Tag Archives: Michael Showalter

2022 Films, Ben Aldridge, Bill Irwin, Drama, Jim Parsons, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ Romance, Michael Showalter, Romantic Drama, Sally Field

Spoiler Alert-2022

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Spoiler Alert-2022

Director Michael Showalter

Starring Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field

Scott’s Review #1,399

Reviewed September 15, 2023

Grade: A-

Spoiler Alert (2022) comes dangerously close to being classified as a Hallmark Television Movie of the Week tearjerker with standard cliches and a predictable storyline. While the ending is no surprise, the film works incredibly well and fires on all cylinders.

I laughed, cried, and felt an enormous connection to the central characters in what could become a seasonal holiday watch.

I recently reviewed another film that, on the surface, sounded saccharin and contrived but pulled me in nonetheless. The lesson learned is not to make assumptions about the quality of films.

The direction is conventional, but the story and characters are absorbing and heartwarming with spectacular acting, especially among the two lead actors, Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge. An added gift is the appearance of Sally Field in a supporting role as an overbearing but lovable mom.

In 2001, Michael Ausiello (Parsons), a writer for TV Guide, begrudgingly goes to a gay nightclub with his best friend in Manhattan. There, he meets photographer Kit Cowan (Ben Aldridge), and the two instantly connect.

As they begin dating, Michael struggles with insecurities about not being attractive enough for Kit, since he was an overweight child. Kit is athletic and good-looking, oozing confidence. Michael was a ridiculed kid watching soap operas with his mother and creating a pretend sitcom family.

He also overindulges in the Smurfs collection.

They both admit their fears of being in a long-term relationship since neither of them has been in one before, but they decide to continue dating.

Hurdles then plague the couple as Kit must come out to his parents, Bob (Bill Irwin), and Marilyn (Field), to explain who Michael is, and ultimately they all must face Kit’s stage IV cancer diagnosis.

I recognize how Spoiler Alert doesn’t possess the most original screenplay, written by David Marshall Grant and LGBTQ+ advocate Dan Savage, and based on a story written by real-life Michael Ausiello.

The tried and true story point of a gay male character struggling to come out to his parents has been done for decades in LGBTQ+ films.

The insecure partner feels inferior to the more confident partner, and it affects their relationship. This point has also been discussed before. Michael is convinced that Kit will dump him for someone else.

Hell, we’ve seen both of these cliches as recently as 2022 in Bros., a fantastic LGBTQ+ mainstream film that used both.

In Spoiler Alert, they work because of Parsons and Aldridge and the chemistry they have together, and the nuanced delivery of the characters separately.

While they each want love and a relationship, neither is desperate. As they banter back and forth, Michael awkwardly removes his clothes during their first intimacy, and the actors playfully frolic immediately at ease with one another.

Many cute scenes follow.

Events then grow serious as we move beyond Kit’s uneven coming out to his parents (of course, they embrace Kit and Michael instantly!) and dive headfirst into Kit’s cancer battle.

The film makes no secret that Kit will die of cancer. It’s practically shown in the opening scene as he and Michael lie in a hospital bed together, and Michael narrates the story.

It’s called Spoiler Alert for a reason. But instead of ruining the film, it only enhances the love story to come. We know that Kit and Michael become soul mates, and the pleasure is watching them grow and flourish together.

Since Michael’s mother, and presumed best friend, died of cancer, it only strengthens the investment in the character.

As Kit becomes weaker, my fondness for the two men becomes stronger. The maturity and love for one another are apparent, especially when Michael selflessly invites a man whom Kit had an affair with to say goodbye to Kit.

It’s a touching scene, but not as touching as the scene where Michael and Kit’s parents sob over Kit’s hospital bed.

Yes, Spoiler Alert (2022) may have manipulated me with a conventional film, but Parsons and Aldridge have better chemistry than most opposite-sex couples.

I thoroughly enjoyed my way through the film without dry eyes.

2021 Films, Andrew Garfield, Biography, Cherry Jones, Drama, Jessica Chastain, Michael Showalter, Vincent D'Onofrio

The Eyes of Tammy Faye-2021

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The Eyes of Tammy Faye-2021

Director Michael Showalter

Starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield

Scott’s Review #1,233

Reviewed February 26, 2022

Grade: A-

When thinking of the name Tammy Faye Baker, usually images of outlandish pancake makeup and ridiculous evangelical spewings are conjured up.

Alongside her husband Jim Baker, the duo was prominent and highly visible throughout the 1970s and the 1980s as fixtures of Christian broadcasting.

Naturally, scandals ensued, resulting in prison time for Jim and shame and career ruin for Tammy.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021) delves into the thoughts and experiences of Tammy, hence the title. It’s sympathetic material and made me learn much more about the celebrity than I knew.

Other characters, such as husband Jim and sullen evangelists like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, are explored, but Tammy is the main draw.

I love the depiction of Tammy Faye Baker, and hats off to a dynamite performance by Jessica Chastain, especially in the final act. Nearly unrecognizable, the actress unleashes a flurry of brilliant scenes and a depiction of a tacky woman winning over an audience.

It is Chastain’s best role yet.

Tammy’s LGBTQ+ community appreciation and thoughtfulness during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, when very few others, especially in her inner circle, wanted anything to do with them, is compelling and heart-wrenching.

She saw them as human beings when others saw them as lepers. She continued to support the LGBTQ+ community until she died in 2007.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye is an intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall, and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.

The film begins with her humble beginnings in frigid Minnesota and her closeness with her very religious mother, Rachel (Cherry Jones), and her kind stepfather, who accepted her as his own.

An innocent college romance with Jim Baker (Garfield) blossoms into marriage, leading to their rise to success in creating the world’s largest religious broadcasting network and theme park. They promote a message of love while skimming from the top to enjoy their lavish lifestyle.

Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life. However, it wasn’t long before financial improprieties and scandal toppled their carefully constructed empire.

This is the point where the film takes off.

Chastain had me at the very first scene when an extreme close-up of her face, now aging, is featured. Though wacky, she infuses a humanism and kindness into Tammy that immediately made me champion her.

Through trials and tribulations, from nearly cheating on her husband to turning a blind eye to the financial scandals surrounding her, she always keeps her head held high and fills any room she enters with love and sincerity.

The best scene by Chastain is at the end of the film when Tammy makes a triumphant yet humble return to the stage.

As she nervously takes the stage at Oral Roberts University, she imagines a stage filled with glamour and pomp rather than the meek one it is. It helps her get through, and I wanted to give her a big hug.

All the awards attention has gone to Chastain, but Andrew Garfield is nearly as flawless. Complex and struggling with Tammy’s brazen approach, his sexuality, and playing nice with the other major players, he gets his comeuppance, but Garfield makes him sympathetic and a fine study.

Directed by Michael Showalter, I feel he could have gone much darker with this film. Sure, there is some sadness, like when Tammy overhears a bunch of kids whispering that she is a freak or colleagues mocking her as a clown, but it’s a soft touch.

The woman battled cancer for years before dying from it, but the film ends before any of that even happens.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021) belongs to Chastain and Garfield. It’s a bit glossy and skates over some hard-punching attributes it could have showcased, but it balances the camp with endearment and champions acceptance and compassion for one another.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Actress-Jessica Chastain (won), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won)

2017 Films, Aidy Bryant, Anupam Kher, Bo Burnham, Comedy, David Alan Grier, Drama, Holly Hunter, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Judd Apatow, Kumail Nanjiani, Kurt Braunohler, Michael Showalter, Ray Romano, Zenobia Shroff, Zoe Kazan

The Big Sick-2017

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The Big Sick-2017

Director Michael Showalter

Starring Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan

Scott’s Review #720

Reviewed January 29, 2018

Grade: B+

The Big Sick, a 2017 independent “dramedy” film, takes what could be a standard premise and turns it upside down, offering a fresh perspective on a familiar tale about a prospering relationship.

The screenplay is the standout as the writing is intelligent and crisp. Thanks to exceptional acting by all four principal characters, The Big Sick is a success and worth watching.

The story follows an interracial couple, Emily and Kumail, played by Zoe Kazan and Kumail Nanjiani, who have recently started casually dating. Kumail is a standup comic living in Chicago who meets the flirtatious Emily after a club performance one night.

They share a one-night stand and agree never to see one another again.

As the smitten pair break their promise and form a romance, a tragedy occurs, landing Emily in a coma.

Kumail must handle Emily’s parents, Beth (Holly Hunter) and Terry (Ray Romano), who are angry with Kumail for misleading Emily and not telling her about his strict Muslim parent’s intentions of marrying him off by arranged marriage.

The screenplay (nominated for a 2017 Oscar nomination) is loosely based on the relationship between actor/writer Nanjiani (who stars), and Emily Gordon (who co-wrote the screenplay).

Especially since Nanjiani stars, the film is sincere and authentic, as if Nanjiani is living the role.

The chemistry between Nanjiani and Kazan during their many scenes at the start is a significant plus to the film. Before the drama takes off, the audience will become fully invested in the pair as a couple.

Whether the couple flirts as Kumail drives Emily home or fights when Emily learns about his Muslim culture’s belief in arranged marriage, the couple has a tremendous connection, and it shows.

The story fabric takes an interesting turn about midway through when Emily is stricken with a debilitating illness.

A medically induced coma is needed, as Kumail is forced to pretend to be her husband, this opens up many moral and legal ramifications that the film chooses essentially to ignore, instead of dealing with the relationships between Kumail and Emily’s distraught parents.

Hunter and Romano are excellent in the parent roles. Hunter is the more showy of the two and has more meat, while Romano holds his own and powers a vital comedy club scene in which he defends his wife from a callous heckler.

Admittedly, the film decides to go the “happily ever after” route, this is hardly a surprise given that Judd Apatow is the producer.

Remember, this is the same guy who produced safe films such as Superbad (2007) and Anchorman 2 (2013). Still, the story within The Big Sick is an enjoyable, character-driven ride, if not unpredictable.

A darker-tinged affair might have set this film over the top as it contains many other credible film qualities.

The addition of comic talent in the supporting roles of Kumail’s comedy club buddies adds a good balance and nicely counterbalances the drama so that it does not become too dour.

Much of the film involves Emily in a coma, so comic talent such as SNL’s Aidy Bryant and Comedy Central’s Kurt Braunohler are suitable ads.

I enjoyed the inclusion of the traditional Pakistani custom of arranged marriages, but at times this seems played for laughs rather than being a significant obstacle to the couple.

Kumail’s controlling mother parades one young Pakistani girl after another in front of her son as a way of encouraging him to select one of them. Kumail’s traditional family is played as stereotypes and the lighthearted foils of the film.

The Big Sick (2017) succeeds with crisp, witty dialogue and a solid story that nicely complements the intended comedy.

A few too many stereotypes and goofiness keep the action light even when compared to the more serious parts—great acting all around.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Supporting Female-Holly Hunter, Best First Screenplay (won)

2016 Films, Beth Behrs, Comedy, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Romantic Comedy, Kumail Nanjiani, Max Greenfield, Michael Showalter, Natasha Lyonne, Peter Gallagher, Romantic Comedy, Sally Field, Stephen Root, Tyne Daly

Hello, My Name Is Doris-2016

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Hello, My Name Is Doris-2016

Director Michael Showalter

Starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield

Scott’s Review #390

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Reviewed April 1, 2016

Grade: B

Sally Field shines in Hello, My Name Is Doris (2016), a sweet-natured indie romantic comedy that tells of a lonely Staten Island woman and her mostly fantasy-laden relationship with her colleague, a much younger, hunky man (Max Greenfield).

The film is somewhat predictable but sweet and honest and works well. It hardly reinvents the wheel, but it is a lovely character-oriented story about a woman’s reawakening from a dull life.

This is refreshing in a world of retreads and superhero flicks.

Doris Miller meanders through life at her crappy data entry job at an Advertising Agency in mid-town Manhattan. Having worked in the same role for decades, she is overlooked and more or less invisible to colleagues.

She is the “weird old lady” or the “wallflower” who goes unnoticed. Her personal life is a dud. She lives with her recently deceased mother, who is a hoarder and severely marginalized. She has no dating possibilities.

One day, on the elevator heading to the office, a kind young man named John Fremont innocently pays attention to her, and she becomes enamored with him.

Later, she is stunned to realize that John is the new Art Director at her job.

Her crush escalates as she and John become friends, and a series of misunderstandings ensue, with the added conflict of her friends thinking she is living in a fantasy world, worried she will wind up hurt.

Sally Field carries this film in every way. It is nice to see her in a lead role again, which, sadly, is a rarity these days for a seventy-year-old actress.

She convincingly plays quirky, shy, and awkward and has one melt-down scene that is a powerful testament to her continued acting ability.

The character of Doris slowly blossoms and becomes rich with zest. We discover she is much more than meets the eye, and these moments in the film are wonderful to experience, thanks to Field’s charisma.

My favorite scenes involve the lovely bond between Doris and the thirteen-year-old granddaughter of her best pal, Roz, played by Tyne Daly.

Despite the age difference, the granddaughter views her as a peer, giving daring dating advice to the inept Doris. This leads to a nice portion of the plot and some funny moments.

One unique aspect of Hello, My Name Is Doris is that it is not a film about a May-December romance between a man and a woman—at least, I did not see it that way. Instead, it is about a woman who finally decides to live regardless of age.

I felt her stifled and smothered by her brother and sister-in-law, who clearly did not understand that she hoarded “stuff” in her home to cope with her loneliness, and to be surrounded by things that gave her comfort helped her deal.

Granted, Doris clinging to one broken wooden ski from the Dark Ages was amusing in its cuteness.

Tyne Daly, who can recite the phone book, is worth a considerable note from an acting standpoint. I’d be happy to do that. She is one of those natural, confident, engaging, real actresses, and her scenes with Field glistened with raw talent and emotion.

Perhaps a female buddy movie with Field and Daly?

The remainder of the supporting characters are capable but not spectacular. They are somewhat clichéd and one-note.

For example, Doris’s colleagues view her as invisible with the classic office jokes, especially the female boss thrown into the film- possessing a hard-as-nails personality and coldness.

I have seen these characters time after time in comedy films.

Supporting actors from Orange is the New Black (2013-2019) and Mad Men (2007-2015) are featured as a couple of the colleagues.

Indie, fun, and with a freshness made in large part by Sally Field, Hello, My Name Is Doris (2016) is an innocent comedy with a romantic edge and some nice laughs.

It is far from a masterpiece but a good-natured escape, which is refreshing, especially for the middle-aged or senior crowd craving a non-stereotypical female character.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Piaget Producers Award (won)