Drama

The Glass Castle (2017)

Published

5 years ago

December 31, 2017

Summary

A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who’s an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children’s imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty.

Genre : Drama
Country : USA

Cast :
Woody Harrelson : Rex
Brie Larson : Jeannette
Ella Anderson : Young Jeannette

Director :
Destin Daniel Cretton

My opinion on “The Glass Castle”

“I never built the glass castle.
No. But it was fun to plan it. “

“The Glass Castle” is the film version of a true story that will baffle and mystify you. A film that balances between a romanticized comedy and a serious drama. It’s like an adventurous road-movie in which an apparently normal family travel around as nomads. But, “Apparently normal” is an understatement, because they lead a rather unusual life. And this thanks to Rex, the pater familias of the Walls family (Woody Harrelson). On the one hand he thoroughly hates everything that smells like capitalism. And on the other hand there’s also a serious alcohol problem that causes a number of problems. An addicted man with manic-depressive traits who’s planning already for years to build a dream house in the most efficient place (an argument that he uses over and over again when they are moving again for the umpteenth time). This realization involves a futuristic glass house. A house probably as fragile as the family structure in which Jeannette (Ella Anderson / Brie Larson) grew up.

Parents who feel responsible but can’t act as responsible parents.

Rex Walls is without doubt an intelligent person, but has never used this intelligence in a positive way. Hence the chaotic life with a different destination every other time. From a poor home to spending the night under a starry sky in the desert. Rex and Rose Mary (Naomi Watts) are parents who feel responsible for the welfare of their children, but on the other hand they can not bear that responsibility. Rose Mary is a would-be artist with a hippie look who follows Rex unconditionally and goes along with his illusions. Even though she realizes at certain moments that they aren’t exactly leading a normal life, it’s still very difficult for her to leave Rex. Sometimes she acts as if she’s intoxicated as well.

Alcohol and how it dislocates families.

“The Glass Castle” contains some heavy themes such as raising children, an addiction and the consequences, rebelling against established values in a capitalist community and psychological child abuse. Even though it sometimes feels absurd and light-footed, the whole left an everlasting impression. A family life with well-meaning parents who make everyday life almost impossible. I haven’t experienced similar circumstances. But the addiction element is something that touched me personally. It showed in a realistic way how someone’s dependency is destructive and how difficult it is to reverse such a process. Despair and guilt were played in a striking way by Woody Harrelson.

Ella Anderson. A truly remarkable performance.

Woody Harrelson plays his prominent role in a truly brilliant way. For me this was one of the best acting performances of this versatile actor till now. Brie Larson shows in a realistic way how the older Jeanette struggles with her inner feelings. There was this turnaround moment when she realizes that she doesn’t belong to the artificial world of the wealthy people and that the imaginary world of her father, she wanted to escape from so desperately, was the place where she felt at home. Perhaps it’s a bit too corny, but at the same time it’s really touching. The one who made the most impression, however, was Ella Anderson as the young Jeannette. The interactions between Rex and the young Jeannette were the most beautiful film moments. The father with his changing moods opposite that vulnerable girl whose unconditional love for her father is indestructible.

Alcohol addiction. A destructive lifestyle.

Even though it’s not explicitely about alcohol, I think this is the common thread throughout the film. I’m convinced that alcohol is the structural cause of the totally disrupted family situation and the reason for all kinds of incidents. Rex realizes that his family doesn’t get the regular life that they actually deserve because of his drinking problem. And when his favorite daughter asks the ultimate question to quit drinking, there’s that pained and guilt-soaked look. Most will see this parental behavior as unheard and irresponsible. But remember that an alcohol addict is trapped in a hard-to-flee compulsion pattern and most of times doesn’t have control over his behavior. However, I fear the film isn’t a reflection of how the situation was in reality.

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB

FILM RATING

Adventure

‘1883’ Spinoff Series ‘Bass Reeves’ Adds Dennis Quaid to Cast

Published

2 months ago

January 20, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

Dennis Quaid (Far from Heaven, The Day After Tomorrow) is the latest star to join the cast of Bass Reeves, a new drama series coming from Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Tulsa King) and Paramount+, according to Deadline. Bass Reeves was announced as a spinoff to the Yellowstone prequel, 1883 back in May 2022 with David Oyelowo (Selma, A Wrinkle in Time) attached to star as the legendary lawman.

Bass Reeves will follow Oyelowo as someone who is known to many as “the greatest frontier hero” in American history in his own series on Paramount+. The streamer already houses so many Sheridan-fronted programs, most recently, Mayor of Kingstown starring Jeremy Renner returned for its second season while CIA drama, Lioness added to its cast with Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. Some believe that Reeves served inspiration to “The Lone Ranger” having worked as a peace officer for Indian territory capturing over 3,000 criminals on that land. Quaid will play Sherrill Lynn, a Deputy U.S. Marshall within the show.

Quaid most recently voiced the character Jaeger Clade in Disney’s animated feature Strange World which is currently available to stream on Disney+. He’ll also star in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming HBO Max series Full Circle alongside Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes and Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome.

FILM RATING

Drama

Amy Winehouse Biopic ‘Back to Black’ Adds to Cast with Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville

Published

2 months ago

January 19, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

Let the casting of music biopics commence! As we’ve been hammered with news of superstar musician biopics each and every week, we have more news of one that is filming currently with Back to Black about the late, great Amy Winehouse. While it was reported back in January that Industry star, Marisa Abela will be leading as Winehouse, we now have details courtesy of Deadline on who will be joining the British pop star’s life story on screen.

The report indicates that Jack O’Connell (Unbroken, ’71), Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Another Year) and Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan, The World’s End) will all appear alongside Abela in Back to Black. O’Connell is set to play Blake Fielder-Civil, the love of Winehouse’s life who she was married to from 2007 until 2009, just a few years prior to her death as their love was unfortunately addled by prescription drug abuse and alcohol as well as multiple stints in rehab for both of them. Marsan will play Winehouse’s father while Manville will play Winehouse’s maternal grandmother in the film.

Back to Black will follow the life of one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all-time in Amy Winehouse. Her sophomore album (which the film is named after) won her 5 Grammy Awards all at the young age of 25 just before her untimely death in 2011 at age 27. The film will focus on Amy’s creativity, genius and upbringing at Camden High School in the UK before she propelled into stardom.

The film will be written by Matt Greenhalgh and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson reuniting the two of them after their 2009 film Nowhere Boy, which chronicled John Lennon’s formative years and adolescence. Taylor-Johnson is coming off directing episodes of Hunters and Solos for Amazon but is best known for helming Fifty Shades of Grey.

O’Connell had a big 2022 starring in Netflix’s Lady Chatterly’s Lover and MGM+’s new original series, SAS Rogue Heroes. He’ll next star as professional race car driver Peter Collins in Ferrari. Manville most recently starred as Princess Margaret in the recent season of The Crown for Netflix and in Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination. Marsan is best known for playing Ray Donovan‘s brother, Terry in the hit Showtime series but will next appear in the film, Fair Play with Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor.

FILM RATING

Action

Anthony Hopkins to Lead Peacock Gladiator Drama ‘Those About to Die’

Published

2 months ago

January 19, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

Peacock is one of the streamers that has yet to break through in terms of their original content getting recognized for awards contention. One such series that might change that fate for the streaming service is Those About to Die and it’s starting to build out its cast. According to Variety, 2-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Father) is the first to join the drama series which comes from Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow). Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat will script the series.

Hopkins will play the character known as Emperor Vespasian in the series which is set in the world of gladiatorial battle. It will be an ensemble drama following many different Roman characters that will set forth for violent affairs in the arena among other complexities such as political power and corruption so expect a starry cast for this Peacock drama. Hopkins’ character is described as “despised by the Patricians jockeying for position in the Empire and looking to supplant his heirs to the throne the first chance they get. Vespasian became the Roman emperor after a ten-year civil war. We expect to get more casting news soon as the show will begin filming in Rome in March.

Anthony Hopkins is coming off a terrific performance in James Gray’s Armageddon Time in 2022 after winning his second Academy Award for his role in The Father the year prior. He’ll next voice a character in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon for Netflix and also will star in British drama One Life alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Jonathan Pryce. Emmerich is coming off directing the sci-fi disaster film, Moonfall in 2022.

FILM RATING