Fair Game: A Compelling Family Drama With Just The Right Amount Of Government Conspiracy

Based on the true story of outed CIA spy Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband Joe Wilson, Fair Game tells the story that Plame herself wrote in her book “Fair Game: How a Top CIA Agent Was Betrayed by Her Own Government.” Here’s the breakdown:

After the events of September 11, 2001, tensions were high and concern over Iraq’s nuclear armaments became top priority. Enter Valerie Plame Wilson (Naomi Watts), a successful CIA operative who is thrust in the middle of the infamous hunt for “weapons of mass destruction” along with her ex-ambassador husband, Joe Wilson (Sean Penn). What follows is a litany of lies and backstabbing, a government struggling to save face and a family struggling for the truth.

The Monkey: Naomi Watts and Sean Penn were amazing. Their chemistry was magnetic and they acted as if they were destined to be an onscreen pair. Watts was completely believable as a loyal member of the CIA, who struggles with betrayal and family obligation. And Penn blew me away as a father caught between his family and his conscience. Due to the movie’s low profile, I doubt Fair Game will see much Oscar love, but I think that’s a shame – these two actors deserve some recognition for these roles.

At its heart, Fair Game isn’t about conspiracies or shady governments (although those definitely exist); it’s about family, and the lengths one will go to protect their family. It’s about loyalty and betrayal, sacrifice and justice. The script captured the battle the Wilson family had to endure – do you fight for what you know to be true, or do you hunker down and weather the storm, stay out of the spotlight? Both choices hardly seem like choices, and each come with their own unique set of hardships. Fair Game paints this picture, peeling back the layers of news coverage and hype and examines the intimate struggle this family had to undertake. It’s a beautiful testament to the power of family and the strength of marriage.

Doug Liman’s direction added the necessary tension and drama needed to keep the movie from becoming slow and plodding. His trade-mark “jerky camera” style worked well for many of the manic scenes of frustration and confusion. His depiction of Bagdad during the U.S. invasion was particularly jarring and well shot.

The Weasel: The beginning of the film, while necessary to set-up the rest of the drama, was a bit disjointed. In fact, it wasn’t until about half-way through the movie that Fair Game finally came into its own and found its rhythm. Was it a spy drama? A conspiracy movie? An intellectual action flick? Well, it ended up being more a family drama, but that was pretty unclear based on the first 40 minutes or so.

The movie also covers several years – this timeline is explained via date stamps, but it’s often too fast, and so little has changed that the progression of time is lost on the audience. All the action could have happened within the span of a few months for all we can tell.

A talented director, with a talented cast, Fair Game was a wonderfully told story of family and the universal struggle between right and wrong. Add a compelling government conspiracy plot thread and you have a first-rate thriller/drama on your hands.

4 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? How does Fair Game measure up to Valerie Plame Wilson’s book? Did you find the family drama or the government conspiracy story more compelling? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Megamind: Mega Action With A Surprising Amount Of Thought

Megamind is the latest Dreamworks animated film, complete with the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross and Brad Pitt. And just like How to Train Your Dragon, this family-friendly comedy hits theatres in both 2D and 3D formats. Here’s the breakdown:

Megamind has been Metro Man’s archnemesis for as long as they can remember. But when one of Megamind’s nefarious schemes actually manages to eliminate Metro Man from the picture, Megamind must come to grips with a world that doesn’t need him…after all, what’s a super villain to do without a super hero around?

The Monkey: Every time I see a 3D animated film, the animation seems to get better and better. Megamind is no exception. The detail and art direction were superb and the 3D version of the film was crystal clear.

The voice talent is what really made the movie. Will Ferrell actually managed to sound a little different, taking on a character outside of his usual obnoxious comedy stereotype (If only he could do this in live action movies – maybe The Other Guys would have been more enjoyable). Tina Fey played the damsel-in-distress reporter role admirably, and her comedic timing elicited many of the movie’s laughs. Jonah Hill, while playing pretty close to his comfort zone, was perfect for the role of a goofy cameraman with a bigger part to play. And Brad Pitt was the perfect choice for the god-like Metro Man. I was also happy to discover that all the funny parts had not been revealed in the trailers, which is a feat for a movie that has had such a saturating marketing campaign.

Aside from the visuals and the talent, I loved how the characters resembled their voice actors. They were just close enough to be recognizable, but just different enough to be cartoony and exaggerated. This was a wonderful nod to adult audiences who know these actors from their other, live-action films.

Like with Dreamworks’ Shrek franchise, Megamind is definitely family fare, but has plenty for adults to enjoy as well. Inside jokes about popular superhero movies and pop culture references abound – at one point, a kid sitting behind me even asked his mom, “Why is everyone laughing?” So, keep in mind – younger kids will love this movie for the slapstick humor and the visuals, but older kids (who might not get the more adult jokes) might be lost in the middle.

At the movie’s core, Megamind asks the obvious questions, but they are the questions rarely broached in the superhero genre: What happens if there are no superheroes? Do villains arise because of superheroes or vice versa? Is the difference between hero and villain that big? These philosophical questions actually are quite deep, giving Megamind an extra layer that more mature audiences can further explore and enjoy, even after the credits roll.

The Weasel: There were moments when the plot played out pretty predictably, and the pacing left you waiting for the next explosion or gag. Also, the beginning set-up for the movie (Megamind’s and Metro Man’s backstories) seemed rushed, especially when Metro Man disappeared from the movie so early on. It led to a lurching first act, and while it resolved itself in act two, it definitely marred the movie’s start.

Overall, a beautifully animated, fun, action-packed, humorous, family-friendly movie that adds a surprising amount of thought and philosophy into the mix.

4 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? Did Megamind make you think about superheroes and villains differently? Did you enjoy the more adult jokes? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Due Date: This Is One Date You Can Be Late For

Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis take a break from their respective franchises (namely Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes and The Hangover) to star in the road trip comedy Due Date, from director Todd Phillips (Old School, The Hangover). Here’s the breakdown:

Peter (Downey, Jr.) is on his way home for the birth of his child. But after an incident on the plane puts him on the no-fly list, Peter must rely on odd-ball Ethan and his dog Sonny to get him all the way across the country…in one piece.

The Monkey: Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis are wonderful actors, and seeing them together is a treat. Their comedy styles juxtapose perfectly and they play off each other well.

And Juliette Lewis popped up again, as a hilarious pot-dealing mom. After her amazing performance in Conviction, and now her comedic role in Due Date, I’m really hoping to see her in more movies in the future!

The funniest moments in the movie are the most irreverent. From spitting in a dog’s face to punching a kid in the stomach to drinking human ashes, outrageous and uncalled for moments like these make Due Date a cut above the typical comedy.

The Weasel: Unfortunately, there were not nearly enough of these over-the-top moments. Don’t get me wrong, there were certainly myriad over-the-top moments, but they were all predictable, rote and, frankly, all featured in the various trailers for the movie.

The film spiraled into a mish-mash of unrelated, unfunny and unbelievable ridiculousness. And then Jamie Foxx was thrown in the mix, who’s character’s purpose was to cause tension between Peter and his pregnant wife, all in an attempt to give the movie some semblance of a dramatic core. It didn’t quite work out that way.

As the credits rolled, I couldn’t help but think I had missed something. A great director, two wonderful actors, in some truly hilarious scenes…but it all didn’t come together.

Due Date gave away all the funny parts in the trailers, and, ultimately, felt more like a movie to tide fans over until they see these actors in their next big movies.

3 Death Stars out of 5

What do you think? Did the trailers give too much away? Would you like to see Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis in another comedy together? Share your thoughts in the comments!