Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

"Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps"
Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella, Susan Sarando
Directed by: Oliver Stone
133 minutes

As Oliver Stone revisits his 1987 film "Wall Street," he encompasses in this sequel the same primal urgency and dog eat dog regard with this updated, more stylish version. For my money, Money Never Sleeps is tad better than its predecessor, but that isn't to say it doesn't have its fair share of flaws and shortcomings. The original "Wall Street," was a film that spoke to a time and generation, this sequel is more about the generation gap living through the same business as in the first film, as well as a reminder of what has already come before us.

With the return of Michael Douglas' Oscar winning character Gordon Gekko in this installment, much attention is paid to the upcoming generation of stock broker. This time, it's in the younger mold of Jake Moore, who is played by Shia LaBeouf in probably his most adult role to date. Moore is an upcoming broker, similar to Charlie Sheen's Bud Foxx from the 1987 version. Moore is seeing Gekko's daughter Winnie, played by Mulligan, who has kept all the bitter memories of her father intact to still hold a grudge. One of the subplots of the film is the dynamic between Moore, Winnie, and Gordon, as Moore juggles relationships with both characters.

The narrative is troubling as Stone fills this puppy to the brim with excess plot. The ramifications of the screenplay written by Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff is one of the things that hinders the film. As it opens, Douglas' Gekko is let out of prison a month after 9/11. We flash-forward to 2008 where the global economy is on the eve of destruction. It's here where Stone wants to make his commentaries and analysis known. He teams the old corporate raider of Gekko with the ambitious Jake Moore, and pits them against successful billionaire Bretton James, played by Josh Brolin. We learn in this installment that Bretton was the main reason Gekko was put behind bars. Brolin is the villain of the film, though lacking the devilish charm of the old Gekko, he is pretty good here.  Another subplot emerges involving the death of Jake's longtime mentor and friend Louis Zabel, played by Frank Langella, who was no stranger to Bretton's wrecking ball of ambition and greed.

I particularly enjoyed the first 45 minutes of this film, it was fresh, stylish and interesting to share the company of what seemed to be a reformed Gekko seeking solace and redemption with his daughter. Their dynamic is a little soft, but Douglas and Mulligan share a key scene that probably hit close to home with Douglas and his own personal life. Most of the time we're watching Gordon adapt to his new surroundings, he's got a rented apartment, no friends, but his own buried motive that doesn't thrust the film into new territory. It arrives late and plunges us further into an already long runtime and yet another subplot.

New York is glamorized with multiple montages and establishing shots, a mood that is much different from the one that's present in the realm of the characters. Stone's editing style here is much different from what we're usually privy to from him. He uses a lot of split screens, graphics, and quick techniques showing the new age of the market and those involved. Jake Moore is at the center of this universe, and Stone tries to convey the changing times through his generation. Bretton's generation is those who sit in dark rooms discussing change and how to strong arm other companies. The dynamic between Bretton and Jake isn't as played out as Douglas' and Sheen's in the first installment, but it mirrors the rival between old and young, new school versus old school.

The muddled scope and Stone's lack of resolution also downgrades the picture. Stone is trying to say something, but all of his sub plots and partial unfulfilled character arcs block the main narrative from reaching its destination. As the film nears its end, Gekko's persona remains intact, except he's given birth to the hint of a remorseful quality, other than that, we haven't learned much else.

Grade: 3/5

The Town

"The Town"
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, John Hamm, Titus Welliver, Chris Cooper, Pete Postlethwaite, Blake Lively
Directed by: Ben Affleck
123 minutes

The layout of Ben Affleck's new film "The Town," is quite simple. It's a genre film, more specifically, a "one last job," film, where the final heist of the protagonist will be his last before he settles down and leaves his life of crime. The problem with this familiar trope is that the guidelines and dynamics of the narrative are laid out in front of us. For the film to work, the stakes must be high, and we better care about the characters.

It's a gritty and violent cops- and- robbers story set in Charlestown, the bank robbery capital of America. The most notorious crew is led by Doug MacRay, played by Affleck, who has learned the criminal lifestyle from his imprisoned father Stephen, played by Chris Cooper. Doug's partner and lifelong friend is Jem, played by Jeremy Renner, who some will recognize from last year's best picture winner "The Hurt Locker." Jem plays the crew's loose cannon, a hothead who tries to justify any violence he partakes in. Doug, Jem, and the two other guys rounding out the crew get their jobs from a florist played by Pete Postlethwaite, a veteran of the business who worked with Doug's father. It's a town where crime is passed down through the generations, and where no other profession is even thought of.

It's all very standard and evident how things will unravel. During the opening of the film, the guys target a bank, a guard signals an alarm, and an innocent employee is taken hostage just for caution. The employee is Claire, played by the beautiful Rebecca Hall. She ends being let go, but is taken in for questioning by Special Agent Adam Frawley of the FBI, Frawley is played by "Mad Men's," Jon Hamm. Doug and Jem debate whether she could identity them, so Doug follows her around and the two end up forming a relationship.

The rest of the film consists of the cat and mouse games between the FBI and Doug's crew, and the non existent chemistry between Doug and Claire that were supposed to care about. Claire is intrigued by Doug for reasons that go unknown. We get a few scenes of them talking, some give the hint where we may learn more about their characters, but the moment never comes. Affleck is more interested in ensuring the pace of the film and providing the false impression of character depth with these scenes. Claire is always charming and is an obvious catch for a guy like Doug, who has little depth outside of questions he has about his mother's past fate.

While the screenplay by Peter Craig and Ben Affleck isn't as strong as the script for Affleck's directorial effort "Gone Baby Gone," this film is better directed. Action scenes sizzle with intensity and danger as Affleck knows how to stage and frame set pieces, perhaps taking a page out of Michael Mann's "Heat," with the multiple shootout scenes. The acting is also pretty good, while everyone does their part, it's mainly Renner that sticks out, his fiery nature and tone is unsettling, making him unpredictable in any scene. Jon Hamm isn't given much beyond his "by the book" character arc, still, Hamm does just fine. There is also Blake Lively, who plays Jem's sister Krista. Lifelong drug addict and past interest to Doug, it's Krista who is like a younger version of Amy Ryan's character from "Gone Baby Gone," there is little for her to do here as she clings to Doug as the gettin' gets late.

"The Town," succeeds and gently succumbs to its familiar slate of narrative devices. It's obvious that Affleck wants to tell a familiar story with an assured hand, but as the film goes on, one wonders if the script will take any chances because we're hoping we haven't pinpointed the fate of the characters so early. It will be interesting to see where Affleck goes from here, he's comfortable with filming in settings comparable to Scorsese in the 70's, but Scorsese's projects were much more dynamic than Affleck's first two efforts.

The characters that make up "The Town," are worthy of our attention, but certainly not for more than two hours. There are far worse things out there right now at the box office, and if you're in the mood for a decent little action/thriller, the "Town," will hold you over until the heavy hitters of the fall and winter film season arrive.

Grade: 3/5

The American

 "The American"
Starring: George Clooney, Irina Bjorklund, Johan Leysen, Paolo Bonacelli, Violante Placido
Directed by: Anton Corbijn
105 minutes

Throughout much of "The American," George Clooney's persona is stripped down to a minimal shadow, a vessel of regret, ambiguity, and stillness. In fact, much of director Anton Corbijn's second film is a throwback to 70's thrillers.  It's more finely tuned and executed as an art house project rather than its marketed spy thriller mold. Corbijn, who made his name as a Dutch photographer is much more enticed by mood and atmosphere than plot. Corbin's debut film "Control," was a moody piece that chronicled the doomed last days of Joy Division's Ian Curtis. The film caught the eye of many, and made Coribijn a name to watch. This film, which is set in multiple gorgeous locales, is a another great canvas for the artist to flesh out his palette. Corbijn's sensual photography is essential to the film's beauty and a contrast to its protagonists' sins.

Make no mistake, the main attraction is Clooney. His fragmented, but quiet and stirring soul of an assassin is the primary reason the film holds. Clooney plays Jack, a thin, neatly looking gun- for- hire who is mercilessly devoted to his work. In terms of a character study, picture a Michael Mann film, but without the style and gun blazing. Jack can't separate himself from his work, he's a loner who can't do much else, nor wants to. Clooney's Jack is haunted by events that start the film, and serve as his nightmarish reminder of who he is throughout.

He has few contacts, one is his boss Pavel, an older man who looks to have lived two lifetimes. His relationship to Jack is simple, he explains the next mark, and it's Jack whom obliges. This time, Jack is told to lay low in the Italian countryside while waiting for directions on a last job. Jack spends much time alone in cafe's and bars feeling the weight and uncertainty of his predicament.  His other contacts are both female, one is a precise marksmen whom Jack is building a gun for. They recognize each other as animals of the same game, one is looking to be healed, the other could care less of anything but the job. Jack's primary interest outside his work lies in a prostitute named Clara (Placido), a woman whom Jack will only give business to. They have little in common, but she's slowly drawn into his frenzy of guilt, she can make him whole again.

The film was adapted by Rowan Joffe from a book by Martin Booth. While the plot of the film is shoestring thin, it's of course what most detractors will complain off. If one can allow themselves to be thrust into the films mood and atmosphere, the film will increasingly drawn you in. It's the deliberate pacing, and quiet paranoia that slowly ratchets up the tension. Jack ends up meeting a priest that has taken slight interest in him, perhaps Jack is different from other tourists in the eye of the priest. They talk about simple things, sometimes Jack says nothing, sometimes he offers a little more. The priest serves no great purpose, just an observer to a lost man.

I imagine some will grow frustrated while viewing "The American," I for one was enthralled. Some will say the trailers' promises weren't kept, but the vision of Corbijn and the acting of Clooney is what remains un-compromised. Those looking for a action packed thriller should turn elsewhere for satisfaction. "The American," has arrived in a month of cinematic bottom feeders. With Corbijn's artful eye and Clooney's uncanny acting range, this is a film to seek out.

Grade: 3.5/5