Evil (2019) s02e04 – E Is for Elevator

This episode has plot holes you can drive a truck through, but it also fully embraces Michael Emerson’s villain as comic relief. He’s no longer dangerous, no longer trying to get the heroes killed or kill little kids; he’s just a troll who inserts himself in the heroes’ lives and pesters them. It’s kind of delightful. Especially since the pestering has real teeth to it. For instance, this episode has him meeting with Mike Colter for spiritual consultation (as part of Emerson’s exorcism, which is just to pester Colter) and bringing up the Catholic Church having a big racism problem.

“Evil” has been unfailingly dismissive of the Catholic Church being an organization for the kidnapping, raping, and murdering of children until this point—though they started deviating with digs Katja Herbers has been making (and her subplot about returning to Catholicism has vanished so far this season)—so I was very surprised to see them do a race episode. Especially since Black man Colter’s priest trainer is Dylan Baker, who it turns out isn’t just a villain because he’s a Catholic priest, he’s also a racist one (I really hope Baker gets at least one sustained against-type—i.e. good guy—role before the end of his career; he’s really good at everything not just this bit). The script credit goes to series creators Robert King and Michelle King, who rarely ever get a script credit. I can’t remember the last time. The pilot?

Anyway.

They don’t end up doing great with it. As in Colter’s new bestie, fellow Black priest in training Hampton Fluker (who’s quite good), talking about how some guy at a party says Black Lives Matter is a poser group or something. It’s a very not serious moment about serious issues. Kind of terrifies me for “Good Fight.” And then it ends up to just be for Colter’s arc into alternate religion. So it gives him stuff to do, but it’s all treading water and leveraging guest stars Baker and Fluker. “Evil” season two continues to give Colter the shaft.

Speaking of shafts, the main story is about the Elevator Game, which is a Japanese Internet sensation about the way to take elevators to Hell. Herbers watches the video with her daughters (Japanese website but English language video because auto-translate or something) and then they tag along for the case. Kind of comic relief but also narrative efficiency. It’s just Herbers and Aasif Mandvi investigating because Colter’s busy dealing with working for, you know, the Catholic Church.

There’s an effective resolution to the case (though it involves a lot of the plot holes). Mandvi gets a big scene and subplot (including ex Nicole Shalhoub, who’s been missed); it’s a lot better than Herbers, who has a horror movie subplot and then Christine Lahti manipulating her. Far less entertaining and far less ambitious than anyone else’s plot; including Colter’s. But good performance from Herbers.

Fine direction from Alethea Jones.

It’s not the best episode of the season—this episode Ciara Renée gets the probably added f-bomb—but this season continues to be far more engaging than the first.

Evil (2019) s02e02 – A Is for Angel

I don’t have this feeling often with “Evil.” Maybe ever. I can’t remember what kind of potential the show had at the start; but what if it’s good. Like what if “Evil” can get actually good. What if it can not waste its lead actors. Because after a somewhat rocky beginning where Mike Colter is in mock confession—his professor being Dylan Baker, who is either got to be very good as an evil priest or they’re doing a casting against type thing but it’s Dylan Baker so why wouldn’t you type-cast him since it’s a recurring guest spot—and the first of the episode’s Catholicism is super-sexist digs. The script’s credited to Davita Scarlett and it will blow up a lot, introduce a lot, and constantly remind the Catholic Church is garbage.

Watching Katja Herbers dispassionately smack bishop Peter Scolari with facts, which maybe last episode introduced but this episode it becomes a thing Colter comments on… it’s awesome. And it’s not even where “Evil” hints at potential achievement this episode. There’s very awkward team bonding for Colter, Herbers, and Aasif Mandvi—they’re all keeping secrets from each other, some more important than others–but they all still want to work together. But then there’s also Michael Emerson’s character taking it up a notch, particularly with fiancée Christine Lahti, and all sorts of reveals and promises for future action.

Engaging, interesting future action.

Maybe the move to Paramount+ and the freedom to CGI in the word “fuck” is what the show needed. Though—and it just occurred to me—they’re going to be able to get away with a lot more truthful presentation of the Catholic Church on streaming than they would on network.

But, no, can’t get too excited. There are still big problems—though John Dahl’s direction won me over by the end of the episode; I was very critical for the first act, but he finds a real rhythm with the actors. It hasn’t felt so much like Colter’s show since… probably ever.

It’ll take a lot to get the ship righted and unless there’s a big committed shift it’s not going to happen, but it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed “Evil” this much. And if the character developments stick—particularly with Lahti and Emerson—the show’s going to get a lot more entertaining.

Real good supporting performances this episode too; Jessie Mueller as the new cop (the one from last season isn’t coming back apparently) who gives Herbers grief, then Joniece Abbott-Pratt and Hampton Fluker as the case for the episode—he thinks he’s possessed by an angel, she’s the concerned then endangered wife.

Also—Andrea Martin. She’s apparently joining the cast as an acerbic nun who counsels Colter and she’s a delight.

I mean, maybe it’s got a chance. Maybe’s very good for “Evil.”

Disclosure (1994, Barry Levinson)

Disclosure is not a serious film. It’s a sensational, workplace thriller with crowd-pleasing moments. There are occasional hints at seriousness, but director Levinson and screenwriter Paul Attanasio (not to mention source novel author Michael Crichton) are more focused on providing entertainment than anything else. Michael Douglas’s protagonist is the least developed character in the entire film. His most honest moments come in brief arguments with his wife (Caroline Goodall in a good, but underwritten role) and on a phone call where the other person isn’t even present.

There are a lot of other good scenes for Douglas. The stuff when he’s talking about gender expectations in the work place with Suzie Plakson, Jacqueline Kim and Rosemary Forsyth–not to mention Roma Maffia as his lawyer–these are all great scenes. They just aren’t honest. Attanasio can write thoughtful exposition and Levinson has assembled an amazing cast to deliver it.

The film succeeds because of how the story’s layered. Levinson and Attanasio bake in all the elements they later need to have cooked for a surprise finish. They even reward the audience in advance of some of these revelations. Disclosure is practically the ideal of successful mainstream filmmaking.

As the villain, Demi Moore is almost in a glorified cameo. She lacks personality, which might have been the point. Donald Sutherland’s good in a mysterious role, so is Dylan Baker. The film’s just wonderfully acted for the most part.

Great score from Ennio Morricone, great editing from Stu Linder.

Disclosure’s good.

Love Potion No. 9 (1992, Dale Launer)

I wonder if there’s not a better version of Love Potion No. 9 out there somewhere. The film only runs ninety minutes and feels anorexic. Launer’s writing–even his narration for Tate Donovan–has these moments of incredible strength. It’s so strong, in fact, it and Donovan make Love Potion a fine diversion.

Well, those aspects and Mary Mara’s repugnant call girl who is hilarious in a wicked stepsister sort of way.

Launer’s script has its issues–characters appear and disappear on a whim, as the film decides to focus on Donovan almost exclusively about halfway through. Before, it’s fairly evenly distributed between he and Sandra Bullock. Bullock is the film’s biggest problem. She’s absolutely awful in the second half, when she’s talking anyway. She has this whole sequence where she’s pretending to be mute so no man falls in love with her (the titular love potion affects the vocal cords) and she’s rather charming. Of course, it’s the exact same performance she’s been giving in the twenty years since this film.

But once she does start talking, her character becomes third tier in the story and Launer can’t figure out how to write the scenes. In the first half, he’s got a solid concept. In the second, he’s got a good performance from Donovan and Mara.

It’s really shouldn’t be enough… but it succeeds.

The good memories (from the first half) of Dylan Baker and Rebecca Staab go a long way.

And having Anne Bancroft around never hurt anyone.