Showing posts with label Wallace Shawn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wallace Shawn. Show all posts

Sunday, 9 August 2015

The Double (2013): ****



Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg) barely exists to his co-workers and his boss Mr Papadopoulos (Wallace Shawn), despite working at the company for over seven years. Simon is constantly apologetic and seems cowered by everyone around him. Whilst Simon harbours a crush on his colleague Hannah (Mia Wasikowska), all his small attempts to start a relationship are thwarted by his own meekness and lack of presence. One day, Mr Papadopoulos introduces a new employee, James Simon, to everyone and to Simon’s horror, James looks exactly like him. However, whilst they both look identical, James is the confident and charming version of Simon. As James gains admiration and a good reputation from his co-workers, Simon seems to be in danger of fading away.

Monday, 26 January 2015

Clueless (1995): ****



Cher (Alicia Silverstone) may appear ditzy but it belies her sharpness, manifesting itself in her insults, ‘She’s a full-on Monet…From far away, it’s okay, but up close, it’s a big old mess.’ The same can be said for Clueless, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma set in high school, directed and written by Amy Heckerling. Cher is extremely rich and spoilt, used to talking her way into getting the things she wants, taking after her litigator daddy Mel (Dan Hedaya). Cher is sweet-natured and wants to help those she deems less fortunate than herself, so she turns new arrival Tai (Brittany Murphy) into her latest project and plays match-maker. However, her plans begin to spiral out of control with Cher and Tai both falling in and out of love with various potential suitors.