Sleuth (2007)

With only two actors in the entire movie, Sleuth is a 2007 film directed by Kenneth Branagh and is based on Harold Pinter's screenplay adaptation of the Tony award-winning play SLEUTH by Anthony Shaffer. The movie stars Jude Law and Michael Cainee, who had also starred in the previous movie adaptation of Sleuth way back in the year 1972.

Cast: Michael Caine as Andrew Wyke
Jude Law as Milo Tindle
Director - Kenneth Branagh
Music - Patrick Doyle

Running Time: 86 minutes

Plot: Two extremely witty and scheming men will fight it out through the movie, matching their wits with the other, fighting for a woman they both claim to love, a woman, who, interestingly, the audience will never finally meet. She will always be a voice on the phone maybe, an entity who is out there in the world somewhere, but never shown. The men fight out each other in a dangerous game of wit and words and scheming, a game that will result in some dangerous final moments.
Andrew Wyke is a wealthy old millionaire, an established writer with a highly intellectual mind. Wyke's wife Maggie is living with her young lover. This lover is Milo Tindle. Wyke is alone in a huge house, a house that is old and royal, a house with a lot of character and intensity in it, a house that will haunt the viewer for days after they have watched the movie. To this house comes Milo Tindle, to visit the old man (either on the invitation of Wyke himself or on the insistence of Maggie). What follows is a series of intellectual and twisted games and role-playing..with dangerous consequences.

The movie is amazing in the way it has been handled. A movie with only two people in it requires extreme merit from the actors and characters to not let the audience drift even for a moment, and that is exactly what this movie manages. Not for a second do you get the chance to look away from the screen. Each word, each sentence is full of meaning, each scene has a purpose, and every angle on the set and in the frame is essential.
The house where the entire movie is based is in itself a work of art. With the theme of the house as much modern and at the same time having that old-world charm, even while everything about the house is so modern, it looms large in the background and serves well to the plot.
Caine is brilliant in his character. He is distinguished, intellectual, full of that old charm that was once so popular among 'real' men of the years gone by.
Jude Law is of course too good to look at to begin with. For those who did not watch the older version, Michael Caine had portrayed the character of Milo Tindle in 1972 that Jude Law now does in 2007. Jude Law is exceptionally wonderful in his display of emotions. Charming, sexy, rugged and full of attitude on the one hand, vulnerable, scared, innocent the next moment, he portrays each emotion with elan and the utmost sincerity through the portrayal of Tindle.
The movie is a cat-and-mouse chase throughout, with both the characters keeping scores of who won which round. They use wit and words to hurt and humiliate the other, using double-crossing, planning, scheming and deception to the hilt. The movie is dark and claustrophobic, extremely smart and filled with that you-know-something-is-about-to-happen feeling.
The music by Patrick Doyle is haunting and perfect. It matches the mood and theme of the movie, providing character to the background and a feel to each frame.

Many people were of the view that the movie would be a remake of the 1972 hit. But it has come as a surprise to all that not only is this movie not a remake, it is in fact a brilliant new take on the original play. In Jude Law's own words - "A completely reinvented Sleuth. It didn't feel like a remake. I always loved the idea at its heart of two men battling it out for a woman you never meet."
Harold Pinter, the screenwriter of the 2007 version, had never seen the 1972 movie, nor had he read the original play or seen a theater adaptation of it, and none of the lines in the movie matched the ones in the previous version.

Sleuth (2007) is a Must-Watch...

- Debolina Raja Gupta

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

When I first heard the title of this movie, I could not for a moment make sense of what the story might be. It could be a movie involving a kid, it could be a kids' movie, or it could be a movie that has nothing to do with kids at all. I was quite confused. So when I finally began watching it, there was a lot of curiosity and interest. I mean, how many times do we come across a name like this?

The movie, based on the novel of the same name by Irish author John Boyne, received huge appreciation in the US as well as in Europe. There have been many movies based on and around the tragic events of the Holocaust, but none has been treated the way that ‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’ has approached it.

Cast and crew:
Director: Mark Herman
Producer: David Heyman
Main Lead: Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga

Plot:
Based on the Holocaust, the movie tells a sordid and heart-wrenching tale through the eyes of two eight-year-olds, one who is on this side of the barbed wire, while the other is inside the enclosure.
Eight-year-old Bruno lives with his mother, twelve-year-old sister and father in an extravagant mansion in the posh locality of Berlin. The young Bruno is more interested in adventures and games, hence he is still innocently unaware of all that is going on in the world outside, viz-a-viz Hitler and the extermination of Jews. Bruno’s father is an SS Officer but Bruno thinks of him just like another soldier.

After a sudden promotion, the family must move to the countryside, where Bruno finds himself locked up inside the house almost all the time, as the children have been specially instructed not to go out or talk to anyone except their own parents.

The world in and around the new house is strange for Bruno. There are guards at the gate, keeping an eye on them at all times, as if they are prisoners, but obeying their commands as if they are at their personal disposal. Once in the countryside, Bruno’s father’s demeanour undergoes a drastic change. He becomes more ruthless and intolerant and insists that Bruno be coached properly in world matters and politics, instead of wasting his time on stories and adventures.

One day, Bruno sees some people from his bedroom window. On careful examination, he finds they are wearing pyjamas in the day, and that they seem to be quite poor and sick. This confuses him. But his confusion is put to rest by the explanation that what he saw where the people who worked in the farm outside. Also, sometimes Bruno can see smoke rising in the sky outside, accompanied by a strong stench. He is told there is a factory and that the stench may be from the chemicals.

The family occasionally has helpers who come and do odd jobs like cleaning the toilets and peeling the potatoes. One such help is an old man who usually sits in the dining hall floor peeling potatoes. He is an old man who just sits there, not a word or a glance, it is almost as if he does not exist. But Bruno has noticed him and wonders why it is that he never looks at him or talks, or answers to his queries. One day, while Bruno’s parents are not around, he gets hurt and the old man immediately rushes to him, tending to him, attending his wound and telling him there is nothing to worry. Bruno’s mother returns soon after and asks him about the mishap and how did he take care of it. He replies he was a doctor earlier……..earlier to what is what the audience thinks….

On one occasion, the old man is made to wait at the occupants of the home and accidentally spills wine on at the table. After a bout of merciless beating by the furious officer, the old man is never seen again.

Many instances happen that make the audience curious to know more. You begin to understand what may be going on, and you have an inkling of what is about to come, but you never really hope that will be the case.

One fine day Bruno manages to run out of home and makes a dash towards freedom, towards the ‘farm’ that he sees from his window, where he knows there are people….hence there are bound to be children too, and he hopes to make some new friends.

On reaching the ‘farm’ Bruno realizes there is something different here, that this ‘farm’ is not like the regular farms he has seen. This farm has an electrified barbed wire fence around it, there are no crops inside, instead, it is all stony and dusty, and he sees men with shaved heads and bent heads and stooped shoulders going about, pushing wheelbarrows, all quiet…..they must be awfully tired, Bruno thinks to himself.

Just as Bruno is beginning to get impatient and wonder what is going on in this peculiar ‘farm’, he sees a boy, just the same age as him, inside the farm. The little boy has his head shaved. And there are injury marks on his face. He has the bluest eyes I have ever seen on a child, and one of the most innocent and adorable face ever.
“Wow, you live in the farm. You must be having such fun, you’re so lucky you are inside the farm.” Bruno is sad he cannot be inside the farm to explore the hidden treasures.

The boy inside does not seem to understand at first what Bruno is saying. And he is similarly amazed to see another boy on the other side of the fence.

Bruno makes a habit of returning to the ‘farm’ every day, or as many times as he can. He occasionally takes food for his friend inside the ‘farm’, as the boy inside is always hungry. The boy’s name is Shmuel and he reveals to Bruno that he is Jew.

One day, Shmuel is sent to the officer’s house to clean the house glass. When Bruno sees his friend in his house, he is very excited and gives him a piece of cake. When an officer sees crumbs on Shmuel’s lips and accuses him of stealing, the poor boy tells the officer that Bruno is a friend and gave him the cake. But Bruno is scared to death and denies knowing the boy. Bruno does not see Shmuel for many days as the boy does not turn up near the fence, and when he finally does, Bruno sees that he has a bad swollen eye that he got from the officer.

In the meanwhile, Bruno’s mother realizes what is actually going on and decides to leave with the children. The day before they are scheduled to leave, Shmuel reveals to Bruno that his father has suddenly gone missing. Seeing an opportunity to redeem himself for his giving up on his friend earlier, Bruno digs a hole under the fence and goes in.

The end of the movie is ironic and tragic in a way that I had not interpreted earlier. It is one of the most sensitive and yet one of the most hard-hitting Holocaust movies I have ever seen. For all it is worth, this is one movie I will never ever forget my entire life.

Personal Verdict: One of the most amazing movies ever made.

Shutter Island - Watch It If You Haven't Yet

The mind is a scary place. A place that is dark and enlightened at the same time. A place that plays games, that plots and schemes, that keeps everything safe inside its chambers and yet sometimes has no memory to fall back on. A place that can be innocent as well as keep up a façade, a place that is safe from the outside world, yet can be easily manipulated by another mind of equal or more power.

The movie Shutter Island is an American psychological movie that delves into the darkest chambers of the human mind. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by author Dennis Lehanne, the movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, premiered at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival as part of the competition screening on February 13th 2010. The movie was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures. It was released on 19th February 2010.

Crew and Cast:
Martin Scorsese – Director
Martin Scorsese, Bradley J. Fischer, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer
Robbie Robertson - Music
Leonardo Di Caprio – U.S. Marshal Edward ‘Teddy’ Daniels
Mark Ruffalo – U.S. Marshal Chuk Aule
Ben Kingsley – Dr. John Cawley
Michelle Williams – Dolores Chanal
Emily Mortimer – Rachel Solando
Max von Sydow – Dr. Jeremiah Naehring
Jackie Earle Haley – George Noyce
Ted Levine – Warden
John Carroll Lynch – Deputy Warden McPherson
Elias Koteas – Andrew Laeddis
Patricia Clarkson – Dr. Rachel Solando

Plot:
The movie, based in the year 1954, begins with a sea-sick U.S. Marshal Edward (Leonardo) and his newly-assigned partner Chuck (Ruffalo) heading towards the Shutter Island in Boston Harbour, which houses the Ashecliff Hospital for Criminally Insane. The two have been assigned to investigate into the disappearance of a patient Rachel Solando, who, it seems, has vanished from a locked room.
As they reach the island, a dark mood takes over the movie. The landscape is all dark and grey, filled with uniformed and armed guards who are searching the place for the vanished patient / prisoner. The ferry on which the two Marshals have arrived is the only source of link between Shutter Island and the world, they are informed, and as a storm is fast approaching, the captain of the ferry wants to leave them on the island and go back as soon as possible.
As the two Marshals step on the island, they realize things are quite serious. The sky is already dark with the looming storm and the sea is rough and black. As they near the hospital, they pass electrified fences of barbed wire and a cemetery with the words – ‘Remember me, for I have lived, loved, laughed.’ The cemetery is filled with black and grey slabs jutting out of the earth, an ominous sky above, a dark life inside the confines of the island. The hospital looms large all of a sudden. It is a massive stone structure, like a castle made only of grey stone, and everything about the place is already dark and gives you the creeps. The movie, though based in the US, is every bit English in its look – the dark grey castle, the grey sky filled with large dark clouds, the grey sea, it seems all the colour has been taken away from the life that exists here.
As the two enter the gates they are asked to hand over their arms to the guard. For all their time on the island, they are informed that they will have to follow all protocol and that they will have to obey orders from the in-charge.
The head psychiatrist, Dr. John Cawley, explains that the escaped patient, Rachel Solando, had been admitted after she drowned her three children. The two join the others during the search for Rachel. During the search Edward sees a lighthouse and upon asking if she could be hiding there, he is told the lighthouse has already been searched. Edward asks to see the files of the hospital staff but is refused. His frustration is further increased when he is informed that the psychiatrist who was handling Rachel’s case has already left for a long-planned vacation. When they want to speak with the doctor, they are told that all lines of communication are down due to the storm.
While talking to his partner Chuck, Edward reveals that he is here on a personal mission too. His wife, Dolores, was killed in a fire that was started by an arsonist named Andrew Laeddis.
In the morning while they are interviewing the patients, one of them scribbles the words RUN on the notepad. Later, Edward reveals to Chuck that Andrew Laeddis was sent to Ashecliff for his crime but had suddenly disappeared. Also, he had once met a former patient named George Noyce, who had told him how Ashcliff was experimenting on patients in barbaric and secret methods. George was a wonderful man, who had been sent for some work to the institute. But when he came back from there he became violent and had to be sent back as a patient. He was cured and was sent back to the outside world. But then again he began showing signs of violence and attacked people and was sent back to Shutter Island again. Edward says that the entire episode was fishy, as George was a perfectly normal person and there was nothing to trigger off something like this in him. He was sure the institute was responsible for George’s strange behaviour. Now Edward is going to reveal to the world about the institute and get it closed.
Some time later Edward is informed that Rachel has been found. They have a meeting, soon after which Edward begins to develop terrible migraines and hypersensitivity to light. The staff and the doctors assist him with medicines and make him rest.
The storm becomes dangerous and parts of the institute begin to flood. As power is off, the patients begin to run out. The whole place is in a mess and Edward takes the opportunity to take a look at Ward C, which he had been earlier informed, houses the most dangerous of the patients. There he finds George Noyce, who is now battered and bruised, and he tells Edward to leave the place and run, that everything is a conspiracy and that his life too may be in danger.
Rest……it is too good to be revealed.

The haunting background score is something that blends so well with the movie’s theme and mood that you wont even realize it was not made for the movie per se. Instead, the director had asked his long-time collaborator to create an ensemble of previously recorded material to be used in the film. The beauty in the music is that though it was made without any particular theme in mind, once used in the film, it gels so perfectly that you feel it part of your own thought process. As you are tense, the music is tense, as you are hopeful, so is it full of hope, as you are sad, the notes are teary, as you are on the edge and have begun to chew your nails, the music will grip you.

Shutter Island has provided the director as well as the lead actor their best box-office opening yet. According to studio estimates, the film opened #1 at the box office with $41 million.

Personal verdict on the movie – AWESOME