Movie review - "Doolittle" (2020) **

A film that hasn't gotten a lot of love and it's certainly flawed but I watched it with my five year old who loved it and we had a grand time.

The debits are easy to spot - Downey Jr's Welsh accent which is badly dubbed in, the undercast kids, the failure to milk dramatic moments (especially with the boy, why not have people trying to kill Doolittle more?), the not particularly good effects. I think a few more reshoots and clarifying of the drama would have worked wonders.

Still, it's a quest, and an adventure, and Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen ham it up with the right tone - this film needed more adult actors to play it that way. And my daughter laughed a lot.

Movie review - "The Special Relationship" (2010) ****

A lesser known instalment of Peter Morgan's marvellous Tony Blair series of movies starring Michael Sheen. This one is about Blair's bromance with Bill Clinton, starting when Blair was an up and comer and Clinton was at his peak. It goes through the turmoil of Clinton's rule, ending with the end of the presidency.

It's a jolt to see all these things referred to which were such a big deal at the time - Monica Lewinsky of course is still remembered but I'd forgotten what a thing Kosovo was, and that early 90s idealism that war could be put to bed. And Blair's puppy dog enthusiasm to send in troops (for good reasons but still... into a mountainous region where occupying armies have always found things hard) can, in hindsight, be seen to be a warning.

Sheen is good as ever in a layered performance. Dennis Quaid is an unexpected choice for Clinton but he does it well - the folksy southern charm, the swagger.

Intelligent and well made. It didn't have the impact of the others in this series but it's as good.

Movie review – “The Deal” (2003) ****

Wonderful look at the relationship between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, who shared a room together when both were first elected MPs (in 1983), then became devoted political frenemies. Michael Sheen’s performance as Tony Blair became deservedly famous, mostly because he got to repeat it twice – smiling, jovial, hard working, with a touch of the Uriah Heeps… you’re never sure if he’s sincere or full of it, but it’s clear he was greatly distrusted by his own party. A bit more of a glimpse of his home life and look at his religious convictions (he’s a born again) might have helped. David Morrisey – an actor I was unfamiliar with although he’s done a lot of work on British TV – is excellent as the glowering, gruff Brown, who is depicted here as being more principled and genuine as Blair, holding off on looking for votes after John Smith’s death whereas Blair went for it… but then is that such a crime? Maybe Blair had the ticker for the top job in a way Brown didn’t. Brown certainly doesn’t put up much of a fight in the famous lunch – he gives in straight away, and doesn’t even get an iron clad promise from Blair that he’ll step down after two elections. (Keating got it in writing from Hawke but it didn’t help him either). Dexter Fletcher is very good as a politico although the third biggest part really goes to a gay Labor minister.

Movie review – “Beautiful Boy” (2010) **1/2

An intriguing topic matter - what if you son was one of those nutters who go on a shooting rampage - with some excellent acting from Maria Bello and Michael Sheen (is she required to be nude in every film she makes?) but there's no real story. It's a series of incidents and bits which could have been done in any old order. The kid who plays their dead son is brilliant. Meat Loaf pops up in the support cast.

Movie review – “The Damned United” (2009) ****

Excellent bromance set in the world of 70s British soccer – because at it’s heart that’s what this film is, a platonic romance between two men, the big-mouthed brilliant coach played by Michael Sheen, and his quiet off-sider Timothy Spall. Apparently the people concerned are legendary in England, and the events notorious; it was all totally unfamiliar to me but I found it enthralling. Cocky Sheen, determined to make his mark on a new club, struggling to change the culture and his own big mouth. Plenty of wonderful scenes and moments, but the key to it lies with the wonderful characters. I loved how they mocked up the big games by putting dummies in the stands.

Movie review – “Frost/Nixon” (2008) ****

Terrifically entertaining look at what at first sounds like a not particularly interesting topic, but actually turns out to be very interesting. Frank Langella is superb as Nixon, all growly voice, torment and humour and Michael Sheen is also good as the chirpy, seemingly-out-of-his-element Frost. I wonder if Ron Howard was attracted to the material partly because of the Frost character – a person best known for trivial stuff, who actually had genuine steel. Hans Zimmer’s score helps keep up the pace and it's a terrific fresh way of looking at Watergate. Wonderful stage actor voices whom it’s a pleasure to listen to – Langella, Sheen, Oliver Platt, etc