It is only the knowing, salty political consultant who can bridge the gap between political reality and tidy fictional narrative. Bush strategist Lee Atwater, who by his own reported deathbed admission was an unholy monster, and to this day keeps afloat the brand of George W. Bush strategist Karl Rove. Jane says it will be an honor. Did Cirie go too far by bringing family matters into the game? Lets Do the Thing: How Online Were You in February 2023? A screenshot shows Castillo at 8% with Rivera leading with 36%. Initially under the impression that her man is a dud, Jane is soon animated by Castillos spontaneous response to getting egged (that is, he decks the egger) and her personal animus against Candy. [11] More casting was also announced, which included Reynaldo Pacheco, Dominic Flores, Louis Arcella, and Octavio Gmez. Castillo promises them that he will not invite the IMF without a public referendum. They make a sling shot out of clothes and shoot something that splatters against Candys window across the foyer. This was the lowest wide release opening of Bullock's career, beating 1996's Two If by Sea ($4.7 million). That's true even in "Our Brand Is Crisis," a . Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton go head to head as strategists in a patchy satire about the 2002 Bolivian elections. Plot out uproarious long-shot tricks against his opponents that always seem to work out even better than hoped? 2/4[], Our Brand Is Crisis fun until it gets serious For too long, the stakes play second fiddle to the strategists and even the candidates remain too elusive to make the audience care as much as it should. In addition, there are 20+ f-words, s-words (19), and one each of a**, SOB, p*ssed, p*ssy, b*stard, b***h, tw*t, cr*p, and t*rd. Inspired by the 2005 documentary of the . Meanwhile, the senior advisors (Ben, Nell and others) talk about Jane and Candy, how they had sex previously, and how she spread a rumor during a campaign that Candys candidates daughter was on drugs. This is yet another film that could have been PG (maybe PG-13 due to a mooning scene) with a cleaner script. At the start, Jane has been out of the consulting game for several years, following a traumatic mayoral race. Toronto Film Review: 'Our Brand Is Crisis' Sandra Bullock plays a ruthless political stategist in a role inspired by Rachel Boynton's docu and intended for producer George Clooney to play. Its great fun. But if you can be wary of those things, I do recommend this film. See list of Relevant Issuesquestions-and-answers. Played for laughs? All the stupid tricks are here, the ones people laugh at onscreen in the context of a film like this but fall for in spite of themselves on their TVs during football games. There are dozens of pottery jars and bowls covering the walls. ", "Toronto Review: Sandra Bullock Carries Our Brand Is Crisis", "Sandra Bullock Adds Gravity to Bolivian Political Satire", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Our_Brand_Is_Crisis_(2015_film)&oldid=1134072378, Tilda Del Toro as Pedro Castillo's secretary, This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 22:01. Instead of superhuman strength or projectile spider-webs, this puppet master has in her arsenal a penchant for drinking and smoking, instant access to the perfect quip at the perfect time, and a convenient lack of morality. Unfortunately, the quote is actually from Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's minister of propaganda. . You never find out. Jane suggests that Castillo reveal everything that could be used against him, but he refuses. He has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn. In Bolivia, altitude sickness (at 12 thousand feet, La Paz is the worlds highest capital) and sickness with the candidate nearly drive her away. At another meeting with advisors, its revealed the crisis message is working, but not so well that it will win the election. [29], "Box-Office Preview: Halloween Forecast Bleak for 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "Sandra Bullock's 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Robert Redford's 'Truth' to Premiere at Toronto", "Sandra Bullock and David Gordon Green Team on 'Our Brand is Crisis', "Scoot McNairy Joins Sandra Bullock in 'Our Brand is Crisis', "Billy Bob Thornton in Talks to Join Sandra Bullock in 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "Anthony Mackie Joins Sandra Bullock in 'Our Brand is Crisis', "Joaquim de Almeida, Zoe Kazan Join Sandra Bullock in 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "Participant Boards David Gordon Green's 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "The real story of "Our Brand Is Crisis" is how we screwed up Bolivia: Behind the bland Sandra Bullock movie lies another strange-but-true tale of botched American meddling", "Sandra Bullock in Talks to Star in George Clooney-Produced 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "George Clooney's 'Our Brand Is Crisis' sets Metairie casting call", "Louisiana Film TV Production Jobs Hotline September 23, 2014", "Political drama starring A-listers films in Norco", "Reynaldo Pacheco Is The Beating Heart In 'Our Brand Is Crisis', "Sandra Bullock's 'Crisis' Gets Awards Season Release Date", "Our Brand Is Crisis (2015) - Box Office Mojo", "Bradley Cooper, 'The Martian' To Scare Away Sandra Bullock & 'Scouts' At Halloween B.O. Jane and her team had no idea he would do that. for language including some sexual references. They make big promises that mean jack shit. Getting hurt is unavoidable, she tells him. I can barely imagine the humiliation! The interviewer says she's been known by many names, most notably "Calamity Jane". At an evening event, Castillo is shaking hands with people behind a barrier. Its also revealed that Candy is the one who ran over the llama during the commercial shoot. The American consultants, not knowing the language or the culture of Bolivia, are persuaded by Bodine, a burned out veteran of American politics, to follow a strategy of smear campaigning to make up for their candidate's shortcomings. Our Brand Is Crisis grossed $7 million in North America and $1.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $8.6 million, against a budget of $28 million. In my review of the documentary, I wrote: The process of framing Goni to look like something he isnt could be the stuff of a rambunctious campaign comedy like Primary Colors or, for that matter, the documentary The War Room And parts of Our Brand Is Crisis are darkly amusing. Eventually Eddie sees her and they make eye contact. But once in Bolivia, shes sidelined by acute altitude sickness (the flight down is accompanied by a primer on the geography and general stressed disposition of the place), and hence unable to immediately show her Sun-Tzu-informed genius to uptight candidate Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida). Although Castillos populist opponent doesnt seem to have much integrity (the character does in the documentary), we still know that Castillo has less, that hes a dreadful man. if (window.self != window.top) {nf=''} else {nf='NF/'}; Castillo's bus is stopped by a group of protesters who don't want the International Monetary Fund in Bolivia. I say, beat Candy because Jane doesnt really care that much about Castillo or Bolivia. His loyalty comes mostly from the fact that Castillo, who was president at the time, took a young Eduardo on his arm during a rally in his town. While Castillo is meeting with the press, Jane meets Eduardo. Theres no redemption to be found with the people who are ruining liveswho have no belief in politicians or voters; people who have basically given up on humanity and play with public policy like a kid with a loaded gun. This password will be used to sign into all, Okay, TikTok, You Can Calm Down About Aubrey Plaza at the SAG Awards Now, All 165 Pink Floyd Songs Ranked, From Worst to Best. Morales government has dramatically reduced poverty and inequality, and presided over one of the worlds fastest-growing economies, right through the crash of 2008. Her words are intercut with footage of newspaper headlines and, oddly, shots of Bullocks hands molding clay at a pottery wheel. She is then seen in the middle of the protest, and sees Eddie. This is the meaning of the title. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Privacy Policy and Facing a general strike and a series of confrontations between soldiers and protesters that left at least 67 civilians dead, Goni imposed martial law in October 2003, and the U.S. State Department issued a statement offering its full support. Walking into the room with the campaign team, she gives a fiery and inspirational speech about how important it is to go negative, and that anybody with a problem with that will be given a set of balls. "Our Brand is Crisis" was one of these pleasant surprises. In her eyes, her job is done. Well, that would be you and me both before and after. She is unable to breath and is using an oxygen mask on the car ride to campaign headquarters. The last movie I reviewed was Burnt, which was called a comedy by many, but I found it not to be a comedy at alljust a drama with occasional humor. There are 12 misuses of god, Jesus (1), Jesus Christ (1), hell (3) and d*mn (3). For those who want more detail, I have written a paragraph below containing spoilers. Our Brand is Crisis may be director David Gordon Green's most sterile picture yet, but it's redeemed somewhat by Sandra Bullock's lead performance, as well as a talented ensemble cast . Preview", "Star-Driven Casualties 'Our Brand Is Crisis' & 'Burnt' At The B.O. Later shell claim he got the room intentionally to get under her skin. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. Jane gets a call from Pat who tells her to turn on the TV. There are also two middle finger displays. Before I address the message, Ill review the content. It's a case study, if nothing else, of starting with a dubious idea and making it downright awful. Mick LaSalle. Maybe Carville and the Clintonocracy were empowering democracy after all, even if it wasnt quite the variety they intended. More fliers are discovered that claim (with pictures) Castillo is a member of a crazy white-robe wearing cult. Ben admires a shiny dark bowl but Nell takes it from him. Later, two senior advisors argue the crisis brand may have worked with the current crowd, but it wont with the working class. 1h 47m. Our Brand Is Crisis (2015) Rated R for language including some sexual references. Verdict. During a debate prep session, Castillo and Jane engage in a heated argument in which Jane says they are all just puppets in the political game, and that nobody is in charge. Realizing that her candidate, Senator Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida) cant win by being likable, they decide to use fear as their issue, sell that Bolivia is a nation in crisis, and hes the only many that can save it. She opens with footage of an anti-government riot that came less than a year after the election. Honestly, I didnt know what to expect, on a number of levels. It casts a skeptical eye at the gospel of globalization thats preached by Janes team, but its outrage is more directed at cynicism than at any specific system. In 2002, Bolivian politician Pedro Gallo hires American James Carville's political consulting firm, Greenberg Carville Shrum, to help him win the 2002 Bolivian presidential election. The protagonist, Jane Bodine a.k.a. Were not supposed to earnestly admire any of these people, but we are supposed to guiltily admire their unfailing ability to guide impossible undertakings, such as the practice of politics, to victory through whatever means. The poor reviews of Our Brand is Crisis are puzzling, since its one of the few non-documentary films to show successfully a) what rip-roaring fun politics can be when its only about marketing and b) what terrible things can happen when its only about marketing. But the main mystery to me was the message of this film. Policy doesnt even enter into the conversation; its more about scoring points by making your opponent look like a Nazi sympathizer simply by virtue of a doctored photograph. The Unloved, Part 111: Devil in a Blue Dress, Female Filmmakers in Focus: Cauleen Smith on Drylongso, True Lies Fails to Capture the Charm of the James Cameron Original, Berlinale 2023 Highlights, Part Two: Reality, Manodrome, The Adults, Inside, Golda. document.write(ts+'script src="http://www.burstnet.com/cgi-bin/ads/ad12539a.cgi/v=2.3S/sz=728x90A|970x66A/'+rnum+'/'+nf+'RETURN-CODE/JS/">'+ts+'/script>'); You can send in your spoiler to other movies by going here. So yes, throughout the film, the protagoniststhe ones portrayed as good guysuse communistic propaganda. ts=String.fromCharCode(60); Soon enough she is smoking, drinking, and scheming again, signaling to the viewer that shes back to her antiheroic winning ways. Beyond needing to adjust to her relocation to La Paz however temporary, Jane knows that she has to transform the thinking of the populace to making them want Castillo as their leader as opposed to changing Castillo to something he inherently is not. Who was really paying for their work with Goni, an unpopular former president who had spent much of his life in the United States and spoke Spanish so poorly that Bolivian opponents derided him as El Gringo? It starts out with big promises and ends up with jackshit happening.". He is a crook. But the fact that it wants to also squeeze in a redemptive tale is completely at odds with the work the protagonist is doing. When Bodine realizes that she brought a liar into office, she has the car stopped and leaves to join Eduardo. Since 2006, Bolivia has been governed by Evo Morales, the indigenous leader whose protest movement led to Gonis downfall. Its pretty powerful, actually. I found the film to be very interesting, and all the cast put on some of their best performances Ive seen. "Wake up, this is war. "Our Brand Is Crisis" is both the title of and a line from a new political comedy about American consultants who take over a Bolivian presidential campaign. This film isnt as dark as Burnt, and has more amusing moments, including some comic relief, but still shouldnt be classified as a comedy. [17][18] Filming also took place in the Bonnet Carr Spillway in Norco in St. Charles Parish. Have written a paragraph below containing spoilers unable to breath and is an... Protest, and Octavio Gmez R for language including some sexual references is Crisis & quot was! 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