Dan's Papers - May 16, 2008 - Flick Picks by Ian Stark

Even those unfamiliar with David Mamet have probably heard of him, which usually means one of two things: either the guy's universally famous for nothing or really talented at something (those who are both are rarely unknown). So in the talented Mamet's case, those who enjoy his style expect everything he creates to be another of his signature pieces (Glengarry Glenn Ross, The Spanish Prisoner,) where vulgarities and swear words swirl like drunken ballerinas and weak male leads get fried trying to make it in a tough world. His latest film, Redbelt, however - maybe his first film that could be considered completely mainstream - is brand new territory for him.

Mamet has said on numerous occasions that he has been studying the martial art of Jiu-Jitsu for the past five years and is enthralled by the morals he finds within its methodology. Apparently, he's been so swept up by the teachings that he has decided to put his usual "man-destroys-himself" energy aside for the story of Jiu-Jitsu instructor Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Serenity, Talk To Me,) a bloke who's no joke, able to easily defeat opponents, yet does not relish fighting - a.k.a. a total 180-degree flip for our director's usual modus operandi.

Terry lives by a samurai code, maintaining honor even with his master skill level of fighting. He feels there is no winning or losing in battle, expressing the beauty of his art is that it allows for escape - meaning all confrontations end with no one ever embarrassed or sullied. His internal fortitude is stoic, and, with a bit of a Christ complex, he leads his students while ignoring any easy fix that would allow him to improve his school's economic downtrend. His wife Sondra (Alice Braga, City of God, I Am Legend) helps keep the suffering dojo afloat with earnings from her fashion business, but wishes he would put his credos aside and fight for cash, which would be easy for him, as her brother Bruno (Rodrigo Santoro, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle) is a crooked nightclub owner and fight promoter. Mike firmly holds his ground, but after a mishap at the school takes out a plate-glass window, he's squeezed into seeking a loan from his creep-in-law. However, as he visits Bruno's lounge, he ends up saving the neck of a Hollywood actor (Tim Allen......really, it's Tim Allen in a Mamet film) and they end up making fast friends.

At first, the average person (who'd secretly love to suddenly end up chums with a celebrity) might think this a lucky turn for Terry. But this apple is all bad, and just like Eden's first couple, taking a bite costs him big time. Before too long, in a series of twists that cannot be revealed lest the movie be spoiled, the obvious plot gimmick comes into play, and the reluctant hero has to take both his talent and his soul to the ring

As mentioned earlier, the director has turned his passion for Jiu-Jitsu into a film, and with Mamet writing and directing, there was little doubt that we would get what we got - one of the best karate and bullies-get-bested flicks ever. But with so much of the director's usual flair missing, one gets the feeling that this movie may have formed in his head while he sat in the back of his class, bored while waiting to spar. Then again, maybe all those years he was speaking for himself in his movies, trying to smother his own weakness and personal fear of failure by making movies about men who learn harshly that they should never have tried to do anything. Is it that the little David inside has finally come out because now he can protect himself in a fight? It is fascinating to see how Mamet is now ready to turn his style on its head: the loser who loses because he finally stands up becomes the winner who wins because he always held back. Once more, his usual leads are unlikable, while Ejiofor's Mike Terry is a role model. If martial arts training has this kind of impact on a cynical, unwavering artist like Mamet, it all leads to one simple question - what exactly are they teaching in Jiu-Jitsu class?

Ian Stark is a frequent TV and radio commentator on the film industry, and consults with private organizations on their collections. He is widely published on film and other arts/culture topics.