Month: January 2014

It’s All About Making Lawyers Richer: LFM Reviews Divorce Corp

By Joe Bendel. It’s not a gender thing, it’s a lawyer thing. It turns out that predatory divorce lawyers – and judges congenial to the point of collusion – have rigged the system to line their respective pockets. That hardly sounds shocking, but the reality is worse than you imagined, at least according to a new documentary openly advocating a comprehensive overhaul of the American family law system. The lawyers and judges profiting from broken families stand duly indicted in Joseph Sorge’s Divorce Corp, which opens this Friday in New York.

Like a shrewd consensus builder, Sorge includes an equal balance of men and women who have been done wrong by the judge presiding over their divorces. When watching the case he lays out, it seems neither men nor women have a built in advantage. It all depends on whose lawyer is more buddy-buddy with the judge. You might assume a judge would recuse himself from hearing a case presented by a close friend and former law partner, but in family court you would be wrong.

Sorge paints an alarming portrait of the family court as a judicial tyranny, where jury trials and the right to council no longer apply. Perhaps most shockingly, he interviews two victims of judicial persecution (one man and one woman), who were sent to prison on dubious charges (such as “judicial intimidation”) after publicizing in the media their judges’ clear conflicts of interest.

As an alternative, Sorge and his associates point to the Scandinavian model as a better method of divorce. They might be right, but it is hard to imagine restricting alimony until the finalization of the divorce will catch on here anytime soon. For a start, states with referendum votes should pass provisions mandating full C-O-I disclosure and allowing potentially disadvantaged parties to opt for judicial reassignment. The various state bars should also automatically investigate any divorce dragging on longer than twelve months (which Sorge argues is indicative of frivolous motions designed to bleed both parties dry).

If Sorge and co-writers Blake Harjes, James D. Scurlock, and Philip Sternberg have misrepresented the reality of family law in America, then the Bar Association should produce a rebuttal documentary post-haste. Corp is a compelling indictment, given additional authority by the participation of narrator Dr. Drew Pinsky (who has credibility as an advocate for personal responsibility). To a layman viewer, the film comes across as quite even-handed and never engages in hysterical hyperventilating.

Still, Corp is not exactly fun stuff, but it is highly watchable, particularly when colorful private detective John J. Nazarian offers his commentary. When he says he would rather go through “death than divorce,” it is pretty heavy. Recommended for legal reform activists and those looking for a justification to stay single forever, Divorce Corp opens this Friday (1/10) in New York at the Quad Cinema.

Posted on January 6th, 2014 at 11:04pm.

Tammany and Toxicology: LFM Reviews The Poisoner’s Handbook; Premieres on PBS Tuesday, 1/7

By Joe Bendel. There was a time crime was rampant in New York, but City Hall was fine with the carnage. This seems to be a recurring cycle in the City, but in this case, the time in question is 1918. Coroner positions were an important part of Tammany Hall’s patronage mill. No medical training was required, as long as the mortuary kick-backs were shared with the machine. As a result, untold poisoners escaped judgment, either through negligence or graft. The efforts of a reformist medical examiner and his pioneering toxicologist to make science and integrity part of New York law enforcement are chronicled in Rob Rapley’s The Poisoner’s Handbook, which airs this Tuesday as part of the current season of American Experience.

Charles Norris was independently wealthy, relatively politically astute, and a genuine medical doctor. Against the vociferous objections of Tammany Mayor John F. “Red Mike” Hylan, the state of New York forced through his appointment as the City’s medical examiner. His chief lieutenant was Alexander Gettler, a Jewish Hungarian immigrant who worked his way through a PhD in chemistry. No longer in the business of selling specially tailored death certificates, Norris’ office actually started applying the scientific method to criminal investigation. During their early years, Gettler wrote academic papers on scores of toxins that remain relevant to this day.

From "The Poisoner's Handbook."

Based on the nonfiction book by Deborah Blum (who appears as a talking head), Poisoner is more authoritative in its treatment of criminological history than the thematically related How Sherlock Changed the World. Rapley never addresses Gettler’s reading habits, but evidently he was quite the Yankees fan. Shrewdly structured, Poisoner zeroes in on Gettler’s relationship with his nemesis, sort of the Irene Adler of arsenic, for maximum dramatic value. It also morbidly but logically organizes each section according to the relevant toxin under discussion.

However, it clearly favors the toxicologist over his M.E., even though political junkies would probably prefer to hear more about Norris’ wrangling with Tammany Hall. In contrast, a bit too much time is devoted to Prohibition. While it certainly kept Norris and Gettler (both Wets) busy, there was little mystery involved in each toxic “denatured” alcohol death.

There is plenty of good New York history and vintage true crime in American Experience’s The Poisoner’s Handbook. Highly watchable (at least until the last minute cheerleading for the FDA), it should entertain (and inform) fans of Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and BBC America’s Copper. It premieres on most PBS outlets this coming Tuesday (1/7).

LFM GRADE: B-

Posted on January 6th, 2014 at 10:17pm.

LFM Reviews Friends from France @ The 2014 New York Jewish Film Festival

By Joe Bendel. As a matter of policy, the Soviets automatically denied all requests from the so-called “Refuseniks” to immigrate to Israel, often spuriously claiming they were irreplaceable specialists (who were then duly fired from their positions). As it happens, Victor Rybak really is a highly respected authority in the field of physics, much like Sakharov. His uphill battle to join his wife in Israel will profoundly affect two young French cousins in Anne Weil & Philippe Kotlarski’s Friends from France, the opening night selection of the 2014 New York Jewish Film Festival, co-presented by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

Carole Brikerman is a passionate Zionist, who supports the Refuseniks’ aspirations for Israel. Jérôme Berkowitz is passionate about his cousin Brikerman. Despite his mixed feelings, Berkowitz joins his cousin on a leftist guided tour of Odessa. Pretending to be newlyweds, they will secretly visit Jewish dissidents, bringing smuggled care packages and offering moral support. Berkowitz resents what he considers Brikerman’s Zionist proselytizing, while struggling with his arousal from their intimate proximity. However, when they pay a call on Rybak, Berokwitz meets someone far more cynical than himself.

Rybak has good reason to be jaded. He endured constant torture in a Communist mental hospital, intended to force him to denounce his beloved wife, who had successfully reached Israel ahead of him. While imprisoned, he secretly maintained a diary. Not only did he document the systemized abuse and summary executions, he also included deeply personal passages of erotic longing, meant solely for her eyes.

Even in translated subtitles, the words of Rybak’s diary ring with truth and poetry. They are easily the most compelling element of Weil & Kotlarski’s screenplay. It is easy to understand why Brikerman’s network would want to publish it and why the Soviets would be determined to prevent such an embarrassment. They also open a deep window into the Refusenik physicist’s soul. For all his exterior gruffness, Rybak is a haunted romantic at heart.

Vladimir Fridman is simply extraordinary as Rybak. It is an acutely human and humane portrayal, conveying all his messy complications and understandable bitterness. It is only January, but Fridman’s work should be noted for year-end lists. He instills Friends with power and integrity whenever he is on-screen.

From "Friends From France."

In contrast, Soko and Jérémie Lippmann simply are not in the same league. Still, much like his character, Lippmann slowly sneaks up on viewers, developing a distinct presence and persona down the stretch. Evidently, Soko is France’s current “It Girl,” so it is nice she wants to appear in a film like this. At least she is more engaging than in the grossly over-rated Augustine. She does not undermine any of the proceedings, but it is hard to see her in the way other characters do.

Weil & Kotlarski vividly capture oppressive vibe of Communist era Odessa. At times Friends functions as a surprisingly good Cold War thriller. It probably holds some sort of distinction as a film noticeably critical of both the Soviet Union and the Zionist movement. Yet, its sharpest, most illuminating observations involve the hypocrisy of the leftwing tourists. Ostensibly on a personal mission of solidarity, they are clearly fearful of the Party’s apparatus of control—with very good reason. Smart, literate, and sometimes quite moving, Friends from France is a strong way to open this year’s NYJFF.  Highly recommended, it screens twice this coming Wednesday (1/8) at the Walter Reade Theater.

LFM GRADE: A-

Posted on January 3rd, 2014 at 10:31am.

LFM Reviews Mother, I Love You @ The 2014 Palms Springs International Film Festival

By Joe Bendel. Quality musical instruments are expensive, even for middle class professionals in Riga. That is one reason Raimonds Krasts is reluctant to tell his perennially stressed out OBGYN mother he lost his saxophone, particularly since it happened during a bit of misdemeanor mischief. Each lie and evasion only makes matters worse for Krasts in Jānis Nords’ Mother, I Love You, a Dostoyevskian middle school morality play that screens as part of the 2014 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s focus on official Academy Award submissions for best foreign language film.

There is already tension between Krasts and his single mother, Silvia Krasta. She has been secretly dating a colleague while supposedly working the late shift. Frankly, it is unclear how Krasts feels about this, but there is no question Krasta is displeased with his behavioral issues at school. She is also none too thrilled about his friend from the wrong side of the tracks, Peteris Cepurnieks. The son of a cleaning lady, Cepurnieks has swiped his mother’s key to a dodgy playboy’s often vacant apartment, where they often hang out and steal pocket money.

When things get particularly heated at home, Krasts runs off to the bachelor pad, but cuts short his stay when the owner arrives with a prostitute. Unfortunately, the woman in question filches his saxophone along with several other portable items from the flat. Predictably, his attempts to retrieve it lead to even more serious problems, because Krasts is still just a kid—one with particularly bad judgment.

Even though MILY did not make the Academy’s nine film short list, it was a smart choice for Latvia. As the winner of the Jury Award at this year’s LA Film Festival, it would have had more credibility and perhaps recognition among left coast Academy members than the average submission. Nords’ brand of sensitive naturalism is also perfectly compatible with Academy tastes and preferences. Evidently it was not to be, but it is still an accomplished film. The work of cinematographer Tobias Datum is particularly noteworthy for the way it captures the moody elegance and loneliness of late night Riga.

Front-and-center throughout the film, thirteen year old lead-actor Kristofers Konovalovs holds up to the scrutiny remarkably well. As problematic as Krasts might be, he never comes across as a caricature. Instead, we can understand why he makes each compounding mistake. Never overly showy, he could teach a thing or two to some of this year’s supposed Oscar contenders.

Likewise, the performance of Vita Varpina (one of two established screen actors in MILY) is smartly balanced and acutely believable. Haralds Barzdins, the real life conductor for the Latvian Song and Dance Festival adds some color as Krasts’ band director, but it is debatable whether the film will do much to spur youthful enthusiasm for orchestral music.

There is indeed a lot of messy humanity in MILY. Everyone makes mistakes, but nobody is irredeemable. It should be interesting for festival patrons to watch the film in close dialogue with Kang Yi-kwan’s somewhat thematically related Juvenile Offender. Nords never takes the easy way out, yet his film is still considerably more optimistic. Small but potent, Mother, I Love You is recommended for those who appreciate coming-of-age character studies. It screens this coming Sunday (1/5), Monday (1/6), and the following Saturday (1/11) during the 2014 Palm Springs International Film Festival.

LFM GRADE: B

Posted on January 2nd, 2014 at 11:03pm.

LFM Reviews Of Horses and Men @ The 2014 Palms Springs International Film Festival

From "Of Horses and Men."

By Joe Bendel. This is not a film for little girls who love horses. Not every equine creature will live to see the final credits, but at least some will share some hanky panky along the way. Still, the emphasis is on eccentricity rather than zoology when writer-director Benedikt Erlingsson explores the relationship between man and beast in Of Horses and Men, Iceland’s official foreign language Academy submission, which screens during the 2014 Palms Springs International Film Festival.

Frost wrote “good fences make good neighbors.” Well, the barbed wire fences in this Icelandic highland village are quite flimsy. Stately bachelor Kolbeinn is quite the sight on his white mare, or at least single mother Solveig thinks so. Unfortunately, one of her stallions crashes the party (see one-sheet for details). To make matters worse, as various men of the village start dying in sundry cinematic ways, the new widows become rivals for Solveig.

Much to everyone’s surprise, young Swedish rancher Johanna proves to be quite the handler of wild horses, catching the eye of Spanish tourist Juan Camillo. Determined to make a connection, he signs up for an intensive horseback riding tour. It ends badly. Remember The Empire Strikes Back? You will during his excursion.

From "Of Horses and Men."

That might sound like a fair amount of plot, but it’s really not. Erlingsson is sparing in his use of dialogue, relying more on telling looks. This is a quiet film, but miscommunication often plays a pivotal role. It looks incredible, though. Erlingsson and cinematographer Bergsteinn Bjoergulfsson work the coastal vistas for all they are worth. Viewers can easily understand how such a craggy environment would produce these rugged, taciturn characters.

Despite their Scandinavian Calvinist reserve, Ingvar E. Sigurdsson and Charlotte Boving have some nice chemistry as Kolbeinn and Solveig, respectively. The entire ensemble feels right in their roles, convincingly looking like an uncomfortably tight knit community. Of course, Sigridur Maria Egilsdottir stands out in a good way, as the dynamic Johanna.

For a (sort of) rom-com, Horses boasts a seriously impressive body count. Despite its easy going vibe, it is definitely not for younger viewers. Its blend of quiet meditation and macabre humor was obviously not to the Academy’s tastes either, considering it did not make the cut for the nine film short list, but it is quite distinctive. Recommended for those who like striking scenery and a dose of fatalism in their movie romances, Of Horses and Men screens this coming Wednesday (1/8), Thursday (1/9), and the following Saturday (1/11) as part of the 2014 PSIFF.

LFM GRADE: B+

Posted on January 2nd, 2014 at 10:58pm.