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Saoirse Ronan

TIFF 2017 – Day #2

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Hello Everyone.

Today was my 2nd day of screenings for the festival, and the first film I saw was ON CHESIL BEACH, directed by Dominic Cooke – based on the novel by Ian McEwan (McEwan wrote the screenplay too and was part of the Q&A).  This very British film has an incredible central performance by Saoirse Ronan.  Set mostly in the 1960s, the film is about two newlyweds who are having trouble consummating their relationship while on their beachside honeymoon. A series of flashbacks help us understand their backstories and courtship, and the story is beautifully told.  The film might be described as a bit staid by some, but I think it’s quite eloquent…though it could use one more cut.  There are a couple scenes that are absolutely brilliant, and I think this film will eventually find distribution.

GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT AND BAMI was the second film I saw today.  Directed by Sophie Fiennes, this documentary was funded by folks in Ireland and the UK.  Though Ms. Jones is an exceptional and striking performance artist, this film is entirely too long given the footage on display.  It makes sense that the director attempted to make an unconventional doc given her subject, but the grainy (VHS-looking) quality of the footage does a disservice to the material – especially the concert footage.  There are a lot of gems in this film, but an hour-long version would be much stronger.  (And I’d still love to see a documentary that contextualizes Ms. Jones and her artistic process in the fabric of the music scene.)

LADY BIRD, Greta Gerwig’s feature-length directorial debut, was the winner for today.  Saoirse Ronan stars as a high school senior living in Sacramento, California who really wants to get out of town, and her parents are expertly played by Laurie Metcalf and Tracy Letts.   This quirky comedy seems to have flavors of so many people with whom Gerwig has worked.  It’s a little bit Baumbach, a little bit Stillman…but still a whole lot of Gerwig. This film is a treat.  (Timothee Chalamet also has a small part in this film.  This officially makes Saoirse and Timothee two of the “It” gang for the season.  Both have incredible ranges and are a joy to watch on screen.)  During the Q&A (check out the photo I took below), Gerwig said that the film is about realizing how much you love something as you’re preparing to leave.  When she came to the stage to a standing ovation, she was in tears.  This personal film is certainly worth celebrating, and it’s clear that the film is coming from someone with a sincere, lovely attachment to the material.

During the Q&A, Gerwig also noted that the casting of Saoirse Ronan was born at TIFF in 2015.  The two both had films at the festival that year (BROOKLYN and MAGGIE’S PLAN) – and that’s when they met and read the script together in Ronan’s hotel room (Ronan read the lead and Gerwig read all the other parts).  Gerwig knew that Ronan was perfect for the role, and she pushed back production by 6 months to make certain it would work for everyone’s schedule.

I capped off the night at a fun party hosted by IFC with a couple friends who I met in Dayton over the years.  My friend Glenn works at Dolby and was a guest of the Dayton LGBT Film Festival several years ago (we’ll see several films together over the next few days), and Charlie is a publicist (representing a great roster of films this year) who regularly visits Dayton with his partner who grew up in Miamisburg.  It’s been great catching up with both of them.

Thanks for reading!

Jonathan

TIFF 2015 – Day #4

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brooklynHi Again!

My first film today was TRUMBO, directed by Jay Roach.  For the first few minutes, I had to get over its visual style.  It seemed a little cartoony, and the cinematography seemed more like television than film…but then it took its hold on me with a sharp screenplay and terrific performances.  This is the story of Dalton Trumbo, one of the “Hollywood 10” who was Blacklisted during America’s fear of people affiliated with the Communist Party. The script is terrific, and the story is playful but serious – and Brian Cranston is wonderful in his Big performance (during the Q&A, the director noted that “Trumbo didn’t just talk, he performed.”).  This is a film that had the packed house bursting into applause during certain key moments, and I think it’s a film that would certainly go over well with NEON audiences.  We’ll see what the distributor has in mind (not to mention the crowded marketplace this fall)! (NEON favorite Helen Mirren plays Hedda Hopper – and she chews up the scenery with her wickedly upsetting material.  One other supporting role that stood out was John Goodman’s.  You’ll love him.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2AaNh4FSig

DISORDER, directed by Alice Winocour, was the next film of the day.  Starring Matthias Schoenaerts (a regular face at THE NEON – RUST AND BONE, THE DROP, and FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD…and possibly THE DANISH GIRL this Fall), this is the story of a man with PTSD who is hired to work security for a wealthy family while the husband is away on business.  This psychologic turned invasion thriller is marked with great performances, edge of your seat tension and incredible sound design.

Up next was MAGGIE’S PLAN, directed by Rebecca Miller.  This seemed like new territory for a Rebecca Miller film to me.  It might be in large part to Greta Gerwig’s presence, but it felt more like a Noah Baumbach/Woody Allen comedy.  That said, this love triangle comedy starring Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore certainly has some wonderful moments (and Julianne Moore steals every scene she’s in as a Danish professor).  The story is about a single woman (Gerwig) who is determined to have a baby and finds herself in a relationship with a married professor.

Maggie's Plan

Lastly, I saw my favorite film of the festival so far – BROOKLYN, directed by John Crowley.  In this lovely 1950’s period film, Saoirse Ronan plays a girls who moves from Ireland to Brooklyn in order to have a better life.  We witness a wonderful transformation from reserved wallflower to a more confident, stunning woman.  With a screenplay by Nick Hornby, this film works on all levels.  The screenplay is great, the performances are wonderful, and the cinematography will make you swoon.  Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson (seen earlier this year in EX MACHINA),  Emory Cohen (who you might recognize from THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES) and director John Crowley were in attendance for an insightful Q&A.

After all my screenings, I met different people at a couple different locations for cocktails.  It was a nice mix of business & pleasure to cap off the day.

More tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!

Jonathan