Jersey Girl: Review of Patti Cake$

Patti Cake$

Director: Geremy Jasper

By Alex Watson

Likened to 8 Mile and Hustle & Flow, Geremy Jasper's Patti Cake$ is a movie that shows us that talent is not defined by a person's sex or skin color. A star making turn from Australian actress Danielle MacDonald is the firing pin in this fine indie effort. Jasper makes full use of the bleak industrial New Jersey backdrop and we yearn for our heroine to escape the dive she lives in. With a catchy and infectious soundtrack, you will wish your life could be told through lyrical verse.

Patricia 'Dumbo' Dombrowski is a blue collar girl simply trying to make ends meet. Forced to live with her alcoholic mother Barb (Bridget Everett) and her sick Nana (Cathy Moriarty), it looks she has hit a dead end. One talent Patti excels at is rapping and despite being a talented writer and performer, her male counterparts looked down on her. Her best friend Hareesh (Siddharth Dhananjay) believes that she only needs the right producer. Could reclusive African-American punk rocker Basterd the Anti-Christ (Mamoudou Athie) be the answer?

There is far more to Patti Cake$ than just having some fine beats. The relationships she holds in this picture are shown with some raw power. Barb is the bane of her existence, an almost famous 80's singer who gave it all up to have Patti. Forever sozzled and having her daughter hold her hair back while she vomits, you can feel the strain a mile away. Though there are almost moments of lovely tenderness between the pair. Her sharp tongue Nana is slowly crippling the family financially with medical bills and Patti's boss refuses to give her any extra work.  Nicknamed Dumbo by her male rapper acquaintances, the very idea of a plump white girl wanting to make it big is sneered upon. "You look like a pig in shit!" mocks one of her enemies during a rap battle. No matter how high or low on the rap artist chain the people she encounters are, the reaction is always the same.

Her friendship with Hareesh is what gives the movie its sparkle and Jasper gives us some memorable moments featuring the two. Watching their lengthy introductions about each other via a pharmacy P.A system has us cracking a smile instantly. One of the few positive voices in her world, Harreesh believes his friend 'Killa P' and her 'pen game' are destined for greatness. Few friends in cinema are committed as this guy and unlike the heavily sexist wannabe gas station battle rappers, he looks past what the others see. Socially aloof Basterd proves a tough figure to track down, but when his woodland shack is finally revealed it looks like it was inspired by Tobe Hooper. From his bizarre first performance consisting of him screaming at everyone and calling them 'sheep' it is clear his talent runs a very different (and more frightening) path. However, he does possess the 'fire beats' that the pair desperately needs and together they form rap trio 'PBNJ' Trouble is the element that makes the group so great is also fails to get them forward.

The hopelessness of her situation gives Patti Cake$ a gritty reality and set against the decaying New Jersey scenery we can feel her desire to get out of her surroundings. Hearing the music is what makes this piece come alive and when Patti raps we can only sit in amazement. Seeing a packed house go from mocking and hostile and being unable to resist cheering is something to behold. Jasper makes out her talent as the real selling point. Yes, this is still your typical underdog story and perhaps not a perfect one at that. Despite this, the sheer amount of heart and soul is impossible to hate and seeing our heroine continually dismissed for her looks and image makes us root harder. There might be some minor setbacks such as the unconvincing side story of Basterd and Patti possibly becoming an item, but there are enough good tracks for us look past this oversight.

Danielle MacDonald is perhaps the biggest find cinema will have in 2017. The Australian will be registering on everyone's radar after a performance like this one. Channelling the frustration and desperation of someone wanting to get ahead, MacDonald makes us feel every inch of her character's restlessness. Bridgett Everett also rings in a deep turn as the drunken and conflicted Barb. A middle aged woman still clinging to her glory days, she is the type of mother everyone prays they do not get! Known to most of us for her appearances on 'Inside Amy Schumer', Everett shows her dramatic chops and this could open some interesting avenues for her.

Patti Cake$ is a great coming-of-age story and Jasper makes you work hard to love its heroine. If you're not repeating the letters PBNJ as you walk home, then you have no musical bones in your body.

Family Business: Review of Logan Lucky

Logan Lucky

Director: Steven Soderbergh

By Alex Watson

When he's not in between movie retirements, Steven Soderbergh does remind us what a great director he is. Logan Lucky might not be his strongest outing, but it still showcases what great character's he is capable of creating. The plot might be a little confusing in places, but there is a method in what Soderbergh and writer Rebecca Blunt are doing. On fun alone, this picture makes for great viewing.

After losing his mining job, West Virginia native Jimmy (Channing Tatum) resorts to pulling off the ultimate heist. Bringing along his one armed brother Clyde and sister Mellie (Riley Keough), the trio plan to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600 Nascar race. However, for their job to be successful they must recruit the imprisoned explosives expert Joe Bang (Daniel Craig).

Soderbergh is selective in the information he gives to his audience. We know enough to keep us viewing and this allows the story to go along, but don't expect an inch more. Jimmy is a former college football star who is down on his luck- adored by his daughter and hated by his ex-wife (Katie Holmes) he is barely scraping by. The two brothers are a continual source of amusement, Clyde, in particular, has a sharp sense of humour that totally offsets his dimwit presentation. Only having one-arm after serving in Iraq, Clyde believes fully in the 'Logan Family Curse'. Joe Bang is the character that will stick in the memory longest. A hulking, bleach blonde lunatic, Bang is essential to the plan due to his experience blowing up bank vaults. Grumbling about having to eat 'fake salt' with his beloved boiled eggs, there is an impressive set of brains underneath that will prove vital.

The heist itself rumbles along a furious pace and we are continually having to stop and check our knowledge. Being rookie bank robbers, the family is constantly having to readjust the plan. Jimmy, fortunately, has insider knowledge but even he has not accounted for the little details. One humorous moment sees Bang and the brothers arguing over whether one of the money slots is 20 or 30 yards away? "We're dealin' with science here!" moans our blonde criminal. Soderbergh refuses to hit the breaks and even the smallest details could be so crucial to our knowledge. This is a mostly well-oiled machine and when it fires Logan Lucky becomes his best outing in some time. Unfortunately, it is his fast and furious approach to the story that lets this picture down somewhere.

One of the most frustrating aspects of this movie is that there is a number of minor characters who spring up to do absolutely nothing. What precisely was the point of Seth MacFarlane's unlikeable British millionaire? Except being brash and obnoxious, this character adds little. Likewise the excellent Sebastien Stan and Katherine Waterston who pop up in brief unexplained cameos and promptly disappear. There is a closing investigation with a heavily underused Hilary Swank which only runs out the clock rather than adding another dimension. Soderbergh, for the most part, has made a solid thriller but all these unnecessary extra's only confuse everyone.

Channing Tatum again proves that underneath that well-toned body lies an actor with a lot of talent. As Jimmy, he is the beefcake out to snag the big prize. Once again Tatum is able to appeal to the likable side of a character and his dopey smarts are a joy to behold. Adam Driver again is on dazzling form as loyal bro Clyde. Coming off as the idiot brother bartender, underneath there is bravery and wit in spades. One of the more watchable modern actors, Driver almost steals the film. Daniel Craig however, takes the acting honors and his Joe Bang is a mile away from 007. Few actors alive can mix charisma with sheer menace, but Craig carries it off effortlessly. It's a big reminder of what a great actor he is no matter what suit he puts on.

Logan Lucky is a movie that despite its shortcomings demonstrates why cinema is all the richer for having Steven Soderbergh.

White Heat: Review of Wind River

Wind River

Director: Taylor Sheridan

By Alex Watson

Beneath its snowy winter exterior, Taylor Sheridan's Wind River is a movie where secrets are lost on the wind. After grabbing an Oscar nomination for his fine screenplay for Sicario, Sheridan proves he is also a fine talent behind the lens as well. This crime drama is like a ticking time bomb of tensions and Sheridan makes full use of the desolate Wyoming backdrop. A pair of fine lead performances by Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen is a compliment to Sheridan's fine style.

Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) is a local tracker and hunter who takes care of wildlife problems. One day while travelling by snowmobile he finds the bloody and frozen corpse of Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Chow) a Native American girl who was once friends with his daughter. FBI agent Jane Banner is called in to assist when it is suspected to be a homicide but finds herself unprepared for the harsh winter. After an autopsy reveals the victim was raped, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues.

Opening with a clearly terrified and barefoot Natalie running across a snow covered terrain, it is clear something has scared her to the core. Wind River is a slow cooker and Sheridan lets us see Cory in his quieter moments first. A man still mourning the tragic death of his daughter, he is simply trying to live with the pain he has. Sheridan makes us feel the icy cold of the surroundings and there is a sinister menace that mocks the residents on the breeze. Banner's arrival does shake up the locals as her 'strictly business' approach fails to endear her. Although Cory is not law enforcement, he and Jane are forced to work together as there is no better tracker around than him. At first, the pair does not bond well, but eventually, she comes to depend on his knowledge.

Sheridan is unafraid at showing us the ugly side of this drama, one visit by Jane to Martin Hanson (Gil Birmingham) reveals his wife's tragic breakdown. There are also moments of pure shock such as a botched raid on a shack full of drug addicts. Sheridan has the jump scare factor aced here and there are few minutes in this picture which inspire calm. Getting the tribal members to talk in this region is hard, especially since the majority of crimes against them go unnoticed. Police Chief Ben (Graham Greene) is attempting to keep order with minimal staff in an area 'the size of Rhode Island'. Wisely we are not given any real leads as to who the guilty person could be? The snow covered ground has covered a lot of tracks- though Cory as a tracker is an expert at spotting tiny details.

The third act of Wind River is where Sheridan's talent really shines. When the crime is revealed we are treated to a flashback that is so grotesque and uncomfortable it makes us feel ill. Think Hell or High Water meets Deliverance. The lengths people will go to protect others is horrifying and there is an intense paranoia all around. Possibly the tensest scene comes from when 10 people comprised of law enforcement, oil workers and Jane all decide to point guns at each other. It's a scene where things could get out of control fast and when everyone has itchy trigger fingers, it can only go south. This community has an 'eye for an eye' feel and there is a last act of revenge by Cory that continues this trend. Sheridan's movie is a rare beast and shows us that beneath the picturesque landscape, horror can be found everywhere.

Jeremy Renner showcases what a fine leading man he can be as Cory. Although a fascinating presence in The Hurt Locker, Arrival and The Town, Renner will mostly be remembered as The Avengers Hawkeye. The layers he adds to Cory are simply stunning and he gives the impression of a man holding on. His character possesses some good wits and is unafraid to get his hands dirty. Elizabeth Olsen is one of Hollywood's most underrated talents and as Jane, she shows just why she should be richly rewarded. At first a slightly obnoxious by-the-book agent, it becomes clear that she will need to go against her principles to get the desired result. Together Olsen and Renner make a good double act that ties the movie together nicely.

Wind River is a movie that will hopefully garner Sheridan some much-needed attention come award season. One of the best Hollywood writing talents now proves he has a director's eye to match.

Motor City Mayhem: Review of Detroit

Detroit

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

By Alex Watson

Tensions flare ferociously in Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit and from the opening frame, a city descends into anarchy. Reviewing one of the worse riots in US history, Bigelow is unafraid of showing the full horrors. At the centre, this is a picture of how lives get taken for granted when a city is out of control. 1967 Detroit is a place where the rules have disappeared and the effect of this will make audience members feel sick to the stomach by the movie's end.

In July 1967, during the third day of rioting, the Detroit police hear several gunshots from a window at the Algiers Motel. Quickly storming the building with bullets, officer's Krause (Will Poulter) and Demens (Jack Reynor) take control of the situation and line all guests up against the wall. Among the people persecuted are singer Larry (Algee Smith) and his buddy Fred (Jacob Latimore), returning Vietnam veteran Greene (Anthony Mackie) and security guard Melvin Dismukes (John Boyega). By the end of the night, lives will become irreparably damaged.

Furiously frothing away like a pot ready to boil over, Bigelow wastes no time in igniting the movie's revolt. When a raid on an unlicensed bar goes south, African-American onlookers quickly descend into looting and arson to vent their frustrations. This knife edge feel becomes unbearably claustrophobic almost immediately. Civil rights protestors are tired of feeling like second class citizens and the cops are fed up of the destruction. Officer Krause establishes himself as the primary antagonist, particularly when he casually shoots a running offender in the back. An abusive cop who makes full use of the chaos to play by his own rules. We are given time to both love/hate respective characters with Larry by far the most heart stealing. A talented singer for group 'The Dramatics' his dream gig gets pulled moments before he steps on stage due to rioting. This along with a series of unfortunate events send these different characters towards the Algiers Motel. You can sense the storm is about to hit, but you will not be prepared for the sheer force of it.

In one of the most sickening and horrific sequences of the year, Bigelow brings her audience right into the thick of a shocking violation. Physically exhausting and nauseating, this hour long experience is as close to a home invasion horror as you can get. After a prank involving a starting pistol started by pig-hating guest Carl (Jason Mitchell), Krause and co. descend upon the motel with a lust for vengeance. Honest and hard working security Dismukes also follows and his intention to do the right thing will land him a whole world of trouble. The sheer glee the officers get from threatening, repeatedly assaulting and shockingly even murdering guests is the most uncomfortable feeling imaginable. Detroit refuses to soften the blows and some audience members might want to hyperventilate into their empty popcorn bags. Krause acts as the sadistic judge and jury and the psychological torture he inflicts on the innocent people is like a fun game. The most stunning aspect to this whole thing is just how much people are willing to forget or overlook in the aftermath. Mark Boal's meticulously executed script shines brightest of all here.

Dismukes decline is possibly the most devastating aspect of Bigelow's movie. A security guard trying to act as liaison and saviour is looked down upon by both the cops who see him a siding with the enemy. Eventually, he will become an attempted fall guy. Those hoping for justice to be served and closure to be given are in for one hell of a ride. The third act is where this picture loses steam, even though our hearts are still racing uncontrollably. As the three cops and Melvin are thrown on trial for the nation to see- the steps taken to discredit and ignore the crimes that took place simply build anger and frustration. Overall 42 died and 1,200 were injured during the Detroit riots- in this picture the city is willing to overlook whatever transgressions took place and sweep this under the rug. Some characters are unable to look at life the same way again and after the trauma suffered it is little surprise.

The casting of this picture has been excellently done and Will Poulter is outstandingly evil as the baby faced Krause. A scene stealer whenever he appears, Poulter channels the joy he gets from playing his mind games. A bigoted and calculated cop, the riots have given Krause the chance to run wild. John Boyega is also excellent as the good intentioned Dismukes, giving us the same likeable charm as Force Awakens. A dedicated professional and wanting for everyone to be at peace, Dismukes is the victim of fate and being thrust into a no-win compromise is what seals his fate. Algee Smith is perhaps the most affecting performance as Larry. At first, a happy-go-lucky crooner about to hit the big time, his experience at the Algiers will send his life spinning out of the control.

Detroit is another example of just what an incredible filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow truly is. Few directors could have taken an event like this and shown the horrors in such unflinching details. Keep a spare heart for afterwards, you will need it.