Talking Movies: Air, Do Your Worst and Father Stu
Spling reviews Air, Do Your Worst and Father Stu 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 biographical comedy drama, a comedy drama romance and a biographical drama.
Starting off with a film now on circuit…
AIR
The story of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.
Director: Ben Affleck
Stars: Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis and Ben Affleck
Based on a true story, this entertaining behind-the-scenes chronicle captures the trepidation and innovation of a marketing team trying to win more market share when it comes to selling Nike basketball shoes. Essentially the Air Jordan story, Affleck has created a nostalgic and inspiring tale of untapped potential and self-belief. Air takes you back to 1984 without trying to smooth things over, incorporating purple Porsches and outrageous outfits. The 80s feel is further enhanced by the hit soundtrack from the time, adding a toe-tapping warmth to a predominantly office-based drama. You could compare it with The Big Short or describe it as “The Social network if it was a comedy”, leveraging the power of a turning point for basketball and professional athletes with a story that hinges on negotiation, whether across a boardroom or over the phone. While office-bound, this drama is far from stuffy, sporting a colourful collective of characters reinforced by earnest performances. The office banter ranges from hilarious to poignant, cutting through a cross-section of feelgood with an authentic feel. Grounded by Damon’s plodding yet affable performance and spiced by the stellar host of oddballs that surround him, this all-rounder comedy drama is deftly handled, funny and compelling with a fly-on-the-wall focus on a guy instrumental in bringing about the next age for professional sports stars.
An excellent 8!
Moving on to a movie now on Netflix…
DO YOUR WORST
Regret and redemption take center stage as Sondra, struggling actor and professional mess, faces the consequences of a lifetime of her own bad decisions
Director: Samantha Nell
Stars: Shannon Esra, Kate Liquorish and Wayne Van Rooyen
Set in Jozi, Do Your Worst taps into the same awkward life, love and everything else dimension of Bridget Jones’s Diary, centred on a see-sawing friendship. A colourful and spunky comedy drama, Do Your Worst flirts with bad taste as it attempts to ramp up laughs with a series of awkward moments from sexual encounters to bad wax jobs. This provocative and edgy style of comedy is progressive but is ultimately crass and overcooked. While the actors are game, it’s more cringe than funny and while the movie title would suggest a level of schadenfreude, there’s very little enjoyment in seeing characters in the dumps getting a double dose of bad luck. Besides Esra’s breezy presence and Van Rooyen’s charms, there’s really not much else to endear the self-centred characters. Do Your Worst is at its best when the comedy romance drama takes on a sweeter tone, forgoing the over-the-top comedic moments for a shot at true love, whilst navigating the fall out from severe lapses in judgement. While Do Your Worst has a decent movie bubbling beneath its rough exterior, it’s not enough to only see glimpses, making this an uncomfortable and bumpy ride. The raunchy and hard-living attributes give it edge, but the inconsistent tone and misguided characters maintain a buffer with a brash and divisive brand of comedy.
A flimsy 4!
And finally a movie on Showmax…
FATHER STU
A boxer-turned-priest inspires countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption.
Writer-Director: Rosalind Ross
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson and Jacki Weaver
Wahlberg is a fighter and underdog whose film career has been characterised by his “everyman” disposition, a blend of Tom Hanks’s charm and Dwayne Johnson star power. While he may not be the perfect fit for this transformative coming-of-age drama, it’s not for a lack of trying. Charming, determined and full of pluck, Wahlberg ensures there’s never a dull moment in this high contrast tale of two halves. Based on a true story, Father Stu is more rousing than heartwarming as its scrappy lead gets himself into trouble and operates with sheer determination even when headed in the wrong direction. Beyond its attempt to find true north, it’s not all that remarkable. Wahlberg’s conviction and the slow-boiling power of this true story keep it in-line. It’s a wonderful showcase for Wahlberg who’s able to wrestle with a truly transformative performance but this character portrait straddles the fence, never quite sure of its true identity much like its title character. While this undermines the overall entertainment value, Father Stu’s never so bad as to become unwatchable. Wahlberg’s valiant performance keeps things on course as the word ‘conversion’ comes to stand for a great many things. It did just enough to get…
A satisfactory 6!
So just to wrap up…
AIR… a stellar cast, sharp performances, a thoughtful script and 80s nostalgia power this entertaining and uplifting biographical comedy drama… An excellent 8!
DO YOUR WORST… a game cast struggle to redeem this brash, provocative and tonally inconsistent comedy drama romance… A flimsy 4!
FATHER STU… while miscast, Wahlberg’s charming, spirited and transformative performance guides this amusing and inspiring true story home… A satisfactory 6!
For more movie reviews and features visit splingmovies.com.
And remember, Don’t WING it, SPL!NG it!
