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Steve Carell

Space Force: Netflix Spoofs Space Workspace

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If Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott had cursed more and been in charge of the new presidential directives to put boots in space, The Office would be Space Force. Here, Carrell is General Mark R. Naird, the Chief of Space Operations. He’s a hardworking soldier who has always played fair, hoping to one day direct the operations of the Air Force but now stuck with the unenviable role of putting Americans in space.

Netflix’s Space Force dusts off the workplace jokes but sends them into space so that the levels of humor are out of this world (groan). John Malkovich is Dr. Adrian Mallory, the scientist who actually knows how space efforts should work and who wrestles with his issues of inadequacy (thanks to the lack of respect he gets from Naird and others). Two other hapless souls, Ben Schwartz plays F. Tony Scarapiducci the poor soul in charge of social media for Space Force and Tawny Newsome plays Naird’s driver/helicopter pilot Angela Ali. Throw in some political conflicts (Noah Emmerich, Jane Lynch, and Patrick Warburton play other military branch heads) and plenty of family drama (Naird has a teenage daughter), and this really is a top-level workplace comedy.

While the workplace material has typical moments, there’s more here given that we’re talking about a based-in-reality-space exploration. Naird has to try to negotiate communication with a chimpronaut (a chimp in space) and deal with ridiculous technology that malfunctions as often as your cellphone. His daughter wrestles with being the daughter of a general. The opportunity to show inter-agency/branch conflict lends itself to myriad storylines, not to mention all the political asides that slide in to each episode. It’s like a crazy blend of insanity that allows us to watch comedians we know and love in completely different roles — and it rockets off in wildly, different directions.

Sure, network TV may be grinding it out thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Netflix is still rocking it.

Beautiful Boy: Everything

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David Sheff (Steve Carell) dabbled in his share of drugs as a youth but seemingly grew out of that phase and developed into a responsible adult. On the other hand, his son, Nic (Timothee Chalamet), didn’t have the same luck in his experimental drug phase. Although experimenting with numerous drugs, Nic specifically became addicted to crystal meth, a highly addictive and dangerous drug that is nearly impossible to quit.

Directed by Felix Van Groeningen, Beautiful Boy is based on the true story of Nic Sheff’s addiction, David’s heart-wrenching struggle to save his son, and the family dynamic surrounding this difficult situation.

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When Nic wasn’t home, David seemed to live a picture perfect life with his newer family; his second wife, Karen (Maura Tierney), and their two children. They seemed happy and lived in a generous and well-kept home. David cooked and Karen made art. But when Nic was around, everything seemed heavy. David began to devote his life to helping his son, not only by being there for him and taking him to rehab, but by researching the drug and what was actually going on inside of Nic’s body. This was clearly a large time commitment and was very emotionally draining, not only on David but on his family as well.

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Throughout the film, we see numerous flashbacks to when Nic was a young boy. Not only does this highlight the special relationship between Nic and David, but it humanizes him as an addict. All too often, I think that addicts are portrayed as less than others or looked down upon. Some people have no pity for them because they “did this to themselves” and have to live with the consequences. Sometimes people may see them as pathetic. Perhaps some people wonder what drove them to drugs in the first place. Do they have an undesirable home life? Were they abused? That may be the case for some, but not all. Everyone that has an addiction came from somewhere. They have parents. They were an adorable baby and a cute kid. They had (and still do have) potential. A lot of them just took a wrong turn somewhere. I appreciate that this film humanizes the addict because it arms us with more sympathy to help as opposed to scoffing and ignoring the problem.

I felt as though lighting played an important role in this film. When Nic was with David, particularly at home (but also in diner scenes) everything seemed quite dark. Despite their home being larger than average, there also seemed to be more claustrophobic spaces when Nic and David were together. I found this surprising given that their father/son relationship initially seemed strong, and it didn’t feel as though David was any sort of trigger for Nic when it came to his addiction. Outside of the home, we are met with stunning, bright, and vast landscapes with the rolling green hills, as well as the ocean. When Nic is in LA with his mother, Vicki (Amy Ryan) on the other hand, everything seems much lighter and airy. Also surprising given the relationship between Nic and Vicki was much less strong.

I was also impressed by the sound mixing and score which did a great job at conveying the emotion and tone of any given scene.

In the end, Beautiful Boy felt somewhat flat in terms of story arc – there was no specific climax or rise and fall. However, because it is based on a true story, I can understand why it came across that way. A lot of the scenes felt like an extended montage of the family dancing through this battle.

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This film left me with the question of ‘how much can we really help?’ How can we help our family or friends with addiction without being overbearing, accusatory and perhaps driving them right back to their vice? There is a scene in this film where David and Karen attend a family support group. On the wall, there is a sign referring to the ‘3 C’s’. I didn’t Cause it, I can’t Cure it, and I can’t Control it. Addiction is scientifically proven to be a chronic disease. It is beyond you and beyond the addict. When you grasp that, I feel as though it becomes just a bit easier to understand their struggle and how placing blame or trying force a change often has adverse effects.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, here are some references that may be of assistance:

Canada: http://www.ccdus.ca/Eng/Pages/Addictions-Treatment-Helplines-Canada.aspx

USA: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/addictions

Beautiful Boy – Love in the Time of Addiction

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Addiction can tear apart families and ruin lives. Often the bonds of love lead people to try to help in whatever way they can. But those bonds can be fragile. Beautiful Boy is the story of a family that had to deal over a period of years with an addict who just couldn’t seem to be able to break away from his dependency. The film is based on two memoirs by father and son: Beautiful Boy by journalist David Sheff and Tweak by Nic Sheff.

Oakley Bull as Daisy Sheff, Maura Tierney as Karen Babour, Timothée Chalamet as Nic Sheff, Christian Convery as Jasper Sheff, and Steve Carell as David Scheff star in BEAUTIFUL BOY

David (Steve Carell) and Nic (Timothée Chalamet) are a happy and loving father and son. Nic is about to leave for college, but decides to take some time off first. The family is well off and there are firm bonds with Nic’s stepmother Karen (Maura Tierney) and young siblings. Soon, it is discovered that Nic is addicted to crystal meth. The rest of the film chronicles Nic’s and the family’s struggle with that addiction. It takes place over a period of years and many rehabs, relapses, promises, and deceptions. At times Nic is close to death, but that fact in itself is not enough for him to overcome his addiction.

Because the film is based on the two memoirs, it becomes essentially a father and son movie. Although there is also a good deal of interaction involving Nic’s siblings, stepmother, and birthmother (Amy Ryan). The relationship between David and Nic is the driving force of the story. David would do anything to help Nic. But as the story progresses he learns that there is really nothing that he can do to help Nic conquer this demon—except to love him. That is not said lightly or as saccharine. To love Nic in the midst of his addiction is a challenge. How does one continue to love someone who lies to you, steals from you, and deceives you year after year? Even when David turns down Nic’s pleas for “help”, we can see it is evidence of David’s real love for Nic.

Maura Tierney as Karen Barbour and Steve Carell as David Scheff star in BEAUTIFUL BOY

Screenwriters Luke Davies and Felix von Groeningen (who also directs) have made a seamless story of the two perspectives. It never seems like just David’s story or just Nic’s story. The two stories are not just different viewpoints, but a whole that reflects the bond between father and son—a love that runs so deep that even when it seems it must be beyond salvaging, it continues to hold them together in some way.

Timothée Chalamet as Nic Sheff and Steve Carell as David Scheff star in BEAUTIFUL BOY

It must be said that this is a painful movie to watch. There is a raw emotional honesty to all the relationships in the film. Emotion is a key element of the story. At one point David is doing everything he can to intellectually understand addiction. But Nic’s addiction has a very emotional center to it. It is only by entering into the emotions within the relationship that we understand just how painful this is for all involved.

Photos courtesy of Amazon Studios.

4.01 Breaking Down the BATTLE OF THE SEXES

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In the Season 4 premiere of ScreenFish Radio, Steve welcomes ScreenFish’rs Julie and Paul Levac to step onto the court to talk about Battle of the Sexes! Detailing the events surrounding the legendary tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, Battle of the Sexes has a lot to say about the nature of injustice and sexual politics. PLUS, the team shares what they learned at TIFF17 this year! (You can see our review of the film here.)

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.

4.01 Battle of the Sexes

Thanks Paul and Julie for joining us!

TIFF17: Battle of the Sexes

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What happens when one justice isn’t enough?

Battle of the Sexes recounts the events that led up to the 1973 tennis match between retired all-star Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) and champ in her prime, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone). However, this particular ‘sports film’ has very little to do with actual sports, choosing instead to focus itself on the story around the match rather than the match itself. Coming at a time when women were beginning to make strides in their right for equality, Riggs’ challenge to King for an exhibition tennis match quickly became a lightning rod for conversation around gender issues.

Still, the film is acutely self-aware and knows what it wants to accomplish. By de-emphasizing the sports aspect of the film, the film allows King’s backstory to take center-stage. In doing so, Dayton and Faris focus their lens on King’s journey as a feminist trailblazer and an oppressed homosexual, giving the film a much-needed dramatic tone. Because this particular tennis match had more to do with women’s struggle against injustice than it did world rankings, the decision to emphasize King’s journey allows the film to ask modern questions, despite its ’70s look. Given that the results of the famous tennis match aren’t nearly as compelling as the context itself, the film carries with it a sense of inevitability.  (For example, when King storms off after hearing some of Riggs’ comments, Gladys claims that she is merely running towards her ‘fate’.)

Through King’s journey, the film determines that the true battle of the sexes was (is?) the fight for women to be considered equals on the pro tennis circuit. Seeking equal pay to the male stars, King and her followers are forced to fight male stereotypes at every opportunity.  Interestingly, while Riggs provides the primary example of these ideals, King identifies former boss Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman) as the true threat. In essence, King recognizes that, while Bobby preaches ‘male chauvinism,’ he also holds few genuine convictions in regards to the role of women. However, in Jack, she recognizes a deeply-embedded conviction regarding female inferiority. (“Bobby is a clown, but you, Jack, you actually believe this,” she protests.)  By accepting Rigg’s challenge, it’s this heart of injustice that King believes she’s attacking on a cultural level (as represented by Jack).  In moments such as these, the dialogue feels both past-tense and all too current as well.  (After all, it was only recently that we have heard of the differences in pay scale within the film industry itself.)

Further, however, the film also serves as a double-edged sword in its war on injustice by juxtaposing King’s battle for women’s rights with the cultural obstacles that came with her sexuality.  As further inroads are being made regarding respect for women’s freedom, King’s relationship with her ‘hairstylist’ feels like a prison, as she struggles to keep it from the public eye. In this manner, the film shows its hand of modern-day politics by establishing multiple support systems around King, ranging from team wardrobe consultant, Ted Tinling (Alan Cumming), to her [somewhat stunned] husband, Larry (Austin Stowell). (“Don’t worry.  One day a time will come when you can love who you love,” Tinling pines.) Here, the film balances its victorious tone with a reminder that, with every battle won, there remains another on the horizon. 

While the film doesn’t label the church directly, the film uses Margaret Court as a representative of more judgmental attitudes that have been presented by religious conservatives. (Now retired, the real Court is an outspoken pastor with conservative values.) Still, although Battle may use Court as an isolated ‘villain’, the divisiveness and oppressive views she represents are far broader on a cultural level. As a pastor, it pains me to see grace lost in conversations of differences in the name of self-righteousness. Even in moments where there is disagreement, the responsibility of the church is to love openly and freely in a manner that provides hope and restorative community. That is who Jesus is.

In light of this tension, Battle of the Sexes prompts us to recognize how far our culture has come but also reminds us how far we have to go.

The Big Short – Winning Is(n’t) Everything (Oscar Spotlight)

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Christian Bale plays Michael Burry in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises
Christian Bale plays Michael Burry in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

The Big Short is set in 2008 and tells the true story of Michael Burry (Christian Bale), a Wall St. guru who foresaw the downfall of the US economy due to sub-prime mortgage fallout. As a result of his discovery, he places over a billion dollars of investors money against the economy, drawing the attention of banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), hedge-fund specialist Mark Baum (Steve Carell), and other greedy investors. When these men throw their financial weight into the same endeavour, they make a fortune on the backs of millions of failed mortgages across the country.

If you’re like me, I know what you’re thinking: a movie about hedge funds, mortgages and investments? Thanks but no thanks.

But you’d be wrong.

One of the most remarkable things about Charles Randolph and Adam McKay’s screenplay is that it manages to walk the tightrope between maintaining the integrity of high financial concepts and the financial knowledge of the average moviegoer. Somehow, they make these incredibly difficult concepts (seem) accessible without ‘dumbing them down’. In fact, the film’s asides are absolutely hilarious, recruiting the likes of Margo Robbie (drinking champagne in her bathtub), Chef Anthony Bourdain or even Selina Gomez to keep us up to speed with financial language. What’s more, the performances are top notch with all the players working together and no one attempting to ‘one up’ anyone else. In fact, one gets the distinct impression that these men joined this film because of its important message, as opposed to any particular individual Oscar glory.

Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises
Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

Interestingly, the film grapples with the idea of our own desire to be distracted by celebrity glamour or pop culture rather than be educated about the ways that those in power manipulate the people for their own gain. In other words, rather than seek out the truth about the greed of the banks and governments that affect us every day, too often we allow ourselves to focus on popular fluff in an effort to forget our problems. (Incidentally, this also adds an additional element of irony to those ‘asides’ where celebrities explain key financial concepts. Are we supposed to listen more effectively? Or are we meant to be distracted by Selina Gomez and her gambling?)

This leads the film to explore greed as an addiction in many ways as well. As each member of the ‘team’ discovers new ways to take advantage of the banks (who are taking advantage of the rest), we see them experience a sense of glee as they ‘out-manipulate’ the manipulators. However, once they realize that their success lies on destroying the backs of the average home-owner, the film completely changes its tone. No, these men aren’t the ‘heroes’ that they have made themselves out to be. Make no mistake: These ‘Robin Hoods’ are equally guilty of being ‘Prince Johns’ as well.

These men simply allowed themselves to be caught up in the river of sin and greed that they were in opposition to in the first place. In many ways, the film is as much a word of warning about diving in to personal sinfulness as it is about our own lack of awareness of others. All too easily, because of our sin nature, we can find ourselves serving our own needs (and that rabbit hole is awfully deep).

Is The Big Short Oscar-worthy? A resounding “Yes!” from this corner. The film’s tightly written script is remarkable and it offers us a fresh perspective on events that recently shaped our current financial climate.

But will it take home the gold?

I wouldn’t bet on it.

The Big Short

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“Not our fault—simply the way things work.”

Perhaps your eyes glaze over when someone tries to explain the economics that lead to the housing bubble and Great Recession. It is indeed complicated, but The Big Short is an interesting way to try to understand it. It also is a great blend of comedy and pathos as we watch how it all developed and unfolded—and shows that there is a cost to it all that cannot be measured in dollars.

The main characters through which the story is told are Michael Burry (Christian Bale), a nerdy hedge fund manager who discovers that the supposedly wonderful investments in mortgages are not as much a sure thing as everyone thinks, so he begins the idea of credit default swaps (which pay if the mortgage investments go bad). No one believes it can really be a good investment, but a few others begin to see the problem as well. Also central is Mark Baum (Steve Carell), a fairly angry and aggressive fund manager, who seems to have a chip on his shoulder when it comes to big financial institutions. He gets involved because he wants the banks to get in trouble. The investments they make are at first ridiculed by most of the financial experts, but in the end, they were right. Also along for the ride are a pair of young relatively naïve small investors who see a chance of making the big time. They are mentored by Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), a paranoid former banker who understands fully what is going on and what can happen. All of these are people who in some way see themselves as fighting against the system.

Christian Bale plays Michael Burry in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises
Christian Bale plays Michael Burry in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

Along the way, the film brings in some non-economic types to explain the various kinds of investments. Best of these is when Chef Anthony Bourdain explains Collateralized Debt Obligations by the analogy of fish stew made in a restaurant on Sunday night. (You’ll never order that again.)

What is interesting is that the film really pays little attention to the greed that is often thought to be the very basis of capitalism. Yes, we do see greed and a great deal of hubris on display, but the spiritual issues that come up in this film are much more nuanced. At one point, when the two young investors are celebrating how rich they could become, Richert reminds them that they are betting against the American economy. If they are right, it will mean many will be unemployed, lose their homes, their savings. That is who will be paying the cost of their wealth. (That scene takes place about half way through the film and marks a shift in tone from the comedy that comes before to a more serious mood.)

Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises
Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

As the expected burst of the bubble doesn’t come, Burry and Baum are hard pressed to explain the failure. But when it does finally happen, they are not at all happy about it. For Burry, his success seems to carry with it a spiritual malaise. At the start of the film, he seems to be only interested in the whole economic situation as almost a game. He sees the mistake that has been made, and is going to follow it to a kind of win. But that win, when it comes is not satisfying. Rather it is filled with so much angst that he closes his fund and leaves for other endeavors.

For Baum, when banks begin to fail (most to be bailed out by the government and taxpayers), he is in a position to reap the rewards of his investments. But he keeps putting it off, because, as he puts it, “When we sell, we’ll be just like the rest of them.” For him, the profits off those investments and the real life costs have become a burden. Being right about the greed of the banks doesn’t make him feel any better about his own wealth.

This is a film that does not attack capitalism, but it does want us to see the spiritual costs that are inherent in the system in which we work and live. The film does not try to argue that it is wrong to make money but it asks us to pay attention to what unseen costs there are to the profits that we believe drive the economic engines of our society. And lest we think it is all a matter of the big corporations, most of us are invested in those corporations in some way. It’s not “them;” it’s all of us.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Minions: Follow The Leader

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minionsLet’s start with the basics: I find the two Despicable Me films to be laugh out loud funny. I think Steve Carell is great as Gru, and I think that there is comic genius in the idea of a villain fighting hard to be bad against the unassailable forces of three loving little girls.

The prequel to those two films, Minions, is not that kind of funny.

To be honest, the funniest portions probably take place when the minions stumble around early on trying to follow a T. Rex or Napoleon. When it gets into the bulk of the story, as three minions try to lead the way by finding Scarlett Overkill (Sandra Bullock) at Villain-Con and then steal the Queen’s crown, it makes Despicable Me sense but it’s not Despicable Me funny.

But there’s one scene I’m telling everyone I know that they need to see. It’s in those crossroads, where the minion population has given up on the various villains they’ve tried to follow and are now hunkered down in a big, ice cave. They are numb, immobile, and joyless. They just don’t care about anything because there seems to be nothing to care about.

Then, Kevin (a minion) steps forward to lead them. No one wants to follow him… except Bob, a baby minion who he overlooks as being unimportant, and Stuart, a teenager who is accidentally appointed to his cause.

Kevin knows that sitting around, waiting for a leader, feeling the whole in their little minion hearts, is just the death of their ‘tribe.’ He knows they need a leader and they can’t find one sitting around in the same dark, cold cave they’ve been in for years. He knows they need to find and follow a true villainous leader. He knows they need a master.

Too often, we humans recognize that there’s a hole in our hearts but we try to fill it with stupid stuff. We try to fit material wealth, work, sex, money, relationships, church busy-ness into a God-sized hole. We try the same things people have been trying for thousands of years to numb the pain of purpose and calling. And we stay locked up in the same cycles, in the same dark prisons of doubt and insecurity.

We need someone to lead us out, to bring us out into the light, like Jesus brought Lazarus up out of the grave. We need Jesus to show us the way forward, to remind us that there’s so much better, so much greatness in store, if we would just follow the master, and be good disciples.

Foxcatcher: Wrestling with God

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Foxcatcher is as difficult to write about as it was to watch. I have seen it three or four times now, and it does not lessen the difficulty of watching such a tense and dramatic film. Despite that, it is a great film, deserving every nomination for every film award it got! There is no other film like it. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo all gave outstanding performances.

The difficulty of watching this film is that it is true.

Foxcatcher is the story of John du Pont (Steve Carell) whose desire to achieve something on his own draws him to sponsoring the US Olympic wrestling team in the 1980s. Du Pont knows nothing about wrestling, but it does not stop him. From the moment we meet du Pont, though we barely recognize Carell, we know that there is something not right.

The same could be said about Channing Tatum’s Mark Schultz. The trophies and metals in his apartment seem to stand as a memorial to what was in Mark’s life. Mark goes from making a speech to elementary school students about the Olympics to making a speech (prepared by du Pont’s people) about the father-figure that John du Pont has become in his life. These speeches stand in contrast to where Mark’s life has taken him.

John du Pont seeks out Mark to achieve his vision of being a part of a winning team. There are hints that he goes to Mark to get to his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo), an experienced coach. In this attempt, John befriends Mark, making promises and sharing intimate stories. John sets himself up to be the father-figure that is missing in Mark’s life. Mark does not seek him out as a mentor; John positions himself to be such. On the way to the event where Mark is give a speech that John’s staffers wrote, John shares cocaine with Mark and teaches him how to use it. From there we see a decline in Mark.

There is something not right here.

Between the two of them, John and Mark fill the screen with emotional damage. This damage is so settled within their very core, that is difficult to see, yet it explains everything. After participating in drug use with John, Mark begins to change, which is depicted by his appearance. He dyes his hair and he dresses differently. He spirals into self-destruction.

Foxcatcher 2

After he loses a match that he should have won, Mark returns to his hotel room to grieve. What follows is one of the most intense scenes in the whole film. Without any words, the real wrestling in Mark’s soul is revealed.

Filled with anguish, Mark sends his head into a mirror, glass breaking. He orders carts full of food and stuffs his face. His nameless internal wrestling bursts forth. The fighting ends with Mark collapsing to the floor. This is how David finds him. Bloodied. Defeated. Full of carbs. The wounds can be bandaged. The carbs can be handled. David puts his attention on Mark’s battered soul.

In the shadows of the hotel room, Mark is curled up on the bed, with David bent over him. As they do when they wrestle, they become one lump. David says to his younger brother, “You’re not in this alone.”

When you are in your darkest moment, dwelling in the shadows of life, there is nothing more meaningful than someone whispering, “You’re not in this alone.”

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In the Hebrew Bible, Jacob wrestled with an angel (Genesis 32) all through the night. Some have suggested that the angel represented God and the wrestling was over whom God was calling Jacob to be: Israel – the father of a nation. In Romans 7, Paul describes a fight with himself – “I do the things I know I shouldn’t do and I don’t do the things I know I should do.” In Ephesians 6, Paul says that the struggle we go through is not one of flesh and blood, but one with the spiritual forces of wickedness.

We wrestle with God, with ourselves, and with forces of injustice. 

The beauty of the film is that it does not state the obvious. We do not know for certain why Mark is emotionally damaged. Nor do we know why John is, though the film leaves clues as to why they may be. So often that is the case. We see others wrestling with their inner selves, not knowing why. We can, however, say to them, “You’re not in this alone.”