Rogen’s new comedy, ‘River City’ are good bets
Also: Liam Neeson drama ‘Made in Italy’ is an homage to his late wife
Since Seth Rogen has mined the stoner comedy of all its green, he’s moving on to a different crop. “An American Pickle” points to a welcome segue for Rogen, a full embrace of the sweet yet tart material he explored with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 2011’s cancer comedy “50/50.” That was his best performance to date. He is also quite good in “Pickle,” the first original feature from HBO Max. “Pickle” is amusing, sometimes hilarious, especially when it riffs on the American Dream and the relentless pursuit thereof at any cost. It doesn’t have the emotional impact of “50/50,” but it’s ideal summer entertainment. The breezy but purposeful screenplay from Simon Rich — whose short story “Sell Out” serves as the basis — is brainier than you’d suspect, addressing how new generations need to value their heritage while older generations need to adapt to modern changes. But let’s not read too much into “Pickle.” After all, it is about a pickle factory worker named Herschel who’s jolted awake in a modern Brooklyn after stewing in a barrel of brine for 100 years. Foremost, it leans on Mel Brooks-like setups with Rogen handily pulling off dual roles — Herschel and his stuck-in-a-rut greatgrandson Ben who coops up in his lonely apartment. An argument between the pair sends the hardworking Herschel to the New York streets where he becomes a viral sensation with an “artisan” pop-up pickle stand. Meanwhile, Ben seethes with jealousy and frets over his continually rejected app. You know where this is going, but being on the ride with two Rogens, a snappy screenplay and direction from firsttimer Brandon Jost make it a kosher comedic joyride. DETAILS >> ★★★ available Friday on HBO Max.
“RIVER CITY DRUMBEAT” >> San Francisco filmmaker Anne Flatte and Marlon Johnson co-directed this sensational, inspiring and rousing documentary about the scrappy decadesold Louisville, Kentucky, drum corps. Founded by the devoted couple of Edward White and the late Zambia Nkrumah, the grassroots group has been instrumental in encouraging Black youths to get involved in the arts. It also helped many of its members gain confidence after humiliating remarks from others, including teachers. “Drumbeat” follows the changing of the guard as a former student steps up to juggle family life and a steadfast desire to help his community. This is a must. DETAILS >> ★★★★ ; streaming Friday as part of the Virtual Cinema series at the Roxie Theater, www.roxie. com, and Aug. 14 at the Smith Rafael Film Center, rafaelfilm.cafilm.org.
“A THOUSAND CUTS” >> Bruised and battered and gasping for air, legitimate journalism has become the punching bag for politicians everywhere. Few experienced the brunt of that bullish hatred more than tenacious journalist Maria Ressa. Selected as Time magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, Ressa’s investigative work into the retaliatory, venomous leadership of Philippine strongman president Rodrigo Duterte led to her getting death threats and jail time. Ramona S. Diaz’s tremendous documentary exposes Duterte’s tactics and conveys Ressa’s fearless dedication to tell the truth at any cost. It’s one of the most important films of 2020. DETAILS >> ★★★★ ; streaming Friday as part of the Virtual Cinema series at the Smith Rafael Film Center, rafaelfilm.cafilm.org, and the Roxie Theater, www. roxie.com.
“MADE IN ITALY” >> To better appreciate the sentimentality hugging this portrait of grief and unresolved family issues, understand that stars Liam Neeson and Micheál Richardson are father and son in real life. They bring a natural on-screen chemistry to their performances in a familiar, but well-meaning story. Neeson plays a painter agreeing to overhaul a dilapidated Italian villa so his cash-strapped son (Richardson) can benefit from its sale. The gorgeous Tuscan scenery, the father-son acting team and the scenestealing brusqueness of Lindsay Duncan as an unflappable realtor make this homage to Neeson’s late wife, Natasha Richardson, worth a look. But Neeson’s mom jeans have gotta go. DETAILS >> ★★★ streaming Friday on several platforms.
“THE SECRET: DARE TO DREAM” >> Sentimentality, on the other hand, becomes a sticky mess in this adaptation of Rhonda Byrne’s bestselling ode to the power of positive thinking. A financially imperiled mother of three (Katie Holmes) meets an enigmatic hunk (Josh Lucas) who fixes up her house and spouts positive messages. “Secret” is amiable and watchable but gets hamstrung by a terrible ending and dialogue that delivers such platitudes as “Anything is possible” and “Things can change if you want them to.” DETAILS >> ★★ available now on several platforms.
“I USED TO GO HERE” >> Writer-director Kris Rey’s comedic paean to booksmart unhappiness is the true find of the week, a brittle and observant dramedy on the foibles that come with being human. When critics trounce Kate Conklin’s (Gillian Collins) debut novel, her press tour is canceled, but she is invited to a speaking engagement at her alma mater. Nursing the end of a relationship, Kate questions where her wrecking ball of a life is heading while hanging with college students along with a flirty professor (Jemaine Clement). All the characters are well-written and the script is sassy and hilarious. It’s a terrific feature debut. DETAILS >> ★★★★ ; streaming Friday on several platforms.