The Comedian

First Hit:  A good story and look into the life of an older comedian whose had his day.

Being about the same age as the character Jackie Burke (Robert De Niro) it was an interesting story, look, and life of an older comedian. Jackie was once a television star and part of the issue is that people see him as this television character and not as himself, an insult comic that is just getting by.

Burke is a sarcastic man in both his communication with everyone he interacts with. Although he's not asked to perform when he goes into a comedy clubs, he is known, gets an occasional shout-out, and carefully watches the younger comedians to see what works, what's  funny.

One night, while performing in a small club owned by Jimmie “J.J.” Walker (yes Mr. Goodtimes), he’s harassed by a couple in the audience. She’s filming him as her husband shoots barbs at Burke. The husband gets under Burke’s skin so much that Jackie ends up hitting the husband with the microphone. The couple sues and also posts the fight they filmed on YouTube. While in court, Jackie refuses to apologize in an appropriate way and the judge gives him jail time. After getting out he starts community work at a homeless shelter which is where he meets Harmony Schitz (Leslie Mann).

She’s also doing community work at the same homeless shelter. They hit it off and spend time together by going to a comedy club, she joins him at a family wedding at the invitation of his brother Jimmy (Danny DeVito) and his wife Florence (Patti LuPone), and then he joins her at a dinner with her father Mac (Harvey Keitel).

In each of the interactions he does a routine, and each one is insult based which goes over in some audiences and not so much in others. He gets an opportunity to be part of the dais of a roast for a 90+ year old May Conner (Cloris Leachman) who ends up dying during his part of the roast.

His agent Miller (Edie Falco) tries to get him gigs, but it is hard because of his age, type of comedy he does and his past history. To juxtapose his past with his more successful peers, the storyline has him visiting the Friars Club in NYC where he talks with Charles Grodin, Billy Crystal, Brett Butler, and Gilbert Gottfried to name a few.

However, despite the star power and interactions with these comedians, the jabs aren't very funny. As it turns out, the funniest and most popular parts of his life are the mistakes he makes which are video taped and posted online.

I thought the jokes that Jackie had were good and De Niro’s delivery was very strong, it just isn’t the type of humor I'm attracted to. However there were moments of out loud laughter. I did like the film's more serious turn when Jackie finds himself wanting to spend more time with Harmony.

De Niro was solid as the old-time comedian and his comedic act was really good. I just didn’t connect with the jokes. Mann was superb. I loved her intensity and skittishness. She was one of the very best parts of the film. Keitel was strong as Mann’s controlling father. LuPone was really perfect as the sister-in-law who doesn’t like Burke. DeVito was wonderful as Jackie’s brother. Leachman was interesting as the 90+ year old honored comedienne. Falco as Jackie’s manager was very good. I liked her realistic engagement and devotion to Burke. The team of Art Linson, Jeffery Ross, Richard LaGravenese and Lewis Friedman wrote a good script that reflected the time of Jackie’s fame very well. I especially liked Harmony’s role and lines. Taylor Hackford did a great job of directing the main characters, but the script didn't use the other great comedians very effectively.

Overall:  Although I didn’t really like the humor in this film, I did think it was well done.

New York, I Love You

First Hit: This was a fun, interesting and heartwarming film.

Numerous small films make up this film. Each film provides a view and set of characters you will find in New York.

The thief, the hooker, the charmer, the beautiful wife, the interested husband, the newlyweds, the artist and a hopeful muse, the smooth talker, a father and his daughter and the observer. There are lots of characters in the 11 different stories which meld together and, at times, overlap. But what rings true to this film is that they are all believable.

There is the beautiful Julie Christie as an aged singer thinking about ending her life, but the hotel manager and room service boy give her a sense of peace. There are two scenes taking place outside restaurants where a couple has a conversation while smoking cigarettes. In one conversation perceptions are misconstrued and in another wants and hopes are expressed.

The artist sees a shopkeeper and draws her with an obsession. There is a diamond buyer and seller with affection for each other but neither will know what it is like to live with such a love; their religion and life take them each on a different but joyous path.

A thief takes a wallet and gets confronted by his victim and his girlfriend. There is the old couple, played by Cloris Leachman and Eli Wallach, whose dialogue is real, loving and is filled with the richness of spending 65 years together.

I won’t call out any of the directors or actors for their specific roles. What I will say is that it was wonderful from stem to stern.

Overall: Wonderful feel good film showing sides of New York and the people who live there.

The Women

First Hit: It was good to see a film that was only about and performed by women but it languished in its execution.

This is a remake of a 1939 film of the same name.

Back then society’s morals, perceptions, and roles of men and women were different. Mary (played by Meg Ryan) is working as a dress designer for her father and is married to big time financier. She discovers, almost at the same time, that her father is firing her when she thought he was ready to give her the business and that her husband Stephen is having an affair.

Her best friend Sylvie (played Annette Bening) overhears this latter bit of information from a manicurist. Sylvie and Edie (played by Debra Messing) talk about what they should do with this information on their way to Mary’s house for a party.

The scene in the car begins to set up the choices and the boundaries of their friendships. Added to this core circle of friends is Alex Fisher (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) a strong lesbian character and, together, this represents “The Women.”

There is lots of advice given to Mary about what to do from her mother (played by Candice Bergen) and her friends. This advice includes fighting Stephen for everything he’s got to let it go and he’ll come back.

Meg Ryan had both strong and brilliant moments as well as flashes of weak and inconsistent characterizations. Although I generally like and think Meg is a wonderful actress, this isn’t one of her better acting jobs. As well, I thought Annette Bening play Sylvie a bit too wooden. Candice Bergen was one of the better performances and was effective as Mary’s mother. I also enjoyed seeing Cloris Leachman as Mary’s house keeper.

Overall: It wasn’t a bad film but it wasn’t a great woman’s film either which is unfortunate in that there are very few films made for, by and star just women.