Heartwarming Drama ‘CODA’ Opens Our Ears to Deaf Adults’ Struggles

Heartwarming Drama ‘CODA’ Opens Our Ears to Deaf Adults’ Struggles

By Lynn Venhaus
Sure, it’s predictable, but “CODA” earns its way into your heart with a touching family coming-of-age story that makes it impossible not to be moved by it.

As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur).

With warmth, humor and a strong cast, “CODA” has turned a conventional family dynamic and an oft-told tale of a teenager pursuing her dream into something special. Not original, it is a remake of a 2014 French film, “The Belier Family,” but setting it in America translates well.

The film has an appealing lived-in atmosphere. The solid sense of place, set in a New England fishing village — Gloucester, Mass., is one of this small film’s charms. Cinematographer Paula Huidobro deftly handles land and sea — and a flooded rock quarry. Production Designer Diane Lederman has added visual texture with a shabby yet cozy clapboard cottage as the family home and a battered fishing trawler for its business.

The working-class Rossi family has earned its living as fishermen. Dad Frank, Mom Jackie and son Leo are all deaf, and the local fishing business is going through economic struggles, which affects their home life. Ruby helps, but she has high school and can’t be there all the time.

Because she loves to sing, the shy and awkward teen signs up for choir, surprising her best friend and family – and herself. Her mother doesn’t understand this need to pursue a hobby – and underestimates Ruby’s passion.

A tough music teacher, Bernardo Villalobos recognizes her natural talent and pushes her to succeed, although she is her own worst enemy because of her lack of confidence, not commitment.

A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mr. V has arranged auditions at his alma mater for a bright star, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), and decides to do the same for Ruby.

“There are many pretty voices with nothing to say,” Mr. V tells her. “Do you have something to say?” Turns out, she does.

But the family’s dependence on Ruby is so overwhelming that she feels that she can’t pursue her dreams. Well, open the waterworks, because there will be bumps in the road, and baby steps, to finding a way to keep her time slot – not only as an individual, but also as a family.

Director-writer Sian Heder has presented the challenges of deaf adults in a hearing world with compassion and accuracy. Through her sharp observations, we can see what hardships that hearing-impaired people face daily.  She demonstrates it effectively throughout the film, but a later scene at a concert, shot with complete silence, is a stunner.

Heder, with only her second feature film, won the directing award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Like “Minari” last year, “CODA” was honored with both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, and a Special Jury Prize fpr Best Ensemble.. Apple Studios purchased it for a record-breaking $25 million. I hope it will have a broader reach than arthouses.

Oscar winner Matlin, now 55 and the mother of four children, has been an active spokeswoman for the National Captioning Institute. In 1995, she was instrumental in Congress passing a law requiring all television sets that are 13 inches or larger to be manufactured with built-in chips for closed captioning capabilities on their screens.

After winning the Academy Award in 1987 for her debut screen performance in “Children of a Lesser God,” she has represented the deaf community for breakthroughs large and small.

Her visibility here, as an imperfect mother seeking to be more sensitive to her hearing daughter, is immeasurable, and she does a fine job.

As the sexy mom, she has a playfulness with deaf actor Troy Kotsur, whose portrayal of a gruff but soft-around-the-edges dad is believable. They provide a light-hearted touch, as does deaf actor Daniel Durant as big brother Leo, who tussles with his baby sister like brothers naturally do.

Emilia Jones’ pitch-perfect performance is the necessary glue, and fully engaged, she does not overplay the teenage angst and range of feelings.

The family’s love for each other can be felt, and the actors project that bond.

Supporting players also appear comfortable in their roles, particularly Eugenio Derbez, known for comedies in his native Mexico, showing his drama skills as the no-nonsense choir director.

He’s relatable, as is Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, so terrific in 2016’s sublime “Sing Street,” as Ruby’s duet partner Miles. So is Amy Forsyth, notable as Ruby’s best friend Gertie.

Also noteworthy is composer Maurius de Vries for his expert music supervision. He worked on both “La La Land” and Baz Luhrman’s “Moulin Rouge!” and makes some interesting choices here. Miles and Ruby sing the Marvin Gaye-Tammi Terrell classic “You’re All I Need to Get By” and Ruby’s audition piece is Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” Be sure to stay for the credits to hear Jones’ sweetly sing “Beyond the Shore.”

Emilia Jones and Eugenio Derbez

The movie uses English subtitles when characters use American Sign Language.

A crowd-pleaser in the mold of “Billy Elliot,” “CODA” resonates because it takes a familiar story and amplifies it through a different perspective. It is a major step forward in inclusivity.

“CODA” is a 2021 drama directed by Sian Heder and stars Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, Eugenio Derbez, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and Amy Forsyth. Rated PG-13 for strong sexual content and language, and drug use, its runtime is 1 hour, 51 minutes. It is in theaters and streaming on Apple Plus TV starting Aug. 13. Lynn’s Grade: A-

Fast, Furious, Fun – High-Spirited ‘Free Guy’ Is a Summer Surprise

Fast, Furious, Fun – High-Spirited ‘Free Guy’ Is a Summer Surprise

By Lynn Venhaus
Clever, brimming with wit and good nature, “Free Guy” is one of the most pleasant surprises of the summer.

An action video game, comic-book slate of heroes and villains and romantic comedy rolled into one, the plot focuses on a mild-mannered bank teller Guy (Ryan Reynolds) who discovers that he’s actually a NPC inside a brutal, open world video game. When he spontaneously decides to become his own hero, and proceeds to rewrite his story so that he saves the world — on his own terms, he unleashes a frantic race against time. Antwan (Taika Waititi), a megalomaniac tech mastermind, is hell-bent against Guy succeeding.

As one who isn’t a gamer – and had to look up what a NPC is (non-player character), I expected to be lost, but thanks to an engaging cast, I could not only keep up but also be entertained.

Set in a world of video game creation and role-playing, a town called Free City is where the action takes place, a busy burg with old-fashioned charm. Think Mayberry meets Metropolis. 

Every day, the mayhem and mean streets one associates with video game action occurs as most everyone is trying to go about their daily lives. They deal with explosions, gunfire, criminals and stunts like it’s normal.

Guy’s jovial best friend, Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), is a security guard. The simple pleasure of a good cup of coffee makes their day, which includes a routine where they avoid gunshots, falling debris and hulking monsters.

Their oblivion and good hearts are refreshing, but of course, if there wasn’t a conflict, there would not be a movie. Can an action movie, particular in the sci-fi realm, be light-hearted? 

“Free Guy” demonstrates that a little originality and a lot of technical acumen can produce a fizzy summer blockbuster not bogged down in high expectations.

As agreeable as cheery Guy is to watch going about his day, reminiscent of “The Truman Show,” waiting to pounce is a nefarious computer genius, Antwan. Waititi, the wildly talented actor-writer-director who won an Oscar for writing “JoJo Rabbit,” is gloriously over-the-top playing the devious guru who has underhandedly ripped off an enterprising programming whiz Keys (Joe Keery) and his resourceful co-creator Millie (Jodie Comer) by stealing their innovative life’s work.

Somehow, Guy switches up the rules and displays a mind of his own, which is unheard of in this universe. The whole world is watching as “Blue Shirt Guy” captures viewers/players’ hearts, and he is motivated because he is attracted to one of the tough female characters, also played by the winning Comer, Emmy winner for ‘Killing Eve.”

Game on! The action gets fast, furious – and fun. Shawn Levy has directed this in a high-spirited way. He’s known for the “Night at the Museum” franchise and the streaming TV show “Stranger Things,” and keeps the action moving and the story sharp.

The actor who has played Steve Harrington, Joe Keery, is a likable mild-mannered gamer and smart techie who is on to Antwan’s schemes. With the help of his cynical work pal Mouser, the well-cast Utkarsh Ambudkar, they’re one step ahead.

The cast appears to be ‘all in’ – and having a blast with the story’s playfulness. Howery, whose breakthrough was “Get Out” and has carved a niche as a good buddy, has a nice camaraderie with the everyman movie star Reynolds.

Reynolds is at his best as a good guy caught up in something he doesn’t understand. He has a knack for playing regular dudes under pressure, ready with a quip, and doesn’t shrink from saving the day. This role is more jocular, like DC’s “Deadpool,” his biggest hit, and he’s thoroughly charming.

“Free Guy” possesses a self-assured quality, and its veteran screenwriters know a thing or two about crowd-pleasers. Zak Penn, who sold his first script, “The Last Action Hero” when he was 23, has worked on films in the Marvel Comics Universe, including “X-Men 2” and “The Avengers,” and wrote “Ready Player One,” which bears a strong resemblance to the crux of “Free Guy.”

His co-writer Matt Lieberman has been working on such family-friendly fare as “The Christmas Chronicles” starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus and the animated “The Addams Family” reboot.

Jodie Comer and Joe Keery in “Free Guy”

Together, they have fashioned a breezy romp that’s well-suited for the big screen and makes nimble use of a crackerjack cast, who has splendidly mastered green screen acting.

“Free Guy,” which was slated for release last summer, is one of those rare August treats that unexpectedly has provided a delightful cinematic experience. 

“Free Guy” is a 2021 action, sci-fi, fantasy, comedy directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Joe Keery and Utkarsh Ambudkar. Rated: PG-13 for strong fantasy violence throughout, language and crude/suggestive references, its run time is 1 hour, 55 minutes. It opened in theatres on Aug. 13. Lynn’s Grade: B+

Piece of ‘Art’ Provokes Out-of-Tune Friends in Razor-Sharp Comedy

Piece of ‘Art’ Provokes Out-of-Tune Friends in Razor-Sharp Comedy

By Lynn Venhaus
At times, friendship is not always the perfect ‘blendship.’ Case in point: “Art,” a razor-sharp comedy currently being staged outdoors by Stray Dog Theatre through Aug. 21.

A friendship that spans 15 years is strained over a piece of modern art – an expensive, pretentious painting that art snob Serge (Ben Ritchie) has purchased to show off his privilege and to gain status.

The judgmental Marc (Stephen Peirick), who is domineering, snarky and self-righteous, takes one look and is aghast at this presumably “white” canvas.

With his “Are you serious?” reaction, Marc doesn’t hold back his horror, bluntly calling the vanity purchase a “piece of (expletive deleted),” even if Serge paid 200,000 francs for it.

Serge vehemently disagrees. He points out there is texture. It is, after all, by an artist of some note.

Later, they pull their more sensitive friend Yvan (Jeremy Goldmeier) into taking sides, and he, not wanting to rock the boat, offers a “maybe it has merit” viewpoint. Now he is caught in the middle between two alpha dogs.

Yvan’s comments push Marc’s buttons even further, calling into question the conciliatory one’s intellectual acumen – and life choices – because he might see some artistic significance.  

Yvan is a poorer, put-upon chap about to be married, whose life seems to always be stuck in second gear. Anxious about the wedding, keeping both families’ happy, getting acclimated to a new job – it all seems too much for him, and then the two pals draw him into their tiff.  

Serge is a dermatologist, Marc an aeronautical engineer and Yvan, well, he’s not really one with a ‘career’ – he just started working for his future father-in-law in the stationery business.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Ben Ritchie, Stephen Peirick and Jeremy Goldmeier in “Art” at Stray Dog Theatre. Photo by John Lamb.

The subjective debate turns into ugly confrontations that devolve into personal attacks, questioning the meaning of friendship and the definition of art. Their opinions – perhaps over-sharing but doubling down on how they feel – cause immediate fractures. Can respect and trust be restored or will the fallout be too much to overcome?

The dialogue is intricate and brings out each character’s distinctive personalities. As mud is flung, the play still retains some good zingers after 27 years.

All Stray Dog regulars, Peirick, Ritchie and Goldmeier settle into a rhythm that reflects their ease of working with each other.

This clever and humorous work by Yasmina Reza, a master at delving into contemporary foibles and a sharp observer of human behavior, was written in 1994.

Christopher Hampton translated it into English. He won an Oscar this past April for adapting another French playwright, Florian Zeller, into a screenplay for the British film, “The Father.”

“Art” opened on Broadway in 1998 after successful runs in Paris and London, winning the Tony Award for Best Play. It starred Alan Alda (Marc), Victor Garber (Serge) and Alfred Molina (Yvan, Tony nominee).

Reza also wrote “God of Carnage,” which won a Tony Award for Best Play in 2009. That show was produced by Stray Dog Theatre in 2015 and featured Peirick.

Re-emerging after a 16-month coronavirus public health crisis, Stray Dog Theatre has chosen well to begin producing shows again for a live audience.

In a wise stroke during these pandemic times, Artistic Director Gary F. Bell moved the production outside at their usual venue, the Tower Grove Abbey. On the lawn is limited, socially distanced seating, and masks are required (city mandate).

The bare-bones outdoor stage, with scenic design by Josh Smith, features two couches to represent the flats of Serge and Yvan – and of course, artwork, relying on its trio of accomplished actors to focus the action on their nimble wordplay.  

Longtime lighting designer Tyler Duenow handled those duties and Justin Been, associate artistic director, provided his usual stellar sound design with acumen for appropriately selected music

The dialogue is challenging, and the actors must shift tones, delivery and their body language while staying true to the characters, no easy feat. The trio hit their stride – despite after such a long absence from the stage – and retain the play’s acid bite.

Goldmeier is splendid at portraying a sad sack trying to avoid confrontation and scrutiny. It’s obviously not his day, week, month or even year. His emotional fragility and near-meltdown are played for laughs, and Goldmeier adroitly handles the mood swings – and his complicated monologues.

Peirick conveys the tightly wound traits of Marc, while Ritchie delivers a nuanced portrait of a sophisticate, holding his ground about his beliefs and acquisitions.

Marc will go on to question everything – including choice of restaurant for dinner — mostly in a sarcastic, irritated tone. It’s clear that Serge thinks he is intellectually superior to his friends, and more cultured, while Yvan has valued their companionship, especially in light of his messier life.

Keenly in tune with the material and his actors’ capabilities, Bell has smoothly directed the show.

“Art” is a provocateur, questioning our thoughts on art, relationships and modern society. It’s a refreshing conversation starter for anyone craving intellectual stimulation and presented in a safe setting for an evening of entertainment.

Stephen Peirick, Ben Ritchie in “Art.” Photo by John Lamb.

“Art” runs about 90 minutes without intermission. The Stray Dog Theatre presentation is Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Aug. 5-21, with an additional performance on Sunday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m., outdoors on the lawn at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue. The seating pods of 2 and 4, for only 40 guests, will be filled from front to back, in guest arrival order, starting a half hour before curtain.  For tickets or more information: straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

All staff and crew will be wearing masks. Actors will not be wearing masks but are required to be vaccinated to work at Stray Dog Theatre. All guests, vaccinated or not, are asked to wear masks now that a city mandate is in effect.

FYI – Four of the remaining seven shows are sold out.

Bright and Cheery ‘Vivo’ Pops with Personality, Catchy Latin Beats

Bright and Cheery ‘Vivo’ Pops with Personality, Catchy Latin Beats

By Lynn Venhaus
A vibrant mix of bright colors and snappy Latin beats, the animated musical adventure “Vivo” pops with personality.

Set in Havana, Miami and the Everglades, this computer-generated effort from Sony Pictures Animation features multi-level humor and a cadre of lively characters to amuse. Most delightful is how it will tug on your heartstrings, and does so genuinely, not in a manipulative way.

Vivo, a Cuban kinkajou — a tropical rainforest mammal in the same family as a raccoon, known as a ‘honey bear,” spends his days playing music to the Plaza Vieja crowds in Havana with his beloved owner Andres. 

The elderly Andres, once part of a musical duo with Marta Sandoval, receives a letter from the now-famous singer inviting him to her farewell concert in Miami. She wants to reconnect, and she is his ‘the one that got away.’ Vivo’s mission is  to deliver a love letter to Marta, reluctantly teaming up with Gabi, an energetic tween who bounces to the beat of her own offbeat drum.

At its heart is the incomparable Lin-Manuel Miranda, voicing Vivo with customary charm. He wrote the tuneful score, a captivating swirl of salsa beats, peppy percussion, rap lyrics and emotion-filled ballads.

The much-honored Miranda, whose first animated musical was Disney’s “Moana,” brings his trademark energy and unmistakable writing style to this work, with such memorable songs as “Keep the Beat” and “My Own Drum” playing on a loop in your head post-viewing.

Vivo’s look, with a jaunty little hat and scarf, adds to the character’s appeal, and the other characters he meets along his journey are just as vivid. Because of circumstances, the rapping, flute-playing, music-loving creature reluctantly teams up with Gabi, a spirited maverick tween, with purple hair and a quirky wardrobe, who soon wins over all the outsiders of the world.

Newcomer Ynairaly Simo shines as Gabi, and the voice cast is well-suited for their roles. Gloria Estefan is diva Marta Sandoval, dazzling in shimmering aqua; Zoe Saldana is Rosa, Gabi’s exasperated mother; and Latin musician Juan de Marcos González is Vivo’s kind owner Andres.

In Key West, amid the blazing hot pinks and cool aqua tones, we​ ​find the goofy spoonbill Dancarino, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, and in the dark and foreboding Everglades, Michael Rooker is effectively creepy as the villainous python Lutador.

Co-directors Kirk DeMicco, creator of “The Croods,” and Brandon Jeffords, known for his work on “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” “Hotel Transylvania 2” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2,” put the characters through vigorous paces and propel the action logically through a zippy 99 minutes.

While this might not be as ground-breaking as Sony’s Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” or this year’s outstanding “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” “Vivo” has plenty of pizzazz to entertain. 

It’s visually attractive, capturing the tropical feel – and notable is a funny sequence with pink flamingos. Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins was a visual consultant.

The screenplay, by DeMicco and “In the Heights” co-writer Quiara Alegría Hudes, with story by Peter Barsocchini, of “High School Musical” fame, has smartly created emotional bonds between the characters and injected humor in a natural way.

In animation, next up for golden-boy Miranda is Disney’s “Encanto,” out Nov. 24, featuring his music and lyrics. Indeed, his future is bright.

But as for the present, his winning combination of voicing Vivo and writing the uplifting music and lyrics is one of the summer’s sweetest smiles.

“Vivo” is a 2021 animated musical from Sony Pictures Animation co-directed by Kirk DeMicco and Brandon Jeffords. Voice work is by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ynairaly Simo, Zoe Saldana and Gloria Estefan. It’s rated PG for some thematic elements and mild action and has a run time of 1 hour, 39 minutes. It is streaming on Netflix beginning Aug. 6. Lynn’s Grade: B+


Gloria Estefan as Marta Sandoval

Weird, hypnotic ‘Annette’ Peers Into a Dark Abyss About Love and Fame

Weird, hypnotic ‘Annette’ Peers Into a Dark Abyss About Love and Fame

By Lynn Venhaus
My first thought was “What did I just see?” Then, “How am I going to put this into words?”

In present-day Los Angeles, Henry (Adam Driver) is a comedian/performance artist with a shock act who is in love with his opposite, Ann (Marion Cotillard), a beloved and beautiful opera singer. Always in the spotlight, their passion is lived out loud. They have a child together, Annette, a prodigy who can sing like her mother and becomes famous too.

Over time, I predict that “Annette” will gain a cult following and be debated in cinematic circles. For now, this unconventional film is a strange experience, haunting and disturbing –yet there is a willingness to applaud the artists’ ambition at work here.

People involved in this production have renowned reputations for beating to their own drummers. Visionary director Leos Carax, responsible for the strangest film I have ever seen, “Holy Motors” in 2012, an indescribable mix with nods to David Lynch and Guillermo del Toro, took the reins here. He recently won Best Director for “Annette” at the Cannes Film Festival.

Both his films have a trippy hallucinatory quality, although “Holy Motors” is more of a fever dream while “Annette” is akin to a nightmare.

The melodramatic story about love, passion and fame is from the idiosyncratic Sparks Brothers, aka Ron and Russell Mael, two of the most original musicians still at work 50 years later. They never want to repeat themselves, and as film students years ago, they have had a desire to make a film for years.

In the recent documentary about them, their fondness for the French New Wave of the late 1950s is mentioned and how it has influenced their work, which you can see here. For this film, they wrote the music and Russell wrote the screenplay.

This collaboration between eccentric artists would seem to mesh, but this appears disjointed in a brash, intended style and is too bizarre to embrace. It has the vibe of an experimental film, theater of the absurd and a pop opera concept album. Don’t seek answers to your questions because whatever you find mysterious will stay that way.

“Annette” begins with the cast and crew singing the earworm “So May We Start,” with Russell leading and Ron on keyboard, as the cast and crew morph into their duties by the number’s end on the streets of L.A. – Driver and Cotillard turn into Henry and Ann, the star-crossed lovers central to this grand operatic spectacle. This song’s a foreshadowing of the fine line between reality and fiction that the movie addresses with its alternative reality, hyper-reality appearance.

And off we go into a dark abyss. Suffice it to say it will be one wild ride, one you won’t soon forget.

As the famous couple, Driver’s and Cotillard’s characters in the public eye and the paparazzi are obsessed with them.

They are dubbed “Beauty and the Bastard.” Henry McHenry’s act is as an angry, aggressive, defiant man who antagonizes his audience, with back-up singers on stage. She is a world-renowned soprano, revered for her voice and ethereal beauty.

Henry’s self-destructive obsession, jealousy, resentment and massive ego are harmful to their relationship, especially when his career starts spiraling downward. His hostility eventually turns off his audiences. Ann, however, is a celebrity darling. Their lives are a crazy cyclone, comparable to the familiar “A Star Is Born” plot, which you know won’t end happily ever after.

They have a daughter, Annette, who is physically manifested by doll puppets. She will become a singing sensation with something to say. The wooden marionette is creepy.

Simon Helberg, who starred on TV’s “The Big Bang Theory” for 12 seasons and played the delusional singer’s accompanist in “Florence Foster Jenkins,” is a character only called The Conductor. He and Ann had a brief relationship before Henry, and he still carries the torch. He gives a passionate performance, demonstrating he has more range than we’ve seen before.

This world becomes more surrealistic, with blurred lines. But it does have hypnotic visuals.

While Driver has the showier, more ferocious role, he and Cotillard are both mesmerizing performers. She won an Oscar as Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose,” and has played a variety of emotionally complex roles since 2008. Her authenticity and earnestness inhabit every character. What’s so appealing in Ann is lightyears from Driver’s dour character.

It’s such a treat to see Cotillard on screen that it’s disappointing she hasn’t more to do.

Driver immerses himself so completely in every role that you can’t pin down his work, but his emotional honesty has always resonated. As the career-focused director in “A Marriage Story,” and as the commitment-phobe Adam in HBO’s “Girls,” he has not been afraid to be unsympathetic and venture into the negatives. Dude, he killed his father in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”! (Spoiler alert for a 6-year-old movie).

Next to Kylo Ren, this is the deepest dive into darkness yet. He tears it up as a mad man, an unchecked out-of-control bad boy. There seems to have been potential for a more interesting film that could have been developed about such a guy.

But the actors can only take a film so far if the material is thin and not fully developed, at least in a typical narrative way.

And there’s no way the gloom and doom can be lightened. Do not expect a traditional musical format – there are no optimistic song-and-dance numbers comparable to “Another Day of Sun” in “La La Land” or “Life’s a Happy Song” in “The Muppets.” Think of the major tragic operas, conjuring up as much pain and suffering as possible through big arias.

The film is certain to bring up the age-old conundrum – What is art? What does it all mean? And does it mean anything’?

We can understand, however, its take on bleak romance and drawbacks on fame as it rages about toxic masculinity. You don’t need a degree in Fellini to figure these things out.

However, the sung dialogue and repetitive songs are not strong enough to make us care more or enhance the plot, like “La La Land” did with its focus on two career trajectories.

“Annette” is a confounding, confusing, peculiar work that will be one of the most polarizing of the year. It is a difficult story to pin down, and perhaps on repeated viewings, more meaning can be unlocked – or not.

“Annette” is a 2021 musical directed by Leos Carax and starring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg. It is Rated R for sexual content including some nudity, and for language and the runtime is 2 hours and 20 minutes. The movie is in theaters on Aug. 6 and streaming on Amazon Prime beginning Aug. 20. Lynn’s Grade: C.

Crowd-pleasing ‘The Sound of Music’ Delivers Comfort and Joy at Muny

Crowd-pleasing ‘The Sound of Music’ Delivers Comfort and Joy at Muny

By Lynn Venhaus

This much I know is true: “The Sound of Music,” created during the golden age of musicals — (and the reason it’s referred to as a golden period is crystal clear), is such a crowd-pleaser that it will never fall out of favor.

The Muny’s latest creation of the evergreen 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic drew 7,847 on opening night, and you could feel the joy in the air. With the arrival of Alpine weather in St. Louis, it was also a pleasurable experience outdoors.

By the time Bryonha Marie Parham, as Mother Abbess, finished her powerful and poignant rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” which closed the first act, the crowd leapt to its feet with thunderous applause. At curtain call, a hearty standing ovation began early and when Kate Rockwell, radiant as the sunny Maria Rainer, took her bow, the cheers were deafening.

The tension-filled book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, based on the real-life story of widowed Captain von Trapp of the Austrian Navy, his budding romance with governess Maria, who cares for and tutors his seven children, and how they flee after the Third Reich takeover of their country in 1938, provides dramatic and emotional depth.

Through this last collaboration of influential composers Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, they’ve integrated some of their best songs — The Sound of Music boasts their most popular hits – to guarantee widespread appeal. Then, add the iconic Oscar-winning 1965 film, which cemented its place in pop culture history.

This is the 11th time in 57 years that the Muny favorite has been presented in Forest Park, and the first since 2010. The experienced creative team has honored the beloved musical by not varying from a traditional approach – why mess with a time-honored story or the lush score?  and the lush score but keeping it fresh with rising talent and new outlooks.

Freshened up with rising talent and new outlooks, Director Matt Kunkel has capably emphasized the show’s major arcs of love, faith and courage.

Music Director Ben Whiteley smoothly conducts the velvety string-laden score, reminding everyone why we know all the words and music to “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss” and the title song.

Elizabeth Teeter and Andrew Alstat. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

With many exceptional voices, the ensemble comfortably handles some of the most enduring standards in the American theater.

While some casts are more dynamic than others in Muny productions, striking a delicate balance in tone with nuns and Nazis, the women lead the way here.

And not just on stage, but behind-the-scenes. For the first time in Muny history, Shelby Loera is the lead lighting designer on a show. In 103 seasons. Bravo for breaking that ceiling!

Caite Hevner took charge of the video design and Beth Crandall choreographed the sophisticated party dances and the peppy kids’ numbers. Paige Hathaway was the scenic designer, using the new trees as a backdrop.

Costumes were designed by Tristan Raines, a familiar fashionista at the Muny, and the wedding scene finery was a standout.

As usual, the von Trapp children steal the show. You expect the actors playing Liesl (Elizabeth Teeter), Friedrich (Victor de Paula Rocha), Louisa (Amelie Lock), Kurt (Parker Dzuba), Brigitta (Jillian Depke), Marta (Abby Hogan) and Gretl (Kate Scarlett Kappel) to be endearing, but these kids are not only supremely talented but project professionalism on stage.

And they harmonize beautifully – especially their fun “The Lonely Goatherd” number during a frightening thunderstorm and the always special “So Long, Farewell.”

As the eldest girl, Teeter, daughter of local theater legend Lara Teeter, demonstrated that she is a poised and polished performer wise in years.

She has appeared on Broadway with Helen Mirren in “The Audience” and as Jane Banks in “Mary Poppins,” not to mention cute-friendly roles at the Muny, including Flounder in “The Little Mermaid” and Gretl in the 2010 “The Sound of Music.”

An accomplished dramatic actress, she can be seen as fragile Laura in “The Glass Menagerie” at the Tennessee Williams Festival in St. Louis Aug. 19-29.

With their clear confident voices, Teeter and Andrew Alstat, as Rolf, deliver a strong “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” Unfortunately, she is saddled with an unrealistic-looking brown wig, an odd choice, which overwhelms her face.

Kate Rockwell, von Trapp children, Michael Hayden. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Another distraction is that Michael Hayden does not fit the Captain von Trapp role as we’ve become accustomed to over the years –typically imposing and dashing. A Tony nominee for “Judgment at Nuremberg,” who also has Shakespeare credits, Hayden obviously is a noteworthy performer, but something was “off,” and he certainly didn’t click with Rockwell like Georg and Maria should. (I wondered if he was ill? There is usually an underlying reason.). He seemed tentative in spots and wasn’t comfortable with the guitar on “Edelweiss.”

In addition, his suits appeared ill-fitting and the coat of his dress uniform he wore at the wedding was way too long. This is a rare misfire from the Muny costume shop, normally known for their crisp tailoring.

He’s not the worst Captain von Trapp I’ve seen. That distinction goes to the wooden and unprepared George Peppard, yeah the guy in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” in 1982. However, I have heard that “Dallas” star Ken Kercheval tops that list in a 1993 version, where he had to use the book.

Costumes were designed by Tristan Raines, a familiar fashionista at the Muny, and the wedding scene finery was a standout.

Two bright spots are fan favorites Jenny Powers and John Scherer. The elegant and statuesque Powers glides across the stage as Elsa Schraeder, also known as the Baroness, and has a lovely duet, “How Can Love Survive?” with Scherer as Max, the cynical impresario.

The pair are an effortless match. Powers has been one of the Muny’s most durable leading ladies – as “Mary Poppins,” Morticia in “The Addams Family,” Abigail Adams in “1776,” Tanya in “Mamma Mia!” and Guinevere in “Camelot,” to name a few.

Scherer, known for his impeccable comic timing, has been in “Kinky Boots,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Spamalot” and “The Addams Family.”

Fine supporting work is carried out by David Hess as the dutiful butler Franz and St. Louis actors Michael James Reed as the imperious and threatening SS officer Herr Zeller, Leah Berry as skeptical head of the postulants Sister Margaretta, April Strelinger as stern housekeeper Frau Schmidt, and versatile Jerry Vogel doing triple duty as the officiating priest at the wedding, Baron Elberfeld and Admiral von Schreiber.

But the show belongs to the delightful Rockwell, so memorable in “Tarzan” and “Beauty and the Beast” during the past decade. She’s a bona fide star, pitch perfect as the spunky and big-hearted Maria. It’s a graceful and winning performance that easily captured the audience’s heart.

Whether it’s a fond childhood memory or a family favorite passed down through generations, “The Sound of Music” pleased the theatergoers ready to be enchanted.

Its inspiration was intact, too – go climb those mountains!

Photo by Phillip Hamer

“The Sound of Music” runs Aug. 3-9 at the Muny outdoor stage in Forest Park. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online at muny.org or by calling 314-361-1900, ex. 1550.

The remaining shows of the 2021 season are Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Aug. 12 – 18), On Your Feet! (Aug. 21 – 27) and Chicago (Aug. 30 – Sept. 5). Emerson is the season sponsor. For more information, visit muny.org. 

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

Jenny Powers and John Scherer. Photo by Phillip Hamer

Max and Louie’s ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ Resonates In Mighty Waves

Max and Louie’s ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ Resonates In Mighty Waves

By Lynn Venhaus

Heart-tugging and hopeful, “Tiny Beautiful Things” strikes universal chords as it reverberates through a darkened theater.

Now playing at The Grandel, the deeply personal journeys of people who cared enough to reach out to another human, to make that connection in cyberspace, even when they were confused or desperate or sad or angry, will smack you upside your head, resonate emotionally, and may elicit a few tears and some smiles – if you let it pull you in (and why resist?).

Perhaps listening to four people be vulnerable will prompt the proverbial light bulb to come on, illuminating what’s going on in your life. Or by hearing about others’ experiences, you will be comforted too.

The well-worn themes of love and loss provide perspective in this adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling self-help book, served up by Nia Vardalos with sprinklings of humor and heaping amounts of compassion. This is not your mom’s yellowed Ann Landers’ clippings.

“Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar” was published in 2012, a collection of essays from Strayed’s “Dear Sugar” advice column, which she wrote anonymously on The Rumpus, an online literary magazine. She took it over from her friend, Steve Almond, in 2010. The book also includes essays not previously published.

With a nudge from director Thomas Kail, who was given the book by journalist Marshall Heyman, Vardalos conceived it as a play, mixing in the author’s memoir along with the dating advice and grieving support.

It premiered at The Public Theater in December 2016, starring Vardalos as Sugar and three actors playing various e-mail letter writers, directed by Tony Award-winner and Emmy nominee Kail (“Hamilton,” “In the Heights,” “Fosse/Verdon”), and a revised version returned the next year.

The story’s framework is simple: The writer dispenses words of wisdom, an understanding achieved after many battles of her own, and because she is willing to expose herself to strangers, they in turn disclose their inner-most thoughts and feelings.

With such candid material to work with, producing artistic director Stellie Siteman and managing director De Kaplan knew it was the right choice for their company, Max and Louie Productions, to return with after a harsh 16 months that has changed us all.

Because we endured a pandemic period filled with isolation and self-reflection about our own lives, being with others post-coronavirus quarantine reinforces what we all know but need to be reminded about: We are not alone.

Even with the best of intentions, this could come across very Hallmark cards-like, reducing sentiments to those home décor signs urging us to “Forgive and Forget” or “Live Laugh Love,” but Vardalos and Strayed are too smart to settle for repeating platitudes, as are the women involved in this production.

Vardalos struck gold writing and starring in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” two decades ago, earning an Oscar nomination in 2003, and Strayed, who was a troubled soul trying to come to terms with her past and present through a 1,100-mile hike in 1995, published that life-changing trek in the 2012 bestseller “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.” Both are grounded women who have achieved success representing their own lives so authentically, which is the foundation here.

Director Sydnie Grosberg Ronga understood the challenges of this piece and did not embellish it with any unnecessary frills. She approached the play in a straightforward and sincere manner, which is affecting and skillfully presented by this veteran cast, anchored with authority by Michelle Hand.

Greg Johnson and Michelle Hand. Photo by Patrick Huber

The creative team’s collaboration is subtle. The minimal scenic design by master of detail Dunsi Dai suits the intent. Ronga moved, with purpose, the actors around furniture that represents their characters’ homes – including a couch, a bed, a desk and a table. Everything appears lived in, with key items placed by props designer Katie Orr, and exudes a comfortable atmosphere, accented by lighting designer extraordinaire Patrick Huber. Costume designer Eileen Engel selected casual outfits appropriate to the roles.

Two large panels rise above – are those windows to the soul? Hmmm…This isn’t supposed to resemble a psychiatrist’s office, and the set intriguingly widens the reach while narrowing the focus.

As letter writers, versatile stage actors Greg Johnston, Wendy Renee Greenwood and Abraham Shaw strike different tones as they reveal what their assorted characters are looking for or what has defined each of their lives.

As the human faces of email exchanges, they present their questions and responses in a natural way, becoming a de facto support system and sounding board. One of Johnston’s characters blurts out WTF several times, amusing the audience with such a declaration. (The play contains some strong language and adult content).

As Sugar, Hand wrestles with confidence and her conscience, showing the growth of Cheryl and depicting the raw honesty for which the writer is known. That draws the other characters in, and us, too.

Writers are often hard to portray, especially typing at a computer, for the work is such an internal process — unless there are major conflicts. With this format, we don’t follow the 80-minute show like regular storytelling — nor does it reach a dramatic conclusion – but is moving nonetheless.

What makes this so touching then? Could it be as plain as seeking meaning while we find our way, holding on to ideals and keeping faith that things will turn out all right? Or it’s OK to say we aren’t OK? Because having lived through the uncertainty and anxiety of a public health crises, something we are still processing, this performance on Friday night seemed as warm as your grandma’s chunky hand-knit afghan and as familiar as a hug from a cherished loved one.

Strayed doesn’t profess to have all the answers, nor does she say she can fix everybody and everything. But by offering examples of her struggles, exposing herself so openly, somehow, we come out of the dark and into the light. It’s that simple, but that profound.

Hand approaches each role so genuinely that you believe whatever situation she is going through, whether she is Tami, the exasperated mother of an autistic son in “Falling” at Mustard Seed Theatre; Toril Grandal, a cook serving her family’s special pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream to world leaders, in “Oslo” at The Rep; or the broken-hearted lesbian artist Pickles in “Life Sucks” at New Jewish Theatre.

She is best at bringing the humanity out in her characters, real people portraits — (cases in point, Maggie Dalton in St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “Into the Breeches!”, who discovers her mettle while her husband is fighting in World War II, St. Louis Theater Circle Best Actress in a Comedy Award 2019; and innocent Rose Mundy, the intellectually challenged sister in “Dancing at Lughnasa” at Mustard Seed).

Anyone with a heart – lonely, heavy, hungry, normal – can relate to the personal stories shared. In a world where empathy seems to be in short supply, this work restores the belief that we get to carry each other, and through that, the broken can be healed.

If you crave the intimacy and insight that live theater can supply, “Tiny Beautiful Things” will reward you.

Wendy Renee Greenwood, Michelle Hand and Abraham Shaw. Photo by Patrick Huber

“Tiny Beautiful Things” is presented without intermission at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in St. Louis, from July 29 to Aug. 8. Performances are at 2 p.m. on Aug. 1 and 8; at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 4 and 5, and at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 6 and 7.

Tickets are on sale at www.metrotix.com or by phone at 314-534-1111 or at the box office an hour before curtain. Socially distanced reserved seating is restricted to groups of 2 and 4 consecutive seats, and booth seating is available for groups of 4 and 6. Masks are required.

Max & Louie Productions has received its Missouri ArtSafe certification. To ensure that they may create safely, present safely, and attend safely, they pledge to Covid-19 safe protocols which patrons are encouraged to view at Max & Louie Productions’ website at www.maxandlouie.com.

Johnson and Blunt Elevate the Silly Escapist Disney ‘Jungle Cruise’

Johnson and Blunt Elevate the Silly Escapist Disney ‘Jungle Cruise’

By Lynn Venhaus
“Jungle Cruise” is junk, as plastic as those animatronic animals and plants that are part of theme park rides.

This big-budget movie, based on Disneyland’s theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles, adding a supernatural element, has been in development and turn-around for years, so what audiences are getting is a movie patched together and written by a committee.

A hodgepodge of other – and better – movies, this Disney action-adventure really wants to be “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Throw in nods to “Pirates of the Caribbean,” another movie based on a Disney ride, “Lost City of Z” and “The Mummy,” and the experience is derivative, not special.

The film’s saving grace is its two leads, Dwayne Johnson, aka “The Rock,” as Frank Wolff, a con artist riverboat captain with a penchant for puns and a hardened heart, and Emily Blunt as headstrong botanist Dr. Lily Houghton, whose altruistic nature leads her on a search through the Amazon to find “Tears of the Moon,” a plant cure-all so that she can heal the sick.

The story is part of a larger mythology that involves Spanish conquistadors and a whole lot of snakes, with cartoonish melodramatic villains eager to wreak havoc as they lust for world domination.

Likeable and charming on their own, Johnson and Blunt have an easy chemistry paired together, although it appears more platonic than romantic. As ordained in this opposites-attract framework, they tussle and the snappy banter is comical – he calls her “Pants” and she calls him “Skippy.”

Their feisty-but-familiar relationship is reminiscent of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in “Romancing the Stone” (1984 — really fun, check it out) and the Oscar-winning classic “The African Queen” featuring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn (1951 – magical).

The plucky Lily has brought along her dandy brother, MacGregor, well-played by Jack Whitehall. In a stunning development, although played for laughs, this gay character comes out to the cynical Frank.

In a bit of odd casting, Jesse Plemons plays the obnoxious and lethal Prince Joachim (refer back to the Nazis in “Raiders.” Connected to Kaiser Wilhelm, for it is set at the start of World War I, the evil German progeny is maniacal and hell-bent on power.

Another head-scratcher is barely-in-it Paul Giamatti as a greedy boss, using a thick Italian stereotype accent that’s rather offensive.

The characters are broadly written. Three screenwriters, Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, cobbled together this throwback caper, with the stars injecting some heart and humor, along with the requisite derring-do and danger.

Other than briefly pointing out the obvious misogyny and homophobia of that early 20th century era in King George V England, the film shies away from anything deeper. It does, after all, have roots in a Disneyland tourist excursion. But at least it shows the haughtiness of the male-dominated scientific establishment at that time.

There is a supernatural element that might not be suitable for young children, hence the PG-13 rating. Dark and frightening sequences involve reptiles, ghosts, poison darts and grotesque deaths.

The movie’s focus is on action, and while it zips along once you get past the ancient set-up, 2 hours, 7 minutes seems far too long for this excursion.

Director Jaume Collet-Serra, who made the generic Liam Neeson action movies “The Commuter,” “Non-Stop” and “Run All Night,” knows how to blow things up. He favors quick cuts, which can be traced to his music video-TV commercials background.

Like most summer blockbuster escapism, the film’s main purpose is to string together explosions and other big stunt pieces on land and water.

And the caves. waterfalls and lush landscapes are gorgeously shot by cinematographer Flavio Martínez Labiano. He has imbued an old-fashioned look, not unlike early “Tarzan” movies and Saturday morning serials.

The production design carries that through as well. Designer Jean-Vincent Puzos, who did “The Lost City of Z,” knows his way around dusty museums and mysterious civilizations. Most impressive is a massive stone structure rising out of the water.

But the CGI is so obvious. I can’t get past the fake-looking bees and not-real pet leopard.

Composer James Newton Howard has ramped up the dramatic swells of music in the manner of the Indiana Jones franchise.

(L-R): Dwayne Johnson as Frank Wolff, Emily Blunt as Lily Houghton and Jack Whitehall as MacGregor Houghton in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Without the jolly fun of watching Blunt and Johnson wriggle out of tough situations and give some spark to their green-screen acting, the slick “Jungle Cruise” would be just another visual effects-heavy escapade that we have seen many times before.

“Jungle Cruise” is a 2021 action adventure fantasy romantic comedy directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Édgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti and Veronica Falcón. It has a 2 hour, 7 minute runtime and is rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure violence. It opened in theaters and streaming on Disney Plus (premium access) on July 30. Lynn’s Grade: C+

Despite Damon’s Efforts, Vague and Implausible ‘Stillwater’ Runs Dry

Despite Damon’s Efforts, Vague and Implausible ‘Stillwater’ Runs Dry

By Lynn Venhaus
A blatant rip-off of the sensational Amanda Knox student exchange murder case, the morally ambiguous “Stillwater” wants us to care about people not worth the investment.

That’s the biggest problem that this film can’t recover from – and a lack of redemption will leave an audience dissatisfied.  Because of a misleading trailer, this 2-hour and 20-minute film is not what one expects and when it falls apart in the third act, a huge letdown.

A father, unemployed oil rig worker Bill Baker (Matt Damon), travels from Oklahoma to France to help his estranged daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), a student who is in prison for a murder she claims she didn’t commit. This is intense, but not action-driven like “Taken,” and while the romance is reminiscent of Robert Duvall’s Oscar winner, “Tender Mercies,” it begins to overshadow the central storyline.

“Life is brutal” is the disingenuous daughter’s deep thought about going through tough times. Well, duh. Doesn’t take Jean-Paul Sartre to figure that out.

At odds are the two main storylines – writer-director Tom McCarthy can’t decide on the focus, so it winds up feeling unfinished and lacks cohesiveness. Pick a lane – is this a vigilante hunt for the real killer thriller or is it a late-in-life romance and daddy do-over for a good old boy?

Three other screenwriters – Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain, who wrote the gripping French prison drama “A Prophet,” and Noe Debre – are credited, so no wonder it’s uneven.

Is the resemblance to the Knox case intentional? To refresh, the murder of her roommate took place in Italy in 2007 and the Italian Supreme Court overturned her conviction in 2015.

The French setting adds other layers besides the language barrier, which are interesting points to include. McCarthy, responsible for two exceptional fish-out-of-water films, “The Visitor” in 2008 and “The Station Agent” in 2003, knows how to craft an endearing character study featuring disparate individuals that fate has brought together.

This doesn’t measure up, which is so disappointing because McCarthy won an Oscar for writing “Spotlight,” which deservedly won Best Picture in 2016, one of the most important films of the decade.

Absent the sheen of a noble cause, “Stillwater” is a frustrating effort without a point.

Abigail Breslin, Oscar nominee for “Little Miss Sunshine,” is not convincing as the smart American lesbian who wanted to get far away from her troubled life in Stillwater, Okla., and wound up in a student exchange program in Marseille, a port city is southern France. She fell in love with Lina, a French-Arab student, and they moved in together.

However, Lina cheated on Allison with other people, and one night, she is found stabbed to death. Neither the press nor the courts had any sympathy for Allison, now serving her fourth year of a nine-year sentence.

Her estranged father, Bill, Damon in a redneck aw-shucks mode, arrives from France to help.  At first, he is bankrolled by Allison’s maternal grandmother Sharon (Tony Award winner Deanna Dunagan of “The Visit”), whose health won’t allow her to travel, but later, he gets construction work.

Sharon raised Allison after Bill’s wife, her daughter, committed suicide. This is glossed over, and the screenplay suffers from a lack of key information.

Apparently, Bill’s been messing up his whole life. He has served time too, for an undisclosed felony. No longer drinking, he is trying to be the dad he wasn’t while Allison was growing up. He takes it upon himself to investigate the case, arranging to meet locals who may know something.

His daughter has asked her lawyers to re-open the case because someone overheard a guy at a party claiming he did it, and in her letter to attorney Leparq, indicates she doesn’t trust her father. She has a deep resentment – but again, it’s not explored.

Because the main characters are extremely dysfunctional, it would have been nice to have some context.

Which leads us into the story’s secondary plot (or is it?) – Bill bonds with a single mother, Virginie (Camille Cottin), and her 9-year-old daughter, Maya (a wondrous Lilou Siauvand).

The kind, helpful woman, a French stage actress and activist, becomes his interpreter, then savior as a roommate and eventually, lover. Cottin is appealing and Siauvand, as her sweet daughter, is the scene-stealer.

Not unlike Amy Adams in the woefully misguided “Hillbilly Elegy,” Damon tries his mightiest to breathe humanity into a deeply flawed ordinary Joe trying to make up for past mistakes.

Despite Damon’s efforts immersing himself into the role with vigor, Breslin’s limited emotional depth and a wobbly defense propel this film off the rails. The slow pace doesn’t help it either.

Missed opportunities and miscasting make “Stillwater” a disheartening watch. It’s comparable to an extended “Law & Order” episode or a true-crime Lifetime movie, and I expected much more.

“Stillwater” is a 2021 drama directed by Tom McCarthy and starring Matt Damon, Abigail Breslin, Camille Cottin and Lilou Siauvand. Rated R for language, the film’s run time is 2 hours, 20 minutes. It opened in theatres on July 30. Lynn’s Grade: C-.