Let me just begin by saying that if Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan are starring in a movie together, I’m already on board. The two are among the best actresses of our time. I am an avowed fan. Given my predisposition to appreciate the talent involved, you’d think I would be awarding Ammonite at least four stars. Then I saw it. I struggled to maintain even a modicum of interest in this story. Precious little happens.
Ammonite is loosely based on the real Mary Anning (Kate Winslet), an acclaimed paleontologist whose explorations in the Jurassic marine fossil beds along the Southern English coastline yielded an abundance of scientific finds. Ammonites were among the fossils she discovered. Yet this is not about her glory days as a researcher but rather pure conjecture as to how she spent her later life. She currently supports both herself and her dying mother (Gemma Jones) by selling common fossils to wealthy tourists. Things get — shall we say — interesting when Roderick Murchison (James McArdle) arrives and entrusts his sickly and fragile wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan), to Mary’s care. Mary begrudgingly accepts because the pay is good. Although the two women have a somewhat antagonistic relationship at first, they develop a deep bond. They amble about looking for fossils and ever so slowly fall in love.
This is the kind of experience that inspires earnest critics to consult a thesaurus. One must interestingly describe an account with a more creative word than “boring.” “Inert” is a favorite of mine. The definition includes “chemically inactive” which perfectly describes the scientific reaction this presentation had on my physical state. “Lethargic” and “listless” work too. Any comparable vocabulary word would effectively convey this saga — any except perhaps “impotent” due to its sexual connotation. This does in fact feature two sex scenes, one explicit. Yes, I realize I’ve now inadvertently recommended this to some of you. The lovemaking incongruously pops up in such direct contrast to the rest of the tepid tale. Maybe it’s not so shocking, however. Their seemingly schizophrenic personalities are rooted in an idiomatic cliché: “A lady in the streets and freak in the sheets.”
19th-century lesbians find love by the Ocean. The subject, time, and locale have all converged to be very hot in the art house circuit as of late. The well-reviewed Portrait of a Lady on Fire got a widespread U.S. theatrical release back in February. Meanwhile, Ammonite has likewise garnered critical acclaim. I won’t be adding my praise to the heap. It’s not for lack of trying. Kate and Saoirse do their capable best to imbue these characters with humanity. The actors radiate sincerity, heart, and pathos. But their thespian skill can only carry this chronicle so far. Ammonite is the follow up to British director Francis Lee’s feature debut, God’s Own Country. I’m not faulting Ammonite for its similarities to Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It’s is a thoroughly dreary film judged on its own terms — visually drab and narratively aloof. Quite bewildering that the characteristics of both works are so similar, though. Comparisons are inevitable. If you haven’t seen either and the subject interests you, the choice is blazingly clear.
11-19-20
So I’ll just cut to the chase and start off by saying that Palm Springs made assembling my Top 10 list for 2020 a little easier. I wasn’t prepared for how thoroughly enjoyable this tale would be. Romantic comedies are often given short shrift when it comes to discussing great cinema but when they are done well the genre can hit emotional highs in a way that few stories can.
At first, the focus of this fetaure appears to be Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross), an R&B/pop music superstar along the lines of Beyoncé or Rihanna. However, Grace Davis is older than those artists. To its credit, the screenplay makes a feeble attempt to address the concerns of an aging woman in the music industry. Unfortunately, it merely pays lip service to those feelings without tackling them in any meaningful way. Manager Jack Robertson (Ice Cube) assumes that her hit-making days have passed. He advises Grace to accept a Las Vegas residency. He’s not wrong. I’ve always regarded a residency as an impressive honor. In the last decade beloved performers such as Celine Dion, Elton John, and Britney Spears have solidified their ongoing appeal in this way while reaping millions of dollars in the process without having to tour. Curiously the drama regards the very consideration as an embarrassing desire — an acknowledgment of being irrelevant. Call me crazy, but the idea is not hitting rock bottom folks. Far from it. This is in fact an account detailing the enviable choice between two very attractive options. There are literally no stakes here and therefore the plot is inconsequential at best.
The Photograph is living proof that a compelling story matters. Gorgeous cinematography, a soothing jazz score (by Robert Glasper), and a pair of charismatic stars are indeed appreciated. Yet, all of those lovely ingredients ultimately come up short. The screenplay is the most important component of a movie. A drab tale can tank a film no matter how many sophisticated and artistic elements are employed. This production has the look of quality. I’ll admit that director Stella Meghie (Everything, Everything) is a talented individual. She is nothing if not prolific. The Photograph is her fourth feature since 2016. There is so much to admire here. Nonetheless, the script that director Meghie also wrote for this drama isn’t one of them. It’s stridently humdrum although it’s not distasteful at least. For some, that will be enough to recommend this lifeless flick. I — however — am not one of those people. 30 minutes in and I was already checking my watch.
Little Women has been adapted to film 7 times. That includes two silent entries. Then there’s the myriad of productions for television. The Houston Grand Opera even commissioned a piece in 1998. Needless to say, it’s been a beloved tale since Louisa May Alcott published her novel in 1868 and then 1869 in two volumes. At this point, her work been covered so many times that you assume they’d have to include some new twist to make it fresh for a modern audience. In the newest (and surely not the last) version, Greta Gerwig does indeed make several directorial choices to modify this timeworn saga.
