Latest / Off The Shelf With Phil and Dave- A Movie Review Podcast / 2000's Wonder Boys

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2000's Wonder Boys · Off The Shelf With Phil and Dave- A Movie Review Podcast

0:01
Hello and welcome to Off the Shelf with Phil and Dave, Movie
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talk show where each week one of us takes a movie off our shelf,
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presents it to the other, and discusses it at length.
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This week we've got Coming off of My Shelf, 2000s Wonder Boys.
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Directed by Curtis Hanson. Written by Steve Clove.
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Starring Michael Douglas, Francis Mcdormand, Katie Holmes,
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Robert Downey Junior, Toby McGuire.
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Yeah. RIP Torn.
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Don't forget RIP torn buddy. Goodness, cast of hundreds.
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David, welcome back to the couch.
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How are you doing this week? Love, lovely.
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And we're first impressions on the movie here.
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Well, I saw this in theatres. Wow, that's a lie.
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Shocking. No, you know the truth.
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Yes. This is the first time viewing
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I've watched Wonder Years. OK, a little bit basically.
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The same, then, a little bit of wonder years.
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Winnie, Winnie. Who doesn't remember Winnie?
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Looks like Katie Holmes, sure. No, just long black hair.
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Needless to say, this was my first experience with Wonder
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Boys when you had mentioned this movie a few weeks ago on your
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short list, and I appreciate it. Like a heads up.
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Thank you. Three more times.
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Sure what that movie was because I'll forget.
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I had no idea who was in it or what it was about.
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But soon as I put it and saw Michael Douglas, it did click.
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I'm like, OK, I know of this movie.
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Wow. I remember seeing the box art in
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the video store. Obviously not new releases
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because I didn't start till 2010, so I must have been
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putting ones away. And it was in the W under drama.
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Must have seen it. Must have.
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Yeah, the keys on the cover. Absolutely.
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Yeah, not a great poster. Well, it's obviously
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rememberable. I recalled it says yeah,
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somewhat. Anyway, so clean.
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I go in to this movie, OK, And my first impressions is this
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movie. I'm not gonna say it.
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I'm not gonna say it serviceable, Serviceable 6-7.
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I got a few ways I can go on this, but it was different, OK?
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It was a movie that was just simply A weekend in the life of
2:20
not Bernie. No, that's.
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Different on my short list, just saying.
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Be ready for that buddy. For the spring, sure.
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It was a change of what we've done lately, so I appreciate it.
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What the movie was trying to do. I didn't love it necessarily,
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but maybe you can. Sway.
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Sway me a little bit. There's one thing that stood out
2:40
that I wasn't a fan of, but generally it was a decent watch.
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I watched it a couple times. OK, that's.
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Good more than what we ask for. Minimum once, no nods.
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That's right, there's no nod. Clean watch.
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Please tell me Phillip, I'm eager to know.
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I can't figure this one out to why you brought this movie off
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at this particular time of year. Oh, wait, it's just the weather.
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It's the weather. It's a winter movie.
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That's it. That's OK.
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Because you have a few to choose from, of course.
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No, it's a movie that I love and I've loved for 25 years, and I
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figured it's time to take it off the shelf and have a rewatch
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because it's been a while for myself.
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OK. A movie that I was so enamored
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of that I immediately bought the book and read the book in its
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entirety. So you bought the book and read
3:32
it? Yeah, I've never done that
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before. Yeah, not both.
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I've either read it and not bought it like a library
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situation or bought it and never.
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Read it. Well, you know, 2000.
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This was another movie that I had seen roughly the same time
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was Version Suicides, which is another one that I just adored
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and went to buy the book immediately read that and then
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saw the movie again as soon as possible, both in the year 2000.
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So it was something in the air, let's say.
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And that's prime time Phil 2. 1000 and 2000 was a bit of a let
4:03
down on some level because 99 was so successful to me.
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And if you know anything about the year 2000, at least at the
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Oscars, the best picture of the year was Gladiator, which is
4:14
kind of a garbage movie. I haven't watched it.
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I bought it. Never watched it.
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Yeah, like I have it on. Blu-ray, Yeah, I got a 4K over
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there. Didn't even bother.
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I don't know, three hours long, I can't do that.
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Of course not. I say it's garbage.
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It's not really a bad movie, but it's really a let down.
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If you look at certainly, what, 99%, it's just like, oh, but but
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if I look at for my own personal lists, we've got Almost Famous,
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we got Virgin Suicides and we've got Wonder Boys, which to me
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were the top three movies of the.
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Year. Good year for you, then.
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Not good year for computers. No way at all.
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That whole thing turned out to be OK.
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Actually did it turned out all for.
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Nothing changed. Just another day.
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That's right. The fact that this movie exists
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is evidence that Y2K was not a problem because it would have
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ended on January 1st, 2000, and this movie came out in November
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of 2000. So we were ten months, 11 months
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into comfort this at the time of this came out.
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But yeah, so that's it. I just love the movie so much
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back then and have watched just a couple of times.
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It's still only a DVD. It's a movie that has yet to be
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released on any other format as far as I know.
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Deserves A4K rendition. Again, Low on special features
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was a movie that didn't do well at all.
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This is Curtis Hanson's follow up to LA Confidential 97, which
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he won an Oscar for Co writing a brilliant movie which we've
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talked about in the archives. And this was his big follow up.
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And I was really excited and as I said, it didn't really do
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anything in the box office and then it got nominated for a
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couple of Oscars. The screenwriter Steve Kloves
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and Bob Dylan, the song things have changed.
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It won the Oscar. No, and so they re released it
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in theatres in an attempt to sort of cash in a little bit
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Sure, of course, this movie that kind of got ignored.
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They redid the poster. They recut new ads saying Oscar
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winning movie now let's do it still fails.
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Still still nobody wanted it. And then when it came out the
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video store, I tried my best, but W is a tough one to kind of
6:05
put at the. Eye level and sort of follow
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the. Rules, let's say.
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So yeah, It just was difficult to really get anybody to really
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buy into the movie, unfortunately, even with the
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Oscar noms and win. I don't think it would fare
6:16
better now with the movies that you see in theatres, mostly IP,
6:20
big budget, correct? It would just be well under the
6:22
radar. That's right.
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Now they probably would have put DJ a little bit, maybe bigger on
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the Crabtree movie. That's true.
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You might get a few more eyeballs.
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You got Spiderman and Iron Man the same movie.
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That's a good point. Right.
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Michael Douglas is the Ant Man's dad.
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Yeah, you could. So actually, you bring this
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back. Yeah, you can reframe.
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This they could repackage this. Yeah, that's right.
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That's the 4K that'll be. The poster will only be.
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Those guys in their uniforms. That's right.
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That's right. And Katie Holmes sitting on a
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Creek of some kind and. Hey, she could sit wherever she
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wants, including my face. I'm just kidding, honey.
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I was never a Katie Holmes. Guy, I was gonna ask.
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You never no. Yeah, we both like Michelle
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Williams. That was me when I watched that
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show. I just kept shaking my head
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thinking, why does anybody in this show give a shit about Joey
7:12
when you've got Jen right there? It made no sense.
7:15
I was like. Yeah, I guess.
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Made no sense to me, I think. I mean, it's not like Katie
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Holmes is ugly looking to be wrong, but I thought just
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Michelle Williams was luminous when I saw her in that show.
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I couldn't get enough. Tom would disagree, I think
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Michelle Williams went on to have a better movie career, of
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course, but if we're just looking at someone in a
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different life in a multiverse, yes, I would date.
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Katie. Would.
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I was Michelle from day one and never got the Katie thing.
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Also, I'm a brunette guy. Yeah, I've never been a like
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once. Just like our shelves, you know,
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they're very different in a lot of ways.
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A movie like this you would never find on my shelf in a
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million years. And not to say I would enjoy it
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or didn't enjoy it. Never heard of it this point
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really. I found out that I heard about
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it, I just kind of forgot about it.
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Would be the proper tried, but maybe for those who haven't
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heard of it and would like to know what IME's take on the
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movie was in the form of a synopsis.
8:14
They've been pretty bad lately, yes.
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Can we break the streak? I hope so.
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That's what we have here. I try never to look at these
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until. Fresh.
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Yeah, an English professor tries to deal with his wife leaving
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him, the arrival of his editor who has been waiting for his
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book for seven years, and the various problems that his
8:33
friends and associates involve him in.
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I guess it's vague, yeah, other than the very beginning and then
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the rest is like various problems, so I think.
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Hijinks ensue, I think. You.
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Might as well said that. Yeah, it's just not exciting.
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Like it's like it's trying to find the balance.
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I think what I'm looking for in this synopses are a little bit
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of clarity on what the movie is, but also a sense of why I would
8:56
want to watch it. And some of these are so bland
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that I don't want to watch that movie.
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Or they're so descriptive that they're like, Oh well, I don't
9:03
need to see this movie anymore. So I'm trying to find that
9:05
thread and we'll continue to investigate and see if we can
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find one that both tells the story of the movie in a way that
9:12
is engaging rather than just. But doesn't give it away.
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Yeah, I would argue that I think fits because I didn't find this
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movie incredibly exciting. Wow.
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A little loud. Bring it down buddy.
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Bring it down. Not saying it's God, of course,
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but I wouldn't use sick exciting as a term to describe this.
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The character is very passive, very kind of quiet.
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Sure things are kind of. Movies not designed to have a
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lot of you know, which is probably why no one thought.
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Her care I mean when gladiators your big movie year, I mean
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there's a little gunplay. So I mean there is that that's.
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Right. That's right.
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I think this is the first time that I've watched a movie about
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novels that was a novel. I think that's a pretty novel.
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Idea it is it's very booky. One thing about this movie and
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probably around me in the year 2000 was very like writerly.
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I was linked to this world and like oh so Michael Chabon who
10:06
wrote the book. It's a very big book.
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It won the Pulitzer Prize for the adventures of Kavalier and
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Clay and the movie is an excellent adaptation by Steve
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Kloves. Now what is interesting about
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that going back to if we were going to remarket this movie.
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Which we might. Which we may we may we would
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have again Ant man and. Iron Man.
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Man and Spiderman, Yeah, from the writer of Harry Potters,
10:27
because Steve close went on. Yeah, you to write.
10:30
All of the Harry Potters. That was quite a list.
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It basically all of his career. He wrote The Fabulous Baker Boys
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in the late 80s. That is true.
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Which is a very good movie. I can verify that.
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But yeah, so as I said, it was really much in the zeitgeist and
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certainly my life and my friendship and my group was all
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about writing and the power of the written word and so forth.
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And that's kind of how we begin the movie with Michael Douglas
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reading James Lear's story to the class we established as a
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teacher. Now, we've talked a lot over the
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years about the use of voiceover, yes, as correct
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narrative device. Now this is the first time I've
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had what feels like almost a voiceover interrupting.
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I was confused. It's like we have a character
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talking and reading and then a voice over interrupting him
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talking to inform the audience what's happening.
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I checked my TV, I'm like, I thought the sound was off.
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I don't know what's going on. I'm getting double Douglas.
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The old double. D They kept it in house, which
11:28
is good for the budget. Yes, absolutely.
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You don't have to pay. Another guy.
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No, I don't want a third narrator.
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Do you think you get more money if you're doing the voiceover?
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No, you don't know. I don't know.
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You don't know. You're not qualified to answer
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that. That's my fault.
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I. Asked my narrator.
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Work for your church. As it should be, that's.
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Right. That's all I could get.
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No one's paying for that. But yeah, so that is an
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interesting way to kick it off. But I think because the book is
11:52
so dense and the concept is so again, writerly, you need the
11:57
voice over to fill in some of those.
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Gaps. This movie does not succeed
12:00
without that voice over. I'm gonna lay it out right now.
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And I like the sound of Michael Douglas's voice.
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Absolutely. You would not know that by
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looking at our five year history, Phillip.
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It is a sin. It is really a sin we have not
12:15
done a Michael Douglas movie like.
12:16
I've seen the game, of course. It's a great game.
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We did the game. No, we didn't.
12:20
We did the game 100%. We did not do the game.
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We've done the game. I would bet you $500,000 that we
12:26
haven't done the game. I have not watched that movie in
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20 years. Wow, why do I have such a
12:31
distinct memory of us doing the game?
12:32
Mostly because you're an idiot. You don't even remember us doing
12:35
trouble with the curve. Did we do that?
12:38
Yes, confirmed and verified Romancing the Stone.
12:42
That's a childhood memory of mine.
12:44
Oh yeah, that's a goodie. Yeah, well, I don't.
12:45
Know that's really good movies too.
12:47
I love my traps generally. No, that's his wife.
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Yeah, this disclosure, Yeah, classic back in the.
12:54
Day Why didn't? Bring It Juiced, 1 Flew the
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Cuckoo's Nest. So we've talked a little bit.
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About it? Barely, barely, barely, I think
13:01
in 2026. We definitely have to up our
13:03
Douglas game. And leave it to me, OK?
13:05
Leave it to me. He's done at least a dozen
13:08
movies that I enjoy. Leave it to you then.
13:11
Well, I mean, we'll take a few of them off, but I think it's a
13:13
shame that we haven't talked more about him.
13:15
Yeah, he's really a great. Actor.
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I'd rather bring off a movie that you don't like.
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So if you like a lot of Douglas. Movies.
13:19
Well, you could say something like don't say a word, which is.
13:22
I have that on my shelf. No.
13:25
Doubt. I don't know why I have it.
13:26
Just hot garbage. What I find funny about that
13:28
movie, and this is apropos of nothing at this point, however,
13:32
out of the blue, flipping on a streaming service and it gives
13:35
you a top ten. Yeah, number one in the country
13:39
right now. Is was then don't say a word.
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And I said to myself, there is no fucking way.
13:45
And that would be that this would be the number one movie in
13:47
Canada ever, ever, let alone 20 years after the movie came out.
13:51
It's obscene. That would be part of some
13:54
algorithmic bullshit. Like somebody giving a movie 10
13:57
out of 10 on IMDb and it's clearly nothing better than at
13:59
six at best. Like you can't do that.
14:02
I don't know if you've ever had a movie that's over six though,
14:05
so I feel like maybe you've never rated a single movie on
14:08
this. Podcast I I looked on IMDb last
14:11
week and saw Under Paschendale you had given it a 10 out of 10
14:15
rating. That was you.
14:18
I did open up that fan. Club, you didn't get the Mailer?
14:20
Yeah. Ohhhhh let's get back to Douglas
14:22
in the movie. Yes, let's get back in the
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movie. You're always, you know, TV.
14:26
You're all over the place. DV80, you're deviant.
14:28
Speaking of a deviant pot smoker.
14:31
Wow. Come on, I mean, that's deviant
14:33
behavior if you ask. Me.
14:34
I'd argue that it's a natural herb.
14:36
Yeah, I would consider alcohol the deviant behavior.
14:39
Yeah, that's what everyone made Pot smoker.
14:41
Says I don't smoke pot. You know, sometimes on the show
14:44
it sounds like I do. I don't at all.
14:47
I hear it back like it feels like I like the stuff I did at
14:50
one point. I was going to say, it's not
14:51
like you're on. Oh no, I lived off of it.
14:55
Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wake and bake, waking and baking
14:57
and bacon but not anymore. Clean as a whistle buddy.
15:01
I'll do urine test right now. I will right now.
15:04
Give me a cup. I have no problem with it, but
15:07
obviously it takes its toll on on Grady throughout the rest of
15:10
the movie here. But right now we established
15:12
he's a pot smoker and he gives a little bit of background onto
15:17
what is happening. He's basically saying he's got
15:20
the. Wordfest.
15:22
Wordfest. Yeah, that sounds like.
15:23
And you said you weren't excited.
15:25
Wordfest is enough to get anybody here, right?
15:27
And we got Crabtrees, his editor, coming into town.
15:31
Don't forget that his wife has left him that morning.
15:35
He thought that might be why he's in a bad mood.
15:37
He's like, maybe not, I don't. Know he's got his book that came
15:40
out seven years ago. 7 Arsonists Daughter Long year Is that a
15:43
story about a daughter of an arsonist?
15:46
Probably not. No, no, play on.
15:48
Words. I think it's like.
15:50
Metaphor. I thought it was literal.
15:52
That could be interesting. Yeah, very well be, but we'll
15:55
never know. We'll never know.
15:56
It's not real. It's not real.
15:58
Exactly. It was nice to see Robert Downey
16:00
Junior. I refused to call RDJ.
16:03
OK, I don't know why. I don't know.
16:05
I spent the last episode, you know?
16:06
You know, you talked a lot about JGL.
16:09
So I don't like it, I don't like it, but sanctions on that.
16:13
This is all obviously pre Iron Man, but not by a lot.
16:17
Seven years, Seven years. OK, Thank you.
16:19
It's a fair amount. I don't really remember what
16:22
he's done outside of Marvel, and I haven't watched Marvel so I
16:27
have not watched a lot of Robert Downey Junior.
16:30
My fondest memory of him is in the Fugitive sequel US Marshall.
16:35
Wow, I forgot he's in. That it's coming, It's coming
16:39
Countdown. Yes, Surrey.
16:41
Tommy Lee will make a return next year, but that's all I
16:44
really know. And he's good actor.
16:46
I'm not going to argue. That was an SNL for your TV
16:48
loving fan. He was an SNL for a year.
16:51
Oh did he did the 85 season? Michael Hall.
16:56
He was in a movie. I love Hearts and Soul.
16:59
OK Heart and souls. Which one is it?
17:01
Heart and Souls with Kyra Sedgwick and Tom Sizemore.
17:05
Charles Grodin. Elizabeth Shue.
17:07
Oh, I like Woodard. She's fantastic.
17:09
It's going to come off next year for.
17:10
Sure. So one heart and a bunch of
17:11
souls. Correct, and Chaplaincy was a
17:14
Oscar nominated for like. The guy has done great work post
17:17
Marvel. Yeah, not a ton.
17:18
What was that black and white movie?
17:20
Wasn't Good night and good luck. That's it.
17:22
Yeah, Yeah, yeah. We watched it together, but we
17:24
haven't done it for that. Cast basically never happened
17:27
then. It doesn't count.
17:28
Doesn't count the count. Yeah.
17:30
Anyway, he's a great actor and this is a small role, but he's
17:34
very memorable. This guy is just got an energy
17:36
about him that I think is really good and obviously won an Oscar
17:38
for Oppenheimer most recently also in black and white.
17:40
Yep. He's he's electric.
17:42
Yeah. Terry Crabtree will be the name
17:44
Will referring him to. Probably or crabs, which I
17:47
really enjoy. Crabby, sick and crabby.
17:50
They call them crabs in the. Movies.
17:51
I don't like that because I had crabs.
17:54
Yeah, he goes kind of touchy. Subject.
17:55
Yeah, it's a no touchy subject, I would say.
18:05
This bring back any memories for you the airport.
18:10
I've seen so many tubas come and go.
18:13
It felt like that was supposed to be something.
18:16
My memory isn't in a book, it is a larger OK piece of the story.
18:19
But yeah for the movie it is just seemingly a sight gag.
18:22
I don't know what its purpose. Is same as the perfume or the?
18:25
Cologne, same thing, yeah. Seemed to be a thing but didn't
18:28
come to full fruition. But we're talking about Tony.
18:31
And Tony is. Very tall.
18:36
Very tall. Crabtrees gotta type.
18:39
Yes, apparently. Yeah, we don't know.
18:41
That we don't. That Grady calls her a
18:45
transvestite. Yeah, you're stoned.
18:47
Still transvestite. Yeah, it's got a few clever
18:50
lines like that I. Appreciate it.
18:51
I like their banter. That's kind of the one of the
18:53
benefits I think of having such good actors and good writing and
18:56
good direction. The best thing a movie can do to
18:59
me. I think in these types of movies
19:01
anyway, you're in the middle of these people's lives and there
19:04
are movies that we've watched where it feels like the two
19:07
actors on stage have never met one another and so nothing
19:11
exists beyond what we're watching.
19:14
Whereas they feel like with the banter and the performances and
19:17
the comfort almost and the razzing each other, you're like
19:20
these guys have known each other for.
19:22
A decade, yeah. I wouldn't say that They're best
19:25
friends. No, I wouldn't suggest.
19:27
That they're living in different cities.
19:29
That's right. It's, it's professional with a
19:31
little bit of personal, obviously, because you can't
19:33
help but get personal with having a relationship of 10
19:36
years, right? But I agree, you can feel like
19:38
there's history. There, yeah.
19:39
And that's what you want, because it obviously matters
19:42
more as the movie progresses, what that relationship is and
19:45
where it was and where it is going.
19:47
And I find that one of the things I love most about this
19:50
movie is its ability to do that. Success although Grady it's
19:55
Grady right Grady Tripp Grady Tripp is Michael Douglas
19:58
character he's having a hard time telling Crabtree that his
20:02
book just a tweak away couple. Tweaks, tweaks.
20:05
Don't worry. About it?
20:06
Tinkering. Tweaking.
20:08
Right in your wheelhouse. Yeah, I know you'll never write
20:11
a book. A lot of reasons, never quite a
20:15
book. So yeah, obviously that'll be
20:17
maybe a little bit of a. Problem.
20:19
That is something I kind of enjoy as well, where he talks
20:21
about like, oh, it's really fine tuning.
20:22
Yeah, it's OHK, critical juncture.
20:25
What do you mean by that? Yeah, basically done.
20:27
Yeah. So I kind of like that he calls
20:29
him out immediately on that. But from there, the Gaskells are
20:33
hosting Welcome to Wordfest party.
20:35
Sarah and Walter, that's right now is it Sarah with an HI
20:38
Wonder didn't check the credits. Credits.
20:41
Typical. No research, ultimately, if I
20:44
can call it the plot of the movie is fundamentally this.
20:48
He meets up with Sarah. They find an excuse to go
20:51
upstairs. Of course, put the jacket
20:53
somewhere. Have such a beautiful moment.
20:55
This is something that is so subtle and weird, but I just.
20:59
I love it so much. The excited way in which they
21:02
both fall into the bed into a cuddle.
21:06
My wife would love. That it's crazy to me how
21:09
endearing I find this. Moment.
21:11
It was strange though, don't you admit.
21:12
You would think there would be a kiss first.
21:14
No, I like. It it was just yeah, it was one
21:16
smooth. Motion.
21:17
Yeah, it was so smooth. It was so precise.
21:19
I don't know. I loved.
21:20
It yeah, it was gonna question the feelings maybe between the
21:24
two of them and some of the characters in this movie, but
21:27
that solidifies the fact that this is more than just a fling.
21:32
That's it. It's a comfort.
21:33
It's a. It's a comfort.
21:34
Cuddle, cradle, you know a lot of words.
21:37
Cuddling, comforting, cradling. There you go.
21:40
But it's definitely something that I find very endearing.
21:43
And their conversation that happens is Sarah confronts him
21:47
with the fact that she's pregnant.
21:48
Yeah, he was supposed to talk first.
21:50
Which I love because she's so excited.
21:52
I don't excited, but I think she's very much excited, OK.
21:55
So anyway, it's another relationship that I again fully
21:58
believe exists in the weeks, days, months, years before the
22:02
movie and will exist weeks, months, years after the movie.
22:05
You know what I do after someone told me they're pregnant?
22:08
Run. For the.
22:09
Door well, both sides and smoke a doobie.
22:16
Let's talk about Emily Blunt. That's true.
22:18
Yeah. There you go.
22:19
There's very weak connective tissue.
22:21
Very weak. Somebody's outside Golkin.
22:24
Good word, Phillip. Good word.
22:26
Stand by. And he's packing heat.
22:28
He's packing heat. Packing heat.
22:29
Yeah. Little little baby gun, though.
22:32
He says it's a cap gun, which they don't make the caps
22:34
anymore. No, basically it's just a toy at
22:36
this point right out of a bubble gum machine.
22:39
That good luck charm, he says. Compared to a rabbits foot I
22:43
bought, it sure sounds legit to me.
22:46
Yeah, Come on in, Sir. Yeah, welcome.
22:50
Yeah, he's an odd duck. And somebody might say.
22:52
We certainly got the impression earlier at the beginning of the
22:55
movie that he's depressed, sad, quiet, different.
23:00
And incredibly talented. But possibly, well, I mean
23:03
thinks of these stories in his dreams and they took him a night
23:06
to write. It one hour, 1 hour, the one
23:08
they talked about like I don't. Care if they don't like and.
23:10
That's a good attitude. Totally good attitude, right?
23:13
For someone else, you're right for you.
23:14
Yeah. And one particular scene or line
23:17
I like is, and he's trying to convince James to go back into
23:21
the house and he says, you know, come on James, it's cold out
23:24
here, let's go and says it's colder in there.
23:26
Yeah. And that's pretty accurate I
23:28
think in that area. Audite kind of hoity toity
23:31
situation. Yeah, absolutely not that
23:33
interested. I wouldn't really want to be in
23:35
that. Would you know you're telling me
23:36
you wouldn't wanna be inside listening to RIP Torn?
23:39
Q. Yeah, not John Delancey.
23:41
No, no, the other one. Yeah, I thought about the name
23:44
and it's, it's like a name, that porn star that wears nothing but
23:48
jeans, you know? RIP Torn.
23:51
I tried to come up with something more clever, but I
23:54
couldn't. That's obviously a stage name.
23:56
RIP Torn. That's 2.
23:59
Does it kind of in the? Same.
24:00
Yeah, yeah. Both gene related not.
24:03
Necessarily, but you know his wife is named Gene.
24:06
Wow, that's crazy. Yeah, it's crazy.
24:10
It's a weird situation. I don't know anything about his
24:12
name other than I really love him in summer rental.
24:14
God, I have not seen that forever.
24:17
You're wrong. That's a movie I would happily
24:18
take off the show. Love that one.
24:20
Richard Crenna. What I did find interesting on
24:22
the Indoors is the number of novelists, actors, whoever, that
24:28
have overdosed on pills. Yes.
24:31
James knows all the celebrity. Deaths as well.
24:34
Almost all, possibly all of them.
24:35
She's impressed. She's very impressed.
24:37
Who wouldn't be? Craft reasoning pressed as well.
24:41
He's very engaged in what's happening with James Lear.
24:43
He's locked in. He is locked in.
24:45
Yes, but trips, you know, he's a nice guy.
24:49
Absolutely. He's.
24:50
A good teacher. He's trying to crack the shell a
24:52
little bit. And doing so, he brings them
24:54
upstairs and he shows him Walters collection of Marilyn
24:58
Monroe memorabilia and one of the crowning pieces, the jacket,
25:02
the jacket she wore when getting married to Joe DiMaggio.
25:05
Maggio. Slugger.
25:06
Yeah, absolutely. The big hurt.
25:10
Yeah, that's. Yeah, no.
25:13
So that's the kind of CUDA grass, if you will.
25:16
And and James, being pretty perceptive and pretty smart,
25:19
calls Grady out and says, well, you guys must be very close to
25:23
have given him the password to the safe.
25:26
You're like, oh. Yeah.
25:28
You're exposing a little something here, buddy.
25:30
Yeah, well, I mean, I bet its fingerprints are all over that
25:32
room, unfortunately. You know who's not having it?
25:34
Of course. Poe Poe, you must have loved
25:39
this scene coming up. Why?
25:41
Yeah, yeah, yeah, He attacks Grady, bites him.
25:48
Yeah. Unprovoked.
25:49
Totally unprovoked. Doesn't like him?
25:51
Put him down. Absolutely.
25:53
You gotta do in these situations.
25:54
Right. James takes upon himself to take
25:56
his cap gun. Yeah, that's not a cap gun.
25:59
And buried 2. Yeah, doing the chest.
26:04
It is funny the dogs blind. Yes, and old.
26:07
And and Walter has no idea what's going on, but the dog
26:13
seemingly does. Yeah, that's funny.
26:15
Yeah, of course, that dogs are very perceptive.
26:17
And he's like, I know that smell.
26:19
I've been smelling this guy up and down this house in every
26:23
room. But it will certainly cause some
26:26
problems. Yes, but it perpetuates the
26:28
story further, kind of propels it moves, it adds another layer
26:32
of plot. The stakes exactly increases the
26:35
stakes. You know, we talked earlier like
26:36
this is clearly a movie that just there are things happening.
26:39
It's not entirely plot driven. The relationships are all in
26:42
different states of disrepair and building and falling apart
26:46
and rebuilding and so forth. And these are movies, as you
26:49
know, that I love movies about crossroads in sort of those
26:52
moments in life, whether young people doesn't matter or in this
26:55
instance kind of middle-aged people.
26:57
But the fundamental truths are the same, which is am I happy
27:00
where I am? Where do I wanna go and how do I
27:02
get there? Find that very interesting.
27:04
I know your allies and we're deep down done right now.
27:07
Ice storm, yes, good example in the archives.
27:10
Just things happening. And Katie Holmes together.
27:12
It's all there. I didn't even mean to do all
27:14
this. I don't even mean to do it.
27:16
You don't even remember. That I don't.
27:18
I don't. Barely.
27:19
There was a storm, that's right. And a chair.
27:22
Definitely. There's a chair.
27:25
It gets me through an ice storm though is a little bit of
27:27
codeine. Saying you have to find it
27:29
though. Where do you?
27:30
Where might you find some coding, David?
27:32
In a trunk, yeah. Right beside Jlo and Rod.
27:38
George Clooney. Imagine them two together.
27:40
Would you imagine with codeine and a dog?
27:43
A dead dog? Wow that's a full truck.
27:45
This is a spacious trunk. You know you put Jlo and Clooney
27:48
in this cause this trunk will hold 2 garment bag.
27:52
A dead dog. Let's get drunk.
27:54
It's not nothing. There's definitely room for
27:56
Lopez and Clooney in that. I'll tell you.
27:59
We find the the codeine mixed with the pot may not be the best
28:04
combination for old Grady here because he starts.
28:06
To. Oh yeah.
28:08
It's a little episodes, if you will.
28:12
He wouldn't say episode no, No, no, no, no, not no.
28:15
He would. He would.
28:15
That's his preference, actually. Sorry, it's not a spell.
28:18
No, that's right. Which is funny, because Harry
28:20
Potter, that's true. There it is.
28:22
That's why they're on fire today.
28:24
But yeah, so we have that situation where he's a little
28:27
bit loopy and he almost passes out, then eventually does pass.
28:30
Yeah, Black Sarah wakes him up and they have a little exchange,
28:34
which is the one that I love because you can tell these
28:37
people are, no matter what age they are.
28:39
In fact, it's probably harder the older you get.
28:41
You can make a lot of dumb mistakes at 2125, even 30 to a
28:45
certain extent. Dating when you're. 50, but that
28:47
kind of thing, leaving your whole life that you've kind of
28:49
spent 30 years or 20 years cultivating.
28:53
So she says I don't want the baby because I think you're
28:56
unreliable, right? You're going to go back to the
28:58
life. It's not unreasonable for her to
29:00
have this. No, I think that's fair.
29:02
You know it's a fair. Assessment.
29:03
I will light up a cigarette at that point.
29:05
Exactly. But Grady, he agrees with her
29:09
and she gets so mad when you know that there.
29:12
Is. Find the thing in there where
29:13
it's like, fuck you for thinking that it's impossible because
29:16
yeah, there is a way this could work, but it's not gonna be the
29:19
easy path, and he's sort of used to taking the easy path.
29:22
That's the impression I got. He's not reading the signs here.
29:24
No, Come on, buddy. No.
29:26
So I really like it. I really think it's a great
29:28
scene to kind of further their relationship and lay out some
29:31
stakes to what the choices that grade is going to have to make.
29:34
He's obviously our lead character, so he's the linchpin,
29:37
everybody that's in and out of his orbit, and it's the
29:39
decisions that he is or is not making along the way that are
29:43
affecting everybody else around him.
29:44
And that continues to play out obviously throughout the rest of
29:47
the movie. So I find it kind of
29:48
interesting. I would say it is interesting.
29:50
Not even. Not even kind.
29:51
Of there it is. It is interesting.
29:53
Fuck it, I'm going to go it all. In that's that's a big one for
29:56
you. Seems like a passive kind of
29:59
character, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, doesn't really ever
30:01
get angry. No.
30:03
Things come to him. Yeah, or they bounce off of.
30:05
Him or bounce. There's some bouncing going on
30:07
like a ball, man. I am, yeah, I am on fire today
30:13
and the situation that we have ourselves in is the fact Tony
30:17
needs a ride home. James is a little bit loopy.
30:20
Yeah. Crabtree is going to take care
30:22
of. That yeah, James is fine.
30:23
He's narrating, which is one of my favorite.
30:25
Lines. Yeah, yeah.
30:27
When I first saw this in 2000, that was a laugh out loud moment
30:29
in the theatre. The simplicity of that of this
30:32
drunk guy. That's what a writer would.
30:34
Do exactly just narrating what's going on and the fact that the
30:36
crap she would call him out like, yeah, he's good, he's
30:39
fine, He's never reading. There's something about that
30:41
tickles me. That's good stuff.
30:42
It's good stuff. Yeah, but yeah, Tony needs a
30:45
ride home. And Tony gives us a little
30:47
insight how things have been going for Crabtree back in New
30:50
York. Not a good New York.
30:53
Accent that Great, no? But it turns out he's a bit of a
30:56
loser. I'll let you talk on this
30:58
because you can relate. He's a loser and he gets the
31:03
impression that his job is threatened by the fact that it's
31:05
been 7 years since Arsonist Daughter and that was his last
31:09
hit and it was a good book. Apparently we we'll never know.
31:13
There's a reason why Crabtree is as invested as he is in Grady's
31:17
situation currently, which is something that keeps the plot
31:21
moving forward without really having too much plot.
31:25
So I find it it's a good balancing act here.
31:28
Something you're actually, in all seriousness, are more
31:31
familiar with than pills, because I joke about that.
31:34
Never. You're not a loser.
31:36
OK, Right after parties. Yeah.
31:40
You were the king. I did a couple of pre parties
31:44
too. If it involved the chance to go
31:46
to the bar before something or after something for very brief
31:49
period of time, I was the guy. I was down for it.
31:51
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
31:54
Instantly when they walk in, yeah, I see a face.
31:57
OK, right away to me. And once again, I feel good.
32:02
I didn't realize she would play a bigger role in this.
32:04
I thought she was just the waitress.
32:06
Ola. Ola.
32:08
Great name. Yeah, Niles's second wife, Mel.
32:11
Did Niles have a second? Wife he did later seasons just
32:14
before him and Daphne got together.
32:16
He had a wife in between. The whole thing before Niles and
32:20
Daphne get together, they're both with somebody similar to
32:24
this, actually, they have to divorce.
32:27
Sure, but I thought the Marist thing, I didn't know there was
32:29
one in between. Well, you should watch.
32:31
Never watch that. Well, that's your problem right
32:33
there. We got a lot of problems, and
32:35
that's right up there. Top five.
32:37
I'm washing up Frasier. Jane Adams.
32:39
He is listening. That is true.
32:42
Jane Adams. Yeah, I know her of the
32:44
anniversary party. Yeah.
32:45
It's a great movie directed by I doubt that Jennifer Jason.
32:48
Leigh, that's great, but I'm thinking, well, I'm just.
32:50
Actually, 2000. OK, now while I'm all Oh my
32:53
gosh, it's Jane Adams, you're probably a little more focused
32:56
on the conversation that's happening.
32:58
My favorites in the whole movie. It is good.
32:59
I love it. It's great.
33:00
The funny little bits of Vernon, great delivery and Vernon hard
33:04
Apple. He's a boxer and a story that
33:05
they create. Think is excellent and exciting
33:08
and fun. Painkillers, yeah.
33:10
Gets kicked by a horse or. Something his brother he took
33:12
the hit his mom was in on all of that stuff I really found really
33:15
compelling. But one of the things that
33:16
stands out to me is the excitedness of the way that
33:21
Douglas and. Yeah, just back and.
33:24
Forth and downy. Yeah, bouncing like a ball like
33:26
a. Ball and because the rest of the
33:28
movie in that relationship is strained, right?
33:29
He is hiding this book they have right?
33:31
He is the loser. He's kind of down on his luck.
33:34
There's a lot of things happening in these in this two
33:36
days. This is the first real moment I
33:38
thought of, like, genuine love or enjoyment of each other's
33:42
company rather than just you're the writer on the editor and eat
33:45
shit, you know, Of course. Yeah.
33:46
Well, I mean, you gonna have things in common, of course,
33:48
like when you're in that world. Exactly.
33:51
Yeah. I think it's a great chemistry
33:52
between the two in that scene. And then James, James inserting
33:55
himself perfectly into it, too, like sliding right in next
33:58
level. You're just like, yeah, when I
34:00
think about the writing in a movie or the movie about writing
34:03
one of the challenges anytime, we'll probably never talk about
34:07
this, but Mr. Holland's Opus, this is a movie about.
34:10
This got Dreyfus in it. We're gonna talk about it,
34:12
buddy. This.
34:13
Whole movie is about this guy's opus, hell of an opus.
34:16
And then it comes in like this is this is garbage, the movies
34:19
garbage. Well, the movie fine Opus itself
34:22
is not good. This whole movie is predicated
34:24
on this guy's ultimate talent Is this music and it comes and
34:28
you're like, OK, nothing special.
34:30
So the fact that this movie is about writers and the book is
34:34
about writers and it's a big novel and it's about all these
34:36
things you have to deliver, I think.
34:39
And the writing is the clever, like dialogue is one thing, but
34:43
these relationships and the way in which they narrate and
34:45
building these stories, to me, it's like this is the.
34:48
Creative mind at work, it's got to be good, or at least
34:51
believable, and I find this to be both.
34:53
That would happen at a bar with these types of people.
34:55
Absolutely, 100%. My question to you is Mr.
34:58
Holland's Opus, or what about Bob?
35:00
Which one would we do? That's the bigger question.
35:03
Bob without a question, without question.
35:06
Great scene which ends on a little bit of weirdness outside,
35:12
but it's not made clear to us Vernon which is not his real.
35:16
Name No. OK, App Sackler.
35:18
Whatever. Apple sakles.
35:19
Hard apple. Hard Apple candy Apple sakles.
35:23
Did you really think Apple would have been his last name?
35:27
It's a good name, strong name. It's a novelty name.
35:31
It's a novelty name, but he's acting all weird outside, giving
35:34
the impression that might be his car.
35:37
But I get the impression Vernon's just weird and I never
35:40
thought it was his car. Sure.
35:42
Do you remember the first time you're watching and thinking
35:44
that might be his car? Yeah.
35:46
Oh yeah, you're that good. Yeah, yeah, piece it together.
35:50
Did you? Because he kept saying that's
35:51
my. That, But you know, after that
35:55
whole story, I don't know what's going on with this true.
35:58
Well, you know, Grady is the most 100% is weird.
36:02
I'm just. Teasing and Vernon has an odd
36:03
look to him, you must admit. Absolutely little pompadour.
36:06
James. Brown.
36:07
Yeah, he's definitely got a look, and I don't know that I
36:10
fully questioned it, but I don't know that I don't remember my
36:13
specific feelings on the car yesterday.
36:15
There we go. I do love that RDJ is
36:18
challenging him and how he just sloughs him off from the back
36:21
seat. I love it.
36:22
I'll tell you what I love Phillip.
36:24
Television. Firefly There it is one season
36:29
and a movie. It does a lot of voices.
36:31
I've heard this. Guy, I think he does movement
36:32
too. OK, like the guy from the Lord
36:34
of. The rings circus?
36:35
Yeah, maybe. From The Batman as well.
36:37
Yes, correct. Alan Tudyk.
36:40
Yeah, that's this guy. Red hair.
36:42
Is it kinship blonde? Yeah, strawberry, Strawberry.
36:45
Yeah, it saves the day for Grady.
36:47
Like any good janitor. Would absolutely, and he agrees
36:50
to get a ride home. Yeah, got confused of what
36:53
happened to the car, but I guess he gave it to Crabtree.
36:55
Yes. Yeah, but they want to make a
36:57
pit stop. Take the long way.
36:59
Home it all. Honestly, I like greenhouses.
37:02
Ohhh wow, that is new information.
37:04
That's right, the listeners will be pleased.
37:06
Yeah, it's like a place in heaven.
37:07
Yeah, not my words. It's one of my favorite lines in
37:10
the movie. It's such a somber moment.
37:12
The music is just perfect. By the way, the music in this
37:14
movie, The soundtrack, is incredible.
37:16
You like Bob Dylan? Love Bob Dylan, I don't got 3
37:19
songs on the soundtrack. Not a Dylan fan.
37:21
You're crazy. I don't dislike.
37:22
It, sure, but the whole soundtrack it's just one that I
37:24
could listen to start the bottom.
37:26
This is again your alley. Yeah, so this is the somber
37:29
moment with the two of them basically just staring at the
37:31
greenhouse. And today has to ask, what are
37:34
we doing here? And in a perfect delivery, Grady
37:37
says, taking the long way home. Yeah, it's powerful.
37:41
I just love it. I've done it.
37:42
Just didn't love with somebody that you can't just go to.
37:44
So you have to find ways to get around it, which I think is
37:49
really a beautiful moment between the two.
37:51
I want to hear more about the paper on the Dick.
37:53
Well, yeah, that's what I was interested in.
37:55
Looking at it now I see it's not working for you.
37:57
No, she gets no pleasure. She gets no pleasure at all.
38:01
I might have to try this actually.
38:02
If not, Paprika tries some ground.
38:04
I am, yeah. Salad dressing, whatever.
38:07
Else could be up to you. We have a lot of land in our
38:10
that's true. For free.
38:11
That's that feels like that's. Right up in New Zealand land,
38:13
buddy. Yeah, tons of it.
38:14
We also find out James took the jacket.
38:17
That's true. That's gonna cause more
38:19
problems, Phil. Just saying.
38:21
The gaskets aren't gonna be happy, especially Walter Walters
38:24
will have. None of it.
38:25
Such a nice guy and it's such a big DiMaggio fan.
38:28
Aren't we all? No, no, I don't think so.
38:31
Mrs. Robinson. Cuckoo Kachoo.
38:33
I am a fan of Trips Robe, you know what I mean right?
38:39
Yes, no shame. No, no, it's like a long story.
38:42
Not that interesting though. But he.
38:43
Decides to plug away at that book that he needs to tweak.
38:48
That's it. It's his writing tool, it's his
38:50
writing code, which I kind of like the idea of like this is
38:53
how I do it course. I get in the zone and he's on
38:55
page 26111. Yeah, that's too long.
39:02
No expert. No one's reading that shit.
39:04
How long is War and Peace? Less than that.
39:07
Less than that. Exactly.
39:08
It's garbage. War, What is it good for?
39:12
Absolutely no books. We have James, of course, lying
39:17
on the couch. That's right.
39:18
Yeah. Today's couch.
39:19
Yeah. Doesn't believe in writers.
39:21
Block. No, obviously.
39:23
Yeah, I think you're on the 26 hundredth page.
39:26
Yeah, you just keep. On this great line.
39:28
No kidding. Exactly.
39:30
Have you ever walked into a room to announce that you're going to
39:33
take a shower? Yes.
39:35
OK, so you really connected to Downey's character in this?
39:38
Moment, I think that ultimately when you're living or around
39:41
multiple people in the same house, you kind of have to make
39:43
that like, what's the needs here?
39:45
Yeah, depending on how many bathrooms there are, that's.
39:47
Right. We also get a strange phone
39:50
call. Not that strange, she's just
39:51
calling to check in on him, find out why his dogs dead, why the
39:55
dog is. Missing.
39:56
Oh, I didn't mean that one. OHS tell me more.
39:59
Did you watch it? James took a message for him
40:03
saying somebody called wondering if you lived here.
40:06
Name and address. And what did you tell him?
40:08
Well, yeah. It's best not to lie.
40:11
Well, I had a feeling it was Vernon, that's all I'm saying.
40:14
I could be wrong. No, I think you.
40:15
Nailed it. Remember, I want to be
40:17
detective. That's true.
40:18
That's a good practice. Bosch Junior.
40:21
Speaking of which, cops show up, Yes.
40:24
Not a very old cop, little inexperienced, gonna make fun of
40:27
them. Yeah, it's kind of a no threat
40:29
type of situation, but the car is like it was supposed to be
40:32
here, it's not here. It's a lot of chaos happening.
40:35
Sarah's calling. She's gets hung up.
40:37
On. There's a lot of that kind of
40:39
relationship stuff, just like the whirlwind of activity.
40:42
It's getting to him. So he needs to leave the city
40:45
and he's going to take James with him.
40:46
He's going to go see his ex-wife.
40:47
Needs to close the loop on that one.
40:50
That's good advice. But before he does, he wants to
40:52
get to see Sarah apologize for hanging up.
40:56
On her. I mean, that's the right thing
40:57
to do. Gets a nice little heart
41:00
balloon. You know the type I'm talking
41:02
about. Yes.
41:03
Yeah, you get it. I've got a four or five of them
41:06
just on the ready just. In case you need them.
41:08
But he says I want to be with you.
41:10
And he says it's such a nonchalant way that she's not,
41:13
she's not buying. It He's not so great with words,
41:16
ironically. That's right and he needs to
41:18
basically get his shit together, but ultimately just leads to
41:20
more drugs and more drinking and goofy silliness.
41:32
I did enjoy the mannequin factory story.
41:35
Oh yes. I'm believing everything that
41:38
James is talking about. Just telling you it's great
41:41
storytelling. And now and then, he also wants
41:43
to take a hit of the weed. Of course.
41:46
Yeah, they presented. Itself.
41:48
That's what you got to do. It's the good stuff.
41:50
Though yeah, that's what he says.
41:52
He does get into liquor cabinet and have the scene in the in the
41:55
house, at this, in the house and making himself at home.
41:58
Yeah, they're really getting comfortable, which makes sense
42:00
in some level. You know, Grady's been around
42:01
and this is the one part of the movie where I find it drags.
42:05
I don't really know what this is accomplishing.
42:08
The whole purpose of this visiting.
42:09
Yeah, like I don't really feel the closure that Grady is
42:13
supposed to be in search of at this moment.
42:15
I don't see the development of James's character really,
42:18
particularly in this moment. He is certainly changed from the
42:20
beginning though, once he starts doing drugs.
42:23
Sure. And now he's having a drink on
42:25
the couch. Yes.
42:26
He just seems like a bit of a different mood.
42:29
He's getting more comfortable, but I don't know that needed a
42:31
sojourn off to the countryside of Pennsylvania to meet the in
42:35
laws to do whatever they're doing.
42:37
I think he could have had a drink as he did at the bar and
42:39
if you want to have him pop a pill, he could do that like he
42:41
did at the part is there just so I feel like I'm happy that this
42:44
character is growing, but I don't think really pushes and
42:46
propels the characters any forward.
42:48
So I actually think it could go. I don't like it at all.
42:50
Sorry to hear it, my favorite part.
42:52
Great. Tell me why.
42:53
I'm just noticing more this, the change in James.
42:56
OK, I think that's really what I took away from that whole scene.
43:00
You get them at the beginning. He's in the classroom.
43:03
Turn off the lights. I want it dark.
43:05
Yes. And now there's obviously a
43:07
chemical change. Yeah.
43:09
And he's just watching TV, Very comfortable.
43:11
And that's strangers house. Eating some Donuts.
43:13
Smoke a little weed, have a little drink.
43:15
I'm curious to see how this character is going to continue
43:18
to change. Sure, where what happens doesn't
43:20
really matter, I suppose, but you know me, I like a house
43:23
like. That yeah, sure, I did like the
43:27
drive home, the tail end of this scene where James talks about
43:30
how he was basically went to school to learn under trip like
43:35
Christina's daughter he says meant something to.
43:37
Him. Yeah.
43:37
He really likes Trip. And Grady, who's so
43:41
disillusioned with everything at this point, basically says, you
43:44
know that if for nothing else, I'm sorry.
43:45
His voice met with his cadence just nails it and knocks me out.
43:49
And I really love that moment. There's a button to the scene,
43:51
but the rest of the scene I hate.
43:53
Well, as long as there's a button.
43:54
That's all you need. That's right.
43:55
But it seems the decision that trip is going to make is to get
44:00
this kid back home. Yeah, he's not a Holiday Inn.
44:03
So they stop at a restaurant, finds out that Carvel Yep is not
44:09
a city. Turns out then we see the light
44:12
bulb above his head and mine as well.
44:16
So I'm finding out the exact same time.
44:18
Is everything this kid is saying is bullshit?
44:21
Basically bullshit. Yeah, it's good bullshit.
44:23
It's all bullshit. And sticks with his decision is
44:26
with I got to get this kid. Home.
44:28
Yeah. And he basically says goodbye.
44:30
That's it. James gone.
44:31
Gone without his knapsack. Though, that's right.
44:33
Yeah. But Grady goes home, and he
44:36
finds Katies. Up.
44:37
A lot of people are up That's there's a lot of people wake in
44:40
that house. Thank you, Mr. Crabtree.
44:42
That's right. But Crabs has the genius idea.
44:46
He's like, we gotta get this guy.
44:48
Trip has now read some of the book.
44:50
Yeah, because he had left in the car.
44:52
Yeah, Crab she's very excited about.
44:53
Well, he's a publisher. Come on, editor.
44:56
Editor, Whatever. Yes, they come up with a plan.
44:58
They're going to go get James. We talked earlier about Mr.
45:01
Holland's Opus. This is the scene where they're
45:04
fighting words on the typewriter.
45:06
Writer. Yep.
45:07
And it gets to the end of this dialogue, this little bit where
45:10
it reads that the heart, he describes the heart as sort of
45:13
once able to inspire others, could no longer inspire even
45:16
itself. It beat now only because of
45:20
habit. It only beat because it could.
45:22
That's good. That is good quality, heartfelt.
45:26
It's definitely heartfelt. It's full of hearts.
45:28
Full of heart, I love it That is good is good and really sad you
45:32
getting little pieces throughout but like James seems to have
45:34
really connected with arsonist daughter connected with trip.
45:37
It's a whole reason why you went to the.
45:39
School and has been such a disappointment, let's say
45:41
because of his absent mindedness.
45:43
He's got tenure. He doesn't care.
45:45
Like he just seems to be phoning it in, which is the thing we
45:48
just talked about. It doesn't make a lot of
45:49
decisions. The world's coming in and out of
45:51
him, but he himself is not moving.
45:53
The weeds coming in. That's right.
45:55
So we're as a student, like we're here for a reason.
45:58
I can imagine feeling pretty disappointed by it.
46:00
And this couple of paragraphs nail it to me.
46:02
Yeah, I think it's. Great.
46:03
I mean, I find the movie generally pretty subtle in a lot
46:06
of ways. Like the messaging is on a
46:08
different wavelength than me almost.
46:11
It's not in your face, but I would agree like this moment
46:15
those. Violates that feeling, right?
46:17
Yeah, I watched the second. That's good writing.
46:19
That's right. So they come up with another
46:21
idea. They gotta improvise a little
46:22
bit and they decide, wait a minute, the grandparents are
46:25
going to check in on this kid every half hour.
46:26
What could we possibly do? This isn't a long lasting
46:30
solution, it's definitely a temporary fix.
46:32
All you. Need based on smell in
46:35
particular. It's been about 36 hours at this
46:38
point. It's.
46:39
Only been like 12 hours, 12 hours.
46:40
This whole thing takes place over 48 hours so.
46:43
Really. At the 12 Hour America.
46:44
OK, maybe a little. Longer.
46:46
I don't know who cares. Didn't Take Me Out.
46:48
Your time, guy. Yeah, but it took the got the
46:51
dog out of the trunk. That's right, goodnight.
46:53
Sweet Prince tucks him in, and now James and Crabtree get to
46:58
really connect. Speaking of touch, that's right.
47:00
Yeah, he's basically Spacey's James.
47:03
Yes. Probably a little questionable
47:07
today. Absolutely. 2000 Fine, no
47:11
problem. Asking any questions.
47:13
But yeah, a confused kid. Yeah, under the influence, yeah.
47:17
Question one is yeah, a little confused.
47:18
Yeah. Katie's not confused, though.
47:20
No. She's a little suppose she's
47:23
wondering what the fuck Grady is writing about.
47:25
She's very descriptive, which explains the 2600 pages, and
47:30
he's not making any choices. And that's the problem with the
47:34
book, because she has read it at this point.
47:35
Couldn't help it. She's got a thing.
47:37
Forum absolutely makes her move. Yeah, and he an idiot.
47:43
Not interested. Not interested, no.
47:45
But more importantly, he tries to defend himself.
47:47
But you really get a sense from Hannah.
47:49
I believe it's not. Your art is about choices, so if
47:53
you're not making any of them and you're just rambling, which
47:56
Vernon alludes to later, right you, how did you write that many
47:59
words and not know what you were writing about?
48:01
That's the problem, not making choices.
48:03
Sophie made a choice. Hell of a choice.
48:06
Yeah, soon to be in the archive. I hope not.
48:11
Which takes us back to a really nice porch scene.
48:15
Hmm. Yeah, not an eye, no, no,
48:17
straight up porch. I'm not sure at this point his
48:21
level of THC in his blood or alcohol, because his character
48:25
is pretty mellow, mellow all the way through.
48:29
There's not a lot of Epsom flows with him.
48:31
His voice is the same. He got a little defensive with
48:35
Hannah, granted. Absolutely.
48:36
As we all would. Yeah, he's threatening.
48:38
I spent 3000 pages on this thing.
48:40
You tell me. Shit sucks, fuck yourself makes
48:43
the call. We've all done it.
48:45
Absolutely doesn't have all his faculties, but he decides to
48:49
call the faculty. Yeah.
48:50
Now, I wouldn't tell the husband.
48:52
I always make sure my messages would have been direct to the
48:55
person I'm trying to get it to. You would skip the husband?
48:57
Yeah, Yeah, right through. Yeah, probably through text in
49:00
this day and age. Not for a long.
49:02
Time now on 2000 though. Yeah, no text really.
49:05
But yeah, he calls and Walter wakes up.
49:09
I love your wife. That's pretty ballsy.
49:11
But I also like that this is choices.
49:13
Hannah pushed him towards it some level, but it ends
49:16
ultimately leading to what I would call the rock bottom.
49:20
He's sort of is at the end of a pretty crazy night.
49:24
The robe doesn't help the look either.
49:25
My. No, no.
49:27
Sarah shows up kind of a costume.
49:29
Did you call Walter? Would you happen to say?
49:31
Do you remember? I think I told him I was in love
49:34
with you. Yeah.
49:34
She knew. Absolutely.
49:36
She knew it's going to cause some problems.
49:39
He goes inside to fetch James. I thought for a second James had
49:43
stolen the car. Because he has stolen stuff.
49:46
Before Galion. James is off to prison.
49:49
The decision they're gonna make now is they gotta get back the
49:53
jacket. That's right.
49:55
Grady wants to make things right with Sarah.
49:59
Well, it's a very expensive jacket, it is.
50:01
And few bucks, Yeah. So I think it's really partly
50:04
Walter is going to be. Yeah, he's going to be more
50:07
inclined to press some charges. That's true, yes, in the event
50:10
that. Get the jacket back.
50:12
It might smooth things. Over a little bit will be 5 to
50:14
10. That's right, get off of good
50:16
behavior. That's right, so far I just
50:18
murdered a dog. It's not so bad perfectly.
50:20
Fine. Yeah, exactly.
50:21
I'd do it, yeah. And they jump into Hannahs car.
50:25
That's right. And luckily we know where the
50:30
car is though. Yeah, he's got a good idea.
50:31
Yeah, he figured it out. I figured it out too.
50:34
Yeah, good job, but he's there. Vernon's there waiting for him.
50:37
Well, not until Grady has a little nap.
50:40
Well, he's there. Grady just has to pass out.
50:42
First episode #3 Another. Episode.
50:44
My question is, what is Crabtree doing while he's having a nap?
50:48
It's a good question. I think he's reading the.
50:50
Book it could be reading the book.
50:51
I think it's probably. Not supposed to read the book,
50:53
but it's in the car. He brought it in the car.
50:55
I don't know why he brought in the car, but things happen for a
50:58
reason, Phil. Kind of chaos, like you were
51:00
saying, it was just yeah, don't touch it.
51:04
Don't touch. It.
51:05
Yeah. Well, I can't trust it at home
51:06
anymore because Katie has read it, so maybe he's a little bit.
51:09
Yeah. Possessive.
51:10
Defensive and possessive. That's right.
51:11
And he is in possession of a gun.
51:13
I like the fact that Trip uses the same story about the gun.
51:18
Yeah, over and over again. Three times.
51:19
A cap gun. Cool.
51:22
Yeah, it's great. Vernon haven't.
51:24
Done. The fact that he just shot the
51:25
dog, he knows that it's, Oh yeah, he knows.
51:27
He's trying to sell Vernon on. It's fantastic.
51:28
Yeah, but when you shoot the roof.
51:30
You know, doesn't work out bad news, but luckily ula is there
51:33
to keep everything straight. Yeah.
51:35
Never forget to drink. And he never forgets Annula.
51:38
Yeah, I wouldn't either. I wouldn't either.
51:40
I think if I knew Anula, that would be the one and only ula I
51:43
ever met in my life. OOLAI believe, of course, yeah.
51:46
What's Crabtree gonna do, though?
51:47
He's all flustered. He doesn't know what the hell
51:49
he's doing. I love him in this moment.
51:51
He's just so like skittish and wacky.
51:54
He doesn't know what's happening and he doesn't know family
51:56
drive. Yeah, and he gets this crazy
51:58
chase sequence whereby the book, however, doesn't make.
52:02
It Oh my God. Spinning around and twisting and
52:05
turning and driving and the papers are flying everywhere.
52:07
Door opens up. What a moment just to see all
52:09
those pages, all 26111 of them. Under 12, we don't know.
52:15
I don't know how often or if ever you've had a situation
52:18
where maybe like you had spent a lot of time on something and
52:21
accidentally maybe deleted it or something.
52:25
And maybe feel a lot better about leading our first episode
52:28
of Looper. Yeah, about losing that two
52:31
hours worth of gold. Pure.
52:34
Gold. Luckily we're able to repeat it
52:37
bigger and better, right? The one that came out, we got
52:40
lucky on that. Likely future us came back and
52:42
said, hey guys, do this again. OK.
52:45
Thanks, future us. Save the day, but I could only
52:49
imagine like your heart would just draw.
52:51
He's been writing it, presumably for seven years, right?
52:54
And that it's crazy. And it was a windy day.
52:59
Yeah, yeah, it's really bad. And his sort of reaction to it.
53:02
I have an alternate version of the first chapter.
53:07
Vernon surprise, he doesn't make copies.
53:08
But it's so good, and RDJ is great here, too, where he talks
53:12
about, you know, did you or did you not have a gun to his head?
53:15
Just screaming at Vernon. Why do you keep calling me
53:17
Vernon? But he does rationalize it.
53:18
Yeah. It's a sign that things happen
53:21
for a reason. Sometimes subconsciously, you
53:23
put yourself in a situation where this could happen.
53:27
I'm like, yeah, I'm with. You anyway.
53:29
Well, you and I are very good justifiers, so I can see that's
53:33
falling, yeah. Absolutely, I love that show.
53:34
Justified, good show. Of course, but fundamentally it
53:38
because he's taking care of the clear the decks for Grady.
53:40
He did as good as he could. Yeah, like there is nothing
53:43
left. So he's now confronted with the
53:46
realities of having to make choices and having to reset the
53:49
clock and having to decide what the future is going to hold.
53:53
And he the jacket with Ola. Yes, which is?
53:57
Interesting. It is very interesting.
53:58
But I guess is that a position of I don't fucking care anymore,
54:02
it looks good on you or narrow shoulders?
54:04
It wouldn't fit Tia Leoni just showing Phillip picture of Tia
54:11
Leoni. All sold without one.
54:12
This is the only scene I remember in Bad Boys.
54:15
Her on the street with the shoulders with the shoulders.
54:18
I'm like, she's not fit into this jacket.
54:20
Very true. Yeah, good catch.
54:23
Deep and really seemed to make ulas day like he's doing
54:28
something really nice. I still think you get the jacket
54:30
back though. I think you still do that like
54:32
this is a. Marilyn Monroe.
54:33
Yeah, it's a big deal. Yeah, and she would have given
54:36
it. Back, I think she would have if
54:37
she had known. I think he just really to help
54:40
them out. They're about to have a baby in
54:42
their life is starting. Yeah, if this is worth some
54:45
money. And Vernon's gone through a lot.
54:47
His brother dying. Ohe yeah, yeah.
54:50
Still hooked on painkillers? That's right.
54:51
You know, we had a rough go. He has.
54:53
Certainly a tune has changed. That's right, with grip, Grip
54:57
Trip Grady. I started.
55:00
As a result of that, we start wrapping up all those sort of
55:03
loose ends. If you will, you head back to
55:05
Wordfest. Yeah, we do.
55:07
Yeah, this is my only real gripe about this movie.
55:11
OK, talk to me. I have no issue with Crabtree
55:14
needing to improvise. He's good at it.
55:16
He's very good at what he does. But the sense of time in which
55:21
James was in the back of a cop car.
55:24
Just for questioning. Just just for questioning, Kill
55:27
the Dog stole very expensive memorabilia.
55:30
Great, he said. He would take the hit for that.
55:32
He did. And ultimately he does.
55:33
He does, he does. But Crabtree has to settle that,
55:36
yes. And we, we continue on with
55:39
Trip, we follow him, he's got the robe on still and he's
55:43
looking for Sarah and finds himself in the auditorium.
55:47
All in this span, somehow, Crabtree has smoothed everything
55:52
over with Walter, He's with James.
55:56
James has magically won this award for his lovely.
56:00
Parade. That's right, Love Parade.
56:02
Yeah, all this has happened, all while Trip has walked ten steps.
56:07
There are big. Steps.
56:08
They were huge steps. Motza ball steps.
56:12
I hated this. This cut.
56:15
Everything is immediately resolved and that doesn't
56:18
happen. They're all in that auditorium.
56:20
It's like James hadn't done anything I didn't like.
56:23
That. That's interesting.
56:24
I have no recollection of this as you're talking about.
56:26
Put it on. Put it on.
56:28
I believe you. I just mean to say like that's
56:29
how little it affects. You need to illustrate that time
56:32
cut. Give me the sense.
56:34
Of someone that's a watch goes oh, it's only 230.
56:36
It was just abrupt. Yeah, it was jarring.
56:38
Yeah. It was jarring and I don't say
56:40
the word jarring lately. No, obviously.
56:42
Or Austin Harsh, frankly. Yeah, harsh split category on
56:47
this episode, just to make sure no one.
56:48
I mean this kid's taking a bow and like 5 seconds earlier like
56:52
he's killed a dog and he should be in big trouble for that and
56:55
now everyone's cheering his name.
56:57
Like possible? Yeah, I mean, it's all valid
56:59
points. I just didn't register at all in
57:01
the moment, so I have no. Rebuttal.
57:03
But you know what reeled me back in?
57:05
Tell me the way he tosses his weed down to Tudyk.
57:08
It's incredible, isn't it? Incredible.
57:10
It's better than Bruce Wayne. Himself, it's as good.
57:13
Better. I don't know.
57:15
Bruce has got to get it over a huge table with an empty middle
57:19
conference table. Like it's not easy.
57:21
That's right, it is as good. Though how about this, we have
57:25
Bruce Wayne with the best horizontal throw there it is.
57:28
And we have the trip with the best vertical.
57:30
It is just using gravity to I just I was impressed with it 25
57:35
years. Ago.
57:36
I'm still impressed with it. And that's no cuts.
57:38
There's no CG. No, that's real.
57:40
Right, that's I'm just really glad Gene Hackman wasn't there
57:46
cause if he is, Trip is going over that railing.
57:50
Oh yeah, that's right. Yeah, he's going over.
57:54
Bryce taking them down. Taking them down, I thought for
57:56
a second he was actually going to die.
57:58
Finally, that's the idea. Right, finally cleared up his
58:01
life and now. He's going right.
58:02
Exactly. Classic.
58:03
Is there a part of you that wished they did that?
58:06
No, really. No, because I really like this
58:08
character and I really like the relationship with Sarah.
58:12
I like the kind of. Future.
58:13
I didn't think so. I just need.
58:14
Some confirmation? No.
58:15
I love the way this movie wraps up that stuff.
58:17
I love the cleaned up Grady writing Yeah, he's in the house.
58:22
He's got Sarah, he's got the baby.
58:24
No more episodes. No more episodes in as a whistle
58:26
absolutely types his story. Click save.
58:29
And that's smart move. Yeah.
58:31
And I finally knew where I was going and how to get.
58:33
There, I just got that. You save it, then you have to
58:35
worry about it blowing out of a window.
58:37
OK. You just just got that.
58:39
Wow, impressive. I think it's a great way to end
58:43
it. And you know, some movies it's
58:44
all about plotting and it's about performance, it's about
58:48
character, it's about writing. It's all the elements.
58:50
And sometimes, like in Looper, it's so intricate and so
58:55
carefully laid out. I find this movie to be
58:58
incredibly watchable. It's sort of just grounded in
59:01
such reality of people and performers and characters that
59:05
feel lived in. It's two hours I want to spend
59:08
with these people and that's not always easy to convey,
59:11
especially when you don't have a plot to really reel.
59:14
You win. You have to be willing to go on
59:16
the journey with these guys. And for me, I was bought and
59:19
immediately 25 years ago, it's happily on the shelf.
59:22
What are your kind of final thoughts on this?
59:24
I don't want to spend 2 hours with anybody, I can barely stand
59:27
myself. Fair, fair.
59:30
I think the performances in this movie are excellent across the
59:33
board. I'm talking from RIP Torn all
59:36
the way through to Trip and McGuire Downey.
59:40
All the lot sure when you go 1 by 1 if you want.
59:43
I could. Be here two more.
59:44
Hours. You drag this one out.
59:46
I found the ending like I sort of mentioned fell a little flat
59:50
for me. Sure when it with a movie that
59:52
not a lot is going on, I want a stronger finish.
59:56
I didn't get any satisfaction of him having the baby.
1:00:01
Ending up with. Sarah, no satisfaction.
1:00:03
Not really. OK, yeah, maybe it's because I
1:00:05
wanted Katie Holmes, I'm not sure.
1:00:09
Periodically throughout the film I did question the relationships
1:00:13
and that time cut really tidied up a little bit too easily for
1:00:16
me. Sure.
1:00:17
Overall, didn't mind the watch wouldn't go on my shelf.
1:00:21
Probably won't watch it again, but it was nice to see Michael
1:00:24
Douglas. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:00:26
More room next year. But I didn't like, dislike it.
1:00:29
You're saying you're didn't say. You're saying don't put words in
1:00:33
my mouth. But yeah, this is for me.
1:00:35
Honestly though, yeah, it's a six.
1:00:37
Ish but the issue on there. Yeah, exactly.
1:00:41
But I can see why it wasn't a big movie.
1:00:44
It's subtle and like I said earlier, it's running off a bit
1:00:48
of a different wavelength. And when I watch this, like,
1:00:51
yeah, feel love this movie in 2000 and that this movie stays
1:00:55
strong for you. But All in all, it's an artsy
1:00:57
movie and it's refreshing. Yeah, it is a little artsy, and
1:01:01
the only scene that didn't age well, let's say, is that scene
1:01:03
at Emily's. The paint is peeling a little
1:01:05
bit, but generally speaking, I think it's great.
1:01:07
Yeah, I was. Happy that's an easy one to.
1:01:09
Forgive too. That's not a big thing.
1:01:11
Doesn't a ton of time there. Just like, yeah, this isn't
1:01:14
necessary. But what is necessary, folks, is
1:01:17
for you to listen to us every week.
1:01:18
Yes, please write the podcast. 5 stars in your podcast with
1:01:22
choice. Join us on the Facebook page.
1:01:24
Subscribe to never miss an episode.
1:01:25
And of course, share it with any wordsmiths you know in the world
1:01:30
the next time you're at the word fast.
1:01:32
Word fast. I think we should go.
1:01:34
Yeah, yeah, Bring Pod Fest and Wordfest together and we can
1:01:37
maybe work something. Out, I'll bring the weed.
1:01:39
Perfect. Thanks, folks.
1:01:40
Talk to you next week.