Black and Blue Film Critique

Film Critique/ Analysis #14

Michael Atkinson

Cinema 28

A Brutal Blockbuster

Originally based on a novel by Anna Quindlen, Black and Blue (1999), is a made-for-television drama about the life of Frannie Benedetto. In my recent film explorations, the topic of domestic violence has greatly perturbed me and so I decided to view a film that greatly captures the aspect of it. In this drama, Frannie comes to a boiling point with her husband, Bobby, one night after he truly beats her. It is inferred that she has dealt with small bruises, shoves, insults, taunts, for the past twelve years, but this time when he really hurts her, she decides to make a run for it with her ten year old son, Robert. She doesn't tell her son why they are leaving and why she changed her appearance until they are stuck waiting for a bus on their way to Florida.

The director of this film, Paul Shapiro, tackles many issues surrounding this topic. He touches on most of the issues, but never takes the time to go in depth with them. But even though it's subtle, the issues are still there such as Bobby's reckless driving to scare Frannie into doing what he wants, the insults about her outfits until she changes her clothes, the outward doting husband in front of family, the stalker personality that develops, and the damaging effects of being a woman on the run. I only wish that some of these themes were brought to light more since by not doing so, we don't have much character development. There is a wonderful opportunity missed for deep characterization as to why each are the way they are. Instead, Bobby comes from a wonderful mother and father who passed away early. But however, Shapiro did brilliantly create a strong main character whose fragility lies right below the surface in that of Frannie, he nailed her personality down.

At times, the story felt very contrived. And it felt very convenient that Frannie's husband was a cop which meant she couldn't go to the authorities for her troubles. But I won't criticize that too much, for I know that those instances are realistic for some. But what really made me annoyed was how wise the ten year old son was but at the same time stupidly innocent. His character was the worst consistent of them all. Robert would constantly calm down his mother when she was upset and in the next scene be starting a fight at school talking about his father. Further, he would be understanding of this situation, offering words of wisdom to his mother and then start complaining about missing his dad so much so that he would call him...thus prompting the inevitable climax.

In all, the film tackled some important issues, and showed what really does happen to brutally beaten housewives. The film even showed the violence realistically and tastefully by inferring to it and showing it where needed. The acting was believable and no one seemed to be wildly overacting, making for a convincing story. But this form of a domestic violence story was one that followed the same conventional plot of many others such as Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) and Break Up (1996).

The Theory of Everything Film Critique

Film Critique/ Analysis #13

Michael Atkinson

Cinema 28

Heartfelt, Brilliant, and Moving

In a true life story, The Theory of Everything (2014), a British film directed by James Marsh, brilliantly captures the true life story of famous theorist Stephen Hawking. Even from the very beginning of this film, we see the signs of Hawking’s uphill battle with a motor neuron disease. From there, the film only progresses into an outstanding and truly moving story of the lengths Jane Wilde, a literature student who falls in love with Hawking, will go for him. They develop a quick romantic relationship and even when she finds out about his disease, she refuses to leave his side and says she will always stay with him. Thus the two marry and even begin a family. But the story doesn’t end there - in fact, it is only beginning. As the years go on, Hawking’s condition worsens and he relies completely on Jane to dress him and even feed him. And the struggles only continue when new loves are thrown into the equation.

One might assume that this film, being primarily about Stephen Hawking, would be loaded down with him complex theories and physics jargon, but that is not the case at all. Marsh makes Hawking’s theories easy to understand by explaining them through dialogue to other characters using simple analogies, and even still those moments are rare. This film focuses more on the domestic aspect of his life and the struggles of trying to be a normal family. 

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones star as Stephen and Jane and I swear, if neither of them win any kind of award for their performances, then I will give up all hope on film. Redmayne’s incredible acting in this film can be likened to Patty Duke’s performance in The Miracle Worker (1962). It was truly as captivating, believable, and realistic, evicting emotions in the viewer that even I was having a hard time controlling. Just down to the way he was able to train his body to tick, slouch, and curve is unbelievably amazing. 

The only gripe I can even find fault with in this film is that it moved rather quickly. And that is understandable in order to condense Stephen Hawking’s entire life into two hours. But in this necessary haste, some scenes would cut away a bit too quickly and wouldn’t stay on that picture just a moment longer. And honestly, this was what made the difference between shedding tears and not. If the camera would have just stayed on a face for just a few frames longer, I would’ve bawled but instead cutting away too quickly silenced those emotions and brought me someplace new where I could hide those feelings again. 

I’m not sure what was the most intriguing and entertaining aspect of this film, perhaps it was the cinematography or the acting or their impossible-to-resist-swooning British accents. But in all, this film was really a treat, making me believe that there is hope in good cinema even for today.