Denzel is The Equalizer

           

The original tagline for the film read, “I mean, who doesn’t want to see a 59-year-old man star in an action film?” Turns out when that actor is Denzel, plenty of people do—including myself—and it totally works. This is absolutely an R-rated action film, but it brings in more reflective wit than the typical fare and hearkens even to older films like Taxi Driver. It’s by no means one of the greats, but seeing Denzel beat up baddies in creative ways in his later-stage career is still nice to see.

            Okay, so Taxi Driver is mentioned because there’s the older man working the blue-collar job, the young hooker with abusive bosses, and an overall slow-burner feel to the action; but this is by no means that movie. Denzel, Mr. McCall, is some sort of ex-government agent with OCD tendencies, but he nor the movie is as troubled or psychological as Robert de Niro and Taxi Driver. But I digress. Some might be put off by the fact that this movie takes over half an hour to start equalizing, but I think it is terrifically used to build the story and the character.

            Mr. McCall is an unassuming worker at Home Depot rip-off Home Mart where he works 40 hours a week and helps coworkers like Ralphie get in shape for his security guard exam. He is a widower that doesn’t discuss his past, and this adds to his insomnia; this leads him to drink coffee around 2 am at a diner reading his way through the list of 100 novels to read before you die—currently on The Old Man and the Sea. Chloe Grace Moretz plays the young escort that visits the diner for a slice of pie in between her duties. Slowly, they begin talking to each other and idealistically discuss Moretz’s future goals.

            After one night being sent to the ICU because Moretz’s boss had to make an example of her, Denzel dusts off the ol’ killing boots and gets to work. In a stylish, Sherlock Holmes like action scene, Denzel disposes of some of the local Russian mobsters in charge of the prostitutes using everything but a gun to gruesomely kill the Russians. In between this and the climax are a couple slightly out-of-the-way fights where Denzel deals with corrupt cops and a robber stealing from his coworker, but the second act tries building the clear antagonist in Big Bad Mr. Russian sent in to clean the mess. This is easily the weakest aspect of the film. Marton Csokas plays the Russian in charge, and he brings all the menace with him, but it’s all pretty predictable and honestly bland. David Harbour gets to sorta play the sidekick baddie, but even his presence isn’t enough to overcome the audience’s feeling of just wanting to see more Denzel.

            I’d go so far to say that the climactic scene inside Home Mart is iconic. This is where the true appeal of the movie comes through—Denzel using the tools nearby to kill the Russians. Everything wraps up nicely with a bow and sets up the sequel. And even though its final shot tries to emulate my favorite painting Nighthawks to return back to its reflective tone, it ultimately falls just a little flat. With star Denzel and Training Day and Shooter director Antoine Fuqua, The Equalizer is a mostly successful classic action film.

            Bonus Review: Denzel’s First Sequel

            Who is he? A gentleman ex-government killing machine never reveals, but for the sake of this review, Denzel is the equalizer—now as a helping Lyft driver. This time it takes even longer for the plot to truly propel Denzel back into action. If the previous Equalizer had a reflective tone, 2 is an interesting sequel in that it doubles down on the somber and melancholic quality of Mr. McCall’s character, even while attempting to amp up the action. Before the main plot point happens, along with Mr. McCall now listening to the ramblings of an old man in a retirement facility and taking a confused young man split between gangs and wanting to be an artist under his wing, Fuqua sporadically adds more action near the beginning. This includes two scenes featured prominently in the trailers—a train fight and a fight with young hooligans in a hotel room, both--mind you-- doubling down on Denzel’s ability to deliver one-liners like nobody’s business. And yeah, they really are rehashes of the central action points from the previous film (the stopwatch, analyzing the surroundings in slow-mo beforehand, and deathblows using any means necessary unless it’s a firearm) but just in different settings, but 63-year-old Denzel is still entertaining enough.

            Bill Pullman and the great Melissa Leo are the only other two returning members from the original, and it’s a shame that Leo is killed off (totally not a spoiler, this is spelled out as what propels Denzel into action), but Denzel gotta equalize somehow sometime. It’s around this time that we’re introduced to another character, and as soon as he appears, I seriously thought to myself, “I really hope he doesn’t end up being the villain because that’s just way too obvious.”



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            Yeah, he’s the bad guy. I’m tempted to just go out and say who it is because it isn’t a surprise to anybody—the director’s mother probably included. If you scroll a couple paragraphs up, I mention that the antagonist is the worst part about The Equalizer, and the sequel follows suit. To be fair much less attention is given to the villain—somewhat because there’s supposed to be a surprise reveal of him later on as the baddie—nevertheless, that allows Denzel to shine through more.

            There’s an emotional scene with Denzel and the aspiring artist, and the drama comes a bit out of left field, but I’m totally there for it. The climax also is an impressive set and Fuqua continues to impress with his directing, but this ultimately still falls under a by-the-books sequel. It amps up the action to mixed results, builds upon Mr. McCall’s background, and adds some memorable one-lines courtesy of Denzel. It fails hard in trying to shake things up with the villain, but still intrigues—if only a little—in its reflective tone. This isn’t a perfect sequel, and I’d say the original edges it out, but fans of the first will probably stay fans of the series after this installment. All fingers point to an Equalizer 3, but if that’s to become a reality, one has to imagine it better start soon before the “I’m too old for this,” line will truly apply to Denzel.

            In Brief:

·       After a mostly quiet June, there are now a slew of movies that have caught my eye. I am surprisingly interested in Yesterday and am probably more excited than most people for Spider-Man: Far From Home.

·       Also just saw Toy Story 4. Can’t say it’s the best in the series, but I’d probably at least put it above 3. Unsurprisingly, the supporting cast shines—like Keanu Reeves and Key and Peele. There are some very clever moments, especially story-wise, but the humor is somewhat limited this time around, and that’s perfectly fine. And to wrap it up, Pixar is getting incredibly good at animation. There’s a lengthy scene where Woody is walking down a road at night, and never before have I been so excited over gravel.

·       I also perhaps enjoyed Hereditary more than most, so I’m keeping my eye on Midsommar which looks like a super crazy and disturbing version of the underrated show The Path.

·       Elizabeth Banks feels like she’ll be a director worthy of making an entertaining Charlie’s Angels reboot without making anything all that incredible. But in good news, Kristen Stewart looks like she’ll have a great role in it!

·       I’m also slowly being won over by just how crazy real The Lion King looks, but the movie to really watch out for in July is Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Silver Linings Playbook

Let’s get this out of the way: This movie is great. Writer/director David O. Russell is on the top of his game, and the entire cast—not just the two leads—gives it their all for this movie of drama, romance, comedy, and even psychology. It’s little surprise that the movie was the first in decades to be nominated for the big five at the Oscars: Picture, Director, Writing, Actor, and Actress—the last of which resulting in Jennifer Lawrence’s lone Oscar win. Nominations and awards are great, but at the heart of it, is it simply a good movie? And the answer is a resounding yes.

            Russell’s directing along with the cinematography is kinetic; the camera follows the characters in an organic way, pitting the audience as an onlooker that belongs in this Philadelphia family. The dialogue isn’t spot on, but the writing really is good overall and hits just the right notes of comedy at the right times to keep this mature storytelling from diving too deep into darkness. Not to mention I think the story is an important one to tell.

            We start off with Bradley Cooper in a mental facility, only to be released by his mother against the advice of the doctors. He returns home determined to read books like A Farewell to Arms and run around the neighborhood in order to gain back the trust of his wife Nikki. It is quickly learned that schoolteacher Cooper came home early to find Nikki in the shower with a fellow teacher whom he proceeded to beat to a pulp. Cooper is fired from his job, sent to the facility where he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder but refuses to take his meds because he doesn’t like the way they make him feel, and Nikki puts a restraining order against him. While at the facility, however, Cooper makes the effort to stay positive and find the silver linings in his situation—including the belief that bettering himself will convince Nikki to lift the restraining order so they can get back on track with their marriage.

            But Nikki isn’t really a part of this story, she’s only used as a plot device really. Because it’s not Nikki that’s on the other half of the movie poster, it’s Jennifer Lawrence, a young lady that suffered somewhat of a breakdown after the unexpected death of her husband and the turmoil that followed. Cooper meets Lawrence while attending dinner at his best friend Ronnie’s house wearing a Desean Jackson Eagles’ jersey where she’s Ronnie’s sister-in-law. Ronnie’s wife Veronica isn’t afraid to point out what a mess Lawrence is, and Cooper struggles in his first social setting since being on the outside, putting his no-filter way of talking at the forefront. What looks to be taking a turn for the worst starts to flip once Cooper and Lawrence start connecting through stuff like the effects of all the meds they’ve taken in the past. It’s a wonderful springboard for the unconventional relationship that we’ll be treated to for the rest of the film.

            It’s obvious from the start that Lawrence is into Cooper even if she brings up her dead husband on occasion, but there isn’t total reciprocity as Cooper continuously brings up how much he loves his wife Nikki and how his life is turning around and they’ll get back on track. I am such a huge fan of this film, but the biggest complaint I have is that there is a slight overreliance on Cooper’s undying love for his estranged wife; whenever the film needs to remind itself to keep the actual plot running and keep a feeling of drama around, they have Cooper spurt out his love for Nikki. Keep in mind that I said slight overreliance; it’s a flaw of the movie, but it’s by no means a deal-breaker.

            Besides Lawrence and Cooper, we’re treated to Cooper’s parents—played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver. They both get Oscar nods for their supporting roles, and De Niro likely pulls more of the attention, but I gotta give it to Jacki. Her subtle, lowkey performance as the glue of the household, cooking crabby snacks and homemades and all, is such a good performance. We’re even treated to the rare non-Rush Hour Chris Tucker as Cooper’s friend from the facility. John Ortiz plays the best friend Ronnie, but he tries a bit too hard at being comedic—he gives better performances in movies like Jack Goes Boating and American Gangster. Rounding out the ensemble is the wonderful and underutilized Julia Stiles as Ronnie’s wife and Nikki’s friend Veronica, a delightful Anupam Kher as Cooper’s therapist, and a disappointingly one-note Shea Whigham as Cooper’s successful older brother.

            I’m a fan of American Hustle and definitely enjoyed The Fighter, but Silver Linings Playbook is my favorite David O. Russell movie. The directing is phenomenal, Jennifer Lawrence is electric, the passion for Eagles’ football is fun especially after knowing Cooper’s and Lawrence’s continued support for events like Super Bowl 52, and I really think the film does a splendid job of seamlessly integrating a quality story of people struggling mentally in different ways. As far as romance movies go, this is right near the top of my list along the likes of Lost in Translation and When Harry Met Sally, but this movie really has such a unique blend of romance, drama, and comedy that makes it difficult to draw comparisons. It’s hard for me to quite say this is an excellent film, but I have no problem saying it’s a great movie. And that’s not a bad place to be.

            In Brief:

·       I’ve been on a bit of a horror kick with Unfriended and Don’t Breathe. If you’d like to see a review of either of these films, let me know! Speaking of horror, Don’t Breathe director Fede Alvarez also did the 2013 update of Evil Dead and there’s certainly horror there, but it’s just gross. Too much for my liking, and I’d recommend a hard pass on it.

·       Considering seeing Godzilla just because I’m sure it would be a nice experience on the big screen, but otherwise, I think we’re in a bit of a lull of summer films. Not interested in what’s out like The Secret Life of Pets 2, Dark Phoenix, or live-action Aladdin, and I wouldn’t give high hopes for Men in Black: International, no matter how funny Chris Hemsworth might end up being. We’ll just have to wait for Toy Story 4 to come.

·       I love the casting of Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) for the Child’s Play remake, and freaking Mark Hamill is the voice of Chucky! And Brian Tyree Henry is in the film too, and that’s always a plus; however, and this is a big however, the Chucky doll to me actually looks worse than in the original, and that’s a problem.

·       For the rest of June, I’d look at Yesterday as being a surprise hit.

·       Very impressed with All the Money in the World—the film a couple years back famous for kicking Kevin Spacey for Christopher Plummer less than a month before the film was released. It’s a compelling true story with wonderful work from Michelle Williams, a very good Mark Wahlberg, and of course Plummer. Even with its unique post-production fare, this movie still ran under people’s radar.