Mr. Right (2015)
In this time of responsible social distancing and self-quarantining due to the new corona-virus, we figured it was a good time to cull our Netflix list and find a true diamond in the rough. A suggestion I have for you is Mr. Right written by Max Landis and directed by Paco Cabezas. Mr. Right is not your typical Rom-Com. It's more tongue in cheek, which is humor I appreciate, and there is plenty of action to go around.
The Premise
Newly single Martha isn't looking for love but that's what she finds when she runs into Francis. She isn't put of by his casual "jokes" about being a hitman, but when people start really trying to kill to them, she thinks it might be time for a break.
My Take
I have self confessed crushes on both Anna Kendrick, who plays Martha, and Sam Rockwell, who plays Francis. So imagine my elation when I saw they were paired up in this film! They make an adorable, awkward, and super cute movie couple.
In Mr. Right, Francis never lies to Martha about being a killer. He slips it into casual conversation, telling her the truth the whole time. She never quite knows what to expect from him, which is why she likes him so much. He's new and exciting and not like any guy she's ever been with before. But when the bullets start flying, she starts having second thoughts, like any sane woman would. Then again, she really likes this guy...
Acting as Martha's voice of reason is her roommate and best friend Sophie (Katie Nehra). Sophie is immediately suspicious of Francis and has no problems voicing her concerns. She has every right to be worried about her friend. Especially because people like Tim Roth, RZA, Anson Mount, Michael Eklund and James Ransone are all after him.
The Verdict
A lot of times, movies that have all-stars casts like this make me nervous to watch them. Truthfully. I have found there are times not enough attention is paid to the script or direction and all of it goes to who stars in the movie. If you enjoy dark humor, action, comedy, and romance, I suggest giving Mr. Right a chance. It seems to have slid under the radar as far as movies go. I give Mr. Right 1 perfect clown nose. Why? You'll have to watch to find out.
Showing posts with label Jerry and Tom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jerry and Tom. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Jerry and Tom (1998)
I can't deny that my husband has excellent taste in movies. He discovered this little gem for me on Netflix and there are many more that I still have to either watch or write about. I'm going as fast as I can, honey! Jerry and Tom is based the one act play by Rick Cleveland, who also wrote the screenplay. Directed by Saul Rubinek, Jerry and Tom features stunning continuous shots and seamless transitions between scenes.
The Premise
Tom is a pro in the hit man business. Jerry is not. By day they work for their boss at a second-hand car dealership and by night they work as hired guns. As Jerry learns the business, his style and personality begins to clash with that of his older friend's.
My Take
Tom is cool and collected and not easily shaken. Jerry is young and impetuous but eager to learn the role of a hit man. As Jerry learns the ropes, his brash actions could get the duo into trouble with their bosses, Billy and Vic. Mistakes are made, but the final solution will wipe the slate clean.
Joe Mantegna is a very calm and teacher-like Tom. He is "too old for this" and ready to teach Jerry how to do a clean and effective hit. Sam Rockwell plays Jerry and shows us the transition of a nervous young man to an unbalanced, trigger happy hit man. Both men played their parts well. While being near opposites, they were believable as best friends and partners.
Jerry and Tom is like a buddy hit man movie. It starts off with the two men together on a job and transitions back in time to ten years prior when they started working together. The movie moves forward, taking you one job (and one cameo) at a time. They duo moves ahead through their lives as well. Jerry gets married and has a baby. Tom's kid becomes a teenager. But what is most appealing to me about this movie is the way in which it was filmed and put together. The scene changes (forgive me, for I come from a theater rich background) are flawlessly seamless.
The characters can be talking during the summer in a parking lot in one scene and then the camera will pan over to the car lot and it will be snowing outside in the next scene. A woman will be cleaning her gun with plastic sheeting blowing all around her in one scene and the camera will pan over and the movie will continue in a completely different location. My favorite transition had to do with blood, a sock, makeup and a toolbox.
Saul Rubinek also filmed many long continuous shots. I like these kind of shots because it doesn't break up the action. You get a picture of the whole scene and not just bits and pieces. With a script like this, that relies so heavily on dialogue, there is no need to cut back and forth and back and forth. He still managed to make it interesting, though. Mantegna and Rockwell were in constant motion in a lot of their scenes so the camera had a lot to focus on without cutting between actors.
Jerry and Tom may have been led by Joe Mantegna and Sam Rockwell, but a show is not a show without its supporting cast. Playing the mob bosses were Maury Chaykin and Charles Durning. Also making special appearances were William H. Macy, Ted Danson, Peter Riegert, Shelley Cook and Sarah Polley.
The Verdict
Jerry and Tom is a must see for any film buff or photography enthusiast because of the way it was filmed. The only down side, for me, was the way it was written. I know that it was based on a play, but it still read like a stage play to me. I love my theater, I just want it to stay on the stage. All in all I still love it. I give Jerry and Tom 5/7 hits.
The Premise
Tom is a pro in the hit man business. Jerry is not. By day they work for their boss at a second-hand car dealership and by night they work as hired guns. As Jerry learns the business, his style and personality begins to clash with that of his older friend's.
My Take
Tom is cool and collected and not easily shaken. Jerry is young and impetuous but eager to learn the role of a hit man. As Jerry learns the ropes, his brash actions could get the duo into trouble with their bosses, Billy and Vic. Mistakes are made, but the final solution will wipe the slate clean.
Joe Mantegna is a very calm and teacher-like Tom. He is "too old for this" and ready to teach Jerry how to do a clean and effective hit. Sam Rockwell plays Jerry and shows us the transition of a nervous young man to an unbalanced, trigger happy hit man. Both men played their parts well. While being near opposites, they were believable as best friends and partners.
Jerry and Tom is like a buddy hit man movie. It starts off with the two men together on a job and transitions back in time to ten years prior when they started working together. The movie moves forward, taking you one job (and one cameo) at a time. They duo moves ahead through their lives as well. Jerry gets married and has a baby. Tom's kid becomes a teenager. But what is most appealing to me about this movie is the way in which it was filmed and put together. The scene changes (forgive me, for I come from a theater rich background) are flawlessly seamless.
The characters can be talking during the summer in a parking lot in one scene and then the camera will pan over to the car lot and it will be snowing outside in the next scene. A woman will be cleaning her gun with plastic sheeting blowing all around her in one scene and the camera will pan over and the movie will continue in a completely different location. My favorite transition had to do with blood, a sock, makeup and a toolbox.
Saul Rubinek also filmed many long continuous shots. I like these kind of shots because it doesn't break up the action. You get a picture of the whole scene and not just bits and pieces. With a script like this, that relies so heavily on dialogue, there is no need to cut back and forth and back and forth. He still managed to make it interesting, though. Mantegna and Rockwell were in constant motion in a lot of their scenes so the camera had a lot to focus on without cutting between actors.
Jerry and Tom may have been led by Joe Mantegna and Sam Rockwell, but a show is not a show without its supporting cast. Playing the mob bosses were Maury Chaykin and Charles Durning. Also making special appearances were William H. Macy, Ted Danson, Peter Riegert, Shelley Cook and Sarah Polley.
The Verdict
Jerry and Tom is a must see for any film buff or photography enthusiast because of the way it was filmed. The only down side, for me, was the way it was written. I know that it was based on a play, but it still read like a stage play to me. I love my theater, I just want it to stay on the stage. All in all I still love it. I give Jerry and Tom 5/7 hits.
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