Talking Movies: Blonde, Lou and No Man of God (Extended)
Spling reviews Blonde, Lou and No Man of God – 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 biographical drama, a crime mystery thriller and a crime drama.
Starting off with a film now on Netflix…
A fictionalized chronicle of the inner life of Marilyn Monroe.
Director: Andrew Dominik
Stars: Ana de Armas, Bobby Cannavale and Adrien Brody
– Andrew Dominik is the director who brought us The Assassination of Jessie James, Chopper and Killing Them Softly.
– Known for his artful, poetic and stylistic character portraits, often biographical in nature, Blonde is an adaptation of a fictional account of Marilyn Monroe’s inner world.
– Open to dramatic license, the story is reflective of reality, touching on key moments and relationships in her life – making it useful to have seen a documentary like The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes.
– A Hollywood icon, immortalised by Andy Warhol and admired by millions across the globe, Blonde is not a rosy recollection – tearing the carpets up to offer a more self-doubting and tormented view of the superstar’s anguish and breakdown.
– Much like Judy, the film doesn’t shy away from the sleazier side of Hollywood, depicting a system open to abuse of power as well as a string of Monroe’s most tempestuous and unhealthy relationships.
– Blonde centres on Monroe’s difficulty in dealing with abandonment issues relating to her father, separating her life from her on-screen persona and her deep-seated fears around bringing her own child into the world.
– Playing like a stream of consciousness as images and events free-flow in chronological order, the pacing, cinematography and performances give Blonde a fleeting and dreamlike quality.
– As beautiful and immersive as it is, Blonde’s counterbalanced by ugliness owing to its dirty laundry fascination and deconstruction of the celebrity’s allure tarnishing her memory and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
– In spite of an excellent lead performance from de Armas, an actor experiencing a similar rise to fame, her Cuban accent is still evident even after postproduction effects – and there’s an eeriness in trying to blend her with actual footage of Monroe.
– Struggling to find its way to screen, the long-awaited so-called biopic is plagued by an exploitative undercurrent and a distracting conversation with an unborn child.
– Checking in at almost 3 hours, the poetry of the striking visuals, elegance of the artful treatment and compelling performances go a long way to making the surreal Blonde bearable, but it’s thwarted by its appetite for dirty laundry, its bleak tribute and prickly, hypocritical undertones.
A flat 5 on the splingometer!
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Moving on to a movie now on Netflix…
A mother pursues her daughter’s kidnapper with the help of a survivalist.
Director: Anna Foerster
Stars: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett and Logan Marshall-Green
– Lou is a moody, visually-striking and fierce action-orientated crime drama thriller.
– As refreshing as it is to have Janney’s commanding presence, Lou could have easily been written with Liam Neeson in mind.
– Gruff, surly and her own person, Janney’s dramatic heft anchors the role and the film with enough swagger and street smarts to thrive.
– She’s ably supported by Smollett as a single parent facing her demons and Marshall-Green, reminiscent of Tom Hardy and Jon Bernthal.
– Staring with aplomb, crisp visuals, moody scene-setting and some fairly grisly outback moments grab one’s attention as Lou’s fearless spirit catches fire.
– Set in the ’80s, there are nostalgic cues and throwback references that add texture with a low-key Toto revival.
– Unfortunately, Lou’s stumbling stone is its muddy storytelling as an overly complicated scenario, lack of forethought and big twist falter.
– Lou has a fresh lead, impassioned performances, spirited characters, a mysterious setting, a throwback soundtrack and features some moody and pristine filmmaking.
– As entertaining as it is… its fundamental story problems and overcomplicated plotting work against its valiant attempts to ground the story as it spirals upwards.
– Lou’s flair and style make for compelling viewing but apart from the conviction of its performances and anchoring lead, things devolve to the point that the whole song-and-dance seems muddled and even unnecessary with hints of a sequel in the wings.
A satisfactory 6 on the splingometer!
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And finally a film on Showmax…
FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier forms a complicated working relationship with Ted Bundy during the serial killer’s final years on death row.
Director: Amber Sealey
Stars: Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby and Aleksa Palladino
– There’s been a resurgence of interest when it comes to understanding the minds and driving force behind the most notorious serial killers.
– Ted Bundy effectively became America’s first celebrity serial killer, a handsome and charming psychopathic criminal turned national obsession thanks to his viral appeal and ability to fan the media circus.
– Having had his story told through numerous films, series and documentaries, No Man of God is a more focused chronicle of a complicated friendship between a renowned FBI profiler and the notorious Ted Bundy.
– Based on transcripts from interviews, this character portrait pieces together some of the intimate conversations and moments shared between a man on death row and an agent trying to unlock a confession.
– Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile presented the showman side of Bundy, played by Zac Efron in a role of dualities, showing the serial killer from an intensely innocent-till-proven-guilty perspective.
– Thankfully, Luke Kirby’s performance is more grounded and realistic in its portrayal, speaking to the driving complexities and hypocrisies of the man and monster.
– Having played a serial killer in Maniac, Elijah Wood’s a smart casting choice as Hagmaier, who’s compelled to wade through the depths of his subject’s twisted mind.
– No Man of God is a slow-moving crime drama centred on the gamesmanship of an interview scenario, using actual news footage, key supporting performances and historical events to embroider and entrench the drama in the age.
– The artful touches are just as welcome as the film’s desire to draw authenticity, yet it’s mostly powered by the strength of its fine co-lead performances.
A satisfactory 6 on the splingometer!
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So just to wrap up…
BLONDE… authentic immersive visuals, poetic storytelling and fine performances are undermined by artful sleaze, dirty laundry mongering and exploitative hypocrisy… A flat 5!
LOU… a strong lead drives this fresh, gritty, moody albeit muddled crime drama thriller… A satisfactory 6!
NO MAN OF GOD… fine co-leads invigorate this authentic, focused and pensive gamesmanship crime drama… A satisfactory 6!
For more movie reviews and features visit splingmovies.com.
And remember, Don’t WING it, SPL!NG it!
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