Whatever Doesn't Kill You Makes You "Stronger"

Stronger (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson,

Directed by David Gordon Green

The Story:

In 2013, terrorists set off explosive devices at the Boston Marathon. One of those survivors, Jeff Bauman (Gyllenhaal) was there to cheer on his on-again/off-again girlfriend, Erin (Maslany). His courage and strength became a huge part of the #BostonStrong movement. Here is his story, warts and all.

I've been down this road before with 'based on true stories' before.

You want to like it, and you feel bad when you don't, because this was somebody's real-life story, not a character brought to life by the imagination of a screenwriter.

I would say if you wanted to watch a movie about the Boston Marathon bombing, go watch the far superior Patriots Day.

The biggest issue I had with this movie was Jeff Bauman himself.

He's an ass, pure and simple.

Sure, you feel bad for the guy and the situation that he's been put into, but he really wasn't that likable before the accident, and afterwards, he becomes nearly insufferable.

To his credit, Gyllenhaal comes across exactly as that.

You feel for the guy, then the next minute, you wouldn't mind punching him in the face.

Then there is Erin, the long-suffering girlfriend of the guy that wouldn't be there for her, then the one time he does something nice for her, this happens. How's that for a guilt trip, and she feels obliged to literally put her entire life on hold to be there for Jeff.

Do they really love each other?

Hard to say, but the implication is that they are simply bound together by fate, and actual feelings take a backseat in Boston.

Final Grade: C

That's "Life"

Life (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ariyon Bakare, Olga Dykhovichnaya

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

The Story:

6 of the world's finest astronauts are trying to collect a soil sample from Mars aboard the International Space Station. When they discover a single cell organism, they have proof that life on Mars exists. As they further experiment, they soon discover that this life wants to grow and be free...at any cost.

This movie seems very familiar.

If you've seen Alien, you've pretty much already seen this film, except they don't really leave much room for a plethora of sequels and prequels.

However, maybe that's a good thing? :)

Now I'm one to suspend belief as much as humanly possible during a film, but there was one scene that really bugged me, is they reference for Re-Animator.

Yes, it's an off-the-cuff quip from Reynolds character, but it drove me buggy. Because how can he realize he's watching something out of Re-Animator, and never acknowledge what is happening is straight out of Alien?!?!

I know, I'm over-thinking this likely, but it's things like that, and then watching each astronaut make stupid choice after stupid choice that gets them killed (oops...spoiler) that just made the movie annoying enough to not love it.

Totally watchable, sure, but nothing in the horror/sci-fi genre that I would need to revisit any time soon.

Final Grade: B-

The Thin Blue Line..."End Of Watch"

End of Watch (2012)

Rated R

Starring Jake Gylenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera,

Written and Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

Brian (Gylenhaal) and Mike (Pena) are officers in the LAPD. They're partners. They're brothers. When they uncover crimes being committed that are well above the street thug level that they are used to, they draw the unwanted attention of a Mexican cartel that orders them killed.

Your feeling about the police will likely color your desire to even see this film.

It's brutal and unflinching in portraying life on the streets of California and the dangers that are out there for citizens, criminals, and the police.

Shot in a documentary style for Brian's college class, you'll be up close and  personal as the personal and professional lives of Brian and Mike play out before you.

The rest of the supporting cast is great, and used sparingly.

Again, this is about the partners and the bond they share.

It's also what gives the film the extra heart and soul and may likely lead you to tears by the film's conclusion.

It's a film that had been sitting in my queue for years, and I'm finally glad I got around to seeing it.

Final Grade:  B

Unimpressed Sums It Up..."Nocturnal Animals"

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Rated R

Starring Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer,

Directed by Tom Ford

The Story:

Susan Morrow (Adams) is a wealthy art gallery owner. She is married to Hutton (Hammer), but was previously married to Tony (Gyllenhaal). Well, Tony has sent his ex-wife a manuscript for his upcoming novel to read. It's called Nocturnal Animals. As Susan reads it, it's a very intense work that may also be an allegory to his time being married to Susan.

Cue the intrigue.

Ah yes, the old "story within a story" effect.

This time, instead of a movie or tv show taking place, it's a novel being read.

Gyllenhaal gets double duty as both flashbacks to the time with his wife, and also as the main character of the book.

Except I was bored by all of the characters within the first 10 minutes.

I was actually ready to turn it off during the opening credits.

Watching obese naked women dance on platforms is actually not my idea of a good time.

But that's art! As presented at Susan's gallery, I was already put off before the movie even begins.

Then as each new character is introduced, I really didn't see any reason to care for them, or want to see where the story was going.

Great actors, don't get me wrong.

Just put into a storyline I really had no ambition to soldier through to the end.

Then as I'm doing research on the film, it's one of those arthouse "best of the year...accolade after accolade" films.

So apparently, maybe I'm just not highbrow enough of a movie snob to appreciate what's sitting in front of me, and I would be happier watching an Adam Sandler movie.

Well, I did watch the Waterboy again a few days later, so yeah, maybe.

: )

Your mileage may vary, but this one was ejected and tossed on the scrap heap for worst of the year consideration.

Final Grade: D

Not Worth The Risk..."Everest"

Everest (2015)

PG-13

Starring Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, Emily Watson, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robin Wright

Directed by Baltasar Kormakur

The Story:

In 1992, Rob Hall (Clarke) started a service to bring ordinary hikers of all abilities to the summit of Mt. Everest. In the ensuing 4 years, they never lost a climber. By 1996, many other upstart companies were looking to make money by doing the same thing. Just to avoid the logjam, Hall proposed taking two groups to the top with rival Scott Fischer (Gyllenhaal). Unfortunately, one of the worst storms in the history of Mt. Everest was just hours away.

This is their story.

And boy, is it a lousy one.

First, it's beautiful. The location, the scenery, all amazing. What's real and what's fake are pretty hard to differentiate, and that's great in a movie like this.

However, there really isn't a lot of suspense.

You know the storm is coming, and you know just about everyone in the cast is going to die.

And if...IF.. the way the story unfolds is the honest to goodness truth...

Well, okay, I hate to speak ill of the dead...

BUT...

This wasn't the storm's fault.

Look at the number of climbers that survived the trek up and back.

No, this was the fault of the professionals who decided to shrug their shoulders and say, well, okay hiker, we'll get you to the top instead of sending your butt back to base camp.

That's infuriating.

None of them "deserved" to die, but if you were to say this was a movie and not based on real life, then yes, several of them got exactly what was coming to them.

And several others died because of the stupid choices that were made along the way.

Ugh..

The more I type, the angrier I get.

Which is not what I want from a movie-going experience.

So, I can't fail the movie on those terms, as it's technically competent and has a phenomenal cast.

Instead, I'll just advise you to spare yourself 2 hours of misery and annoyance.

Just watch the trailer, that's where all the excitement is, and know that pretty much everyone dies.

The end.

:)

Final Grade: C-

Even Affordable Health Care Cannot Fix "Accidental Love"

Accidental Love (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jessica Biel, James Marsden, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tracy Morgan, Kurt Fuller,

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Alice (Biel) is about to be proposed to by her boyfriend Scott (Marsden). That's when tragedy strikes and she winds up with a nail in her head. Naturally, Scott isn't so sure he wants to risk a wedding to someone who could suffer mood swings or die because of the nail, and healthcare is too expensive to pull the nail out. So Alice heads to Washington D.C. to get freshman Congressman Birdwell (Gyllenhaal) to propose a healthcare bill that would allow for the removal of nails to the skull.

This was an odd one.

Reading up on it, apparently it was David O. Russell's attempt at a comedy/political satire that was plagued with numerous problems so he walked away and disowned it.

Ouch.

It's not that bad, and the cast he assembles gives it their all, especially a manic Marsden and a game for just about anything Gyllenhaal who brings a lot of life to a spineless politician who wants to do good things, but can't quite figure out how to do it correctly.

Much of it will seem really dated by the time you get around to watching it because it started filming in 2008, so all the zingers about affordable healthcare have the wind taken out of their sales at this point as it was finally released in a world that has healthcare mandates.

Affordable healthcare, that's a whole different ball game however.

It takes a bit for the movie to get going, but it seems everyone involved is game, and that was like the film's saving grace.

Final Grade: C

This "Nightcrawler" Is A Tad Bit Creepy

Nightcrawler (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed

Written and Directed by Dan Gilroy

The Story:

Louis (Gyllenhaal) is a man without a mission in life. He's trying to score a job, but nobody is interested. Fate leads him to encounter independent "news crews" catching the action that happens in L.A. after dark. Intrigued, he sets out to become a 'nightcrawler' himself, proving to be successful enough to need his own assistant (Ahmed) as he continues to sell story after story to a local news station. However, Louis keeps pushing himself to make the stories better than the last, to the point he begins to blur the lines between what really happened, and what he may have helped happen.

There's a lot to this movie, I will give it that, right out of the gate.

Gilroy has crafted a movie with some very unlikeable characters, and yet you remain fairly riveted to the proceedings as each new segment sucks you in deeper to the story.

Gyllenhaal is completely irritating in his role, in a good way, if that's possible. I would say that he was likely dealing with autism or another disorder that makes his personality traits that way...

Or he's a complete dick.

:)

His drive to find the ultimate "if it bleeds it leads" story pushes him every night he's on the town.

Russo plays the station manager who buys his work and then becomes the object of his affection, a role she never is completely comfortable with, and rightly so.  Remember, Louis is a jerk.

Ahmed brings a nice counter-balance to Louis and everything he stands for. A thankless part really, he brings the most joy and life to the screen, and suffers because of it.

It's well worth a viewing, but a film I'd rather not come back and watch again.

Ever.

;)

I watched it some time ago, but if you missed out, it is now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

How Far Would You Go? "Prisoners"

Prisoners (2013)
Rated R for language and violence

Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Paul Dano

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

The Story:

On Thanksgiving, the Dover (Jackman and Bello) and Birch (Howard and Davis) families get together to celebrate.  As the day wears on, the little girls ask to go back over to the Dover household to get something.  The parents agree, and the girls leave.  Later, the parents ask the oldest son where the girls are, and he hasn't seen them.  Apparently he did not walk the girls back home like the parents assumed.  They frantically look around the neighborhood and contact the police about an RV that was seen in the neighborhood with some creepy guy (Dano) hanging out inside of it.  Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) takes the lead on the case, but when the girls are not immediately found, Dover decides to take matters into his own hands.

How far would you go to...what would you do... to find and protect your little ones?

This is a very dark film that ratchets up the tension with each passing moment.

The movie runs almost 2 1/2 hours, but amazingly doesn't really ever drag and feel like it.

Everyone does a fantastic job in their roles.

Jackman's descent into madness as he tries to keep his sanity and trying to not cross any lines permanently is the driving force of the film.

Gyllenhaal grows nicely into his role as a detective who knows the dad is onto something, as well as up to something but remains half a step behind.

The ending of the film...

I think it varies between everyone who has watched the movie.

I'll leave it for you to decide.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Too dark and too intense to make for an enjoyable rewatching experience.