Leatherheads

*Spoiler Alert***I will be discussing plot points on "Leatherheads", "
Married Life" and "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"**.

I just got back from "Leatherheads" today. I've been looking forward to this flick for quite some time and I can't believe how disappointed I was. As you can tell by the John Krasinski image, I am a big fan of his. So I think most of my chagrin was due to his smaller-than-expected screentime. I told my friend Laura, I was hoping for 60% John and 40% George and Renee, and that didn't happen.

Beyond the John-light portions of the movie, I have to say that I was distracted by both George Clooney's and Renee Zellweger's performances, they were both altogether too "cutesy". Renee was so clearly trying to play a ball-buster dame reporter type, and unfortunately she just couldn't pull it off. I blame mostly the script, and a lack of backstory/development. I got that Lexie Littleton was a feminist and trying to make it in a man's world, but the "why" was lacking. I've had problems with a couple of other movies recently trying to capture the feel of another era. Both "Married Life" (set in the 1940s) and "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" (set in 1939) have bothered me with one or more actors playing characitures of their roles. Taking a look at "Married Life", I thought overall it was a really good film, with excellent performances, and surprisingly funny. Rachel McAdams was more than adequate in her role, although there was just a slight feeling that she wasn't too sure how to play her at times. I should say out of all of the films this one felt the most authentic, and none of the actor's ever 'brought me out' of my viewing experience - which is huge for me. It was after watching that I sort of needed more from her character. A commentator on imdb.com - victoryman (from Canada) said that "if Kay (Rachel's character) is a girl worth betraying your best friend and killing your wife for, (we) need to see more of her to see why - pretty just doesn't cut it." I totally agree, I think in the past, Kay may have been played as more of a femme fatale, all vamp and sex, but still vulnerable. It just doesn't happen here.

In "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day", my issue is that Amy Adams nearly overdoes it in the beginning. She's all breathy exclamations, and high-pitched "ooh!s and oh no!s". Very Marilyn at times. She mellows out as the film goes on, and approaches something very near a character arc. Now that I think about it, the role of Delysia Lafosse is something I actually think Marilyn would have been amazing in. It's a role that requires a careful mix of sexuality and innocence. Kay(asinlilah) and I actually disagreed a little bit here on the complete characterization of Delysia. However even with the over-the-top melodrama of the first act, by the end I was completely charmed into loving the film.

Leatherheads, on the other hand, had me grumbling by the end. Getting into more of the nitty-gritty of the movie; I felt like there was little-to-no-plot, and that the big "scandal" that was the sole reason for Renee's existence in the movie wasn't so bad. I mean, I honestly thought, "what's the big deal?" Carter (John's character) did save the day. Yeah, he was a hero by accident and he lied about some of the finer points (which was wrong) but it still happened, and really, who cares about the details? So I was little miffed about that a couple of other things - namely, that there was no chemistry between George and Renee, and not to be petty, but there were scenes when both her hair and clothes were a mess! My feelings are - if you're doing a period film, let the costumes look good!

Highlights include: any moment that John Krasinski was on screen, George's twitch-y comedic timing, and Stephen Root as comic relief at all times.

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Introductions - How this blog came to be. (Lila)

Imagine a revolutionary, church-going, ultra-conservative and simultaneously liberal minded artist with a penchant for business and a passion for the arts whose goal in life is to eradicate AIDS, speak out against sexism and racism and to see as many plays, movies and TV shows in the meantime.

A walking contradiction - a modern day cosmopolitan woman with southern belle tendencies (I don’t like to be called “missy,” but scoff if a guy doesn’t open the door), I count my family and friends as the most precious gifts in my life - alongside my iPod and my DVR, and am ready for my fifteen minutes of fame (but am unwilling to sleep with the Governor of New York to get it). Formally trained as an actor with a Master’s degree, I’ve spent my formative years developing my craft and criticizing others who don’t do the job nearly as well as I think I could (had I guts enough to actually audition or submit a script for anything).

Somewhere along the way what started off as just me giving my “two cents” to friends (and anyone else who’d listen) about the latest in film, TV, theater and music has morphed into this blog where I get to do two of my favorite things: give my opinion without it being solicited and write. I, by no means, think I’m an expert, but I know what I like and I know what I think is good and sometimes, as it turns out, my opinions are actually based on valid critical analysis and not just the fact that I hate the actress starring in the film (which does happen).

I met my counterpart - the other Benedict - in our office at a major music company and we started hanging out by just going to movies together, and we quickly realized that we finally had someone to bounce all of our criticisms off of (a dangling participle I know - so sue me).

We’re the “Bendicts” because, like the Bendict boys in the movie “Twins” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, we’re 2 sides of the same coin - alike but totally different. (Yes, we know this is corny - but roll with us, huh?)

Our stats: she’s white (I’m Black), she’s the youngest of 2 kids, (I’m the middle of 5), she’s just hitting her mid-20s (I’ve now officially crossed over into my 30s), she’s a closeted Republican, (I’m a Democrat masquerading as an Independent).

Aside from this we actually share much in common including our love for criticizing the work of others and voicing our opinions to the world. We’re both Southerners (she’s from Florida, I’m from Louisiana), we both love karaoke, we both think a movie without snacks is uncivilized, and we both agreed that “There Will Be Blood’ was not to be compared to the much better “No Country for Old Men” (we agree that finally for once, the Academy seemed to have gotten it right).

Just as we knew which was the better of those 2 films, we’re betting that we can pick out some other jewels in the overcrowded field of entertainment or at least save you from wasting your money on the really crappy ones. Sometimes, maybe we’ll agree with your picks or by some miracle with one another’s. Either way, love it or hate it - these are the “Bendicts’ Picks.”

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Introductions - How this blog came to be. (Lynn)

Lynn’s Story:

I’ve been what some might describe as “unnaturally interested” in all things entertainment and culture, for almost all my life. When I was little, my family moved around a lot (yay military) and I was always reading books at the school lunch tables. I would watch Jem & the Holograms and movie musicals for hours. I idolized Christian Bale (from Newsies and Empire of the sun back then), and Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and Full House. I tried to watch and consume as much as I could; despite having a strict Mom and no cable (gasp!). Now, I’m basically the same, although I have more freedom and time in general, to commit to my habit. I studied film and television in college, and I work for a record label now. I go to the theatre as often as my wallet and calendar allow, and I actively pursue a well-rounded reading list, switching up self-help, classics, and contemporary books often.

Kay and I wanted to start this blog because we are both obsessed (in a good way) with entertainment and culture. We met at work, and bonded over our mutual love of Jeopardy, soon enough, we were planning movie weekends in preparation for the Oscars. We would see a dramatic film, break for lunch and to discuss, and then go see a “fluffier” film – (i.e. a romcom or a feel-good movie). After about 3 weeks of doing this we realized – we should be in blogs! We had all these opinions and ideas, and felt like we’d love to hear what other people thought and to expand our cultural horizons in general. We also felt like there were times when we had the exact-same-thought and then the very next moment we’d be in a heated debate. We, of course thought this would be wildly interesting to anyone who might read it, and thus – our blog was born.

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