Showing posts with label patrick wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patrick wilson. Show all posts
Young Adult is Grown Up
Young Adult
Paramount Pictures
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson
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Thirty seven year old Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) is stuck. She’s an author of young adult fiction, only it’s not under her name that the books are published. When her high school boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) and his wife send an announcement for their new child, Mavis becomes stuck on rekindling the old flame and heads to her hometown.
Upon arriving in the small Minnesota town, she finds the happily married Buddy a challenge that she wants to take on. As she’s ingesting liquid courage at the local watering hole, another of the guys that went to high school with Mavis says hi. Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) is one of those guys that people like Mavis ignored in high school. Mavis as a popular girl would not have given Matt the time of day, but this is 20 years after high school and times have changed.
Mavis wanders through her “return to glory” and even though Matt can see she might not be able to swing things the way she once did, it is hard for Mavis to come to the same realization. But it is Matt, the man who she once wouldn’t give the time of day to, that shows her a friendship that a girl could only imagine.
Sometimes, coming to grips with who you really are is harder than the situation you are in. Mavis is broken, but believes she is meant to be with Buddy Slade. But can she regain his affections despite his marriage and the new baby. Or will reality give her the wakeup call that is long overdue?
Written by Diablo Cody, Young Adultis fresh, witty and snappy all while smacking the viewer with a dose of reality. Charlize Theron gets a chance to show her chops in this tale that will be relatable to anyone who has ever tried to hold on to their youth. She is wonderfully quick with her lines and is able to turn it on at a moment’s notice, all while struggling with life and where it has taken her.
Starring with Theron, Patton Oswalt delivers another solid performance. He makes you feel the pain that he experiencing both inside and out. Oswalt shows you how much emotion exists inside the other kids as they grew up.
Couple two actors at the top of their game with a witty script and solid direction from the amazing Jason Reitman and you are bound for success. Young Adult will teach you that everyone needs to grow up sometimes, no matter how painful it may be.
A-
Young Adult
Paramount Pictures
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson
Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutesThis Morning Is More Than Fluffy
The life of a morning news producer is filled with celebrity, glamour, fun, and excitement. Or at least that’s what the public thinks when they talk to the person behind the show they love. They get to work with the on air talent that is wonderful to watch and fun to be around. The producer is respected and revered and everyone waits for their every instruction, right? As Becky (Rachel McAdams) will show you, it’s more about working all hours, all the time and making the show you see something you won’t forget.
Whey Becky loses her job at a little station in New Jersey, she finds herself struggling to find another job in television. She’ll take anyone, if they’ll just give her a chance. So when the lowest rated network calls her for an interview, she accepts the job before she even interviews. That interview shows her two things. One she has a long way to go to live up to the credentials that are in the industry. But more importantly that she has heart and drive that is nearly unmatched.
Getting the job is just the first hurdle for Becky. She inherits a staff that has taken bickering to another level. They each are all in it only for themselves and team unity is nonexistent. After firing the co-anchor she searches the roster of those already under contract to the network to find the next fresh face for the morning show. The fresh face she wants is well past being “fresh”. Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) has seen it all. He’s been in the hard news business for a long time. He’s interviewed world leaders, seen governmental changes and been at some of the most historic moments in history. He’s under contract to IBS and at a point where he has to accept any offer the network makes to get the remainder of his contract paid.
Now, not willing, not eager and definitely not helpful to the cause, it is up to Mike to help bring Daybreak back from the depths and make Becky a success. Together with cohost Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) the bickering will get a bit more intense as Mike sticks to “hard” news and Colleen does everything else. Can Becky bring the team together in time to make a difference? Or will she soon need to look for yet another job.
Can I just say; I dug this film! Sure, many of my colleagues will probably call it fluff and discount what is done here. Let me make the case for why I dug this.
First and foremost there is some great casting here. Let’s start with Rachel McAdams. She really is the central character that makes the film tick. She exhibits a youthful exuberance in the role of a driven woman trying to succeed in a tough business. Her drive and dedication towards her chosen profession was obvious and she captured her character.
But it’s not only her, Harrison Ford as a grizzled news veteran is exactly the Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw type. You believe that he feels everything going on is beneath him, and what he has to offer. Diane Keaton is a longtime part of Daybreak that just wants to garner the popularity that comes with the position, she just wants to be loved by her fans.
This array of great talent is put through the paces in a light but effortless pace. It’s a nice combination of comedy and reality. It didn’t feel nearly as “fluffy” as some might think. There are many serious films to come, but this one is simply crowd pleasing and it was a fun experience in the theaters.
B+ / A-
Morning Glory
Paramount Pictures
Director: Roger Michell
Cast: Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson , Jeff Goldblum
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual content including dialogue, language and brief drug references.
Runtime: 95 minutes.
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The life of a morning news producer is filled with celebrity, glamour, fun, and excitement. Or at least that’s what the public thinks when they talk to the person behind the show they love. They get to work with the on air talent that is wonderful to watch and fun to be around. The producer is respected and revered and everyone waits for their every instruction, right? As Becky (Rachel McAdams) will show you, it’s more about working all hours, all the time and making the show you see something you won’t forget.
Whey Becky loses her job at a little station in New Jersey, she finds herself struggling to find another job in television. She’ll take anyone, if they’ll just give her a chance. So when the lowest rated network calls her for an interview, she accepts the job before she even interviews. That interview shows her two things. One she has a long way to go to live up to the credentials that are in the industry. But more importantly that she has heart and drive that is nearly unmatched.
Getting the job is just the first hurdle for Becky. She inherits a staff that has taken bickering to another level. They each are all in it only for themselves and team unity is nonexistent. After firing the co-anchor she searches the roster of those already under contract to the network to find the next fresh face for the morning show. The fresh face she wants is well past being “fresh”. Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) has seen it all. He’s been in the hard news business for a long time. He’s interviewed world leaders, seen governmental changes and been at some of the most historic moments in history. He’s under contract to IBS and at a point where he has to accept any offer the network makes to get the remainder of his contract paid.
Now, not willing, not eager and definitely not helpful to the cause, it is up to Mike to help bring Daybreak back from the depths and make Becky a success. Together with cohost Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) the bickering will get a bit more intense as Mike sticks to “hard” news and Colleen does everything else. Can Becky bring the team together in time to make a difference? Or will she soon need to look for yet another job.
Can I just say; I dug this film! Sure, many of my colleagues will probably call it fluff and discount what is done here. Let me make the case for why I dug this.
First and foremost there is some great casting here. Let’s start with Rachel McAdams. She really is the central character that makes the film tick. She exhibits a youthful exuberance in the role of a driven woman trying to succeed in a tough business. Her drive and dedication towards her chosen profession was obvious and she captured her character.
But it’s not only her, Harrison Ford as a grizzled news veteran is exactly the Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw type. You believe that he feels everything going on is beneath him, and what he has to offer. Diane Keaton is a longtime part of Daybreak that just wants to garner the popularity that comes with the position, she just wants to be loved by her fans.
This array of great talent is put through the paces in a light but effortless pace. It’s a nice combination of comedy and reality. It didn’t feel nearly as “fluffy” as some might think. There are many serious films to come, but this one is simply crowd pleasing and it was a fun experience in the theaters.
B+ / A-
Morning Glory
Paramount Pictures
Director: Roger Michell
Cast: Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson , Jeff Goldblum
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual content including dialogue, language and brief drug references.
Runtime: 95 minutes.