Written and directed by Martin McDonagh; starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, and Mariana di Girolamo
I hate the term "tone poem." I'm sure it has a fancy definition where people that call themselves intellectuals can nod solemnly and say that "yes, yes, I see what they did there and it's lovely." Self-defined intellectuals always call things "lovely" because they can't bring it upon themselves to love things. That would be too open and honest and academia abhors genuine love of things. They have to define and categorize and make a wonderful images and moods fit into a box.
Anyway, out on the vibrant green grasses of Easter Island next to a bunch of big stone heads, Martin McDonagh has done what he does best and made me think about life and death while also shooting people in the head. Not exactly a tone poem as the dialog propels us along with clipped and fascinating divergences between solitary visions of wild horses and clouds blocking out a too bright sun, the movie focuses on death. What has American imperialism become? Facing death and all that shit that comes with it and deciding how to go out on your own terms.
Of course, it could just be a cool story about a man dying and looking back at all the nonsense of his life. It could be about permanence and impermanence and how much we change and how somethings will outlast us for the next generations to look at them and call them "big heads" while governments crumble and men die.
Maybe it's about believing you should kill less people and hang out with horses more.
Check it out.
Plot Summary
After a successful mission destabilizing Chile in 1973, two CIA agents visit Easter Island to relax, shoot some guys, and see some big heads. While seeing the sites, they deal with drugs, existential thoughts, and their murderous boss.
Characters
Chris (Malkovich) - An elder agent with a very colorful past including a trip to Dallas in 1963, he's also dying of cancer. Managing the pain with morphine, he plans the last days of his life while wandering the island and being visited by a horse.
Lee (Rockwell) - Chris's partner with a family back home that he calls once in a while, Lee tries to relax while his partner goes off on random tangents. He's also promised to kill Chris before the cancer does.
MJ (Buscemi) - Chris and Lee's CIA boss, he's a bit high strung and worried about the secrets Chris may spill near the end of his life. While not a junkie, he may like heroin.
Monica (di Girolamo) - A Chilean student on holiday, she likes folk music, sitting on the beach, and learning her country's progressive politics will soon be torn down like a house of something easy to tear down. House of feathers or something.
Setting
1973 Easter Island with all that entails.
Thoughts
JFK, Dallas, 1963 - comes up way more than you'd think. Like if you were watching The Rock with Cage and Connery and thought "they talk about JFK a lot in this," well, hold onto your nuts because they talk about it a lot in this movie.
Care more about the moths of Chile than the people of Chile - Chris has found a gentle side after years of murdering people and destabilizing world governments. The moths in his hotel are gently escorted into the fresh air rather than Chris bribing someone to kill the leftist scum. Moths. Leftist moths.
Nazi's, dinosaurs, and moths in heaven - makes sense in context, sorta.
Accidentally slept with a lawyer, a clown - Lee's wife is not the most stable of individuals, but she's left alone a lot so she has her fun where she can. Who amongst us has not accidentally fucked a lawyer and/or a clown? For real, though, Parker Posey is amazing as usual, and I hope she lives every day knowing how much joy she has brought the world. Shit, I should have written her name in my notes above. Fuck, I'm such a jerk sometimes. Love you, Ms. Posey! I grew up watching your dad's commercials.
More songs about suicidal birds - RIP Hank Williams, the best songwriter featuring suicidal birds being so lonesome they too could cry.
Gorgeous landscapes - McDonagh shoots the shit out of Easter Island. If I find out any of those shots are "enhanced" by AI, I'm gonna burn a big head in effigy. Made me want to go see those big stone bastards.
Gay countries and cheese - It's a funny discussion that countries with gay people have the best cheeses. I really have no commentary. It's just funny to hear this stupid theory.
Waits in Monument Valley - If I have to go, I'd like to spend my last days sitting out looking at Monument Valley. Also shot beautifully, although having been there it's hard to shoot Monument Valley in any other way. Add in Tom Waits, and the world makes sense under that big sky and those large tombstones of red clay.
Discussion Questions
What do you think the weirdest thing you could find in heaven would be? Do you think good Nazi's went to heaven? Good dinosaurs? Moths?
In the movie, Lee's wife is unfaithful. Would you have sexual relations with a clown if your partner worked as an asset for the United States government?
Lee and Chris work together. How far would you go to help your dying coworker? Would you take them to another country? Would you? What kind of person are you to the person in the desk next to you?
In the movie, there's a general outline about the destabilization of Chile. Let's play marry, fuck, kill: intellectuals, college students, folk artists.
Do you believe countries that allow gays have the best cheeses or is it the other way around?