Hyde Park on Hudson
Why aren’t quieter, sweet films like this made more often? Perhaps, most American audiences are just too hyper for such kind, polite fare.
However, here’s a cool part of US history. In June 1939, when England was scared of the impending World War II, the King and Queen of England spent a few days with FDR at his mother’s house in upstate New York. It’s the first time royals had ever visited the former colonies. Also present were FDR’s lesbian wife, his mistress, reporters, Indians, and hotdogs. This odd combo makes this biopic an endearing comedy of manners.
Whoever thought to cast Bill Murray as FDR deserves praise; what may at first sound weird ends up wonderful. Linney, as distant cousin Daisy who starts an affair with President, is always perfect, quiet, desperate, and shy. In fact, all of the performances are outstanding.
Small and subtle, Hyde Park focuses on expressions and reactions. The photography is nostalgic, loaded with WASP-y glory. The score is a nifty blend in 1930s Americana.
Okay, so it may not be exact history. One of the great unspoken turning points of America is how it defined itself, its character, as separate from England. For the longest time, the United Kingdom set the rules for manners, etiquette, and the conduct of personal life. Hyde Park on Hudson is precisely about that changing of American standards into all its brave, gauche, confident, inappropriate, and brassy friendliness. |
Though frequently funny, this flick often lacks surprise, insight, and interest.
Turning 40 is the sort of milestone director/writer Judd Apatow should be able to mine for gold. Instead, this comedy often feels longish, aimless, and more than a little spoiled.
Rudd and Mann (Mrs. Apatow) are the couple from Knocked Up. Upon reaching their fourth decade, they run into middling problems. Their kids (Apatow’s and Mann’s real-life girls) curse as much as the parents do. The grandparents burden the couple with extra problems. Rudd scarfs cupcakes, gets Viagra prescriptions, and locks himself in the john to play Scrabble on his iPad. Mann lies about her age and secretly smokes. Neither has done enough financial planning. Both have small career problems. Each harbors resentments while desperately hoping to be considered a good person, parent, and spouse.
Apatow still has his sense of character, moments of honesty, and wonderful bits of gross-out humor. Rudd is perfect as Apatow’s stand-in. Mann is also good but less successful at more emotional moments. The little girls made me wince – nepotism obviously cast them.The big problem is that This is 40 feels as if no one knows how well off they are, with their fancy cars and nice house. There’s nothing really earth-shattering here, and the film lacks momentum. Finally, when Rudd and Mann run off to a sexy retreat weekend, we’ve gone from charming characters and disgusting comic gags to full-blown cliche.
On the stage, Les Miserables is a grand, sweeping spectacle. As a musical geek, I’m sad to report that, except for Anne Hathaway’s beautiful scenes, it falters on screen. Two-dimensional characters belt turgid opera while the camera sits three inches from their noses, for three hours.
For those of you who don’t know Victor Hugo’s massive book, Jean Valjean (Jackman) spent 19 years in prison for stealing bread. Out on parole, he skips probation in hopes of becoming a good Christian. Inspector Javert (Crowe) trails him for decades. Despite being hunted, Jackman repents, improves himself, and raises a prostitute’s daughter. This all is played against the backdrop of the French Revolution.
The 1980s musical version has structural faults this movie version cannot fix. Songs are repetitive. The plot moves in circles, the comic relief is clunky, and the main characters seem simplistic. We can only barely tell that director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) spent millions in art direction, since cameras are parked in close-up for eternity. The singing is live. Jackman is just okay, but Crowe sounds terrible, adenoidal.
Then there’s stunning Anne Hathaway, who is small, subtle and human, everything all other characters lack, both onstage and in the cinema. Les Miserables may get lots of nominations, but it only deserves one win.
