#JohnDoman

[elbisonodelcine]

🎞️Blue Valentine (2010) 🎥 Derek Cianfrance 📷 Andrij Parekh

[cruisified]

“I’m the world’s greatest superhero. You’re my greatest failure.” The Boys (S01E07)

[doomonfilm]

Review : You Were Never Really Here (2018)

As the 2018 film season comes to a close, I am realizing that I have a little bit of catch-up to do.  As much as I’ve been on top of new releases this year, I have managed to let a few slip by me that deserve a viewing before I start locking in my year end lists.  One of the top films on that list, if not the top one, is You Were Never Really Here. 

Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a former soldier and FBI agent haunted by experiences in his past, but attempting to find redemption by rescuing trafficked girls from their captors, often using brutal force.  He takes care of his aging mother (Judith Roberts), with whom he shared a past full of abuse at the hands of her husband and his father.  Due to this lifestyle, Joe often flirts with the idea of suicide.  While meeting Angel (Frank Pando), the messenger between Joe and Joe’s handler, John McCleary (John Doman), Joe is seen by Moises (Vinicius Damasceno), Angel’s son.  Joe is given a new job rescuing Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov), the daughter of New York State Senator Albert Votto (Alex Manette), from McCleary.  Joe lets McCleary know that his address may have been compromised, but McCleary urges him to push forward with the job.  Upon completion of the job, Joe is accosted by NYPD, at which point he realizes that he and everyone he loves may be in grave danger, and that he must do whatever it takes to set things right.

I’ve heard many comparisons to Taxi Driver for this film, but I think that people are not looking past one or two obvious points of comparison (New York, human trafficking, vigilantism).  As much as I love the character of Travis Bickle, Joe is a much more complex specimen, at least in terms of direct information we are given about both his past and his state of mind.  Where Travis was a man pushed to the limits of acceptance by his view of society who was given a chance at redemption via rescuing Iris, Joe is truly a tender killing machine.  The way he cares for his mother, even when she is partially responsible for the abusive situation they both found themselves in, lets you know that he is patient, accepting, and not naturally malicious.  The way that he attempts to shield the girls he rescues from the violence he dishes out further drives those qualities home, not to mention his actions and choices in the now famous kitchen scene.  In Joe, we get a young man with an unfortunate fascination with death due to his bad situation become a savior for those who cannot save themselves as he constantly cheats the death that he is anchored by, yet still embracing.

For a film as violent as You Were Never Really There is at its core, it is far from a glorification of this violence.  The violence portrayed in the film is certainly a means to an end, and for the most part, we are either given only brief flashes of the violence or shown the immediate aftermath of it.  Our antihero is driven by both a sense of regret for past actions and the way he is haunted by his distant past, but despite the immediate validation he receives for his acts, there is not true ceiling for redemption.  He is heroic in a sense, but between the volume of damage he inflicts, and the fact that he will never truly be rewarded for his heroic actions, the toll taken on his soul far outweighs the good it does.  The brief looks into Joe’s thoughts, fears and memories are unnerving, and only further the fact that redemption is not his motivating drive for doing what he does.  In a sense, Joe is a broken man who, with a hammer, is attempting to ‘fix’ something else broken.

The camerawork is astonishing in this film, giving a wonderful sense of claustrophobia that makes the viewer feel both the pain of Joe and the sense of getting your hands dirty by proxy.  The intense, driving, erratic score that often erupts from long periods of being restrained perfectly evokes Joe’s rushes of adrenaline and the subsequent comedowns, all courtesy of Radiohead’s sonic genius Jonny Greenwood.  The film was adapted from a book, and in a weird way, it is easy to tell.  In my opinion, the pacing, characterization, and overall tone of the movie makes it oddly book-like, one of the most book-like film adaptations I can remember, and it definitely has me interested in reading the original source material.

In a career full of standout performances, Joaquin Phoenix has managed another notch on the belt, doing so much with so little (and in such a reserved manner) that you physically feel the struggle within him... I can almost guarantee a Best Actor string of nominations, if not wins, for this performance.  Ekaterina Samsonov is mysterious and intriguing, giving you the impression that she is ‘letting herself’ be saved in order to unleash a much greater vengeance on a much bigger target.  John Doman plays his role with the coolness and assurance it takes to be the man in charge, making the downfall of all around him that much more heartbreaking.  Judith Roberts is charming in her codependency that the role required, both immediately endearing her to audiences, and breaking their heart eventually.  Alex Manette, Alessandro Nivola, Frank Pando and Vinicius Damasceno also stand out.

Due to a limited run, I did not get to see this one on the big screen, and now that I have seen it, I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t bum me out a bit.  While most compare this film to Taxi Driver, I’d say a more apt comparison would be Good Time, by the Safdie brothers, and I will probably pair the two films together for a viewing at some point.  Definitely a high contender for Film of the Year, and one that will make my list that much more difficult to determine. 

[blacksnowcomics]

Bill Rawls - The Wire #rawls #billrawls #johndoman #thewire #thewirequotes #baltimore #police #davidsimon #artistsoninstagram #drawing #fanart https://www.instagram.com/p/CWgMrpQJNjG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[b2the4thpower]

Your Dad's Action Movies Episode 18 You Were Never Really Here (JoaquinPhoenix)

[wcefilms-blog]

There are films I do because I love the script. There are others I do because I love my colleagues, this is both. I can’t wait to do this film #ironterrymalone #garrypastore #vincentpastore #johndoman #billsorvino #christiankeiber #maureenvanzandt #holtmccallany #kerrymcgann #johnnygreenlaw #actorslife #actor (at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar/Penthouse)

[movizark-blog]

‘You Were Never Really Here’ Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix Is a Brutal Fixer!!! Check It Out!!

‘You Were Never Really Here’ Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix Is a Brutal Fixer!!! Check It Out!! #JoaquinPhoenix, #YouWereNeverReallyHere, #JudithRoberts, #EkaterinaSamsonov, #JohnDoman, #AlexManette, #DantePereiraOlsen, #AlessandroNivola

Synopsis – A missing teenage girl. A brutal and tormented enforcer on a rescue mission. Corrupt power and vengeance unleash a storm of violence that may lead to his awakening.

Directed – Lynne Ramsay

Starring – Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alessandro Nivola

Check out the trailer:

[realitytvworld]

'The Affair' fifth and final season to premiere on Showtime in August

Showtime has announced that the fifth and final season of "The Affair" will premiere on Aug. 25.

#AnnaPaquin #JenniferJasonLeigh #SanaaLathan #JoshuaJackson #RuthWilson #MauraTierney #DominicWest #JohnDoman #RussellHornsby #LyriqBent #TheAffair

READ IT: 'The Affair' fifth and final season to premiere on Showtime in August

[shortandsweetfilmreviews]

"Why'll it's puzzling that some are comparing the latest Neeson notch in the action bed-post filmography to Fargo, I admired how it showers the viewer with its cold/dark humor. Still, #ColdPursuit feels too long at 2-hours to embrace its surface level plot & brutal style."🌟🌟1/2 #RentIt #film #filmreview #filmreviews #filmIG #shortandsweet #movie #movies #moviescenes #movieclips #moviequotes #movienight #filmcriticism #filmtwitter #filmcritic #LiamNeeson #lauradern #tombateman #tomjackson #emmarossum #johndoman #williamforsythe https://www.instagram.com/p/BtsJ_salMFk/?igshid=1i9sfornw34xk

[justgotham]

hossridesagain Ran into Don Falcone today! We just chilled and talked about that Original Gangster stuff.... @gothamonfox#Gotham #JohnDoman

Via: Instagram

[doomonfilm]

Review : The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

From a very young age, the Vietnam war, and all of the events generated from its fallout, has been a major point of interest.  So much of the modern-day American cultural landscape was shaped from the friction caused between the 1950′s old-fashioned mindset and the vast array of counter-cultural voices looking for a chance at equal footing within the American diaspora.  A key flash point in these turbulent times was the Chicago Democratic Convention of 1968, where the figureheads of Richard Nixon for the Right and Hubert Humphrey from the Left presented such a bleak outlook for America at large that many groups of disenfranchised voices felt on the ground protesting and direct action was needed.  The ensuing trial read like America versus a who’s who of the aforementioned counter-cultural voices, dubbed the Chicago 7 despite an initial attempt to try 8 individuals, and with 2020 being quite the politically turbulent time in its own right, it felt an appropriate atmosphere for Aaron Sorkin to create and release The Trial of the Chicago 7. 

With the Vietnam war ramping up, an increase in the drafting of American soldiers, and a looming Presidential election that seemingly did not serve the interest of the American public at large, a key group of individuals leading and representing several different factions of the counter-culture made plans to attend the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention with the intent to make their voices heard by America in particular, and the world at large.  A year removed from the protests and ensuing riots in Chicago, Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) prepares to hear State Attorneys Richard Schulz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Tom Foran (J.C. MacKenzie) try their case against Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and the group of defendants who would later come to be known as the Chicago 7 : Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong) of the Yippie movement, Tom Hayden (Eddie Edmayne) of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), David Dellenger (John Carroll Lynch) and Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp) of the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE), and SDS members Lee Weiner (Noah Robbins) and Daniel Flaherty (John Friones).  The group, who are defended by Attorneys William Kunstler (Mark Rylance) and Leonard Weinglass (Ben Shenkman), find themselves facing travesty after travesty of justice, not to mention numerous outside influence, in their quest to expose the hypocrisy of the political trial they are facing.

While the storytelling found in The Trial of the Chicago 7 is vibrant and efficient in its balance of education and entertainment, it is best ingested outside the context of other Aaron Sorkin work.  This, however, is not a negative or a meant to be a slight on the film… in my opinion, the gravity of the story he is telling, and the fact that it is not only completely true, but relatively recent history, inherently yields Sorkin from applying the trademark snark that provides the snap found in his mastery of dialogue.  That being said, this film (and the spirit in which it was created) would serve as an outstanding entry point for anyone interested in 1960s counter-culture, political unrest and protests against the Vietnam war in general, and the Yippie Party, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Black Panther Party specifically.  The foundation on which revolution is based helps ground the film, but not at the expense of weighing down entertainment.

At the risk of sounding contradictory, for all of the importance of the Chicago Democratic Convention that makes it a bit more serious than something I’d like Aaron Sorkin to handle, the trial portion of the film is actually perfectly suited for him to handle.  The dialogue may not necessarily be in the complete spirit of his trademark banter, but his panache for balance shines through in his direction of the actors with the material.  Lots of ideas are moving in concert at any given time, and each gets a moment in the spotlight without causing detriment to the others, which is very similar to the nature of the seven different real life defendants.  The behavior exhibited in the courtroom is quite often shocking, with the lion’s share of the shock originating from the judicial side of things.  In many ways, a generation was being put on trial at the time, and Sorkin clearly knows this, but he is also smart enough to know that the generation supposedly ‘on trial’ was not one harmonious voice.  Even a viewer like me, who is coming to the table with an affinity for the Black Panthers and the Yippies specifically, can respect the portrayal and stance of Tom Hayden simply because he, like everyone else in the film, is given an equal voice and a chance to humanize their side of the struggle.

Eddie Redmayne serves as the audience surrogate, with his nervous tension and sense of danger demanding attention, regardless of whom he shares the frame with… his performance is one of the more powerful I’ve seen that did not rely on dialogue, which is rare for an Aaron Sorkin affair.  Sacha Baron Cohen is allowed to do a refined and precise version of his very intelligent comedy, all while paying ode to a man that likely inspired him in turn.  His energy plays off of the aggressive awareness of Jeremy Strong, whose assured weight behind his words matches the sense of pride in the side his character has chosen.  Alex Sharp encapsulates the quiet revolutionary, with a measured release of clearly heightened awareness that is shielded by his resolve.  John Carroll Lynch takes the observational approach, choosing his words wisely and making sure that their impact is felt.  Noah Robbins and Daniel Flaherty bring supporting presence to the original seven, often espousing dressed up exposition like a tour guide for the viewer.  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a lightning rod of emotionally charged intelligence wielded in the hopes of freedom, with every bit of the sense of urgency that entails popping off the screen.

Mark Rylance uses a sly and cunning propped up with the confidence that experience brings, as well as the frustration that comes when one is forced to confront the absence of logic.  Ben Shenkman brings a youthful sharpness and exuberance that matches the energy of the so-called radicals that he is defending.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes the most of placing a good-hearted character between a rock and a hard place, sounding logical counterpoints while presenting an acceptance of fact.  Frank Langella is fabulously frustrating, wearing the trope of the outdated old-timer trope in the parallel fashion of both a badge of honor and a war trophy.  Kelvin Harrison Jr. amplifies the frustration that Abdul-Mateen II brings to the table while continuing the positively powerful portrayal of the Black Panthers.  Caitlin FitzGerald, Michael Keaton, John Doman, Wayne Duvall, Damian Young and others fill out a powerful ensemble cast.

Much like Malcolm X, a movie like The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a film whose educational aspects do not get in the way of educating people on a piece of history that is often swept under the rug.  I’ve never had aspirations of being a teacher, but if I ever end up in that role and happen to teach history, I will certainly try my best to put this film in the curriculum.  Otherwise, it can serve as a good bar-setter for whether or not someone can take in the work of Aaron Sorkin, which would make a follow-up like Molly’s Game or The Social Network easier to digest if the entry point is well-received.  

[wcefilms-blog]

There are films I do because I love the script. There are others I do because I love my colleagues, this is both. I can’t wait to do this film #ironterrymalone #garrypastore #vincentpastore #johndoman #billsorvino #christiankeiber #maureenvanzandt #holtmccallany #kerrymcgann #johnnygreenlaw #actorslife #actor (at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar/Penthouse)

[gibbygano]

This is what happens when you show #JohnDoman your bobblehead @WireFans #thewire

[wcefilms-blog]

There are films I do because I love the script. There are others I do because I love my colleagues, this is both. I can’t wait to do this film #ironterrymalone #garrypastore #vincentpastore #johndoman #billsorvino #christiankeiber #maureenvanzandt #holtmccallany #kerrymcgann #johnnygreenlaw #actorslife #actor (at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar/Penthouse)