In Contention

Tag: Last Chance Harvey

  • 5/25 Web Round-up

    (from left) Alison Lohman and Lorna Raver in Drag Me to Hell• Tom O’Neil chats up the actors of Broadways’ “God of Carnage.” [Gold Derby]

    • Noah Forrest gets wrapped up in the excitement of seeing “Drag Me to Hell” with an audience (a week or so after decrying the public movie-going experience). [Movie City News]

    • Indie filmmaker and noted script doctor John Sayles is trying to sell a work of historical fiction. [Los Angeles Times]

    • Vicki Reid talks “Last Chance Harvey” with Dustin Hoffman across the pond. [Daily Telegraph]

    • Anthony Breznican wraps up Cannes with a look at the convergence of light and dark subject matter. [USA Today]

    • Quentin Tarantino talks about potential trims to “Inglourious Basterds” with Anne Thompson. [The Daily Beast]

    • Tony Scott talks John Travolta’s villain and scripting a remake of “The Taking of Pelham 123.” [Empire]

    • On the road with the boys from “Spinal Tap.” [New York Times]

  • 1/9 Oscarweb Round-up

    Michael Sheen• Patrick Goldstein is happy to NOT talk Oscar at an Oscar party. [The Big Picture]

    • Jeffrey Wells somehow reads “backlash” into a harmless, truthful quote. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • David S. Cohen considers the awards gala glut in the face of economic troubles. [Variety]

    • Tom O’Neil chats it up with “Last Chance Harvey” star Dustin Hoffman. [Gold Derby]

    • Jeremy Kay on films looking for the ticket sales boost of Golden Globe recognition. [The Guardian]

    • Brad Brevet calls Razzie founder John Wilson out on some dubious comments. [Rope of Silicon]

    • Christina Patterson sits down with “Frost/Nixon” star Michael Sheen. [The Times]

    • A brief back-and-forth with the critics’ choice for Best Young Actor Dev Patel. [Daily Telegraph]

  • 12/27 Oscarweb Round-up

    Emma Thompson• Lou Lumenick thinks “Revolutionary Road” might be too grim to resonate this Oscar season. [Lumenick on Film]

    • Tom O’Neil chats with “Last Chance Harvey” star Emma Thompson. [Gold Derby]

    • Todd Leopold wraps up the year in a meandering piece that touches on Heath Ledger, Sarah Palin and…Niels Bohr. [CNN]

    • Steve Weintraub sits down with “Wrestler” star Mickey Rourke, thankfully puts a leash on his itchy “exclusive” trigger finger. [Collider]

    • The 50 films that defined the year, across the pond. [Empire]

    • “Anyone Who Doesn’t Choose This As The Best Movie of the Year is Just Being a Jerk” [Premiere]

    • Dave White wonders why we love movie Nazis. [MSNBC]

    • Andrew O’Hehir talks to Ari Folman about the “bad acid trip” of “Waltz with Bashir.” [Beyond the Multiplex]

  • INTERVIEW: Dustin Hoffman

    Dustin HoffmanHe doesn’t seem like Dustin Hoffman for some reason.  He sounds like Dustin Hoffman.  He looks like him.  But there aren’t really any traces of his decades-long assemblage of characters.  And he’s got an approachability that seems somehow uncommon for a star of his stature.

    But there he is, piecing together a sandwich with arugula, veggie cheese, spicy mustard and wheat bread as he recalls his first major interview with Studs Terkel over 40 years ago.  Terkel has passed recently, which brought the topic to the fore.

    “It was Chicago, right after ‘The Graduate,’” Hoffman says.  “I went into his office and he had floor-to-ceiling books and everything, you know.  The office looked like him.  He turns the tape recorder on and it was an intricate and intensive interview that probably went on for over two hours.  We shook hands and he said, ‘Let me just check’ — and the tape didn’t work.  It had been blanked for some reason.  So he says, ‘You wouldn’t mind doing it again?”

    So it was that we kicked off our own two-hour conversation, one steering in and out of his legendary career, briefly touching on the particulars of his latest film, “Last Chance Harvey” (now playing in limited release and for which Hoffman received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor), but mostly wandering from this mundane particular to that.

    He has a fondness for iron furniture, a number of antiques peppering his Brentwood offices.  A large Italian “Midnight Cowboy” poster hangs in the lobby, but I’m caught off guard by the food and drink spread in the hallway as we move into his personal office.  The dainty dishes and cutlery seem to clash with the casual air of the actor before me.

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  • 12/16 Oscarweb Round-up

    Jeff Goldblum• Jeff Wells shows his annual true colors, wants to know who should be taken down a peg of the agreed-upon Oscar contenders. [Hollywood Elsewhere]

    • Tom O’Neil reports on a leaked Academy screener. [Gold Derby]

    • David Carr boils the season down to a couple of “mortal locks.” [The Carpetbagger]

    • Todd Longwell profiles NBR award-winning “Gran Torino” scribe Nick Schenk. [Hollywood Reporter]

    • Xan Brooks says his heart goes out to newly chosen Oscar host Hugh Jackman, whose hands are certainly full. [The Guardian]

    • Susan Wloszczyna catches up with “The Wrestler” star Mickey Rourke on the set of “13.” [USA Today]

    • Chris Sullivan profiles “Che” star Benicio Del Toro. [The Independent]

    • One reason might be because you’re an editor-in-chief and would be moving into the territory of your publication’s critics, but what do I know? [Peter Bart]

    • Christopher Campbell calls for some notice for “Milk” supporting actor Diego Luna. [Spout Blog]

    • Bilge Ebiri talks to Jeff Goldblum about his role in “Adam Resurrected,” among other things. [Vulture]

    • Dave Karger could chat all day with “Last Chance Harvey” star Dustin Hoffman. [Entertainment Weekly]

  • Globe cheers, jeers and predictions

    As ever, this morning’s Golden Globe announcement provided a mixed bag of talking points, with some pleasantly zany curveballs at one end of the scale, and a couple of yawnsome autopilot nominees at the other. Like most awards bodies, they’re never going to get it completely right: for every inspired inclusion or omission there’s an equally perplexing one. (Ralph Fiennes for “The Duchess,” anyone?)

    But looking at the nominees from a bargaining perspective — tempering, for example, my disappointment that Richard Jenkins didn’t make the Best Actor cut with the knowledge that Clint Eastwood didn’t either — I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m happier with them than I expected to be.

    With that in mind, I offer below a couple of my own personal highlights and low points of the nominee list (though, given that I haven’t seen “Milk” yet, I’m leaving off that heated topic), followed by some way-too-early, subject-to-change predictions. Feel free to supply your own.

    THE GOOD

    Comedy rules: The comedy/musical categories are usually a dumping ground for filler nominees in less-than-memorable mainstream products, and previously expressed fear that this year, given the lack of high-profile contenders, they could make some really desperate stretches this year. Happily, the HFPA showed genuine resourcefulness by dipping into indie waters to celebrate the oddball wonders of “Happy-Go-Lucky” and “In Bruges,” while singling out the superb, less-discussed likes of Rebecca Hall and Brendan Gleeson for recognition. With classy, intimate works like “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Last Chance Harvey” joining the mix, the resulting set of nominees is, dare I say it, considerably fresher than their dramatic counterparts. How often can you say that?

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  • Looking for comedy in the awards world

    Over at his OscarWatch column, Dave Karger recently asked a question that has been bothering me for some time regarding this year’s awards race.

    Namely, how the hell are the Golden Globes going to fill out the ballot in the Comedy/Musical races?

    Best Actress looks solid enough. So far, we have two clear-cut frontrunners — Sally Hawkins and Anne Hathaway — in the Actress category, though I wonder if they will wind up placing Hathaway in the drama field, where I think she belongs. Meryl Streep will inevitably get cited for “Mamma Mia!” and I feel confident that Emma Thompson will grab a deserved nomination for “Last Chance Harvey.”

    Karger thinks Sarah Jessica Parker could round out the list, though I might look at Beyonce Knowles in “Cadillac Records” (much as the thought of her playing Etta James upsets me) or Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom” as alternative filler nominees. (The Globes don’t mind elevating supporting roles when there’s a paucity of contenders, though Weisz is a legitimate lead, in my opinion.)

    It’s the Best Actor category that’s really problematic. From what I can see, Dustin Hoffman has this in the bag for his endearing autumnal turn in “Last Chance Harvey” — not just because it’s a lovely performance, but because I can barely think of any competition for him. With the news that Josh Brolin has (rightly, I think) been denied comedic classification for “W.,” Karger thinks the other nominees might pan out like so:

    I’d also make the case for Paul Rudd, who anchors the current hit Role Models with his signature deadpan delivery, and Ghost Town‘s Ricky Gervais, who was brilliant in a sophisticated comedy that nobody saw. The HFPA could go the more obvious route with Get Smart‘s Steve Carell or Hancock‘s Will Smith, but here’s hoping they’ll think out of the box and recognize another understated humorist: Michael Cera from Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. We can dream, right?

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  • WEEKLY WRAP: ‘Dark Knight’ disqualified, Rourke interviewed, ‘Australia’ unwrapped

    Kind of an in-between week, this. Here’s how it went down:

    • In probably the most discussed Oscar news of the week, “The Dark Knight” was dodgily ruled ineligible in the Best Original Score category.

    • On a happier note, we sat down with surefire Best Actor nominee Mickey Rourke.

    • A shortlist of 14 films was announced for the Animated Feature race — not that it’s a “race” at all.

    • “Australia” was revealed to a besotted Oprah… but is it really the Oscar-bait some people think it is?

    • Ahead of “Slumdog Millionaire”‘s Stateside opening, we considered the contributions of DP Anthony Dod Mantle and composer A.R. Rahman.

    • Kris was appreciative of Edward Zwick’s “Defiance” … even if several critics weren’t.

    • The dynamic Italian duo of “Gomorrah” and “Il Divo” led the nominations for the European Film Awards.

    • “Gomorrah,” meanwhile, has designs on more than just the Foreign Film category at the Oscars.

    • Tech Support showcased the frequently surprising Best Makeup category.

    • Entertainment Weekly named Robert Downey Jr. their Entertainer of the Year, which Richard Jenkins among the also-rans.

    • We were charmed by “Last Chance Harvey,” a low-flying contender in the acting categories.

    • And finally, in another biopic-heavy season, we counted down the all-time best examples of the genre.

  • REVIEW: “Last Chance Harvey” (***)

    Overture Films\' Last Chance HarveyRemember “Falling in Love?” I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t. A modest join-the-dots 1984 romantic drama charting the will-they-won’t-they courtship between two married New York commuters, it should never have gone beyond the dimensions of a TV screen…

    …but for the fact that the two commuters happened to be played by Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep. So sensitively crafted were their performances, and so effortless and infectious their chemistry, that they alone made the film worthwhile.

    Watching “Last Chance Harvey,” the sophomore feature from British writer-director Joel Hopkins, I couldn’t help but be reminded of “Falling in Love.” The comparison isn’t entirely fair — “Harvey” is a bit smarter and more acutely observed — but both films are essentially slender, undemanding constructions designed principally to showcase two great actors riffing off each other.

    In the case of “Harvey,” the actors in question are the appealing September-December duo of Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, and the pairing proves immediately irresistible.

    The contrivances of Hopkins’ screenplay and his prosaic filmmaking approach are of little consequence once it emerges that this is a star vehicle, plain and simple. On those terms, it’s a bull’s-eye, one that is bound to register strongly with an audience starved of relationship stories concerning anyone over the age of 40.

    Following their spring release “The Visitor,” a similarly low-key, mature-audience-skewing success, new outfit Overture Films is cunningly slipping “Last Chance Harvey” into theaters in late December, in the hope of awards success for the stars. Given the strength of the performances and the film’s winning charm, it’s a move that could well pay off.

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  • Not a home run but a delightful autumn gem

  • ‘Last Chance Harvey’ added to AFI Fest line-up

    Overture is getting serious about this film’s Oscar prospects.  Here’s the press release, in part:

    The director, [Joel] Hopkins, as well as [Dustin] Hoffman and [Emma] Thompson, are confirmed to attend.
    “AFI holds a standard of excellence for all things film and beyond.  We are honored that LAST CHANCE HARVEY was chosen for the festival this year.  It’s a film that Overture is proud to share with audiences worldwide and we’re delighted AFI will be its premiere destination”, commented Overture Films’ CEO Chris McGurk.

    “We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the opportunity to add LAST CHANCE HARVEY as a Centerpiece Screening. This is a classic romantic film with two of the most beloved stars, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, who make a wonderful screen pairing. We held a few places in our schedule just in case a film like this would become available after we had locked our programming and in this particular case our strategy paid off very well,” said AFI FEST Artistic Director, Rose Kuo.

  • ‘Harvey’ on the radar

    Some of our keen-eyed readers may have noticed my review on these pages of the Dustin Hoffman-Emma Thompson starrer, “Last Chance Harvey,” earlier today. The film, another feather in the cap for hard-working new outfit Overture Films, is due for a late December release, just in time for viable awards consideration.

    We’ve temporarily taken the review down for practical reasons, but it will be re-posted soon enough. For now, I’m at liberty to tell you that it’s a charming, understated sleeper whose full-wattage star power makes it a genuine prospect in the acting categories. Assuming the film opts for the comedy/musical route at the Golden Globes, Hoffman and Thompson seem virtual shoo-ins for nominations, while Hoffman could really make a run in the Oscar race for Best Actor — this is his most substantial, endearing portrayal in some time.

    We’ll have more on the film soon. Keep an eye out.

  • 9/27 Oscarweb Round-up

    Josh Brolin in W.• Anne Thompson reports that Paramount Vantage will officially debut the “Revolutionary Road” trailer on Sunday’s episode of “Mad Men.”  Very smart. [Thompson on Hollywood]

    • The toughest journalist gigs in cinema. [Time Out]

    • In the introductory post of his long in the works awards blog (welcome to the fray), Pete Hammond bangs the drums for Dustin Hoffman in “Last Chance Harvey.”  Overture will have a tough enough time with one Best Actor hopeful, though, let alone two. [Notes on a Season]

    • Tom O’Neil rounds up a bunch of thoughts from the Oscarweb regarding potential Oscar hosts. [Gold Derby]

    • Steven Zeitchick gets excited about the foreign film race. [Risky Biz Blog]

    • Michael Cieply and Charles Solomon shed light on a credit dispute among the principles of Universal’s animated endeavor “The Tale of Despereaux.” [New York Times]

    • John HIscock spends some quality time with “Appaloosa” star Viggo Mortensen across the pond. [Daily Telegraph]

    • Oscar winner Helen Mirren is set to take on the role of an Israeli Nazi hunter with “Shakespeare in Love” director John Madden at the helm. [The Independent]

    • Anthony Breznican gets a first look at Oliver Stone’s “W.” [USA Today]