The first is Win Win, a film by writer/director Tom McCarthy (The Visitor, one of my favorite films). Granted, a film with high school wrestling matches would not normally appeal to me, but I knew a cast that included Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan would make it worth my time.
A small-town lawyer (Giamatti), part-time wrestling coach and father of two girls is having a hard time making ends meet both at home and in business and makes a less than ethical decision to acquire extra money from an elderly client with dementia (Burt Young). When his client's estranged grandson shows up after running away from his mother spending time in rehab, he takes him into his home and, much to his delight, finds a skilled former wrestler.
The family is unsure what to expect from their guest and so is the viewer. The viewer also does not know whether the intentions of the family are sincere or not. That is the skill of actors like Giamatti and Ryan. What we are left with is a family making decisions for good or bad and living with those decisions with strong resolve. I appreciated that McCarthy did not rely on stereotypes or blame or judgment or moralizing. It is just life and he continues to present it well.
Recommended: 4 of 5 stars; Out on DVD this week and available on DirecTV Cinema
Craig (Gilchrist) is a teenager with a high level of stress and anxiety related to academics and his future and, well, being a teenager. Instead of suicide, he checks himself into a mental care center but finds himself placed on the adult psych ward. Bobby (Galifianakis) takes an interest in "Cool Craig", as he calls him, and helps him navigate his way through his short stay. To their credit, they acknowledge one week is not adequate time to address suicidal ideations. Craig's therapist is played by an even and compassionate Viola Davis.
I found this to be a sweet and realistic film. I realize others may have been expecting high comedy from Galifianakis on a psych ward. I'm glad the director did not play to stereotypes or crude jokes expected in mental health centers. There were several witty lines in this film and funny scenes, but ones in which we could relate rather than played strictly for laughs. I found this to be a really good film that just might have been overlooked because of its slapstick comedic expectations. Loved the ending.
Recommended: 3 1/2 stars of 5 stars; On DVD and movie channels
I think the phrase "too much information" might apply to this documentary. I have been a fan of the music of Kings of Leon. I discovered them while living in Nashville. I do believe that these boys will need more than alcohol, drugs, and rock and roll to survive their Pentecostal childhood. May I suggest a really good therapist? You're going to need one.
From Rotten Tomatoes:
Who are Kings of Leon? In 2002 brothers Nathan, Caleb, and Jared Followill, along with their cousin Matthew, formed the grungy alternative rock band in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Now they have millions of fans around the world. But growing up in the South was far from harmonious. Most of the brothers' young lives were spent in poverty, living in the back of an Oldsmobile while touring around the Bible Belt from church to church with the brothers' father, Ivan Leon, a Pentecostal preacher, and their mother BettyAnn, who tried desperately to ground the family during their travels. Rebelling from the God-fearing gypsy lifestyle in true rocker fashion, the young men turned to secular music and a few recreational drugs in Nashville... and the rest is history etched in platinum and gold. Wisely anchoring this energetic behind-the-scenes documentary is the annual family reunion in the backwoods of Talihina, Tennessee,*(my asterisk) where the boys unwind with horseshoe throwing, beer guzzling, and a dip in the creek. First-time director Stephen C. Mitchell sculpts a youthful, honest, and vibrant look at what fuels the creative fire of these budding rock legends, providing fascinating insight for fans and non-fans alike. -- (C) Tribeca
* I understood from the film that Talihina is in Oklahoma, not Tennessee.
I found this film disturbing and can't separate enough to form a review. I am confused as to why I find the religious beliefs and lifestyle forced upon these young children more disturbing than the drug and alcohol abuse, although it is my sense that the latter is a direct result of those early years. Maybe I believe it will be easier to recover from drugs and alcohol than those early years. I am concerned for these guys and hope they are able to find balance in their lives. I also hope they can continue to make music.
Recommended for those interested: 3 of 5 stars
Note: It is not lost on me that I described the first two films as "realistic", while the documentary - someone's real life - scared the hell out of me!
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