Fast Five (2011) – Review

Review: Fast Five is exciting and well done – full of great action sequences, fast cars and good looking women. It is the pinnacle of what the franchise is about and the film that all future installments in the series should aspire to, as it is easily the best of the series (and will probably be among the best action films of the summer). Going in the audience expects three things: to be entertained, to not have to overly think and for the film to be flashy (both with hot cars and girls). Director Justin Lin (who also directed Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious, which was fairly terrible) does his best work of the series (and his career, unless you count the Community episode Modern Warfare). The story is pretty boilerplate and the returning characters have all had previous films for the audience to get to know them – both these things actually help the film. Usually, recycling a tried and true narrative just makes for a tired film, but here Lin is able to take the narrative that everyone knows and tweak it just enough to make it fresh. He also knows what his audience wants and delivers very good action scenes that push the boundaries of reality a little but are wholly satisfying and entertaining. Lin also keeps the narrative moving forward and does not dwell too long on anything (which is essential with somewhat shallowly drawn characters and story). And while the characters are not given a ton of dramatic work (save maybe Dom, Brian and Mia), especially the new characters (specifically Elena who is fairly cliché, but it still works fine), it does not really matter because the audience already knows the returning characters and Lin has given them each just enough to remind the audiences as well. He has also catered the roles to fit the actors making the characters more transparent and thus not needing too much dramatic work as they are essentially who is playing them (of course with some differences). What also works well in the film is Lin and cinematographer Stephen Windon’s shooting style – it is gritty and kinetic enough to derive the intended impact, but is still clean and crisp enough to adhere to the series’ sleek and sexy tone and style. The action scenes in this film work better, far better, than in any of the previous films. Lin could have gone too far over-the-top with them, and almost does in some cases, but he is able to get right to the edge of what is believable in the series and deliver great stuff. All that being said, the film is still not great (unless compared against its series predecessors). It is an action film that does not try to be anything more (which is fine). Fast Five is fun and thrilling, not because of great character work but because of great pacing and action set pieces.

Technical and acting achievements: Director Justin Lin seems to have taken a page out of J.J. Abrams book with this film – as long as the film moves forward constantly and the action is well done, the film will be good and entertaining (though, I would save that Abram’s MI III has better developed characters due to Abram’s being a better filmmaker and storyteller). As stated above, (I think) this is his best work, turning a completely overdone series suddenly into one that is compelling and has enthusiastically anticipated future stories (all the more impressive considering he directed the two previous not installments, neither very good). The work of production designer Peter Wenham and D.P. Windon give the film a great look, upholding the series’ style while creating a deeper sense of urgency to the action drawing the audience in. Composer Brian Tyler’s score is loud and accompanies the action well. The cast is good, each playing to their strengths. Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, and Gal Gadot (who probably made herself into an it-girl if not a star with her look in the film) highlight the supporting players, while Dwayne Johnson is wonderfully himself in his embodiment of his character. Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Vin Diesel are all good in the leads (with Diesel doing the best work among the group).

Summary & score: Fantastic action, beautiful woman and awesome cars make Fast Five a triumphant film (in a series that has yielded maybe one ok film in four tries, previously). 7/10

No Strings Attached (2011) – Review

No Strings Attached is really funny, yet disconnected and sort of a depressing assessment of modern relationships. Ultimately, it is an entertaining and enjoyable film – thanks primarily to the witty joke writing and comical (if not zany) performances from many of the cast members. Director Ivan Reitman seems, however, to want to tell a number of different stories with the same narrative. There is a lot stuffed into the film (much like life, I guess), but the format of a sub two-hour romantic comedy does not lend itself well to tackle all the narrative issues convincingly in the allotted time (had this been stretched to a season of television, it may well have worked a lot better and felt more complete, not to mention that the narrative idea felt a bit like a television sit-com pilot). As is, it is disjointed and superficially satisfying. Sure, the audience laughs (a lot) but the deeper emotions are not there. Not due to poor performances, but more so to the out-there, exaggerated nature of the comedy and hollow characters. The most difficult relationship to feel anything for was Adam’s with his father. The father character is not real, or at least does not feel that way at all. He oozes with forced humor intentions, while being completely awful to his son – resulting in a character and scenes that are neither funny nor illicit emotional connection/development. When, he does find his heart and reconnects with his son, no one cares because the relationship was meaningless to the audience from the beginning. Reitman also does something quite interesting (whether on purpose or not) in his juxtaposing the silly humor against the sad state that modern relationships are in. The ‘real’ love examples the audience are given play out mostly off screen, while the highly problematic relationships are forced upon the audience (one of them being Adam and Emma’s – while they do like each other on some level, it does not feel like they will make it, the ending having a slight awkward The Graduate feeling to it, though not nearly as poignant). Whether or not relationships in the film (primarily the one of the main characters) accurately mirror the current state of dating or not is secondary to their comparison to those of romantic comedies past (a genre that in recent years has faltered for the most part). Watching this film leaves an overall feeling of sadness while romantic comedies generally leave the audience feeling good. And so, while it is an interesting approach for Reitman and writer Elizabeth Meriwther to take (plus, in a world of remakes trying original concepts is greatly welcomed); it seems to ultimately leave the film feeling disconnected. The narrative is depressing for the most part, and yet the audience is told to laugh (and does so) throughout creating the disconnection from the deeper emotional turmoil the film is addressing. Thus, the narrative does not succeed (however, for those reading deeper into the film, Reitman does create a clashing of emotions akin to taking uppers and downers). The other issue is with the character of Adam. He really has no character. He is in a sense the ultimate straight-man allowing all those around him to be crazy. But, this is really his film and thus his character needed more. The audience only relates to him through projection of their own experiences and feelings. No Strings Attached is difficult to completely peg – it is very funny at times (though certainly geared towards a younger audience) and in being so entertaining and likable, but for those wanting more, like a complete narrative with real characters, it falls short.

Technical and acting achievements: Ivan Reitman has had a tough go of it in the last decade or so, directing mostly terrible films. Thus, it is good to see that the director who made many of my favorite childhood comedies (Ghost Busters being one of my top five favorites of all-time) actually make an entertaining film again. John Debney’s score and Rogier Stoffers’s cinematography were adequate for the type of film that this was (nothing special, but really not needing to be). However, Ida Random’s production design and sets/locations were aesthetically interesting. The cast is what really elevated this film (which is true really with any romantic comedy). Lake Bell, Chris Bridges, Olivia Thirlby, and Mindy Kaling provide good supporting work and some very funny moments. However, very good actors Cary Elwes and Kevin Kline were underused (and seemingly pointless to have an actor of his caliber in the role) and just not good respectively. Greta Gerwig and Jake M. Johnson were fantastic in their supporting roles. Both had some of the best and funniest moments; Gerwig stealing most of the scenes she was in. Ashton Kutcher plays the straight-man almost to the extent of being interchangeable with any other good looking late 20s early 30s male (though it is not completely his fault, his character was written hollowly without much emotional connection to the audience). Natalie Portman is good in the film (serving also as an executive producer), both powerful in the dramatic scenes while having great timing in the comedic ones.

No Strings Attached is probably the most entertaining and funny film to have a narrative that does not really work at all. 6/10