Rushmore (1998)

" Nah, I didn't get hurt that bad "

When i finished my first viewing of Rushmore, i distinctly remember thinking to myself "hmm not sure i liked that" and this was an opinion i kept for a while. On the face of it Rushmore isn't exactly an inviting film. It's about well off, pretentious people living in a more than comfortable situation and often complaining. It's colour pallete is dull and drab, a tone also reflected in the nature and behavior of many of it's characters. So yeah, you'll be expecting me to say "give it a miss", well i won't. Because like most things in life, first impressions aren't everything.

So after a while had past i sat down again and slowly the genius of Rushmore unravelled. Take my first point, Pretentious characters and lets apply it too our protagonist, Max Fischer. On first glance, he seems to fit the bill. However, he doesn't. His arrogance is a different type to the usual. He doesn't come from wealth. He is seen to lie about his father's profession, who is a barber but everyone max meets he tells is a brain surgeon. He has aspirations of greater things, or at least in his mind what he considers greater things. He is not academically inclined. He is not in the school on academic merit, he wrote a play. He fills his time with extra side projects such as bee keeping and play writing. He almost lucked out on it, he has skill but its not for education. He's socially inept, his misguided wooing attempts at Rosemary Cross and his ignorance of love right before his eyes in the form of Margaret Yang are proof of this. He mistakes high status with worth and that overall is his downfall and flaw in his character. Jason Schwartzman, who would of been 16 at the time of casting plays this complicated character with the precision and professionalism of a acting veteran. Creating a character who you can't help but root for. He's an underdog, a disillusioned lost soul in many ways, looking for a place to be.

Lets take Herman Blume. In many ways Blume is max 30 or so years on. This is why they form a friendship and at the same time, rivalry. This is why they fall for the same girl in rosemary cross. From blumes opening speech you know he is a man who found his wealth and status from graft and hard work. He built an empire while his personal life fell to the ground. He staked his self worth in his empire but has right too, because he made something of himself. In many ways, max has too. He has found creativity , his way of excelling, sadly he's boosting about it in a world where it holds no currency. Bill Murray's performance in this film is something to behold and started his career change in terms of the type of characters he would go on to play in films like Broken Flowers or Lost in Translation which i now can't watch without thinking they in some ways extensions of Herman Blume.

I will finish by going on the lighter side, from this review you may get the impression this movie is all doom and gloom. It's not, like such brilliant works as The Office by Ricky Gervais, what Wes knows is their is comedy in tragedy and failure. There's comedy in pain and desperation. We view these characters attempts to get on with their lives with a sympathetic eye. This movie is very funny, if you're in the right mood. However if you don't find it funny, thats fine too, because i think then you will find what it also is, a great drama. It balances sarcasm and subtle comedy, with heartbreaking drama and moments of slapstick brilliance (tree falling or Max's war epic) I urge you to watch this movie, give it a few goes too, as i took me two. However once it sunk in, it stayed. The ending is still something that can make me teary eyed. perfectly summed up his character "I wish that I knew what I know nowwhen I was younger ". However i can't help but think, if he did...would he of been so compelling ?

The Social Network (2010)

" You're not an asshole Mark, you're just trying too hard to be one. "

Being a David Fincher fan for many years i went into The Social Network with high hopes. For my money Fincher is one of the very best directors working today. He makes films that i feel would of been popular in the 60s and 70s. He makes films that are reminiscent of films such as All the Presidents Men or The Graduate. By that i mean most of his movies are about characters , they are about struggle and usually are very dialogue driven. These days if it doesn't have "3D" next do it it makes movie producers sweat buckets. Think of this, in the age of 3D to actually have a movie driven by age old formulas of betrayal, morals and downfall. A movie that has more words than it does actions or shit flying out at you. Thats what Fincher has done and as he also tends to do, he succeeded.

Most of the buzz and publicity around this film beyond its zeitgeist feel, is the script by Aaron Sorkin and with reason. The script pops out at you, its snappy and intelligent. From the opening scene the movie grabs you and keeps you. Granted on a personal level i was in as son as i heard the first few riffs of "Ball and Biscuit" by The White Stripes. The opening scene of the movie sees mark (Jesse Eisenberg) sitting with his Ex Erica (Rooney Mara) in a bar. Mark goes onto offend Erica with his arrogance and insults her name and course of choice, she breaks up with him. He then goes home and rights an insulting blog about her and a harvard version of "Hot or not". Choosing to start the film with this i thought was brilliant, as some of the rest of the film cuts between timelines (most of it is in the form of flashbacks). It perfectly sets up the snappy dialogue that defines the film in many ways.

With all of this snappy brilliant dialogue, i do however feel Fincher's direction gets a little lost and forgotten. In many ways it shows the maturity and good sense of fincher that he allows the script to shine and doesn't get too fancy with the camera. However part of me wanted a little more fincher on this production. The main way i think fincher gets his stamp comes two fold. One, the characters. you can tell if you have seen any of Fincher's previous work why he would of chosen this script, just on characters alone. All of finchers movies are about characters trying to find a place to be, complicated characters. Gretsmith from Zodiac wanted a to help out, he got obsessed with the killer and tried to become a detective. Edward Norton's character in fight club was lost and needed direction and a place to be. Same with Mark, he found his intelligence and his skill with computers and social life and general manners fell to the wayside. Two, colour tones. Dark greens, blues and general gloomy outlook strikes again and beautifully compliments the script , settings and characters.

However in Fincher's direction i do actually find some of my only negative aspects of the film. There is this Boating / Rowing scene that feels so out of place. it feels more like an advert for mens body spray, its rather ridiculous to be honest. Also his choice of music is odd. Its too dramatic. Can be just two people sitting down and suddenly looming, horror like music, it seemed so unneeded. I personally find the script interesting enough not to be minipulated with over the top music cues.

We come to the characters. Let's start with Mark himself. Mark is gifted, he's a genius in his field, he can do stuff others can't. However he can't do what most can, come off as remotely human. He's self obsessed, very driven and arrogant and this basically cancels out in chance or even attempt at real lasting friendships. Jesse Eisenberg plays this very well and i wouldn't be surprised to see an oscar nomination come feb. It isn't my favourite of his performances but its still a great one. Andrew Garfield puts in a brilliant performance of this cool headed, wise, cool, hip and intelligent guy who is marks only friend. He gives too much to someone who doesn't appreciate it. It's easy to say his is my favourite performance is some ways because he played by a mile the most like-able character, but he is my favourite and would love to see him get a supporting oscar nom. Justin Timberlake was great as the founder of napster, a man that was all talk and little success, it least since napster. Rounding out the cast is a very good if not used enough performance by Rooney Mara as mark's ex.

Fincher and Sorkin have crafted something quite special here, yes i didn't like all of his choices and i think in general i liked the movie i little less than expected but its still a great film. Intelligent, cool, alive, and full of great performances.

A-