Saturday, August 2, 2008

Bennie and the Jets



Author(s): James Somerton (Canada)
Bennie and the Jets

Directed By James Mangold
Written By Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais

CAST
Cillian Murphy as Bennie Vicsera
Prince as Dedrick Jones
Kimberly Caldwell as Roberta Hendrix
Robert Downey Jr. as Jonathan Bond
James Marsden as Daniel Bicks
Courtney Love as Elix

TAGLINE: "How High Is High Enough?"

SONG LIST (In Performance Order)
"I'm Still Standing" Performed By Mr. Murphy
"Bennie and the Jets" Performed By Prince
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" Performed By Mr. Murphy & Ms. Caldwell
"Your Song" Performed By Mr. Marsden
"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" Performed By Ms. Caldwell
"I Want Love" Performed By Mr. Murphy
"The Bitch is Back" Performed By Mr. Murphy

SYNOPSIS
Bennie Vicsera stands behind a thick black curtain that blocks him from view. On the other side of that curtain is a crowd of forty-thousand screaming fans, calling for him. His band, The Jets, play the first cords to their hit single "Im Still Standing". Bennie hears his cue and panics. Too many people. Too much pressure. He lets it go to his head but within five seconds of hearing his cue, Bennie Viscera bursts onto the stage in an explosion of confetti and flashing lights.

On stage Bennie Vicsera is a high energy showman that will do anything to get his fans singing and dancing along with him. But off stage he's shy. He doesn't like to reveal too much of himself to his band-mates but they all get along well. His two real best friends are his childhood friend Roberta, and fellow chart topper Dedrick Jones. Then, of course, there's everyone's best friend; cocaine.

Bennie rides the wave of chart topping success, winning countless awards and, eventually, even winning over the critics. But all of this is put in jeopardy when rumors of his sexuality begin to swarm around the tabloids. In a panic he marries Roberta in hopes that all the rumors will be swept back under the carpet. They are. For the time being anyway. It wouldn't be too hard for him to keep his sexuality a secret if cocaine wasn't making him more and more reckless. His guilt is also eating away at him. The guilt of knowing that Roberta is actually in love with him, and isn't aware that she's being used by him.

Bennie's missing shows and public appearances now. He hasn't released a new album in three years and the public is starting to lean toward more current, consistent fare. His manager, Jonathan Bond, tries everything to get him back on track but a planned intervention blows up in his face when Bennie runs off and then no one can find him.

Bennie is held up in a secret house he's renting under an assumed name in Las Vegas. He watches on the TV as new artists emerge to take his place. The only contact he has with the outside world is Daniel Bicks, a hustler whose taken to caring for Bennie, and maybe loving him. His cocaine addiction, something that Daniel joined him with at first, has reached new heights. And even Daniel can't stand what's its doing to him. He watches him waste away and begs him to try and stop but not even his declaration of true love can sway Bennie. Daniel takes his broken heart and leaves Bennie alone in his home in Sin City.

As Bennie's friends move on with their lives, and his "Wife" files for an annulment, he remains hidden from public eye. White powder is sprinkled everywhere in his home. A place that will surely be where he has his final rest. But when one of his contemporaries dies of an overdose, and its splashed all over the TV, Bennie is faced with a decision. Join his dead friend in whatever comes after life, or pick up the pieces and live.

WHAT THE PRESS WOULD SAY
"Bennie and the Jets", a new musical from the songs of Elton John, is a terrific story with some great moments of musical genius. Loosely based on the life of Elton John himself, it takes us on the journey of Bennie Viscera; from the peak of his stardom, to the near deadly downfall, and finally to his resurrection. The film stars Cillian Murphy as Bennie, a shy, self-loathing superstar who runs from the truth and hides, figuratively and truthfully. Murphy gives a great performance and really shows off his singing abilities. He makes the character entirely likable, even at his worst moments. Kimberly Caldwell stars as his lifelong best friend Roberta Hendrix, a woman so enamored with Bennie's charm that she can't see past it. This is what leads to her falling into a fake marriage that she thinks is real. Her performance is undeniably memorable but she truly shines in the "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" musical number. A heartbreaking scene where she gives up any hope of ever being with Bennie, the man she's loved since childhood. Her biggest support in the movie is Dedrick Jones, Bennie's other best friend. Prince portrays the music superstar with so much power and charisma that he's one of the most memorable characters in the movie. His rendition of "Bennie and the Jets" sums up the history of Bennie and his rocking band. He helps in organizing Bennie's failed intervention but doesn't give up there. When all of Bennie's other friends move on, Dedrick keeps his eyes open for any trace of the missing Bennie, always looking for him, and always hoping for the best. The rest of the cast give some amazing performances as well. Robert Downey Jr. appears in only a few scenes as Jonathan Bond, Bennie's manger, but he's a great character that you love to hate. He tries hard to get Bennie's life back on track but only because it means millions of dollars to him. James Marsden has a small roll as a Las Vegas hustler that becomes Bennie's lover. But he, like Roberta, falls for Bennie and has his heart broken. He's almost a throwaway character because of his lack of impact on the story, but his performance is just too good to overlook. Courtney Love as a very small roll as Elix, a rock queen whose overdose and death leads to Bennie pulling his life back together. We see her only a few times in the film, mostly in passing glances at concerts or at parties where she forces Bennie to socialize. But she comes off as very fun and likable so these little encounters are more than enough to stir an emotional reaction in the audience at the news of her death. This is when Bennie really sees what he has become. Almost broke and entirely alone, he forces himself out of his stupor and rises up like a phoenix. In the final musical number, a stage show performed in front of some sixty-thousand cheering fans, Bennie Viscera erupts onto the stage with the words "The Bitch Is Back!". This is one of the most exhilarating sequences I've seen in a long time. After seeing Bennie so lackluster for so long, its great to see him back to the amazing showman he was in the beginning of the film. "Bennie and the Jets" is like a Rise and Fall morality tale with a happy ending. James Mangold takes us on a great ride and never lets us get bored. The musical numbers become sparse for a good part of the movie, letting the story tell itself. In fact, almost the entire second half is without them. We really start to miss the great musical performances so when we get the "The Bitch is Back" at the very end, its a heart-pumping conclusion to a great ride. With some fantastic performances, already classic songs, and a great story, this is the Elton John musical we've all been waiting for.

POSSIBLE NOMINATIONS
Best Picture
Best Director - James Mangold
Best Actor - Cillian Murphy
Best Supporting Actor - Prince
Best Supporting Actress - Kimberly Caldwell
Best Original Screenplay

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