Moviefone Editorial

Tag: True Story

  • ‘Sight’ Exclusive Interview: Greg Kinnear

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    Opening in theaters on May 24th is the new medical drama ‘Sight’, which is based on the true story of Dr. Ming Wang, a Chinese immigrant to the United States who became a renowned eye surgeon.

    The film was directed by Andrew Hyatt (‘Paul, Apostle of Christ‘), and stars Terry Chen (‘Almost Famous’) and Ben Wang (‘American Born Chinese’) as Dr. Wang, Oscar-nominee Greg Kinnear (‘As Good as It Gets’) as Dr. Misha Bartnovsky and Fionnula Flanagan (‘Yes Man’) as Sister Marie.

    Terry Chen and Greg Kinnear in 'Sight'.
    (L to R) Terry Chen and Greg Kinnear in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.

    Related Article: ‘American Born Chinese’ Star Ben Wang Cast in new ‘Karate Kid’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Greg Kinnear about his work on ‘Sight’, his first reaction to the screenplay and the true story it is based on, his approach to his character, Misha and Ming’s friendship, working with Terry Chen, collaborating on set with director Andrew Hyatt, the message of the movie, and being the real Dr. Wang’s favorite actor.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Greg Kinnear talks 'Sight'.
    Greg Kinnear talks ‘Sight’.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and learning about Dr. Ming Wang and his incredible story?

    Greg Kinnear: Well, timing is a funny thing, and I was in the middle of COVID, as many of us were, and I got sent this script by a producer that I had worked with before. He was like, “Now listen, I’m sending this to you, but I have to tell you if you want to do it, we’re shooting it up in Canada and you have to go live in a house that you can’t leave for two weeks.” So, it took me a while to pick this up off the coffee table. But I did, and I, of course, was obviously quite taken with the story and I think it put things in perspective very quickly of my woe-is-me moment. So, a little quarantine and then straight to work on this film that I thought was quite powerful. Certainly Dr. Wang’s story is incredible in the sense of true adversity. I don’t think a lot of people can imagine the kind of poverty and difficulty that he sustained. The Cultural Revolution, which I knew nothing about, in China is quite amazing. Plenty of books to read about that too, but it’s told nicely in Andrew’s movie in a way that I don’t know how they did it. Everybody you see in this movie had a mask on prior to shooting any scene that was shot, and it’s quite amazing to me. I was taken with it and just thought, “Wow, this is a hell of an immigrant story,” and there’s not a lot of Asian American stories told cinematically, so I was happy to join.

    MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Dr. Misha Bartnovsky and your research into the medical work that he and Dr. Wang are doing?

    GK: Well, that’s all fake. I’m an actor and I know nothing. Fortunately, Ming was on set periodically, and what a great, incredible, invaluable resource he was. This is a relatively small movie, and to try to sell a lot of the sense that these guys are really doing the work that he was doing, there’s a kind of a trick to that. More than anything, I think it’s just making it feel true and accurate, and he was a great resource just in terms of, both for Terry, who plays him, and myself, of kind of giving us a sense of not only the technical side of what they do and what they’re doing, the science of that, but also of their relationship. Listen, in a romantic comedy, I’m the goofy friend who’s just off on the side. It really is a through line of Ming’s story, and Terry does a great job of it. But I mean, it starts from childhood. It takes you through China and the Cultural Revolution before coming to the United States. He faced all sorts of adversity, financial difficulty, racism and a lot of stuff that is chronicled in this movie. But in the part that I’m in, he’s struggling with this surgery, that he is kind of being haunted by his past to perform. I mean, Misha Bartonovsky, his friend, is basically a springboard and maybe a silent guide and a mirror for him to work off, but it’s really his story.

    Terry Chen and Greg Kinnear in 'Sight'.
    (L to R) Terry Chen and Greg Kinnear in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.

    MF: Can you talk about Misha and Ming’s friendship and the way your character really supports and encourages him?

    GK: I think you’re right. That is basically what the through line is, and I feel like when you’re facing a friend whose kind of crippled with doubt, it’s cheerleading and its confidence building. I’m playing Tony Robbins. He’s basically trying to invigorate his own confidence and his own belief in himself. So strangely, it’s a friendship, maybe a father-ship traditionally as well in a way, but he’s a difficult subject because, at least in the story we’re telling, he doesn’t give himself a lot of breaks, and so that was the challenge of it.

    What was it like working with actor Terry Chen?

    GK: Well, as I said, we were kind of locked up for a couple of weeks before we ever met, and so this was the first thing I had done. This was early on, when doing a movie was kind of impossible. I mean, to be fair, I would’ve loved seeing any human being at that point, but it was particularly nice to meet Terry who has just a lovely disposition and really cared about the story. When your character’s based upon a relationship, obviously, and you don’t know who that person is, you never know what you’re going to get, but it was quite easy working with him. He was wonderful, and I hope he feels the same way.

    Mia SwamiNathan, Fionnula Flanagan and Terry Chen in 'Sight'.
    (L to R) Mia SwamiNathan, Fionnula Flanagan and Terry Chen in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.

    MF: You’ve worked with some legendary filmmakers throughout your career, what was your experience like collaborating with director Andrew Hyatt on this film?

    GK: Andrew was great. I started talking to him about it. I mean, I think the thing we probably worked on a little bit was just adding some levity to their relationship, and at the same time zeroing in on what sort of guideposts there were in terms of the story, in terms of how Misha is affecting Terry on any of the journey. I hadn’t worked with him before. I had worked with one of the producers before. I mean, I guess part of the job is you hope to get there and feel like whatever the set is or whatever the situation is that you’re working in, that it feels real, and it feels truthful. I mean, this movie spans his time in China, his time through MIT, and most of what I’m doing with him is in this laboratory. There’s a little bit of expanse outside of that, but it’s a small portion of the story. But you want it to feel real and you want it to be set up with other actors and sets and environment that feels real. In a world where every scene you see in the movie, people were wearing masks right up to the point they said, “Action.” I thought he did a really nice job.

    MF: Is it nice being a part of a project that also has an important message at its core?

    GK: I think it is. I try not to pick movies for message, but I do think that the underlying idea of this was certainly inspiring to me when I read it as a guy who was moaning and bitching about COVID. Suddenly you read what this guy went through and the story that he went through, and I thought, “Wow, that’s a story worth telling.”

    Ben Wang as Young Ming in 'Sight'.
    Ben Wang as Young Ming in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.

    MF: Finally, is true that you are the real Dr. Wang’s favorite actor? Is that how you got cast in this movie?

    GK: I don’t know if that’s true or not. I think one of the producers told me that. I’m elated to hear that. I don’t know what it was. I’m not sure what movie, but for whatever reason, yes, I guess he liked me being in the movie. So, he didn’t reject me when my headshot flew across his desk, I guess.

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    What is the plot of ‘Sight’?

    ‘Sight’, follows the inspiring true story of Ming Wang (Terry Chen and Ben Wang), an impoverished Chinese prodigy who flees Communist China to become a pioneering eye surgeon in America. When tasked with restoring the sight of an orphan (Mia SwamiNathan) who was blinded by her stepmother, he must confront the trauma of living through the violent uprising in his youth, the Cultural Revolution.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Sight’?

    • Terry Chen as Dr. Ming Wang
    • Greg Kinnear as Dr. Misha Bartnovsky
    • Ben Wang as Young Ming
    • Fionnula Flanagan as Sister Marie
    • Wai Ching Ho as Alian
    • Danni Wang as Anle
    • Raymond Ma as Zhensheng
    • Mia SwamiNathan as Kajal
    • Jeffrey Pai as Lao Bin
    Ben Wang as Young Ming in 'Sight'.
    Ben Wang as Young Ming in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Sight’:

    Buy Greg Kinnear Movies On Amazon

  • ‘The Boys in the Boat’ Interview: George Clooney and Joel Edgerton

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    Opening in theaters on December 25th is ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ which is based on the novel by author Daniel James Brown about the U.S. men’s rowing team that competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics games in Berlin, and was directed by George Clooney (‘Good Night, and Good Luck.’).

    Actor Joel Edgerton, producer Grant Heslov and director George Clooney on the set of their film'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Actor Joel Edgerton, producer Grant Heslov and director George Clooney on the set of their film’The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with director George Clooney and actor Joel Edgerton to talk about their work on ‘The Boys in the Boat.’

    They discussed the new movie, why Clooney wanted to adapt the book and the themes he wanted to explore, Edgerton’s approach to his character, the challenges of shooting the rowing sequences, what Edgerton learned about filmmaking from watching Clooney direct, and what Clooney was looking from the young actors he cast for the rowing team.

    Director George Clooney and Joel Edgerton talk 'The Boys in the Boat.'
    (L to R) Director George Clooney and Joel Edgerton talk ‘The Boys in the Boat.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Clooney and Edgerton, as well as Callum Turner and Hadley Robinson.

    Moviefone: To begin with, George, can you talk about developing this project? What intrigued you about the real story it’s based on, and what were the themes you wanted to explore as a director with this movie?

    George Clooney: The book was one of my favorite books. I read the book, we went after it, we didn’t get it. It took a long time. We hired a terrific screenwriter named Mark Smith, who I’d worked with before, who I loved. He wrote a beautiful screenplay for us. Well, first, it’s an underdog story. I love sports films, I always have. I wanted to tell a story about people coming together. I love the idea of people, even the depression obviously drew people together, but it was more than that. It was just about, by yourself you can’t do it, with everybody is the only way you can do it, and I like that.

    James Wolk star as Coach Bolles, Dominic Tighe as Coach Brown and Joel Edgerton as Coach Al Ulbrickson in director George Clooney’s 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) James Wolk star as Coach Bolles, Dominic Tighe as Coach Brown and Joel Edgerton as Coach Al Ulbrickson in director George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Joel, can you talk about your approach to playing Al Ulbrickson and did you draw any inspiration from coaches, teachers or mentors that you’ve had in your life?

    Joel Edgerton: So many coaches I had in my life that I watch on television, and with a certain naivety, you look at them and go, why are you even doing this? You look like you have no joy in your life whatsoever. You just look so bitter and close to a heart attack. I think it’s because of how much they care, and they will show their enjoyment usually when there’s a big trophy around. But more than anything, those relationships remind me of certain father-son dynamics. Every coach I ever had, created that energy to me where I was like, I want to impress you because I feel like you’re not impressed by what I was doing. Probably because I was a terrible athlete, so I was really excited about playing that rather than some overly warm, fuzzy coach who probably never wins, because he’s like, it doesn’t matter, you’re doing great.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘The Boys in the Boat’

    Director George Clooney on the set of his film 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Director George Clooney on the set of his film ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: George, can you talk about the challenges of shooting on the water and creating the rowing sequences?

    GC: Yeah, they were fun to do. Listen, it’s hard to shoot on water. Anybody who has any understanding of shooting would understand why water is so tricky. The wind blows and all the boats ended up in 15 different directions, and you’re trying to get all these young men who’d never rowed before to row and look good, and then they’re rowing against a bunch of people who really know what they’re doing. There’s historical accuracy, so you must have the boats in the right order all the time. There’s constantly a battle of like, hang on a minute, you can’t be ahead of Hungary at this point. It was all very complicated, but we just had to be prepared, that’s all. If you’re prepared, you can kind of cover almost anything.

    Sam Strike stars as Roger Morris, Thomas Elms as Chuck Day, Joel Phillimore as Gordy Adam, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Wil Coban as Jim McMillin, Bruce Herbelin-Earle as Shorty Hunt, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Jack Mulhern as Don Hume and Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch in director George Clooney’s 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Sam Strike stars as Roger Morris, Thomas Elms as Chuck Day, Joel Phillimore as Gordy Adam, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Wil Coban as Jim McMillin, Bruce Herbelin-Earle as Shorty Hunt, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Jack Mulhern as Don Hume and Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch in director George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: What type of preparation was needed to execute those shots?

    GC: Well, everything. I mean, we had photographs of the races at each quarter, so we would know where they were, where they’re staying. We had radio broadcasts of some of them, but then you must spend the days and nights figuring out, okay, we were shooting one reservoir that was shallow because of the boats, you couldn’t anchor them, so we would have scuba divers underwater holding the boats steady before they started just to get things off. You just had to have that kind of thing.

    Chris Diamantopoulos stars as Royal Brougham, James Wolk as Coach Bolles, and Joel Edgerton as Al Ulbrickson in director George Clooney’s 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Chris Diamantopoulos stars as Royal Brougham, James Wolk as Coach Bolles, and Joel Edgerton as Al Ulbrickson in director George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Joel, in addition to being an actor, you’re also a director. In addition to being a director, Mr. Clooney is also an actor. What was it like for you working with him and specifically what did you learn about filmmaking from watching the way that George makes movies?

    JE: I’m sure George has felt this too, but the sacred awesomeness of being an actor and deciding at some point you’re going to direct, or when you do, is that you’ve had a front row seat watching so many different directors conduct themselves over a month’s long shoot, and you get to learn and kind of observe. You see someone do a certain thing, even if it’s like the way they run a rehearsal or I love learning about conduct as well, just going, oh, that’s learning gratitude from a director. The way they appreciate a crew. Anyway, I mean, I think George obviously has understood all that stuff, plus this incredible ability to tell a story well. I’ve been a huge fan of the movies he’s made since the very beginning, and it was great to pick his brain about some of the creative resourcefulness that he put into some of his earlier films too, kind of in-camera tricks, which are just so awesome to hear about. Stuff that you don’t get to know unless you’re sort of sitting side-by-side having a chat. I had a great time.

    Director George Clooney on the set of his film 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Director George Clooney on the set of his film ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: George, as a director that is also an actor, what is it like for you directing an actor who is also a director?

    GC: I have to say, when you work with an actor who has directed and has directed beautifully, what you get with that is, you get all the shortcuts, he understands we’re losing the light and we’ve got to get this. He’ll say, “If I walk over from here to here, I can shorten that issue,” and you go, that would really be nice if you could do that. For us, I think it was a real shorthand in that way, because I could just say, well, we’re trying to do this, and he’d go, “Got it”. It’s a big deal. It makes a big difference when you work with an actor who also happens to be a wonderful filmmaker.

    Bruce Herbelin-Earle stars as Shorty Hunt, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, and Wil Coban as Jim McMillan in director George Clooney’s 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Bruce Herbelin-Earle stars as Shorty Hunt, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, and Wil Coban as Jim McMillan in director George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, George, can you talk about casting the actors that play the rowing team and what were you looking for from them in terms of emotionality and physicality for these roles?

    GC: Well, physicality was important because these guys are all giants. That was one of the parts of it that was important. But then you must have actors. We did that stupid thing where we asked them all if they were athletic, because I said, “If you’re not athletic, we won’t be able to keep you on.” But every actor would lie about that. We lie about everything on our resumes always. Do you juggle? Certainly, I juggle. I juggle a lot of balls. But they ended up training hard and doing a spectacular job of rowing.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Boys in the Boat’?

    The non-fiction novel describes the University of Washington crew that represented the United States in the men’s eight at the 1936 Summer Olympic games in Berlin, including the coaches, boatbuilder George Pocock (Peter Guinness), and the working-class student athletes involved, especially rower Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), who was effectively abandoned by his family and left to fend for himself at a young age.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Boys in the Boat’?

    Luke Slattery stars as Bobby Moch, Jack Mulhern as Don Hume, Wil Coban as Jim McMillin, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Sam Strike as Roger Morris and Thomas Elms as Chuck Day in director George Clooney’s 'The Boys in the Boat,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Luke Slattery stars as Bobby Moch, Jack Mulhern as Don Hume, Wil Coban as Jim McMillin, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, Sam Strike as Roger Morris and Thomas Elms as Chuck Day in director George Clooney’s ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Laurie Sparham. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other George Clooney Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Boys in the Boat’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy George Clooney Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘The Iron Claw’

    Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    In theaters on December 22nd, ‘The Iron Claw’ is the new film from Sean Durkin, who previously made 2011’s ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ and ‘The Nest’ which was released in 2020.

    This is by some margin his best film so far, getting to grips with a shocking true life story that will be intimately familiar to wrestling and sports fans, but is something to discover for everyone else.

    Anchored by a great performance from Zac Efron, ‘The Iron Claw’ is surely destined to enter the awards race.

    Does ‘The Iron Claw’ grip you?

    Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (Right) Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    Though it could potentially fall victim to those who see it as a Wikipedia entry snapshot of history for the Von Erich brothers and their seemingly cursed household, this is in fact a dramatic and –– because of the subject matter –– sometimes traumatic tale of a wrestling dynasty whose life was marked by a blend of success and (there’s no way to really get around it) suicide and other tragic deaths.

    But while the subject matter is challenging (and heartrending at times), it’s delivered with such grace and style that it’s easy appreciate the lengths to which Durkin and his team go to sensitively depict the tale. And to applaud him for rounding up some of the best young actors of the moment to bring the brothers to life. Even if you’re not a wrestling fan, there’s a good chance you’ll be transfixed by this one, which has real power and energy, grit and an eye for the detail of the time.

    Related Article: Roger Ross Williams Talks ‘Cassandro’ and Gael García Bernal’s Performance

    ‘The Iron Claw’: Script and Direction

    Zac Efron and director Sean Durkin on the set of 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Zac Efron and director Sean Durkin on the set of ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    By keeping the focus on the family, Durkin’s screenplay is able to dig out real feeling and drama from the story, especially in how the patriarch, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) channels his frustrations with his own career through his sons.

    And while the focus is on Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron), there is ample opportunity for the other characters to shine, mapping out the details with care and humanity.

    On the directing side of things, he evokes the 1980s aesthetic with a grimy reality, and you can feel the sweat dripping off the screen in close-up as the brothers ply their trade. And, like the script, it’s the little details that matter –– from the family’s home that quickly gives you an insight into their parents (sports memorabilia and guns for the father, religious iconography for the mother, played by Maura Tierney).

    Maura Tierney as Doris Von Erich, Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich and Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Maura Tierney as Doris Von Erich, Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich and Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    Durkin’s keen eye for performance allows his cast to make the most of naturalistic roles and characters that let them impress without ever feeling showy (except when needed in the ring). The evocation of the world of 1980s wrestling at levels lower than the World Wrestling Federation (as it was then) is utterly convincing.

    If there’s one moment that pushes things too far, it’s a fantastical moment towards the end which features several deceased family members meeting up in an idyllic river/dock take on the River Styx (even down to one leaving coins on the boat). In contrast to the stark reality of the rest of the movie, this stab at framing the story as a Greek tragedy is one that doesn’t ring as true as the rest.

    ‘The Iron Claw’: Performances

    Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich and Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich and Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    There was a time when the phrase “Zac Efron: potential Oscar contender” might have sounded ludicrous. But with ‘The Iron Claw’, he shows that the work he’s been putting in of late has been paying off. As Kevin Von Erich, the steely-eyed anchor for the brothers in the family, he’s a revelation; swole as a He-Man action figure, but never more human than he is here.

    Kevin is a role ripe for any actor to tackle, a dedicated brother who sees his career ambitions shrink due to bad fortunes and the capricious nature of his father’s focus. He is, by turns, delighted, proud, angry, bitter and utterly devastated.

    It certainly helps that Kevin (the only survivor among the brothers) is a completely compelling character whose relationship with his brothers moves the story along and gives it emotional focus. He’s helped in that endeavor by Lily James as his wife Pam. Though James only has a few scenes to make a mark, she plays them to the hilt, striking in both moments of joy and sadness.

    Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    Yet though it is mostly certainly Efron’s film, everyone in the movie offers up a fantastic performance. Chief among them are the brothers –– Jeremy Allen White, who has been receiving the best notices of his career for TV’s ‘The Bear’ is watchable as the athletic Kerry, who has no wrestling ambitions at first, but is pressed into service by their father and ends up more successful than Kevin. He suffers brutally at the fickle hand of fate, and White does a lot with the part.

    Elsewhere, we have Harrison Dickinson and Stanley Simons, the former putting in another superb turn and the latter a real discovery having mostly acted in shorts and smaller indies.

    And the twin forces pulling at the family from above –– McCallany all steel and spit as the father, while Tierney finds moments of quiet in which to truly bring Doris Von Erich to life.

    ‘The Iron Claw’: Final Thoughts

    Lily James as Pam Adkisson and Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Lily James as Pam Adkisson and Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    Carefully walking the line between punishing history film and believably emotional family drama, ‘The Iron Claw’ is a triumph in itself. A minor misstep here and there and some trims to the actual story (hard as it might be to believe if you don’t know the history, there was yet another brother who killed themselves) are no barrier to this being one of the more impressive movies of the year.

    You don’t need to know a thing about the wrestling world to appreciate the care and artistry, or to feel for a family group torn apart by a truly heartbreaking run of bad luck.

    ‘The Iron Claw’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the story of ‘The Iron Claw’?

    ‘The Iron Claw’ is inspired by the true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.

    Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach (Holt McCallany), the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

    Who else is in ‘The Iron Claw?

    The cast for the film includes Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney and Lily James.

    Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich and Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw.'
    (L to R) Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich and Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich in ‘The Iron Claw.’ Photo: A24.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘The Iron Claw’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Iron Claw’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Zac Efron Movies On Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Dumb Money’

    Seth Rogen stars in 'Dumb Money.'
    Seth Rogen stars in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Lacey Terrell. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    In theaters everywhere on September 29th, ‘Dumb Money’ is a funny, sharp satire of the GameStop stock story, which had people gripped in early 2021.

    Following what happened when “retail investors” seized upon the idea of driving up the value of the games store and Wall Street’s reaction, it’s an entertaining true account of one of the most fascinating financial stories of the last decade.

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    What’s the story of ‘Dumb Money’?

    Shailene Woodley and Paul Dano star in 'Dumb Money.'
    (L to R) Shailene Woodley and Paul Dano star in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Claire Folger. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Dumb Money’ is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world’s hottest company.

    In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it.

    When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich –– until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.

    Related Article: 35 Best Seth Rogen Movies of All Time!

    Who else is in ‘Dumb Money’?

    Sebastian Stan stars in 'Dumb Money.'
    Sebastian Stan stars in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Claire Folger. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The cast of ‘Dumb Money’ also includes Seth Rogen, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Myha’la Herrold, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Talia Ryder, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Kate Burton and Clancy Brown.

    Does ‘Dumb Money’ score?

    Director Craig Gillespie on the set of 'Dumb Money.'
    Director Craig Gillespie on the set of ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Claire Folger. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    In some ways, ‘Dumb Money’ feels like a companion piece to Hulu’s ‘Pam & Tommy’ from earlier this year, though that might primarily be thanks to the presence of Rogen, Offerman and Stan in front of the camera, and director Craig Gillespie behind it (Gillespie was a producer and director for the series).

    But in several ways, it is much better than that show, since it chronicles a subject that doesn’t haven’t such personal, painful ramifications as for Pamela Anderson. It also tells its story in more compact form.

    Gillespie, here working from a script by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo (who first met as reporters on the Wall Street Journal and have several TV series under their combined belts, and adapted Ben Mezrich’s book ‘The Antisocial Network’), dials down on what really made the Gamestop stop impactful, as well as drawing out real laughs from certain moments.

    A big positive for the movie was widening the scope beyond the story of Keith Gill and the billionaires whose world he disrupted with his YouTube channel and Reddit posts.

    Smaller personal stories such as those of GameStop employee Marcus, college students Riri (Herrold) and Harmony (Ryder) and nurse Jenny (Ferrera), help to explain the central narrative while letting the solid performers (Ferrera is especially good, and between this and ‘Barbie’ it proves she deserves many more opportunities to shine).

    America Ferrera stars in 'Dumb Money.'
    America Ferrera stars in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Claire Folger. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Which is not to say that Dano isn’t fantastic as Keith, who posts under the name “Roaring Kitty” and is using his financial analyst smarts to advise others and take big share bets himself. As his on-screen fortune (and infamy grow), Dano and co-star Woodley (as his wife, Caroline), offer up a compelling portrait of a couple confronting an outrageous situation.

    On the hedge fund side, Rogen is particularly good as Gabe Plotkin, who has risen from humble beginnings to run a hedge fun dealing in the billions. He’s certainly let the power that money has brought go to his head and is introduced yelling on the phone at a realtor representing a fancy house he wants to buy simply to tear down so he can build a tennis court to use during the pandemic.

    Elsewhere, Offerman is typically funny and gruff as the even wealthier Ken Griffin, who smugly dines on incredibly rare food at exclusive restaurants and offers to help Gabe out when he gets into trouble, only to find himself in corporate hot water when his company works with the startup that lets ordinary people buy shares without commission.

    Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen star in 'Dumb Money.'
    (L to R) Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen star in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Lacey Terrell. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The whole thing is told with verve, energy and humanity, and marks it out as one of the most impressive examples of the social comedy form to happen along since Adam McKay switched from the goofy likes of ‘Anchorman’ to his own sharpened satires.

    And perhaps the biggest recommendation I can make about the movie is that it uses Pete Davidson in a way that is not completely annoying. Playing Keith’s boisterous slacker brother, Davidson’s particular energy is on display in a useful, fitting way. Give it an Oscar for that alone!

    Are there any problems with ‘Dumb Money’?

    Vincent D’Onofrio stars as Steve Cohen in 'Dumb Money.'
    Vincent D’Onofrio stars as Steve Cohen in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Claire Folger. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Dumb Money’ does take its time at first to set its scene, occasionally falling into the trap of repeating information. It might have you checking your watch initially. But that setup is necessary to set the scene –– somehow it doesn’t have the same energy as the rest of the movie.

    Likewise, were it not for the fact that they are real people, the likes of Gabe, Ken and fellow rich type Steve Cohen (D’Onofrio) would come across as cartoon characters in a fictional film. Here, they are all too terrifyingly confident in their ability to stop the “dumb money” amateur investors.

    As with most true stories of this kind, there is a certain dose of cold water awaiting you by the end –– despite the movie’s claim that the GameStop situation changed Wall Street’s way of doing business for the better, you’re left with the lingering feeling that we’re just counting down to the next financial scandal as the division between rich and poor grows.

    That, though, is more to do with the real world than the movie’s story.

    If you’re fascinated by how the “little people” can get on over on the rich types (at least for a while) and want to watch it happen in entertaining and clever fashion, ‘Dumb Money’ is well worth a bet at the theater.

    ‘Dumb Money’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

    Seth Rogen stars in 'Dumb Money.'
    Seth Rogen stars in ‘Dumb Money.’ Photo: Lacey Terrell. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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    Buy Tickets: ‘Dumb Money’ Movie Showtimes

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  • ‘The Hill’ Exclusive Interview: Colin Ford

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    Opening in theaters on August 25th is the new biographical sports drama ‘The Hill,’ which is based on the true story of Rickey Hill and was directed by Jeff Celentano (‘Breaking Point’).

    What is the plot of ‘The Hill’?

    Based on a true story, growing up impoverished in small-town Texas, young Rickey Hill (Jesse Berry) shows an extraordinary ability for hitting a baseball, despite being burdened by leg braces from a degenerative spinal disease. His stern, pastor father (Dennis Quaid) discourages Rickey from playing baseball to protect him from injury, and to have him follow in his footsteps and become a preacher. As a young man, Rickey (Colin Ford) becomes a baseball phenomenon. His desire to participate in a try-out for a legendary major league scout divides the family and threatens Rickey’s dream of playing professional baseball.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘The Hill’?

    Moviefone had the pleasure of speaking with Colin Ford earlier this summer about his work on ‘The Hill,’ learning of Rickey Hill’s incredible true story, his approach to playing him, Rickey’s relationship with his father, working with Dennis Quaid, playing baseball authentically on camera, why he relates to Rickey Hill’s story, and what he hopes audiences take away from seeing the movie.

    Colin Ford stars in 'The Hill.'
    Colin Ford stars in ‘The Hill.’

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ford, Bonnie Bedelia, and director Jeff Celentano.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay and learning about Rickey Hill’s incredible real life story?

    Colin Ford: I think my first reaction was,”Oh my gosh, the stuff that this guy went through to achieve his dreams.” I think it was just that. It’s like the adversity that he faced, the trials and tribulations. The faith that he had in himself, and belief that he had in himself in order to achieve his dreams. All of that was very attractive to me. Then you have all the little extras. They’re not really extras, they’re key points too. You got Dennis Quaid, you got baseball, you got director Jeff Celentano, and writers Angelo Pizzo and Scott Marshall Smith. So it’s like all of these factors encompassing into this dream gig.

    MF: What was your approach to playing Rickey and what research did you to prepare for the role?

    CF: Well, I was super lucky. Jeff Celentano was very hands-on and he actually had a direct relationship with Rickey. So after I signed on very early, I got to begin to have conversations with Rickey. He was on set sometimes, and so he would share stories and things like that. But for me, when I delve into a character, it’s really important that I feel like if I’m playing somebody that really existed, to do them justice. I certainly hope to get their stamp of approval at the end. So in regards to the physicality of the stuff, it was really important to get with Rickey and start working on baseball swing stuff, and leg limp stuff. All of the physical stuff was really important to dial in before stepping onto set.

    Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill in 'The Hill,' a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill in ‘The Hill,’ a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    Credit: Briarcliff Entertainment / ©2023 Briarcliff Entertainment.

    MF: Did you have baseball experience before making this movie, or did you work with a coach to make the baseball scenes as authentic as possible?

    CF: I did work with a coach for about three months leading up until filming. But I did have some baseball experience from my little league days and my middle school, and high school days. I stopped in about ninth grade in high school. So I definitely had some polishing to do before stepping onto set. We were going to be filming in the year 2019, and then the pandemic hit and we had some delays. Then 2021 rolled around when ultimately we did film. In between that time, I went under a transformation myself. I only weighed 120 pounds and I got up to weigh to 180 pounds by the time we started filming. So it was a whole lot of transformations that were coming to play; baseball, physicality, everything.

    MF: Can you talk about Rickey’s difficult relationship with his father, and what was it like for you to work on that relationship with Dennis Quaid?

    CF: Yeah, no, it was amazing. Getting to work with Dennis was a dream in itself. But kind of trying to dial in that relationship between Rickey and his father was interesting because, just to share a little story. My father, who’s very supportive of my dreams as an actor now, at one point in time, wanted me to pursue more of an academic career. Similarly to how Pastor Hill wants Rickey to follow in his own footsteps. I had plans of my own, just like Rickey has plans of his own. Ultimately, I think that that sort of mindset that I had with my father lent to the same mindset that Ricky had with his father under different circumstances. Then on set, Dennis and I just got to play. We just got to mess around, chat a little bit about those types of things, and everything just fell into place. He’s a wonderful scene partner.

    Related Article: Best Football Movies

    Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill and Dennis Quaid as Pastor James Hill in 'The Hill,' a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    (L to R) Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill and Dennis Quaid as Pastor James Hill in ‘The Hill,’ a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    Credit: Briarcliff Entertainment / ©2023 Briarcliff Entertainment.

    MF: So, you were really able to relate personally with certain aspects of Rickey’s story?

    CF: I think so, yeah. I mean, everybody’s journey is different and I don’t want to compare mine to the other. But I definitely try to find similarities and things I can pinpoint in my own life that are easy to draw on for the character.

    MF: Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from watching this movie and learning of Rickey Hill’s story?

    CF: I hope that audiences take away that with a good support system, with the right family and belief, self-belief system in yourself, that you can truly achieve anything. A little bit of faith along the way is all you need.

    Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill in 'The Hill,' a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    Colin Ford stars as Rickey Hill in ‘The Hill,’ a Briarcliff Entertainment release.
    Credit: Briarcliff Entertainment / ©2023 Briarcliff Entertainment.

    This interview was accomplished prior to the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Tetris’

    Taron Egerton and Nikita Efremov in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Taron Egerton and Nikita Efremov in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Releasing on Apple TV+ on March 31st, ‘Tetris’ tells the unbelievable –– but actually true –– story of how one Dutch-American businessman outsmarted Russian authorities and ruthless media rivals to bring the iconic game to the States and beyond, with the help of the man who created it.

    When you hear the title ‘Tetris’, your mind might flash to the current spate of video game adaptations –– the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise, for example, ‘Pokemon: Detective Pikachu’ (which was successful enough to spawn its own sequel, now in development, or the latest attempt to turn ‘Super Mario Bros.’ into a movie, with the animated take due in theaters shortly.

    But if you’ve ever played, or even so much as heard of ‘Tetris’ the game, you’ll know it presents quite the challenge, featuring no narrative or much of anything on which to base a movie besides the player having to arrange falling colored blocks so they form lines and vanish.

    The smartest thing the filmmakers behind the new movie did was not to focus on the game itself but on the unlikely story of how it was brought outside of Russia, where it was invented by Alexey Pajitnov.

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    What happened with the game of Tetris?

    With a script from Noah Pink and ‘Stan & Ollie’ director Jon S. Baird behind the camera, ‘Tetris’ stars ‘Kingsman’s Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, a Dutch-born, American- raised entrepreneur who, in the ‘80s found himself living in Japan with his family. A tech geek and games nerd long before those terms hit the mainstream, Rogers was constantly on the lookout for the video game that would change the world. If he saw it early enough — went the reasoning — he might be able to snatch up the rights for his failing company Bullet-Proof Software and become rich overnight.

    So when Henk sees an early demonstration of ‘Tetris’ at a Las Vegas gaming convention, he’s hooked and becomes convinced that it could be his ticket to riches. Which would be helpful, since he’s already gambled much of his family’s finances on other titles that haven’t paid off.

    Yet when Henk thinks he’s secured the rights to ‘Tetris’ in Japan, he soon learns that he was quite wrong –– and that the Russian government is intent on keeping the profits for itself. Add to that a serious challenge from British media magnate Richard Maxwell (played by Roger Allam), and scheming son Kevin (Anthony Boyle).

    Together with creator Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov), Henk will have to outwit KGB spies, rich tycoons and crafty other businessmen to bring ‘Tetris’ to the masses outside of the Soviet Union –– right around the time that empire is collapsing.

    Togo Igawa, Nino Furuhata and Taron Egerton in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Togo Igawa, Nino Furuhata and Taron Egerton in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Related Article: Taron Egerton Talks ‘Tetris’ and Playing Video Game Designer Henk Rogers

    A funnier ‘Social Network’

    Probably the closest reference point for this is 2010’s ‘The Social Network’, which charted the difficult birth of Facebook. While ‘Tetris’ can’t claim a script as quick or darkly witty as the Aaron Sorkin/David Fincher effort, it makes up for it with charm and warmth.

    Egerton, once more playing a real-life figure after ‘Eddie the Eagle’, ‘Black Bird’ and most notably ‘Rocketman’ (where he was unfairly overlooked by the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Elton John), is typically pleasurable to watch as Henk, charismatically pushing his luck in the face of tremendous odds.

    Beyond him, Efremov is the heart of the movie (albeit in a smaller role), giving humanity to Pajitnov, a man who knows that his game is his key to freedom, but needs Henk’s help to make that happen.

    Allam, buried under convincing prosthetics, is suitably windy as Maxwell, and the script adds enough detail to make him have resonance to American audiences who may not be familiar with the man himself (though they’ll recognize his Trumpian archetype). Boyle is perfectly slimy as Kevin, smug, selfish and carrying a gigantic chip on his shoulder as he jets around the world spending daddy’s money.

    Taron Egerton, Sofia Lebedeva and Nikita Efremov in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Taron Egerton, Sofia Lebedeva and Nikita Efremov in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

    Baird also brings no small amount of flair to the film, which could have been just a lot of people in rooms arguing about the rights to a game of blocks falling in a line. He uses the 8-bit conceit to show Henk’s attempts as levels on a game itself, and while most of the movie is relatively straightforward, a late-turn car chase is further enlivened by the use of graphics for the vehicles.

    While it’s sometimes odd that it doesn’t appear anywhere else in the movie besides that one scene and the transitions, it’s not so out of place as to disrupt anyone’s enjoyment of the movie. And one extended, superbly edited sequence presents three concurrent meetings in three different rooms, whose swinging and slamming doors almost evoke a French bedroom farce (and yes, the three concurrent meetings actually happened).

    ‘Tetris’ nevertheless still has a few issues. Aside from Egerton, Efremov and the Maxwells, everyone else is pretty much reduced to ciphers, such as Henk’s supportive, sometimes frustrated wife Akemi (Ayane Nagabuchi) and the various Russian agents/government officials who are stonewalling any attempt to nab the rights. Credit, though, to Sofia Lebedeva as Sasha, who Henk hires as a translator but turns out to be something more. She makes a relatively predictable character likeable and then hissable over the course of the film.

    Yet the biggest triumph is digging out some actual tension from a story where you can guess the ending –– especially since ‘Tetris’ is indeed famously everywhere in the world and those of a certain age will remember it popping up as part of the Gameboy package when the gadgets were considered the height of gaming tech.

    A snappy, scrappy, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story, ‘Tetris’ is part-biopic, part-comedy and all in all a great addition to Apple’s growing roster of movies. It likely won’t go on to the sort of awards glory enjoyed by ‘CODA’, but it’s still a good yarn.

    ‘Tetris’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Nikita Efremov and Taron Egerton in 'Tetris,' premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Nikita Efremov and Taron Egerton in ‘Tetris,’ premiering March 31, 2023 on Apple TV+.

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    ”Tetris’ is produced by Marv Films, AI Film, and Unigram, and is scheduled for release on March 30th.

  • Movie Review: ‘Boston Strangler’

    Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin in 20th Century Studios' 'Boston Strangler,' exclusively on Hulu.
    Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Boston Strangler,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Released on Hulu today, ‘Boston Strangler’ faces the pressure of being both a true crime story and a crusading journalist narrative, which have been brought to screens in compelling and memorable form by stories such as Netflix‘s ‘Mindhunter’ and ‘Spotlight’. We bring up those two titles in particular, because this new movie comes across as a mash-up of both, even if it’s not quite playing on their level.

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    What’s the story of ‘Boston Strangler’

    One of the most infamous crime cases in history, the story of the Boston Strangler has already inspired several movies and TV series. Between 1962 and 1964, more than a dozen single women, ranging in age from 19 to 85, were killed in the Boston area, all of them strangled, their bodies posed provocatively by a mysterious attacker who came to be known as the “Boston Strangler.”

    Although convicted sex offender Alberto DeSalvo confessed to the crimes, there was no physical evidence tying him to the victims; he instead received a life sentence for a separate series of rapes and sexual assaults and was stabbed to death in prison years after his conviction. Speculation remains whether he was the sole perpetrator of the Strangler murders — decades later, the case is the subject of widespread fascination for many armchair sleuths and true-crime aficionados.

    Written and directed by Matt Ruskin, ‘Boston Strangler’ follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a reporter for the Record-American newspaper, who becomes the first journalist to connect the murders.

    When we first meet her, Loretta is assigned to the lifestyle section, she pushes to do more crime reporting, even as her hard-bitten bosses think she’s not up to the job. Early stumbles don’t help with that impression, but she’s soon making progress.

    As the mysterious killer claims more and more victims and fear spreads across the city, Loretta attempts to continue her investigation alongside colleague and confidante Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), yet the duo finds themselves stymied by the rampant sexism of the era.

    Nevertheless, McLaughlin and Cole bravely pursue the story at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth.

    Carrie Coon as Jean Cole in 20th Century Studios' 'Boston Strangler,' exclusively on Hulu.
    Carrie Coon as Jean Cole in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Boston Strangler,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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    What works about ‘Boston Strangler’?

    Ruskin, no stranger to true crime tales after ‘Crown Heights’ and a wealth of documentary experience, brings a sure touch to the new movie, which does convincingly follow in the footsteps of ‘Zodiac’ and other serial killer thrillers.

    Knightley and Coon of course bring great performances to the central roles, convincingly embodying women who are battling their bosses and trying to juggle family life even as they dig into the complicated case.

    Unlike, say, the recent ‘She Said’, which slightly suffered from showing the journalists digging into a case that was largely in the past, ‘Boston Strangler’ –– despite its period setting –– throws you right into the heart of the case as the murders are still happening, and the two women are under threat even as they work to find the truth.

    And that 1960s setting also means that the difficulties the pair face in convincing anyone to take them seriously are deeper and more shocking when viewed through today’s lens. When you have cops falsely claiming that a journalist was flirting with one of their officers to get information, you know the stakes are higher than just dealing with the crime.

    Refreshingly, Ruskin doesn’t shy away from the divisions that crept in between the two as the case continued, as their differing ideas on the investigation began to drag them apart (though they still remained friends afterwards). And despite a clear passion for their work, he crafts the characters as fallible humans, not just crusading angels.

    Around the central pair, the writer/director also builds a classy ensemble of veterans including Chris Cooper as editor Jack MacLaine, the man who reluctantly gives McLaughlin her shot at the crime desk. He’s a boozy, old school newspaper man who has connections to the cops that she’s frustrating but finds it within himself to back her when he realizes that she’s truly on to something.

    There’s also the likes of Alessandro Nivola as driven cop Detective Conley, who figures out that it’s better to work with McLaughlin rather than stonewall her, and Bill Camp as Commissioner McNamara, who resents her stories painting his department in a bad light, however true it might be.

    Alessandro Nivola as Detective Conley in 20th Century Studios' 'Boston Strangler,' exclusively on Hulu.
    Alessandro Nivola as Detective Conley in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Boston Strangler,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Are there problems with the movie?

    One major issue with the film late on is the pace, which slackens noticeably even as it should be ramping up. True, Ruskin is largely bound by the true story –– which can be both a blessing and a curse when you’re trying to make a compelling movie.

    Part of the frustration of this case, with none of the authorities able to pin down a suspect (and being massively negligent when it comes to digging into the case) translates to the screen as the story starts to drag a little.

    And Knightley, while breathing convincing life into McLaughlin, manages an American accent, but it’s not one you’d quite describe as “Bostonian” (especially given the real McLaughlin was born in Massachusetts) and it stands out even more given the accents around her (Coon, for example, sounds convincingly like she comes from the area). But it’s not a huge issue as you’re too busy following the journalists’ story.

    Though it’s a shame that Disney decided to put the movie on to Hulu rather than giving it a shot in theaters, you can see why it might be considered a risk –– unless you have the likes of David Fincher aboard, there’s a chance audiences won’t show up for such a dark, moody thriller in an age of giant franchise movies.

    Ably telling its story with just a few issues of its own, ‘Boston Strangler’ is a worthy addition to the genre blending journalism and crime.

    ‘Boston Strangler’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    Chris Cooper as Jack MacLaine in 20th Century Studios' 'Boston Strangler,' exclusively on Hulu.
    Chris Cooper as Jack MacLaine in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Boston Strangler,’ exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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  • ‘Cocaine Bear’ Interview: Director Elizabeth Banks

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    Opening in theaters on February 24th is the new dark comedy ‘Cocaine Bear,’ which was directed by Elizabeth Banks (‘Pitch Perfect 2,’ ‘Charlie’s Angels’) and is loosely based on a true story.

    What is ‘Cocaine Bear’ based on?

    According to Wikipedia, the film is inspired by the real story of a 175-pound American black bear that died after ingesting a duffel bag full of cocaine in December 1985. The cocaine had been dropped out of an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug smuggler, because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped out of the plane with a faulty parachute and died. The bear was found three months later in northern Georgia alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine.

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    What is ‘Cocaine Bear’ about?

    In the film, after Thornton’s accident and the bear ingests the cocaine, he goes on a killing rampage in a small town in Georgia. The movie follows three different groups, Sari (Keri Russell), a single mother looking for her daughter (Brooklynn Prince) and her friend (Christian Convery) who are lost in the woods, Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) and Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), two drug smugglers forced by Eddie’s father (Ray Liotta) to recover his missing cocaine, and Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), the law enforcement officer hot on their trail.

    Who is in ‘Cocaine Bear?’

    ‘Cocaine Bear’ stars Keri Russell (‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’) as Sari, O’Shea Jackson Jr. (‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’) as Daveed, Alden Ehrenreich (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’) as Eddie Dentwood, Ray Liotta (‘Goodfellas’) as Syd Dentwood, Isiah Whitlock Jr. (‘Da 5 Bloods’) as Bob, Christian Convery (‘The Tiger Rising’) as Henry, Brooklyn Prince (‘The Florida Project’) as Dee Dee, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (‘Ice Age: Collision Course’) as Peter, Margo Martindale (‘Downsizing’) as Ranger Liz, and Matthew Rhys (‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’) as Andrew C Thornton II.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress and director Elizabeth Banks about her work on ‘Cocaine Bear,’ her initial reaction to the screenplay and the true story it is based on, balancing the movie’s tones of comedy and horror, and working with Weta FX to create the bear.

    Director Elizabeth Banks' 'Cocaine Bear' opens in theaters on February 24th.
    Director Elizabeth Banks’ ‘Cocaine Bear’ opens in theaters on February 24th.

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Banks, as well as Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Alden Ehrenreich.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction when you read a screenplay titled ‘Cocaine Bear’ and learned of the true story it is based on, and as a director, how did you balance the film’s different tones of comedy and horror?

    Elizabeth Banks: My first thought when reading it was, ‘This can’t possibly be based on a true story.’ Then I went down the rabbit hole of investigating what had really happened. At that point I realized, in real life the bear had overdosed on the cocaine and died. I thought, ‘Oh, man, this movie is like a redemption story for that bear.’ This is a way to avenge the untimely death of that bear. Because I really felt for that bear, that bear was like collateral damage. It didn’t know what it was getting into. It doesn’t want to do drugs!

    I loved that there was this crazy idea of a rampaging bear on a bender. That’s such a big, high concept, wild, crazy thing that, actually the way to balance the tone was really to ground everything else. So everything else has to be super grounded. The real story of a mom just trying to find her daughter. The real story of a guy grieving the loss of his wife, trying to be connected to his best friend again, trying to break away from his father. A man who is like, ‘I’ve got to find these drugs or we’re going to get killed.’

    Those are very grounded, relatable, emotional storylines that set against the backdrop of the bear. It’s in that space in between where human beings do crazy things in reaction to the bear that I really felt that’s where the humor was, that’s where the wackiness could live, as long as the characters remained relatable to the audience.

    'Cocaine Bear,' directed by Elizabeth Banks.
    ‘Cocaine Bear,’ directed by Elizabeth Banks. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘Call Jane’ Interview: Sigourney Weaver and Elizabeth Banks

    MF: Finally, can you talk about working with Weta to create the design of the bear and developing it to look as real as possible?

    EB: Absolutely. Well, I’ve said before I thought that this movie was super risky for me. What I meant by that was I had to give up control over the lead character of the film. I had no idea while we were making it, if we were going to pull off the bear. And if the bear didn’t work, then the movie didn’t work.

    The partnership with Weta, they were great. From day one, they made me laugh. They got the tone. I think they saw it as an opportunity to do really intense, old school CGI. They’re so used to creating crazy, fantastical worlds in outer space and people flying around. This was like, ‘No, no, no. You’ve got to create something so realistic that people think a real bear was on set. How are we going to do that?’ This has to be a documentary about the bear.

    And the level of detail that went into animating this bear, this incredible lead animator, Carmen Leggiero, who did so much homework on how bears act. We looked at so many reference videos, picking and choosing every detail of the bear: the size of its head, its nose, its ears, its eyes, the coloration of its fur, the textures, all of that. What does it look like wet? What does it look like with blood on it? What does it look like with guts on it? What does it look like when it’s eating? That was the big, big, big question mark hanging over the movie until the very end. And I am just pleased as punch with the results.

    ‘Cocaine Bear’ is produced by Universal Pictures, Brownstone Productions and Lord Miller Productions, and scheduled for release on February 24th.

    Director Elizabeth Banks on the set of 'Cocaine Bear.'
    Director Elizabeth Banks on the set of ‘Cocaine Bear.’ © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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  • ‘Spoiler Alert’ Interviews with Jim Parsons and Sally Field

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    Opening in theaters on December 2nd is the new romantic drama ‘Spoiler Alert,’ which is an adaption of the memoir “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies” by Michael Ausiello, and was directed by Michael Showalter (‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’).

    Based on a true story, the film follows the last year of New York photographer Kit Cowan’s (Ben Aldridge) life. From his diagnosis with terminal cancer to his death, Kit’s spouse, entertainment reporter Michael Ausiello (Jim Parsons), and Kit’s parents, Marilyn and Bob (Sally Field and Bill Irwin) do their best to comfort him in his final days.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field, and Bill Irwin about their work on ‘Spoiler Alert,’ the true story it is based on, their characters, why they wanted to make the movie, and working with director Michael Showalter.

    Bill Irwin stars as Bob, Sally Field as Marilyn, Ben Aldridge as Kit Cowan and Jim Parsons as Michael Ausiello in director Michael Showalter’s 'Spoiler Alert,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Bill Irwin stars as Bob, Sally Field as Marilyn, Ben Aldridge as Kit Cowan and Jim Parsons as Michael Ausiello in director Michael Showalter’s ‘Spoiler Alert,’ a Focus Features release. Photo: Linda Källérus / © 2022 Focus Features LLC.

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Parsons, Aldridge, Field, Irwin, and author Michael Ausiello.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Jim, what was it about Michael and Kit’s story that really spoke to you both as a producer and an actor, and why was it important for you to make this movie?

    Jim Parsons: I think that at a somewhat surface level, there was a lot of mirror between their relationship and my own relationship with my husband. Meeting around the same time, around the same year, in the same city. But I think that it was the really laid bare way in which Michael told the tale in all the gritty details that made it such an obvious love story and in a way that I don’t feel like I’ve necessarily read or seen a lot with a gay couple.

    It’s got a real universality to it. The story has echoes of stories I’ve heard before, but with people that weren’t exactly like me. Both as an actor and as a producer, I was really hungry to get a shot at making that story a visual reality. It was more rewarding than I think I was even prepared for.

    MF: Why was director Michael Showalter the right filmmaker to bring this story to the big screen?

    Jim Parsons: Mike has a beautiful way of seeing stories that are so real to life in a way. We talked all through the shoot about why he was a good match for us, and it would vary day to day. But he was really good about letting us explore things at a very deep level. He would never let anything stay too long, which was very smart and wise.

    He wasn’t sentimental and he was a perfect balance for us in a lot of ways. He made it a very safe space for us that we felt we could get in, do it, and not get stuck there. He would always help come pull you out of it and move on.

    MF: Ben, Kit is an only child and has a very close relationship with his parents, can you talk about that and working with Sally Field and Bill Irwin?

    Ben Aldridge: I think of course you’d hope in any good parent-child relationship that a parent would be there for someone, particularly in that moment in their suffering. But I think what we see in what I think the film chronicles nicely is something that I think a lot of queer people can relate to is that until your parents know about your authentic self, you kind of hold them at a slight distance. You hold them away from the truth and I think that can permeate adult life in a way that is actually unhelpful.

    But I think what we see, and I think which was true to life, is that it really deepened their connection and they became much closer the more they knew about Kit, and the more they got to know Michael as well. So, that was really lovely to play something I recognize and relate to in my own life as well.

    Then, with Sally and Bill, I definitely was intimidated. Sally was wonderfully generous, but knowing that I was going to have to look in her eyes and hope that she believed me was a tense moment. But it was so great to have them on set and it felt like such a gift that she was going to be playing my mom. I mean, I couldn’t believe it. It was really a “pinch myself” moment.

    Ben Aldridge, and Jim Parsons star in director Michael Showalter’s 'Spoiler Alert,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Ben Aldridge, and Jim Parsons star in director Michael Showalter’s ‘Spoiler Alert,’ a Focus Features release.

    MF: Sally, can you talk about Marilyn’s close relationship to her son and how she is able to be there for him when he really needs her?

    Sally Field: I’m not sure how to talk about that. It just is right there, and it’s the film. You know, you can only come into a film and create what’s on the page. I mean, we weren’t doing historical characters that are well known in the public eye. So, Bill and I were just creating this husband and wife who has this wonderful son that they’re devoted to, and all that that means about loving that child, loving each other, and how hard it is, how hard it is to love anybody.

    Ultimately, that’s what the movie is about, is loving someone, what it costs, how hard it is, and how that’s all there is, ultimately. As the world is full of hate, we need to remember that human beings are also meant to love each other.

    MF: Finally, Bill, your character seems like the “Fun Dad,” can you talk about your approach to playing Bob and his relationship with his son?

    Bill Irwin: When I got the call that there would be this part, and I would get to play husband to Sally, I was in. Telling stories is so tough. During rehearsals, Sally said some line to me, and I said, “Oh, it does not.” I just put in an argumentative response, and so I felt like we had something going.

    But then it wasn’t until, for me anyway, we were really on camera that I realized this magnificent young man. I mean, Ben Aldridge is magnificent. This magnificent spirit whom he’s aligned himself to, Jim Parsons, they’re our family too. I was a little slow on the uptake, I guess.

    Well, that part of the family, it wasn’t until we were actually on camera that I began to realize, “Oh, yeah.” So, I had to come up with a name for my son. Everybody else calls him Kit. I call him Kitty. Just these layers of family-ness that you’re looking for as storytellers, and if you’re going to work with a storyteller, Sally’s one that you can just nestle into and hold on to for dear life.

    Sally Field, and Bill Irwin star in Michael Showalter’s 'Spoiler Alert,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Sally Field, and Bill Irwin star in Michael Showalter’s ‘Spoiler Alert,’ a Focus Features release.
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  • Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell Talk ‘Devotion’

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    Opening in theaters on November 23rd is the new biographical war drama ‘Devotion,’ which was directed by J.D. Dillard (‘Sweetheart’).

    Based on the true story of U.S. Navy fighter pilot Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), the film follows his friend friendship with Tom Hunder (Glen Powell) and their role in the Korean War.

    In addition to Majors and Powell, the movie also stars Christina Jackson, Joe Jonas, Thomas Sadoski, and Serinda Swan.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell about their work on ‘Devotion,’ why as a producer Powell wanted to make the film, and the responsibility Majors felt playing Jesse Brown and bringing his story to the big screen.

    Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star in Sony Pictures' 'Devotion.'
    (L to R) Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star in Sony Pictures’ ‘Devotion.’

    You can read or full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Majors, Powell, Joe Jonas, Thomas Sadoski, and director J.D. Dillard.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Glen, as a producer, what moved you about Jesse Brown’s true story and why did you think it was important to bring it to the big screen?

    Glen Powell: Adam Makos wrote just an incredible book that not a lot of people had read. At the time, it was a not a very well-known book. Then I just saw a beautiful and complicated relationship between two guys that came from different places that were trying to understand each other. What I loved about it was it wasn’t simplified.

    There’s been stories of white and Black on different sides, achieving different things, and they simplify these things. It’s always so disheartening to see how Hollywood can try to, I don’t know, I would say profit off of the simplification of what I consider a very nuance and important subject to get right. Because the truth can move and the truth can change.

    Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell in Sony Pictures' 'Devotion.'
    (L to R) Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell in Sony Pictures’ ‘Devotion.’

    MF: Finally, Jonathan, can you talk about your approach to playing Jesse Brown and if you felt a certain responsibility to his family and his legacy while playing this role?

    Jonathan Majors: Getting something right, very much to my brother’s point before, there’s one door in, and you hit it. If you get something truthful, there’s multiple doors in and everyone can get into the room. From soup to nuts, when it was brought to me, when we had our conversation, it felt to me that we were going to get it right via the truth.

    That was something I really took on, that was in the culture of making the film from the very beginning, from its conception. So playing Jesse, I knew that was something that I wanted to execute. It’s something that I had to use all my faculties and enlist help in order to get information about who this man was. We had a beautiful Zoom set up by the producers and our director with the family early on.

    I’ll be brief, I remember them telling all these stories about Jesse and we’re laughing, and we’re crying. I remember one of the producers saying, “Well, the film’s only so long and we can’t get all that in.” I interrupted and I said, “No, we can. I’m promising you that I will do my damnedest to get everything you just said into this film.”

    Because what they were expressing in their stories wasn’t the actions or plot, but was a feeling and was a certain spirit of this man. That was my touchstone. That Zoom with maybe 10 to 15 members of his immediate family, that’s the touchstone.

    That’s what I’m going to try to do in addition to all the research and the flight training. So, because of that, it’s not just me and my aspirations to tell a great story that I’m trying to live up to. I have the responsibility of those 10 to 15 individuals with various last names, but all from the lineage of Jesse Brown in my psyche, and in my mind that I’m trying to just get that approval from.

    So, there’s two ways to look at it. Some people can look at that as pressure. I looked at it as support. So, I have all these people helping me push this plane into the sky along with my brother Glen and everyone else.

    Joe Jonas, Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Thomas Sadoski, and the cast of Sony Pictures' 'Devotion.'
    (L to R) Joe Jonas, Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Thomas Sadoski, and the cast of Sony Pictures’ ‘Devotion.’
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