The Hawk is Dying

I enjoy the fact that Paul Giamatti has achieved a certain level of success so he can get a movie made by simply being in it. I say that because I find his choices of material to very interesting to watch. That being said, The Hawk is Dying isn't an easy film to like or watch. Still... it is fascinating.

Giamatti plays a man named George who runs an auto uphostery shop who fancies himself an amateur falconer. George lives with his sister (Rusty Schwimmer) and her autistic son Fred (Michael Pitt). He also has taken an interest in a young college girl named Betty (Michelle Williams) that he has been discussing his dreams with. Of course George fancies her, but keeps her at arms length. His character has done that with most everyone in his life.

George has already had a disastorous attempt at starving a hawk into submission. This was quite an awful experience and everyone reminds him of that when he and Fred find another hawk. As is the case with this kind of film, something happens to character and forces the lead character to deal with the impact. This is where the meat of the story follows with George's journey of self.

I can't say this ultimately works as a film. It feels more like a good character trapped in a not so good plot. Giamatti does everything he can to make the script better than it is... especially in some early scenes with Michelle Williams. The last 45 minutes manage to make up for the clumsy set up. A must watch only for Giamatti fans.

60/100

The Baxter

A "Baxter" is classified as a fellow likely to get hay fever, have an aversion to dancing, and is ultimately the guy a woman ends up settling for instead of true love. Or as Cecil (Michelle Williams) says in the film, "Something is better than nothing." Ah but I get ahead of myself. The Baxter is a creation of writer/directer/actor Michael Showalter of the sketch shows The State and Stella.

Showalter plays Elliot Sherman, a man seeminly in the prime of his life who seems to have finally found the right gal in Caroline Swann (Elizabeth Banks). Their pending nuptials are put in down when her old boyfriend Blake (Justin Theroux) comes back into the picture. Elliot finds solace in his former secretary Cecil. He explains his sad-sack life of woman never quite falling for him and ultimately his disappointment. Cecil seems to identify with him as her own relationship to Dan (Paul Rudd again) seems a sham. So the question is will Elliot figure out he wants and go after it?

Showalter gives quite an earnest performance here that smacks a bit of an obsessive compulsive rather than a nerd. He gives Elliot some very defined mannerisms that might drive some crazy. The two female leads are in the spotlight here. Showalter's acting and direction really lend themselves to letting his fellow actors shine. Banks has been delivering quality performances for the last 5 years in small parts so it is no surprise there. Although, Michelle Williams is quite a revelation here. I've never seen her get a chance to really shine in a role.

So if like something different in your romantic comedies, you'll probably greatly appreciate The Baxter. The third act drags a bit as you go through the normal rom/com headaches, but Michelle Williams in particular makes you forget about that.

75/100

* Is Paul Rudd in every movie now? Not that I'm complaining.