Match (2014)

Patrick Stewart flies in this - for him - very quirky role, a somewhat over-the- top, deliberately isolated, and often rather silly and kinetic aging ballet teacher at Julliard. Playing Tobias (Tobi) Powell, he's lived around the world and pretty much seen it all. He's been on a million adventures, slept with a million people, lived the prototypical and seemingly enviable life of a globe-trotting artiste - a ballet dancer who many years before blew out a muscle that kept him off the stage permanently. Now he teaches ballet at the world-renowned school of music, theater, and dance in New York City, Julliard. Settled into a quiet, out-of-the- way if funky ethnic neighborhood in Manhattan, Tobi's on the comfortable down slope of a long career in the arts.Inserted into his comfortable world are two people who want to learn about his life and the history of ballet - at least, that's what Tobi is lead to believe initially. That's of course just the beginning of the story. Though the many spoilers give away the plot, I won't here. Better to discover it for yourself. Carla Gugino and Matthew Lillard as the seemingly mismatched married couple Lisa and Mike Davis, are contrasting sides of the same coin. Mike is brutish, somewhat taciturn, forceful. Lisa is sweet, lovely, kind, thoughtful. They each in their own way lend powerfully to the story. Lillard is surprising in his role - he often plays pretty silly, crazy, and ridiculous characters himself, but here he is the straight man. In this particular role, it's ideal. He does well. Gugino is very good as the wife, crushed and withered by difficult circumstances and history between she and Mike. She comes across gently, carefully exposing her many wounds to Tobi who frequently meets her halfway in her moment of crisis. But, ultimately, this is a story of redemption. In this respect all characters come back together in funny, heart-wrenching, and unexpected ways. And what can be said of Patrick Stewart as Tobi? Wow. Just wow. He is really so very, very good. He's incredibly silly at times - saying crazy and really inappropriate things, but almost always hilariously. It's often due to nervousness but he's really kind of an ADD case, blurting out at times brilliantly absurd comments about love, lust, sex, and all kinds of people. He's really, really funny. He's also incredibly poignant. He has a huge heart, is loving and sweet, ridiculous and silly, over-the-top and flamboyant. He encapsulates all that you expect an artist to be. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't be enormously entertained by Stewart's performance in this film. "Match" is an insightful film about the twists and turns hidden in the life we think we've lead, about the decisions we've made, about maybe what we've left behind or left undone. Well worth a watch.

"Absolutely I remember Gloria Renaldi" Tobi (Stewart) is a acclaimed dance instructor in New York City at Juilliard. He agrees to be interviewed at his apartment regarding the history of dance. When the two interviewers, Lisa (Gugino) and Mike (Lillard) show up things quickly turn tense when Mike mentions a name from Tobi's past. Secrets are revealed and lives are changed. This is a good movie, but it is not for everyone. First off, this is based off a Broadway play and the movie plays as one. For the most part there is one location and only 3 actors. This is just talking. The acting is amazing though and the movie is worth watching for that. Stewart seems like the perfect choice for this role and Gugino really plays well off of him. All that said this is again a movie for a select few. I liked it OK but wouldn't watch it again. Overall, if you like Broadway one act plays then I would check this out, if you aren't a fan of that type of entertainment then I would skip this one. I give it a B-.

-Match (2015) movie review: -Match is a limited release film that focuses entirely on an older dance instructor, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, who agrees to be interview by a younger couple, only to abruptly discover that they may have a very different agenda. (Nothing sinister, it's a drama, not a thriller) -Match is an example of an alright film that would be better, but really can't be because of its limitations.-The story I thought was pretty good and deviant of cliché.-The pace was probably too quick. With the story, it felt like a longer TV episode.-The acting was good. Patrick Stewart did a good job, but other than learning how to dance, nothing outside of his skill set. Carla Gugino did well, but nothing beyond her usual roles. I was most impressed by Matthew Lillard, (live action Shaggy) who was really compelling and impressive.-The characters were deep and there was a lot to either like or dislike. However there is no character that you really feel good liking.-The music is forgettable. However playing one song twice worked in this.-The thing I either really liked or really did not like was that the entire film takes place in like a day, and it is right to the point. It is 90 minutes of the main story.-Match is rated-R for some language, although not heavy, and an R amount of sexual dialogue. By R standards it is not that bad though.-Match is well acted, compelling, and has a well written story, but lacks in being anything more because of its runtime and lack of anything but the story. I will say I enjoyed it, but it is only worth watching on Netflix/Redbox. 7/10.-Did you see Match? What did you think? Leave a comment or a like if this review helped and make sure to stay tuned for my review of The Wedding Ringer soon!

A 40-something couple from Seattle arrives in New York to interview a flamboyant bi-sexual 70-something ballet teacher about his long career for a dissertation on classical dance. As the questions probe deeper, they begin to focus upon the man's relationship with a ballerina, with whom he'd enjoyed a brief affair many years previously. Before too long it becomes obvious this romance is the focus of the interviewers' interest, and their inquiries soon take a detour into uncomfortable territory.Each of the three characters attracts both sympathy and antipathy at various times, with the dialog crackling with wit, pathos and hostility as the story changes direction, tone and pace like a switchback ride. The narrative journeys through several different zones of the emotional spectrum until it eventually arrives at a satisfying conclusion. The three actors turn in excellent performances, and 'Match' provides sophisticated entertainment along with some thought-provoking insights about making art. Hopefully it will do well, and encourage producers to make more films of similar intelligence.