Tag: Kevin Costner

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Molly’s Game

by MCDave

Most successful individuals must work or train tirelessly to hone their craft, devoting a lifetime to reaching the pinnacles of their professions. Yet, somehow Aaron Sorkin appears to circumvent the norm with his seemingly effortless skills that have transformed the screenwriter and playwright into an Oscar-winning titan of the industry. Sorkin’s rare mastery of rapid dialogue interspersed with comedic undertones are staples in cinematic achievements such as A Few Good Men, The Social Network, Moneyball and countless others. But now Sorkin feels ready to embrace the next major challenge in his life, as the prestigious writer tackles his directorial debut with the unbelievable true story behind his new film, Molly’s Game.

After a crushing defeat ends the Olympic dreams of young skiing sensation Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), she ventures to California for a sunny retreat from intense training and a stressful upbringing at the behest of her father (Kevin Costner). While on the west coast, a series of odd jobs somehow navigates Molly into the underworld of high-stakes poker headlined by actors, athletes, politicians and all other kinds of celebrities. But as Molly’s thirst for expensive taste and her desperation to stay a part of the action crosses the line of legality, she’s forced to beg attorney Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) for his counsel after the U.S. government presses serious charges and confiscate all of her finances.

If you’re a fan of Aaron Sorkin’s past work, his trademark style is on full display once again in Molly’s Game. Told through a non-chronological approach, the audience is given a thorough glance into the mindset of a remarkably gifted woman who trades her intellectual and physical strengths for a dark and exhausting life of underground gambling. Molly is at the forefront of nearly every scene, paving the way for Jessica Chastain to grow an audacious and compelling character. Despite Molly’s crazy life story that manages to stay engaging even through a lofty 140-minute affair, Chastain’s performance is strong but not transcendent. Her work rings familiar to another recent turn Chastain delivered in John Madden’s Miss Sloane, and the similarities sour the experience a bit. Idris Elba and Kevin Costner provide stellar supporting performances as well, but the largest issue with Molly’s Game is the film’s inability to elevate the stakes. The story feels grossly repetitious at times and its dramatic conclusion is regrettably flat. However, Sorkin’s usage of heavy dialogue is executed to his typical standards, keeping a comfortable beat and tempo that’s constantly moving and never bores. Molly’s Game is a decent effort and a fine directorial debut for Sorkin despite the movie’s lack of necessary escalation.

GRADE: 3/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Hidden Figures

by MCDave

The last few years have brought an endless supply of Civil Rights and Civil War era films, making it more and more difficult for writers and directors to keep their subject matter fresh with each subsequent release. St. Vincent helmer, Theodore Melfi, faces this exact quandary with his 2016 late-year effort, Hidden Figures. Thankfully, this remarkable true story incorporates the unique backdrop of science and mathematics to provide the necessary originality needed to stand out amongst a crowded field of similarly-themed stories.

It’s the early 1960s and the United States are in a fragile race to space against Soviet Russia. And after falling behind, the folks at NASA are forced to double-down on their efforts to get astronaut John Glenn into space and orbiting our planet. Yet, as racial tensions divide our nation, a trio of hardworking and sophisticated African American women (Taraji Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae) lead a united charge to help ensure that the United States defeats Russia on this scientific front.

Admittedly, Hidden Figures comes with a wide range of ups and downs. Throughout the duration of the film its Civil Rights subplot is addressed via an all too familiar approach. Absolutely no new light is shed on this unfortunate historical truth. Instead, Melfi and co-writer Allison Schroeder deliver stereotypical examples of racial injustices that tip-toe the line of embellishment considering how difficult it becomes to spot a sympathetic Caucasian within the structure of the film. However, this minor blemish falls by the way-side as the movie’s unbelievable real-life story begins to magnify. While the gluttony of math and science dispersed throughout its more than two-hour running time is likely to draw a yawning response from some audiences, I found it to be a refreshing and genuine examination of the common adult world where problem-solving has become a lost art. And through this eye-opening approach, Melfi and Schroeder manage to pen a strong collection of characters that are captured wonderfully by the film’s three leading women. The entire trio deliver strong performances, but Janelle Monae happens to shine just a tad-bit brighter than co-stars Octavia Spencer (who will most likely earn an Oscar Nomination for the role) and Taraji Henson. Praises are also in order for Kevin Costner, who delivers his finest turn in years. Hidden Figures comes with many lulls and a few obvious flaws, yet the film centers around a soaring true story that deserves to be told and the entire cast and crew do a fine job of telling it.

GRADE: 3.5/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Draft Day

by MCDave

My appreciation for cinema cannot be overstated. But if there’s one thing I love as much as film, it’s professional sports. As a lifelong fan of the NFL and Kevin Costner’s sports-centered filmography, I consciously scooted the notion of typical early-year blunders to the back of my brain and welcomed excitement for Ivan Reitman’s Draft Day. Yet, there was one simple flaw in my logic that trumps everything. Reitman hasn’t been able to direct anything of relevance over the past two decades.

Sonny Weaver Jr. (Costner) is the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns and it’s the most important day of his sports career, Draft Day. With an owner (Frank Langella) desperate to make a gaudy “splash” and a coach (Denis Leary) who doesn’t believe in his ability to field a winning roster, Sonny must weave and maneuver to rebuild a franchise in disarray. And if these set of circumstances aren’t stressful enough for the GM, secretly dating the team’s Salary Cap Specialist (Jennifer Garner) is starting to present complications of its own.

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According to Harris Polls conducted on a yearly basis, Football is far and away the most popular sport in America. Its hard-hitting product appeals to masses at an ever-growing rate. And more than the Sunday ritual itself, fans continue to develop an interest in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the NFL. Enter Ivan Reitman’s latest cinematic dud, Draft Day. The film attempts to be clever in its back-door finagling, but all that remains is an unrealistic portrayal of the NFL’s inner workings. The movie crafts an inauthentic and unbelievable atmosphere that throws the entire story off balance. Reitman’s final product is both inexcusable and unforgivable, making Draft Day one of the most unsatisfying big-budgeted sports movies in recent memory.

draft day 2

Not only is the feature an inaccurate depiction of general managing, Draft Day also suffers from a weak story and elementary dialogue. Desperate to enhance the dramatics, debut motion-picture writers Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph create flat subplots that are simply glossed over and unproductive. The only interesting aspect to the film is its relation to the NFL, which just so happens to be enough to get you to the finish line, but nowhere near enough to leave any semblance of a lasting impression. Draft Day surrounds Kevin Costner with a wide selection of unlikable and often irritating characters that make any connection between viewer and film absolutely impossible.

Outside of a few genuine laughs from Griffin Newman’s intern character Rick, Ivan Reitman’s Draft Day is a complete miss. The movie’s impractical sequence of events and Disney-like conclusion make the experience almost unbearable. When the film reaches the big screen less than a month before the NFL Draft in early May, please don’t waste your hard-earned dollars.

GRADE: 2/5

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