Review #1,035: 'Triple 9' (2016)

Boasting an enormously talented ensemble cast and a multi-layered story of corruption and greed set in the murky criminal world of the Russian mafia in Atlanta, John Hillcoat's Triple 9 has the ambition of Michael Mann's Heat (1995) but neither the scope or the running-time to convincingly pull it off. Telling the tale of a gang of hardened criminals and bent coppers coming together to pull of a heist, and then another, to save the skin of a brutal Russian mafia boss, it is hardly the most original entry into the crime genre, but manages to sneak a pass thanks to some splendid visuals and Hillcoat's signature brutality that gives the film a unique, raw edge.

Two cops - Marcus Belmont (Anthony Mackie) and Franco Rodriguez (Clifton Collins Jr.) - and three criminals - gang leader Michael Atwood (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and brothers Russell (Norman Reedus) and Gabe Welch (Aaron Paul) - come together to rob a bank in order to retrieve a security deposit box containing evidence against the husband of mafia boss Irina (Kate Winslet). After a narrow escape, they are refused payment and are ordered to pull off another job to again retrieve data on Irina's husband. The job is near-impossible, so the gang come up with an idea of triggering a 'triple 9' call, which involves all police responding to an 'officer down' and heading to the location of the incident, therefore diverting all attention away from them. Marcus's new partner Chris Allen (Casey Affleck), a bullheaded new recruit quickly making enemies with the Mexican gangs, is chosen as the ideal candidate.

There's an undeniable star power to Triple 9, and the film struggles to allow them all the chance to shine. Because of the lack of running time required to properly develop the many characters, they are either painted with incredibly broad strokes or so thinly that they are relegated to merely 'tough good guy' or 'tough bad guy'. Weaving in and out of the main set the central story is crack-snorting Detective Jeffrey Allen (Woody Harrelson), the hard-nosed yet likeable sergeant investigating the gang, who also happens to be Chris' uncle. Just in case his questionable drug habit isn't enough, the camera insists on showing us every bead of sweat running down his unwashed brow to reinforce the idea that this really is a tough guy who doesn't play by the rules. Triple 9 is sadly chocked full of tired genre cliches, right down to the tacky dress-sense of Winslet's Russian gangster, all big hair and garish outfits.

Despite the immense talent of its actors, lazy writing and too much time spent watching these characters flexing their muscles at each other means that none really make an impression. Ejiofor certainly tries, but he fails to make us sympathise with his character, who is supposed to be the conflicted emotional core of the film, and Paul repeats his Jesse Pinkman shtick without the benefit of 5 seasons worth of character development. Things lighten up when a few heated exchanges simmer with tension, as Hillcoat makes it clear from the outset that no character is safe. With his best films, The Proposition (2005) and The Road (2009), Hillcoat demonstrated a real talent forging an extremely dark mood, brimming with atmosphere and lurking threat, but here, he manages it only fleetingly, finding little time to do so amidst an overstuffed plot.


Directed by: John Hillcoat
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Clifton Collins Jr., Kate Winslet, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Gal Gadot
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #986: 'Steve Jobs' (2015)

Since his death in 2011, the world - including those who had never heard of the turtle-neck-sporting tech genius and innovator - has come to learn that the great Steve Jobs was in fact a massive dick. Like every great man, the flaws in his personality have been forgiven or excused in favour of a 'tortured genius' label, but this has not stopped various movies and documentaries cropping up to try and paint a true-to-life picture. Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender in the title role, likes to think that his humanity emerged with his advancing years, as he went about literally changing the way we live our lives.

If you're someone who proudly boasts about the lack of a Facebook profile or prefers to stare out of the window during a bus-ride as opposed to staring open-mouthed at your phone, then the tech-worship and subtle hints at the innovations Jobs would go on to create may completely pass you by. I like to think I'm one of those people, but I felt like I may as well be carrying a spear and wearing a bear-skin when the 3G disappeared from my phone the other day. The film's narrative disregards the traditional biopic formula in favour of three 30 minute-plus acts, each set just before the launch of three of Jobs most famous creations - the Apple Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT computer in 1988, and the game-changing iMac in 1998.

Throughout the years, a set of key characters mingle and/or class with Jobs. Headstrong marketing executive Joan Hoffman (Kate Winslet) tries to bring the best out of her boss, but is visibly appalled when he repeatedly denies that he is the father of Lisa (played by Makenzie Moss, Ripley Sobo and Perla Haney-Jardine at various ages), often to her face. Old friend Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) asks him to acknowledge the efforts of the Apple II team during his presentation, much to Jobs' disgust, but fails when Jobs is fired by Apple after the failure of the Macintosh. His boss John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) finds himself blamed for Jobs' sacking in the media when he repeatedly stuck up for him and warned him of the repercussions of failing to lower the Macintosh's price.

Fassbender, although sharing little physical resemblance to the man, is outstanding, playing Jobs with a faint (and ironic) disconnection to the world and little grasp of how he is perceived by others. Aaron Sorkin, who is on script duties, goes overtime with the fast and jargon-heavy talk, and the film is rich with his signature corridor-pacing conversations. The decision to condense his key years into three acts offers a fresh take on the usual incident-by-incident biographies, but it also means that characters are ushered into scenes unnaturally to resolve their personal conflict, with Wozniak especially reduced to a conduit for the audience. Boyle's direction is refreshingly unflashy when compared to the senses-rattling Trance (2013), and instead allows his actors and their quick-fire dialogue to breathe freely. It certainly falls short the other biopic of a technological innovator - The Social Network (2010) - but, despite its flaws, it still manages to find a soul within its obnoxious bully.

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, Katherine Waterston, John Ortiz

Country: USA/UK

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #325: 'Contagion' (2011)

Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) arrives back in America after a trip to Hong Kong displaying symptoms of a serious illness. Her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) rushes her to hospital after she suffers a violent fit, only for her to die there. Puzzled about the virus, doctors quarantine Mitch and alert Dr. Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) of the CDC. Cheever sets about growing the virus to find a potential cure, and sends Dr. Mears (Kate Winslet), an Epidemic Intelligence Officer, to begin the investigation. Internet blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) runs with the virus and apparently cures himself from the disease by taking forsythia, an alternative medicine, and therefore causes a mad panic for the drug. While Dr. Orantes (Marion Cotillard), an epidemiologist, travels to Hong Kong to discover the root of the virus.

Similar to director Steven Soderbergh's film career, Contagion is a mixed bag. The first two thirds of this film are quite exceptional - exciting, intelligent, and often fascinating. Yet it burns itself out towards the end, as the distribution of the vaccine becomes the central focus, and the film loses its edge. But at the same time, the film's dedication to realism is admirable, even though it does affect the films quality. The ultra-talented and multi-Academy Award nominated/winning cast are exceptional, with Jude Law's slimy, dentally-challenged journalist, and Winslet exhausted yet dedicated investigator proving the stand-outs. I usually hate Jude Law, but he is at his best when he plays arseholes - Closer (2004), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), I Heart Huckabees (2004) - and he is at his most despicable here.

Law's character is at the centre of one of the film's themes about mass hysteria and panic, as he uses the power of the Internet to send the country into a spiral of looting and violence. It's an interesting commentary on how small the world has become with the introduction of blogging and social networking, and how this can be abused for personal gain. Krumwiede has no scientific fact or support behind him, just a webcam and a computer, and the results are quite terrifying.

Soderbergh wanted to make this as realistic as possible, and Contagion received praise from scientific institutions for its accuracy. Similar to his excellent 2000 film Traffic, Soderbergh explores the subject from the ground floor upwards. From Damon's struggling father trying desperately to shield his daughter from the virus, way up to Fishburne's CDC agent fighting against it on a global level. Watching it unfold, and seeing the political and social implications that stems from it is quite fascinating. But when that final third arrives, story threads become stale, and Soderbergh seems to lose interest in certain characters (Cotillard suffers the most), and the film fizzles out. Disappointing, but the film's thrilling beginning and middle certainly make the film worth a watch.


Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow
Country: USA/United Arab Emirates

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie