Tag Archives: Susan Sarandon

2009 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama

Solitary Man-2009

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Solitary Man-2009

Director Brian Koppelman, David Levien

Starring Michael Douglas

Scott’s Review #508

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Reviewed November 3, 2016

Grade: B-

Solitary Man (2009) is an indie drama that has good points and bad.

Michael Douglas stars as a one-time successful, but womanizing, car dealership owner who hits rough times and loses everything.

Michael Douglas’s performance is very good and believable as a cad who hits a difficult stretch in his life.

As an actor, Douglas still possesses his good looks and charm despite being an older leading man by this time; he plays 60 very well.

The film centers around him, and wisely so, despite containing other notable actors. His character of Ben Kalman has swagger and is narcissistic, but yet lovable at the same time and this is unmistakably due to Douglas’s talents.

Annoyingly, the supporting characters played by Susan Sarandon, Danny Devito, and Jesse Eisenberg are quite one-note and not interesting, which is a shame in light of their immense talents.

The story is okay, but nothing fantastic.

I felt as though I had seen films like this many times before- the quirky edge and the attempted dark humor with laughs and some melodrama mixed in was forgettable.

However, as a character study, the movie succeeds.

Solitary Man (2009) is recommended for Michael Douglas’s performance only.

2012 Films, Crime Drama, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama

Arbitrage-2012

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Arbitrage-2012

Director Nicholas Jarecki

Starring Richard Gere

Scott’s Review #437

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Reviewed July 1, 2016

Grade: B+

Arbitrage (2012) is an exciting, interesting, little indie thriller starring Richard Gere as a successful but troubled CEO whose life begins to unravel around him through a series of circumstances.

He is a billionaire, but he risks losing everything because of shady dealings and fraud.

The film keeps the audience guessing and never feels predictable. The plot slowly unravels into a tense pot-boiler.

Richard Gere stands out, delivering a wonderful, believable performance. Once known as little more than a hunky Hollywood star, Gere has blossomed in recent years, taking on more compelling and complex roles.

Arbitrage (2012) has some Hitchcock elements throughout its complexity, though Gere’s character is an anti-hero, whereas Hitchcock’s were often good guys in bad circumstances.

The car crash scene is brilliantly done.

I wish this movie had received more attention, as it is a fun, thrilling ride.

2012 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Screwball Comedy

That’s My Boy-2012

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That’s My Boy-2012

Director Sean Anders

Starring Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg

Scott’s Review #423

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Reviewed June 19, 2016

Grade: D

That’s My Boy (2012) is an incredibly bad film, yet something strangely kept my attention.

With oodles of stereotypes and either sexist, homophobic, or racist jokes throughout the film, it should have made me angry, but somehow it did not.

This movie was so completely over the top that it couldn’t possibly be taken seriously.

One laughable aspect that I did enjoy was the, albeit odd, cameos by Vanilla Ice and Todd Bridges who seem to have no problem degrading themselves, and the references to the 1980s.

Otherwise, That’s My Boy is pretty rock bottom for filmmaking.

This isn’t a knock on the dumb comedy genre, as other recent similar films are well written (like This is 40-2011).

But alas, That’s My Boy (2012) isn’t one of those films and will not go down in history as such.

True to form, the ending is predictable and uninteresting.

2012 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Science Fiction

Robot & Frank-2012

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Robot & Frank-2012

Director Jake Schreier

Starring Frank Langella

Scott’s Review #414

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Reviewed June 18, 2016

Grade: C

Robot & Frank (2012) is one of those films that leaves me with a “meh” reaction after I’ve seen it.

It’s not that it’s a bad movie, but there’s nothing particularly special either- it is quite ordinary and rather forgettable after the credits have rolled.

The premise, on paper,  seems novel: a future with robots that grow attached to humans. Unfortunately, the movie did not live up to the idea.

I was hoping for an interesting 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)- type robot idea (HAL), but I got nothing like it.

I’m a big fan of Frank Langella, and I felt he was the main attraction in this movie.

On a side note, why is Susan Sarandon suddenly playing every meaningless supporting role these days? Another wasted role. She deserves better.

Several plot points had no follow-through, and the ending, while not exactly predictable, was nothing spectacular.

Meh.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best First Screenplay

2011 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama

Jeff, Who Lives at Home-2011

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Jeff, Who Lives at Home-2011

Directors Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass

Starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms

Scott’s Review #107

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Reviewed July 12, 2014

Grade: B

I confess to not being a huge fan of Jason Segel.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011) tells the story of a slacker who lives with his mother and in the shadow of his successful brother, played by Ed Helms.

He regularly smokes pot and looks for meaning in random occurrences.

One day, he begins an adventure when he believes he sees meaning in a phone call, and it sets up a series of mishaps involving his brother and estranged wife, played by Judy Greer.

The secondary story involves the mother (Susan Sarandon), who leads a dull life working a mundane job. She suddenly develops a secret admirer at her job.

The film was much better than expected.

As the movie unfolds, it becomes a day in the life of a dysfunctional yet loving family.

I expected a silly, dumb comedy given the star and the premise, but the film was much better than that. It is a nicely layered, touching movie with a message and a touch of spirituality.

I loved the ending and was impressed by the heartfelt nature of this small slice-of-life film.