A fuss was made recently about The Upside, an American remake of foreign-language film Les Intouchables. Few saw its purpose, given the success of the well-loved original, but I took exception. While I appreciated many aspects of the French version, I also understand that films not in the English language don’t feel accessible for everyone. Many people simply don’t have the tolerance required for subtitles or dubbing, which is okay. There has been a comparable hoo-ha about Sara Colangelo’s The Kindergarten Teacher, a largely faithful remake of critically-acclaimed Israeli film Haganenet. To those up in arms, I say: why can’t we just enjoy both?
A barnstorming twist closes Destroyer, the riveting new film from Girlfight director Karyn Kusama, but this is more intrigue crime drama than compelling thriller. Nicole Kidman leads as haggard antihero Erin Bell, an LAPD officer – with complex history – who could easily warrant a franchise to deliver her own extreme form justice. Staggering around with a potent feline vulnerability, Kidman is unrecognisable in every sense, bar that hers is yet another recognisably stellar performance.
BAFTA nominated by fourteen, Liv Hill continues her path to stardom in James Gardner’s bleak but deeply affecting feature debut. A kitchen sink drama in the vogue of Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake and, more recently, Mark Gillis’ Sink, Jellyfish boasts an impressive authenticity in its handling of knotty upsets and great resonance in its storytelling. The viewing may be grim but the reality is much worse.
The Film Blog 