“Manic”
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt
IFC Films
“Manic” plays like it wishes it were a documentary.
The shaky camera angles as well as the washed-out colors of digital
give “Manic” a borrowed kind of realism. We might not
know this is fictional if it wasn’t for the presence of a few
stars. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has all but grown up into one angry
fella, moshing to the sounds of punk and cracking a bat over
someone else’s head. It’s a switch from his cheery
sitcom days, but he pulls it off with maturity, if not a welcome
tinge of coolness. The supporting cast is solid, from a diplomatic
Don Cheadle to a goth teeth-clenching Sara Rivas and a manic
depressive Michael Bacall, a UCLA alumnus who also penned the
screenplay. The weak link is the ebonics-spouting white kid, who
trips up over the slang and fails to sell the anger behind the
attitude. Obvious comparisons to “One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest” are being used to sell the film, but
it’s not a glove-in-hand fit. Yes, it’s meant for
entertainment, and yes, some people in it are cuckoo. Yet the
filmmakers are more careful to understand the actual ins and outs
of psychiatric therapy, a series of group interactions and
bureaucratic routine that don’t need domineering nurses to
complicate it further. -Howard Ho
“The Shape of Things”
Starring Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd
Directed by Neil LaBute
Is seduction really an art? “The Shape of Things”
transforms seduction into more of a behavioral science than a thing
of beauty. This latest effort from Neil LaBute further demonstrates
his mastery over everyday evil, adding manipulatrix Evelyn (Weisz)
to his roster of relatable villains. Evelyn, an art graduate
student, meets the hapless Adam (Rudd) at an art exhibit and
gradually strengthens her hold over him, to the chagrin of buddy
Phillip and amusement of former-flame Jenny. The four principals
have an excellent command of their characters and the witty and
nuanced dialogue. LaBute’s ear for conversation and
interaction is impeccable, again proving himself a formidable
contemporary playwright. Unfortunately, LaBute is not as talented a
film director, and “The Shape of Things” is poorly
adapted for the movie house. The generic set pieces and unusually
long scenes expose the film’s stage roots. “The Shape
of Things” abounds with art exhibits and plays; the flat
screen dilutes the experience of a live audience who see themselves
on stage through the characters who in turn live for similar
experiences. “The Shape of Things” is a brilliant and
alluring exercise, but the cavernous void between the screen and
the viewer denies its categorization as art. -Paul Mendoza