Displaying items by tag: Ben Mendelssohn

FREAKY TALES

US, 2024, 107 minutes, Colour.

Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Ben Mendelssohn, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Angus Cloud, Keir Gilchrist, Too #hort, Tom Hanks.

Directed by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck.

Writing-directing team Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck has produced a number of interesting films like Half Nelson, Sugar in the 2000s and then great commercial success in 2019 with Captain Marvel. Worked extensively on television.

There are four freaky tales in this film and have been described as Tarantino-esque which indicates the topics, themes, treatment. The setting is 1987 and Ryan Fleck has gone on his memories of the period, Oakland California, the Grand Lake cinema, the background of rap musicians, video stores, racist conflicts…

American audiences will better appreciate this film than international audiences because of the detail, the focus in on particular rap artists, Sleepy Floyd, Too #hort, actors playing them and then their playing themselves… There are some top actors in the film, Pedro Pascal in the longest and most serious of the four, Ben Mendelssohn as a policeman. And, something of a spoiler, an appearance by Tom Hanks in the video store.

For audiences wanting something different about American life, especially the atmosphere of the 1980s, Freaky Tales is intriguing, sometimes disturbing, always interesting.

1. The title and expectations? A warning?
2. 1987, Oakland, California, Evergreen Catholic Theatre, the clubs, the streets, speeches battlegrounds? Diners, clubs and rap? The criminal world, the police world, corruption? The world of the basketball league, players? The director, Ryan Fleck, growing up in this world, drawing on his memories?
3. The musical background, the clubs of the young people playing, breakdancing?
4. The four stories, the interconnections, an overall portrait of Oakland?
5. The first story, Lucid and his girlfriend, at the cinema, the movie references throughout, especially of the video store and Hank and his discussions with Clint? The young people, the club, the mixed races, the appearance of the Nazi group, the attack, the brutality? The meeting at the club, the votes hiring the police, or defending? The vote for defence? The elaborate weapons, the arrival, the attack, the comic book images of the fight and splatter? Victory? The antiracist stances?
6. The background of the greenlight, the special power, the manifestations in the eyes, in the weapons, in the attack? And throughout the film? And suggestions of inner power and the ability to overcome – especially for sleepy Floyd?
7. The second story, the two girls, in the bar, the arrival of the policeman, his manner, interrogation, the ice cream, bubblegum, his credits? The women and their resistance and hostility? The other customers? In the bus, their discussions, in the club, the host, inviting on stage, the misogynist lab, the response, the response of the crowds?
8. The different the third story, Clint, with his pregnant wife, the phone call, the news of the murders, going back 24 hours, his life waiting car, his going to the video shop, Tom Hanks’s Hank, the discussion, going behind the scenes, the cards, the confrontation, the debt issues, Clint and his last stand, breaking the man’s finger, coming out, taking Sid and Nancy for his wife? The confrontation with the young man, his glint, the flashbacks, Clint killing his father, the guns, the shooting, while going to hospital, the arrest of the man? The encounter with the go-between, the further demands, the news of the baby survival, the police chief, taking Clint, holding him and the baby?
9. The fourth story, an actual event reimagined, the police chief and the Nazis and his son, getting the information about the players, what was in their homes, the planning of the robberies while they were playing, the crowds arriving, the characters from the previous stories? The game, sleepy Floyd and his achievement? His mother, girlfriend, the attacks on the houses, the details of the robberies? Lucid his giving the information to sleepy Floyd?
10. Floyd, Green light, his inner meditation, donning the costume, the weapons, the Tarantinoesque massacres? The confrontation with the police chief, with Clinton the baby, the explosion?
11. The henchmen arriving at the house, finding sleepy Floyd, the final deaths?
12. Clint, the baby and leaving?
13. The postscript, sleepy Floyd and his system, inner strength, Superman, the gathering of all the people, the photo?
14. Weird freaky stories and the weird freaky styles of storytelling?

ROOFMAN

US, 2025, 100 minutes, Colour.

Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelssohn, Peter Dinklage, Juno Temple, Emory Cohen, LaKeith Stanfield, Melonie Diaz, Lily Collias, Tony Revelori, Jimmy O.Yang, Uzo Aduba.

Directed by Derek Cianfrance.

Roofman was the nickname given to man who burglarised a number of franchises, especially McDonalds, 45 times, by digging through the roof and stealing whatever cash was available. And, the film is based on a true story – with some photos of Jeffrey Manchester, the Roofman, and information that he is still in jail.

This is a kind of night out entertainment although it does provoke some thought and some conscience-checking because Jeffrey Manchester is not your ordinary criminal, robbery, yes, but a genial and kind disposition, liking people and wanting to be liked. So, with a variation in the song from The Sound of Music, “what do we do with a problem like Jeffrey?”.

And the main aspect of the problem is that Roofman is played in a pleasantly likeable fashion by Channing Tatum.

When we first meet Jeffrey, he has been discharged from military service, successful action, with the gift for accurate observation, praised by his fellow military friend, Steve (LaKeith Stanfield). Jeffrey is married with a young daughter and younger twin boys, but separated from his wife. What is he to do to support them! Well, we see him dig through the roof of McDonald’s, confront the staff, putting them in the freezer though giving his coat to the manager who forgot to wear his and is cold. 44 McDonald’s robberies later, Jeffrey is arrested at his daughter’s birthday party and off to 45 years in jail. That does seem a bit harsh because while he took the money, he was always considerate to the staffs.

Prison. He is compliant and helpful. But, out he goes, a skilful escape, hitchhikes, and, for a large part of the film, after digging through the roof of the local Toys R Us store, conveniently settling in to a hiding place and establishing a routine, roaming by night, eating M&Ms, disastrous for his teeth, pawning DVDs to pay for treatment, observing all that was going on in the store. Then he ventures out, attracted by one of the staff, Lee, played sympathetically by Kirsten Dunst.

So, a charming life outside the store, off to church with Lee, the sympathetic pastor played by Ben Mendelssohn, relationship with Lee, trying to relate to her daughter’s, including a harum-scarum road trip to buy a car to win over the older daughter.

The tantalising thing is that we are wondering what will happen to Jeffrey, now using a false name during the day, the police still searching for him, possibility of a relationship with Lee and the daughters, a plan to pay his friend Steve for a false passport and flee the country, more robberies to pay for the passport, $50,000, and some violence and arson on Jeffrey’s part.

So, an entertainment, sometimes serious, frequently humorous, touch of romance, a thief’s method in derring-do - and often checking ourselves about our approval and disapproval of Roofman, and wondering why we like him.

1. The title, based on a true story, the final photos in the credits, the final information about Jerry Winchester?
2. The comic tone, sentiment, story of a thief, fraudster, but kindly, conscience issues?
3. The portrait of Jerry Winchester, Channing Tatum’s presence and performance, genial even while criminal? The opening, the McDonald’s, through the roof, confrontation with the staff, into the freezer, the manager cold, Jerry giving his coat? Taking the money? His motivations, his military career, success, capacity for observation? End of service, friendship with Steve? His wife, his young daughter, the twin boys, the separation, contact with them? The need for money? Another 44 McDonald’s robbed?
4. His daughter’s birthday party, the candles and wishes? His arrest?
5. In court, the McDonald’s staff, 45 years, in prison, friendly, work, useful, accepting his fate? The possibility for escape, the truck, the board concealing him under the truck, the escape, in the bush, the driver relieving himself, Jerry’s escape, getting rid of clothes, hitchhiking, coming to Charlotte? Trying to contact his wife and daughter, the refusal?
6. Seeing the Toys R Us, in through the roof, his finding the secure place to hide, settling in, the bed, the M&Ms, the effect on his teeth and the dentistry and the pawning of the DVDs to pay for it? Roaming the store, the toys, washing, the comfort of the night and settling in? Observing the manager, his strictness, observing Leigh and the other workers, sympathy for Leigh, single mother, asking for some time off, the manager refusing? His altering the security system? Security cameras not working? His own screens and his surveillance of the manager and the workers? His prospects? The police still after him?
7. Coming out of the security, his new name, the encounter with Leigh, the returned toys and his donation, in the church, pastor Ron and his wife, singing? The further encounters with Leigh, the relationship, her invitation, at home? Her two daughters? His friendship with Dee, Lindsey hostile, their suspicions, harshness, close of only with Dee, the car and driving, the reckless ride, the reaction of the salesman, bonding with Lindsey? A future with them all?
8. At the church, the pastor’s wife, the organisation of the meal with the single women, the flirting and his charm?
9. Steve’s return, the issue of the passport, Steve’s girlfriend and her reactions, needing the money for the passport, the robbery, digging into the wrong shop, breaking down the wall, the alarms? Getting away? The dental records, starting the fire, the destruction of the premises?
10. The episode of the shower, seeing the naked man, the police, the presumption that it was a homeless person?
11. Jerry, the decision to go, the plan, the plane ticket, in the store, the episode with the manager, the money, the spray from the cash, his concern, phoning for the ambulance, arranging for Leigh to be absent, her arriving, recognising him, his escape?
12. Driving to the airport, the phone call, his decision to return, Leigh giving him up, the arrest? What might have been?
13. In prison again, the information of two further escapes, still in prison at the making of the film? The visiting? Her comments? And the photos during the credits?