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Melissa McCarthy

TIFF ’21: The Starling

September 23, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

In The Starling, Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) and Jack (Chris O’Dowd) are a couple who have been shattered by tragedy. A year after their infant daughter has passed away, their grief has driven them apart. While Jack is recovering in a psychiatric clinic, Lilly tries to maintain her job in a local grocery store and keep their home stable. After an encounter with a tiny starling pushes her to the brink, Lilly reaches out to Larry (Kevin Kline), a local veterinarian, for help and emotional support.

Directed by Theodore Melfi, The Starling is an enjoyable film that still feels like somewhat of a mixed bag. Melfi understands how to bring the best out of his cast and they offer some good work here, especially O’Dowd and Klein. This is a film which deals with grief in a mature manner that refuses to settle for any easy answers on how to deal with the pain. There is a great deal of respect here for those who are hurting and how they manage to work their way through it. For example, each character within the film is dealing with their own pain in different ways, whether it’s Jack’s self-blame, Larry’s penchant to flee or Lilly’s denial. In each case, Melfi’s film allows its characters to be themselves and take their own journey’s towards healing. (In particular, Kline’s supporting role as the broken counsellor turned veterinarian anchors the film with a hesitant wisdom.)

Nevertheless, despite the strengths of the film, there are simply a few too many spaces that take you out of the experience. Despite her incredible dramatic talent, there are times when McCarthy’s need to provide humour somehow lets the air out of the moment. (The scene with the ladder is particularly noticeable.) While The Starling is most definitely an enjoyable and poignant film over all, there are times where it still feels like a missed opportunity.

In a strange way, one of the most intriguing aspects of the film is the starling itself. With every attempt that Lilly makes to rebuild her garden (and her life), the bird swoops down and make it difficult for her to do so. As she mows the lawn, she is forced to run into the house. Planting vegetables in the garden result in further random attacks from above. (In fact, she eventually even has to wear a football helmet to protect herself.) Despite the fact that she is attempting to do something constructive, she finds herself under constant threat of assault from her tiny feathered adversary.

However, this is also what makes the starling so interesting. Mirroring Lilly’s struggles, this small, territorial bird operates as a strong metaphor for grief’s ability to constantly attack at random times. For anyone who has endured the trauma of grief, there is a certain level of paralysis that takes place for the wounded. As much as one wants to let go of their suffering, there is a process that must be endured in order to do so. Similarly, despite the fact that Lilly desperately wants to move forward, this tiny creature keeps causing her to fall flat on her back or run away in fear. 

And it refuses to relent.

As such, grief is portrayed as a road with many twists and turns. Days of joy turn quickly based on a simple reminder of the pain that they’d briefly forgotten. Moments that feel like breakthroughs can bring hope but can also seem elusive. Each experience feels like an eternity and yet gone in a blink of an eye. Every character does what they can to get through the day. 

Incidentally, it’s worth noting that, although faith is brought into the film, it is also held a distance. As Lilly attempts to get through the day, she sits and stares blankly at a television program that mentions that there’s hope yet gives few answers. In this way, faith becomes somewhat of a panacea for this grieving mother as she zones out in front of the TV but never really seems to be able to connect it to her life. While never portrayed negatively here, faith simply seems irrelevant to her experience, even if it is calming for her.

But this is what works best within the film. These quieter moments highlight the challenges of suffering and grief without sacrificing their complex nature. Whereas many films often offer simple solutions, The Starling doesn’t always come to conclusions and that is too its credit. Even though the more slapstick moments can deflate moments that need thought, the more one reflects on the film, the more one can appreciate what Melfi and his team are trying to do. Like the starling itself, this is a story that understands that grief must be endured before it can finally be released.

To hear our interview with director Ted Melfi, click here (audio) and here (YouTube).

The Starling premiered at TIFF and is available on Netflix on Friday, September 24th, 2021.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Chris O'Dowd, grief, Kevin Kline, Melissa McCarthy, The Starling, Theodore Melfi

Nine Perfect Strangers: Everybody has a Story

August 18, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Based on the New York Times best-seller by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is set at an elite health and wellness resort in the mountains of California. For 10 days, nine clients are selected to join guru Masha (Nicole Kidman) for a time of inner healing and transformation. Stressed out from the burdens of urban life (and life in general), the strangers gather together to find hope and healing for their tired minds and bodies. However, as Masha’s methods become increasingly invasive and personal, so too must her clients decide if the treatment is worth the potential cure.

Nine Perfect Strangers is a weird and wild exploration of the darkness that we all keep underneath the surface. Directed by Johnathan Levine, the series seeks to deal with the psychology of trauma (and the traumas of psychology). Set amidst the stunning backdrop of Australia (subbing for California), Strangers highlights the tranquility of nature yet also uncovers the turmoil from urban life. In essence, despite the serenity of the surroundings, Levine’s uses the personal struggles of his characters to swirl within them with a chaotic rage.

Certainly, there are aspects of the series that simply don’t work. For example, without giving any spoilers, a twist that begins to explain why characters are having their spiritual encounters is particularly strange (and unethical) to say the least. Even so, despite its flaws, Strangers strangely keeps you watching. Build upon an intriguing premise and mysterious setting, Strangers operates on a slow build that unravels its secrets at the right pace.

In some ways, Strangers is reminiscent of ABC’s classic drama Lost, a series which also balanced psychological and mystical components. When most people remember Lost, they usually focus on elements like the ‘smoke monster’ or ‘the hatch’. However, that was not what made the show work so well (and arguably what killed the series). Instead, the most intriguing aspects of that show were always the backstories of its characters and their influence on the present, rather than the more supernatural elements that influenced events. The real story to that series was watching people deal with the tragic events of their past and thankfully, Strangers also keeps its eye firmly on its characters.

While not all nine strangers receive equal investment from the script, there’s something fascinating about their individual arcs and performances that makes this a compelling watch. Strong chemistry between Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale make them an intriguing ‘will they/won’t they’ couple. A surprisingly muted but enthusiastic performance by Michael Shannon adds to the complexities of his family’s compelling backstory. Even Nicole Kidman’s Masha maintains enough mystery in her own flexible morals to keep the viewer interested. 

And Kidman’s Masha really is the lynchpin to the series. As the evil (or is she?) mastermind to the resort, Masha is portrayed as both guru and maniac. Although she is more than willing to play fast and loose with the emotional well-being of her clients and staff, there also appears to be a method to her madness that somehow makes her seem disarming. Having specifically chosen her applicants based on their psychological profiles, Masha uses their traumas in ways to play them off of one another in their own journey towards healing. Although their arcs are entirely separate from one another, Masha sees aspects within them that helps both expose their flaws and enhance the healing of others.

In this way, Strangers emphasizes the importance of the fullness of everyone’s story. Each one of the resorts clients have come to this space in desperation, looking for some form of hope. Driven by secrets that remain buried deeply within them, their sufferings have crushed their spirits. Broken and battered by the pain of life, every character sees this resort as their last resort as they attempt to come to grips with their own inability to achieve the perfection that they expect of themselves. However, although they could not be more different, each of their stories remains important and valuable. 

As their internal wounds are exposed by Masha’s bizarre teachings and tactics, so too are they able to face the pain which has plagued them for so long. As such, the purpose of this retreat is not merely to tell them that ‘everything will be okay’. Instead, it is about owning their darkness as an important part of their journey and accepting the truths that they deny. For Masha, hope lies in our ability to face our darkness and own it.

To her, healing is about wholeness and hurt has its place within that.

Wild and mysterious, Nine Perfect Strangers is far from a perfect series. Admittedly though, its strong performances and enigmatic atmosphere make it a compelling watch. While Masha’s methods may border on a lawsuit at times, so too does she prove that these strangers do not need to be perfect. They merely need to understand themselves more fully in order to find peace.

Nine Perfect Strangers is available on Hulu on Wednesday, August 18th, 2021.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Hulu, Reviews Tagged With: Bobby Cannavale, hulu, Johnathan Levine, Liane Moriarty, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Nicole Kidman, Nine Perfect Strangers, Tiffany Boone, Zoe Tarakas

Podcast: Believing in GHOSTBUSTERS + COMIC CON!

July 25, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

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http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2.20-Ghostbusters.mp3

This week on the show, Steve Norton and Chris Utley prove they ain’t afraid of no ghosts as they discuss Paul Feig’s controversial remake of GHOSTBUSTERS! Plus, in What’s Biting, Arnaldo Reyes gives us a report on the excitement of this year’s Comic Con!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

2.20 Ghostbusters (2016)

Filed Under: Podcast, Reviews Tagged With: Comic-Con, ghost, ghostbusters, ivan reitman, kate mckinnon, Kristen Wiig, leslie jones, Marvel, Melissa McCarthy, paul feig, reboot, remake, Warner Bros.

The Boss: The Melissa McCarthy Pattern

July 25, 2016 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

theboss

Let’s consider the post-Bridesmaids chart of Melissa McCarthy vehicles: Identity Thief (good). The Heat (hilarious). Tammy (forgettable). St. Vincent (good). Spy (hilarious). Of course, the next film is The Boss… and it falls into the “forgettable” category, setting up McCarthy’s next film in the good-to-hilarious pattern. (Here’s looking at you, Ghostbusters.)

McCarthy stars as Michelle Darnell, a money-wrangling, speech-giving sociopath (okay, that’s a little strong), who tangles with her ex-mentor/lover, Renault (Peter Dinklage), one too many times. He reports her to the SEC, and she’s left with nothing. No one likes her. But her sympathetic ex-assistant Claire (Veronica Mars, er, Kristen Bell) and her daughter take in the homeless ex-billionaire. And then she takes over the knockoff Girl Scout group and we watch a movie about Darnell and Claire sparring as their brownie (get it?) company takes off.

Sadly, for all of my love for McCarthy and Bell, the film just isn’t funny. I rarely consider anything with Dinklage uninteresting, but this just doesn’t fly. Again, it’s written by McCarthy and her director husband, Ben Falcone, who also helped write and direct Tammy. Uh-oh. Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?

If anything, there’s something to be said for a billionaire who gets their comeuppance, but I don’t know if that’s clever enough for the populace. Right now, our political heavyweights are entertaining enough on their own.

For those fans who wade through and want more, there’s still an original sketch (Darnell was McCarthy’s Groundlings creation), more Dinklage, and the Gag Reel (sadly, the funniest part). 

Filed Under: DVD, Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ben Falcone, Groundlings, Kristen Bell, Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly, Peter Dinklage, Tammy, Veronica Mars

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