The Amateur

My nephew and I have been eagerly anticipating the release of The Amateur since the first trailer dropped (he actually sent me the trailer and we discussed it endlessly) so we were both absolutely thrilled to go to an early access screening last night.  I am really biased (spy thrillers are one of my favorite genres of both movies and books and I am a huge fan of Rami Malek) but I loved it!  CIA analyst Charlie Heller (Malek) receives information from an anonymous source which implicates his boss, Deputy Director Alex Moore (Holt McCallany), in unsanctioned black ops missions around the globe.  When his wife Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed in a terror attack in London, he tracks down those responsible but Moore seems hesitant to take action against them.  He decides use the information from his source to blackmail Moore into allowing him to go after the terrorists himself and trains with Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) who determines that Heller doesn't have the killer instinct to be an operative.  However, he uses his own specific skills to chase his wife's killers but it takes the help of his informant (Caitriona Balfe), and another unlikely ally within the CIA (Julianne Nicholson), to stay ahead of Henderson and the other operatives sent by Moore to stop him.  The story is entertaining with lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed the clever methods used by Heller to exact revenge as well as the message about the toll that killing can take on someone whether justified or not.  All of the different locations around the world are fabulous and I like that we actually see Heller using his skills to get from place to place.  This is a role that is very well suited to Malek's strengths as an actor (the character reminded me a lot of Elliot Alderson) and I loved his performance.  My only complaint is that there are some pacing issues.  I started to get a bit restless when there were still two terrorists left to track down (but I did find the resolution to be thrilling).  I had so much fun watching this with my nephew (he loved it, too, and is hoping for a sequel) and I highly recommend it!

Bob Trevino Likes It

My nephew and I went to the Broadway last night for Bob Trevino Likes It and it is one of the most heartwarming movies I've seen in a long time!  Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira) had a traumatic childhood with an absent mother and her father Bob (French Stewart) continues to be narcissistic and manipulative.  She is desperate for a relationship with him, so after he cuts off contact with her, she tries to reach out to him by searching for him on Facebook.  She finds a profile without a picture for a Bob Trevino and sends him a friend request.  Even though he doesn't know her, this Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) accepts it, starts liking her posts, and begins communicating with her.  They eventually meet and, because Bob had a tragedy in his past that has left him feeling just as alone as Lily, their interactions help both of them heal.  The story about a young woman who is so isolated and starved for affection that she seeks a connection anywhere she can find it is incredibly moving and there were several scenes that reduced me to tears, particularly one that takes place at an animal shelter.  The message about the importance of found families to fill the void left by dysfunctional or absent biological families is also really powerful and I found it very hopeful.  Ferreira gives a raw and emotional performance and it is easy to root for her character as she finally learns how to put herself first in her dealings with her abusive father.  She has wonderful chemistry with Leguizamo, who gives one of the best performances of his career, and I absolutely loved his character because he is so kind, gentle, and caring (everyone needs someone like Bob in their lives).  The cathartic ending is earned rather than manipulative, in my opinion, and it left me a blubbering mess (several people walking out of the theater were also wiping their eyes).  I cannot recommend this enough!

Life of Pi at the Eccles

I really love the book Life of Pi by Yann Martel and I also enjoyed the movie adaptation but I wondered how it would translate to the stage because the book is very interior and the movie is incredibly cinematic.  I had the chance to see the Broadway touring production at the Eccles Theatre last night and I was blown away by the spectacular staging and an incredible central performance.  After surviving 227 days at sea, Piscine "Pi" Patel (Taha Mandviwala) is washed on shore in Mexico as the sole survivor of a Japanese freighter that was sunk during a storm.  He is questioned by officials and begins recounting his life at his family's zoo in India, their decision to emigrate to Canada with the animals, the sinking of the ship, and his fantastical journey at sea trapped in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.  The officials do not believe his story about coexisting at sea with a dangerous animal so he tells them a more plausible one and leaves it up to them to determine which one is true.  I loved the emphasis on the power of storytelling and that sometimes the better story requires you to believe something without proof.  I also found the emphasis on survival and the need to create a story in order to live with what was done in the name of survival to be very compelling.  The interiority of the novel is very cleverly portrayed by having characters physically appear to Pi during his darkest moments at sea to give him instructions for survival (the admiral, portrayed by Sinclair Mitchell, who reads to Pi from his survival guide was my favorite).  The visuals used in this production are absolutely stunning and I especially loved the projections and fog used to represent the undulating ocean waves all around the lifeboat and the lighting effects that mimic a starry night at sea.  The set is absolutely brilliant and the transitions from the hospital, to the zoo, to the ship, to the lifeboat, and back to the hospital again happen in an instant.  The animals are portrayed by the most amazing puppets (they were designed by Finn Caldwell who also worked on the puppets in War Horse) and the way the puppeteers manipulate them is ingenious!  I was giggling out loud watching the orangutan swing from branch to branch in the zoo as well as the iridescent fish swimming around the lifeboat but the appearance of Richard Parker (performed by Jon Hoche, Anna Vomáčka, and Andrew Wilson) took my breath away because his movements are so lifelike and I couldn't take my eyes off him whenever he was on stage.  Finally, this production is worth seeing for Mandviwala's energetic physical performance alone.  This is one of the most mesmerizing shows I've seen and it is certainly my favorite from the 2024-2025 Broadway at the Eccles season (which is ironic because I wasn't especially looking forward to it).  There are five more performances left at the Eccles and I highly recommend getting a ticket for one of them (go here).

Jersey Boys at The Ruth

I really love the jukebox musical Jersey Boys because it reminds me of my dad.  He was a big fan of The Four Seasons and, because he would always play their music on family road trips, I know the words to every song!  I went to see a production at The Ruth last night and I had to try very hard not to sing along!  Frankie Valli (Kristian Huff), Tommy DeVito (Brock Dalgleish), Nick Massi (Chase Petersen), and Bob Gaudio (Scott Hendrickson) each take a turn narrating the story of The Four Seasons from their own perspectives, including their rise from four guys singing under a streetlamp in New Jersey to superstardom and then their downfall after the pressure of fame tears them apart, because everyone remembers it the way they need to.  As previously mentioned, I love the music in this show and the performances from the four leads are amazing!  I was especially impressed with Huff, because he captures Valli's falsetto perfectly, but I really appreciate that the four of them sing and dance in a way that is instantly recognizable as The Four Seasons but they don't just replicate the original performances (or what other productions have done).  The ensemble, who all play multiple roles, is also outstanding and so is the live band (I loved seeing all of the racks of guitars).  I think the staging is very clever and, because it is so fast-paced, I particularly liked the use of large screens on the two-story set and around the stage to denote locations as well as the quick costume changes (so many different jackets!) that happen right on stage.  Watching the songs as they are being performed in specific locations, such as "Sherry" on American Bandstand and "Rag Doll" (my favorite song by the group) at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, is so much fun because we become the audience at these venues but, in my opinion, "Dawn (Go Away)" on The Ed Sullivan Show is a highlight because they turn away from the actual audience to sing for screaming fans shown in black and white images on the screens.  Finally, this updated version does not contain the profanity used in the original (this makes the show more accessible to audiences and I don't think it detracts from the story at all) and the suggestive elements during "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" are really toned down.  I've seen several versions of this show (including the Broadway touring production) and this one might be my favorite because it feels so intimate.  I loved it and I highly recommend seeing it (go here for tickets) if you are a fan of The Four Seasons.  It runs at the Smith Grand Theater through May 10.

Utah Hockey Club vs. Calgary Flames

My sister Marilyn is not a hockey fan (we are not really sure how this happened) so, when one of her colleagues gave her four tickets to last night's Utah Hockey Club game to thank her for helping him with a big project, she invited me, Kristine, and Trent to go with her because the three of us are huge hockey fans.  We had so much fun (even Marilyn) and I know my dad was so happy that his three daughters were together at a hockey game (especially against a Canadian team because we got to hear "O Canada").  Utah played the Calgary Flames and it was a really important game with playoff implications for both teams so it was very exciting!  Both teams are very evenly matched but goalie Karel Vejmelka was the difference for Utah because he made 33 saves.  Kevin Stenlund scored first for Utah with with a really nice one-timer at the end of the first period and the crowd went crazy!  It looked like Calgary had scored early in the second period when Mikael Backlund's shot hit the skate of Utah's Nick DeSimone but the goal was disallowed after it was reviewed (which also made the crowd cheer).  Thirty seconds later Barrett Hayton scored on a backhander to put Utah up 2-0.  Rasmus Andersson got one by Vejmelka (I thought he had it) mid-way through the second and then there were a few penalties and a fight to end the period.  Calgary had a few good chances in the third but Utah never gave up and the captain Clayton Keller scored (with an assist from my favorite player Dylan Guenther) on an empty net goal in the final seconds to win 3-1.  I was so happy to see them win because they lost the only other time I've gone to a game this season!  We had such a great time so I think Marilyn might be a new fan!