Rewatching a couple of my favourite 2018 films from earlier in the year to see how they stack up now. Made these a double bill:
I Tonya (Craig Gillespie) &
Molly's Game (Aaron Sorkin).
I know some members have a problem with both these films, with their apparent 'Goodfellas' templates; smart-alec dialogue and in-yer-face attitude (especially in the latter case: take that men!). But I cant help it; I'm a total sucker for a jazzed-up, stylish biopic with bells on, a good soundtrack and a kick ass lead performance, and both deliver in spades. That's not to say they are perfect; on re-watch I felt that both films get indulgent and lose momentum in their third acts, and begin to outstay their welcomes. But I still found them eminiently enjoyable.
I Tonya is the more 'blue collar' version focusing in on the domestic abuse and outright violence that defined the life of Tonya Harding, with the exception of one perfect moment that is captured in exhilarating fashion when she performs her special move. Unforgettable performances from Allison Janney and Sebastian Stan and a remarkably committed effort by Margot Robbie; and a tragi-comic approach to the story really work. 7.5/10
Molly's Game is the glamourous one, not least for its gorgeous star (the 'super max' version of Miss Sloane) but its stunning locations, polished delivery, and exhilarating scenes. And again Chastain's Molly Bloom is a fantastic character to watch in action. The present day scenes dont work for me as well, and Sorkin overplays his hand a tad with some of the grandstanding scenes and monologues- especially the 'Few Good Men' style speech by Idris Elba which I still have a problem with; and some of the Costner scenes. It also goes a little overboard with its 'arrogant white men get kicked into touch' theme which seems to be our culture's top priority at the moment, but I can forgive that to an extent as it is presented as one of Bloom's defining character traits. Aside from it's loss of momentum toward the end, I found it fascinating and compelling. 7.5/10