03rd Sep2016

Chicklit (Film)

by timbaros

Bonar & Law at workFour men try to cash in on the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ phenomenom by writing their own racy novel in order to save a local pub in the new film ‘Chicklit.’

Set in a small village in Norfolk, the whole town seems to be reading ‘She Came in Chains,’ a new BDSM book by author Lady Lovelorn, including local newspaper editor David Rose’s (Christian McKay) wife Jen (Caroline Catz). So when the local pub is faced with closing unless a buyer can come up with £300,000 to save it, Rose has an idea – why don’t him and his pals write their own racy novel. So he enlists his card game buddies – pub manager Chris (Tom Palmer), school teacher Justin (David Troughton) and local bookstore owner Marcus (Miles Jupp) to each write their own section of a ‘mommy porn’ novel in the hopes that they can get someone to publish it. Well, David contacts London book agents Bonar and Law (John Hurt and Eileen Atkins), who are very interested in representing the book the men have called ‘Love Let Her.’ They get a publishing deal but with one caveat, they need to have the author available to do book tours and signings. So David enlists his struggling actress sister-in-law Zoe (Dakota Blue Richards) to play the part of the ‘author’ of the book. But with the book becoming a success, it’s harder and harder for them to keep the book’s real authors a secret, and even more so when Zoe starts getting tired of promoting something that is not hers.

‘Chicklit’ is a cute and funny take on chick literature and how almost anyone with an imagination and a computer can write a saucy novel. Filmed like a 1970’s style television show in a small English village with typical local characters, it’s a film that’s both charming and cute. Hurt and Atkins almost steal the movie as the uproarious book agents while the delightful music of Alex Britten (related to Director Tony Brtten who also wrote the film with Oliver Britten – it’s a family affair), who sings as part of the pub’s house band, adds a nice touch. This film is recommended.

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03rd Sep2016

Equity (Film)

by timbaros

equity-is-such-a-good-wall-street-movie-you-almost-forget-that-all-the-characters-are-womenA female investment banker is under pressure to bring to the market a successful IPO but she faces lots of obstacles in the new film ‘Equity.’

Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) is Naomi Bishop, a high-flying banker at Remson Partners who expects to be promoted to Global Head of her division but is hindered by the lackluster performance of her last IPO in a company called Dinosaur. She gets a second chance to lead another IPO in a company called Cachet because she knows the company’s founder Ed (Samuel Roukin). It’s a privacy company that can build social network which are hack-proof. But Bishop all too quickly loses her credibility and business acumen. Her assistant Erin (Sarah Megan Thomas) closes the deal by getting very close to Ed. And Bishop has a very curious (and a former acquaintance) prosecutor Samantha (Alysia Reiner) on her back asking lots of questions, questions that include her relationship with a junior banker at her firm (James Purefoy). Things get more complicated when a former employee at Cachet comes out with info that hurts the IPO putting the deal, and Bishop’s job, in jeopardy.

‘Equity’ tries to bring a fresh perspective on women in the world of banking and finance but fails miserably. Directed and written by women (Meera Menon and Amy Fox with Megan Thomas respectively), the entire plots just doesn’t add up. Bishop is not as smart as one would expect someone in her position to be, thanks to the poor choices, and mistakes, she makes. And her outfit choices are just plain bad. The performances are barely passable but the script definitely isn’t. ‘Equity’ is a sell and not a buy.

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