Nathan Rabin's Happy Place's Definitive Guide to American Movies about the Film Industry
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Redbelt (2008)
David Mamet meets MMA in the 2008 morality tale Redbelt. The moody action drama revolves around Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor whose strict code of ethics and morality make him an anachronism and an anomaly in a world without much regard for adorably outdated notions like honor.
Mike just wants to teach and evolve as a martial artist and a man. He wants to practice and perfect his art form without worrying about the corrupting, confining influences of money and power but living in a capitalistic society makes that difficult, if not impossible.
The problems begin when troubled lawyer Laura Black (Emily Mortimer) accidentally ends up shooting out the window of Mike’s studio with the gun of a cop who trains there.
When Mike gets a valuable watch from hard-drinking movie star Chet Frank (Tim Allen, wrestling manfully if shakily with Mamet’s staccato rhythms) as thanks for bailing him out of a jam he gives it to his police officer friend without realizing it’s hot.
Chet is so impressed by the charismatic young fighter with the far-out ideas about purity that he offers him a job on his latest film as a producer. What Mike doesn’t realize is that he’s really just a pawn in a much larger game involving wealthy parasites who want to steal Mike’s ideas and force him to betray his ideals and fight.
Mike seems shocked, yes, shocked, to discover that Mixed Martial Arts tournaments are dirty and rigged, even though he previously refused to be a part of them for precisely those reasons. Mike similarly should not be surprised when the world of show-business proves sketchy as hell as well.
Ejiofor does wonders with the stock character of the man of peace pushed into becoming a man of violence but his character is distractingly naive, particularly for a protagonist in a David Mamet film. The same is true of the film itself. The playwright turned filmmaker sure picked a strange time to get idealistic and that utterly out of place idealism is just one of this engaging but facile drama’s many unconvincing elements.
Ten Items or Less (2006) FM
Morgan Freeman is cast against type, oddly enough, as a Morgan Freeman-like movie star in Brad Siberling’s slight but engaging 2006 character study 10 Items or Less. Freeman has played so many golden-voiced, regal authority figures that it’s strange and wonderful to see him play a role much closer to his actual self. The change has liberated Freeman, who also executive produced. He’s seldom, if ever, been so playful and silly.
In a delightful bit of self-parody, Freeman plays a famous movie star known for working with Ashley Judd. He’s been out of the game for four years but is contemplating making a low-key comeback in a low-budget independent film. To help him decide whether or not to take the role he decides to do some research at a grocery store.
There he meets Scarlet (Paz Vega), a beautiful twenty-five year old cashier at the 10 Items or Less lane who fascinates the movie star with her earthy beauty but also her will, spunk and strength of character.
When Freeman’s movie star is unable to secure a ride home he ends up spending a blissful afternoon with the gorgeous much younger woman. Scarlet’s world fascinates Freeman’s protagonist because it is so wildly different from his own charmed life.
Freeman’s affable thespian is dazzled by a visit to Target and other everyday wonders of a world much less glamorous and exclusive than the one that he inhabits. Vega has great chemistry with her legendary costar but this is the Morgan Freeman Show all the way. Freeman is clearly having tremendous fun letting go of all of that grace and gravitas for something much lighter and more fun. His enthusiasm is both palpable and infectious.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.