Quick takes on Evil Does Not Exist and other films

Every now and then I am completely blown away by a film and don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about it. That’s the case with Daddio, a 2-person drama starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn (who proves he still has it after all these years). Nearly the entirety of the film takes place in a car, sort of like Locke (must-see for Tom Hardy’s performance); this one has less tension but just as much emotion. Johnson plays Girlie, a woman arriving home to JFK airport after a trip to Oklahoma, and fate puts her in a cab driven by an unnamed man played by Penn. Their long drive across the city, hampered by traffic as night descends, becomes a look at humanity and what makes people tick. The driver is your stereotypical cabbie, he’s been around the block in more than just his car, and has insight into what people want. Over the course of 90-ish minutes, he and Girlie have conversations about what drives men and women, which at surface value seems a bit dated, but it still makes a whole lot of sense. For awhile, Girlie is getting explicit texts from a man whom she seems annoyed with, and the cab driver picks up that there’s tension there, and is able to get her to open up about what is going on in her life, including by the end, what took her to Oklahoma and back. It’s not a one-way street though, as Girlie gets a peek into her driver’s personal life. The director (Christy Hall in her directorial debut, though she was also a screenwriter on It Ends With Us) knows whats up and lets her star actors act. There’s nowhere to hide in a cab and no were to hide with a camera in your face, so we see the subtlety of our actors and, especially with Penn, are reminded just how brilliant they are. You will be moved, disgusted, and, hopefully by the end, understanding of this crazy experience we call life, and the connection a human can make with another human if you just try, and are willing to be vulnerable and open up. ★★★★★

Ok Mom, here’s one for you and Dad to enjoy. Thelma is a 93-year-old woman whose husband died 2 years ago, leaving her alone for the first time since they got married when she was 23. She’s alone but not lonely, as she has a caring daughter and son-in-law and a very loving adult grandson who drives her wherever she wants to go and will sit and have meals and conversations with her all the time. One day, Thelma falls victim to a phone scam that swindles her out of $10k. Her family is upset but have no idea what to do about it, but Thelma, inspired by having recently watched Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, wants to get to the bottom of the scam and get her money back. She’s not going to be jumping buildings or dodging bullets like Cruise, but she has her own challenges commensurate to her age: battling hearing aids, scooters, staircases, and thinking she knows every old person she comes across (“Where do I know you from? You look so familiar.”). There’s a lot of cute, funny moments which I think are targeted just a bit above my age bracket; I’m middle-aged, still aways off to old age, and while I chuckled here and there, I think the older crowd would probably bust a gut. There’s also some poignant moments, like when Thelma and her friend visit someone they haven’t seen in years, only to find her sitting in a big empty house all by herself, surrounded by roaches and fuzzy memories, a dark reminder of what could await people if they outlive all their friends and family. It’s a decent enough film, a little hokey at times, but enjoyable. ★★★

He doesn’t receive much recognition, but C Thomas Howell (Red Dawn is my personal favorite, but let’s not forget The Hitcher and The Outsiders) has been doing this a long time, and his latest is Ride, a western-ish film about a family facing hardship. John is a former rodeo star, and he and his wife Monica (sheriff in their little town) are trying to stay afloat amongst rising medical bills for their 12-year-old daughter Victoria’s cancer treatments. The local hospital can no longer provide the top-notch care that she needs, so they recommend a fantastic clinic. The only problem is that place charges $40k just to get in the door, and there’s no way John and Monica can afford that. While this is going on, their oldest son Peter is getting out of jail, where he’s been for four years after his reckless driving caused the death of his girlfriend at the time. His family never visited him in jail, partially over resentment because a younger Victoria was also in the car that day. Thankfully she was ok, and in fact it was the check-up afterwards in the hospital that found her tumors. But in any case, Peter is getting out, and his first stop afterwards is a drug dealer. With no money, Peter promises to pay with future earnings from the rodeo, and wouldn’t you know it, he wins on his first time out. Having learned of his sister’s predicament though, Peter gives the money to his dad, landing him in serious trouble with the dealer. Afterwards, when John confesses just how much money they need, Peter knows exactly who to rob to get that kind of cash. With John at the end of his rope, he reluctantly agrees to help, but will Monica be able to look the other way, or worse, aid in the coverup, once evidence points to her son? The movie is awfully predictable and has just about every movie trope under the sun, but it isn’t terrible, just very unremarkable. Neowestern film lovers will probably find plenty to enjoy. ★★½

His Three Daughters has been called a “showcase” for its three co-lead actresses, and it is certainly that, making it must-see if you just want to see superb acting. Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne play Katie, Christina, and Rachel, who have gathered together in their father’s (Vincent’s) apartment as he has entered at-home hospice from cancer. These sisters all have issues of their own that have kept them from being close to each other, and some are harboring some severe baggage. Katie is the oldest, and she has typical oldest child syndrome, trying to run and micromanage everything in her life. She has been unable (or, more likely, unwilling) to face her father’s worsening condition, and despite living close by, hasn’t visited in months. Middle child Christina lives across the country and the other sisters always thought her life was so perfect with a husband and family, but she has issues. The youngest is Rachel, who had a different father after their mother remarried, but he died when she was 4 so Vincent has always been the only “father” she ever knew. In fact, for many years she has shared the apartment with Vincent, becoming his caregiver as he has deteriorated. She resents the other sisters for this, but as the youngest child and always feeling a bit left-out (mostly due to Katie’s needling), she has kept all that to herself. With Vincent in his last days though, the girls will have to face each other and look into themselves. Through all of the drama, Vincent’s imposing presence is felt all over the apartment, even though he is never seen, living out his final moments in his bedroom offscreen. It is a tour-de-force from each of the women, you won’t find much better. ★★★★½

Man oh man, movies like Evil Does Not Exist make me rethink my rating system. I loved a couple of the movies above, but this one is on a whole other level. It’s director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s followup to his massively successful Drive My Car a couple years ago, and it makes me want to look up some of his older stuff! In a sleepy mountain town, a small community is up in arms about a company wanting to come in and build a glamping site (glamorous camping for the older crowd out there 🙂 ). The residents voice legitimate concerns about how the company will handle human waste from visitors, since the businesses and townsfolk rely heavily on local spring water and wells as their primary water source. The company representatives, who are in town to present the plans for the site, are in over their heads and ill prepared to answer the tough questions. They are willing to learn though, and spend some time with one resident in particular, Takumi. Takumi lives in a cabin, with just his young daughter (the mom has died). He enjoys cutting firewood, gathering spring water for a local restaurant, and the quiet life. The two glamping site reps spend a day with him and see just how nice this community is. The end will surprise and baffle you if you aren’t paying attention (hint: pay attention to all the seemingly minor dialogue about the local deer throughout the film), but it is a rewarding film if you are picking up on the clues along the way. A movie I could easily watch again and again, and probably find more to enjoy each time. Beautiful camerawork throughout and a quietly intense movie from start to finish. ★★★★★

• TV series recently watched: Star Trek Next Generation (season 2), Voltron Legendary Defender (season 2), Batman Beyond (season 3)
• Book currently reading: The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan