Thursday, December 15, 2016

The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: MISS SLOANE



The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: 
on MISS SLOANE (2016, 132 minutes, R)


The Quick of It -
MISS SLOANE is not a simple film in any aspect by any means.  I would say there are many ways to potential interpret what you are seeing.  Talking with someone who had not seen the film and heard about some blurb saying that, “this is the film that the NRA ‘does not’ want you to see,” I realized the brilliance of the film.

Directed by John Madden (of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, and THE DEBT) and written by Jonathan Perera, amazingly the only writer, puts you in the heart of the lobbyists’ playground and sends you quickly into a tailspin.  The story centers on Miss Sloane, who is a well-renown lobbyist, who takes on supporting a bill that goes against one of the most powerful entities in politics, the NRA and 2nd amendment ‘enthusiast’. 


With such an impressive cast, there still were a few standouts.  Jessica Chastain (of THE MARTIAN, ZERO DARK THIRTY, and THE HELP) as Miss Elizabeth Sloane is commanding and attention-drawing.  You cannot look away for fear of missing her next play and catch those softer moments, which were quite rare.  To compliment her is Gugu Mbatha-Raw (CONCUSSION, FREE STATE OF JONES, and JUPITER ASCENDING) who has shades of innocence and driven by pure heart.  One other crucial binding element is Mark Strong (of KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, and SHERLOCK HOLMES).  He plays Rodolfo Schmidt, the president of a small law firm championing for the bill, who convinces Sloane to leave her prestigious company to aid him in this herculean task. 


Now, you would believe that a film centering around anti-gun ideals, it really is only a peripheral piece to the whole.  In fact, both side get a fair shake on their arguments, not actually taking a full side.  The bill, featuring the Heaton-Harris Amendment, is to add more to the current process in purchasing a gun, wait days and the requiring a background check for all purchases.  The topic remains slightly grayed rather than pushing an agenda.  And that my friends is the beauty of the picture.  The plot is driven by Miss Sloane and the process of acquiring votes for a bill, not a bunch of fluff and single-minded psychological warfare to sway your opinion. 

This pick for my film to review was a difficult choice since I try to avoid anything overly political.  But, I was proven a wuss for doubting.  The story was told so well that it did borderline on having that ‘based on real events’ feel.  They would have only needed to change the tone on a few subplots and add a bit more ambiguity.  So you might consider pushing this one up higher on your ‘to watch’ list.

Grade: B-

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