Ranking Sam Mendes Movies

Every now and again, I'll pick out someone in the film world who just happens to be celebrating a birthday and create a list in their honor. Today, the lucky person is none other than brilliant director Sam Mendes who turns 49. A lot of people aren't necessarily familiar with his name, but have definitely enjoyed a movie or two of his. The reason more people don't recognize his name is because there aren't much more than a movie or two on his resume. Since his first big screen feature in 1999, he's only directed six movies. His next isn't scheduled to hit theaters until 2015. Prolific, he is not.

What Mendes is, though, is a masterful story-teller. Part of his magic is that not only are his characters growing human beings, they are often trying to grow on purpose. A common theme throughout his filmography is people searching for some missing element from their life that will make it all better. They don't always succeed. Another oft-used theme is imprisonment, usually in a self made prison (bad marriage, bad work situation, etc.) and the effort to escape that prison.

Enough gibberish, though. Here is how I rank the six full-length features directed by Sam Mendes.

#6

Away We Go

(2009)

Unfortunately, this one is the obvious choice for the bottom spot. That's not because it's a bad flick. On the contrary, I enjoyed quite a bit. It's just the only one I don't think is amazing. Still, I do feel it is underrated and, thus far, underseen. It stars Maya Rudolph (herself, underrated) and John Krasinski as a couple expecting their first baby and traveling to various locations in North America in hopes of finding the perfect place to raise the kid. They feel like a genuine couple and the movie is a fun, whimsical affair. It also includes a perfectly zany turn by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Call it the rom-com version of another Mendes movie, which we'll get to later. (Click here for my full review)

#5

Jarhead

(2005)

Speaking of Gyllenhaals, this one stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a marine, trained to be a sniper, stationed in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield. It's a fairly unique war movie in that it deals with how mundane war can actually be, particularly The Gulf War. Our hero fights boredom far more than he does any physical enemy. In fact, that's part of what makes Jarhead a special movie. Mendes shows so much happening even though nothing that the protagonist wants actually is.

#4

Revolutionary Road

(2008)

What's an unhappily married couple to do to bring the magic back into their relationship? It's simple. Move to Paris. At least, that's the plan hatched by the couple in question in Revolutionary Road. They are played brilliantly Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. In fact, everyone who comes onto the screen does great work. That's another trademark of Mendes, getting the best out of his actors. In addition to our two stars, Michael Shannon fares particularly well, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. (Click here for my full review)

#3

Skyfall

(2012)

The transformation of James Bond into a real human being is complete with Mendes' deconstruction of the character. Sure, Bond has to save the world. More importantly, he has to figure out his place in that world. He questions everything about himself and doubts his own relevance. Mendes masterfully weaves this deep introspective version of an iconic macho man into a movie still featuring tons of insane action. It helps that Daniel Craig absolutely nails the lead role. Craig and Mendes are coming together for the director's next film, the (tentatively?) entitled Bond 24. I'm eagerly looking forward to it because Skyfall is my absolute favorite James Bond movie. Period. (Click here for my full review)

#2

Road to Perdition

(2002)

On paper, a gangster movie based on a graphic novel and starring the decidedly un-gangster Tom Hanks sounds too bizarre to work. However, in Mendes' sure hands it becomes a masterpiece of restrained story-telling. Hanks plays a mob enforcer who has to go on the run with his son after a job doesn't go as planned. Hanks is wonderful, the score is nerve racking and the look of the movie is simply breath-taking (Conrad L. Hall won the Oscar for Best Cinematography). The legendary Paul Newman earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, the real treat is a ridiculously unsettling turn by Jude Law. If you've never seen this, you probably have no idea how scary Mr. Law can be.

#1

American Beauty

(1999)

Here we have Mendes' debut feature, and it's one that many people consider one of the best films ever made. I can say with confidence that most of you reading this would also put it at the top of your own list of this director's movies. In case you've somehow missed it, it stars Kevin Spacey as a guy going through one hellacious mid-life crisis. His marriage is in shambles, his teenage daughter hates him, he hates his job, and to top it all off, he starts fantasizing about one of his daughter's friends. There's even more than that going on, but I'll stop there. Spacey won an Oscar for Best Actor for his work, here, and deservedly so. In all, the movie would win five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Mendes. To sum it up, I'll just say see the movie if you haven't. It's truly a fine piece of cinema.


How would you rank them? To be honest, you can put numbers 2, 3, and 4 in any order you'd like and I'd be okay with it.

Happy Birthday, Sam!

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Skyfall

Directed by Sam Mendes.

2012. Rated PG-13, 143 minutes.

Cast:

Daniel Craig

Judi Dench

Javier Bardem

Ralph Fiennes

Naomie Harris

Bérénice Marlohe

Albert Finney

Ben Whishaw

Ola Rapace

Bill Buckhurst

Skyfall opens with the death of James Bond (Craig), in spectacular fashion, of course. No worries, or spoiler alert necessary. His condition doesn't last long. After all, this is a 007 movie. You just can’t go killing him before the opening credits. Besides, both MI6 and M (Dench) are in great danger. Who else is gonna save the day? However, the genius of this movie is that it’s not really so simple as the hero saving the day, despite appearances.

Someone has stolen a list that reveals the identities of all of MI6’s undercover agents around the world and is fond of sending M personal, if cryptic, messages. This is a big problem, as you might imagine. The already difficult task of retrieving this list and/or tracking down the person responsible is made that much more so by the fact that our hero is suffering from fairly significant physical and emotional issues.

Beginning with Bond himself, extending to M, the entire movie is a dissertation on old vs. new. The franchise itself has long understood that its main character is a relic of the Cold War. He is even referred to as such in one of those abysmal Pierce Brosnan outings. Here, the point is driven home. MI6 is under fire from its own government for being antiquated and clinging to its old ways. We’re also reminded numerous times that Bond is not of this generation. His time seems to have past. As evidence, his edges are more frayed than ever before. Daniel Craig continues to play the role brilliantly, both as a man and a super-spy. With three 007 flicks under his belt, it’s debatable whether or not he’s the best Bond ever. It’s inarguable that his is the most human rendition of the character. And the actor is not alone on his quest to make this true. He’s been given scripts that not only allow him to bleed, but to actually feel.

No matter how much emotion our hero has to deal with, it couldn't be a great Bond movie without heart-pounding action and an eccentric villain. The action is terrifically ridiculous. All manner of vehicle is given a whirl, most notably trains. Lots of fun with trains. There’s lots of exciting hand-to-hand combat and plenty of shooting. Oh, and we have some rather large man-eating lizards. The only drawback in the action department is the best sequence opens the movie. We keep hoping something will top it, but none can. What happens with the helicopter during the last big set gets closest. Still, it’s all loads of fun.

As far as our bad guy, Silver, he’s gleefully played by Javier Bardem who brings his usual excellence to the role and has fun with it. Unfortunately, he may have a little too much fun. Silver comes off more amusing, if creepy and eventually pathetic, than menacing. True, he puts our hero into some harrowing situations. I’m just not so sure he inspires feelings of dread. That’s a bit disappointing since the same actor gave us one of this century’s most frightening film villains in No Country for Old Men.

Luckily for us, this is the rare Bond film that doesn’t sink or swim based on its bad guy. That’s because, at the end of the day, Skyfall is probably the most self-aware Bond film ever made. Of the three Daniel Craig entries into the canon, two of them are excellent. The first, Casino Royale, is a brilliant series reboot. Also self-aware, it purposely avoids the cheesiest and most over-the-top aspects of the franchise. Most noticeably, Bond’s gadgets, which the Brosnan flicks were overrun by, are nowhere to be found. In their absence we begin to delve into the psychology of the character along with the action. This is where some tenets of Bond, such as his love for scotch, are no longer seen as just things that a cool and manly super-spy does. Quantum of Solace, an incoherent mess, is the oddball. It’s somewhat enjoyable, but a far cry from its predecessor. Skyfall is a return to greatness. It continuously questions its own place in today’s world. It questions the way its hero and, by extension, the movie itself goes about its business. It even gives us a few gadgets, simultaneously paying homage to Bond’s glorious past and wondering whether they have any place in his future. Even M must face this same judgment, both explicitly by members of Parliament and within the film’s subtext. Much more than just another Bond flick, or an excuse to showcase shootouts and car chases, this is a movie that recognizes the status of its protagonist as a pop-culture icon and his battle to stay relevant.

Away We Go

Directed by Sam Mendes.
2009. Rated R, 98 minutes.
Cast:
John Krasinski
Maya Rudolph
Carmen Ejogo
Jeff Daniels
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Catherine O'Hara
Allison Janney
Jim Gaffigan

Plot: Verona (Rudolph),who is six months pregnant, and her boyfriend Burt (Krasinski) travel to various locations in North America they have ties to in search of the perfect place to start their family.

The Good: In Verona and Burt, we have a couple that feels, more or less, real. They aren't glamourous or overly hip, they're just a couple regular thirtysomethings trying to make their way in the world. To that end, director Sam Mendes coaxes some very natural performances from his two stars. On the other hand, he also gets some great, and perfectly over the top work from his supporting cast. In particular, Maggie Gyllenhaal shines as the eccentric, and eccentrically named, LN. What happens is the bit players, and Burt, give us most of our laughs while Verona plays our "straight man" and the movie effectively revolves around her. This also helps reveal bits and pieces of our heroes.

The Bad: Some opportunities for comedy are lost because the movie rarely deals with Verona's pregnancy. Their is the running gag about keeping the baby's heart rate up, but nothing ever comes of it. Also, some of the supporting characters beg for bigger roles but are all quickly ushered off-screen as our heroes travel from one city to the next.

The Ugly: LN, breast-feeding, strollers and the "family bed." Wow.

Recommendation: This is a different sort of rom-com. Instead of the usual boy-meets-girl, this picks up where others leave off. It's smart, cute and funny. That said, fellas be warned: it's a full-blown chick-flick. It's a solid one, but a chick-flick, nonetheless.

The Opposite View: Richard Corliss, Time

What the Internet Says: 7.4/10 on imdb.com (2/8/10), 66% on rottentomatoes.com, 58/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 7/10

Revolutionary Road

Directed by Sam Mendes.
2008. Rated R, 118 minutes.
Cast:
Kate Winslet
Leonardo DiCaprio
Kathy Bates
Michael Shannon
David Harbour
Dylan Baker
Richard Easton
Zoe Kazan

Plot: Frank (Di Caprio) and April Wheeler (Winslet) are an unhappy couple. They suddenly decide and start planning a move to Paris in hopes of chasing their dreams and rekindling the flames of their marriage.

The Good: First and foremost, both Winslet and Di Caprio turn in powerhouse performances. They are two of the very best in the business and they do not disappoint, here. To support them, director Sam Mendes surrounds them with an excellent cast and does a masterful job telling the story. The standout among the supporting players is Michael Shannon as the supposedly mentally ill John. I say supposedly because he seems less crazy than he does simply lacking a filter between his brain and mouth. As far as telling the story, Mendes carefully weaves a tapestry of issues until they seem almost singular and explode simultaneously.

The Bad: The focus on our main couple is so strict, other potentially interesting elements are brushed aside. In particular, the Wheeler’s neighbors are profoundly affected by what’s going on. However, given a certain event there could be much more shown. They certainly could’ve had some explosive moments of their own. Also, the Wheeler children are conveniently ushered off stage and easily spared the drama. It feels as if they’re not at all aware of what’s going on in their home, much less bothered by it. As a father, I can tell you it’s just too tidy an area of such a messy relationship.

The Ugly: The reason there is blood on the carpet.

Recommendation: This is a tough drama with three brilliant performances. It not only depicts a crumbling marriage, it raises questions. Though it clearly comes out on one side over the other, the pro-life/pro-choice debate eventually comes to fuel the movie and leaves us something to chew on.

The Opposite View: Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

What the Internet Says: 7.6/10 on imdb.com (5/23/10), 68% on rottentomatoes.com, 69/100 on metacritic.com

MY SCORE: 8/10