Now, via Deadline, there is news that Cooper may also re-write and direct the new movie, in addition to his acting duties.
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The news comes on the heels of ‘Twisters’ director Lee Isaac Chung stepped away from the movie, citing creative differences with the studio and star/producer Robbie.
Yet Deadline also cautions that Cooper has signed no deals yet, so all this is still up in the air.
The cast of 2001’s ‘Ocean’s Eleven’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The script remains a secret, though previous stories hinted that it’ll be set in 1962, and focus on a pair of thieves who target expensive earrings during a mansion event followed by a plot to steal precious diamond in Monte Carlo.
Seeking payback after something goes wrong, they recruit a team to sabotage his Monaco Grand Prix victory and swipe the gem. And, if the connection to the ‘Ocean’s franchise holds true, they might just be the parents of Danny Ocean, as played by George Clooney in the main movies.
Carrie Solomon wrote the most recent draft of the screenplay, but Cooper, assuming he does actually end up working on the movie, may start afresh.
When will the ‘Ocean’s’ prequel movie be on screens?
We’ve yet to learn when the film will land in cinemas, and Deadline’s story mentions an attempt to have it shooting before the end of this year, so 2027 is still possible.
Margot Robbie at the Los Angeles World Premiere of ‘Wuthering Heights’. Photo Credit: David Jon Photography.
Since the Oscar-winning success of ‘A Star is Born’, Bradley Cooper has been taking big swings, such as composer biopic ‘Maestro’.
His latest co-writing/directing (and in this case acting in a small but memorable supporting role) is a swing in a different direction –– it’s a more relatable, down-to-earth story but one that might still have some issues finding an audience, since it’s a largely downbeat story of a couple going through the machinations of a split with the unusual angle of the man involved finding something new in his life.
Cooper, writing here with Will Arnett and Mark Chappell, takes the story of UK comic John Bishop (who himself got into stand-up later in life after his marriage collapsed) and transposes it to the States.
Naturally, the focus is on Arnett’s character, but there is enough space for Dern’s to have her own storyline, while Cooper’s is more comic relief, but with an emotional undercurrent.
The various comics whom Arnett meets are well drawn enough given limited screen time.
Directorially, Cooper keeps things low key to match the story, and finds a good groove with his cast. The comedy isn’t exactly the best you’ve ever heard, but then that’s kind of the point.
Arnett’s Alex Novak is a careworn type, who feels like life has somewhat drained from him. Still, the actor gives him enough energy so as not to be a depressing chore.
Dern’s Tess, meanwhile, feels like an equally rounded character in her own right, and while most of the other characters drift in and out, the likes of Cooper and Andra Day’s do make an impact.
‘Is This Thing On?’ seems unlikely to find the sort of rapturous response as ‘A Star is Born,’ and it may still have trouble succeeding at the box office (since there are other, better examples of relationship and life dramas this awards season), but it’s got a certain something that works.
As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family — forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.
(L to R) Laura Dern and Will Arnett star in ‘Is This Thing On?’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Will Arnett and Laura Dern about their work on ‘Is This Thing On?’, how Arnett got the idea for the film and developing the screenplay with Bradley Cooper and Mark Chappell, Dern’s first reaction to the screenplay and her experience working with Arnett.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
MF: To begin with, Will, can you talk about how you got the idea for this movie and the process of developing the screenplay with Bradley Cooper and Mark Chappell?
Will Arnett: I became aware of John Bishop‘s story, the great comedian, John Bishop. I had a chance to meet him, and he told me the story of how he became a stand-up and what it did for him and at that point of his life. He was going through a divorce, and he had no connection to stand-up and how going up and speaking in front of audiences transformed him as a person and really helped reshape his relationship with his soon to be ex-wife. That really stuck with me. So, I was like, “Oh, this is a great story that needs to be told”, and I talked about with Mark Chappel, my writing partner, and we started writing it. Then we got to a place where we were kind of at a fork in the road. Bradley stepped in and said, “I think the movie should go here.” So, he started writing it with us, and then he said, “I think that Laura would maybe do this”, and she jumped in and starred in it for me. So, it was almost like those videos of people building a barn and everybody comes and helps. It was kind of like that. It was like one guy said, “I think we need a barn,” and somebody’s like, “Yeah, I’m going to help you.” Then this person, and another person comes in and says, “The roof needs to be a little bit better.” That’s how we did it.
MF: Finally, Laura, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, the relationship between these two characters and exploring that relationship with Will on screen?
Laura Dern: Well, when I read it, it reminded me of building a barn. You know, I had never seen an attempt at capturing what it feels like to fight for a relationship, dismantle a relationship, long for a relationship, without the writer manipulating language as if we people know what the hell we’re feeling or how to talk about it. No matter how much therapy anyone has ever had, it’s not a language many of us know when we are in the middle of it. They captured it so beautifully. They allowed us as characters simultaneously with the audience to not know how we got here, not know what happened before, not know who we are in context anymore to the marriage and must find our way toward ourselves to figure out if there is a marriage to save. That felt so real, unfortunately, so incredibly relatable and profound. As an actor, there is a beauty to lyrical, incredible language. You get to do a Shakespeare play for the first time when you’re studying, and you feel lucky and blessed. The good fortune of dialogue written where you feel a character not knowing how to find words for themselves, is so deep and beautiful, and takes such skill in the writing. To then do that and be with Will in that and his incredibly deeply honest, broken open eyes, I mean, that was just the best gift ever.
‘Is This Thing On?’ opens in theaters on December 19th.
What is the plot of ‘Is This Thing On?’?
After many years together, Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern) have reached an amicable end to their marriage, thus beginning the awkward stage of figuring out how to live separately while raising two boys and maintaining their friendships. Alex discovers a new hobby and, in the process, learns more about himself and his relationship.
Assuming he does end up signing on –– and a reunion with Mann is certainly an intriguing concept –– Bale would likely end up co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio, though no deals are complete yet.
Still, it certainly appears Mann is aiming to build a leading ensemble to match the star power and awards haul of the original, famously led by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
Robert De Niro on the set of ‘Heat’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Mann’s original film follows Neil McCauley (De Niro), who leads a group of professional bank robbers, taking down major scores around Los Angeles. But after their latest heist goes terribly wrong and ends up in homicide, detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) finds a clue and becomes obsessed with the case, determined to stop McCauley’s crew.
Hanna and McCauley are competing against each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Although they are on different sides of the law, they still find huge respect, recognition in each other’s troubled personal lives and they understand their competing motivations –– yet they won’t hesitate to do whatever they can to win the battle.
How does ‘Heat 2’ tie in?
(L to R) Director Michael Mann, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro on the set of ‘Heat’. Photo: Warner Bros.
‘Heat 2’ (written by Mann alongside Meg Gardiner) in book form tells the story of everything that happens before and after to the principal characters. The book jumps between two time periods, the first following Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer in the original film) as he tries to evade the LAPD and Hanna following the bank robbery gone bad and moves forward into new territory in the tri-border zone and Southeast Asia.
The second storyline takes readers back to Chicago in 1988 when McCauley, Shiherlis and their crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the U.S.–Mexico border, and in Chicago. At the same time, Hanna is cutting his teeth as a rising star in the Chicago police department chasing an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.
The fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative.
DiCaprio is reportedly interested in the role of Shiherlis, and the likes of Austin Butler and Bradley Cooper have also had meetings about potential parts. Driver is still apparently part of the mix too –– essentially anyone with a profile is circling this one. We don’t yet know who Bale might play.
When will ‘Heat 2’ be on screens?
Amazon MGM has yet to confirm a release date for the movie, but Mann is aiming to have cameras rolling next year.
Director Michael Mann at the premiere of ‘Ferrari.’ Photo: Neon.
Margot Robbie is already aboard to star and produce.
Lee Isaac Chung will call the shots.
Looks like the tide is truly turning on the ‘Ocean’s movies. Though perhaps given the true themes of the franchise, it should be the odds are switching in their favor.
But just a few days after George Clooney offered a positive update on the status of the latest main entry, ‘Ocean’s Fourteen’, comes an update on the prequel movie set in the same cinematic universe.
The cast of 2001’s ‘Ocean’s Eleven’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The script remains a secret, though previous stories hinted that it’ll be set in 1962, and focus on a pair of thieves who target expensive earrings during a mansion event followed by a plot to steal precious diamond in Monte Carlo.
Seeking payback after something goes wrong, they recruit a team to sabotage his Monaco Grand Prix victory and swipe the gem. And, if the connection to the ‘Ocean’s franchise holds true, they might just be the parents of Danny Ocean, as played by Clooney in the main movies.
This marks a change in casting terms –– for a while, it looked like the movie would be a ‘Barbie’ reunion for Robbie and Ryan Gosling, but Gosling has since dropped out of talks. Go back to your mojo dojo casa house, Ken!
Cooper, meanwhile, has wanted to work with Robbie for a while now, and finally seems to be getting the opportunity. He enthused about his future co-star’s worth ethic to Variety:
Cooper’s latest directorial effort, comedy drama ‘Is This Thing On?’ recently premiered at the New York Film Festival.
The movie, inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop, stars Will Arnett and Laura Dern, with Cooper taking a supporting role.
When will the ‘Ocean’s’ prequel movie be on screens?
We’ve yet to learn when this one will land in cinemas, but the Cooper development suggests it’ll be shooting next year, so 2027 is a likely release year.
It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status. And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.
It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
(L to R) Cailey Fleming and Ryan Reynolds star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
After spending most of the past decade following the end of ‘The Office’ in “tough guy” mode, playing a soldier, a spy, and an alpha male patriarch (perhaps to distance himself from his nerdy image as Jim Halpert), John Krasinski pivots into family film mode with ‘IF,’ an original live-action feature that he wrote, directed, and co-stars in. But while Krasinski showed some filmmaking flair with the intense ‘A Quiet Place’ and its sequel, his heavy-handed attempt to make a would-be family classic is overwrought and underwritten, giving the usually charismatic Ryan Reynolds and spunky young star Cailey Fleming little to do but stare at some Pixar-esque CG creations.
Story and Direction
Director John Krasinski on the set of Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
‘IF’ opens on Bea (Fleming), a young girl who loses her mother to cancer before the opening credits even finish rolling. But that’s not all: Bea’s dad (Krasinski) is suffering from a heart condition and requires surgery, forcing Bea to stay at her grandmother’s (Fiona Shaw) New York City apartment while her dad undergoes his procedure (his pre-op stay in the hospital is unbelievably long – whatever he does for a living, he must have great insurance).
Lonely but apparently not going to school, Bea spies some odd-looking characters around the apartment building that lead her to a flat upstairs. That’s where she meets Cal (Reynolds), a strangely out-of-time man who resides in the whimsical apartment with a whole horde of bizarre beings that only Bea and Cal can see. As Cal explains, these are imaginary friends, or IFs for short, who are looking for new children to bond with since their previous children grew up and forgot about them.
Cal takes Bea to Coney Island – apparently it’s perfectly okay for a 12-year-old girl to wander around the city as she sees fit – where he introduces her to a subterranean retirement home for a large contingent of IFs, such as a robot, a flaming marshmallow, a glass of water, a big purple furball that looks like it stumbled over from ‘Monsters University,’ and many more. Most of them are voiced by famous people like Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Emily Blunt, Awkwafina, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, and Blake Lively, who all don’t get much more than a line or two (even the ones married to the director and/or male lead). The founder of the place, a teddy bear named Lewis (the late Louis Gossett Jr.), recruits Bea to help Cal find new children for the wayward IFs, which Bea apparently finds more worthy of her time than, say, staying by her dad’s side.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds (Cal), Louis Gossett Jr. (Lewis) and Cailey Fleming (Bea) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
‘IF’ wants very badly to be a sort of live-action Pixar movie. While the idea of hanging onto one’s power of imagination even as an adult is a worthy one, and we will give Krasinski a certain amount of respect for taking a big, original swing with his own material, he’s not good enough of a writer to make it work and can’t quite get a handle on it as a director either. The movie continually tries to pull shamelessly and relentlessly at one’s heartstrings, aided so obtrusively by Michael Giacchino’s pervasively syrupy score (a rare misfire from the otherwise great composer) that one wants to tell the music to shut up.
The biggest problem with ‘IF,’ beyond its overt mawkishness, is that Krasinski’s world-building is sloppy and undercooked. Does Bea’s grandmother wonder where she’s going all the time? Does her father? Why can some people suddenly see their IFs for no apparent reason years after having forgotten them? How can IFs apparently open doors and move objects? Sure, this is a fantasy film, and real-life logic doesn’t always apply; but there has to be some sort of internal logic, a set of rules for the world, and that doesn’t seem present here.
There are some funny lines sprinkled throughout the film, and young children may delight in some of the many IFs who populate the story (even if none of them are given anything more than a cursory character sketch), but ‘IF’ meanders along with little urgency and no real sense of what we’re supposed to feel, despite its strenuous attempts to make us feel something.
John Krasinski Cast Many BFFs in ‘IF’
(L to R) George Clooney (Spaceman), Amy Schumer (Gummy Bear), Emily Blunt (Unicorn), Steve Carell (Blue), Flower, Cailey Fleming (Bea), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Blossom), Richard Jenkins (Art Teacher) and Maya Rudolph (Ally) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
‘IF’ has a stacked voice cast, although as mentioned earlier, the IFs come flying through so frequently that few get a chance to make any kind of impression. Aside from the kindly, wise Lewis, the IFs who get the most screentime are Steve Carell’s Blue and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Blossom, a sort of 1920s dancer who turns out to be Bea’s grandmother’s one-time IF.
The main human character, Cailey Fleming’s Bea, starts off as earnest and intelligent, but begins over-emoting through the second half of the film; Fleming is still an engaging presence who can probably do better. Krasinski’s dad, a whimsical sort who implores his daughter not to grow up too fast, is too smug to earn much of our empathy, while the usually sparkling Reynolds is forced to play it somewhat morose and passive through large sections of the film. His effortless way with one-liners doesn’t get the workout that this film could use. ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ can’t come soon enough.
Final Thoughts
Cailey Fleming (Bea) and Steve Carell (Blue) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
There’s a 10-minute tour through the IF retirement home about half an hour into the movie, in which Lewis tells Bea that she can make whatever she wants happen just by thinking about it (we guess). It’s a potentially interesting idea ruined by overly frantic, busy visuals, ending in an extraneous dance number which has absolutely no bearing on the rest of the plot. It’s also indicative of the problem with the rest of ‘IF’: this is a shapeless movie that feels more like the director playing with all the tools at his disposal yet not firming up the story he wants to tell.
After the success of the ‘A Quiet Place’ films, we suppose it was inevitable that the director would get to indulge himself with a vanity project. And as noted earlier, certain younger audience members may be enraptured by everything going on in the film. But if John Krasinski wants to try his hand at a family movie again, he should concentrate more on a good, focused story and characters, and less on self-satisfied sentimentality.
‘IF’ receives 4 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘IF’?
A young girl going through a very difficult time in her life suddenly gains the ability to see the imaginary friends (IFs) of other people who have left them behind. With the help of a neighbor, the little girl attempts to reunite all the IFs with the kids they once belonged to.
Bradley Cooper attends Netflix’s ‘Maestro’ LA special screening at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on December 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
Bradley Cooper has not only emerged as one of the finest actors of his generation, but he is also one of the most accomplished filmmakers working today.
But it was his incredible work in front of and behind the camera on ‘A Star is Born‘ that solidified Cooper as one of the top directors working today.
His new directing effort, ‘Maestro,’ where he plays Leonard Bernstein, opened in theaters on November 22nd and will be available to stream on Netflix beginning December 20th.
In honor of ‘Maestro,’ Moviefone is counting down the 30 best movies of Bradley Cooper’s career, including his latest.
Bradley Cooper as Rory Jansen in ‘The Words.’ Photo: CBS Films.
The Words follows young writer Rory Jansen (Cooper) who finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There’s only one catch – he didn’t write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man’s work, and for placing ambition and success above life’s most fundamental three words.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
More than a dozen Angelenos navigate Valentine’s Day from early morning until midnight. Three couples awake together, but each relationship will sputter. A grade-school boy wants flowers for his first true love. Two high school seniors plan first-time sex at noon. A TV sports reporter gets the assignment to find romance in LA. A star quarterback contemplates his future. Two strangers meet on a plane. Grandparents, together for years, face a crisis. An ‘I Hate Valentine’s Day’ dinner beckons the lonely and the lied to.
Earl Stone (Clint Eastwood), a man in his eighties, is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he’s just signed on as a drug courier for a Mexican cartel. He does so well that his cargo increases exponentially, and Earl hit the radar of hard-charging DEA agent Colin Bates (Cooper).
Remember that really cute girl/guy who said they’d call – and didn’t? Maybe they lost your number. Maybe they’re in the hospital. Maybe they’re awed by your looks, brains or success. Or maybe… They’re just not that into you.
Bradley Cooper as Adam Jone in ‘Burnt.’ Photo: The Weinstein Company.
Adam Jones (Cooper) is a Chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars.
Based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz (Miles Teller) and Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan.
When former getaway driver Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) jeopardises his Witness Protection Plan identity in order to help his girlfriend (Kristen Bell) get to Los Angeles, the feds and Charlie’s former gang chase them on the road.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
The setting is Camp Firewood, the year 1981. It’s the last day before everyone goes back to the real world, but there’s still a summer’s worth of unfinished business to resolve. At the center of the action is camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo), who struggles to keep order while she falls in love with the local astrophysics professor. He is busy trying to save the camp from a deadly piece of NASA’s Skylab which is hurtling toward earth. All that, plus: a dangerous waterfall rescue, love triangles, misfits, cool kids, and talking vegetable cans. The questions will all be resolved, of course, at the big talent show at the end of the day.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Bradley Cooper as Templeton “Face” Peck in ‘The A-Team.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
A group of Iraq War veterans goes on the run from U.S. military forces while they try to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn’t commit. Along the way, Col. Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson), Capt. H.M. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock (Sharlto Copley), Sgt. Bosco ‘B.A.’ Baracus (Quinton Jackson), and Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck (Cooper) help out various people they encounter.
A charming thief (Chris Pine) and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.
John (Owen Wilson) and his buddy, Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) are emotional criminals who know how to use a woman’s hopes and dreams for their own carnal gain. Their modus operandi: crashing weddings. Normally, they meet guests who want to toast the romantic day with a random hook-up. But when John meets Claire, he discovers what true love – and heartache – feels like.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
A paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unsuccessful writer (Cooper) whose life is transformed by a top-secret “smart drug” that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.
Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in ‘American Sniper.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (Cooper) takes his sole mission—protect his comrades—to heart and becomes one of the most lethal snipers in American history. His pinpoint accuracy not only saves countless lives but also makes him a prime target of insurgents. Despite grave danger and his struggle to be a good husband and father to his family back in the States, Kyle serves four tours of duty in Iraq. However, when he finally returns home, he finds that he cannot leave the war behind.
(L to R) Zach Galifianakis as Alan, Bradley Cooper as Phil, and Ed Helms as Stu in ‘The Hangover.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
When three friends (Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifanakis) finally come to after a raucous night of bachelor-party revelry, they find a baby in the closet and a tiger in the bathroom. But they can’t seem to locate their best friend, Doug (Justin Bartha) – who’s supposed to be tying the knot. Launching a frantic search for Doug, the trio perseveres through a nasty hangover to try to make it to the church on time.
Bradley Cooper as Avery in ‘The Place Beyond the Pines.’ Photo: Focus Features.
A motorcycle stunt rider (Ryan Gosling) considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife (Eva Mendes) and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician (Cooper).
(L to R) Bradley Cooper, Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim in ‘Licorice Pizza.’ Photo: United Artists Releasing.
The story of Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) and Alana Kane (Alana Haim) growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.
Bradley Cooper as Stanton “Stan” Carlisle in ‘Nightmare Alley.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
An ambitious carnival man (Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychologist (Cate Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is.
2014’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace).
(L to R) Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper in ‘American Hustle.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
A conman (Christian Bale) and his seductive partner (Amy Adams) are forced to work for a wild FBI agent (Cooper), who pushes them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia.
This fearless love story chronicles the complicated lifelong relationship between music legend Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan).
(L to R) Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in ‘A Star Is Born.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer — until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
There is no way that a single movie could encompass the musical influence and accomplishments of Leonard Bernstein, one of the 20th century’s most important composers and conductors. And director-star Bradley Cooper doesn’t try, focusing instead on Bernstein’s loving if complicated relationship with his wife Felicia (Carey Mulligan) and the toll his many dalliances with men took on it. But while their performances are enjoyable and there are moments of greatness throughout, ‘Maestro’ bounces from one era to the next without giving us time to truly savor Bernstein’s story.
After a brief opening showing Leonard Bernstein being interviewed at home in his later years, ‘Maestro’ begins in earnest in 1943. Bernstein is living above Carnegie Hall with his lover, David Oppenheim (Matt Bomer), and achieves his first success when he is suddenly called upon to conduct the New York Philharmonic. A short while later he meets Costa Rican actress Felicia Montealegre (Mulligan), and the two begin a whirlwind courtship that results in marriage and three children – even as Bernstein continues to sleep with men throughout the years and Felicia pragmatically tolerates it.
The tension inherent in the Bernsteins’ marriage — between their seemingly genuine affection for each other and the toll taken by Leonard’s closeted life and many affairs – is at the core of ‘Maestro’ as it rolls in sometimes disorienting fashion through the decades. In his second feature behind the camera (as well as in front of it) following ‘A Star is Born,’ Bradley Cooper displays confidence in his choices, even if they’re not always the right ones.
The opening scenes of ‘Maestro,’ set primarily in the 1940s, are filmed in a 1:33:1 ratio and shot in black and white, befitting the way most filmed entertainment was viewed at the time. As the film progresses through the ensuing decades, color comes into the picture and the frame expands to modern widescreen dimensions. It’s a kind of visual shorthand, but it doesn’t help us get involved or even understand the rush of events onscreen.
That may be the biggest problem with ‘Maestro’: the story could be too big for a movie that runs slightly over two hours. Cooper may know every detail of Bernstein’s life (as evidenced by his performance), but the rest of us have to play catch-up. And in many cases, the things the composer was best known for – ‘West Side Story’ in particular – are left almost completely offscreen or mentioned in passing, with much more time spent on Bernstein’s personal travails.
Mulligan and Cooper keep us interested, however, especially during a lot of poorly paced or fragmentary scenes in the film’s first half, and the director finally seems to find the magic formula in the third act. That’s when Felicia and Leonard’s marriage is nearly destroyed for good by his personal problems, only for him to redeem himself with his truly thrilling, transcendent conducting of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony at Ely Cathedral – which Cooper films and performs in one astounding 6 ½ minute take of sheer musical joy. Things take a tragic turn after that, enough to make the homestretch of ‘Maestro’ moving even if the rest of the film isn’t nearly as satisfying.
Even with its issues, ‘Maestro’ is anchored by the two performances at the center of the film: Carey Mulligan as Felicia and Bradley Cooper as Leonard. While he’s terrific, Cooper’s work in a way is the showier, more “look at me, I’m acting” performance: from the subtle prosthetics on his face (more on that later) to his uncanny vocalizations, Cooper is utilizing some surface tricks, even as he is talented enough to inhabit the character of Leonard Bernstein without them.
Mulligan is operating on a different, higher plane. While she too recreates Felicia’s voice, her work comes from a more interior place, and as a result is the more emotionally affecting and deeply felt performance (we suspect that Cooper knows this as well, which is why Felicia is in many ways the heart and soul of the story). There is no doubt that the two have tremendous chemistry, which shines through brightly as Lenny and Felicia still manage to share extended moments of fun and love even as they ride the turbulent waters of their marriage.
Before ‘Maestro’ came out, there was controversy over the use of prosthetic makeup to give Bradley Cooper the same large nose as Leonard Bernstein – which led to accusations of Cooper wearing an antisemitic prosthetic for the role and questions of why he didn’t hire a Jewish actor to begin with. The latter is silly: actors inhabit many roles with which they have little in common. That’s why they’re actors. As for the makeup by Kazo Hiro, it’s subtle and tasteful, and pictures comparing Cooper to the real Bernstein will attest to its accuracy.
That’s a short way of saying that ‘Maestro’ and its director pay loving, careful attention to detail through the film. Cooper, costume designer Mark Bridges, production designer Kevin Thompson, and many others do a superb job of carrying this story through decades of changes in fashion, interior design, and more, and that immersive visual quality of ‘Maestro’ is one of its strongest assets.
The same goes for the music. While we don’t get to hear enough of it, what we do hear of Bernstein’s music is recorded, mixed, and produced in such a way to bring it grand, powerfully emotional life. There is no better example of this than the scene in which he conducts Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra at England’s Ely Cathedral, in which the viewer feels the force of the music in a way that perhaps Bernstein himself felt it that night.
‘Maestro’ is going to solidly be in the Oscar mix this year. Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling are all pretty much in the bag for this one, with a win fairly certain in that latter category and perhaps Best Sound (ironically, ‘Maestro’ cannot be nominated for its music since it’s all pre-existing).
The Academy loves portrayals of real people, and Bradley Cooper really does an incredible job of transforming himself into Bernstein, so there’s a good chance he can take home the Best Actor trophy (which will also ease the sting of being skipped over for Best Director). And perhaps in any other year, Carey Mulligan would walk away with Best Actress for her luminous performance as Felicia. But this isn’t any other year: she faces tough competition from the likes of Emma Stone (‘Poor Things’), Lily Gladstone (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’) and Sandra Huller (‘Anatomy of a Fall’).
There seems to be an abundance of biopics out there at the moment, and they all seem to offer up the same positives and negatives: a great, even masterful central performance or two and wonderful style in a story that can be hard to follow or get fully immersed in.
‘Maestro,’ thanks to the extraordinary work of Carey Mulligan in particular and – just slightly less so – Bradley Cooper, does manage to involve us in their epic if troubled love story, and does feature moments in which Bernstein’s rapturous relationship with music comes soaring through. But its hopscotch approach to the man’s life and times keeps us at a distance until the film’s third act, which keeps ‘Maestro’ from achieving the greatness of the iconic figure at its heart.
‘Maestro’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Maestro’?
This fearless love story chronicles the complicated lifelong relationship between music legend Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan).
And according to reporter Jeff Schneider, who broke the news, it’s one that is causing plenty of excitement among studios and streamers, who are understandably happy to have new potential projects starring big name actors floating around after months of delays because of this summer’s strikes.
What’s the story of ‘Best of Enemies’?
Bradley Cooper at the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ World Premiere.
Adapted from Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall’s book ‘Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War’ by ‘American Hustle’s Eric Warren Singer, the story follows two Cold War spies — CIA case officer Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko — who became improbable friends at a time when they should’ve been anything but.
They were both new arrivals in Washington D.C. in 1978 when their respective agencies assigned each man to seduce the other into betraying his country during the final days of the Cold War. Many years later, they helped discover the Soviet mole Robert Hanssen together and solved several other high-profile espionage mysteries. Cooper would reportedly play Platt, while Bale would play Vasilenko.
As of right now, there is no director attached, but given his previous success directing and starring in ‘A Star is Born’ and (see below) ‘Maestro’, there’s speculation that he might end up stepping behind the camera for this one also.
Several companies are hoping to snag this one, with Apple and Netflix considered the front-runners.
What does Robert De Niro have to do with the real story?
Robert De Niro as Salvo in ‘About My Father.’ Photo Credit: Dan Anderson.
There’s another ‘American Hustle’ connection beyond the actors and writer, as another star of the David O. Russell movie, Robert De Niro, openly condemned Gennady’s incarceration in real life after he was caught and helped a lot with his case:
The ‘Raging Bull’ star sent a Christmas card to Gennady in prison which contained a photo.
The pic was enough to impress both the prison guards and the other inmates as DeNiro was just as famous in Russia as he was in the United States. Gennady’s treatment in prison immediately improved and he even came under the protection of Russian crime boss named Slava.
(L to R) Christian Bale and his wife, Sibi Blažić at the Los Angeles premiere of director David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam.’
Cooper, of course, is in the awards race again with Leonard Bernstein film ‘Maestro’, in which he plays the conducting/composing legend. It has been on limited theatrical release and will hit Netflix on December 20th.
Bale voices on the main characters in the English-language version of Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Boy and the Heron’, which was just released in theaters to impressive numbers. It earned $12.8 million in its opening weekend, becoming the first original anime production to top the domestic box office.
