Clooney Delivers Mediocre 'Monuments Men'
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Cape Cod Times C2 Cape Cod Times Editor: Tim Miller, 508-862-1140 [email protected] MOVIES & MORE Fax: 508-771-3292 capecodonline.com/films Recently reviewed by Tim Miller Movie showtimes “Labor Day” (((in Falmouth, Hyannis, Mashpee, Sandwich and Cape and Islands theater schedules are South Dennis; “That Awkward Moment” (in Hyannis, Mashpee, updated every Friday on our website. Sandwich and South Dennis; see www.capecodonline.com/miller SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 Dpjfe `jXA\[` Former classmate: I went to elementary school with a kid named Josh Miller. But he died. Josh: No, that was me. osh was 9, and we were sitting on grass by a baseball field after Little League practice. I was the team’s Acoach. My boy was not showing signs of being a serious athlete. I’d catch him from time to time digging in the dirt around second base, for instance, instead of antici- pating a ground ball coming his way. He wasn’t the only kid like this; he was just acting his age. I was concerned, though. I was concerned about what the world might do to him. I looked at him, this sweet-natured boy with the glasses and big Tim front teeth and bowl- cut hair; this angelic, MILLER innocent goofball. And Confessions of a Cape Cod Film Critic I thought of how he could fall prey to bul- lies some day because, not being able to conceive of meanness, he’d assume they were just joking around. CLAUDETTE BARIUS/COLUMBIA PICTURES I told him about my dilemma. I told him Starring in “The Monuments Men” are, from left, Dimitri Leonidas, George Clooney, John Goodman, Bob Balaban and Matt Damon. I was worried about him, that he might need to toughen up. The problem, I said, was I didn’t want him to change, because he had such a good, pure heart. “Usually the son is supposed to admire NOW SHOWING the father,” I told him. “But this time it’s the Clooney delivers mediocre other way around.” What: “The Monuments He understood. And he gave me a big Men” hug. A few months later, after he turned Star rating: (( 10, Josh was diagnosed with advanced Starring: George large-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Third ‘Monuments Men’ Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill stage. Not good. With nine months of Murray, Cate Blanchett, chemo, he was given a 70 percent chance By TIM MILLER Europe’s masterpieces from the 12-year-old boys who like to John Goodman, Jean [email protected] to live. But, as our doctor at Dana-Farber greedy grasp of Hitler. watch guys in Army helmets Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville told my wife, Sue, and me, the percent- he Monuments Men” How could this movie possi- drive around in Jeeps. It seems and Bob Balaban age ultimately wouldn’t matter to us. is like a chocolate bly go wrong? dated (like “Leatherheads,” actu- He’d either live or die. bunny. It looks good Well, first and foremost, by ally). And while there’s nothing Directed by: Clooney The next year was, truly, a living “Tbefore you dive never sparking to life. necessarily wrong with family- Written by: Clooney and nightmare for our whole family: Sue, in, but you might be disap- Clooney, who also co-wrote friendly, old-fashioned movies, Grant Heslov me, daughter Katie (then 13) and Josh. It pointed to find that it’s hollow the screenplay, certainly tries. they still need to grab the audi- involved battling a daily onslaught of fear inside. There is noble sacrifice – some ence’s attention in some way. Based on: a book by and heartache. It has a great cast: George of these guys don’t make it Take Murray’s performance, Robert M. Edsel and Bret I held Josh in the children’s cancer Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill out alive. There is redemption. for example. In “The Monu- Witter ward and told him I’d change places with Murray – Isn’t that enough in There is friendship and cama- ments Men,” we get the deadpan Running time: 94 him if I could. “I’d never want that, Dad,” itself? – Cate Blanchett, John raderie. There is (an attempt Bill Murray. That version of him minutes he said. “Adults have a lesser chance of Goodman, Jean Dujardin (of to create) romantic tension can work well (in Jim Jar- survival.” “The Artist”), Hugh Bonneville (between the Damon and musch’s “Broken Flowers,” for Rating: PG-13 (for some He kept his sense of humor. While he (of “Downton Abbey”) and Bob Blanchett characters). There is instance), but in a movie lack- images of war violence was going through a particularly horrific Balaban. Murray getting misty-eyed as ing any energy, the sarcastic, and smoking) procedure involving a needle in his back, It was directed by Clooney, his character listens to a sen- lively Bill could have shaken us Where: Chatham his wonderful doctor, Melody, with whom who also made the first-rate timental Christmas recording awake. Orpheum Theater, he had become close, asked playfully, “Good Night, and Good Luck” from home. As for depth, the film does Entertainment Cinemas “Who’s your favorite doctor, Josh?” (though he also made the lame And all of this falls flat. question (more than once, in Falmouth and South In a high voice, Josh answered, “Doctor football comedy “Leather- Maybe it’s in part because unfortunately) whether saving Dennis, Heritage Kevorkian.” heads”). Clooney’s film is like a mati- art is worth the cost of human Theaters in Sandwich, He also gained a certain perspective. On And the basic real-life story nee movie kids would attend life. Given the premise of the Regal Cinemas in one of the days he was healthy enough to has so much potential: Ameri- in the 1960s, a rather innocent movie, we know the answer Hyannis and Mashpee, go to his fifth-grade class, he was sitting can art experts are enlisted (despite the killings), gung- before the question is asked. and Wellfleet Cinemas in the back row of the school bus when an during World War II to save ho war adventure geared for And that’s a problem, too. older kid walked over and said something like, “Get out, the back seat is for sixth-grad- ers.” Josh looked at him and said, “There is nothing you can say that will make me move.” (“What was the kid going to do?” Josh asked me later. “Give me cancer?”) So the kid sat next to Josh and they had a friendly conversation. ?fccpnff[jkXijgXp A year passed. Josh went into remis- sion. He survived. I don’t know how these things work, but all I can say is thank you, i\jg\ZkjXk?f]]dXe]le\iXc God. Thank you. It’s now more than 15 years later. Josh is 25, happily married, working and living By KAREN MATTHEWS looked visibly upset as he Campbell Funeral Home in on the Cape. He has a good life. He still THE ASSOCIATED PRESS arrived. Manhattan. has that sweetness, that incredibly warm NEW YORK – Philip Sey- “He left an enormous The rumpled, heavy-set heart that he gets from his mom. But he’s mour Hoffman’s private amount of love behind. It’s Hoffman was known to dive also as close to fearless as anyone I’ve funeral was held in Man- a terrible loss,” said Jose into roles and was nomi- ever known. He’s the guy you want in the hattan on Friday, with stars Rivera, a playwright whose nated for Academy Awards foxhole with you. Meryl Streep, Cate Blanch- work has been produced four times: for “The Master,” So what does any of this have to do with ett, Ethan Hawke, Brian by Hoffman’s LAByrinth “Doubt,” “Charlie Wilson’s movies? Dennehey, Amy Adams and Theatre Company. He said War” and “Capote,” which he When Josh was going to UMass Ellen Burstyn paying their the service was beautiful, won. He also received three Amherst, he was frustrated because he respects to an actor widely with people sharing their Tony nominations for his wasn’t sure what area to pursue. He didn’t considered among the best memories of Hoffman and work on Broadway, which know what he wanted to do, what he of his generation. laughing. included an acclaimed turn wanted to be. The coffin holding Hoff- Hoffman, 46, was found in 2012 as the weary and Josh has always been a “Star Wars” nut, man’s body was brought out dead Sunday of an appar- defeated Willy Loman in and one day I realized what should have of the Church of St. Ignatius ent heroin overdose in his “Death of a Salesman.” been obvious. Loyola by pallbearers and apartment. He leaves behind The theater community “I know what you should be, Josh.” put in a hearse as family his partner of 15 years, Mimi mourned the actor Wednes- “What?” and guests began to stream O’Donnell, and their three day with a candlelit vigil out- “A Jedi.” out Friday afternoon. Streep children. O’Donnell was seen side his beloved LAByrinth I was serious, and he understood. hugged Diane Sawyer as cradling their youngest child company downtown and with During a lecture to a film class last they left. as she entered the church. Broadway’s marquee lights week, I suggested that the best movies, of The list of mourners also Police did not allow any- turned off for a minute. any genre, can be applied to real life. included Michelle Williams, one to linger on the block More tests are needed “They could be fantasy or science fic- Julianne Moore, Joaquin outside the church, and the to determine what exactly tion,” I said.