Ron Livingston

News, Reviews & Features

Tully

Movie Review | Ed Williamson | 11th May 2018

There are no ugly people in Hollywood, and as such the idea of ugging-up a bit for a role has become a "brave" one. It puts you in the awards conversation, as though peeling off some make-up or yellowing your teeth a bit reveals depth. This involves an acknowledgement that the profound is an exception, and I suppose that the industry is therefore preoccupied by surface sheen. For actresses this proposition also suggests that to be beautiful is to be shallow, which is a bit rich, since if they aren't beautiful they aren't allowed in the door. I think Charlize Theron largely transcends this, but she remains most critically celebrated when she's made to look her least pretty.

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Vacation

Movie Review | Ed Williamson | 19th August 2015

Online discourse being what it is, the announcement of a reboot or remake is usually greeted with dread and resentment. It's sacrilege. Why can't they just leave it alone? How can a woman possibly carry a proton pack? But this ignores the recent evidence that Hollywood has now got the cheat codes for 'repurposing'. Jurassic World, Godzilla, The Equalizer: respect the original property but make something of its own hue. You have nothing to fear from reboots except a Kevin James Uncle Buck, so make your way with confidence to see Vacation.

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Parkland

Movie Review | Rob Young | 18th November 2013

The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22nd 1963 is still a source of huge debate. As the 50th anniversary approaches, investigative journalist-turned director Peter Landesman cares not for conspiracy theories, second gunmen, magic bullets, grassy knolls or book depositories. Instead, he's just happy to brag about how much more he knows about JFK than we do.

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The Conjuring

Movie Review | Rob | 31st July 2013

Take one old farm house, the more secluded the better; throw in a close-knit family excited about their new dream home; if they've got a young daughter prone to imaginary friends then that's absolute perfection. Chuck in a few slamming doors and kids yanked from their beds and you've got the recipe for a chilling, if unoriginal horror movie.

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The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Movie Review | Ed Williamson | 6th December 2012

Star Wars or no Star Wars, here's Disney's bread and butter: family films about something magical happening. Now, there's not a lot of point complaining that they're overly saccharine: you knew what you signed up for and you got it. The Odd Life of Timothy Green spoons on a couple of extra helpings of sugar, sure, but I can hack that happily enough. What's tougher to get around is a structure that means it's painted itself into a corner within the first five minutes. Wait a second: bread, butter, sugar, paint ... nope, no mixed metaphors there. We're good to go.

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Going The Distance

Movie Review | David | 12th September 2010

With Hollywood searching for new and exciting twists on the traditional romcom, Nanette Burstein's Going The Distance looks at the ins and outs of long-distance relationships. To the film's credit, it is accurate in its depictions of this type of relationship - as a man in one, I can vouch for the hardship of long distance love. However, the film itself is disappointingly run-of-the-mill and occasionally bores with its bog-standard presentation.

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Dinner For Schmucks

Movie Review | Rob | 1st September 2010

A dinner party usually means making futile small talk with the bloke sitting opposite, struggling to figure out what fork to use first or worrying that your tie is dangling in the soup. It's a good job, then, that French director Francis Veber spiced up this meek institution by inviting a few prize idiots along for his 1998 film, Le Diner De Cons. But for those who happened to miss it - and let's face it, that's probably most of us - Jay Roach has remade it for us uncultured yobs who prefer crude gags, silly accents and Steve Carell going all out with the sillies.

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The Time Traveler's Wife

Movie Review | Matt | 20th August 2009

Sci-fi geeks across the globe are scratching their heads at this one. "So there's a guy who has harnessed the power to traverse past and future...and this film is about his missus?"

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