One For the Money

Movie 

2012

Based on the famous Janet Evanovich novels about Stephanie Plum, the accidental bounty hunter, One For the Money had a lot to live up to. I heard my wife laugh hysterically while reading the Plum books for years so I was mildly anticipating this movie with her.

Plum, played by Katherine Heigl, is an unemployed lingerie saleswoman out of luck and out of money. She takes a job from her cousin, a bail bondsman, hoping for some quick cash picking up lowlife deadbeats who fail to appear for court. The first case that crosses her radar is Joe Morrelli, a cop who's on the run after being charged with killing an unarmed man while off duty. The price on his head is 50 thousand which is too much for Plum to overlook - and of course there is history between them.

The picture is being panned mercilessly largely because critics routinely can't stand Heigl - personally I find her endearing (I mean anyone who had work with that completely nauseating Seth Rogan and actually make me want to finish watching Knocked Up has something going for her). Admittedly the movie could have been a 2-hour pilot for a TV series, but it was a fun romp and undeserving of such scorn. Audiences are polling in the 70% positive range. The movie was meant for the female audience for obvious reasons and has wonderful escapist qualities. It wasn't meant to vie for an Academy Award, it's a date movie.

Now I have not read the books so I don't know if they are all about the laugh and said escapism, but the story could have had a bit more mystery and cleverness. Some of the comedy seemed contrived but there were some really good laughs.

The rest of the cast, including Debbie Reynolds, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, John Leguizamo and Sherri Shepherd, where there to only support Heigl. The movie had no side stories - it was all about Stephanie Plum. Daniel Sunjata who plays Ranger a professional bounty hunter takes Plum under his wing to show her the ropes. He promises to be a integral part of the Stephanie Plum story if this film spawns sequels as one would expect.

Honestly it should be spawning a TV series instead.

3 of 5 stars


CW

The Script

Music
2012


Being a child of the Classic Rock era I can basically say I'm sick of it. I love 70's music (pre-disco era) more than just about anyone, but I'm needing new musical stimulation. I can consume Classic Rock in small doses, I mean you have to, right?  You wouldn't necessarily take more than a few sips of TJ Swan or Southern Comfort at your age would you?

Indeed, I'm always looking for new music. Using Pandora and some of the other Internet Radio Stations is a great way to find new music. By new I mean the 90's and beyond. Yes, it's true I do not live on the cutting edge so something new to me may actually be yesterday's news.

I found The Script by way of an Internet Radio site called Last.fm. While you listen to a self-created station they always list "similar artists". I think I was listening to Parachute when The Script appeared. I clicked on it and I was hooked.

Their most popular song is probably "Breakeven". It's certainly not breaking any new ground, but it is just so well done and so very, very catchy that it instantly sticks in your head and stays there. The tune/melody is simultaneously familiar and new, the instrumentation upbeat, crisp and affirmative, capturing all the elements of a hit song.

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
'Cause she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven even... no

What am I gonna to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces

Vocalist Danny O'Donoghue describes their music as 'celtic soul' - I don't what that is??? Guitarist Marc Sheehan plays in an understated style that never takes over, but does drives the music forward. The first album (self-titled) proved to be an incredible success, topping the charts in serveral countries and establishing the Script as 2008's most popular newcomer. In 2009 Paul McCartney and U2 both put the band on stage to open several of their sold-out shows.

There is a lot of similarity between The Script and Maroon 5. If  I was asked who they sound like it would be them. I'm a fan of both. With their 2nd album Maroon 5 began to fall heavily into pure pop music whereas The Script inhabits what I would call pop rock. 

Some other stellar songs from The Script's 2 major releases include "Nothing", "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" and "For the First Time". You can sample and buy individual songs on ITunes and Amazon.com. While The Script may be old news to you I consider them one the best new bands on my playlist.

Check them out and enjoy!

4 of 5 stars

CW

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Movie
2012


I was a fan of the black and white movies of old with Basil Rathbone playing our inimitable hero. While I enjoyed the modern remake with the fine acting of Robert Downey Jr. in the first Holmes movie I wasn't prepared for Sherlock to be a street brawling swashbuckler. Never fear in the second movie he still holds his own when guns and knives come out. This movie was well done in the modern format such as it is. Modern movies with their extreme closeups and fast, frenetic editing can be exciting visual candy, but it is not a substitute for great dialog and good story telling. Fortunately Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows has both.

If you can get past Holmes being a manic, street smart, wise cracking genius the mystery is pretty good. This film pits Holmes against his greatest foe, the one and only Professor Moriarty (played Jared Harris). Clues are scattered about for future use as the movie progresses, the trick is to guess which are ultimately relevant. The look and feel of the sets/locations is excellent. No expense was spared to make the environment seem like what we imagine the 1890's to be.

Dr. Watson, played by Jude Law, is not all the character we came to love in the old movies. He is as loyal to Holmes as the original but less of a slow wit and far more prickly. Law does a good job but the character is somehow not right, but then again neither is Sherlock Holmes himself.  They do work well together, but if you're at all nostalgic for the original films this rendering can be hard to swallow.

The movie starts with a reprise of Rachel McAdam's delicious character from the first movie - the mischievous Irene Adler. However, she makes a quick exit and a love interest for the Holmes character is never re-established. It can be argued that it isn't even missed since the wedding of Dr. Watson to Mary seems to come between Sherlock and John anyway.

The mind games between Holmes and Moriaty are decent, helping to build some tension and suspense, but the wise cracking irreverency Downey brings to the character is a little like inviting Captain Jack Sparrow to the party. There is also just a little too much dependency on slow motion through the critical action scenes that drag the movie down when it should be hectic and a bit unpredictable. What was so effective in the first movie as we watched Holmes evaluate the moves of both his adversaries and himself before they happen tended to drag this film out. It is OK and even worthwhile if it is used sparingly, in this movie it's just too much of an old thing.

Overall it's a afternoon of good fun. You'll laugh, you'll cringe (you'll eat popcorn), but rest assured this film will not be winning any awards.



3 of 5 stars


CW

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Movie
2011

Based on the popular novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson this movie is a taut, well acted murder mystery that keeps you guessing and intrigued throughout. Starring Daniel Craig as disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as Lisbeteh Salander the story has a several twists and turns that serve to define the principal characters.

Blomkvist, fresh off a losing court battle in which he is left nearly penniless takes a job investigating a 40 year-old murder of the niece of a wealthy industrialist played by Christopher Plummer. He leaves behind the magazine and his lover and quickly becomes obsessed with the case as it morphs into conspiracy of vast proportions. All the while he works with the promise that Henrik Vanger (Plummer) has the goods on his nemesis Wennerström who had brought the lawsuit on him.

As the conspiracy widens he bring on an investigator, a rather unconventional one at that. Lisbeteh Salander, the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker is officially a ward of the state because she is labeled clinically insane. She is brilliant, but ultimately trapped by the system and therefore lives in the shadows of society. Her very appearance and manner make her almost invisibly to polite society which disregards her as just another troubled youth. She is able to use this to her great advantage.

Rooney Mara takes over the film at this point as the whole mood ratchets up ten notches. Her street smarts and ability to defend herself make her a worthy anti-hero as she simultaneously frees herself from her government oppressors and makes a true friend with Mikael.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It was easy enough to "bond" with Daniel Craig's character, but I found myself extremely sympathetic to Mara's character whom if I had met on the streets in my daily life would have repelled me.

The movie is rated R and rightly so, with some extreme violence (though not gratuitous) and some sex scenes. I can imagine sequels stemming from this as there are two more novels in the series, though this movie stands alone in it's resolution.


4 of 5 stars



CW