News of the World (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'News of the World' is a stirring Western that teams-up director Paul Greengrass again with Tom Hanks, as they did for 2013's Captain Phillips. The Civil War has ended. And it is 1870 when we 1st meet veteran Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks) making a living by traveling across the United States reading stories aloud from newspapers to anyone willing to pay 10 cents. After leaving Wichita Falls one day and onto another town, he encounters an overturned carriage, a Black escort hanging from a tree, & a young blond girl (Helena Zengel) dressed in Native American attire. Kidd then finds her paperwork in the wagon which lists her name as Johanna Leonberger. Seems she was taken & raised by the Kiowa Tribe when she was 4 yrs. old.
She is 10 now and, her 2nd "family" has also been killed, so that Black escort had been taking Johanna to her only living relatives some 400 miles away before he was hung. When the army refuses to help Kidd, he takes it upon himself to deliver Johanna to her biological aunt & uncle. Unable to speak English and, perceiving Kidd to be a kidnapper, Johanna is not the most amiable of traveling mates. She is Native American at heart, & Kidd has no idea how to take care of a child, but they must work together -- so starts their 'getting to know you' adventure in the wilderness. Their journey is fraught with hardships, though. i.e., deadly encounters with many unsavory men; and Mother Nature {a massive sandstorm}. But as they continue their quest, these 2 human beings - both alone in the world with their own personal demons - endure each setback & start to form a bond that may become unbreakable.
Most films nowadays lack a classical beginning, middle & end; no such problem, here. Though the storytelling is languid, conventional and could have benefitted from a little more action, there are several sequences that evoke suspense and, this movie contains a VERY satisfying ending. As Capt. Kidd, Tom Hanks once again plays a man of substance; tormented by the Civil War, dealing with the end results, & starting his life anew after the death of his wife. He is the Walter Kronkite-ian voice of reason when his town-to-town audiences react to the news he imparts and, the essence with which his news orations captivate those folks is the same way he has captivated us movie-goers for over 30 yrs. He is a calm, trustworthy presence for Johanna through their ordeals. And his sincerity in wanting to make her life better is palpable. Hanks imparts gentle sadness, reticent nobility & decency - a special man in 1870, & one we'd long for now in 2020.
And Hanks' father/daughter-like relationship with Helen Zengel is winning. Some of best scenes revolve around Zengel & Hanks trying to communicate, find common ground, & then watching the thawing of her cool demeanor once she realizes that Kidd is there to help. Zengel has a lovely screen presence. And at such a young age, she conveys a spectrum of emotions, often without having to say a word. You can see the intelligence her wide eyes; eyes that may be wild one moment, defiant the next, curious, or emotionally vulnerable. She's excellent.
Director Greengrass achieves a believable approximation of the Old West; including a deeply divided nation - sound familiar? Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski creates a striking visual masterwork with expansive vistas of unforgiving terrain and of stark prairie nights, all accentuated with an evocative score by James Newton Howard. And the sound/visual effects team captures forces of nature such as the hellish sandstorm or some booming shoot-outs amid the sun-baked topography. 'News of the World' may not offer up many surprises, but it's a beautiful exercise in stately, old-fashioned epic storytelling. This film respects & reveres the western genre. And its tale of grief, responsibility & hope during 'troubled times' may stir many a viewer.
She is 10 now and, her 2nd "family" has also been killed, so that Black escort had been taking Johanna to her only living relatives some 400 miles away before he was hung. When the army refuses to help Kidd, he takes it upon himself to deliver Johanna to her biological aunt & uncle. Unable to speak English and, perceiving Kidd to be a kidnapper, Johanna is not the most amiable of traveling mates. She is Native American at heart, & Kidd has no idea how to take care of a child, but they must work together -- so starts their 'getting to know you' adventure in the wilderness. Their journey is fraught with hardships, though. i.e., deadly encounters with many unsavory men; and Mother Nature {a massive sandstorm}. But as they continue their quest, these 2 human beings - both alone in the world with their own personal demons - endure each setback & start to form a bond that may become unbreakable.
Most films nowadays lack a classical beginning, middle & end; no such problem, here. Though the storytelling is languid, conventional and could have benefitted from a little more action, there are several sequences that evoke suspense and, this movie contains a VERY satisfying ending. As Capt. Kidd, Tom Hanks once again plays a man of substance; tormented by the Civil War, dealing with the end results, & starting his life anew after the death of his wife. He is the Walter Kronkite-ian voice of reason when his town-to-town audiences react to the news he imparts and, the essence with which his news orations captivate those folks is the same way he has captivated us movie-goers for over 30 yrs. He is a calm, trustworthy presence for Johanna through their ordeals. And his sincerity in wanting to make her life better is palpable. Hanks imparts gentle sadness, reticent nobility & decency - a special man in 1870, & one we'd long for now in 2020.
And Hanks' father/daughter-like relationship with Helen Zengel is winning. Some of best scenes revolve around Zengel & Hanks trying to communicate, find common ground, & then watching the thawing of her cool demeanor once she realizes that Kidd is there to help. Zengel has a lovely screen presence. And at such a young age, she conveys a spectrum of emotions, often without having to say a word. You can see the intelligence her wide eyes; eyes that may be wild one moment, defiant the next, curious, or emotionally vulnerable. She's excellent.
Director Greengrass achieves a believable approximation of the Old West; including a deeply divided nation - sound familiar? Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski creates a striking visual masterwork with expansive vistas of unforgiving terrain and of stark prairie nights, all accentuated with an evocative score by James Newton Howard. And the sound/visual effects team captures forces of nature such as the hellish sandstorm or some booming shoot-outs amid the sun-baked topography. 'News of the World' may not offer up many surprises, but it's a beautiful exercise in stately, old-fashioned epic storytelling. This film respects & reveres the western genre. And its tale of grief, responsibility & hope during 'troubled times' may stir many a viewer.