After Sun: I have been seeing more Paul Mescal movies, notably Hamnet but also Gladiator II and others. I like him. I had heard good things about this movie when it was first out. So I had an opportunity to view it.
This is a simple story about a young man (Mescal) and his vacation with his daughter Sofia, played by Frankie Corio, in Turkey.
It is a slow burn as we see the two on their own arriving at a sunny destination in Turkey. The resort’s room only provided a single bed. There is plenty unsaid between father and daughter who is approaching 11 yo. She is opinionated and precocious but has a good rapport with him. Over time we see that Dad is struggling, mentally struggling. This takes a number of subtle and not-so-subtle forms. Mescal says so much on his face and expressions without saying anything. These were skills used very well in Hamnet too. I wasn’t completely clear on the various flashbacks especially the strobe lights dancing ones. Who is he dancing with? What does it mean? We do see in the fourth act that what is happening is serious. Daughter is just coming of age all the while Dad is pulling away. It is a moving portrayal and packs a late punch. I think that Frankie as the daughter plays her very well like many young actors in some of the popular movies of this year. She is believable. She is making sense of the world around her, with her parents immediately but also with boys and drinking and doing adult things. This is a human story. Add it to those about Dads and their daughters. It is a quality addition.
Landman: This is a series on Paramount that I was able to see at my Mom’s place. I don’t have Prime nor Paramount nor Disney. This is by choice. This is another Taylor Sheridan series, from the popular guy who developed Yellowstone. Sheridan likes MAGA-themed stories and series with strong male-dominated figures. Women typically are there for skimpy outfits and to support their men. Here it is Billy Bob Thornton as the tough, foul mouthed oil man who helps keep the drills drilling in Texas. He is the oil man for a fictional smaller cap drilling company.
He has an ex-wife, a son and a daughter. Son is learning the oil business working a “patch” as a greenhorn newbie. Daughter looks pretty prancing around in a bikini and workout wear which matches her mother. Mom played by Ali Larter is a blond haired bombshell who stirs up trouble with her outbursts which solely focus on herself and her needs.
This series is ten episodes and moves through some dramatic circumstances right from the beginning with an incident with the son at the patch. Other things happen after that where some are funny and others more serious. It was engaging but silly at times. Characters do things which are clearly not thought through and would most certainly not be in their long term best interest. There is a drug cartel at play in one tangent which generally isn’t too convincing. Thornton keeps the story together with a good performance. He is juggling many balls at any one time including his most dysfunctional family and hard-to-please boss played by Jon Hamm. I would say that I am ambivalent about spending more time with these characters. Having said that, it was good to see Colm Feore, a Canadian icon and Stratford stage actor acting as a lawyer who works with Thornton and has to interact from time to time with his family.
For me it feels like propaganda for the cause, for example where discussions are held by Thornton explains all of the gas/fossil fuels that go into the raising of wind turbines and solar energy. The point made is that none of these industries are possible without fossil fuels. How are we expecting to have people live on Mars? How then if dependency on fossil fuels is reduced does this mean the collapse of a system which has been the staple of the world economy for well over 100 years. This discussion gets way too political about an eye candy TV series with Buckaroo Bonzai. I think I liked it better when Jed and the Beverly Hillbillies were becoming rich off oil.
Mondays With Robbie 