Movie Review

Horror film Longlegs boasts creepy vibes and a villainous Nicolas Cage

Maika Monroe in Longlegs.

Photo courtesy of Neon

The ability of viewers to enjoy the new horror/thriller film Longlegs will depend on a variety of factors, with expectations leading the list. The film, which features a young female FBI agent pursuing a serial killer, clearly takes inspiration from Silence of the Lambs. But it also stars Nicolas Cage as the title murderer, giving a very Cage-y performance, something that can work very well or very poorly.

Broken up into three parts, it’s likely that viewers will have different reactions to each of them. At the center of it all is Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who quickly shows a preternatural ability to track down suspects and decode ciphers. That latter talent plays a big part in her boss, Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), assigning her to the case of the killer known as Longlegs, as cryptic letters signed with that name have been found at the scenes of multiple supposed murder-suicides dating back decades.

The first part of the film, written and directed by Oswald Perkins, is by far the most successful, as it features a succession of well thought-out shots and accompanying music that do a great job at setting the creepy tone. The villain is introduced in a cleverly-conceived segment that gives a flavor of his evil without revealing too much. And, most importantly, it establishes the personality of Harker, one that’s almost devoid of emotion but in such a way that’s somehow unsettling and endearing at the same time.

While the filmmaking maintains its high level for the rest of the film, the storytelling starts to falter. Perkins starts to get caught up in a lot of minutiae and introduces a supernatural element, both of which cause the film to slow down noticeably. He also makes the choice to show Longlegs a lot more, an odd decision given that it would seem to be better to keep someone with such an off-kilter look and voice more mysterious.

The final act is a mixed bag. On one hand, it contains a solid twist that upends much of what has come before without coming completely out of nowhere, and features a gnarly surprise death scene. On the other, the section plays out in a strange manner, culminating in a climactic scene that’s baffling and underwhelming in its resolution of the overall story.

Through it all, though, Monroe remains a compelling presence. Sporting brown hair instead of her usual blonde, the indie horror queen shows off different sides of herself, a performance that may portend even bigger things from her in the future. Underwood, who always seems like he should be a bigger star than he is, digs in nicely to a meaty role. Cage will likely be divisive yet again; there are some moments where he’s very effective, and others where his hammy acting is laughable in a bad way.

Horror aficionados will find a lot to like about Longlegs, from the overall vibe to another great turn by Monroe. While the film’s faults don’t totally negate its positive aspects, it’s disappointing that the great start is not maintained all the way through.

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Longlegs is now playing in theaters.

Movie Review

Hugh Jackman channels Neil Diamond in biopic Song Sung Blue

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue.

Neil Diamond - a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold - is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue - named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song - serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.

Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth - gives every performance his all.

What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.

Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight?” The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.

Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.

While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.

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Song Sung Blue opens in theaters on December 25.

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