Tag: Tyrese Gibson

  • ‘Annapolis’ is an interesting look inside the Naval Academy

    ‘Annapolis’ is an interesting look inside the Naval Academy

    Tyrese Gibson and James Franco in Annapolis

    Annapolis from director Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow) is not, as many have attempted to describe it, a new take on An Officer and a Gentleman, the fine film from 1982 starring Richard Gere, Debra Winger and in an Oscar winning performance as the drill sergeant, Louis Gossett Jr. This is a good thing because the world doesn’t need “A Midshipman and a Gentleman” as an update to Taylor Hackford’s 1982 gem.

    What “Annapolis” is, is the story of a kid who grew up in the shadow of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, with dreams of his own and his mother’s that he would someday attend. The son of a shipbuilder, “Jake Huard” (James Franco) had his determination to get into Annapolis harden into a steel resolve when his mother died. His shipbuilder father (Brian Goodman) discourages his dream, for two reasons. One, because he doesn’t think that Jake has what it takes to succeed within the rigors of the Navy’s Academy Program, and two, because he happens to be Jake’s boss in the shipyard where they both work and he doesn’t want to see Jake throw away a promising career as a riveter.

    But fate intervenes in the form of a last minute opening at the Naval Academy and in the shape of a Tactical Officer, “Lt Cmdr Burton” (Donnie Wahlberg) who thinks that Huard can make it through the program and become a Navy officer. Huard seizes the chance to go to the Academy, even though he will be starting out well behind the other “plebes” in his class.

    The question is, does “Midshipman Lt. Cole” (Tyrese Gibson) think that Huard has the right stuff, because he is Huard’s Company Commander and he is the one who will make or break Huard. Lt. Cole’s combat experience as a prior service enlisted Marine makes his classmates regard him with something approaching awe. He himself, having seen combat, holds himself and the potential officers he commands, to a higher standard and that includes Jake Huard.

    The result is serious friction between the two, especially when Jake’s late start and less than stellar academic skills put him behind the learning curve of his roommates and the other members of the company. One place where “Annapolis” fails is that a critical moment of film that was visible in the movie’s trailer was left on the cutting room floor. In that moment, Cole is asked by “Ali” (Jordana Brewster), one of the midshipman officers in the company supervising Huard “Why are you so hard on him”. Cole’s answer which dealt with his perception of Huard’s potential would have given the audience a much different perception on why Cole is so hard on him. Instead, absent this critical piece of information, the audience has no idea why Cole is so tough on Huard and most assume he doesn’t think Huard has what it takes. An assumption supported by things Cole says in what was more probably attempts to motivate him.

    James Franco and Jordana Brewster in Annapolis

    But in spite of this flaw, the film works. It isn’t just another film about coming of age while going through military training. It is about learning that there is no I in team and this is a lesson that Huard will learn in the boxing ring, as he enters “The Brigades”, to get his shot at Cole fair and square.

    James Franco is good as Huard, giving the character a strong, serious yet compassionate edge, a will to win no matter the cost. That will to win, shown early on in a key moment is what he will have to depend on to get through the toughest year in his life. Jordana Brewster gives a good performance, but she just doesn’t seem young enough for the role, something that is important when making a film about college-aged people.

    On the other hand, Tyrese Gibson is brilliant and perfectly cast as Lt. Cole. I don’t know if he was channeling some Marine that he shadowed for a few weeks or something, but he was quite good in his role. He had the prior service “edge” and it was razor sharp. Also, look for a terrific performance by Vicellous Reon Shannon as the one roommate who won’t abandon Huard no matter how hard the slogging gets, and as “Twins” Shannon gets some nasty treatment of his own that we’ve seen before.  Back then it was R. Lee Ermey’s “Gunnery Sergeant Hartman” giving Vincent D’Onofrio’s “Private Pyle” the business over a jelly donut hidden in a footlocker in the Kubrick master work Full Metal Jacket. This subplot is updated, lightened, but the issue of food and weight and an obstacle course was clearly lifted from FMJ and the afore-mentioned An Officer and a Gentleman.

    The boxing scenes are crisp and clean, and so are the training scenes as Huard prepares for the fight of his life. Not just against Cole, but against all of the demons within that he must set down if he is to succeed as a plebe and survive his first year at Annapolis. You won’t just have to survive it if you plunk down your money at the box office. You will enjoy it.

  • ‘Four Brothers’ is a smart, fun film from director John Singleton

    ‘Four Brothers’ is a smart, fun film from director John Singleton

    From left to right: Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson, Mark Wahlberg and André Benjamin in ‘Four Brothers’

    There is something to be said about straight up action flicks that don’t pretend to be something else. I respect films like that, because they are unapologetic in their tone and treatment of violence. But sometimes in the process they become something more. Something with heart and intelligence. A well-crafted action flick can truly be a great film.

    That’s what I found with Four Brothers.

    It is not only a smart film, it’s a fun film, one I could easily watch again and still enjoy. John Singleton manages to merge a sense of urban realism that he did so well in Boyz n the Hood and the fun spirit of the 1970s action flick like his Shaft remake. Four Brothers is then given unique tones that were both surprising and refreshing.

    The story is sparked by the murder of Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan), a do-gooder who spent her life caring for foster children. After she is killed, four especially bad boys who she ultimately adopted reunite in order to find out who murdered her. The foursome is led by Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), a bear of a man whose violent nature makes him dangerous. He is accompanied by Angel (Tyrese Gibson), another troublemaker who escaped into the Marines; Jeremiah (André Benjamin), a businessman and father of two who has shed his violent past; and Jake (Garrett Hedlund), a troubled teen and youngest of the foursome. They challenge the police and discover corruption and lies that eventually lead them to Detroit’s most powerful and deadliest criminal, Victor Sweet (Chiwetel Ejiofor). But they may have bitten off more than they can chew, as Sweet owns the cops and politicians, leaving the four brothers out in the cold and on thin ice.

    What’s funny about Four Brothers is that we learn as much as we’re ever going to in the first 10-15 minutes of the film. Yet somehow Singleton makes each of the four brothers unique and rich characters. Not only is this impressive but speaks volumes not only of his talents, but the actors as well. Wahlberg gives his best performance since Boogie Nights, filling Bobby’s shoes perfectly. And Benjamin, the singer known as André 3000 with Outkast, is terrific as the straight-and-narrow brother. Hedlund also successfully emotes the troubled mind of his character, whose dark childhood is merely suggested but never explored, while Gibson is always cool yet at the same time human.

    Accompanying these terrific characters are some outstanding action sequences, most notably the shootout at the brother’s family home. This sequence is just perfect, not the usual Hollywood fair, but real and fantastic all at the same time. The car chase in the snow is also outstanding, if a little too heavy with dialogue. But the moments that really stood out the most for me were the brief instances where each of the brothers have a spiritual encounter with their mother. These were small pieces of heart that really made you feel for each brother, connecting with the characters in a way that is rare in action flicks.

    The DVD includes the usual kinds of special features, such as behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes and audio commentary. I was impressed by the commentary, only in that Singleton seemed far more down to Earth than he has in some interviews I’ve read. His commentary is a good mix of behind-the-scenes details and technical information. The deleted scenes are okay, and the featurettes are all the average deal. But it is really the film that shines here, and Four Brothers is probably one of 2005’s best in my book.