Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

At World’s End is the second half of Dead Man’s Chest, and in my eyes, the final film of the Pirates franchise. I thought that making On Stranger Tides was a mistake, and as such I haven’t seen it yet. At World’s End picks up more or less where Dead Man’s Chest left off, with Jack’s friends, led by Captain Barbossa, seeking to rescue him from Davy Jones’ locker.

The plot of the movie is not as strong as it could be. After Jack is rescued from the locker he gets back on his quest to stab the heart of Davy Jones and sail the seas forever. I thought it suffered from the problems that many ‘finishing films’ seem to, in that they try and fit too much into one film. What with the final battle, Davy Jones’ locker, the pirate court, the mission in Singapore, the freeing of Calypso, and everything in between with Bootstrap Bill, Davy Jones and the Cutler Beckett’s pursuit going on as well it seems like too much. Even that sentence was too long, so that should give you some idea of how dragged out it is.

In the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa is really scary. It might be something to do with his moonlight-revealing skeletal form, but he is immensely scary and makes a fitting villain to the first movie. His revelation at the end of the second movie is shocking (but is explained if you watch to the end of the credits of the first movie I think, I may be wrong), but his role in the third film seems to be very anonymous. I think that the main reason he was brought back was because to introduce another new pirate in At World’s End would be too much. His character seems to go much the same way as the Pirates films: starts off brilliantly, but by the third he doesn't seem quite the same. He is presented in many ways as being equal to Jack, and seems to be more obviously shrewd and less eccentric. He is the first to cotton on to the fact that Tia Dalma is the goddess Calypso for example, which has immense consequences for the outcome of the film.

Naomie Harris is one of those actresses that seems to pop up from time to time and I always seem to recognise her. She is so completely unrecognisable in Pirates of the Caribbean that I completely didn't connect her to 28 Days Later, and when I saw Skyfall, again didn't make the association. She shows off how good an actress she is best in Pirates of the Caribbean as she plays the heavily accented ‘mystic’ who turns out to be the goddess of the seas. Fittingly, she is also the reason that Davy Jones cut out his heart and also seems to quite like Captain Jack. Her roles in the second and third films were among the more enjoyable moments of the franchise, and I liked the way her character developed.

Chow Yun-Fat also makes an appearance as the fearsome pirate Sao-Feng, and is glittering in the role. Upon his death (sorry if I’ve given that one away) he passes his captaincy on to Elizabeth Swann, which leads to her instrumental role in the defeat of the forces pursuing the pirates. Sao-Feng is a brilliant character, and it’s a shame that he is given such a brief role in the films. The scenes in Singapore are a highlight of this film, and sees some tense moments intertwined with the humour that makes the Pirates of the Caribbean films nearly unique, and so refreshing.

Despite having an awful lot going on, the end is wonderfully spectacular and very well written. The battles between Cutler Beckett’s crew and the pirates is meant to convey a sense of life falling apart around a man who had so much, and his acceptance of it. That’s fairly obvious from watching the scene though. I thought that the battle between Captain Jack and Davy Jones was suitably epic in scale and design. The outcome of this battle has consequences for every single remaining character in the film. Jack has his life’s dream torn away from him, Elizabeth has her love torn away from her, and Will has his freedom torn away from him. It seems too obvious to say, but there is a strong sense that everything has changed at the end of the film. Best of all though is that by the end of the film it seems to have come to a natural conclusion.

As with Dead Man’s Chest, there is no way that At World’s End lives up to The Curse of theBlack Pearl, but it doesn't fall too far short. If you've watched the first and second films then you should watch the third. If you start with the third film then you won’t get a lot of the in-jokes, the character quirks and the general references to the previous films. A lot of people have been very critical of it, but as with the other Pirates of the Caribbean films, I enjoyed it, and that’s enough reason to watch this one.

Ray

Ray is a biopic about the life of legendary American musician Ray Charles. It portrays the ups and downs of the incredible career of a man who went blind as a child and still retained the ability to play the piano. From the rise of his career to the spiralling of his life as a result of drugs, the film is an emotional ride through the life of a man whose legacy should be more widely known.

Jamie Foxx plays Ray Charles, who starts his life as a blind man trying to play piano in a couple of bars. His abilities attract customers and soon he is quite successful, but is trapped by the owner of the bar. This causes him to leave and sign a record deal, and then enjoy great success across America. His success results in more and more women being interested in him, and the films presents Ray living two different lives: one with his wife and children, and one ‘on the road’ where anything goes. He is introduced to heroine at some point during his success and this begins to take more and more of a toll on his life. As his success increases, so too does his drug use, and he eventually is arrested. This causes him to enter rehab and sort himself out. The film ends with a touching tribute to Ray Charles, which fills in from the end of the film to the end of his life. The film seems to be relatively true to life, embellishing certain aspects for cinematic effect, but on the whole staying true to the more important aspects of Ray’s life.

Jamie Foxx is absolutely incredible in this film. I can’t really put into words just how astounding he is unless you have seen the film. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2005 for this role, and in my opinion he stands alongside Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, and Robert de Niro in Awakenings in terms of the attention and dedication he has for this role. It’s not particularly hard to play a successful black musician, but it is quite hard to act with your eyes closed while you are doing it. It is harder still to completely reflect the mannerisms of another individual, particularly one who has such unique characteristics. Jamie Foxx does this perfectly. After I had watched the film I watched some videos of Ray Charles, and Jamie Foxx conveys the mannerisms nearly perfectly. When you consider that he only had limited exposure to Ray Charles, because he decided that an older man could not help him play a younger man. The emotion that he conveys when he talks to his mother and brother again is one of my favourite bits of the entire film, and I love watching him on screen.

There are a number of other characters in the film who fade into the background compared to Jamie Foxx. The most prominent is Ray’s wife played by Kerry Washington. Her love for Ray is such that she puts up with his life on the road. She is a very good actress and seems to have good on screen chemistry with Jamie Foxx, which can also be seen in Django Unchained. The most impressive supporting performance comes from Regina King who plays Ray’s mistress. The difficulty she has at being second to Ray’s wife is evident throughout, and she does a very good job of showing how difficult this can be. She also marvellously demonstrates how life ‘on the road’ can go sour very quickly. The ensemble that make up Ray’s band are fairly anonymous, but I particularly life Curtis Armstrong, who plays Ahmet Ertegun. He has a very significant role in Ray’s life, and is also very understanding of Ray’s position as a musician. When it comes to him leaving the record label he understands that Ray needs to get the best deal for himself. The supporting cast pale in comparison to Jamie Foxx, but with a biopic of this nature, that is to be expected.

Ray Charles himself was undoubtedly a brilliant man. His influence on music alone was phenomenal, and the music of this film was taken directly from recordings from the man himself. However, Jamie Foxx does a more than impressive job of miming and acting the songs as they are being sung. Personally, and to my shame, I had never even heard of Ray Charles before I was coerced into watching Ray. I was so glad that I did watch it and it opened my eyes (poor choice of words) to the life and career of an incredible man. His influence on the civil rights movement alone stands as an impressive testament to his work. While the film embellishes the fact that he was banned from playing in Georgia, the adoption of his version of ‘Georgia on my Mind’ as the state song is another moving moment in his career.

I would advise everyone who hasn’t seen Ray to get their skates on and watch it. If you know about Ray Charles then it’s a touching tale of his life, and if you haven’t heard of him before then it is a revelation about the existence of a man who changed so much musically and socially, with an uplifting element right at the end.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The second Pirates of the Caribbean movie was definitely not as good as the first. Dead Man’s Chest was born of the incredible and unprecedented success of the first film. I thought it was a good film, but it was a lot more transparent as an attempt to bleed more money from a successful film. The plot was good, and I really enjoyed it, but it didn't live up to the expectations set by the first film.

The plot sees Captain Jack Sparrow attempt to track down the heart of the legendary Davy Jones, stab it, and become the captain of the Flying Dutchman, sailing the seven seas forever. It is the first part of a two-part series, and nicely introduces a couple of legends of the pirate mythology. Jack’s quest naturally puts him in a number of hilarious situations, such as being lauded as a God by natives of an island. Johnny Depp returns with his brilliant, funny and unique style to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, who has lost none of his wit and eccentricity. Orlando Bloom also returns, but this time, Will Turner is a much stronger and less ‘whiny’ character, and has much more of a key role to play than in the original film.

Keira Knightley, who I didn't talk about in the first Pirates of the Caribbean post, plays a very similar character in both films. She is confident, headstrong, defiant and immensely strong willed, and this is a marvellous way to present a character who stereotypically would be some helpless maiden at sea with pirates. She is very clever and immensely divisive, as shown by her acceptance of Norrington’s marriage proposal in the first film, by her sacrificing of Jack to the Kraken, and by her role as Pirate King in the third movie. Still there is a much more sentimental side to her and she is a very different character when she is around Will. From the start of the franchise it is obvious that she is in love with him, and the way that they are torn apart at the start of this film is quite sad. Not as tragic as the way they are torn apart at the end of the third film though.

I thought that the plot around the rising power of Cutler Beckett was a nice backdrop to these films, and definitely added a sense of ‘background’ to the ‘one-off world’ feel that we got with the first movie. Beckett is a reprehensible character, but the audience’s attitude towards him is another example of the marvellous manner in which the director makes the audience like the bad guy. Throughout the franchise I was always rooting for the pirates, and so the way the films are presented to the audience are very good. I’m not sure if all the points I’m making here can be extended to On Stranger Tides because I haven’t seen it, and so I’m not going to consider that particular (disappointing) instalment in this series of reviews, but I plan to watch it at some point.

In Dead Man’s Chest we are introduced to Davy Jones, who is exceptionally portrayed by Bill Nighy. Nighy is one of the most recognisable British actors going at the moment, and is one of my favourites. As ever, he doesn't disappoint in this role, and the way he is presented by the visual effects team is incredible. To have him and his crew slowly developing into a part of the ocean is such an original idea, and makes the crew of the Flying Dutchman all the more scary. He is a fierce and powerful character, and Bill Nighy does such a good job in this role that I found myself looking forward to more instances of him on the screen, much like Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. In the third film we are presented with more of his history, but in the second film he is a continuous threat, and there is a sense that he is always hanging on the shoulder of Jack and his quest. The resources he has available to him are also quite imposing. His ship is faster than the others, and can even sail under the sea. When the ship emerges from the sea it is quite threatening, and serves to strike fear into the hearts of the crews that he captures. The scariest thing about Davy Jones is his control of the Kraken. The Kraken is another masterpiece of visual effects, and the film crew has produced a terrifying beast with this particular monster.

Overall, Dead Man’s Chest is a good film, but does not live up to the lofty standards of the first film. It is enjoyable though, and seems to be a continual series of events leading to the climax. It’s one of those films that keeps you entertained and I never checked my watch to see how long was left. If you have seen the first movie, then watching the second one is not a bad idea. However, if you are planning to get into the franchise, Dead Man’s Chest is not the one to start with. The twist at the end for starters is only understandable if you have seen the first film. 

The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense is one of those films that everyone seems to know the twist to, but fewer people have actually seen it. It was a shame then that I went into this film knowing exactly what was going to happen at the end. There is no doubt that this spoiled it somewhat for me, but nonetheless, I was able to take the perspective of someone who didn’t know the twist and appreciate that this film is incredible. I’m going to do my utmost not to reveal any crucial plot details during this review, but some may slip out, and I’m sorry if they do.

It tells of the child psychologist Malcolm Crowe who is talking to a child who has psychological issues. Strange things seem to be happening to this child and at one point he maintains that he can ‘see dead people’. These dead people don’t know they’re dead and haunt him. Malcolm helps him to get rid of these ‘ghosts’ by listening to what they want. However, Malcolm has personal issues of his own, and his marriage appears to be falling apart, because his wife hasn't spoken to him for the entirety of the film. Throughout the film we see Malcolm solve Cole’s ghost problems and then confront the issue of his marriage. It is here that the audience is slapped in the face with a twist that is absolutely stunning. If I didn't already know the ending then it would have been one of the best ‘Oh my God’ moments I’d ever seen.

Bruce Willis stars as the child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, and for once in his acting career he seems fairly anonymous. I mean, there didn't seem to be any instances of particularly incredible acting in the film. I think he’s good in the role that he plays, but there’s nothing about the role that Bruce Willis makes memorable. The only memorable thing about Bruce Willis’ character and acting is the ending. This might be a source of criticism, but I disagree. I don’t think that an actor can be unbelievable in every film, much in the same way that a sportsman can’t have an incredible game week in week out. I mean Robert de Niro in Little Fockers is testament to that. While Bruce Willis is fairly replaceable in The Sixth Sense, I quite like the job that he does with the character.

The show is undoubtedly stolen by Haley Joel Osmet. In much the same way that Linda Blair is memorable in The Exorcist, Osmet’s performance in The Sixth Sense will stick with me for a while. The character of Cole is slightly sinister, very creepy and very emotional throughout the film. It is quite hard to play an introverted loner as an adult, and so for a child to do this is very impressive. In addition to conveying the fear that Cole shows he exudes an air of the sinister and makes the character so completely his own. This is a lot of praise to be bestowing on what was an 11 year old at the time the film was released. It is a shame that he never went on to do bigger films, but it’s often the case that these child actors have one good film and then never live up to their performance in the original film. There are a couple of future ‘stars’ in The Sixth Sense, with Mischa Barton and Donnie Wahlberg making an appearance.

There is no doubt that, aside from the performance of Haley Joel Osmet, the best thing about The Sixth Sense is the twist at the end. It is so unbelievably shocking that even though I knew about it, I was impressed at the way it was presented. Normally the audience is given little hints all the way through the film and then they all come together at the end, but with The Sixth Sense it’s different. The clues are there, but it’s only when you watch the film back that you pick up on them. At that point they become quite obvious, but when you’re watching it initially it’s wonderfully shocking.

I would definitely recommend The Sixth Sense to anyone, especially if you don’t know the twist. Even if you do know the twist you should see the film, just so you can appreciate how well it’s presented. It’s not particularly scary I didn't think, and it’s one that you can relax with over a few drinks and a friend or two.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

I had toyed with the idea of doing the Pirates of the Caribbean reviews as one big post, but I realised that my thoughts on each of them were so different, and at times so similar, that I’d probably sound like I was repeating myself or contradicting myself if I tried to do too much. So I’m going to take them one by one, and space them out a bit I think. I remember when the first Pirates of the Caribbean film came out. I was only 11, but it was immediately one of my favourite films. It was fresh and funny, and had a main character who has since become a bit of an icon. It has changed the modern perception of pirates and is one of the most successful franchises of the last few years. The fast-paced action-adventure film is instantly enjoyable and very worth watching. I thought it was quite original when it was released, but I have since been informed that it was not. Evidently I have not seen as many pirate films as my flatmate.

The Curse of the Black Pearl was brilliant. It is the first film in the movie franchise, and introduces Captain Jack Sparrow who is on a quest to win back his ship, the Black Pearl, from the hands of his mutinous first mate and his cursed crew. He is helped in this quest by the blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). The best thing about this movie was not the catchphrases, the comedic moments, the original screenplay or the captivating nature of the film, but its success which was largely unexpected. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor (Johnny Depp), Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. Personally I love the first film just because of how original a film it is. There are so many quotes from it, and so many moments which stick with me. My favourite of these quotes from the first movie is this:

Johnny Depp was already a very well established actor when The Curse of the Black Pearl was released, but it was this film that really established him as a name that everyone knew. His quirky and eccentric character has become a cultural icon, and spawned countless Halloween outfits. His acting in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film definitely deserved the Best Actor nomination it received. It really takes something to play a character so different from other roles. However, it is the little things about his performance that complete it, such as the swaying and the hand movements. Nevertheless, despite his ‘madness’ he has a brilliant mind, and in the first film we are treated to a taste of his scheming ways. The Curse of the Black Pearl is fantastic because the audience finds themselves rooting for Jack Sparrow, despite him being a criminal who is running away from the authorities, because he has a bigger enemy in Captain Barbossa. There are few superlatives left for me to praise Johnny Depp in this role, and so I think I’ll move on.

Orlando Bloom was completely unknown to me when the first film was released, but mainly because I didn’t see the Lord of the Rings films until I’d seen Pirates of the Caribbean. His performance in The Curse of the Black Pearl is, to me at least, slightly annoying. I really like his character, but I wasn’t convinced by the way he was portrayed. I think that he comes across as very weak and seems very deceitful, much more concerned with his own mission than the overall aims. However, despite this I still liked his character. The scene where he and Jack have the fight in the blacksmith’s workshop is another stand-out favourite. I guess the main problem with Bloom in this movie is that he is so completely overshadowed by Johnny Depp that it is difficult to be too complimentary. I would be like trying to talk up the good points of a Mercedes when you have an Aston Martin sitting next to it. That comes across as quite harsh to Orlando Bloom (and possibly to Mercedes), but at the end of the day, Johnny Depp (and Aston Martins) is so good that it clouds him a bit.

I think I shall save my thoughts on Keira Knightley for the next post, but save to say that she doesn't suffer as much from the overshadowing of Johnny Depp’s performance. My next point is that the idea of having cursed pirates who cannot die, and are exposed to their skeletons by moonlight is ingenious. Gore Verbinski manages to get nearly every aspect of the film nailed on. The soundtrack (provided by Hans Zimmer) is very catchy, and while similar to many other Zimmer soundtracks, has produced a main theme that is instantly recognisable. The twists and turns of the plot are absolutely brilliant, and the audience is never sure quite what is going on. The best bit though is the fear that the cursed pirates manage to induce in the audience. The visual effects are so good and so convincing that the skeletal forms are genuinely scary, and this is why Pirates of the Caribbean was so good. The first movie throws you into this world of pirates and nightmares and leaves you so captivated that you just want to see more.

I will be stunned if there is someone reading this who doesn't have a clue what I’m on about with this post. I’m sure everyone knows just a little bit about the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and if not then they should try to rectify that immediately. The first one is such a good movie, and is definitely one that should be on your watchlist if you haven’t already seen it. The second movie, Dead Man’s Chest, will be reviewed in a week, and I promise I will talk about Keira Knightley then.

(500) Days of Summer

This was a film recommended to me by my flatmate who seemed to quite enjoy it. I can see why it’s a popular film. It follows this guy Tom who has ‘broken up’ with a girl, Summer, and is pretty cut up about it. It is presented in a non-linear manner, and this is good because it changes your opinions of the characters as the film goes along.

To begin with, the audience is duped into thinking that this is going to be a love story. We see Summer sitting on a bench with Tom with a ring on her finger. I was expected a soppy little love story along the exact same template as every other romantic comedy I have ever seen. Ever. I was quite surprising though. We are presented with almost two different stories. Tom immediately falls in love with Summer and believes she is the one, but she is against ‘labelling’ their relationship. They eventually break up and Tom struggles with this. In contrast, Summer appears to be coping just fine. At the end of the film we see that she is engaged to someone else and, despite not agreeing with marriage, immediately knew that he was the one.

It would be logical to start with the main character, but I think Zooey Deschanel is more interesting as Summer. The character is complex and interesting, but Zooey Deschanel is quite average throughout. Throughout the film I found myself changing my opinions a lot. At the start, possibly reflecting the rose-tinted goggles that Tom is obviously wearing, I found myself liking Summer, and the film seemed to be presenting a very happy relationship. However, as Tom starts to get over her we see a bit more of the reality of the relationship. At this point, Summer becomes incredibly dislikable. I find some of the things that she does to be incredibly low and cheap. She doesn't seem to have any appreciation of what she has and just wants to be ‘friends’. Zooey Deschanel plays Summer very well. I seem to have missed everything that she’s been in except for New Girl. Though they may seem similar, the characters she plays in these two productions are very different. I think she will become quite a rom-com star in the future. For now though I thought she was good at portraying the obvious ‘quirks’ to Summer’s character, but the role didn't seem to show the qualities of her acting talent.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt just reinforces his status as one of my favourite actors around at the moment. From the scene after he spends the night with Summer to his accuracy at portraying the torment a man goes through after a break up, he is spectacular in 500 Days of Summer. The thing about his character is that nearly every guy (whether they’d care to admit it or not) can relate to something that happens to him. At the start of the film I got the feeling that he was taking the break up a little bit too badly, but when we see more about what happened it becomes apparent that he was justifiably upset about the manner and the nature of their relationship. I really liked the scene where ‘expectations’ and ‘reality’ were aligned and the audience could see what he thought would happen. I also really liked that after his experience with Summer he decides to ‘take the bull by the horns’ and pursue his dream. In doing so he discovers something which has the potential to be better than Summer.

500 Days of Summer is a refreshing break from the template of the typical romantic comedy. It took me some time to realise that they weren't going to get back together and everything would be okay again. However, I like the fact that they didn't  and it is refreshing to see this in a modern film. For this reason I think that 500 Days of Summer can appeal to both males and females. It isn't an incredible movie though, and to be honest I don’t think I’d recommend it too highly. It is funny in parts, but overall I think it seemed to pass me by a little bit. It’s definitely one to watch in a relaxed setting, maybe with a partner. I enjoyed it, but I think it’s time to move on from Summer and await the arrival of Autumn. 

Les Miserables

When it was released, I was very keen to see Les Miserables, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to see it. When I did get the chance to see it I was looking forward to what promised to be a fantastic film adaptation of a musical that I have never been fortunate enough to see. However, by the time I had sat through the entirety of the film I was bitterly disappointed.

There is no denying that the plot is fantastic, and would look absolutely incredible in the theatre with the right direction. However, the film was, in my opinion, a very poor adaptation of this. It was long, and very drawn out, and I didn't think that it flowed very well at all. It was disjointed and difficult to see how it all fitted together. When Anne Hathaway appeared at the end of the film I felt it had been so very long ago that I was watching her struggle with the life she was confronted with. There was no explanation for many of the character’s actions. For example, why was Javert chasing Valjean for stealing bread and breaking his parole at least twenty years after the act had occurred? The film started really well, and I was very enthusiastic about what seeing the rest of the film. However, I thought it went downhill quite quickly. I’m well aware that I face the fury of the mega-fans of Les Mis, and am probably going to come across as uncultured in my criticism of this film, but I really didn't enjoy it.

Hugh Jackman is a fantastic actor, and this should not be news to many. In Les Miserables, he does not disappoint, and lives up to his acting past. He has an acceptable voice, but the main problem is that I didn't think he had any gravity to his character. There was no sense of him ‘owning’ the screen in my opinion, whereas there was with, and I cannot believe I am going to say this, Russell Crowe. Whenever Russell Crowe was on screen there was a certain level of tension. However, I was rooting for Valjean in his attempts to do what was best for Cosette. Now I’d like to point out that Russell Crowe having a presence on screen does not mean that I think he was especially good in this film. Actually, as ever, he royally annoyed me. He cannot sing for toffee, and was a poor choice to be cast as Javert for this reason. Recently it was pointed out to me that I can’t criticise the actors for being unable to sing in this film, because they are not singers. I think this is rubbish. While the film should have been cast more towards singers than Hollywood stars, the actors still accepted the role. Russell Crowe appeared similar to many of the previous characters he has played and was wooden and staunch in a role that deserved much more character.

The big talking point of this Les Mis film was Anne Hathaway, and she was incredible as Fantine. However, this was spoiled for me by the fact that she wasn't on screen for very long. No obviously this is not something that can be helped, because that’s the story. The emotion that Hathaway puts into ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ alone deserves the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and there is very little criticism that I can bring to Hathaway for this role. She was the main reason that I enjoyed the first half hour of the film so much, but by the time she makes a re-appearance it seemed like half a lifetime ago that she was singing.

Both Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne do well in this film, and Redmayne in particular has a cracking voice on him. However, the film did not give enough time for me to care about the outcome of their relationship. Throughout their ‘courting’ I found myself thinking ‘But didn't they just look at each other?’ Now I’m sure this adds to the romance of their relationship, but I just felt sorry for Eponine, who had been in love with Marius before Cosette glanced at him. Nonetheless, Amanda Seyfried (who has a surprisingly difficult name to type) is actually quite perfectly matched to the role of Cosette and does a very good job.

In my opinion though, by far and away the best performances of the film come from Sacha Baron-Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. Both actors provide light relief and a touch of humour from the monotony of much of film. The moment when Baron-Cohen calls Cosette ‘Courgette’ was wonderful, and both characters are clearly meant as a more light-hearted addition to the cast. Having sat through much of the film, I was delighted to see Baron-Cohen and Bonham Carter re-appear at the wedding of Marius and Cosette. Anne Hathaway aside, I think these two characters were the two I enjoyed most.

There is no doubt that the whole soundtrack is exceptional, and the scale of the musical adaptation is incredible. But I just didn't enjoy it at all. I’m probably spoiled somewhat by the fact I haven’t seen the theatre production, but I thought the whole thing was poorly done. Just because a film has a grand scale, fantastic cast and wonderful costume and set design does not mean that it is fantastic, and after looking forward to seeing the film so much I was very disappointed by this version of it. Ultimately, a film should not have to rely on its audience having previously seen the production or read the book in order to understand who is who and what is going on, and this is the main criticism I have of this film.

Silver Linings Playbook

Now it’s not very often that I decide to watch a film that my Mum has suggested, but I had been interested in Silver Linings Playbook around the time of the Academy Awards, so I thought I’d give it ago. As I understand it, the film differs from the book quite a lot, but I’ll only talk about the film. Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) has just been released from a psychiatric hospital and is receiving treatment of bipolar disorder following the breakdown of his marriage. Through a friend of his he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who can help him reconcile with his wife, which is an obsession of his throughout the film. He agrees to perform a dance with her in return for her sending his wife letters.

Bradley Cooper does fantastically well playing a very difficult part. His character is very complex, not only with bipolar disorder, but with obsessive tendencies and a very tense home life. There might be some autistic elements to his character as well, but that might just be me overlaying some stuff on top of an already troubled character. I couldn’t help but react with strong tension to some of his character’s comments and his flippancy, and for Cooper to portray these so convincingly is very impressive. He is very believable in Silver Linings Playbook, and conveys the struggles of a man trying to recover from mental illness incredibly well. And in addition to this, the dancing parts he appears in are very impressive. I think that his role is made even more impressive by this element, because it adds a bigger element of dedication to the role, and so Bradley Cooper deserves a lot of credit for this part.

Jennifer Lawrence plays the equally troubled Tiffany who helps Pat seemingly re-connect with his wife. From early on in their relationship it is apparent that she has strong feelings for Pat and their initial meetings are very tense and awkward. Despite her psychiatric issues she often seems to be a rational force in the plot, and this highlights at times exactly how deep Pat’s issues are. She is very likeable, and there is a definite sense of ‘Oh damnit’ when Pat’s wife shows up and their dance event. She won the Best Actress at the Academy Awards for this role, and I think I was quite sceptical in my Academy Awards review about this decision. However, having seen Silver Linings Playbook now I don’t think it was too strange a decision. Throughout the film she is very entertaining and her dancing is even more impressive than Bradley Cooper’s in the final scene. She too is very dedicated to her role, and upon reflection deserves the glittering career that I tipped her to have.

Robert de Niro plays Pat’s father, Pat Sr., and is another very troubled character. He wants to open a restaurant and is bookmaking to earn the money. He has what seems to be an unhealthy obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles, and his devotion to this certainly raised my eyebrows. Regular readers should know about my deep love for de Niro, and I think once again he is fantastic in this part. He is quite incidental, but in typical de Niro style it is the little things that he does perfectly. His reactions are what impresses me the most. His response to Pat’s search for his wedding video and the incident that follows is brilliant, and best of all is his emotion when he think that his son’s problems may be his fault. It will never be considered to be de Niro’s best role, but replacing him with another actor would harm the film. He is a very superstitious character, and this is interesting because it seems that he is a similar character to his son, and but for circumstance they would both be in a similar boat.

There are a number of supporting characters in Silver Linings Playbook that all add a little bit more to the film. Jacki Weaver plays the mother of the family and does a very good job of making her character more than just a housewife. She adds a much more personal element to the role than I think anyone else would have done, and her understanding of both her son and her husband’s obsessions and her son’s illness is conveyed beautifully throughout. Chris Tucker makes an appearance as well, as Pat’s friend from the hospital, and is more of a source of humour than other characters.

I think Silver Linings Playbook is a film which not only boasts a fantastic cast and a fantastic plot, and I don’t want to prattle on about the cast. The nomination of Silver Linings Playbook for Best Picture raised a few eyebrows when it was announced, but I think it is perfectly justified. It is a feel-good film as much as anything else. It puts you through the wringer a bit with the awkwardness and tension created by Pat but when everything works out alright in the end it is heartwarming. The best bit of symbolism in the film is the contrast at the start and the end. At the start, Pat’s photo is not up in the house, whereas his brother’s is, however after the dance his picture is put up next to his brother, suggesting his parent’s have accepted his issues.

Personally I really enjoyed Silver Linings Playbook, and I would definitely recommend it. It is difficult to categorise, but it seems to be a feel-good film about two people with mental health issues resolving these problems through each other. With a fantastic cast and some brilliant scriptwriting this film becomes one of the better films I have seen from last year. Definitely one to watch if you can.