Tiny Reviews: "The Apprentice", "Conclave", "Blitz" and "Our Little Secret"

THE APPRENTICE

A portrayal of corporate greed and the corruption of a man's essence, The Apprentice has noble intentions, a strong concept, nostalgic cinematography choices and outstanding performances from Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, but it fails in its execution which ends up being a simplistic one. Ali Abbasi fails to build a consistent tone around Trump, with too many ups and downs that don't necessarly go alongside the narrative trajectory - yes, his Trump is not one dimensional, he's both a sympathetic guy who entered a world of wolves and a monster himself, but I didn't feel the line of development along his journey... it's like he uncovered something that was already there instead of "becoming" it. All these problems make Stan's work even more impressive as the actor shows ability to navigate the screenplay flaws and the tonal inconsistencies and he creates a monster with a heart, through a compassionate mentor-mentee acting duo with an amazing Jeremy Strong. So, The Apprentice fails to be more than an average biopic, it fails to be the satire it clearly aims to be and it clearly fails to be a ruthless portrayal of a greedy man. Still, the performances are engaging and they are enough reason to see it at least once.

R: 5/10

CONCLAVE

The plot is simple: the Pope dies and Cardinal Thomas Lawrence is tasked with arranging the conclave election. The movie quickly becomes a political thriller thanks to a sharp script that doesn't lose a single opportunity to generate tension and nail-bitting moments. From the very beginning you understand none of the characters on the scene is perfect and that's no perfect candidate for the highest rank of the Holy Church. But what starts as a movie of truly delicious political/religious intrigue in a Succession meets House of Cards style then offers plenty of moments of reflexion and self-analysis. Question like Faith, unity, the changing world, old values versus the new ones, personal integrity, personal goals and sacrifices for a greater cause... Edward Berger executes a clever script beautifully. Ralph Fiennes shines here in what might well be his best performance since 2014's The Grand Budapest Hotel in what could be an unthankful role - a mediator! - in the hands of a less capable actor: it's a character who's all about duty, but Fiennes uses his eyes and his silences to evoque a man who's battling himself and his own cause, his own desires and his own vows. A great movie elevate by an exquisite score that not only beautiful and rich but also thrilling to hear. I loved the cinematography and production design combo, which allowed a narrative set in our contemporany world to look as rich and beautiful as a period piece. It's only cardinals and nuns, but it was way more thrilling than most action movies in decades. Conclave is an amazing film!

R: 9,5/10

BLITZ

The mother-son narrative in a WWII setting would be enough for me to care and be absorved, but Steve McQueen has made a movie that meant nothing for me, an emotionally sterile war drama with great productions values that ultimately proved what I deemed impossible: McQueen did a not good movie. Still, Blitz is kinda watchable, specially for history lovers, as the audiences fall in love with Elliot Heffernan (in his film debut) as he guides them through the narrative. Also, Saoirse Ronan is (once again) amazing here, as the broken-hearted mother Rita - it might well be one of her most mature roles and Ronan delivers it with grace and warmth with a note of melancholy. Visually, Blitz is a combination of beautiful images thanks to an amazing cinematography work by Yorick Le Saux and production designer Adam Stockhausen, but its splendor doesn't match the audiences' thirst something emotionally fulfilling and Blitz ends up as the Steve McQueen at his most blunt, uninspired and bland.

R: 4,5/10

OUR LITTLE SECRET

Well... I never expect much from a Netflix Christmas movie. Cliché storyline, some cheap laughs, a happy and predictable ending. Still, it was great seeing Lindsay Lohan (pure leading lady charisma) and Kristin Chenoweth on-screen and some comedic scenes were quite pleasing. Our Little Secret is silly, but entertaining and sometimes funnt enough for a cold Sunday afternoon by the couch with a blanket and a hot cozy drink.

R: 4/10