Talking Movies: The Grand Bolero, Worth and A Quiet Place Part II
Spling reviews The Grand Bolero, Worth and A Quiet Place: Part II as broadcast on Talking Movies, Fine Music Radio. Listen to podcast.
TRANSCRIPT
Good morning – welcome to Talking Movies, I’m Spling…
This week, we’re talking about a drama romance thriller, a legal drama and a horror thriller.
Starting off with a film now screening at the Labia Theatre…
THE GRAND BOLERO
A gruff middle-aged pipe organ restorer struggles to control her obsessive attraction to her new 20-year-old mute assistant.
Writer-Director: Gabriele Fabbro
Stars: Lidia Vitale, Ludovica Mancini and Marcello Mariani
– The apprentice drama is far from a novelty but it’s quite astounding just how fresh it comes across in a female-led film.
– This is Fabbro’s film, who co-wrote the screenplay with South African actor and screenwriter Ydalie Turk.
– Set at an old church during the Covid-19 outbreak, the location’s exquisite detail riddles every frame summoning up history, religion and humanity simultaneously to create a rich human drama against the backdrop of a forest that borders on fairy tale.
– Dancing in the eyes, the organ music fills one’s ears with a vivid soundtrack to match the visual on-screen decadence.
– The co-lead performances are just as powerful, introducing the gruff Roxanne and wide-eyed Lucia as rough outlines.
– As each new story filter presents a different shade, The Grand Bolero and its characters becomes more intricate, intimate and precarious.
– Closing in on its characters to create a sense of intimacy, it’s Vitale’s commanding voice and powerhouse performance that captures the driving, pent up energy of The Grand Bolero – a personification of the old musical instrument.
– There are a few leaps of faith but the gorgeous mix of sound, visuals, story and performance overwhelm the senses to the point that you’re bewitched and at the mercy of the filmmakers.
– Through a series of bold brushstrokes, The Grand Bolero’s operatic tendencies eventually spiral upwards as the stirring music, morality drama and inflamed passions reach fever pitch.
– As pompous, glorious and poetic as it is at times… the story is unfortunately distracted by its pandemic setting and the kite reel extends to breaking point.
An excellent 8 on the splingometer!
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Moving on to a film now on Showmax…
WORTH
An attorney battles against cynicism, bureaucracy and politics to help the victims of 9/11.
Director: Sara Colangelo
Stars: Michael Keaton, Amy Ryan and Stanley Tucci
– The drama effectively deals with the price put on a life by a fund set up to compensate the fallen from the perspective of an altruistic mediation attorney trying to prevent the matter from becoming embroiled in a protracted legal battle.
– Keaton and Tucci’s presence in Worth recalls Spotlight’s casting where the two appeared previously, echoing the age, back room politics, character integrity and seriousness of the subject matter.
– Featuring three Oscar nominees, Keaton adopts a tricky accent and attempts to remain impartial, Ryan struggles for cool detachment and Tucci serves as a critic for accountability and an agent for civility.
– Interviews with affected families and sobering personal stories from the tragedy make for a stirring and heartfelt human drama reminiscent of Dark Waters, Margin Call, Sully and Spotlight.
– Worth has noble intentions and overarching importance, yet in spite of the story’s emotional heft tends to drag in its level-headed chronicle of biographical and historical moments.
– While authentic and dignified, Worth’s attempts to remain subtle, impartial and steer away from melodrama leave it serviceable, well-acted yet unfortunately altogether a bit dull and underwhelming.
A satisfactory 6 on the splingometer!
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And finally a film now on Showmax…
A QUIET PLACE PART II
Forced to venture into the unknown, the Abbotts realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threat beyond the sand path.
Director: John Krasinski
Stars: Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and John Krasinski
– A Quiet Place Part II continues the Abbott family saga, picking up 474 days later… in a world where noise becomes an accomplice.
– To call it a “monster movie” would be an insult to an otherwise elegant, revolutionary, sophisticated and well-crafted horror thriller series.
– Krasinski winds back the clock to the beginning of the end as a War of the Worlds scale invasion interrupts a breezy baseball game.
– The sequel captures much of what made the original so unusually beautiful, haunting and epic with three times the budget.
– Its creature effects recall Alien and Predator as the quest’s action-adventure reaches for the scale of Jurassic World and eeriness of I Am Legend.
– While A Quiet Place Part II obviously lacks the gleaming novelty of its original and superior outing, it works twice as hard to ratchet up the thrills by way of imagination and scope.
– Krasinski may not have been champing at the bit to helm the sequel but delivers on expectations opposite his real-life spouse.
– The tight knit family unit add Cillian Murphy to their extended family as the “playground” gets bigger and more dangerous.
– Leveraging a bigger cast, suspenseful action set pieces and editing to double up with parallel misadventures, this sharp sequel continues to set the scene for an a sprawling post-apocalyptic world in the inevitable Part III.
A solid 7 on the splingometer!
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So just to wrap up…
THE GRAND BOLERO… strong co-leads, inspired direction, timeless themes and an immersive soundtrack compel this vivid drama romance thriller… An excellent 8!
WORTH… while dignified, noble, important, touching and well-acted, this slow-moving legal biographical drama underwhelms… A satisfactory 6!
A QUIET PLACE PART II… lush world-building continues in this smart, taut and gritty horror thriller turned sci-fi action-adventure… A solid 7!
For more movie reviews and previous Talking Movies podcasts visit splingmovies.com.
And remember, Don’t WING it, SPL!NG it!
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