THE LAST SHIFT

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Digital, Bluray and DVD from writer/director Andrew Cohn and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment are two men doing THE LAST SHIFT.

It has been thirty-eight years working at Oscar’s Chicken and Fish graveyard and time for Stanley (Richard Jenkins) to retire. His replacement is Jevon (Shane McGhie) has a problem with letting whatever he thinks slide out of his mouth. Spending the weekend training the recruit, Stanley does not understand Jevon’s lack of enthusiasm.

Jevon tries to break it down to Stanley leaving the lifelong employee wondering if what he is saying could be true. Jevon has problems of his own with a girlfriend who is questioning his commitment to their relationship and their very young son.

Preparing to go to Florida to take care of his Mother and having a verbal tumble with Jevon, Stanley does something that is completely out of character. The effects of that decision will come to define everything for both men.

Jenkins as Stanley is a man who has accepted his life as being the graveyard guy at Oscar’s and occasionally hanging out with buddy Dale (Ed O’Neill). Thinking this is all life has to offer him, it takes a young man named Jevon to give him not only a reality check but a voice that does not seem to suit him. Jenkins once again turns in a performance that shows how this actor has always been slightly under-appreciated as far as I am concerned. Big fan here!

McGhie as Jevon is a young man who has found himself on the other end of the law, relationships, fatherhood and what his future needs to be. Always having an opinion and happy to share it whether its asked for or not, McGhie’s character is strong in that area of his life but needs some help with his emotions.

O’Neill as Dale is someone who has always been there for Stanley but does not really do a lot to support his decision to go to Florida. Also, a shout out to Allison Tolman as Evelyn, Jevon’s probation officer who realizes she knows this young man and wants to help if she can.

Other cast include Deron J. Powell as Perry, Julian Parker as Brandon, Tracey Bonner as Crystal, and Da’Vine Randolph as Shazz.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

Jenkins and McGhie’s performance of these two men starts out contentious, then moves on to charming, then gets tense and turns into something unexpected and sad. Yes, that’s all you are going to get out of me because I want it all to play out as director Cohn intended.

THE LAST SHIFT is an emotional ride through the lives of two people who are both disappointed by where they are and how they got there. They both also seem to be self-blinded by the possibilities of anything the future may hold. I think that is the saddest part of the film for me – that Stanley sees nothing else and Jevon only expects the worst in life.  

The story does seem to rush through which makes it a little difficult to embrace each of these characters but, that being said, it is easy to embrace them together. Jenkins and McGhie are wonderful together and I will always be grateful to them for teaching me how to use a frozen hamburger patty correctly!

In the end – it was always more than a job!

 

Life is Not Easy Unless You’re a KAJILLIONAIRE

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from writer/director Miranda July and Focus Features comes the extraordinary story of one woman’s journey to being a KAJILLIONAIRE.

Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood) lives with her mother Theresa (Debra Winger) and father Robert (Richard Jenkins) in a storefront building. During the day they spend their time finding ways to earn a few dollars and food while avoiding their landlord Stovik (Mark Ivanir). From a quick trip to New York to shady dealings, they have managed to carve a life out for themselves.

But Old Dolio is a little different staying a bit withdrawn, does not trust anyone and not too many helpful social skills. One day they meet Melanie (Gina Rodriguez) who seems to understand the family. Robert and Theresa take to Melanie quickly and enjoy her company, especially when she comes up with a plan to be a part of another – well, hustle.

At first Old Dolio is not thrilled with having Melanie around but slowly she becomes curious about the girl. She finally blows up at her parents letting them know she is tired of not being recognized with such things as birthdays etc. Going to Melanie’s house, Old Dolio is introduced to what goes on in the real world and is delighted.

Giving her parents one more chance to make her feel as if she is important to them, both Old Dolio and Melanie believe everyone deserves a second chance, or third chance…or fourth chance.

Wood as Old Dolio is delightful, unknowingly funny, sweet, and yet full of curiosity and even righteous anger. Hiding behind her clothes and hair, Old Dolio cannot hide the fact that she is also quite intelligent in the world of hustling. Watching this character bloom is endearing, charming and you want to scoop her up and show her the world. That is how invested you can become following her journey. Well done Ms. Wood.

Rodriguez as Melanie is a hustler in her own way but not as much of an expert as her new friends. She has a conscience and also sees something in Old Dolio that melts her heart and brings out a protective feeling that Old Dolio has never known. Rodriguez is sweet, smart and gives her character a little soul.

Jenkins as Robert lives in his own little world that really does not include his wife and daughter. It is almost as if he sees them more as employees than family. Jenkins has the most amazing way of portraying his characters with a sense of innocence in the midst of being a huge hustler. Winger as Theresa lets her husband do as he will and throws in her opinion here and there. Once confronted by Old Dolio, Winger’s reaction is one I did not expect and yet I did which adds to the mixture of feelings about what it takes to be a hustling mom.

Shout out to Ivanir as Stovik cracks me up. He is constantly there to try and get the rent from his tenants, but it is his moments of emotion that come out of no where that are confusing and filled with bubbles (you will see!). It is hard to run a business and be a landlord but Stovik adds a little something more.

Other cast include Patricia Belcher as Althea, Diana Riva as Farida, Da’Vine Randolph as Jenny and Rachel Redleaf as Kelli.

Focus Features’ mission is to make a lasting impact on global audiences by creating the home for artists to share diverse, distinctive stories that inspire human connection. Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies that brings entertainment and news to a global audience. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.focusfeatures.com.

KAJILLIONAIRE is a film about the open dysfunction of this particular family but added in that is hustle - both physical and emotional. These characters bounce off one another and they are so unsure of it all that it is easy to see how they are taken in by their own mess.

What this film does bring is the journey of Old Dolio, a young girl that is basically living in a bubble to seeing her discover what it is to trust someone and discovering that her presence in the universe has value – without the hustle. The relationship between Old Dolio and Melanie bring so much hope and delight so its essential to congratulate Wood and Rodriguez for their amazing work.

This film is filled with creativity, originality and everything in between. Writer/director July has brought a film that I will be hollering for people to see for quite a while. Well done Ms. July, well done.

In the end – know your worth!

THE SHAPE OF WATER Brings Unconditional Love

Jeri Jacquin

This Friday from the masterful writer/director Guillermo del Toro and Fox Searchlight comes a story that captures the heart when becoming a part of THE SHAPE OF WATER.

In 1962, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is a young mute woman living in a quiet world of her own. Living her life day to day in a repeating pattern, it includes visiting her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) for a little television and being watched over at work by friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer).

Working as a cleaning lady in a government facility, one day a strange container arrives. Being fairly invisible, Elisa is curious about what they are working on. Hearing that whatever is in the container is highly-classified, it doesn’t stop her from taking a look for herself.

That’s when she discovers a creature (Doug Jones) submerged in a tank pool, yet not truly afraid of what she sees. Instead, Elisa seems to sense that the creature is afraid and she discovers ways to put it at ease. Through patience, Elisa and her webbed friend begin to have a friendship that is quietly beautiful.

Keeping an eye on the laboratory is the very aggressive Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) who is feared by most everyone. Watching over the experiments is Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) who isn’t a fan of Strickland’s either and has his own secrets to keep.

Elisa sees that her creature friend is suffering and decides she is going to do whatever it takes to help. Enlisting Giles proves to be a challenge and a plan is made. What surprises Elisa the most is who comes out of no where to make sure the plan works perfectly!

Strickland becomes even more hostile and ballistic and is about to make sure every human being within his earshot suffers until the creature is found. There is no mercy for anyone as he investigates every person working at the laboratory. Elisa knows that time may not be on their side but can’t turn away from her feelings.

It is a friendship that embraces their differences!

Hawkins as Elisa is absolutely endearing, lovely, heart wrenching, soulful, playful and a dreamer of epic proportions. Every part of Elisa’s character is in her eyes and smile which brought smiles to my own face before I could help myself. In the life she has created, finding someone who is also mute yet full of emotion, Elisa just dances over this film effortlessly. Hawkins is on my list for any award she wants – yes, including an Oscar.

Jenkins as Giles is such a lovely man who is creative in a time when things are ever changing. He loves his old movies and the friendship with Elisa and even though he might be a tad afraid of the unknown, he is challenged by Elisa’s will to be humane. Jenkins can portray characters that are so sweet and harmless and Giles is such a character done so well.

Spencer as Zelda is funny, no-nonsense and protective of Elisa. I love her monologues while mopping with Elisa and straight faced one liners and quips when up against Strickland. I mean seriously, would expect anything less from Spencer? Stuhlbarg as Dr. Robert Hoffstetler is definitely a conflicted character and for reasons you will discover for yourself. I do love his performance because I have seen Stuhlbarg be both good guy and bad and here he mixes the two and I adore the outcome.

There are two actors in this film that we must discuss, first Shannon as Richard Strickland is as frightening as I know he can be. There are so many dimensions to Shannon as an actor and he always manages to surprise me. Yes, he can be the scariest and meanest badass ever to grace a film but Shannon never does it the same way twice or even three or four times for that matter. Here Strickland is a complex hater of a human being and only Shannon could have done it – and done it right.

Second, the every amazing and continually exceptional work of Doug Jones as the creature. Jones has been at the forefront of some of the most amazing characters and yet never seeing his face. In the 2004 film HELLBOY he was Abe Sapien, teaming up with Del Torro in the 2006 film PAN’S LABYRINTH he was the Pale Man, in 2007 he starred in FANTASTIC 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer as the Silver Surfer, in 2010’s LEGION he was the Ice Cream Man (creepier than all get out people!) and back with Del Torro in the 2015 horror offering of CRIMSON PEAK.

Let us not forget television when in 2014 he played one of my favorite characters in the series Falling Skies as Cochise, gave us a new vampire in the FX series The Strain as one of The Ancient’s and is now part of the trekkie family with Star Trek: Discovery.

Now, in THE SHAPE OF WATER, Jones once again portrays a character that is all about the physicality of storytelling. Over all that costuming, a persona comes to life that is easy to love and want to protect. That’s what Jones brings out in us all with this performance. In case you might be wondering, I had the opportunity to speak with Doug last year when he was promoting the space film SPACE COMMAND. All I can say is that he is lovely, charming and funny so perhaps I have more of a bit of a soft spot for his portrayal of this endearing creature. Amazing performance Doug and congratulations for making us all fall in love with love again!

Other cast include David Hewlett as Fleming, Nick Searcy as General Hoyt, Stewart Arnott as Bernard, Nigel Bennett as Mihalkov, Lauren Lee Smith as Elaine Strickland, Martin Roach as Brewster Fuller, Allegra Fulton as Yolanda and John Kapelos as Mr. Arzoumanian.

THE SHAPE OF WATER is a film that is so magnificently shot with nuances that I couldn’t get enough of. The story is one of beauty, loneliness, fear, courage, music, caring, anger, betrayal, secrets, friendships and about every human emotion on the spectrum.

It is just a beautiful story that is covered in a cast that makes every moment theatre worthy. Crafted in the del Toro magic, there is so much to enjoy and not necessarily garbled with words but instead pure emotion and an endless supply of love

In the end – it is a fairy tale for troubled times!