Love Is All You Need, Elysium and The Way Way Back

I couldn't remember anything about Love Is All You Need. Partly in Danish with subtitles, I guess it must have had a very limited release. So it was a surprise to find it shown on Wednesday morning Senior Screen. But what a nice surprise. A romantic drama about mature people starring Pierce Brosnan and directed by Susanne Bier from Denmark, it was a fine example of the genre. Set mainly on the Amalfi coast, how could it fail? The screenplay was good enough and the acting was mostly OK. Although a fairly predictable story, there was much to enjoy. And  you could always watch the scenery.

Neil Blomcamp is a really talented writer and director. His first movie District 9 was a blast, especially given it's limited budget. How would he do with huge funding? Well no aliens this time, just humans, split between the haves and have not's. We are again in the future, 2154 to be precise. Matt Damon on one side and Jodie Foster on the other. The director uses his budget to great effect and has produced another enjoyable thriller. It was good to see Sharlto Copley (the hero in District 9) back again, this time as the nasty villain.

Every so often there comes a movie that to me, smacks of perfection. The Way Way Back is one of those. This is the best film I have seen since Silver Linings Playbook. I found it comparable to Slumdog Millionaire, maybe even more enjoyable. It is all down to the writers, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash who are also directing for the first time. When you have such good writing, a talented cast are going to shine. And boy, do they. Steve Carell and Toni Collette already have children from their previous marriages, but don't deserve them. So a holiday at Carell's beach house was always going to be interesting. Next door is Allison Janney, another divorcee who is loud and overbearing. All three are brilliant. But everything is seen through the eyes of newcomer Liam James as Collette's  awkward fourteen year old son Duncan. Not a narrator, thank heavens, but he is in, or on the edge of every scene. This device works so well. His solitary explorations take him to a water park called by it's actual title in real life, Water Wizz, Here he meets Owen, played by Sam Rockwell, the laid back manager, and his gang. This is where the fun really starts. Rockwell delivers one of those performances that you will never forget, up there with the best of all time. As one critic puts it: "If this role, one in a series of sneaky-good performances that Rockwell's been delivering for years, doesn't finally earn him the recognition he deserves, I'm not sure what will". Finally, if you want a smart indie soundtrack, look no further than Linda Cohen. As I said, everything was perfection.