Opening This Week: Clemency, Bad Boys for Life, Dolittle, Troop Zero, A Fall from Grace
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Alfre Woodard turns in one of the 2019’s best performances in Clemency, a stiff drama about a deathr ow prison warden dealing with the psychological effects of her job. Aldis Hodge, Wendell Pierce, and Richard Schiff co-star in the film.
Directed by Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it received much acclaim for its star, Woodard, and its screenplay.At the end of the fest, the film earned the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. Throughout 2019, the film earned several award nominations and wins, including Best Local Feature at the Philadelphia Film Festival.
The film will compete in the Best Female Lead, Screenplay, and Feature categories at the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards.
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It’s been 17 years since Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starred in a Bad Boys film. In fact, most didn’t expect the hit action-comedies to become an official franchise. But, the first two films are so beloved, it’s no surprise detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett are returning to the big screen.
For Bad Boys for Life, Smith and Lawrence are joined by a number of new faces to the franchise, Including Vanessa Hudgens. Filmed in Atlanta and Miami, this chapter follows the hijinks of the detectives after an assassination attempt. Michael Bay had announced a potential third film in the franchise after the second film’s success. It took over a decade for all of the pieces to fall into place, including a viable screenplay.
Critics are giving it mixed-to-positive marks, with some saying it’s the best in the franchise, as well as a highly-improved film from the first sequel.
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Originally intended as summer 2019 release, extensive and expensive reshoots on Dolittle have brought it to the problematic January release schedule. That’s typically not a good idea for big-budget films.
With Robert Downey Jr. starring as the titular doctor who can talk to animals, there is some expectation that it will still turn a profit. That all depends on its opening weekend, which isn’t looking too great. Critics are slamming the film and audiences don’t seem to be purchasing pre-sale tickets like they would typically do for a film of this magnitude.
Just how big is the film? With a supporting cast including Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, and Selena Gomez, plus those reshoots and the required special effects, Dolittle is estimated to have cost around $175 million to produce. On top of the crazy budget, sometimes the reason for reshoots can also be telling. In Dolittle’s case, it’s due to poor test audience reactions.
Heading into its opening weekend, Dolittle earned just 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 121 recorded reviews.
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Amazon purchased Troop Zero after the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Starring Viola Davis and Mckenna Grace, Troop Zero follows a group of misfit girls as they compete for a talent show. The catch? They must first infiltrate the very esteemed Birdie Scouts group.
The film earned positive reviews after its world premiere in Utah and is earning even more praise upon its debut on streaming. Many reviewers highlight Davis’ screen presence and Grace’s undeniable star power.
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Also debuting to the streaming world this weekend is Tyler Perry’s A Fall from Grace on Netflix. Perry, the prolific director whose new film studio lot opened in Atlanta in 2019 to much fanfare, brings his style of filmmaking to Netflix for the first time with A Fall from Grace.
The film, a thriller following a woman and her troubling new love, stars Crystal Fox, Phylicia Rashad, and Cicely Tyson. Perry also makes an appearance.
Critics have been mostly negative towards the film, calling it both “nuts” and “convoluted.”
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