Grumpy Old Man for good reason

GREEDY (1994)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Comedies can either go the fast track or slow down to emphasize character definition. I always think of Howard Hawks or Billy Wilder when it comes to fast-paced and rapidly and increasingly witty lines delivered with pizzazz and finite comic timing. "His Girl Friday" is one of the very best, faster-than-thou comedies ever made and "Some Like it Hot," which runs almost two hours, also marches at a fast clip with its innovative situational pieces. I would not put too many modern comedies since the 1980's in the same company, yet "Greedy" (which is not a classic) does march along quickly and manages to induce many laughs and many truths in its wacky character ensemble - but it is Kirk Douglas who steals the movie with his curmudgeonly and manipulative manner that shows the class acts of yesteryear could deliver.

Kirk Douglas is Uncle Joe, a scrap-metal millionaire tycoon who apparently adores Jimmy Durante and his supposed mistress (Olivia d'Abo), who is actually more of a caregiver. Joe's relatives, the whole scheming rotten bunch they are, are waiting and hoping for Joe to take that long snooze into heaven. The lot of them are assuming that Joe will leave his 20 million fortune to the sexy girl. So Joe's relatives hatch a plan - bring the third-rate bowler Danny (Joe's nephew, played by Michael J. Fox) to Joe since Joe seemed to like the kid for his Jimmy Durante impressions. Only problem is that Danny is less interested in money (despite needing a loan) than in forging a relationship. 

Part of the fun of "Greedy" is watching Danny and Uncle Joe manipulate each other - the central idea is that Joe wants to know who loves him for him, and who loves him for his money. It is the oldest cliche in the book yet Kirk Douglas invests enough of that curmudgeonly humor and priceless double takes and endless long stares with a wisp of a smile to sell us a fun, spirited old man - more fun than the old geezers in "Grumpy Old Men." 

As wacky as the relatives are, most trip and fall over leaving precious few memorable bits. Ed Begley, Jr. and the delectable Phil Hartman usually stand out in any movie but Colleen Camp, Mary Ellen Trainor and Siobhan Fallon (as a silly drunk) merely exist as one-dimensional caricatures, overacting to the hilt which is at odds with Fox's and Douglas's underplaying. At least Olivia d'Abo brings a measure of sultriness and does it with relative restraint. It should've been more of a three-character piece than an ensemble.

"Greedy" still has enough laughs and a few comic surprises and choice moments of truth to eclipse its cartoonishly greedy relatives. As directed by Jonathan Lynn (who plays Joe's long-suffering butler), "Greedy" could have reached comic heights had it squarely focused on Douglas, Fox and D'Abo. 

TBN can make bad movies too

THE OMEGA CODE (1999)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia (Original review from 2000)

"The Omega Code" gets my vote for one of the best, cheeriest comedies ever made. It is often so damn funny that I could not hold back my laughter - a deliberate hark back to the kind of spoof that Mel Brooks used to make...only it is not a spoof.

The film stars Casper Van Dien as Dr. Gillen Lane, a mythology guru who believes he has unlocked the secrets of the Bible Code that tells of prophecies, past and future. Yes, these codes foretold of Princess Diana's demise not to mention the assassination of Kennedy, and so on. I wonder if any mention was made of the rape of the Central Park jogger back in the 1980's, or the recent Colombine massacre, or how about the Oklahoma bombing. But never mind, obviously, it dictates events among the rich and famous only.

Enter the wealthy businessman, Stone Alexander (Michael York), who wants to rule the world and needs to find the key to the ancient city of Jerusalem - Stone just needs the good doctor to unlock the remaining bible codes to determine the future. Or something like that. And what can we make of the two prophets, who appear and disappear at will? And will the overworked Dr. Lane fix his marriage to the sweet, lonesome Jennifer (Devon Odessa)? And is Alexander's trusted emissary, Dominic (Michael Ironside), intent on double-crossing his boss?

Okay, so "The Omega Code" is not a comedy, it is a timely biblical thriller that is too unintentionally funny to really score on a dramatic level. I knew the movie would not work as soon as Casper Van Dien's overacting began when he explains on a talk show, with his motivational speaking skills intact, the veracity of the Bible Codes. Amazingly, no one in this film questions whether such codes exist. Of course, there is controversy over such codes in today's world but wouldn't we be more interested in what those codes say about our future rather than the accidental death of Princess Diana?

"The Omega Code" is not humorous enough on a good bad movie scale to sit through, and hardly thrilling for one second. It is preposterous and dull with garden-variety special-effects that are equaled on the level of the defunct "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" show. The film also has the kind of hammy performances that would have delighted the "MST" crowd. The funniest thing about this movie is that it was financed by the Trinity Broadcasting Network - such funding should have been used for more worthwhile endeavors.

Stalking into transgressive waters

THE CABLE GUY (1996)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally reviewed in 1996)

Real-life stalkers are no laughing matter (I was stalked once. Trust me, no laughs were to be found). Naturally, I've never been stalked by a cable guy, especially one that looks like Jim Carrey. Ben Stiller's "The Cable Guy" is an attempt to make a dark comedy about a serious matter. No subjects should be taboo when it comes to skewering with a comedic bent. But when a film that pretends to skewer takes itself seriously then you know what you are in for: a truly uneven black comedy.

Consider the following for a moment. Jim Carrey plays a truly nutty cable guy named Chip, who becomes obsessed with his latest customer, Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick). Chip not only brings top-notch cable to Steven's living room, he also furnishes him with a spankingly expensive stereo system complete with built-in karaoke. Chip also takes Steven to a medieval restaurant where they are randomly chosen to joust. He also helps Steven get back with his ex-girlfriend, Robin (Leslie Mann), but not before Chip supplies him with a sexy prostitute. And the movie goes on and on with these predicaments, some of which are very funny. It is clear that Steven wants nothing to do with Chip, since Chip is too obsessive and clearly lonely. Steven almost loses his own best friend, wonderfully played by Jack Black.

It is here where the movie takes a drastic turn into heavy, murky waters. Chip is so upset that Steven has dumped him that he does everything he can to win Steven back. This includes giving a heavy beating to one of Robin's suitors (Owen Wilson), a scene that will make you cringe, not laugh. Then there is a prison sequence that pokes fun at "Midnight Express" but it will mostly make you feel unclean. And a kidnapping follows. And more beatings.

Subjects like stalking and kidnapping can be skewered for laughs, but it can fall flat on its face when the writer and director lose focus. Despite a decent, swiftly paced forty minutes, the movie switches gears and assumes that the very nature of stalking is funny. It is not, especially when it falls into "Fatal Attraction" waters. Despite one funny sequence at Steven's parents' house where they play Porno Password, "The Cable Guy" aims to be more sinister and less comedic in the second half. Beating up somebody to a bloody pulp is not funny. A jousting tournament turns vicious when Chip really tries to hurt Steven. And a kidnapping held inside a satellite dish is just not funny when the tone is not far off from the usual thriller.

Jim Carrey is often hysterical and sometimes scary, but his pitch is set way to high when a minimum of exaggeration would've been preferred. Matthew Broderick has some fine understated moments, though he looks confused as to what kind of movie he's in. Leslie Mann plays yet another token ex-girlfriend thrown into the mix for no real purpose except to be used as a pawn.

"The Cable Guy" pokes fun at everything from "Goldeneye" to "Waterworld" to high-profile court cases, but it neglects to tickle the funny bone. It never dwells into Chip's personality (despite a contrived ending that assumes he's not as bad as he seems) and since the conflict is only in seeing how far Chip will go to harass and control Steven's life, we never sense there is anything to be engaged by. Sinister goings-on and dark humor are not mutually inclusive.

I am on bad terms with this soap-opera

THE EVENING STAR (1996)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally viewed in 1997)

Aurora Greenway is one of those colorful, larger-than-life characters who exist only in Southern novels, particularly those by Larry McMurtry ("The Last Picture Show"). In "Terms of Endearment," coincidentally based on a novel by McMurtry, Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) arose as a tender, full-blooded, fiercely emotional creature. In the excruciating "The Evening Star," she is depicted as a bloodless caricature, as if she drifted in from the latest soap opera series.

"Terms of Endearment" is one of the great movies of the 1980's - it is captivating, unsentimental, brilliantly acted, and superbly directed by James L. Brooks. The heart of that film was Aurora's troubling yet loving relationship with her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). The trials and tribulations they endure evoked a nice balance between humor and heartbreak. For example, Aurora dates a swinging, hard-drinking bachelor and astronaut (Jack Nicholson), and a tender love affair begins and ends abruptly between them. Emma marries Flap (Jeff Daniels, who's been typecast ever since), a professor who teaches English and has affairs with co-eds. In retaliation, Emma has an affair with a banker (John Lithgow), and so on.

"Terms of Endearment" has a wonderful ensemble of actors at their best, and honest, vibrant writing. The beauty of the film is Brooks's careful balance between comedy, seriousness and tragedy. "Terms" also never steps into caricature or droll exaggeration resulting in a film that transcends its soap opera origins.

"The Evening Star" is at the opposite end of the pole. It is grossly exaggerated, wildly uneven, contains numerous caricatures not characters, and takes an eternity to end. This time, the eccentric Aurora (Shirley McClaine, again) has Emma's sexy teenage daughter (Juliette Lewis) to contend with, a grandchild in prison, and Emma's rich, snobbish friend (Miranda Richardson) who is trying to buy Aurora's granddaughter's love. In addition, there's Aurora's loving, loyal maid (Marion Ross) who seems more like an intrusion in her life than anything else. Oh, and there's the local psychiatrist (Bill Paxton) who has a brief, unbelievable fling with Aurora.

"The Evening Star" suffers greatly in every department when compared to "Terms." For one, the casting is actually awful. MacLaine overacts to the hilt of all hilts - she's actually annoying and boring to watch. Juliette Lewis does better with her role as a troubled teenager, but it is something she can play in her sleep. Marion Ross and the late Ben Johnson, in his last role, seem to be sleepwalking throughout.

The one actress who is wrongfully cast, and an indication of what's wrong with some sequels, is Miranda Richardson as the snobbish friend of the late Emma - she spews seemingly delectable witticisms with a crooked drawl that brings out the worst in Southern stereotypes and accents. Interestingly, her character was played by Lisa Hart Carroll in "Terms" with complete restraint - a far cry from Richardson's manic fits. Where's the dignity of Southerner Billy Bob Thornton when you really need him?

"Terms" was a real human drama and completely unpredictable and truthful from beginning to end. "Evening Star" is utterly formulaic nonsense done with none of the vigor or honesty of the original (and with a high mortality rate to boot). The film is so desperate that it even brings back Jack Nicholson for an unnecessary, heavy-handed cameo. Where's Jim Brooks when you really need him?

Max Cady makes the Bowdens suffer

CAPE FEAR (1991)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Shared with Oliver Stone's JFK as Best Picture of 1991
(Originally viewed in 1991)

The original "Cape Fear" (1962) is not a great thriller but it is expertly done and an appropriately lurid melodrama. It is amazing then that someone like Martin Scorsese would see fit to remake it. And it is doubly amazing how terrific the remake is - one of the most tense, superbly frightening thrillers in years. It shows Robert De Niro and most of its cast at the top of their form under the hands of a real master.

"Cape Fear" begins with a very young Juliette Lewis staring right into the camera as she tells us the story about fear and danger in a beautiful place of nature, the Cape Fear river. Lewis plays Danielle Bowden, the precocious, pot-smoking teenage daughter of the Bowdens. The Bowdens include her father, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), a righteous lawyer who is having an affair with a law clerk, and Leigh Bowden (Jessica Lange), the mother who knows her husband is up to no good. It is a typical dysfunctional family that somehow functions despite such problems. All it takes is for someone like Max Cady (Robert De Niro), a vicious, tattooed, Bible-spouting rapist to bring the family to the surface with its problems.

It turns out that Cady has some history with Sam. Sam was Cady's former lawyer who buried some evidence that would have got Cady out of jail sooner than a fourteen year term. The formerly illiterate Cady has learned how to read in jail, to weight-lift but more importantly, to know the law as well as Sam has learned it (not to mention keen knowledge of Biblical passages). Since Cady is aware of Sam's indiscretions, he is ready to make Sam's life as miserable as possible. Cady savagely rapes the law clerk who knows Sam (well-played by Illeana Douglas), kills the family dog, teases Leigh and, in the most controversial and jaw-droppingly breathless sequence, seduces Danielle with a marijuana cigarette, talks of Henry Miller and kisses her. It is a scene to stop time, as many have declared, and Lewis and De Niro make it startling as well.

"Cape Fear" is a jittery experience, full of fear and anxiety in equal droves. No one ever seems to stand still for one moment, nor does the camera. Even a relatively simple scene between Nolte and the law clerk has them anxious to move on, as if standing still and talking were a nervy thing to do. The whole film is like that. When the Bowdens go to the local movie theater to see "Problem Child," Max is in the theatre laughing as hard as anyone else and smoking up a storm. There is not a single moment where anyone behaves or moves quietly. Scorsese is determined to keep you on edge and uneasy, going so far as to have certain characters walk right into the screen. We see X-ray shots of the Bowdens making love. Fireworks erupt outside as Max looks on sitting on the ledge. Thunderous clouds, sometimes reddish in color, are in abundance throughout. Phones ring when least expected (as in most thrillers). Books mysteriously appear underneath geranium pots.

It is easy to write off Scorsese's "Cape Fear" as simply a thriller exercise, a moment of respite between the weight of his "GoodFellas" and the "Age of Innocence." But Scorsese and writer Wesley Strick are after more than making average Hollywood schlock. Most writers would make Samuel Bowden and the family happy and clean cut with no inner flaws, thus making the evil that haunts them far more savage than needs be. Only Sam has committed an unethical act - he simply did not do everything he should have to protect his client. Leigh would normally be shown as the dutiful, respectful wife with no complaints. Boy, is she full of them, and she is even attracted to Max (a character trait in the original that was only hinted at). Danielle, the daughter, also has her share of problems and tries to escape from them. She has parents who are always arguing and shouting with each other. Max seems like a nice escape from her home life but, well, she should know better than to go in a empty, ominous-looking theatre.

De Niro is nothing short of perfect as Max Cady, a psycho who is only interested in saving the Bowdens, not destroying them. He just wants them to suffer as if he was some avenging angel cleansing them of their sins. The final conclusion in a raging river inside a houseboat where Max wants Sam to tell the truth is harrowing, powerful stuff. It is not a Freddy Krueger finale where the killer comes back from the dead (he is burned but manages to come back into the houseboat for one last confrontation). In these scenes, De Niro shows the pain he suffered because of Sam's indiscretions and it is as nerve-jangling and as intensifying as the actor has ever been since.

Nick Nolte restrains himself nicely as Sam Bowden, the lawyer with hardly any ethics or values left. His transition from reserved and pathetic to angry and resilient is brilliant to watch (look carefully at the scene where Sam witnesses the attack on Max by hired men - a scene not found in the original). Jessica Lange is exceedingly good in every scene she is in and holds her own with Nolte and De Niro. And the star-making performance of Juliette Lewis is a stunner - a girl with sexual inhibitions about ready to burst at any moment (the movie can be approached as her story judging from her opening and closing narration). Her final stare at the end of the film is unforgettable. Kudos also go to Joe Don Baker as a private detective who has a peculiar drink to stay awake and the three principal actors from the original, Gregory Peck, Martin Balsam and Robert Mitchum, make swift, brief impressions.

"Cape Fear" is not for average audiences for many reasons, notably because there is no one to root for. And the bitter, nasty climax will leave you stunned into shock and out of breath. But its morally complex issues and full-bodied characters and incredible, unbridled tension make for one of the best thrillers of the 1990's and a remake that actually outdoes the original. Scorsese said he wanted to make a film about fear and anxiety and he has succeeded admirably.

Postulating saints

THE THIRD MIRACLE (1999)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally reviewed in 2000)

Finally, we witness a film about priests and miracles that does not condescend to the audience by featuring superfluous special-effects or a demonic Patricia Arquette. "The Third Miracle" is a bloody miracle, an extremely well-acted and thematically rich film by notable director Agnieszka Holland ("Europa, Europa").

Ed Harris stars as Father Frank Shore, a postulator known by many as the "miracle killer," who is seen at the start of the film working at a soup kitchen. He is called back into duty to investigate a woman who may or may not be a saint but is loved by the people of a Chicago community all the same. Every November, the people gather to see a statue that weeps blood - this is coincidentally the month in which Helen O'Regan (Barbara Sukowa) - the supposed saint - died. There is talk that she cured a young girl of lupus by simply touching the girl.

Father Shore has his doubts but the blood is discovered to be real, and the girl, now a drug-addicted runaway, was cured of lupus. But can there be some doubt that this is all highly coincidental? Is Father Shore the right priest to investigate since years earlier he had debunked the myth of another saint and thus destroyed the faith of an entire community? There is also the question that a saint would never leave his or her children behind to pursue faith. Such is the case with the late Helen, who abandoned her daughter, Roxanne (Anne Heche). Roxanne is angry at her mother and feels her mother could never be deemed a saint.

"The Third Miracle" asks lots of questions and justifiably answers very few of them. Father Shore may have doubts about his own faith (as most priests do in the movies nowadays) but this is a job, and it is one he where he must be nonjudgmental. He has his own emotional flaws, such as the possibility of falling in love with Roxanne. He also has to fight against the devil's advocate, Archbishop Werner (Armin Mueller-Stahl), a ferociously stubborn man who feels the world has no need for more saints or miracles. But sainthood is a tricky judgment, it has to be proved and tested and Father Shore goes against all odds in pursuing the truth and, thus, waiting for another miracle.

Ed Harris does solid work (as always) as the dubious Father Shore, one of the few actors on the silver screen whom you can tell when his mind is at work. He has a very touching, effective scene with Heche, as she visits her mother's grave and they talk about the good Father's flirtations and loss of virginity in high school. Some of this was also featured in the horrible "Stigmata," but here Harris makes it all credible and believable. Anne Heche is sprightly and alive as always...and she shares lots of emotionally implicit scenes with Harris.

"The Third Miracle" is not a great film (I am tired of seeing statues weeping blood, for one, and the ending is abrupt) but it is richly rewarding and tastefully done. It leaves you thinking about what the church constitutes as miracles nowadays, and what a saint's credentials should be. Ultimately, it is a fascinating look at the nature and question of faith in the church. And thanks to Ed Harris, we almost come close to believing that any miracle may be possible.

Lethargic Murray in Coppola's lively rom-com

LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally reviewed in 2003)

Bill Murray is an actor, even if you think he hasn't proven it yet. His trick is one that comes from all great actors - he never lets you know he is acting. Others may say Murray is only playing himself, but being yourself is not easy either. In "Lost in Translation," Murray has one of the best roles of his career, playing and defining a character so perfectly that you might forget Murray is acting at all. Akin, though less emotional, to Jack Nicholson's own weary-brand-of-loneliness character in "About Schmidt," Murray has a role that is easily the life force of the movie.

Murray is Bob Harris, a famous actor who's being paid millions to do a whisky commercial in Tokyo. He'd rather be doing a play but the money is good, and he does have a family to support back in California. The problem is Bob is not sure where he should be. When he isn't acting or taking incomprehensible directions from a Japanese director, he is in his hotel room watching TV, sometimes clips from some of his early movies. Sometimes a hooker is sent to his room and asks him to rip his stocking, though it sounds like lip. Other times, when he can't sleep, he is drinking at the hotel bar. And when he is relaxing in a pool or in bed, his wife calls asking what color the carpet fabric should be in his study.

One day, however, he meets an angel of wonderment, a miracle that could change his life. Her name is Charlotte (Scarlet Johansson), a twentysomething girl who is married to a photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) and doesn't know why. As she exclaims in a phone conversation about her wedding, "I felt nothing." Her husband is always on shoots, never in the room with her (and he snores loudly too). Charlotte is forced to fend for herself, parading around the streets of Tokyo shopping and looking, perhaps looking to be engaged by something. Sometimes she frequents the hotel bar, and that is where she meets Bob. The two have a huge age difference but that doesn't stop them from sharing stories and anecdotes. They go shopping together, walk around the streets, sing karaoke, and eventually end up in the same room together. Don't raise your eyebrows just yet, though, because writer-director Sofia Coppola is more interested in their personalities and their quirks than seeing them making love. Why the director felt obliged to show Charlotte's posterior in close-up in the opening shot remains a mystery, but this is still no ordinary romance.

My issue with romances like this is when we learn about the prospective others, the people whom the newly loving couple are married to. Charlotte's own husband seems to either deliberately ignore or is blissfully unaware of his wife. Since his character is shown to be more edgy or anxious than expected, we quickly think he is wrong for her. But tell me how any man could be blissfully unaware of someone like Charlotte? And Bob's wife? We just hear her voice on the phone, saying everything and telling us nothing. She doesn't admit her love for him, and seems almost pained to hear he has a day off from shooting a commercial. It is simply too easy and lazy for the screenwriter to assume that people often use the cliches we expect to hear so we can admonish them and root for the real couple to be together. "Sleepless in Seattle" has this annoying screenwriting problem, among countless other romantic comedies.

Where Coppola proves her worth is in the visuals. This is a kinetically framed romance, often filmed with a hand-held camera and with a lens that shows us a soft-focus world of Tokyo - the movie has the effect of looking through a fog. What it lends is an intimacy that makes the love story almost a documentary of how two different people can meet accidentally. All I can say is that, like cinematic love stories that make Paris look inviting, I would love to visit Tokyo based on what I saw in this movie. We feel like tourists in a strange land, just like Bob and Charlotte.

Bill Murray has a role that defines what he can bring to the screen better than anybody - laziness and lethargy crossed with humor. It is almost like Murray sort of enjoys the lethargy, in a strange way, and he has never played as full-bodied a character as Bob. Those droopy eyes and thin lips make Bob as sad and funny as we can expect Murray to be. Along with his colorful supporting roles in "Rushmore" and "Ed Wood," Murray is as exquisite and as restrained as one can expect - he could make Robin Williams blush on a "Good Will Hunting" day.

Scarlett Johansson also has pizzazz, delivered in a low-key manner. She is sad and funny too, but we sense that she would rather be with someone like Bob who understands her loneliness. Johansson makes the character so endearing and so real that I'd be surprised if there wasn't any man who would fall in love with her on first sight. That dreamy, low-toned voice certainly helps.

The last sequence of "Lost in Translation" doesn't end with the typical happy ending, a requirement of this virtually exhausted genre. Coppola has invested too much in these characters to make easy solutions come to surface. With Bob's own lackadaisical energy and Charlotte's own lost sense of self, they are like lonely lovebirds singing the hymns of lost romantic souls. They search for something, only to find each other and discover there is more to learn about love. It is a romantic notion but Murray, Johansson and Coppola make it come alive in a melancholy way. A sweet film.