SHAKEN AND STIRRED // A FILM REVIEW OF "THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME"

BY MATEO MORENO

McKinnon. Kate McKinnon. Though she is technically the supporting character, THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME is unequivocally her film. The insanely talented comedian from SNL has one by one begun building a resume outside of the famous sketch show that catapulted her into stardom and show that she is a force to be reckoned with. The film starts off with a birthday party in Los Angeles mixed with an action sequence shootout in Lithuania. You know, as most films do. Audrey (Mila Kunis) has been dumped and her friends have come together to celebrate her birthday. Her best friend Morgan (Kate McKinnon) is loud and loyal, the kind of friend that movies usually try to tell you are too ridiculous, but we all know we have one of them in our life, and they're amazing. They bond is solid, they'd do anything for each other, and Morgan is determined to make Audrey forget about the jerk who dumped her (Justin Theroux, better known as Drew or to be a bit more clear, the Spy in the title). 

Eventually, Drew shows back up in LA and Audrey and Morgan get mixed up in all of the shenanigans. He entrusts Audrey with a secret, one that she must get to Vienna, and so they go. And I say both of them because there is no way either of them would leave the other alone in this mess. And that's what's refreshingly different about this buddy comedy. There is no oil and vinegar match. They don't hate each other a second in this film. They are best friends and the most reliable person each of them can count on. Not only does that seem obvious, but it's radically rare in a film. And although there is romance sprinkled throughout the film, it's literally and afterthought, as the main show is these two ladies and the fact that they are somewhat bumbling, but they're also pretty good at this.

 Director Susanna Fogel (who co-write the script with David Iserson) directs the film with a snappiness and sharpness that keeps the film zipping along. The action is sometimes brutal (after all, we are in a spy film) and the punchlines are usually wonderfully sharp (one highlight is a fantastic car chase in an Uber that really cements any notion that these two are simply made for each other). There's also some great supporting turns from Hasan Minhaj, Jane Curtain, Paul Reiser, Gillian Anderson, Ivanna Sakhno, and Sam Haeughan (who trades his Outlander Scottish wear for some more form fitting clothes). Yes the film is just a tad too long in the final act, but that hardly matters with Kate McKinnon literally tearing up the screen in every possible frame. Mila Kunis essentially plays it straight, but her great chemistry with McKinnon helps sell the relationship solidly. It's not rewriting the playbook of buddy action films, but it's doing it better than usual. And that's something to celebrate.

MATEO'S GRADE: B

SCREENPLAY BY Susanna Fogel and David Iserson DIRECTED BY Susanna Fogel STARRING Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux, Hasan Minhaj, Jane Curtain, Paul Reiser, Gillian Anderson, Ivanna Sakhno, and Sam Haeughan. Now playing in cinemas everywhere.

TRIBECA FILM FEST 2014: THIRD PERSON

BY LIZ WHITTEMORE

They say, “Write what you know.” As a writer, I always pull from my own experiences first. Then the imagination takes over. Academy Award winning Writer/ Director, Paul Haggis (Crash), lets us into the mind of a fictional, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist in Third Person. Michael (Liam Neeson) has essentially locked himself in a hotel suite in Paris. He is desperate to finish his new book but emotionally is held back by a past (and present) that is haunting him. Enter his young mistress, Anna (Olivia Wilde), to stir up a little fun and whole lot of trouble. They play a cat and mouse game that seemingly suits one another’s age and stage. Then we jump to Rome, where we find corporate conman Sean (Adrian Brody) confronted with a gypsy woman, Monika (Moran Atias), pulling him into what may be a long con of her own. Finally, in New York, we meet Julia (Mila Kunis), a former soap star whose ex-husband, Rick (James Franco), is trying to keep her from having any visitation rights after their son is almost killed in her care. Maria Bello plays Kunis’ lawyer, Theresa.

Each story is intertwined in some way and, much like Crash, as the film progresses, there are hints as to what that might be. A running theme we feel with each character is the connection they have with a child. “Watch Me” can be heard in a child’s whisper several times. The multiple narrative style will keep the audience on their toes for the full 137 minute run of the film. Clever editing adds to the drama at every turn.

Neeson is an authentic force. His quiet moments are some of the most intriguing and his connection to Wilde is charming. Wilde, herself, is breathtaking in the balance of hard and soft. Her vulnerability on screen is a joy to watch. Brody’s struggle to do the right thing is something very apparent and there is a moment in the film when he loses a voicemail that will destroy you. Franco plays a real asshole, for lack of a better word. His loathing for Kunis’ character knows no bounds even if it appears his wanting for their son is purely a spiteful and vengeful act. Kunis could not be better. She is truly heartbreaking on screen and incredibly relatable. The climactic scene between her and Franco will both horrify you and make you applaud for the the trust that these two actors must have in real life in order to deliver such a performance. Cheers to them both.

Third Person is a really touching and complex script. Regret, loss, and love all reign supreme in this story. Haggis has outdone himself, once again, tackling some of the most important things that haunt us all on a daily basis.

VERDICT: MUST SEE

Written/Directed by: Paul Haggis Starring: Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Adrian Brody, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Maria Bello, Kim Bassinger, Moran Atias Runtime: 137mins

BOTTOM LINE: Go for the acting. Go for the writing. Go for the ending. Just go see Third Person. Tell them, “She sent me.”