Displaying items by tag: Justin Hartley

BRIDE HARD

US, 2025, 103 minutes, Colour.

Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Stephen Dorff, Justin Hartley, Anna Chlumsky, Da' Vine Joy Randolph, Michael O'Neill, Sam Huntington, Colleen Camp.

Directed by Simon West.

Whether the screenwriters for Bride Hard had comic spoofs like The Naked Gun series in mind when they were plotting, creating eccentric characters, imagining extreme situations, this is how Bride Hard has turned out. It is definitely over-the-top. And, if you are making this kind of entertainment which gets away with all kinds of parody, then, why not?

This is definitely a comedy thriller for the female audience. The bride and her bridesmaids and maid of honour get the opportunity to do all kinds of action stunts that are usually reserved to the male stars. It is definitely a girl-triumph comedy adventure.

The film has been directed by Simon West who made his mark in his early films with action shows like Con Air, The General’s Daughter, the first Lara Croft film. He knows how to direct action.

This is very much is Rebel Wilson’s film, drawing on her screen presence, using her Australian accent, her ability to send up herself and her image. And get away with it. The film opens with some credits flashback sequences to a developing friendship between two girls growing up. Now, 30 years later, one of them is getting married, reaches out to her best friend whom she hasn’t seen for a long time, to be maid of honour. A collection of other girlfriends will be the bridesmaids – including Anna Chlumsky (My Girl and Veep) quite compelling in her intensity as the bridesmaid, rich family background, who likes to control everything and wants to be maid of honour. And, Oscar-winner for The Holdovers, Da’ Vine Randolph is boisterously raucous.

There are some male agents but the one in charge is a woman. There is the intended groom, Sam Huntington, but he takes something of a secondary place, especially after a shot in the leg and can’t be as active as the women.

And, of course, the villain is a man, with Stephen Dorff playing it exactly right, self-confident, arrogant, at first bewildered by the female agent, then confrontations, battle of wits, battle of muscles – and, of course, his defeat.

While the title reminds us of Bruce Willis and Die Hard, the film opens with the emphasis on the bride, a lavish prenuptial dinner, and Rebel Wilson’s Sam needing to take part in a sting and criminal chase. So, while the girls drink and enjoy themselves, Sam is out on Spy Hard ultra-action, outdoing Bruce Willis at any time, and rivalling, at least, Jackie Chan and/or Bruce Lee.

Sam is reluctant to go to the wedding because of the break with her best friend but is ordered by her spy chief, also her psychiatrist supervisor, to get some balance in her life. And, it all goes from there, an extraordinary lavish mansion and grounds, the arrival of the criminals to steal the gold bars in the family vault, and an opportunity for Rebel Wilson to do extraordinary feats of brains and brawn. But, happily, in the last part of the film, all the bridesmaids get the opportunity to go into action.

Obviously very silly, but enjoyably so. Actually, the whole thing is quite absurd – but, as noted, enjoyably so.

THE NOEL DIARY

US, 2022, 99 minutes, Colour.

Justin Hartley, Barrett Doss, Bonnie Bedelia, James Remar, Essence Atkins.

Directed by Charles Shyer.

The Noel Diary is what might be called a nice film. It has a G rating. Though some of the issues of very serious, especially family tragedies, family alienation’s, it is geared towards the popular audience. It was co-injury by Charles Shyer career like baby Boom father of the Bride. This was his last film as directors.

1. A Christmas story, romance, family issues?
2. The world of the successful novelist, signings? Recluse, his home? His mother’s home and the mess, cleaning? His father’s home in the woods? Hotels? The musical score, Christmas songs and lyrics?
3. Jake Turner and his story, success as a novelist, adulation from the readers, the signings sequence? Yet alone, past relationships, hiding away, the photo on the back of his books, looking down? Age, news of the death of his mother, alienation from her, building up the story of his dead brother (and his father remembering and the visuals), his father leaving and the reasons, for him to be a comfort to his mother, the failure, his distance from his parents?
4. The lawyer, his mother’s will, the mess in the house? Ellie as the friendly neighbour, memories, her support? The discussion about the tender entry, the date, successful, the relationship, inviting him to Christmas dinner?
5. Rachel, the mystery of her standing watching outside the house? Coming in, her quest? Explanations, her mother as the nanny? Wanted to find her mother, Jake and his idea of asking Ellie, the address of his father, Rachel wanting to drive there, persuading Jake? On the road? Rachel and the discovery of her mother’s diary – and the opening with the visuals of novel writing the diary, the further excerpts of the journey went on, the effect on Rachel, wondering whether she was abandoned, finishing the diet, reassured?
6. Scott Turner, in the woods, friendly, his story, grief, the death of his son? Leaving Jake with his mother? The explanations, Jake and his hesitancy? Rachel coming in, the meal, the discussions, the memories, not keeping the family together after the death? Knowles kind words about Jake, his brother, his parents?
7. Scott and his letter from Noel, the address? The decision to visit?
8. Rachel, her relationship with Helen, her hopes for the UN translation job, Allen and his meticulous accounting, the proposal about the engagement party, Rachel not going to find her mother, with her adopted parents, Jake and his arrival, her saying she did not love him? Wanting security with Alan?
9. Jake, the visit to Noel, the conversation, giving her the diary, reassured her about Rachel? Nolan her happiness?
10. Jake, coming to the house, being rejected, going home, the discussion with Ellie, finding the many letters from his father and his mother concealing them? And Rachel arriving? And the future?