Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) - Sheridan's hiphop biopic riddled with weak spots

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Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson hangs on to a baby boy without a shirt on and with his underpants visible on this mostly B/W poster for Jim Sheridan's Get Rich or Die Tryin'

Curtis Jackson walks in the footprints of his murdered drug-dealer mother and becomes a pusher as a boy. But as a young man rap draws him in, with the problem then becoming; how does he get off his criminal path?

 

Get Rich or Die Tryin' is written by Terence Winter (Brooklyn Rules (2007)) and directed by great Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot (1989)). It is based on the real life story of Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, who plays himself in the film, and the title is also the title of 50 Cent's 2003 debut album.

A talented boy, Marcus John Jefferies (Supermodel (2015)), has been cast as the young version of Jackson; but when high school age arrives it is suddenly the at the time 29 year-old 50 Cent (Den of Thieves (2018)), who plays his own younger self. This understandably feels like quite a stretch age-wise.

Viola Davis (Nights in Rodanthe (2008)) is wasted as a perpetually down grandmother. There's a bathhouse fight scene that doesn't bear comparison to the later infamously great bathhouse fight scene in Eastern Promises (2007). Sheridan attempts with a father search plot-line and a montage with fireworks to lend the film some needed structure and visual energy, but the authenticity is wobbly, the direction unclear, and it is too easy to reject 50 Cent and his music based on Get Rich or Die Tryin', which is never more than very basic level entertainment.

 

Related post:

 

Jim Sheridan: 2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

The Boxer (1997) - Excellent film of boxing and love in ugly Ireland

Watch a 2-minute excerpt from the film here

 

Cost: 40 mil. $

Box office: 46.5 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.16 times its cost)

[Get Rich or Die Tryin' was released 9 November (North America) and runs 117 minutes. Shooting took place from April - June 2005 in Ireland, including Dublin, New York and Ontario, including Toronto. The film opened #4, behind holdover hit Chicken Little and fellow new releases Zathura: A Space Adventure and Derailed, to a 12 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 30.9 mil. $ (66.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were France with 4.8 mil. $ (10.3 %) and the UK with 3.6 mil. $ (7.7 %). The film won a National Board of Review award, and the soundtrack sold over 3 mil. copies. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Sheridan returned with Brothers (2009). 50 Cent returned in 7 music videos and a video game prior to his theatrical return in Vengeance (2006). Get Rich or Die Tryin' is rotten at 16 % with a 4.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Get Rich or Die Tryin'?

Law Abiding Citizen (2009) - Gray and stars are in trouble with this jumbled revenge thriller

♥♥

+ Worst Poster of the Year

The two male stars are pitched against some murky, grey plumes of debris on this sullen poster for F. Gary Gray's Law Abiding Citizen

A family father's family gets murdered by home invaders, but one of the culprits is released from jail due to legal circumstances. The man for several years plans a bizarre revenge for this systemic error.

Law Abiding Citizen is written by Kurt Wimmer (The Recruit (2003)) and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker F. Gary Gray (Friday (1995)).
The plot is a hodgepodge, which starts out alright but is later completely lost, as I began wondering what all the good forces involved here are doing in this mess.
- None of the extremely violent revenge murders carried out by Gerard Butler's (The Phantom of the Opera (2004)) vigilante father here are justifiable, and yet they lead to genuine reflection for the legal world as it is portrayed here. Law Abiding Citizen suffers from this type of completely derailed, poorly rationalized logic. It is a morally objectionable botch job.

Related posts:

F. Gary Gray: Straight Outta Compton (2015) - Gray's N.W.A. biopic is excellent

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

Butler gives an interview about the film here

Cost: 53 mil. $
Box office: 126.6 mil. $
= Minor flop (returned 2.38 times the cost)
[Law Abiding Citizen premiered 23 September (Urbanworld Film Festival, New York) and runs 118 minutes. The roles were originally intended to be reversed with Butler playing the attorney and Jamie Foxx (Valentine's Day (2010)) playing the vigilante dad, and Frank Darabont was hired to direct but left over 'script differences' in what was termed an 'ugly' parting. Shooting took place in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, from August 2008 - January 2009. The film opened #2, behind Where the Wild Things Are, to a 21 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weeks in the top 5 (#4, #3) and grossed solid 73.3 mil. $ (57.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 9.8 mil. $ (7.7 %) and Italy with 6.5 mil. $ (5.1 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, translating to two notches higher than this one. Gray returned with the great Straight Outta Compton (2015). Butler returned in The Bounty Hunter (2010), Foxx in Valentine's Day (2010). Law Abiding Citizen is rotten at 26% with a 4.3/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Law Abiding Citizen?

The day after ... the Oscars 2017

The 89th Academy Awards have transpired, and as usual I will make a little post about it. This year I wasn't able to watch live, due to being in a Thai village, but followed vigorously through Twitter etc. nonetheless. I was sad to miss host Jimmy Kimmel's continued beef with Matt Damon, which seems to have been quite fun, the dresses - of course - the performances and the drama.
On the other hand, after the almost torturous ordeal which was watching the 2016 show, so riddled with political and racial unease, I feel alright not having seen the event for one year, although 2017 seems to have been a happier and more light-hearted celebration. - To be sure the 2017 Oscar show also had its ridiculous moments, (like the makeup and hairstyling winners of Suicide Squad dedicating their win "for all the immigrants", as if that should provoke anything but a laugh, (much less any actual change in the world), - and I might be wrong in thinking it a less aggravating watch than last year's show, not having seen it with my own two eyes.
The show will forever be remembered in the Oscar annals as the one in which the Best Picture win got botched up terribly, in a moment that lasted a couple of minutes of very strange live TV history, (watch that online!): Cinema legends Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bonnie and Clyde, announced La La Land, - the expected winner, - but as the movie's team arrived on stage, it became clear that there was a mistake in the envelopes, (somehow a second envelope with 'Emma Stone, La La Land' had gotten in their hands), and that Moonlight was the actual winner. Strange indeed.
The evening had other firsts as well: Damien Chazelle became the youngest director winner to date, at 32, and Mahershala Ali the first Muslim to win an acting Oscar. Best Foreign Film winner, The Salesman director Asghar Farhadi was not in attendance in protest of President Trump's travel ban on 7 Muslim countries, including his own, Iran. Protestations against Trump were, as expected, widespread throughout the evening, led by host Kimmel, who also tweeted Trump during the telecast, twice, first to ask if he was up, and secondly, with the hashtag, #Merylsayshi, - referring to nominated actress supreme Meryl Streep, who made a scathing speech against Trump at the Golden Globes some weeks ago.

As noted in the previous post, I haven't yet seen most of the nominated films this year and so had an unsure hand in predicting this year, which is evident in that I only got 11 right out of 21. This is down from 16 last year, 13 in 2015 and 7 in 2014.

Rounding up the winners, La La Land came out on top with 6 wins, including Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Director (Damien Chazelle), Best Production Design, Score (Justin Hurwitz), Cinematography (Linus Sandgren) and song (City of Stars). Manchester by the Sea surprised (me at least) by winning both Best Actor (Casey Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay (Kenneth Lonergan). - Amazon Studios, the streaming giant behind it, were naturally thrilled with their breakthrough to Oscar class as the first of their kind to achieve that. Moonlight won Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay (Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney) and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali). Viola Davis won Fences' only Oscar, and masterpiece Arrival won only for Best Sound Design. Hell or High Water, Nocturnal Animals, Lion, Jackie, Florence Foster Jenkins and Hidden Figures all went home empty-handed. Mel Gibson enjoyed a real comeback with his great war movie Hacksaw Ridge winning both Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing. Disney's Zootopia won Best Animation, The Salesman Best Foreign Film, and the 7-something hours long O.J.: Made in America became the longest documentary winner to date. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them won Best Costumes, becoming the first Harry Potter film, (although it is without Potter, so does that label fit?) to win an Oscar. Suicide Squad took Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and The Jungle Book got Best Visual Effects. The short film Oscars went to Sing (live action), Piper (animation) and The White Helmets (documentary).
Honorary Oscars went to Jackie Chan, Anne V. Coates, Lynn Stalmaster and Frederick Wiseman.

Justin Timberlake - performing nominated Can't Stop the Feeling from Trolls, - delight Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban et. al.

Red marks the person/s or film I predicted would win the Oscar/s  
Film Excess favorite marks the person/s or film I hoped would win the Oscar/s
Winner marks the person/s or film that actually won the Oscar/s

Best Picture

Arrival Film Excess favorite  
Fences  
Hacksaw Ridge  
Hell or High Water  
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion  
Manchester by the Sea  
Moonlight Winner

Best Director

Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Film Excess favorite  
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge  
Damien Chazelle, La La Land Winner  
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea  
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Best Actor

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Winner  
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge  
Ryan Gosling, La La Land  
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Film Excess favorite
Denzel Washington, Fences

Best Actress

Isabelle Huppert, Elle  
Ruth Negga, Loving  
Natalie Portman, Jackie  
Emma Stone, La La Land Winner  
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins Film Excess favorite

Best Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Winner  
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea  
Dev Patel, Lion  
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals Film Excess favorite

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis, Fences Film Excess favorite Winner  
Naomie Harris, Moonlight  
Nicole Kidman, Lion  
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures  
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best Original Screenplay

Hell or High Water - Taylor Sheridan  
La La Land - Damien Chazelle  
The Lobster - Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Fillipou Film Excess favorite  
Manchester by the Sea - Kenneth Lonergan Winner  
20th Century Women - Mike Mills

Best Adapted Screenplay

Arrival - Eric Heisserer Film Excess favorite  
Fences - August Wilson  
Hidden Figures - Allison Shroeder  
Lion - Luke Davies  
Moonlight - Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney Winner

Best Animated Feature

Kubo and the Two Strings Film Excess favorite  
Moana  
My Life As A Zucchini  
The Red Turtle  
Zootopia Winner

Best Foreign Film

Land of Mine - Martin Zandvliet, Denmark Film Excess favorite  
A Man Called Ove - Hannes Holm, Sweden  
The Salesman - Asghar Farhadi, Iran Winner  
Tanna - Martin Butler, Bentley Dean, Australia  
Toni Erdman - Maren Ade, Germany

Best Documentary Feature

Fire at Sea - Gianfranco Rosi, Donatella Palermo
I Am Not Your Negro - Raoul Peck, Rémi Grellety, Hébert Peck  
Life, Animated - Roger Ross Williams, Julie Goldman  
O.J. Made in America - Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow Winner  
13th - Ava DuVernay, Spencer Averick, Howard Barish Film Excess favorite

Best Score

Jackie - Mica Levi
La La Land - Justin Hurwitz Film Excess favorite Winner  
Lion - Dustin O'Halloran, Hauschka  
Moonlight - Nicholas Britell  
Passengers - Thomas Newman

Best Original Song
 
La La Land: Audition (The Fools Who Dream) - Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Film Excess favorite  
Trolls: Can't Stop the Feeling! - Justin Timberlake, Max Martin, Karl Johan Schuster
La La Land: City of Stars - Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Winner  
Jim: The James Foley Story: The Empty Chair - J. Ralph, Sting  
Moana: How Far I'll Go - Lin-Manuel Miranda

Best Sound Editing

Arrival Film Excess favorite Winner  
Deepwater Horizon  
Hacksaw Ridge  
La La Land  
Sully

Best Sound Mixing

Arrival Film Excess favorite  
Hacksaw Ridge Winner
La La Land  
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story  
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Best Production Design

Arrival  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
Hail, Caesar!  
La La Land Winner  
Passengers Film Excess favorite

Best Cinematography

Arrival - Bradford Young Film Excess favorite
La La Land - Linus Sandgren Winner  
Lion - Graig Fraser  
Moonlight - James Laxton  
Silence - Rodrigo Prieto

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

A Man Called Ove  
Star Trek Beyond Film Excess favorite  
Suicide Squad Winner

Best Costume Design

Allied  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Winner  
Florence Foster Jenkins Film Excess favorite  
Jackie
La La Land

Best Editing

Arrival Film Excess favorite  
Hacksaw Ridge Winner
Hell or High Water  
La La Land  
Moonlight

Best Visual Effects

Deepwater Horizon  
Doctor Strange  
The Jungle Book Film Excess favorite Winner  
Kubo and the Two Strings  
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali from Moonlight

Best Actor Casey Affleck from Manchester by the Sea

Best Actress Emma Stone from La La Land freaked out on stage

Best Supporting Actress Viola Davis from Fences

Best Supporting Actress nominee Ruth Negga from Loving looking stunning in an eye-popping red dress

Warren Beatty, Jimmy Kimmel and cast and crews from Moonlight and La La Land in the chaos surrounding the win for Best Picture on stage

Related posts:

The day after the day after ... the Oscars 2016
Oscars 2016 - Predictions and Film Excess' favorites
The day after the day after ... the Oscars 2015   
Oscars 2015: Prognosis and Film Excess' favorites
The day after ... the Oscars 2014   
Oscars 2014: Prognosis and Film Excess' favorites

What did you think of the 2017 Oscars?
Did the right movies and people win?
What was the best and worst moments, and which movies can't you wait to get to see? 

Doubt (2008) - Shanley's masterful religious drama

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+ Best Drama of the Year + Best Religious Movie of the Year

The somber, elegant poster for John Patrick Shanley's Doubt

We are at a Catholic school in New York in the 1960s, where a sermon given by Father Flynn leads the nun principle to suspect him of disturbing irregularities that soon find corroboration from a younger nun. - But what is really the truth?

Doubt is an adaptation of master New-Yorker filmmaker John Patrick Shanley's (Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)) 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play Doubt: A Parable, which he has rewritten for the screen and directed himself.
Not for a second did I feel that the film is a theater adaptation. Shanley, production designer David Gropman (Burnt (2015)) and the again masterly yet simple photography by Roger Deakins (Sicario (2015)) along with an almost imperceptible score by Howard Shore (The Yards (2000)) lead us through Doubt in the most cinematic way possible. And yet, it is an actors' film if any is, with Oscar-nominated Meryl Streep (A Cry in the Dark (1988)), Oscar-nominated Philip Seymour Hoffman (Moneyball (2011)), Oscar-nominated Amy Adams (Pumpkin (2002)) and Oscar-nominated Viola Davis (Trust (2010)) all giving formidable performances, not to mention the many boy actors in it.
The story manages to juggle the double-sided risks of acting in a possible molestation case; the risk to wrongfully destroy a man's life - against the risk of neglecting to shield an adolescent. In a case with no 'smoking gun' such as this, Streep's character accepts to pass judgment based on signs that she interprets, heightening the film's title theme. But Doubt juggles many great themes SPOILER and end up breaking one's heart. It is full of secrets and truths at the same time and is, in short, a masterpiece.

Related posts:

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
The 2000s in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]  

2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess

Watch the trailer for the film here

Cost: 20 mil. $
Box office: 50.9 mil. $
= Minor hit
[Doubt premiered October 30 (AFI Fest) and runs 103 minutes. The film was shot on location in the Bronx and Greenwich Village from December 2007 onward. It opened wide (in just 1,267 theaters) #10 to a 5.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 33.4 mil. $ (65.6 % of the total gross). Its 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Spain with 3.5 mil. $ (6.9 %) and Italy with 2.3 mil. $ (4.5 %). Of its 5 Oscar nominations the film won none, one of the major snubs of the year: Streep lost Best Actress to Kate Winslet for the great The Reader. Hoffman lost Best Supporting Actor to Heath Ledger, who won posthumously for the great The Dark Knight. Adams and Davis lost Best Supporting Actress to Penélope Cruz for the great Vicky Christina Barcelona. And Shanley lost Best Adapted Screenplay to Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire. Doubt was nominated for the 5 same things at the Golden Globes, where it also went home empty-handed there. Doubt is certified fresh at 78 % with a 6.9 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Doubt?