Savage Grace (2007, U.S.)

So, here I go on my quest to see every Eddie Redmayne film I can get my hands on! It has to be said that in my (so far limited) experience, he makes any film he's in exceptional.

Savage Grace is based on the real life murder of Barbara Baekeland, wife of the grandson of the inventor of Bakelite plastic. So one goes into this film knowing that young Tony is going to murder his mother in the end, and that what the film is ultimately about is not the destination (as it were) but the journey. The problem is that with the scripting, Tony seems to have very little motivation until the final days before the murder. Yes, he has a pretty bad upbringing, especially considering he's a wealthy child, and yes, his parents alternate between suffocating and neglectful, but still. The motivation just didn't seem that strong, nor was his mental illness that apparent. Watching this, I wouldn't have been surprised to hear he murdered his father rather than his mother; that's how off it seems.

It's interesting that much of what is presented in the movie never happened according to some firsthand accounts, and even the murder wasn't staged as it was occurred actuality. In this case, I think the true story would have made for much more gripping drama.

Parts of this film were extraordinary. For instance, as they take snapshots of this affluent life in the 1940s through the 1970s, the subtle changes in dress, decoration, and the like are very well done. And of course, acting is key here. Brooks Baekeland wasn't very memorable and Tony's grandmother was good (though she played a minor role). Hugh Dancy stood out as a gay man who was a sort of professional society companion. Julianne Moore, a very talented woman, was both lovable and loathe-able as Barbara Baekeland, a perfect combination. And Eddie Redmayne, of course, was brilliant beyond words. Watching him murder his mother, pick up the phone to order takeout, and then eat out of the white Chinese box with chopsticks while sitting next to his mother's body is just chilling. The combination of vulnerability and ruthlessness, childishness and maturity, is especially striking when portrayed by his genius. He really makes this one worth watching.

Rating: 3.0

What a Way to Go! (1964, U.S.)

Yet another film recommended by Stefanie. I don't really want to say too much about it, because it will give a lot away. Pretty much this woman's mother wants her to marry a rich guy who's a jerk. Instead, she runs off and marries a poor guy who she loves. Except then he becomes a rich jerk and dies. Rinse, wash, repeat. She marries man after man, and the same thing happens. The cast of husbands is absolutely fabulous. I especially loved Dick van Dyke, of course.

My favorite part was how she compares each marriage to a type of film. For instance, her marriage to Dick van Dyke's character was like an old silent movie. They filmed a parody of their life together, silent film style. It was great. And they did the same thing for every marriage. I loved it.

Overall, an absolutely hilarious and altogether fun film. The only thing I didn't like that much was the ending—more specifically, the surviving husband.

Rating: 4.0