MOVIE REVIEW: UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Producer: Jordan Kerner & David Nicksay

Director: Jon Avnet

Writer:

Book:  Alanna Nash

Screenplay: Joan Didion & John Gregory Dunne

Main Cast:

Robert Redford. . . .             Warren Justice

Michelle Pfeiffer. . . .            Tally Atwater

Stockard Channing. . . .     Marcia McGrath

Joe Mantegna. . . .              Bucky Terranova

Synopsis:

“Up Close and Personal” revolves around the gradual growth of an aspiring television journalist, Tally Atwater, who started at the bottom as a hilarious weather girl, to a skilled news reporter, which is all thanks to her ever present mentor, the veteran news director, Warren Justice. Warren quickly brings her along with his constant advice, practical tips and lots of lectures about covering the news, which made her capable of breaking into news reporting and rising rapidly in the business, as they become romantically involved. Convinced with her skill, she was offered a better job in Philadelphia, and there began her struggles, as the veteran reporter Marcia McGrath kept an eye on her to ensure that she will ever remain the top reporter and not the neophyte, Tally. Eventually, Warren follows her to Philadelphia and had their careers together, but within the course of their job, Tally with her cameraman, got trapped in a critical situation, wherein they were held hostage in a prison where she was assigned to cover the news story. Seeing her situation and the colossal opportunity that awaits her, Warren, from the outside, guides her in making her coverage a successful breakthrough to a national network newscaster position. From there, Tally’s career as a newscaster continues to flourish, when an unexpectedly heartbreaking event happened to the man who placed him on the pedestal and was apparently got killed while doing the task assigned to him.

Critic:

A.   Narrative

In the opening scenario of the film “Up Close & Personal,” it typically presented a character, Sally ‘Tally’ Atwater who is assigned certain traits and motivations that propel the events of the film, together with his leading man, Warren.

Personally, I had to watch the movie twice just so I could get fully involved with the film. What I’m trying to say is that, the story lacks connection with the audiences.

The main characters, Tally and Warren, did not offer a believable unison of feelings that they should have exhibit. The spark weren’t there from the day they met, and so it looks unnatural and mandatory for them to act like real lovers when they finally got to the scene where they first made love followed by the sweet little things that happened as they walk together and laugh together in the waves that they cherished together.

The acts are all sweet on the screen, but they did not establish well the growing feelings that they had for each other while the story goes. So I felt nothing when the time finally came where Tally had to go onboard and leave Warren behind even with the absolutely excellent song playing “Because You Loved Me” by my ever favorite singer Celine Dion.

This is probably because of too much suspension of these scenes, imagine this, the film had already played the first quarter of the story, yet they still haven’t showed something appealing that might make the viewers think that they are genuinely into each other. They should have fed the viewers with more effective thrilling scenes where the actors could portray that certain feeling, and make the viewers think that they actually are falling for each other, only they do not say it out loud until they finally get to express it through those love scenes that they did.

However, after doing those expressive love scenes and the thought that they finally are acting like what the real lovers do on the succeeding events on the film, they were able to deliver to audiences the impact when Warren died in an incident while doing his assignment in the network.  Honestly, I was robbed off with a tear or maybe two at that particular scene and I really feel sorry for Tally because she cannot fully celebrate her skyrocketing career due to her lover’s death.

Another thing is that the character of Tally can't seem to make a decision all by herself, without Warren's constant coaching and criticism. Even as her career blossomed and she finally became a national reporter, she can only do most of her job while being so dependent to Warren.

They could have at least made the viewers feel that Tally can be a credible journalist because she is one. They could have given her character a chance to prove to people that she is a strong- willed woman, and the credits can be partly given to her and Warren because she was trained by the veteran news director, and because she herself is driven and motivated with her ambitiousness.

On the other hand, I would like to commend the role of Marcia McGrath played by Stockard Channing who actually won Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress. Her parts on the behind- the- scenes of the newsroom, is simply effective that it irritates me how she apparently is the top egotistical reporter who is over protective of her standing in the business.

And last but not the least, I am also thankful for the helpful insights of Warren about how a journalist should act, the news-gathering techniques, the journalistic substance over style and particularly, the dos and don'ts in the field of broadcasting.

B.    Stylistics

For the overall cinematography techniques used throughout the film, from the camera’s distance from the action, camera angle and direction, camera movement, and lighting, up to the sound and editing, I must say that they were properly used in the film.

It started an Extreme Close- up Shot of Tally’s eyes while she was being interviewed in a studio and while she goes on telling them how she started in the field of broadcasting, the camera zooms out.

Her story began through her narration, and all of her struggles were told by a flashback of her memories. The story goes on without showing that it was her narrating the story and it also ended without going back to an interview session in that studio where it all started.

The story even showed scenes which are not supposed to be known by Tally because of the fact that she wasn’t even there in those particular scenes, if those truly are part of her flashbacks.

Another unusual thing that I noticed in the film is that scene when she got trapped in a prison and was having a national live report. Fernando, one of the prisoners, intervened putting his hand on the camera lens to stop her from what she’s doing, and then she started interviewing him.

The camera was focused on Tally as she asks questions to Fernando, while his hand is still placed on the camera, when suddenly, the camera was focused on him without even showing that the camera moved to his place. The editing of cut on that part didn’t go well and the principle of continuity was somehow not followed by the editors.

Also in that scene, they used Closed framing where they made that particular film image express the totality of reality, to keep the viewer focused on the action of the film, or to express entrapment while Tally got was inside the prison.

The most commonly type of shots used in the film are Extreme long shot, Long shot and Close- up.

Extreme long shot captures a scene in its entirety and it is used in the film when they had to establish where the scene is taking place. It is important in the film because there are parts where the main characters are apart from each other, geographically.

They used long shot to accommodate at least the entire bodies of figures. It captures movement, background, and broad gestures and expressions, just like when Tally was having her report in the Miami Beach and many other scenes in the film.

Close-up, on the other hand, includes very little if any background, concentrating on the subject. This shot is used in the film when the camera is focused on a person, currently doing his/ her report in the newsroom.

The music played in the film “Because You Loved Me,” caused the viewers to appreciate further Warren’s contribution to Tally’s soaring career. It has clear emotional effects on the viewers and is appropriately played in exact timing.

C.    Film Reel

I would generously give a score of two out of five for this film simply because the screenplay looks original, exhibiting its own twists and turns and the step by step development of narration is well executed.

Although I have criticized the chemistry of the main characters on their appearance on the first quarter of the film, I must say that eventually I got hooked with their beautiful tragic love affair, especially that part when Warren died in the middle of Tally’s booming success.

Last but not the least, Tally’s experiences within the film also inspired me as a communication student to achieve those things in as short course of time and of course to fine my own hero- like Warren in the news business. So much for my being hopeless romantic.