The Paper

Excellent journalism films are a rare breed and almost nonexistent in this day and age with the internet/social media trumping the immediate need for newspapers and the likes of the dogged investigative reporters employed by them.  “All the Presidents Men,” “The Insider” and “Zodiac” are signature examples of the genre in that they worked both as cannily structured exposes as well as exciting thrillers in spite of the facts being known beforehand.  They also made heroes out of reporters which seems so quaint in our current digital age.  But it’s no small feat to create a compelling film that exists mostly within the confines of mundane office buildings and libraries.  When a true story is very much at the forefront of the piece the effects can make for gripping cinema.  I’m happy to report that Todd McCarthy’s (“The Visitor”) terrifically nuanced and impressively understated “Spotlight” is such a piece.

The film is set in 2001 just as The Boston Globe is receiving a new editor in chief, Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”) from Miami, to find ways to gain back and hopefully increase the progressively less than interested local subscriber base.  Marty recruits The Spotlight investigative team lead by player-coach Robbie Robinson (Michael Keaton) to probe details concerning a sex scandal within the confines of the Catholic Church that came and went with little to no fanfare.  Robinson and his team, which includes the likes of Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo “Foxcatcher”), Sacha Pfieffer (Rachel McAdams, “Aloha”) and Matt Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James, “Smash”), start digging around in old case files to discover piece by piece that a number of child molestations by priests have been hiding in plain sight for years.  Robinson, who was initially skeptical of finding much of anything substantial now finds his team has to probe further with the investigations that uncover The Catholic Church’s attempts to conceal the ever evolving larger scandal involving numerous victims (potentially up to 90 in Boston alone).  The movie fascinates with just how each reporter is personally affected by their unrelenting pursuit of getting the story to the public in spite of encountering various public officials attempting to shut down their efforts.

With incredibly intriguing fact based material at his disposal Boston native McCarthy (along with co-screenwriter Josh Singer, “The Fifth Estate”) shrewdly crafts a procedural that hums along like a thriller.  The importance of finding the truth with one piece of evidence at a time and how various public officials are conditioned to react against the community being informed of it is what raises the stakes from the outset.  And the screenplay here is taut enough to hook the viewer without the likes of any flashy film trickery.  The scenes where the investigators are meeting with the victims in particular are so matter of fact and slow burning that they seem as if they were taken from a documentary.  It also puts a human face on the larger scandal being uncovered and the alarming reactions conveyed by each reporter are never histrionic which aids considerably to “Spotlight’s” lingering impact.  This is also, as I’m sure McCarthy had intended, very much a Boston movie getting the atmosphere just right with the working class milieu contrasting nicely with sinister dealings in the upper echelon of the city where Keaton’s Robinson in particular has some increasingly heated confrontations. 

Speaking of Michael Keaton, it’s great to see him in topical films again revitalized post “Birdman” and providing the stalwart Robinson with a keen intelligence that goes on high alert when faced with threats masked by civility.  Ruffalo brings a jumpy intensity to Rezendes in contrast that reveals the restless spirit of the cause driving the team.  He gets the closest the film comes to an awards bait monologue towards the end but by that point it fits organically within the story and is delivered by this ever magnetic actor with an unassuming poignancy.  But truth be told everyone in this cast delivers.  Outside of the journalists there is deputy manager of the globe Ben Bradlee Jr. (John Slattery, “Mad Men”), victims’ attorney Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci, “The Imposters”) and slick and serpentine opposing attorney Eric Macleish (Billy Crudup, “Almost Famous”) who all find ways to create vivid moments that illuminate the unfolding story rather than detract from it.  If I was pressed to pick my favorite though I would have to go with the cool and calculating Schreiber, long regarded as one of the best American stage actors, who doesn’t get film parts this good often enough.  He brings a quiet integrity to the proceedings that never attempts to garner attention unto itself but is integral to Baron whose sole reason for being is assembling facts and telling people the truth (no matter the personal cost). 

The last scenes in “Spotlight” are sublime and in a way a celebration of the time when journalists could still be seen as heroes.  The story has now broken to the public and the scrappy reporters at the Globe are picking up phone calls left and right of people willing to tell their part of a story that most continue now onto a bigger stage.  And here’s to a film that’s brave enough to show us what these reporters did to get the public their story first.

                           

The Bond Ultimatum

It seems not that long ago Daniel Craig first took over the mantle of playing 007 in Martin Campbell’s 2006 film adventure “Casino Royale.”  Before that film came out the blond haired, flinty and stone faced British theatre regular best known for his character work in art-house films seemed like such a left field and unlikely choice.  While Craig was certainly a proper actor, along the lines of then rumored favorite Clive Owen, one could argue he didn’t have the matinee idol looks, style or charm needed for the likes of a Bond.  But within a few minutes of watching a sinewy and spry Craig tussle violently with an enemy agent in a brutal, stripped down black and white opening fight sequence in “Casino” it became very clear he was already on the way to redefining Ian Fleming’s suave super spy for a new generation.

Craig’s Bond debuted a more rugged, fallible and dare I say human James Bond.  He was muscular and dangerous and seemingly less refined than those that came before.  More importantly, his Bond made mistakes, got hurt, and was even capable of falling in love.  He was more flesh and blood man than romantic cold war concept and became the ideal post 9/11 007 we deserved.  Craig’s fresh take on the character along with a smart origin story and worthy love interest in Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd helped “Casino Royale” become what is now arguably the best Bond film ever made.  Needless to say expectations for future installments had risen to a whole new exciting level.

Craig’s following outing (and first direct Bond sequel) with “Quantum of Solace” lacked the emotional depth and finesse of “Casino”, due possibly to the writers strike at the time.  But then, director Sam Mendes of “American Beauty” fame came along and was clever enough to plumb deeper into Bond’s mythology while also reintroducing him through the lens of an all knowing and consuming digital age.  Judi Dench as M was used as the ultimate Bond girl while Javier Bardem brought a silky menace to nominal baddie Raoul Silva that ended up bagging him SAG and BAFTA acting nods (award worthy acting acclaim is normally unheard of for a Bond film).  Not only that but “Skyfall” ended up becoming the most lucrative Bond film of all time as well.  Expectations were now at an all time high for a worthy followup.

And now Mendes and Craig are back with “Spectre”, which is reportedly the longest and most expensive Bond experience yet.  And while this film does contain inspired moments of action and espionage it will ultimately go down as a disappointment when compared to the other recent Bonds.  It’s merely good but far from great.  Fun but not necessarily memorable.  Better than “Quantum” but certainly no “Skyfall.”

And yet it started off with such promise.  The opening sees Bond making his way through a crowd during a massive Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City that’s absolutely gripping.  But instead of enjoying the parade 007 has work to do and do he does.  He's able to kiss a girl, blow up a building, fly a helicopter and retrieve a cryptic ring within 10 minutes of absurd but beautiful spectacle shot by cinematographer Hoyt Van Hoytema (“Interstellar”).  This initial jam packed action is so stylishly shot, also paying homage to Orson Welles “A Touch of Evil”, that the florid bombast on display becomes the best set piece in the film.  It even recalls a bit of a classic Bond feel from the 60s in terms of tone.  

In wake of the Mexico City mayhem Bond finds himself in hot water over at MI6 and goes rogue (how many times is this now?) when ordered to take a leave of absence from M (Ralph Fiennes).  Following a lead from former M (Judi Dench via email) Bond begins an investigation that takes him to Rome in which he finds himself amidst a supreme criminal organization lead by someone from his past he knows all too well.  Meanwhile back in London, MI6 is now overseen and being hounded by smarmy bureaucrat Agent C (Andrew Scott of BBCs “Sherlock”) to terminate it’s 00 program thus replacing human agents with tech surveillance and drones.

An abundance of globe trotting is on order here with Bond going from Rome to Austria to the Tunisian desert and back to London.  Mendes uses his gift for conjuring bold imagery to maximum effect in a few other standout scenes (a SPECTRE meeting in Rome with silhouettes speaking in the shadows is eerily magnetic and an abrupt fight scene between Bond and behemoth henchman Mr. Hinx is incredibly tense recalling the classic fight between Connery and Robert Shaw in “From Russia with Love”).   

While incorporating some classic elements into the film works to a degree the sillier aspects of the story start to work more against Craig’s grounded take on the character.  Mendes relies more on established formula here than before which gets in the way of what could have been a leaner more emotionally involving Bond film like “Casino”.  By the time James ends up facing off against head of SPECTRE Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) toward films end the movie has devolved into a parody of former Bonds that would be more at home in an Austin Powers flick.  The subplot in which Blofeld’s family took Bond in after his parents died in their climbing accident is even more ludicrous sketching an unlikely connection between our hero and all knowing vengeance seeking villain that’s simply not needed.  Waltz is a terrific actor but he’s ambushed by a cloying role here and fails to seep into the truly unsettling villain he’s meant to be.  Spouting off perfunctory lines like “I’m the author of all your pain” certainly doesn’t help him.  In contrast, Blofeld’s silent but deadly henchman Mr. Hinx played by formidable David Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) is at least a physically imposing presence that adds a welcome steeliness to his scenes.   

Craig instills his ever edgy charisma into 007 yet again and it’s fun to see him play off of the newly established MI6 including Fiennes M, Naomie Harris’s flirty but dutiful Money Penny, and the ever delightful Ben Wishaw as the most nebbishy Q of the series.  Much has been made of sultry Monica Belluci’s “older” Bond girl role, she’s 51 to Craig’s 47, but she leaves the proceedings as quickly as she arrives.  This leaves room for a 30 year old, significantly younger Lea Seydoux’s (“Blue is the Warmest Color”) Dr. Madeline Swann as contact turned romantic interest who knows a thing or two about loving an assassin.  Seydoux is a considerable talent but much like Waltz she's given a thinly sketched role that fails to leave much of an impression.  It’s a shame when you have to go back to Eva Green 10 years ago to find the last complex Bond love interest but alas it’s still the case (which the filmmakers seem to know as well considering we are subtly reminded of Vesper throughout the film.  Subtly as a hammer to the skull.)

All in all there is enough spectacle and money being thrown at the screen to consider “Spectre” as a fun night out but I have grown to crave more nuance when seeing Bond nowadays.  “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” went further beneath the surface and deepened the spectrum.  As a result Craig’s Bond came closer to what Fleming had in mind from the start.  James Bond is dangerous, smart, resourceful and loyal.  In those better films he’s also been human.  Here’s to hoping his next adventure will bring that novel idea right on back.