Movie of the Week - High Fidelity

This week’s movie is High Fidelity (2000).

The music comedy/drama is about record store owner Rob Gordon who, in the midst of a breakup, recounts his past failures with previous lovers – his top five breakups. This film is directed by very good British filmmaker Stephen Frears (check out Dirty Pretty Things and The Grifters, also with John Cusack). The crew is fantastic on the film with composer Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Hours) and production designer Therese DePrez (Black Swan). The screenplay, based on the novel by awesome author Nick Hornby, is by Cusack, Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis – the group that also wrote (one of my favorite comedies) Grosse Pointe Blank. The film stars John Cusack (who is also a co-writer and producer on the film) and features a great supporting cast – Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Lili Taylor, Joelle Carter, and introducing Jack Black to mainstream audiences. What makes the film great is the dialog. There is so many memorable line and conversations in the film that it will instantly become a classic for those that enjoy the art of dialog over action or other film elements. The characters are also very well drafted for the purpose of the story – it is not just another sappy rom-com, it feels more real while having plenty of humor (and heartbreak). It is a must see for John Cusack and Stephen Frears fans, as well as those looking for a great but unconventional comedy. Check out the trailer.

Available to buy on DVD from Amzon.com and to rent at Netflix.com 

Movie of the Week - Grosse Pointe Blank

This week’s movie is Grosse Pointe Blank (1997).

The film is about a hit man who returns to his hometown of Grosse Pointe after disappearing ten years ago, by choice, for his high school reunion. He must also face old friends and the love of his life who he also ditched without a goodbye. The film stars John Cusack (and may be my friend of his performances and films), and Minnie Driver and features Dan Aykroyd (who is amazing in this, Popcorn!), Alan Arkin, Jeremy Piven, and Joan Cusack. The film is a mix between a rom-com and action film (pre-dating all the similar movies coming out in the last few years, and this one is still by far the best). The action is well played for a comedy and the humor is hilarious. What makes this film great is Cusack; he is perfect in the role, which he co-wrote with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis. He has the perfect mix of all the qualities to bring Martin Blank to life and engage the viewer throughout. The screenplay is fantastic as well and highly quotable. Cusack also hired Joe Strummer from one of his favorite bands, The Clash, to work on the score, and along with a cool score the soundtrack is also filled with gems. Check out the trailer.

Grosse Pointe Blank [DVD]

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) – Review

Hot Tub Time Machine is the type of film made for a specific audience, one that is looking to laugh without qualms about what they are laughing at; and for this audience, the film does its job. It is funny, full of nostalgia and referential nods and gets the most out of its cast and premise. Upon first look at the credits, the film seems to be a waste of the talent of actor/producer John Cusack and his friend director Steve Pink, after all the two worked on High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank together, what are they doing making this film. But after seeing it, the film resembles The Hangover in that it takes something iconic (in The Hangover it is Vegas and the mythos that applies, while in Hot Tub Time Machine it is the 80’s and it’s teen film genre) uses the lore of this time or place (or both) to insight comedy, while telling a somewhat heartfelt story, in which the characters come to realizations about their lives, and this is where Hot Tub Time Machine succeeds. While the film is very funny and there are plenty of jokes at the expense of the actors and the 80’s (at least how we remember it now), the film really works because while the audience laughs they also are building a relationship with the characters and want to see their journeys come to a satisfying conclusion. The narrative structure for the film takes three friends on hard times, asks them to reevaluate their lives and what they mean to each other and finally to make changes and reconnect to find deeper meaning in themselves, each other and their lives. This does not sound much like a comedy, but it works well as the foundation for the film, which then piles on tones of jokes on top. The cast for such a film is essential as well, as they must be able to both play to the drama of their arch while being able to pull off the comedy. Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, and Rob Corddry make up a great team, each playing to their strengths: Cusack has sort of a tortured coolness, Duke has an ambivalent cynicism, Robinson is sort of lovable, and Corddry is a wild man, anything can happen type – their powers combine to form a well functioning comedic group, enabling for many sorts of jokes to work (and a film like this needs that, similar again to The Hangover). The film also features a number of fun supporting roles including: Crispin Glover (sort of playing a caricature of George McFly), Chevy Chase, Collette Wolfe, Lyndsy Fonseca, and Lizzy Caplan (whose character oddly felt out of place in the 80s, almost postmodern, like she was from the present too, but living in the 80’s). Bob Ziembicki’s production design fits the film well, as it is both realistic for the period but also full of nostalgic joking fun. Overall the Hot Tub Time Machine works to the strengths of is cast, features all types of jokes, and lots of 80’s fun, but it is the underlying narrative that sets it apart from most comedies of its type. 7/10