Charming Performances Carry Lackluster Writing: At The Movies With Kasey
Great actors can sometimes make stale writing still feel exciting, as exemplified in The Gorge and Running Point. Meanwhile, Sara Bareilles’s songwriting elevates an already great film in Waitress: The Musical.
In The Gorge two highly-skilled snipers are hired by a mysterious agent, Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver), to watch over an eerie, foggy gorge. Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) do not know the purpose of their mission, but they are drawn to each other from a distance, learning to play chess, exchange messages, and even have dance parties from their outposts on opposite sides of the gorge, until an accident puts them in harm’s way and leads them to investigate the secrets they are protecting.
The Gorge is a pretty ridiculous movie that skates by on the talent of its leads. The plot, both cliched and thin, hangs together poorly and the creature design makes me wish we never saw more than fog. The chemistry between Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy somehow makes the movie compelling enough to keep watching. The quietness of the first act builds suspense alongside the romantic tension, while also showcasing the acting of Teller and Taylor-Joy in isolation. With lesser actors in their roles, the movie would have fallen flat, just another B sci-fi movie.
This film would make a good compromise if you want to watch an action-horror movie and your partner wants to watch a romance. The performances are strong, and it blends genres well, but otherwise, The Gorge lacks anything new or interesting.
The Gorge was written by Zach Dean and directed by Scott Derrickson. It runs 127 minutes and is rated PG-13. It is streaming on Apple TV+.
Netflix’s new series, Running Point stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, the only daughter in a family who owns an NBA team, the Waves. When her brother, Cam (Justin Theroux), gets into a car accident and lands in rehab, he taps Isla to take over as president of the family business, to the chagrin of her other brothers, Sandy (Drew Tarver) and Ness (Scott MacArthur).
Running Point has a setup reminiscent of Ted Lasso but a tone more in line with Arrested Development. As Isla struggles to run the team, manage her brothers’ issues, and maybe get married, the show is heavy on cheap jokes and light on lessons or character development. Kate Hudson brings her star quality and charisma to a series that feels way beneath her.
Fabrizio Guido creates other memorable moments as Jackie, the Gordons’ surprise half-brother. In the context of so many rich people problems, his wholesome desire for connection and quest to do a good job balances several episodes. Similarly, Max Greenfield’s performance as Isla’s fiance, Lev, adds sweetness. Her brothers represent the kind of inept, gross men who populate so many offices written by Mindy Kaling, but they are not interesting or funny.
Running Point gets stronger as the season progresses, but the journey is uneven as the show’s struggles teeter between the brothers and the more interesting characters. Already renewed for a second season, Running Point is a fun, easy watch, but I hope in the second season it finds a more consistent voice.
Running Point was created by Ike Barinholtz, Mindy Kaling, and Elaine Ko. It runs for 10 half-hour episodes and is rated TV-MA.
If you are still excited about Wicked, then watch the Broadway musical, Waitress, now streaming on Max. Based on the film by the late Adrienne Shelly, the story focuses on a talented baker, Jenna (Sara Bareilles), newly pregnant by her abusive husband, Earl (Joe Tippett) and her dreams of escape. As Jenna stumbles into an affair with her OBGYN, Dr. Pomatter (Drew Gehling), her fellow waitresses, Becky (Charity Dawson) and Dawn (Caitlin Houlahan), find love in their own ways too.
Waitress is one of my favorite movies and so I was eager to see the stage show filmed in a style similar to the production of the Hamilton movie a few years ago. Immediately, I was struck by how poorly balanced the audio is. Aside from the audio issues, the show is a delight. The musical takes Shelly’s beautiful screenplay and adds depth through the songs while staying true to the characters. The dynamic between the trio of Jenna, Becky, and Dawn still gives the story warmth and love so that the romances are secondary to the friendship, but Christopher Fitzgerald’s Ogie brings the production so much lighthearted goodness to balance the poignant performance of Sara Bareilles as Jenna. It was also fun to see how the sets, costumes, and imaginary pies were adapted for the stage.
The beauty of Waitress is how timeless the problems and characters feel. Although Jenna’s voice has a snarky bite to it, so much sweetness lies just under the story’s sadness. Waitress: The Musical respects the characters and their voices through catchy and moving songs. I am excited that I finally got to see it.
Waitress: The Musical was directed by Diane Paulus and Brett Sulivan. It runs 144 minutes.
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