Displaying items by tag: Tom Davis

LADIES FIRST

US, 2026, 93 minutes, Colour.

Sacha Baron Cohen, Rosamund Pike, Tom Davis, Emily Mortimer, Werucha Opia, Charles Dance, Fiona Shaw, Richard E.Grant, Kathryn Hunter, Bill Paterson, Ron Cook.

Directed by Thea Sharrock.

There has been a constant popularity in films of role reversals, parents becoming children, children parents, and, sometimes, the role reversals of men and women, being transported into an alternate universe. And that is the case here – but, it is a remake of the 2018 French comedy,. I am not the Easiest of Men which was released at the time of the #Me Too emergence.

Perhaps 2026 is a bit late for Ladies First as some reviewers have suggested. However, as we watch it, the comedy of the men behaving in a female way, was to be subservient, accepting this, exasperated, finding ways to overcome it as well as the comedy of the women behaving in insensitive macho attitudes and manner, it does make its points for a wide audience.

And, this version has many advantages. Who better than Sasha Baron Cohen, memories of Borat and his other films and satires, playing the misogynistic, obnoxiously insensitive male, paying lip service to female executives and ignoring them at meetings, seeing himself as a contemporary Lothario, but remaining male throughout the story, forced to face the macho-women mirror images of his objectifying behaviour. Many tangles, many humorous moments, many satiric barbs – and his finally getting the message.

The other advantage is having Rosamund Pike as the co-star, her two previous films, Now You See Him, Now You Don’t and In the Grey, saw her cast as rather ruthless business women and she draws on this when, after being introduced as a 20 year employee at the firm, receiving a token promotion but ignored at meetings, and then transformed into the hard-hearted executive dramatising and exercising all the ambitious, unscrupulously dominating mirror of male behaviour.

And, there is a strong cast character actors in supporting roles. The usually urbane Charles Dance has become a rather simpering assistant. Kathryn Hunter, rather tiny, a cleaner in the office, always getting in the executive’s way, transforms into a hard-drinking, dominating CEO. Richard E.Grant, is a pigeon-man vagrant who understands the situation, trying to give advice to Sasha Baron Cohen.

Also a plus is the director, Thea Sharrock, who has made the sensitive, The Beautiful Game, as well as the sharp satire of Wicked Little Letters.

So, a whole lot of reversal situations, most of them very funny, but always the consciousness/conscience check that male chauvinism is being sent up as exercised by the women and that the men are experiencing as women, the continued putdowns, targeted male superiority, male exploitation and harassment.

And, for those who enjoy words and play on words, there are all kinds of funny moments and quick quips, Queens Cross instead of King’s Cross, the end of the prayer as a-woman, a variation on frequently used swear word. And, on a broadcast, Pope Beatrice IV.

Sad to say, this kind of comic role reversal, perhaps required somewhat less than in times past, is still very relevant.

MAKE IT LOOK REAL

Australia, 2024, 78 minutes, Colour.

Claire Warden, Kieran Darcy Smith, Sarah Roberts, Tom Davis, Albert Zwangi.

Directed by Kate Blakemore.

The “It” of the title of this documentary is movie scenes of intimacy. In recent years, especially with the Me-Too# movement, there have been an increasing number of intimacy coordinators employed on film sets and receiving credits.

Claire Warden, originally from Guernsey, working in the US and around the world is a professional intimacy coordinator. The film gives something of her background, her parents and encouragement, her wanting to be an actress but finding at 6 feet tall, few offers. She is enthusiastic about her work, its importance, the MeToo# Movement, her style in contributing to moviemaking.

The screenplay written and directed by Kate Blakemore, focuses on Australian actor and director, Kieran Darcy Smith, and his screenplay for a film called Tightrope. There are three intimacy scenes in his film. Three actors, who have made contributions to Australian films, have been chosen for key parts. There are to be three intimacy sequences.

Claire Warden arrives in Sydney to work with Kieran Darcy Smith, discussions with him about the three scenes, what is written, his intentions, their contribution to the plot. Audiences will find the sequences of these discussions very interesting as background to how films are made, the attention to details, respect for the actors – and many comments that this was not so in the past, in fact, a collage of voiced testimonies by prominent actresses with the names of the films they are complaining about, highlighting manipulative action by directors. They include Jennifer Lawrence, Keira Knightly, Jessica Lange…

Claire Warden has extensive discussions with each of the three actors, again very interesting in hearing of Claire’s methodology, her sensitivities, her respect for the actors and their choices, helping them to clarify what their attitudes are and noting their expectations. This happens with the three actors.

Then there are the rehearsals, the discussions about the intimate sequences, behaviour, issues of nudity, issues of simulated sexual activity, limits, angles, taking into account the expectations of the actors. Then follows the actual filming, the couple and their relationship, their intimacy, and then their decision to employ a young man from an agency, please continual focus on the sensitivities about the sequences for the threesome, able to suggest the reality of the plot while all the time respecting the actors.

Then, at the end, the sequences are played with the actors watching giving the audience an opportunity to see the finished product and know all the discussions and planning that went into the making of the sequences.

The audience gets a good impression of intimacy coordinators and their challenges, and a good impression where director and actors are involved in dialogue with respect for them and their opinions and expectations.