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Film reviews

Send Help Review

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There is nothing more daunting than having a boss that is way over their head. There is also nothing worse than ending up on the same island with that superior. Directed by Sam Raimi, Send Help is a film where The Office meets Cast Away. Quirky and boisterous—Raimi knows how to feature egos which lead tofearless suspense. Send Help is a unique gem. While it is not mesmerizing, the flow of unexpected surprises makes it funny.

 In an island setting where peril abounds, Raimi knows how to create hate and consequences for humorous effect. Between the performances of Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, Send Help is a boxing match for power, shelter, and survival. Survivor kept coming to my mind during Send Help, because Raimi is keen on showcasing one-of-a-kind groovy and sophisticated nature scenes. This time he does it with an employee who isstuck with their boss on an island off the grid.

Rachel McAdams plays Linda Liddle and Dylan O’Brien plays Bradley Preston. Linda tries to go above and beyond, and Bradley is her new boss with a pompous attitude. She displays the go-getter personality, and he displays the belittling personality. Right from the start, he is not fond of her. As they depart on a plane for a business trip, they find themselves stuck on an island. They realize that working together is going to improve their chances of survival. At the same time though, desperation is felt down to the core. With two colleagues and different personalities, the dynamic is nature vs. power. Bradley wants to maintain the power of overseeing Linda, yet Linda is more skilled outdoors. Their quirky interactions are stylized with laughs and crazy scares, especially when it comes to hunting wild boars and limited resources from the land.

This film is like a version of Cast Away for Raimi…with two colleagues. It works because it is a scenario where there are no other options. However, the element of hatred between the characters is built into the film’s writing and leads to many trial-and-error moments in the performances of McAdams and O’Brien. It is well-done from a creative perspective with no boundaries given the unexpected tracks the film journeys down.

The fact that these two colleagues stuck on an island already harbor resentment gave Raimi a door to explore jealousy in route to finding common ground. The film is enhanced by the fact that it takes place in a setting where there is no one to voice concerns. Send Help is a title that speaks for itself, because no one knows when assistance may or may not arrive. It could be days, weeks, or months. The question is how much pot stirring can be tolerated.

The island dangers carry sparks of intrigue where the anger and hatred between the boss and employee dazzle in Send Help. The island is eventually treated like the new normal. One character is equipped with the necessary skills to survive, and the other is not. The role of McAdams is the smart one on the island, and the role of O’Brien is dim-witted. Raimi knows how to successfully make the two interact with messy and clever misdirection. Send Help is astonishingly clever with fuming tones of joy. This is an island adventure with no limits and insanity that is off the charts. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Send Help.

Film reviews

Ponyboi Review

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This is a crime drama that feels like a LGBT pride scene meeting Uncut Gems with the setup which includes a drug dealer, a transgender individual, and operations falling apart. Altogether, Ponyboi pushes the envelope to new and invigorating heights. Directed by Esteban Arango and written by River Gallo (also one of the leads), Ponyboi has a narrative thatfocuses on trying to find a way out of hardship and abuse. No matter what the situation is, there are inevitable consequences around every corner.

The shifting tones of hopelessness make Ponyboi spellbinding. It crosses barriers that most films fail to and takes risks with openness on LGBT issues. The story is an exploration of success and failure involving legal processes. Overall, it is a vivid portrait.

River Gallo is Ponyboi, a transgender individual working at a laundromat under Vinny (Dylan O’Brien). Besides being a staff member of the laundromat, they sell drugs and work as a sex worker to make ends meet. At the same time though, Vinny takes advantage of Ponyboi. Vinny is a Jersey-boy drug dealer who has a baby on the way with his lady Angel (Victoria Pedretti). Vinny relies on taking advantage of Ponyboi and uses his abuse of power to make ends meet to salvage his (semi) wealthy life.

Ponyboi takes a turn for the worse. A wrongful death situation with a client leads Ponyboi down a horrid road on Valentine’s Day. The times when Vinny has helped Ponyboi out becomes Ponyboi s nightmare. The film transitions to a place where the characters are consistently trying to run from all their problems. This is what makes it so enticing. The wrongful operations take a toll and the performances of Gallo and O’Brien test the limitsin this non-stop thriller that makes audiences’ heads spin.

When looking at the pattern O’Brien’s performance, I realized he has shifted his acting in the LGBT category. This is the second film I have seen in this genre. He played a closeted man in Twinless which I saw at the Chicago Critics’ Film Festival and had the opportunity to interview him about. Twinless will open later this year.  That LGBT film centered on disconnect and now this one is centered around getting rich. O’Brien’s attitude shifts dramatically from one film to the next. In Ponyboi, he is a gangster who is not be be messed with.

The film is a powerful look at hardship. With Gallo’s performance as the lead and as the writer, there is an exploration of livelihood being impacted. When bad events happen, many flashbacks occur which are essential to staying hopeful aboutfinding safety from irreparable consequences. The film is riveting, dark, and colorful. There is no easy way to explain what to expect from Ponyboi because it is centered around a scenario that may seem real-world to most of its audiences, especially those who identify as transgender.

The odyssey of regret and karma are combined as two key cinematic components in Ponyboi. Gallo navigates the road of horror and the struggles a troubled past. Also, there is an underlying conflict about a choice to be made, i.e., should they reconcile with their parents and go home. Consistent abuse fuels the opportunity for a fresh slate. Ponyboi soars with heightened emotions that are mind-boggling. At times, it made me anxious,because the pace and cinematography keep the momentum over-the-top. Overall, it is a realistic cinematic achievement with layers of emotions melded with a creative narrative that makes the heart race. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.