I had never really noticed how limited Jason Statham facial expressions were until a friend sent me a Jason Statham-centric movie quiz. I have always enjoyed Statham as an action star, and even liked his attempt at more story driven work like The Bank Job. However, the quiz really opened my eyes to how few facial expressions he displays, namely a scowl and a smirk. I guess Statham’s charisma is so charming that I was willing to block out some of his flaws. Unfortunately, when it comes to his latest film, The Mechanic, Statham’s undeniable charisma is not enough to hide its many flaws.
In his latest action film, Statham plays a hit man named Arthur Bishop, who specialized in handling jobs that require a precise touch. When his mentor Harry is murdered (Donald Sutherland), Arthur is approached by Harry’s son Steve (Ben Foster) to learn the tricks of the assassin trade. Steve is determined to avenge his father’s death at all costs. As Arthur and Steve hunt down the elusive Dean (Tony Goldwyn), Harry’s former partner, secrets are revealed that threaten to destroy the duo’s partnership.
Although not all of Statham’s action films have been winners, they have a least been interesting to a certain extent. Yet, despite having a solid premise and the acting chops of Foster, The Mechanic is surprisingly dull. It is very telling when the most exciting, and energetic, aspect of the entire film arrives in the last five minutes. For a film whose running time is a scant 88 minutes The Mechanic feels extremely long as a direct result of some of the choices that director Simon West makes.
West tries to make the action feel claustrophobic, similar to the Bourne trilogy, yet he never finds that spark that makes any of the action scenes memorable. The fight scenes feel like both Statham and Foster are just going through the motions. This lack of energy is also apparent in the overall character arcs in the film. Instead of giving Foster one or two lines that accurately convey Steve’s anger and grief, West subjects the audience to two separate montages of Steve getting drunk and making bad decisions. While West may have viewed these scenes as gritty, they come off on screen as lazy and redundant.
The pairing of Jason Statham and Ben Foster should have been a match made in action heaven, yet they are stifled by Simon West’s attempt to make The Mechanic a deeper film than it really is. The Mechanic strives to be a thinking man’s action film but loses sight of all the things that make action films fun. Under different direction, The Mechanic might have been a fun romp, but sadly under West’s direction the film is surprisingly uneventful.
Behind A Bug’s Life, Cars was my second least favourite of the Pixar canon of films. Cars 2 on the other hand looks like it might actually be a vast improvement on its predecessor. I really like the James Bond angle of the trailer. Sure the spy stuff was already done in The Incredibles, but hopefully Cars 2 will bring something new to the genre.
The Mechanic
I like that Ben Foster is in this film. Foster is one of the best young actors working today in my opinion. Plus, Jason Statham has proven many times that he can deliver on the action front.
If The Hurt Locker had been released in 2008, shortly after its screening at The Toronto International Film Festival, would The Messenger have received more love from the Academy Awards this year? I could not help wonder about this after watching the film. Two nominations, for supporting actor and screenplay, seem far too slight for a film that runs circles around Best Picture contenders like The Blind Side. While The Messenger may not be as suspenseful, or as popular, as The Hurt Locker is; it packs a strong emotional punch that cannot be ignored.
After being injured in Iraq, Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is ordered to spend the remaining months of his military service in the Casualty Notification team. This particular division of the army is responsible for notifying next of kin when their loved ones, in the U.S. Army are killed while on duty. Montgomery would rather be back in Iraq with his squadron, instead of working with the rigid Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson). Stone is a veteran in the division and is responsible for showing Will the ropes. Despite their differences, Montgomery and Stone soon realize that they share an emotional pain which is directly linked to the war. Besides adjusting to a new role, Montgomery must also confront unexpected feelings that arise when he meets Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton), the wife a recently deceased officer.
Director Oren Moverman, who was the writer behind Jesus' Son and I'm Not There, subtly shows that the Iraq War not only has devastating ramifications for the troops overseas, but also their families and the soldiers still in America. We see the grief in the faces of every family member who is unfortunate enough to receive a visit from the Casualty Notification team. Montgomery and Stone's first visit to the Washington house is so emotionally charged that it is unfathomable how these men go through this five or six times each day. Even when the men are off duty, they still cannot escape the constant reminder of the sorrow due to war. There is a great scene in the film where Montgomery is having a drink at the local bar and observes a welcome home party for a returning soldier. Despite his best efforts to maintain the levity of the evening, the soldier clearly feels like a stranger in his own country. The soldier's awkward speech shows that he is not only struggling to come to terms with what he saw overseas, but also how foreign life outside of Iraq is. It is as if the soldier feels ashamed for being home while others are still fighting.
There is a level of guilt that sweeps through every single character like a virus in The Messenger. It is one of the most compelling, and heartbreaking, aspects of the film. Stone is riddle with guilt for things he was not able to do, and relationships that were ruined as a result. Some of the families Stone and Montgomery visit express guilt over how things ended with their loved ones before the war, and the fact that they will never have a chance to fix it. The interesting thing is that the guilt is not only associated with loss, but new beginnings as well. This is most evident in the Will/Olivia story arc. Not only must Montgomery cope with being alive; but he also feels guilt for both pushing his old flame (Jena Malone) into the arms of another man, and for falling for woman whose husband is a fallen soldier. Montgomery's guilt confines him like a prisoner in an increasingly shrinking cell. Olivia’s guilt, on the other hand, is more connected to society’s expectations of a recent widow. In Olivia’s eyes, the soldier she loved died, figuratively speaking, years ago after his personality changed upon returning from his second tour of duty. Although Olivia clearly has feelings for Will, she is constantly aware of what the neighbours and her son will think. There is a level of guilt that is associated with moving on too soon which makes Olivia as much of a prisoner as Will is.
Oren Moverman's script is excellently layered, yet never feels like it is preaching at the audience despite its subject matter. Moverman merely wants to show a side of war that often does not get featured on film. The performances in the film are outstanding. While Woody Harrelson's work received an Academy Award nomination, and rightfully so, it is astonishing that neither Ben Foster or Samantha Morton were recognized for their respective roles. Granted they probably would not have won against some of the big names this year, but at least their work would garner notice on a larger scale. Foster keeps getting better with each role, it is only a matter of time before people start to give him serious leading man status. Ben perfectly captures a man who is trying to maintain order on the outside, while being a complete wreck on the inside. Morton is one of those actresses who can make reading Dr. Seuss aloud worthy of an award. Her performance in this film is so subtle and honest, that it is easy for some to miss all of the brilliant nuances that she brings to the role. I have no doubt that if the role was "flashier", she would have been nominated. Regardless, do not let the lack of award buzz keep you away from The Messenger. The film may be small but it is filled with large, and poignant, moments.
