Friday, November 22, 1996
"Shine"
Written by Jan Sardi
Directed by Scott Hicks
Starring Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Geoffrey Rush
In a cinematic season of repeated claims of greatness and
palpable pretension, few films manage to live up to their
expectations. Pictures once touted as Oscar-caliber turn out to
disappoint ("Sleepers") and festival favorites get critically
shellacked ("Spitfire Grill"). But from somewhere in the epicenter
of hype and excitement emerges one of the darlings of last year’s
Sundance Festival, a testament to character study and human emotion
called "Shine."
"Shine" is the story of a child prodigy pianist whose father
drives him to be the best at the expense of his sanity. But it’s
never about plot, and it certainly isn’t about mental illness. This
is not, for a second, a movie of the week. This is a man’s life,
explored on a grand scale of gritty lows and soaring highs. This is
a film you drag people back to. And dragging people toward it
should be encouraged, because names like Lynn Redgrave and John
Gielgud aren’t exactly the hugest box office draws. And they’re not
even the leads. That honor belongs to Alex Rafalowicz, Noah Taylor
and Geoffrey Rush, who portray real life David Helfgott in various
stages of his life. All performances are striking.
But perhaps the praise here should fall on director Scott Hicks
and screenwriter Jan Sardi who have crafted a stunning meditation
on genius and redemption. The story, nimbly adapted from real life,
uses flashbacks to explore segments of Helfgott’s journey and
ultimately takes on the musical structure of a concerto. The pace
is superb, alternating between manic speed and thoughtful plodding,
and each episode is laid out and explored with style. As a piece of
music, "Shine" is remarkable. As a film, it’s fairly perfect.
By Michael Horowitz
Grade: A
"The War at Home"
Directed by Emilio Estevez
Starring Emilio Estevez, Martin Sheen, Kathy Bates
Ever since Vietnam vets returned to America, films have
portrayed their experiences overseas and back home. The trauma and
indifference suffered by survivors of the war is commonly
recognized and documented, yet continue to be the subject of many
modern productions.
In the upcoming film, "The War at Home," Emilio Estevez ("The
Mighty Ducks," "The Breakfast Club") plays Jeremy Collier, a
soldier unable to relate to his home environment after the war. His
family, unable and unwilling to recognize the obvious signs of
Jeremy’s situation, leads him further from sanity and drives him
from his once happy home.
Estevez takes triple-billing for the film (he also directed and
produced), which may explain the presence of his father, Martin
Sheen ("The American President," "Apocalypse Now"), in the role of
Jeremy’s father. Sheen is powerful as a man who loves his family,
yet can’t admit to the psychological trauma Vietnam has instilled
in his son. Kathy Bates ("Misery," "Fried Green Tomatoes") is the
loving mother who tries desperately to hold together her family,
even when they resent her efforts.
While the performances of Sheen and Bates shine, the script
lacks any sort of believability. All of the characters are
underdeveloped, and lack key traits that could explain their
strained relationship.
Estevez is weak as the unhappy veteran, unable to convey the
depth of emotion needed to play a character who stares off into
space through most of the film. As a director, the execution of
flashback scenes were elementary and embarrassing. As Jeremy stands
in the backyard, the camera circles around him until suddenly he is
standing, in his street clothes, in the middle of a military
attack.
The sole saving graces of the film are Sheen and Bates. No other
aspect of the film redeems it, and although the horrors of Vietnam
should never be forgotten, "The War at Home" certainly should.
By Lori Swingle
Grade: D
"Jingle All the Way"
Directed by Brian Levant
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad and Phil Hartman
So it’s a little early for the Christmas spirit, but that
doesn’t stop director Brian Levant ("The Flintstones," "Beethoven")
from busting out with a Christmas-saturated saga about a
distracted, flaky father (Schwarzenegger) and his attempt to redeem
his behavior through the purchase of the dream-toy, Turbo Man, for
his son (Jake Lloyd, "Unhook the Stars").
The most entertaining obstacles in Schwarzenegger’s desperate
search are comedians Sinbad and Phil Hartman, both in over-the-top
character roles, their antics almost charming enough to bring out a
little early Christmas cheer. Almost.
The storyline and the style are both consistent and cohesive,
which lends a clean, smooth feel to the film. Although simplistic,
the plot remains suspenseful with several abrupt twists and turns.
The sets also add to the simple yet stylized look of the film.
Particularly the set for the Wintertainment Parade, a made-up
televised Christmas parade, has enough gargantuan blow-up cartoon
characters and a flashy Turbo Man displays to make the scene
engaging without getting ahead of the intended audience’s youthful
interests.
But the film’s success in catering to its targeted audience is
also its weakness. While it does a good job playing to kids’
attention spans and slapstick-appreciating humor, the added comedy
provided by Sinbad and Hartman are not quite enough to keep an
adult audience happy. Still, with the collective charisma of
Schwarzenegger, Sinbad and Hartman, this is a good film to take
younger siblings to. Kids will love "Jingle All the Way" and their
chaperones won’t have to suffer through the usual atrocities that
adolescent films normally commit.
By Emily Forster
Grade: C