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House of Sand and Fog starring Jennifer Connelly & Ben Kingsley: Bad Things Happen to Stupid People

Posted on March 6, 2012 Written by ripitup

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House of Sand and Fog starring Jennifer Connelly & Ben Kingsley
House of Sand and Fog starring Jennifer Connelly & Ben Kingsley. Image via moviegoods.com

I really wanted to like this movie. I did. I was ready to and I guess I’d have if it hadn’t lasted 126 minutes (whose 26 minutes or more consist about characters being extra stupid and shots being extra slow- making the audience lose any ounce of sympathy we might have built). It is not all bad, but with its premise and actors, it should/could have been so much more.

Let’s go over the premise first and then we will get into the flaws…. Oops. I meant the details.

Bad Things Do Happen to Stupid People

Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is a “former” alcoholic who was dumped by her husband 6 months ago and works as a cleaning lady. She’s depressed, and not very close to her family (as in her mother doesn’t know about the husband leaving) and is not paying attention to the “mundane” details of everyday life- such as reading her mail.

So she is shocked to find out that the government is evicting her from her house because of  $500 worth of unpaid business taxes. Of course she doesn’t own a business, but the she is evicted regardless. The only person who is remotely helpful is the deputy sheriff Lester (Ron Eldard). He helps her move her stuff out, and tells her where she can get legal assistance.

Her legal advisor Connie (Frances Fisher) tries her best to solve things soon, but things get complicated when former Iranian soldier Behrani (Ben Kingsley) wants to relive his glory days in America and he is sick of doing hard labor to get there. When he realizes he has enough money to buy Kathy’s house at an auction at less than half its price, he jumps at it. He moves there with his wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and son.

Kathy’s life of course soon spirals out of control as she doesn’t have enough money to pay the motel bill and sees that her house has now new residents- but their family “leader” Behrani has no intention of showing this girl any understanding.

He plans to renovate the house cheaply and then sell it with lots of profit. Kathy’s only “friend” Lester helps her with her residence issues, but he is not exactly a model citizen in letting Kathy drink again- as well as leaving his family behind to be with her.

As things get more personal and complicated for Kathy and Lester, Behrani doesn’t notice how far things will go for all of them….

*

So why is it disappointing?

Don’t come criticizing me for being too easy on “mediocre” movies (to most people “mediocre” is either mindless action or romantic comedies) and being too hard on “artistic” efforts like this one.

I am ready to be fond of “less” artistic movies for the sake of entertainment. It is their job to entertain. They may not always leak with genius, but if they make sure we have fun, then all is well at my end.

But you see, when you put Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley together, adapt a novel with a very humane story and get three Oscar nominations, I really expect to feel some things other than depression, contempt (for the characters) and boredom.

I expect to find at least one character who gets something right- and I expect that to be one of the main characters-not the lawyer of the girl who has about 10 minutes of screen time.

Why the contempt for characters? Well- let’s start (yes, there are spoilers!):

Kathy (Jennifer Connelly):

–          She is so not connected with her family that her mother doesn’t know her husband left. 6 months ago!

–          She is so out-of-it, she hasn’t read her mail. In months.

–          As unbearable as your mother is, surely she is better than being evicted, sleeping with a married man, starting drinking again, harassing the not-so-understanding owner of the new house, getting all suicidal….yes, her list continues. Frankly I’d listen to a mother lecturing me instead of all that.

–          She doesn’t try to get a better job, therapy or…anything. And this woman has no friends? Seriously? Nada?

Behrani (Ben Kingsley):

–          So he is basically a bastard for the 98 % of the movie- not listening to his wife or son, not being understanding to Kathy, hitting his wife once and filling in his son’s head with utter crap. It is more important to impress his daughter’s stuck-up in-laws than to help someone. Oh, then he goes all saint-like when the girl attempts suicide. Lovely. Believable. Right….

The Wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo):

–          It is a great idea to run a hot bath to a girl who has just attempted suicide where she could drown herself and leave her alone in the bathroom. No, she doesn’t try to drown herself. Why should she when she can access the woman’s pills?

–          I am not even going to question her taste in men- I am guessing she didn’t really have much choice.

The Son:

–          Goes from the voice of reason to the stupidest character in the history of film. Wonderful character development, wouldn’t you say?

 

Lester (Ron Eldard):

–          He comes on to a girl when she is at her most vulnerable (and who wasn’t thinking straight before that), encourages her to drink again, leaves his family to be with her but leaves her alone in a country house because his wife is causing scenes, abuses his job to threaten Behrani, shows up at their house to save Kathy, doesn’t listen to Kathy when she is ready to move on…If Kathy’s IQ is well under 90, his is probably lower than 70. 70 was Forrest Gump’s.

 

*

Final Notes

So when you have so many characters acting like idiots, it is hard to feel or root for them. It  doesn’t earn any points for the director that he added tragedy for tragedy’s sake.

Adapted from the book of Andre Dubus III by Vadim Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto. Directed by Vadim Perelman.

I don’t really have anything against the Oscar nominations of the film though. They were for Ben Kingsley’s acting (Best Actor), Shohreh Aghdashloo’s acting (Best Supporting Actress) and James Horner’s music. The acting was solid, so was the music. Too bad the characters and editing weren’t.  And does Jennifer Connelly have to take her clothes off in every movie? Yes, she is a great actress and she happens to be gorgeous. So what?

 

*

Also on Jennifer Connelly:

A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly & Paul Bettany

Coming Soon:The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin James, Winona Ryder and Channing Tatum

Jennifer Connelly Trivia: 14 Facts About Actress Jennifer Connelly

Dark City

Requiem for a Dream

He is just not that into you

Of Love and Shadows

6 Hollywood Couples: Gorgeous, Glamorous and Happy Together

Also on Ben Kingsley:

The Last Legion starring Colin Firth & Ben Kingsley


 

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Andre Dubus III, Ben Kingsley, ben kingsley Oscar nomination, drama, frances fisher, house of sand and fog, house of sand and fog cast, house of sand and fog movie, house of sand and fog movie review, Jennifer Connelly, jennifer connelly movies, movies, ron eldard, Shawn Lawrence Otto, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Vadim Perelman

A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris & Paul Bettany

Posted on December 13, 2010 Written by ripitup

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A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris & Paul Bettany
A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris & Paul Bettany

John Nash (Russell Crowe) is a brilliant mathematician who gets into Princeton on a prestigious degree. Obsessively working on a big and original idea for his doctorate thesis, he is often mocked by his peers due to his highly anti-social and odd behavior. His only real friend turns out to be his roommate Charles (Paul Bettany).

After a while, a night out with friends gives him the perfect idea and he gets the credit and success he deserves. Years later, he is working with his Princeton friends, Sol (Adam Goldberg) and Bender (Anthony Rapp) at MIT. There he meets a beautiful student named Alicia (Jennifer Connelly) and they start dating. However, Nash has already accepted a secret government assignment as a code-breaker, recruited by a man named William Parcher (Ed Harris) and his assignments start getting riskier after marrying Alicia. But is John’s paranoia justified?

As Nash is admitted to a mental hospital under the authority of Dr. Rosen (Christopher Plummer), both Nash and Alicia are about to face a shocking revelation…

**

A Beautiful Mind is based on the life of the mathematician John Nash, and the biographical book of the same name. Directed by Ron Howard in 2001, A Beautiful Mind is one of those rare movies where you agree that it deserved all the Oscars and Oscar nominations it received. And I definitely wish Crowe had won Best Actor. It was one of the most humane, authentic and touching performances I have ever seen on screen.

The movie won 4 Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly), Best Director (Ron Howard), Best Film (Ron Howard & Brian Grazer) and Best Adapted Screenplay ( Akiva Goldsman). The nominations were Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Editing, Best Makeup and Best Music (James Horner). I also wish the movie had gotten the best makeup academy award – especially for what they have done with Russell Crowe.

You see, I have never been a Guy Ritchie or Christopher Nolan or Quentin Tarantino fan. Sure there have been Nolan movies that I enjoyed but as I realized once more, I will take a Ron Howard movie any day. Ron has directed Apollo 13, Ransom, Far and Away, The Da Vinci Code, Cinderella and more.  Yeah, I guess I am more into old-fashioned story-telling with great actors, lovely music and an interesting story than cult appeal.

Highly recommended.

Fun Note: Co-stars Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly got married in 2003 and they have a child together.

 

Other Posts on Russell Crowe & his movies

A Good Year starring Russell Crowe & Marion Cotillard

Other Posts on Jennifer Connelly & her movies

Coming Soon:The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin James, Winona Ryder and Channing Tatum

Jennifer Connelly Trivia: 14 Facts About Actress Jennifer Connelly

Dark City

Requiem for a Dream

He is just not that into you

Of Love and Shadows

6 Hollywood Couples: Gorgeous, Glamorous and Happy Together

Other Paul Bettany Movies & Posts

The Tourist starring Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie & Paul Bettany

Firewall starring Harrison Ford, Virginia Madsen and Paul Bettany

6 Hollywood Couples: Gorgeous, Glamorous and Happy Together

Other Ed Harris Movies

Copying Beethoven starring Ed Harris & Diane Kruger

Swing Shift starring Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell & Ed Harris

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: a beautiful mind, a beautiful mind movie, Academy-award winning movie, adam goldberg, Akiva Goldsman, anthony rapp, biography, brian grazer, Christopher Plummer, drama, Ed Harris, james horner, Jennifer Connelly, john nash, movies, Paul Bettany, ron howard, russell crowe

Coming Soon:The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin James, Winona Ryder and Channing Tatum

Posted on September 24, 2010 Written by ripitup

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The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah
The Dilemma starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah. Coming to theaters in January, 2011.

 

 

 

And once again Vince Vaughn is in the leading role of a comedy about relationships. Now, while I won’t mind if Vince starts diversifying his characters and/or movie genres a bit (Return to Paradise was a great drama and in Domestic Disturbance he was the villain), I really don’t have anything against him playing the witty, funny and a little silly best friend/career guy. He made it a trademark and while it has become familiar, to a Vaugn fan (and I am one), it still works.

As opposed to the other directors/writers Vince Vaughn has worked with (himself and pal/Iron Man Series director Jon Favreau included), this time we have Ron Howard in the director’s seat and Allan Loeb has written the script..

It is interesting to see Ron Howard directing a trademark Vince Vaughn/ Kevin James film. Kevin James also seems to play the good-natured, fun-loving, family man over and over again (King of Queens, I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry). Let’s remember some of Ron’s work: Ransom, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Apollo 13, Far and Away…

Ron loves action/thriller elements, big budgets and even when he is directing a drama, he usually picks some epic and/or psychologically intense elements. So his current pick – a girl-friendly guy flick (or a guy friendly chick flick- The Dilemma seems to be a unisex result) did catch me a little off guard.

Allan Loeb is a great writer. I definitely adored his script for 21, and now that I know he penned Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, I am tempted to see it. But as it turns out, Loeb likes romantic dramas and comedies as well, since he wrote The Dilemma as well as Jennifer Aniston’s latest romcom The Switch. While none of these storylines and concepts seem as original and intriguing as 21, I should see the movies first before commenting.

And of course the cast includes three more impressive names: Jennifer Connelly – who happens to be one of my favorite actresses, Winona Ryder – an actress to be familiar with if you spent some time in the 90s and the current popular hunk Channing Tatum who you might remember from the fun dance movies Step-Up and Step Up 2. There is also Queen Latifah in a comedic supporting role.

The story is not as impressive as the cast and the crew but it seems fun and harmless enough:

Vince Vaughn’s character Ronny Valentine is best friends and colleagues with Isaac Backman (Kevin James). They hang out as couples – Ronny’s plus 1 is played by Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder plays Isaac’s wife Geneva. This perfect arrangement is ruined however when Ronny realizes that Geneva is cheating on his buddy Isaac, with a younger, fitter and a hotter guy (Channing Tatum). This results in Ronny having the ultimate dilemma: Should he tell Isaac? Or should he just keep it shut?

 

Other Posts on Jennifer Connelly Movies and Posts

Jennifer Connelly Trivia: 14 Facts About Actress Jennifer Connelly

Dark City

Requiem for a Dream

He is just not that into you

Of Love and Shadows

  6 Hollywood Couples: Gorgeous, Glamorous and Happy Together

 

Other Vince Vaughn Movies and Posts

Couples Retreat starring Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Kristin Bell

Wedding Crashers starring Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher

Return to Paradise starring Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche and Joaquin Phoenix

10 Funniest Movies feat. Old School starring Vaughn, Will Ferrell and Luke Wilson

Looking Up: Tall Girls Dating

22 Tall Actors From Hollywood

 

Other Winona Ryder Movies

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee with Robin Wright Penn, Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder

Reality Bites starring Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller

 

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: 21 movie, allan loeb, channing tatum, channing tatum movies, comedy, drama, Jennifer Connelly, jennifer connelly movies vince vaughn movies, kevin james, movies, new vince vaughn movie, queen latifah, ron howard, the dilemma, the dilemma movie, Vince Vaughn, vince vaughn new movie, Winona Ryder, winona ryder movies

11 Celebrity Trivia Articles Not Featured On My Blog

Posted on July 30, 2010 Written by ripitup

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I write on other websites as well so sometimes those sites fall short of my articles or sometimes my blog does. It is still me, so I thought I will feature the links to my trivia articles published online.

  1. Jennifer Aniston: 22 Facts About Jennifer Aniston
  2. Jennifer Connelly 14 Facts About Jennifer Connelly
  3. Keanu Reeves: Getting to Know Keanu Reeves- Keanu 101
  4. Gerard Butler: 25 Fun Facts About The Scottish Actor Gerard Butler
  5. Clive Owen: 21 Facts About The English Actor Clive Owen
  6. Jake Gyllenhaal
  7. Twilight Actors: Robert Pattinson,Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart
  8. Twilight Actors: (The Cullens) Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone.
  9. Tom Cruise
  10. Bon Jovi: 52 Facts About The Rock Fan Bon Jovi
  11. Mel Gibson: All About Mel: A fun yet fair Mel Gibson tribute
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Filed Under: For Fun: Celebrities, dating, relationships and everything else Tagged With: Bon Jovi, celebrity trivia, Clive Owen, Gerard Butler, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Bon Jovi, Keanu Reeves, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Twilight, twilight actors, twilight cast

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