Copyright The Mercury News
A compelling World War II drama and surprising take on an oft-overlooked American president top our reviews this week. Here’s the roundup. “Nuremberg”: Old-fashioned storytelling that spotlights an important historical event and also serves as a needed reminder to not let history repeat itself might be considered passe in some quarters. But there is a welcome space for intelligent, epic filmmaking that entertains and sounds a warning bell. James Vanderbilt’s World War II-era film does both quite capably. Based on Jack El-Hai’s book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist,” “Nuremberg” concentrates on the interactions between confident Army psychiatrist Lt. Col. Douglas Kelley (Oscar winner Rami Malek) and Hitler’s slithery-as-an-eel right-hand man Hermann Göring (Oscar winner Russell Crowe). Vanderbilt pins this tension-filled dramatization around Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson’s (Michael Shannon) groundbreaking judicial chess move to gather a group of notorious Nazi leaders and put them on trial for the extermination of 6 million Jews during WWII. Kelley, who has numerous Bay Area ties as director of the San Francisco Psychopathic Hospital and later a UC Berkeley teacher and criminologist for the Berkeley Police, is tasked with determining whether Göring, who vigorously claims he knew nothing about the genocide, is mentally fit to stand trial. The conversations between these men anchor the film and give Crowe an opportunity to show how compelling he can be as an actor when given the right role. Malek, though, overplays his character’s reactions in the end as Kelley realizes that the manipulator he’s been talking to is the personification of evil. The final trial sequence is haunting and serves as a blunt-edged reminder of what uncontrolled fascism is capable of, with its explicit archival images from Nazi extermination camps. Secondary characters such as Shannon’s Jackson and specifically Leo Woodall’s Sgt. Howie Triest, who works alongside Kelley, add muscle to the story. Woodall is given one of the best moments in the film — a quiet, moving scene — and he owns it. “Nuremburg” is long but doesn’t feel like it. It’s a solid film worth noting and heeding. Details: 3½ stars; opens Nov. 7 in theaters. “Death By Lightning”: James Garfield’s brief, tragic stint as the 20th commander and chief receives short shrift in American history classes, shoved to the back burner and accorded casual references about the Ohio Republican’s assassination at the hands of a deluded Charles Guiteau. Creator/writer/executive producer Mike Makowsky (“Bad Education”) and David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (“Game of Thrones” and “3 Body Problem”) counteract that with their rambunctious sprint through what happened and who Garfield was, and have whipped up an entertaining, smart, and, at moments, downright “Drunk History” hilarious series. Michael Shannon transforms into the decent and reluctant presidential nominee who served less than seven months before being shot by Guiteau (Matthew Macfayden), a disillusioned superfan. As played with bravado by Macfadyen, the unhinged Guiteau comes across as a stop-at-nothing opportunist consumed by his overinflated vision of his own significance and purpose. He desperately wants to become famous and his violent act winds up making him forever infamous – not exactly what he was going for. Told in four seamless episodes, “Death By Lightning” isn’t just tossing out details about shooter and victim and the sloppy medical treatment Garfield received, but also highlighting the greedy political shenanigans in this less than altruistic era, all robustly embodied in the super-sneaky, puffed-up form of Chester Arthur (scene-stealer Nick Offerman). He’s a scheming fella of enormous appetites and goes from adversary to becoming Garfield’s surprise running mate before he undergoes an epiphany-like sea change of his own. Using Candice Millard’s 2011 novel “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” as its framework, “Death By Lightning” rousingly entertains and enlightens in equal measures while giving a talented cast some colorful real-life figures to portray while handing them extra-tart dialogue to chew on. It’s one of Netflix’s better series this year. Details: 3½ stars; available Nov. 6 on Netflix. “Christy”: David Michôd’ uncluttered biopic doesn’t try to bend the parameters of what the genre can do, adopting a straight-ahead approach for re-creating the life and career of boxer Christy Martin (played with a raw authenticity by Sydney Sweeney). It’s the right approach. By sticking to a traditional, linear fashion, the “Animal Kingdom” director makes Martin’s journey all that more powerful, inspiring and shocking — with a final sequence that hits so hard you’ll be left staggered and shell-shocked. Born and raised in a conservative West Virginia household, Martin was a gifted, tough athlete from the start. Boxing sort of found her and she went on to win and win. Her queerness, though, was rejected by her parents (Merritt Wever, channeling a withering scorn and a pious look that is cold and unnerving, and Ethan Embry as her conservative father). Martin catches the attention of volatile, squid-like manager/trainer James Martin (Ben Foster in a powder-keg of a performance) whom she later marries and then is abused by. Michôd’s film does suffer from a bloated running time and has some pacing problems, but it makes up for that with a slew of smart moves, such as steering the camera away from domestic abuse and letting the sounds sink in off-camera and occupy our minds. Sweeney all but disappears into the role (she looks and feints like a true boxer) and commands our attention in every scene — particularly in the film’s final act. By the time “Christy” draws to a close you too will be filled with admiration for the real-life Christy Martin. Details: 3½ stars; opens Nov. 7 in theaters. “All Her Fault”: Need your guilty pleasure itch scratched? This overly long (eight episodes, really?) adaptation of novelist Andrea Mara’s thriller might just do the trick. In it, a batch of wealthy Chicago suburbanites one up each other in the wretched behavior department as a child’s welfare hangs in the balance. But a word of advice: Stuff that logical brain in the deep freeze when binging creator Megan Gallagher’s preposterously plotted abduction melodrama. It’s a bit cuckoo. “Succession’s” Sarah Snook is great and makes you feel the ice-cold stab of panic a parent confronts when they realize their child – in this case cute Milo – has gone missing. Marissa’s (Snook) handsome, control-freak hubby (Jake Lacy) offers heaps of blame and not much help otherwise while other parents (Dakota Fanning, Thomas Cocquerel) and family members (Daniel Monks, Abby Elliott) and a business partner (Jay Ellis) and a missing nanny (Sophia Lillis, in a terrific performance) show that hey they too have dark sides. A sharp-shooting detective (Michael Peña) smells many rats at play since these rich folk are hiding scandalous secrets – some that don’t make much sense upon closer inspection. That illogic is part of the guilty fun of “All Her Fault,” which provides a decent enough diversion along the lines of Netflix’s equally star-studded bit of domestic thriller ridiculousness “The Perfect Couple.” Only minus that peppy dance number. Details: 2½ stars; all episodes drop Nov. 6 on Peacock. “I Wish You All the Best”: When a rare non-binary character appears in a film, often they’re saddled with the best friend or a sidekick role – never the star. Director/screenwriter Tommy Dorman’s touching and joyful film gives them a deserved spot at the front of the cinematic table in a sweet, soulful coming-of-age drama. Based on Morgan Deaver’s YA same-titled novel, it lends the mic to nonbinary high school senior Ben (Corey Fogelmanis in a breakout performance) gets kicked out of the family home for coming out and finds their community and a new home elsewhere. The uplifting tale elaborates with sensitivity and realness to Ben’s plight, as they overcome adversity, feel a deep connection with a bisexual friend (Miles Gutierrez-Riley, a bright light here), end up in a supportive home with their long-absent sister (Alexandra Daddario) and her husband (Cole Sprouse) and learn how to be fully true to who they are and shed themself of narrow-minded judgers. It’s certain to make you well up. Lena Dunham is also a hoot as a goofy but kind arts teacher. Details: 3 stars; opens Nov. 7 in area theaters. Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
