REVIEW: THE LAST DUEL

 

4/5

The French Dispatch. 

153 Mins. Starring: Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Adam Driver & Ben Affleck. Director: Ridley Scott. 

Act One. On the eve of a killing, there's THREE sides to a story. Challenging us, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have got to see about a duel for their first screenplay co-write in reunion since their Oscar winning 'Good Will Hunting' starring the late, great Robin Williams kick-started their careers. But in writing a film concerning the brutal rape of a woman, in this Me Too era it's best not to leave it to two men with histories like these. Or men at all for that matter. Ben Affleck has been caught on camera groping a television presenter as a young man. Matt Damon recently got himself caught in a mansplaining spiral concerning all these matters. So, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me' Academy nominated and Writers Guild of America winner Nicole Holofcener is your guide. Just like 'Killing Eve's' Jodie Comer is your real star for the real story that matters here amongst all the silver bluster and chain-mail clanking of the duel itself that's really just a sideshow...but a bloody good one in this game of more than thrones. The true one. Holofcener is a student of Scorsese. So how dya like them apples? Throwing it down in the mud for 'Gladiator' and 'Robin Hood' director Ridley Scott's other side of the world when he's not out of this one dealing with 'Alien's' and 'Prometheus' pondering. The man was born for the medieval like mead in his beard. Sure this film told in three parts like the Japanese classic 'Rashomon' has flopped at the box office in this post pandemic age of corona, but what hasn't these days aside from blockbuster fare? The truth is this is still a great movie in these times and one that like Saoirse Ronan's 'Mary Queen Of Scots' with Margot Robbie there's more than meets the eyes of these ye olde tales of history when the quill has previously only been held by men. Time to retell it like it is. For history and her story. For not the King, but those who should be Queen. 

Act Two. Paris, 1386 by the record of Eric Jager's 'The Last Duel: A True Story Of Trial By Combat In Medieval France' book, this historical film takes into account what really happened when Jean de Carrouges (a darker Damon) challenged fellow knight, former friend and squire Jaques Le Gris (Kylo Ren himself, 'Marriage Story' nominated Adam Driver who's about to have more in store this fall with Lady Gaga's 'House Of Gucci') to a duel (dropped gloves and all) after accusing him of raping his wife Marguerite (a compelling Comer). But is this really in this woman's name and honour, or just for Carrouges petty pride and vanity that needs to be put aside as it is far from the real issue here? From breaking line and rank and storming into battle AFTER women with knives to their throat are killed (which we don't need to gratuitously see...especially twice, Ridley), we don't really know who did this "for the King" as both claim the declaration. Or who in fact acted as the bigger man when it came to a post fallout with no return truce...if any of them really is one at all. It's interesting to see each man's take in all their pomp and circumstance as you see these three acts are told from Jean, Jaques and finally Marguerite's (the only side that truly matters), truth and perspective. Which really does make this epic a really long movie, especially when my watch stopped halfway through ("this thing really is taking its time. How is it still a quarter past?"). But this isn't just about getting to the fighting as this thing has its day in its own personal courts. The joust of this knights tale really just shows you how pathetic its really come as no one looks out for the real number one and the gallery people's priorities and loyalties change with every sword stroke and blood soak. Clapping for their privilege and to watch all this gossip descend into drama and death. Their loyalties lying with the victor as the truth is the only thing thicker than the mud below them is their shallow minds. Comer communicates this all in a look that reveals more and her disdain for a man who does her every dishonor short of the one that tooks hers away. All before she reclaimed it all on and as her own. 

Act Three. Chapter by chapter you can clearly see which perspective was wrote by Damon, but credit to him for not trying to make his uglier than his mullet and mace scarred knight dashing in white saviour tropes. As his caustic look offers one of the most compelling characters of his cinematic career following the standing ovation he got in Cannes for this summers 'Stillwater' movie that ran deep. You can also clearly see the parts wrote by Affleck, more than a 'Family Guy' fart joke. The acclaimed 'Argo' director whose Batman we still want to see (despite the amazing Matt Reeves trailer) like the point made by a 'Flash' movie in this mobbed multiverse. Pettiness flexing, Affleck is also clearly having platinum blonde like Sugar Ray, bawdy fun. Actually stealing the show with a caraf of wine as the pompous Count Pierre D'Alençon. And what of the great Adam Driver's acting in all of this, looking like an ageless Reeves renaissance man that belonged to that time in painting? Driving home how bad and blissfully unaware he is of all that, you'll grow to hate the man that they all call handsome here like they do the Hollywood star in the real world that these man with no manners to maketh of here are devoid of seeing. Signs of the times then and the ones that don't a-change now aswell as Adam being a great actor. Because when it comes to Holofcener and Comer's central story told last, but saved for then because at its best. Its all you need when it comes to this meandering movie. It's more than the truth. It's revelatory. "hE's sO hAnDsoMe perHaPs sHe juSt dreAMed tHIs." All the red flags. In this post-Weinsten time (looking at you boys) it won't have been a long one since that pathetic and puerile argument made in this movie and history was made in our real world just a few ignorant years ago. Can you imagine such a thing? Truly medevial! But the fact is this isn't fiction even in those stories that havent been told to this day...yet. Back then a woman accusing a man of rape could be stripped naked, shorn, dragged through the city and burnt to death like a witch, whether it took hours or more for just saying such a thing. And her fate was decided over a duel like God decided all of this?! I'm truly lost for words and if you're a man you should be too. Because we have no right. We may have come a long way since then, but really...have we? When it comes to the last words from Nicole and Jodie in this duel they need to be honoured by an envelope from the Academy that is addressed only to them. With all due respect to the great Scott, Damon, Affleck and Driver who all do more than their bit here in telling this story, that's the only seal that matters. Come Oscar time, deliver it. And every woman's day and right to say what happened to them too. So justice can just be done. No matter how many years it has been. Without judgement, fear, scorn, or much worse that this scorched earth has offered them. The only thing they should be given in their stand to tell their story is a stage just as big and worthy like they are as the men's and an audience that will listen with more than reason, but recognition. Man, make that your mark. The rest like history rewrote, will tell itself. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Rashomon', 'Mary Queen Of Scots', 'Good Will Hunting'. 

4/5

The French Dispatch. 

153 Mins. Starring: Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Adam Driver & Ben Affleck. Director: Ridley Scott. 

Act One. On the eve of a killing, there's THREE sides to a story. Challenging us, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have got to see about a duel for their first screenplay co-write in reunion since their Oscar winning 'Good Will Hunting' starring the late, great Robin Williams kick-started their careers. But in writing a film concerning the brutal rape of a woman, in this Me Too era it's best not to leave it to two men with histories like these. Or men at all for that matter. Ben Affleck has been caught on camera groping a television presenter as a young man. Matt Damon recently got himself caught in a mansplaining spiral concerning all these matters. So, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me' Academy nominated and Writers Guild of America winner Nicole Holofcener is your guide. Just like 'Killing Eve's' Jodie Comer is your real star for the real story that matters here amongst all the silver bluster and chain-mail clanking of the duel itself that's really just a sideshow...but a bloody good one in this game of more than thrones. The true one. Holofcener is a student of Scorsese. So how dya like them apples? Throwing it down in the mud for 'Gladiator' and 'Robin Hood' director Ridley Scott's other side of the world when he's not out of this one dealing with 'Alien's' and 'Prometheus' pondering. The man was born for the medieval like mead in his beard. Sure this film told in three parts like the Japanese classic 'Rashomon' has flopped at the box office in this post pandemic age of corona, but what hasn't these days aside from blockbuster fare? The truth is this is still a great movie in these times and one that like Saoirse Ronan's 'Mary Queen Of Scots' with Margot Robbie there's more than meets the eyes of these ye olde tales of history when the quill has previously only been held by men. Time to retell it like it is. For history and her story. For not the King, but those who should be Queen. 

Act Two. Paris, 1386 by the record of Eric Jager's 'The Last Duel: A True Story Of Trial By Combat In Medieval France' book, this historical film takes into account what really happened when Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) challenged fellow knight, former friend and squire Jaques Le Gris (Kylo Ren himself, 'Marriage Story' nominated Adam Driver who's about to have more in store this fall with Lady Gaga's 'House Of Gucci') to a duel (dropped gloves and all) after accusing him of raping his wife Marguerite (a compelling Comer). But is this really in this woman's name and honour, or just for Carrouges petty pride and vanity that needs to be put aside as it is far from the real issue here? From breaking line and rank and storming into battle AFTER women with knives to their throat are killed (which we don't need to gratuitously see...especially twice, Ridley), we don't really know who did this "for the King" as both claim the declaration. Or who in fact acted as the bigger man when it came to a post fallout with no return truce...if any of them really is at all. It's interesting to see each man's take in all their pomp and circumstance as you see these three acts are told from Jean, Jaques and finally Marguerite's (the only side that truly matters), truth and perspective. Which really does make this epic a really long movie, especially when my watch stopped halfway through ("this thing really is taking its time. How is it still a quarter past?"). But this isn't just about getting to the fighting as this thing has its day in its own personal courts. The joust of this knights tale really just shows you how pathetic its really come as no one looks out for the real number one and the gallery people's priorities and loyalties change with every sword stroke and blood soak. Clapping for their privilege and to watch all this gossip descend into drama and death. Their loyalties lying with the victor as the truth is the only thing thicker than the mud below them is their shallow minds. Comer communicates this all in a look that reveals more and her disdain for a man who does her every dishonor short of the one that tooks hers away, all before she reclaimed it all on and as her own. 

Act Three. Chapter by chapter you can clearly see which perspective was wrote by Damon, but credit to him for not trying to make his uglier than his mullet and mace scarred knight dashing in white saviour tropes. As his caustic look offers one of the most compelling characters of his cinematic career following the standing ovation he got in Cannes for this summers 'Stillwater' movie that ran deep. You can also clearly see the parts wrote by Affleck, more than a 'Family Guy' fart joke. The acclaimed 'Argo' director whose Batman we still want to see (despite the amazing Matt Reeves trailer) like the point made by a 'Flash' movie in this mobbed multiverse. Pettiness flexing, Affleck is also clearly having platinum blonde like Sugar Ray, bawdy fun. Actually stealing the show with a caraf of wine as the pompous Count Pierre D'Alençon. And what of the great Adam Driver's acting in all of this, looking like an ageless Reeves renaissance man that belonged to that time in painting? Driving home how bad and blissfully unaware he is of all that, you'll grow to hate the man that they all call handsome here like they do the Hollywood star in the real world that these man with no manners to maketh of here are devoid of seeing. Signs of the times then and the ones that don't a-change now aswell as Adam being a great actor. Because when it comes to Holofcener and Comer's central story told last, but saved for then because at its best, its all you need when it comes to this meandering movie, it's more than the truth. It's revelatory. "hE's sO hAnDsoMe perHaPs sHe juSt dreAMed tHIs." All the red flags. In this post-Weinsten time (looking at you boys) it won't have been a long one since that pathetic and puerile argument made in this movie and history was made in our real world just a few ignorant years ago. Can you imagine such a thing? Truly medevial! But the fact is this isn't fiction even in those stories that havent been told to this day...yet. Back then a woman accusing a man of rape could be stripped naked, shorn, dragged through the city and burnt to death like a witch, whether it took hours or more for just saying such a thing. And her fate was decided over a duel like God decided all of this?! I'm truly lost for words and if you're a man you should be too. Because we have no right. We may have come a long way since then, but really...have we? When it comes to the last words from Nicole and Jodie in this duel they need to be honoured by an envelope from the Academy that is addressed only to them. With all due respect to the great Scott, Damon, Affleck and Driver who all do more than their bit here in telling this story, that's the only seal that matters. Come Oscar time, deliver it. And every woman's day and right to say what happened to them too. No matter how many years it has been. So justice can just be done. Without judgement, fear, scorn, or much worse that this scorched earth has offered them. The only thing they should be given in their stand to tell their story is a stage just as big and worthy like they are as the men's and an audience that will listen with more than reason, but recognition. Man, make that your mark. The rest like history rewrote, will tell itself. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Rashomon', 'Mary Queen Of Scots', 'Good Will Hunting'.