When a dying millionaire (Kang Ding) offers a huge financial reward to find his missing granddaughter, the news catches attention of several people: a wandering guitarist A-Wen (Wen Xia) and his sidekick Xiao Wang, as well as two street performers (Tuo Xian and Qiu Wangshe).
What can I say about this Will Ferrell/Julia Louis-Dreyfus-led “dramedy?” Well, the comedy part of Downhill is completely non-existent. And I should have known that the film was a flop when I walked into an empty theater at a prime time on a Friday night.
During the rise of fascism in Mussolini's Italy, a wooden boy brought magically to life struggles to live up to his father's expectations.
With The Father, writer-director Florian Zeller- who wrote and developed the play upon which the film is based- pulls no punches as he confidently makes every effort to put the audience in the mind of someone whose grip on reality has all but vanished. It’s a dazzling testament to Zeller’s abilities as a director as he makes his first transition from stage to film appear as if he’s been working behind a camera his entire career. The dialogue he fashions with co-writer Christopher Hampton, along with the work of production designers Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone, collectively makes the downward spiral of dementia startlingly tangible, doing so in a way that can be comprehended by everyone except the person it directly affects.
This side-splitting workplace comedy features a diverse cast and tackles challenging social issues. Other sitcoms should take note.
Rules are nowhere to be seen in the harsh unfiltered reality of ‘Fair Play.’
Indie director, Niki Caro (known for 'Whale Rider') directs the live-action 'Mulan' and sets another example of strong females fighting against gender inequality.
