Capone's Art-House Round Up with ONE DAY, VIVA RIVA!, and SENNA!!!

Hey, folks. Capone in Chicago here, with a couple of films that are making their way into art houses or coming out in limited release around America this week (maybe even taking up one whole screen at a multiplex near you). Do your part to support these films, or at least the good ones…


ONE DAY
From Lone Scherfig, the director of AN EDUCATION, comes a less-than-great ONE DAY, based on what I hear is a fabulous novel by David Nicholls, who adapted it himself. Sometimes loving, liking, or hating a movie comes down to one thing from which all other things stem. In the case of ONE DAY, that one thing is Jim Sturgess' portrayal of Dexter. I'm not bashing Sturgess at all; he's an actor I've grown to like with this last couple of roles. No, I'm blaming Scherfig for allowing Dexter to be so completely and utterly unlikeable in this tale of a pair of friends—the other being Anne Hathaway's Emma—who we only see on the same day (July 15) every year from the day they graduate university to 20 years later.

Most of these years, they aren't a couple, so they get together to update each other on their respective lives. Dexter goes on to become the obnoxious host of some kind of television chat/game show, and actually convinces himself that his fame is a result of some form of talent and not because he's one of the most hated men in the UK. And that bimbo he's dating, yeah, he thinks she came into his life because of his undeniable charm and wit. Sorry, buddy. You have money, and she wants it. Emma takes a slightly more subtle approach to life, becoming a career waitress and dating a man who is little more than a human sponge. Eventually her belief in herself allows her to continue her real passion—writing—to some degree of success.

What ONE DAY is not is a sweeping love story or even a romantic comedy, and you shouldn't let the commercials for this film fool you into thinking it is. These two people are great friends who takes turns pulling each other out of the dumps, and on that level, there's some charm to the proceedings, but my god is Dexter an asshole, and my primary problem with the film is that I refuse to believe a woman—friend or otherwise—would have remained friends with a guy like this for 20-some years. I can't remember the last time I hated a character more. And it undermines the strength of these actors, who do a realistic job showing us the cumulative effect of their years knowing each other, which is saying a lot because most of the July 15s in this film, they aren't even together, so we get a fraction of a conversation on the phone.

There may be those among you who aren't as troubled and annoyed by Dexter in this movie, in which case, you'll probably flip for ONE DAY. But my hatred of him festered and grew smelly with each passing moment. Even some of the deeply sad closing sequences, I felt Dexter hadn't earned the right to feel sorry for his situation. You act like an asshole, and life deservedly dumps a heap of shit on your head. Simple as that. But if you find his banter witty, you're a more forgiving person than I am.


VIVA RIVA!
Front loaded with raw energy and an almost-celebratory take on corruption at every level of the socioeconomic strata of Kinshasa, Congo, where this film is set, VIVA RIVA! is the story of Riva (Patsha Bay Mukuna), a thug who comes home to the town where he grew up after a long absence. For reasons that are unimportant, Riva has a flatbed filled with precious barrels of gasoline and a whole lot of money that he wants to use to party until he can find the highest bidder for his rare product. But his payload catches the eye of a gangster in the area named Cesar (Hoji Fortuna), who hurts and kills whomever he has to to find Riva and relieve him of his cargo.

But Riva is just foolish enough not to be scared. He has a fearless streak that helps him get out of situations where most men would cower. Cesar is also particularly pissed at Riva because he's stolen his woman, Nora (Manie Malone), who has her own motives for getting close to Riva. And then comes the scariest guy of the bunch, an Angolan crime boss from whom Riva stole the gas in the first place and who rarely walks upright without a gun in hand. In one scene, he literally assesses the many prisoners he has and says, "What value do you have to me right now?" If he doesn't like the answer, he shoots them.

Writer-director Djo Tunda Wa Munga has won a lot of African film awards for VIVA RIVA! and rightfully so. The entire production feels authentic in its excesses and dangerous to its core. Torture and death have gone beyond shocking in this criminal culture, so what makes you gasp are the casual nature with which it's all perpetrated. And the way the movie captures the people, both innocent and guilty, is magnificent. This is not an ugly film, just a film about ugly people (most of whom are quite good looking). I love the way Riva laughs and parties and basically gives the middle finger to everyone who is pursuing him, when he should be hiding for his life. But that's just one of the many things that makes VIVA RIVA! so unpredictable and entertaining.


SENNA
I have a vague recollection of the name Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian Formula One superstar driver. In many parts of the world, he was considered an inspiration and one the best drivers to ever set tire to track. Directed by Asif Kapadia for ESPN Films, this fascinating documentary about Senna's life begins with his winning a championship Go Kart race in Brazil, and then making the decision to turn pro and go into competitive racing. What strikes you almost immediately is how seemingly every second of Senna's life was captured on film or audio tape, so much so that Senna is able to narrate his own life story from beyond the grave (he died at age 34 during a race many believed should not have been run).

The second thing that one notices watching SENNA is that winning is at the emotional core of everything he did, and to watch him explode with anger (sometimes at himself) after losing a race is a thing of beauty. I knew nothing about F1 racing going in, but during the course of the film, the commentators dissect Senna's racing style, strategy, and occasional recklessness. The racing sequences are phenomenal stuff, but equally enjoyable are the scenes of Senna in Brazil being mobbed by fans. His very verbal rivalry with sometime-teammate Alain Prost of France is also a great source of amusement.

It's a rare thing to be able to see the moments in any sports figure's life when he enters the realm of greatness, but SENNA is filled with such moments, and you can't help but get caught up in this man's life and feel a huge sense of sadness at this violent death. I do find it strange that the movie essentially ignore Senna's childhood, but I've also heard that there's a much longer version of this film out there, so maybe that's where such footage lies. Still, this is an intriguing sports doc that fans of F1 racing will devour.

-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
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