Category Archives: Maya Rudolph

#216 Favorite Film, 2011 Films, Ben Falcone, Chris O'Dowd, Comedy, Favorite Film of the Year, Jill Clayburgh, Jon Hamm, Judd Apatow, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Paul Feig, Rebel Wilson, Romantic Comedy, Rose Byrne, Terry Crews, Tim Heidecker, Top 250 Films

Bridesmaids-2011

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Bridesmaids-2011

Director Paul Feig

Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph

Top 250 Films #216

Scott’s Review #784

Reviewed July 6, 2018

Grade: A

Despite the raunchy romantic comedy genre not being my favorite, and despite not being such a fan of Judd Apatow (famed producer of several of these types of films), Bridesmaids (2011) is easily the best of its kind.

Influential in a multitude of female empowerment-themed comedies that followed, this one is witty, genuine, and funny because of its star, Kristen Wiig, who also co-wrote the film.

It is one of the best comedies (if not the best) of the decade.

Apatow is known mainly for producing comedy films that mix in the standard potty humor for cheap laughs. He is responsible for This Is 40 (2012) and Trainwreck (2015), both of which I found moderately funny, but they are also needlessly gross-out and tired.

My point is that minus the talents of Wiig (both in front of and behind the camera), Bridesmaids would likely have been mediocre like these films. Instead, Bridesmaids is a wonderful, uproarious experience with a star who captures a moment.

My one gnawing gripe is that a woman shouldn’t direct a film about women.

Annie (Wiig) has been asked to serve as the maid of honor at her best friend, Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph), upcoming wedding. Rather than being thrilled, Annie is depressed due to an ongoing string of bad luck.

Her bakery business fails, she loses her unfulfilling job at a jewelry store, she is dating a jerk (Jon Hamm), and her car is about to die. She has difficult roommates and is on the verge of having to move back in with her mother at age thirty-five.

The story hilariously follows Annie’s rivalry with Helen (Rose Byrne), Lillian’s soon-to-be husband’s boss’s controlling wife. Helen is intent on taking over the handling of the wedding events, much to Annie’s chagrin.

The ladies compete to one-up each other throughout the film- Rose is the perfect princess for Annie’s grit and cynicism.

Annie struggles through her issues, unhappy with the state of her love life, when she meets police officer, Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd), and they begin a tender friendship. However, their attraction is put to the test because of Annie’s shenanigans.

Annie must then fly to Las Vegas with the other bridesmaids despite being terrified of flying.

Despite the story being nothing not seen dozens of times before in romantic comedy history (the setups), the film is a laugh-out-loud riot. In addition to Wiig, Rudolph, and Byrne, the remaining cast of ladies all have tremendous chemistry with each other.

Special kudos go to Melissa McCarthy in her fearless role of Megan, a tomboy misfit who somehow is part of the wedding party. With her “tell it like it is” attitude, the actress sinks her teeth into this fabulous role without taking it too far across the line into ridiculousness.

In rip-roaring fashion, multiple scenes are permanently etched in my mind.

After Annie suggests a Brazilian steak restaurant for lunch, followed by a fitting at a chic dress shop, the girls suffer from food poisoning. This results in torrents of diarrhea scenes and one unlucky character being reduced to going to the bathroom in the middle of the street.

The scene, while super raunchy, is hilarious and fraught with perfect comic timing.

Not to be outdone, the airplane scene is equally tremendous; however, the scene belongs to Wiig rather than the entire ensemble. Being forced to fly coach while everyone else is treated to first-class, Annie unwisely accepts a pill from Helen to calm her during the flight.

Instead, Annie becomes belligerent and wild when she mixes the sedative with alcohol.

As good as the supporting cast is, Wiig owns the film through and through. Every scene she is in and each line she utters is perfectly timed. The fact that Wiig did some improvisation (the scene in the jewelry store) is evident and only adds to the genuine feel of the film.

Subsequently, to Wiig’s credit, she has been careful to choose more complicated roles to avoid the risk of being typecast. And a sequel was wisely never made- this would have ruined the appeal.

Bridesmaids (2011) is an authentic story rich with hilarity and crisp dialogue. The film is enhanced in that it’s a female-centered film written by women (though the direction and producers, too, would have been better).

Because of the tremendous cast led by Wiig, the film is blazing with humor and led a firestorm of similar “girl power” films (mostly bad) well into the decade.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actress-Melissa McCarthy, Best Original Screenplay

2021 Films, Alana Haim, Benny Safdie, Bradley Cooper, Christine Ebersole, Comedy, Cooper Hoffman, Drama, John C. Reilly, Joseph Cross, Maya Rudolph, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sean Penn, Tom Waits

Licorice Pizza-2021

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Licorice Pizza-2021

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman

Scott’s Review #1,213

Reviewed December 27, 2021

Grade: A

Licorice Pizza (2021) is a Los Angeles-based coming-of-age drama by director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Anderson is one of my favorite directors, and the film is a must-see for fans of his. Most fans of his yearn to see everything he creates, and this one will not disappoint.

One may initially yawn at the tired coming-of-age drama genre, and I did too, but once I heard that Anderson was directing, my curiosity was piqued, and I felt secure in the knowledge that the film would be different.

Indeed, Licorice Pizza is special and has a charm all its own.

The expected killer musical soundtrack, prevalent in many Anderson films, is there and befitting of the time of 1973. A bit of quirky black humor and general weirdness is also there, and so are cameos by A-list superstars like Sean Penn and Bradley Cooper.

Speaking of the soundtrack, they may not be the expected top hits of the time, but more obscure gems like ‘Life On Mars?” by David Bowie, “Walk Away” by Joe Walsh, or “But You’re Mine” by Sonny & Cher. I enjoyed the under-the-radar approach as it fits the central characters.

Besides these and other juicy trimmings, the story is an excellent romantic comedy featuring up-and-coming Hollywood stars, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.

They carry the film and emit tremendous chemistry from their very first scene. Haim is in a rock band, and Hoffman is the son of actor and frequent Anderson star Phillip Seymore Hoffman. I bet Dad would be proud of his son.

For a recent comparison, Licorice Pizza shares a similar setting and tone with Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), although the stories are pretty dissimilar.

Alana Kane (Haim) and Gary Valentine (Hoffman) are twenty-five years old and fifteen years old, respectively.  They grew up, ran around, and fell in love in California’s San Fernando Valley in 1973.

Gary is a child actor who also runs his own public relations business, while Alana is a struggling photographer’s assistant yearning to do something more meaningful.

Immediately rebuffing the advances of a ‘child,’ Alana slowly falls for Gary, and the two forge an unbroken bond as they navigate successes, failures, heartbreaks, and longings.

The setting of sunny California in 1973 is pure genius, as Anderson authentically transports us there with the cars, clothing, and hairstyles that were then considered trendy.

The added pleasure of seeing stars of the day, such as Jack Holden (really William Holden), Lucy Doolittle (really Lucille Ball), and film producer John Peters, is downright gleeful.

Not to be outdone, Sean Penn, Christine Ebersole, and Bradley Cooper portray these figures. Each actor is delightful in their respective roles, with my favorite being Penn as the martini-slugging Holden.

But the film is hardly about celebrity sightings in a long-ago era.

During the final act, Alana becomes enamored with a politician for whom she works. Not a superfluous romantic entanglement, the figure is Joel Wachs, a real-life then closeted gay male who later would champion gay causes.

The film showcases the pain of a closeted gay man and his secretive boyfriend as Alana helps them put up a front to avoid his career being ruined.

At the heart of Licorice Pizza, though, remains the romance of Gary and Alana. The fact that there is a ten-year age gap between them should be a big deal, but somehow it’s not.

Gary can be precocious and sometimes a little shit, and Alana is moody and temperamental, but I fell in love with them anyway, and other viewers will assuredly share my passion for the pair.

They try to get through their youth with some plan or semblance of direction, and the joy is to accompany them and enjoy the ride.

There is a freshness and honesty to Licorice Pizza (2021) that cannot be shaken. Thanks in large part to Hoffman and Haim, the film is one of those that exude magnificence and appeal that is hard to put into words.

Viewers of any age will be immediately transported back to their young adulthood and the feelings and inadequacies that come with it.

I wish more films of this ilk were made.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Original Screenplay

2019 Films, Adam McKay, Beanie Feldstein, Billie Lourd, Comedy, Diana Silvers, Independent, Independent Comedy, Jason Sudeikis, Jessica Williams, Kaitlyn Dever, Lisa Kudrow, Mason Gooding, Maya Rudolph, Olivia Wilde, Will Ferrell, Will Forte

Booksmart-2019

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Booksmart-2019

Director Olivia Wilde

Starring Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever

Scott’s Review #1,113

Reviewed February 17, 2021

Grade: A-

I usually avoid teenage coming-of-age comedies, or more to the point, being not of that demographic, they are not usually even on my radar.

The only reason I saw Booksmart (2019) is for the Independent Spirit Award it won and the Golden Globe nomination it achieved. Still, I was skeptical of what the appeal of two female teenage bookworms who decide to become party animals would have on me.

Boy, was I wrong? The film is a fabulous and fast-paced experience that I enjoyed immensely.

Director Olivia Wilde, in her very first effort, delivers the goods, believe it or not. She takes a genre told to death and knocks it on its keister, offering a fresh and creative spin on a tried-and-true formula that feels anything but formulaic.

There is diversity, inclusiveness, and heart for miles without the feeling that these add-ons were done intentionally for a modern spin.

Before I get carried away too much Wilde carefully keeps the standard moments of teenage angst, rejection, breakups, and makeups, and there are one or two of the commonplace high school “types”- loner, jock, weirdo, etc. but evident is a strong LGBTQ+ stronghold including one of the leading female characters. Booksmart sure feels authentic to me.

Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy are forever friends.

The girls study, they giggle, they hang out, and they share their problems, both sexual and otherwise, with each other. The kicker is that Molly is straight and Amy is gay. Amy is happily “out” and nobody gives a damn.

Her parents, played in small but juicy parts by Will Forte and Lisa Kudrow, are hilarious and progressive in their approach to understanding a gay child. They incorrectly assume that Molly and Amy are a couple, which the girls use to their advantage.

Anyway, Amy and Molly are intelligent and look forward to graduation day and attending great schools. Once they realize that their fellow students who, in their minds, slack off and party, are also going off to Ivy League schools, they panic.

They realize they have wasted four years studying and decide to finally let their hair down the night before graduation, intent on attending a popular boy’s (and Molly’s crush) party.

The situations the duo get themselves into are clever and witty, and the most fun in the film. Feldstein and Dever have exceptional chemistry, and I bought them as best friends from the moment of their first scene.

When they have a knock-down, drag-out argument towards the end of the film, it’s acting at its finest, which made me feel proud.

I admire young talent with great acting chops and pride in their craft, and Feldstein and Dever both have it.

Wilde peppers much of the film with hip and trendy pop songs that surprisingly enhance rather than detract from the viewer’s enjoyment. The lyrics match the specific events of the particular scene.

The romanticism is pivotal as the crushes Molly and Amy have are not necessarily who they wind up with at the end of the film, which naturally culminates on graduation day. I love how their ceremony includes no parents.

The creativity within Booksmart is admirable.

When Molly and Amy trip on a hallucinogen, they accidentally imagine they are Barbie dolls. The scene is laden with hilarity as they bend, twist, and turn. Later, Molly imagines a dance with Nick amid a colorful, slow-motion sequence that is beautiful, while Amy has an awkward, unexpected sexual experience with a mean girl.

Booksmart (2019) is quite R-rated, almost shockingly so, which is not a negative. It’s a positive. Too many films of this ilk try to soften how teenagers speak and the feelings they have, which are usually sexual.

It’s raunchy and not for the younger teen set, but mature audiences will reminisce about their high school days.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best First Feature (won)

2006 Films, Comedy, Independent, Independent Comedy, John C. Reilly, Kevin Kline, Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, Maya Rudolph, Meryl Streep, Robert Altman, Tommy Lee Jones, Virginia Madsen, Woody Harrelson

A Prairie Home Companion-2006

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A Prairie Home Companion-2006

Director Robert Altman

Starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Woody Harrelson, Lily Tomlin

Scott’s Review #1,033

Reviewed June 16, 2020

Grade: B

The final film by legendary and influential director Robert Altman is not his greatest work. If I were to compare A Prairie Home Companion (2006) to another of Altman’s pictures it would be Nashville (1975) both having grassroots entertainment similarities.

The latter combines satire amid a political rally in a southern city while the former celebrates behind-the-scenes events at a long-running radio show in Minneapolis.

Difficult to criticize anything a genius does, my expectation was much more than was given.

The film plods along with little excitement or juiciness ever happening so the experience is to enjoy the standard Altman fixtures like a huge cast, overlapping dialogue, and witty chatter.

A melancholy effort since no new material will ever be released by the cinema great, but a chance to celebrate his achievements all the same.

Set in present times, events take place in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a chilly city in the United States mid-west. A long-running live radio variety show, A Prairie Home Companion, prepares for its final broadcast.

The radio station’s new parent company has scheduled the show’s home, the storied Fitzgerald Theater, for demolition and dispatched “the Axeman” (Tommy Lee Jones) to judge whether to save the show. Prospects are grim as radio shows are deemed a thing of the past and irrelevant.

The many radio stars revel and reminisce in memories as they prepare for cancellation.

Led by the singing Johnson Girls, Yolanda (Meryl Streep) and sister Rhonda (Lily Tomlin), and daughter Lola (Lindsay Lohan) who are most prominent, other characters include cowboy duo Dusty (Woody Harrelson) and Lefty (John C. Reilly); pregnant PA Molly (Maya Rudolph) and the show’s creator and host, Garrison Keillor.

A spirit known as “Dangerous Woman” (Virginia Madsen) also joins the group.

Star power is not the issue here and it pleasing is to witness a bevy of A-list Hollywood stars duke it out for screen-time. Anyone possessing knowledge of Altman knows that he was an actor’s director, meaning he let his actors truly shine and interpret what the motivations of the characters were.

Garrison Keillor, who wrote the piece, follows Altman’s lead in this area letting the cast try and bring to life what is on the written page.

Unfortunately, they fail.

While meandering greatly, A Prairie Home Companion has an earthy and humanistic theater troupe quality. The stars of the radio show are like family and cling to each other for moral support during uncertainty.

This feels nice to the viewer as common compassion is endearing, many of the individuals have spent decades together. Their stories and experiences resonate warmly, and one can’t help but be sucked into their lives.

The problem with this is that the stories go on and on and quickly seem pointless. There is little doubt whether the show will close. While the people are enamoring nothing much really happens in the film and it becomes a bore.

The character interactions lack any energy and do not carry the film in any direction. They merely are what they are.

I can appreciate a slow build if there eventually is a payoff. A Prairie Home Companion (2006) never achieves full-throttle or hits the gas pedal so the film exists but doesn’t shine.

With masterpieces such as The Long Goodbye (1973), Nashville (1975), and 3 Women (1977) my expectations were soaring so that may be a part of my letdown.

Prairie Home is not included in my go-to catalog of Altman greats and would teeter at the bottom of a master ranking of his films.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Director-Robert Altman

2018 Films, Ben Falcone, Brian Henson, Comedy, Elizabeth Banks, Joel McHale, Leslie David Baker, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy

The Happytime Murders-2018

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The Happytime Murders-2018

Director Brian Henson

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph

Scott’s Review #808

Reviewed September 6, 2018

Grade: B-

Some consider it the worst film of 2018, but I had no positive expectations as I walked into an empty movie theater.

In truth, The Happytime Murders is not that bad. It is more in tune with a fun, adult-humored late-night affair. The greatest assets are Melissa McCarthy’s comic talents and the neat whodunit that is the central part of the story.

The human actors acting opposite puppets are bizarre and take some getting used to, but the nice editing (not easy to do!) is to be commended.

Set in modern times, in the underbelly of Los Angeles, puppets live alongside humans and are not treated well. They are constantly bullied and taken for granted.

Sarcastic and angry puppet Phil Phillips (a nod to the American Idol winner?) works as a private investigator. An incident many years ago caused him to be booted from the LAPD police force forever.

When Phil is hired by a sexy blonde female puppet, Sandra, to find out who has been sending her blackmail letters, he stumbles upon a rash of puppet murders.

The killer is knocking off members of an 1980s television show, presumably for profit. Phil’s brother and grizzled ex-partner, Connie Edwards (McCarthy) become central to the story.

The first dynamic that works well in The Happytime Murders is the “chemistry” between Connie and Phil. The connection and good rapport are surprising, considering the human/puppet factor.

One might find it surprising that the two characters play well off each other, but their adult sparring and frequent vulgar language name-calling are oodles of fun to watch. McCarthy is always fantastic with comic timing, so her fans will not be disappointed.

As they shout vulgar “pleasantries” to each other, one cannot help but smirk.

Maya Rudolph plays an interesting role as Phil’s secretary. Named Bubbles, she is sexy, sultry, and coquettish—an unusual role for Rudolph, but she pulls it off in spades.

Otherwise, Elizabeth Banks, cast in the small role of Jenny, Phil’s blonde ex-girlfriend, is entertaining. Despite being a puppet, Phil is quite the lady’s man, and Sandra (a nymphomaniac) is his main conquest.

In one lewd scene, Phil beds her right in his office, spewing strands of white goo meant to be semen, and Sandra exposes her purple pubic hair.

The film is clearly for adults only, and hopefully, unwitting parents do not mistake the puppet characters for a kids’ movie. The film contains many scenes bordering on X-rated territory, yet the inclusion of puppets undoubtedly gives off a humorous, not-to-be-taken-too-seriously element.

The Handsome Joel McHale, as a Special Agent on the case along with a Lieutenant, Connie’s superior, makes it clear the characters are along for the comic ride, and the film never takes itself too seriously.

I admittedly had low expectations, so I was surprised to find myself enjoying the puppet characters and the rapport between them most of all. Phil, charismatic in a Dick Tracy sort of way, balances the other “over-the-top” puppets, including a drug lord, two puppet prostitutes, and a puppet bunny addicted to porn.

The creations are lively and unique.

Let’s not get carried away, though- The Happytime Murders is not the genius that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) is, but its crass nature is of some appeal.

I adored the Los Angeles setting as the sunny locale perfectly counterbalanced the murderous antics of a hooded killer. The big reveal I did not see coming added to my surprise.

To summarize, The Happytime Murders is not a work of art or anything spectacular.

Presumably, it will be forgotten, especially since McCarthy is appearing in another “more serious” film in 2018, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which has enormous Oscar potential. Therefore, the focus will assuredly be on that film.

However, a work like The Happytime Murders (2018) does have its place as perhaps a fun late-night offering.

2015 Films, Amy Poehler, Bobby Moynihan, Brian d'Arcy James, Comedy, Dianne Wiest, Ike Barinholtz, James Brolin, Jason Moore, John Cena, John Leguizamo, Kate McKinnon, Maya Rudolph, Samantha Bee, Tina Fey

Sisters-2015

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Sisters-2015

Director Jason Moore

Starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler

Scott’s Review #458

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Reviewed July 31, 2016

Grade: B-

Slapstick comedy is admittedly not my genre of choice, though I will watch some for light entertainment or to see just how bad (or good) current offerings are.

Nonetheless, I have tried to put myself in a mindset of low expectations for these films that are usually fluff and plot-driven.

In the case of Sisters (2015), the film is pretty much as one would expect: vulgar, crass and raunchy. Yet, due to the chemistry between the leads (Amy Poehler and Tina Fey) and a few heartfelt romantic moments, something does work. It is not as mean as one might think.

This is not to say that Sisters is a great film. Hardly. But not as bad as I feared.

Poehler and Fey play Maura and Kate Ellis, respectively, two late thirties sisters, living in other areas of the country, who return home to Orlando, Florida, when their parents (James Brolin and Dianne Wiest) sell their childhood home.

Maura and Kate have been tasked with cleaning their bedrooms in time for the sale.

The sisters have an idea to throw one final bash and invite their high school classmates, who all conveniently still live in the same town. Events go awry and the party gets way out of hand.

Mixed in with the main plot are sub-plots consisting of a romantic interest for Maura, and a rival for Kate, played by Maya Rudolph.

The best part is the chemistry between Poehler and Fey. They “have it” whether it is a Saturday Night Live sketch, hosting the Golden Globe awards, or starring in Sisters. The banter and the jokes work well because the two comics work well together and it shows on-screen.

They are believable as sisters despite looking nothing alike.

Otherwise, Sisters is a traditional vulgar comedy. One irksome recent trend (now more female-driven than in years past) is the leading ladies being classless. This must be an attempt at female empowerment or the assumption that since adult comedies were once a man’s world, female characters should be written like men.

Do we need Kate and Maura swearing like sailors, making poop jokes, and being so raunchy? Behaving like ladies would now be the exception, not the norm (Bridesmaids, 2011, set this precedent).

Not surprisingly, the supporting characters are all caricatures as is typically the case in films of this genre. The parents are a bit clueless and have kinky sex much to the girl’s chagrin.

Brinda, bitchy, judgmental, yet insecure, the Korean (big stereotype) nail technician who cannot properly pronounce English words, the new owners of the house are snobbish, uptight, and clueless, and finally, James, the guy next door, who are Mr. Fix-it and the straight man in the high-jinks. He is sugar-sweet and the male hero.

The romantic scenes between Maura and James are sweet and sentimental, nicely balancing the vulgarity and raunchiness that the rest of the film encompasses. They are a nice couple and have a rich rooting value.

Most of the action takes place at Kate and Maura’s childhood home where posters of such 1980s films as E.T. and Out of Africa, and a poster of heartthrob Tom Cruise, hang on the walls.

This, and many other references that Generation X will delight from in this film are pointed out, so that is a treat and a positive of the film.

As the party gets off to a slow start, the thirty and forty-somethings appear dull and either talk about their kids or their various maladies and suddenly, after being fed drugs, are back to their college party days, are both dumb and cute at the same time.

Sisters (2015) (hopefully) knows what it is. It is a late Saturday night, raunchy comedy affair, meant as fluff and escapist fun. It is not a masterpiece nor does it intend to be one.

Rather, a full-length SNL sketch including many alumni. It is harmless fun.

2014 Films, Benicio del Toro, Comedy, Crime Drama, Dark Comedy, Drama, Eric Roberts, Film noir, Hong Chau, Jeannie Berlin, Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Martin Short, Maya Rudolph, Owen Wilson, Paul Thomas Anderson, Peter McRobbie, Reese Witherspoon

Inherent Vice-2014

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Inherent Vice-2014

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin

Scott’s Review #255

80013545

Reviewed July 7, 2015

Grade: A-

Inherent Vice (2014) is a bizarre detective film noir-type experience, set in 1970 Los Angeles.

Directed by the superb Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights-1997 and Magnolia-1999), the film has weirdness and incoherence that is a marvel to experience.

Fans of a straightforward plot will not be thrilled with this film, but for fans of Anderson, this will not disappoint. It has a complex plot, but the payoff is grand and a thinking man’s film.

The protagonist is Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix), a stoner private detective, contacted by his mysterious ex-girlfriend Shasta. She is worried about attempts by her boyfriend’s ex-wife and new lover to kidnap him and have him committed.

Mickey, Shasta’s boyfriend, is a wealthy real-estate developer.

Doc is also hired by two other people- one a former heroin addict looking for her missing husband, and the other a former convict looking for a prison mate who owes him money and is a former henchman of Mickey’s.

All of the stories intersect and such oddities as a peculiar massage parlor and a ship named the Golden Fang come into play throughout.

The intersecting stories lead to the revelation of a drug ring. I had little idea what was happening but was still enthralled by it.

There is an unpredictability surrounding Inherent Vice that is so pleasing and captivating. Joaquin Phoenix is compelling as Doc, a damaged character whose past is unclear.

When Doc is, by all accounts, framed for the murder of a convict and interrogated by the police, we wonder what history he has with them and what led him to branch out on his own as a private investigator.

Detective “Bigfoot” Bjornsen, wonderfully played by Josh Brolin, is a rival of Doc’s, though it is unclear why. “Bigfoot” is frequently seen with chocolate-covered phallic objects in his mouth and is married to a severe, overbearing woman.

Most characters are peculiar and have strange nuances, yet are never fully fleshed out, instead of remaining curious and thought-provoking.

Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Torro, and Owen Wilson appear in small yet pivotal roles.

Quite reminiscent of Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) and Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973), in both the California setting and the plodding, slow-paced, magnificent storytelling, Inherent Vice is a confusing gem, but by all means a gem worth seeing and reveling among the intrigue.

Just don’t try to make too much sense of it all.

Oscar Nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Robert Altman Award (won)

2013 Films, Allison Janney, Amanda Peet, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Jim Rash, Liam James, Maya Rudolph, Nat Faxon, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carell, Toni Collette

The Way, Way Back-2013

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The Way, Way Back-2013

Director Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Starring Steve Carrell, Toni Collette

Scott’s Review #40

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Reviewed June 18, 2014

Grade: B-

The Way, Way Back (2013) is a cute, summery, “coming of age” story about a teen misfit struggling to fit in.

It contains the basic stereotypical characters (boozy neighbor, overbearing step-father type), but kudos to great performances by Allison Janney and Steve Carell who make the film much more than it would have been otherwise.

The film feels like something that has been done many times before but contains a charming, feel-good quality.

Still, I would have enjoyed it more if some risks had been taken and the characters delved into more.

It is a one-dimensional film that ultimately disappoints.