Based on the real life Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning and Thunder, Song Sung Blue is saved by a great performance from Kate Hudson as Claire. She deserved being nominated for best actress at the Golden Globes. I remeber her vividly from the 2000 film Almost Famous so that was twenty five years ago! But Hugh Jackman is as wooden as ever, only there because he can actually sing. As he did in The Greatest Showman. The script of this latest film was also pretty poor, so I was glad we had so many Neil Diamond songs to enjoy. And I did. Not forgetting a couple of barnstorming numbers from a Buddy Holly act.
The problem with a true story is that it can be sometimes quite boring. Here we have a recovering alchoholic, single parents and a horrific motor accident that so badly injured Claire. All too true. Why could we not just have had a fictional story about a tribute act. This film is written, co-produced and directed by Craig Brewer and based on the 2008 documentary by Greg Kohs. What was surprising were the performances from the two daughters, Ella Anderson and King Princess. Somehow their engaging personalities came over really well. especially when they first meet and discuss their similar backgrounds. There are also some other good supporting roles.
As for the critics, the LA Times said "You wont see a movie with better music or worse dialogue ...... (but) bizarrely charming". Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian called it an "undeniably entertaining true life story" and Tome Shone in the Sunday Times "it just shows reality is a poor screenwriter".
The Housemaid was basically a three hander, so quite theatrical in that it was mostly dialogue, Lots of twists and turns along the way as in all these types of movies. It reminded me of those 70's and 80's thrillers such as Fatal Attraction or Jagged Edge. I thought Amanda Siegfried was great as the wife Nina who has her ups and downs. Sydney Sweeney as Millie is not the greatest actress but seems to get a lot of exposure. Brabdon Sklenar as the husband Andrew Winchester was always creepy.
So just the one set , that large mansion in Long Island. Directed by Paul Feig and adapted from Freida McFadden's 2022 bestseller by Rebecca Sonnenshire. There is little plausability to the plot, but this "pulpy thriller" doesn't care. Surprisingly Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian gave it four stars and called it "outrageously enjoyable". Wendy Ide said it was "plausable and preposterous". I thought it was clever when during the first part of the film you wondered for a long time who these people were. Only later to have all their back story. Not really my kind of movie, but fun in it's way.
Fackham Hall is a comedy Downton Abbey. I thought there was far too much swearing (although perhaps there wasn't). Co-written by director Jim O'Hanlon (he should stick to the latter) and Jimmy Carr. The screenplay was packed with innuendo and a real mixed bag. The cast did not seem to buy into the script, except that is for Tomasin McKenzie as Rose Davenport. She's a fine actress who I remember vividly from One Night in Soho as well as JoJo Rabbit and Old. Even Damian Lewis unsuccessfully played it for laughs as her father. Ben Radcliffe played the joint lead as Eric and is not great even though quite personable. He has not done his future prospects any favours. The rest of the cast seemed to be unknowns and it showed. I don't think it warranted a cinematic release, but a British comedy is not to be ignored. Thank goodness for Tomasin. Some of the critics were more impressed, some not. That mixed bad again.
No comments:
Post a Comment