Brutal Walk carries powerful, timely message
That I was so affected speaks to the effectiveness of this Stephen King adaptation. Though distasteful in nature there’s no denying this is an emotionally engaging exercise, one which we become emotionally invested in from the start, its characters relatable and sympathetic, the young actors portraying them with a raw poignancy that’s effective.
Little backstory is given regarding how the world has come to the dystopian state that exists in the film. A massive war is mentioned and while no specifics are given, it seems as though the country stopped developing in the 1960s. The economic state of the nation is dire, so much so that young men volunteer to participate in a state-run contest known as “The Long Walk.” The rules are simple. One entrant is chosen from each of the 50 states; they are taken to a remote part of the country where each is required to keep a three mile per hour pace as they walk the rural roads. If they stop for more than 10 seconds a warning is given. After three warnings, a bullet is put in the stalled participant’s head. The last man walking is granted whatever they wish.
Lawrence pulls no punches, as the brutal nature of this contest is portrayed in the most graphic manner. As the story progresses, the bodies pile up, viscera splattered on the pavement again and again. This is not for the squeamish.
That each death has an impact is a tribute to JT Mollner’s adaptation of King’s novel and the acting from the young cast. Each of the principals is given a distinctive backstory, casting them in a sympathetic light. All have been repressed by the totalitarian regime that’s taken control, each looking for a way out of an impossible situation.
If there is a ray of hope, it’s the camaraderie that forms between the entrants. No one overtly roots against the other, aid is given freely among them when any falter, sadness is felt when any of them fall. Their common plight is what binds them, each aware they are not one another’s enemy.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better ensemble than what’s present here. Each of the actors shine when the spotlight is upon them, a sense of quiet desperation and poignancy at the basis of each performance. Among the standouts are Cooper Hoffman as Garraty, hopeful his efforts will provide a better life for him and his mother (Judy Greer), David Jonsson as McVries, a young man whose encouragement repeatedly bolsters the group, Charlie Plummer as Barkovitch, who lets his anger get the better of him, Ben Wang as Olson, who sports an odd sense of optimism and Tut Nyuoti as Baker, who surprises even himself with his determination. Mark Hamill is also on board as The Major, the sadistic military officer who goads these young men along.
There are no happy endings to be had. This is a bleak exercise yet somehow Lawrence doesn’t wallow in the story’s excessive nature. His purpose is to hold a mirror up to the audience, in order to reflect upon the kind of nation we’ve become. To be sure, The Long Walk is an extreme vision yet it is accurate in the way it captures the callous nature that’s so pervasive in our society. What with political violence on the rise, government officials considering creating a game show in which immigrants vie for citizenship and hate being the most valuable currency, we’ve lost to collective ability to unite and care for one another. The participants in the long walk manage to do just that; it’s the government that seeks to quash it. I can think of no more accurate metaphor for our current plight. In Theaters.
Charm runs short in Baltimorons
Sporting fine performances, Jay Duplass’ The Baltimorons tries to get by on its charm which is, regrettably, limited. While the incidents that make up the story are, at times, inspired, the film is ultimately brought low by the most basic mistake where this genre is concerned – there’s simply no way these two lonely hearts would ever end up together, try as Duplass might to convince us otherwise.
As Cliff and Didi, Michael Strassner and Liz Larsen are convincing, each focusing on the loneliness of their respective characters. A recovering alcoholic, Cliff is a guy who has the best of intentions but lacks the focus to be the guy his girlfriend Brittany (Olicia Luccardi) deserves. She’s stood by him after a botched suicide attempt and while he got himself clean, yet he still lacks purpose and direction, qualities she longs to provide.
No, he’s much more concerned with being reinstated to The Baltimorons, an improv group he was ousted from after going on stage drunk. Having alienated nearly everyone from the group, this is a longshot at best.
Didi’s loneliness is of a different sort. Though she’s been divorced for quite some time, the news that her ex has remarried, which she finds out after taking a call during Cliff’s treatment, hits her hard. Invited to an impromptu reception for the couple by her daughter, Didi is at a loss as to how to handle this news.
Finding out after the appointment that his car has been towed, Cliff accepts a ride from Didi to the tow yard to retrieve it. Of course, this is easier said than done and before you know it, the pair embark on an “After Hours”-like odyssey that takes them to a bar, a pop-up comedy club and the above-mentioned wedding reception, among other places.
All of this progresses organically, one stop logically leading to the next. Along the way we get to know Cliff and Didi and it’s to the two leads’ credit that they don’t overplay them, which would have been easy to do on Strassner’s part. The performances are restrained if, at times, the characters’ actions aren’t, helping ground the film.
Yet, all of this can’t overcome the mismatched nature of this couple. After their series of misadventures, what we’ve come to expect happens does. It’s a bit hard to swallow this professional woman having any interest in this sad sack. Yes, he is kind and considerate, yet that’s hardly enough justification to convince us she’d take a chance on him. After meeting her ex, it’s obvious Didi lacks sound judgement where choosing a partner is concerned, but to think she’d take a chance on this man-child that’s crossed her path is too much.
There are those who won’t object to this turn of events, and more power to them. But for me, ultimately The Baltimorons simply doesn’t stick the landing. Though Didi learns, after a brief turn on an improv stage, that she needs to pivot when the unexpected occurs, her taking a chance on Cliff is a misuse of her newfound awareness. In Theaters.
Rites a bit long in the tooth
Since their arrival with the 2013 horror hit The Conjuring, I’ve looked forward to the periodically checking in with Ed and Lorraine Warren. Portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, I’ve come to regard them as the Nick and Nora Charles of our generation. Instead of solving murders in tony, high-class locales, they get to the bottom of supernatural doings among the working class. Same premise, different tone, but as in the various “Thin Man” sequels we see the characters age, the changes in their lives affecting how they go about their business. This approach helps make the Warrens and their misadventures seem even more relatable; somehow it feels good to realize they’re slowing down just as you are.
The latest and supposed last entry in the Conjuring series, Last Rites, is tinged with nostalgia on multiple fronts. Not only does the viewer experience this in returning to this franchise but the characters do as well, events from their past coming back to haunt them. Yes, that goes with the paranormal territory they frequent, but it has a profound, personal impact on them this time around.
“Rites” begins in 1964 with the Warrens investigating a case of demonic possession. Lorraine is pregnant and upon setting eyes on the entity in question, she goes into labor. The demon follows the couple to the hospital in the hopes of claiming the child but his efforts are thwarted … or so they think.
A leap forward to 1986 finds us in the Pittston, Pennsylvania home of the Smurl family, a clan of eight who are being terrorized by supernatural forces. As this is occurring, the Warrens’ daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson) begins to suffer debilitating visions of horrific events. Having not witnessed them first-hand, she and her parents are at a loss as to why they are happening or what they mean. How this ties in with the trials the Smurls are enduring, I’ll leave for you to discover.
To Warner Brothers’ credit, they’ve continued to maintain a high-level of production value throughout the series and Rites is no exception. The sets are elaborate and detailed, the creep factor heightened throughout. As with producer James Wan’s other horror franchise Insidious, there’s a distinctive style to the “Conjuring” films that remains consistently effective and, in some ways, welcomed by fans of the genre. No corners are cut in rendering them, providing a foundation of realism that exacerbates the horror that occurs within them.
The performances by all are convincing as well, Wilson and Farmiga effortlessly interacting as an old married couple, bringing a conviction to the film’s more horrific moments that’s always been the key ingredient in making us believe in all that is going on. Tomlinson, a relative newcomer, keeps pace with them and were Warners to make a spin-off series focused on Judy, they’ve found a capable actress to anchor it.
Ultimately, the script by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ends up being a millstone around the film’s neck. Clocking in at over two hours, the movie is filled with redundant incidents, preventing any momentum to build. Multiple scenes of the Smurls being put through the wringer and Judy being subjected to traumatizing dreams leads to a sense of impatience rather than terror. The structure of these films is well-established, and director Michael Chaves would have done well to get to the third-act payoff much quicker.
As a result, Rites overstays its welcome. Be that as it may, the Warrens still prove to be pleasant hosts, ones I’ll miss when it comes to discovering all those things that go bump in the night. In Theaters.
