THE WIFE

“…it’s arguable whether Runge’s film has any real intention of actually bringing about the restoration of equality between the sexes.” – Wayward Wolf.

Glenn Close has been rightly lauded for her portrayal of Joan
Castleman – wife of soon-to-be Nobel Literature Prize-winner, Joe – in Björn Runge’s emotionally-charged piece, The Wife.

Runge’s film adds to the increasingly prevalent occurrence of Hollywood mainstream releases focusing upon downtrodden women in society and their ongoing fight for equal rights.

Indeed the gender inequality card has been played that many times in the world of film over the last decade or so that one might argue – with significant justification – that it’s become somewhat tiresome in its application, and that its impact has been considerably lessened as a result.

With that in mind, it’s only fair to note that Runge’s film, whilst staunchly feminist in its stance, succeeds in making such a theme feel fresh and invigorating once again thanks to both a sophisticated narrative and a plot twist which, whilst not entirely unforseen, is clever in its inception and very effectively handled by the director.

Never has the old adage of there being a great woman behind every great man been more appropriate. In fact, in this particular instance such a sentiment probably doesn’t even go far enough given the film’s ultimate revelation.

Terrific performances from Close, and Jonathan Pryce as Joe, should not completely overshadow a strong performance from Max Irons as Joe and Joan’ son and aspiring author, David, and Christian Slater’s terrifically weasely portrayal of journalist, Nathaniel Bone.

Whilst being a powerful and well executed piece, it’s arguable whether Runge’s film has any real intention of actually bringing about the restoration of equality between the sexes. There’s possibly greater truth in the notion that The Wife serves more as a thinly-veiled slightly vindictive revenge piece.

FREE SOLO

“As emotionally-draining and powerful a documentary as you’re ever likely to see.” – Wayward Wolf.

A scene midway through Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s extraordinary documentary, Free Solo, might go some way towards explaining the apparent fearlessness of free climbing sensation, Alex Honnold.

An MRI scan reveals a remarkably low response level in Honnold’s brain to the sort of stimuli that would produce typically large response levels in you or I. Pseudoscience or not, the logical summary from such findings can only be that Alex Honnold is a man that does not spook easily.

That said, perhaps informing him that his climbing days are over and that he will be confined to a nine-to-five desk job for the rest of his days might well see his brain response levels fly off the charts!

Who knows?

The contrast between Honnold the rock-climbing van-dwelling free spirit and the Honnold whose life his lovely (and very understanding) girlfriend, Sanni McCandless, tries valiantly to harness with at least some attempt at domesticity, is marked.

And perhaps that’s the point here. The remarkable feats that this thirty-three year old gravity-defying sensation continues to achieve are certainly not borne out of any sort of conventional approach to life. The life of a rock climber or mountaineer is after all inherently selfish in nature and completely at odds with the very notion of convention.

Chin and Vasarhelyi’s fascinating film examines the relationship not only between Alex and Sanni, but just as importantly, between Alex and his camera crew, each of whom are pushed to their very emotional limits in monitoring and recording his every move, always aware that his next may very conceivably be his last.

Watching Honnold’s death-defying attempt to scale El Capitan in Yosemite – without recourse to ropes – is an excruciatingly tense and sweaty-palmed experience; such is the emotion that we can’t help but invest in this wiry, slightly odd, rather aloof yet likeable human Spiderman.

Free Solo is a stunningly shot, triumphant cinematic experience. As emotionally-draining and powerful a documentary as you’re ever likely to see.

And certainly not for the faint of heart.

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

“A sweet, charming film set in simpler, less cynical times. And with a twinkle in his eye, a fitting way to bow out for one of Hollywood’s true greats..” – Wayward Wolf.

When it’s finally time to bring down the curtain on an illustrious career, it’s probably a good idea to bow out as you’d like to be remembered. And that’s exactly what the effortlessly charming Robert Redford has managed here in David Lowery’s regaling of the true story of serial bank robber, Forrest Tucker.

In today’s society it’s nigh on impossible to even entertain the notion of such a tale. With the inescapable attentions of Big Brother’s surveillance society upon us these days wherever we may roam, the very thought of robbing umpteen banks across America armed only with a gun (for show), a smile, a fake moustache and a serious charm offensive is absolutely preposterous. But back in circa 1980, that’s exactly what Tucker and his elderly accomplices did,
bamboozling bank managers and tellers alike with their good natured approach, leaving but the merest ripple of discontent in their wake. 

Quite a feat.

Robert Redford is calmness and charisma personified as Forrest Tucker. Sissy Spacek is the object of Tucker’s attentions – a lady as intrigued as she is smitten by the man’s beguiling nature – whilst Casey Affleck – once again teaming up with Lowery following their fine collaboration in 2017’s A Ghost Story –  shines here with an understated performance portraying police detective John Hunt, the man tasked with pursuing the evasive Tucker.

Lowery’s film is a wonderfully soulful tale of a larger-than-life character; a man whose vocation of choice completely defines him as a person. A sweet, charming film set in simpler, less cynical times. And with a twinkle in his eye, a fitting way to bow out for one of Hollywood’s true greats.

CREED II

“Philadelphia’s favourite fictional son lends this film a much needed dose of earthy authenticity…” – Wayward Wolf.

If one considers Creed II to be simply the follow-up to Creed, then it can certainly be considered a reasonable enough sequel, and on balance probably the better of the two movies. If one however considers Steven Caple Jr’s film to be the latest in a long conveyor belt of Rocky-related boxing flicks, then it really is nothing more than just another mid-ranking Rocky movie, borrowing heavily from past glories as it goes.

Don’t get me wrong, Creed II is an enjoyable enough, if highly predictable Hollywood blockbuster, with solid enough performances from Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson in the film’s leading roles. But this film would almost certainly be floundering in nowhere land without the services of Sylvester Stallone.

Philadelphia’s favourite fictional son lends the film a much needed dose of earthy authenticity and reminds us in the process, albeit briefly, exactly why this popular boxing franchise ever earned the legs that it did to ‘go the distance’ that it ultimately has.

So, where next for all things ‘Creed’?

Short of killing Stallone’s character off once and for all – and the whole thing almost certainly imploding in the process – it’s difficult to know what more there is for the franchise to say or prove to anyone at this late stage in the game.

But as ever, I’d imagine all such musings will be left to Hollywood’s money men.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

“Bryan Singer’s emotionally-charged biopic of the late great Freddie Mercury is big bold and bombastic, and whilst being a little clumsy on occasion in its realisation, nevertheless delivers in some style. Rami Malek’s performance is right on the money to such an extent that he even successfully manages to blur the line between film and reality. One of the truly outstanding cinema-going experiences of 2018, and a must see.”

Wayward Wolf.

SCALING THINGS DOWN…

Regrettably, owing to other commitments, the time has come to scale this whole film reviewing business down in size – stripping it all right down to the bare bones.

Whilst I may occasionally be able  to indulge in a full-length review or two in the future – should time and circumstance allow – as a rule of thumb things are going to have to be short and sweet around these here parts from here on in.

NB: The star ratings will be retained.

Apologies to anybody that this may inconvenience.

All the best.

Wayward Wolf.