The Yellow Sea
Plot: Steeped in debt, Gu-nam (Ha Jeong Woo) takes a job offer from Myun-ga (Kim Yun-seok). His mission is to cross the yellow sea to Seoul and make a hit. He accepts this contract not only for the cash, but to hopefully find his wife, who left him and his daughter in Yanji.
Review: One may worry that a simple plot as described in the above panel wouldn’t be able to sustain itself for two hours and sixteen minutes. I had the same trepidation going into the film myself. That worriment went away almost immediately as Hong-jin Na (whose last film was the critically acclaimed “The Chaser”) sucked me into the story.
We open by meeting Gu-nam, a down on his luck cab driver who is drowning in debt. Seeming as if he’ll never be able to pay it off, he strikes up a deal with Myun-ga to do his dirty work for him and dispose of an adversary of his. This requires him to cross the yellow sea (hence the title) to track down his target. He has ten days to complete this and board the boat. If not, he’s done for.
This already adds tension to the film. Stacking more on top is the fact that Gu-nam isn’t a trained hitman. He’s a novice in the field, with this seemingly being his first hit. Unlike a trained professional, he needs to act fast and think on his feet. He learns the game rather quickly, intricately using an apartment complex’s lighting system to his advantage. Even so, he expectedly makes mistakes along the way.
Once we reach the hour mark, the film picks up the pace. It goes from a slow, methodical drama to a high-octane thriller. Na wisely incorporates the slow pace into the mix, keeping the film moving smoothly (and justifying the length). He does make a few sacrifices with Gu-nam, speeding up (and somewhat tarnishing) his progression.
While Gu-nam’s character progression may have stumbled, the story’s progression did not. It got kicked up quite a few notches and had some twists thrown into the mix. Obviously, I’m not going to spoil them or else the plot description would have been a bit meatier. Let it be known that the two hour and sixteen minute running length is justified and worth your time.
Final Rating: A-
Dispatch
Plot: Once a successful screenplay writer, Nick (Michael Bershad) has been reduced to working as a dispatch manager at a Hollywood limousine company. He does this for his wife, Brenda (Monique Carmona), and his daughter. Unfortunately for him, his wife just filed divorce papers for him to sign. To make matters worse, he has a Hollywood movie premiere to attest to and he’s made an investment with borrowed money that may not pan out.
Review: There are some films that, despite being formulaic and predictable, are still worth watching. They may be telegraphed, but you enjoy the ride they take you on. Steven Sprung’s “Dispatch” is one of those films. I may have been able to pinpoint where the film was going from the word go, but I still followed along with elation.
For starters, Michael Bershad is splendid as Nick. He’s very easy to relate to and root for. Best of all, he’s not a standard do-no-wrong protagonist. He’s human and makes mistakes. He tries to learn from these mistakes, but can’t help himself to fall in line to some. He has a mild gambling addiction that drives this story. After making an investment with an old chum, he shortly learns it may have not have been a wise decision.
His co-workers seemingly come off an assembly line of sitcom characters, though Sprung makes it work. The two notable ones are Ace (Tim Peper), a cocky driver who believes he’s working on the next big Hollywood hit movie, and Iceman (Black Thomas), a self-delusional ladies man who blows his opportunity to chauffer Veronica St. Clair (Tina Casciani), the star of the new film, around. Harry (Bruce Bohne) is Nick’s right hand man and Lucia (Melina Lizette) is the new reservations receptionist. She’s the type of woman that’s so beautiful that it pains you to know you’ll never be with her (though she is incredibly nice, so it’s possible).
The bulk of the film is set in Nick’s tiny workspace, which is a wise decision by Sprung. It makes the viewer as enclosed and captured as Nick does. It acts as a jail cell, which compliments Nick’s feelings of being trapped. The only time we ever leave his workspace (or the building in general) is when he steps outside for a breather or we the Hollywood premiere on his television set.
As I mentioned, the film is telegraphed. I guessed the ending coming from a mile away. This does hinder the film in spots, as the suspense of what’s going to happen to Nick next is almost nonexistent. Even in knowing the outcome, I still enjoyed watching it all unravel. I got behind Nick, even if I knew what his fate was. That’s a testament to the talent involved.
Final Rating: B
The Way
Plot: After his son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez), dies, Tom (Martin Sheen) heads overseas to recover his body. Daniel was traveling the “El camino de Santiago”, a popular pilgrimage. To honor his son, Tom decides to embark on the pilgrimage himself and spread his son’s ashes along the way.
Review: As tender as “The Way” can be, there are moments when it can be filled with too much saccharine. While there are moments where it tugs at your heartstrings, there are others where it yanks at them. It felt as if Emilio Estevez didn’t feel comfortable with the material. That he had to add an extra oomph to the film for it to really connect with the audience.
Which is a shame, as the moments that really hit me hard were the lighter ones. The long shots of Tom walking alone in the vast terrain embodies the emptiness he felt inside. Having him see images of his son at landmarks that he stops by at felt forced. They weren’t as doleful as Estevez had hoped. It’s those little moments that blanket the film that are.
To prevent the film from being a one man show, Tom meets with three fellow pilgrims. Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) is a seemingly angry woman who is going through a mid life crisis. Joost (Yorick van Wageningen) is a jolly fellow who’s trying to lose weight. Jack (James Nesbitt) is suffering from writer’s block and is hoping this trek will recharge his batteries. All three of them are more than meets the eye and have deeper meaning to their mission.
All three serve their purpose of giving Tom a wake up call and healthy companionship. All three tend to get on his nerves, and the viewer’s, but do eventually find their place in his heart (same goes for the viewer). Joost is the most likeable of the bunch, even if his comic relief shtick does grow old. Jack is the most important, as he’s the one taking notes to tell Tom’s tale. For Tom personally, Sarah is the most salient. She sees through him and honestly wants to be a companion. His differences with her initially makes him drive her away, just like he did with his son.
Emilio Estevez is a good director. He can competently tell a story, handles the actors well and conveys some gorgeous cinematography. He just doesn’t ultimately trust the story on it’s own. He feels he needs to add an extra dash of saccharine “The Way” goes down smoothly, but it’s aftertaste is a little sickening.
Final Rating: B-
Mad World
Plot: Will Balog (Dylan Vigus) is abused by his alcoholic father; John Bunch (Matthew Thompson) is targeted by racists; Jevon Morrison (James Lee) is intelligent, but is abused at home by his gun-toting father and alcoholic mother; Cory (Gary Cairns) is a drifter without a home. These four misfits band together through the common bond of being ridiculed and abused. Once they reach their boiling point, they strike back at the world that harmed them.
Review: “Mad World” is miscategorized as a dark comedy. Though there are comedic elements, this is the farthest thing from a comedy. The first half may come across as such to many, what with the four friends spending their time smoking and pulling pranks. As the story progresses, it’s clear that their actions aren’t necessarily meant to be funny. They’re a call for help.
Cory Cataldo pulls no punches with the material. He makes the antagonists despicable human beings with no remorse for their actions. This can be a bit forced at times, though that’s probably the optimism in myself believing that nobody could be this horrible. The unfortunate truth is that there are and they’re on full display here. Their cruel mistreatment of the film’s quartet doesn’t stop at name calling. They brutally assault them constantly and get away with it without a slap on the wrist.
Whenever our protagonists (heroes isn’t the best moniker, as their actions purposely impairs that) fight back, they get in trouble. It’s an unfair cycle that drives them to their breaking point. They start off relatively small, antagonizing their foes by simple fights and disrupting classes. This works for a short while and feeds their rebellious desires.
That shortly runs out and the bleak world rears it’s ugly head. The principal of the stuffy, racist school, Mr. Buchanon (David Alan Graf), makes life a living hell for them. He mocks them in public and punishes them to the extreme (usually for small misdemeanors). As the other students start harassing them more, the group bands together and does the unthinkable.
“Mad World” may be a little rough around the edges, with certain scenes dragging (a confrontation between Cory and Jevon especially). But, Cataldo gets his point across. Not only that, but he does so by hooking the audience and purposely making them uncomfortable. This causes the viewer to challenge their own emotions and decide whether or not the boys’ actions are justified.
For me, it wasn’t a matter of justification. How they handled the situation wasn’t virtuous and that’s the point. They were backed against the wall and felt they had no other choice. The viewer wishes they did, but understands their dilemma and has to witness their calamitous downfall. “Mad World” is meant to challenge the viewer and it does just that.
Final Rating: B+
And They’re Off
Plot: A documentary film crew follows the life of Dusty (Sean Astin), a horse trainer. They don’t follow him due to his success. They’re filming his downfall. He hasn’t won a race in years, but is hopelessly optimistic. When he begins training Caveat, he hopes to turn his luck around. Standing in his way is Dee (Cheri Oteri), his feisty ex-girlfriend who is the horse’s jockey.
Review: The point of “And They’re Off” is to follow the exploits of a flailing horse trainer. Rob Schiller unintentionally showcases the downfall of a falling star. Sean Astin was never the biggest star in the world. However, he’s had success in films such as “Rudy” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Earlier in his career, he was poised by some to be a breakout star. He fumbled a bit, until having a minor resurgence thanks to the adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien books. With his latest offering, he proves he’s still as unstable as ever.
Which is a shame, as Astin is a likable guy. He’s not the best actor in the world, but can handle himself well. Not so much here. He seems more bored than anything (not that I can blame him). Maybe he realized he was in a comedy about horse racing where he was sharing the spotlight with Cheri Oteri. That would make any actor cringe. It’s clear he’s picking up a paycheck, which I can’t fault him for.
Who I can fault is Rob Schiller for his lackluster direction. I’d put more of the blame on Alan Grossbard, who penned the script, as he didn’t give the director much to work with. Even so, Schiller’s lack of comic timing and pacing derails this film from the outset. He stumbles in using the documentary crew aspect, often times forgetting they’re there and filming naturally. That’d be like watching a “Paranormal Activity” film and dropping the found footage theme halfway through.
He gets nothing out of his actors. He doesn’t seem to care that Astin is uninvolved, allowing him to basically sleepwalk through his role. He (like most directors) can’t control the obnoxious and rambunctious Cheri Oteri (who, not surprisingly, is the worst aspect of this film). He even stumbles when it comes to cameos. Kevin Nealon pops up as a taxidermist offering Dusty a job. The point of this scene is to induce laughter out of him and his wife’s eccentric nature. Instead, the scene comes across as awkward and unbalanced.
Which is the best way to describe this film. None of the jokes work. It’s not just that the dialogue is bad, but it also is delivered off key and in a monotone fashion. There’s no drive or build up to them. Their just strewn about, meekly begging for a response. The only material that made me chuckle was Martin Mull as Dusty’s father (mainly in cracking wise about the documentary crew). Even then, he gets saddled (no pun intended) with the worst running gag (that he switches back and forth in wearing dresses to act as his son’s mother). It’s not that this film is offensive or lowbrow (it’s relatively safe and has essentially no toilet humor). It’s simply boring and forgettable.
Final Rating: D