You don't have to be a Beatles fan or know anything about music to enjoy and be moved by the new film biography based on the early teen years of John Lennon called NOWHERE BOY. The universal story is a theme anyone can relate too. Raised by his stern aunt, the brilliant Kristin Scott-Thomas, the young John finally meets his erratic, flawed mother after 10 years. As played with fascinating skill by Anne-Marie Duff, we know why John is eager to integrate himself into this new family. As the film progresses, we see his interest in music evolve and his
rebellious nature develop. The film has some interesting moments that Beatles fans will recognize as the inspiration to certain songs, but mostly the comic yet moving story plays out as an excellent coming of age/leaving home saga with terrific casting. Aaron Johnson, who starred in last springs KICK-ASS is spot on as the young Lennon--this is a breakout role for him. GRADE------A-
DVD rentals from the library round out the rest of this weeks viewing. Based on the true story of Thailand's most famous kick boxer, BEAUTIFUL BOXER (2004) tells the unusual story of a poor young boy who feels that he is born to be a woman. His winnings from being a kick boxer help feed his family and ultimately fund his sex-change operation. The lead actor Asanee Suwan is very physical and emotional in the role (this is his first acting role--he's a boxer in real life) and is quite compelling. He won the Thai Best Actor award for his role. Despite what could have been a lurid telling, the film is laced with very dramatic scenes punched up with a lot of humor, and the feeling of authenticity in the fighting scenes. GRADE--------B
It took me nearly an hour to realize that I had already seen STEALTH (2006), a French, Polish, Swiss production that leaves a lot of questions and unresolved relationships in its wake. When a young gay French man discovers that his great grandfather may have been Polish, he becomes obsessed with everything Polish, to the point of dumping his boyfriend and trying to marry a Polish nanny staying in France to give her citizenship. When his unhappy sister "kidnaps" him for a road trip to Poland, he rediscovers his sexuality and other family heritage histories. The tone varies between comedy, tragedy, drama and farce, and the actors, while mostly good, seem betrayed by a script that can't decide what, exactly, it is trying to say about love, sex, family, heritage, and road trips. GRADE---------C+
James L. Brooks has made a lot of great films, including AS GOOD AS IT GETS and BROADCAST NEWS, but he has a miss-step with the comedy-drama called SPANGLISH (2004), which like STEALTH (above) has a tone that is all over the map. There is a decent idea here, which involves a newly emigrated woman from Mexico being hired as a housekeeper to an afluent L.A. family of eccentrics. The problem is that this family is so dysfunctional and at odds with each other that the housekeeper seems like the only sane/normal one. And she doesn't even speak English for the first hour of the film. I admired the energy Tea Leoni brings to the neurotic wife (of cook Adam Sandler), but she is so annoyingly contrary to the rest of the family's values and style that it is easy to hate her. The Sandler character is so laid back and obtuse to other issues that you want to slap him. Add to that the chaotic pantomiming and struggle for them (and us) to understand the Spanish only speaking housekeeper (Paz Vega) that the film becomes quite exasperating. Only the bemused, drunken "grandma" Cloris Leachman remains unscathed, and becomes, as a supporting character, the only one to root for in the film. GRADE------C
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