Awards Season 2024: BAFTA Film Awards Nominations

The nominations for the 77th British Academy (BAFTA) Film Awards were announced this afternoon, by Naomi Ackie (I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night In Miami, Barbie). Here's a selection of the nominees:

BEST FILM

Anatomy Of A Fall

The Holdovers

Killers Of The Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

All Of Us Strangers

How To Have Sex

Napoleon

The Old Oak

Poor Things

Rye Lane

Saltburn

Scrapper

Wonka

The Zone Of Interest

LEADING ACTOR

Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

Colman Domingo (Rustin)

Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

Barry Keoghan (Saltburn)

Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Teo Yoo (Past Lives)

LEADING ACTRESS 

Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple)

Sandra Hüller (Anatomy Of A Fall)

Carey Mulligan (Maestro)

Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane)

Margot Robbie (Barbie)

Emma Stone (Poor Things)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert De Niro (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

Jacob Elordi (Saltburn)

Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

Paul Mescal (All Of Us Strangers)

Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)

Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

Claire Foy (All Of Us Strangers)

Sandra Hüller (The Zone Of Interest)

Rosamund Pike (Saltburn)

Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

DIRECTOR

Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

Jonathan Glazer (The Zone Of Interest)

Andrew Haigh (All Of Us Strangers)

Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

Alexander Payne (The Holdovers)

Justine Triet (Anatomy Of A Fall)

A full list of nominees in all categories can be found here.

BAFTA previously announced longlists for all categories, so you can see what was in contention for nominations here.

Oppenheimer leads the way with a massive 13 nominations, with Poor Things in second place with 11, and Killers Of The Flower Moon and The Zone Of Interest with nine apiece.

There are a couple of interesting omissions from the lists: whilst both were included on the longlist in the relevant categories, neither Leonardo DiCaprio or Lily Gladstone were nominated for their performances in Killers Of The Flower Moon. No Best Picture nod for Barbie, or Director nomination for Greta Gerwig (although I don't think this necessarily hurts their chances at the Oscars next week). Like I always say, BAFTA do skew toward British talent so the inclusion of films like All Of Us Strangers, The Zone Of Interest, and Saltburn is to be expected.  

The nominees for the 2024 Rising Star award - the only BAFTA awarded by public vote- have also been announced: this year's nominees are Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Jacob Elordi (Saltburn), Mia McKenna-Bruce (How To Have Sex), and Sophie Wilde (Talk To Me). Find out more about them, and cast your vote here.

The 77th BAFTA Film Awards will be handed out in just a month's time (on Sunday 18th February) in a ceremony to be hosted by the rather marvellous David Tennant. 

Congratulations to all nominees!

If I'm right, then our next stop this awards season will be the Razzies nominations on Monday (22nd January). Should be interesting to see what they come up with this year...

Review: Avengers: Endgame (UK Cert 12A)

Five years after the devastation wrought by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, the survivors of the Snap must find their way in this new world. However, the reappearance of Scott Lang from the Quantum Realm (where he got stuck at the end of Ant-Man And The Wasp) provides the Avengers with an opportunity to reverse Thanos' handiwork and bring back those who were lost...

Do you know, I've started this review three times. Hopefully, fourth time will be the charm. I am going to try and do this spoiler-free because of two reasons: a) #DontSpoilTheEndgame (as if we would!) and b) I know that, once all three of us have seen it, we'll be recording a spoileriffic no-holds-barred discussion, so I'll leave the finer points of my thoughts until then. 

So, I'm going to try and discuss the film in general terms.

There was a lot I liked. Some lovely character moments, some great one-liners, and several strong performances (in particular from Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, and Karen Gillan). There's also several surprise returns from previous MCU films which I liked (and most of them didn't feel like fan-service, although inevitably some did). There are several parts of the film that are visually stunning (as you can imagine) and the score by Alan Silvestri is superb. There are a couple of moments of real emotion- I cried twice in the film, and both moments were courtesy of the same character. 

That said, I did have a couple of issues with the film. 

The run-time of 3 hours 2 minutes is far too long. There's a good 30-40 minutes that could be lost with very little impact. In fact, if you check out any of the non-spoilery 'when can I go to the toilet during Endgame?' articles, you'll get a good general consensus on which bits aren't strictly necessary. One of my biggest niggles with the film comes with a pivotal moment which- although it makes narrative sense- was, for me, the wrong move. 

Something I have praised the MCU for in the past is their general coherence during big fight scenes: no matter how crowded the battlefield, you always know who you're meant to be following at any point and who they're up against. Sadly, this goes right out the window here. The final battle is SO big, SO epic (and rightly so), that it gets a bit muddy- dare I say, even a bit DC?- and the impact is lost. There's also several unnecessary uses of shakycam which annoys me greatly (although that's a personal thing) 

Part of me feels a bit bad for bringing up these criticisms. Anthony and Joe Russo have had an absolutely gargantuan task on their hands, marshalling this utter behemoth, and having to contend with the expectations of some of the most committed and passionate fans in the whole of geekdom. With a task that huge, you're never going to please everyone, and people will find different things they like and don't: several of my criticisms won't even occur to others and vice versa. 

I've discussed the film with several people since I saw it, and I think my overall opinion is this: for the most part, it's an enjoyable tribute to the MCU and a decent conclusion to the Infinity Saga; however, for me, it lacks the focus and the punch that made Avengers: Infinity War such an amazing film. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

Awards Season 2019: BAFTA Film Awards Nominations

Morning all!

In recent years, the British Academy have started taking a cue from their American counterpart by announcing the nominations for their annual film awards at an early morning press conference (although, thankfully, not as early as 5:30am). But it was at the slightly more respectable time of 07:30 this morning (9th January) that Will Poulter and Hayley Squires announced this year's BAFTA Film Award nominees.

Here's a selection of the nominees:

BEST FILM

BlackKkKlansman

The Favourite

Green Book

Roma

A Star Is Born

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

Beast

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

McQueen

Stan & Ollie

You Were Never Really Here

LEADING ACTOR

Christian Bale (Vice)

Steve Coogan (Stan & Ollie)

Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)

LEADING ACTRESS

Glenn Close (The Wife)

Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

Viola Davis (Widows)

Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)

Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Mahershala Ali (Green Book)

Timothee Chalamet (Beautiful Boy)

Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)

Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Sam Rockwell (Vice)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams (Vice)

Claire Foy (First Man)

Margot Robbie (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Emma Stone (The Favourite)

Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

DIRECTOR

Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)

Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)

Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)

Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)

A full list of nominees can be found here.

The Favourite is indeed the favourite with a staggering 12 nominations, with Bohemian Rhapsody, First Man, Roma, and A Star Is Born with seven apiece. Interestingly, of Roma's seven nods, Alfonso Cuaron is nominated for six of them! (Must be some kind of record, surely?). Mind you, of A Star Is Born's seven, Bradley Cooper has five. 

Pretty much the same names that you've come to expect throughout the season- although Steve Coogan's nod was a nice touch, and it was interesting to see the director choices (this is Pawlikowski's first nomination in this awards season). This is also Viola Davis' first nomination this season. Widows as a whole seems to have been overlooked somewhat. That said, it's been a strong year for film, so not everything is going to get the recognition it perhaps should.  

This year's EE Rising Star nominees are Jessie Buckley, Cynthia Erivo, Barry Keoghan, Lakeith Stanfield, and Letitia Wright. This award is voted on by the general public and you can vote for your favourite here.

The BAFTA Film Awards will be handed out on Sunday 10th February with the utterly radiant and sublime Joanna Lumley hosting for a second year.

Congratulations to all nominees!

Next up is the Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday 13th January, so there'll be a post about that on Monday (14th January)

Awards Season 2018: Writers' Guild Awards (WGA) and Directors' Guild Awards (DGA) Nominations

A double dose of awards news today, with the recent announcement of two Guild Awards nominations, so let's dive straight in.

WRITERS' GUILD OF AMERICA (WGA) AWARDS NOMINATIONS

This year's nominees for the WGA Awards were announced yesterday (7th January). Here they are:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Eighth Grade

Green Book

A Quiet Place

Roma

Vice

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

BlacKkKlansman

Black Panther

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star Is Born

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Bathtubs Over Broadway

Fahrenheit 11/9

Generation Wealth

In Search Of Greatness

With the Documentary category, the WGA have opted to highlight documentaries that haven't so far had much (if any coverage). In fact, I've only heard of one of them, which is Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 11/9. But, as has been stated before, the WGA's eligibility rules for what can be nominated are incredibly stringent (much more so than the Academy's) which has meant that several films which might expect a Screenplay nod aren't eligible (such as The Favourite, Isle Of Dogs, and Incredibles 2). It's entirely possible that the Academy will go their own way with the Screenplay nominations, although I'd expect to see Green Book, Roma, Vice, If Beale Street Could Talk, and A Star Is Born get Oscar nods. 

-------------

DIRECTORS' GUILD OF AMERICA (DGA) AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The nominees for this year's Directors' Guild Awards were announced today (8th January). Here are the nominees in the Feature Film category:

Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

Alfonso Cuaron (Roma)

Peter Farrelly (Green Book)

Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)

Adam McKay (Vice)

No 'surprises' here as all five directors have had multiple nods throughout the season to date. I'm sure fans of The Favourite may consider Yorgos Lanthimos' exclusion a 'snub' but, you never know, the Academy may see things differently. We'll find out in two weeks' time. Bradley Cooper also received a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director. 

So that's the major guilds news up to date. It might be an early morning for me tomorrow (9th January), as the BAFTA Film Awards nominations are being announced at 7:30am by Will Poulter (The Revenant) and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake). There'll be a post discussing the nominations at some point tomorrow: might be summat to read over breakfast, might be one for your dinner/tea/supper. I like to keep you on your toes. 

Review: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 (UK Cert 12A)

Guardians Of The Galaxy was a massive pleasant surprise for me when it came out in the summer of 2014. I knew very little about the background to the characters, so went in with very few expectations. It was my film of the year for 2014, and it did big business at the box-office. So it makes sense that they'd be back for another movie
.
On the run from the Sovereigns after stealing some batteries they pledged to protect, the Guardians find themself under attack. However, help arrives in the shape of Ego, a benevolent protector... and Star-Lord's father. As Star-Lord gets to know his long-lost old man, the other Guardians have their own issues to deal with- ranging from sibling rivalry to regaining honour- whilst keeping an eye out for the Sovereign threat.

The returning cast all slip back into their characters effortlessly, so it's time to focus on the new characters coming in. Elizabeth Debicki lays on the icy hauteur beautifully as Sovereign priestess Ayesha, whilst Kurt Russell steals almost every scene he's in as Ego. Pom Klementieff is a lovely addition as Ego's companion Mantis, an empath who has the same very literal outlook on life as Drax (and who forms a lovely duo with Dave Bautista). Sylvester Stallone's role as Stakar Ogord, a Ravager who has a run-in with Yondu (Michael Rooker, rarely better), hints at something bigger to come- and, knowing there will be a Volume 3 coming at some point, lays the groundwork nicely.

Visually it's a real feast for the eyes and deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find (I saw it on a SuperScreen which was well worth it). From icy plains to lush verdant planets, the golden glow of the Sovereigns to Nebula's chrome and blue make-up, everything looks fantastic. The action set pieces are all done really well too, even if the opening one is a bit of a cheat. You'll know why when you see it.

Just like the first film, the soundtrack is an integral part of the movie. Starting out with 'Mr Blue Sky' by ELO and taking in tracks by Fleetwood Mac, Glen Campbell, George Harrison, and Sam Cooke (among others), it's eclectic and absolutely rocking.

The film is full of great little moments too. I don't want to get too spoilery, but look out for these three things which made me smile immensely: 'trash panda', a very surprising cameo, and the adorable Baby Groot's struggle with which button to press (part of which is teased in the trailer). Also, there are five- yes, five- mid- and post-credits scenes, so stick around for them. All bar one are just standalone little jokes, which will raise a smile- but one does also hint at a future enemy for the Guardians to face.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 isn't a lazy cash-in sequel; it isn't just 'more of the same as the first one'. Writer-director James Gunn has created a cheeky, raucous romp with an unexpected heart. It gets a little bloated, especially during the second act (with all storylines competing for time) but it can be forgiven for that as the surrounding material is so good. Another triumph for MCU. Bring on Spider-Man: Homecoming!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Joy (UK Cert 12A)

Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is a divorced mother of two, who has always wanted to create things. Her parents Rudy (Robert de Niro) and Terry (Virginia Madsen) are divorced and Rudy has just returned to Joy's home after finishing with his latest girlfriend, whilst Terry spends her days watching TV soaps. The only sane person in the house is grandmother Mimi (Diane Ladd) who encourages Joy to pursue her passion. Soon, Joy has a project- a self-wringing mop. Whilst this might not sound like the most gripping premise for a film ever, Joy transcends its traditional and predictable rags-to-riches storyline with a winning performance by the ever-dependable Lawrence in her third collaboration with director David O. Russell (after American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook). 

Russell directed and wrote the script, rewriting a story from Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids). The film is based in part on the story of Joy Mangaro, a housewife and inventor from Long Island, New York who invented the Miracle Mop. However, Joy's surname is never given in the film and the Miracle Mop is never named as such (except on the QVC screen). So it's not a biopic of Mangaro per se, more a film inspired by her life and story. 

Jennifer Lawrence's central performance as Joy is the best thing in the film. She's an unflappable lynchpin against the more outlandish excesses of some of the other characters who are trying to appear quirky but come across as irritating (Madsen especially, who is a terrific actress but has been given a bum role here). And whilst the film follows the tried and true pathway of rags-to-riches- plucky outsider has an idea and succeeds against the odds despite attempts to derail them- Lawrence is never less than watchable, whether negotiating in the boardroom for a shot at getting her mop advertised or dealing with her crazy family. She's been getting some awards recognition which is well deserved.

Robert de Niro's performance is broad but good, and he gets one of the most memorable wedding toasts ever seen on film. Diane Ladd is great in her supporting role as Joy's grandmother and film's narrator. There's a nice supporting turn by Bradley Cooper as QVC executive Neil Walker whom Joy meets whilst trying to get the mop marketed. What's also nice is the temptation is resisted to have Neil as a love interest for Joy. It's made clear very early on that Joy doesn't need a handsome prince to save her.

The script is quite uneven in places, relying on whimsy in place of anything concrete; the soap angle could quite easily be excised from the film with no major structural issues. There's some interesting use of flashback- you see the entire relationship of Joy and Tony's (Edgar Ramirez) relationship from first meeting to signing the divorce papers in about ten minutes flat- but there are elements of telling, not showing which is irking. 

Generally speaking, the film is decent enough but it can't decide what it wants to be. It could have been a much more straightforward biopic and been better for it. Still, Lawrence's performance saves it from being totally mediocre.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tez

Review: American Sniper (UK Cert 15)

SPOILER WARNING! This review discusses and/or mentions a few important plot points. If you would prefer not to have these spoiled, please stop reading now and come back once you've seen the film.  

American Sniper is a difficult film to talk about, mostly because it deals with an emotive subject (the war in Iraq and America's part in it) and also because it is based on a true story. Any criticism of the film feels like a criticism of the person and that isn't exactly fair on those left behind. 

As much as it is possible, I am going to limit myself to talking about the film as a film- as a fictionalised account of Chris Kyle's life and work- and try and stay out of the bigger picture or wider context of the war, the military and even what Kyle was like as a real person (or what the book he wrote, which the screenplay is based on, says). This might be a bit of a cop-out but it's probably safer. For an interesting look on the historical accuracy (or otherwise) of the film, this is a good article to start with.

Kyle (Bradley Cooper) was raised by a devoutly religious family, initially becoming a cowboy and then signed up to the US Navy SEALS and acted as a sniper in Iraq, completing four tours of duty. He is credited with over 160 confirmed kills although the figure may be much higher. He married and had children and, once he left the Army, he helped injured soldiers in rehabilitation. He was shot and killed in 2013 at a shooting range in Texas by a young army veteran he was trying to help, who was suffering from PTSD.

First things first: there is a lot I didn't like about American Sniper.

Mostly, the bellicose, jingoistic, America-f*ck-yeah, hoo-rah attitude espoused by Kyle. Things were black and white: America is the greatest country in the world and anyone threatening it needs to be put down with extreme prejudice. The world operates in shades of grey, sadly, so this tunnel-visioned narrowmindedness is utterly alienating- not to mention wearying in the extreme. There's no discussion, nothing wavering from that message. They're evil, they're savages, they deserve to die. That's that. Done. I understand that some people see the world thus and that's how they operate- and no doubt for soldiers, they have to see the world in such terms in order to do the things they sometimes have to do- but, as a narrative, it's not something I can get behind.

A secondary issue is the (over)use of war movie cliches that infect the plot. A colleague talking about marriage once he gets home? Dead or injured at least. A shadowy doppelganger of the lead character, doing the same thing but on the other side? Present. That said, Eastwood has an eye for detail and does create some tense moments (such as the section of the film shown in the trailer where Kyle must decide on taking down a child armed with a missile). But after that, it does go down hill and occasionally felt like watching someone play a first-person-shooter.  

Cooper's performance is decent. Kyle is a man of few words, a lot goes on behind his eyes and the subtle hints (underplayed) that he may be suffering from PTSD work well without any histrionics. Kyle appeared to be a man unrepentant about his work- claiming that he would meet his Maker with a clean conscience- and that's a difficult sell without coming across as a psychopath, but the film just about does it. The rest of Kyle's platoon are sadly unremarkable cannon-fodder and those characters are not fleshed out at all. 

The best performance of the film comes from Sienna Miller who plays Kyle's wife, Taya. Her uncertainty at getting into a relationship with a SEAL is played well and she and Cooper have a real potent chemistry together. She is the emotional anchor of the film and absolutely sells it without going over the top. At times you feel like screaming at her 'why don't you just leave him?' but Miller's performance brings across the deep love that Taya has for her husband, which makes the end of the story even more devastating.

Kyle's time away from the forces and his work with rehabilitation is perhaps more interesting than a lot of the previous stuff, but it gets glossed over with a shortish 20-minute coda, with a presentation of the fateful day that Kyle was killed. The action takes place off-screen, with a succinct one-line text to sum it up. The mid-credits then show real-life footage from Kyle's memorial service and the end credits then roll in total silence to let you absorb the tragedy. It's undeniably powerful but utterly manipulative at the same time.

As a film, American Sniper is not without its issues. You either have to get behind the black-and-white view of the world its main character has, or be able to see past it, to engage. It's probably one of the stronger films that has been made about the war in Iraq but it's still not the Iraq war equivalent to, say, Platoon or Saving Private Ryan.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Tez

Review: The Place Beyond The Pines (UK Cert 15)

Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance reunite after the emotionally bruising Blue Valentine for The Place Beyond The Pines, a gripping, well-made (if slightly ponderous) crime thriller.

Luke Glanton (Gosling) is a motorbike stunt rider working for a travelling fair. When back in New York, he finds his ex-lover Romina (Eva Mendes) has had a child without telling him. Wanting to provide for his new son, Luke starts pulling off bank robberies. One robbery brings Luke up against policeman Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper), an encounter that has a lasting impact on both their lives- and the lives of their sons fifteen years later.

The film can be roughly broken into three sections- Luke's story, Avery's story and their sons' stories. Gosling is front and centre for the first section, a brooding presence easily bringing to mind his performance in Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive. The Drive comparisons are apt- a laconic stunt driver involved in crime- but luckily there's more to the role (and Gosling's performance) than a mere facsimile. He's a man wanting to do right but going about it in the wrong way. The heists and subsequent chases are thrilling and giddily shot but there is a tendency towards ponderous shots of Gosling looking enigmatically into the distance.

Bradley Cooper proves his dramatic performance in Silver Linings Playbook was not a one-off, with a decent and nuanced turn as an idealistic rookie given a crash course in the murkier side of police life. For me, this second section is the most successful part of the film. It's certainly the best written section, transcending what could be a stock cliched situation (hero cop tempted by the dark side) to something deeper. Cooper's performance is excellent and his clashes with fellow police officers (including Bruce Greenwood and the brilliantly psychotic Ray Liotta) really spark. 

The final section- featuring Luke's now teenage son Jason (Dane DeHaan) and Avery's son AJ (Emory Cohen)- is perhaps the least successful section for me. DeHaan's performance as the conflicted Jason is powerful but I really wasn't sold on AJ. I don't know whether it's because of Cohen's performance or if because the character of AJ, as written, comes across as a spoilt entitled brat. This part of the story has a lot of potential for some real high drama- Jason and AJ's nascent friendship is bound to be ripped apart, due to the revelations of the past- but what should be a gutwrench is more of a damp squib. However, there's a powerful stand-off between Cooper and DeHaan to redeem it.

This is a real Boys Own adventure with the female characters being rather shortchanged- a shame, considering Blue Valentine had such a strongly characterised female lead. Mendes is good with what she's given but it's a slightly thankless role, whilst Rose Byrne doesn't get much to do as Avery's wife Jennifer. Because the thrust of the story is very much 'the sins of the father being visited on the son', the female characters are very incidental. 

There's a few niggles that prevent The Place Beyond The Pines from being truly great for me. Nonetheless, it's still an eminently watchable film, if only for Bradley Cooper's tremendous performance in the second act.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez 

Review: Silver Linings Playbook (UK Cert 15)

Adapted from the 2008 novel by Matthew Quick, David O. Russell's follow-up to The Fighter is a combination of romance, comedy and drama which won the People's Choice Award at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and has been a major presence during this year's awards season. Not an easy watch in places, due to subject matter, but it's full of heart and warmth.

After eight months in a Baltimore mental health institution, Pat Solitano Jr (Bradley Cooper) is released to the care of his parents (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) in Philadelphia. Pat's recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder following a violent attack on his wife's lover led to his admission. Now he's out and determined to get better so he can get back with his wife. As he tries to find the silver linings, he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a girl with troubles of her own. Soon a pact is made; Tiffany will deliver a letter to Pat's wife if Pat will take part in a dance competition with her.

Silver Linings Playbook is the first film in over thirty years to garner an Oscar nomination in each of the four acting categories and that's certainly no fluke. All four main actors- Cooper, Lawrence, de Niro, and Weaver- give naturalistic performances. It's very easy sometimes, especially when dealing with issues like mental illness, for the performances to be very showy, for the actor to almost play up to the cameras as they emote. I didn't feel like there was any of that here.

Cooper shows that he can do more than be a pretty face as his determination to get his wife back and his burgeoning friendship with Tiffany show some real acting chops. Lawrence's performance is mesmerising as the unapologetic but equally as messed-up Tiffany; bizarrely, there is an age difference of nearly fifteen years between Cooper and Lawrence but such is the maturity of her performance that it is not noticeable. De Niro is great as the Philadelphia Eagles obsessed Pat Sr, full of supersititons and borderline OCD whilst Weaver is a warm and engaging presence as the rock who holds things together.

There are other great performances by John Ortiz as Pat Jr's friend Ronnie, Anupam Kher as Pat Jr's counsellor Dr Patel and- I'm surprised to even write these words- a lovely turn by Chris Tucker as Danny, Pat's friend from Baltimore. Usually, Tucker has me gritting my teeth as soon as he opens his mouth but here he's more than bearable and actually kind of likeable. 

The portrayal of mental illness is sensitively done but unflinching in their power; they're certainly not sugar-coated or sanitised. Pat Jr's manic episodes are played straight down the line; they're not trivialised or played for laughs which is to the film's credit. Some scenes are difficult to watch, most notably when Pat Jr is looking for his wedding video. The script is decent (Russell adapting Quick's novel himself) with moments of humour subtly weaved in. My only bugbear is the occasional lacklustre direction which lets things down.

You don't need to be a fan of American football to enjoy the film, nor do you need any passion for dancing. Ultimately, it's a touching and occasionally funny film about two damaged souls finding a connection and it's well worth two hours of your time.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez