Green Book

First Hit: Excellent acting, engaging story, and both funny and thought-provoking make this film fun to sit through.

The story starts out having to show the ability of Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) to manipulate a situation to his benefit and then his questionable racist views. The first by absconding a hat of a big time crime boss and the other putting glasses in his kitchen trash can after being used by two African American plumbers after fixing his sink.

The first event closes the Copacabana Club because of destruction caused the by hat owner where Tony works as a bouncer. This leads to his unemployment. Weighing a job option from the hat owner because he finds the missing hat (the one he stole) or a possible job driving for Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), who is “not a real doctor” but a three-time Ph.D. in music and related areas.

As a driver for Dr. Shirley, he’d be driving him to concerts throughout the south. As a sophisticated classically trained black musician in the 1960’s, he will not be well received by some of the people they may run into during the tour. Tony sees this as an opportunity to make good money and he knows Dr. Shirley will need protection. The “Green Book” is giving to Tony and lists African American friendly hotels and restaurants in the south to help his navigate the south.

The film really defines the differences between these two men and the deep truth they both believe about how people need to be treated. During the film their friendship unfolds in glorious ways; during the long drives, over meals, and over drinks. To watch each, unpeel their veneers and support each other during the tribulations each finds themselves in was truly engaging.

The letters Tony writes, as dictated by Dr. Shirley, to his wife Delores (Linda Cardellini) are both funny and sweet. The ending scene when Dr. Shirley meets Delores was perfect.

What stood out for me was the ways each of the characters learned and grew from their relationship during this trip. In true life they stayed close friends for the rest of their lives and died within months of each other.

Mortensen was phenomenal as Tony Lip. Yes, his accent slightly changed during some of the scenes, but his spirit and acting made this small error a non-issue. He was great and may be up for an award during awards season. Ali was no less phenomenal than Mortensen. The ability to capture his character's schooling and skills in a character in such a reserved, yet engaging way, was sublime. Cardellini was wonderful as Tony’s wife who shared her husband with Dr. Shirley. Nick Vallelonga and Brian Hayes Currie wrote an outstanding script. The dialog between Tony and Dr. Shirley was filled with quips and a subtle unfolding of two very different people to each other. Very well done. Peter Farrelly did a wonderful job of setting up scenes and sets that reflect the time and era of the 1960’s.

Overall: This was a very entertaining and thoughtful film filled with moments of sadness and joy.

Hunter Killer

First Hit: As far as submarine-based films, it was OK, but the added ground team made it better.

My dad (who died 23 years ago today) loved submarine films. His favorite was the 1958 thriller Run Silent Run Deep. He’d sit there and watch it every time it came on television (after seeing it on the big screen) and recite the dialogue with the actors. Maybe it was because he loved the ocean, or that he was in the Navy, I don’t know, but when I see submarine films, I think of him.

In this movie, a U.S. submarine is, at close range, following a Russian sub under arctic ice in the Barents Sea. Then unknowingly, another Russian sub, hiding in a carve out slice of ice, torpedoes and sinks the U.S. Sub. Then there is an explosion and the Russian sub sinks.

Rear Admiral John Fisk (Common) with National Security Advisor Analyst Jayne Norquist (Linda Cardellini) advocates figuring out what to do and wants to send another submarine in to figure out what happened to the sub and if there are any survivors. Chief Joint Chief of Staff Charles Donnegan (Gary Oldman) is opposed to this and wants to gear up to start another world war against the Russians.

Meanwhile we get a short glimpse of SEAL Lieutenant Bill Beaman (Toby Stephens) and his team practicing maneuvers.

Then when Fisk sends the USS Arkansas sub commanded by newly inaugurated Captain Joe Glass (Gerard Butler) to find the previously sunk U.S. Sub, they also find the sunk Russian Sub.

They hear something on the Russian Sub and make a rescue of the captain and two other men. When Glass shows the Russian Captain, Sergei Andropov (Michael Nyqvist) that his Russian sub was sabotaged and sunk by someone on board, he realizes that something is going on with his country.

Sensing Russian problems, Beaman’s team parachutes into the Russian base to find the Russian President Zakarin (Alexander Diachenko) is being held hostage by Defence Minister Dmitri Durov (Mikhail Gorevoy) who is instigating a coup.

The plan is to have Beaman’s team kidnap the Russian President and escape by getting on board Glass’s sub which will be guided into the Russian base by Andropov. All this is to prevent an all-out war between the two countries.

I thought some of the scenes in the subs were well done. I loved when the men on the con were leaning as the sub dove. I thought the attitude of the SEALs was perfect. I enjoyed the sharpshooting by the youngest member of this team. I enjoyed the grit and determination shown by Captain Glass, especially when he was challenging Andropov to help him.

There is a far amount of suspense in the film, but it does have an obviousness that we know how it will end. Thought that Donnegan’s character was over the top and don’t know if that was direction or just Oldman being over the top.

Butler was excellent as the come up from the ranks Captain of the USS Arkansas. There was a certain amount of grittiness in his approach that worked for this role. Common seemed a little out of his element in this role. He didn’t quite exemplify a Rear Admiral. Oldman's character was unprofessional, for the position, in the ranting he showed. Nyqvist was excellent as the closed mouth long time professional sailor. Diachenko was OK as the Russian President. He didn’t quite come off as being strong. Gorevoy was a poor choice as someone to pull off a coup. His character felt fearful and weak most of the time. Stephens was great and exemplified a Navy SEAL leader, rough, demanding and with a heart underneath. Cardellini was good as a NSA Senior Analyst. Arne Schmidt and Jamie Moss wrote a good script. Donovan Marsh did a good job of directing this film. Some of the scenes in the sub were fantastic as were some of the on-land scenes. However, really thought that Oldman’s role was a big downfall as was the war room scene with the US President.

Overall: An OK thriller but it will not go down as an all-time great submarine-based film.

The Founder

First Hit:  Michael Keaton makes a very interesting story fantastic.

The Founder is about Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) and how he built the fast-food empire McDonalds.

There are numerous reasons for me to be engaged with this film. One of them being my own franchising experience. In the mid-late 1970’s I worked for Century 21 International Inc. which was then in its franchising heyday. At that time they also became a public company. More recently I was Chief Operations Officer for Bar Method International, Inc. which among its businesses franchised Bar Method exercise studios throughout the United States and Canada.

With this background, it is safe to say I know something about the trials and tribulations of franchising. This film is amazing at highlighting many of the difficulties of franchising and how quality control of the product is key. One of the questions this film points out is: Do "investor owned" franchises work? This film tells that story and more.

The film begins with Kroc out on the road trying to sell mixers. We learn during the film, he has a history of trying to sell all sorts of products and ideas. He's a somewhat haunted man chasing success. To help him, he listens to records on persistence and positive thinking while on the road selling these state of the art five spindle milk shake mixers. He drives from carhop restaurant to carhop restaurant hoping to make a sale. His wife Ethel (Laura Dern) appears to be quasi-supportive and would like a more stable life, be seen as higher up in their social standing, and go to the country club for dinner more often. She appears lonely and does her best to keep their household together.

One day a he calls his office and learns that some hamburger stand in California bought five of his mixers. He’s astounded and doesn’t believe it. He calls and gets Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman) on the phone who says, “yes”, the order is incorrect, he didn’t order enough, he’ll take eight mixers. So instead of going home he drives from Illinois to California to meet the guy who wants eight of his mixers.

Upon arriving he’s shocked to find long lines in front of the order window, thinking it will take forever to get his food, he finds out that the line goes fast, he orders and gets his food within 30 seconds. Sitting down on a bench, he takes a bite, loves what he tastes and notices that everyone is loving the burger, fries and soft drink they bought.

After Dick and Mac (John Carroll Lynch) McDonald give him a tour of their restaurant operation, he is struck by lightning. He wants in. He wants to be a part of this amazing food delivery service. Serving a limited controlled menu that is prepared the same way every time served within 30 seconds from when the customer orders and pays.

He works out a deal to open franchises under very strict guidelines as indicated in the contract they all sign. Trying to open McDonalds franchises proves to be a test in courage to make sure they meet the strict guidelines. It is through this process that he discovers the right type of person needed to be a successful franchisee, meets his future wife Joan (Linda Cardellini), and what it takes to make money in the franchising business. The rest of the film is about how this journey begins and how he, Ray Kroc, becomes “The Founder” of McDonalds.

Keaton is absolutely amazing as Ray Kroc. He’s wired, fired and inspired. Above all he's persistent in his actions which leads to his achieving his wants and dreams. Offerman is sublime as Dick McDonald. His intellect, ability to create processes that work, and stubbornness are perfect for someone who wanted to protect and perfect his creation. Lynch is very good as the more emotional and feeling based brother. He’s there to support his brothers ideas. Dern has a minimal role which has little range and is very subdued. Cardellini is wonderful as Kroc’s second wife Joan and her character is a perfect match for Ray. Robert D. Siegel wrote an amazing script that did enough research to know what it takes to create products and processes capable of being franchised. John Lee Handcock did an outstanding job of taking the story and letting Keaton act out the story.

Overall:  This was great acting in a wonderful script about something most everyone in the world has experienced, McDonalds restaurant.