The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • September 5, 2014 By TOM JOZWIK Special to The Post MILWAUKEE — First, let's dis- pel any notions that "The November Man" is some kind of baseball biopic. It's true Yankee star Derek Jeter's heroics in a World Series that ran especially late one autumn earned him the nickname "Mr. November," but the movie is a book-based spy flick in which Pierce Brosnan plays a cool, calm and collected (what other type would Brosnan play?) CIA agent. Brosnan's Peter Devereaux was once known as "The November Man," another character reminds him, "because, after you passed through, nothing lived." Peter has been lured out of retirement to guard a prospective witness — lovely Alice Fournier (Olga Kurylenko), whose shocking story has huge political ramifica- tions. Devereaux's unimaginably dangerous assignment — which, of course, he undertakes with an all- in-a-day's-work attitude — pits the CIA vet against a handsome younger fellow he once mentored. David Mason (Luke Bracey), the object of the mentoring, will forev- er have Peter on a pedestal, even after discovering that Devereaux recommended terminating his career. Early in the blood-saturated movie (which features a pair of shooting deaths prior to the open- ing credits), the hard-boiled Devereaux offers advice to his somewhat softer protégé: "Love has no place in this life. You feel the need for a relationship, get a dog. Learn to take orders." Later, on a job evaluation, Devereaux writes that Mason is "impetuous" — and that's one of Peter's more positive comments. As it turns out, one might argue that impetuousness is a characteristic the two men share and a characteristic David uses to get Peter out of some extremely hot water. In a performance that doesn't really require him to flex his acting muscles, Brosnan is technically on target but far more bloodless than the picture itself. Bracey acquits himself satisfactorily as a more visceral human being. Lazar Ristovski is excellently cast as a chillingly venal Russian pol (although miscast, because he appears way too old, as a soldier in a flashback), while Bill Smitrovich presents a correct combination of bravado and bonhomie as the CIA operative who brings Devereaux back from retirement. And actress- es like Kurylenko prove to be more than just pretty faces. The production team might've gone a bit easier on the blood-gush- ing; it's funny, though, that the spillage is nearly nonexistent when Brosnan and Bracey are beaten worse than both fighters through all three of the famed Ali-Frazier heavyweight bouts. The actors sim- ply shake off their pummelings and walk away like invincible car- toon characters. "The November Man" includes eerily enticing — but not overbear- ing — background music (by Marco Beltrami, whose scoring specialty has been horror films), some creative cinematography (Romain Lacourbas), and editing (John Gilbert) that emphasizes short takes and keeps things mov- ing so the running time seems shorter than it is. The net result is a film that has some of the feel of the old "Mission: Impossible" show, which starred Peter Graves and Greg Morris. Being compared that late and lamented TV series, of course, should be taken as a compliment. 'November Man' evokes TV's 'Mission: Impossible' Submitted photo Pierce Brosnan, center, and Olga Kurylenko in a scene from the film, "The November Man." By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic WAUKESHA — A smart script, quality actors, a lovely summer evening and an ample audience all combined over the weekend in Lapham State Park in Delafield. "The Cemetery Club" by Ivan Menchell, the last theatrical offer- ing of the season for SummerStage, was a good choice for its finale. It both amused and moved us. One isn't sure what to expect when one hears the title of this play. It could be eerie, morbid, sad or funny. Cemeteries have been the setting for many a story because they are reminders of our mortali- ty, our fear of death, memorials to our loved ones and often peaceful retreats for reflection. Menchell's treatment of the sub- ject introduces us to three widows and one widower, and how they are handling the loss of their respec- tive spouses. There is reference to a fourth widow who seems to think that serial marriages are the answer, but we never meet her directly, though her latest wedding proves to have quite an impact on the story. A simple premise sets up the plot. Each month, these three widows, who are longtime friends, visit the cemetery together to pay respects to their former husbands. The play opens on the fourth anniversary of Doris' husband Abe's death. She believes that Abe deserves her undying devotion and continued loyalty. Remarrying is absolutely not an option. She is quite adamant in her viewpoint on the subject. Lucille, on the other hand, whose marriage was not as sound as Doris', is engaging in one fling after another, almost as revenge against Harry. She flaunts her new fur coat as a badge of her new-found free- dom. Underneath the surface, how- ever, lurks a less-than-healthy adjustment to her loss. In some ways, she is the most complex and interesting of the three characters. Ida, the third widow, is more ambivalent about her future path. She is sick of mourning Morrie and is eager yet reluctant to explore a new life. Sam, the butcher, is the catalyst for change in Ida. The trio of women meet Sam in the ceme- tery on one of their monthly vigils, where he is visiting his deceased wife, Myrna. Lucille, of course, sees him as another possible catch. She is quite attractive and confi- dent in her string of pursuits. Much to her surprise, Sam seems resistant to her attentions and intentions. Among other issues, this story raises the question of how aware the dead are of the living and also the issue of how much we owe the dead to prove that we really loved them. Is seeking happiness and love again in a relationship an insult or a tribute to the institution of marriage? These three women all have different perspectives on the subject, as does Sam, the lonely widower. The set design by David Powell cleverly combines the interior of Ida's house and the cemetery itself. Costuming by Janice Stewart and the Sinatra musical transitions (Jacob Miner) between scenes beautifully reflect the 50s, the time frame of the action. The four main actors — Beth Perry as the accommodating Ida, Sara Sarna as the flamboyant Lucille, and Carol Dolphin as the stalwart Doris — all perform with credibility. They delight us. Sam, so earnestly and clumsily rendered by Al Borsari, stole our hearts as well. Rebecca Richards gave her cameo role as Mildred some ardor and spunk. Though I'm not a big fan of visit- ing cemeteries, I was glad to have experienced "The Cemetery Club" for the third time in six years. A well-written play, a talented cast and able director prove again that some things are worth repeating. Kudos to director Diane Powell for her contributions and to Steve Davis and his staff at SummerStage for another memo- rable season of entertainment in SummerStage's 'Cemetery Club' worth seeing At a glance "The Cemetery Club" runs weekends through Sept. 13 at Lapham Peak State Park,W329-N846 Highway C. For tick- ets, visit www.Summer-Stage.org. "November Man" ★ ★ ★ Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey, Olga Kurylenko, Bill Smitrovich, Lazar Ristovski, Eliza Taylor, Caterina Scorsone, Patrick Kennedy, Will Patton Director: Roger Donaldson Rating: R Running time: 118 minutes Showings: www.marcustheatres.com Submitted photo From left, Sara Sarna and Beth Perry perform a scene in "The Cemetery Club."

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