Categories Dream Horse Print Media Review Sundance Film Festival

Dream Horse Review: Hollywood Reporter – Jan 28, 2020

Giddy Up!

by Leslie Felperin | Hollywood Reporter | January 28, 2020

Toni Collette and Damian Lewis play members of a syndicate formed to raise a thoroughbred in this comedy-drama set in Wales and based on a true story.

Anyone who saw director Louise Osmond’s 2015 documentary Dark Horse, winner of the audience award at Sundance that year, knew it was a racing certainty that this almost-too-good-to-be-true story would get made into a feature film someday. Some critics even had casting suggestions: Jim Broadbent was mentioned a couple of times for the role of Brian “Daisy” Vokes, husband of Jan Vokes (Imelda Staunton? one critic mused), who was the mastermind behind the plan to breed a racehorse and pay for its keep and training through weekly subscriptions. The members of this syndicate were mostly clients at the local village pub where Jan worked as a barmaid, in a former mining village in South Wales.

Like horse racing, filmmaking is a high-risk gamblers’ game, but the team behind Dream Horse, the resulting dramatization of the Vokes’ story, have surely bred a winner with this endearing, determinedly crowd-pleasing adaptation. Even without knowing the real-life facts (in the U.K., especially in Wales, the story’s well known), the outcome could very easily be predicted by anyone who’s ever seen a British movie about plucky, working-class folk in a provincial setting triumphing over odds or at least exceeding expectations. But thanks to a well-assembled package, smoothly directed by Euros Lyn (best known for his TV work, including Doctor Who, Broadchurch and an episode of Black Mirror), and good casting all around, crowned by the reliably excellent Toni Collette as Jan, this has every chance of sprinting to victory at the box office finish line.

Continue reading Dream Horse Review: Hollywood Reporter – Jan 28, 2020

Categories Dream Horse Premiere Print Media Review Sundance Film Festival

Dream Horse Review: Variety – Jan 26, 2020

Equal Emphasis is Given to the Excellent Lewis

by Dennis Harvey | Variety | January 26, 2020

Louise Osmond’s 2015 Sundance audience winner “Dark Horse” was one of those documentaries that played like a crowdpleasing fiction, its real-life tale of underdog triumph had such a conventionally satisfying narrative arc. And indeed, the new “Dream Horse” proves that same material is indeed ready-made for dramatization.

Euros Lyn’s feature springs few true surprises within its familiar genre, one that U.K. filmmakers have specialized in at least since “The Full Monty.” Still, this is a well-cast, artfully handled effort that exercises sufficient restraint to really earn its requisite laughter and tears. Likely to have broad appeal, with strong word-of-mouth from its own Park City premiere, it looks to be one of the strongest commercial prospects at Sundance this year.

Toni Collette is in fine form as Jan Vokes, a middle-aged South Wales native whose life in declining former mining town Cefn Fforest has hit a seemingly permanent slump. Her children have left the nest, arthritic husband Brian (Owen Teale) mostly just parks himself in front of the telly, and her two jobs (bartending at the local social club/pub and cashiering at a big-box store) are joyless dead ends. She and Brian have always been keen on animals, each raising award-winning livestock from an early age. But currently they’re down to some geese, a lazy dog and the odd goat.

One day a newish patron (Damian Lewis) at the pub, bragging about his purported glories as part of a racehorse investing syndicate, piques Jan’s interest. After doing some research, she informs the incredulous Brian that they’re buying a brood mare, then actually goes out and does it. The next thing is to draft local investors to fund the considerable costs of orchestrating insemination by a racing stallion, raising the offspring, training, et al., with only the remotest chance of arriving at a winning competitor.

Continue reading Dream Horse Review: Variety – Jan 26, 2020

Categories Dream Horse Premiere Print Media Review Screenings Sundance Film Festival

Dream Horse Review: Toni Collette and Damian Lewis Lead This Crowd-Pleasing Sports Drama – Jan 26, 2020

It Will Make You Chuckle, Cheer, and Maybe Even Tear Up: 7 Out of 10

by Ben Pearson | Slash Film | January 26, 2020

Jane (Toni Collette) is tired. Tired of working multiple jobs in small-town Wales, tired of her boring husband Brian (Owen Teale) who bums around watching TV all day, tired of taking care of her aging parents, tired of the drudgery her life has become. So when Howard (Damian Lewis), a former hotshot racehorse owner, becomes a regular at the bar where she works, Jane is inspired to try her own hand at raising a racehorse – but she needs some help to pull it off. Based on a 2015 documentary called Dark Horse, director Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse is an inspirational, winning sports drama about a small town with big hopes.

The trouble with Jane’s plan is that racehorses are expensive. So she reaches out to the townsfolk to see if they want to form a syndicate, an ownership collective in which they all pay £10 a week for shared rights to the future winnings of their still non-existent racehorse. A coterie of characters shows up to participate, including retirees, local small business owners, and even the town drunk.

Continue reading Dream Horse Review: Toni Collette and Damian Lewis Lead This Crowd-Pleasing Sports Drama – Jan 26, 2020

Categories Dream Horse Gallery Premiere Review Screenings Sundance Film Festival

Dream Horse Sundance Review – Jan 25, 2020

“The Movie’s Got Spirit and Finishes Strong”

by Tim Grierson | Screen Daily | January 25, 2020

Toni Collette is a sure thing in Dream Horse, a thoroughly predictable but ultimately winning underdog sports movie. Based on the true story of a group of down-on-their-luck Welsh villagers who pool their assets to sponsor a racehorse, the movie goes a long way on the strength of the Oscar-nominated actress’s emotional performance as an unfulfilled wife and mother who decides to bet on herself. Director Euros Lyn overdoes the feel-good trappings, but it’s hard to deny the genuine sentiment that the movie stirs up.

This Sundance premiere will appeal to general audiences who just want a little uplift from their movies when it opens in the UK on April 17 and in the US in May. Collette fans will be pleased as well, and horse lovers should be charmed by the title character’s soulful eyes and knack for coming up big during the story’s most critical moments.

Set in the economically depressed Welsh community of Cefn Fforest, Dream Horse stars Collette as Jan Vokes, who works at a co-op and a bar to make ends meet. (Her husband Brian, played by Owen Teale, is out of work because of crippling arthritis.) With their kids grown, Jan (who’s always adored animals) is having trouble coping as an empty-nester — which partly explains her interest in supporting a racehorse, which might be a financial windfall and, more importantly, a way to add meaning to what she feels is a pretty humdrum life.

This real-life tale was previously the subject of the 2015 Sundance documentary Dark Horse, and there’s no mystery to why the material would lend itself to a likeable feature film. Recalling indie hits such as The Full Monty, Dream Horse is principally a salute to small-town characters who take a chance, in the process finding personal satisfaction. The movie’s target audience will want to believe that these downtrodden people can beat the odds, and Dream Horse does nothing to upset those expectations.

Continue reading Dream Horse Sundance Review – Jan 25, 2020

Categories Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Premiere Recap Review

REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Steve McQueen in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood – July 27, 2019

California Dreamin’

by Gingersnap | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | July 27, 2019

STOP. Do not read any further unless you can handle spoilers.

The day has finally come – the day when Damian Lewis plays Steve McQueen on the big screen. It’s July 26, 2019 and I’m planning my early escape from work to see an 11:00 a.m. showing of Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood. I purchased my $8.72 matinee ticket online on July 17 around 4:00 p.m. and it has been burning the proverbial hole in my pocket ever since. 

Continue reading REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Steve McQueen in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood – July 27, 2019

Categories Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood: Collective Reviews – July 25, 2019

A Collection of Reviews: The Critics Have Spoken

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | July 25, 2019

With Once Upon a Time In…Hollywood  out in U.S. theaters tomorrow, July 26, the movie reviews have started pouring in. Here is what they are saying:

New York Times

There is a lot of love in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” and quite a bit to enjoy. The screen is crowded with signs of Quentin Tarantino’s well-established ardor — for the movies and television shows of the decades after World War II; for the vernacular architecture, commercial signage and famous restaurants of Los Angeles; for the female foot and the male jawline; for vintage clothes and cars and cigarettes. But the mood in this, his ninth feature, is for the most part affectionate rather than obsessive. Don’t get me wrong. Tarantino is still practicing a cinema of saturation, demanding the audience’s total attention and bombarding us with allusions, visual jokes, flights of profane eloquence, daubs of throwaway beauty and gobs of premeditated gore. And yet “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” whose title evokes bedtime stories as well as a pair of Sergio Leone masterpieces, is Tarantino’s most relaxed movie by far, both because of its ambling, shaggy-dog structure and the easygoing rhythm of its scenes.

Continue reading Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood: Collective Reviews – July 25, 2019

Categories Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review

Critics Consensus: Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood – July 22, 2019

Rotten Tomatoes Rating

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | July 22, 2019

Critics Consensus: Thrillingly unrestrained yet solidly crafted, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tempers Tarantino’s provocative impulses with the clarity of a mature filmmaker’s vision.

Official Tomatometer: 92% fresh
Average Rating:  8.19/10

Out in U.S. theaters July 26, 2019 and in the U.K. August 14, 2019.

Categories Billions Print Media Review

From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S4 E10 New Year’s Day – May 31, 2019

Moments in Time

by Lady Trader I Fan Fun with Damian Lewis I May 31, 2019

And so we’re told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
New Year’s Day – U2

Hello and welcome to the Trader’s Desk. I know I have said this a few times (and we still have two episodes left) but this may be my favorite episode of the season! From the opening, to getting answers to questions I have had for 4 seasons, this was exactly the episode I needed after last week’s break.

I want to break my post down into two parts: quick observations, and then diving into particular moments. I believe certain moments of “New Year’s Day” are pivotal for some of our favorite characters.

Observations

I could not think of a better opening sequence than the one we were privileged to get this week. The combination of the wintery scenes of my favorite places in downtown Manhattan, accompanied by the unique voice of Bono from one of my favorite bands, U2, was just simply genius. I have had the pleasure of seeing U2 in concert several times, and all I can say is that there are front men, and then there’s Bono.

Taylor buying up shares in the main supplier to Rebecca’s Saler’s stores is a smart move. TMC basically controls the oxygen to the stores now, since Kling Appliances was 63% of Saler’s revenue. Rebecca will try to look for another supplier to buy, but some of the names she mentioned (Samsung, LG) are huge companies. The market cap of Samsung is $272B, and while smaller, the market cap of LG is $4.8B. Neither one are really options for Rebecca, since Saler’s has more debt than cash. It will be very interesting to see how this works, or if Axe can ride to the rescue once again for Rebecca.

Bonnie is now the Axe Cap IR person? This just seems strange. Don’t get me wrong – I love Bonnie, but I truly think she is much better at her Bloomberg trading than out meeting with current and potential clients. Bonnie’s personality is an “acquired” taste, so I’m wondering if this was done to break up her budding relationship with Dollar Bill. As always, Billions doesn’t do things just to do them, so I’m curious to see where this new role takes Bonnie. Continue reading From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S4 E10 New Year’s Day – May 31, 2019

Categories Cannes Film Festival Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review Screenings

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood Review – May 21, 2019

A Collection of Reviews from the Press Screening at Cannes Film Festival

by Gingersnap | damian-lewis.com | May 21, 2019

During the screening of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, writer/director Quentin Tarantino asked the press not to reveal anything that would prevent later audiences from experiencing the film – the journey of discovering a story for the first time. And we know even less about Damian’s portrayal as Steve McQueen in the much anticipated film set to release in U.S. theaters on July 26 and in UK cinemas on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. Until then, here is a collection of reviews that we’ve found mentioning Damian or “cameo” actors that are sure to whet your appetite.

Continue reading Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood Review – May 21, 2019

Categories Billions Print Media Review

From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S4E9 American Champion – May 17, 2019

Office Romance ,101

by Lady Trader | Fan Fun with Damian Lewis | May 17, 2019

Some people say my love cannot be true
Please believe my love, and I’ll show you
I will give you those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
N.I.B – Black Sabbath

Welcome to the Trader’s Desk, where a refreshed and relaxed Lady Trader is ready to dive in to “American Champion.”

This week, Billions almost seemed like an episode of the Love Boat, in that we had stories about couples. Let’s look at some of these (surprising) pairings:

Continue reading From the Trader’s Desk: Billions S4E9 American Champion – May 17, 2019

Categories Billions Print Media Review

Billions: The Ultimate World of…Dog Eat Dog – May 11, 2019

Billions is a Top Rate Show. Period!

by Rahul Gupta | Pen News | May 11, 2019

The TV Show “Billions” is possibly a landmark when it comes to depiction of the hard wired, hardcore, brutal world of clashes between the administrative machinery and the large scale Wall Street brokerage firms. In fact, “Billions” has nothing much to write home about the words synonymous with Billions such as Palatial Homes (there are some yes), Swanky Cars (Yes), Super Luxury Lifestyles (Yes) but in more than 90% of the narrative of the 4 seasons, it is far more than just money. Its an in depth look at the flora and fauna of wealth creation on a large scale. It looks at collateral damage repeatedly…. it may be people, it may be families, it may be companies but the show goes out of the way to make you realize that building Billions has a lot of accompaniments.

So, if you as a person are ready to eschew these virtues, you might want to tread a path of caution and be nimble footed every step of the way. What makes Billions a treat to watch is the kind of nasty dogfights its main protagonists enter every now and then. Be it Bobby’s outing with a child of one of his former employee who had been college funded by Axe Cap and who is refusing to work with him is led onto Bobby’s private boat and then left in an unmanned parking area with no supplies so that he given in to Bobby’s demand to work with him, Be his wife Lara who strong arms her kids school principals, fellow gym mates on a daily basis to impress upon her affluence and power are all reminders of the “Dog Eat Dog” syndrome depicted in all the seasons of “Billions” till date.

This essay aims to give an indepth look at the world of “Billions” and its lead characters, the various themes it explores and the broader message behind a show like this.

Continue reading Billions: The Ultimate World of…Dog Eat Dog – May 11, 2019

Categories Billions Print Media Review

Billions is Chilling, Inventive, and Shows No Signs of Losing Its Wit – March 27, 2019

“The drama about the power politics at the top of New York City finance is enhanced immeasurably by the charms of Damian Lewis”

by Sarah Hughes | iNews | March 27, 2019

From the grubby graspers of Succession to the chilly plotters of MotherFatherSon, the glittering worlds of the super-rich are very much in vogue on TV. Sky Atlantic’s Billions, now in its fourth season chronicling the power politics at the top of New York City’s financial district, was the first of the lot. Thankfully, the inventive, addictive, and, yes, ever so slightly schlocky drama shows no sign of losing its grip or, more importantly, its wit.

The plotting can sometimes give you whiplash: hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis, was once the sworn enemy of high-flying US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). Now the men are working together because Chuck has lost his job and thus, temporarily, his power, and Axe has been betrayed by non-binary protégé Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) who made off with a huge chunk of the firm’s clients and set up on their own with the aid of a Russian oligarch/criminal (John Malkovich having as much fun as you might imagine, redeploying his Russian accent from Rounders).

Continue reading Billions is Chilling, Inventive, and Shows No Signs of Losing Its Wit – March 27, 2019