sueqverett Reviews

The Words (2012)

Interesting and thought provoking but not a classic

[8/10 · 23 September 2012]

This movie gave me a headache, although I mostly enjoyed it at the time. On reflection, however, I didn't understand it all that much. How can that be?

First, it's three stories in one with three flashbacks (a little hard to follow). Second, it's written in the modern genre of letting the audience fill in the blanks. Third, the characters aren't developed to the point that we know or care about them (maybe except for Rory's teary, blood-shot blue eyes).

It begins with a mature man, Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid), before a large audience reading from his latest book titled "The Words."

Flashback to a young Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) receiving an award for writing his successful first novel "The Window Tears." Flashback to a couple of young lovers just out of college, Rory and Dora (Zoe Saldana) moving a mattress on to the floor of their loft where they can live happily after—Rory writing and Dora loving him—except it takes two years to finish his book. The book is good, but not publishable according to those who publish books, partly because he is a new, unknown author.

Rory is forced to get a job with a publisher delivering interoffice mail. He and Dora get married and go on a honeymoon to Paris (just a little trite). While there they visit the former abode of Ernest Hemingway and explore a shop that sells artifacts from the period. Rory finds an old and worn (but interesting) leather briefcase and Dora buys it for him. Later at home, Rory still unable to write discovers an old manuscript hidden behind a flap in the briefcase. This is the catalyst for the rest of the movie.

After the book is published, "an Old Man" (Jeremy Irons) sits next to Rory on a park bench and tells him his story. A flashback within a flashback to after WWII when a young American soldier falls in love with a French girl (Ben Barnes and Nora Arnezeder) in Paris and they eventually marry. Their story is compelling and tragic. Subsequent choices made by the couple individually are regrettable which is also true of the moral choice made by Rory.

Clay Hammond (Quaid) is the puzzle of this movie although there are many clues to his identity. He adds little to the plot especially when a "young, spoiled, impetuous American" girl, Daniella, (Olivia Wilde) is thrown into the mix. Her purpose is one of the "blanks" that are not filled in. Her only importance appears to be when she asks Clay if he wants "fiction or (real) life." I suppose that is about Truth.

If you want to be entertained on a long afternoon in a movie theater, expecting nothing and happy for something that is both interesting and thought provoking, this movie is for you. If not, stick to the classics.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)

Perfect for children, enjoyable and entertaining for adults

[9/10 · 27 August 2012]

Shortly after the beginning of the movie, we are taken to a scene in a doctor's office where Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim Green (Joel Edgerton) are told that even though they have been trying, they might never be able to conceive a child. Fast forward and we see them seated in front of adoption agency officials telling them the story of their son, 10-year-old Timothy (CJ Adams). They are explaining to a younger man and a middle-aged woman "it may be hard to believe....but"—flash back to the story.

Cindy Green is devastated by the news from the doctor. At home she goes into her room and weeps. Jim knocks on the door and together they decide to confront their problem by drinking wine and imagining all the best qualities that their son would surely have. They write down all the things on little pieces of paper and put them in a wooden box. In a terrible rain storm with lots of thunder and lightning, they bury the box in the garden.

The next morning Jim wakes up and instead of Cindy in the bed, he finds dirt. Puzzled, he calls the police because he thinks someone has been in the house while they slept. He refers to the storm the night before, but they tell him there was no storm. It seems it was only at their house. Shortly, they find a small boy covered with dirt in the house playing with some things packed in a box.. Though surprised, they get him scrubbed up and discover he has leaves growing from the bottom of his legs.

Immediately her sister Brenda Best (Rosemarie DeWitt) shows up at the front door with her family. Jim and Cindy hurriedly put socks over his legs and calmly introduce Timothy to everyone. The development of the plot involves all the good qualities that they imagined their son would have—though he is different and even odd. He befriends a girl (Odeya Rush) who is self-conscious because she has a birthmark, he changes Jim's intimidating father (David Morse), he shows his musical talent by beating a rhythm on a coconut shell, and he frequently throws out his arms with his face to the sun. And, always the leaves, both on his legs and on the trees are part of the story.

Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner are flawless as Timothy's playful and protecting parents, but CJ Adams (Timothy) carries the story. The setting is the small town of Stanleyville, somewhere in the Midwest (actually filmed in Albany, Georgia). The main industry is a pencil factory where most of the people work. The movie has a range of emotional issues such as father/son relationships, sibling rivalry (Cindy and her sister Brenda Best—her name is appropriate), bullying, competition, love and sadness. Part of the movie is a fantasy (who "finds" a child from the garden?) and part is reality (infertility, difficult people, work problems, etc.). It is perfect for children and enjoyable and entertaining for adults—maybe not Disney's best, but still worth seeing.