Tag Archives: Josh Hartnett

Eavesdropping at the Movies: 485 – Verity

Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

We love a good thriller, and Verity is one… depending on your expectations. It’s reliant on three excellent star performances, Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett all charismatic and committed to getting the best out of the entertainingly daft screenplay. Verity does tricks on the tightrope between sincere and self-knowingly nonsensical, and is dramatic and funny in equal measure.

On top of this, we discuss the nuance – such as there can be, in the context of a somewhat absurd thriller – of the characters’ actions, how the opening sets a tone that might be easy to overlook, and the layers of irony and uncertainty built in to the themes of truth and villainy. And we consider some depressing aspects of the real world that the film reflects, including the general societal illiteracy and stupidity it unwittingly reproduces in its dialogue and the novelistic and journalistic writing we’re shown, the new media environment in which the podcast interview has become at least as important as legacy media, and the sizeable and vocal section of society that’s devoted to demonising women as manipulative, psychopathic, murderous liars.

Listen on the players below, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, or YouTube Music.

With José Arroyo of First Impressions and Michael Glass of Writing About Film.

Eavesdropping at the Movies

Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

After a long time off, we return with M. Night Shyalaman’s new thriller, Trap, in which Josh Hartnett’s doting dad, Cooper, takes his daughter to see her favourite pop star at a massive arena gig, but finds himself surrounded and hunted by the FBI.

We discuss the ways in which Shyamalan gives Cooper opportunities for escape but closes them off; the unusually disappointing lack of imagination and expression in some of the visual design and shot selection (something we’re used to finding so interesting from Shyamalan); the attempt to sell a psychological background to Cooper, which is somehow neither intelligent nor daft enough; the production of the music and Saleka Night Shyamalan’s performance as Lady Raven; Mike’s fickleness in choosing whom to root for; and José’s joy at seeing Hayley Mills. But despite picking at flaw after flaw, as we always do, we had a great time in Trap, and recommend it.

Listen on the players below, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

With José Arroyo of First Impressions and Michael Glass of Writing About Film.

 

The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola, USA, 1999)

Female Directors, , , , , , ,

Image

Sofia Coppola’s first film. The title’s such a turn-off that I avoided it until 2012. I thought it would be depressing but it’s not: I was a fool. It’s an engaging and humorous work with a real feel for teenage female desire and angst. ‘What are you doing here honey’, says a doctor to one of the sisters after a suicide attempt, ‘you’re not even old enough to know how bad life gets’. ‘Obviously Doctor, you’ve never been a thirteen-year old girl’. The situation and humour are slightly dark but the story is told with a welcome light touch throughout. The film’s  got depth too: the scene where Trip (Josh Hartnett) leaves Lux (Kirsten Dunst) in the football field without being able to quite comprehend it himself is one of many examples. Plus Coppola’s direction allows for  other pleasures: the callow attractiveness of Josh, the real beauty and skill of Kirsten, James Wood for once underplaying, and a suddenly aged Kathleen Turner, all marvellous. It’s beautifully directed but still falls apart at the suicide. What leads up to it is not quite conveyed. Surely being treated badly by a boy and not being allowed out for a while by their parents is not sufficient cause for it  otherwise so many more of us would be dead. Still, it’s a delight  to see a work of such skill and feeling from a first time director.

José Arroyo