Creed

Directed by Ryan Coogler

The Rocky franchise is a bit of an oddity for me. I have liked all of the entries - at least to some degree, though some are much better than others - but I don't consider any of them all-time great films nor do any of them make my list of personal favorites. The original Rocky, the 1977 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, has been my favorite since I outgrew the cartoonish nature of Rocky IV.  

But now that I've seen Creed - the semi-reboot but still a direct sequel to Rocky Balboa, the last installment in the series - the original has some stiff competition. 

Creed follows the story of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of the late, great Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers in the first four Rocky films), as he tries to make himself into a boxer. Adonis, in an effort to succeed on his own merit and not just get by because of his famous last name, goes by Donny Johnson. 

As a young boy, Donny was rescued from a juvenile detention facility by Apollo's widow - Mary Anne Creed played here by the wonderful Phylicia Rashad - who took him into her mansion and raised him as her own son, despite all the mixed feelings that must have dredged up for her. 

After a short scene set about 15 years in the past with Donny as a troubled youth, we move to present day where Donny is boxing in Tijuana. Even after watching a short and unprofessional fight, you can tell Donny has a bright future in the sport of boxing and he knows it, too. He quits a promising job and tells Mary Anne he plans to work full-time on his boxing career, much to the chagrin of his mother who has already lost a husband to the sport and desperately wants to keep her son alive and healthy.

* Prepping for a fight in Tijuana *

Donny moves to Philadelphia and gets in touch with his father's old nemesis-turned-best friend, Rocky Balboa, with Sylvester Stallone reprising his iconic role. Donny wants "The Italian Stallion" to train him and, after some hesitation, Rocky agrees. While in Philly, Donny also starts a romantic relationship with Bianca, a neighbor played by Tessa Thompson. 

What follows is a pretty straightforward Rocky story - complete with training montages, sparring sessions, moments of romance, and inspirational speeches, all leading up to the climatic final bout - and could almost be described as a rehash of the original film, where an unknown fighter with lots of heart but little experience goes up against the champion of the world.

Creed does everything very well, from the writing, direction, and editing to the performances, score, and cinematography. No one aspect is transcendent or groundbreaking but taken as a whole, they form an exceptionally crafted, emotional, and satisfying film.

* Stallone shares some training advice with Jordan *

* The look of a warrior, with his coach supporting him in the background *

My favorite aspect of the film were the two lead performances from Jordan and Stallone. Jordan is an actor who has greatly impressed me previously as Wallace in the HBO series The Wire and as Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station - also written and directed by Ryan Coogler - and showed so much range and so much raw emotion as Donny, that I can't wait to see him in more. Donny is a complicated character and Jordan doesn't miss a beat throughout the film. He's intense, intimidating, and physically imposing, but also charming, funny, and caring. He doesn't want to hurt his mom but knows he has to pursue his dream, no matter the cost. He fights hard for everything and doesn't want to publicize his real name, even though that would open up so many doors for him, professionally. I don't think there's an emotion Jordan failed to realistically capture, as he flowed smoothly from angry to hopeful to depressed to happy to excited and to everywhere in between. When the time came for Donny to shed a few tears, something a lot of actors - even some of the greats - have a hard time with, they seemed to come easily to Jordan. It's as fine a performance as I've seen in any film over the last few years and I'm disappointed he didn't get the award recognition he deserved last year. 

Stallone - long since believed to be an actor of very limited range and talent, though I don't necessarily agree with that appraisal - did get lots of nominations and wins for his supporting turn in  Creed and I now know why. Before I watched Creed, I probably would have said Stallone's best performance was in Cop Land but now I'm not so sure. Sure, playing Rocky for the seventh time doesn't exactly seem like a tough task for him, but I've never seen Stallone impart so much heart, so much feeling to a character. Rocky is in almost exactly half of Creed - 65 minutes of the 133 total minutes - but during all that time, Stallone is practically flawless. This version of Rocky is old and while not completely broken down, he's clearly headed in that direction, but he still has a fire  burning in his heart. Like the mentor/father figure/coach in almost all sports dramas, Rocky has no shortage of inspirational speeches and Stallone delivers them all with just the right mix of heart, humor, and weariness. When he says something about fighting for what's important in life, you're compelled to believe him - the character has been through so much and is so well-developed that there's no doubt about his convictions. I often don't agree with the Academy Awards and who they pick to reward, but I have to take serious issue with them bestowing last year's Best Supporting Actor on Mark Rylance (for his perfectly fine, but nothing more work in Bridge of Spies) instead of giving it to Stallone. I feel like maybe they were impressed by Rylance because he was by far the best part of his mediocre film, while Stallone was almost overshadowed by Jordan's powerful performance. Stallone accomplished so much - elevating a character who, for over 30 years, has been more cartoon than human to such a deeply human level. Stallone's Rocky in Creed is just a wonderful feat and proves how talented Stallone can be when given the proper material and direction.

* Stallone during a quiet and tender moment at the graves of his wife and best friend *

The supporting cast features quite a few fine performances in various small roles, but Thompson and Rashad are the standouts. Thompson, who I've never seen in anything despite her rather extensive resume, was very impressive as Donny's romantic interest. When this subplot started up, I immediately thought it would be lackluster and unnecessary, but I was wrong. Not only does Thompson give a believable, charming, and warm performance, but the writing is surprisingly strong. The romance angle never feels tacked on - like so many do in non-romantic films - and Thompson's Bianca is a fully developed character with hopes, dreams, and fears of her own. She doesn't exist just as a sounding board for Donny. Instead, she adds to his character's development and helps to illuminate different issues in the film. Bianca seems like a character who could carry a film all on her own and I have no doubt Thompson would be up to the task.

Rashad is an accomplished actress who can do everything - film, television, and the stage - well, but I'll always remember her as Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show. When her name appeared in the credits of Creed, I was immediately excited. Her role as Mary Anne Creed isn't anything original - a lot of dramas have the tough, supportive, and concerned mother figure - but Rashad instantly adds a level of tenderness, class, and heart. She does quite a bit in only a few scenes and I'm not ashamed to admit she was responsible for a couple of the tears I shed during the film. It's a credit to Rashad that she was able to take this role - originally played by two separate actresses in the Rocky, Rocky II, and Rocky IV - and make it completely her own.

* One of the two most important women in Donny's life - Thompson's Bianca *

* And the other - Rashad's Mary Anne Creed *

All of the actors owe a lot of credit to Ryan Coogler, the talented writer and director behind Creed. Without Coogler's persistence, Stallone would not have agreed to the film being made and definitely wouldn't have participated in it. You can tell by watching Creed that Coogler had a passion for the franchise and for the story - this wasn't just some paycheck for the young man. Following Fruitvale Station - a deeply personal and intimate drama - I wouldn't have guessed Coogler would move onto a Rocky sequel, but he was able to craft an excellent addition to the series. His direction is solid - especially in the fight scenes, where you feel as though you're in the ring with the characters - but the writing is where Coogler really shines. The Rocky series usually suffered from poor writing - Stallone was never all that gifted when it came to dialogue, for example - but Coogler doesn't make the same mistakes. I was especially impressed with the dialogue in Creed, where the characters rarely sounded like cliches or cardboard cutouts. Even though Coogler didn't break much new ground, plot-wise, he was still able to craft an interesting, well-plotted screenplay that allowed the characters to shine through. In a film with very few surprises, you need strong and dynamic characters and Coogler delivered.

The look of the film impressed me, as well. I was particularly drawn to some of the different camera set ups and angles used by cinematographer Maryse Alberiti. In conjunction with fantastic editing - courtesy of Claudia Castello and Michael P. Shawver - the cinematography created a visually interesting, compelling film. Neither aspects are likely to draw a lot of attention - much like Coogler's direction - but taken as a whole, they combined to create something very satisfying.

Movies, despite being a visual medium, are inherently dependent on sound and Creed managed to check off all the right boxes with its score and soundtrack. The Rocky franchise has always been filled with memorable music, so I expected more of the same from Creed. The newest film does recycle some of the original's iconic music like Gonna Fly Now and Going the Distance, but could have used even more of it, in my opinion. I actually got chills when Going the Distance started up during the final fight. The majority of the music contained in Creed - R&B, blues, techno pop, and rap - isn't generally my kind of thing, but I thought it all worked quite well in the film. It was one of the major differences separating this film from the rest of the franchise.

* I love this shot, from the composition to the stark black and white contrast *

In the end, I think Creed should more than satisfy the fans of the Rocky series. If you've enjoyed the rest of the movies, this one will provide more of the same but at a higher level than what we've gotten from the rest of the sequels. If you haven't seen or don't care for the series, I can't imagine Creed doing much for you.

I have a feeling that there will be sequels to Creed made - it more than quadrupled its budget at the box office and garnered a lot of critical praise - and I hope they continue to expand and build upon what they started here, with well developed and interesting characters. The Rocky sequels became too broad and cliche, but if further Creed films can avoid those pitfalls, I'll happily step line up to see them.

My Best Friend's Wedding

Directed by P.J. Hogan

I know I'm not part of the target demographic for romantic comedies, but I thoroughly enjoy quite a few of them - Love Actually, You've Got Mail, As Good As It Gets, and Last Chance Harvey all immediately come to mind - and I even like a lot of Julia Robert's filmography, so I went into my viewing of My Best Friend's Wedding with an open mind. 

It didn't take long to realize this wasn't going to be joining that group of my favorite romantic comedies, that's for sure. 

My Best Friend's Wedding starts off with one of the most annoying and pointless credit sequences I've ever had the displeasure of seeing: four women (a bride and her three bridesmaids) sing and dance to "Wishin' and Hopin'", the saccharine sweet and slightly misogynist tune penned by Burt Bacharach in the 60's. I'm not sure if the actresses on screen are actually responsible for the singing or if they were lip syncing, but either way, it wasn't good. To be fair, though, it would take a marvelous vocalist to make those lyrics sound good. I have no idea why the director/producer chose to go with this idea. It adds nothing and is, in fact, a perfect way to sabotage your film right from the outset. If you want the terrible song as part of the credits, simply play it over a different scene or montage as the credits roll. To waste almost 3.5 minutes of your running time (over 3% of the whole film!) in such a way is nearly unforgivable. 

After the credits debacle, the film gets started in earnest. We're introduced to Julianne (Julia Roberts) and George (Rupert Everett), a famous food critic and her editor, respectively. We learn Julianne has a male best friend, Michael (Dermot Mulroney), and they have made a pact to get married at 28 if neither were hitched at that ripe, old age. Guess how old they are now! Of course, Julianne gets a call from Michael and he breaks the bad news to her: he's met someone and they're getting married in Chicago...in four days and he wants her to be there to support him emotionally.

* Roberts and Mulroney - this still frame accurately reflects the amount of chemistry they share onscreen *

Julianne drops everything and jets off across the country where she's immediately introduced to Michael's bride-to-be Kimberly (Cameron Diaz), a seemingly perfect 20-year-old college student who's ready to give up everything in her life (her education, her future career, being close to her family) to follow Michael around the country for his job.  And, of course, Kimberly needs a maid of honor, so why not ask this complete stranger, a former lover of your fiance? It makes perfect sense!

It doesn't take Julianne long to realize she's in love with Michael and she begins plotting to destroy their relationship, thinking (I guess) that he'll immediately rebound into her arms and they can live happily ever after.

There are few movies - and no romantic comedies - that I can think of with a cast of characters so evil (Julianne), so bland (Michael), so stupid (Kimberly), or so stereotypical (George, checking off all the boxes of cinema's standard flaming homosexual). With the exception of one very, very, very minor exception (who I'll get to later - stay tuned!), there wasn't one genuine or interesting or funny or believable character to be found in the entire film. That's almost unheard of, as even the proverbial 100 monkeys typing on 100 typewriters are bound to come up with some small nugget of value.

* The three leads - Diaz, Mulroney, and Roberts - facing off *

Julianne spends most of the film either outright lying to Michael or Kimberly or coming up with wacky schemes to drive a wedge between them. I expected the film to paint Kimberly in a negative light, in order to get the audience on Julianne's side. I mean, the audience is supposed to root for her to succeed, right? Maybe Kimberly would be manipulative or bitchy or spiteful, but she's none of these things. She's just young and dumb. But she's not dumb enough to actively dislike, just dumb in the Hollywood cliche of wanting to do anything and everything to please her man. 

Or maybe we'd be shown how Michael doesn't really know Kimberly all that well and just made an impulsive decision to propose? Maybe Michael would really be better off with Julianne! But, no, that's not the case, either. Michael and Kimberly truly love each other and are prepared to spend their lives together, making each other happy.

What we're left with is Julianne the sociopath, on a rampage to break up what can only be called "true love" for the selfish reason that she suddenly loves Michael. Keep in mind, Michael gives no indication that he feels even remotely the same way. He consistently treats Julianne like a best friend and nothing more. But that doesn't stop Julianne, even when George points this fact out to her!

I've never watched a rom-com where the "protagonist" is such a needy, manipulative, selfish bitch before. I guess I should give director P.J. Hogan  and writer Ronald Bass (responsible for dreck like Sleeping with the Enemy, Stepmom, Entrapment, and, oddly enough, the wonderful Rain Man) for credit in breaking new ground, but I have a feeling they didn't see it the same way. I kept hoping Julianne would get hit by a bus or drown or drink herself to death or fall out of her penthouse window. Sadly, none of those things happened. Theoretically, Julianne could return in numerous sequels, setting out to ruin other people's lives, much like Michael Meyers or Jason Voorhees. If she went up against those horror icons, they'd probably kill each other to get away from her. 

* Everett consoling Roberts after one of her many breakdowns *

With the abysmal writing, none of the actors had much of a chance, but none of them do much to try and elevate the material, either. Julia Roberts spends the whole movie swinging back and forth from one extreme to the other. From hysterical laughter to depression to evil conniving. There's not a real moment of human emotion contained in her performance, though. I didn't believe anything she said or did. It seems to me that Roberts and the filmmakers assumed her star power could carry the film, but that's not the case. Roberts has never been a fantastic actress, but she has shined from time to time, usually in films with a good script and competent direction to keep her in the right space. My Best Friend's Wedding definitely didn't provide her with those resources and she seems lost throughout the film. 

Dermot Mulroney has never been a draw for me (though he was very good in Zodiac and excellent in About Schmidt) and he didn't surprise me here. Michael is a terribly flawed character - though he looks like a saint when compared to Julianne - and, again with a better script and better direction, Mulroney may have been able to impart something unique in the character. In the end, though, Michael comes across as just another rom-com jerk, a guy who has to get his way and who thinks the woman in his life should live according to his standards and his desires, no matter what. Throughout the film, I kept thinking "two women are fighting over this guy?" Michael certainly isn't a person any sane woman would love and Mulroney isn't handsome enough to overcome his flaws, either. 

Cameron Diaz has appeared in quite a few great movies, but she's generally the worst actress in them. Vanilla Sky, Gangs of New York, In Her Shoes, and Being John Malkovich are all very good films despite Diaz's involvement. She also has the ability to be the worst part of a bad movie, too - see My Sister's Keeper or Bad Teacher, or better yet don't - so at least she's versatile! Her performance in My Best Friend's Wedding is probably the worst of hers I've seen. She adds nothing to the film and her overbearing enthusiasm and sporadic whining and crying are very painful to watch. 

Probably the most famous scene in the film is set at a karaoke bar (inexplicably packed in the middle of the afternoon) where Julianne forces Kimberly to sing, despite her repeated refusals. Once she's bullied enough to comply, Kimberly launches into a terribly off-key and awful rendition of "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" (Bacharach again!) that (again, inexplicably) gets the entire crowd energized and makes Michael love her even more. I've read that Diaz purposely sang poorly to be funny, but I'm not entirely sure about that. She seems like the type of person who just can't sing. And, in any case, it's simply not funny. It's annoying and goes on forever. Thank God she didn't pick Don McLean's "American Pie", at least. 

Rupert Everett turns in the best performance of the main cast, but that's not saying much. As I stated earlier, the character of George is pretty much just a lazy homosexual stereotype, but Everett looks like he's enjoying himself and trying, at least. Because the script calls for it, George is incredibly good and supportive to Julianne, but in real life I'm sure someone like George - if such a caricature existed - would absolutely hate someone like Julianne. Everett has charm to spare and almost rescues some scenes entirely because of his appeal. Notice I said "almost". It would take an extreme talent like Jack Nicholson to elevate this material.

Continuing the film's theme of awful musical moments, there's a scene during a brunch with Michael's and Kimberly's families where the entire group (again, inexplicably) breaks out in song, this time "Say a Little Prayer" written (again!) by Bacharach. George starts it and soon the whole family, from young Chris Masterson to old M. Emmett Walsh (who I felt bad for the entire time - the man deserves so much better), join in. Everyone hits their marks perfectly and none of them miss a note. It's like the group rehearsed for weeks and weeks! I get that musical numbers in non-musical films aren't anything new - and sometimes I adore them, like in 500 Days of Summer and Magnolia - but it just seemed ridiculous and overdone here. It was just another moment where I sighed and shook my head. I couldn't necessarily pick a "worst moment of the film" - there are just too many to choose from - but this impromptu musical number would definitely be in the running. 

* The above mentioned sing-a-long. Be thankful you can't hear it now! *

One last thing that really isn't the fault of the film or filmmakers, but I can't help but mention, is the truly awful fashion, hair, and technology. I mean, it was the 90's so the women have hideous dresses - both bridal and otherwise, many featuring bizarre floral prints - and hairstyles. Julianne's hair is so big! The technology, including both laptops and cell phones, are so clunky looking and huge. I had forgotten what they looked like back then. Chuckling at these reminders of the 90's was one of the rare bright spots in the film, but of course, it wasn't meant to be funny. This is the odd dichotomy of the film: when it tries to be funny, it fails and when it doesn't, in succeeds.

The only completely positive aspect of the entire film is a three or four-minute scene towards the end. Julianne is having yet another self-imposed breakdown and is smoking in the hallway of a swanky hotel. A bellhop comes by and informs her there's no smoking on that floor and the two start a conversation. This bellhop is played by none other than Paul Giamatti - one of my favorite actors - and his character and performance is actually quite good! Maybe it's only because he's so surrounded by so much mediocrity, but Giamatti shines in this tiny, tiny role. He's a master of facial reactions and line delivery and was then, too, nearly 20 years ago. His character, simply credited as "Bellman", is the only realistic person in the film and I would have greatly preferred watching a movie following him and his life in and out of the hotel. I'm sure it would have been immeasurably for interesting. 

* The best, and only good, moment of the film - Giamatti and Roberts share a smoke *

For some (again, inexplicable) reason, My Best Friend's Wedding got "Two Thumbs Up" from Siskel and Ebert - they must have been in a very generous mood during that taping - and has been lauded as one of the best romantic comedies by many fans of the genre. 

If you have managed to avoid it for this long, I'd highly suggest you continue to do so. Your instincts were correct - it's not worth your time. 

If you've seen it and like - or even *gasp* love - it, I can't comprehend as to why.