Displaying items by tag: Alex Jennings

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER

Germany/UK, 2025, 101 minutes, Colour.

Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, Fala Chen, Alex Jennings, Tony Lau.

Directed by Edward Berger.

The small player here is a gambler, an addict, a fraudster, conman, posing at times as an English Lord, upper British accent, affluent clothing style and yellow gloves, but, really, an ordinary Irishman. Whether this drama fits the description of the ballad is a significant question. There have been ballads about rogues in the past, about highwaymen, for instance, so here is a realistic/stylised telling the story of this life of the Lord who is just Riley.

The film has been written and directed by German Edward Berger. After a significant career in Germany, he achieved international success with his German Oscar-winning version of All Quiet on the Western Front. His next film was in Britain, his version of Robert Harris’s popular novel of the papacy, Conclave, also an award winner.

In comparison, this ballad is something of a small film.

The setting is Macau, described as the gambling capital of the world, with night light overview scenes that make it resemble an Oriental Las Vegas. While there are many scenes in the narrow streets with touches of poverty, some harsh apartments, and a visit to an island off Hong Kong with wooden houses on the water and wharfs, the overall emphasis is on the lavish, sometimes more than lavish, hotels and casinos, spaciously-appointed rooms, restaurants with expensive a la carte banquet meals, and the vast expanses of the gambling halls themselves. By the end of the film, the audience will feel that they have been immersed in this rather enclosed life of Macau.

And the Simple Player? He is played by Colin Farrell with a blend of quiet, intensity, guile, some moments of conscience, but…

We do hear his back story eventually, no integrity there, robbing a wealthy old woman and absconding to the gambling capitals and  settling in Macau. He passes himself off as Lord Doyle, popular with the staffs until he is unable to pay his debts. We see him particularly unlucky at the baccarat table, trying to outdo a wealthy old lady. He doesn’t. Then an investigator arrives in the unexpectedly strange character, calling herself Betty, really Cynthia, another extraordinary variation in looks, hairstyle, manner of speaking, manner of walking, by Tilda Swinton. (And here a suggestion to wait until some sequences between them during the final credits.)

There is usually some sadness in the ballad. The sadness here focuses on a woman assisting at the tables, giving Riley credit, his following her and her helping him, inviting him to the island where she lives – and, perhaps ballad -like again, falling victim to his cunning and addiction.

Then back to the tables. Back to luxury, symbolised by some surprisingly gluttonous sequences by Riley, continually overreaching, an encounter with another British conman, Adrian (Alex Jennings), building up to 2 climaxes. The first is a $1 million bet at the baccarat table. The second is Riley wandering through the streets during a Chinese celebration and having to face up to reality, the reality which the Gospels long ago asked: what does it profit anyone to gain the world and lose their soul?

1. The director, acclaim? The smaller scale film? International flavour?
2. The Macau settings, the gambling capital, night sequences, day sequences, the overview of the city – Las Vegas -like? The hotels and interiors, the casinos and interiors, the streets? The ferries, to Hong Kong, the island and the sea, the houses on the water? The musical score, at times heavily orchestral, at times quiet?
3. The title, the storytelling, the focus on the character, activities, fate, crises, decisions, a ballad? The inflated title of Lord Doyle? The reality of an Irishman called Riley?
4. Issues of gambling, audience interest, sympathies, Macau, so much gambling, the vast casinos, the clientele, Asia, International? The baccarat tables? The gambling, the amounts of money, winnings, losing, debts, debts accumulating? Sympathy towards gambling and gamblers, addiction – or not?
5. Colin Farrell, presence and performance, as Lord Doyle, British accent, manner, clothes, gloves, hotel, at the baccarat table, the old lady, the challenge, his losing? At the desk, the demand for payment, his excuses? The encouragement of the man at the door? The suggestion for the rainbow casino?
6. The reality of Riley, the posing of Lord Doyle, the revelation of the stealing of the money from the old lady, her wealth, yet the vast amount, travelling, to Macau, his addiction, his behaviour in his room, extravagance, meals and drinking?
7. The encounter with Cynthia Blythe, her name of Betty, her presence, Tilda Swinton’s presence and performance, hairdo, dress, shoes, idiosyncratic? Watching him, the selfir in the elevator? His pursuing her, the confrontation, the camera, the truth about her, her investigation, the company, her threats? His taking the camera, evading her? The deal, the money, the promise of the dance? His disappearance?
8. The presence of Dao Ming? Charming, encouraging him, the money? His going to see her, following her, her apartment, the conversations, the later card about the island, his escaping to the island, her support of him, encouraging him to jump into the water, his waking on the wharf? Going to the house, the locked door, opening it, finding the money, putting it away, then stealing it all, returning to Macau? Carrying the bag’s?
9. The sequences of Riley eating, gourmet, extravagant, likeness, being sick?
10. The encounter with Adrian, the debt? Adrian and his personality, calm, the meal, the conversation, leaving Riley to pay?
11. At the baccarat table, the old lady challenging him, his winning 7 nines in a row, everybody watching, his reputation? Paying off the debt at the hotel?
12. The decision about the one-off game, risking all his money, Adrian and his disguise as a Prince, the tensions of the game, not winning immediately, Riley eventually winning?
13. His talking with the old lady, wanting to find Dao Ming, the revelation of her suicide, lack of money, the background of her family in China? The impact on Riley, responsible for her death?
14. In the celebration, the processions, Riley and his money, his decision to burn the money? Credible for his character? Credible for the theme of the film? And his future…?

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

US, 2025, 101 minutes, Colour.

Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bill Murray, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham, Stephen Park, Alex Jennings, Donald Sumpter, Scott Shepherd.

Directed by Wes Anderson.

A significant part of the review for The Phoenician Scheme is to look at the huge credits list, many of the cast having appeared in a number of Wes Anderson films. And, of course, expectations from writer-director, Wes Anderson. Anderson has been writing and directing films, including two animation films, for more than a quarter of a century. His tyle and his exploration of themes is, to say the least, highly distinctive.

And, The Phoenician Scheme, is quite idiosyncratically distinctive. It is very stylised in the visuals, the traditional box screen frame, the framing of action, the references to paintings and the staging looking like 20^th century paintings. Then there are the performances, also stylised, often life theatre performances, eccentric and clipped delivery of lines, postures and posing. And, for those audiences ready to surrender to Anderson, there are many who do, these visuals and the performances are readily engaging.

There is a plot. The setting is 1950, an entrepreneurial businessman from Hungary, Korda, played perfectly, both seriously and ironically, by Benicio del Toro. He has survived several plane crashes, assassins out to get him and sabotage his plan for development, rails and tunnels in Phoenicia. We are presented with a chart indicating his plans as well as the contacts he must make to improve a shortfall in income project. They serve as chapters for the film.

Korda has many children, his own and adopted, hoping for an Einstein for the future. But his only daughter, Liesl, a novice nun, played by Mia Threapleton, is seconded, initially unwillingly and firmly committed to her vocation, to be his heir. (Mia Threapleton is following in the footsteps of her mother, Kate Winslet, a very interesting role.) And, there is Kord’a new assistant, expert on insects, played with accent by Michael Cera.

Interspersed throughout it is round table conference of elders who are monitoring Korda’s behaviour judging him and his morality accordingly.

The encounters with the various characters for financial help are highly entertaining, eccentric and satirically humorous in their way, incorporating the various stars listed above until a culmination in the fearsome presence of Benedict Cumberbatch Korda’s brother.

Then there are Korda’s memories and dreams, flashbacks in black-and-white, some of his near death, or momentary post-death, experiences, some ecclesiastical in an Orthodox style, others with biblical overtones, again with a number of stars – and a cameo by Bill Murray, who has been working with Anderson for a long time, culminating in his presence as God.

Anderson has a wry and offbeat sense of humour, so often the unexpected, some realism and then some surrealism, farcical moments, deadly serious moments, tantalising the audience, a treat for those who are willing to be tantalised.

1. A Wes Anderson film, style, visual, verbal, humorous, satirical, ironic? Underlying serious themes? The strengths of his casts, many actors reappearing in his films?
2. The visual style of the film, but colour like 20^th century contemporary paintings? Sets and decor? Photography, the black and white flashbacks? Staging of the action, like stage performance, all postures and posings? The stylised action sequences? The performances, stylised and realism? The language of the screenplay, the particular style of delivery? The overall effect and response?
3. The setting in 1950, memories of World War II, business enterprises after the war, international entrepreneurs, international projects and finance?, Double dealing?
4. The explanation of Korda, his business acumen, the 5%? The background of his marriages? Children and adopted children, hoping for an Einstein? His relationship with his daughter, novice nun, seconding her, naming her as his heir? His staff, his planes, the plans to kill him, his surviving the various crashes?
5. The plane ride, his assistant cut in half and swept away, the crash, surviving? Meeting his daughter, her personality, severe, dedicated to the convent, contact with the mother superior, wanting to make her vows? Her not knowing her father, his reputation with her? Her unwillingness to be part of his empire? The plan, her observing his behaviour, learning more about him, her beads, images, sign of the cross, holy water?
6. Bjorn, Scandinavian background, accent, present on the plane, his role as assistant, his expertise on insects, his attraction to Liesl, declarations? The comic style of his character, interactions?
7. The Phoenician scheme itself, tunnels and railway, the finance, the image on the screen with the various contacts for making up the gap in finance? The structure of the film, the various contacts?
8. The background of the assembly, the business discussions, the following of Korda, the decisions about his business and morality?
9. The Americans, in the tunnel, on the train, the discussions, suspicions, the meeting with the Prince of Phoenicia, the attack by the camel riders, the Prince saving Korda? The financial discussions, the proposal of the basketball competition, the Prince and his ignorance of the game, Korda hopeless, the skill of the two Americans, yet the Prince succeeding? Getting a grant?
10. Going to Marseille Bob, the manager of the club, past relationship with Korda, Liesel and Bjorn observing, the raid on the club, the freedom fighters, the personality of Sergio, Bob upset about the roof, and Korda taking the bullet for Bob? Getting the grant?
11. Marty, fast talking American, suspicious of Korda, Korda shot, Marty providing the blood transfusion, making an agreement?
12. Going to see Hilda, the distant cousin, her financial knowledge, the prospect of the marriage, her place in the family, with Liese?
13. The flight, going to see Nubar, the crash, the jungle, Bjorn and his being unmasked as an agent, his siding with Korda, Korda in the quicksand, Bjorn rescuing him, the arrival of Sergio and his revolutionaries, taking the group to safety?
14. The encounter with Nubar, looking sinister, the relationship, the mastermind behind the assassination attempts, discussing the family, the finance, the satirical physical fight between Nubar and Korda?
15. Korda, death experiences, near death, his life before him, black-and-white photography, the bearded Orthodox-like sequences, the characters, judgements? The biblical sequences, the personalities, the pageantry, Bill Murray as God?
16. Liesl, the contact with the mother superior, her being present for the business deals, the money for the community? Liesl opting to leave the convent?
17. The finale, Korda and his being honest, losing everything, restaurant, the working in the kitchen, father and daughter, reconciled, and a happy life?