Jeff Lubeck

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Impact Like Few Other Films

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood a film by Marielle Heller starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys delivers with an impact like few others.

It’s story-line is based on true events and people as much as Hollywood films allow and its story-telling resonates.

It would be a mistake to say A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is about Mr. Rogers the actor, and Fred Rogers the man. Both are in the film and play a central role performed beautifully by Tom Hanks. However, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is really about dealing with our fears and anger and is told and presented from the vantage of a skeptic and cynic. A person who has reasons to be skeptical and cynical.

Ironically, this skeptical and cynical person is not unique. We know many like them and the elements and events in their life that led to their world view in general and opinion of do-gooders like Fred Rogers in specific. On certain days and on certain topics we may even be them.

As with the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reveals the remarkable and simple humanity and humility of Fred Rogers. Rogers was and remains to this day (via his television legacy) the real deal. His true legacy is that he could reach children and adults and get them to deal with their feelings and fears. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood pays tribute to it.

Speed, Power, Exhilaration & Grace – All at 7000 RPM

Can a Hollywood film about car racing in the late 1950’s and 1960’s really delve into and successfully touch almost every aspect of human emotion?

With Ford v Ferrari directed by James Mangold, starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Caitriona Balfe – the answer is an unequivocal yes. It is astonishing to me that so many aspects of life can be presented so superbly in one film.

Ford v Ferrari is a watch at the Movie Theater twice kind of film.

I could write a long form essay about why this movie is as good as it gets in filmmaking – because virtually every aspect hits its mark – but I will not bore you. However, here are some highlights:

The chemistry between Damon and Bale is superb.
The chemistry between Bale and Balfe is superb (husband and wife).
The chemistry between Bale and Noah Jupe is superb (father and son).
The supporting characters have well developed roles and deliver big-time.
The timing and pacing of the film is extraordinarily good. Is was surprising to learn this film has a run time of 152 minutes.
The music by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sander is compelling.

Jeff’s Thoughts and Other Worthless Trivia:

In the mid 1960’s (64-68) I was 7 to 11 years-old. The NHL, MLB, Golf, College Basketball, Track & Field and Motors Sports were my world. So this meant Gordie Howe, Roger Cozier, Al Kaline, Gates Brown, Norm Cash, Jack Nicklaus, Sammy Snead, Gail Goodrich, Elvin Hayes, Jim Ryan, Bob Seagram, Dick Fosbury, Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, and Lloyd Ruby were the guys. I find it ironic that Goodrich and Fosbury would become friends and neighbors in later life.

This period was the era of 3 TV networks with limited live presentation (given so few satellites) and radio. Wide World of Sports was the T.V. presenter (often on tape delay). Radio was the real-time presenter. I (along with my Dad) listened to LeMans live (while we could stay awake). I listened to the 1966 LeMans victory on radio as it occurred.

Lee Iacocca and my Dad were good friends. Iacocca who would become CEO of Ford and Chrysler is played by Jon Bernthal in the film. Lee gave me a job on the assembly line at Ford as a favor – so I could pay for the remainder college at Michigan State.

Academy Award Winning Actor (The Fighter) Christian Bale is arguably the most versatile of his generation – if not all time. Bale, in my opinion, should have earned is 2nd AA as Best Actor in 2019 for his performance as Dick Cheney in Vice. I believe, time will show this was the best performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in 2019. Bale will lose 60lbs or gain 60lbs. for a role. Bale can speak convincingly as British or American Elite or commoner.

I Hear You Are Irish

Despite being based on a biography filled with well known credibility challenges, actors in their late seventies trying pull off playing their character in their late 30’s, and a three and one-half hour runtime – Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman works. The Irishman is flawed, but works.

The Irishman is a film that reveals many colorful and memorable details about the organization and individuals involved with The Mob and Unions in the United States in the latter half of the 20th Century.

The Irishman clearly benefits from a heavyweight Director and star-studded cast including Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel.

However the real foundation for the film’s success is Steven Zaillian’s script created from Charles Brandt’s biography of Frank Sheeran – I Heard You Paint Houses. Zaillian (AAN Awakenings, AAW Schindler’s List, AAN Gangs of New York, AAN Moneyball) serves up a rich script where each of the stars and supporting characters gets their time in the spotlight. I should qualify my statement – as it only really applies to the male actors.

The Irishman is a film about another era, using the successful movie making technique of another as well. In The Irishman women are portrayed at best, as Props. Women in The Irishman are not imagined using 21st Century sensibilities. Women and their role in the life of organized crime during this period is not explored in any real detail – except for Frank’s relationship with his youngest daughter. While the role of Peggy is intriguing, it has few lines and may well be kept ominous deliberately.

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Jeff’s Notes and Other Worthless Trivia

As most of you know I am from Detroit. I watched this film knowing I have indirect and in a few instances direct association with the people and families involved in this story. However I was a little kid during much of the period and a teenager when Jimmy Hoffa disappeared. While it would be easy to overstate what was known during this time – I barely knew anything as it related to the workings of the Mob.

Growing up in Grosse Pointe, the Giacalone, Tocco, and Bufalino kids were acquaintances and friends. They acted no different than the rest of us – no better, no worse.

The challenges grew as I got older. My Dad was the Managing Editor of the Detroit News – the largest paper in Detroit and largest evening paper the United States. My friend in elementary School was Bill Giacalone. his father (Vito) was reputed to be head of the Mafia in Detroit.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Impact Like Few Other Films

Speed, Power, Exhilaration & Grace – All at 7000 RPM

I Hear You Are Irish

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