Review #Venezia74: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri
Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is a strong, determined woman, who wants to put up an advertisement on the three billboards outside a small town, Ebbing, in Missouri, right before her house and right where her daughter died. The chief of police William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) is considered responsible for not digging enough in the Hayes case, but he is dying of cancer and doesn't have much time. After the chief's suicide, his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) gets involved in Mildred's cause and tries to find the rapist and murderer.
Despite the comedic scenes, where the cynicism and nonsense mix together, this film has deep dark sides: Dixon embodies the conventional racist, with a even more racist mother; Mildred is a strong, fierce woman but with a sadic and cruel personality that hides her pain for her daughter. Even the circumstances surrounding Angela's death are dark: she was raped while she was burning to death.
The script is full of swear words and most of the time it is Mildred who pronounces them. Throughout the film, she always dresses with the same overall from Rosie The Riveter, the famous drawing for women rights. Is that a coincidence? She proves to be stronger and fiercer than many other policemen in Ebbing, but she still has a broken heart and just wants revenge. This contrast between rage and sweetness is present in many other aspects, for example through Dixon's character: he is violent, full of rage and hat, but deep down he is a good man and immediatly takes action when he hears the stranger speak about a rape very similar to Angela's one. And even in the very end, while Mildred and Dixon are driving to Idaho to kill that stranger, they aren't totally convinced about their actions.
The story is dark and misterious, the soundtrack reminds us of a western by Sergio Leone, the location is perfect for an anonymous murder: all these ingredients create the perfect crime film, with the exception that Three Billboards is funny and irriverent. We've already seen Frances in many films and many roles, but she couldn't have been more perfect for this one. Without her, there wouldn't have been a film to see.
Review #Venezia74: Espèces Menacées
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he plot is twisted and complicated by many intrigues between couples and families. There are four lives that develop on their own until they start to intertwine one another. The first couple we see is a young, just married one, Josephine and Tomas. From the beginning we understand that their relationship is not full of love and caresses, but instead it will be a relationship of domestic violence and fear.
The second couple that we see is a divorcing one and the man will move out from the house into a flat next to Josephine’s house. The man’s daughter is getting married with a 63-year-old professor, who is also the professor of another character of the story. This student has a crazy mother, who we see after she burnt down his father’s car. The last couple that we see is Josephine’s family, one year after she got married. All these people just keep bumping into each other, creating a twisted plot characterized by drama, problems, violence, hate, misunderstandings and confusion.
Espèces Menacées is the portrait of the complexity of emotions, families and human nature. Throughout the film, one can find himself stuck in the spider web that connects people, even just for a second – like the ex wife of the man living next door to Josephine and Tomas. Useless saying that it will have a happy ending, or, better say, the main problem of Josephine's life will be canceled, and she can live a happier life.
The director is very careful with close-ups and the colour pattern of the scenes. Every place has a colour that indicates the emotions related to that situation. The complexity and drama of this film will keep your eyes fixed on the screen, waiting for the next step in all the action, that, despite the violence, is not fast and confusing, but it remains natural, giving it even more pathos.
Review #Venezia74: Lean On Pete
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he film begins slowly, the situation isn’t very clear: you can see a boy, Charley (Charlie Plummer) putting his shoes on and going out for a run. He lives in a small house with his father, Ray (Travis Fimmel), and his economic condition is evident: they are poor.
With the purpose to help, Charley finds a job as a horse carer under the supervision of Del (Steve Buscemi). He becomes attached to Lean on Pete, a Quarter Back racing horse. After a losing race, Del want to sell Pete to the Mexicans, where horses that can’t race anymore are butchered. Charley decides to take Pete away and go to Wyoming, where his aunt lived.
During this journey, Charley goes through many things, most of them terrible and overwhelming for just a 16-year-old boy. When he finally reaches his aunt, everything seems to go for the best.
Lean on Pete is the story and journey of a boy through his life and fears, trying to not loose his kindness. It could be considered a Bildungsroman, where the main character reaches maturity – even though he is still very young – and learns how to cope with problems and a hard reality, like the one of a homeless person. Charlie Plummer, who plays the role of Charley, is a great actor and, although he is new to this, he has managed to make a great impression on spectators.
The film is two hours long and most of it is Charley speaking to Pete or trying to survive, so it would have been difficult to watch it to the end if the actor wasn’t good enough. Fortunately, it wasn’t a problem staying in front of the screen and watch this boy run through deserts, sometimes without talking and in total darkness.
It’s not a film only for horse-lovers, but it’s more an introspective journey inside the boy’s head and through his life. It shows how it’s like to be an adolescent and alone in the world, keeping the camera at an arm-length’s distance, that makes the spectator uncomfortable and too far from the character to feel his emotions.
Photos by Alessio Costantino