Ending the year on the final givings of the holiday season.
Similarly to his 2015 Oscar contender “The Big Short,” “Vice” represents a fascinating evolution of director and screenwriter Adam McKay’s execution of cinematic language.
In dramatizing the life and impact of former Vice President Dick Cheney by allowing his ensemble cast led by Christian Bale as the titular vice in an Academy Award nomination worthy performance while inserting his own biting commentary on the man’s legacy in the form of framed storytelling devices, bouts of playful editing and indictments of the man’s obsessive fascination with powers of the presidency and the dangers that it can yield, McKay has ostensibly yielded the best two hour version of a political cartoon.
Bale manages to deftly humanize Cheney by making him somewhat relatable in the love he carries for his loved ones which seemingly shows no bounds, despite the increasingly reprehensible nature of his decision making in government.
When “Vice” follow Cheney’s rise to power while the production pepper’s in its humorous fourth wall breaking gimmicks as snide commentary on the man’s more disturbing tendencies in addition to explaining political phenomena, it fires on all cylinders and manages to be equally as insightful as entertaining.
Unfortunately, that balance doesn’t always manage to stay level as the clearly unfavorable opinion the director holds of the movie’s subject matter begins to eek its way further into the spotlight.
While I wouldn’t particularly say that I’m opposed to his viewpoint, the pedantic nature that the film falls into upon becoming increasingly obsessed with critiquing Cheney’s tenure in office does begin to blunt the effectiveness of the humor on display in the first half of the film which did give me some of the hardest laughs that I’ve had in a theater all year.
The ultimate lack of subtly and loss of balance don’t sink “Vice” from being a particularly charming viewing experience at all but it is rather sad to see a directors talents being stretched and exercised in new ways only for him to cop out on something more familiar, even if it mostly works.
7 Executive Orders out of 10
Following the conflict between Ladies Abigail and Sarah to win the favor if Queen Anne if Britain in the early 18th century, “The Favourite’s” stylish sense of direction make it one of the best art house features to come out of 2018 hands down.
Despite a bit of a slow going start in the first act, the film quickly begins to give way to a compelling tale of relationship power dynamics and the sociopathic tendencies and superficial nature of upper-class aristocracy through a character study of the three women and the surreal world of excess that they surround themselves in.
That world building really manages to become a character in and of itself, as the attention to detail in the set design, cinematography, hair, makeup and costuming really steal the show in reinforcing the odd sense of alienation instilled within the viewer in watching a society worthy of scorn by modern sensibilities.
Ultimately however, this is a character study of two women manipulating a tragic adult child in a position of high power for their own personal gain and the only thing that lands more powerfully than the dark comedy and venom in their lines from a tightly focused screenplay is the dimension with which their cast brings them to life.
Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, and Rachel Weisz are all equally worthy of Oscar Nods but even the supporting cast of the film never slouches.
Coupled with the slow beginning, “The Favourite” has a very dry sense of wit about it that may prove to not be everybody’s cup of tea, especially when its absurd visual style begins to kick in. However it is undeniably a finely crafted work of passion from a true artist worthy of admiration if not outright support.
9 Royal Decrees out of 10
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