Movie Reviews from the Dark
Posts about Mark Ryder written by David Ferguson
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Movie Reviews from the Dark
Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us will never know the agony and desperation felt by Jews in 1942 Warsaw, the setting of the latest from writer-director Rodrigo Cortes (the underappreciated thriller, BURIED, 2010). Co-written with David Safier, the film benefits from an extraordinary performance by Clara Rugaard as Stefcia, the lead actress in a live performance of Jerzy Jurandot’s “Love Looks for an Apartment” taking place in a rundown theater within the slums of Warsaw.

The genius of the film is the symmetry between the play and the real-world developments occurring for Stefcia. Fellow actors in the troupe include her current boyfriend Edmund (Ferdio Walsh-Peelo) and her ex-boyfriend Patrik (Mark Ryder), whose latest proposition has caused quite the conundrum for all three – as well as Edmund’s little sister Sara (Dalit Streett Tejeda), who ends up on stage for the climax. Although the play is a musical romantic comedy being performed to bring a glimmer of joy to local residents, there is even more drama occurring backstage, and all of this takes place at a frenetic pace that plays out in mostly real time.

Fear is ever-present in the form of a rifle-wielding Nazi soldier (Magnus Krepper) who interrupts the show and plops down on the front row. He’s the type of arrogant soldier who finds joy in flaunting his power and watching others cower in his presence. Of course, the audience is oblivious to the fact that the emotions played out on stage – love, fear, confusion, and passion – are also playing out in the real lives of those same actors. Life here is bleak, yet the play brings a form of hope that goodness and joy still exist.

Fueled by adrenaline, putting nerves on edge, the film is enhanced by Victor Reyes’ score and the tremendous camera work by cinematographer Rafa Garcia. The camera is almost always in motion, mirroring the key players and the drama and decisions unfolding. Additionally worth noting is a frantic scene over the opening credits that revs us up so we can keep pace with the coming story. This is excellent filmmaking by Rodrigo Cortes, and the message emphasizing the human spirit to always carry on is on full display. On a personal note, one of my favorite takeaways here is the dedication the actors show in delivering a show that offers a window of joy to those in dire need of it.

The film will be released June 23 in limited theaters and available on Digital + VOD June 30th

WATCH THE TRAILER

Greetings again from the darkness. Couples argue. Some more often and more boisterous than others. Things get ugly when friends and other outsiders are drawn into the arguments, which is exactly what we witness (in exaggerated form) with this film from director Robert Schwartzman and writer Zac Stanford (THE CHUMSCRUBBER, 2005). Schwartzman is also a musician and composer, and is the son of ROCKY actress Talia Shire, and the younger brother of actor Jason Schwartzman (MOONRISE KINGDOM, 2012).

Lisa (Emma Bell, A QUIET PASSION, 2016) has just finished her first acting gig (other than a cameo in her husband’s film) in a stage production of Mozart. Her husband Jack (Dan Fogler, FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM) is simultaneously happy for her and insecure. His insecurity stems from his lack of success as a writer, and his suspicion, bordering on jealousy, of Lisa and her co-star Paul (Tyler James Williams, “Everybody Hates Chris”). The film picks up at the intimate after-party at Lisa and Jack’s home. It’s here where we meet Paul and his friend Trina (Cleopatra Coleman, “The Last Man on Earth”), and married couple Brett (Danny Pudi, “Community”) and Sarah (Maggie Q, “Nikita”). Brett is Jack’s literary agent, and he’s about as successful as an agent as Jack is as a writer. Sarah is an Entertainment Lawyer, who is as bored with the party as she was with Lisa’s play … she just wants to go home and sleep.

The party ends abruptly when Jack and Lisa get into a fierce argument. Alone in the house, neither accepts the blame, so of course, it escalates. The unconventional solution reached is to recreate the sequence of events with the same people saying and doing the same things they said and did that first night. Then they do it again. And again. A montage of do-overs causes us to lose track of just how many times these poor people re-live a forgettable and unpleasant evening.

A tonal shift occurs when Jack “casts” the party with actors, while still inviting the same friends to watch. Rather than exaggerated relationship issues, we get an exaggerated look at actors finding their characters … characters who happen to be sitting in the same room! This jolt of fresh faces transforms the film from quirky to slapstick, and it’s quite likely you’ll enjoy one segment more than the others. The “new” actors bring their own comedic style to the roles: an amped up Mark Ryder (“Borgia”) as Jack, actor-within-an-actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (“Misfits”) as Paul, a subdued Karan Brar (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID) as Brett, a willing Charlotte McKinney (FANTASY ISLAND) as Lisa, and Marielle Scott (LADY BIRD) as Trina.

The do-overs are a creative approach in attempting to solve the argument, but this movie is at its best, not in deep psychological analysis of relationships, but rather in the simple comedy elements on display. Relax and take it for what it is … a way to laugh at the problems of others without feeling an ounce of guilt. Just please don’t throw the pie.

In theatres and On Demand September 4, 2020

watch the trailer: