SnoopyStyle
Frank (Michael Shannon) is a mercurial chef in Las Vegas. He has a passionate romance with mysterious budding fashion designer Lola (Imogen Poots). She reveals that her mother's former boyfriend Alan Larsson (Michael Nyqvist) had raped her. Her new boss Keith Winkleman (Justin Long) gets Frank an audition for a famous chef in France. After the audition, Frank heads for Paris to confront Alan.The start is a bit muddled and disjointed. Frank and Lola need a good meet cute. Shannon is great at the brooding dark role. Despite the age difference, Poots projects a damaged soul who is attracted to Shannon's powerful darkness. I do question the confrontation with Alan. I can't believe that Alan would invite a perfect stranger into his love nest unless he's looking for a homoerotic one-night stand. I would increase the tension by having Frank kidnap him ending up at Alan's pad. The entire movie is a little disjointed but I do appreciate the noirish style. It could have been executed better.
Amari-Sali
Trigger Warning(s): Conversations about RapeReview (with Spoilers)Noted Actor(s)Lola (Imogen Poots) | Frank (Michael Shannon)StorylineIn essence, it is a love story. A young girl, a college student at the time, named Lola meets this chef named Frank. He cooks for her and while they say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the same seems to apply to women too. But what about the head? The brain can easily express thoughts and feelings, but sometimes it is hard to explain its actions. So when Lola's past comes back to haunt her, so comes the question if Frank is willing to work with Lola or if her issues are too much for what he makes out to be a lonely but simple life.HighlightsA Dynamic DuoWhat I loved about this movie the most was Poots and Shannon's chemistry. It isn't heavily sexual, despite them dating, but it still has all the intimacy that is expected with two characters or people having sex. It's the way they look at each other, trying to figure out the other's thoughts, trying to see if what they are saying will be taken well, rejected, or admired. It is this back and forth of never really being able to leave the other person no matter what is said and done for they got a hold on you. One which, no matter how much time passes, and how long you have been absent from each other's company, it takes one glance and all those old feelings come back and you are back in their lives again. That chemistry between these two is such a driving force that it pushes Poots to seem like she can be more than just the cute blonde romantic interest and makes Shannon seem like he can be more than this guy you would imagine as the perfect movie villain.Poots SpecificallyAdmittedly, when it comes to young actresses there is always this question of were they hired because they were pretty or hired because they are talented. As we all know, Hollywood is a superficial industry and a cute face and being likable on set can keep a woman working for a hell of a long time. However, for those like me who have become sort of numb to physical allure, it makes you very skeptical.With Poots, however, she continues to prove that when you think of actresses who are hired because they can perform, the ones who will make you feel something, her name deserves to be on that list. For Lola, with Poots charm and look of innocence, it is difficult to not understand how even a sort of recluse like Frank didn't get snagged. Yet, then we meet her mom, hear about her past, and we are reminded that as much as she is Frank's girlfriend, she has a life of her own and has had a life before meeting him. One which is on the up and up thanks to her ability to socialize, but it hasn't been all daisies and macaroons.Shannon SpecificallyThere is always this appearance of suffering when it comes to Shannon, and that looks is used well here. Frank, though not necessarily said to us, is alone and lonely. All he has is his work and while he gets invites from his co-workers to go out and hang, that isn't strongly his interest. Based off the life we see him have, his enjoyment doesn't necessarily come from people. It is cooking, so with Lola entering his life there is this change. One perhaps hard to deal with, or even recognize, for now, he has to adjust his life to accommodate this young girl who he loves but brings up all these insecurities.On The FenceThey Don't Stay With YouDid I enjoy the performances of this movie? Yes. However, neither of their performances I feel stay with you. They don't hit you hard emotionally, these aren't the go-to characters for when you praise these actors or when you have a need to defend them. Is it part of the case you build to say these two are perhaps underrated? Yes. But that is only if you saw the film around the time you had the argument. Otherwise, you may one day be going through their IMDb filmography and question if you saw this movie and only realize you did once you read the synopsis or after rewatching the first few minutes.Overall: Mixed (Home Viewing)As just noted, the main issue is there isn't a grade A performance from this movie. It could be because the script isn't top gear, but considering how they made it work despite that, there lies the reason for this being mixed. What could have been a bad movie if others were in their roles became something adequate. Maybe not the most memorable, but a decent way to spend an hour and a half.
David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. Michael Shannon continues to be one of the most interesting actors working today. In this first feature from writer/director Matthew Ross, Mr. Shannon is the titular Frank, and his pained facial expressions elevate this neo-noir into a dark and intriguing exposition on male obsession and sexual jealousy.The abrupt opening scene finds Frank and Lola (Imogen Poots) frolicking in bed after obviously just meeting for the first time that evening. We (and Lola) know we are in for something a bit different when Frank slams on the breaks and states, "Maybe we should wait until next time." Lola is taken aback, and we are soon watching this relationship develop … while simultaneously noting the subtle signs of troubled pasts for each of them.Frank is a talented French chef and Lola is just starting her career as a fashion designer. His dark side flashes a bit more often, but before Lola ever comes clean, we realize there is unhappiness in her past. They seem to be two tortured souls in a jinxed relationship.Filmmaker Ross keeps us (and Frank) on our toes as the script seems to continually offer yet another deeply held secret or mysterious character. Justin Long plays Lola's new employer, while the rarely-seen-these-days Rosanna Arquette plays Lola's name-dropping mother. However, it's Michael Nyquist (so great in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as the suave Frenchman with ties to Lola's past and present that really makes things interesting … and somehow even darker. His wife is played by the terrific French actress Emmanuelle Devos. Her screen time is limited, yet crucial.The film was well received at Sundance, and it shares the creepiness of such films as Basic Instinct, Body Heat and Night Moves. Rarely do contemporary movies go as deep into the male psyche of obsession as this one, and the throw-back atmosphere is a perfect fit for the tone. Not many actors simmer like Michael Shannon, and the story offers him the perfect vehicle to remind us that everyone longs to be loved - even when we aren't sure we deserve it.
