'Almost Holy' Is a Raw, Unfiltered Look at Homeless Youth in Ukraine
In 2013, Steve Hoover's directorial debut Blood Brother premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it went on to win the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. Blood Brother tells the story of American humanitarian Rocky Braat who traveled to a poverty-stricken, HIV-infected orphanage in India determined to give the children a sense of family that they, and himself never had. Now, Hoover is back with another social justice documentary with an even darker tone in Almost Holy, which profiles local Ukrainian pastor Gennadiy Mokhnenko who, unlike Braat, only has to turn to his own backyard to singlehandedly try to solve the rise of homeless and drug-addicted kids.
The film begins in 2012 in the Pilgrim Republic, a children's rehab center started by Gennadiy, and right away we are thrust into the chaotic and messy reality for all who stay there. Children as young as seven and eight have track marks on their tiny, frail arms from heroin, others are dying of blood infections. Most are orphans and those who do have living parents have lost them to a lifestyle consumed by alcohol and drugs. It is a terrible sight made worse by the fact that even earnest attempts to help the children don't cut it. Ambulances are equipt with just bench seats, no oxygen, nor electrical life-saving devices to speak of. Despite all of these odds stacked against him, pastor Gennadiy has bravely committed his life to end child homelessness by any means necessary.
Gennadiy, speaking to the camera in broken English, explains that since the breakout of the Soviet Union, there has been an exponential problem with children living on the streets and in manholes. His tireless efforts are seen during night raids, where Gennadiy and a small team forcibly abduct street kids and take them to the Pilgrim Republic. We watch as desperate children crawl out from trash piles and broken down cars, sewer pipes and gutter shacks. They are transported to the center and given a meal, a shower, and a fresh start. Gennadiy's hope is that these children will get adopted out to loving families. His ultimate goal? To shut down the Pilgrim Republic, to have no use for it anymore. Essentially, to solve the problem of child homelessness in Ukraine.
There are many people who consider him a folk hero, however, he faces adversity from those who call him a "lawless vigilante." He explains that the common attitude toward the issue is "it's not my problem," and so he takes it upon himself to intervene in a kid's dangerous, and potentially deadly, lifestyle. "If I don't," he says with sorrow, "who else will?"
Let me reiterate the intensity of the film by saying this: I watched Almost Holy while eating lunch, and some of the scenes were so intense and explicit, I literally lost my appetite (and ended up tossing my half-eaten chicken breast in the trash). Hoover managed to hook and pull me into the dismal and dark streets of Ukraine so vividly, it is fully captivating. As a filmmaker, that is a wonderful feat– to affect audiences so much that they have a visceral reaction to what they're watching on screen. As a human being, however, it is a hard thing to witness.
Almost Holy, executive produced by Terrence Malik and with a powerful score by Atticus Ross, is a stunning cinematic portrayal of one man's mission to save, but it is hard to stomach (literally). The message is important and Gennadiy is a fantastic narrator, his passion for the children is extremely affecting. Before you watch Almost Holy (which I recommend you do), be mentally prepared for a vivid and raw viewing experience. Personally for me, great films linger in my mind for days after viewing and this is definitely one of those films.
Almost Holy is rated R for disturbing content involving drugs and alcohol, sexual references and language. Opens at the Sundance Sunset on Friday, 5/20 and nationwide 5/27.
'The Lobster' Director Yorgos Lanthimos Talks Intentional Irony [LISTEN]
Yorgos Lanthimos should be on your radar. The 42-year-old director, born in Athens, Greece, is a visionary unlike any other in modern cinema. Bringing strange and surreal worlds to the big screen with such confidence, his past feature films "Dogtooth" and "Alps" have won numerous awards (as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film). "The Lobster" is his third feature film, first in English, and in true Yorgos fashion, he finds the perfect balance between sharp-edged satire and romantic fable in such a way that is such to make "The Lobster" among the best films of 2016. We sat down with Yorgos at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills earlier this week, and we talked about his directing process, Colin Farrell's weight gain, and his on-set nervous breakdown. We begin:
https://soundcloud.com/cinemacy/director-yorgos-lanthimos-talks-the-intentional-irony-in-the-lobster?si=affc9baf59a649a7b93547da6eefec48&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Visually, this film is very loud; I'm wondering what a "Yorgos" script looks like? Do you create mood boards, that include pictures?
Not at all, actually. Our scripts are very sparse and simple. I mean, they don't even have descriptions of the characters or their emotions, what they're going through, etc. They just describe the action and dialogue. The way I like to make films is to take one part of the process at a time. When we're writing the screenplay, I'm very much focused on that and trying to feel confident about it.
I only start making a film when I feel the screenplay is there and I feel confident it can be made into a film. I never think about what it's going to look like, who's going to be in it, where we're going to do it or any of those things. The next step is thinking about what fits this film visually, and what actors can make the characters on the page more complex and interesting. Then it is filming and editing where I make more decisions, I try different kinds of music and find the language there.
Can you talk about the different societies that have very strict rules? Neither place seems like an enjoyable place to live.
That's the thing, I think the irony is that there is not much contrast. What I was interested in is showing the irony of one character who escapes from one system believing that he can be free in a different system. Even the Loners themselves, they're supposedly free because they're going against the system but the irony of it is in order to create this other system they have to have their own rules as well. That ends up being very similarly oppressive. I like that irony. I think it poses questions about whether you are ever free to think or feel the way you want.
"I like that irony. I think it poses questions about whether you are ever free to think or feel the way you want."
How did you choose Colin Farrell?
I always liked Colin. Any actor who can star in In Bruges to A New World to Total Recall has range and can do great things. I like to watch interviews that actors do when I'm thinking about casting to get a different sense of them, apart from their film roles. I saw that he could be someone who could enrich the character.
Did you ask him to put on the weight?
I did! We discussed it the first time we spoke. We met on Skype, and we didn't have much to talk about. I don't like discussing the screenplay too much so we talked more about practical things. He asked me what I thought David looked like. I told him that I thought he would be slightly softer, someone who has lived a long life with his wife and was comfortable. He said, 'Oh yeah I was thinking he could be very thin' because he was trying to avoid putting on weight. I just thought that if he was extremely thin, that would make him feel much more miserable as a character and more depressive.
"I just thought that if he was extremely thin, that would make him feel much more miserable as a character and more depressive."
David initially turns down the proposition from the biscuit lady, even though he only has 45 days to find a mate. What does that say about his character?
He wasn't as desperate at that point but became more desperate later down the line. Then he became so desperate he wasn't playing by the rules anymore. What I've now realized about the film, watching it after we made it, is that he was very offended when Ben Whishaw's character started lying to be with someone. I think that hurt him as a vulnerable and honest character. But in the end, he resorts to that himself.
This film is very bold, there are a lot of unique ideas that have never been seen before. That said, I'm sure there were a lot of challenges in creating the world of The Lobster.
Well, this time around we were creating a bigger world. There was a larger scale that was necessary to achieve. Making films that do not necessarily fit in a box makes it hard to convince people to invest in them. So yeah, that part of the process was hard. For me personally, moving from making very small films in Greece essentially with my friends and having them offer their services or whatever they could to make those films and entering into a more proper film structure meant that I had to work very much like the characters in the film– with very specific rules.
This time, it wasn't as flexible as it was when I was just making films with my friends. On the other hand, there were a lot of benefits coming from it. I was able to work with more means and able to achieve what we wanted to achieve. I was able to work with great actors who were very committed and supportive.
"There were times you would distance yourself from the film and just be like, 'What the hell are we doing?' We had camels walking around, crazy animals..."
What were your most memorable moments from this experience?
I was stressed the whole time. I don't know what to pick, I was having a nervous breakdown the whole time. It's always like that. There were times you would distance yourself from the film and just be like, 'What the hell are we doing?'. We had camels walking around, crazy animals... There were instances like that where we would just start laughing about the situation.
1 h 58 min. Rated R for sexual content including dialogue, and some violence. Now playing in select theaters, including the ArcLight Hollywood.
'The Trust' Is a High-Intensity Joyride
In the new artfully-minded heist film "The Trust," Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood star as a pair of dirty cops who journey through the seedy criminal underbelly of Viva Las Vegas. Against this backdrop of a city so synonymous with drugs and mystery, directors Ben and Alex Brewer create the perfect balance of an unexpected off-beat comedy and an edge-of-your-seat thriller, making this film a high-intensity joyride that you won't want to get off of.
Stone (Cage) and Waters (Wood) are your two average police officers, albeit both stuck in an arrested development period in their mundane lives – Stone still lives at home, and Waters still enjoys toking up the reefer. It isn't until Stone stumbles upon a piece of mysterious evidence surrounding a local drug dealer that he recruits Waters to join him in investigating the suspect's suspicious activity. Taking matters into their own hands, the duo discovers a hidden vault deep inside a small grocery store, and despite clear knowledge of what is actually inside the vault, Stone and Waters agree it is worth breaking into, for their own bounty. In doing so, however, even they aren't prepared for what they discover about the job and each other.
Nicolas Cage is given great comedic material to work with as Stone, his dry sense of humor sprinkles over the "matter of fact" dialogue, which keeps the film feeling fresh. Both wacky and charming, Cage brushes off his many flaws and mishaps with the suaveness of a used car salesman. Elijah Wood proves the perfect partner in crime; to Cage's outlandishness, Wood perfectly nails the off beats with spot-on reactions and one-liners. The casting of Cage and Wood reminds me of "Clue" in its tone with the characteristics and charm of "Dumb and Dumber," and will show audiences what an alternate pairing of Frodo and Aragorn might have looked like (Cage infamously turned down the "Lord of the Rings" role that went to Viggo Mortensen).
"The Trust" is an impressive debut feature film from the brothers Brewer, who have made a name for themselves in the music video world with videos for Justin Bieber, Dum Dum Girls, and Alt-J. The type of D.I.Y. attitude that comes from a music video set can be felt here, as the energy in the handheld shots and crafty camerawork engages the audience throughout the duration of the runtime.
While the third act ending feels a bit incomplete, as a whole, "The Trust" is perfect for those wishing to see two fantastic actors paired in delightfully quirky roles. To quote Woods' Waters, "This is some Nancy Drew shit, and we're skipping right into it." No matter how you do it – skip, run, or jump – "The Trust" offers a riotous, unexpectedly fun time.
"The Trust" is rated R for violence, language, some sexuality/nudity and drug use. Playing at the Laemmle NoHo this Friday, 5/13.
'I Am Thalente' Profiles Homeless Skateboard Prodigy
This review originally ran during the LA Film Festival, 6/19/15
With a name like Thalente (pronounced "Talent"), it would seem as if success was a matter of destiny.
Yet despite having such a fortuitous and foreshadowing birth name, success and fame were perhaps the farthest things on the mind of Thalente Biyela, a South African-born, then 14-year-old skateboarder – that is, until he was approached by none other than skate legend Tony Hawk. Impressed by his moves at the Indigo skate camp in the Zulu tribal region of South Africa, Hawk asked Thalente if he could send him free clothing and gear.
"No, you can't," Thalente replies. "I live on the street."
He may look like your typical 21-year-old skater, with his five-panel hat and skate brand t-shirts, but once he speaks, it's obvious that his wisdom far surpasses the streets. Director Natalie Johns brings the journey of this young man, from 17-year-old homeless heroin addict to professional skater to the big screen, in the honest, uplifting, and redemptive award-winning documentary, I Am Thalente.
With support from Thalente's best friend and maternal figure Tammy Lee-Smith, also a friend of the director, she and Johns help Thalente create a DIY skate video, with hopes of catching the eye of someone in the industry to launch his career. And take notice of the video they did, as pro skaters Colin Kennedy and Kenny Anderson are shown as just a few of the people who get Thalente to move to Los Angeles and become his unofficial mentor.
The film documents Thalente's struggles as he moves and assimilates into American culture, both in his personal and professional life. Having not attended school since he was ten, Thalente is shown struggling to keep up with his math and English work, even with the help of a tutor. Though he also is shown balancing other areas of normal teenage life, between getting his driving permit with learning how to street skate, and even pursuing his first girlfriend.
Throughout the film, his emotions range from frustration to angst, to gratitude, all the while taking to his skateboard as his only means of release and self-expression. Johns doesn't spend too much time delving into Thalente's backstory, only dropping breadcrumbs throughout the film that, once we piece them all together, stand as a highly dramatic story. It would have been an easy pull at the emotional heartstrings to focus more time on his troubled upbringing, but Johns makes it clear that this story isn't about dwelling on the past, but rather, focusing on the future.
The simplicity of the camera moves combined with the array of skate footage and personal interviews create incredible storytelling; the genuine good feeling that comes from everyone involved is infectious, and you will leave the theater more optimistic of humanity.
This isn't a "skateboard movie," but a movie about one young man's coming of age through the highs and lows of life, whose humility through it all is both courageous and sweet.
Maybe it's his naiveness to the world, or maybe it's his young age, but Thalente freely admits that he doesn't think about the future, and takes his newfound success day by day. No matter where he ends up in the future (although one would assume and hope, it will be in the world of professional skating) it's obvious that Thalente continues to live up to his name.
'I Am Thalente' is available on VOD Friday, 5/13
'Bridgend': Coming of Age in a Town With No Hope for the Future
Bridgend opens on a haunting image of a boy on his knees, hanging from a tree with a noose around his neck. He is in the middle of the woods, away from town and all the commotion of the daily life there. The quietness is soon disturbed by the whimpering cries of a dog in distress, presumably the boy's dog, from the way it carefully walks towards him and lays down next to his lifeless body.
What is it about the small village of Bridgend County that drove seventy-nine people, most of whom were teenagers, to take their own lives between December 2007 and January 2012? Director Jeppe Rønde, an acclaimed Danish documentary filmmaker, took this real life suicide pact mystery as the basis for his debut fictional film, Bridgend, and the result is an evocative and hauntingly sharp piece of observational filmmaking.
The heroine of the story is Sara, played by acclaimed British actress Hannah Murray (Game of Thrones, Skins) who moves to town with her police officer father Dave (Steven Waddington) to start a new life in Bridgend, Southern Wales. As the new police chief, Dave's primary role is to investigate the reasons why kids are killing themselves, leaving behind no suicide note, and no reason at all. Meanwhile, Sara quickly becomes involved in the local scene, soon realizing that the only thing to do in the small town is drink and cause mischief. Sara falls for one of the local boys Jamie (Josh O'Connor), looking past his bad boy exterior to the sensitive soul he really is. However, Sara soon discovers that no matter how much love she has to give, nothing can save him from himself and the deadly town that is Bridgend.
Hannah Murray is one of those actresses that pulls you into any narrative, and that is no exception here. Her innocent, breathy manner mixed with her angelic looks makes her the perfect protagonist and we full heartedly root for her well-being. With the story being based on true events, Rønde thought it was best to keep as authentic to the story as possible, and so he cast local kids to play the supporting roles. Their energy and erraticness are some of the film's greatest surprises.
The story of Bridgend already has built-in momentum around it, and so was important that the cinematography match, or better yet, succeed the story's expectations. Shot on location, the look is a somber, cinematic rush that draws comparisons to Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond the Pines because of its naturalistic and raw look. Add to that an exhilarating and powerful score of electronica with a heavy, dirty bass that is sure to rattle your core, everything works in Bridgend's favor, making it one of the most powerful films of the year.
Coming of age in a town with no hope for the future, Bridgend is a sensitive exploration of natural adolescent confusion, romanticism, and sadness. The film is a harrowing portrayal of unexplained teenage suicide that, as the closing title states, continues on to this day.
Bridgend is a Fandor Exclusive Digital SVOD release, available to stream today. Click here for more information.
In 'Mothers and Daughters, Star Power Doesn't Equal Staying Power
Are you one of those people who, every once in a while, may indulge in watching a Lifetime movie on the couch with mom? Hey- even I can admit I've enjoyed my share of cheesy TV movies. But before you quickly dismiss this notion out of shame, you may be happy to know that director Paul Duddridge has delivered a heartwarming, "Lifetime-eqsue," albeit cliche, ode to mom with the indie drama Mothers and Daughters. With an air of early 2000s filmmaking nostalgia and a star-studded cast, this little movie could be a nice way to spend a couple hours with mom this Mother's Day. But don't forget to bring a bottle of wine, this film is best watched with a glass or two.
Mothers and Daughters, not to be confused with the Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis-starring film Mother's Day, is told through a variety of interwoven stories about what it is like to be a mom. The anchor of the film is photographer Rigby Gray (Selma Blair), a single woman who recommits to saving her relationship with her mother when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant and discovers what it really takes to be a mom. Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, Courteney Cox and Mira Sorvino all reflect motherhood in different ways, from being over-protective to desperate for a stronger relationship, their screen time is short but sweet.
While Mothers and Daughters feels like it is set up to be a comedy, it is billed as an indie drama and doesn't really find its dramatic tone until Christina's Ricci's scene about 20 minutes in. Ricci, who plays Rebecca (Cox's daughter), learns a deep dark family secret that devastates her and her family. Up until that point, the film struggles to find its anchor, however, later scenes, like Selma Blair finding out she's pregnant, really feels like it's trying to be a comedy, but the script is not written that way and so it just leaves the viewer a little unsure.
In a lot of scenes, the conversations between characters happen via "video chat", perhaps a money/ time-saving method to accommodate the actor's busy schedules. It's easy to forget that we're just looking at a laptop in the beginning, but this filmmaking trick grows old quickly. Characters don't connect to screens the same way they do characters in the flesh, and this disconnect doesn't help the film's chemistry at all.
With a film like this, our standards quickly match up to the tone of the story and in this case our standards are not very high. It's a nice film, but most likely not to be remembered after it's opening day. For those looking for a casual way to spend 90 minutes with mom this weekend, Mothers and Daughters could be a good way to show mom you care, or you could take your money intended for these movie tickets and buy her a bouquet of flowers.
Mothers and Daughters is rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements and brief drug use. In theaters Friday, May 6th.
'Janis: Little Girl Blue' is an Intimate Portrait of the Iconic but Troubled Star
This review was originally posted on 12/2/15
If Janis Joplin could have had it her way, every single person who saw her perform would check their inhibitions at the door and emerge a sweaty mess from the uncontrollable jumping and dancing. Whether it was a group of 10 or a crowd of 10,000, the energy radiating from Joplin's presence was undeniable. On stage, she was a rock goddess with a bright future, most notable for her hits "Piece of my Heart" and "Me and Bobby McGee", but offstage she was actually a lonely girl, addicted to heroin and battling inner demons. Another talented artist gone too soon, the documentary Janis: Little Girl Blue is a melancholic, yet inspiring, tribute to one of the biggest names of the musical and cultural revolution of the 1960s- Janis Joplin.
As many of us know some details of Joplin's tragic story, her arc as the classic "struggling musician" is difficult to watch onscreen. Similarly to Asif Kapadia's documentary Amy, about the talented Amy Winehouse, Joplin's life was never easy. Growing up in Port Arthur, Texas, as an "average" student, receiving B's and mostly C's in school, and she was ostracized and constantly bullied by her peers. Once, in college in 1964, she was voted "Ugliest Man" as a schoolwide prank by a campus fraternity. Janis was cheated on and picked on, but despite the constant torture, she maintained a belief in herself, so much so that one day she packed her bags and hitched her way to San Francisco with no desire to ever look back.
Her parents wanted her to be a schoolteacher, but Janis's only solace came through the power of music. It's obvious how much Janis loved what she did, as the black and white footage from some of her first gigs portray. From her first major show at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 to her last big gig, Woodstock 1969, film moves along a semi-linear storyline with voiceover diary entries from Janis to her parents, usually apologizing for skipping school or running away from home. This stream-of-consciousness approach keeps the energy at an all-time high for the entire 103-minute runtime.
Quickly after this fall's release of her groundbreaking expose Prophet's Prey, Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg has delivered another film sure to pique the interest of the general audience, especially those who loved Janis and the music of the 60s. Berg captures intimate interviews not only with Janis's younger brother and sister, but also childhood friends, and former bandmates who lift the veil of mystery from her tumultuous and short life. Fascinating interviews from her time with Big Brother & the Holding Company, along with secret confessions, make every minute of the film worth watching. Surprising insider information is divulged, like how Janis was highly influenced by Otis Redding while on an acid trip, and that is the reason why she began to incorporate quick staccatos, like a stuttering articulation of her words on stage.
Janis was never concerned with fame or fortune. In journal entries, she writes of feeling a constant internal conflict with herself that only quiets down when she's onstage. After all, when the show's over and the audience leaves, you're left with yourself. At the end of the day, she only wanted to be happy, and don't we all? Her writing is so personal and relatable, it sounds like it could have been written in 2015, not 1969. Behind the flamboyant jewelry, multi-patterned outfits, and wild hair, Janis Joplin was a very vulnerable girl. She had a youthful "Huck Finn" innocence that was constantly being pushed to the limit, but through all the hard times, she pushed herself with a smile on her face. She never tried to be anybody but herself, and as both a musician and a person, her courage and determination to succeed is something we could all learn from Janis Joplin.
Janis: Little Girl Blue is available on DVD Friday, 4/6.
'Papa: Hemingway in Cuba' Shows the Dark Days of a Genius in Crisis
In literature, there is a term called the "Hemingway Hero," which is essentially a set of noble traits and honorable qualities that the reader should aspire to, much like any character in an Ernest Hemingway novel. Every writer attempting to create this attribute will find that the qualities that make up a hero today compared to that of Hemingway's day are consistent and timeless. This idea of what makes a man a man, and living a life of "honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful” will forever ring true to those in search of a deeper meaning of life. The Bob Yari-directed film Papa: Hemingway in Cuba, tells the true story of one man's relationship with the legendary writer Ernest Hemingway, and essentially starting his journey to find his own, literal, "Hemingway Hero".
"What do you say to the man who changed your life, and never even knew you?" Ed Myers (Giovanni Ribisi), a journalist at the Miami Herald in the 1950s, asks this question while struggling to find the words for a letter he plans to send to his idol, Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks). Growing up an orphan during the depression, Myers' voice-over explanation reveals that he had always wanted to be a writer and an adventurer. His lack of family ties created a longing for someone to look up to, someone to be a father figure. He writes all of this and more in his letter, spilling his soul onto the page. Then, one day, Myers gets a life-changing phone call from the man himself, telling him how much he appreciated the letter and then asking him to travel to Cuba to spend time with him.
While the first third of the film tends to drag a bit slowly, it really comes alive when we follow Myers to Cuba and get to meet Hemingway. The atmosphere of the city and live music are electrifying, a juxtaposition to the man Hemingway had become by that point in his life. Myers quickly develops a closeness to Hemingway and his wife Mary (Joely Richardson), considering them the family he never had. However, their blissful life erupts into chaos as they immediately find themselves in the middle of the Cuban revolution.
The fact that this is a true story alone is worth watching, but probably the biggest selling point is that this is the first Hollywood film to be shot in Cuba in over 50 years. The authenticity of being able to shoot in the original locations including the bar El Floridito and Hemingway's actually home in Finca Vigia, which is now preserved as a national museum, is a fascinating thing to see. Possibly the coolest memento of all, though, is that the typewriter used in the film is Hemingway's original one.
Personally, a big fan of Hemingway myself, (I did name my dog Ernest after all), seeing this time period in his life is difficult as we all know the outcome of his losing battle with depression. It is a hard pill to swallow watching him stick a revolver in his mouth and beat his wife. For as beautiful the worlds he created in his books, the man we see on screen is a tortured artist that is struggling to see the purpose of his own life. Adrian Sparks captures both Hemingway's brilliance and demons in his performance, truly giving justice and respect to the late author.
As much as you become absorbed in Sparks' performance, there are moments that can take you out of the film. At times Ribisi comes off somewhat flat, for example, getting that initial call from his idol, Hemingway himself, he barely seems to muster up any excitement. Instead, it feels as if that scene may have been rehearsed one too many times and, by that take, he was just going through the motions. Another head scratching moment is how quickly the film jumps into some scenes without much setup. One moment, Myers is on the beach in Cuba, the next he's on the beach in Florida telling his girlfriend (Minka Kelly) about his trip to Cuba. It feels rushed, but at this point, we've become invested in these characters that we're along for the ride so we don't really care where we're going or how we get there.
Papa: Hemingway in Cuba is a stunning portrait of one of the greatest authors and storytellers of the 20th century. Bob Yari takes the biopic and breathes life into the genre just by the sheer amount of authentic details (like the shooting locations alone), plus this inspiring and true story of one man's search for the meaning of life is something we can all relate to. Bonus- Keep an eye out for a quick cameo from Ernest's granddaughter Mariel Hemingway.
Papa: Hemingway in Cuba is rated R for language, sexuality, some violence, and nudity. Opens in select theaters on Friday, April 29th.