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The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020)

Radha Blank appears in The 40-Year-Old Version by Radha Blank, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Jeong Park. All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or 'Courtesy of Sundance Institute.' Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited.

Another film on my awards season list is The Forty-Year-Old Version, released on Netflix, the film is a brilliant comedy film written, directed and starring Radha Blank. It first premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, with Blank walking away with the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award which made it one of the hottest releases at Sundance. Although it is marketed as a comedy and really showcases Blank’s talent for humour, the film crosses into many genres, particularly drama and musical as we see every side of Radha’s life as she approaches her 40th birthday. Marking her feature film debut as a director, Blank has a distinct vision that allows the audience to see real women and the real New York. The decision to shoot the film in black and white made me think of Spike Lee’s films from the 1980s, especially since they are set in New York and feels like a fresh take for the 21st century just as Lee’s point of view was on his film’s release.

The Forty-Year-Old Version follows Radha, a fictionalised version of Blank as a struggling playwright and teacher who is trying to get her play, Harlem Ave. off the ground. Attempting to revive a failed rap career under the name RadhaMUSprime, we go through Radha’s artistic process and how it overlaps through different mediums of expression such as musical, plays, performances. As she balances her teaching career, trying to get her play produced and emerging as a rapper, Radha’s life becomes hectic and out of control as she struggles to maintain a balance. Soon enough, Harlem Ave. gets a renowned producer on board but that soon changes when the producer aims to market the play to middle class white people who know nothing of the struggles of the gentrification that Radha’s play explores. From exploring a young black couple who own a small store affected by gentrification to the addition of a white protagonist whose qualms in life is not having a place to buy soya milk. The play actually explores gentrification in an ironic way that brings those issues to light. It is Blank’s incredible script that talks about gentrification and the African-American struggle in modern day New York where the film really shines.

Playing a fictionalised version of herself, Radha Blank pulls off a great and relatable performance that perfectly highlights the struggle of being an artist. Radha is real, unfiltered and flawed whilst trying to express herself through her art. As she tries to write her.play, she finds herself rapping the words. Through music, she is able to find the words that she wants to say. Her point of view as a black woman who is nearing 40 in a society that is obsessed with youth and gaining success at a young age is something that confuses and shocks the audience. However, Radha’s voice comes in the climactic final scene of the film. As her play reaches its opening night, Radha is embarrassed and is appalled at being associated with such a result. Her rap speech at the end of the play is an exhale of all the words she wanted to say but couldn’t initially find them.

In support, the highlight for me is Peter Kim as Radha’s agent, Archie. Desperately trying to book Radha a gig, Archie provides comic relief and the scenes and rapport the two share makes for great dialogue. Whereas Radha is a creative, Archie is completely logical and aiming to achieve the American Dream by making money. Staying loyal to Radha as they have been longtime friends, it’s easy for Radha to forget Archie’s own struggles as an Asian-American because his aims are different to hers. The scene in which Archie breaks down to Radha hits hard, especially given that he is seen as light comic relief up to this point. Just like Radha, Archie also makes sacrifices to make way for opportunities and keep the door open for Radha to have her play produced after she lashes out at the producer.

Overall, The Forty-Year-Old Version is one of the most original comedies to come into the 2021 awards season. As it is one of the smaller indie films, it’s not likely to rack up lots and lots of nominations sadly but I think it stands a very good chance in the Original Screenplay category. As mentioned previously, the final scene is an absolute masterclass in acting and writing. Through all the humour that the film conveyed throughout, that serious tone in the rap/speech grounds the film and also allows Radha to cut through all the noise. Blank’s writing is fearless, unflinching and unapologetic and the result is a fantastic film that perfectly exemplifies the struggles of African-Americans when it comes to creating art and how their output has to be approved by a white audience. Blank subverts this rule by firmly putting a middle finger up to an establishment that is trying to rewrite the history of gentrification.

What did you think of The Forty-Year-Old Version? Let me know in the comments below!

The Forty-Year-Old Version is available to watch on Netflix now!

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London Film Festival 2020: Mogul Mowgli

Having received press accreditation for my first ever film festival, the 2020 BFI London Film Festival I have been really excited to see a wide variety of films from all over the globe. The first film that I checked out was the debut feature, Mogul Mowgli by Pakistani-American director, Bassam Tariq who co-wrote the script with the film’s lead, Riz Ahmed. The film follows Zed (Ahmed), a British-Pakistani rapper who is on the cusp of fame when he is suddenly struck down by an unknown autoimmune disease. The film is an intricate look into identity and how becoming successful can cause conflict within oneself. The result is a mesh of culture intertwined with the fight to break out of the bodily harm Zed is faced with while discovering who he actually is. Zed’s Pakistani heritage is presented through dreams and hallucinations he has of a man whose face is shrouded by a veil of flowers.

Riz Ahmed’s performance is a fantastic standout and shows his ability to lead a film. A lot of Ahmed’s film roles in mainstream blockbusters have been supporting but hopefully he will be advanced to leading roles with the release of this phenomenal performance. From the opening scene in which we see Zed rap to himself which then turns out to be a successful gig performance to his eventual collapse and stay in hospital due to his autoimmune disease, Zed is put through a whole spectrum of emotions. We see the joy as he is booked to open for a famous rapper on his European tour followed by the disappointment as he learns that he is being replaced by a rapper who is known for his song “Pussy Fried Chicken”. It should also be noted that Ahmed’s rapping is impeccable and has that spontaneous feeling incorporating wordplay and build-ups in his raps, successfully telling Zed’s story. Zed’s journey is one of many layers from his physical deterioration to the clash between who he wants to be and his heritage. He raps about his heritage and his experience growing up as a Muslim in Britain but as pointed out by his girlfriend at the start, he hasn’t gone back to Britain in years. How can he talk about the importance of his family and heritage if he has become so detached from them? The film’s sole focus on Zed can be a put off for some but I love a character study and it works well in my opinion.

The supporting cast does a great job and helps the audience with gaining that rounded view of Zed. Every character has some link to Zed whether it be his family or his colleagues in the music industry. The standout support in my opinion is Alyy Khan who plays Zed’s father, Bashir. Seen as a voice of reason and a respected figure in his family, Bashir is a man who would do anything to secure the safety of his family. His story of travelling to Pakistan from India by hiding under clothes when he was younger is shown in parallel to the events of the film. Zed’s struggle with his identity has some similarities with Bashir leaving his home country. Khan’s performance is subtle and calming and yet can also be firm at times. The scene in which he helps Zed in the bathroom makes for an emotional father/son moment. The reactions of both characters is very authentic as Zed is reluctant to ask for help and Bashir also feels uncomfortable as they try to navigate their way in the tiny space.

The highlight of this film besides Ahmed’s performance is the script co-written by Tariq and Ahmed. It’s a tight script filling the 90 minute feature and there was plenty of space for more. Together, they managed to write a script that conveyed the chaos going on in Zed’s life showing the numerous conflicts he has on the surface as well as emotionally. As Zed flits in and out of consciousness through his fights and seizures, the script becomes a product of magic realism. The scenes featuring Toba Tek Singh become symbolic and haunting as he grows more aggressive with each appearance. Eventually, Zed acknowledges the meaning of Singh and what he represents in these dreams. One scene in which this is presented beautifully takes place in a mosque. Zed prays alongside other men but clearly feels out of place. When he turns around he sees Singh stood beside him and they stare at each other. It’s a scene of no words and yet speaks volumes.

Overall, the film is a poignant look into the search for identity and how one can stay anchored to the heritage and ancestry that came before them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the film up for some major awards this season, particularly for Ahmed’s performance and the script. The film felt like the joining together of a jigsaw as Zed began to put himself back together as his father’s journey from India to Pakistan is played in parallel to Zed’s own struggles.

Film number one complete and even more reviews to come next week when London Film Festival 2020 continues so stay tuned! Mogul Mowgli will be released in the United Kingdom on 30th October by BFI Distribution. Be sure to check it out if you can!

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Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Dolemite Is My Name is a brilliant look into the life of African-American icon Rudy Ray Moore played by Eddie Murphy in a career best performance. Moore is a man of many talents: acting, singing and stand-up. His comedy routines are his way into fame as he channels an alter ego Dolemite, a pimp style man of the 70s who speaks in rhyme and quickly builds up a fan base within the African-American community across the US. The film specifically follows his rise to stardom and the production of his first film Dolemite, a blaxploitation feature in which he plays his comedic alter ego. Directed by Craig Brewer and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, Dolemite is my Name marks a welcome return to Eddie Murphy as a leading man on the big screen and also boasts a brilliant supporting cast with Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Keegan-Michael Key and Snoop Dogg. It’s brash and upfront, unafraid of its subject and showing just how far one will go for their time in the spotlight. The writing is spectacular and even the scenes where Moore isn’t speaking in rhyme almost have a poetic quality to them. Every pause and interaction has a flow that works brilliantly in the film and the characters interact naturally. You completely believe and engage with the characters and at no point are drawn away from the film. The direction is quick and sharp with eye-catching colour palettes that exemplify Moore’s even more colourful personality. Everything about this film was completely wonderful to watch.

In a sea of biopics, it would be easy to miss this one which seemed to sneak onto Netflix without fanfare but that would be your loss. Moore is a man who loves the limelight and will do anything to get it. He will do whatever it takes to become famous even if it means nudity, violence or strong language. He isn’t afraid of vulgarity and thrives on the offensive nature of his content. Who better to play such a controversial figure than Eddie Murphy? Murphy allows himself to embrace all aspects of Moore’s personality from his strong bravado to his insecurities and flaws. He has left no stone unturned in his preparation and the result is a captivating and stunning performance that does the Moore legacy proud. I hope Murphy continues releasing films like this that show his talent and range as an actor. In this film alone, he has to sing, act and perform stand-up as a man who is himself portraying a character. That is tricky to pull off and yet Murphy seems to do this effortlessly. This is a film that has a big cast list and yet Murphy is the draw and the centre of attention at all times. There aren’t many moments when he isn’t onscreen and yet his presence is anticipated and felt. Of course, this is only natural since it is a biopic on his character but it really is a magnetic performance.

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As mentioned before, the supporting cast is crammed full of amazing talent. If I had to choose one that stands out from the rest, it is probably Keegan-Michael Key as screenwriter and actor Jerry Jones. Jones is an earnest playwright who makes films that explore racism in modern society. When initially approached by Moore to write the screenplay for the Dolemite movie, he is reluctant to jump onboard but is eventually taken in by the scope of Moore’s fanbase. His reactions during and after filming the sex scene for the movie is priceless. Jones is a character who is taken way out of his comfort and it initially makes him seem like the only sane person in a crazy bunch but eventually he allows himself to have fun with it. I also really enjoyed Craig Robinson’s appearance as Moore’s friend, Ben Taylor, who provides the theme song for the Dolemite movie. His role is only small but when he is onscreen, it’s wonderful to watch. The character of Taylor is great to watch as it shows his support from before Moore’s fame and ascension. The supporting characters really do support one another. It is a film that, although centred around one individual, tells the stories of multiple people. One touching story is Lady Reed (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who is cheated on by her husband and doesn’t know what to do with her life. Alongside Moore, she stars in the film and joins him on the stage for stand-up. Although she is assisted by Moore, Lady Reed is strongly independent and isn’t afraid of sticking up for herself and her beliefs. The scene in which she thanks Moore for putting a plus size woman of colour onscreen allows Moore to realise that his project goes beyond entertaining people.

Although it has grabbed the attention of awards panels, particularly Eddie Murphy’s performance, it feels as though Dolemite Is My Name has been swept under the carpet. This could be due to Netflix’s loyalty to its other release, The Irishman, and so they have pushed that far more. In truth, I prefer Dolmite Is My Name as a film because it feels like something new and unique whereas The Irishman brings out what Scorsese does best but nothing that we haven’t seen before. I hope that if anything Murphy gets an Oscar nomination because it would be a real shame not to acknowledge the brilliant work he does on this film.

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In a climate that has seen a rise in racism and extremist politics taking hold, Dolemite Is My Name is a film that is desperately needed. It is thoroughly entertaining and provides plenty of laughs but it equally holds no punches in its subject matter and isn’t afraid to explore the darker truths of society. It’s interesting to think that such a diverse figure such as Moore was renowned and accepted in the 70s but the struggle and work he had to put in to get there is testament to the struggles that African-Americans face on a regular basis. I hope that there are more films like this released in coming years as it is so important to present stories from all walks of life.

What did you think of Dolemite Is My Name? Let me know in the comments below!