It’s official. Brooklyn playwright Beau Willimon, one of the finest contemporary voices of his generation who took top honors at the 2005 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest of new works for his incredibly engrossing political drama “Farragut North,” will likely become the nationally recognized festival’s first champion to receive an Academy Award nomination.

“Farragut North,” which premiered off-Broadway in 2008 and takes its name from a Washington D.C. subway station near lobbyist-friendly K Street, has been excellently adapted by Willimon, George Clooney and Grant Heslov as “The Ides of March,” a powerful, intimate, fast-paced look at the schemes and pitfalls of a heated Democratic presidential primary in must-win Ohio. Sleekly directed by Clooney and primarily shot on location in Cincinnati, “The Ides of March,” a surefire Oscar contender for Best Picture and Best Director, centers on hotshot press secretary Stephen Meyers (a terrifically cool, suave and cunning Ryan Gosling) whose world is turned upside down when he begins to question his staunch allegiance to liberal Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris (a charismatic, dynamically assertive Clooney). Especially attractive to younger voters, Morris, firmly against the death penalty and America’s dependence on foreign oil, appears to be an ideal, formidable Obama-esque candidate, but Stephen stumbles upon an intriguing indiscretion that places his savior in an extremely damaging light. As betrayal and blackmail surface with impactful twists and turns, Stephen’s compelling tug-of-war with Morris, his fellow staffers, his chief adversary and an inquisitive journalist becomes a gripping thrill ride of secrets and lies. The story doesn’t break new ground, but still addresses its core themes of hubris and loyalty with thought-provoking insight.

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With keen attention to detail, Clooney, spearheading his best cinematic outing since 2008’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” expertly showcases the grueling yet flavorful pulse of the campaign trail from the hustle and bustle of headquarters to private conversations spoken in the shadows. He also crafts top notch performances from one of the strongest ensembles you’ll find on screen this year. Gosling, a recent knockout in the fantastic indie “Drive” and underrated “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” conveys an appealing inner fire throughout as well as an engaging sensitivity in his magnetic scenes with the luminous Evan Rachel Wood as Molly, a dutiful intern. The always commanding and entertaining Philip Seymour Hoffman, expressing a hint of campaign fatigue in his eyes, is superbly disconcerted as Paul Zara, Morris’ campaign manager whose particularly testy confrontation with Stephen set against the backdrop of the American flag is nothing short of fantastic. Paul Giamatti, in one of his juiciest roles, is splendidly shrewd as rival campaign manager Tom Duffy. Marisa Tomei brings great color and personality to her portrayal of Ida, a skeptical New York Times reporter. Tony Award winner Jeffrey Wright (“Angels in America”) shines in his brief role as an opportunistic senator. The Oscar race for Best Supporting Actor is bound to include Clooney, Giamatti or Hoffman.

Willimon, who assisted Howard Dean during his 2004 presidential campaign, certainly could have adapted the screenplay on his own, which would have provided a more accurate reflection of the conceptual strengths within “Farragut North,” specifically the testosterone-fueled dialogue’s rapid fire zing that feels slightly less vigorous and snappy on screen. Even so, in expanding Willimon’s original framework, Clooney and Heslov’s contributions do not diminish its potency or relevance. In addition to inevitably and astutely reshaping Morris as a major character (he is unseen in “Farragut North”), an emotionally charged subplot involving Molly and a striking new ending that heightens Stephen’s clout and fortitude are very effective. Side comments about an unenthusiastic field of Republican candidates and Democrats proclaiming themselves as underdogs also help the film remain topical while remaining neutral on the whole.

“The Ides of March” is a testament to Dayton’s ability to be a viable launching pad for emerging artists across the country. The Dayton Playhouse recognized, encouraged and rewarded Willimon’s immense talent long before Hollywood took notice. In January, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will surely follow suit.

 

The Ides of March

Rated: R

Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Screenings: Rave Motion Pictures The Greene 14, Rave Motion Pictures Huber Heights 16, Rave Motion Pictures Dayton South 16, Regal Hollywood 20 at Fairfield Commons

“It was pure driving, pure racing, there wasn’t any politics, no money involved either. It was real racing”. These introductory words spoken by Brazilian Formula 1 race car driver,

Ayrton Senna’s sets an apt tone for a story of an athlete whose spirit remained pure in the midst of an increasingly commercialized and impure sport.

The documentary, Senna opens with Ayrton Senna as a rookie driver at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1984. Shuttling his way from 13th to 2nd place, bested only by his eventual arch rival, French driver, Alain Prost on the account of a technicality, Senna makes it clear that he will become a force to be reckoned with at an alarming rate.

Senna’s story is told through a series of confessionals by his friends, family, and former colleagues. The film refreshingly, (and contrary to an earlier cut of the film) avoids resorting to a series of talking heads, instead maintaining a captivatingly cinematic feel with the use of exhilarating archival footage of Senna’s races complemented with narration. Plenty of the footage, especially the first person recordings taking place inside of Senna’s car have been previously unreleased. There isn’t a single race depicted in the film that doesn’t induce the nail-biting fear that these racers, Senna included may not cross the finish line unscathed. Feasting on the striking images of Formula 1 cars soaring across the race track in a hail of flurries, no amount of CGI NOS fuel injections will ever equate to the level of intensity felt in these scenes. The film does an expertly restrained job at molding Ayrton Senna into a martyr leading up to his final race at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. Following the untimely death of the Brazilian driver at the age of 34, previously unpracticed safety measures were implemented before all Formula 1 races. As a result, not a single fatality has occurred at a Formula 1 race since.

Widely considered a national hero in his birthplace of Brazil, director Asif Kapadia respectfully acknowledges the iconic display of talent and courage that Ayrton Senna embodied
throughout the duration of his far too abbreviated life and career. In addition to having keenly acute driving skills, Senna also acquired an uncanny ability to persevere in the unlikeliest of
situations. At one point, Senna manages to win a race with a stalling engine. On another occasion he wins a race on water logged tracks while steering a car stuck in 6th gear, earning the moniker ”genius in the rain”. Even as Senna’s career catches steam, Kapadia is conscious to resist bombast and maintains a quaint mood to the narrative of the documentary.

Ayrton Senna is as an eloquently well spoken man, concerned more with the well being of his home country, Brazil, than the spoils of fame. Even at his most philosophical, Senna never exudes a sense of self indulgence that would often result from the astonishing number of accolades he garnered throughout his short lived career. Marked by his words, “I’m as scared as anyone of getting hurt”, his humble yet truthful demeanor makes his final moments all the more tragic. The documentary is culminated in a scene of his funeral proceedings that’s as heart wrenching as any piece of fictional cinema that’s been depicted this year.

In hindsight, much of the film carries a sense of foreboding tragedy. Early on, Senna makes a New Year’s Eve themed appearance on a personal favorite 80’s relic of mine, Xuxa in 1989. She eerily gives him a New Year’s kiss for each year leading up to 1993, which happened to be the final New Year’s he would experience before his death. Other red flags such as fellow driver, Roland Ratzenberger being killed in San Marino during the race the day before Senna’s fatal accident stacks the deck of dread that permeates the third act of the documentary. Wisely, the film doesn’t revel in the potential horror of the situation and presents the unfolding of events as evenly as possible.

Senna succeeds at depicting Ayrton’s talent and a specific time in the media notoriety of Formula 1 racing however, it paints noticeably broad strokes concerning the politically questionable nature of Formula 1 Corporation. His personal relationships with his family and significant others are also devoted fleeting attention at best. What the documentary lacks in gravitas, it makes up for in the visceral portrayal of racing. Each high octane scene of racing is accompanied by a hauntingly kinetic score that never overwhelms or manipulates the narrative.

As satisfying as Senna is, don’t expect a sports documentary that’s nearly as dense or comprehensive as Hoop Dreams. However, on its own terms, Senna is by no means a puff piece and serves to be an exhilarating documentary about an athlete who’s far past receiving his due respect among mainstream audiences.

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Saturday, September 24th, the second day of the Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival, was a day full of firsts for me. I had never been to The Neon before, Dayton’s independent movie theater, nor had I been to an LGBT Film Fest. When approaching The Neon (which is literally a neon building!), I had no idea what to expect, but with a welcoming staff and buzzing atmosphere, I was immediately at ease.

Jonathan McNeal, manager of The Neon and founder of the LGBT Film Fest, was kind enough to take a few minutes out of his hectic schedule to share some insight about his experiences with me. He says, “Introducing the community to fresh and new great material and giving people an opportunity to speak with artists about their craft” is his favorite aspect of the festival. “The festival provides the community with stories and films that aren’t often available from or embraced by the mainstream media and entertainment venues.”

With two sell-outs over the weekend and sizeable audiences otherwise, McNeal and The Neon certainly know how to put on a show. In addition to viewing some incredible independent films, viewers had a chance to win prizes at the beginning of every showing simply by having their ticket with them. Audience members were not only Dayton locals; viewers also had the pleasure of partaking in a Q&A session with directors and actors of the films after two of the showings I attended.

The first viewing I attended, “Top Drawer Shorts”, was a series of six short films: The Queen, The Not So Subtle Subtext, Lust Life, Change, Revolution and I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone. In his quick introduction before the films, McNeal mentioned that dozens of short films from around the world were considered, but these six were chosen. For me, it was difficult to choose a favorite because the majority of the shorts were all significant and meaningful films that addressed issues of gays, lesbians, minorities and being a young person growing up in America. These issues are important to people of all ages and these movies knew how to speak to people of any orientation.

The Queen, a seven minute American film was a hilarious spin on the beloved 80’s teen flicks such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, or Pretty in Pink. It’s the night before prom and a lonely teenaged boy is stuck working in his family’s dry cleaning shop. A couple, who are fellow students of his, need their tux and pink prom dress dry cleaned at the last minute. The boy takes it upon himself to see that their clothes are ready for the next day, but not before he wears the dress himself and slow dances with the tux, only to be walked in on by his mother. In a funny and awkward story with a “stellar” 80’s soundtrack, this short film was entertaining and heartfelt.

Revolution, whose director Abdi Nazemian attended the festival and offered a short Q&A after the film, was an impressive picture about a young Iranian boy adjusting to life in America. With parents who control ever y aspect of his life, the boy finds that he has no choice but to rebel against them and their suffocating rules. Nazemian, a first time director, did an excellent job, but not without difficulties as he explained after the film. He described the challenges of finding Iranian men and young boys who were willing to be involved with a film with a homosexual main character. However, this was crucial because Nazemian wanted to emphasize how difficult it is to lead a life being both culturally different as well as gay. Powerful performances defined this short picture along with smart and humorous dialogue. Unfortunately, as Nazemian said, few independent films are on DVD, so keep an eye out for other showings!

Tomboy, directed by Celine Sciamam, is a French film about a 10-year-old girl named Laure who decides to reinvent herself into a boy when her family moves to a new town. Laure takes on the character and personality of her own invention, Michaël, and in a remarkable performance by Zoé Héran, gives incredible insight into the mind of a transgendered child. Instantly put on the side of the main character, the understanding and empathy for children with these struggles was poignant and heartrending. Laure’s relationship with her parents, her sister, and her new friends all showed different stages of Laure’s mental processes. Laure’s parents, who are clueless about their daughter’s disguise, remain ignorant until the climax of the movie when Laure is forced to reveal herself as a girl. Laure’s younger sister, Jeanne, who does not quite understand her sister’s decisions but remains unwaveringly loyal to her throughout, is the only character who knows the truth the whole time. Laure’s new friends (and girlfriend) remain in the dark until Laure is forced to come forward by her mother. Watching an innocent child struggle internally and externally with their identity and thrive as a boy and be miserable as a girl sheds light on the reality of the situations that happen every day. After asking a few members of the audience what their reaction was to the film, Kevin O’Donnell, 18-year-old first time LGBT Film attendee says he was “impressed by the level of maturity of both sisters, especially them both being so young.” His friend, 17-year-old Madison Koebke agreed that the sisters were amazing and reminded her of her own family. A film that hits close to home with unforgettable performances by actors under the age of 10 made Tomboy the hit of the day for me.

No matter your orientation, age or gender I greatly encourage any and all to attend LGBT events, whether it is a film festival or other sponsored event in the future. The event spoke to the LGBT community, but not exclusively, and the culture and education that you can receive right here in downtown Dayton is priceless (and I only went to day two of the three day long festival!). Support your city, support your community, and you will take away some wonderful experiences.