Double Feature

This past Thursday evening two OMG'ers attended a screening of LaOD at the West 42nd Street Regal Cinema, and are sharing with us their impressions of the movie.

First Feature: Jake on Screen

Big Thanks to Destiny and ROMA.

First, I thought Jake looked really great in this movie, and beautiful in some scenes. I think it's the best he's looked in a movie since BBM. Anne is beautiful too. There are some shots in black and white, and I especially liked the way they looked in them.

I think they both give really good performances. Jake really got to turn on the charm, the charm we see in his best interviews, and sexy to boot. I thought he had really good chemistry with everyone in the movie, including Anne. They are very believable as a couple.
However, I wouldn't call either of the performances Oscar-caliber, in large part because I don't think the movie and the material even began to match the acting.

Jake and Anne were far better than the rather pedestrian, predictable material they were given to work with. They've real chemistry too, lucky for Zwick.

Jake was good throughout and his character, despite being underwritten, was not under-performed. The way he played the character he did have an arc.

I know there has been a lot of chatter about the nudity and sex, and hey, I'm not going to complain about seeing either one of them in various states of undress. I didn't think there was too much of it, and I thought it was in keeping with the movie and the characters.

-- and Jake and Anne's bodies are beauties.

I did like the rhythm built up with their fast and furious sex life though--they seemed to have real fun there. Those scenes of them romping did have a nice feeling to them. One can tell they trust each other as actors.

The other chatter about the movie has been some mixed feelings about the mixed nature of the film, and that I sadly have to agree with. At the end of it all, despite loving Jake and Anne and certain parts of it, I felt like it didn't entirely gel, and that it just isn't that good of a movie. I have never seen an Ed Zwick movie that didn't leave me feeling this way.

We never learn about Anne's back story nor her family life nor get to see her art very much--and losing her ability to create art would be devastating. That is the thing with Zwick--not matter the topic, and he has taken on many hard topics (war films etc.), he cannot seem to convey tragedy or trauma or devastation well. He has a "guazy" style.

The dramatic side and the romance, which I liked. I especially loved all the bits about the industry, and some of the early scenes in particular are strong.

When he did show Anne struggling with her disease those scenes did have sincerity and she was very good. We see little of her manifestation of her disease though; it is more spoken about than shown. I liked that scene of her in the Parkinson's Support Group but she'd have been directed to one of those by her doctor(s) in real life.

But then it kind of turns in part into another movie. I did not buy Josh Gad as his brother, I found some of the things with him creepy, and I felt like everything involving him was an effort to be like--and bring in the crowds who love--Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen and the type of comedies they are in.

The stock character of chubby funny sidekick should only be allowed to be Judd Apatow's territory. A sidekick as a wealthy brother who bore no resemblance to Jake at all was an odd and distracting addition to the film, which has some real problems to start with. The chubby rich brother's wife's role was simply a caricature. The brother for that matter is also a caricature. The actor was not memorable save for being a bit odd looking. Zwick in films cannot handle mixing observational comedy and drama as he did so brilliantly with Thirty Something--for some reason film eludes him. Unsure why this is exactly. He also has Oliver Platt as his long suffering "teacher" as a salesman. Jake is sandwiched between these two men throughout the film. A "highlight" is Jake comes home one night to find his brother masturbating to a home porn film he and Anne had made. It was just sort of gross -- not funny. Zwick's attempts at Animal House-like humor just did not make their marks.

It just did not work with the rest of the movie. A case of trying to please too many people, I think. Like a lot of movies, it got a great start out of the gate, and then kind of ran out of steam in the home stretch.

Ed, why oh why throw in that stupid 1970s-esque orgy party? It was all about as sexy as a rolaids ad. And looked like one too. Pathetic attempt at being cool and sexual--Jake again hold head high during such nonsense. That is it: too much nonsense.

The wonderful Judy Greer once again wasted as the comic relief sidekick. Add her to the list of "deserves better than this film"

I loved the music in the film, except for what I thought was a smary ballad by Vonda Shepperd towards the end of the film, used in an all too typical way.

I forgot the spoiling Vonda Shephard like end-of-the-film music. Totally distracting!! Most of the music was fun though

I think by trying to appeal to a wide audience, I am afraid they will not appeal to anyone. Based on the ages of the people at the screening, they seem to be pitching to a younger audience.

Our audience is the audience the film is geared to 20-30 somethings. They seemed embalmed. We laughed the most of anyone in attendance.

But I don't think they'll be enticed by the 90s setting, music and styles, the social satire revolving around the pharma industry, or for what I would call, for a lack of a better word, those parts of the movie that put me in mind of the movies made in the 70s for a mature, adult audience. I loved that aspect of it, but again, it descended into too much slapstick and Apatow-like comedy as well, and I don't think that side of it, or the mish-mash of styles, is going to appeal to an older audience.


The best section was the social-satire of the Pfizer "Nuremberg Rally" drinking the kool-aid sequence--reminded me a bit of Michael Ritchie there. And that was IT for originality and being "grabbed" for me.

I watched it wanting to love this film--but I simply don't love it. Nor could I really recommend it to anyone I know. Had this been on television I may well have liked this more. Overall, I'd say it has some very good moments but they are not sustained.

I'm just really afraid it will get lost in the holiday movie glut. I hope I'm wrong about how the movie will do. Jake is great in it, and I would like to see him have a hit doing this kind of work, because it would be nice if it lead to his doing something similar, but this time with a good director and a better script.

Jake and Anne deserve, and have earned, far better!



Second Feature : Jake at School

Jake joined Edible Schoolyard founder, renowned chef, Alice Waters along with film producer John Lyons as they joined Brooklyn's Borough President, members of the borough council, Christiane Baker, executive director of the Edible Schoolyard New York project at P.S 216 on Friday for a dedication and kick off of the first (of hopefully many) Edible School New York project.

The goal is to create an experimental educational program to bring children closer to their food sources, to teach them about food, the environment, health, gardening and cooking. And to do so by planting, growing, harvesting and using the food they raise at their school. The first Edible Schoolyard program was established in 1995 in Berkeley, Calif., by chef Alice Waters of Chez Pannisse.

"At P.S. 216, there will be a fruit and vegetable garden, greenhouse and a kitchen." Curriculum for the program is being developed by Columbia University's Teachers College.

Construction for the whole project began in September at a cost $1.6 million project, and on Friday, kids got the chance to play and plant, the first of many foods. Lyons pledges $50,000 to the project and on Wednesday night he and Jake co-hosted a private dinner and auction that raised an additional $77,250.

Edible Schoolyard's goal is to at least 25 schools in New York City, and at least one in every borough participating in the program. Check out more about the project at their website.



Jake had down something similar in the past with Global Green initiative with LA public schools. It is great to see Jake being about to take his passion and interest in cooking and the environment and using it to help make a difference in future generations.

And that smile is great to see again.