Month: April 2024

“Internal Affairs” (1990) starring Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf, & William Baldwin

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Vicious manipulations and power games between men made all the more dramatic being set inside a police drama. –Gene Siskel

A young/Hispanic cop, Raymond Avila (Andy Garcia- aged 33), has just joined the Internal Affairs bureau of the LAPD. He and his partner, Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf), get a case involving a young/hot-headed patrolman known for getting rough w/ suspects, Van Stretch (William Baldwin). However, they soon come to realize that Stretch’s more experienced partner, Dennis Peck (Richard Gere- aged 40), might be at the root of many illegal activities. This is a movie that seems of its time, yet also ahead of it’s time; issues incl. domestic violence, racism, adultery, and police corruption are explored.

As Garcia explained on the pod WTF with Marc Maron, Paramount selected this movie for him; one of its producers (Frank Mancuso) became like a father-figure to the actor. This was Mike Figgis’ 1st American movie; Garcia brought the British/indie director onto the project (for his fresh takes). I’m a fan of Garcia; I don’t know why he didn’t become a bigger star. (I even saw the movie he directed a few yrs ago- it was pretty good.) Gere has the more fascinating role as a multi-layered villain who manipulates (almost) everyone around him! Did y’all know that this movie came out the same year as Pretty Woman!? As some critics/fans commented, the haircuts may be bad (too short), BUT the jeans fit V well! In the scene where his character is introduced, there is a long/close-up shot on Baldwin’s butt.

Dennis Peck [to Van Stretch]: How many cops you know, huh? Got nothing. Divorced, alcoholic, kids won’t talk to them anymore, can’t get it up. Sitting there in their little apartments, alone in the dark, playing lollipop with a service revolver?

From the opening scenes, Peck is the “Alpha” among his circle; he puts a knife into the hand of the unarmed dead man to cover for the young/Black cop who shot him, Dorian Fletcher (Michael Beach). There is an instant dislike btwn Avila (ambitious) and Peck (working on the street); I learned that Garcia and Gere didn’t get along during filming. These two characters glare at each other w/ such animosity that we feel a fight could break out at any minute. Given his erratic schedule, Avila misses out on quality time w/ his wife/manager of an art gallery, Kathleen (Nancy Travis). Peck thinks of himself as a “family man;” he lives in a spacious house w/ a pool. He’s on his 4th marriage; his current wife is Heather (Annabella Sciorra), and father to 8 kids (no joke)!

It’s NOT easy to be in police work; the conditions can be V rough and the pay quite low (so that many cops have off-duty jobs). Peck helps Fletcher get a 2nd job at a good location; he counsels Van Stretch to return to his family- wife/banker Penny (Faye Grant) and young son. However, there have always been some who are “a disgrace to the uniform;” in one scene Peck is in bed w/ Penny fully clothed in his uniform. In another scene, Peck (in a calm tone w/ quiet menace) opens Stretch’s button-down and gently pats his chest down (looking for a wire) w/ one hand, while playing tea party w/ his daughter w/ the other hand.

Man, Gere was nasty in that movie- Internal Affairs! -Marc Maron

Yeah, Gere was terrific in that movie! – Andy Garcia

[1] Gere is on best form here, playing a character against type, he is the embodiment of corruption, deceit and murder. Garcia is also excellent as Raymond, who blends his actions well from good into bad. Metcalf is excellent as Garcia’s partner…

[2] Internal Affairs is a character study at it’s finest. There are few films out there that can compare to this one and that can be attributed to the director, Mike Figgis. He hits every note perfectly and the performances he gets from his cast is such a joy to watch.

[3] Gere fires on all cylinders in this performance, full of swagger and aggression, with a character that would easily dupe you into believing he’s on your side, while all the while setting up your execution. 

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Eileen” (2023) starring Thomasin McKenzie & Anne Hathaway

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The stagnant waters of Eileen’s dull, stifled life as a solitary worker at a juvenile detention center in 1960s Boston, are unexpectedly disrupted when the institution brings in a new psychologist, the vibrant Rebecca. The fervent enthusiasm that blossoms between the two women almost immediately gives way to a closer relationship, until their fragile connection takes a dramatic turn. -Synopsis

You have to hand it to Anne Hathaway- she’s trying new things! Now, these roles aren’t all going to fit her right. As Rebecca, she wears a platinum wig (like a femme fatale from the days of noir). However, the real dangerous lady here is played by Thomasin McKenzie, a young/20ish Aussie actress w/ a LOT of talent. So far, I’ve seen McKenzie in Jojo Rabbit, The Power of the Dog, and Old. Eileen has a difficult home life, dead-end job, and “girl next door” looks (which helps the audience empathize w/ her plight). Elieen lives w/ her alcoholic/retired cop father, played by prolific character actor Shea Wigham.

The director, William Oldroyd, is a Brit who we can thank for “discovering” the FAB Florence Pugh (who was the lead in his debut/indie Lady Macbeth). This movie is inspired (in part) by Todd Fields’ critically-acclaimed drama Carol (which starred Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara). The 1st hour is intriguing, BUT that sense of anticipation is let down in the last half hour; the story is undercooked. I kept thinking that something was missing. What was the point here? FYI: There is a plot twist (involving another character) which could be difficult for sensitive viewers. Overall, I was disappointed, as I had high hopes for this movie!

“Priscilla” (2023) starring Cailee Spaeny & Jacob Elordi

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Wife to the King. Icon to the world. Destined for more. -Tagline

When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend. -Tagline

Are any of y’all having a hard time sleeping? Well, this movie MAY be the solution- no joke! We have (another) case of style over substance. I had modest (NOT high) hopes for this biopic; it had gotten a LOT of buzz at the Venice Film Festival last Fall. The teens/20s crowd (mostly female) waiting for pics/autographs went wild for the statuesque Jacob Elordi (who plays Elvis). Priscilla Presley (whose autobiography the film was based on) was on the red carpet, along w/ Sofia Coppola (director) and petite/newcomer Cailee Spaeny (who plays the title role).

I think it would’ve been easy to make a much darker movie, especially because seeing something unfold onscreen can be so much more visceral than reading it. But I didn’t want the darker side of their relationship to completely overshadow the film, so it was a matter of trying to show the reality. It was important to Priscilla that it was still her love story and to show Elvis as a real human being instead of some two-dimensional villain. I just wanted to show her point of view and leave it to the audience to come to their own conclusions about this relationship. But it was a matter of finding some balance because I don’t want the film to seem like it’s condoning certain things, but I also wanna portray Priscilla’s experience as she says it was. It was important to me for her to feel good about the film, and that it felt truthful to her experience and how she told it. -Sofia Coppola, director

Lisa Marie Presley (before passing away suddenly) read the script and strongly disapproved; she wrote a letter to Coppola criticizing the portrayal of her father. Elvis Presley Enterprises declined approval for this film to use his songs; Coppola used music by her husband’s band (Phoenix) and cover versions of songs. As we expect from this director, the look of the film is impressive; the period details are cool to see. At nearly 2 hrs in run time, this movie seems TOO long b/c of its pacing. The tone is heavy throughout. I didn’t see much heat (romantic chemistry) btwn Elordi and Spaeny! Was this perhaps intentional (in some scenes), I had to wonder? Their acting is good for what they’re given, BUT I didn’t find depth in the dialogue or feel connection to the story. The supporting characters don’t get much to say/do, which makes the tale seem even more thin. As the Young’uns might say: “It was meh.”