Tag: Identity

“Girls” (HBO): Introduction & Season 1

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Introduction

They’re definitely based on me, my circle of friends, and combined with the lives of my staff writers.

-Lena Dunham re: the characters

“Girls” premiered exactly 10 yrs ago today (April 15, 2012)! In the last 5 mos. of the pandemic, I’ve been watching the work of Adam Driver off/on; the actor (now 38 y.o.) was a regular cast member on this HBO show. Lena Dunham’s self-financed 2010 indie Tiny Furniture (2010) served as the template for the series, which also featured two of her close friends- Alex Karpovsky and Jemima Kirke. Judd Apatow (an experienced screenwriter/director/producer) emailed Dunham after becoming V impressed w/ her movie. He later stated that he “hoped the show would provide men w/ an insight into realistic females.” Apatow’s (Executive Producer) teen daughter (Maude) w/ wife (actress Leslie Mann) appears in S5.

Girls has sometimes been referred to as the “Millennial take on Sex and the City” (SATC). The stories are (mainly) set in/around Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The apts. of the main girls are NOT spacious or decorated w/ matching furnishings. Don’t expect to see many designer shoes (i.e. Manolos), clothes, or accessories here. The show subverts traditional rom com cliches, for the most part. The twists in the interpersonal connections are sometimes quite surprising. With time, romance becomes a key part of the show. In S5, the girls are caught up in their love lives, even if their choices are NOT working out. Music is integral to the show; Dunham wanted it to “complement the show w/o being a commentary.”

TV is usually the producer’s/writer’s medium; often showrunners write the eps. HBO teamed Dunham (then only 24 y.o.) w/ the more experienced- Jenni Konner- who became the co-showrunner. Konner directed 2 eps and wrote 17 eps; the two women became close friends and even started a production company (A Casual Romance). Dunham herself directed 19 eps. In 2017, Konner and Dunham put out a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter, defending a staff writer (Murray Miller) against sexual assault allegations and claiming to have “insider knowledge” of his situation. Dunham later apologized for this statement and admitted that she and Konner had no “insider information” (so the claim had been a lie). Dunham issued a public apology to Aurora Perrineau (the alleged victim/daughter of actor Harold Perrineau); Konner has never issued a public apology.

The Women of “Girls”

I see some of you wondering: Am I supposed to like (or relate to) these upper middle-class/white girls? No, you don’t have to like a character for them to be interesting! They often act immature, narcissistic, and entitled. While the women on SATC (in their early 30s when that show began) were looking for husbands, dream jobs, etc, these characters don’t know what they want. Dunham plays Hannah Horvath, an aspiring writer who works as an editorial intern and lives in Greenpoint. Hannah was raised by parents who are academics in Michigan. Allison Williams (daughter of newsman Brian Williams) plays her roommate/best friend Marnie Michaels. She is tall/conventionally beautiful, wants to be an art curator, and has a serious boyfriend of several yrs. If you’ve seen SATC, you’ll no doubt find resemblance to Charlotte. Dunham explained that Hannah and Marnie’s V strong (yet complicated) friendship is based on her real-life experiences w/ her BFF- Audrey Gelman. Marnie was envisioned to have a different look than Williams, BUT she and Dunham got along from the first audition.

Jemima Kirke (who met Dunham in HS) plays Jessa Johansson; she’s British, bohemian, and beautiful. Jessa also attended Oberlin, but she left w/o graduating. Dunham had to convince Kirke (who had no intention to act) to take this role; she was a new mom and working as a painter. Jessa is the cousin of Shoshanna Shapiro (a senior at NYU); they live together as Jessa looks for a job. Dunham liked Zosia Mamet’s performance so much that kept her as a regular. She is typically “girly” (w/ a poster for SATC hung in her apt), loves fashion, and struggles w/ social anxiety. Many young/female viewers connected w/ Shosh. Zosia (fit/petite) is the daughter of filmmaker/playwright David Mamet and his ex-wife- actress Lindsay Crouse. “In a way, she is the most naive character, but in another way, she’s also the wisest,” Dunham explained.

The Men of Girls

I know people come up to Adam say “you’re a jerk” on the street all the time. I feel bad for him b/c he cannot hide. There is one person on the planet who looks like that… -Dunham

One of the first things I noticed on my (re-watch) was just how tall ALL the men were- LOL! Adam Sackler (Driver- who is 6’3″) is complicated, angry, weird, and seems to have little respect for Hannah (when we meet him in S1). He works w/ his hands (carpentry), wants to be an actor, and gets some money from his grandma. Dunham originally envisioned this character to be a handsome leading man type (w/ the looks of Taylor Kitsch from Friday Night Lights). Adam Sackler was based on one of her ex-bfs from her early 20s; Dunham thought he’d appear on a few eps in S1 as Hannah’s love interest. That all changed when she met 27 y.o. Driver at his audition; they instantly had great chemistry together (and were conversing like they’d known each other for years)! Driver (the first of the cast to gain fame) was flying back and forth between NYC and London between S3 and S4 to film Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).

Ray Ploshansky (Karpovsky- also 6’3″) is 33 y.o. (almost 10 yrs. older than the girls) and the manager of a coffee shop- Grumpy’s. He’s the “voice of reason” (as many critics have commented) in the show; he becomes interested in Shosh (who is just 21 y.o. and has a personality which intrigues him). Elijah Krantz (Andrew Rannells- 6’2″) is Hannah’s ex-bf who she reconnects w/ in S1 E3; they met in college and have a LOT of shared history. He also aspires to be an actor, BUT isn’t doing much about it. Rannells (33 y.o. when the show premiered, but looked much younger) had already appeared (along w/ Josh Gad) in the hit Broadway musical- The Book of Mormon. Dunham and Konner had loved him on stage and were V excited when he came to audition. More men will be appearing as prominent guest stars as the show goes on.

Season 1

Living the dream. One mistake at a time. -Tagline for the show

E1: Pilot

Hannah is a mix of natural intelligence and improbable stupidity. …an interesting mix of complete confidence and no self-worth. -Dunham

Hannah declares to her parents at dinner: “I could be the voice of my generation, or at least a voice of my generation.” They say the can’t financially support her anymore; her mom explains: “We can’t keep bankrolling your groovy lifestyle.” The more soft-hearted Tad (Peter Scolari, who passed away in 2020) and his stricter wife- Loreen (Becky Ann Baker)- will appear in 20 eps; these experienced actors really brought a LOT to the show. Hannah (3 yrs out of college; former English major) and Marnie wake up together in their humble apt. They discuss texting on the way to the subway; Marnie thinks is “the lowest form of communication.” Hannah is let go from being an intern; the small publishing company can’t afford to hire her F/T.

I’d say Adam is a friend w/ benefits, although the friendship part of that is not always clear. -Dunham

Hannah goes to see Adam at his apt; he was a Comp Lit major, but is trying to be an actor. He’s shirtless, wearing only jeans, and talking re: carpentry (“it’s more honest” than other work). They have a (awkward) hookup and we learn that Adam is the one who takes charge. (The partial nudity here is shot from the side.) Marnie looks bored in her relationship (of 4 yrs.) w/ Charlie (Christopher Abbott); the spark seems to have gone out (at least on her side). Later that night, Hannah’s friends are chatting and having a dinner party at her apt. Jessa arrived from her travels; she confides in Marnie that she’s pregnant. Hannah drinks a tea w/ opium pods, then goes to her parents’ hotel.

E2: Vagina Panic

When we’re together, he’s so there and so present. And then he disappears for 2 wks. and doesn’t answer any text messages, and I feel as though I invented him. -Hannah re: Adam

This ep opens w/ two scenes (shot in partly darkened rooms) which are NOT for (easily offended) viewers: Adam is saying “dirty talk” in bed (which Hannah doesn’t enjoy); Charlie is gentle/respectful (Marnie is turned off). Marnie had set up an appointment for Jessa to have an abortion at a clinic; Hannah (saying she has been w/ 2 1/2 men) wonders if she could have an STD. At her job interview, Hannah has great rapport w/ Brian (Mike Birbiglia) until she makes a V problematic joke; he is NOT amused. The girls have Froyo and talk re: men/relationships; Shosh pulls out a dating advice book (this reminded me of when Charlotte was reading The Rules early in S1 of SATC). The gynecologist who sees Hannah is played by Sakina Jaffrey (daughter of veteran actress Madhur Jaffrey- recently seen on And Just Like That). Jessa goes to a bar, hits on a young man, and learns that she’s NOT pregnant (anymore).

E3: All Adventurous Women Do

Hannah contracted HPV (which is quite common); it’s NOT from Adam (as she’d assumed). It turns out that Elijah (her bf during the last 2 yrs at college) gave that to her. Hannah meets him for a drink and learns that he’s gay- whoa! Marnie becomes interested in an up-and-coming artist, Booth Jonathan (Jorma Taccone), maybe b/c he’s SO different from that Charlie. (FYI: Taccone comes from an artistic family from California; he was once in a comedy trio w/ Andy Samberg.) Jessa starts work as a babysitter for the Lavoyts (who have 2 young daughters); the mom- Katherine (Kathryn Hahn)- is a fashion photographer and the dad- Jeff (James LeGros)- doesn’t seem to have much going on. Jessa treats her job in a laissez-faire attitude (as she does w/ everything in life).

E4: Hannah’s Diary

After getting a (shocking) photo from Adam, Hannah takes up “sexting” (though she feels weird about it). It turns out that Adam’s NSFW pic was for another girl! Marnie and Charlie are shocked and wonder what kind of weirdo would do that!? Shosh runs into a popular guy, Matt Kornstein (Skylar Astin), from their summer camp days. (FYI: Astin studied at NYU Tisch and was in the cast of Spring Awakening on Broadway.) Jessa gets distracted at her babysitting job. Ray and Charlie find and read Hannah’s diary- yikes!

E5: Hard Being Easy

Hannah pays a (surprise) visit to Adam’s apt, but he’s NOT amused. He wants his own space and time to work on whatever furniture he’s building. Jessa decides to meet w/ one of her ex-bfs; he has a new gf now, yet she has the need to run her game on him. (Their hookup scene reminded me more to what’d happen w/ Samantha in SATC.) Years later, Dunham said that it wasn’t the right scene for this show. Charlie reconsiders his relationship w/ Marnie after seeing what was in that diary.

E6: The Return

Hannah goes home to Michigan for her parents’ anniversary. She runs into one of her HS friends, Heather Travis (Vanessa Ray), who is planning to move to LA to become an actress. (FYI: Ray co-starred in the indie Not Waving, But Drowning w/ Driver- his 1st feature film.) Hannah decides to go on a to a charity benefit w/ an eager/young pharmacist, Eric (Lou Tyler Pucci). This is a view into how life could’ve been for Hannah if she’d stayed close to home.

E7: Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a. The Crackcident

The girls go to a warehouse party where Marnie discovers Charlie has a new gf, Audrey (played by Dunham’s best friend- Audrey Gelman). Wait, Adam owns a shirt? LOL- this is the 1st time we see him wearing a shirt on the show! Hannah sees Adam dancing w/ a group of his lesbian BFFs; she learns that he’s in AA from one woman- Tako (Roberta Colindrez). We get to see some wacky dance moves from the cast/extras. Jeff comes to see Jessa (dressed in an unique outfit) at this party, but ends up in the ER. Shosh accidentally smokes crack (yikes); Ray keeps watch over her.

Hannah and Adam ride off on his bike; she admits that does want him to be her bf. Adam thinks she’s too self-involved; she doesn’t ask about his life. Suddenly, he stops the bike, and she falls off. Marnie is pissed off at Adam when she comes up in a cab, BUT they all three end up riding together. Hannah has a small smile on her face.

E8: Weirdos Need Girlfriends Too

Hannah is spending more time w/ Adam than ever. She goes to the “tech” (technical rehearsal) of a play Adam is doing w/ Gavin (Henry Zebrowski). Then, Adam acts out a scene where he’s quite vulnerable; we learn something from his youth. After Gavin makes some choices Adam doesn’t like, he suddenly quits. He declares that he doesn’t want to do anything that he doesn’t believe in fully. Marnie is miserable after learning (via Facebook) that Charlie went to Rome w/ Audrey. She wonders how he can recover SO fast!? Marnie and Jessa go to a classy-looking bar to talk; they meet a lonely venture capitalist, Thomas John (Chris O’Dowd- an Aussie actor).

E9: Leave Me Alone

The girls attend a book launch for Hannah’s college nemesis, Tally Schifrin (Jenny Slate). Hannah can’t help but feel jealous; Tally passive aggressively puts her down. Hannah sees one of her former writing profs, Powell Goldman (Michael Imperioli), at this party. He praises her talent and invites her to a “salon” (reading). Hannah also tries out for a job at Grumpy’s. She and Marnie get into a huge fight!

E10: She Did

Marnie moves out of the apt- wow! She finally admits that maybe NOT having a plan is a good thing for now. Hannah considers the idea of Adam moving in; he may even be open to it. Jessa (who has been out of touch for weeks) suddenly invites them to a surprise event- her wedding to Thomas John! Their vows are unusual, yet they look V happy. Look at the friends’ reactions at the ceremony/reception; each person is feeling something different. Marnie is trying to be chill/non-judgmental. She even acts nice to Elijah, who has a new relationship w/ an older man and seems more calm. Ray decides to tell Shosh how much he likes her; they get together.

Adam (who had watched the ceremony intently) looks full of strong emotions. Then he and Hannah act playful and have a slow dance. However, after the cake is cut and it’s almost time to leave, Adam and Hannah get into a fight. He thinks his love is being rejected now, after 6 mos. of Hannah chasing after him. Suddenly, a van drives by and side-swipes Adam (who’d been standing on the street)! When the ambulance comes, he tells the EMT to NOT let Hannah get onboard b/c she’s a “monster.” Hannah gets on the subway, falls asleep, and winds up at the end of the line (Coney Island). Her purse is gone- no surprise there. Hannah walks to the beach and eats a piece of the wedding cake in the quiet of early morning.

Spoiler-Free Review: “Nightmare Alley” (2021) starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Colette, & Rooney Mara

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In the late 1930s, Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) buries a body and burns down a house in a rural area. Stan gets a job w/ a traveling carnival, after helping the owner- Clem (Willem Dafoe)- capture one of the escaped performers, a “geek.” This term comes from the German word “geck,” meaning fool/simpleton; it “geek” was used around circuses/carnivals to describe a wild man/woman. A typical geek show in the mid-19th c. would have a person on stage biting the head off of an animal (a chicken is seen in this case) and drinking its blood. Stan is silent (Cooper doesn’t speak until 11 mins. into the movie) and observant for a time, taking in the new environment and its inhabitants. He starts working w/ clairvoyant act of “Madame Zeena” (Toni Colette- who I wanted to see more) and her older/alcoholic husband, Pete (David Strathairn- always great in any role). He has his eyes on a young performer, Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara), and approaches her w/ the idea of a 2-person act (away from the carnival). An older strongman, Bruno (Ron Perlman), is suspicious of Stan and protective of Molly.

I saw this move last week on HBOMax; it’s a mix of noir and horror (w/ a few gruesome images which may turn off sensitive viewers). Director Guillermo del Toro noted that this is NOT a remake of Nightmare Alley (1947) starring Tyrone Power, BUT a re-adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham’s novel. However, several critics/viewers commented that they saw callbacks to the original. Leonardo DiCaprio was originally picked for the lead, but when negotiations fell through, he was shortly replaced by Cooper. As one movie podcaster said: “I hope DiCaprio didn’t turn this down for ‘Don’t Look Up,’ b/c that isn’t a good movie.” I’m NOT a fan of Cooper or a hater; I don’t see the big appeal. I get the sense that his skills are suited to lighter (comedic) roles; Cooper lacks the gravitas of someone like DiCaprio. In his characterization of Stan, Power is more compelling; he’s able to convey the dangerous/dark side to his character.

I was impressed w/ the supporting actors, though Mara should’ve gotten a BIT more character development. In the original, Coleen Gray’s Molly exuded innocence/positivity; here, she is morose/jaded. Do you think Stan loves Molly or is he just using her b/c she is young/impressionable? Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) is a fascinating/mysterious character; she fits into the femme fatale role (a few critics were reminded of Lizbeth Scott re: her look). I enjoyed Blanchett’s scenes w/ Cooper, BUT it’s obvious who’s the more stronger/charismatic performer. The wealthy/powerful businessman, Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins), makes a more formidable adversary than in the original.

I wanted to love this movie (as a big fan of noir), BUT this is a case of style over substance. There are some good scenes, so it’s worth a look. Del Toro creates a world that is visually V interesting. The cinematography, musical score, production design, costumes/hair, etc. suit the story well. There are a few (creepy) people and props in the carnival that will stay in your mind- yikes! There is a B&W version; I’d be interested in seeing that sometime. Like MANY recent films, the running time is TOO long. It takes more than an hour to get out of the carnival atmosphere. There are a few elements which will remain a mystery, such as Lilith’s past and her motivation for what she is doing. I just expected more from such an ambitious film!

Spoiler-Free Review: “Dune” (2021) starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Fergusen, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgard, & Josh Brolin

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A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence- a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential- only those who can conquer their fear will survive. -Synopsis from Warner Bros.

Dune (directed by Denis Villeneuve- Canadian of French heritage) is a movie unlike any other I’ve seen in recent years; I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Its 2 hr. 35 min. run time seemed to pass by quickly, as the story (incl. stunning visuals) was V compelling. The music (composed by Hans Zimmer) adds much to the movie; new instruments and a language were invented for the score. The costumes range from practical and lightweight to intricate and decorative. This is part one of the story; it is based on the book by Frank Herbert, one of the iconic writers of sci-fi. Herbert’s work has been compared to Tolkein’s LOTR trilogy; it obviously influenced George Lucas as he created Star Wars. The planet Arakis (also called Dune) is the ONLY place where “spice” (perhaps akin to oil in our world) can be found; many factions want to control this world. The natives of Arakis are the Fremin, a tough/desert people who live in a harsh environment w/ dangerous giant worms (yikes)! The scenes on the ocean world of Caladan were shot in Norway. Much of the desert scenes of Arakis were shot in Jordan and Abu Dhabi.

Paul: [From trailer] Dad, what if I’m not the future of House Atreides?

Duke Leto: A great man doesn’t seek to lead; he is called to it. But if your answer is no, you’d still be the only thing I ever needed you to be: my son.

In a world unlike ours 8,000 yrs. in the future, we meet Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet- doing a fine job), a skinny/bright/teen. He spends his days studying and learning to fight from his older mentor/sword master- Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin). One of the early scenes where Paul and Gurney spar is V cool; the choreography (by Roger Yuan) included a type of Filipino martial arts. Another mentor of Paul’s is the warrior, Duncan Idaho (Jason Mamoa), who brings charm and humor to the story. Much is expected from Paul, as he’s the son/heir of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac- looking fab w/ gray-streaked hair/full beard). I loved the easy/warm relationship between Chalamet and Isaac. I’m surprised that Chalamet is growing on me; his naturalistic acting style, incl. ability to portray vulnerability easily fit this role. (Though Christian Bale will always be Laurie to me!)

Duncan: Dreams make good stories, but everything important happens when we’re awake.

Paul has inherited strong powers from his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson- a standout). She is the concubine of Duke Leto and was raised by the Bene Gesserit (a secretive/powerful order made up of all women). Chalamet and Ferguson also have great chemistry. Paul has visions about Arakis w/ an unknown/young woman (Zendaya- who appears in the 3rd act of this story). The Rev. Mother Mohaim (Charlotte Rampling- a veteran British actress) comes to see (and test) Paul on his abilities. House Atreides is given control of the desert planet from the Emperor. A powerful opponent, Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard- menacing even inside prosthetics), wants to take control of Arakis. Check out this movie on HBOMax! I didn’t know much re: this story, aside from watching the miniseries (which co-starred a V young James McAvoy) about 20 yrs. ago.

“The Report” (2019) starring Adam Driver, Annette Bening, & Jon Hamm

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The Report is a thriller based on actual events. Idealistic staffer Daniel J. Jones (Adam Driver) is tasked by his boss Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Annette Bening) to lead an investigation of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program created in the aftermath of 9/11. Jones’ relentless pursuit of the truth leads to findings that uncover the lengths to which the nation’s top intelligence agency went to destroy evidence, subvert the law, and hide a shocking secret from the American public. The Report is written and directed by Scott Z. Burns, and the film also stars Jon Hamm, Sarah Goldberg, Michael C. Hall, Douglas Hodge, Fajer Kaisi, Ted Levine, Jennifer Morrison, Tim Blake Nelson, Linda Powell, Matthew Rhys, T. Ryder Smith, Corey Stoll, and Maura Tierney. -Synopsis (Amazon)

This movie (acquired by Amazon Studios) is available for free on Amazon Prime; I saw it 2x (to get a better understanding on the issues). If you follow the news/current events, have an interest in politics, and/or enjoyed The West Wing– check this movie out. This has more of a documentary-style approach, so I wouldn’t call it a typical “thriller” (as classified on IMDb). Just before filming, the original plan of 50 days shooting was cut to a 26 days; the $18 million budget was slashed to ONLY $8 million! Burns revealed that ALL the actors (incl. Driver) were paid next to nothing on this project. Burns originally planned to approach the material in a satirical Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) manner; the more he delved into the facts, he realized it had told in the most realistic fashion. The film premiered at Sundance and received a standing ovation for the real Dan Jones (who was present).

Sen. Feinstein: If it [waterboarding] works, why do you need to do it 183 times?

After completing the screenplay, Burns shared it w/ frequent collaborator, Steven Soderbergh, w/ a view as to who he’d suggest for the lead. Driver’s name came up almost immediately; Soderbergh directed Driver in Logan Lucky (2017). In 2007, Dan comes to Capitol Hill as an idealistic young man (wanting to help his country); we learn that he was a Math teacher in Baltimore w/ Teach for America (3 yrs). After 9/11, he switched his classes to national security while at grad school (Harvard). Dan gets a job working for Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He ended up working on the torture report for 5+ yrs- wow! Jones was available to provide feedback on set; Driver found this very helpful.

Gretchen (CIA Agent): You may not realize, but we were trying to protect this country from people who wanna destroy everything we believe in.

Dan: You may not realize it, but we are trying to do the exact same thing.

The term “enhanced interrogation” has no meaning under law; the tactics aren’t used by professional interrogators. It was created by the CIA to describe tactics that would otherwise be considered torture or unlawful detainee abuse. The science finds that rapport-based approaches to interrogation are the most effective, as FBI Agent, Ali Soufan (Fajer Kaisi), tells Dan when they meet in NYC. Soufan’s flashback was eye-opening and troubling. I’m now curious to see The Looming Tower, a HBO miniseries (w/ Jeff Daniels and French-Algerian actor, Tahar Rahim, as Soufan) which focuses on the FBI’s response to 9/11. The physician assistant, Raymond Nathan (Tim Blake Nelson), who came to oppose EIT, meets w/ Dan late at night in a parking garage (reminiscent of Deep Throat in All the President’s Men). The psychologists, James Mitchell (Douglas Hodge) and Bruce Jessen (T. Ryder Smith) were put in charge of not only creating and implementing the EIT program, but also evaluating its effectiveness. This is (obviously) a conflict of interest, as Dan explains to Feinstein in the 2nd hr. of the movie.

Evan (NYT Reporter): If the Times had your report, we would print it, tomorrow.

Dan: No. If it’s gonna come out, it’s gonna come out the right way.

I live just outside DC, so got a kick out of seeing Driver running past the national monuments. Then there are the (relatable) boring office buildings, basement rooms, and working on computers- LOL. Driver has a scene w/ his wife, Joanne Tucker (who he met while they were students at Julliard)! Tucker plays Gretchen (blonde CIA Agent working under the mysterious Bernadette, played by Maura Tierney); she confronts Dan and his colleague in the restaurant scene. Matthew Rhys plays Evan (the NYT national security reporter); he’s a friend of Driver who acted w/ him off-Broadway and appeared on HBO’s Girls. Corey Stoll (who also appeared on Girls) plays a lawyer, Cyrus Clifford, who Dan consults w/ after the CIA goes after him. Driver and Stoll played brothers in the comedy movie This is Where I Leave You (2014).

[1] The late Sen. John McCain gets the last word here, appropriately, with archive footage of his impassioned speech on the Senate floor regarding the necessity of forbidding the U.S. from engaging in torture, regardless of what the country’s enemies do.

[2] The cuts in time work well to put meat on the bones and helps to mix the political, ethical, and real life aspects of it. […]

It is more important than engaging though, and could have been a stronger film for embracing the complexity more than it did.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Official trailer for The Report.
The director and actors talk re: The Report at Sundance Film Festival with Variety magazine.

Re-watching Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) starring John David Washington & Adam Driver

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When producer Jordan Peele first pitched “Black man infiltrates Ku Klux Klan” to Spike Lee, Lee thought it might be a Dave Chappelle skit, until Peele assured him the story was authentic. For Lee, the story was too outrageous to ignore. He had a few conditions for directing: incl. comedic elements, and drawing parallels w/ contemporary racial issues. When Lee was a young student at NYU Film School, he was so outraged that professors taught the 1915 movie Birth of a Nation (w/ no mention of its racist message or its role in the Klan’s 20th century rebirth). He made The Answer (1980) as a response; many professors took great offense and Lee was nearly expelled. Lee was saved by a faculty vote; after his success as a filmmaker, he became a professor there and also Artistic Director of the Graduate Film Department. The film is dedicated to Heather Heyer, a young/idealistic white woman who was killed in hit-and-run at the “Unite the Right” rally on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, VA. The film opened in the US on August 10, 2018 to mark the 1st anniversary of the rally/her death. Lee received a six-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival- wow! He also became the 2nd Black American to be nominated at the Academy Awards for producing, writing and directing in the same year.

Patrice: Are you down for the liberation of black people?

Ron: Power to the people.

Patrice: All power to all the people.

Ron: That’s right, Sista.

In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington- oldest son of Denzel/former football player) is hired as the 1st Black officer in the Colorado Springs, CO police department. Ron (a real person) is a college grad from a military family who wants to make a difference in his community. He’s assigned to the records room, where he is faced w/ micro-aggressions and even openly racist remarks from others. Master Patrolman Andy Landers (Frederick Weller) is one of the uniformed cops who doesn’t hide his dislike of Blacks. Ron (who wears an Afro and knows “jive”) soon requests to go undercover. His immediate supervisor, Sgt. Trapp (Ken Garito), is supportive of Ron. Chief Bridges (John David Burke) is surprised by the bold move, but agrees. Ron is assigned to infiltrate a rally where civil rights leader, Kwame Ture AKA Stokely Carmichael (Corey Hawkins- recently played Macduff opposite Denzel in The Tragedy of Macbeth), is to give a speech. Ture was considered “radical” as he was a Black Panther; he had organized “The Freedom Rides” a few years earlier to register Black voters in the South. Two experienced undercover cops, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) and Jimmy Creek (Michael Buscemi- younger brother of Steve), listen in from a surveillance van nearby. In line for the rally, Ron meets a young woman named Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier), the president of the Black Student Union at Colorado College. This is a fictional character created for the movie; she is smart, articulate, and a challenging love interest for Ron. He hears Ture’s speech (very strong/impassioned); Hawkins provides gravitas to this small role.

Sgt. Trapp (to Ron): You know the way to sell hate? Affirmative action, immigration, crime, tax reform… He [David Duke] says, no one wants to be called a bigot anymore because Archie Bunker made that too uncool. So, the idea is under all these issues… everyday Americans can accept it. Support it. Until eventually, one day he gets somebody in the White House that embodies it.

The police don’t seem concerned w/ the Klan at this time; they think there is no activity locally. One day, Ron sees an ad in the paper, and calls up the number complaining re: Black people. He soon gets a return call from KKK’s Grand Wizard- and future politician- David Duke (Topher Grace)! Playing such a loathsome role posed a challenge for Grace, leading the actor to feel depressed. The men of “The Organization” (the term they use) are archetypes we’ve seen before; they’d be the type to vote for Trump (if around in recent years). Walter Breachway (Ryan Eggold) is the genial/clean-cut guy who quickly builds a rapport w/ Flip (posing as Ron in-person). Felix Kendrickson (Jasper Paakkonen- who is actually Finnish) is the wild-eyed/hot-tempered one whose plus-size wife, Connie (Ashlie Atkinson- recently seen on And Just Like That and The Gilded Age) wants to get involved in his cause. Ivanhoe (Paul Walter Hauser) is the fat, dim-witted younger man (looking to the others for guidance/approval). Felix has a collection of firearms; he suspects that Flip is Jewish (raising the tension/potential for danger).

Flip: For you it’s a crusade. For me it’s a job.

Ron: You’re Jewish. They hate you. Doesn’t that piss you off? Why are you acting like you don’t got skin in the game?

One of the key themes of this movie is duality; Ron and Patrice even have a conversation re: “double consciousness” on one of their dates. Double consciousness is the internal conflict experienced by subordinated or colonized groups in an oppressive society. The term and the idea were first published in W. E. B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk (1903). Originally, double consciousness was specifically the psychological challenge African Americans experienced of “always looking at one’s self through the eyes” of a racist white society and “measuring oneself by the means of a nation that looked back in contempt.” The term also referred to Du Bois’s experiences of reconciling his African heritage w/ an upbringing in a European-dominated society. Ron is a Black man living in a racist society; he is also a police officer (so part of “the system”). Flip is Jewish (has a Star of David necklace), but he didn’t grow up w/ the rituals and traditions (and always considered himself “white”). However, getting embedded w/ the KKK, Flip finally has to grapple w/ his religious heritage and the prejudice faced by Jewish people. Lee co-wrote the script w/ his (frequent) collaborator, Kevin Wilmott and two Jewish co-writers who served as producers (Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz).

Flip (to Ron): I’m Jewish, but I wasn’t raised to be. It wasn’t part of my life, I never thought much about being Jewish, nobody around me was Jewish. I wasn’t going to a bunch of Bar Mitzvahs, I didn’t have a Bar Mitzvah. I was just another white kid. And now I’m in some basement denying it out loud. (He chuckles low.) I never thought much about it, now I’m thinking about it all the time. About rituals and heritage. Is that passing? Well then I have been passing.

He’s a beast! Game respects game. -Lee re: working w/ Driver

For Driver fans, there is much to admire: the quiet intensity, close-ups of his profile (quite striking), and his restrained swagger. His hair is longer than most cops and he wears casual clothes (plaid shirts, sheepskin jacket, and jeans). Flip is a really good shot (can handle himself in tough situations) and projects a laid-back personality. As Flip interacts more w/ the Klan, it takes a toll (focus on the eyes). There are a few light moments in the film between the cops; these are needed to cut the tension created by the serious subject material. Driver was nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. There is much more to see/discuss; check it out yourself! I saw it at a free screening when it came out in theaters, then saw it again (Amazon Prime) a few weeks ago.

[1] BlacKkKlansman, is great movie, that manages to be thought provoking and funny at the same time. The cinematography is excellent. The only issue I had with this movie was the pacing, but nothing major. Oh, forgot to mention, great ending as well!

[2] There are aspects that feels too artificial which detracts from the tension. The subject matter requires the movie to be more real. At times, Spike Lee pushes into satire territories but nevertheless, it is still one of his better recent movies.

[3] Lee’s film takes liberties with the actual true events. It starts off as a satirical drama. Lee however in unable to resist being heavy-handed with his message…

The film benefits greatly from the performances by John David Washington and Adam Driver.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

Q&A w/ the cast, director, & Ron Stallworth: