Tag Archives: James Franco

“KIN” movie review

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Too little plot spread across too much movie. Although I have not seen the short film Bag Man on which this movie is based, it is clear that there were many good elements in the short but unfortunately not enough plot, character development, nor turning points were added to take this short, and turn it into a feature length science-fiction urban fantasy movie. The pacing is inconsistent. My friend who screened the film with me last night likes to refer to this concept as the accordion dilemma. Long, drawn out boring parts that are quickly pushed together for an exciting moment, then stretched out again. Personally, watching this movie felt like sitting on the I-4 between Orlando and Tampa. There is also the concern that the film is depicting the wrong image for young men. One can easily read this movie as a troubled young man, with an ex-con brother and grieving father, who only feels powerful when he has a firearm at his side. Not the kind of message we want to send to young people. Had the film focussed more on character development, and the relationship between the two brothers, then this may have made a solid drama. As it stands, the film sits at an uncomfortable crossroads between genres that ultimately fails to deliver a memorable movie.

When salvaging one of the hundreds of vacant buildings in run-down Detroit, Elijah (Myles Truitt) stumbles across the remains of a battle between futuristic-looking soldiers. Near the soldiers is a powerful ray gun that he claims as his own. At home, his father (Quaid) is still grieving over the loss of his wife and troubled over the return of his other son, now ex-con Jimmy (Reynor). When Jimmy asks his father for $60K to pay off a gang that protected him in prison ran by Taylor Bolek (Franco), his father tells him to get a job. When Jimmy executes a plan to acquire the money by arranging a heist with the Taylor’s gang, and things go wrong, Jimmy finds himself on the run. Fearful for his brother’s life, Jimmy persuades Elijah to come on a road trip to Lake Tahoe where the plan is to meet their father later on. Soon, both brothers find themselves running for their lives from a sadistic gang and other-worldly soldiers. Fortunately, Elijah has a weapon that will do more than simply protect and destroy.

The Baker brothers have included many effective elements for telling their story in this film; however, proper pacing, a sense of urgency, character and plot development are not connected fluidly. Furthermore, there are many sequences of just driving–endless driving. Much like the Hobbit movies featured lots of scenes of running. My favorite scene in the movie is when Jimmy is teaching Elijah how to drive, and has him doing donuts in the parking lots of a seedy motel. The look on Elijah’s face was priceless, and it was in that moment that a real connection was felt between the brothers. Otherwise, the rest of the scenes in the movie are forgettable. Even the “sci-fi twist” that is referenced in marketing materials feels more like a mechanical explanation than a resolution that packs a punch.

Visually, the film worked. Clearly, the Baker brothers have sufficient experience at communicating messages through imagery–and no mistaking it–that is incredibly important to a motion picture. This is likely due to their experience in directing commercials, which successfully tell stories in 30secs or less. Unlike other science-fiction films that rely almost entirely on digital effects, in a refreshing manner, the Baker brothers pair the practical with the digital to create a sense of realism in the film. Even the futuristic weapons and other technology feel grounded in reality–they play by the same rules of physics we do. The film may suffer from a terrible screenplay; but it excels in areas such as cinematography and editing. Not entirely sure what possessed a studio junior executive to green-light this, but I imagine they won’t be green-lighting projects for a while now. From what I’ve been told about the short film, the ending of this feature adaptation was changed. My guess is that it was changed in order to setup a sequel–a sequel that we will probably never be seen if the film does poorly this weekend at the box office.

If you enjoy science-fiction urban fantasy movies, then you may find some entertainment value in this. The movie works better as the pilot to a limited run series on Netflix, Hulu, or Prime than a feature film. Perhaps that is where this story will wind up. With changes to the screenplay, it could find a life on a streaming service; but as feature film, it did not deliver the simple plot and complex characters needed.

Ryan teaches screenwriting at the University of Tampa. If you like this article, check out the others and FOLLOW this blog! Interested in Ryan making a guest appearance on your podcast or contributing to your website? Send him a DM on Twitter!

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“True Story” movie review

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True StoryDoes everyone deserve to have their story told? Fox Searchlight Pictures’ True Story starring Jonah Hill and James Franco is the type of mystery/drama cinematic work that sucks you in from the opening scene. It’s like a good mystery novel that you can’t put down. This movie slipped past a large portion of patrons of the temple of moving pictures and critics, including yours truly. At the recommendation of a friend of mine, I watched it and found it to be an exemplary movie that combines the best of a gripping mystery and pairs it with pedigreed acting and direction. It was also surprising to see both Hill and Franco in serious roles–very much a juxtaposition to the roles each respectively find themselves in. Director Rupert Goold provides us with an outstanding movie that intrigues and entertains. The cool color pallet and cinematography resemble a David Fincher style of direction. For journalists, authors, or even university researchers, this movie adds a self-reflivity element to the plot steeped in the idea of telling a story.

After years of having stories grace the covers of notionally syndicated magazines and news papers, award-winning New York Times journalist Mike Finkel (Hill) winds up disgraced after publishing a story that was was unethical in its presentation. Following his relation to Montanna, Finkel is presented with a high-profile case of Christian Longo (Franco), a man accused of murdering his entire family. Skeptical at first, Finkel is soon confronted with a multifaceted story that screams to be published. The more Finkel delves into the mind and history of Longo, the more he is intrigued by the events and actions that led Longo to be accused of the horrendous crime. Striking up a deal to teach Longo how to be a writer, Finkel takes the opportunity to write a best-selling novel in order to get back into the gam; only, he may have encountered more than meets the eye, and wrestles with the question: how to tell a true story? Sometimes a “true” story contains far more than could have ever been anticipated.

Gotcha! Like an excellent mystery/drama should, True Story contains a fantastic “gotcha” moment during the third act. Beyond the mystery at hand, there is a manipulation of facts and emotions that will catch you off guard and cause you to question and analyze the story in such a way that you did not see coming. I don’t know about you, but when I watched it, I felt the movie had a fair amount of a Hitchcockian feel about it. Just when you think you have it figured out, then you have to rethink your entire perception of past events and plot devices. You will likely ask yourself, ‘what is the true story being told here?’ This dynamic plot is three fold. You have the story of the alleged murders, the story Finkel is writing about Longo, and the movie itself which captures the over-arching story of the relationship between Finkel and Longo. This is a true story based on the true story which is based on another story. At each turn, you are sucked in deeper and deeper until you are not sure who is deceiving whom.
The cinematography and direction are both outstanding. Couple those elements with the excellent acting and writing, and you have a fantastic mystery/drama that continues to entice you as you watch it. A very positive note on the plot of this movie is the commitment to visual storytelling. From the moment the movie opens, the audience is shown the director’s commitment to using the magic of moving pictures to tell this story. So often with mysteries, it is necessary for the characters to engage in prolific exposition in order to help the detectives/journalists or even you as the audience member to piece together the puzzle. Fortunately, Goold and Finkel (as we wrote the story based on his encounters with Longo) all the characters to evolve naturally and dialog with one another in such a way that they enhance the plot and not speak their way through it.

If you enjoy murder-mysteries or investigative journalism, then this is definitely a movie for you. Despite the fact this movie flew under the radar, it is a wonderful example of how a true story can be more interesting and gripping than the best work of fiction. If for no other reason, you should watch this movie in order to see a different side to Jonah Hill and James Franco as they demonstrate their ability to reach beyond the comedies and satires they are so often associated with.