NYFF 2019: MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, WASP NETWORK, & AMERICAN TRIAL: THE ERIC GARNER STORY

The NYFF may just have needed, but there are still plenty of films to talk about!

Motherless Brooklyn (Edward Norton)

There is feeling as the jazz notes pour through the speakers in the Lincoln Press Screening, bringing a time and place to life on screen. That fat cat dominance, two-bit criminals lurking in the shadows beneath their hats and trench coats, a man determined to find the answers he seeks at all costs. As each of these begin to take shape, Motherless Brooklyn lends itself to a time long gone, yet one satisfyingly brought back to life.

Based on the novel Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem, Edward Norton brings his adaptation away from the 1980s, plunging viewers into the heart of New York City in the 1950s, where drum snares, mobsters and political ambition ran the streets. There is an ingenious nature behind his decision to launch off the novel, bringing his own interpretation and making the story that much more his own to bring to life.

Plagued by his Tourette’s, Lionel (Norton) has found success and a deep profound loyalty in the private investigative work his boss Frank (Bruce Willis) has given him. Swooping him and his buddies out of an abusive home for boys, Frank has been a father and a mentor, turning Lionel’s weakness into his greatest strength. Lionel forgets nothing – a useful tool for investigators (and for secret meetings in the shadows.). Yet, when Frank gets whacked, Lionel finds he is the only one with the information, know-how and talent to figure out what Frank was behind.

As Lionel dives deeper into the mysterious that engulfed Frank, he finds his life – and those around him – facing the same fate.

Motherless Brooklyn, while not a masterpiece, is one of the finer films I have seen this year. While the beginning is a bit hockey and the score at times drowns the dialogue, the film itself is a captivating tale of intrigue, mystery and crime, brought to life on the backs of immense talent – Norton, Willis, Gugu Math-Raw, Willem Dafoe and Alex Baldwin. There are classic shots and cinematography that will throw viewers back to the neo-noir films that came before it, and there is a satisfaction at seeing the film so well executed in this manner.

Edward Norton shines here as both director, writer and actor. There is a clear sense of direction and creative thought behind each scene, each frame and he fills each so effectively. His performance is unbelievably incredible, especially in regards to the nuances of Tourette’s he is able to perfectly encapsulate throughout.

I fear that with the release of The Irishman, Motherless Brooklyn may be lost to some viewers, but definitely make this one to see this year. You won’t regret it

Wasp Network (Olivier Assayas)

Thrillers involving espionage, murder and politics have captivated audiences worldwide since their dawning. The tension and the mystery is undeniable, and if done well, can find its place in cinematic history. While not a bad movie, per se, Wasp Network does little to make its mark, to stand out before the films before it and become wholly captivating.

The film speaks to the embargoes placed on Cuba by the US and the world, leaving the citizens of the island with few resources and poverty. Food is scarce, opportunities non-existent and escape not an option – forced into their situation by a dictator who refuses to succumb to the demands of countries around him at the expense of his citizens. Wasp Network originally seems to be a film about the individuals, who on their last leg, face death in an attempt to flee the island and make it to US soil. In an Ocean’s Eleven style reveal, we instead find that Cuba’s government has taken advantage of the US refugee program, sending their own spies to infiltrate US soil and anti-Cuban organizations.

The film seems to condone these spies and their actions, displaying the work they did to save tourists on the island of who would fall prey to revolutionaries’ attempts to bring violence to the shores of Cuba, forcing the people to stand up to their dictator. Yet, while it brings due attention to the good, it also seems to support the bad. No side of an issue is wrong, and even the most evil of actions deserve to be seen and understood. Watching Wasp Network, there was a feeling that the actions of Cuban government was condoned and even praised through the film’s depiction. That the men trying to bring revolution to Cuba were the pure evil, one that needed to be stopped through any means necessary.

Wasp Network sadly was not the strongest film of the of the New York Film Festival. There is a disconnect within the film. There could be a bias as the film seems to support Cuba, condoning their actions and validating their government. But it also seems to be structurally disconnected.The transitions between scenes was at times disconnecting, the fade to black slow and seemingly out of place. Mix this with an overwhelming amount of characters and names to remember, and it just about threatens to lose its audience.

Wasp Network does, much like Motherless Brooklyn, boasts an exceptional talent behind the plethora of characters within the film. Penélope Cruz, Edgar Ramírez, Wagner Moura, and Gael García Bernal each bring everything they have to their roles, displaying the intensity, despair and cool demeanor of each moment in the film. They are the shining element within the film, ones perfectly casted to bring Wasp Network to life.

American Trial: The Eric Garner Story (Roee Messinger)

One of the films I was most excited for this season was American Trial: The Eric Garner Story. I wanted the chance to learn more information behind the case, to hear words from those most deeply impacted. To see the actions of our judicial system under the harsh lights of criticism. Unfortunately, American Trial will lose its viewers before it has a chance to do any of this.

For those who do not remember, Eric Garner was a young man in New York, who when, technically, refusing arrest, was brought to the ground by the arresting police officer using a choke hold. As he lay on the ground, the officer now accompanied by his fellow men in blue all held Garner down, face pushed in the concrete, Garner cried over and over again “I can’t breathe.” He would die shortly after. The incident was caught on video, bringing rage, controversy and hate across the digital landscape. His story was undeniable and available for all to see. Yet, while the deck was stacked to bring justice to his name and awareness to police brutality, the city of New York announced that the officer(s) involved would not be indicted. Another chapter in an endless tale of persecution and brutality. Yet, what if there had been a trial?

American Trial: the Eric Garner Story gives the families and nation a chance to see what would have happened if Eric’s story and case had been brought to court. Would there have been justice? Would there have been an absolution in knowing that everyone is truly allowed a fair trial – both victim and defendant?

While we will never know what the true outcome might have been, American Trial does its best to question witnesses, explain judicial jargon and give everyone the chance to speak – both sides – just as it would have been in a real trial. Unfortunately, mock trials are as lifeless as in real life. With no tension, no shock or awe, Eric Garners what if trial falls flat. With an almost two hour run time, the task the filmmakers are asking of their audience is a big one – and not many will be able to stay along for the ride. No joke, there were some at my screening I could hear snoring in front of me.

The disappointment in the film’s delivery is one I can not get over. The idea was there and solid, but the execution left much to be desired – and like in the past – left much still yet to be said and understood. Unfortunately this is not a film many will sit all the way through, the story and message being lost to audiences with less patience and attention span that the filmmakers were intending. There is still a story left here to tell, this was just not the way to do it.