MALEFICENT Movie Review

MALEFICENT (2014)

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Sam Riley, Brenton Thwaites

We all have an idea of who Maleficent is from the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Disney has taken one of the most diabolical villains and put a fresh twist on a character we all thought we knew. Maleficent (Jolie) is a powerful fairy who lives in the trees of a magical kingdom called The Moors that borders the human kingdom. She has two horns and gigantic wings enabling her to fly all over the kingdom, and her lively spirit fits right in with the other mythical creatures around her. One fateful night, her wings are burned off which sets in motion a vengeful plot against the person that committed the act.

Through the help of her servant Diaval (Riley), Maleficent learns that the cruel act was committed by the new king (Copley) in order to become the heir to the throne. As an act of revenge for his betrayal, she decides to put a curse on his newborn daughter, Aurora, who on her sixteenth birthday will fall into a deep sleep after being pricked by a spinning wheel. A kiss from her one true love will be the only way to break the curse. Even though Aurora is raised by three pixies, Maleficent continues to keep an eye on her from afar. She may not be as evil as she is often portrayed to be as a maternal side of her starts to appear after the innocent Aurora (Fanning) grows up and could be the key to peace between the two kingdoms.

Maleficent is similar to previous Disney live action movies like Alice in Wonderland and Oz, The Great and Powerful where they reimagine a classic story in a CGI heavy movie. Even though the trailers looked pretty promising I went in with a bit of hesitation as I didn’t want to be burned like I was with both of those wretched films. The naysayers should have no fear as Maleficent is leagues better than both of those, but it doesn’t take much. I wasn’t as bothered by the blatant use of special effects versus realistic sets and effects. The dark and gothic tones seem to work better with the CGI than the bright and colorful palette those other movies used. I still rolled my eyes at some of the Moor creatures and wish they would have treated the pixies a bit differently. They are a weird mix of animation while keeping the faces of Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville. Frankly, I would have been fine with them attempting the Julia Roberts in Hook approach.

Angelina Jolie is the reason to see the movie. How can you NOT be Team Angelina? She brings this heightened, wickedly fun performance to Maleficent. She has a nice blend of being a bit scary and menacing, while not being too cartoonish or over the top. You can tell she is having a hell of a good time playing this character which makes the movie all the more enjoyable. The designers pulled out all the stops to give Maleficent the royal treatment as it is quite evident that so much care and attention is put into the character. The costume design by Anna B. Sheppard (Inglourious Basterds, Captain America: The First Avenger) is exquisite with its sharp and hard structure. The hair and make-up design compliments that quite well and still fits the look of the Disney villain we know and love. The lighting and shadow effects easily pull you into the mystery surrounding her. There is even an ode to the classic Maleficent silhouette.

The story is a bit simple, and I wish more attention would have been made to character development. It gets a bit lost as the attention seems to all go toward Maleficent and the special effects that were needed. I understand she is the title character, but I wish some of the other characters were written with the same juicy material Maleficent was given. It’s almost as if they didn’t want to pull any focus away from her at any point during the movie. Many of the characters like Sharlto Copley’s King and Brenton Thwaites’ Prince Phillip are pretty plain and generic. Elle Fanning brings that sweet, innocent, and angelic spirit about her that she always has to Princess Aurora. Yes, that is Vivienne Jolie-Pitt who has a cameo as the younger Aurora. There is no denying that she looks exactly like Brad and Angelina. Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville are all talented actresses, but I wish screenwriter Linda Woolverton would have gone even further with the ditzy and klutzy aspects about the pixies to make them the scene-stealers they should be.

Maleficent is a marked improvement over some of those other CGI heavy Disney live action movies, but it is still missing the mark at times. I recommend seeing the movie in 2D as the copious use of CGI special effects may be ruined with gimmicky post-production 3D crap. If it wasn’t for Angelina Jolie, this would have been another bloated CGI mess. I can’t imagine another actress in this role. A fair warning that the darker tones and approach will be too scary for little kids. It’s not as kid friendly as other live action Disney movies.

Director: Robert Stromberg

DRAFT DAY Movie Review

DRAFT DAY (2014)

Starring: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Josh Pence, Chadwick Boseman, Terry Crews, Ellen Burstyn, Arian Foster, Tom Welling

2014 seems to be the year of Kevin Costner. It’s only April and he has already been featured in three releases, though I must admit I didn’t see either Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit or 3 Days to Kill. I am happy to witness this Costner resurgence – he seemed to have taken a break from acting – since his performance in last year’s Man of Steel was one of that film’s better aspects. We have seen him in numerous baseball films, one golf movie, and one about bike racing. Now he tackles the game of football. As my dad said to me, “He does really well with sports movies.”

When it rains, it pours for Sonny Weaver, Jr (Costner). He is the manager of the Cleveland Browns and nothing seems to be going well in his life. His current quarterback (Welling) has been having knee issues and his father, the previous coach of the team, recently passed away. His girlfriend, Ali (Gardner), just happens to be the salary cap manager for the team, so they are trying to keep their relationship a secret, but she chooses the morning of draft day to inform Sonny she is pregnant.

The clock counts down the twelve hours leading up to that vital moment when the draft picks are announced. The pressure is all on Sonny as the general manager to get the team back in shape because they haven’t been the same since his father stopped coaching. Sonny and the team’s new coach (Leary) don’t always see eye to eye. Sonny starts trading pick positions with various teams in the NFL, giving up spots in the future that could be the key to their growth. It should go without saying that the coach and the team’s owner (Langella) wholeheartedly disagree with his decisions. Sonny must decide who his first pick is going to be. There is the all-American quarterback Bo Callahan (Pence), who has an impeccable record, Vontae Mack (Bozman), the dark horse with a bad reputation due to his loud mouth, and a running back (Jenning) whose father (Crews) used to play for the Browns. The images and reputations of these young gentlemen come into play as Sonny must decide on the fate of his team.

I should just point out that this is not your average football movie. This is not about some scrappy team full of misfits who can barely play and end up in the hands of an alcoholic coach who then turns them into a winning team. We have seen that movie over and over again, and it’s refreshing to see them take a more original approach to a sports movie. Draft Day takes a look into the business aspect of the game. Football fans should be happy to know Costner has stated that the NFL was in full cooperation with the film. They use real teams in the film and professional players make cameos in the film. I know nothing about football except what I’ve seen in Varsity Blues, Jerry Maguire, and “Friday Night Lights”. However, while I know very little about the game, I was still able to follow along and enjoy the movie. Despite the short time period the film covers, screenwriters Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph do a decent job of setting up where Costner’s character is coming from and why the stakes are so high for him. That being said, I wish they would have written more for Ellen Burstyn, who plays Costner’s mom. She is such a terrific actress who is only left with a couple of scenes that don’t get to show her off.

You might be surprised to find out that Ivan Reitman directed a sports movie. Yes, the man who brought us both Ghostbusters films, Dave, Stripes, and three Arnold Schwarzenegger comedies is taking a stab at football. While there is some humor in it, I wouldn’t consider this a comedy nor do I ever feel like his comedic skills as a director are used. The film tries to take this serious, edge-of-your-seat tone as there is a countdown clock that appears throughout as we get closer to draft time. The use of split screens for phone conversations and the way one “slides” in after the next seem like tactics to keep the pace and tension up, but are frankly used far too often. Reitman has gathered himself a pretty decent cast who for the most part, seem believable in this world. Frank Langella can easily play the hot-shot owner. Costner has this way of making so many of his characters likable and relatable. He is one of the reasons why this movie works so well. His character is flawed and has problems, but you still end up rooting for him and understanding him. The character could have easily been this jerk in someone else’s hands. It’s nice to see him in this sort of role again as he clearly anchors the film. Speaking of jerk characters, Denis Leary wears that hat easily as the Browns football coach. He’s really the only cast member I go back and forth on. I don’t know if I necessarily buy Leary as a football coach, but he can easily play the angry bad guy who everyone is rooting against.

I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Like I admitted earlier, my knowledge of football is very limited, and I have never paid attention to the NFL draft. I was concerned if I would understand this movie or if it would be way over my head. Draft Day succeeds at making it accessible to those who don’t know the sport as well as keeping it enjoyable for those die-hard fans who know the sport inside and out.

Director: Ivan Reitman

LABOR DAY Movie Review

LABOR DAY (2013)


Starring: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Clark Gregg, Tom Lipinski, James Van der Beek, J.K. Simmons, Brooke Smith

I don’t know if I have ever really expressed my love of Kate Winslet. She is simply one of the greatest actresses working today. I have been known on multiple occasions to go back and rewatch her Best Actress Oscar speech for The Reader. When the trailer for Labor Day was released, I was excited for a new Winslet movie but was perplexed and cautious at the same time. It seemed like an unusual premise that I could not quite wrap by brain around. I trusted it could be good with Winslet in it. Even though it was in limited release in time for Oscar consideration, the wide release was pushed to late January which can never be a good sign.

Adele (Winslet) is now living as a single mother to her son, Henry (Griffith). They have a pretty close relationship that some may find a bit too close. He is going through puberty and feels the pressure to grow up faster than he should in order to take care of her. Adele is in a fragile, damaged place after her husband/Henry’s father (Gregg) left them for his secretary. The local townies feel the need to step on eggshells around her and always ask how she’s doing.

While out shopping, Henry is approached by Frank (Brolin) who is bleeding. He quietly takes them hostage and forces them to take him back to their place. Frank is a known criminal as he escaped prison while at the hospital for appendicitis. He has been serving time for murdering his wife. Back at their place Frank acts calm and non-violent. He doesn’t want to cause them any danger as he contemplates his next move. He acts like a gentleman by fixing their car, doing home repairs, and teaches them how to bake. Adele and Henry must save face anytime a neighbor stops by or when the cops patrol the neighborhood. The atmosphere in the house changes as a vulnerable Adele starts to fall for Frank and sexual tension is added into the mix.

The film plays out as part mystery and part romance. This idea of the hostage feeling compassion, empathy, and romantic feelings toward their captor is known as Stockholm syndrome. It is a perplexing situation that is hard to understand, which makes this story a bit of a conundrum. It seems odd to imagine having romantic feelings toward the same person that kidnapped you and is putting your life in danger. Even though he doesn’t necessarily do anything to harm them, you just never know if he may snap at any moment. Winslet is such a strong talented actress that is so good at playing the dimensions, I spent the majority of the film wondering if she was just submitting herself to him just to gain his trust so she could then pull the upper hand and attack him. Unfortunately, Adele is a bit too damaged and vulnerable to be playing those mind games of thinking ahead of her attacker. I was reading more into the character knowing it was Winslet playing her than I probably would have if it was someone else. I have a hard time understanding this idea of Stockholm syndrome, so I could never buy into the romance. I found the chores and repair work he does very odd. The pie making scene to bring the family together was slightly bizarre even though it did provide some good tips on how to make a big peach pie. I will say that the pie did look pretty delicious.

Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Young Adult, Juno) adapted the screenplay from the novel by Joyce Maynard. He seems to be more successful with the mystery portions of the story. There is suspense and a buildup of tension that really works well whenever the neighbors (Simmons, Smith) stop over to check on Adele or whenever the police start questioning her and Henry. You wonder if at any moment one or both of them might crack and let on that they have been kidnapped. You hope the police read into their nervous energy. The musical score has that slight build and drive keeping the suspense alive in these scenes. It makes the environment more believable and palpable that help is near and ready if they are willing to use it. The story would be way less successful and tolerable if it was just a pure romance story without any underlining hope for them to get out of it. The real question comes into play with Adele and if she wants out of it. There are flashback scenes of a young Frank (Lipinski) that lead up to the incident with his wife. I have not read the novel, but I am assuming that those scenes are part of Maynard's novel. I understand why they are a part of the story, but I question the structure of how it is used in the screenplay. Thank God Lipinski looks just like a young Brolin or I would have been completely lost. It always seems so out of place when the film cuts to these flashback moments. I do not want to give away as to why they are included, but it may have served better if approached and handled differently.

Reitman's latest has been receiving fairly negative reviews compared to his previous films. I do not believe it is anywhere near as bad as certain critics want you to believe. Winslet is a powerhouse actress that is perfect for this type of character. Brolin frequently plays these types of untrustworthy, damaged characters. If it wasn't for those two breathing life and dimension into these characters, I would have given up early on. Gattlin Griffith stands out as a sharp young actor who seems to be the smartest of these main characters. Tobey Maguire provides narration throughout as the adult Henry looking back at his childhood and how this one weekend forever changed his and his mother's lives. He only appears on screen during the very ending. That coda adds to the frustration of the film as a whole. With such a perplexing topic at hand that is hard to grasp, Reitman could done a better job at the balance and structure of how this Labor Day weekend of events unfolds. If you can give over to the romantic nature of the film early on, you may be able to enjoy it better. If you try to make sense of it all, you might be scratching your head at times.
Director: Jason Reitman

DIRTY WARS Movie Review

DIRTY WARS (2013)
Starring: Jeremy Scahill

American journalist and investigator Jeremy Scahill presents a very different view of the American involvement in the war overseas. His mission was to bring light and awareness to the "seen and unseen" things that may be hidden in plain sight or covered up by our military personnel. His first center of focus is on the military raids in Afghanistan. He defies his own safety by going past the certain safe zones NATO has mapped out while risking his life from being caught by Taliban forces. He states that the night belongs to the Taliban. He interviews local citizens about the American raid that killed innocent civilians including two pregnant women in Gardez. These raids were all part of a cover-up by the military and government. A local woman states, "They committed no sin and had no enemies."

The images and stories of these innocent people being gunned down for no apparent reason leaves haunting reminders in Scahill's mind about what may be happening behind closed doors. He sets out to uncover who was behind these raids as the information is not easily accessible. Scahill spends time tacking pictures to his wall, connecting the dots, and researching the faces of the men photographed from the raid. Scahill unmasks these men as being part of a covert ops group called JSOC, the Joint Special Operations Command, which at the time was not a household name. They were also in charge of airstrikes and killings in Yemen. The American soldiers and members of NATO went to extreme lengths to cover the casualties of their work, which also included U.S. citizens. The film takes an interesting spin when they reveal that JSOC was the group behind the capture of Osama bin Laden.

Scahill provides an upfront and close look on the global war on terror that he feels is spinning out of control. You do not see many American made movies that take this angle on our involvement in the war. Many films like Zero Dark Thirty or Lone Survivor provide a heroic look at our involvement in some of the various missions that have taken place. Scahill doesn't discredit the act of valor some of our troops go through, but wants to open our eyes to what is not being portrayed in the media. He is able to interview numerous individuals from the citizens of Gardez, members of the military, and pretty much anyone in between that has knowledge of some of the cover-up being done to hide the fact that innocent people are getting killed as part of our involvement on the war on terror.

Dirty Wars is the second of the five nominees for Best Documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards I have watched. Scahill based the film on his own book "Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield". I applaud him for his probing and dangerous look into these dirty and secretive operations. He often puts himself in severely dangerous territory in order to interview civilians and get a first hand look at some of the destruction some of our missions have had on them. The film may be a bit hard to watch for some as there are images and videos of the some of the dead bodies of the subjects involved. He makes some pretty strong and blunt claims against the President and the decisions made by the White House and other military officials. Scahill's accounts are eye-opening to say the least and will spark controversy and debate. It makes you wonder how much the general public does or does not know about what really is going on behind closed doors.

Director: Rick Rowley

RIDE ALONG Movie Review

RIDE ALONG (2014)
Starring: Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Tika Sumpter, John Leguizamo, Bryan Callen, Bruce McGill, Laurence Fishburne

We are only thirty days into the new year, so how is it that I have already seen two Kevin Hart movies? If you read my review of Grudge Match, you may remember my feelings toward his brand of comedy. Some may consider Ben Barber (Hart) a bit of a loser. He plays an interactive "shoot 'em up" type of  video game complete with headset and works as a high school security guard. He finds out he has been accepted into the police academy and could not be happier. For someone that is typically loud and obnoxious, I bet you can just imagine how excited he gets. His life could not be any better as he is planning to propose to his girlfriend Angela (Sumpter). Her brother James (Ice Cube) has other plans for Ben. He is an Atlanta police officer who is not so fond of the idea of not only him becoming a cop, but also that he may be his new brother-in-law.

James decides to put Ben to the test to see if he is worthy of marrying his sister. He decides to take Ben along on all of the annoying and petty calls that the other cops do not want to handle. Ben's high energy and fast talking nature are a bit of a defense mechanism as he is quick to act all tough and mighty but cowers when actual danger and intimidation sets in. It should come as no surprise that there is a side subplot regarding James and his crew (Leguizamo and Callen) against a gang of weapons dealers led by "Omar" whose identity remains a mystery. The first few times I saw this trailer, I actually found it funny. I was just shocked that I was laughing at a Kevin Hart movie that I would normally not give two thoughts about. I typically do not find him funny in the slightest bit. I was up for seeing Ride Along as I thought this may break my disdain for the comedian. Could I be proven wrong about him? Was he finding his niche? Was I finally embracing the fact that he actually could be funny and that I have been completely wrong about him? His brand/style of comedy is loud, wise-ass, high pitched, high energy and typically jokes around about his short stature. He definitely plays his style in every role. Many stand-up comics do this as they transition into film. People that go to a Kevin Hart film know what kind of humor to expect, which is why I went in with slight hesitation while hoping for the best. At first, I found myself tolerating him. I enjoyed his character and felt a little bad for the guy for the continual slams against him. His style was a bit more reserved in his scenes with Tika Sumpter. I lost focus and found the annoying Hart coming out to play once the ride alongs started happening. That being said, I still had about three good laughs especially during the scene at the shooting range.

The majority of the story is pretty recycled from other comedic buddy cop type of movies. I had the same issue with last summer's The Heat, another movie with a very similar idea behind it. The whole side plot revolving the Omar character has been done numerous times. There is even the not-so-surprising twist that comes into play, which you can pick up on very early on in the movie. I really thought Ice Cube might have been a better actor as well. I am not trying to compare him to Denzel Washington, but he has been in the business long enough where this feels like an amateur performance from a newbie. His tough guy demeanor falls a bit flat. I will say it was great seeing John Leguizamo again. I feel like I have not seen him in anything outside of those Ice Age movies. Do not be surprised if we see another Ride Along in theaters within the next few years. This one seems to be doing well at the box office as Kevin Hart is a hot commodity right now. I am sure a sequel would be cheap and easy to make and the studio can probably make some extra money out of it.

Director: Tim Story

CUTIE AND THE BOXER Movie Review

CUTIE AND THE BOXER (2013)
Starring: Ushio Shinohara, Noriko Shinohara, Alex Shinohara

The Academy Award nominations have been announced and four of the five nominees for Best Documentary are currently streaming on Netflix. As an artist married to an artist, I was drawn to the story of Cutie and the Boxer. Ushio Shinohara is celebrating his 80th birthday. He came to New York as a young artist from Japan and received acclaim for his sculpture work and paintings. At the age of 41, he met Noriko who was only 19 at the time. She was instantly impressed by his work as she had never seen anything like it. Six months later she was pregnant with their son, Alex. He continued his artwork while living life on the wild side, eventually becoming an alcoholic. Noriko felt forced to put her career on the back burner in order to raise their son and take care of their family due to his lack of responsibility and maturity.

In the present day, they are facing huge money troubles and cannot pay the rent that is due. Ushio opens a new exhibit featuring his boxing glove paintings with a representative from the Guggenheim interested in his work. Noriko has spent her life feeling inferior to him as if he has treated her like his assistant. She believes Alex struggles with a drinking problem and blames Ushio and knows they did not give him a proper environment to grow up in. She decides to let her creative nature come alive again with new illustrations about a girl named "Cutie" and her husband "Bullie". The illustrations begin outlining their relationship to which Ushio dismisses them despite the positive feedback she receives after showing it in their joint exhibition.

As the film begins, you think you may be watching this story about an elderly artist still working hard at what he loves and will not let age, health, or money stop him from continuing his passion. I am sure Ushio wants you to believe this is his story and that he is the artist of the family. The truth and heart of the story belongs with Noriko as we watch her finally come into her own after a long marriage of feeling like she and her art took the back burner compared to Ushio's lifestyle. There is a sadness and heartbreak to her story as you wish he had been more supportive and that she didn't have these feelings throughout their marriage. At the same time, I do not believe they have a terrible marriage as Noriko still loves Ushio and their love is evident.

Cutie and the Boxer is another prime example of a film I probably would not have paid too much attention to as I strolled through the Netflix Streaming options, but I am so glad I gave it a watch. If the title throws you off, do not worry as they are merely nicknames for Ushio (Boxer) and Noriko (Cutie). As an artist, it is easy to understand the trials and tribulations of putting yourself and your work out there to get judged and critiqued by others. When it is your passion, you do not let anyone or anything get in your way. The power art has over us is undeniable. Ushio and Noriko have never given up on their passion no matter how small and cramped their apartment is, no matter how little money they have, and no matter how the public or critics respond to it. Their love for each other and their art grows and molds around each other. They may have disagreements and bicker. There is jealousy and frustrations along the way, but it is inspiring and moving to know their deep internal love prevails and makes them each better people.

Director: Zachary Heinzerling

"DELIVERY MAN" Movie Review

DELIVERY MAN (2013)
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, Bobby Moynihan, Britt Robertson, Jack Reynor

It is not unheard of for a director to do a remake of his own work. Alfred Hitchcock did it with The Man Who Knew Too Much. Michael Haneke released two versions of Funny Games. Director Ken Scott's 2011 film Starbuck received pretty positive reviews and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. His follow-up to that is an exact remake to that film, but now stars Vince Vaughn and is renamed as Delivery Man. David Wozniak (Vaughn) is an incompetent, irresponsible, delivery man working for his family's meat market. He cannot seem to handle any task large or small that comes his way. He decides to start growing marijuana in his apartment because he owes $80,000 to some drug lords. He soon finds out his ex-girlfriend Emma (Smulders) is now pregnant. He sees this as the eye-opener he needs to get his life back together if she will let him back into her life.

To make matters even worse, David finds out that he has fathered 533 children after donating to a sperm bank in his twenties. He made his donations under the name "Starbuck" and now 142 of them have gathered together to form a class action lawsuit for his identity to be unveiled. He is handed a list of names, contact information, and pictures of these 142 children and attempts to meet them without them knowing who he is. He wants to do some sort of good samaritan deed as each of them seem to have problems or be in some sort of rut. He turns to his friend Brett (Pratt), a non-licensed lawyer, for help on his case who strongly objects to every step David is taking when dealing with his new predicament.

Right from the opening scene you see that David is not a great guy. He is that irresponsible slob that you just do not have time for or even care about. With Vince Vaughn playing him, he brings out that cocky jerk type quality he brings into every role. You have no sympathy whatsoever for the character as he keeps making these dumb decisions over and over again. His good deed attempts try to be genuine, but the script never allows us to fully get to know these new children that he is helping. We only get to know roughly six of them that each get their basic introduction scene when David meets them and then fade into the rest of the group after that. The overall writing seems poor and disjointed at times. There is a general wash of emotion from the children as they all feel the same way about David. They all want to meet him and as the story unfolds they all still continue to feel chummy and happy about him no matter what lies and deception he has told. You cannot tell me that each of them would all react the exact same way or that a few of them wouldn't be a little more pissed off than the others. The subplot of David owing $80,000 is unneeded and feels out of place the very few times we come back to it. It feels like an unnecessary plot device to just show him off as a deadbeat.

I kept wondering if this was supposed to be a comedy, a drama, a dramedy, or some sort of feel good inspirational movie. To put it frankly, I got a little bored at times. That is what happens when I do not really care about any of the characters. I have heard wonderful things about Starbuck. Much of this remake is a direct replica of that as Ken Scott wrote and directed both of them, so I am wondering how this one really missed the mark. You may be thinking that I truly hated this movie, but that is not the case. It will not even make my Worst of 2013 list. There are already five films on the list that are worse offenders. It has an interesting premise, and I enjoyed the concept of the good deeds he does for his children. I keep calling them children, but they are all in their twenties. There is potential here, but it all comes down to the execution of how we get to the point. This same story and idea could have been structured in a different way with better character development and more heart to have the audience feel a bit more sympathy for David or the children. I know it would have been far more enjoyable with a different actor as the title character.  I wonder what it would have been like with either Steve Carell or Adam Scott as David.  Instead of re-imagining this movie, maybe I should just head over to my Netflix streaming queue as Starbuck is available in that format.