury, Goldhaber demonstrates both the personal and environmental urgency of their convictions. Having all been broken by the recklessness of environmental destruction, the emphasis on their stories helps us to empathize with the convictions of each character, giving us the opportunity to support their acts of violence. Their interest lies solely in making the corporate world suffer for their actions without the cost of any human life in the process. In doing so, Goldhaber acknowledges that illegality of their actions yet justifies it as an act of rebellion for the greater good. 

How to Blow Up a Pipeline premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.

TIFF ’22: Corsage

by Leave a Comment

Set in Vienna in 1877, Corsage tells the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Vicky Krieps) as she celebrates her 40th birthday with her husband Emperor Franz Joseph (Florian Teichtmeister). Elisabeth lives a life of luxury, yet there is an ache in her soul. Feeling imprisoned in an loveless relationship, she goes largely ignored by her husband. What’s more, as rumours and whispers emerge, her reputation becomes sullied by quiet accusations of infidelity. As she moves to Bavaria to find a new beginning, she quickly discovers that, even in a new location, she will never be free.

Written and directed by Vicky Kreutzer, Corsage is the true story of one woman’s fight for strength at a time of oppression. At the hands of toxic, masculine power, Elisabeth’s life was one of tragedy as she was forced to take on a role that was far beneath her. As the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph, her place was meant to be one dominated by male power. In the same way that her bodice around her is gradually tightened, so too is Elisabeth become increasingly strangled within her own home. 

With a deep frustration and an inner rage, Krieps portrays Elisabeth as a woman on the edge. Krieps imbues the Queen with a claustrophic strength that is waiting for the opportunity to explode at any moment. Through her performance, the viewer understands that Elisabeth was a woman of strength who is willing to do whatever it takes to experience life yet remains without room to breathe. Questions of sexuality, indiscretion and speaking out of turn hang over her head, leaving her in the crosshairs of others in the regime.

Yet she continues to kick at the darkness.

Corsage premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.

TIFF ’22: North of Normal

by Leave a Comment

Based on the memoir written by Cea Sunrise Person, North of Normal unravels the author’s challenging and eccentric childhood. Living with her grandparents, Cea and her young mother Michelle (Sarah Gadon) retreat into the wilderness of Alberta in order to find a new life. However, when Michelle decides that it’s time to leave their unconventional home and trek on her own, she brings her daughter on a nomadic journey that will shape the way she views the world.

Directed by Carly Stone, North of Normal is an engaging coming-of-age story that comes alive as a result of its performances. Although the script is fairly solid, it’s the cast that is able to make it shine. Although it may have been based on a true story, these sorts of films don’t always feel honest. Even so, Normal wears its heart on its sleeve and charms the viewer. Featuring some wonderful work from Amanda Fix, Robert Carlyle and the rest of the cast, Normal feels authentic.

In many ways, one of the more interesting aspects of Normal are the lines that it draws between ‘running towards’ and ‘running away’. In Normal, every character seems to feel that the best way to face their problems is to avoid them. From cancer diagnoses to legal issues, this is a family that flees into the wilderness when they need a place to start over. However, Normal never judges its central family too harshly. In a fascinating mix, Normal paints its characters with a lens of grace, allowing them to live with their failings but also be loved in the process. Here, everyone’s scars can be seen but that doesn’t mean they don’t matter.

To hear our interview with Carly Stone and Amanda Fix, click here.

North of Normal premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.

TIFF ’22: 752 is Not A Number

by Leave a Comment

Directed by Babak Payami, the new documentary 752 is Not A Number begins on January 8th, 2020 after Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 is destroyed leaving Iranian air space, immediately killing all 176 passengers. Although Iranian authorities denied responsibility, there were many who believed otherwise. However, the answers that he was given was not satisfying to Hamed Esmaeilion, a dentist in Newmarket, Ontario. The husband and father to two of the victims, Esmaeilion becomes determined to retrieve their remains and begin a quest for justice for all of those who were killed in this atrocity.

Telling the unbelievable true story of one man’s desire to uncover to dig up the truth surrounding the death of his family, 752 is a relentless story of hurt and corruption. While the story is fueled by tragedy and pain, there’s also little doubt that Payami has found a tale that contains all the elements of the very best of thrillers. Determined to unravel the mystery of the death of his wife and daughter, Esmaeilion undertakes incredible risk to his own life as he challenges governments to take responsibility. Although he may be a simple Canadian dentist, his pursuit leads him into situations that feel as though they were taken from spy novels. With each piece of the puzzle that he discovers, he realizes that corruption is deeply embedded within government but he is not deterred from his quest. 

There is a fury to 752 that is utterly palpable. Driven by passion, Esmaeilion’s quest reveals the lengths that some will go to in order to cover up one’s sins. As the Iranian government attempts to brush aside the truth of their actions, Esmaeilion’s hurt and anger grows yet, at the same time, so too does his resolve. Despite threats to his life, he pursues with fervor in his pursuit of justice. 

752 is Not a Number premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.

TIFF ’22: Blueback

by Leave a Comment

Blueback tells the story of Abby (Mia Wasikowski), a marine biologist who returns home upon the news that her mother, Dora (Radha Mitchell) has suffered a terrible stroke. As she cares for her ailing mom, Abby takes the time to think about the incredible influence that Dora has had upon her life. Passionate about preserving the coral reefs, Dora challenges young Abby (Ilsa Fogg) to fight for what’s right and protect the natural world. As they explore the reef together, Abby befriends a large groper fish that they name Blueback who reminds them of the beauty of the ocean floor.

Directed by Robert Connolly, Blueback is a charming and passionate piece that calls for greater responsibility of taking care of our underwater world. Shot amidst the wonders of the Australian barrier reefs, the film features some stunning underwater footage that captures the vibrancy of aquatic life in all its glory. (In fact, the reef is depicted with such vibrancy the one almost wishes the film would have spent more time there.)

While Connolly is hardly subtle in his approach, Blueback wisely decides to embed its messages within the relationship between Abby and Dora and, thankfully, performances within the film are relatively solid. Together, Mitchell and Fogg have some delightful chemistry and give the film a sweetness and charm above that makes it enjoyable. (Strangely though, the best performance may be from Blueback the groper fish himself. For an underwater puppet—yes, sorry to disappoint his fans—Blueback has remarkable personality and its entirely realistic in its depiction.)

Charming and heart-warming, Blueback is an enjoyable piece that reminds the viewer of the connection between life on land and the wonder of the oceans. Simple and sweet, there’s a joy embedded within the film that makes one want to take their own journey under the sea.

To hear our interview with director Robert Connolly, Radha Mitchell and Ilsa Fogg, click here.

Blueback premiered at TIFF ’22. For more information, click here.