Genre: Biography
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Olivia DeJonge, Luke Bracey, Natasha Bassett, David Wenham, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Xavier Samuel, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Dacre Montgomery, Leon Ford, Kate Mulvany, Gareth Davies, Charles Grounds, Josh McConville, Adam Dunn
Runtime: 2 hrs 39 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Drug and Sexual References)
Released By: Waner Bros
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 June 2022
Synopsis: ELVIS is an epic, big-screen spectacle from Warner Bros. Pictures and visionary, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Baz Luhrmann that explores the life and music of Elvis Presley, starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks. A thoroughly cinematic drama, Elvis’s (Butler) story is seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). As told by Parker, the film delves into the complex dynamic between the two spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).
Movie Review:
When it comes to biopics, authenticity appears to be the yardstick most would measure it by. For flamboyant filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, that would be both stifling and obvious.
It’s been almost a decade since his last feature (The Great Gatsby, 2013) and two for Moulin Rouge! (2001), but the Australian director commits to his inimitable visual theatrics with his latest feature, Elvis. Is this a rich documentary with nuance? Not exactly. Instead, Luhrmann shakes down the short two decades of the singer’s fiery stardom into a creature that he’s more familiar with - a feverish story revving with soulful tracks to pay tribute to Elvis’s influences, and then his rediscovery in his later years - all dripping with signature baroque and burlesque from Luhrmann and his crew.
So yes, this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. From swooping cinematography and jangling tracks piling over each other, to graphic novel panels and frenzied edits, Elvis is an emotional dervish - a project that needs the audience to release their reins and expectations of the traditional narrative. Elvis, in short, needs to be felt.
This unorthodox treatment shows up wonderfully in some areas: Luhrmann’s lush cinematography comes through with the help of Mandy Walker, who also worked with him in another feature, Australia. From sweaty foreheads displaying grit and passion in the early blues and gospel singers, to the psychedelic dream of a fairground representing Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) eternal spiel, the visuals here are decadent and uninhibited - visceral in every hue and texture. And in between, all manners of creative edits to put the director forth as a master of transitions.
This is joined by an intense soundtrack, unrelenting in its lure. Much like how Moulin Rouge! found footing in its mix of modern and classic tunes, Luhrmann shows off his finesse once again with Elvis - smuggling in contemporaries like Eminem, Ceelo Green, Denzel Curry and even Doja Cat to deliver portions of Presley’s classics. But it is the heavy tribute to his early musical influences - such as Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right” (performed by Gary Clark Jr.) - so full of raw power and expression depicting the era’s struggle for coloured people, that really places the movie’s score as a stellar (if trippy) blend.
For much of Presley’s renditions, Austin Butler, who plays the title character, is near flawless in his numbers. Taking on the daunting task of playing a legend is always risky, as one submits to the scrutiny of fans and purists. But the actor has captured isms effectively, and transformed them enough to his own to make them feel natural and not mere affectations.
But the film does have its letdowns. Elvis and his relationship with his family (especially that of his two important figures - his mother and wife) is rather diluted, thus taking away the poignancy of certain milestone events. The other - and I’m sad to say - is Hank’s portrayal of the manager and mentor of Presley. Wrapped up in stiff prosthetics, the Colonel’s greasy impresario has little charm like that of Jim Broadbent’s Harold Zidler in Rouge. And because the entire film’s angle is meant to serve empathy to Parker’s broad reputation as a swindler, the complete narrative ends up as one that is a little confusing, and mostly unsatisfying.
That said, Luhrmann’s untouchable when it comes to delivering entertainment, of which Elvis remains a healthy piece. The pageantry of its production aligns with Elvis’s whirlwind rise and iconic status, and the soundtrack resonates deeply with tribute. Very much something that taps into movie magic.
Movie Rating:
(So much splendour and filmic finesse, so much so that weaker portions are washed over for the entire’s entertainment value)
Review by Morgan Awyong
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ZENDAYA & ANNE HATHAWAY IMMERSES THEMSELVES IN BULGARIPosted on 31 May 2022 |
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JEEP X JURASSICPosted on 02 Jun 2022 |
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Ben Stassen, Benjamin Mousquet
Cast: Jordan Tartakow, Joe Ochman, Danny Fehsenfeld, Mark Irons, Donte Paris
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Muse Communication & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 June 2022
Synopsis: Set in a lush fantasy world, the film follows the adventures of Chickenhare, a young hero born half chicken and half hare, who was adopted by King Peter, a famous hare adventurer. Eager to fit in and feel loved in spite of his differences, Chickenhare is obsessed with adventuring...no matter how clumsy he is. When the Kingdom's greatest villain - his very own uncle - escapes from jail and threatens to overthrow his father, Chickenhare embarks on an epic race against time along with Abe, sarcastic turtle, and Med, a reckless female martial arts expert, to stop him.
Movie Review:
From the independent Belgian studio nWave behind such modest feature-length animations as ‘Sammy’s Adventures’, ‘The Son of Bigfoot’ and ‘The Queen’s Corgi’ comes their latest family-friendly adventure about a part-chicken, part-hare character named Chickenhare, who sets off on a quest to stop his nefarious uncle Lapin from acquiring the legendary scepter known as the Hamster of Darkness, after inadvertently setting Lapin free from the prison he has been imprisoned in following a failed attempt to overthrow Chickenhare’s father King Peter.
Those who have seen their earlier films should know that it is easily their best yet, boasting an engaging screenplay by Hollywood writer Dave Collard (who was co-writer on Disney’s ‘The Wild’) as well as crisp direction from nWave veterans Ben Stassen and Benjamin Mousquet. ‘Chickenhare’ is also testament to how far nWave has evolved its technology over the years, with the animation looking as bright, lively and rich as their accomplished Hollywood counterparts, though to their credit, they never let that distract from what is an inspiring story about embracing your differences and turning them into strength.
Drawing from the graphic novel by Chris Grine, ‘Chickenhare’ lets its titular character (voiced by Jordan Tartakow) take centre stage in this coming-of-age adventure. After an opening prologue depicting how Peter (Brad Venable) discovered Chickenhare and adopted him, the story quickly moves to establish Chickenhare as an insecure young teenager unsure of how to fit in, deciding to mask his chicken-like qualities in order to appear more ‘hare’. It is Chickenhare’s eagerness to prove himself to his father King Peter that also leads him to enter the dungeon where Uncle Lapin (Danny Fehsenfeld) has been locked up since a failed coup, and why Chickenhare decides to take it upon himself to stop Lapin from acquiring the magical powers of the scepter that could lead to the destruction of the kingdom.
As with such animations, Chickenhare’s journey is enlivened by a roster of colourful supporting characters. Aiding Chickenhare is his faithful servant Abe (Joey Lotsko), a turtle whose sarcasm adds much dry levity to the proceedings, and an unlikely new friend he meets named Meg (Laila Berzins), a rebellious female skunk whose ultimate martial arts skill of farting will delight the children. On the other hand, Lapin is accompanied by Meg (Dino Andrade), a duck whose self-importance is simply amusing, and Luther (Joseph Carmen), a gorilla who has since left behind his glory days as a criminal to become a stay-at-home father.
To Stassen and Mousquet’s credit, there is never a dull moment throughout the 90-minute film, buoyed as it is by dynamic action sequences sharply choreographed and executed. The standout here is a kooky set-piece involving a confrontation between Chickenhare and his companions and an army of marshmellow pigs that live in a bamboo forest, the latter utterly delightful in their cube-shaped copiousness advancing like a living game of Tetris to capture our heroes as sacrifice for their pagan-styled worship ceremony. Like we said, nWave has come a long way since their earlier ‘Sammy’s Adventures’, and it shows in every frame.
Even though it doesn’t break new ground for the genre, ‘Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness’ is enjoyable in its own right, with a uplifting story, great pacing and strong visuals combining to make it perfectly accessible family entertainment. A special shout-out too to the cast, who demonstrate there are perfectly talented voice actors out there who are not big-name Hollywood stars. Amidst other higher-profile animations like ‘Lightyear’ and ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, those looking for something simple but just as sweet for the kids will find ‘Chickenhare’ an unassuming and therefore unexpected delight.
Movie Rating:
(An engaging coming-of-age story, great pacing and strong visuals combine to make this familiar but fun animation an unassuming delight)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Hong Won-ki
Cast: AleXa Arin, Bong Jae-hyun, EXY, Ju Hak-nyeon, Jung Won-chang, Kim Do-yoon, Lee Ho-won, Lee Min Hyuk, Lee Soo-min, Lee Yul-eum, Oh Ryoong, Rie Young-zin, Seo Ji-soo, SEOLA, SHOWNU
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror And Violence)
Released By: Encore Films & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 June 2022
Synopsis: 10 different urban tales featuring popular K-pop stars and K-movie stars will take you into the realm of darkness where myth and reality become blurred.
Movie Review:
There’s no getting away from folklore even in a contemporary setting. No matter which continent we might be on, each urban environment - crowded with people and traffic - will always birth stories that people whisper about or discover online. Given how pervasive urban myths are, it’s funny how they are not recognised as a cultural piece of their own in the countries they are in.
For now, they are best recognised through forum threads and webtoons, as well as the occasional film like Urban Myths. Director Hong Won-ki presents 10 separate rumoured tales to the audience in this newest anthology from Korea, and the ambitious effect is as mixed as they come.
Unlike its many predecessors, Urban Myths bit off a bit more than it could chew on. Even with a relatively generous runtime of two hours, quite a few chapters don’t get a chance to even warm up before they end. As you can imagine, this can be quite dissatisfying.
Wildly successful titles like V/H/S, Three… Extremes, or even 4bia had a few things in common: Unpredictable plots, visceral settings, rich context, and strong running themes. Though some of these are present in Urban Myths, they’re not present enough. The film is ultimately serving up a diluted experience of shocks.
This is a pity because some of the topics here are noteworthy. There’s online jealousy, bullying, even implied same-sex relationships gone awry - all subjects worthy of exploring. But besides throwing cautionary tales forward, the one-note presentations didn’t do justice to such nuanced themes.
What the film does well is eking out visual horror from some of the myths. Tooth worms is exactly as uncomfortable and terrifying as it sounds, and Mannequin places us in the front seat of meeting with those life-sized dolls that creep almost everyone out. There’s also a cupboard episode that will have you rethinking trading on marketplaces like Carousell.
Urban myths work because they are placed in some of our most everyday circumstances, but injecting our subconscious fears into these settings. A man moving into an apartment to start a conversation with a coy neighbour by knocking on the wall, or over-confidant teens thinking they can breeze through every escape game in town - these are scenarios we can easily see happening.
Unfortunately, Urban Myth’s snappy endings of these stories are a bit too much to swallow. It occasionally feels like that joked-about “and I woke up from my dream” ending we are so advised against for our compositions in school - that’s how ludicrous it can be.
The makers here have gathered young idols and even actors that have made their mark in this genre to bolster the showings. It helps somewhat, having an attractive cast with decent acting to propel the stories, but because the episodes are all much too short and completely disconnected, the final effect for Urban Myths is lacklustre.
Movie Rating:
(Ambitious concept with episodes with potential to terrify, but limited in impact by its lack of length)
Review by Morgan Awyong
SYNOPSIS: Meet the world's last defense. One Army captain must use her years of tactical training and military expertise when a simultaneous coordinated attack threatens the remote missile interceptor station she is in command of.
MOVIE REVIEW:
As ironic as it sounds, it takes an almost Australian cast and crew to pull off a project liked Interceptor which involves a heroic American Army captain taking on rogue American soldiers and nuclear missiles.
To elaborate our point further, Interceptor stars Spanish actress Elsa Pataky in the lead role. But hold your horses, isn’t this supposedly an Australian production? Well to the uninitiated, Pataky is the wife of Chris Hemsworth who happens to be her personal trainer and also serves as one of the executive producers. The movie also marks the directorial debut of Australian novelist Matthew Reilly who also co-wrote the story with Stuart Beattie, a renowned Australian screenwriter behind the original Pirates of the Caribbean and Collateral.
Whether it’s Australia or American made, it doesn’t matter in the end. The flick is sort of a throwback to 80’s and early 90’s action thrillers liked Die Hard and Under Siege. The story is minimal and there’s enough crazy action to keep things going at a brief 99 minutes. In fact, there’s almost to nothing except some brief notes about interceptor bases before we see the villain strolled in shortly after the credits rolled and start mouthing some bad-ass dialogue about bombing America to pieces.
It seems liked our dear antagonist Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey from the Point Break remake) has made a deal with the Russians and 16 nuclear missiles are directed at America unless the interceptor base which Captain JJ Collins (Pataky) are stationed at are able to intercept the missiles on time before they hit the mainland. And now it’s up to JJ and a deskbound clerk, Corporal Shah (Mayne Mehta) to save the world from psychotic villain Kessel.
You might have known Pataky from Fast Five and it’s sequels but you certainly never see her in such a kick-ass, meaty role. Patak displays enough slick combat moves and charisma to keep viewers rooting for her despite an unnecessary backstory about sexual harassment by a five-star general. Even if it’s well-intended, most viewers are not here for some political-correct lectures for sure.
On the other hand, Luke Bracey is somewhat overshadowed by his cheesy henchman, Beaver and while his character has some deep “Daddy” issues, it doesn’t really uphold the fact that he needs to resort betraying his country for the money. Chris Hemsworth actually cameos in a couple of brief scenes dressing up as Fat Thor and playing a goofy salesman.
Interceptor to sum up is a mediocre, low-budget action movie that entertains whenever JJ is sparring and exchanging blows with Kessel’s bunch of colourful henchmen. If you are in the mood for some no-brainer 80’s action flicks then this one fits the bill even though it’s released in the year 2022.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: When young loner Anna is hired as the gestational surrogate for Matt, a single man in his 40s who wants a child, the two strangers come to realize this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The provision of surrogate services is currently illegal in Singapore which explains why the subject for better or worse is little or practically unheard of here. Together Together is an indie drama about surrogacy and how two worldly different people get together as they navigate their tricky relationship.
Matt (Ed Helms from The Hangover trilogy), a single successful apps developer in his 40’s is keen to start a family so he engaged the services of a 26-year-old Anna (Patti Harrison) to be his surrogate. Matt gets a bit overprotective as the day goes as he tries to micromanage what Anna eats, constantly bringing her pregnancy tea and stopping her from having sex.
Despite their disagreements, the two lonely souls hang out together most of their free time watching “Friends” or simply, picking a colour for the nursery, going for their therapy sessions, hospital checkups and crib shopping. If you think where this movie is heading to then perhaps you might be wrong.
Together Together is not so much a romantic romcom but somewhat a subdued look at a platonic relationship. Matt is the typical nerdy nice guy who somehow fails in the romance department. Anna is more complicated in a way. She needs the money to continue her university studies and she is estranged from her own family for having a child when she was much younger.
Writer-director Nikole Beckwith touches on several interesting themes and topics including friendship, social expectations and privilege although she is merely scratching the surface through mild jokes and tension. We hardly know the real reason behind Matt’s intention to have a kid or Anna’s view on love. Even a baby shower scene seems kind of forced. Fortunately, she has Helms and Harrison to keep the flawed drama from being overly bored and pretentious.
Helms is excellent as the middle-age, awkward (likely sad as well) man who is still trying to find his place in our society as a soon-to-be single father. He seems destined to be playing the fumbling character and of course, he is the perfect Matt opposite the scene-stealing Patti Harrison whom to the uninitiated is a transgender actress portraying a cisgender character. Maybe it’s time we judge people based solely on their talents.
Other than that amusing conversation about Woody Allen films, Together Together is comfortable being a modest dramedy about parenthood and love. There’s nothing ground-breaking given the subject matter and the only consolation is the chemistry between Helms and Pattinson.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Messy and mischievous Marmaduke has a big heart but can't stay out of trouble! Does he have what it takes to shine in the swanky dog show world?
MOVIE REVIEW:
Not to be confused with the other famous Great Dane Scooby-Doo, Marmaduke actually started from a comic strip back in 1954 by the late Brad Anderson. While certainly not as well-known as the amateur detective, Marmaduke did received a live-action makeover in 2010 to generally unfavourable reviews. I guess history repeat itself 12 years later in this computer animated feature.
American comedian Pete Davidson lends his voice to Marmaduke, the big mischievous Great Dane who is always hungry and playful. After creating a chaotic mess at a party organised by his owners, the Wilson family, a famous dog whisperer, Guy Hilton (Brian Hull) offers to take Marmaduke under his wings and plans to enter him in a dog competition after his rigorous training. But when a sinister rival, Zeus (J.K. Simmons) pulls a trick on Marmaduke which resulted him being embarrassingly removed from the competition, Marmaduke feels he has letdown the Wilsons. Will Marmaduke make a comeback and bring glory to his family? Of course he will.
Running at a slim 90 minutes and much dismay to this reviewer, there’s hardly any interesting plot development and funny gags in Marmaduke to sustain the feature long movie. Writer Byron Kavanagh has to resort to pulling off a couple of flatulence jokes and another prolonged (boring) dog competition to pad out the entire runtime.
The humans are generally side-lined even though they are the main characters in the original comic strip and Marmaduke for one don’t even talk. In this animated version, Marmaduke is mostly surrounded by the wise household Siamese cat, King Tut and an array of colourful stereotypical animal characters liked a mystical pup from China, a taco-loving Chihuahua and a fashionable Poodle from expectedly France. It sounds like a blast on paper but it’s just plain excruciating.
And adding on to the nightmare, the visuals are atrociously bland and unappealing for an animation that is this recent. The animation looks incredibly awkward and 2D despite being 3D. This is not looking good for Louis Koo especially when the animation mainly comes from his production outfit, One Cool Animation. Definitely not cool.
The less is said about Marmaduke the better it is. Given the massive competition on the big screen and streaming platforms, we seriously don’t see the appeal of it. This is such a bad animation title that even little kids will reject. They probably want a rerun of The Secret Life of Pets or any other Disney titles.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Crime/Action
Director: Mak Ho Pong
Cast: Patrick Tam, Ron Ng, Kenny Wong, Justin Cheung, Adam Pak, Moses Chan
Runtime: 1 hr 27 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 30 June 2022
Synopsis: Ex-warden Tang (Kenny Wong) is sent to prison because of corruption whereas Jun (Ron Ng) is sent back for a jail sentence due to the failure of a breakout. Jun then enticed Tang to help with another breakout as he was familiar with the structure of the prison. They schemed to make Big Roller (Patrick Tam) the fall guy in order for their plan to be successful. However, Jun found out that Tang played a trick on him so he is forced to turn his coat to Big Roller, Mak (Adam Pak) and the new Warden Ma (Moses Chan) to disclose Tang’s conspiracy for their safety.
Movie Review:
Barely six months after a sequel which no one asked for, the team behind the middling prison drama ‘Breakout Brothers’ is back with the concluding chapter of the unlikeliest trilogy in recent Hong Kong cinema.
Those who had seen the last movie will remember that it ended on a cliffhanger with the wicked prison warden Tang (Kenny Wong) being convicted of bribery and sentenced to 10 years in prison behind the same bars that he used to run as his own kingdom.
As we learn from the start, Tang has been kept in solitary confinement by the new warden Ma (Moses Chan) for his own good, given how the other prisoners would naturally have their grudges to bear against his tyrannical rule previously.
Not surprisingly, Tang is the mastermind behind the obligatory breakout in this instalment, plotting with the previous movie’s antagonist Ho Chun (Ron Ng) to set up those likely to stand in their way, especially Big Roller (Patrick Tam) and Scar (Justin Cheung).
To say more would probably ruin the plot for those keen to learn how it all ends, not least since Big Roller no longer has the benefit of two of his closest buddies Chan Ho-ching (Louis Cheung) and Mak Kin-tin (Adam Pak) from the earlier movies to watch his back, both of whom have been released from prison after seeing their sentences shortened for good behaviour.
Suffice to say that screenwriter Edmond Wong conjures a more compelling prison break premise here than in the last movie, and that director Mak Ho-pong uses the best of what certainly would be a limited budget, staging a hostage situation in the final act to cap things off. Compared to its predecessor too, this one has a more engaging pace, and at under one-and-a-half hours, does not overstay its welcome.
As with the previous two movies, it is the cast that elevate the material. Tam excudes charisma aplenty as the ‘big brother’ of the prison, now reformed and giving sagely advice to the other prisoners, including the hot-headed Scar. Cheung rewards the time given to flesh out Scar’s backstory with his most poignant performance in the series yet. Wong is utterly convincing as the baddie, while erstwhile TVB stars Ng and Chan bring their trademark panache to their respective supporting acts.
Frankly, there are both better and worse ways to spend your time than with ‘Breakout Brothers 3’; and yet, those who still yearn for a good-old Hong Kong film will find some satisfaction with this unassuming entry. The end credits tease prequels for the key characters, and the fact that we’re willing to see one on Big Roller and Scar respectively is a reflection of the modest success that the filmmakers have pulled off. So as long as you’re simply looking for a mild diversion, you’ll enjoy it for what it’s worth.
Movie Rating:
(Unnecessary yet not unwelcome, this concluding chapter to an unlikely trilogy is an entertaining diversion whose best pleasure is its charismatic cast)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: From filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green (MONSTERS AND MEN; upcoming KING RICHARD), along with the Academy Award-winning writing team behind BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Diana Ossana & Larry McMurtry) and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, JOE BELL tells the intimate and emotional true story of an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son Jadin, embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Mark Wahlberg has a successful film career playing tough as nail characters and has dabbled anything from drama to action to comedies. Still, the Academy Award nominee and Boston native has received a lot of flak for his acting. To be specific, he seems to be playing all sorts of different characters the same way.
The same kind of vibe applies to Joe Bell as well. Wahlberg plays a tough, working-class Oregon man name Joe Bell who lost his gay son, Jadin (Reid Miller) to suicide. Shaken by the fact that his son died as a result of intense bullying at school due to his sexuality, Bell embarks on a road journey across the country delivering speeches on tolerance, differences and bullying.
Based on a true story and with very noble intentions, Joe Bell perhaps works better in a documentary format rather than a feature length movie. Despite a lean runtime, the screenplay fails to unravel the true meaning behind this film. Most of the happenings are told in flashbacks and Joe is shown constantly talking to his son (whom we obviously know is not there physically), singing Lady Gaga’s hit tune, “Born This Way” together and dancing with “him” in the rain. Is Joe’s perspective of things reliable? Or is he trying hard to redeem himself through his imaginative conversations with his late son?
Despite the fact that Joe is on his road trip talking about the consequences of bullying, we never see or hear much of his speech or even actions. He walks off after encountering two homophobic at a diner then we see him going to a gay bar to chit chat later on. He displays his anger at his wife and younger son when they come to visit. Joe’s actions certainly raises a lot of questions and Wahlberg’s hamfisted performance doesn’t add much credibility to it because most of the time, he looks like he is far more ready to kill than gives a rousing speech to the masses.
Reid Miller on the other hand gave a heartbreaking portrayal of Jadin especially a noteworthy breaking down scene after his tragic assault in the locker room. The always welcome Gary Sinise turns up late in the movie as Sheriff Westin who lends a listening ear to Joe. Connie Britton and Maxwell Jenkins who plays Joe’s supportive wife and younger son respectively shines in their limited screentime.
Written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, the duo responsible for the Oscar winning Brokeback Mountain, Joe Bell unfortunately is more of a miss for both of them. There’s too much predictability and the messages never come across as powerful as it should be. Making it worse is the non-linear style of storytelling which is more stylish than engaging. In short, it’s a wasted opportunity for the subject matter.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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