Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones PG-13 |
COMEDY/DRAMA
The same bed? That would be a miracle. Kay (Streep) and Arnold (Jones) don't even sleep in the same room anymore. After 31 years of wedded blahs, they're roommates-a common tale, but one we seldom see onscreen. Hope Springs is a rarity: a movie about people over 50 who aren't having sex but really want to.
But that makes the film sound like a talky downer, when it's baldly, boldly funny, particularly after Kay secretly signs up for a week of intensive couples counseling in Maine. There, the hush-puppy-voiced Dr. Feld (Steve Carell) gets Arnold's boxers in a bunch with his blush-worthy questions and homework assignments. If the scenes in this gingerbread town (and certainly Feld's office) seem claustrophobic and stagy, they at least serve the actors: Jones shows surprising vulnerability in Arnold's gruffest moments, while Streep is wondrously subtle as Kay, repressed but certain this is no way to live. Admirably, the film resists clichés, denying the couple quick fixes to long-standing problems. But its biggest credit is playing to a woefully underserved group of eager moviegoers: mature adults.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn, Robert Capron | PG |
COMEDY
Since school is such a trial for Greg Heffley (Gordon), summer should be a breeze, right? Not for this kid. Instead of idling away sunny days playing video games as God intended, Greg goes on forced bonding excursions with dad Frank (Zahn), plays nauseating rounds of "I Love You Because ..." with buddy Rowley (Capron) and his goofy parents, and pines for sweet classmate Holly (Peyton List). If it's torture for him, it's fun for us, with the silly set pieces plucked from Jeff Kinney's popular kid-lit series. Like the two prior Wimpy Kid movies, Dog Days isn't just for laughs-after all, Greg lies, schemes and occasionally hurts people's feelings. But then he learns from his myriad mistakes, and new levels of maturity are glimpsed, if not ultimately reached. Who can't relate to that?
CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER
This rom-com about a divorcing couple nearly works. Andy Samberg shows depth as artist Jesse, hoping to reconcile with his wife, Celeste (Rashida Jones). Too bad the film turns smart Celeste into a cliché fool: boozy and embarrassing.
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES
It's hard not to giggle at mega-rich Jackie and David Siegel, who hoard pets, kids and tacky furniture while building the largest private home in the U.S. But when their fortunes fall, Jackie grows more complex and likable. The couple may not see it that way-they're suing director Lauren Greenfield for defamation.
THE IMPOSTER
In 1997 the family of missing Texas teen Nicholas Barclay got a call from Spain saying he was alive. Only this "Nicholas" had brown eyes, not blue, and a five-o'clock shadow. The stunning story gets retold (but not quite unraveled) in this gripping documentary.
IS HE THE NEXT CHANNING TATUM?
HE'S A MIXED MARTIAL-ARTS MASTER
The Texas-bred star who plays Sean trained in the sport for seven years. "That was the biggest factor in getting the choreography down without being a dancer," says Guzman, 24, who steps into the franchise that launched Channing Tatum's career. "No dance double!"
HE HAS MODELED IN HIS UNDERWEAR
"Modeling was a way of financing my fighting," the single Guzman says. "My fighter friends definitely made fun of me: 'I've seen you in your underwear, bro!' But once they realized the girls loved it, they asked, 'How do I get into it?'"
HE'S READY TO TAKE IT ALL OFF
"Let's battle it out anytime on Magic Mike 2," says Guzman of his predecessor. "I'll strip him out!"
BUTLER & BIEL: GAME ON!
A soccer player as a kid, Gerard Butler tied his cleats back on for the upcoming romantic comedy, due this December. The Scottish actor, 42, stars as a playboy ex-soccer star who moves back to his hometown to reconnect with his ex-wife (Jessica Biel) and young son.
HOW WAS YOUR SOCCER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
I haven't played for a long time, so it was all about freshening up my skills, which were a bit rusty. I did a lot of training, and I played every second I could. [After shooting] I went to play in a charity game for my home team, Glasgow Celtic. It was probably the best thing I ever did in my life. I love the sport.
ANY INJURIES?
I always dive into these movies, whether it's a surf movie or a war movie. I took a couple of bashes along the way because I was doing a lot of training, but nothing major.
YOU vs. JESSICA ON THE FIELD: WHO WOULD WIN?
She would come training with us. She's better than I am, which was a little embarrassing. But she's an incredible athlete.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF SHOOTING IN LOUISIANA?
I started kayaking to work, which was great. The water got a little crazy one time and I had to abandon my plan and bring it back in, much to the amusement of everyone watching me.
