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Nyad Review

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Nyad is the true story of Diana Nyad, who at sixty years old decided to swim from Cuba to Florida, a distance of about 110 miles. The film is inspiring, passionate, and a powerhouse of motivation that will have audiences wanting more.

Swimming is an important life skill, but few people have the persistence and braveness to fulfill a dream like Diana Nyad. This film shows that dreams really can come true. Directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Nyad is first and foremost a film of inspiration and courage. Featuring the incomparable Annette Bening (as Diane Nyad), Jodie Foster (as Bonnie Stoll), and Rhys Ifans (as John Bartlett), the film just shines. All three actors were excellent, but Bening’s performance in particular really stood out.

Although it was Diana Nyad who was actually in the water, teamwork is the emphasis in Nyad. At one point Diana’s friend Bonnie questions her commitment to her goal and the timing of the swim. The weather when she chose to make the swim was unpredictable and the currents were strong, making the conditions dangerous. But despite these issues, Diana shows that she is in fact fully invested in completing this task. Bonnie becomes her coach and sticks by her side to help Diana complete her dream.

There is a lot of trial and error associated with Diana’s mission, and their assistant John goes out of his way to help navigate the conditions. Diana is always learning something new in her quest to complete the task, but with something as difficult and dangerous as Diana is attempting, there are always delays and other barriers. She also had a lot of people trying to talk her out of trying to make the journey. But that only motivates Diana to work harder to condition her body for the dangers ahead, and to just keep moving forward.

In addition to all the other issues, Diana’s age is of course also a problem. But each time Diane hits a plateau she finds a new way to overcome the problem. The conditions are always harsh, but she keeps jumping back into the rough water. The route from Cuba to Florida is not going anywhere, and neither is Diana, Bonnie, or John. They are the dream team helping Diane to become a legend in the water. And for Diane, despite her age, this dream is not too late.

Nyad is a reminder to us all to never give up. And it shows that having the courage to make mistakes, and then correcting those mistakes, benefits us in the long run. One of the lines in the film is, “It looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.” Those words highlight the focus of this film. Diane followed her dreams, and Bonnie and John were her essential partners in crime. Nyad is a one-of-a-kind achievement with a positive attitude. Four out of four stars for Nyad.

59th Chicago International Film Festival, Film reviews

The Killer Review

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There are three quotes in the film that have a strong tie to the motive in David Fincher’s The Killer. The first quote is, “Stick to your plan. Trust no one.” The second quote is, “Stick to your plan. Never yield an advantage.” The third and most authentic quote is, “Stick to the plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise.” These quotes are used repeatedly in a structured narrative of brilliant writing from Fincher. The Killer is outstanding from the opening credits with Michael Fassbender as the lead and the narratorthroughout the film. During various scenarios, however, it is clear he is a man of a few words who is just trying to get the job done. The Killer is pure Fincher right down to the smallest detail. Fincher is an auteur of noir direction whose focus in this film is the life of a career hitman.

Fassbender’s character is simply The Killer. The film begins in France where he is setting up an assassination. He has a set of routines as he prepares for an assignment. He does his workouts and sets up space for assassinations.  He wears a Fitbit device to help him track his heart rate because it helps him establish when to act. The Killer narrates every moment of every step of the film. While in France, he experiences turmoil which causes him to go out on a run to find the people he did assignments for so that the traces of his assassinations do not link to him. 

Watching Fassbender play a man who is completely committed to his routines is quite mesmerizing. He has a setup for new locations, new jobs, and even a setup for failures. His routines involve establishing his contacts, including ones referred to as The Expert (played by Tilda Swinton), The Lawyer-Hodges (Charles Parnell), The Client-Clybourne (played by Arliss Howard), and more. He has a tie to each of these individuals and they each leave a trace. The element of error creates an atmosphere that is a spellbinding puzzle of untraceable espionage. There are moments where The Killer must hide in the shadows, and even then, Fassbender’s narration continues. Fincher keeps his audience engaged throughout the entire unexpected journey of The Killer. The film is filled with deceit and surprises that include evidence and crystal-clear thinking about how to avoid getting caught. The Killer will enthrall its audience until the end.

The question that came to my mind was, “How does The Killer manage normalcy?” The answer is routine, practice, and previous experience with law enforcement as well asconnections and technique. That is also why The Killer tries to clear anything that could identify him. A single trace could put him away for life. From his point of view, he is just an individual doing his job. Fassbender delivers a monumental performance of a solitary man carrying the dark secret of being an assassin. His narration adds to the suspense and provides insights into the pieces of the puzzle that the audience is waiting for. Fincher is effective at playing out his vision by setting up the right lighting, the right cinematography, the right angles, the right writing. The Killer has all of that plus Fassbender’s incredible performance of persistence and refusal to fail, despite the negative consequences.

The different locations in the film will enthrall audiences as they offer an in-depth understanding of the variations in The Killers routine. Whether in France, New Orleans, Chicago or New York, there is always an element of surprise. Fincher’s direction has many moving parts, and they come together in the most daring of ways. Four out of four stars for The Killer.

Film reviews

Fair Play Review

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The world of wealthy companies and favoritism is put to the test in Fair Play. Written and directed by Chloe Domont, this psychological drama is chilling. The tension and personality clashes make Fair Play sharp and edgy, yet also gut wrenching. Fair Play is one of the most daring films because of the harsh outcomes. The film makes viewers think about workplace boundaries. The most suspenseful aspect of Fair Play is the tension between a couple who are also colleagues.

The film takes place in New York. The couple who are also colleagues are named Emily and Luke (played by Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehreneich). They work at a hedge fund company that is cutthroat. They are madly in love with each other and have a good life outside of work. Their boss is Campbell (played by Eddie Marsen). Campbell is focused on being successful and making profits. Both Emily and Luke work hard at their jobs and try to keep their relationship a secret. However, once Emily receives a promotion, the tension begins to rise with Luke. Emily is in a position where she has power over Luke and their relationship begins to experience turmoil. With Emily always being on top of her game to please Campbell, Luke’s attitude begins to worsen. His envy of Emily’s success creates the boiling point in Fair Play.

The shifting attitudes between Emily and Luke is where the film takes off on a deadly ride of cat and mouse between the two. Their relationship is in a detrimental place. Luke keeps getting more jealous of the opportunities that come around for Emily. Luke is smart but keeps getting the raw end of the deal from Campbell. Fair Play kept me wondering how much more damaging the dynamics could become as the game gets increasingly harder for the hedge fund company. Emily always seems to have the upper hand which makes Luke feel like he is under-employed. Therefore, Luke begins to start making Emily feel like garbage. The close relationship they had outside their office becomes unhealthy and unstable. Attitudes shift when certain events lead to blindsiding. More opportunities for Emily equal less growth for Luke. The better things go for Emily, the more jealous and hateful Luke becomes.

The egotistical behaviors that are displayed between Emily and Luke is where Fair Playtakes off and becomes an unexpectedly brilliant ride. The conflicts feel real, which makes the film quite haunting. I was worried that Fair Play was going to run into detrimental errors, but fortunately it worked out to be an unexpected masterpiece. The film holds no bars at the hatred caused by the clashes between Emily and Luke.

The fierce competition is the key to the film’s brilliance. Fair Play is a film where fuel is added to the fire in the cut-throat world of a hedge fund company. The cinematography and lighting play into the dark moments between Emily and Luke. Emily is at the center of the story because she is Luke’s boss. She begins to pull back on her support for Luke due to his immaturity which keeps deteriorating. Who will be the success in the hedge fund company? Emily or Luke? Can they still find a way to be in a happy relationship as well as colleagues? Or do they need to cut ties or find an alternative? Find out in Fair Play. Three and a half out of four stars.