Runner Runner (2013)

My Rating: 3.2 out of 10

Runner Runner is a 2013 American crime thriller film directed by Brad Furman. The film stars Justin Timberlake as Richie Furst, Ben Affleck as Ivan Block, Gemma Arterton as Rebecca Shafran and Anthony Mackie as Agent Shavers. It follows Richie, who tries to make his tuition fees online playing poker, but after losing all the money, goes to Costa Rica to confront the online king of poker, Ivan, whom he believes has swindled him. Eventually, he becomes a part of his operation, but uncovers criminal and devious plots in his business.

Runner Runner has an impressive cast but the tedious direction and bland acting ruins the whole movie. The story in the beginning is intriguing, but eventually emanates as a haphazard thriller with poorly congregated pieces. In the first twenty minutes only, you might feel like scramming from the movie and doing something useful with your time. Timberlake is just moving around in the scenes portraying minimal expressions possible and giving nothing new other than his smart-ass attitude gained from Sean Parker’s character in ‘The Social Network’. Gemma Arterton doesn’t have a substantial role and you’d expect a lot from Anthony Mackie after seeing him in ‘The Hurt Locker’.

The only reason why I started watching this movie was Ben Affleck, but it turns out that it was just a bad decision made by him. His character is weak, he portrayed it dimly and definitely does not hold up his reputation garnered from State of Play, The Town and Argo like intense and brawny performances. Although, very few moments can be noted where he does try to grip his character. The direction from Furman of ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ fame is gloomy and becomes slackened.

The movie is said to be inspired by the life of Nat Arem, a professional poker player and a former accountant who helped uncover cheating in online poker using statistical methods by analysing thousands of games. Concluding, I’d say that those were ninety-one minutes of my life that I would not get back. If you don’t have anything to do and want to desperately pass your time then go for this movie otherwise find something better to do.

Now, to watch the movie, you can get the print at Runner Runner.

If you have fun watching...do let me know your reviews !!

Philip Seymour Hoffman - A Tribute

“Sometimes, acting is a really private thing that you do for the world.”

-       P. S. Hoffman

On February 2, 2014, world lost a profound and prolific actor. Philip Seymour Hoffman was an American actor and director, who appeared in nearly 50 films during his career spanning more than two decades. He directed and acted in numerous stage productions throughout his career. He received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ‘Capote (2005)’ and was nominated three times for Best Supporting Actor for ‘Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)’, ‘Doubt (2008)’ and ‘The Master (2012)’. He received three Tony Award nominations for his Broadway performances, two for Best Leading Actor in ‘True West (2000)’ and ‘Death of a Salesman (2012)’, and one for Best Featured Actor in ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night (2003)’. His only film as a director has been ‘Jack Goes Boating (2010)’ which was a romantic-comedy and starred him in the title role.

He was a highly versatile actor who brought profoundness and humanity to his roles. He scarcely ever appeared in leading roles in his movies and mostly did supporting work. Initially, he appeared in minor, but seminal roles and but gained recognition through his invigorating and gaping performances. However, short his role was, he would always leave an indelible print on the spectator’s mind. He had a riveting screen presence that would make you jump and espy. The characters that he portrayed were not customary. He would choose roles that were flawed and would accomplish them with utter flawlessness. Be it an egotistical student in Scent of a Woman (1992), a pornographic film hustler in Boogie Nights (1997), a smug assistant in The Big Lebowski (1998), a phone-sex rogue in Punch-Drunk Love (2002), an immoral priest in Cold Mountain (2003), a disgusting friend in Along Came Polly (2004), a psychotic dealer in Mission: Impossible III (2006), a committed manager in Moneyball (2011) and The Ides of March (2011) or a nascent cult leader in The Master (2012), he portrayed all of them and more resplendently. He was highly engaged in theatre work throughout his career. He would keep himself grounded as an actor by appearing on stage almost annually as a break from the big screen. His last film is yet to be released which is The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and 2 where he portrays a judge of the games Plutarch Heavensbee, is produced posthumously and some of his scenes have been generated using live-action computer animation. He has worked very closely with wunderkind director Paul Thomas Anderson starring in five of his six features and all of them are noteworthy, enticing and exquisite.

Among a few movies of Hoffman which I have seen, I would like to share some funny and memorable moments which are still embed in my mind as I am writing this tribute:

In the light hearted romance, Along Came Polly (2004), in the art gallery, Hoffman walks up to Ben Stiller and says to him, “I think I just sharted”. Stiller asks him, “What is sharted?” To which he replies, “I tried to fart and shit came out”. I laughed so hard that I think I did the same.

In P.T. Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love (2002), there is an amazingly aggressive phone conversation between Adam Sandler and Hoffman which was outstanding. Also, in Anderson’s The Master (2012), there is a similar vigorous scene in the jail cell between Joaquin Phoenix and Hoffman.

The following are some notable quotes from his various interviews:

“Ultimately, my main goal is to do good work. If it doesn't pay well, so be it.” 

"I think deep down inside, people understand how flawed they are. I think the more benign you make somebody, the less truthful it is."

"It's hard. The job isn't difficult. Doing it well is difficult... just because you like to do something doesn't mean you have fun doing it; and I think that's true about acting"

Hoffman rarely talked about his personal life in interviews, stating in 2012 that he would "rather not because my family doesn't have any choice. If I talk about them in the press, I'm giving them no choice. So I choose not to."

David Fear of Rolling Stone remarkably said about Hoffman –

"No modern actor was better at making you feel sympathy for fucking idiots, failures, degenerates, sad sacks and hangdogs dealt a bum hand by life, even as — no, especially when — he played them with all of their worst qualities front and center. But Philip Seymour Hoffman had a range that seemed all-encompassing, and he could breathe life into any role he took on: a famous author, a globetrotting party-boy aristocrat, a German counterintelligence agent, a charismatic cult leader, a genius who planned games of death in dystopic futures. He added heft to low-budget art films, and nuance and unpredictability to blockbuster franchises. He was a transformative performer who worked from the inside out, blessed with an emotional transparency that could be overwhelming, invigorating, compelling, devastating."

Lastly, I would urge all of you to see the following epic video tribute by filmmaker Caleb Slain who says, “A post-script journey through Philip Seymour Hoffman's lifetime in cinema. 200 hours of work went into breaking down 47 of Hoffman's films. Compiling his legacy has been one of the most challenging experiences I've ever faced as an editor, and yet indescribably rewarding. I can assure you that after 22 years on screen and nearly fifty films, we now look at the work of an actor who never had a single dishonest moment on camera. I know because I've seen them all. Please take a breather and raise your glasses to one of our greatest."

P.S. Hoffman - A Tribute

P.S. Hoffman was one of the most widely admired actor and his passing is a syncope to the world of cinema for which there exist no panacea. His position can never be filled and satiated. His work will always remain classic and eternal, leaving indelible impressions throughout.

The Master (2012)

My Rating: 8 out of 10

The Master is an American 2012 psychological drama film written, directed and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quell, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodd, Amy Adams as Peggy Dodd, Ambyr Childers as Elizabeth Dodd and Jesse Plemons as Val Dodd. The story follows Freddie, who is a World War II veteran into the post-war world trying to adapt to the changes of life. He meets Lancaster, who is the leader of a religious movement called “The Cause” and he sees something in him and accepts him into his movement. Freddie begins travelling with him and his family, spreading their teachings and battling with his own problems.

This movie is an epitome of sensational acting by both leading actors – Phoenix and Hoffman. Joaquin Phoenix gives his character immense depth and portrays it with utmost passion. One can percept his preparation for the role through his physical stature, body language and amazing dialogue delivery. I have seen a lot of movies of Philip Seymour Hoffman and he never disappoints. Here as well, he finds the driving force of his character and delivers it exceptionally well. These two actors portray antithetical men who complete each other but at the same time are independent in their world. Amy Adams makes a place for herself beside these two actors and becomes the impetus for Seymour’s character. You might know Jesse Plemons from AMC’s Breaking Bad fame as blonde Todd, who becomes Walt’s replacement for Jesse Pinkman in the show.

The direction of the movie is an example of the sterling cinematic technique. If you have seen the previous movies of wunderkind P T Anderson like There Will Be Blood and Punch Drunk Love, then you will notice his unique style. He uses the close up shots of his actors, follows them around in their scenes and uses symbolic images. The water shot in the movie is one example of the image. Look out for a very aggressive scene between our two leading actors in the jail cell which is also a part of Anderson’s style. The cinematography provided by Mihai Mălaimare, Jr. uses light and colour well to capture the flow of the movie. The original score by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead rock band is an observant art in the movie.

The movie’s story has been said to be partly based on L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Church of Scientology. There can be many interpretations of the movie and its characters according to the perception of the spectator. Overall, the marvellous acting and peculiar direction with the help of eerie score make for a thought provoking experience. The appropriateness and interpretation of the title of the movie is also a food for thought. The Master is a must watch for drama lovers and cinema critics and fans of Phoenix, Hoffman and Anderson.

To watch the movie, you can get the amazing print at The Master.

Have fun watching...do let me know your reviews !!