Rosy the Reviewer - An Unlikely Sports Fan - Likes Some Sports Movies!

[I review "The Beautiful Game (football/soccer)," "The Boys in the Boat (rowing)," and  "The Iron Claw (wrestling)"]

The Beautiful Game (2024)

A fictionalized story about a soccer team playing in the Homeless World Cup.

Yes, this is a fictionalized story but the Homeless World Cup is a real thing. It is an annual football tournament (soccer to us Americans) that has been going on for two decades that advocates for and brings together homeless people, those in recovery and those who have been marginalized. And this British film shines a light on it.

We meet Vinny (Micheal Ward) at a kids' soccer game (sorry, my Brit friends. I know I am supposed to say football).  He is doing his own commentary on the game. He even goes so far as to join the game until an angry parent confronts him.

Mal Bradley (Bill Nighy), a once legendary but now retired soccer coach, arrives and extricates Vinny from the angry parent.  He introduces Vinnie to his "dream team," the team he is training for a trip to the Homeless World Cup in Rome.  Bradley recognizes Vinny's skills and invites him to join the team.  Vinny acts unimpressed and he insists he doesn't qualify, that he is not homeless.  His pride takes over, but Bradley leaves Vinnie his number.

Turns out that Vinny is not only homeless and lives in his car, he also had a brief football career, hence his footballer skills that Bradley noticed. But Vinny didn't make it as a soccer player and his life took a bad detour.

Vinny didn't really want any part of Bradley's team at first but eventually relents, and off they go to Rome. Vinny is impressed that the opening ceremony is almost like the Olympics with the event featuring teams of unhoused players from all over the world.   

We get to know the England team. They are a ragtag bunch and all have had their troubles. Nathan (Callum Scott Howells) is a perpetually optimistic ex-heroin addict; Cal (Kit Young) doesn't like Vinny coming onto the team and taking his place; Aldar (Robin Nazari) is a brilliant Syrian refugee constantly analyzing the game and trying to build a life in a new country; Jason (Sheyi Cole) is a rather meek guy and Kevin (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) is the okay goal tender. But none of these guys really have skills.  Vinny does. And this is Vinny's story and it's also Bradley's story. Turns out Bradley had a connection to Vinny years ago.

So will the England team win?  Will Vinny find himself?

There is lots of soccer footage, though on a smaller scale than we are used to, but the film isn't just about football.  The film, written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and directed by Thea Sharrock, is more about real life underdogs, people who have been marginalized, finding meaning for themselves through community and friendship and, yes, sport. 

The ensemble cast are believable and Bill Nighy is as charismatic as ever. I will watch him in anything.

So why is football (soccer) called "The Beautiful Game?"

The grace and flair of the sport; its inclusiveness; its unpredictability (lower ranked teams can beat higher ranked teams - and they do!); its simplicity - just a ball and the desire to play; and traditions passed down through generations that are a part of cultural identity.

This film embraces all of that.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you are a soccer fan or if you believe that sport brings people together and unites them or you just like to root for underdogs, you will enjoy this heartwarming story and find it inspiring.  (Netflix)

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

The true and earnest story of the University of Washington's rowing team that won gold at the 1936 Olympics and how they did it.

Produced and directed by George Clooney, from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and based on the book by the same name by Daniel James Brown, this is another one of those tales of an underdog sports team making it to the top, and despite some hokeyness from time to time, there is nothing like some good old-fashioned storytelling and some exciting races to get you rooting for your team.

The film begins with an elderly Joe Rantz (Ian McElhinney) watching his grandson rowing a fiberglass boat and, in flashback, we are back in 1936 and a young Joe (Callum Turner) is a poor engineering student at the University of Washington with no money and living in an abandoned car and worried about how he will come up with his tuition. Joe has been on his own since his mother died and his Dad abandoned him when he was 14. 

But then fellow struggling student Roger Morris (Sam Strike) tells Joe that the school's rowing team provides room and board and jobs. So why not? Despite not being rowers, the two try out and make the UW junior varsity team.  Turns out this is the year that coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) is under pressure to beat rival U.C. Berkeley and make it to the 1936 Olympics.

The JV team and the varsity team train together and the training is very, very tough but the JV team starts to outshine the varsity team and Coach Al risks his job to promote the JV team.  There are lots of exciting boat races as the team makes its way to the Olympics. 

So if you are not a sports fan, what makes this enjoyable? 

It's beautiful to look at, the races are exciting, the actors are engaging and it's all about rooting for the underdogs! Even though you know how this ends, it's the journey (I say that a lot)!

Rosy the Reviewer says...though at times overly sentimental, this is an inspirational film that you can't help but be moved by  -  don't miss the epilogue that features the real rowers. (Netflix)

The Iron Claw (2023)

Biopic about the Von Erich brothers, stars of professional wrestling in the 1980's, who were "cursed" by tragedy.

This is not a movie featuring fake wrestling which we have come to associate with professional wrestling.  This is the real thing.

Written and directed by Sean Durkin, the film begins with Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), who dreamed of winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. So naturally he dreams of that for one of his sons.  Sadly, Jack Jr. died as a child but he pins his hopes on Kevin (Zac Efron), his good-hearted son; David (Harris Dickinson), the natural showman; the self-destructive, Kerry (Jeremy Allen White); and Mike (Stanley Simons), the youngest, who doesn't even want to wrestle, but rather play music. But he wants to please his Dad, who runs a tight ship with his sons, each vying to be the "favorite" as Fritz pits them against each other.  Fritz would declare which son was the favorite depending on who pleased him most at any given time.  

However, there seems to be a pall hanging over the family. The death of Jack Jr. is blamed on the "Von Erich curse," and sadly as the lives of these young men play out, one can't help but wonder if there is a curse, as accidents, illness and suicide follow them.

Fritz's signature name was "The Iron Claw," but it is also a metaphor for the hold wrestling had on the family and the tragedies that followed.

It's an excellent cast with a bulked up Zac Ephron and Jeremy Allen White (without his chef's apron) as standouts along with a really great 80's soundtrack, exciting wrestling footage and a poignant fantasy scene at the end when the brothers all meet again. I cried.

Rosy the Reviewer says...even if you are not a wrestling fan, you will be drawn into this powerful family drama and care about these brothers who just wanted above all else to please their curse of a father. 

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

"The Fall Guy" and My Movie Week in Reviews

[I review the new Ryan Gosling movie "The Fall Guy" as well as the tennis film "Challengers," and "Hit Man," a Top Ten movie on Netflix now]

 

The Fall Guy (2024)

Stunt man, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), unwittingly gets involved in a murder conspiracy.

Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stunt man, is "livin' the dream" working as the stunt double for famous action star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). However, he breaks his back during a stunt gone wrong and abandons his career as well as his camerawoman and girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt).

Fast forward 18 months. Colt is now a valet for a Mexican restaurant, no longer "livin' the dream."  However, out of the blue, he is contacted by Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), Tom Ryder's film producer, and she tells him that Jody is now a director and is directing her first film, a space cowboy film titled "Metalstorm" and starring Tom. Gail tells Colt that Jody needs him, so Gail wants Colt to fly to Sydney to join the production. Turns out Jody didn't know anything about Colt becoming part of the production and is still angry with him for ghosting her.  So...the real reason that Gail wanted Colt to come was to find Tom Ryder who has gotten into trouble with some drug dealers.  He needs to be found before the film goes over budget and gets canceled.

Well, that's her story, anyway. Turns out, Tom has been involved in a murder and Gail has some plans for Colt. Lots of action as Colt tries to extricate himself from the plot. In the meantime, there is a rekindling of Colt's and Jody's love affair, so we've got action, rom-com and a convoluted conspiracy plot.

Written by Drew Pearse and loosely based on the 1980's TV series "The Fall Guy" starring Lee Majors, this is a movie filled with action and stunts about movies filled with action and stunts.

What I liked - the action and stunts.  There are some very cool scenes with exciting stunts, and the film shows how many of the movie stunts we take for granted are done, which is quite fascinating. Cars rolling over and crashing, people falling from high places, fights, all of that. It's an insider look at how action movies are made. 

What I didn't like - everything else.

Sadly, the film is an action movie about action movies with a tedious plot that is supposed to be funny at times but really isn't.

I never think of Ryan Gosling as a comedy guy or a wise-cracking action hero.  I always think of him as a serious, moody actor.  Yes, I know he was nominated for an Oscar for playing Ken in the Barbie Movie, but if you really think about it, he played Ken straight and that was what made his performance funny.  Here, he has shtick that he has to pull off and wise-guy dialogue, and I just didn't buy it. But I can blame some of it on the script which wasn't very good.  It's an unbelievable, not very interesting plot.  The "fall guy" who does falls for a living is going to be the "fall guy" in a conspiracy plot.  Get it?  Duh.

Emily Blunt is always good but here doesn't have that much to do as an actress, though she does get to have some action scenes herself which, though not very believable, were kind of fun.  And I like Hannah Waddingham, who you may or may not recognize from "Ted Lasso" despite her black hair and, I swear, fake teeth.

Directed by David Leitch, I think this was supposed to be a satire on action films, and it definitely is an homage to those folks who thrill us with their stunts, but it just didn't come together.  Slow to get going, and when it finally did get going, lots of "huh?" moments. However, if you watch it, stay to the end.  An almost unrecognizable Lee Majors has a cameo.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like action movies and you don't care if there is a believable plot or not, you might enjoy this.  Otherwise, save your money, or if you really think you need to see this, wait for it to stream for free. (In theatres or for rent on Amazon Prime)

Challengers (2024)

It's all about a 13 year love triangle between an injured tennis star turned coach (Zendaya), her tennis player ex-boyfriend (Josh O'Connor), and her tennis champion husband (Mike Faist).

It's 2019 and Tashi (Zendaya) and Art Donaldson (Faist, best known for originating the role of Connor Murphy on Broadway in "Dear Even Hansen") are a wealthy married couple with a young daughter.  Art is a tennis champ and only one U.S. Open title away from a Career Grand Slam, but he is struggling.  Tashi, herself a tennis champ but retired due to injury, is his manager and coach and enters him as a wild card in a Challenger event in New Rochelle, New York in hopes it will help him get back on track.  

And then there is Patrick Zweig (O'Connor), another tennis champ, but one who has fallen on hard times.  He is living in his car and scraping by.  It just so happens he is also entered in the Challenger tournament.

So what do these three people have to do with one another?

In a series of flashbacks we find out.

In 2006, Patrick and Art were close friends and friendly rivals.  Together, they won the boys' junior doubles title at the U.S. Open.  It is there that they see Tashi Duncan for the first time.  She is a rising tennis star and both boys become infatuated with her.  They introduce themselves and invite her to their hotel room where a sort of threesome ensues.  But before things get really out of hand, Tashi leaves saying she will give her phone number to whichever boy wins the final the next day.  Patrick wins and the two start a relationship.

Later, Tashi and Art play college tennis at Stanford and Patrick turns pro and both boys continue a relationship with Tashi, though the relationship between the boys sours.  We already know that Art and Tashi end up together, but how that happens and what happens between Art and Patrick and their subsequent tennis careers is all played out in a series of back and forth flashbacks culminating in a final present day match between Art and Patrick.

As an aside, I have a rather personal relationship with tennis.  

My older sister was a rising college tennis star herself in the 1950's and went on to become a pro and teach tennis.  She and I both went to the same college and let's just say that when I took a tennis class and it was taught by one of the coaches who had coached my sister, I could see the disappointment on his face. I didn't have the gift. My sister called me a "motor moron," and I guess there is something to that when it comes to sports, though I can play the piano and am a really good ping pong player. There has to be some hand and eye coordination in there somewhere.  Anyway, I knew to pick my own lane.  I was an actress!

Speaking of which, Zendaya has made it as an actress and is hot right now.  She started out as a young actress and singer and at 16 was the youngest contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" but made her mark in "The Greatest Showman" in 2017 and later in the TV series "Euphoria." 

Faist and O'Connor, though good actors, are unlikely leading men. They do fine as callow young men in love with a goddess like Zendaya, but as men in their thirties, I wasn't buying it, which is strange because they are both in their 30's in real life. They worked better as college students. I just didn't buy O'Connor has a husband. And I hate to say it, but both are also just too ordinary looking to be leading men and objects of Zendaya's desires, but thankfully the story, written by Justin Kuritzkees and directed by Lucca Guadagnino, carries them. After awhile, I forgot about their looks and got into the story, though this is a 90 minute movie wearing a 135 minute bit of sheep's clothing. It didn't need to be that long and the soundtrack was annoying.

Rosy the Reviewer says...some good tennis sequences will satisfy tennis fans and a quirky romance might satisfy rom-com fans. (in theatres and for rent on Amazon Prime)

 

Hit Man (2024)

 

A college professor moonlights undercover for the New Orleans Police Department as a fake hit man to uncover murder plots.

Gary Johnson (Glenn Powell) is a mild-mannered professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans who lives alone and just happens to also be working undercover with the New Orleans Police Department, pretending to be a hit man to assist in undercover sting operations. He is a self-professed "undercover murder stopper." He started out with the police department as a tech guy but when Jasper (Austin Amelio), their regular undercover guy is suspended, they recruit Gary to take his place. Turns out, despite the fact that Gary is a mild-mannered philosophy professor with an interest in birding, he is really good at the personification and disguises needed to be a believable hit man. He adopts the persona of "Ron," and Ron has many personalities and disguises that belie his real life. Let's just say that in real life, Gary is a bit of a nerd, but when he is Ron, he is a tough and scary hit man.

Ron/Gary meets Madison (Adria Arjona), a femme fatale who is trying to have her abusive husband killed.  Uh-oh.  You know how those things go. Gary is attracted to her and sympathetic.  He tells her to keep her money and use it to begin a new life. But as these things go, they meet again and begin a relationship, but Gary is worried that Madison is attracted to Ron, not Gary, but soon Gary is pulled into Madison's complicated life with her ex-husband, Ray (Evan Holtzman), who unknowingly tries to hire Gary to kill Madison! And it all gets more complicated with Jasper coming back and becoming a thorn in Gary's side.

Glen Powell is my new favorite handsome leading man. He is so totally my type.  Well, my type if I was 40 years younger!  I first noticed him in "Anyone But You," a bad movie that I didn't like, but I liked him, and now it seems he is everywhere. Guess I'm not the only one who liked him!

Written by Richard Linklater and Powell and directed by Linklater, who so beautifully directed "Boyhood," "The Before Trilogy" and others, this is a dark comedy that is a Top Ten movie on Netflix right now and it deserves that.  It's fast moving, darkly funny with witty narration, intelligent dialogue, original situations, an ending you won't see coming and based on a real guy (so don't miss the epilogue). You will enjoy it.  I promise.

Rosy the Reviewer says...A LOT OF FUN! And there is that handsome Glenn Powell! (Netflix)

 

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer 

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

 

Rosy the Reviewer Weighs in on Some Good Sports Movies: Who Knew?

 [I review the sports films "Ferrari," "Air" and "Nyad"]

It's a well-known fact, in my family at least, that I am not a sports gal.  I have paid my dues watching my kids and grandkids compete, but I am not known to keep sports stats or even make it through an entire TV football game.  But a good movie is a good movie, no matter what the subject matter, and these are some good movies.  And in a time when movies seem to be trying to appeal to young people with super heroes and horror, it's refreshing to see movies that appeal to adults. These films honor superheroes of a special kind.

Ferrari (2023)

It's 1957 and not only is Enzo Ferrari's business in trouble, his personal life is also a mess.

Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) started his successful car company in 1947, but now it's the summer of 1957, and his company is floundering. He has been too focused on sports cars and speed and not manufacturing enough cars for us common folk, er well, common rich folks. He is faced with merging with another company to keep his business afloat. 

But Ferrari's company woes are not the only problems he faces.  He lives with his wife, Laura (Penelope Cruz), but let's just say they don't get along.  In fact, early in the movie she pulls a gun on him.  They are both mourning the death of their only son and heir, Dino, and Enzo spends most of his time with his mistress, Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley), and the son they have together, Piero (Giuseppe Festinese).  Lina is pressuring Enzo to legitimize Piero and give him the Ferrari name, and Ferrari does need an heir, but there is a problem - his wife, Laura.

It also doesn't help that Laura owns half of the company and Enzo can't move ahead with business deals without her shares.  She demands a check for $500,000 which would bankrupt the company if she cashes it.  She also finds out about Lina and Piero.  Not good.

But despite all of that, Ferrari is concentrating on his racing team and the upcoming Mille Miglia, an open road 1000 miles endurance race.

With a screenplay by Troy Kennedy Martin (based on a biography by Brock Yates) and directed by Michael Mann, as one would expect, there is beautiful cinematography, some dizzying racing scenes and lots of car shop talk in the film that culminates in a horrifying crash that made me jump out of my seat.

Adam Driver plays Ferrari with a steely majesty as the man worshiped for his accomplishments in a post-WW II Italy, but to see Adam Driver with white hair and all padded up to look like the 59-year-old Ferrari, I couldn't help but wonder, why him?  Don't get me wrong, I am a fan, but I couldn't help but think someone like Robert DeNiro would have been a better pick.  When I said that to my movie-going companion, she said perhaps Driver's name would pull in the younger crowd, and I think she is right.  And he is good in the role, but I have to say, I was a bit distracted by the make-up and prosthetics. And I am not going to get into the debate about his Italian accent. On the other hand, Penelope Cruz, ten years older than Driver, looks right for her role as Laura, and though it's basically a one note part - bitter - she gets to show her acting chops. But, Shailene Woodley seems out of place in this film and doesn't have much to do.

I came from a car racing family.  Both my Dad and brother were into drag racing and the Indy 500.  For some reason, my Dad was not as interested in European cars or Formula 1.  He was an American car guy, but the thrills of car racing run the gamut and there are thrills to be found in this film, no matter what your car racing preference. I felt his presence watching this film.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a standard old school biopic that car racing fans and movie fans alike will enjoy. (In theatres)

Air (2023)

It's all about how Nike went from a company known for running shoes to inventing the Air Jordan basketball shoe.

Now that sounds like a big yawn of a film, right?  Well, you would be wrong, because this film is fast and fun and engrossing. "Moneyball" comes to mind.  How could coming up with a computer-generated analysis to figure out what players to hire for the Oakland A's make for a good movie?  Well, we know how that worked out, right? - six Oscar nominations and countless other awards later. And "Air" is in that same league.

In 1984, Oregon-based Nike, Inc. is not doing well selling basketball shoes and co-founder and CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) is thinking about shutting that division down. Converse has 54% of the basketball shoe market and Adidas 29%.  Nike, with only 17% of the market, can't compete. But he wants to give it one more shot.

So Knight gives Nike's basketball talent scout, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), the task of finding a spokesperson for Nike basketball shoes.  That's not easy, though, because many of the upcoming NBA draft have already made it clear they prefer Adidas and Converse shoes. But Sonny Vaccaro is not daunted.  He may be a nerdy, Dad-bod, Members Only-wearing guy, but he has moxie and wants the 21-year-old, third draft pick, Michael Jordan, even though it looks like there is no way they can get him, partly because of the money and partly because Jordan likes Adidas.

But Sonny is not a shrinking violet. He goes straight to Michael's mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), and tells her what Nike would do for Michael, and in preparation for meeting with Michael's parents, Vaccaro asks designer Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) to come up with a prototype shoe that will lure Michael and his parents. Moore does that, and he names it "Air Jordan."  After some negotiating ups and downs that are fun to watch, and Deloris driving a hard bargain, we see how it all came down for Michael Jordan to go with Nike.  And yes, we all know how this turned out, but in case you didn't know the details, an epilogue shows that what Nike was hoping for that first year - three million in sales - went to $162 million!

Sports movies with lots of sports action can be fun and exciting but, like "Moneyball," sometimes it's what goes on behind the scenes that is the most fun and exciting. And even without basketball footage, this film delivers.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck together again, with Ben acting and directing, showing us once again what a brilliant director he is.  As for the acting, Matt does most of the heavy lifting, but the ensemble cast of Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina and others all do their part too. The screenplay by Alex Convery is fast-moving and snappy, lots of 1980's nostalgia, and it all adds up to a smart, delightful and satisfying film. And can I give a special shout-out to Chris Tucker?  No matter what he does he makes me laugh. And that's a good thing.  He is a special guy.  

And fun fact: who knew the "Just do it" advertising slogan came from what someone said when he was about to be executed.  See what you can learn from the movies?

Rosy the Reviewer says...this is one of those movies where you know how it ends, but it's the journey and it's an enjoyable one that even non-sports fans will love. (Amazon Prime) 

Nyad (2023)

The true story of swimmer, Diana Nyad, who at 64 was finally able to accomplish her dream of swimming the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida.

In 1978 at the age of 28, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), whose name fittingly means water nymph, attempted to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys without a shark cage, a distance of 110 miles and 60 hours in the water.  That try failed but 33 years later, she tried again, but an asthma attack scuppered that swim.  Her third and fourth attempts ended when she was stung by jellyfish and by the onslaught of bad weather, but finally her fifth attempt, at the age of 64, with the help of her best friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster) and boat captain and navigator, John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans), was successful, though there has been some controversy surrounding its authenticity.

Written by Julia Cox and directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (who also directed the Oscar-winning documentary "Free Solo"), this film is their first feature film, and it is all about that final swim and how Nyad got there, but it's also the story of a life-long friendship between Nyad and her coach and friend, Bonnie Stoll.  Jodie Foster and Annette Bening are a wonderful team.

We don't see Jodie Foster acting much these days, and in a recent interview, she said it has to be something special to get her to want to act anymore.  But this film is special, and she helps to make it so with her quiet, intense portrayal. But Annette gets the splashy role (sorry) as she embodies Nyad's huge ego and her "magnificent obsession," which I guess is what it takes to accomplish something really, really big.  Both Bening and Foster were nominated for Golden Globes, and I expect some Oscar nominations in their future. Speaking of Annette Bening - she is one of those actors who will give it all to her "art," and as beautiful as she is, doesn't shy away from looking like hell, which she often does in this film.  She also did all of her own swimming, saying that some days she was in the water for over 8 hours.

Bening and Foster are both wonderful actresses individually, but together they are electric and just wonderful together.  They tell a story of a strong friendship and you can tell it's a real life friendship because it just emanates from the screen.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a riveting true story of what it takes to achieve a life-long goal and the power of female friendship. (Netflix) 

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, Twitter, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer 

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critic Reviews" - Click on that, and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

Rosy the Reviewer reviews some movies you might not know about: "Spencer," "King Richard" and "CODA"

[I review the Princess Diana biopic "Spencer" as well as "King Richard" and "CODA,"  all new movies that have some Golden Globe nominations for either Best Picture or for acting kudos]

Spencer (2021)

A biopic about Princess Diana.

As a huge Princess Diana fan, I paid the $19.98 to Amazon Prime (also available On Demand) to have early access to this film.  It's in theatres, too, so I figured that's what it would cost for Hubby and me to see it if we went out.  I also thought the film would be worth the price of a ticket just to see Kristen Stewart smile.  Think about it.  When have you ever seen her smile?  Well, she didn't here, either.  Or maybe once.

But Stewart did a good job of portraying Diana over the course of a Christmas weekend at Sandringham.  I wish I could say the same about the film itself portraying Diana. 

This is not a flattering portrait of Diana.

It begins in 1991 with Diana driving her car to Sandringham, the royal estate in eastern England where the family likes to spend Christmas.  Fittingly, Diana actually grew up on the estate as a young girl before her father became Earl and moved to Althorp.  This is all hinted at in the film, but if you didn't know that about her, you would either miss those references or scratch your head and wonder what the heck was that all about - her going in the night to see her old house. In these early scenes, Diana comes off as a bit of a flibbertigibbet and, yes, this film depicts a time toward the end of her marriage to Prince Charles when things were coming off the rails, but I didn't appreciate this film making her look completely nuts, which she wasn't. 

The truth of the matter was that Diana was a 19-year-old virgin, chosen to marry the 30-something-year-old Prince Charles who needed to mend his bachelor ways and settle down.  She loved him, he didn't love her.  When they were first engaged and asked by reporters if they were in love, Diana replied "Of course."  Charles nodded and said something like "Whatever in love means."  Right there, I knew she was in trouble. Despite some years where they appeared to be happy as they raised their two sons, Charles was actually in love with someone else the whole time and Diana knew it.  So that would drive me crazy too, which being in her shoes myself, it kind of did (yes, that happened to me, but I wasn't married to a prince).

To make matters worse, over the course of this one weekend, I repeat one, that was depicted in the film, Diana runs the gamut of everything we heard she went through over the entire course of her 15-year marriage: bulimia, hanging out downstairs in the kitchen and stuffing herself with food, wandering around the estate at night, trying to throw herself down the stairs, her paranoia.  On and on. But then the filmmakers really lost me when she is depicted breaking her pearl necklace at dinner and trying to eat it, I said, "What the hell?" I also couldn't help but ask myself, "What was the point of making this film?" To make Diana look bad? And what was the point of the title?

I know, the film was going back and forth between fantasy and reality to show Diana unraveling in the stultifying atmosphere of the royal family. I get that, but it just went from one crazy act to another.  Fifteen years of marriage bundled into two hours.  It was just too much.

After the weekend ends and we have endured a tedious two hours of Diana-bashing, she drives off with her sons and there is some sort of rapproachment where it appears she is finally going to find herself and become independent, which I guess is where the title came in. When asked at a KFC drive through (though, god help me, why KFC?  One more insult to Diana), who the order was for, she answers "Spencer."  But too little too late. 

This is also one of those films that does everything in real time.  Diana is going to walk down the hall?  Well, she walks...down...the...hall. To make matters worse, the soundtrack was annoying, like fingernails on a chalkboard, and veteran actors Sally Hawkins and Timothy Spall were wasted here.  

When I first heard that Kristin Stewart was going to play Diana, I didn't see it at all, but if you are going to make a film about a very unhappy time in Princess Diana's life, then Stewart was a good choice because no one does scowling like she does.  And that iconic Diana hairstyle helped a lot. Stewart actually looked like her.  Her acting was fine (she is nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance)  and her accent was even okay, but let's just say, I am sure Diana smiled much more than Stewart did here, even when her life was in shambles.

So Kristen Stewart wasn't the problem I had with this movie.

Written by Steven Knight and directed by Pablo Larrain, if I didn't know better, I would think this film was backed by the royal family themselves to show what they had to put up with and to justify their actions.  Though beautifully produced and well-acted, there was just no context to what led up to how nutty Diana was acting in this film. Yes, there were some snippets of a lonely little child (Diana's mother ran off with another man) and Diana's need for love but all of that was so fleeting, if you didn't already know her story, it certainly wouldn't justify this characterization of her. The filmmakers probably thought they could get off the hook with all of the liberties they took with Diana's story by stating at the outset that this film is a "fable."  But I'm not letting them.  This was a horror story.

And what makes me the most mad is this: 

Remember, Diana died almost 25 years ago.  There is a whole generation of people who probably don't really know the details of Diana's life, what she went through, how she overcame it and the good that she did.   Princess Diana was a young woman who was fed to the royal lions at age 19, eventually found herself and became an advocate for those who couldn't speak for themselves. But this movie shows nothing of that and paints a very negative portrait of her and I can't stand to think of her remembered this way. So I didn't appreciate this very dark portrayal of a dead woman who can't now speak for herself.

Rosy the Reviewer says...can you tell that this movie made me really mad? It was a huge disappointment.  Save your money. 

King Richard (2021)

How Venus and Serena Williams rose to the highest echelons of the tennis world – because their dad Richard Williams, had a plan for them even before they were born.

This is a biopic done right, and it’s also Will Smith as you have never seen him. If you didn’t know it was Will Smith, I would bet you would not recognize him here playing Venus and Serena's Dad, Richard Williams, a man who had a plan for his daughters and who carried it out. He transforms himself and is just wonderful.

And speaking of Richard Williams, think about it, this guy was an African American with five daughters living in Compton, California in the 1990’s. His wife worked as a nurse by day, he worked security by night and spent all of his free time working with his daughters, keeping them focused, prepping them to win at tennis, up until then, predominantly a sport for white people who could afford the country club. He was a controversial figure who faced racism and barriers but, he had an unwavering plan. His motto: “If you fail to plan then you plan to fail” and he instilled that in his daughters.

With a screenplay by Zach Baylin and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, this is also a great sports movie with lots of tennis footage, but you don’t need to like tennis to love this movie, but if you are a tennis fan, you will love it even more. And the epilogue will make you cry.

Smith is joined by an outstanding ensemble cast highlighted by performances by Aunjanue Ellis in a small but pivotal role as Richard's wife and Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton as Venus and Serena respectively. It all adds up to a wonderful film experience not to be missed.

Rosy the Reviewer says…Just an extraordinary performance by Will who doesn't often get props for his acting. This time he has been rewarded with a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination. I expect that the Academy will also recognize him. This should be on your list of Must Sees!

(In theatres and on HBO Max)

CODA (2021)

A young hearing teen, whose family is deaf, is torn between caring for her family and striking out on her own.

Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is a CODA, a Child of Deaf Adults. Her parents Frank (Troy Kotsur) and Jackie (Marlee Matlin) are both deaf as is her brother, Leo (Daniel Durant), and as the only hearing member of her family, interpreting their sign language for others is one of her main duties. The family lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts and Frank and Leo are both fisherman. It's a hardscrabble life as prices for their fish go lower and lower. But they are a close-knit, loving family. As for Ruby, she is a high school student and we learn that she was bullied as a child because "she talked like a deaf person," which makes sense if she didn't have speech role models who were hearing people. She has some insecurities and is still being bullied by the "mean girls," but Ruby is slowly starting to literally find. her voice. She joins the high school glee club where she is befriended by the music teacher (Eugenio Derbez), who though he employs tough love to his students and is not easily impressed, he thinks Ruby has talent and encourages her to apply to the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

So that's the plan until the family fishing business takes a hit.

When the family realizes that the fishermen are being taken advantage of by big business, they strike out on their own and form a fishing co-op, but then Ruby's father and brother are busted by the Coast Guard, because they are not supposed to be out on the boat without a hearing person - and they face losing the business unless Ruby stays home and continues to act as the ears of the family and ride with her father and brother on the boat. Ruby has a beautiful singing voice and wants to go to college and develop her talent. But her parents need her to be their voice. They don't want her to go. What to do, what to do, when you are a caring, loving, responsible girl?

Let's just say there is lots and lots of family guilt aimed at Ruby. But then her brother gives her a pep talk. Remember that scene in "Good Will Hunting," where Ben Affleck tells Matt Damon if he doesn't get out of the town and make something of himself, he's a pussy? Well, this is like that and, thus, there is another kind of coda at work here, the musical one and the figurative one that marks a conclusion...a happy one...in Ruby's very moving college audition that will make you cry.

Based on the 2014 French comedy "La Famille Belier" and adapted and directed by Sian Heder, this is a fairly predictable coming-of-age tale. A kid has a dream but has to choose between the dream and (you fill in the blanks).

But...

Despite the predictability of the plot, the film is saved by the charm of lead actress Jones and her co-stars who are all deaf actors in real life and the insight this film provides into a story you don't see or hear much about - a deaf family, a young hearing girl with lives in two different worlds - the deaf world and the hearing world - and the profound love and respect among the family members, despite their differences. It's all very real. The family may be deaf but they share the same concerns and issues as everyone else.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a satisfying film marked by a wonderful, real story and wonderful real performances. Recently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture-Drama, this charming and heart-warming film already has 53 other nominations and 21 wins. It's a must!

(Now streaming on Apple+)

 

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And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critic Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!