Friday's Film Reviews: Entourage, The Longest Ride and Mr Holmes
Mr Holmes imagines the twilight years of one of literature’s icons, who is facing the grim reality of dementia with what remains of his once-glorious wit, aided by doses of a rare restorative plant from Japan called Prickly Ash.
This Sherlock, portrayed with dignity and steely resolve by Sir Ian McKellen, is no longer the aloof master of deduction who traversed the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s imagination.
Instead, he tends bees on the Sussex coast, haunted by the one case he failed to solve – if only he could recall the facts.
Bill Condon’s slow-burning drama tests the audience with a perplexing subplot: The Curious Case Of The Thrice Oscar-Nominated Actress And The Wayward Accent.
Laura Linney is one of the finest performers of her generation, but here she is undone by a vocal delivery that roams wildly between the West Country, Ireland and America. Her valiant struggles are an unnecessary distraction.
Mr Holmes is distinguished by McKellen’s measured central performance and the strong support from rising star Parker.
The script slowly unravels the myth of the literary sleuth, including one bittersweet scene of the ageing Sherlock watching a film in which Basil Rathbone portrays him with unnatural gusto.
Plotting is pedestrian – there are no twists or big reveals – allowing us plenty of time to marvel at the picturesque locations, including one breath-taking shot of the White Cliffs of Dover.
We’ll meet Holmes again, in many different guises, but few will be as heartbreakingly frail or haunting as this.
3½
100%
I’ve never watched Entourage, the long-running HBO comedy drama loosely based on Mark Wahlberg’s experiences as an actor in image-obsessed Hollywood.
Having spent 104 tedious minutes in the company of this vapid big screen spin-off, written and directed by show creator Doug Ellin, I’m staggered the TV show survived for eight series.
A flimsy plot provides five central characters with myriad opportunities to bellyache about their fabulous millionaire’s lifestyles in the American Mecca of film-making, surrounded by gorgeous, scantily clad women and designer labels.
It’s impossible to sympathise with these ingrates, who have their hearts’ desires – including fairy-tale romances – but still want more.
Right from the hilariously wooden opening narration from Piers Morgan, Ellin’s script venerates greed in each cameo-laden frame, asking us to root for the egotistical quintet as they cruise the streets in a Cadillac convertible, whining about every little setback in their enviable lives.
In the current age of austerity, Entourage’s determination to bow down at the altar of decadence sticks in the throat.
Entourage feels like an elongated TV episode that has mistakenly found its way into a cinema projector.
Gags repeatedly fall flat, a subplot involving the big gay wedding of Ari’s former assistant (Rex Lee) verges on offensive, and the cast struggle to find attractive traits in their self-obsessed protagonists.
As the end credits approach – though not quickly enough – the film clumsily attempts a self-referential wink by inviting the characters to contemplate a TV show about their bromantic escapades.
“Dullest thing I’ve ever heard,” deadpans Ari.
It’s a rare moment of honesty.
2/5
30%
Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, the undisputed maestro of slushy romantic fiction, The Longest Ride is a leisurely trot across emotional terrain that will be achingly familiar to any tear-stained fan of The Notebook or The Best Of Me.
Beautiful people fall giddily in love in lustrous close-up, fate throws them a curve ball, separation seems inevitable, but they decide to risk everything for that one precious shot at forever, usually with the spectre of death hovering ominously over at least one of the characters.
George Tillman Jr’s picture saddles up for that same narrative trek and lassos some sugary sentiment along the way in parallel timeframes, which handily share lessons of heartache and self-sacrifice in the past in order to provide characters in the present with a map to reconciliation.
Clint Eastwood’s son Scott proves he has inherited his father’s good looks and easy-going charisma as the swaggering hero, who believes in bringing a girl flowers on a first date.
He gamely strips off to send the target female audience into a swoon and catalyses a pleasing on-screen chemistry with Britt Robertson.
Considering the excessive running time, The Longest Ride is an apt title for this unapologetically soppy confection.
Aside from the attractive leads, Huston and Chaplin are solid in flashbacks and Alda brings gravitas to his underwritten role as the sage mentor in matters of the heart.
He even adds a sheen of sincerity to the script’s relentlessly corny dialogue.
Bull-riding scenes are impressive, especially when Tillman uses slow motion to capture the raw power of the beast, contorting and flexing wildly as tendrils of spit stream from its mouth.
2½
29%
Directed by David O Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) under the pseudonym Stephen Greene, Accidental Love is a quirky, political rom-com based on the novel Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore.
Roller-skating waitress Alice Eckle (Jessica Biel) enjoys a simple life in her small Indiana hometown, where she is poised to marry her self-obsessed boyfriend Scott (James Marsden).
Alice is accidentally shot with a nail gun, lodging a three inch spike in her head close to her brain.
Unfortunately, Alice doesn’t have health insurance, so she cannot afford an operation that could save her life.
In desperation, she heads to Washington to meet Congressman Howard Birdwell (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the hope that he can join her on a crusade for sweeping healthcare reforms.
Their battle captures the media’s attention but the nail in Alice’s head causes erratic behaviour and also tugs her heartstrings between her oafish fiancé Scott and do-gooder Howard.
5%
In the Argentinean rainforest, superstitious farmers believe that in times of emotional distress, you should pray to the spirits for salvation.
Joao (Chico Diaz) owns a small farm in the forest, which he tends with his plucky daughter Vania (Alice Braga) and farmhand Jara (Lautaro Vilo).
Their livelihood is under threat from a corporation, which has hired gangs of murderous thugs to bully owners off their plots.
Joao prays for assistance to repel the gun-toting assassins and an enigmatic stranger called Kai (Gael Garcia Bernal) emerges from the nearby river.
No sooner has Kai arrived, than mercenaries attack the farm, forcing Joao to sign away his property before they kill the men and kidnap Vania.
Kai gives chase, determined to rescue Vania and exact a bloody revenge on her captors with the help of wild animals in the forest.
N/A
Filmed in 2014 at the Theatre For A New Audience in Brooklyn, New York, this visually arresting version of Shakespeare’s fantasy is directed by Tony Award winner Julie Taymor, the visionary force behind the stage version of The Lion King.
It stars David Harewood and Tina Benko as Oberon and Titania, the warring king and queen of the fairies.
Their battle of wits and wiles impacts on four unsuspecting lovers – Demetrius (Zach Appelman), Helena (Mandi Masden), Hermia (Lilly Englert) and Lysander (Jake Horowitz) – at large in the forest.
Knavish sprite Puck (Kathryn Hunter) attempts to unpick the web of intrigue and misunderstandings before the night is over.
The film features cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto and music by Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal.
N/A
For one night only, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mike Owen perform to thousands of fans across the UK and Ireland with this live broadcast of the final night of their 10-date stand at the O2 Arena in London as part of the current tour.
Shot in stunning HD with Surround Sound, this concert film captures the entire eye-popping spectacle from the very first note of Prologue to the closing anthemic cheer of Never Forget, including an explosion of dancing jellyfish, puppetry, contemporary dance and a flying tandem sidecar soaring over the jubilant crowd.
The setlist includes songs from the new album plus old favourites such as Back For Good, Could It Be Magic, The Flood, Patience, Pray, Relight My Fire, Rule The World, Shine and These Days.
N/A
