Movie with Abe: The Last Station

The Last Station
Directed by Michael Hoffman
Released January 15, 2010

It’s a treat to find to have a number of fine actors assembled together in one film. In the best case, it works out that all of the talent involved delivers equally impressive performances, and not one of them gets overshadowed or downplayed by another. In the next best scenario, one or two performers steal the show and carry the film. And then there’s the possibility that the intense overdose of stardom results in no one turning in a fine performance, and the movie fizzles or outright flunks (like “All the King’s Men” in 2006). This late-opening 2009 awards contender falls under the first category, and it’s a wonderful breath of fresh air.

The diversity of the talent amassed in this film is quite refreshing. Christopher Plummer has been acting since before his signature role in “The Sound of Music,” and after over 150 films, he’s finally found a fantastic part that fits his subdued but booming demeanor as Count Leo Tolstoy. Playing off of him and his spectacular presence is Helen Mirren, a recent Oscar winner for “The Queen,” as the jealous Countess Tolstoy, and the two of them share a magnificent chemistry in the midst of the interference of so many interested parties looking out for the welfare of the estate, the theology, and their own best interests. Paul Giammati twirls an extravagant mustache which matches his manipulative and seedy attitude. James McAvoy sneezes nervously as Tolstoy’s young apprentice baffled by the meddling on all sides regarding the Tolstoy family. The real shining star of the film is the impressive Kerry Condon as a Tolstoyan follower who tangles with McAvoy’s character. The ensemble is uniformly terrific, and all blend in perfectly to the society they are trying to emulate and portray.

The film itself is perhaps a bit fleeting and flighty, but overall it’s a good story that continues to get better as it proceeds along. There’s humor throughout the film, but it doesn’t quite detract from the seriousness and impact of the story. The script is smart and the dialogue is very often fascinating, delivered expertly by the superb cast. It’s a compelling tale that often incorporates elements of Tolstoy and his writing in a fantastic way, and that enhances it from merely a simple biopic to a great movie. Overall, it’s made even better by the casting choices and its unique take on intriguing and inspirational source material.

B+

Friday For Your Consideration: Kerry Condon

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Friday For Your Consideration. As every year nears to a close, there are a number of actors nominated for Golden Globes, Oscars, and countless other awards. There are so many spots and there are so many deserving contenders, yet some inevitably get left out. Each week, I’ll be spotlighting one performance from this year which deserves a second look but might not get it. This doesn’t mean I don’t want Carey Mulligan and Christoph Waltz to get their first nominations. They don’t need my help. As luck would have it, these actors do. I’ll be running this feature until Oscar nominations are announced at the beginning of February, so leave your choices in the comments and I might feature them over the next couple of weeks! I’ve written at greater length about these performances in the reviews of the films, so make sure to read those for a more detailed look at why these actors deserve an Oscar nomination.

Kerry Condon, “The Last Station”
Where you’ve seen her before: The 26-year-old Irish actress starred on HBO’s two-season historical drama “Rome” and in the film “Ned Kelly,” but this is the first time I’ve seen in anything.

Why she deserves it: From her first appearance on screen, Condon owns the performance. As a Tolstoyan devotee with a few objections to the way she’s supposed to live her life, she immediately stands out to James McAvoy’s Valentin as a woman worth knowing. It’s not as if he has much choice in the matter, however, since she pursues him aggressively, leaving him wimpering and sneezing at every turn. Condon holds her own against a fearsome cast, and in my opinion she’s the best one of them all. Out-acting Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giammati, and James McAvoy isn’t a feeble accomplishment.

Standout scene: (Minor spoilers) Condon’s Masha tries to teach Valentin the ropes of working on the Tolstoyan community. He isn’t terribly handy, but his masculinity is especially undermined by the fact that she is. Her ability to chop a piece of wood in half is especially impressive, and Condon milks it perfectly. It’s only slightly more incredible than the scene where she convinces Valentin that it’s time to lose his virginity, even if it’s not something totally in line with Tolstoyan theology.

Why she won’t get it: This film is opening late enough as it is, with only a week-long qualifying run at the beginning of December to even make it eligible for the Oscars this year. I have a feeling that both Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer may even have some trouble getting nominated at the Oscars, so Condon doesn’t have a shot in hell. The fact that there are so many fine actors in the film works against her because either Giammati or McAvoy might still be recognized over her. Until today, it’s unlikely that many reviews were even published and even more unlikely that Condon was mentioned in any of them. If she was, it was likely a quick note that was grouped with the other impressive performances in the ensemble. That, coupled with the film’s late opening, will leave her out in the cold completely. There’s a reason that the incredible “Children of Men” didn’t get nominated for Best Picture a few years ago, and a big part of it was that it opened so late and buzz didn’t have a chance to start early enough.

My review of the film is forthcoming, and come back next Friday for a look at another performer who deserves a shot at Oscar.

Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe. Every Wednesday, I’m taking a look at the awards chances for all of the films released the previous week. Chime in with your thoughts on the Oscar chances for these films in the comments section.

Up in the Air
This is the safest Oscar contender that’s been released yet. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s locked in a number of categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (George Clooney), and Best Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick). It’s also a likely nominee for Best Director (Jason Retiman, nominated in 2007 for “Juno”) and perhaps Best Film Editing as well. Never-nominated Vera Farmiga might be up for Best Supporting Actress, but competing with costar Kendrick might not be great for her. This one may in fact win Best Picture – look for it to do well at the Oscars.

The Last Station
This film opened in extremely limited release this week, which is why I have yet to post a review, but it will probably do well with Oscar nominations and then be a big draw at theatres. 2006 Best Actress winner Helen Mirren may return to that race again for her lead role as Tolstoy’s wife. Supporting actors Christopher Plummer and James McAvoy may earn their first nominations, while Paul Giammati could earn his second. I think the attention for this film might be limited to a nod for Mirren because the supporting actor field may be too crowded with all three of them in the running. It’s a possible Best Picture nominee, but I think it will be eclipsed by other films.

Brothers
This film boasts three talented actors, two of who have one career nomination and the other who has never been nominated but may turn in his most mature performance to date. Natalie Portman (“Closer”), Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”), and Tobey Maguire were touted early on as potential contenders, but I don’t think the film opened strongly enough for any of them to break into the race. Reviews weren’t exceptionally great, and I think this film will slide under the awards radar.

Everybody’s Fine
Robert De Niro may earn his seventh Oscar nomination for his performance as a patriarch trying to reconnect with his family during the holidays. I haven’t seen the film, but it hardly seems like the kind of role that deserves Oscar attention. All of his nominations have come from intense dramatic performances, some of which have become extremely iconic (“Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull”). The film isn’t popular, and most reviews praise only De Niro’s performance, if in fact they do. There are at least seven much stronger contenders ahead of De Niro, and unless voters are feeling truly nostalgic, I doubt he’ll break through.

Serious Moonlight
This film isn’t really an awards contender, but it might have been in a weaker year. It’s worth noting that Timothy Hutton, who’s fantastic in the film, won an Oscar for his film debut in 1980 in “Ordinary People.” Now, almost thirty years later, he’s back with a terrific role in Cheryl Hines’ new film. This isn’t going to be Meg Ryan’s first Oscar nomination, and while it would be nice to see a tribute to late screenwriter Adrienne Shelly, this film is just too small. Her previous film, “Watiress” didn’t garner any Oscar attention, and that film earned infinitely more favorable reviews than this one.

Rounding out this week’s releases, Armored, Transylmania, and The Strip won’t grab Oscar voters’ attention.

There are only a couple of weeks in the year left! Come back every Wednesday for an analysis of the previous Friday’s theatrical releases and their Oscar chances. Thanks for reading!