Primary Colors

A idealistic, small-time staffer (Adrian Lester) is recruited to join the Presidential campaign of a magnetic Democratic Southern governor (John Travolta) and, after quickly believing he may be the real deal, signs on as campaign manager and even more rapidly finds himself covering up his new boss' sexual escapades. When their opponent unexpectedly (and fortuitously) exits the race, an old hand politico (Larry Hagman) steps in, galvanizes his position, and leads the campaign on a muck finding mission led by a deranged but brilliant former ally (Kathy Bates) which leads to dark, compromising places of the American political abyss. Based on a novel by Joe Klein (originally published under Anonymous) detailing Bill Clinton's 1992 run, Primary Colors is an exemplary political satire. With a funny, adept, and ultimately sorrowful script by Elaine May and sharp direction from Mike Nichols, the film knows its territory and contains deeply invested, humanized characters. Travolta's performance is one of his best, Emma Thompson is excellent as the Hillary cipher, Billy Bob Thronton hilarious in the James Carville role, and Bates and Hagman both heartrending in standout performances.
*** 1/2 out of ****

Closer

Two strangers, an obituary writer (Jude Law) and a stripper (Natalie Portman), make eye contact on a bustling London street just before she is struck by a cab. A year later, the two are living together and he is preparing for the release of a new book as he falls for the photographer (Julia Roberts) of his jacket photo. The love entanglement takes a fierce turn when a fourth party, a barbarous dermatologist (Clive Owen), is cruelly drawn in and takes pitiless revenge when he is again betrayed. Mike Nichols’ filming of Patrick Marber’s play (which he scripted for the screen himself) is a frank, harsh, and verbally explicit look at love and the ugly lengths that those involved in it go to. The acting is tremendous, especially Law (in an undervalued performance), Portman, and most unforgettably, Owen in a ferocious, darkly comical, and strangely sympathetic portrayal.

*** 1/2 out of ****

Catch-22

During WWII on the island of Pianosa located in the Mediterranean, Capt. Yossarian (Alan Arkin) finds his discharge request on the basis of insanity denied on the illogical Army maxim that a person recognizing his own insanity cannot in fact be declared. Yossarian now bears witness witness to the mad of war that envelops him as he deals with self serving superiors, the prospect of flying interminable missions, and witnessing the death of his contemporaries. "Catch-22" is a surprisingly sturdy adaptation of Joseph Heller's monumental 1962 which is probably unfilmable but must have seemed prime for a generation engulfed in the Vietnam War. It was director Mike Nichols and writer Buck Henry's (who also appears in the film as Lt.Col. Korn) followup to "The Graduate",  and they make tolerable changes and offer about as good of an adaptation as can be expected, although much of Heller's dialogue is sadly omitted. I found Arkin to be wrong for Yossarian, as he contains hardly any of the disbelief or exasperation which distinguished that character as a hallmark of American literature. The greatest strength of the film can be found in the casting of the supporting roles of the eccentric servicemen, with Orson Welles, Martin Balsam, and Bob Newhart standing out as the most memorable.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

An aging alcoholic college professor and his bitter wife return to their campus home late one night, where they still plan to have the new strapping science professor and his waifish wife over for drinks, which quickly devolves into a night of callousness and debauchery, as old wounds and resentments are revealed. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is Mike Nichols' provocative directorial debut, and filmization of Ernest Lehman's adaptation of Edward Albee's stage production in what appears at first to be an exercise in cruelty, but soon reveals itself as something deeper and more tragic. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton deliver brave and searing career defining performances, and George Segal and Sandy Dennis are also fine as the young couple. Haskell Wexler's Oscar winning black and white photography wonderfully captures the material and helps open it up for the screen. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" was controversial for its time, for its language and sexual frankness. The material is less shocking by today's standards, but few would find it any less powerful or moving.

Wolf

A mild-mannered publisher is going through a midlife crisis: A merger is leaving him forced out of his job and a smarmy junior executive is betraying him both at work and at home. However, a recent attack by an animal he hit during a business trip to New England is leaving him feeling more assertive and manly than ever, and is attracting the advances of the sexy daughter of his boss who has picked up on his scent. Mike Nichols' "Wolf" is a darkly funny and intelligent film that transplants the werewolf tale to modern corporate America. Having just prior played The Devil and The Joker, Jack Nicholson can play a wolfman in his sleep, as he does so deliciously here. Fine players surround the great Lothario, including Michelle Pfeiffer as the troubled and seductive boss's daughter, James Spader as the snaky yuppie, Christopher Plummer as Pfeiffer's father, and Richard Jenkins as a bumbling detective. I found this to be a sly and entertaining picture until the final denouement, from which Jack is almost completely absent (having totally morphed into a lyacanthrope). At this point the movie has deconstructed into a standard horror/action picture, but the first 3/4s of this picture are really worth a look with Nichols and Nicholson working at the top of their game.

Working Girl

Tess is a ditsy but ambitious and free thinking woman who starts a new job as an assistant for a high profiled female partner. While on vacation, the boss breaks her leg skiing and Tess realizes that she had stolen her idea that she had rejected days earlier. With the boss incapacitated a few thousand miles away, Tess begins to present herself as a powered player for the firm, and push the deal through with an attractive executive she begins to fall for."Working Girl" is a bright and funny film by Mike Nichols and a wonderful showcase for Melanie Griffith, who is delightful in the lead role. The movie serves as both a send up of the yuppie lifestyle of the time as well as a picture postcard of New York City, and manages to entertain as well. The film also features several fine supporting roles: Harrison Ford is fun in what is probably his first comedic as well as romantic role. Sigourney Weaver is in top form as the iniquitous yuppie boss and Joan Cusack has a good part as Griffith's big haired friend. Alec Baldwin has some very funny scenes as well as Griffith's scummy boyfriend and Kevin Spacey is hilarious in a small role early on. The film sags slightly in the middle, is rife with wild 80s styles, and you can see the big twist coming but nonetheless this is still an intelligent, funny, and well acted movie that wraps up especially well in the end.

The Graduate

The Graduate represents a triumph of film directing, a generation defining revolutionary film, and what many won't recognize as a misinformed or convoluted story. We all laugh as the naive recent college grad Benjamin Braddock fumbles his way through an affair with the manipulative, controlling, and sexy Mrs. Robinson, and then cheer for him as he tries to woo her daughter Elaine. Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft are superb in their roles throughout and Mike Nichols commands his camera like no other person ever has (I'm serious, this is one of the most sure-handedly directed films ever). The dialogue is spot on and the comedy still works, not too mention the great Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack. It's just a matter of story when it comes to Katharine Ross's Elaine. What does Benjamin see in her? Is it the fact that Mrs. Robinson forbids them seeing each other? Well it can't just be just that thrill that gets him entirely out of his aimless funk. I mean, they go on one date, she doesn't say a word and begins to cry because he acted like a jerk. Then she runs away, and he follows her in what can only be described in today's terms as stalking. Then you know the rest, but by the end this is a couple who don't know each other from anything and may or may not be right for each other. Look at the picture above and wonder if they aren't thinking the same thing. Or maybe that's the point.
****