'The Dead Don't Die' Review

Synopsis: The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead rise from their graves.

Runtime: 105 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for zombie violence/gore and language)

Who should see it? Adult fans of zombie movies and comedies.

Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, The Dead Don't Die is an absurdist comedy set at the start of a zombie apocalypse. In Jarmusch's film, there's a discernible degree of self-awareness. Characters frequently break the fourth wall to comment on their surroundings and the recurring use of a single Sturgill Simpson song. The dialogue is hysterical and usually spoken in deadpan, but the undead invasion is surprisingly sluggish. Jarmusch slowly introduces his sprawling, star-studded ensemble of survivalists, and this laidback, deliberate approach wears thin fairly quickly.

Zombie fodder is a necessity, but Jarmusch's divided attention prevents him from meaningfully fleshing out these eccentric personalities. Jarmusch whittles down his cast to narrow his focus on select individuals, but it doesn't amount to much. The town residents are merely vessels to impart Jarmusch's message that our society has become far too fixated on material possessions. These zombies are more concerned with finding the products they enjoyed in their past life than eating brains, and the undead mutter the names of these commodities as they stroll around Centerville.

As the poster's tagline suggests, Jarmusch has amassed a respectable grouping of A-listers to portray this collection of quirky characters. Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Selena Gomez, and Tom Waits are among those most prominently featured in the film, and each actor lends sufficient personality to their respective role. Murray and Driver carry an amusing rapport as police partners while Swinton's strange Scottish mortician Zelda Winston is a sure-fire scene-stealer on account of an off-kilter attitude.

Though it's a low-energy affair, the film remains enjoyable as celebrities engage in wacky antics and deliver side-splitting lines. Jarmusch succeeded in making a unique zombie comedy, but The Dead Don't Die never comes alive.

Film Assessment: B-

'Lean on Pete' Review

Lean on Pete follows Charley Thompson, a fifteen-year-old boy living on the edge of abject poverty with his loving father, as he finds work caring for an aging racehorse named Lean on Pete. When Charley's world is unexpectedly turned upside down, he takes Pete and embarks on a desperate journey in search of a place to call home.

Based on Willy Vlautin's 2010 novel, Lean on Pete is written and directed by Andrew Haigh. On the surface, Lean on Pete may seem to be a sentimental story about a boy and his horse, but it's actually a bleak, troubled coming-of-age tale. Pete certainly plays a substantial role in the proceedings, and effectively jumpstarts the plot, but the spotlight stays on Charley rather than the bond between human and horse. That, in and of itself, was not an issue I had with the film. 

I was actually frustrated by the poor pacing and Charley's concerning character choices. At the film's mid-point, the story switches gears and becomes a whole other animal before plodding along aimlessly like its protagonist. In the second half, Charley behaves a bit irrationally and irresponsibly, which is upsetting because he's been established as an upstanding guy. On his journey, he slowly unravels and descends into delinquency to make do. Aware of his endgame, it just becomes all the more worrisome when you consider how much easier it would have been for Charley had he asked for help or taken assistance whenever it was offered to him. On that note, the adults Charley interacts with while on the run are unbelievably moronic. There's a persisting "now you wait right here" mentality that enables Charley to run away on numerous occasions. Sometimes his escape seems entirely unnecessary, other times it's somewhat justified due to the potential ramifications for his earlier, ll-informed actions. It's becomes a complicated matter because you feel sorry for Charley, but at the same time, you know he should be reprimanded in some way.

In the end, Charley finds solace in his final destination, but he never feels redeemed for his wrongdoing. Punishment instead takes the form of trauma and guilt that will hang over Charley's head for who knows how long. In that sense, writer-director Andrew Haigh is totally in touch with what it means to be human. Choices have consequences that often linger. We have to live with our mistakes and come to grips with our situation before we move onward.

With that being said, Lean on Pete is otherwise a beautiful film despite being mostly devoid of warm emotions. Magnus Nordenhof Jønck's cinematography is a wonder to behold and makes excellent use of the Oregon landscape. It's picturesque to the point you'd actually consider adorning your home with such winsome naturalistic imagery.

Additionally, Lean on Pete bolsters some phenomenal performances from an ensemble of topnotch actors. Charlie Plummer, whom you may remember as J. Paul Getty's grandson in December's All the Money in the World, is absolutely brilliant in the lead role of Charley. Plummer demonstrates a vast emotional range and exceptionally communicates much of the character's inner frustrations through subtle, nuanced expressions. Like many young actors of late, Plummer promises to be another rising talent to watch in the coming years. An ensemble of established names including Steve Buscemi, Travis Fimmel, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Zahn, and Allison Elliott all support Plummer as varying influences on Charley throughout his journey. Buscemi, Fimmel, and Zahn being notable stand-outs of the bunch. 

As a horse of a different color, Lean on Pete is the occasional indie which completely understands the human condition and conveys its coming-of-age story through raw, rugged means. Lean on Pete occasionally loses its way leading the audience to a steady narrative stream, but it eventually reaches the intended endpoint and persuades viewers to drink.

Film Assessment: B