Call Me By Your Throne.
140 Mins. Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Lily-Rose Depp, Robert Pattinson & Ben Mendelsohn. Director: David Michôd.
The Crown fits for this Outlaw King, but heavy is the head when the mind is soaked with liquor, boozed by burdens of the father. 'Call Me By Your Name' young megastar Timothée Chalamet is 'The King' like the Lakers LeBron James, but can't seem to stay off the Chardonnay (or mead in mud as thick) here for his father's sins. So off come the 'Beautiful Boy' trademark locks for a Beatle bowl cut for his Caesar (see soon in a barbershop near you peaking like blinders) for 'Animal Kingdom' director David Michôd's movie based on several Shakespeare 'Henriad' plays and Netflix's second and just as epic in score and lore of this knighted era in a calender. The Aussie rules too, recruiting another great Australian on camera ('Loving'), behind it ('Boy Erased') and producing in Joel Edgerton and yet another one in the Gary Sinise, "he's in everything" of the modern day, character acting legend Ben Mendelsohn. And if that wasn't enough for this big screen worthy battle in an all-star cast, Plan B's very own Brad Pitt is behind it too, as if he isn't already having his best month, let alone year...let alone career with this, the out of this world 'Ad Astra' and the Tinseltown classic, 'Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood'. All this down under, La, La Land and we're talking about merry, ye olde England here, mud to mead, thick as thieves. All for the crown and cross, sword and stone. The 'bard himself would love this bawdy jest of an affair that takes you around the globe for his theatre.
Chainmail cousins. Catapults captured as beautifully in all the wooden mechanics of their brutality as the outstanding one-shot of 'Outlaw King' Chris Pine. More terrific one takes here for another American as accented on the British Isles. And unlike the Loki god of mischief, Tom Hiddleston ('Hollow Crown') who was classically trained for the position, Chalamet actually looks like Henry V. Where's his Reeves like renaissance painting? And with the young, next great actor of the new generation-who began his career in Christopher Nolan's out of this universe, 'Interstellar', alongside the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway and Casey Affleck, legend Michael Caine and fellow young star Mackenzie Foy-looking for his big leading man role after sharing the stage with Armie Hammer (whilst moonlighting in Greta Gerwig and Saorise Ronan Oscar movies like 'Lady Bird' and the forthcoming Academy of the 'Little Women' remake). If he is the next Hammer time 'J. Edgar' co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, then this is his 'The Man In The Iron Mask'. Swashbuckling steel like a grittier musketeer. Getting dirtier in the soil of a fight of knights that's claustrophobia inducing like banging sheet metal in a major chess move that sees Henry save his soldiers by taking the fight himself to Hotspur like a Chelsea derby. Brave, bold and brilliant, Timothée is worthy of the accent and a spittle speech that stirs much like Pine's 'Outlaw King' or more earthed realism than 'Braveheart' brother Hollywood quotable legend on an 'Independence Day' scale. Chalamet is compelling throughout this nuanced narrative. At times saying more with innocent eyes that grow wearier by the frame as his youthful look and identity is cut for the royal regalia. Those who are trolling Twitter by superimposing knockers on Timmy's slight but strong frame really are the ones who are tits when you stay abreast of just how well you can watch Tim take the throne without a single chest puff of arrogance. But instead one of a concerted confidence for peace in the times of rolling heads on either side of Hadrian and Trump's wall. All hail Chalamet!
Long live movies as epic and entertaining as this history lesson wrote by the quills of the literature Gods. And how about all the players here? 2004's 'King Arthur', 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Midnight Special' and Netflix's very own 'Bright' orc actor Joel Edgerton is building a formidable filmography. And here in more than just a reliable role as the true best friend and actual, genuine father figure, rags to riches shows so much maturity and depth behind that mead beard than say he did camping it up as a Tutankhamen before the mummification looking Ramses beautifully alongside Christian Bale's Moses in Ridley Scott's 'Exodus' of 'Gods and Kings'. The still so underrated actor and now director who earned his salt debuting in second trilogy 'Star Wars' of all Hollywood movies when he was making 'Animal Kingdom' with Michôd is at his best yet, but still making it all look like a walk in Sherwood forest. This wise counsel that speaks only when someone should be spoken to also has a touching moment with Chalamet's cheek before battle, which not a dry eye in your house should leave you with a tear rolling down yours. And how refreshing to see the 'Mission Impossible' recurring villain and 'Harry Brown' and ''71' terrifying real world situation starring Sean Harris in a role of close counsel too? 2015's Fassbender 'Macbeth's' Macduff has a voice born for the blood of villainy. As does-when he uses it his way-Ben Mendelsohn whose King father is truly as beautifully repugnant as the chicken grease around his mouth. As he'd rather rip the meat off a wing than easily say the word that would save the life of a man rotting in a dank cell, skin to bone. But if you thought that was the bad guy Billie...DUH! A French revolution of menace, Batman to be Robert Pattinson with accented Joker hair shows in another comic-book world he could have the sneer veneer to play the Clown Prince Of Crime if it wasn't for the joke being on Joaquin. But regardless the cowl of Batman and any other part this revelatory talent plays is in the safe body of a true thespian-Shakespeare or "case of Shakespeare in the park"-who no longer diamond sparkles in the 'Twilight' of his past like the equally 'Charlies Angels' super and 'Personal Shopper' indie talented Kristen Stewart. Add this and Chalamet's charming and rumoured romance with Lily-Rose Depp (her father's acting daughter, but with shades of her own star turn, like a young Christina Ricci) and this is more than worth a dalliance. Especially with a lisping Archbishop of Canterbury for your keeping it together impediment. In this 'Game Of Thrones' age it seems we are obsessed with crowns like Claire Foy or Olivia Coleman. But now we have a new favourite in a young cub of a 'King' who for St. George's England is a lion like those three on your shirt. Kingdom come. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Outlaw King', 'The Crown', 'Call Me By Your Name'.
No comments:
Post a Comment