David Crosby: Remember My Name
Review Rating: Fix 7/10
Friends are important. And David Crosby made enemies.
Perhaps one of the saddest documentaries I’ve seen since “Amy,” “David Crosby: Remember My Name” is not the film that its subject wanted, even though he may think so. In his late 70s, David Crosby seems to think that the music, his music, will heal any wound. So, he keeps recording.
Hated and reviled by his colleagues, musician David Crosby continues to tour and release records. The music is favorably reviewed, and the guy still has his voice. But there is a terribly sad quality to the man. His regrets are so many
that one movie couldn’t enumerate them all. The miracle, that he repeatedly acknowledges, is that he is still with us. But it is that refrain that underscores why the closest people in his life have turned their backs on him.
On one hand, filmmaker A. J. Eaton got unprecedented access to his subject but, on the other hand, that access may have been part of a grand manipulation. Crosby wants to make amends, but only on his terms. Graham Nash has written him off, and Neil Young has put him in the rear view. Too much drama and heartache. It’s so sad, awfully depressing stuff.
And yet, as the film draws to a close, you get a hint of the real Crosby still rationalizing and refusing to admit his life failures. Just saying the words isn’t enough, you have to believe them too.
Rapid Eye Movement
Review Rating: No Fix 5/10
There’s no denying it, Peter Bishai’s thriller has a clever hook to it. A radio DJ, Rick Weider (François Arnaud), whose station contract is in play, pulls a risky, publicity stunt in hopes of upping his ratings. His idea is to break the record for staying awake. When his assistant Googles it, they discover that he must not sleep for more than 11 days. Taking up the challenge Rick pitches it to the station as a charity event, and in no time, he’s placed in a box in the middle of Times Square to broadcast and to stay awake.
But even before he can start his quest, he’s contacted by a killer, who tells him that if he does not raise $5 million to combat a childhood illness, the killer will murder Rick. The clock is ticking, and what might seem like a prank call becomes something real.
Well-shot and acted, “Rapid Eye Movement” suffers from a story built around an intriguing premise that contains not enough connective tissue. As Rick forces himself to stay awake, the events around him are random and do not have plot significance. The killer’s motivations are strangely alien and kept mysterious. There’s not big reveal, no “ah-ha” moment. And this is a real pity, because Arnaud is great as the hapless DJ.
Clearly, “Rapid Eye Movement” wants to be like “Talk Radio” with a sprinkling of David Fincher. But it never connects the dots. And setting the film in the world of radio seems hopelessly dated and even a bit contrived.
After the Wedding
Review Rating: Fix 6/10
A remake of the 2006 Danish film by the same name, director Bart Freudlich’s take on the material gets a jolt from an impressive cast led by Julianne Moore.
The story has the crusading Isabel (Michelle Williams) traveling to the US from India in hopes of securing funding for her orphanage there. Once in the country, the red carpet is unfurled by Theresa (Moore), an immensely successful business woman, who is interested in donating to Isabel’s cause. It’s a busy weekend for Theresa, whose daughter’s wedding is scheduled for the next day. She suggests that Isabel attend the event, and despite resistance, she feels obligated.
The rest of the weekend is a revelation, and not a happy one. I dare not spoil the mystery, although if you’ve seen the original Susanne Bier film, it might not be so mysterious. Billy Crudup plays Theresa’s artist husband, and from the trailers, you know that he and Isabel have a past history together. From that, it’s easy to deduce where this movie is headed, and even though you might be able to put two-and-two together, the performances sell the material well.
Despite its familiarity and forced melodrama, “After the Wedding” works its way into you, making the viewer reflect on past relationships and what those experiences reveal about who you are today.