Displaying items by tag: Kirsten Dunst

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?

CIVIL WAR

US, 2024, 109 minutes, Colour.

Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nick Offerman, Nelson Lee, Jesse Plemons.

Directed by Alex Garland.

The US has had a Civil War so it is not unthinkable that it could have another. Many observers from around the world might think that, in fact, the uprising and riots on January 6, 2021, the rabble invading the Capitol, the stance of the defeated President, indicated, at least, a divided America.

British writer and director, Alex Garland (who shown a liking for apocalyptic themes (28 Days, The Beach, Ex Machina, Annihilation) has been observing the divisiveness in America and created this story of a Civil War, in the not too distant future. In fact, so much of the film looks contemporary.

We are introduced to a situation where an embattled President broadcasts a speech, desperately, having intervened militarily in situations, some states seceding (rather unlikely union between Texas and California!). Troops marching on Washington DC.

While there are military encounters, especially the siege of Washington and the attack on the White House and the President, immersing the audience right in the middle of it, the point of view of the screenplay is that of a group of photojournalists, based in New York, New York where there is a disturbing protest, a bomb blast in the middle of the protest, police action, and the journalist with their cameras ready. The group decides that they will risk the travel to Washington to try to interview the president before any final disaster.

We are introduced to the group of journalists, familiar from so many movies, gathered in a hotel, plans, rivalries, dangers. The leading personality is a battle-scarred veteran, Lee, Kirsten Dunst, working with Joel, Wagner Moura, enterprising but more cautious. Lee has come across a young woman shaken up by the explosion, Jesse, Cailee Spaeney, discovers that she wants to be a proto-journalist, has come from Missouri, and, reluctantly, is taken up by the group, accompanied by an old veteran, Sammy, Stephen McKinley Henderson. The roads are dangerous and they have to travel to DC in a roundabout route.

Civil War then becomes a literal road movie, a succession of different incidents revealing what is going on in the American countryside, plenty of roadblocks, encounters with soldiers, having to take shelter from a sniper in a mansion, going through a town where everything seems normal, including a clothes shop, the citizen seemingly complacent, then the vision of soldiers on the roofs of the buildings. In West Virginia, there is a sports complex, people taking refuge on the central arena, in the seats, suspicious but the inhospitable.

There is a powerful sequence, truly upsetting and highlighting ideological stances, a group of soldiers, a truck full of corpses, then tipping them into a vast open grave, a confrontation with the journalists, especially with two journalists who join them, Asian backgrounds. The soldier, uniformed, on guard, is played as the grimly violent patriot, an embodiment of Make America Great Again, supremely self-assured, and, unhesitatingly, shooting the Asians.

And, all the time, the group are taking photos, many in seemingly impossible situations, and on the screen, we see the black-and-white versions of so many of the photos, jolting.

It is something of a surprise to find that Civil War has done very well at the box office, that it has found an audience, but it would be very interesting to interview members of the audiences as they came out of the cinema, and discover what liberals thought of it and what the conservative right made of it!

1. Expectations from the title? Memories of the American Civil War? Civil War in the future? The 21^st-century and the ideologically divided America?
2. The director, British background, interest in futuristic and apocalyptic themes?
3. The situation, the President’s speech, the audience gaging his stances, his appeal to the people, the civil war situation, his military interventions? Secession of States? California and Texas? The uprising against him? The generic nature of the issues rather than detail?
4. The New York opening, the protests, the bomb, the injuries? The introduction to the photojournalists, their involvement, daring, the close-ups, Jessie being injured, Lee helping her, Jessie and her ambitions of being a photojournalist? The refuge in the hotel?
5. The hotel, the journalist gathering, the atmosphere, tensions, journalist ambitions, photojournalists? The discussions, the rivalries? The introduction to , Joel his experience, his wanting to interview the president? Lee, her association with Joel, her ambitions? Jessie and her wanting to join them, her age, and experience? The friendship with Sammy, his age, his experience, wanting to go along as well?
6. The road journey, different faces of America, from New York State, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, to Washington DC? The impact for the audience, to understand something of the Civil War?
7. The effect of the various episodes, the car, the travel, the interactions between them, Joel, his attitude towards Jessie, her being forthright, Sammy and his experience? Lee in charge? Service station, the encounter, the deals, guns, Mansion with the sniper and being with the soldiers shooting back? West Virginia Stadium, the people gathered, hospitality, food? The quiet town, the shops open, seemingly normal, soldiers on the roofs? Tension?
8. The work of photojournalists, always alert, looking for the angle, close-ups, and the device of having the audience see the photos in black-and-white? Adding to the drama?
9. Tony and his associate, Asian background, linking up with the group? The encounter with the Patriot soldiers, the truck and the corpses, emptying them into the pit? The soldier, his stances, right-wing patriotism, his speeches and declarations, the challenge, the arguments, confrontation, the guns, his being shot?
10. The effect on the photojournalists, nearing Washington, the encounter with the encampment, the soldiers, the embedded journalists, the discussions?
11. Going into DC, the siege of Washington, the intense military action, the focus of the group, their access, continually taking photos, the extreme situations? Eventually to the White House, the confrontation with the president, the military reaction? His reaction, issue of the interview, his death?
12. The cumulative effect of this experience on an American audience? Reflect the situations of 2024 and the presidential election year? The cumulative effect on observers outside the United States? The puzzle about American society, contemporary, the future?
13. The portrait of the characters, Sammy and his experience, his death? Joel and his intensity, hesitations? Jessie, ambitions, the dangers, the violence? The common by the two women of the families back in Missouri and Colorado oblivious of the war? Lee and her leadership?