Saturday 19 February 2022

Flag Day (2021 Sean Penn)

Written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, based on Jennifer Vogel's own book. Penn (who's wonderful as usual) casts his daughter Dylan to play his daughter (as well as Addison Tymec and Jadyn Rylee) in true story of loser and his wife who almost manage to screw up their daughter. Made in that same fragmentary style as the Jay Cassidy Penn films, this time though edited by Valdis Oskarsdottir (Eternal Sunshine), who worked on the first cut then fled back to Iceland before lockdown, then Michelle Tesoro (The Queen's Gambit), and beautifully shot by Danny Moder (The Last Tycoon remake),

I wondered if some of the emotional showdowns were filmed with two cameras, such is their spontaneity and fluidity. I was right. 'We had two cameras rolling 85% of the time and on bigger days got into five or six'! Interview in Filmmakermagazine.com.

I realise the Penn's films are all about journeys which usually span some time - Into the Wild gives us much of his journey through the States, The Pledge spans some years, this...

It was shot in super-16mm and films they referenced were Scarecrow and McCabe & Mrs Miller (both Vilmos).

Apart from the title, I thought it was really good. Those montages must be hard to do.


With: Regina King, Katheryn Winnick, Josh Brolin, Dale Dickey (Palm Springs, Unbelievable, Hell or High Water, The Pledge), Hopper Penn, Eddie Marsan.

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