Tag: CareyMulligan

The Ballad Of Wallis Island

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Based on the short film The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, this feature length version follows Charles Heath (Tim Key), a two time lottery winner who lives on a mostly remote island. He hires former duo and lovers Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) to perform for him at his house.

This is the perfect example that a film can just be. There are no special effects, no overly complicated storyline. Instead it is almost like a character study of these three individuals and how their lives intertwine during a period of time. For that reason it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it felt like such a breath of fresh air.

Key and Basden starred in the original. While I have not seen it, I thought that they nailed their roles. Key provided the comedic relief though it was clear that under the surface he’s putting up a front. Basden perfectly encapsulated the jaded musician who believes the whole world is out to get him. Although Mulligan wasn’t in the film as much as I would have liked her to be, she lit up the screen when she was there.

Though it is pegged as a romance, I’d say that this is not at the forefront. Basden and Mulligan had an organic chemistry that was obvious from the get go. When they sang you could feel the sparks. But I liked how the film focused more on other themes too. Yes it was funny and quirky, but there was also a combined feeling of loneliness and the desire of acceptance each character shared that I really vibed with.

Overall, The Ballad of Wallis Island is a heartwarming and at times heartbreaking piece of cinema. With brilliant performances by the cast and a stunning island backdrop that made me want to pack my bags immediately, this is one film that should not be slept on.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Maestro

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Director, writer and actor Bradley Cooper’s new venture is Maestro, based on conductor Leonard Bernstein. The story starts in 1946 and follows Bernstein as a young man, when he meets his wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) at a party. We’re then brought into the ups and downs of their twenty five year marriage.

One thing to note before diving in is that it is not your average biopic. Usually the professional and personal life are explored and depicted for the audience to see. This take is different in that it focuses solely on Leonard and Felicia’s relationship. While said relationship was utterly romantic, I would have preferred there to be more of a balance.

Though we didn’t see much of Bernstein’s conductor side, the moments we did see were very well done. Cooper dedicated a lot of time to learning how to do the movements properly so that each scene was as authentic as possible. His hard work paid off as I found myself forgetting I was watching a movie during these sequences.

Where the film excels is in its performances. Cooper was outstanding as our protagonist and at times almost unrecognisable. I know the prosthetics got a lot of backlash in the beginning, but I think it added to making him so realistic. It was Mulligan, however, who stole the show. There was backlash against her casting as since she was not the correct ethnicity. That being said, she completely knocked it out of the park and is very deserving of her award nominations so far.

Unfortunately the rest of Maestro was not that interesting. I found the storyline to be quite drab in parts and not a lot happened. As a result, it was sometimes hard to pay attention and I lost interest somewhere in the middle. I still recommend giving it a go because the performances are incredible, but that was about it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Saltburn

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Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) is struggling to find his place when he starts at Oxford University. Soon he meets Felix, (Jacob Elordi) who with his good looks and wealth is everything that Oliver is not. When the two strike up a friendship, Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer with him at his family’s estate for the summer.

Never have I ever been so engrossed while watching a film, but that is what happened with Saltburn. It took me on a journey from the very beginning and did not let up for one single moment. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the rug was pulled from underneath me. As the story unfolded, the events got crazier and more deranged, but I mean that in the best way possible.

Emerald Fennell is a visionary. I was such a fan of her debut Promising Young Woman; she made it known right off the bat that she wasn’t afraid to push the envelope and I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do next. I just had no idea she was capable of this.

The script is punchy with many jokes thrown in. They all land, thanks to the amazing delivery of the cast. Keoghan has proven time and time again that he is an absolute star. The places he took Oliver to were otherworldly and I have to commend him. I was pleasantly surprised by Elordi as well. Not only did he have the role of heartthrob down pat, he added that extra ounce of humanity to the character that made you give a shit.

The film would be nothing without its supporting cast, all of who knocked it out of the park. Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike and Alison Oliver make up the rest of the Catton clan. Their chemistry is impeccable and they each brought something unique to the table. I loved the addition of Carey Mulligan as the slightly unstable family friend too.

Saltburn is like a rollercoaster you don’t want to get off of. It is insane and didn’t hold anything back, but that is what I loved about it. Not knowing where it was going to go was refreshing and I never wanted the experience to end.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

She Said

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Harvey Weinstein was one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Not only was he head of a major motion picture production house, he could make or break your career without a second thought. That was the case too, especially when the women he worked with did not do what he wanted. She Said, based on the 2019 book of the same name, is about the true events of Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) who broke the story at The New York Times which ultimately started the Me Too movement.

While there were some aspects I knew about this case, there was also a lot that I didn’t know. Starting from the very beginning and breaking down bit by bit the process of how this story was born made it easy to follow and kept me interested. To discover that these assaults started back in the nineties was crazy, especially since it took so long for somebody to come forward about them. As the pieces were uncovered by our fearless journalists, I waited in bated breath for it to all come together. It seemed like they just kept getting worse.

I thought it was such a great idea to get some real life victims to portray themselves. Ashley Judd, Judith Godrèche and Gwyneth Paltrow, to name a few, are some of biggest names in the industry. They all played important roles in breaking the story so having them here, whether it was on screen or off, just added that extra realistic factor. One who was missing was Rose McGowan, who opted for someone else to act on her behalf (Keilly McQuail). It was also very cool having the movie filmed in the actual New York Times building. This was a first for the building.

With brilliant supporting performances from Patricia Clarkson as Rebecca Corbett and Andrew Braugher as Dean Banquet working along side Mulligan and Kazan, She Said is a movie that is not to be missed. It may be niche in that you know what to expect going into it, but that won’t stop you from leaving with a mixture of heartbreak and inspiration. The harrowing stories recounted by brave women are something I won’t be able to get out of my head for a long time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Promising Young Woman

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Promising Young Woman is a film that I have been (impatiently) waiting for for almost a year now. As soon as I heard about it, I knew it was something I was going to enjoy. I guess I just didn’t expect it to have such an impact on me afterwards or for it to have become one of my favorite films of all time! It really was that good and I already can’t wait to watch it all over again.

Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Thomas (Carey Mulligan) is a med school dropout who still lives at home with her parents Stanley (Clancy Brown) and Susan (Jennifer Coolidge) at the age of thirty. She has had the same coffee shop gig for ages where she has a great relationship with her boss Gail (Laverne Cox). On the outside, Cassie seems like a normal girl living a normal life.

But what nobody knows is that she is actually living a double life – at night, Cassie goes out to bars and clubs, pretends to get drunk so that guys will take her home all so she can snap out of it and give them a taste of their own medicine. It’s all part of her revenge tour against those who were responsible for the sexual assault and eventual suicide of her best friend Nina. These men must pay for what they have done and Cassie will stop at nothing until that happens.

At first glance, this movie may seem like a comedy and that is partially true. There are some funny moments and the writing is incredibly witty and sharp. It also seems like there is some romance thrown in complete with a falling in love montage to Paris Hilton’s iconic song Stars Are Blind. Underneath all that, however, is the depiction of a heavy subject.

The cast were absolutely flawless in this. Carey Mulligan should get all the awards for her portrayal as Cassie. I have never seen such a convincing performance before and it blew me away. I liked the other well known faces that popped up throughout including Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Max Greenfield, Bo Burnham, Molly Shannon, Alfred Molina and Chris Lowell.

Promising Young Woman was truly phenomenal. I really do believe this is because of how important the topic is and how instances like this happen all the time. Sexual assault is not okay and it is always overlooked. I loved how Cassie took matters into her own hands. She was determined and really wanted vengeance for what had happened to her friend. She was inspiring and heartbreaking all at the same time.

If you don’t go and watch Promising Young Woman now, you are missing out. This is not a movie to be missed! I know it is one that will stick with me for a long time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥