Paul Giamatti

Blu-Ray Review: Clever, Entertaining ‘Duplicity’ Deserves Wider Audience

BrianTT — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:36:14 -0600

CHICAGO – In my role as a film critic, I’m always hearing complaints about the lack of films aimed at adults. It’s true that most of what Hollywood delivers is designed to please teenagers. But can you blame them when a great adult comedy like “Duplicity” comes out and hardly anyone goes to see it? Now on Blu-Ray, the Clive Owen and Julia Roberts film from the man who made “Michael Clayton” deserves to find the audience that missed it in theaters.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

With the same whip-smart dialogue that made “Michael Clayton” one of the most acclaimed films of the last several years, Tony Gilroy returns with a ridiculously talented ensemble working on all cylinders to produce an old-fashioned thriller of dialogue. A throwback to globe-hopping mysteries with gorgeous people (think “Charade”), “Duplicity” features two great stars at their most easygoing and charming.

Duplicity was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 25th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

Believe it or not, there are writers and actors still willing use educated dialogue to tell their stories and “Duplicity” will require some brain power just to keep up with the plot. What I like so much about Gilroy’s work is that playing catch-up with his complex films is fun because you know they will have a quality pay-off. “Duplicity” is well-worth a rental and if the Blu-Ray release was a bit better, I would say it was worth a purchase.

Duplicity was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 25th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

I don’t want to ruin any of the copious surprises of the twisting and turning plot of “Duplicity”. The main joy of the film is the way in which Gilroy’s screenplay reveals each twist and turn, layering the film with flashbacks that shed light on what’s happening in the present-day scenes.

Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti play Howard Tully and Richard Garsik, respectively, the CEOs of two major, Halliburton-sizes companies brilliantly named Burkett & Randle and Omnikrom. In the race to beat the other one to the next great product, they have entire departments devoted to stopping (and maybe committing a little) corporate espionage.

Finally getting a role that proves why he was once considered for Bond, Clive Owen plays former MI6 agent Ray Koval, an expert spy who now works for Garsik in trying to figure out what Tully’s next move will be. Koval’s team monitors emails, copy machines, and even hacks into security cameras and bank accounts. And they even have a mole on the other side in former CIA agent Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts), who also happens to have a history and possibly a present with Ray.

And that’s really just the beginning. “Duplicity” could be seen as a lighter version of “Michael Clayton” as Gilroy is once again playing in the world of big business and the talented people behind the scenes who really make it work. I think there is one flashback too many and the film would have been stronger under two hours instead of just over, but it only holds a potentially great film back to being just a damn good one.

The Blu-Ray release for “Duplicity” looks and sounds great but comes a bit light on special features. Universal doesn’t employ their great U-Control feature, offering only a commentary from Gilroy and Editor/Co-Producer John Gilroy. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Tony and he’s one of the most interesting men in Hollywood. So, a commentary is great, but there are no deleted scenes or behind-the-scenes details. Not even one interview with the stars, something that might have brought in more viewers. The video (in 1080p with a 2.40:1 transfer) and the audio (English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) are typical for Universal - which means they’re great.

“Duplicity” fell between the cracks when it was released in theaters, but I think it will find a loyal audience at home. Do your part and check it out.

‘Duplicity’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson, and Paul Giamatti. It was written and directed by Tony Gilroy. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on August 25th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Paul Giamatti Does More With Less in ‘Cold Souls’

PatrickMcD — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:28:27 -0600

CHICAGO – How is the best way to discover the elusiveness of the soul? For Paul Giamatti, playing himself, the key is to store the legendary organ into the deep freeze, in his new absurdist comedy, “Cold Souls.”

Rating: 4.0/5.0

In what has to be one of the great challenges of naturalistic acting, Giamatti plays a character named Paul Giamatti, frantically trying to channel the depths of his new stage role as Anton Chekov’s “Uncle Vanya.”

Perplexed by the evasive character of the melancholy physician, Giamatti seeks a way to plumb a new sensibility out of a performance he can’t quite grasp. The chance encounter with an ad in a magazine discovers a clinic that can actually remove a person’s soul.

’Cold Souls’ has a limited release on August 21, 2009, and features Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun and Lauren Ambrose, and is written/directed by Sophie Barthes.

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full “Cold Souls” review.

Paul Giamatti Goes Through the Extraction Process in ‘Cold Souls’
Photo credit: Adam Bell for Samuel Goldwyn Films

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full “Cold Souls” review.

Blu-Ray Review: HBO Brings Home Best Two Mini-Series of 2008 in HD

BrianTT — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – If you haven’t seen HBO’s “Generation Kill” or “John Adams,” then you haven’t seen two of the best mini-series of the last several years and the absolute best of 2008. These are both pieces of amazing television, must-sees for fans of intense, adult drama and now available on Blu-Ray.

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

The brilliance of “Generation Kill” was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that HBO produced one of the most critically-acclaimed mini-series of all time in the stunning “John Adams” in the same year. With both titles finally available on Blu-Ray, now viewers who may have seen only one of the two or not had a chance to catch up with either can see both in the format most people watch HBO in nowadays - HD.

“Band of Brothers” has long been one of the most successful DVD (and now Blu-Ray releases) on the market and anyone who bought that set for Father’s Day in years past should pick up “Generation Kill” for the upcoming holiday. It’s the best fictional document that has yet to be produced about the nightmare in the Middle East.

Generation Kill will be released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO

From the creator of the brilliant “The Wire,” “Generation Kill” is based on the book “Generation Kill: A Conversation With 1st Recon Marines” by Evan Wright. As a journalist, he was trying to break down the myth that previous generations had brought to the war movie and de-romanticize combat by presenting it without commentary or idolization.

The attention to detail in “Generation Kill,” from reporters buying their own Kevlar on Ebay before going into a war zone to soldiers having to shave their facial hair so they won’t be infiltrated by an enemy not allowed to shave, is what separates the piece from the generic pack. You can feel the dirt, boredom, and anxiety of really being on the ground.

Running a total of 470 minutes, “Generation Kill” is presented on three discs with a gorgeous 1080p High Definition 16x9 1.78:1 aspect ratio picture. The video is great but the sound, presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is even better.

Exclusive new interactive Blu-Ray features include a “Military Glossary,” “Chain of Command Chart,” and “Mission Maps”. The new stuff is cleverly interactive and it’s nice of HBO to offer something to people willing to pay twice for the same mini-series - once on standard and once on Blu-Ray - but they’re nowhere near as interesting as the previously available special features.

The best featurette is “Generation Kill: A Conversation with 1st Recon Marines” but “Making Generation Kill,” “Eric Ladin’s Video Diaries,” and great audio commentaries are also included.

John Adams will be released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO

What more is there to say about the detailed brilliance of “John Adams” that hasn’t been said already? HBO’s sprawling, epic production details the life of this founding father over seven nearly-perfect episodes. John Adams guided his peers, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, in the design of our nation and this incredible saga brings this man back to life. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney are spectacular, especially the latter, who gives one of the best TV performances in history, but the entire ensemble is ridiculously good. They’re better than most film casts.

“John Adams” has won 32 awards from various guilds and voting bodies, making it one of the most awarded mini-series in history. It won an insane THIRTEEN Emmys including trophies for Giamatti, Linney, Wilkinson, and Best Mini-Series of the Year. If you haven’t seen “John Adams,” what more acclaim could you possibly be waiting for?

Maybe you were waiting for HD. “John Adams” features HBO’s best video transfer to date with a flawless 1080p picture. The sound mix in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is similarly perfect. With “Band of Brothers,” “True Blood,” “Generation Kill,” and “John Adams,” HBO has entered the world of Blu-Ray with as high a standard when it comes to video and audio as they did in normal DVD.

Exclusive new interactive Blu-Ray features include “Facts Are Stubborn Things: An Exclusive Onscreen Historical Guide” and “Who’s Who in History: Interactive Biographies”. Additional bonus features include “David McCullough: Painting With Words” and “The Making of John Adams”. A commentary would have been nice but television this good speaks for itself.

‘Generation Kill’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Alexander Skarsgard, James Ransone, Stark Sands, Lee Tergesen, Jon Huertas, Jonah Lotan, Rudy Reyes, Billy Lush, Chance Kelly, Eric Nenninger, Michael Kelly, Marc Menchaca, and Owain Yeoman and was written by David Simon, Ed Burns, & Evan Wright. It will be released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.

‘John Adams’ is released by HBO Home Video and stars Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane, Danny Huston, David Morse, and Sarah Polley and was written by Kirk Ellis and Michelle Ashford and directed by Tom Hooper. It will be released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Julia Roberts, Clive Owen Shine in Tony Gilroy’s Clever ‘Duplicity’

BrianTT — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:07:39 -0600

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Writer/director Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton”) uses words the same way horror movie directors use blood or action movie auteurs use bullets. His weapon of choice, witty repartee, is delivered wonderfully in the enjoyable, clever, charming “Duplicity,” starring Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, and Tom Wilkinson.

The same whip-smart, intellectual ear for dialogue that made “Michael Clayton” such an immensely interesting film is back in “Duplicity,” a film that could definitely be called a loose sibling of Gilroy’s last. If you showed nearly anyone the two films and asked them if they were made by the same writer/director, they would probably know that they were.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Duplicity” in our reviews section.

Be aware that “Duplicity” is a much lighter film than “Clayton”. It’s a much less serious piece, even if Gilroy is back in the world of evil corporations and the men and women who really make them tick. “Duplicity” is a frothy, breezy, romantic mystery movie of the kind they made much more often in the days of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn (think “Charade”).

The reasonable replacements for Grant and Hepburn in 2008 are Clive Owen and Julia Roberts as a pair of spies who have gone from MI6 and the CIA to the much-more-dangerous world of corporate espionage.

‘Duplicity’ stars Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson, Denis O’Hare, and Kathleen Chalfant. It was written and directed by Tony Gilroy. It opens on March 20th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Duplicity” review.

Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz and Universal

Slideshow: 18-Image Gallery From Tony Gilroy’s ‘Duplicity’ With Clive Owen, Julia Roberts

BrianTT — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:36:16 -0600

CHICAGO – This 18-image slideshow contains the press images for Universal’s “Duplicity,” starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson, and Paul Giamatti. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the film opens on Friday, March 20th, 2009.

Synopsis: “Oscar® winner Julia Roberts and Clive Owen reunite for Duplicity, from writer/director Tony Gilroy (seven-time Oscar®-nominated Michael Clayton). In the film, they star as spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair. When they find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes espionage game, they discover the toughest part of the job is deciding how much to trust the one you love.

CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Roberts) and MI6 agent Ray Koval (Owen) have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first.

For their employers—industry titan Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti)— nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they can’t cheat their way out of: love. ”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. Photos 1-11 are credited to Andrew Schwartz. All images courtesy of Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.

duplicity_01: Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
duplicity_02: (L to R) Ray Koval (Clive Owen), Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts), Boris Fetyov (Oleg Stefan) and Pam Frales (Kathleen Chalfant) point fingers.
duplicity_03: Former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) consults with colleagues.
duplicity_04: Julia Roberts as ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick.
duplicity_05: Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
duplicity_06: Clive Owen as former MI6 agent Ray Koval, Julia Roberts as ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick and writer/director Tony Gilroy.
duplicity_07: Clive Owen as former MI6 agent Ray Koval.
duplicity_08: Julia Roberts as ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick.
duplicity_09: Writer/director Tony Gilroy on the set.
duplicity_10: Clive Owen as former MI6 agent Ray Koval.
duplicity_11: Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) reconnect in Rome.
duplicity_12: Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
duplicity_13: Former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
duplicity_14: Buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti) and industry titan Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) face off.
duplicity_15: Paul Giamatti as buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik.
duplicity_16: Julia Roberts as ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick.
duplicity_17: Former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) are spies-turned-corporate operatives in the midst of a clandestine love affair.
duplicity_18: Ex-CIA officer Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) and former MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) reconnect.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Writer, Director Neil Burger Follows Iraq Soldiers on Leave in ‘The Lucky Ones’

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:33:09 -0600

CHICAGO – In his short career as a writer and director, Neil Burger has taken on the John F. Kennedy assassination in “Interview with the Assassin” and the mysteries of magic in “The Illusionist,” which starred Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel.

With his new film “The Lucky Ones,” Burger tackles the dichotomy between the fighting soldiers in Iraq and a country that can’t equal that sacrifice on the home front during wartime.

Tim Robbins as Cheever in “The Lucky Ones,” which is directed by Neil Burger.
Photo credit: James Bridges

In a recent interview with HollywoodChicago.com, Burger spoke about the research he did in understanding the modern soldier, his surprising casting choice of anti-war activist Tim Robbins as one of the veterans and why he chose to relate this story while the Iraq conflict continues.

“What ‘The Lucky Ones’ shows about the situation now is the disconnect between soldiers who have given of themselves selflessly versus the self-centered attitude of the country when they get home,” Burger said.

The story involves three Iraq veterans on leave from the war. Stuck at an airport during a blackout, U.S. National Guardsman Cheever (Tim Robbins) manages to score a rental car to drive to his home in St. Louis.

He agrees to allow fellow soldiers Colee (Rachel McAdams) and TK (Michael Peña) to accompany him and then take the car to their destination in Las Vegas. Burger added: “Tim Robbins has been outspoken. That did give me pause in the sense that I didn’t want anybody to resist the movie.”

Michael Peña as TK and Rachel McAdams as Colee in “The Lucky Ones,” which is directed by Neil Burger.
Photo credit: James Bridges

Rating: 2.5/5.0

But he quickly interjected: “Tim is anti-war, but he’s also a great patriot. He loves this country and has done quite a bit of outreach with soldiers and their families. Tim liked the character and wanted to be part of the movie.”

The road trip of the soldiers also becomes a journey of conscience. All three people discover the country’s reaction to them and (in the case of Cheever) the dissolution of a marriage. Confrontations in a bar, a strange religious service and a wealthy man’s birthday party are just some of the America they encounter.

There is one particular moment in the film that Burger feels is emblematic of this country’s separated curtain between the war and modern life.

“There was one scene that happened at the wealthy guy’s birthday party,” Burger related. “Tim’s character says they were ‘just trying to stay alive over there’. The reaction from the party guest is: ‘Stay alive? No wonder we’re losing the war.’”

Director Neil Burger on the set of “The Lucky Ones”.
Photo credit: James Bridges

“I actually heard something like that,” he continued. “If the reasons aren’t presented exactly the way they want to hear it, it’s shocking how quickly people who say they support the troops or support the war are willing to condemn or alienate even the good soldiers.”

But Burger was quick to point out that the film isn’t about the physical aspect of fighting the war but the inner conflict of adjusting to the homeland away from the battlefield.

“When these soldiers come home, I learned that their feelings toward everyone saying ‘thank you! thank you!’ – as I depict in the movie – completely rubs them the wrong way,” he explained. “They would rather be told ‘welcome home’ than ‘thank you’. To them, ‘thank you’ implies ‘thank you for doing it so I didn’t have to’. They feel as if there is an emptiness behind it.”

Burger added: “Ultimately, however, the movie and the characters are less about soldiering and more about what they want as ordinary Americans who come home.”

He continued: “[They want] to have a good time and find their families and loved ones. That is when they find they’re strangers in their own land.”

RELATED IMAGE GALLERY
View our full, high-resolution “The Lucky Ones” image gallery.

RELATED READING
More film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.

Even though the subject of the film deals with the Iraq war in the background, it’s more of a mirror to the United States culture that reacts to their soldiers coming back (similar to the World War II-era film “Best Years of Our Lives” and the Vietnam-themed “Coming Home”).

“The movie looks at America now. [It’s] a snapshot of the country now,” Burger said.

He concluded: “We used to have a collective psychology and a sense of national purpose. That has been lost in recent years. The war is a depressing situation and people tend to turn away from depressing things. But this has long-term consequences for the overall moral health of the country.”

“The Lucky Ones,” which opened everywhere on Sept. 26, 2008, is written and directed by Neil Burger and features Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams, Michael Peña, John Heard and Molly Hagan.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Vince Vaughn to Walk Chicago Red Carpet on Nov. 5 For ‘Fred Claus’

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:57:42 -0600

I have just learned that Vince Vaughn is confirmed to walk a Chicago red carpet on Nov. 5 for “Fred Claus”. Red-carpet arrivals start at 5 p.m. that day on the second floor of AMC River East 21 at 322 E. Illinois St.

Paul Giamatti (left) and Vince Vaughn in “Fred Claus”.
Photo credit: IMDb
The event is presented by Warner Bros. and American Eagle Outfitters. Directed by David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), the film features Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, Kathy Bates, Elizabeth Banks and Ludacris.

“Fred Claus” was filmed in Chicago and parts of England. The story centers around Fred Claus – Santa’s bitter, older brother – who is forced to move to the North Pole. The red-carpet event is open to the public.