Tag Archives: Lucas Hedges

2020 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Isaach de Bankolé, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tracy Letts

French Exit-2020

Leave a comment

French Exit-2020

Director-Azazel Jacobs

Starring-Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges

Scott’s Review #1,188

Reviewed October 29, 2021

Grade: C+

French Exit (2020) is a mediocre effort that disappointed me. I expected to be dazzled by the eccentric French culture and sequences that I had anticipated. While there are some location shots in historic Paris, there are not enough to outpace the lackluster writing and unlikable characters the film offers.

Plot-wise, the intriguing premise teeters into the far-fetched, so much so that the result becomes banal and silly.

The film is a miss and should be skipped in favor of other films like Midnight in Paris (2011) and Last Tango in Paris (1972) which both offer better French flair and superior storytelling.

A widowed New York socialite named Frances (Pfeiffer) and her meandering son Malcolm (Hedges) move to Paris after she spends the last of her husband’s inheritance. Sixty years old and now penniless, she borrows a friend’s apartment where she plans to live out the rest of her days anonymously. Her husband, Franklin, has been dead for twelve years and all that’s left of him is a cat named Small Frank, who may or may not embody his spirit.

Based on the previews I anticipated an adventure involving cobblestone Parisian streets, delicious bakeries, and cultural french music. A glimpse of the famous Louve or Eifel Tower would have been a cherry on top. While there are a few sequences of Frances and Malcolm walking along Parisian streets and an apartment that provides good french flavor there is not enough to be considered an achievement.

The main character is played by Michelle Pfeiffer. As a fan of some of her more recent projects like Mother! (2017) a brilliant film directed by Darren Aronofsky, the character didn’t catch fire for me. She’s pretty snobbish throughout and never really gets her comeuppance or learns any lesson.  As the protagonist, I was baffled as to why I was expected to root for a woman who is a bitch.

Hedges, a fantastic actor, plays his part according to script but the morose, one-dimensional Malcolm, is uninteresting, and a so-so romantic plot involving his girlfriend Susan (Imogen Poots) even less so.

On the plus side, Valerie Mahaffey steals the show with her quirky, comedic performance as Reynard. A fan of Frances’s she befriends the woman who initially has no interest in her and coldly dismisses her. An eccentric, her odd demeanor and style are infectious, and she won me over immediately especially placed side by side with the other less flavorful characters.

She was deservedly rewarded with recognition and received a Spirit Award nomination. Hopefully, this leads to more juice roles from Mahaffey.

Azazel Jacobs, who has had modest success on the independent film circuit offers moderate impressive direction but loses me with the addition of not one but two tired seance sequences. A cat inhabiting a dead body and coming to life with the deceased person’s voice is drab and better suited for low-brow light comedy.

To make matters worse, the inclusion of a plump medium Madeleine (Danielle Macdonald) is about as cliched as you can get.

There is not enough substance to give French Exit (2020) higher than average marks. Pfeiffer, taking center stage and doing the best she can, deserves better roles as she charges into her senior years. She’s got gusto so let’s give her better material.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Female-Valerie Mahaffey

2018 Films, Biography, Drama, Flea, Joe Alwyn, Joel Edgerton, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman

Boy Erased-2018

Leave a comment

Boy Erased-2018

Director-Joel Edgerton

Starring-Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe

Scott’s Review #834

Reviewed November 22, 2018

Grade: A

Before I ventured to the movie theater to view Boy Erased (2018) I heard from more than a few folks who decided not to see the film due to the difficult subject matter.

While parts of the film are admittedly tough to watch and the true story stifling, the overall message is poignant and hopeful, the central character one to be championed.

In other words, while a serious matter, director Joel Edgerton (who also co-stars) is careful not to make the overall experience dour or wholly downtrodden.

Based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir of the same name and taking place as frighteningly recent as 2004, the setting is rural Arkansas.

Our main character is a handsome, popular young man, renamed Jared (Lucas Hedges) for the film.  Interspersed with numerous flashbacks then back to present times, we see Jared as a high school kid and blossoming as a freshman college student, interested in writing.

He is expected to follow the word of god since his father, Marshall (Russell Crowe), is a respected preacher at their local church, and his mother, Nancy (Nicole Kidman), is a housewife.

Jared’s college experiences are both good and bad. He befriends fellow runner Henry, who ultimately rapes him, and embarks on an enlightening friendship with Xavier, who challenges Jared’s belief in god.

These scenes are preceded by the point of the film, in which Jared admits his thoughts about men to his parents and is sent to a Love In Action gay conversion therapy program. His experiences there are chronicled.

Many scenes involve the treatment the school provides the students (or rather makes the students endure) and Jared’s realization that he is gay and cannot change.

He ultimately questions and challenges the school. The chief therapist, Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton), teaches that God will not love anyone who is homosexual. In a bit of rich irony, the film later reveals that Victor finally denounced his teachings and married a man.

Fellow students’ lives are featured, one suffers a terrible fate as he cannot come to terms with his sexuality nor can he change.

A comparison to the popular film Love, Simon (2018) is fun to draw.

Both were released during the same year and both feature a young, popular coming-of-age character who struggles with the repercussions of revealing their sexual preference.

Boy Erased is the heavier of the two as Love, Simon has many comic elements, but worth noting is that both are mainstream films garnering large audiences- a win for the LGBT community.

The acting in Boy Erased is flawless and perfectly cast all around.

With Hedges, Kidman, and Crowe in the mix, we know the performances will be outstanding, and all three characters possess their share of empathy.

Jared is the most to be concerned with and Marshall and Nancy are support players, but the film does not portray either as bad people, which is interesting. They are nurturing towards Jared and want him to be happy.

While Nancy is more instrumental in rescuing Jared, Marshall does also come around in the end as his son’s sexuality is tougher for him to accept.

The main song used in the film is appropriately named “Revelation” by Troye Sivan. The singer also appears in the film as Gary, a student made to be “cleansed” of his sexuality.  The tune is sentimental, smoky, and acoustic, perfect for the southern setting.

Heartfelt and fraught with meaning, it encompasses Jared’s struggles and strong will to question the school’s motivations, powering through the toxic approach the school has.

As with many recent biographical films telling stories of real-life people, Boy Erased features a young Jared in homemade video clips as the film begins. This immediately triggers a rooting value for the character as we see the child, cute, happy, and full of life, without a care in the world.

Additionally, the conclusion shows the real adult Jared, Marshall, and Nancy.

Boy Erased (2018) is an important film firmly nestled in a time-period crucial for the LGBT community. As LGBT awareness is now commonplace in cinema, this film does not necessarily go the route of sharing a gay character’s “coming out” story but rather depicts a brilliant story of how perilous and repressive being gay can still be for some people.

Jared is the main character who will undoubtedly be a hero to many young people wrestling with their identity.

2017 Films, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Comedy, Crime Drama, Dark Comedy, Drama, Frances McDormand, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, John Hawkes, Lucas Hedges, Martin McDonagh, Peter Dinklage, Woody Harrelson

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri-2017

Leave a comment

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri-2017

Director Martin McDonagh

Starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell

Scott’s Review #703

Reviewed December 4, 2017

Grade: A

Frances McDormand takes control of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and never lets go. In the Martin McDonagh-directed 2017 vehicle, she rivetingly portrays an angry Midwestern woman seeking justice.

The up-and-coming director has also created such films as  2008’s In Bruges and 2012’s Seven Psychopaths.

Similar to these films, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, is peppered with dark comedic moments and vile, bitter characters. The film is a measured success because it is not your standard Hollywood production and is quite left-of-center.

The action begins as we meet McDormand’s Mildred Hayes, sitting alone in her beat-up station wagon, brooding by the side of the road, gazing at three tattered billboards.

She is both pissed off and thoughtful as she formulates a plan to purchase a year’s worth of billboards, questioning the local police’s ineptitude in finding her daughter’s rapist and killer.

Woody Harrelson portrays the Ebbing police chief, Sheriff Bill Willoughby, and Sam Rockwell plays the racist and dim-whited officer Jason Dixon, both displeased with Mildred’s activities.

Other casting decisions in small yet essential roles are Lucas Hedges as Mildred’s adolescent and depressed son, Robbie, and John Hawke as her ex-husband, Charlie, who is dating an eighteen-year-old ditz.

Peter Dinklage is well-cast as James, a local car salesman who is an earnest dwarf with a crush on Mildred.

Supporting roles are prevalent throughout the film, and small-town locales like Jason’s mother and Red, the owner of the advertising agency who rents the billboards to Mildred, shape the experience.

The casting in Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, is a strong point of the film.

The town of Ebbing is portrayed as dreary, blue-collar, and racist, which is just perfect for setting the tone of the film.

I suspect residents of the Midwest or the southern United States of America may have some issues with character representations. Jason is written as both racist and not too smart, and he encompasses numerous characters in the film.

Enough cannot be said for Rockwell’s performance, transforming from a hated character during the film’s first two-thirds to suddenly almost becoming the hero towards the end.

Props are also deserved by Harrelson’s Chief Willoughby- bordering on hick and racist, he also has a heart and cares about Mildred’s predicament- when a shocking event occurs, he becomes an even richer character.

It is worth pointing out and impressive to me as a viewer that the three prominent black characters—Willoughby’s replacement, Abercrombie, Mildred’s best friend and co-worker, Denise, and a kindly billboard painter—are each written as intelligent and sensitive, a fact I found to perfectly balance the other less sympathetic characters.

In this way, a nasty film becomes more satisfying.

Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, though, belongs to McDormand. She is successful at portraying a myriad of different emotions. From her sly eye-winking as she crafts a good verbal assault on whoever crosses her path, to an emotional breakdown scene towards the end of the film, McDormand embodies the character with depth.

In a gorgeous scene, she has a sweet conversation with a peaceful deer grazing nearby, and for a second, she imagines it could be her dead daughter reincarnated. The scene richly counterbalances other violent and brutal scenes.

McDormand manages to look downright homely in some scenes and beautiful in others.

A film will indeed divide viewers. Some will champion the film’s crisp writing and witty dialogue. Still, others will undoubtedly be turned off by some of the character’s foul language and nasty nature.

I found Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), sarcastic, gritty, and well-told. It is a versatile affair rich with layers and brimming with enjoyment.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Actress-Frances McDormand (won), Best Supporting Actor-Sam Rockwell (won), Woody Harrelson, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Female Lead-Frances McDormand (won), Best Supporting Make-Sam Rockwell (won), Best Screenplay

2017 Films, Beanie Feldstein, Comedy, Daniel Zovatto, Drama, Greta Gerwig, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Laurie Metcalf, Lois Smith, Lucas Hedges, Saoirse Ronan, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Letts

Lady Bird-2017

Leave a comment

Lady Bird-2017

Director Greta Gerwig

Starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf

Scott’s Review #700

Reviewed November 28, 2017

Grade: A

Lady Bird is a 2017 independent film released by actor-turned-writer/director Greta Gerwig. It is a tremendous effort in her solo directorial debut.

No stranger to the indie syndicate herself, Gerwig puts her unique stamp on the film with a rich, female-centered perspective that works quite well and seeps with charm and wit.

It is worth noting that the story is semi-autobiographical, based on Gerwig’s life and her stormy dealings with her mother. The story is well-written, well-paced, and empathetic as the audience views a slice of life through the eyes of a restless yet kindly teenager on the cusp of womanhood.

Saoirse Ronan gives a bravura performance in the title role. Her given birth name is Christine, but she defiantly changes it to Lady Bird in a show of adolescent independence, and much to her parents, Marion and Larry’s (Laurie Metcalf and Tracy Letts ) chagrin.

Christine lives in suburban Sacramento, California, and yearns for a more exciting life in New York City, far from what she considers Dullsville, USA. Now, in her senior year, she is attending a Catholic high school.

Christine applies to college after college, hoping to escape her daily dilemmas. Christine’s best friend Julie and somewhat boyfriend Danny (Lucas Hedges) are along for the ride.

The period is 2002- shortly after 9/11.

The brightest moments in Lady Bird are the plentiful scenes between Christine and her mother. The chemistry between Ronan and Metcalf is terrific, and I genuinely buy them as a real mother/daughter duo, warts and all. They fight makeup, get on each other’s nerves, fight, cry, do makeup, etc.

I especially love their knock-down drag-outs, as each actress stands her ground while allowing the other room to shine—feeding off of each other.

My favorite Metcalf scene occurs while she is alone. Having gotten into a tiff with Christine and giving her the silent treatment while Christine flies to New York, Marion reconsiders as she melts into tears. At the same time, she drives away, regretting her decision and missing her daughter already.

Metcalf fills the scene with emotional layers as she does not speak- we watch in awe as her facial expressions tell everything.

Comparably, Ronan—likely to receive her third Oscar nomination at the ripe old age of twenty-three (Atonement, 1997, and Brooklyn, 2015, are the other nods)—successfully gives a layered performance as a teenage girl struggling with her identity and restless to see different worlds and get out of what she sees as a bland city.

Of Irish descent, Ronan is remarkable in her portrayal of a California girl- sometimes selfish, sometimes sarcastic, but always likable and empathetic.

The casting from top to bottom is terrific, as the supporting players lend added meat to the story. Christine’s best friend, Julie, played by young upstart Beanie Feldstein (Jonah Hill’s sister), is compelling as the lovable, chubby, and nerdy theater geek.

Letts is perfect as Christine’s father, depressed at losing his job in the tough economy and having to compete with young talent as he sees his career slip away.

Legendary actress Lois Smith adds heart to Sister Sarah Joan’s role- a by-the-book nun who is an incredible old chick.

Finally, Hedges, seemingly in every film from 2016 to 2017, is emotionally resounding as Danny, Christine’s troubled boyfriend, struggles with his sexuality.

Gerwig does it all with this film—she directs and writes, scripting laugh-out-loud moments and eliciting heartfelt emotion from her enchanted audience.

A hilarious scene occurs as Christine attends a dreary class assembly- an anti-abortion-themed one- by a woman who almost did not exist but for her mother’s decision not to have an abortion.

When a bored Christine icily points out that had the woman’s mother had the abortion, she would not be forced to sit through the assembly, it is a laugh-out-loud moment.

Lady Bird (2017), thanks to a fantastic writer and director and superlative casting, is a film that has its all heart, emotion, humor, and great acting.

The film is intelligently written and forces the audience to embrace its characters quite willingly. Gerwig carves a story, perhaps done many times before in film, but with a fresh and energetic feel.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-Greta Gerwig, Best Actress-Saoirse Ronan, Best Supporting Actress-Laurie Metcalf, Best Original Screenplay

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Female Lead-Saoirse Ronan, Best Supporting Female-Laurie Metcalf, Best Screenplay (won)

2016 Films, Casey Affleck, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Kenneth Lonergan, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Matt Damon, Matthew Broderick, Michelle Williams, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Tate Donovan

Manchester by the Sea-2016

Leave a comment

Manchester by the Sea-2016

Director Kenneth Lonergan

Starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams

Scott’s Review #542

Reviewed December 11, 2016

Grade: A

Manchester by the Sea (2016) is a beautiful film.

Told from a slow build-up to a crescendo and a big reveal mid-stream about one of the character’s pasts, it takes time, which is why it is so compelling.

The audience slowly becomes familiar with the characters, making them rich with nuances. They care about them and their predicaments, just as good, solid storytelling should.

The film is a slice of life, dark drama, but I did not find it to be a downer in the least bit—instead, a film with rich writing and great characters. A good movie makes you care for the characters like real people.

Casey Affleck is excellent as the lead character, Lee Chandler. In the film, he plays a janitor who lives a mundane life in Quincy, Massachusetts, tending to apartment buildings. He calmly deals with indifferent, angry, or odd tenants.

Affleck portrays this man with reserve and occasional outbursts of rage. His anger is confusing, but as the story unfolds, we begin to understand what this man has been through and the reasoning behind his anger, even though he is a good person.

Lee receives a call one day with news that his brother, Joe, has died.

Kyle Chandler plays Joe through many flashbacks throughout the film. Upon Joe’s death, Lee returns to Manchester (where he formerly resided) and is told he will be the guardian of his sixteen-year-old nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges).

In the mix are the characters of Joe and Lee’s ex-wives- Elise and Randi (Michelle Williams), playing small yet pivotal roles.

The film is dark, and many characters either suffer from emotional trauma, neurosis, or some other maladies, either physical or emotional.

The slice-of-life analogy comes into play. Everyone can relate to these characters in some way, and most people have lived in towns like this and/or have suffered crappy turns of events in life.

When Lee returns to Mansfield, he is a familiar face with a hint of mystery and history. Mansfield is a small town; everyone knows each other’s business, and the characters are hardened, blue-collar, and rugged individuals.

In addition to Affleck’s compelling performance, Williams must be mentioned. She gives a tremendous, heart-wrenching performance as a good woman in pain, trying to carry on and do the right things, forging some adequate existence, as is Lee.

Anyone who has gone through pain (which is everybody) can relate to these characters.

The supporting cast, including even the tiny characters, is perfectly cast and has hearty Boston-type accents that I loved. From Joe’s wife to Patrick’s girlfriend’s mother to various other walk-on characters, each has a vulnerability mixed with toughness.

It is as if life has been challenging, and they are wary of trust, yet they help each other and stick together.

The characters are a major positive to Manchester by the Sea.

Many reflective moments abound within the film, and we are often given scenes of Lee driving down the highway deep in thought. Or long shots of the vast Atlantic Ocean, where fishing is a large part of the character’s lives.

Fishing boats and waves are monumental in the film.

These are not throwaway scenes but interesting, compelling moments rich with meaning.

During the best sequence of the film, when a startling event occurs, the scenes are mixed with classical and operatic music, giving the scenes and the shocking revelations power and meat.

It is heavy stuff but also beautiful, with a compelling musical score.

Not to be drowned by the heavy drama, Manchester has some quirky, dry humor moments. When Joe is initially told about his heart condition, he and his father unintentionally call his female Asian doctor by the wrong name.

When family friends host a party following Awaken, they awkwardly misunderstand each other when they attempt to fix Lee a plate of food. Finally, nobody can find the deceased Joe’s belongings at the hospital. These awkward moments add some comic relief to the film.

I adore well-crafted, emotional, compelling family dramas. Too often, they are cliche-ridden and highly predictable.

Manchester by the Sea (2016) has brilliant writing, top-notch acting, and intricately layered characters.

This film has it all.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Kenneth Lonergan, Best Actor-Casey Affleck (won), Best Supporting Actor-Lucas Hedges, Best Supporting Actress-Michelle Williams, Best Original Screenplay (won)

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Male Lead-Casey Affleck (won), Best Supporting Male-Lucas Hedges, Best Screenplay, Best Editing

2014 Films, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Comedy, Drama, Edward Norton, F. Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Jason Schwartzman, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Léa Seydoux, Lucas Hedges, Neal Huff, Owen Wilson, Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Wes Anderson, Willem Dafoe

The Grand Budapest Hotel-2014

Leave a comment

The Grand Budapest Hotel-2014

Director Wes Anderson

Starring Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham

Scott’s Review #143

70295915

Reviewed July 30, 2014

Grade: B+

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) is a witty and unique film by director Wes Anderson, who has also directed similarly quirky films,  notably Monsoon Kingdom (2012) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

The famous story of the history of the Grand Budapest Hotel is recounted, over dinner, by the current owner Zero (played by F. Murray Abraham), and an inquisitive guest (Jude Law).

The film then goes back to the 1930s and shares the story of the actual history of the hotel.

The main story centers on the head concierge, Gustave, (Ralph Fiennes), and his antics involving older wealthy blonde women, a murder, stolen art, and a missing will.

Gustave is a ladies’ man, and bisexual, who spends time with the rich women who stay at the hotel.  Fiennes does an excellent job as the quick-witted, almost manic Gustave.

This sets off a series of interesting, mysterious events for the remainder of the film that turns into a whodunit yarn.

The visual aspects usurp the story. The art direction is amazing. The sets are constructed so perfectly and ingeniously that they almost look like animated sets or like a dollhouses.

The costumes and makeup are flawless.

The story tends to be tough to follow at times and is just not as strong as the other aspects of the film, although this is not to be interpreted as the story is not good- it is entertaining, but nothing more.

It’s just that the other aspects of the film are magnificent and the story is secondary. It’s an odd film, certainly, but unique and interesting.

Well-known Hollywood stars appear- Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, and Harvey Keitel.

Oscar Nominations: 4 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Wes Anderson, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (won), Best Production Design (won), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won), Best Costume Design (won), Best Film Editing

2013 Films, Drama, Gattlin Griffith, Independent, Independent Drama, J.K. Simmons, James Van Der Beek, Jason Reitman, Josh Brolin, Kate Winslet, Lucas Hedges, Maika Monroe, Tobey Maguire

Labor Day-2013

Leave a comment

Labor Day-2013

Director Jason Reitman

Starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin

Scott’s Review #116

70284279

Reviewed July 17, 2014 

Grade: B+

Labor Day (2013) is quite simply a modern love story.

Set in 1987 on a hot Labor Day weekend in New Hampshire, a boy and his mother are approached by an escaped convict pleading for help.

They reluctantly agree and what follows is a weekend of mixed emotions and bonding between the three individuals.

Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin have nice chemistry as the two leads, and although the film felt like it was decorated to be 1987, it looks quite modern.

The woman is divorced and insecure and bordering on being a shut-in. The son is more like the parent, taking care of her, and running errands.

The film is narrated by an older version of the son (played by Tobey Maguire). Questions run through the viewer’s mind throughout the film, which is a major positive.

Can the convict be trusted? Is he guilty or is there more to the story? Is the mother falling for him or pretending to escape?

All the action plays out over one weekend while the town is on high alert and everyone is searching for the escaped con and most of the action takes place in the family home, lending a stage production feel to the film.

There are some tense moments and flashbacks of both the convict and the woman and their lives before meeting so we, as viewers, get to know them well.

Despite their differences, the couple has a rooting value to them thanks to Brolin’s and Winslet’s talents.

Labor Day (2013) is a well-made film that received little recognition.