Early in 2018, we were treated to “RBG,” an excellent documentary about celebrated Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which introduced a couple of generations to some important not-too-recent history: the legal battle for equality for both sexes and Justice Ginsburg’s huge role in furthering that goal. Last month “On the Basis of Sex” opened, offering a fictionalized version of the same story but with greater detail about those early years of the uphill journey. I found this later film is a fitting accompaniment to the documentary and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Yes, it’s didactic in its intent and execution, but if we are to learn about an important period in history, a workable script and good acting are a fine way to accomplish that. We already know of RBG’s furious work ethic, her fine brain, the long marriage she shared with Martin, a man who was not only not threatened by his wife’s accomplishments but encouraged and supported her every step of the way. But what “On the Basis of Sex” does is to show us the details of the journey, each step of the way, by which she came to understand what would be her life’s work: a woman’s right to equal treatment under the law. Felicity Jones as Ruth and Armie Hammer as Martin are physically perfect for their roles—a very short woman, a very tall man. And their performances, while not actually inspired, are just fine. There’s some nice work by Justin Theroux as a hotshot ACLU director; Sam Waterston as the Harvard professor who thinks women in law school are unfairly depriving men of their chance to attend that great institution; and Cailee Spaeny as Jane, Ruth’s stubborn, strong-willed daughter. Daniel Stiepleman’s script is more than serviceable and Mimi Leder’s sensitive direction gets the job done. Not a masterpiece, but definitely worthwhile.
The first season of “True Detective” on HBO, the one with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, was a knock out—a great mystery, a script that kept us on our toes, superb acting from both the leads, intriguing atmosphere, camerawork and more. Then came season two, which was, simply put, a dud. So now we have season three and I bring you good news: We have another winner. Deep in the Ozarks, two children ride off on their bikes one afternoon, never to be heard from again. The detectives on the case, played by Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff, work the case with diligence and come up with the kind of answers that open up a fertile field for new questions. The case spans three time periods—1980, 1990, and 2015—and scenes go back and forth in time, but we never have trouble knowing which period we’re in because of Ali’s hair: modified Afro as a younger man, short and no-nonsense 10 years later, salt-and-pepper as he inhabits the persona of a difficult old man on the edge of memory loss. Ali’s character, Detective Wayne Hays, a Vietnam vet, a loner with a suspicious nature, is another of Ali’s indelible characterizations, an absolute must-see. Fine support is given by Carmen Ejogo as the woman in his life, and Scoot McNairy as the alcoholic father of the missing kids.
In 2011, a young boy named Asa Butterfield starred in a fascinating fantasy film named “Hugo.” Fast forward seven years and he’s a skinny and awkward teenager in a British series now streaming on Netflix aptly named “Sex Education.” His mother (a marvelous Gillian Anderson) is a free-spirited sex therapist, which causes no amount of angst for the boy at school, until he finds his friends asking for advice. If you are a fan of films about modern teenagers, British wit—a lot of it—and fast-paced satire, you will most likely enjoy the eight episodes. Be warned: There is a major amount of nudity, sexual situations and X-rated language.