AN AMERICAN PICKLE : Tuesday 29th September 2020.

'AN AMERICAN PICKLE' which I saw at my local multiplex this week is a PG Rated American comedy drama offering Directed by first timer Brandon Trost, although he was worked as Cinematographer on numerous other Hollywood films including 2009's 'Halloween II', 'Ghost Rider : Spirit of Vengeance', 'This is the End', 'Neighbors', 'The Interview', 'Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse', 'Neighbors 2 : Sorority Rising', 'The Disaster Artist', 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' and 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile'. Based on the 2013 short story 'Sell Out' by Simon Rich, it seems that Seth Rogan (who appears in dual roles and also Co-Produces here) and Rich began discussing the concept for a film back in 2007. Released digitally in the US in early August, and in theatres in the UK shortly thereafter, the film cost US$20M to produce, has so far taken just US$168K, and has received mostly mixed or average Reviews. 

The film opens up in 1919 with a man digging a long road side ditch, with grey skies overhead and looked upon by his horse nonchalantly. At first the wooden handle of the shovel he is using snaps. Then the wooden blade of the shovel breaks in two, leaving the man to get down on his knees and shovel out the wet dirt with his bare hands - such is his commitment to his task. He then returns home to his village of Slupsk where we see him digging another trench along the side of the road, when his eye is caught by a woman attempting to haggle with a market vendor over the price of smoked fish. Instantly we learn that the man, whose name is Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen) is captivated by the fair maiden that in time he asks for her hand in marriage. And so Sarah (Sarah Snook) becomes Mrs. Greenbaum, and on the occasion of their wedding day in front of the gathered citizens of Slupsk, the Russian Cossacks invade the village killing almost everyone in sight and burning down many buildings. Only Herschel and Sarah seem to survive. 

As a result, the pair of struggling Jewish labourers, albeit happily married, decide to emigrate to America. Herschel lands a job at a pickle factory, with the task of killing as many of the rats that infest the property as he can possibly find. One day however, the rats appear to turn on him, and out of fright he falls backwards from on high into a vat of pickles immediately before the factory is condemned and closed down. The vat is sealed with a lid, and all the workers in the factory down tools and exit the premises as it is sealed shut. Before doing so however, Herschel was able to make one of Sarah's dreams come true, and that was that he was able to save up enough money to buy two grave plots at a Jewish cemetery. 

One hundred years later two lads while flying a drone, lose control of it and it flies into the now long abandoned derelict pickling factory. Venturing inside searching for their lost drone, they happen across the vat and lift off the lid. Almost immediately springing to life is Herschel, who has been pickled in brine for the past one hundred years, and as such is perfectly preserved just as the day he fell in. Having undergone a series of tests and attracted much media attention in the process, Herschel learns that Sarah died in 1939, but that he has one sole surviving relative living in Brooklyn - his great grandson Ben (Seth Rogen). 

Ben takes Herschel back to his apartment where he works from home as a freelance app developer and has been developing his own app 'Boop Bop' for the past five years. The app provides a service that checks companies' ethics when buying their products, and Ben is on the cusp of securing funding to take his app to the next level. Ben reluctantly agrees to go with Herschel to the cemetery where Sarah and his son are buried, together with Ben's parents also buried close by. Herschel is disgusted to find that the cemetery was left in complete disrepair and is now located underneath a freeway flyover along with a Russian vanilla vodka billboard overlooking it. This causes him to assault the construction workers putting up the billboard believing them to be Cossacks, which ultimately results in his and Ben's arrest.

Ben bails them out of jail using what little inheritance he has left over from his parents however, the investors he was courting for his app now withdraw their funding due to his new criminal record, causing him to disown Herschel, as that is five years of work down the drain. Herschel storms out of the apartment and decides to begin a pickle business in order to buy and take down the billboard overlooking the cemetery. Herschel's business in no time becomes a big success over social media, aided by his hipster looks and his real unique artisanal pickling and bottling process. 

However, Ben secretly calls the New York health department and tells them that Herschel has been using produce found in grocery store garbage bins, causing him to be forbidden from trading and fined US$12,000. A couple of local supporters, Christian and Kevin (Eliot Glazer and Kalen Allen respectively) tell Herschel that he could utilise the assistance of unpaid interns to pickle, bottle, promote and sell his briny cucumbers resulting in his business becoming even more successful and allowing him to upgrade the cemetery and remove the offensive billboard. Herschel's greater success leads to Ben envying him even more.

Next up Ben then taunts Herschel about Twitter, which Herschel is completely ignorant about, but his curiosity is sparked. And so he begins tweeting controversial statements, which he has his intern Assistant Clara (Molly Evensen) post on his behalf verbatim. While initially met with protests and boycotts, Herschel is quickly regarded as a master of free speech and empowerment. One day while Herschel is hosting a friendly debate, Ben shows up in disguise and using a false tone of voice questions his thoughts on Christianity. This leads Herschel to rant about Christianity, causing the public to turn on him and chase him down the street. His immigration papers also appear lost in time, causing the government to try and deport him.

Herschel breaks into Ben's apartment through the window, and pleads with Ben to get him across the border into Canada. Ben reluctantly agrees. Ten miles from the border with Canada and now on foot traipsing thorough the snow covered woodland, Ben and Herschel begin to reconcile their relationship. Ben comes clean that he deliberately sabotaged Herschel's business on three separate occasions, causing Herschel to admit that he is saddened that Ben is more committed to his app than his family's legacy. This leads to the pair getting into a fist fight. Herschel steals Ben's backpack, and uses his razor to shave and puts on his spare packed clothes to pose as Ben, alerting the police that the real Ben is Herschel. This causes the real Ben's arrest and deportation back to Slupsk.

Taking up residence at Ben's apartment, Herschel one evening is looking through an old photograph album of Ben's when out falls a picture hand drawn by a much younger Ben. On the picture he learns that the app's name, 'Boop Bop', was actually the nickname Ben gave to his late parents, leading Herschel to realise that family was in fact always close to Ben's heart. He returns to his home country to find Ben, who had taken refuge at a local synagogue. They reconcile, and sometime later return to Brooklyn, hoping to develop a pickle-selling website and take their salty pickled cucumber sales worldwide.

I have to say that I was a little surprised by 'An American Pickle' in that my fairly low expectations going in were easily surpassed. The satirical moments right from the opening frames is on point and made me chuckle to myself on numerous occasions. Whilst this film won't go down in history as one of the great comedies of our time, Seth Rogen here more than proves his acting chops in dual roles playing opposite sides of the same Yiddish coin creating two very different characters each with their own distinct idiosyncrasies. The script labours at times in its preposterousness, but is saved by the strong performances, the humour (which at times is far from PC), the sight gags and the questions it asks about the importance of family, their legacy and tradition, and how can we in the present learn from the lessons of the past to shape our future.  

'An American Pickle' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th September 2020.

The 45th Toronto International Film Festival is currently being held from 10th through 21st September. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, organisers have acknowledged that the event will 'look different' than in previous years, primarily by incorporating an online streaming component, but have indicated that current plans still include some form of physical festival taking place bearing in mind the social distancing guidelines still in place. 'American Utopia' by Spike Lee was announced as the festival's opening film. Festival organisers indicated that due to the smaller than normal programme, a smaller number of awards would be presented this year. The People's Choice Award will continue with online voting. The Gala Presentations and Special Presentations categories take in the following feature films :

Gala Presentation

* 'Ammonite' is a UK and Australian Co-Produced romantic drama film Directed by Francis Lee and starring Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones and Fiona Shaw. 

* 'Bruised' is an American sports drama film Directed by Halle Berry in her film making debut. Halle Berry also takes the lead role with Shamier Anderson, Adan Canto and Sheila Atim.

* 'Concrete Cowboy' is an American Western drama film Directed by Ricky Staub in his film making debut and starring Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin and Method Man.

* 'American Utopia' is an American concert film Directed by Spike Lee featuring a live recording of a Broadway performance of a modified version of the album 'American Utopia' by David Byrne, featuring Byrne alongside eleven musicians.

* 'Good Joe Bell' is an American drama film Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Mark Wahlberg, Gary Sinise, Connie Britton and Maxwell Jenkins. 

* 'I Care a Lot' is an American thriller film Directed and Written by J. Blakeson and starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza Gonzalez, Chris Messina, Diane Wiest, Isiah Whitlock Jnr., and Macon Blair.

* 'Nomadland' is an American drama film Written, Directed, Edited and Co-Produced by Chloe Zhao and starring Frances McDormand and David Strathairn. 

* 'One Night in Miami' is an American drama film Directed by Regina King is her film making debut and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jnr., Lance Reddick and Beau Bridges.

* 'Pieces of a Woman' is an American and Canadian Co-Produced drama film Directed by Kornel Mundruczo and stars Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Benny Safdie and Ellen Burstyn. Martin Scorsese is an Executive Producer.

Special Presentation 

* 'Another Round' is a Danish drama film Directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen. 

* 'The Disciple' is an Indian drama film in the Marathi language of Western India. Written, Directed and Edited by Chaitanya Tamhane and starring Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave, Deepika Bhide Bhagwat, and Kiran Yadnyopavit. Alfonso Cuaron is an Executive Producer.

* 'Falling' is a US, UK and Canadian Co-Produced drama film Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Viggo Mortensen in his feature film making debut, and starring Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen, Laura Linney and David Cronenberg.

* 'The Father' is a UK and US Co-Produced drama film Co-Written and Directed by Florian Zeller starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Olivia Williams, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots and Rufus Sewell.

* 'Penguin Bloom' is an Australian and UK Co-Produced drama film Directed by Glendyn Ivin and starring Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Jacki Weaver and Leeanna Walsman. 

* 'Summer of 85' - is a French and Belgian drama film Written and Directed by François Ozon. It stars Felix Lefebvre, Benjamin Voisin, Philippine Velge, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Melvil Poupaud, and Isabelle Nanty.

* 'True Mothers' is a Japanese drama film Directed by Naomi Kawase and stars Hiromi Nagasaku, Arata Iura, Aju Makita and Miyoko Asada. 

The other categories are : Contemporary World Cinema, TIFF Docs, Discovery, Short Cuts, Midnight Madness, Planet Africa, Primetime, Wavelengths and Special Events plus the Industry Selects programme for films seeking commercial distribution - this section is available on the festival's industry platform and not for the general public on the commercial platform. For more information on all the news and views from this years Toronto International Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : https://www.tiff.net

Turning to this weeks five latest release new movies, we kick off with a tale of man who back in 1919 falls into a vat of pickles and wakes up one hundred years later perfectly preserved but needing to adjust to life in the 21st Century, which he does with the help of his sole surviving descendant. Next up we have a whodunnit surrounding a long awaited book launch, those tasked with translating the heavily guarded manuscript into nine different languages, and someone who threatens to leak the first ten pages on the internet. This is followed by the fifth big screen telling of this classic childrens novel about a young orphan sent away to an English Lord's estate where she soon discovers a hidden garden with magical powers. We then turn to a RomCom about a jilted young woman who opens a gallery showcasing the artefacts and paraphernalia left behind after relationships has gone belly up, and we close out the week about a story of four young siblings and a surprising new friend they make while on holiday with their parents, but they need to beware of their uncle who has his own plans for the kids new friend.  

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'AN AMERICAN PICKLE' (Rated PG) - is an American comedy drama offering Directed by first timer Brandon Trost, although he was worked as Cinematographer on numerous other Hollywood films including 2009's 'Halloween II', 'Ghost Rider : Spirit of Vengeance', 'This is the End', 'Neighbors', 'The Interview', 'Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse', 'Neighbors 2 : Sorority Rising', 'The Disaster Artist', 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' and 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile'. Based on the 2013 short story 'Sell Out' by Simon Rich, it seems that Seth Rogan (who appears in dual roles and also Co-Produces here) and Rich began discussing the concept for a film back in 2007. Released digitally in the US in early August, and in theatres in the UK shortly thereafter, the film cost US$20M to produce, has so far taken just US$168K, and has received mostly mixed or average Reviews. 

Here Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen) and his wife Sarah (Sarah Snook) are struggling Jewish labourers who flee their home town and emigrate to America in 1919. Herschel lands a job at a pickling factory, and one day by accident falls into a vat of pickles just as the factory is about to be shut down. Having been pickled in brine for one hundred years and long since disappeared and presumed dead, he wakes up in modern day New York City in 2019. Learning that his sole surviving relative is his great grandson Ben (also Seth Rogen) he must attempt to fit in with 21st Century life with the assistance of his last remaining descendant, although soon enough trouble brews between the two that causes each to question the others values resulting in a rift that can only be repaired when the pair realise that blood is thicker than brine. 

'THE TRANSLATORS' (Rated M) - this French thriller is Directed and Written by Regis Roinsard in only his second feature film making outing since 2012's 'Populaire'. Here the third novel in a massively popular and best selling trilogy 'Dedalus' is keenly awaited the world over. Nine translators from England, Russia, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, China and Greece are all confined to a bunker located under a French Chateau to simultaneously translate the manuscript into their respective languages so that the book can be released worldwide on the same day. In complete lockdown, with mobile phones confiscated for the duration, internet access blocked, and no comings or goings, despite the secrecy, when the first ten pages of the novel are leaked and a hefty ransom is sought within 24 hours the suspicion immediately falls to one of the nine. And so the whodunnit is on! Starring Lambert Wilson, Alex Lawther, Olga Kurylenko and Sidse Babett Knudsen.

'THE SECRET GARDEN' (Rated PG) - this fifth feature film adaptation of the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, following those earlier renditions in 1919 (a silent version), 1949, 1987 and 1993 is Directed this time around by Marc Munden. This British fantasy drama offering tells the story set in England during 1947, when a young orphan girl Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx) who, after being sent to live with her uncle Lord Archibald Craven (Colin Firth) on a remote country estate in Yorkshire, England, discovers a hidden magical garden on the grounds of his estate. Also staring Julie Walters, this film cost US$20M to make, has so far recovered US$1.5M following its release Stateside in early August and has so far generated largely positive Press. The film is released in the UK in late October. Colin Firth also appeared in the 1987 film. 

'THE BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY' (Rated M) - is an American RomCom Written, Directed and Executive Produced by Natalie Krinsky in her feature film debut. This film follows the always unique Lucy Gulliver (Geraldine Viswanathan), a twenty-something art gallery assistant living in New York City, who also happens to be an emotional hoarder. After being dumped by her latest boyfriend, Lucy is inspired to create The Broken Hearts Gallery, a pop-up space for the items love has left behind. Word of the gallery spreads, encouraging a movement and a fresh start for all the romantics out there, including Lucy herself. Also starring Dacre Montgomery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Molly Gordon and Suki Waterhouse the film has garnered mixed or average Reviews, and was released in the US last week. 

'FOUR KIDS AND IT' (Rated PG) - is a British fantasy film Directed by Andy De Emmony and is based on the novel 'Four Children and It' by Jacqueline Wilson which in turn is based on the 1902 novel 'Five Children and It' by Edith Nesbit. While on holiday in Cornwall, the Trent children Robbie, 'Smash', Ros and Maudie (Billy Jenkins, Ashley Aufderheide, Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen and Ellie-Mae Siame respectively) discover a mysterious creature, Psammead (voiced by Michael Caine) with magical powers. It doesn't take long before the kids find out that their wicked uncle Tristan Trent (Russell Brand) plans to use the creature's wishmaking for his own nefarious deeds. Also starring Paul Patton as Mum Alice Trent and Matthew Goode as Dad David Trent. The film was released in the UK in early April, gets a limited showing here in Australia from this week and has so far received mixed or average Reviews. 

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-