Displaying items by tag: Jean Reno

TUNER

Canada/US, 2025, 107 minutes, Colour.

Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz, Jean Reno, Herbie Hancock.

Directed by Daniel Roher.

In fact, there are two piano tuners, first, the young Niki, and second, the older Harry, veteran musician and tutor. Niki is played by Leo Woodall. And, the pleasure of seeing Dustin Hoffman as Harry. His is a cameo role but, in the minds of the filmmakers, his cameo is really a homage to him and his career (and, at the hospital, when asked the details of his life, the birthdate given is Dustin Hoffman’s actual birthdate).

But, Tuner begins with the characters in quite some difficulties. Niki, a young talented musician with perfect pitch, suffers from hyperacusis, finding loud noises intolerable, his having two years of therapy to try to adjust his hearing, having to wear earplugs. But, he is an expert tuner. Harry is his mentor, an old friend of Niki’s father, but his difficulty is age, also he can be very cheeky to everyone, but hospitalised and finding that he has not been keeping up his insurance payments.

Which offers the setting for something of a thriller and, when Niki encounters Ruthie (Hayley Rose Liu), a highly determined musician and composer, working on her piano, and egged on by Harry, the film is also a pleasant romance.

When Niki encounters a group of security guards one night when he is tuning a piano at the house of a wealthy client, it turns out that he has a skill in hearing the sounds as he unlocks safes. Not too unpredictable to work out what is about to happen. Our sympathies are with Niki and with Harry and his wife Maria (Tovah Feldshuh). And sympathies also with the payoffs that the security guards who target the owners of the homes they guard, just stealing enough to not draw attention to what they are up to. But, course, it can’t last. Ambitious criminals hire lower criminals to do their dirty work and a buildup to some dramatic confrontations.

In the meantime, Ruthie is working, often desperately, on her composition, intense in rehearsals, yet falling in love with Niki, it’s all building up. of course, to a dramatic conclusion and, a twist of fate in bringing the safecracking to an unexpected/expected conclusion.

New York setting, sympathetic characters, the real Herbie Hancock turning up at Harry’s funeral, and quite a lot of music, popular and concert performance throughout the film for an enjoyable thriller/romance.

1. The two tuners? Niki, memories of his father, working with Harry, Harry his mentor? The scenes of piano tuning, the skills, the sounds of the piano as a whole?
2. The New York setting, apartments, wealthy homes, diners, the music school, the auditorium? The safes, the safe breaking? The Maestro, his office, his home, the future? Hospital, recovery, Niki’s final play?
3. Niki, his age, the past, musician, hyperacusis, the impact of noise, his two years’ therapy, his wearing of earplugs? His pitch perfect work on the pianos? Demonstrating it? Seeing him at work, thorough? The interaction with clients? The bond with Harry, at home, with Maria, at the bar, Harry urging him on with Ruthie? Harry, the collapse, the visits to the hospital? Trying to support Maria?
4. The encounter with Ruthie, student, composer, her ambitions, energy, skills? The piano tuning, interactions with Niki? At the bar, carrying her books, walking her home? Influence of Harry? The gradual bonding between them, conversations, the music, her composing, practice, open to be employed by the Maestro? Falling in love? The visits to Harry? The intensity of the relationship, the clash, Ruthie and the composition, Niki’s suggestions, the falling out, the actual recital, Maria present, Niki absent, success, the Maestro, the watch, her approaching Niki?
5. Harry, tribute to Dustin Hoffman, personality, the past, musician, tuner, his death, the gathering, actual Herbie Hancock present?
6. Niki, the encounter with the security guards, interactions, his hearing, able to open safes? Their employing him, his moral dilemma, the money for Maria, the collage of opening the safes, the boss and his associates, Benny and the dog? The money, banking it for Maria? The thieves and their taking smaller items, items the owners would not notice missing?
7. The Korean gang, employing the security guards, their getting Niki, his refusal, the violence and pressure, success, the uncle arriving, forcing Niki to swallow the code? The later able to revive the code? The violence? Benny shooting?
8. The staging of the recital, Ruthie’s skill, the musicians, the Maestro, meeting her?
9. Niki, the violence, the hospital, his running to the recital, late? The issue of the watch, discussions with the Maestro, Ruthie working for him, his going to the game, recovering the watch and giving it back?
10. His recovery, the effect on his hearing, having to Ruthie again, his performance, Tenderly, his achievement? The future? And his comment that E flat was out of tune?

MY PENGUIN FRIEND

Brazil/US, 2024, 97 minutes, Colour.

Jean Reno, Adriana Barraza, Alexia Moyano, Pedro Urizzi, Duda Galvao, Thelma de Freitas.

Directed by David Schurmann.

My Penguin Friend is based on a true story, a story of a migrating penguin, from Patagonia to an island off the coast of Brazil. There are clips of the actual penguin and friend during the final credits.

This is a Brazilian film, it has an international cast, the French Jean Reno, the Mexican Adriana Barazza, and the dialogue is all in English – making it accessible worldwide in the English-speaking world.

The opening credits include a camera tracking over much of the world, narrowing down to Brazil and the island. We have glimpses of life on the island, youngsters at school, a working family, a very cheerful little boy celebrating his birthday and putting pressure on his father to take him out rowing to sea. However, a huge storm and tragedy.

The scenario moves forward several decades, the father, Jean Reno, still grieving, isolated from the other members of the village, managed by his rather stoic wife, Maria, Adriana Barraza.

It all changes when we go to Patagonia, see the colony of penguins, their taking off for migration, an oil slick, and the father finding the bereft penguin, washing, cleaning it, caring for it, his wife in the meantime rather impatient, but eventually the penguin finding a home on the island, making its own barrow, a little girl finding a name for it, Dimdin. Audiences will enjoy this sentiment, and the fact that Dimdin makes this annual journey eight times.

There is a subplot about scientists studying penguins, migration, hoping for grants for their work. In the meantime, the father has reluctantly allowed himself to be interviewed and the program with him and Dimdin goes viral. The scientific team identify the penguin when it comes to Patagonia and are interested in furthering research.

Audiences generally like penguins very much. And this penguin and the film are very likeable.

1. Audience liking for and response to penguins?
2. The opening credits, the maps, tracing over the maps, arriving on the island off Brazil, travel to Patagonia? Brazil, the town, the beaches? Patagonia, the isolation? The musical score?
3. The penguins, 80% real, 15% CGI, 5% and Medtronics?
4. The opening story, Miguel and Kalista, the happy boy, the bond, the birthday gift, scenes at home, his parents, love, the birthday, with his father, the impending storm, the boy’s insistence, their rowing out, the storm, the anchor, the boat overturned, the boy drowned, the father trying to rescue, grieving? The consequences for later and the rescuing of the penguin?
5. The present, Joao, at odds with the other people in the village, at home, Maria, the relationship, the grief? Kalista and her daughter?
6. The scenes of the penguins, the commentary, and migration? The penguin and the oil slick, on the Brazilian coast, rescued by Joao? Loving care, the details, washing, the clothing, the exasperation of Maria and her cleaning up after, the time passing, the bonding? The people of the town, Lucia and her naming the penguin, Dindim?
7. The response of people to Dimdin, becoming part of their life? At home in the house, the borrower, the time for leaving? The return to Patagonia?
8. Eight years, Dimdin coming back, part of the life of the town? Joao and the interview with Paolo, the discussions about the interview, changing his mind, the interview going viral, known around the world?
9. The subplot of the researchers, their work in Patagonia, identifying the penguins, studying the migration, Adriana, Carlos and his scepticism, Stephanie, the different attitudes? Contact with universities, the possibility of a grant? The visit, identifying Dimdin, keeping tabs? Plan to keep Dimdin, for the University, in the vein, letting Dimdin escape?
10. The town, everybody anxious, Dimdinn not returning? Joao and going out to search, the false alarm, finding Dimdin, the happiness and reconciliation in the town?
11. A pleasing film for family audiences? Based on a true story – and the final credits and the video clips of the real Joao and Dimdin?

LIFT

US, 2024, 107 minutes, Colour.

Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington, Vincent D[Onofrio, Ursula Corbero, Billy Magnusson, Yun Jee Kim, Jean Reno, Jacob Batalon, Burn Gorman.

Directed by F. Gary Gray.

Lift is a lighthearted, serious escapade action adventure. It has been directed by F.Gary Gray, skilled in this kind of entertainment like the remake of The Italian Job.

The main surprise of the film is Kevin Hart in the leading role, the action hero. His delivery and speed is rather toned down from his usual action comedies. And he seems to be enjoying himself as a romantic hero with the criminal touch.

In fact, the film has quite an extensive international cast, British Gugu Mbatha-Raw as an Interpol officer, Australian Sam Worthington as her boss. And, in the supporting cast, Americans, Koreans, Latin Americans – and, a veteran French villain, Jean Reno.

And there are some attractive and exciting international locations, opening with an art heist in Venice.

That the core of the story is Interpol’s desperation to catch Kevin Hart and his gang, getting Gugu Mbatha-Raw to be part of the impossible heist of a cargo of gold, being transferred to Switzerland to the villain so that he can finance terrorists to his financial gain.

The gang is a motley crew, international, hackers, safe crackers, and a gentleman who can disguise himself and infiltrate situations, played by Vincent D’Oonfrioi. Part of the enjoyment is their working together, personalities, clashes, expertise, and/or combining to capture the gold.

And, of course, there is a romantic touch because the Interpol agent and the leader had been romantically involved in the past, leading to tensions, and the breakdown of tensions, especially with the success of the mission.

One of those lavishly produced action adventure pastimes.

1. Action entertainment? International, exotic, and impossible highest…?
2. The international cast, Kevin Hart more subdued, criminals, interval, villains?
3. The tone, the sequences in Venice, the introduction to Cyrus, his abilities, artworks, his team, the techniques of stealing?
4. The portrait of the team, international, personalities, talents, seeing them in action, execution of the robberies, the planning and their expertise, the final heist of the gold? Camilla as the pilot, Magnus as the safe cracker, Mi-Sun as the hacker, Denton, the aged gentlemen, his many disguises?
5. Interpol, the organisation, Gladwell and her role, her commitment, Huxley as the boss, Australian accent, demanding, seeing him in pursuit, the chases, failure, his determination, demands on Gladwell?
6. The situation, the arch criminal, wealth, Switzerland, Gold, supporting terrorists, his staff, the range of thugs?
7. The plan, Gladwell to go undercover, her previous relationship with Cyrus, their sparring, her meeting with the various members, reluctance, commitment, the various details of the planning?
8. The flight, arrangements with the plains, hacking, deceptions, alternate plans, hacking, the safe on the plane, getting the gold? The various steps, tensions, action sequences, in the air, on land?
9. The buildup to the confrontation, the criminal, assured, the authorities, the failure of his plot?
10. The group, bonding, the success, Cyrus and Gladwell – and the possibility for sequels?