I recently went to two movies in the same weekend.
First was Hail, Caesar!
This Cohen Bros. movie was clearly a one off for these renown movie makers. We are familiar with the duo's quirky and violent offerings such as Fargo and No Country for Old Men. Great movies with a real dark streak that could leave some movie goers unsettled. Even their less violent movies like the Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona had a stark edge that never quite tread in the campy satyrism of Hail, Caesar!
Hail, Caesar! stars George Clooney and Josh Brolin as the headliners, but it is chalk full of star power. Brolin plays Eddie Mannix, the stereotypical Hollywood fixer for the legendary studio Capitol Pictures in the 1950s, Mannix cleans up and solves problems for big names and stars in the industry all in the name of protecting the image of the studio. When studio star Baird Whitlock (Clooney) disappears, he has to deal with more than just the reputation of the studio's main star and the biggest picture of the year.
The rest of the cast from Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill and Alden Ehrenreich to Channing Tatum round out a fabulous lineup of real acting talent.
While the movie pokes fun for our benefit at the studio system, its dirty secrets and over the top personality types it delves into a topic that Hollywood almost never dares. The conflict and tension requisite in all good flicks was a communist conspiracy to take over the movie business. This alone deserves praise for the Cohen Bros. What was once denied vehemently in Hollywood and later proven to be true is still basically a taboo subject.
The movie's subplot was Mannix's own inner turmoil around his desire for a regular life with his adoring wife and children and his love of the job - and the studio.
There is a lot to like about the movie. The acting is very good, straight up. The charged reverence for the golden years of the studio system and the campy but charming send offs of the flicks of the era make it eminently enjoyable to watch. Even the thought provoking fecklessness of the communist sympathizers was compelling and funny. However, all in all the movie wasn't really satisfying. Josh Brolin's Eddie Mannix just wasn't enough to latch onto - should have been, but wasn't.
3 of 5 stars
Risen
Going in I had no preconceived notions of what this movie was going to be. It was my son who really pulled me along - not necessarily a hard sell since I've always been interested in the life and times of Jesus Christ.
The opening scene was a truly fantastic battle between the resident conquering Romans and the insurrectionists of first century Judea. The leader of the Roman legion was Pontius Pilate's Tribune known as Clavius (played by Joseph Fiennes). Just when you think the Judean rebels have caught the Romans flatfooted and driven them back Clavius orders his men into a clever maneuver that destroys the rebels in short order.
When Clavius returns to Jerusalem Pilate (played by Peter Firth) orders him to tend to the crucifixion of a troublesome Jew. The Pharisees had demanded the body of the rebel Jesus be quietly removed to prevent his followers stealing the body and claim he had risen - a claim Jesus himself had made before his death.
Clavius instead gives the body to Joseph of Arimathea a wealthy man who has Jesus buried in the family tomb. Pilate orders Clavius to post guards at the entrance of the tomb for three days to appease the Pharisees. Three days later the body was gone and thus starts a mystery that takes Clavius to places he could have never imagined.
I found Joseph Fiennes acting to be first rate. Even at the beginning of the movie when you know he is an evil Roman terrorizing the Judeans, over seeing the daily crucifixions, you find yourself liking him. He has the easy manner of a professional just doing his job, pining for a quiet retirement on a ranch in the hills.
When Pilate allows him to conduct an investigation into the missing corpse the movie starts to resemble a contemporary process crime drama. Until, that is, Clavius finds Jesus and is dumbstruck by what his lyin' eyes are telling him. A stunned Clavius allows the Disciples and Jesus to escape the Roman legion tasked with finding them.
Clavius set out following the Disciples to the Sea of Galilee. Eventually he is welcomed into the group as they search for the risen Jesus. There is some touching and even funny moments as this fierce Roman Tribune is reduced to a star struck kid. It's no spoiler to say they find Jesus on the shores of Galilee. The persona of Jesus was well acted by Cliff Curtis and doesn't betray the character you'd expect or the Gospels you know. You cannot help but like him immensely.
I thought it was a very satisfying movie - primarily due to the intimacy the audience gets to with Clavius. It seemed like a fairly short 1 hour and 47 minutes, left me wanting more.
4 of 5 stars
CW
