Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 1 June 2018
Review: In 'American Animals,' a library heist goes awry

By JAKE COYLE thing more than: My life is
Associated Press great and I'm really good
For anyone who has ever at drawing," he says.
read "Crime and Punish- The valuable books first
ment" and then really catch his eye, but it's his
wanted to see a frat boy friend Warren (Evan Peters)
version — Bro-stoyevsky, if who's the ringleader. While
you will — your movie has his parents are divorcing,
finally arrived. Warren lets his athletic
"American Animals" is scholarship slide and re-
about a foursome of Ken- fashions himself as a James
tucky college students Dean rebel and small-time
— all white kids from privi- thief. Through charisma
leged backgrounds — who and cajoling, he assem-
in 2004 decided to steal bles a team (Jared Abra-
some extremely valuable hamson and Blake Jenner
books from the Lexington play Bosuk and Allen) and
library at Transylvania Uni- what starts as a hypotheti-
versity. They are motivat- cal lark turns into a genuine
ed less by the millions the if poorly considered plot,
books (particularly John This image released by The Orchard shows Evan Peters in a scene from "American Animals." predicated on disabling
James Audubon's multi-vol- Associated Press the middle-aged librarian
ume "The Birds of America") (Ann Dowd) and dressing
could fetch than a desire Bart Layton's "American pleasure at starring in their along with their parents up as elderly men in cos-
to step beyond a line and Animals" isn't just a drama- own movie. and teachers, are joined tumes that mostly resemble
turn their regular lives into tization of the 2004 heist. It opens, cleverly, with the with scenes in which char- 1970s Dick Van Dykes.They
something "special." It's frequently narrated and words "This is not based acters question each make a study of heist mov-
"We're supposed to be commented upon by the on a true story." Then, with other's memories. Layton ies, watching films like Stan-
hunter gatherers, man," real guys whose story the a puff, the middle words sometimes plays multiple ley Kubrick's "The Killing,"
one says to another in a film is based on. Warren Lip- blow away leaving only, versions of scenes, like the giving themselves "Reser-
grocery store aisle. ka, Spencer Reinhard, Eric "This is a true story." Layton foggily remembered meet- voir Dogs" nicknames and
The irony is that their brazen Bosuk and Charles Allen has previously played with ing with a possible fence to imagining a smooth, stylish
plot turns them into just an- II all appear in documen- hybrids of fiction and non- sell the books in New York. "Ocean's 11" operation. In a
other kind of cliché — hap- tary-style interviews that fiction. His 2012 documen- The what's-true-what's-not sense, "American Animals"
less, dimwitted criminals — punctuate the heist narra- tary "The Imposter," about tricks, reminiscent of last rewards them with the no-
and leaves them ultimately tive, looking back years lat- the shape-shifting con art- year's "I, Tonya," are — like toriety they sought. And it's
with nothing but regret and er with ashen remorse that ist Frederic Bourdin, was as the students' own high- reasonable to wonder if the
shame. Oh, and this movie. may or may not mask their manipulative and decep- minded plans — not quite film — which conflates their
tive as its sly subject. as smart as Layton seems crime with the existential
And especially in the first to think. But the actors are malaise of American youth
half of "American Animals," quite good. Barry Keoghan — isn't just another way for
Layton works hard — too ("The Killing of a Sacred them to profit for what they
hard — to impress its own Deer") plays Spencer, a deserve only punishment.
stranger-than-fiction play- talented painter in search (Allen also wrote a 2010
fulness. The talking-head of some artistic suffering. book titled "Mr. Pink." Rein-
testimonies of the guys, "Art has to be about some- hard is still painting.).q
Judge sweeps clouds away for makers

of R-rated puppet movie

Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge in New York ruled Wednesday
against the makers of "Sesame Street" in a dispute with
the distributor of the upcoming Melissa McCarthy movie,
"The Happytime Murders."
U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick ruled that distribu-
tor STX Productions can continue to use the tagline "No
sesame.
All street" in promoting the R-rated film, which features
Muppet-like puppets in a comedic crime story.
Sesame Workshop sued last week, seeking to end the in-
clusion of the tagline in promotional materials ahead of
the film's Aug. 17 release.
The company argued the public would be confused and
think the movie was supported by "Sesame Street."
This image released by STX The judge heard oral arguments before issuing his ruling.
Films shows the poster art for He said Sesame Workshop didn't demonstrate that mov-
"The Happytime Murders," iegoers were confused or that sponsors or parents were
a film starring Melissa
McCarthy. complaining.q