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Fair Game starring Naomi Watts & Sean Penn

Posted on April 22, 2011 Written by ripitup

Fair Game starring Naomi Watts & Sean Penn. Image via sinema3.com.

Fair Warning: This movie is a political drama, based on real events – which is based on the book written by an ex- CIA agent. It has a documentary feel to it, and if you don’t like political dramas, with no action sequences, you should stay away. But it is well-told, well-shot and well-acted. And I liked this movie!

Movie Info:

Starring: Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.

Co-starring: Noah Emmerich

Guest Appearances: Ty Burrell, Sam Shepard, Rebecca Rigg, Brooke Smith,

Made in: 2010.

Awards: Mill Valley Film Festival Award (for Best Narrative Feature), Freedom of Expression Award (National Board of Review)

Written By: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth

Based on the Books By: Joseph Wilson (The Politics of Truth), Valerie Plame (Fair Game)

Directed By: Doug Liman (director of The Bourne Identity, Jumper, Mr. and Mrs. Smith)

Plot:

Set in the early 2000s, first term of President George W. Bush. C.I.A. Agent Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) is happily married to ex-Ambassador Joe Wilson (Sean Penn), with two young kids. While their friends know about Joe’s career and political views, they think Valerie is working for a finance company. And while Joe is not always happy about his wife being an agent, he is supportive and understanding.

Joe gets a chance to be involved in her work, when he is sent to Nijer to see whether they are working on weapons of mass destruction. Joe’s findings indicate that they are not working on such weapons, but the Bush administration is pretty much dying to invade Iraq, so they make sure the “findings” justify the invasion. Joe is more than frustrated to see that the government is using bogus intel, so he writes an article for The New York Times, explaining what he actually found. Angry White House officials strike back by exposing Valerie’s identity, and calling Joe a liar.

Now that her identity is exposed, Valerie’s operations come to halt- risking the lives of scientists she was meant to save. Moreover, everybody finds about her and a majority is willing to label to label them both as traitors. Valerie wants to avoid exposure, while Joe is willing to seek more publicity to clear their names.

Joe’s standing up for truth risks not only their reputation, lives and finances, but their marriage as well. Can Joe succeed? Or will they lose everything, while the White House gets away with everything?

Verdict:

I was a little afraid that this movie could be disappointing when the guy at the video store frowned at my choice and asked whether I picked the movie for its actors. Well, while I really seeing enjoy Watts and Penn on the screen, I also enjoy watching politics related conspiracy theories, and real-life examples of manipulation of the public view. So, no I wasn’t bored. I don’t know if Joe and Valerie are as right as they were depicted. But I wouldn’t be surprised if everything depicted in the movie really happened.

Fair Game is engaging. It frustrates you and it challenges you. No, it is not fast. But it is solid, and worth-watching. And I really like the overall message and Joe’s actions. It is not all that hard to identify either with him and Valerie- regardless of your country.

Give it a shot. Currently 7.0 on IMDB, which I find a little underrated.

Favorite Lines/Scenes:

– When a full class doesn’t know the 16 words George W. Bush used that led them to war, but they all knew that his wife’s name was Valeri Plame

Joe Wilson (Sean Penn): when did the question move from why are we going to war to who is this man’s wife? I asked the first question.

– Valerie’s friend (Brooke Smith): So do you have lovers all over the world? Do you have a gun? Have you killed people?
Valerie (Naomi Watts): I can’t tell you anything.
Friend: You can’t tell me anything. OK. So you wanna go shopping?

Fun notes:

– Modern Family’s Phil Ty Burrell has a short role as a friend of the couple.

– Grey’s Anatomy’s Brooke Smith has a short role as a friend. She played the cardiologist Erica Kahn for 23 episodes in Grey’s Anatomy.

– Rebecca Rigg, who also plays a friend, is the real life wife of The Mentalist star Simon Baker.

Also on Naomi Watts:

Naomi Watts Trivia

The Painted Veil with Naomi Watts and Edward Norton

The International starring Clive Owen & Naomi Watts

Dangerous Beauty starring Rufus Sewell & Catherine McCormack feat. Naomi Watts

Also on Sean Penn

Taps starring Timothy Hutton, Tom Cruise and Sean Penn

Also on Noah Emmerich

Beyond Borders starring Clive Owen, Angelina Jolie & Noah Emmerich

Beautiful Girls starring Timothy Hutton, Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Natalie Portman and Mira Sorvino

Pride and Glory with Edward Norton and Colin Farrell

The Kids Are All Right starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore & Mark Ruffalo

Posted on April 17, 2011 Written by ripitup

The Kids Are All Right starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore & Mark Ruffalo. Image via rizecity.com

Plot

Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) have been together a long time. Despite their own issues, and the issues of their two teenage kids Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), they are managing. But when Laser decides to find their sperm donor dad Paul (Mark Ruffalo) with the help of Joni, things get way out of hand: The kids really like their fun, laid-back dad – and he is a true contrast to their over-controlling mom Nic. To make things worse, Jules likes Paul too. And when Paul hires Jules to design his garden, things get even more complicated as something starts between them. How much of a change can a modern, 21^st century family can take?

Review – with Spoilers

The bad:

– The actions of characters & the depicting of characters:

The Kids Are All Right is an all right film, although it is a bit overrated. It has its moments and the acting is fine.

It’s the story and how the characters are shown that I have a problem with. We have a lesbian couple who get turned on by watching gay men porn. They tell us, and Laser, that human sexuality is complicated and we try to roll with that. But never at any point Jules thinks she is bisexual. Yet she jumps Paul’s bones almost the first moment they are alone together. Then she has sex with him again. But we are supposed to buy that she is %100 gay. Fine. And while Julianne Moore can be quite pretty when she wants to be, she doesn’t quite have a moment of attractiveness, or even really femininity at this film. I’ll never know how the ever hot-blooded Paul, who all the straight women around him are either trying to bed or are already bedding, found in Jules. OK. So let’s suppose he is all hormones and no ethics- that he will jump any woman when given the chance. But we have him falling for Jules. What the…?

And yes, of course Nic eventually finds out. And she goes ballistic. But interestingly, she is more mad at Paul. The kids are more mad at Paul. They treat him like a total disappointment. And while he is not the ideal father figure, he is kind, and warm-hearted and he did welcome the kids into his life, no questions asked. It’s Jules who was married, who cheated on their mom and yet it is Paul who ends up alone.

I never quite get it when people become more angry at the other man/woman rather than their own spouse. Yes, the other person showed total ill judgment sleeping with a married person, but he/she is not the one who married you. He/she is not the one who cheated on you. I always think that if you are not going to be equally angry, you are supposed to be angrier at the person who actually had responsibilities about you. Jules got another chance. Despite how naïve and weird he is, Paul deserved one too.

– Sex is reduced to just animal sex. Did we really need to see that much of Mark Ruffalo humping around?

The good:

– The acting is really good. Not just by Bening, Moore and Ruffalo, but the kids did a great job too. I’ll enjoy watching them in other movies.

– It is funny how Jules and Nic were thinking that their son might be gay and they were actually disappointed that he wasn’t, but he had found his dad.

– Paul’s overall reactions to the event. “I love lesbians” reaction when he found out both Nic and Jules gave birth to one child of his and that they were together.

Worth Watching?

– If you are a fan of the actors, and can’t resist the Oscar buzz ( the movie was nominated for 4 Oscars – Best Actress for Annette Bening, Best Supporting Actor for Ruffalo, Best Film and Best Screenplay, though it received none of the awards), it won’t bore you. It might annoy and disappoint you a bit, but I don’t think you will regret the time you put into it. But while it has some potential, there is a big chance it won’t be listed in your best movie experiences.

Directed and co-written by Lisa Cholodenko. Made in 2010. Currently 7.3 on IMDB.com

Fun notes:

This isn’t the only movie Moore does something against her character’s suggested sexuality. In Chloe, she is supposedly straight , married to Liam Neeson. She suspects her husband is cheating on her. But in the end, she ends up cheating on him- with a woman.

Also on Julianne Moore

Benny and Joon starring Johnny Depp, Aidan Quinn, Mary Stuart Masterson and Julianne Moore

Shelter starring Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers

The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones

Laws of Attraction and Pierce Brosnan feat. Julianne Moore

Chloe starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried

Also on Mark Ruffalo

Just Like Heaven starring Mark Ruffalo & Reese Witherspoon

Mark Ruffalo Trivia

How Do You Know? starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson & Jack Nicholson

Posted on April 13, 2011 Written by ripitup

The Basics

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson

Writing/directing Credits: James L. Brooks

Made in: 2010.

The Plot

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is a professional baseball player whose life is centered on the sport. Even her boyfriends have all been athletes and her latest, baseball player Matty (Owen Wilson) is no exception. Matty is a charming and immature womanizer, who provides the distraction Lisa needs while she waits to be informed about her future career.

George (Paul Rudd) is a very nice guy, and unfortunately this comes back to bite him in the butt with his company. He is being sued by the government, even though he has no idea what kind of mistake he or his employees have done. To add insult to the injury, his father, Charles (Jack Nicholson) decides to be the ultimate businessman and save the company first. This means the company board won’t be paying George’s legal expenses, and he won’t be informed about anything company-related. His only ally is his pregnant assistant Annie (Kathryn Hahn).

When Lisa and George meet, Lisa is no longer a part of the team and Matty has already decided that he is in love with her. George becomes infatuated with Lisa, but he has no idea how to charm her when they are both going through the worst career-related chapter in their lives…

So how entertaining is the movie?

How Do You Know is a romantic/comedy/drama with a great cast and a mediocre trailer. It is thoroughly enjoyable, and while it is not hilarious, it is very sweet and entertaining – with 5 really quirky characters (including George’s secretary).

Now, the movie is not pure comedy. It is not pure romance. And rather than dramatic, it has some necessary emotional moments. It’s also not just about Lisa finding the right guy. It is a bittersweet self-discovery for her, as well as George, who is also trying to survive the most depressing phase of his life. George is broke, in trouble with the law and discovering that his father can’t be relied upon and Lisa needs to figure out what she will do with the rest of her life. They are both clueless and neurotic, and their interaction is off to a clumsy start. And while the viewer can, and probably will, wonder about what really attracts George during their first date, Paul Rudd makes us buy the connection.

Owen Wilson’s character is a riot. He provides some of the best entertaining moments as his character is totally clueless about what a serious relationship actually means. He is practically a well-meaning yet totally shallow man child.

Who can enjoy it more?

– Fans of the cast.

– People who don’t mind that Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd keep playing the same type of characters over and over again.

– Genuine romantics who don’t mind characters will have to go through some personal stuff, and they won’t always be funny while dealing with them

– If you can handle characters that talk a lot and are clueless about a hell lot more.

Favorite Scenes:

– Lisa spends the night for the first time and Matty (Owen Wilson) has a whole drawer full of new toothbrushes and a whole wardrobe for the morning after (all either XS or S!).

– When both the doorman and Matty actually give space Lisa to think.

– George’s birthday gift and speech

– When Annie impulsively stands up to punch George’s dad…

Fun Notes:

Monk’s starring actor Tony Shalhoub makes a short appearance as Lisa’s therapist.

Verdict:

I’d give the movie a 6.5/10 as a whole, and 7.5 for the entertainment level.

Also on Paul Rudd:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis feat. Paul Rudd

I Love You, Man starring Jason Segel and Paul Rudd

I could Never Be Your Woman starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd

Also on Owen Wilson:

Marley & Me starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston

Wedding Crashers starring Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn & Rachel McAdams

Also on Reese Witherspon:

Just Like Heaven starring Reese Witherspoon & Mark Ruffalo

Penelope starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy

10 Celebrity Couple Break-Ups You May Not Have Seen Coming

Also on Jack Nicholson:

Wolf starring Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Spader

Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves

Did You Hear About the Morgans? starring Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker

Posted on April 10, 2011 Written by ripitup

Did You Hear About the Morgans? starring Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker. Feat. Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen.

Successful and busy New Yorkers, Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) used to be a happily married couple until Paul cheated. Now, they are separated and despite Paul’s constant efforts, Meryl doesn’t seem like she will forgive him anytime soon. However one night, they witness a murder and end up in the witness protection program, in a very small town in Wyoming. They will have to learn how to live without the city, without the technology, and worst, with each other. Can they survive the hitman tracking him, and not drive each other and their protectors Carl (Sam Elliot) and Emma Wheeler (Mary Steenburgen) crazy in the process?

Written and directed by Marc Lawrence, Did You Hear About The Morgans? Is an utterly predictable yet sufficiently enjoyable film. Yes, it is a typical Hugh Grant movie playing a typical Hugh Grant character. And yes, Sarah Jessica Parker once again plays a successful New Yorker who is in love with New York. But it really doesn’t matter. Because it is harmless good time, suitable for when you want an easy-going film with actors you are familiar with. It is not hilarious in the comedy department, though. It is just enough to make you grin a couple of times.

While nothing to write home about, it is not bad enough to deserve its current 4.4 user ranking on IMDB. It might deserve that, or maybe less, in the originality department, but definitely not as a movie in whole.

Favorite Lines:

Paul (Hugh Grant): I love you. Do you still love me at all?

Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker): I don’t know if I can sort of love you or love you a little.

Paul: Well, I’m fine with it. Honestly, I can get by with a little less love for a while. Maybe years.

Paul and his assistant are discussing what else Paul can get for Meryl.

Paul’s Assistant: You can buy a black hole.

Paul: I am not sure a black hole sends out the right message at this point in our relationship.

Also on Sarah Jessica Parker

Sex and the City TV Series

Sex and the City Movie

Sex and The City 2 – Movie Review

Women Can Stay Under Budget By Watching Carrie Bradshaw and Rebecca Bloomwood

Also on Hugh Grant:

Hugh Grant Trivia

Cheating Celebrity Trivia: 8 Male Celebrities That Cheated on Their Wives or Girlfriends