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The Company Men starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello & Kevin Costner

Posted on November 10, 2011 Written by ripitup

The Company Men starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello & Kevin Costner. Image via prlog.org

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Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) has really made it: he is a white-collar that makes 120K a year+ bonuses, he drives a Porsche, goes golfing, has a beautiful house he can barely afford as well as a wife and 2 kids.

Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper) is pushing 60, and has climbed up considerably well in the corporate ladder.

Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones) is in the board of directors of the company both Bobby and Phil are working for, and is leading a very comfortable lifestyle.

However when a economic crisis hits the US, James Salinger (Craig T. Nelson), the CEO of their company, starts letting a lot of men go, starting with Bobby, who has been one of Gene’s favorite employees. Bobby finds that he hasn’t exactly saved money, and the expenses seem too much for an unemployed man to cover. He also realizes that his 12-year-experience doesn’t mean much in a competitive marketplace where much younger guys are willing to work for less. As he begrudgingly gets unemployment assistance, the CEO lets more people go and the company starts getting out of Gene’s control. Phil is also fired, and Gene’s reaction doesn’t reflect well on his affair with the head of human resources, Sally Wilcox (Maria Bello).

Bobby’s wife gets back to work, and he unwillingly accepts the job offer of Jack (Kevin Costner), his wife’s brother. He doesn’t enjoy having to work in construction under a man who believes all corporate white-collars are unworthy of their salaries, but he doesn’t have any other options left. Phil takes it much, much harder and Gene struggles with his values and keeps disapproving James’ actions…until Sally has to fire him as well.

3 former company men all get depressed and furious, and they all come up different solutions to their problems…

Thoughts, Other Criticisms and Endnote

The Company Men is a slow-paced, albeit effective drama about how much people give to their careers, what these careers demand and how they cope when the company they have built their careers at suddenly lets them go. It is realistic, a little sad and does offer some quite obvious (yet valuable) life lessons.

While some viewers have criticized the movie for aiming to make us feel sorry about a bunch of rich white guys, they are actually missing the point. The movie is about how the lives of 3 white collar men turn upside down. What, because they earned much more money than the average movie-goer, their story is not worth telling? Would those viewers not be crushed if the careers they gave their life to/depended upon/defined themselves with were taken away from them?

With Ben Affleck’s character, he suddenly finds himself without any money- with a family to take care of, his frustration is understandable. He wasn’t always upper middle class. And you know the last job Jim Carrey would want on earth? It is being a custodian. Not because he looks down on the profession. It is because he was actually broke, and worked as a custodian. It is understandable that Afflec’s Bobby doesn’t want to do construction work until he absolutely has to….

With Chris Cooper, it is how he defines himself. He is from a generation where people gave their lives to one company. He doesn’t know what to do. Sure, it is sad, and a little pathetic maybe. But his job is all he knows…

With Tommy Lee Jones, it is the betrayal of a friend, the lack of empathy in his friend and how values millions over the lives of other people…

So of course you can criticize the characters for caring too much about one company, the course of one career. You can judge them for not being prepared. But it is hard to prepare for a big downhill, if things went on very smoothly for a very long time.

So, no, this movie is not about 3 rich guys who suddenly find themselves penniless. The only guy who finds himself penniless is the one who wasn’t rich to begin with. The Company Men is about how much value we place on our careers/jobs, how precaution matters, how we should have more than just our jobs/education to define us and how life really requires us to have a back-up plan. It may not be the most original story around, but guess what- my father experienced what Affleck went through. He went through what Cooper went through too, although thankfully he got over it just fine because my mom has always been great with managing money. I find it hard to believe that people who really watched this movie-from beginning to end- couldn’t find something they could relate to.

Some complained that the women in the film weren’t depicted in the best light. At best, they had been loyal wives who picked their husband’s career over theirs. At worst, they were either successful businesswomen who didn’t mind sleeping with married men or materialistic women who just lived through their husband’s wealth. But come on…Not all movies have to give us amazing female characters. There are a lot of women who prioritize their husband’s money, their career and just sit at home and look after the kids. It’s their choice. And just because I am not like that, I am not going to give up on a perfectly good movie because the female characters aren’t that great. And look at the title of the movie…Does it look like it’ll be an effective study of the modern woman?

Is this a movie you absolutely have to see? No. It is good, emotional and has good acting. Sure, you can ignore it. After all, it is not life-altering. It is not mind-blowing. It doesn’t reinvent anything. And it’s more about facing reality than being entertained. But it is solid, the actors are great and it doesn’t make you regret you saw it. Rated at 6.8 on IMDB, it all depends on how interested you are in the core story. Because it is delivered well.

Written and directed by John Wells.

Beautiful Boy starring Maria Bello & Michael Sheen

Posted on August 7, 2011 Written by ripitup

Beautiful Boy (2010) movie poster — Beautiful Boy (2010) starring Maria Bello & Michael Sheen. Image via moviescribes.com

Beautiful Boy – Plot Summary

Kate (Maria Bello) and Bill (Michael Sheen) are the about-to-be-separated parents of college freshman Sammy (Kyle Gallner). However Bill’s plan to move out, and Kate’s one last attempt at a family holiday to make things better are blown by the most earth-shattering news: Not only their son has committed suicide, he has done so after mass-shooting other students at his college.

The movie practically starts after the shooting, and we watch the terribly devastating and difficult journey of Bill and Kate as they try to digest and understand the events as well as trying to cope. It is extremely hard when two people- who barely looked at each other- now only have each other to lean on.

Beautiful Boy: A Beautiful Film

I tried my best to write a plot summary worthy of the film, but it is difficult. Because you see, this is not a an eventful film. Sure, the kid of a normal, white-collar family shooting his friends is huge, but we don’t see it happening. The movie shows us the effects as Bill and Kate try to survive with the loss of their son, as well as the guilt and anger that they feel towards his crime. And while the movie mostly shows the parents try to go through the motions, it is not boring. Difficult, emotional and thought-provoking? Yes. But boring? No.

The acting is great. I’ve always been a fan of Maria Bello, and I’ve a whole new level of admiration for Michael Sheen.. It is hard to believe Sheen is the weird vampire from Twilight, or the douche rocker dude from Laws of Attraction or the mean, spoilt lord from Timeline.

The writing and direction are fine, although sometimes I wondered if they could have added a trial at therapy. I mean- surely the fact that your son just committed such a crime before killing himself is not something anyone can deal without any professional help?

With the exception of that, this was a refreshing movie. I saw Dark Matter (starring Meryl Streep & Aidan Quinn) where the story showed how the mass-shooter came to that mindset) or The Life Before Her Eyes (starring Uma Thurman & Evan Rachel Wood) where we saw how one survivor dealt with the guilt afterwards. But I hadn’t seen a movie where we saw through the eyes of the parents of the shooter.

As I said, as difficult as it is to watch and even try to think what you would have done if you were in their shoes, it is a should-see film, although it is not for the faint of heart. There is no violence. There is no gore. But there are extreme emotions, outbursts and worse, apathy.

Currently rated 7.1 on IMDB.

Written by Shawn Ku and Michael Armbruster. Directed by Shawn Ku.

Cast Notes:

– One of the supporting characters is Kate’s brother with whom Kate and Bill go to stay after their home is invaded by the media. He is played by Alan Tudyk, who was one of the first Vs posing as humans in the TV show V (2009 version). He played Elizabeth Mitchell’s partner.

– Another supporting character is the writer Cooper (Austin Nichols), whose novel is spell-checked by Kate.

Other Articles on the Cast

Maria Bello

The Jane Austen Book Club starring Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Emily Blunt, Kevin Zegers

Six Diverse Movies From The Beautiful Actress Maria Bello

Must-See Pierce Brosnan Movies feat. Butterfly on a Wheel, Remember Me, Seraphim Falls & More

Posted on November 23, 2010 Written by ripitup

Coupling character Steve (Jack Davenport) states in one episode that one of the things all heterosexual men in common is that their favorite Bond is Sean Connery. That might be true. But I am a girl and my favorite Bond is Pierce Brosnan. This might be due to the fact that Pierce became 007 about the same time I developed an appetite for movies, entertainment and well, good-looking men. Pierce is not only my favorite Bond but also one of my favorite actors. And while I appreciate everything Ian Flemming and Hollywood have done for us, I’ll exclude the Bond films from this list. Because yes, Pierce has made even more entertaining, intriguing and/or challenging films.

After the Sunset starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Woody Harrelson

This is one great action/comedy with a touch of sexy romance co-starring the ever-gorgeous Salma Hayek. Here, Brosnan plays a middle-aged thief who has promised his younger and hot girlfriend and partner in crime Salma Hayek that this would be their final heist. But agent Woody Harrelson is dying to catch him. He tracks them to their tropical island and tries to collaborate with beautiful local female cop. Does he have what it takes to catch Max? Or will Max try to pull his biggest heist ever, while trying not to lose the love of his life in the process?

Exotic location, beautiful leads, smart plots and fun action. This movie may not be deep, but it will show you a good time if you let it.

Evelyn starring Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies and Aidan Quinn

Ireland, 1950s. When out of work painter Desmonf Doyle (Pierce Brosnan) is dumped by his wife, he has to take care of his 3 children. But social norms and laws of the time don’t seem all that willing to let a broke father keep his kids. So the fight of his life starts, as he changes his life, finds work and fights against the Irish Constitution. Brosnan is terrific as the loving father, desperate to win his case. Co-starring are Julianna Margulies (as the beautiful bartender), Aidan Quinn (as his attorney).

Butterfly on a Wheel starring Gerard Butler, Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello

Co-starring Maria Bello and Gerard Butler, this is one of my favorite movies ever. This is a great, low-budget thriller (as in decent quality and a great script that doesn’t require special effects). Abby (Maria Bello) and her husband Neil (Gerard Butler) seem like the perfect couple. He has a great job in advertising; they have a lovely daughter and a solid marriage. Or so it seems.

When a weekend requires the couple to leave their child with a babysitter, things change for the worse:

Before Abby can meet her friend and Neil can meet his boss, they are taken hostage in their car by a gun man (Pierce Brosnan) they have never seen before. They have to meet his demands or they will never see their daughter again. However, as it turns out, this man is not exactly after money. The problems in their marriage and trust issues resurface as they try to do their best with the strange and challenging requests of this man. What does he want? And why does he hate them so much?

This movie is original, smart and well-paced. The acting is top-notch as expected and it is fun watching Butler playing such a grey character. And it also has one of my favorite movie endings.

Top 5 Movie Endings feat. Se7en, Man from Earth, Butterfly on a Wheel and More

Seraphim Falls starring Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson

Seraphim Falls starring Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan.

A great western/drama/thriller where Liam Neeson has hired a bunch of men to do one thing alone: to kill his nemesis, Pierce Brosnan.

It doesn’t seem exactly right for those men to go after one man – who doesn’t strike you as a villain at all. Is this a simple fight for survival between good or evil or are things much more complicated than they seem?

Very solid and engaging. It is always a pleasure watching Neeson or Brosnan. It is definitely a fine move to put them together in a different kind of western movie.

Seraphim Falls Review

Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Lena Olin, Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper

Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper and Lena Olin. Wonderful drama/ romance.

I watched this movie after I had originally finished this post so it was added later. While the trailer was not really promising, the movie is a heart-felt and decent effort at a drama/romance that will stay with you even after the end credits roll. Sure, some hate it but trust me, it deserves a chance. Especially if you’re only familiar with Pattinson from his Twilight role.

* Ultimate fun for romantic comedy lovers: Laws of Attraction

Laws of Attraction starring Julianne Moore and Pierce Brosnan. A sweetheart of a romcom. Funny too.

*Also Recommended: The Ghost Writer starring Pierce Brosnan, Evan McGregor and Kim Catrall

The Ghost Writer starring Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor and Kim Catrall. Image via actorsandcrew.com

I am not a Polanski fan and I don’t particularly enjoy Evan McGregor movies but this is one decent drama thriller. Not the most entertaining Brosnan role, but one of the most interesting plots.

The Ghost Writer Review

What are your Brosnan favorites?

Top 10 Gerard Butler Movies

Posted on December 30, 2009 Written by ripitup

This is not about critics, imdb ratings or box office results. It is my favorites from one of my fav. actors. If you want to share your thoughts on Gerard, you are more than welcome to do it here.

1) Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

This movie is a wonderful thriller that makes you question a lot of things, including who the bad guys/good guys in the movie. I side with Gerard Butler’s Clyde on most of his avenging acts, despite a couple of things. This movie isn’t perfect but it is pretty damn good. If you like your story smart, your “hero” on the “darker” side and enjoy a good revenge story, do not miss it. For the ones who have seen it, here is a review:

http://cinemaroll.com/cinemarolling/law-abiding-citizen-two-steps-short-of-perfection/

2) Butterfly on a wheel (2007)

I tend to like a movie more if it has some of the actors I love. This movie has 3: Pierce Brosnan, Gerard Butler and Maria Bello. A perfect marriage, a perfect kidnapping, an unpredictable criminal with strange requests. Or maybe the crime makes perfect sense and our “hero” Neil is not so perfect after all. No spoilers.

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/gerard-butler/

3) Please (1999)

Award-winning short film with Butler in the lead. My review on the film includes the youtube link where you can watch the whole movie:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/please/

4) The Ugly Truth (2009)

Men are cocky, superficial and all you need to get one is to be thin, own some hot lingerie and give blow-jobs. Women are hopeless dreamers who are equally supeficial. They want romance if it is provided by a handsome guy with a good job. Or maybe things aren’t just simple and the truth isn’t that ugly. This R-rated romantic comedy shows us some reality with hilarious scenes, likable characters and predictable yet enjoyable twists. For the review including screen shots:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/the-ugly-truth/

5) Dear Frankie (2004)

One modest sweetheart of a movie that wins you over with the acting and storytelling; not with the originality of the script. Frankie is a smart but deaf boy raised by his mother and grandmother. Their whereabouts are hidden from his violent father. His mother Lizzie does everything to protect him from the truth, so she writes to him as his father: a nice man, a sailor who can not be with them because of work. Of course a coincidence forces Lizzie to find a man to pose as the father. What she hasn’t planned on how this stranger (Gerard Butler) will connect both with her and Frankie:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/dear-frankie-2004/

6) P.S I love you (2007)

Holly (Swank) and Gerry (Butler) are a happily married couple and still madly in love. When Gerry suddenly dies, Holly has difficulty in coping. However Gerry has planned ahead: He has written to Holly that are to arrive at specific times after his death. Bittersweet romantic drama/comedy. For the trailer:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/p-s-i-love-you/

7) Attila (2001)

An epic TV film based on the life of Atilla, leader of the Huns. It has all the glory of an epic picture should have: nice battle sequences, love,loss,pain,treachery,lust…:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/attila-2001/

8 ) Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life (2003)

Sequel to the first Lara Croft. Is it just me or is Angelina Jolie the best actress to play a video game character ever? She has the looks and the stamina. And who better than Butler to provide the sexual tension? Check out the longer review with pictures:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/lara-croft-tomb-raider-the-cradle-of-life/

9) Timeline (2003)

A group of archeology students are forced to travel in time to save one of their friends’ father. It doesn’t help that they find themselves in France in the middle of the war with England, in 21st century. The fact that one of them is French doesn’t help. Paul Walker and Gerard Butler star. Funny, full of action and very romantic:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/timeline-2003/

10) Nim’s Island (2008)

A widower biologist father (Gerard Butler) and his daughter Nim live on a recluded Pacific island. Nim loves this life and reading adventure books by Alex Rover. What she doesn’t know that the real Alex is an agoraphobic female (Jodie Foster) – unlike the Indiana Jonesque Alex she imagined. All hell breaks loose when Alex needs to get out to save Nim from trouble…For more details and the trailer:

https://pinartarhan.com/blog/nims-island/

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