3 stars out of 5
Due to crappy weather and even crappier offerings at the box office (which is never really a surprise either after the holidays or in late summer), I had not been to the movies yet in 2014. But I am an unrepentant Cloonephile, so I finally got around to seeing Monuments Men.
You’d think I would’ve seen it earlier. Bill Murray! Matt Damon! A true story about art—I love art! And ooh I hates them Nazis.
So what was holding me back? Well, first, the moviemakers did. Monuments Men was supposed to come out in late 2013, but then the release date was “pushed back.” Despite claims from Clooney that they needed more time to finish the effects, yadda yadda, this is almost never a good sign. It often means that a movie is, you know… crappy.
And then there was one of the trailers. This might be a new trend in coming attractions that I’ve noticed twice recently. I’ll call it the “documentary-style trailer.” The director and stars talk about the movie, the process, the inspiration. The other film that just did this was the spoiler-alert-in-the-title war flick Lone Survivor. My guess is that when traditional trailers are not “testing” well with audiences for movies that might be a “hard sell,” somebody decided that a “behind-the-scenes” look might convince a few more people. To me, it’s just another red flag.
But just when I think that I’m out, Clooney pulls me back in. Of his last 26 movies, I’ve seen 21 of them in the theater, including all his directorial efforts. OK, George, I’m on board—impress me.
And… he kind of does here. And kind of not. It’s not great, it’s not bad. It’s… okay.
We must give Clooney respect for making a movie of an obscure but important story: the real-life search in World War II for great quantities of art stolen by the Germans. And, perhaps sensing that this wasn’t the most commercial of stories, director/co-writer/producer Clooney loads it up with star power. (We also get Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, and that French guy from The Artist.)
But the overall tone seems off. It’s a little too simplified, a little too breezy. It’s almost as if Clooney and Damon wanted to make another Ocean’s Eleven movie but without a Soderbergh to establish quality control. The laughs aren’t funny enough; the poignant bits don’t dig deep enough. The result has sort of a Hogan’s Heroes vibe, complete with some cheap-looking sets.
And the grade-A-minus cast never really gets a chance to shine. Blanchett and Damon’s considerable talents are basically squandered. Murray has a couple of Murray-esque moments. It’s actually Clooney who has the strongest performance, as the moral center of the film: If we don’t protect mankind’s greatest creations—our culture—it’s as if we never existed.
Despite its flaws, Monuments Men is pretty watchable. It goes down easy. You can’t be too upset at any movie where John Goodman plays someone named Walter and Bill Murray gets some pain inflicted by a dentist. And Clooney gives us a really solid ending, including some photos of the real-life Monuments Men over the credits. Which reminds you what a worthwhile story this is.
I love you for appreciating ” La Clooney”. Even when he’s not great, let’s face it – he is. I know that I’ll get around to the movie, but I did have the same sinking feeling watching the trailer. I love the work of the cast, but in this case it felt desperate. Who am I kidding, I’m going to watch it and find lots to love about it, because – it’s Clooney!
Thanks Didi! Fun guessing game: Which Clooney movies have i NOT seen in the theater?
Jack: I agree. It was entertaining, but I never got beyond the knowledge that I was watching people tell a story. I never felt like the Nazis were at my doorstep, as I did, when I was 11 with The Sound of Music, and any number of movies since. And—spoiled alert—how come they only killed off the Europeans? Lord Grantham and the Artist. That seemed rather unfair. Cate Blanchett did redeem herself from what I firmly believe was an awful performance in that awful film, Blue Jasmine.
Sue, I agree with everything you said except the Blanchett bit! SiW hereby predicts she will be rewarded on Sunday for her Jasmine portrayal with an OSCAR! I shall return here to gloat or hang my head in shame.