Displaying items by tag: Tyriq Withers

REMINDERS OF HIM

US, 2026, 114 minutes, Colour.

Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Zoe Kosovic, Lauren Graham, Rudy Pankow, Jennifer Robertson, Lanie Wilson, Bradley Whitford.

Directed by Vanessa Casswill.

American novelist, Colleen Hoover, has become very popular in recent years. Reminders of Him is the third film from her series of novels.

In looking at the titles, there are clear terms of sadness, but also of looking back in sadness: It Ends with Us, Regretting You, Reminders of Him.

Each of these films focuses on relationships, some harshness in relationships, some violence, deceptions. However, there is more positive hope in Reminders of Him.

We are introduced to Kenna (Maika Monroe), arriving along an open country highway, stopping at an accident sign and removing the memorial notice. She is a loner, not much money, finding some accommodation, doing the rounds of the town trying to find employment. But we soon discover that she also has strong intentions. She has lived in this town before. And, gradually, flashbacks, telling a happy story of love and romance, telling a sad story of a car accident and death, of Kenna and the discovery that she was pregnant, the birth in prison, the immediate taking away of her child, her release and her determination to make contact with her daughter, now looked after by the child’s grandparents, parents of the young man who was killed in the accident.

Already, enough to make the audience feel very sad. And the grandparents, Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, have hardened hearts towards Kenna, and protective of their granddaughter.

But, ultimately, this is a film of hope, unlikely as it may seem in the early part of the drama. The key character is the grandparents’ neighbour, best friend of the dead son, Ledger (Tyriq Withers), sports champion with an injury, returning home, running a bar, but become seeing something of a surrogate father/uncle to the little girl, plenty of scenes of their happiness together. A very likeable character.

In our heart of hearts, we know what is going to happen but, of course, there are a great number of difficulties, obstacles, changing relationships, a lot of hurt, but always with the possibilities of understanding, breaking through hard heartedness. And the possibilities also of forgiveness which, over the years, has become unthinkable and therefore impossible.

Tyriq Withers is the sympathetic sports champion, responsible, wonderful with the little girl, encountering Kenna, hostile, seeing her in a different perspective, of course, falling in love, and having to be something of a mediator between Kenna and the grandparents.

Sometimes this kind of material can be dismissed as soap opera (and, sometimes, it is). But, there is a lot of feeling in this storytelling, in the performances, in the issues, some tearful moments for the characters – and for some of us in the audience.

1. Popular romance story? The writings of Colleen Hoover? Film versions? Target audience? The female audience?
2. The settings, middle America, the town, the countryside, the plains, the mountains, the roads? The musical score?
3. The complexity of the plot, the present, Kenna and her story, the return to the town? The importance of the flashbacks? The reminders of him?
4. The focus on Kenna, arriving, out of prison, the town, taking the sign from the road, getting accommodation, the small apartment, no furniture, her trying to get a job, the various helps, her reputation and sentence? Going to the club, the encounter with Ledger, his assistant?
5. Kenna and her establishing herself, going to the house, her daughter, the significance of the flashbacks, her love for Scotty, the lyrical times together, in love, to marry, the drinking, the drive, the crash, her leaving, wandering, trying to get the lift, his still being alive, her arrest, the trial, her pregnancy, manslaughter, the scenes of her giving birth, the taking of the baby, her never seeing or touching it? Her desire to see the baby?
6. At the apartment, the landlady and her reactions, later mellowing and friendship? The daughter, Down syndrome, friendly, at the store, sharing with Kenna? Calling Ledger a jerk?
7. The meetings with Ledger, his antagonism, Scotty as his friend, absent at the time of his death, blaming Kenna? The gradual change of heart, giving her a chance, the work, his friend and support, her relying on the work?
8. Ledger, across the street from the family, friendship with Scotty, sport, his career, injury, return, acting as a kind of foster father to the little girl, the scenes together, his relationship with the grandparents, their looking after the girl? Their animosity towards Kenna?
9. The growing complications, the relationship between Ledger and Kenna, his finding the sign? Falling in love, the difficulties in the relationship with the grandparents? Going to his dream house in the mountains, the grandfather turning up, finding the couple, the reaction?
10. Ledger, the fight with the grandfather, his trying to make the case, the grandmother, her reaching out, visiting Kenna?
11. The beginnings of the reconciliation, allowing Kenna to see the little girl, play with her, Ledger and his presence?
12. The gradual mellowing, the possibilities for the future, the little girl and her immediate response to Kenna, her imagining her mother, the small car, waiting for her to turn up?
13. The happy ending, happy/sad, the message of the film in terms of forgiveness rather than holding on to bitterness and the consequent cruel attitudes?

HIM

US, 2025, 96 minutes, Colour.

Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Maurice Greene, J. Don Benjamin, Austin Pulliam, Richard Lippert.

Directed by Justin Tipping.

In many ways, Him was very difficult film to watch, often a very unpleasant experience. And, with the setting of American football, it seemed somewhat alien. And, yet, despite this, themes and several images remained in the memory for some time after.

With the football theme, it is very much a film for an American audience who appreciates the sport, its demands, the champions, the GOATs (Greatest of All Time - best in field of their sport), the physical tactics, the psychological demands.

And, with the name of Jordan Peele on the producers’ credits, an indication that there might be some horror themes here, remembering Get Away, Us… And there are. Somebody described this film as “sports supernatural”. 2025 saw quite a number of sports-focused films, The Smashing Machine, Christy, Marty Supreme. So, the effect of sports on the central character, the demands and challenges is a contemporary theme.

The central character is Cam, urged on by his football - devoted father urging him to admire the champions, to grow up to be a footballer. And he does, in the form of Tyriq Withers. His idol a GOAT, Isaiah (an unusual role for Marlon Wayans), offers him the chance of going to a summer camp to build up his skills and reputation.

Literally crossing the desert, with weird characters both welcoming and warning, he arrives at the camp, seven days program, severe demands on his physique and his psyche. But it is weird is still with those supernatural elements, and strange experiences of football and players, the staff at the summer camp, drinking and injections of blood, hallucinations, a wisecracking Australian medico (Jim Jefferies), targets of brutal sports manoeuvres…  And, some religious references, perhaps Cam as something of a Jesus figure, and the glimpse of a Last Supper tableau. As mentioned, disturbing for Cam but also increasingly disturbing for the audience, continually unsettling.

And, as might be expected, some issues of authenticity, integrity, morality – dramatised in the executives who make decisions and contracts, Isaiah’s rather bizarre wife, warning, seductive, most odd. Finally, of course, Cam and final challenges and moral decisions, success or integrity.

And, quite a lot of recurring disturbing images even while writing this review.

1. The title, the masculine emphasis, reference to Isaiah, reference to Cam? Men in general, football players, promoters, power…? The appeal for the male audience? Female audience?
2. The American football setting, the appeal for American audiences? International audiences not familiar with the football code? The meaning of GOAT, the Greatest of All Time?
3. A film about power and influence? The influence of football, games and play, football idols? The influence of parents and exhortations? The influence of society and expectations? Ambitions, possibilities of potential, influence of prestige, money? Good and bad motivations?
4. Cam, as a boy, the African-American background, the influence of his father, home life, friends, football, the matches, Isaiah as a role model? The, no glory motif?
5. The name of the football club, the Saviours?
6. Isaiah white, as player, on field, reputation, influence?
7. 14 years later, cam and his potential, for selection? The background to teams, training, selection? Cam and the influence of his agent? Cam and the clash with his cousin, the discussions with his agent about Isaiah, the successor, the camp? The dangers because of his injury?, His girlfriend? And the exhortation about “real men”?
8. The attack, the touch of the supernatural, the mysterious stranger, the GOAT appearance, Cam and his injuries, his head, the effect on the brain, the stitches on his head?
9. The personality of Isaiah White, Marlon Wayans in the role, achievement on the field, injury, retiring, looking for a successor?
10. Cam, going to the camp, remoteness, the visuals of the desert, the strange characters on the way? Indicating the atmosphere? Marjorie and the fans, her later intrusion and attack, Isaiah killing her?
11. The training camp, Isaiah White and his command, the doctor, Australian accent, the wisecracks, the injections, Isaiah’s The c Blind?omments and advice for Cam? The multi martial arts trainer, size, and dominance? The other members of the group, the player and his being the target, the football and his face, continually smashed? The creating of atmosphere? The demands of the head-butting on Cam’s head and brain?
12. The structure of the rest of the film, each day of the week, a particular focus on the training?
13. Cam, his personality, the effect of the attack, his physical strength, yet its being put to the test, beyond the test, failing, Isaiah and his rebukes, the trainer and his dominance, the continual injections by the doctor? The exercise, the demands, running and exhaustion, the bath, the effect on Cam’s body, his psyche? Strange characters, real or in his imagination? And the surprise of the tableau from da Vinci’s Last Supper?
14. The cumulative effect of the days, the variety of activities, exhaustion, decision to keep going, subservience, intimidation? (And the cumulative effect of the audience sharing this experience, long, demanding, continual, and intimidation of the audience?)
15. The buildup to the climax, the effect on Cam, the demands, the meetings with the board, their interrogation, cam and his response to them, the violence, the apt evil, the agent, disconcerting?
16. Cam and his ultimate assertion, the effect on Isaiah, the doctor, atmosphere of mayhem?
17. The atmosphere of men? Male dominance? Elements of misogyny? The women, the glamour, the male gaze, sexuality? The presence of Isaiah’s partner, her appearance, glamour, lips, her talking, her own business, with Isaiah, the discussions with Cam? Part of his hallucinations? The seduction, Cam waking, Isaiah and the gun, the urge for Cam to be remorseless?
18. Elsie and the secret party, to meet the owners, bizarre, the blood, the helmet, the confrontation with Isaiah, bashing him, his death? The decapitated head of the doctor? Realism and imagination?
19. The finale, Elsie, the members of the board, the masks, an assembly, Cam and the contract? The news that his father had arranged for the contract? The revelation of the Kabbalah and its continuance with the blood of each IN goat? His refusal? His attack on the policy and the members? The despairing of Tom, it Tom falling onto the pentagram and his destruction?
20. The melee of the endings, Cam and his refusal, Isaiah surviving and watching cam play football, signing the contract on not?

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER

US, 2025, 111 minutes, Colour.

Madelyn Cline, Chase Xui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gabrieltte, Austin Nichols.

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

in 1997 there was a very popular thriller, a group of young people involved in an accident, covering it up, but eventually targeted, with a Grim Reaper-disguised slasher pursuing them, a threatening note with the title of the film, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and a group of young stars becoming popular at the time, Freddie Prinze, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Philippe, engaging the popular young audience of the time.

Almost 30 years later, the same title. Ironically, the production company is called Original Films. Not exactly! However we discover that this is not a remake. Rather, it is a sequel – and one of the characters stating that there were similarities to the events of 1997 and that the killer in this one decided to wreak vengeance by using the events and twists of the past as a “template” for this series of revenge killings.

While twentysomethings might immediately engage with the central characters as the film opens, a gathering, an engagement party, 4th of July, Southport North Carolina, fireworks, an older audience might find them often irritating, sometimes alienating. However, after the accidental death episode and the cowardly decision to cover it up, the film does get that much more interesting.

And, then the killer appears – or is shrouded like The Grim Reaper with metal sickle. The group covering up the accident and the death raise themes of irresponsibility, co-responsibility, fear, concealment, callousness. When two people not associated with the cover-up are killed, it seems skewiff  However, after a while the culprits are attacked, a limited number of suspects, some gruesome fights and killings, some tension and sudden shocks.

Perhaps the young cast will have their moments in the future but their acting here is akin to soap opera styles. And this is particularly marked when some of the original cast turn up in their characters from 1997, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze and, a device to introduce Sarah Michelle Gellar in her character from 1997 in a nightmare sequence for one of the targets.

When the main suspect, the local pastor, who has a connection with the person who was killed in the accident, is also disposed of, there is a certain curiosity or more of who is behind it all – and, some twists and a final revelation, probably not expected for most audiences.

Which means that this is a slash-thriller for younger audiences and tolerant older audiences.