On Tuesday, left to my own devices, I might have gone to Harmony Korine’s TRASH HUMPERS, because I think he’s an exciting filmmaker even when he fails. But then I got offered a chance to attend a cocktail party for THE MESSENGER with Woody Harrelson, so of course I signed up for that and the movie afterward. I can’t say I was super-psyched to see a movie about Iraq War grief, having ejected the screener for last year’s GRACE IS GONE from my player after about 15 minutes. But Woody rocks, and his performance in ZOMBIELAND was one of the greatest characters onscreen this year, like Captain Jack Sparrow levels of greatness.
Seriously, Sony publicists, if you are reading this: WOODY for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR. For ZOMBIELAND. Push that shit. The public WILL get behind you. Also, send me a screener.
I may appear biased because I wear a Zombieland hat, the coolest bit of swag I ever got for free…BUT it was the hat company that contacted me about that, independently of Sony. If you want to think that biased me, it is a free country. And a free country that made ZOMBIELAND a shit-ton of cash, I might add.
Anyway, the cocktail party was to be held in the upper lounge at the Roosevelt hotel, not the more populist one we rubes had been confined to. I came a bit early, rocking the Zombieland hat, and the security dude profiled me immediately, telling me to come back later, with a total note of disgust in his voice. Hotel security dude, BTW, not festival staff…you can tell by the fancy earpiece.
When I did come back, Homeboy did NOT want to let me in, saying “NO PRESS.” This after I had been greeted at the door by a publicist friend, who said, out loud, “I see you RSVP’ed,” and then visibly checked me off. When another publicist friend confirmed me, the security guy was all, “I saw her just writing his name down right now,” like I hadn’t been on the list and she was somehow so in awe of my charisma that she just added me regardless. It took pretty much every single person in charge of the party to overrule the meathead’s press-hatred and get me inside. At which point I ate a clove of garlic on the appetizer tray that burned my throat and nearly choked me…I had thought it might be marinated, but the full-on raw wrath of that thing was vicious. I blame no-one but myself. Took a bottle of water to get it down.
Then some scotch. Scotchy scotchy scotch. Noobs don’t know that the upstairs Audi lounge not only includes a windowed bridge, but also an entire suite in the back where there is another bar. And this other bar actually had some booze other than the sponsoring brands of beer, wine, and vodka. I tapped out that scotch selection, you know it.
I did get to briefly talk to the movie’s director, though I didn’t have much to say without having seen the flick yet, but alas, no Woody. I was told he left for the bathroom and never re-emerged…later, the producer at the screening said he got a text saying something like “Nothing left in the chamber.” Seems he’s been busting his ass promoting the flick in many other time zones. Can’t blame the guy, but damn, I was hoping he’d appreciate my hat.
I don’t have a great deal to say about THE MESSENGER, but for the sake of those who might have shared my prejudices I have to note that it is a lot better than the first 15 minutes of GRACE IS GONE. It’s a flick about two soldiers who are tasked with notifying loved ones that their soldier relative has died in combat, but it doesn’t linger on sadness, focusing more on how the constant contact with grief affects those who must deliver it – Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster. Among those they have to talk to are grieving widow Samantha Morton and grieving father Steve Buscemi, who are both consistently great, as you must know. Also in the cast is Jena Malone, though I did not recognize her at any point, finding her final credit to be way out of left field. Maybe because she has a Natalie-Portman-in-LEON-THE-PROFESSIONAL hairdo.
A friend asked if this movie skews right or left, and I can’t say I felt either way. Grief is universal, and watching soldiers deal with complex emotions seems to me universal too. There is a moment where a particularly pandering twit, who is also obviously a liberal, makes an empty statement about supporting the troops, but I hardly see him as a synecdoche. You’re on the side of our two “messengers” – one of whom has strict rules about how you interact with the grief-stricken, and the other of whom makes rookie mistakes as far as breaking them…but may be more in touch with his humanity as a result.
It may sound like damning with faint praise to say that Foster is much like he always is, but it’s not…the guy is solid, and while I’d like to see him stretch his range someday, he is always believable in his emotions. Woody is probably stretched more than usual, and may surprise some…but I had the feeling he had this in him. He may get awards notice, and I won’t say he shouldn’t.
BUT….Zombieland is still where he rocked the fuckin’ casbah. Nominate that shit.
As the end credits finally wrapped up, a voice got on the house P.A. to tell us that the Q&A had been canceled. Woody, if I find out you were smoking a joint at the time, I’ma bring the zombie smackdown. Just sayin’.
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