ANY DAY Review - Out Now on iTunes - US Cinema Release in May!

ANY DAY
a drama by Rustam Branaman

Starring:
Sean Bean
Eva Longoria
Kate Walsh
Nolan Gross
Tom Arnold
Paul Ben-Victor



Synopsis:
Vian McLean (Sean Bean) is an ex-fighter who is filled with resentment. He killed a man with his bare hands and has just spent the last 12 years in prison for the crime. Upon his release from prison he goes to stay with his sister Bethley (Kate Walsh) and her son Jimmy (Nolan Gross) who gets to know his uncle Vian and looks up to him as the greatest man he has ever known. Because of his conviction,Vian struggles to find a job. He finally does and then he meets a woman Jolene (Eva Longoria), falls in love with her. Everything seems to working out, but when a tragic event happens, Vian is thrown into a dark place and faces the greatest challenge yet of his life, only to be shown the right path in a sudden experience that, once again, alters his life forever.

Review:
Life is messy and people are imperfect. First, we have Vian, a promising athlete boxer who let his temper get the better of him one day & accidentally killed a man because of it. His sister Bethley is a single mother solely responsible for taking care of her son Jimmy. She is employed and her parents left her the family home in their will, but it's a struggle to pay bills. Jolene is a well-employed, pretty lady who attracts Vian's attention, but she had just broke up with her old boyfriend William, who doesn't accept her decision. Roland (Tom Arnold) is a formerly partying washed-out rock musician who runs a pizza restaurant. Each of them, no longer youth, has made major mistakes in their lives, while the boy Jimmy has his whole life still in front of him.

Jimmy was very attached to his grandfather, and I think that's the reason he latches so quickly onto Uncle Vi as a male role model replacement. Roland sees in Vian the same type of screw-up he was, why I think he takes a chance on him by giving Vian a job and a purpose he really needs. Bethley takes a chance on her brother by letting him live with her. Jolene takes a chance on Vian by giving him some of her heart. Roland also takes the chance that Bethley will like him. Vian takes the chance of actually caring about people again. 
I enjoyed seeing the social dynamic play out between all these people, a kind of "A Day In The Life" thing. I liked the film's illustrations of real life and the consequences of what happens next after you make mistakes. And sometimes bad things happen anyway no matter what you do. However, I didn't like the resolution of the major plot points involving the McLean family.
As for the rest, I liked the performances, Sean Bean and Tom Arnold especially. I also like the way it was shot, with its atmosphere and awareness of time passing with nothing at all that you can do about that, except live in it, ride with it, and make the best you can of it.

Info:

Limited release to US cinemas on 1 May 2015.
UK DVD release as film title FIGHTING DEMONS on 25 May 2015 (link to Amazon shop)
US $12.99 iTunes BUY link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/any-day/id972395763


Trailer links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xGTkRIcY7E
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/anyday/

IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3266948/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_6






Written by Donna DeBoer (@DRLDeBoer on Twitter)

LEGENDS Episode 103 "Lords of War" Summary & Brief Review

Official synopsis: Martin assumes the legend of Dante Auerbach, an international arms dealer known as the "Lord of War," in order to track the sale of VX gas and rescue kidnapped chemist Richard Hubbard. He makes contact with beautiful arms dealer Ana Paulanos, the right hand of a mysterious Chechen mobster known as "The Colonel." Martin develops a romantic entanglement with Ana as he gains The Colonel's trust - but does he trust him enough to trade him all the VX gas?
http://www.tntdrama.com/shows/legends/season-1/episode-3/lords-of-war.html

SPOILERS AHEAD!!

When we last saw him Richard the former Russian chemical engineer turned American chemistry teacher was dragging his heels at creating bad VX gas for the Chechen mobsters. As this episode opens, he is still stalling his captors in hopes of finding a lapse in attention in order to get his family out. He creates a distraction to try to do exactly that (I thought he should've melted the bad guy's face off) but his attempt fails.

Over at DCO (Division of Covert Operations), the team is preparing to support Martin Odum in his Dante Auerbach "Lord of War" legend. Crystal is still complaining about Martin's perceived unbalance, but neither her boss Gates nor the Big Boss Spiller feels he is unfit in the face of the big picture of city-wide annihilation and OK's Martin's cover continuation. Martin/Dante first goes to meet a guy Khalid in order to weasel info. He gets a lead, who turns out to be a Miss, not a Mister, Paulanos, Ana by name. Martin/Dante decides that the operation needs to have a closer look at her. He speaks to her at length. Deciding she is who they want to deal with, Martin/Dante also removes Ana's buyer from the picture and inserts himself. Later they find out Ana is their way to get to Yuri The Bad Chechen Colonel boss who has the VX gas.

There is also FBI Transportation Security agent Tony Rice, who won't let go of his suspicion that Martin had something to do with the Vet's death and that there is something fishy going on. He is told again to back off, both by his boss & by Martin's boss Gates.

Martin himself feels some more confusion in between his Dante forays, and goes to Sonya his ex-wife's house to ask some questions of her. She is concerned with his mental state. His son Aiden is glad to see him but disappointed again about weekend plans being canceled.

The DCO computer people finally get a signal that indicates where the VX gas and the kidnapped family might be. Crystal doesn't want to wait, heads the team that crashes the place, rescues the family, but... NO GAS.

In the meantime Martin/Dante is finally taken to meet Yuri, who doesn't quite believe his story about him being a buyer and asks him to test a chemical weapon product on a captive. Uh oh!

I think Dante is Martin's best legend yet! Dante Auerbach is everything I expected him to be, and I hope we see more of his slickness. Just #DontKillSeanBean!! As for the rest of the show, the plots in general, the other characters & such, I'm not so impressed. Exceptions are Mason Cook, who plays Martin's son Aiden Odum, I like the kid. I also like Morris Chestnut's Tony Rice, I could see him ending up as a partner to Martin if his inquiry doesn't go askew.

If you saw this episode of LEGENDS on TNT & liked it, please let them know what you thought in Survey #3: https://www.tvinnercircle.com/S.aspx?s=519&r=tSnpxI.exUy18h1JCV0O9w&a=957&fromdetect=1
More questions about feeling for show, characters etc. I wrote them a another book :)

Written by Donna DeBoer (@DRLDeBoer on Twitter)