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China Heavyweight   Collaborator  Robert Longfellow (Martin Donovan), a playwright, suffers from scathing reviews of his latest play which led to it getting cancelled. He also has a troubled marriage with his wife, Alice, (Melissa Auf der Maur). When he arrives from his home in New York to the home of his mother, Irene (Katherine Helmond), he calls Emma (Olivia Williams), his old flame. Gus (David Morse), his next-door-neighbor pops into his house for a drink, but soon holds Robert hostage while Irene is away. What transpires after that point won't be spoiled here because, in all fairness, the unpredictable turn of events make Collaborator a dramatic thriller that's full of surprises. First-time writer/director Martin Donovan doesn't provide you with intense, palpable suspense. Instead, he gradually builds the tension as the motive and unbalanced mental state of Gus slowly unravel. Gus isn't your average, cookie-cutter villain; he's a complex, traumatized human being who needs serious help. Robert also needs serious help, but for different reasons altogether. It's quite interesting how Donovan explores the relationship between Robert and Gus, and how that relationship evolves throughout the film. Their interactions feel a bit too theatrical though as opposed to cinematic because they talk a lot within the same location, but Donovan wisely cuts to exterior shots to diminish some of that staginess. Admittedly, though, it does takes about half an hour to get accustomed to Collaborator's theatricality. Collaborator rises slightly above mediocrity thanks to the very fine performances from David Morse and Martin Donovan coupled with the inclusion of some non-preachy, provocative political and social issues that rise to the surface throughout the second act. Sure, Donovan could have explored those issues more profoundly, but that would have turned the film into a preachy, message-driven movie; instead, it's a quietly suspenseful, character-driven movie that shows great promise in Martin Donovan's budding career as a writer/director.  The Do-Deca-Pentathlon   Last Ride   The Magic of Belle Isle   Savages  Chon (Taylor Kitsch), an ex-Navy SEAL and his best friend, Ben (Aaron Johnson), own and operate a homegrown marijuana business in Laguna Beach, California. They both share the same girlfriend, Ophelia (Blake Lively) a/k/a O, who lives with them in a luxurious beachside house. With the help of a dirty DEA agent, Dennis (John Travolta), and a computer/financial whiz, Spin (Emile Hirsch), their drug operation runs smoothly until they meet the Mexican Baja Cartel whose head honcho, Elena (Salma Hayek), wants to partner with them. Chon and Ben turn down an offer from her lawyer, Alex (Demián Bichir), and, in turn, her henchman, Lado (Benicio Del Toro), kidnaps O and hold her hostage, so now it's up to O's two lovers to retrieve her alive. Director/co-writer Oliver Stone, with co-writers Shane Salerno and Don Winslow, has woven an immensely entertaining crime thriller that incorporates dark comedy, satire, campy/tongue-in-cheek humor, suspense, violence and drama all together. In the hands of less talented filmmakers, Savages would have probably turned into a head-scratching, convoluted mess, but instead it's, for the most part, easy-to-follow and fun in guilty-pleasure sort of way. Just when you think it'll be one of those mindless thrillers, it offers you some food for thought especially given that your moral perspective of the characters evolves throughout the film. You might find yourself surprised that the relationship between O and her captors, Elena and Lado, gets quite complicated as O does everything in her capability to remain alive. "Who can you really trust?" is the question that Savages poses, and that question remains provocative up until the twisted third act. The best performances in Savages come from Salma Hayek, John Travolta and Benicio Del Toro, each of whom adds panache whenever they're onscreen. Del Toro as Lado, in particular, is just as terrific, memorable and scene-stealing as Javier Bardem was as in No Country for Old Men. Moreover, it's worth noting that Oliver Stone doesn't resort to using shaky camerawork as a means of generating tension; he uses various forms of cinematography, including black-and-white, which along with the musical score, helps to invigorate the film stylistically and gives you a palpable rush of adrenaline without causing nausea or veering into pretension. Savages is ultimately the rare guilty pleasure that offers the audience both style and substance, no pun intended.  United in Anger: A History of ACT UP   Main Page Alphabetical Menu Chronological Menu ______________________________________________________ |
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