For It Is Man's Number: jack gilpin

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Monday, 13 April 2026

Mubi Monday: Something Wild (1986)

Despite the wealth of new movies to discover (as well as the wealth of *urgh* content out there), it can do you good to revisit films that you haven't seen for quite some time. That gives you an opportunity to either change your opinion on something or, hopefully, reaffirm your love for it. You might sometimes also reaffirm your dislike of something, but films that you majorly dislike are probably least likely to be at the top of any list of potential rewatches.

I don't think I've seen Something Wild in about twenty years, and I first saw it after hearing from many other films about how great it is. I enjoyed it, but was slightly put off from loving it by the ever-darkening tone that creeps in as things start to spiral. Rewatching it today, that commitment to the danger of many moments is what I like most about it.

Jeff Daniels plays Charles Driggs, a successful young man who has no idea what a turn his life is about to take when he decides to leave a diner without paying for his meal. This brings him to the attention of Audrey (Melanie Griffith), currently spending some time going by the name of Lulu. Audrey/Lulu sees someone dipping their toes in the water of recklessness, and she decides to immediately drag him into deeper waters. The two might be able to have a good time, depending on how long they can keep the real world away from their little bubble. And how long they can avoid the intense and dangerous Ray (Ray Liotta).

If you've never been anywhere close to the kind of situation that Daniels finds himself in here then you may well find Something Wild to be a film that starts off light and fluffy, albeit with some added petty crime and handcuffs, before turning into something sharp and toothy. Those who have made some mistakes on their way through life will start to worry very early on, however. The lead character is worryingly innocent, making it very easy for many viewers to see how far he's about to fall way before he comes to that inevitable conclusion. This is someone who thinks that committing a dine 'n' dash is the height or acceptable craziness and immorality. It's someone who thinks that they can enjoy a bit of party time. It's someone, in other words, who quickly finds himself out of his depth when encountering people who live in territory that he has tried to tiptoe through as a tourist.

E. Max Frye really came out of the gates at a hell of a pace, this was his first screenplay turned into a full feature, and it helps that director Jonathan Demme has the confidence to play around with every scene in a way that keeps upping the temperature while one or two of the characters remain as oblivious as the fabled frog placed in a pot of cold water that is then incrementally raised to boiling point.

Daniels is very good in his role, managing to stay well-intentioned and easy to like, despite the relatively privileged life that his character has clearly enjoyed. It's Griffith who gives the star turn though, and every time I see one of her more celebrated film roles I always remind myself that I should explore more of her filmography (I will, I will, honest, this time I will). As for Liotta, he comes into the film at just the right time, delivering a shot of adrenalin that keeps everything charged up all the way to the end credits. Other familiar faces to keep an eye out for include Charles Napier, John Waters, and Jack Gilpin.

Something Wild is a film that could have been presented in any number of different ways. We have seen those other movies. They're usually not quite as good, nor quite as interesting, as this. We should be thankful that Frye and Demme set out to make something so unique, even if there are a number of films that could be considered close touchstones around it, and thankful that the three main cast members were so perfect for their respective roles.

9/10

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Sunday, 10 March 2024

Netflix And Chill: Adventureland (2009)

Director Greg Mottola has been consistently entertaining for almost three decades now, on both the small and the big screen. I cannot comment on his short films made in the 1980s, but I don't think there's too much to be overly critical of from The Daytrippers (1996) onward. I'm not saying he has made classic after classic, and, as we can say about everyone, some will hate his work, but he's been doing very solid work throughout the majority of his career. This coming-of-age story remains one of his best.

It's 1987. Jesse Eisenberg plays James Brennan, a young man who ends up reluctantly taking a job at a local amusement park. His parents (played by Jack Gilpin and Wendie Malick) can't necessarily afford all the plans that James had in mind for his future student life, much to the surprise and disappointment of James. Unhappy with his role, things soon start to look up when James meets Em (Kristen Stewart). But can he make a good impression when everyone at the amusement park seems to be overshadowed by the cool and handsome Mike (Ryan Reynolds).

With Mottola taking on both the directing and writing duties this time around, showing that he's equally good in either role, what you get here is a sweet and amusing comedy drama that won't necessarily be embraced by those seeking out the very next feature from "the director of Superbad". Not that you can't see any connective tissue (Mottola knows how to show the insecurities of young characters as they make mistakes and stumble into what they think the next stage of their life should be), but this is actually a fair distance removed from that film, more in line with films such as The Way Way Back and The Kings Of Summer.

Eisenberg is a great choice for the lead role, bringing his usual mix of cockiness, intelligence, and the ability to be occasionally knocked down while he finds out that he doesn't always know more than everyone else around him. This is up there with his very best roles, and he's complemented by a pretty perfect selection of supporting performers. Stewart is equally good as Em, a young woman making her mistakes without the relatively comfortable background that James has, Margarita Levieva is well-cast in the role of another desirable young woman, Lisa, and Martin Starr excels as the more experienced park worker, Joel, who really should have moved on to something else by now. Gilpin and Malick are good fun in their few scenes, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are scene-stealers, as expected, any time they appear as the husband and wife park management team, and Reynolds is brilliantly utilised, with his charisma and good looks helping to soften the edges of someone who can viewed as very sad and quite awful, a man able to play at being king amongst youngsters who cannot smell the whiff of his BS.

The 1980s time period allows for a couple of great hits on the soundtrack (and I continue to be a big fan of Rock Me Amadeus, as performed by Falco), a main plot point allows for numerous Lou Reed tracks to be sprinkled throughout the film, there's a nice visual style that manages to feel both soft and crystal clear, and an air of authenticity runs through everything, from the content to the presentation. I highly recommend this, especially to anyone who has spent years avoiding it under the misapprehension that it was in the same vein as Mottola's previous teen movie.

8/10