The Hustle (2019)

Following in the new Hollywood tradition of taking classic films and remaking them with female leads (see films like Ocean's 8 or the new Ghostbusters if you're not sure what I'm talking about), this film takes the comedy classic Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and flips all the genders around.

Josephine (Anne Hathaway) is a classy con artist, living on an enormous property in Beaumont Sur Mer, making the most of her incredible ability to suck any amount of money out of any man.

One night on a train, she comes across small-time con artist Penny (Rebel Wilson), who is on her way to the same town, hoping to make a quick buck.

The two bump heads, and Josephine tries over and over to get Penny run out of town, fearing she will chase away all the rich men she has come to take for granted for so long.

But when a young man (Alex Sharp), famous for developing the latest greatest smartphone app, and rumoured to be worth billions, comes to town, the two women make a wager: the first to get five hundred thousand dollars out of him gets to stay in town, the other leaves forever.

I won't go into any more detail on the plot, not because I'm afraid of spoiling it, but simply because it isn't just the plot I want to talk about in this review.

I have no fear of spoiling it, anyway, as the plot is identical to that of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, with the only real change being the genders of the three main characters. Seriously, this film is otherwise indistinguishable from its predecessor: even the surprise twist that was so incredibly shocking all those years ago, and which no-one saw coming in the original, is literally exactly the same, which kind of spoiled the entire film for me; there was no sense of suspense or anticipation.

On the other hand, this script - by Stanley Shapiro & Paul Henning and Dale Launer and Jac Schaeffer - is clever in its own way. By its very nature, in the flipping of the genders of its three main characters, there are a lot of nuanced differences between this film and the film it is based on. Sure, the main points of the story are the same, but the opportunities for humour - and there are plenty - are ever so slightly different.

One of the most wonderful features of this film has got to be Emma Fryer's beautiful costume designs. Again, by having the two lead roles played by women gives the opportunity for some absolutely gorgeous costumes, and Fryer has not held anything back here.

The comedic abilities of both Hathaway and Wilson are definitely the standout part of this film. The two of them work wonderfully together. I believe that there was a fair amount of improvisation on the set between these two, and they both rise exceptionally well to the challenge, so secure in their characterisation that they are able to make the most of any opportunity to inject some spontaneity into their performance.

I was a little surprised that the audience with whom I saw this film in the cinema were as quiet as they were. The film - in my opinion - didn't really give you a chance to breathe with all the comedy going on - but the rest of the audience almost never laughed. I would have laughed more had I not wanted to draw too much attention to myself. I think if I were watching this alone, I would be laughing hysterically from start to finish, and I would say this film is at least as funny as the original, if not more so.

Director Chris Addison has shown that by simply mixing things up a bit, there is plenty to improve on from the 1988 film, and that this film stands on its own as a very clever, modern comedy.

7 1/2 out of 10.

Les Miserables (2012)

Based on the hit stage musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (with English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer), which in turn was based on the novel by Victor Hugo, this film is a true visual spectacle that is guaranteed to not only warm your heart, but break it as well.

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) has served 19 years of hard labour in France. By 1815 his sentence is up, and police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) hands him his parole papers, warning him that if he refuses to abide by the terms of his parole, he will find himself arrested again.

But Valjean has dreams of a better life. Eight years later, he has assumed a new identity, and has become Mayor of Monteuil, and is in charge of a local factory.

One of the girls who works in the factory, Fantine (Anne Hathaway), is sending as much money as she can to an innkeeper (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his wife (Helena Bonham Carter), who are caring for her young daughter Cosette. But when she loses her job, and is forced to live on the streets, making whatever money she can in whatever way she can (and it isn’t pretty), things go from bad to worse.

If that wasn’t enough, Javert is certain he recognises Valjean, and threatens to bring his whole facade crashing down.

The timeline advances yet again, and we find ourselves at the beginnings of revolution in Paris, involving many young men (and women), including young Marius (Eddie Redmayne), who has his eyes on now-grown Cosette (Amanda Seyfried). But any revolution doesn’t come without sacrifice, and a great deal of loss.

I really don’t want to say any more about the plot. Sure, the musical has been around for some time now (and of course the novel for even longer!) and the film isn’t exactly a new release, but still, if you haven’t seen it yet, I don’t want to spoil anything for you; you really need to experience it for yourself without knowing everything about it beforehand.

Of course, as with any musical film review, I need to talk about the music first of all. All I can say is that it is absolutely fantastic. The entire musical (and it is almost entirely through-sung, with only a few portions of spoken dialogue) is fabulous. Many of the songs serve primarily to advance the plot (as with recitative sections of an opera) but even these songs are cleverly written, with sensational music, and cleverly written lyrics with brilliant rhyme schemes throughout.

When it came to making this film, the filmmakers tried something very different. Rather than pre-recording the songs, and having the actors mime to a playback track on set (as virtually every other film musical has ever been done before), the actors sang live on set, accompanied in an earpiece by a rehearsal pianist. The entire score was then reorchestrated and recorded to fit to the timings of the cast’s performances, which allowed for much greater expression and nuance from the performers.

And this difference has a very clear effect on the performances. You will know what I am talking about when you see Hugh Jackman’s inner wrestling with himself going on as he sings ‘Who am I’, or when you are brought to tears along with Anne Hathaway as she sobs her way through ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ with a rawness that could never have been achieved if they had been miming to a pre-recorded track.

Eve Stewart’s production design, and Paco Delgado’s magnificent costumes, absolutely make this film, and the locations and characters, come alive. There is a real grittiness to the environment, and a bleakness to the landscape that allows the viewer to feel as though they are right there in the middle of everything that is going on.

The cinematography, by Danny Cohen, is absolutely stunning; the scope of this massive production is captured so beautifully on screen. There are many interesting contrasts between light and dark throughout the entire piece, and these are all done with such skill as to make it look effortless (and, believe me, it isn’t effortless).

Director Tom Hooper has made an incredible film here, that captures the stunning stage musical on which it is based, but also stands on its own as a film. If you haven’t seen it yet, seriously, you need to see it. I can never see this film too many times.

10 out of 10.