Do We Say Hail To An Impersonator Chief?

While the endless election campaign unfolds south of the border, I thought the occasional review of a movie featuring a fictional (and inevitably better than most of the current crop of candidates) president would do nicely. I'm starting with this one.

“Hail to the chief, he’s the one we all say hail to. We all say hail ‘cause he keeps himself so clean! He’s got the power, that’s why he’s in the shower...” ~ Dave Kovic

“Why couldn’t you die from a stroke like everyone else?” ~ Ellen Mitchell

“I’m going to kill him.” ~ Bob Alexander 

“You can’t kill a President.” ~ Alan Reed 

“He’s not a president. He’s an ordinary person. I can kill an ordinary person.” ~ Bob Alexander

“What do you do for a living?” ~ Ellen Mitchell 

“You mean when I’m not running the country?” ~ Dave Kovic

In 1993, director Ivan Reitman brought a political comedy, Dave, to theatres, a film with an exceptional cast and a light but smart tone. The director, known for his deft touch with comedy, took the script by Gary Ross, later known for other screenplays and directing gigs of his own, and ran with it. The film is a fun, optimistic movie that pokes fun at politics, while giving the audience a tremendously likeable protagonist who comes into his own in an unlikely position.

The film opens with Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), who runs a temp agency helping people find work, while occasionally impersonating President Bill Mitchell (Kline in a dual role) at various events as a gag. He is approached by Duane Stevenson (Ving Rhames) to pose as the President for real- after an official function in Washington. Dave assumes it’s a security issue, while in fact it’s so that the President can have a tryst with one of his White House staffers.

While Dave enjoys himself making a presidential exit, assuming that’s all there is to it, the President suffers a stroke during his interlude with his mistress, ending up in a coma. White House staffers, Chief of Staff Bob Alexander (Frank Langella) and White House communication director Alan Reed (Kevin Dunn), convince Dave to carry on with the impersonation, and Dave finds himself in the position of the most powerful man on the planet- complete with a First Lady (Sigourney Weaver) who despises her husband and a Vice President (Ben Kingsley) who he’s been warned is unbalanced.

Ross had the idea for several years before the film was made; he wrote the script while working on the Michael Dukakis campaign in 1988. His association with the producer, Lauren Shuler-Donner, got the connections to make the film, though there were delays until Reitman was available to direct. Ross would later end up writing and directing projects like Seabiscuit, Pleasantville, and The Hunger Games, and had previously written the script for Big, so he already had the required experience with comedy and characterization, which shows itself in the script for the film. The story has a breezy pace, with smart dialogue, a lot of in-jokes and nods to the political process. There’s also a fundamentally optimistic sensibility to the film; while one sees the cynicism of political operators, that is strongly contrasted by people of principles and integrity (in politics? Really?).

Reitman was a perfect choice for directing this film, with a streak of comedy films to his credit, including Ghostbusters, Twins, Animal House, and Kindergarten Cop. While the film is a comedy, and Reitman plays it that way, there are serious issues to it as well- the responsibility of power, the concept of social justice, and the notion of integrity- and Reitman doesn’t shy away from that either. He moves the film along briskly throughout- there never seems to be a slow, dull moment. Reitman’s directing style matches the warm tone of the script, strongly centered on an inherently decent person who proves to be quick on his feet. Reitman brought in a wealth of cameos along the way- from political insiders to media to actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger- and shot the film on sets that feel like the real thing, giving the whole production a sense of authenticity.

The cast are all brilliantly chosen for their roles. Charles Grodin appears as Dave’s friend Murray, an accountant who’s no doubt used to years of helping his friend ensure that his clients get some work. Grodin plays the character as somewhat exasperated, and then stunned at what his friend has actually signed onto. Ben Kingsley is perfect as Vice President Gary Nancy; the VP is not the lunatic he’s made out to be, but instead a man of integrity and character. Ving Rhames is well cast as Duane. The actor brings the right tone of seriousness and no nonsense authority as a Secret Service presidential detail chief, all business and very little warmth, at least at first. He’s dedicated to his job, not that talkative, but as Dave gets to know him, the audience gets to like him.

The two chief staffers in on the conspiracy are played by wonderful character actors, both of whom play their roles in different ways. Kevin Dunn plays Alan Reed as sympathetic, more or less pulled into the idea despite his own reservations. He’s smart and savvy, and still has a conscience regardless of the hare brained scheme he’s become involved in. By contrast, Frank Langella’s Bob Alexander is a marvellous Machiavellian antagonist, a scheming and ruthless political operator with plans of his own, no conscience at all, and no scruples. The character is an opportunistic, ambitious weasel. Langella has spent many years of his career playing villains, and throughout the film seems to be having fun chewing the scenery.

Sigourney Weaver worked with Reitman on Ghostbusters, and she gets to play the First Lady in different ways. When we first see her, she seems cold and aloof, but when it’s clear that the President is a cheat, we can understand why. Dave is shocked when he discovers that she hates him- to great comic effect. And yet there are strongly held principles beneath the ice queen exterior, as well as a sharp mind. As the film goes along, it is a pleasure to watch her character get to know the impersonator in the Oval Office, and Weaver has great chemistry with Kline.

And speaking of the leading man, Kevin Kline is perfect as the idealistic, decent, and lovable Dave Kovic. He might seem completely out of his element taking on the impersonation gig, but he really comes into his own playing the part of the President. In fact, it’s more than one performance, as the actor plays Dave, the sleazy president Mitchell, and Dave posing as the president. Kline is charming and gives the role a spirited performance; he’s as good a dramatic actor as he is with comedic material, and the script gives him plenty to work with.

While we deal with a seemingly endless presidential campaign filled with negativity and toxic personalities, it’s refreshing to see a presidential comedy peopled with characters who understand decency, integrity, and principle. Dave has all of that, playing around with the idea of a political impersonator who’s better at the job than the man he replaces, and the film brings a rich sense of humour along the way. It’s a delight to watch.

Mission Improbable: Teaching Humility To Tom Cruise

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to put up with two hours or so of Tom Cruise obsessing over how good he looks on screen. As always, should you end up rolling your eyes in sheer annoyance, the Secretary will disavow having any idea you were even in the theatre. This message will self destruct in five seconds.” ~ The Director

Ethan Hunt and his band of operatives return in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, the new film by writer and director Christopher McQuarrie (Valkyrie, The Usual Suspects, Jack Reacher). Tom Cruise is back for the fifth time in this franchise, playing the death defying operative while making sure the camera always shows him at his best. Reuniting a number of previous cast members and bringing in new players, we get an action adventure film that tries to live up to the Bond franchise- though it rings hollow, given the lead actor. The film packs plenty of stunts and action set pieces into the story, and the audience comes away from the whole thing convinced that Cruise really needs to stop being in love with himself.

The film starts up with Ethan Hunt (Cruise, aka He Who Loves Himself Too Much) on the trail of a mysterious organization called the Syndicate, a counterpart to the IMF organization he’s part of. He falls into the hands of that organization, and is rescued by Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a former British agent who’s joined the Syndicate. Her motives and loyalties remain a question mark, but Ethan joins her in searching for the rest of the group.

Months later, William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) find themselves before a Senate committee that ends in the IMF getting disbanded and absorbed into the Agency. Ethan now has warrants out on him. Brandt is caught in the middle between loyalties to his country and his friend, while Ethan has been busy trying to find the location of the Syndicate’s boss, a rather surly fellow named Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). You’d be surly too if you had that name in this day and age. And of course this will lead to a diabolical plot by the villain involving a classified project gone wrong, among other things. All with plenty of opportunities for He Who Loves Himself Too Much to show off way too much.

McQuarrie has more of an extended background in screen writing, though his directing credits include Jack Reacher and The Way Of The Gun before this one. He cowrote the story with Drew Pearce, and wrote the screenplay, and his previous writing work includes collaborations with Bryan Singer for Valkyrie (a film I liked despite the presence of Cruise) and the highly stylish The Usual Suspects. He also worked with Cruise as a co-writer for Edge Of Tomorrow, and has mentioned the notion of coming back to direct another Mission Impossible film, so obviously he can get along with the rampaging ego. He handles an action scene quite well in the way he directs- the film doesn't really equal the high water mark in this series, which was the second film, but then it's pretty hard to compete with John Woo as action goes. Nonetheless, McQuarrie's story spans the globe in exotic locations as we've seen before.

McQuarrie's story is preposterous, of course- the very essence of the franchise is that way. There's the inevitable Macguffin, as Hitchcock would have called it, that thing everyone wants and is important only because everyone wants it. In this case, it's computer files. The films often have a way of trying to keep up with frankly the better franchise- the James Bond films- and doing so with preposterous death defying set piece action sequences. This time out motorbike chases and a plane sequence fill the bill, and Cruise, desperately trying to keep the attention on himself as always, does a lot of his own stunts. The film basically hinges, as we've seen in previous editions, on the notion of building a better mouse trap so that the hero can break in (or out) of them, and that is the case here. McQuarrie does have the right touch in how to film all this, even if the story rings a bit hollow. The fact that it does, however, has less to do with McQuarrie and more to do with the star.

Sean Harris makes for an interesting villain. Soloman Lane used to be in the trade, so to speak, as a spy before going bad and starting up his own service, a mirror reflection of the IMF organization, out for their own ends (their own ends being a little vague). He's ambitious enough, but still shadowy- unlike a James Bond villain who usually has a clear and concise plan (and then makes the mistake of leaving the death of that infernal British secret agent to some lackey instead of doing the job himself) for world domination, revenge, or this week's latest cause. Harris doesn't play the character in an over the top way, though, and while he's not the most formidable villain of the franchise (I'd give that to Dougray Scott in Mission Impossible 2), he works better than Philip Seymour Hoffmann in Mission Impossible 3 (which might be chalked up to the script.)

It's a tradition in these films to bring in an authority figure- sometimes they're sympathetic, like Anthony Hopkins in Mission Impossible 2, sometimes they're surly and irritable like the much underrated actor Henry Czerny in the first Mission Impossible. Alec Baldwin gets to fill the bill, and he has to play the role of Hunley in more than one ways. He's grouchy and irritable, yes, but there are layers beneath that that the actor has to keep hidden, like a card player keeping things close to the vest. I'm reminded that Baldwin played Jack Ryan in The Hunt For Red October, another spy with a bright, curious mind, and it reminds me that the Clancy franchise, like the Bond franchise of book and film, or the Daniel Silva and Jack Higgins literary spies, feature more compelling lead actors (is it obvious by now I don't like Tom Cruise?). Baldwin manages to bring that all about in his performance, keeping other aspects of his character hidden beneath the bluster.

The tech sidekicks have been essential to this franchise since the first film, and both of them are back in this film, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Benji  Dunn( Simon Pegg). I've always liked Luther more- Rhames brings a natural charm and inherent coolness to the role, while Dunn's more of a nervous "am I really doing this" technogeek. Both actors get a good deal to do in this film, and they invest both characters with a good deal of likability, quick wit, and fast talking (when Benji's not babbling, anyway). A healthy dose of the humour from the film comes from these two.

Jeremy Renner could easily headline these films as Brandt. He started out in the fourth film, and returns once again as the character, a man who can take care of himself in tough situations, can think quickly in a crisis, and acts with resolve. He's not quite on Ethan's side this time out- officially speaking Ethan's persona non grata, but there's more to that than at first one might think. As an actor he's much more compelling than Cruise, and I found myself wishing the producers would get that and carry on the franchise with a more interesting character in the lead.

The IMF is pretty much a boy's club- Paula Patton, who was in the previous film, is long gone, the fact that Cruise's character is technically married is not even mentioned, and as we saw in the first film, women have a way of dying on Ethan Hunt. Rebecca Ferguson does get to play the engimatic Ilsa Faust in more than one way. We're left to wonder periodically what her agenda is- whose side is she really on? I found the character more interesting than Ethan, frankly, a woman playing all sides off against each other. I'd much rather see a movie with her, both as the character and the actress. She's worlds better than He Who Loves Himself Too Much.

And so we come to the problem of the film. It's entertaining enough, yes, and the rest of the cast do well with their roles- which ironically reinforces the fact that the lead actor has no business in a spy film (this was much the same problem in Valkyrie, where Cruise surrounded himself with great actors, all of whom made him look lesser just by speaking). I mentioned the sense of hollowness earlier, and the idea that this franchise is trying to compete with the Bond films. Well, we know James Bond, because over the years we've gotten to see this complicated spy, his foibles, his strengths, his weaknesses, his coldness, and his ruthlessness. The audience understands James Bond, and that's one of the reasons that franchise works so well.

Ethan Hunt remains a blank slate, an empty character, and that's really on the actor who portrays him. Another actor would have fleshed out some sense of what makes the character who he is, what drives him, why he works in this line of work, but all we get is the mirror image of Tom Cruise, a man who's all style, no substance. And it shows, even in films that I really liked (A Few Good Men comes to mind): Cruise cannot disappear into a role the way many actors can. You're not watching the character with a Cruise film, you're watching Tom Cruise make every effort to make himself look dashingly handsome even in dire circumstances. It's irritating, frankly.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is preposterous, yes, but entertaining enough as a summer blockbuster goes. I recommend it for the action set pieces, the supporting cast, all of whom work well in their roles, and who end up upstaging the star. I just wish the star would take a hint and let someone else take the lead. He Who Loves Himself Too Much hinders the film just by being himself.