WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH? » Hilary Swank

‘Conviction’ – Rockwell states his case for Oscar consideration

cftoto — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:30:03 +0000

Hilary Swank already owns two Oscars, but actor Sam Rockwell’s mantle deserves some hardware.

“Conviction” may be a step in that direction.

The new drama stars Hilary Swank in a role genetically engineered for her, that of a gritty heroine fighting to save her brother from an unjust conviction.

But it’s Rockwell’s performance as the brother in question that gives the film its flawed but charismatic soul.

“Conviction” can be all too predictable in its storytelling, but Rockwell remains incapable of giving the same inflection twice.

Swank stars as Betty Anne Waters, the sister of wayward Kenny Waters (Rockwell). He’s notorious in their small town, quick to anger and even quicker to make friends and strangers alike burst out laughing. To Betty Anne, he’s just Kenny, the brother she can’t help loving even when his behavior takes a sour turn.

So when Kenny is accused of a local murder neither he nor Betty Anne take it too seriously at first. He’s a constant target for the local cops who don’t see the bright side of his colorful personality.

Damning evidence emerges tying Kenny to the crime, and one swift lopsided trial later Kenny is facing life in prison.

Betty Anne dropped out of high school years ago, but she puts her life on hold to study the law in order to free her brother – no matter how long it takes.

Fact-based stories remain a blessing and a curse for Hollywood. Some amazing stories feel handcuffed by reality – and the demands of the narrative format. “Conviction” lays out a series of obstacles for Betty Anne to overcome, and their consistent pattern wears down the story’s momentum. We see her struggle as a wife, a single parent and a sister holding out hope against a system stacked against her, the elements feeling familiar no matter how well handled they are here.

The murder case’s critical moments line up neatly for our inspection, and while director Tony Goldwyn handles the actors as well as anyone could, the template restricts the sense of outrage we might otherwise feel.

Goldwyn fares better with the brief flashback sequences, snippets of the Waters’ childhood that cements their bond in our eyes.

Swank assays the character traits that make Betty Anne a flesh and blood hero, but it’s Rockwell that makes her work really pay off. Kenny can be a jerk, to put it bluntly. He’s impetuous and all too eager to throw a fist when a conciliatory word would do far better. But he adores his sister and lives life to the fullest, and Rockwell makes sure we know it.

“Conviction” should slip away when its time to tally up the Best Picture nominations. But Rockwell’s stellar turn as the ill-fated Kenny shouldn’t escape the voters’ notice.

‘Amelia’ – Biopic gets lost in the clouds

cftoto — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:39:34 +0000

What took so long to make a biopic about legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart?

Maybe Hollywood was waiting for a two-time Oscar winner like Hilary Swank to swoop in and commandeer the role.

Swank, a fine physical match for Earhart, finally gets her chance to soar with “Amelia,” directed by Mira Nair (“The Namesake”).

It’s a perfect storm of just the right actress, a story deliciously larger than life and a time of year when Oscar-friendly films start hitting the cineplex.

Yet after nearly two hours audiences feel no closer to Earhart’s legend than when they stumbled their way into the darkened theater.

“Amelia” begins just before the soon to be famous pilot became the first woman to cross the Atlantic by plane.

Amelia didn’t pilot that plane herself. It was all part of a marketing scheme cooked up by George Putnam (Richard Gere), the savvy publisher who would become Earhart’s husband.

Amelia wasn’t satisfied with a publicity stunt. She wants to soar amongst the clouds and break cultural barriers by becoming the first woman to cross the Atlantic on her own.

But … why?

“Amelia” never answers that and many other crucial questions. Sure, we get inspirational speeches, beautifully choreographed flying sequences and luxurious period detail.

It’s Amelia’s motivations which are given short shrift, and as good as Swank can be on screen she’s no match for a unimaginative screenplay which can’t fill in many blanks.

A few sequences hint at more complicated themes. Earhart’s fame came during the Depression, where she symbolized the hope of a nation. And while the pilot didn’t care about publicity, she realized working within the commercial system meant more money for more planes she could pilot.

Earhart’s romantic motivations prove cloudier than the friendly skies, whether it’s her chemistry-free romance with Putnam or her gallavanting with a handsome fellow pilot (Ewan McGregor in yet another thankless role).

It’s almost like a biopic on autopilot – a few memorable scenes here, some archival footage there and a star gussied up to resemble the film’s protagonist right down to her perfectly mussed up hair.

We’re still waiting for a biopic to do Earhart justice.

(Photo: Hilary Swank plays the groundbreaking pilot in “Amelia,” a new biopic directed by Mira Nair – Photo Credit: Ken Woroner)

WWTW Rewind – ‘Insomnia’ (2002)

cftoto — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:43:31 +0000

Before “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Christopher Nolan busied himself by giving Al Pacino the best role of his golden years.

“Insomnia” casts Pacino as – yawn – another cop, but this time he’s chasing a killer across verdant Alaskan grounds, not the Big Apple.

Pacino plays Will Dormer, an L.A. detective invited to the 49^th state on behalf of an old police pal (Paul Dooley).

A local teen was beaten, killed and left on a garbage dump, and it’s up to Dormer, a fellow LA cop (Martin Donovan) and local officer (Hilary Swank) to find the killer.

The chase leads the officers to the girl’s unsavory group of friends as well as a novelist (Robin Williams) who may be connected to the crime.

Pacino’s heavy-lidded gaze couldn’t be a better fit for the beleaguered Dormer, who hasn’t got so much as a catnap since arriving in Alaska. His weary gaze sags lower in every scene, and Pacino manipulates his falling face with a craftsman’s care.

Nolan, remaking a 1997 Norwegian thriller, draws plenty of tension out of transporting an otherwise routine cop movie into fresh terrain. Alaska becomes yet another character to contend with here, and it’s a bold and exciting addition to an exhausted genre.

Williams excels here, proving anew he’s far better suited to quirky character pieces than broad comedies at this stage in his career. And while Swank’s appearance has grown downright stark of late (she could bench press Pacino AND Williams) she’s aw-shucks sweet as a starstruck cop.

It all commences in a conventional shoot-out, but even the gun slinging is done with the kind of attention to detail seen too infrequently of late.

The tense and psychologically shrewd “Insomnia” is the perfect plan B for your next video store trek.

(Photo: Al Pacino and Robin Williams share a close embrace in the cop thriller “Insomnia.”)

‘P.S. I Love You’ – Return to sender

cftoto — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:51:19 +0000

Hilary Swank owns two Oscars, but she’s a stranger in a strange land in the rom-com “P.S. I Love You,” now on DVD. How can such a talented actress look so lost while swooning over “300’s” Gerard Butler?

The mystery eludes me, but the film takes a winning premise and saps all the romance right out of it.

My review over at Donne Tempo shares the ugly truth behind this overstuffed turkey.

(Photo: Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler swap romantic missives in “P.S. I Love You”)