MOVIE OF THE WEEK #1 (8/19/16): WAR DOGS
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| "Man, if only my boy knew I was actually listening to some easy listening Burt Bacharach as I prepare to bust these caps!" Efraim (Jonah Hill) prepares to fire off a few rounds while his partner David (Miles Teller) looks on cautiously in a scene from Todd Phillips' based on a true story affair WAR DOGS. Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2016 Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights reserved. |
WRITER(S): Stephen Chin, Todd Phillips & Jason Smilovic (screenplay), based on the Rolling Stone article “Arms and the Dudes” by Guy Lawson
DIRECTOR(S): Todd Phillips
DIRECTOR(S): Todd Phillips
WEB SITE: http://www.wardogsthemovie.com
HERE'S THE STORY: Based on a true story, War Dogs stars Miles Teller as David Packouz, a 22 year-old massage therapist working in Miami Beach. If you think this is his dream job, well, you'd be wrong – he's been fired from/quit several jobs, and his grand idea to sell luxury bed sheets to retirement homes in Florida isn't working out so well. Sure, his girl Iz (Ana de Armas) loves him – perhaps a little too much since she just recently took a test that David, due to his finances, probably wishes she failed. In other words, with a new addition on the way and the money running low, David is in need of a new opportunity and fast.
And that's where Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) comes into play. David's best friend growing up, Efraim is living large and in charge (both figuratively and literally) as a weapons dealer who looks for contacts larger guys overlook (the "crumbs," as he calls them). Looking to take on a partner, Efraim convinces David – who like Iz is staunchly against America's war efforts overseas in the Middle East (the story is set during the George W. Bush years, FYI) – to come aboard. After all, as Efraim tells him,"This isn't about being pro-war; it's about being pro-money."
But as the old Biblical proverb goes, isn't money the root of all evil? David and Efraim are sure about to find out ...
HERE'S THE STORY: Based on a true story, War Dogs stars Miles Teller as David Packouz, a 22 year-old massage therapist working in Miami Beach. If you think this is his dream job, well, you'd be wrong – he's been fired from/quit several jobs, and his grand idea to sell luxury bed sheets to retirement homes in Florida isn't working out so well. Sure, his girl Iz (Ana de Armas) loves him – perhaps a little too much since she just recently took a test that David, due to his finances, probably wishes she failed. In other words, with a new addition on the way and the money running low, David is in need of a new opportunity and fast.
And that's where Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) comes into play. David's best friend growing up, Efraim is living large and in charge (both figuratively and literally) as a weapons dealer who looks for contacts larger guys overlook (the "crumbs," as he calls them). Looking to take on a partner, Efraim convinces David – who like Iz is staunchly against America's war efforts overseas in the Middle East (the story is set during the George W. Bush years, FYI) – to come aboard. After all, as Efraim tells him,"This isn't about being pro-war; it's about being pro-money."
But as the old Biblical proverb goes, isn't money the root of all evil? David and Efraim are sure about to find out ...
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Jonah Hill fans; Miles Teller fans who prefer him in more serious roles to comedies; people who enjoy a well-done "... And this is the rise and fall of these guys" story; people who liked Pain & Gain
WHO WON'T (OR SHOULDN'T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? Anti-war protestors; people who wish the film dived deeper into the true story; people who find Jonah Hill off-putting; those who will see the film as a pro-gun tale when it really has no such agenda
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? A film that will (for now) serve as director Todd Phillips' Pain & Gain (a.k.a. the best film Michael Bay has ever directed and likely ever will), War Dogs is a funny, entertaining tale of the American dream found and lost that should satisfy gun nuts and pacifists alike.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, War Dogs finds a director moving away from his Hangover trilogy work into something that maintains the humor he's known for while taking on more mature subject matter with a tone to match. This only happens, however, thanks to the performances of his two male leads approaching their subject matter in an entertaining but relatable/realistic fashion that flows with Phillips' pacing. Hill's performance especially stands out as he plays a very over-the-top character whose actions never feel as such, which is never an easy task to pull off. It's a classic display of the guy you'd love to hate but have to admire watching him conduct his business go down, watching his Scarface-influenced Efraim do so many things you wish you could stop him from doing but know it's just not gonna happen.
That's not to suggest Teller doesn't live up to his last name in telling the story (which it is from his character's point of view), as while his performance isn't dynamic, it is solid from start to finish. His mild-mannered David is a perfect counterpart to Hill's bombastic character, which makes their familiar wild guy doing what he wants/chill guy trying to just make a living routine not feel so ... routine. Likewise, Phillips' throws in great nuances to deliver a complete package: The music selections serve as great little inside jokes/nods to what's happening on screen, the selected one sentence quotes that serve to introduce the next chapter of the story heighten the plot without giving away too much and the foreshadowing moments are done with precision that work quite well. You get to enjoy the bromance between Hill and Teller, you get to watch so-crazy-that-can't-be-true-but-wait-it-mostly-is moments and don't suffer through any preachy/forced pro- or anti-war sentiments.
While one can debate – or simple Google – what is real and not real in the movie, what one can't debate is [1] the fact the movie tells an unconventional story via a traditional medium well [2] the actors come through with performances that will make you laugh and smile without [3] ever becoming corny or dumb while [4] the film keeps your attention even though it [5] does not try to make any particular statements about the issue of guns/weapons/international military affairs. It just tells a story and tells it well so your attention never wavers and you remain intrigued to see what happens next.
Victory is yours, fellas.
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? A film that will (for now) serve as director Todd Phillips' Pain & Gain (a.k.a. the best film Michael Bay has ever directed and likely ever will), War Dogs is a funny, entertaining tale of the American dream found and lost that should satisfy gun nuts and pacifists alike.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, War Dogs finds a director moving away from his Hangover trilogy work into something that maintains the humor he's known for while taking on more mature subject matter with a tone to match. This only happens, however, thanks to the performances of his two male leads approaching their subject matter in an entertaining but relatable/realistic fashion that flows with Phillips' pacing. Hill's performance especially stands out as he plays a very over-the-top character whose actions never feel as such, which is never an easy task to pull off. It's a classic display of the guy you'd love to hate but have to admire watching him conduct his business go down, watching his Scarface-influenced Efraim do so many things you wish you could stop him from doing but know it's just not gonna happen.
That's not to suggest Teller doesn't live up to his last name in telling the story (which it is from his character's point of view), as while his performance isn't dynamic, it is solid from start to finish. His mild-mannered David is a perfect counterpart to Hill's bombastic character, which makes their familiar wild guy doing what he wants/chill guy trying to just make a living routine not feel so ... routine. Likewise, Phillips' throws in great nuances to deliver a complete package: The music selections serve as great little inside jokes/nods to what's happening on screen, the selected one sentence quotes that serve to introduce the next chapter of the story heighten the plot without giving away too much and the foreshadowing moments are done with precision that work quite well. You get to enjoy the bromance between Hill and Teller, you get to watch so-crazy-that-can't-be-true-but-wait-it-mostly-is moments and don't suffer through any preachy/forced pro- or anti-war sentiments.
While one can debate – or simple Google – what is real and not real in the movie, what one can't debate is [1] the fact the movie tells an unconventional story via a traditional medium well [2] the actors come through with performances that will make you laugh and smile without [3] ever becoming corny or dumb while [4] the film keeps your attention even though it [5] does not try to make any particular statements about the issue of guns/weapons/international military affairs. It just tells a story and tells it well so your attention never wavers and you remain intrigued to see what happens next.
Victory is yours, fellas.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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