Sundance diaries 2009: Day six

Mariah Carey in a good movie?!; Kristen Stewart's latest; Soderbergh's sneak

By Geoff Berkshire

Posted January 21, 2009

Metromix

The U.S.A. has a new President and, coincidentally or not, it felt like the Sundance film festival responded with the first great work of a new era. “Push” may not sound very impressive on paper—with a cast that includes Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and (of all people) Mariah Carey, and a director, Lee Daniels, whose last film, “Shadowboxer,” was savaged by critics and barely released—but on film it’s a truly remarkable experience.

Based on a 1996 novel by contemporary black writer Sapphire, “Push” is the story of 16-year-old Precious Jones (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), pregnant with her second child, extremely overweight and completely on the fringe of society. Precious daydreams of a better life, but her everyday reality involves a cruel and abusive mother (Mo’Nique, unbelievably brilliant) who tells her to forget going to school and get herself on welfare. Things go from bad to worse for Precious, and then get even worse. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, represented by compassionate teacher Miss Rain (Patton, in a major career breakthrough).

“Push” could’ve been sappy, it could’ve been melodramatic, it could’ve wallowed in misery and overreached for big social statements. But somehow Daniels finds exactly the right tone, exactly the right visual style and draws exactly the right performances from everyone involved (yes, even Carey, who disappears into the role of a caring social worker). It’s a monumental achievement that few people at this festival saw coming. But I’m convinced that even when festival hype precedes an eventual theatrical release, “Push” will still blow audiences away.

From a movie that feels like the future of cinema to a throwback to America's past, “Adventureland” is a Reagan-era romantic/coming of age/summer job comedy that’s better than it otherwise might've been due mostly to stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart. Two smart, likeable actors playing two smart, likeable characters is enough reason to check out the fitfully amusing and always watchable antics on display here. But the film is in danger of falling prey to unrealistic box office expectations, given Stewart’s higher profile post-“Twilight” and the success director Greg Mottola experienced with “Superbad.” This is a far gentler film, no doubt more personal for the filmmaker (he wrote this one too), and destined for a smaller audience.

A cult audience is inevitable for “Black Dynamite,” a clever blaxploitation spoof in the manner of classic Zucker Brothers spoofs like “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun.” “Dynamite” doesn’t reach their delirious heights, but given what’s been passing for filmmaking in the spoof genre lately, fans aren’t likely to complain much.

Michael Jai White (who had a memorable run in with the Joker in “The Dark Knight”) delivers a pitch perfect performance as the title character—an ex-CIA, Vietnam vet-turned P.I. who keeps his streets safe from drugs and his ladies satisfied all night long. White, who also co-wrote the script, never winks at the camera, and director Scott Sanders has an obvious fondness for the best blaxploitation clichés. Sony acquired the film and if it finds an audience don’t be surprised to see a sequel. Let’s just hope it’s better than “The Spy Who Shagged Me.” (Or “Airplane II” for that matter.)

Finally, in one of the most buzzed about special events of the fest, Steven Soderbergh presented a sneak preview of his latest low budget project, “The Girlfriend Experience,” as a “work in progress.” The second effort (the first was “Bubble”) in a long-term deal with Magnolia pictures to release inexpensive, experimental films simultaneously to theaters, DVD and video-on-demand, “Girlfriend” follows a New York City escort (porn star Sasha Grey) trying to navigate the crumbling economy and an unexpected attraction to a client in the days leading up to the 2008 election.

Despite the subject matter and Grey’s previous work, there’s only brief nudity and no explicit sex in the film. Soderbergh is more interested in experimenting with structure, constructing the current version in an extremely non-linear fashion to juxtapose events that happen days or weeks apart. Whether or not he’ll continue to tinker with it is anyone’s guess, but it’s safe to say that the result will be decidedly uncommercial but undeniably of interest to Soderbergh’s fans.