Ricki and the Flash

First Hit:  Nothing lasting about this film and moments were really enjoyable.

It must have been interesting for a real life mother (Ricki/Linda played by Meryl Streep) and daughter (Julie played by Mamie Gummer) to play film life mother and daughter.

The resemblance was there and I couldn’t help but wonder if Meryl’s movie making career created some angst in Mamie’s relationship with her? My guess is that there might have been some but not as much as in this film. Here Ricki/Linda leaves her marriage to Pete (Kevin Kline) to follow her dream of being in a Rock-n-Roll band. Pete was left to care for the three kids, Julie, Josh and Adam, alone. Pete marries Maureen (Audra McDonald) who steps in and becomes the mother Ricki/Linda isn’t.

However, this film is also about following your dreams regardless if you become rich and famous for it. Her band is her family now and we get to watch her relationship grow with Greg (Rick Springfield) the lead guitarist.

The band’s covers of songs by various artists are strong and authentic enough to make it work. Their versions of these songs take into account the age of the band members as well as their abilities. Although I didn’t particularly like the songs chosen – they work well enough.

The film is about acceptance and seeing things from another’s point of view.

Meryl Streep was almost convincing as someone who lives in a dream land kind of way. Her dialogue was good for the part but Streep's inane intelligence belied her part. It seemed hard for me to see Streep be a character that didn't understand the impact of her choices. It is difficult to play ignorantly spacey. As the film progresses her character begins to get it, so the acting isn’t as difficult. Gummer is pretty good at being the spoiled child who cannot believe her marriage turned out the way it did. Kline was very good as the father, still loving his first wife, loving his second wife, and knowing where to be strong and flexible. McDonald did a strong job of being the woman who raised someone else’s kids. Springfield was very good as Ricki’s band mate and lover. It also gave credibility to the music playing in the film. Diablo Cody wrote the, at times, adequate and compelling script. Jonathan Demme directed the cast well, it was just that the subject matter wasn’t presented in the strongest way.

Overall:  This was a feel good film and for the most part it worked.

Neil Young Journeys

First Hit:  I loved watching my favorite singer/songwriter in his element.

I’ve probably stated this before, but I will here again. I’m grateful to have been introduced to the music of Buffalo Springfield back in 1966. I saw them once at the Whiskey A Go Go.

Then the weird guy playing guitar touched my soul by writing Mr. Soul recorded in 1967. I admired his songs so much that I learned to play just about everyone of them - my way.

As he would always do, he took a right turn and became a solo artist with occasional forays with other groups and musicians. In Journeys we get a glimpse of the solo Young and his memories. We travel from his home town of Omemee, Ontario Canada to Massey Hall in Toronto.

In 1970 Neil did a solo concert in Massey Hall which is a classic. The concert in this film which is its base, is 41 years after that original concert. In this one Neil is all electric, solo with much of the material coming from his album Le Noise sprinkled with the occasional older hit like Down By The River and an extremely moving Ohio.

Camera work is up-close and personal with cameras even on the microphone. Yes we see a lot of Neil’s mouth and there is spit on the lens for half the “Hitchhiker” but it only adds to the realism Demme is looking for. 

Overall, it is the music and Neil’s rye humor (eating road tar produced his love of cars) that makes this a wonderful film for Young’s fans.

Neil is still fresh and amazing in his ability to create interesting music while being over 71 years old. Jonathan Demme, in his third time at filming Neil, is on target and creates a wonderful experience.

Overall:  I left the theater very happy.

Neil Young Trunk Show

First Hit: Loved watching Neil do what Neil does, play and sing what he wants.

Sitting in the theater ready to watch my most favorite singer songwriter is always a joy.

Sometimes I’ve gone to one of his films and have been the only person in the whole joint, but this weekend there were other fans like me.

There also was a special treat because Pegi, Ben, and Amber Young were sitting in the theater as well. The film is basically a concert film, with a little backstage stuff. As with everything Neil does, you don’t know what you’re going to get until he delivers it.

There are some memorable plaintive acoustical songs (“Oh Lonesome Me”), well known rockers (“Cinnamon Girl” and “Like a Hurricane”) and some long winded “No Hidden Path” from Chrome Dreams II. 

All in all I couldn’t stop tapping my feet, bobbin my head and mouthing the words to most all the songs.

Jonathan Demme used high definition cameras and roving views to capture Neil at his best; reaching for the high notes, moving like a wayward dinosaur, and playing guitar like only he can; delicately, furiously, and ferociously.

Overall: Simply sat back and enjoyed the visual and sound extravaganza.

Rachel Getting Married

First Hit: This film was a delicate dance between a docudrama (like the Loud series on PBS) and more conventional drama and once I got into it with a docudrama feel it worked very well.

Anne Hathaway plays Kym who is coming out of a 90 day stint in rehab, and is heading back home for a brief visit before going on to a halfway house. The brief visit home coincides with her sister, Rachel’s (played by Rosemarie DeWitt), wedding.

The strain on Kym, Rachel and each member of the family is palpable during her first 15 minutes in the family home. There is an immense amount of un-managed (bohemian) activity going on in the house which seemed a bit out of place to me, but it also represented how the children were raised.

During the film there are long extended scenes in which we are participating in family, both bride and groom, activities with very little being added to the primary plot. This gives it the “docudrama” feeling. As Kym isn’t always the featured role in these scenes I kept wondering if we were shifting to another focus, but Jonathan Demme (the director) always brought us back to Kym and her learning how to step into her life responsibly.

As the film moves on we learn that she was responsible for killing her little brother, while high, when she was a teenager. Her mother Abby (played by Debra Winger) tries not to stir up the pot during the wedding by taking a subordinate role in the wedding and in communicating with her daughters. 

But when Kym confronts her mother with the question about how could she knowingly let Kym watch her brother when she knew she was high, Abby responds by hitting Kym. However, enough realizations come to pass allowing the wedding to go forward.

This was a different kind of role for Hathaway and I thought she did a good job in it. Her good looks and sullen and hyperactive attitude created a character that was believable to me. DeWitt as her sister, did a good job of playing both the supportive sister and one who is (and was) usurped by her sister’s addictions, issues and problems. Demme did a rather effective job of creating a docudrama feel to the film, however I think some scenes played too long (wedding reception is one) as they didn’t add to the film.

Overall: I liked the feel of the film and nice to see Hathaway stretch in this way. It may assist her in her film career to show this side. It was great to see Debra Winger on the screen again I always enjoy watching her, there is a lot of intelligence in those eyes.