The Boys Are Back and Coco Before Chanel
A (very) few words about two films I saw this weekend. I wish I had more time to write but I just don't.
The Boys Are Back is a wonderful and warm film directed by Scott Hicks (Shine). It is base on true events. Joe (Clive Owen) is a successful sports writer. He is originally from England but now lives Australia with his wife Katy (Laura Fraser) and their young son Artie (Nicholas McAnulty). All seems to be going well until Katy passes out at a party. It turns out that Katy has advanced cancer. She soon dies leaving Joe to care for Artie. It isn't easy because they both have to deal with their pain.
Into to mix comes Joe's older son Harry (George MacKay). Joe left the UK and Harry's mom when he met Katy. But that doesn't mean he loves Harry any less. Harry decides that he needs a break and decides to stay with Joe for a while. And that is all I will say about the plot.
I laughed and had tears in my eyes during the film. It brings up all kinds of emotions. And to those critics who put down the film, well, you were thinking with your mind and not your heart. The film could have gone down a predictable road with one aspect of the film but, happily, it does not (when you see it you will know what I mean). The two boys are wonderful in their roles. And Owen is fantastic as Joe. He is a terrific actor and I hope that he gets more "meat on the bone" roles like this in the future. I recommend this film to everyone and do take your not too young children along with you.
I was disappointed with Coco Before Chanel. Ann Fontaine wrote and directed the film about the early years of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Audrey Tautou does fine work as Coco. She says a lot with her eyes. But if only she had a better film to be in. The film drags a bit at the beginning and could have used some editing. But the real problem is in the script - the way the story is told. It just isn't that interesting. Now I know that the actual story must be interesting and this film really needed a better writer.
The music, costumes and scenery are all beautiful. And we get to see another good performance from Tautou. Benoit Poelvoorde is excellent as Balsan, the man Coco moves in with at the beginning of the film. But true love comes her way and she meets "Boy" Capel (Allesandro Nivola). Nivola does the best he can with what I think is an underwritten role. Also shining in the film is the great Emmanuelle Devos as Emilienne, a woman who Coco designs clothes for. Whenever Devos is on the screen things liven up. Coco Before Chanel isn't a terrible film at all. But it isn't a good one either. There are things in the film that are worth seeing but I would say wait until this one is on DVD and rent it.
The Boys Are Back is a wonderful and warm film directed by Scott Hicks (Shine). It is base on true events. Joe (Clive Owen) is a successful sports writer. He is originally from England but now lives Australia with his wife Katy (Laura Fraser) and their young son Artie (Nicholas McAnulty). All seems to be going well until Katy passes out at a party. It turns out that Katy has advanced cancer. She soon dies leaving Joe to care for Artie. It isn't easy because they both have to deal with their pain.
Into to mix comes Joe's older son Harry (George MacKay). Joe left the UK and Harry's mom when he met Katy. But that doesn't mean he loves Harry any less. Harry decides that he needs a break and decides to stay with Joe for a while. And that is all I will say about the plot.
I laughed and had tears in my eyes during the film. It brings up all kinds of emotions. And to those critics who put down the film, well, you were thinking with your mind and not your heart. The film could have gone down a predictable road with one aspect of the film but, happily, it does not (when you see it you will know what I mean). The two boys are wonderful in their roles. And Owen is fantastic as Joe. He is a terrific actor and I hope that he gets more "meat on the bone" roles like this in the future. I recommend this film to everyone and do take your not too young children along with you.
I was disappointed with Coco Before Chanel. Ann Fontaine wrote and directed the film about the early years of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Audrey Tautou does fine work as Coco. She says a lot with her eyes. But if only she had a better film to be in. The film drags a bit at the beginning and could have used some editing. But the real problem is in the script - the way the story is told. It just isn't that interesting. Now I know that the actual story must be interesting and this film really needed a better writer.
The music, costumes and scenery are all beautiful. And we get to see another good performance from Tautou. Benoit Poelvoorde is excellent as Balsan, the man Coco moves in with at the beginning of the film. But true love comes her way and she meets "Boy" Capel (Allesandro Nivola). Nivola does the best he can with what I think is an underwritten role. Also shining in the film is the great Emmanuelle Devos as Emilienne, a woman who Coco designs clothes for. Whenever Devos is on the screen things liven up. Coco Before Chanel isn't a terrible film at all. But it isn't a good one either. There are things in the film that are worth seeing but I would say wait until this one is on DVD and rent it.
posted by Film Fanatic | 1:02 PM
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