Netflix And Chill: BlackBerry (2023)

Some technology stays with us for what seems like forever. Some of it comes and goes, having a shining moment before becoming an obscure novelty, and becoming the modern version of a tech antique within just a few years. Show someone a portable CD player nowadays and explain it to them. In fact, show someone the Sega Mega-CD. Remember that? My old flatmate had one. I'm not sure anyone else did. The world of the mobile phone is littered with other prime examples. Models that were once so ubiquitous, but are no longer around (unless re-released to appeal to nostalgia). The sturdy Nokia 3310 is one example. The Motorola Razr V3i is another. And there's the BlackBerry, the first device that I saw sold as letting you have the power of a computer in your pocket. I never had one, but I used to view all mobile communication devices as nothing more than accessories for yuppies and/or wankers.

Speaking of those kinds of people, here we are with a movie that tells us about the incredible rise, and just as incredible fall, of the device. Directed by, co-written by, and starring Matt Johnson, it shows how a couple of men (Mike, played by Jay Baruchel, and Doug, played by Johnson) were able to make their mark on the world once they allowed a wolf (Jim, played by Glenn Howerton) into their metaphorical hen-house.  

Based on a book, "Losing The Signal", written by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, BlackBerry benefits from a great script co-written by Johnson and Matthew Miller, and a trio of fantastic lead performances from Baruchel, Johnson, and Howerton, the latter an absolute bulldog in human form. There's also the inherent nostalgia factor, of course, and it helps that the true story has enough fascinating twists and turns to build a movie around.

Howerton is the individual overshadowing all others here, and his constant aggression is very entertaining, mainly because of how others struggle to deal with him. While there are elements of the character that you know would appeal to Howerton, it also forces him to leave any comedic instincts at the door as he depicts someone so strong-willed and single-minded that he becomes quite monstrous. Baruchel does his usual slightly awkward schtick, but also convinces as his character ages up and loses most of his innocence and naivete. Johnson might give himself the role of the most sensible one of the three, but that also allows him to stay present throughout most of the runtime without usually being the focus of any one scene, which may have helped him to focus on his role behind the camera. Martin Donovan turns up for a scene or two, as do Saul Rubinek, Cary Elwes, Michael Ironside, and Rich Sommer, and everyone else does what is necessary to make the environment onscreen feel as busy as it needs to be.

I didn't think I would enjoy this, despite hearing some good word about it when it was released a couple of years ago. Considering my own views of the BlackBerry device, I wasn't sure what the film would offer me. It turns out that it's a bittersweet look at people trying to maintain some integrity and optimism in a world that only holds those values for as long as the profit margins remain high enough. BlackBerry celebrates innovation and the blood, sweat, and tears that workers put into a product they had faith in, but it also makes clear from the earliest scenes that innovators and hard workers need someone to get out there and negotiate with businesses, and sell the product, to make it a real success. It's a great shame that everyone can't share the same principles, but maybe that's why certain products crash down so low after such unexpeted highs.

Anyway, I'm off to use an online game emulator to play Snake. Because some days I am reminded of how much I used to enjoy playing Snake on my Nokia 3310. 

8/10

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Shudder Saturday: Summer Of 84

From the group that brought you Turbo Kid, and a few other treats, Summer Of 84 is an enjoyable thriller that manages to recreate the feel of some of your favourite films from the 1980s. Much like their previous film, this may not please fans who are after something a bit grittier and more violent. But it's a much more successful attempt to give viewers a film that feels like a love letter to a very specific form of entertainment. For me anyway, although I know I am in the minority because I didn't outright love Turbo Kid.

Graham Verchere is Davey Armstrong, your typical American movie teen. He has a paper round, he enjoys spending time with friends, who are often at the mercy of their hormones, and he has a vivid imagination. This is why his friends aren't totally convinced when he gets the idea that his neighbour, Mr Mackey (Rich Sommer), is a serial killer. The fact that Mr Mackey is also a policeman makes it harder to consider him as a serious suspect, but Davey and his friends begin their own investigation anyway.

Considering the many obvious influences here, this is a film that deserves praise for managing to have a sense of its own identity. The script, by Matt Leslie and Stephen J. Smith (their first, making it all the more impressive), isn't overly cute and complex. It's simply very well done throughout, with the main characters given just enough depth, the plot developments feel believable enough, and everything builds to a finale that rewards your patience with some bloodshed and real darkness.

It helps that you care about the cast of young characters, played by Verchere, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Judah Lewis, and Tiera Skovbye (the main female who the boys all lust after). They're all spot on in their roles, and Sommer is equally good, playing a man who may be a killer and may just be a nice guy who finds himself harassed by a bunch of teenagers. There are other adults acting onscreen, and they're good, but the heart of the movie beats strongest during the scenes that feature Verchere and Sommer.

The direction, by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-karl Whissell, is solid. The trio work better this time around with some filtering stopping them from throwing everything in the mix that takes their fancy. Whether that is thanks to the script, or just the fact that they know they will have more than one movie with which to show their love of certain movies, I view it as a good sign for things to come.

Okay, Summer Of 84 may lack the quirkiness of The 'burbs, and it may lack the balance of fun and thrills that were contained in Disturbia (I still love that film, and I don't care who knows it), but those films are close touchstones for this one, perhaps because both of them are also built on a premise that is a teen-friendly riff on Blue Velvet. All of these films explore the secrets just hidden away behind the white picket-fences of everyday American suburbs. That material gives them their comfort factor, and allows it to be twisted into something that plays on our suspicions and fears. What exactly is going on next door? What thoughts go through the mind of the neighbour that you pass by every morning on your way to work? Because everyone seems oblivious when they're being interviewed by reporters and delivering the usual "they just kept themselves to themselves" line.

7/10

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