TIFF ’17 Day 5: Breathe, You Disappear

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Breathe (UK, 2017. Dir: Andy Serkis): Another one of the many films about physical disabilities in this edition of TIFF, there is nothing intrinsically wrong about Breathe. It’s just that it plays it way too safe and doesn’t break any new ground. One doesn’t have to look further than The Theory of Everything to find the same old beats.

At least Breathe covers the getting-to-know-you portion of the story in the first few minutes. Robin (Andrew Garfield, The Social Network) and Diana (Claire Foy, The Crown) are an adventurous couple who can’t be constrained by walls. Unfortunately, Robin gets polio in Africa and loses all mobility and the capacity to breath on his own.

The once outdoorsy Brit falls into a depression that forces his wife and friends to extreme efforts to give him at least a semblance of a normal life. It’s the beginning of a journey that would lead to the invention of the Cavendish chair, a conception that improves the quality of life of extremely disabled patients to unheard degree.

Andy Serkis’ first directorial effort is traditional to a fault. His sole focus seems to be to move the plot forward, in circumstances the best moments of Breathe take place whenever he takes the foot off the gas. The cinematography is disproportionally superior to the story, not a surprise since Robert Richardson (Scorsese and Tarantino’s go-to guy) is behind the camera. It’s a good movie to take your grandma, but that’s about it. Two and a half stars. Distribution: Theatrical.

You Disappear (Denmark/Sweden, 2017. Dir: Peter Schønau Fog): The embodiment of the ‘brainy’ movie, You Disappear uses procedural tropes to explore the eternal conflict of free will versus determinism.

The film uses a fragmented timeline to tell the story of the Hallings, a marriage enduring one crisis after another. First Frederik (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Angels & Demons) is diagnosed with a brain tumor, which may or may not be affecting his behavior. Not much later, he is accused of embezzlement. His defense argues temporary insanity due to impulse control disorder, but the condition is extremely difficult to prove.

The narrator in You Disappear is Frederik’s wife, Mia (Trine Dyrholm, The Commune), often the victim of Frederick’s misbehavior. Her voiceover focuses on the undependability of the human brain (reality vs. perception), and it’s as dense as fascinating. The kicker is that Mia herself may not be the most reliable of witnesses.

The obvious intelligence that went into the script also creates certain distance between the film and the viewer. In spite of the cast’s efforts to humanize the proceedings, You Disappear remains a high density enterprise. A rewarding one though. Three stars. Distribution: TBD.

TIFF ’17 Day 4: The Square, Brad’s Status, A Worthy Companion

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The Square (Sweden, 2017. Dir: Ruben Ostlund): The winner of the Palm D’Or is more often than not a TIFF staple. The Square is a comedy brimming of novel ideas and topics, so much so that after a while the richness becomes counterproductive. Still, the Swedish flick is years-light ahead of your average Hollywood comedy.

At the center of The Square lies Christian (Claes Bang), the chief curator of a modern art museum in Stockholm. Christian must juggle several crises simultaneously, chief of them all, the need for funding and attention. A personal hiccup (a robbery) sends his carefully balanced existence into a tailspin

Christian’s woes are just an excuse for director Ruben Ostlund (Force Majeure) to explore the growing distance between the elites and the common man. The film also tackles the perennial matter of what constitutes art. Ostlund doesn’t venture an answer, but has a good time mocking the question.

The Square is a bit too cynical for its own good, but reaffirms my belief that the future of cinema can be found in Scandinavia. Three and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.

Brad’s Status (USA, 2017. Dir: Mike White): Once could easily dismiss Brad’s Status as a white privilege dramedy unaware of how conceited it is. Alas, the film touches on a number of topics that ring true.

The Brad in question (Ben Stiller) is a middle age Gen-Xer embarking on a college tour with his teenage son. The occasion becomes a dark night of the soul for Brad, as he reminisces about his own days as a student and how much better his then friends have fared in life.

Easily Mike White’s best since Chuck and Buck, Brad’s Status rings true more often than not, and even dares to offer answers to middle age ennui. It’s also kinder to Gen-Y than most films attempting to portrait millennials. Definitely an indulgent experience, but a satisfactory one. Three and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.

A Worthy Companion (Canada, 2017. Dir: Carlos Sánchez, Jason Sánchez): Not a fantastic crop of Canadian films this year at TIFF. A Worthy Companion at least has an intriguing premise, mangled by a script stripped of all common sense and an over-the-top performance by Evan Rachel Wood.

The Westworld lead is Laura, a troubled woman with more issues than the Encyclopedia Britannica. She is an accountant/cleaning lady who becomes obsessed with a bookish teen girl for some reason (I’m not being glib, there isn’t anything special about their relationship).

Laura convinces the teenager in question, Eva (Julia Sarah Stone, Wet Bum), to run away from home and move in with her. After about a hundred red flags, Eva realizes there may be something seriously wrong with Laura, but just as she is considering escaping, the Stockholm syndrome kicks in.

A Worthy Companion is so obsessed with being edgy, it forgets to build mildly cohesive characters. Chief among all is Eva, whose behavior defies basic self-preservation (Julia Sarah Stone looks lost through the entire movie). Not only Evan Rachel Wood chews scenery like is nobody’s business, her character’s psychological issues are not even consistent with one another. Overall, the film has train wreck qualities that make it watchable, if just barely. Two stars. Distribution in Canada: Likely theatrical.

TIFF ’17 Day 3: The Children Act, The Ritual, Porcupine Lake

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

The Children Act (UK, 2017. Dir: Richard Eyre): Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, The Children Act is not only a thorough character piece about a judge whose rigidity renders her unable to deal with life’s curveballs. It’s also a fantastic showcase for Emma Thompson, too long stuck in supporting roles or as the love interest of some old fogey (often Dustin Hoffman).

Thompson is the Honorable Fiona Maye. Her specialty are medical cases that require an speedy process. Her job is fascinating but has taken a toll on her marriage to Jack (Stanley Tucci). The same week Jack announces his intention to have an affair, Fiona must rule on a case that pits the parents of a teen with leukemia against the hospital he is held at. Their religion forbids transfusions, even though the kid desperately needs one. Fiona’s job begins to bleed into her personal life and vice versa in unexpected ways.

Adapted to the screen by McEwan himself, The Children Act is predominantly a character study with a captivating plot lurking underneath. Dialogue and subtext are a delight, reminiscent of also superb 45 Years (heartbreak happens at every age). Tucci’s part is somewhat underwritten and the third act abandons the sobriety that makes the piece so compelling, but overall is a very relatable piece. Three and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.

The Ritual (UK, 2016. Dir: David Bruckner): Modeled after The Wicker Man and, to a lesser degree, The Blair Witch Project, The Ritual stands slightly above films with similar influences on the strength of the acting and psychological undertones.

Following the violent death of the leader of their pack, four friends decide to honor his wish of spending the holidays hiking the Northern Sweden highlands. The already harebrained idea (all four are city folk) becomes deathly when the group becomes the target of an unseen forest dweller.

The film is at its best when dealing with the unraveling psyche of the foursome. The main focus is on Luke (Rafe Spall, Roadies) who nurses a massive case of survivor’s guilt (their friend’s death was partially his fault). The Ritual is not nearly as effective when the force stalking them goes from abstract to all too real. Two and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Likely theatrical.

Porcupine Lake (Canada, 2017. Dir: Ingrid Veninger): Ingrid Veninger’s most traditional film to date is a coming-of-age story that unfolds during the dog days of summer. City girl Bea (Charlotte Salisbury) is the dutiful daughter to a couple on the verge of breaking up. In dire need of a friend her own age, Bea connects with Kate (Lucinda Armstrong Hall), a townie with her fair share of issues at home.

The girls become fast friends and find solace on each other’s company, to the point of tentatively exploring their sexuality. It doesn’t reach Heavenly Creatures territory, but comes close.

Despite the stilted dialogue and some less than polished performances, Porcupine Lake is a charming flick that captures the hazy transition from childhood to puberty, as well as the horrifying realization that adulthood can be pretty ugly. Worth a look. Two and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Likely theatrical.

TIFF ’17 Day 1: Call Me by Your Name, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Loveless

By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Call Me by Your Name (Italy/France, 2017. Dir: Luca Guadagnino): How about a stone-cold masterpiece to kick off TIFF’s coverage this year. A filmmaker who has already shown considerable potential (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash), Luca Guadagnino finds a new gear with the thorough, compelling coming-of-age drama Call Me by Your Name.

Set in Northern Italy in 1983, the film revolves around Elio (star-making turn by Timothée Chalamet), a well-liked teen and beloved only son of an archeologist and a translator. The idyllic boredom of summer in Italy becomes disrupted by the arrival of Oliver (Armie Hammer), an American scholar in town to intern for Elio’s dad. Oliver’s presence triggers unknown feelings in Elio, who tentatively begins pursuing the American, while simultaneously exploring his sexuality with a girl his own age.

There is no high drama in Call Me by Your Name, just a teen assimilating new experiences and shaping his personality accordingly. The film (adapted by James Ivory) is beyond lovely and methodical, covering every aspect of the life of an adolescent at a critical moment of his growth. True to form, the climax is as low impact as a loving father comparing his own experiences to his son’s, and suggesting what to do of them. Think Stealing Beauty, but twice as good. Five stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Ireland/UK, 2016. Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos): Lanthimos’ latest starts suspiciously like his previous film, the darkly comedic The Lobster. Colin Farrell introduces his character -a renowned cardiologist- in a monotonous, detached fashion. However, as the movie progresses, The Killing of a Sacred Deer hits a more relatable note: The costs of the greater good.

Unbeknownst to his family, Dr. Murphy (Farrell) meets with a very polite teen named Martin on regular basis. The nature of this relationship is kept in the dark for a good chunk of the film, but doesn’t appear to be very wholesome. As Martin demands more time and dedication from the surgeon, Murphy becomes spooked. An attempt to ghost him triggers a devastating reaction.

Lanthimos keeps his cards close to the chest until the second half, when the (somewhat) standard stalker drama morphs into an exercise in ethics and morals I don’t wish to spoil here. Suffice to say, the good doctor finds out there are limits to the power of modern medicine. As it’s traditional with the Greek filmmaker, the pitch-black sense of humor is perfectly calibrated. The novelty here is the sense of despair that comes with the comedy. Three and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.

Loveless (Russia, 2017. Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev): By far the better known Russian filmmaker at work today, Andrey Zvyagintsev doesn’t mince words to depict a morally bankrupt society. In Leviathan, the director portrayed the political world as a haven of corruption. In Loveless, Russian middle class doesn’t fare much better under Zvyagintsev’s unflinching eye.

A couple going through the most acrimonious of divorces is forced to live under the same roof until liquidating their apartment. They have a kid, a sad boy no one pays any attention to. Their utter disregard for the child is such that, when he disappears, it takes them over a day and a half to notice. More out of obligation than genuine concern, the bickering duo must navigate the unhelpful Russian bureaucracy to get some help. Not that the disappearance puts a dent on their hatred for each other.

If you think this description is dour, just wait until you see the movie. From Zvyagintsev’s perspective, the pursuit of material riches has corrupted the soul of the country to such point, people willing to help are the exception and money is the only parameter of success. The filmmaker is thorough in his description of modern Russia’s malaise and even takes a few swipes at Putin while at it. Loveless is a bit thick to swallow, but highly rewarding. Three and a half stars. Distribution in Canada: Theatrical.