Review: He's Just Not That Into You

(originally published in The California Aggie at UC Davis, 2/12/09)


You might just be into He's Just Not That Into You
Comedy with commentary is hit and miss


The good thing about going into movies with low expectations is that you are rarely disappointed.

Since it is inspired by the ever-popular self-help guide by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (which was itself inspired by a single line of dialogue on "Sex and the City"), He's Just Not That Into You automatically has hurdles of preconceptions to overcome. Thankfully, common aspects from each are only recognizable if the audience member is very familiar with both media; the film does a respectable job at standing on its own.

The movie operates on the premise that there are various myths and misinterpretations in the dating arena begging to be dispelled, and it employs a handful of intertwining stories to attempt to conquer all of them at once.

Depending on individual perspective, the movie may be insulting or flattering. In the pessimistic vein, the movie portrays nearly all women to be desperate and delusional. But from another viewpoint, they are also painted as hopeful, earnest and determined.

It is the unfortunate fact that when dealing with generalizations, reinforcement of stereotypes tends to be inevitable. The individual plotlines are well-worn tales of women waiting for a guy to call, hoping for a marriage proposal and obliviously trusting a cheating man. Though these inevitably do occur in the real world, the familiarity of witnessing them in character form is exhausting.

The movie's tone is hard to pin down; as soon as one character says something unbelievably dense and cliché, another swoops in with a witty burst of humor.

The logic of the movie is at war with bigger ideologies regarding behavior and gender roles, but the main assertion seems simple. If a guy is interested in a girl (or "into" her, as the title colloquially phrases it), he will ask her out, he will call when he says he will, he will sleep with her, he will want to marry her and he will never cheat.

The events of the movie make this theory seem like common sense (and consequently, the women like blundering fools); however, a return to the real world brings the concept into further question.

The whole movie is spent emphasizing the inexplicable way women rationalize obvious signs of rejection. With the brief introduction of the under-explained "exception to the rule" in the last few minutes, it effectively backtracks upon itself and negates its entire intended message.

Review: Taken

(originally published in The California Aggie at UC Davis, 2/5/09)


Taken for a ride
Fun action flick has dark undertones


Taken has all the key aspects of a typical action movie. It starts with the basics: trustworthy main character, dire situation and linear storyline.

Then come the fun but still familiar aspects. The movie is peppered with realistic, claustrophobic fight sequences reminiscent of the Bourne series. The protagonist has implausible but forgettable means of gathering information. The villains of the movie are identified by their nationality (instead of “the Russians” or “the Germans,” Taken’s resident baddies are “the Albanians”).

Finally, there’s the twist. Its existence is necessary to distinguish Taken from every other action movie out there, especially because most of the film’s aspects, though well done and entertaining, aren’t terribly original. This twist is one that could make or break the film.

The impetus for the action is familial love. Liam Neeson plays our righteous protagonist Bryan Mills, a retired government agent who now exists solely to rebuild the fractured relationship he has with his daughter.

The film dwells on this foundation for a good portion of the first half. This awkward, stagnant lingering is designed to indicate the pivotal role that the relationship is destined to play, but the filmmakers’ tragic overemphasis risks seeming condescending to the audience.

When Mills’ teenage daughter is kidnapped upon arriving in France for an unsupervised summer vacation, he snaps into action to find her. The kidnapping itself, however, isn’t the scary part; Mills’ sources reveal a fate in store for her much more terrifying and harrowing than a quick death.

People will have to decide for themselves if this is a positive or negative aspect of the movie. On one hand, the tortuous future looming for her is enough for fatherly love to justify any of Mills’ morally questionable actions. It also brings something new to the table, choosing to go where action films tend to avoid in favor of lighter, obviously fictional fare.

On the other hand, the sight of the gritty European underbelly of crime and abuse toes the line between entertainment and "Dateline" exposé. The brutality may be distracting at best, but could be completely off-putting at worst.

Review: Revolutionary Road

(originally published in The California Aggie at UC Davis, 1/29/09)


Revolutionary Road not that revolutionary
Conventional themes sink film, buoyed only by strong performances


Revolutionary Road is essentially a reworking of 1998's The Truman Show, instead using themes of abstract (rather than literal) confinement.

The film's lack of linear plot renders it rather difficult to describe. It spends very little time with back-story, instead choosing to jump directly into what might be termed the conflict. This permeates every part of the film, never allowing the characters or the audience a chance to catch their breath.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play '50s suburban couple April and Frank Wheeler, who are surrounded by a contrived world that offers them only enough individuality to foster complacency. Their existence in this white-bread life revolves around their own perceived superiority.

When they realize they are in danger of surrendering the rest of their lives to a mind-numbing humdrum existence, they make spontaneous plans to move to Paris.

It is probably a stretch to call this the plot of the movie, but it is the best that can be done. The majority of the scenes occur independently of this thread-thin plot line, and many seemingly act as redundant filler scenes. For the most part, the film is simply an uninvolved observer to their sepia-toned suffering.

Director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) obviously expected the film's themes to be significant, but instead they come across as dull, familiar and unimpressive. The typical representation of overwrought emotions results in a rather unsympathetic audience. The film is saved by dedicated performances by Winslet and DiCaprio, who are a credit to their profession with the electricity they bring to the roles.

Revolutionary Road uses futile displays of anger to question the subjectivity of love, happiness and contentedness, but falls flat on all counts. All in all, it's not a very accessible film. It's simply an exploration of the stifled desperation and permeating ineffectuality of people.

Review: Slumdog Millionaire

(originally printed in The California Aggie at UC Davis, 1/8/09)


New breed Slumdog steals the show
The charming and gritty story is a triumph


Slumdog Millionaire doesn’t just “have heart,” as some people say; this movie runs on heart. Heart is all it knows, its entire raison d’être, its focus and emphasis at the same time.

It’s a classic story with enough creativity to avoid feeling stale. The plot follows Jamal Malik through his childhood in the abject poverty of Bombay slums, eventually leading to his fateful appearance on India’s version of the game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” and his attempts to reconnect with the girl he loves.

During the story, the city changes from Bombay to Mumbai, Jamal changes from boy to man, and being chased by the police changes from an exciting childhood adventure to a terrifying game of chance. But Jamal is someone who knows who he is through and through, even when the world around him is constantly in flux.

The parts of the story come together like two hands interlocking fingers. The expert execution of flashback storytelling is a testament to director Danny Boyle’s adherence to form. His organic approach to directing, allowing the genre to lead his filmmaking process, has brought Boyle critical success dabbling in genres like zombie movies (28 Days Later), science fiction (Sunshine) and drama (Trainspotting).

It may be an optimistic story, but there is a reason it is rated R. This movie with heart is not for the faint of heart and some parts are downright hard to watch. There are no warm fuzzies in this one, but it does showcase one person’s pervasive, enduring and unadulterated faith in love. And in that way, one can’t help but think that the determined protagonist is on the right track.

Though the general feeling walking out of the theater is positive, calling it a feel-good film would be a misnomer. The point is not that the movie makes you feel happy or feel hopeful or feel sympathetic; the most important part is that it simply makes you feel. And experiencing that through film is relatively rare.