Displaying items by tag: Chris Evans

HONEY, DON'T

US, 2025, 89 minutes, Colour.

Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Charlie Day.

Directed by Ethan Coen.

Back in the day, as they say, Hollywood used to churn out brief, B-budget, action melodramas, often as supports to the main feature. One of the words used to describe these shows was “hard-boiled”.

Which comes to mind as we watch Honey, Don’t. It has been co-written by director, Ethan Coen, with his wife, Trisha Cooke. It is a follow-up to their similar hard boiler, Drive Away Dolls – and a third film in this trilogy has been planned. Ethan Coen, with his brother Joel, The Coen Brothers, built up an enormous reputation over 30 years with a great variety of entertaining films. Directing separately now, Joel went on to make his version of Macbeth with Denzel Washington and his wife, Frances McDormand. Ethan, on the other hand, has gone in the direction that was foreshadowed by their very entertaining, Fargo.

Honey of the title is Margaret Qualley (who starred in the previous film). She is a private eye out in the California desert area of Bakersfield. She is tough. She is single-minded. She is tall. She walks with a very self-confident and stylish sashay. She meets her clients, very direct in discussions, investigates. In her private life, she has lesbian relationships, especially with a policewoman played by Aubrey Plaza.

The film opens with a mysterious death, a car accident – not! Of course – a mysterious woman stealing a ring from the body of a dead woman… The dead woman had the day before contacted Honey for an appointment. Honey is now investigating.

There are a lot of eccentric supporting characters around Bakersfield, in the bar, the shops, and Charlie Day at the police headquarters forever trying to chat Honey up and make a date, seemingly oblivious of her reality.

But, some of the leads point to an evangelical church in the town and its pastor, played by Chris Evans. Over the years and with some revelations, some of the pastors have been exposed as double or triple standards in their behaviour, rousing up their congregations with vigorous holy exhortations, making their congregations dependent on them, and, privately, sexual predators. And Chris Evans, formerly Captain America, makes the Rev Drew Devlin, one of the sleaziest of all pastors, with his sermons on the importance of submission and then exercising overmastering with fragile members of the community.

Ethan Coen and Trisha Cooke have written what seems often a slapdash screenplay, and that seems to be something that they intended, memories of the past, small budget, eccentric characters, strange episodes, leaving the impact to the audience the supply some of the connections. For once, the screenplay and the film could have actually been longer – especially for a comeuppance of the Rev Drew Devlin.

Idiosyncratic as we watch, and Margaret Qualley commands the screen.

MATERIALISTS

US, 2025, 117 minutes, Colour.

Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal.

Directed by Celine Song.

Here is a New York drama which is worth seeing – and, certainly, worth listening to.

Film has been written and directed by Korean-born, Celine Song. H      er previous film, Past Lives, received Oscar nominations.

This is a film about a woman who works as a professional matchmaker, in a company which advertises, makes personal contacts, arranges meetings, especially dinners, according to the data they collect. In fact, Celine Song worked for six months in a matchmaking firm. She certainly draws on a lot of information as well as personal experiences.

One reason why the film is worth listening to is that the philosophy behind the matchmaking company, at least in the affluent areas of New York City, is, as the title indicates, materialist. The approach to setting up couples with hope for married unions is very much as what Christians often called “worldly”. And, in the case of Lucy, Dakota Johnson, whom we get to know very well during the film, she is very materialistic in her perspective. When she marries, she wants to marry into wealth, comfort, security, compatibility, not necessarily love as the Romantics would like.

In fact, she was in love with an actor, John, Chris Evans, often impoverished, now working in a catering firm, often servicing lavish materialist winnings. They are still friends, he in love with her, but she with her success ambitions held high. Then, at the wedding of a couple she organised, she encounters the brother of the groom, Harry, Pedro Pascal, and they are attracted to each other. Will this be the fulfilment of all her ambitions and her professional certainties? Maybe they would in another film, or in a television series, but there is much more to Materialists than this.

The three central characters are always interesting, Lucy often exasperating, a sympathy for John, questions about Harry and his motivations (and the rather startling discovery that amongst the criteria for matchmaking, an attraction for women is tall man, and that some men get their legs broken for height extension insertions!).

There is great power in several key speeches, well worth listening to and reflecting on: a long discussion between Harry and Lucy about their attitudes towards the criteria, to wealth, security, compatibility – but finally Lucy able to make a declaration honestly about her feelings, about whether marriages were for love or just deals and partnerships. There is also a very important discussion between Lucy and a client who was assaulted by the allotted partner, some of the shallowness of dating and its dangers, and her angry response. And, again, well worth listening to is a long discussion between John and Lucy, reflecting on their relationship over the years, love, emotions, his declaration of love rather than any deal, his image of growing old together, long-lasting commitment, personal interaction. And the fourth important discussion to listen to, Lucy’s final response.

The title, with its focus on material achievements and satisfactions, with their seeming priority over love, is certainly a challenge. Audiences identifying more immediately with Lucy, will be challenged. Audiences identifying with John be more hopeful, audiences identifying with Harry will have to give some serious thoughts to their attitudes. Materialist matchmaking is very much focused on success in this world, not appreciating the fact there are more profound values, especially love, the transcend the materialist ambitions.

1. The emphasis of the title, a story about matchmakers, but the criteria for the matches, the boxes ticked, suitability is, financial issues and status, security, marriage and is business, and deal? The emphasis on the materialist criteria?
2. New York City, the office of the matchmakers, the venues for ceremonies, wealthy mansions, sharing squalid apartments, the New York high life, restaurants, the small theatre and performance, out-of-town, the countryside, the country wedding celebration? Atmosphere? The tone of the musical score, the range of popular songs and their lyrics?
3. The focus on Lucy, her age, little background of her family, the past and her relationship with John, her being interested in acting, his acting career, love for him, but her expectations for wealthy marriage and comfort? The encounter with Harry, the wedding, his attentions to her, her response, his digging all the right boxes, a “unicorn”? The possibilities for her future?
4. The theme of the film and its critique of materialist ambitions and criteria for marriages? As dramatised in the collage of the variety of interviews, clients explaining themselves and their hopes, issues of age, appearance, sociability? Older men for younger women? The lonely women getting older? Sophie and her reactions to criticisms? The range of those working as matchmakers, violent running the office, celebrating their successes, Lucy and her nine successes? Her failure with Sophie and Mark?
5. Audience response to the focus on materialist criteria and boxes ticked? The issue of love? Suitability? Values – and the quality of men affirming women as valuable? And the contrast?
6. John, his age, or, acting career, some success, working as a caterer, the encounter with Lucy at the wedding, the discussions, the memories of the past, the flashback to Lucy getting out of the car, standing the street and blocking traffic with her confrontation? John and the play, success, the drinks afterwards, seeing Lucy with Harry, his reactions? Seeing him at his apartment, the slovenly behaviour of the partner in the apartment? His love for Lucy, continuing despite her behaviour?
7. Lucy, the crisis with Sophie, the phone call to Mark, Sophie and the lawsuit, suing the company, Violet not blaming Lucy? Lucy trying to apologise, Sophie’s fears speech against her? It later, the phone call, Sophie wringing, John driving Lucy to the apartment, Lucy able to soothe Sophie, the embrace, passing the night, John waiting on the steps? And later Sophie’s contact that she had found somebody suitable?
8. The strength of the dialogue, the manifestation of the three central characters, raising the issues of marriage, dating, deals, a vision of an ageing partnership?
9. The power of several key speeches: the long discussion between Harry and Lucy about their attitudes towards the criteria, to wealth, security, compatibility – but finally Lucy able to say that she did not love him, nor he her, it was just to deal and partnership rather than love? The importance of the discussion with Sophie, and her raising the issues and the shallowness of dating, its dangers? The long discussion between John and Lucy, his declaration of love rather than deal, his image of growing old together, long-lasting commitment, personal interaction? And the final speech of Lucy’s acceptance?
10. The happy ending, Lucy to resign but Violet offering her the post of leading the company? And the glimpse of all the people, couples, registry for marriage licenses, the cheerfulness, the atmosphere, and Lucy and John seen amongst them?
11. The film and its title as a moral fable about the importance of marriage, commitment, it deeper values than wealth and security?

RED ONE

US, 2024, 125 minutes, Colour.

Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K.Simmons, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Kiernan Shipka.

Directed by Jake Kasdan.

Most films about Santa Claus require quite a suspension of disbelief - except for the littlies. But, this one even more disbelief than usual for those who say they don’t believe in Santa Claus. Most of us!

Santa, the Red One, though initially seen enjoying himself meeting all the children at a Philadelphia shopping mall, is suddenly whisked away in a super-powered sleigh, the sturdiest reindeers you have seen, to an extraordinary mythological North Pole, then the victim of a vast conspiracy, his abduction, an evil which determined to take his place on Christmas Eve rounds and imprisoning forever those on the “Naughty List”!

Not exactly the scenario we might have been expecting for Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans.

This is a piece of Christmas entertainment for older children (of whatever age!). The mythological story of the abduction, draining Santa Claus of his energies, the manufacturing of imprisoning it globes to be distributed on Christmas Eve to trap those naughty, is played out as the equivalent of a high-powered action show. Plenty of action – but always with its heart in the right place but not necessarily all those fighting fists.

Dwayne Johnson is obviously enjoying himself as Cal,  Santa’s long time bodyguard, for several centuries, in fact. And, J.K.Simmons as Santa is enjoying himself even more. He even has bodybuilding sessions at the gym with Dwayne Johnson. As for Chris Evans, we don’t like him at the start, arrogant, mean minded (even snatching a lollipop from a baby in a pram). He has all kinds of tech skills, he is hired out to break into high-class systems, enabling the witch to abduct Santa. And he has a young son who rather idolises him but is disappointed in him.

In fact, there are quite a lot of pauses in the film for Dwayne Johnson to give moralising lessons for the young audience, basically to be good.

So, lots of fantasy, lots of action sequences, particularly enjoyable are those where Cal’s powers enable him to go into miniature form at a moments notice and then reverse, very handy for battling and tricking hefty opponents.

Lucy Liu appears as the director for mythological operations. There is also the Krampus and his ogre-like warriors, Mrs Claus (Bonnie Hunt) a range of elves and a huge benign polar bear key staff-member at the North Pole.

Director, Jake Kasdan, has made the Jumanji films so he is at home with fantasy blends of realism and imagination. Audiences seem to be enjoying the red One – and best to avoid reading reviews by critics who think that this kind of thing is beneath them!

1. Red One, code for Santa Claus?
2. The tone of the film? Christmas film? Santa Claus film? Variations on the theme? Not for the youngest audiences, four boys, for children (of all age)?
3. Audience suspension of disbelief, belief in Santa Claus, Christmas Eve, the North Pole preparing all the gifts, travelling around the world, the deliveries, happy children? Variations on this theme?
4. The opening, the children, the gifts, Jack as very sceptical – and audiences discovering at the end that the young sceptical Jack was the older Jack of the action?
5. Santa Claus, at the mall, enjoying talking with the children, his personality, Cal present as his bodyguard, the intrusive man, the children waiting? Santa, ready to go to the North Pole, the reindeer and their size, the super sleigh, moving through space and time? The dome at the North Pole?
6. Expectations of life at the North Pole, the elves, the polar bear, Santa Claus’s wife, the preparation of the gifts, almost Christmas Eve? Santa, going to the gym, exercise, push-ups, weights… Cal retiring?
7. The witch, her pleasant appearance, her ugly appearance, her henchmen, her plan, abducting Santa, the deception of the break and the dome, keeping him at the North Pole, draining his energy? Her work, creating the globes, their finally worked in, miniaturising and capturing people? The intention to rid the world of naughty children, imprisoning them? Creating a better world?
8. The introduction to Jack, his age, careless, his skills, supervision, taking the lollipop from the baby, visiting his son, the complaint of his wife, phone calls, to take him to meetings? His age, devotion to his father, the disappointments?
9. Cal, the experience of the abduction, Zoe, her being in charge, the various meetings, the plans, the ruining of Christmas?
10. Cal, his personality, the guard for centuries, putting in his letter of resignation, becoming involved, tracking down Jack, the interchanges, hearing about Jack’s son? Knowledge of the witch, Jack identifying the contacts for the plan, going to the resort, the interrogation of the contact, his fears, the arrival of the monsters, icy, transforming others into ice? The humour of the fight sequences, Cal and his being miniaturised? The toy cars and other aspects of the shop, from miniature to full-size, driving away?
11. The visit to Germany, the Krampus, Santa Claus’ brother, the revolt, the ogres, the fight sequences in the slaps? Jack and Cal escaping?
12. Going to the North Pole, the buildup to the confrontation, the witch and her success, the mass production of the globes, trapping both Jack and Dylan? The talk, Jack being good and kind, the breaking of the glass?
13. The witch, preparing all the globes, the sleigh, getting ready to go?
14. The arrival of the Krampus, the witch his ex-wife, his decision to be on the side of good?
15. The fights, the sabotage of the sleigh, the breaking of the globes? Confrontation with the large witch, miniature fight? Her being imprisoned in a globe?
16. Finding Santa, resuscitating him, going on his rounds, the speed and the possibility of delivering all the gifts everywhere in the world on the one night!
17. Jack, the bonding with his son, and the revelation of the sceptical young Jack? Cal and his decision to stay on guard in Santa Claus?

PAIN HUSTLERS

US, 2023, 123 minutes, Colour.

Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Catherine O'Hara, Andy Garcia, Jay Duplass, Bryan D'Arcy James, Amit Shah, Chloe Coleman.

Directed by David Yates.

Here is a drama that focuses on the opioid crisis in the United States (and beyond). This is a fictionalised drama about a young woman, Liza, working in the club, with an ill daughter, who is propositioned by a businessman in the club, makes contact with him, looking for a job. She is played by Emily Blunt. He is played by Chris Evans.

Liza is shrewd, fabricates an education background, auditions well, especially with the founder of the company, Jack Neel, played by Andy Garcia. The company is just starting, producing drugs, looking for outlets, promoting the drugs with doctors, offering them benefits.

The drama shows how easy it is to be caught up in the enthusiasm of big profit, underestimating the moral approaches of the company directors. Liza find she has a flair for influencing doctors, a talent for plausible explanations. The film has an interesting supporting cast led by Catherine O’Hara who plays Liza’s mother who becomes involved with Dr Neel as well as becoming a member of the sales staff.

Ultimately, there are moral issues, doctors and their downfalls, arrests, exposures, court cases, prison.

Since 2020, the opioid epidemic, the proliferation of oxycodone and fentanyl, have become key to some documentaries, a television miniseries, other fiction films. The focus is on the Sackler family who developed the opioids with great business success but with moral challenges. Award-winning documentarist, Alex Gibney, probed this in The Crime of the Century. Celebrated photographer, Nan Golden, also made a devastating exploratory and accusing documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. Netflix also has a six part series, Painkiller, starring Matthew Broderick, a docudrama about the Sackler is. The theme was also present in the thriller, Crisis, with Gary Oldman.

Pain Hustlers is interesting and enjoyable as a drama – but, it raises the very important issues of opioids, medication, exploitation, financial interests.

(Direction by David Yates who made the last four Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts series)

1. Based on true story and court cases? Other films on this theme?
2. The US, drugs, prescriptions, deaths? Investigations?
3. Florida, the atmosphere, homes, companies, officers, promotions, court? The musical score?
4. Liza Drake, agent background, living in the garage, her daughter, Phoebe, epilepsy? An exotic dancer? Her life and prospects? The encounter with Pete? The offer? Her being ousted and her car taken, at the motel?
5. Peter Brenner, customer, relationship with Liza, opportunist, his work for the company, with Jack Neel?
6. The company, Zanna, the situation, start-up, investors, money, drugs and marketing, contact with doctors on promotion?
7. Liza, meeting with Neel, Pete falsifying her resume, her qualifications? Jack Neel, accepting her? Setting a target, five days, her not achieving it, Phoebe and her seizures? The exploitation?
8. Dr Lydell, Liza and the meetings, listening to his discussions with the cancer patients, persuading him, invite him to speak, not a success? Pete and his continued persuasion, the growing number of clients, prescriptions?
9. The team, the range of recruits, the training, their mission, Jackie’s presence?
10. Exposure, Neel and his favours, Pete and the CEO recording discussions, the range of clients?
11. The role of Jackie, her relationship with her daughter, granddaughter, their interactions, the attraction to Jack Neel, the affair, sleeping with him, her becoming part of the team, her being fired?
12. Phoebe, the seizures, need for an operation, the situation, financial?
13. Liza and the death of her friend’s husband, hostility, the need for a further exposure?
14. Liza, her actions and decisions, taking the documents from Pete, Neel isolating himself, yet the exposure through the past emails?
15. The issue into more, its history in the US, the principals going to court, prison sentences?
16. Liza, 15 months in prison, getting out, with her mother, a new beginning?