First of all, few movie related rip offs make me want to curse, but I will name two: Albert Brooks not winning best supporting actor for Drive (was he even nominated?) and Sam Elliott not being nominated for Grandma (2015). I think I heard through the grapevine that Grandma couldn’t be nominated for Oscars due to it not meeting the minimum length. Ah well, c’est la vie.
But here he is again, in all his handsome, damn-I-miss-Joe-Spencer glory, as an older grass imbibing Dude with a heart in Brett Haley and Marc Basch‘s The Hero. Perhaps, he’ll get a nomination for this.
Oh wait: This movie’s sponsor is my good friend Carrie who treated me back. We take turns. She’s a sunshiney upper of a friend in my life!
Here’s what was solid about The Hero (besides Sam who’s ROCK solid):
1. spare writing, great editing
2. unique camera angle (mostly side view on Sam) to show we don’t know him or he doesn’t know himself?
3. great supporting cast:
Laura Prepon (almost too pretty for the role)
Krysten Ritter (perfection)
Nick Offerman (tough not to see Nick Offerman, but he’s cool, no matter what)
4. cinematography (great contrast scenes between ocean waves and Los Angeles skyline)
Here’s a tiny problem:
1. One scene of Sam’s where a woman is given a life time achievement award. For the plot to include this moment going viral, the scene should’ve been more substantive or moving for this to seem real.
Beyond that, though for cinema The Hero isn’t quite a 10 for me because it lacked great highs and lows, as a top quality slice of a ‘normal’ person’s life piece it ranks 11. We’re all just grains of sand as Sam’s character says, but we each add to the beach (MY ADDITION, not bad eh?).
