Thursday, August 31, 2023
Now Showing: Territory
Territory
Genre: Crime/Mystery
Director: S. Craig Zahler
Writers: Jimmy Ellis & Dwight Gallo
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Grace Dove, Elisabeth Shue, Graham Greene, Dwight Yoakam, Kelly Macdonald, Clayne Crawford, Martin Sensmeier, Rod Rondeaux, Gil Birmingham
Plot: Roland “Rollie” Graves (Vince Vaughn) is awoken by a phone call in the middle of the night. Still half-drunk from drinking earlier in the evening, Rollie answers the phone. On the line is his boss, Lone Spring Sheriff Willie Haas (Dwight Yoakam), telling him to get his ass down to the town’s border with the Green Rock Indian Reservation. Rollie asks what’s so important at this hour in the middle of no-man’s land, and Haas tells Rollie that his partner Jon has been found dead. Rollie stops off for coffee and a bear claw on his way down to the crime scene. Rollie blasts Bob Seger’s “Mainstreet“ on the drive while he processes what has happened.
At the small Green Rock Reservation police station, Detective Winona Whitedeer (Grace Dove) and Sheriff Swiftwater (Graham Greene) get into a squad car on their way to the crime scene. This is Winona’s first murder case and she nervously asks Swiftwater all kinds of questions. He tells her to save the questions for when they get to the scene. She asks where the body was found, and he tells her that’s where the case gets a little extra tricky: the body was apparently found directly on the border between the reservation and the jurisdiction of the Lone Spring police department. He adds that he has already talked with Sheriff Haas of Lone Spring and arranged for Winona to work with the best detective Haas has available as part of a special joint task force.
By the time Rollie arrives at the crime scene his drunkenness has turned into a hangover. He swallows a fist full of aspirin as he walks toward the scene. Haas gives Rollie his condolences and informs Rollie that he will be working the case as he’s the only available detective right now. Rollie takes a look at the body, immediately noticing several stab wounds but no blood on the ground. Rollie quickly deduces that Jon Uhls, his former partner, was killed elsewhere and dumped there. Rollie asks who found the body, but just as Haas is about to answer they are interrupted by the arrival of Winona and Swiftwater. Winona eagerly introduces herself to Rollie, who looks perplexed. Haas tells Rollie that since the body was found on the border, they’ll be working directly with the reservation’s police force on the case. Rollie is annoyed by the situation and suggests that they just hand over the case to the tribal police. Haas pulls Rollie aside and tells him that he wouldn’t want any other detective on the case to track down Jon’s killer, but that they have to work with the reservation on this one for political reasons. Rollie walks back over to Winona and Swiftwater. He tells them that he will agree to work on the case with them, but he wants to do things his way. They discuss the evidence at the scene, which isn’t much. Winona begins picking Rollie’s brain. The questions quickly get on Rollie’s hungover nerves and he snaps at her. She apologizes for annoying him, insisting she just wants to do her best to find the killer responsible. Rollie asks Winona if she knows who the deceased is. She confesses that she does not. Rollie goes on to explain that Jon was his partner and best friend for over a decade. She asks who Rollie thinks could have wanted Jon dead. Rollie chuckles at the question, joking that Jon butted heads with everyone so that there would be too many suspects to bring down to the station. Rollie asks Haas if Jon’s wife has been notified. Haas shakes his head, saying that he thought the news would come best from Rollie.
Rollie enters the Uhls residence without knocking as he has a key to the house. He walks straight to the fridge and cracks open a cold beer. Jon’s wife, Carmen (Elisabeth Shue), greets Rollie with a kiss - a romantic kiss. Rollie tells Carmen to sit down. Rollie quickly downs the beer before blurting out that Jon is dead. Carmen quickly tears up as Rollie holds her. They drop onto the couch and their embrace turns sexual as Carmen takes off her top. The two proceed to have sex on the couch. Afterward Rollie comments on how messed up it is that they did that right after the news he broke. Carmen remarks that it’s not like it was the first time they had sex together. Rollie concedes her point as he gets up and starts getting dressed again. Carmen asks him where he’s going. Rollie says that he’s off to find out who killed Jon.
Back at the Green Rock police station, Winona thanks Sheriff Swiftwater for pairing him with Rollie on the case. He warns her to be careful though as Rollie is known to be a bit of a loose cannon and he doesn’t want his niece to get caught up in some of the things he may do. Winona asks if Rollie is a good detective. Swiftwater says Rollie is probably the best detective in the region when he’s not drunk or pissed off about something. They are interrupted by the leader of the reservation, Chief Summerhill (Gil Birmingham). He asks Winona if she is excited to be working a high profile murder case. Before she can answer, Chief Summerhill tells Winona not to forget where she got her start as a police officer.
Rollie returns to his actual home where his wife Maggie (Kelly Macdonald) is smoking cigarettes and watching daytime talk shows. She gets up and hugs him, saying that Jon’s murder has been all over the news. Rollie grabs a beer and sits down in front of the television next to his wife and begins to zone out. Before long, there is a knock at the door. Maggie gets up to answer, finding her ne’er-do-well brother Mitch Mueller (Clayne Crawford) at the door. Maggie quietly tries to tell her brother that now is not a good time for him to show up. Having heard Mitch’s voice, Rollie is quickly on his feet and at the door. He yells at Mitch to get away from his house. Mitch insists that it’s Maggie’s house too and he’s her brother so he’s automatically welcome. Things quickly escalate into a physical altercation between Mitch and Rollie, one where Rollie is clearly physically superior. Sheriff Haas arrives and pulls Rollie off of Mitch. Rollie demands to know what Haas is doing there. Haas tells him that Winona is waiting for him at the station to work on the case and that he came to drive Rollie over, assuming that Rollie has already been drinking too much to legally drive himself. As Haas and Rollie drive away, Maggie tends to Mitch’s wounds in the front yard.
Rollie and Haas find Winona waiting at the station for them. Haas leaves Rollie with Winona to work the case, though he advises her that if they are going anywhere that Winona should do the driving. Winona starts talking about the various objects found in the general vicinity of Jon’s body. Rollie tells her that none of that is going to point them to the killer because garbage on the side of the road doesn’t kill, people kill, so they need to focus on finding a suspect. Winona asks how Jon treated the criminals he arrested. Rollie jokes that most probably followed the law after Jon treated them. She suggests that maybe the killer could have been someone Jon had recently arrested. They pull all the files of everyone that Jon arrested in the month prior to his death. They each find a name that catches their attention. Rollie discovers that Jon had arrested his brother-in-law Mitch just days before the murder on a drunk and disorderly charge, while Winona discovers that Billy Summerhill, the son of the chief of the Green Rock Tribe, was detained by Jon but it was over the reservation border so Jon was forced to begrudgingly release him.
Winona decides to take the information about Jon’s run-in with Billy back to her station on the reservation to consult with her uncle. Swiftwater shows Winona an entire folder filled with reports on crimes perpetrated by Billy, both on and off the reservation, that the tribal chief has swept under the rug. Winona tells her uncle that she has a hunch Billy could be a solid suspect in the murder of Jon Uhls. Swiftwater warns Winona that they’ll never get permission from the Chief to arrest or even question Billy on tribal lands, so her best hope would be that Billy slips up in Lone Spring and apprehend him for a crime there.
The next morning, Rollie and Winona discuss their suspects with each other. Rollie mentions Mitch as a possible suspect. Winona mentions that she doesn’t think Mitch matches the profile of a murderer and that Rollie’s personal hatred for the man could be clouding his judgement. Rollie admits that Jon had a history of run-ins with Native Americans over the years, including with Billy. Rollie confesses that he always did what he could to cover it up to preserve Jon’s career, but that Jon was getting angrier toward everyone and everything in the time leading up to his death. Winona tells Rollie about Swiftwater’s idea to keep an eye on Billy Summerhill until he slips up in Lone Spring. Rollie likes the idea, but asks how they’re supposed to know when Billy is in town. Winona calls Swiftwater and asks if he can keep an eye on Billy around the reservation and let them know if Billy heads toward town. Swiftwater promises to do what he can without the chief finding out.
Rollie goes home for a fresh change of clothes to find Mitch sitting on his couch, watching his TV and drinking his beer. Rollie snaps. He grabs the beer bottle and hits Mitch over the head with it. Maggie storms into the room and screams at Rollie to not hurt her brother. Rollie punches Mitch several times until Mitch is barely conscious. Maggie tells Rollie that he should just leave for good and go back to sleeping with his best friend’s wife, revealing that she knows about Rollie’s affair with Carmen. Rollie leaves the house without saying a word. As he gets in his car, he calls Winona. She is in her car tailing Billy Summerhill (Martin Sensmeier) around the reservation. Rollie calls her. He tells her not to worry about Mitch anymore as a possible suspect and asks where she is. She tells him that she is keeping an eye on Billy for the time being. Rollie tells her to be careful.
Rollie arrives at Carmen’s house and tells her that he has decided to leave Maggie and move in with her. Carmen sees right through him as she can tell Maggie just kicked him out. She accepts Rollie moving in anyway. He gives her a kiss.
Winona follows Billy down an alleyway, but loses him. She gets out of the car to search, but is attacked by Billy. He holds pins her against her car and is about to rape her when Sheriff Swiftwater arrives and shoots Billy in the leg. Billy yells that his dad will have Swiftwater fired. Swiftwater then knocks Billy out with a punch to the face. Swiftwater helps Winona up, asking if she is okay. She says she is fine. Swiftwater tells her that it looks like he just decided to retire.
Jack Warcloud (Rod Rondeaux) is caught breaking into a house to sleep and the police are called. He is arrested for trespassing. Once at the station, the arresting officers do a search and find the waller of Jon Uhls in Jack’s possession. Sheriff Haas immediately called Rollie down to the station, stating that they may have stumbled upon Jon’s killer. When Rollie arrives at the station, he finds Jack in an interrogation room. Jack proclaims that he has never killed anyone but refuses to tell the police how or where he came into possession of Jon’s waller. Rollie doesn’t think Warcloud is their man and tells Haas to call him if Warcloud actually has something interesting to say. Warcloud suddenly goes for a police officer’s gun. Rollie notices this and shoots Warcloud several times in the chest before he can use the stolen gun.
Sheriff Haas holds a press conference. He announces that his department believes that they caught the man responsible to Detective Jon Uhls’ murder on an unrelated charge, but that the man was killed in an exchange of gunfire with detectives. Haas commends both the detectives of his precinct and that of the Green Rock tribal police for bringing justice for the death of their fallen brother in blue.
Chief Summerhill offers Winona the job as the new sheriff of the Green Rock tribal police force, but warns her that she would be expected to toe the line better than her uncle did. Winona declines the offer. She chooses instead to stick up for her uncle and tell the chief what his son tried to do to her. She walks out of the heeting, head held high.
Weeks pass and the Jon Uhls murder case has been closed by the Lone Spring police department. Winona has become Rollie’s new partner with the LSPD. At the end of their first day as official partners, Winona asks Rollie if he really believes that a vagrant like Jack Warcloud killed Jon Uhls. Rollie doesn’t have an answer.
That night, Rollie and Carmen have sex. As they lie in bed afterward, Carmen asks Rollie where he thinks Jack Warcloud killed Jon before bringing him to the reservation border. Rollie realizes that the police never revealed that Jon was killed elsewhere and dumped there and he never told Carmen about it. Carmen snuggles up next to Rollie as the realization hits him that Carmen killed Jon all along. Carmen drifts off to sleep in Rollie’s arms as he is paralyzed by uncertainty of what to do with the information he just realized.
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Release: The Maid
The Maid
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Director: Susanne Bier
Writer: Rachel Hallett Hardcastle
Based on the novel by Nita Prose
Cast: Amber Midthunder, Isabelle Huppert, John Boyega, Anthony Ramos, Katherine Waterston, Cary Elwes, Jonathan Banks, Laura Carmichael, Louis Mustillo, Alison Pill, Buffy Sainte-Marie
Budget: $28,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $17,100,670
Foreign Box Office: $10,087,901
Total Profit: -$29,000,082
Reaction: This season's box office hasn't been quite as bad as recent seasons with novel adaptations, but this one goes back to the cursed trend.
Top 10 Rachel Hallett Hardcastle Films
Sherman J. Pearson here for another Top 10. The Maid, in theaters now, is the 10th film from writer Rachel Hallett Hardcastle, which makes it the perfect time for a Top 10 list.
Top 10 Rachel Hallett Hardcastle Films
10. The Mars Room (with Rosie JoLove)
9. No Promises in the Wind
8. The Maid
7. Less (with Rosie JoLove)
6. All the Pretty Horses
5. That Was Then, This Is Now (with Harmony Winters)
4. Final End
3. Citizen
2. Still Lives
1. The Water Cure (with Rosie JoLove)
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Now Showing: The Maid
The Maid
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Director: Susanne Bier
Writer: Rachel Hallett Hardcastle
Based on the novel by Nita Prose
Cast: Amber Midthunder, Isabelle Huppert, John Boyega, Anthony Ramos, Katherine Waterston, Cary Elwes, Jonathan Banks, Laura Carmichael, Louis Mustillo, Alison Pill, Buffy Sainte-Marie
Plot: During a montage of setting up a room, Molly narrates how she cleans people's rooms, allowing her to know everything. However, they know very little about her.
Monday
Molly Gray (Amber Midthunder) works as a maid at Regency Grand Hotel, an art-deco-styled five-star boutique hotel. Molly was raised by her beloved Gran (Buffy Sainte-Marie), who recently passed away. Her boss is Mr. Alexander Snow (Cary Elwes), the hotel manager. Molly takes pride in her work. Additionally, she considers herself to be socially awkward.
Around 3:00 PM, Molly discovered a hotel guest, Mr. Charles Black, dead in his bed. Molly had cleaned most of Suite 401 earlier that day, apart from the bathroom since it'd been occupied by Giselle (Isabelle Huppert), Charles' wife, taking a shower. While Giselle's typically quite talkative, that wasn't the case that day. Later, Mr. Black is lying flat on his back.
Upon realizing Mr. Black is dead, Molly calls the front desk to tell them. One of the four pillows from the bed isn't there. Next to the body is an open bottle of Giselle's medication spilling out around.
Sitting in Mr. Snow's office, Molly thinks through everything she did that day. She recalls entering through the front doors, despite knowing that employees are technically supposed to enter through the service entrance. She'd then greeted Mr. Preston (Jonathan Banks), the hotel's doorman. Mr. Preston is a widower whose daughter's a lawyer.
Afterward, Molly puts on her uniform and fetches her trolley. She noted that her supervisor, Cheryl Green (Alison Pill), hadn't been appropriately replenished. Molly knows it's likely because Cheryl often heads to the top floors in the morning to steal the tips from the penthouse suites.
Next, Molly greets Juan Manuel (Anthony Ramos), a young dishwasher. She sneaks Juan a hotel keycard so that he can stay in for that night. Something she's been doing for a year now since head bartender Rodney Stiles (John Boyega) informed her of Juan's difficult personal situation. Molly notices that Juan has red marks on his wrists today. Juan sends money to Mexico to help support his family.
Molly sees Rodney at the hotel's restaurant and bar. Molly and Rodney went on one date over a year ago, hoping he'll someday ask her again. At Social, Molly picks up the stack of newspapers to be distributed to the guests. Rodney points out a headline about the Blacks. Charles married Giselle two years ago. The article indicates that Victoria Black, Charles's daughter with his first wife, has a 49% ownership stake in the company, but Charles wants all those shares back. However, Mrs. Black believes Victoria should keep the shares.
After that, Molly had then headed up to Suite 401, the Black's suite. At the front door, Mr. Black had barreled past her with a piece of a paper that read "DEED" tucked into his breast pocket. Inside, Giselle seemed to be crying and disheveled, running off into the shower. Molly notices a flight itinerary for two one-way tickets to the Canary Islands in Giselle's expensive yellow purse. Meanwhile, the safe in the room is open, and inside is one passport, some legal documents and at least 5 stacks of cash.
When Giselle finally emerges from the shower, Molly offers to come back later to finish cleaning, and Giselle agrees. Molly leaves the room, though as she cleans the other rooms on the floor, she worries about Giselle, who has always been friendly toward Molly.
Molly hears footsteps in Mr. Snow's office, and Mr. Snow soon exits along with a female officer, Detective Stark (Katherine Waterston). Detective Stark notes that they think it's likely that Mr. Black died of a heart attack, but she still wants to take Molly to the station to take her witness statement.
As Detective Stark drives Molly to the station, Molly says she's worked at the Regency for four years. When asked, Molly identifies the bottle of blue pills as the main thing out of the ordinary. Molly's well aware that Giselle is the most likely person they'd suspect. However, Molly purposefully doesn't mention some of the other details.
Molly thinks back to meeting Giselle and how Giselle had shaken her hand, unlike other guests. Giselle had asked Molly about herself, and she'd talked about her own life, too. Giselle had told Molly about how Charles was a "tyrant." Meanwhile, Molly talked to Giselle about her financial difficulties, her terrible ex, and Gran. They'd eventually grown to be friends. Molly would help Giselle with various errands outside when the paparazzi were hounding Giselle outside. Meanwhile, Giselle tried to advise her on conducting more socially acceptably, giving Molly makeup and hair advice.
Later, Giselle told her about how an older woman had mentored her on meeting and marrying a rich man. Giselle had then gifted Molly a brass hourglass which Giselle's mentor had previously given to Giselle. Molly decided to keep it in her locker at work. Still, now she's unhappily living a life where Charles cheated on her, bossed her around, and was physically abusive.
In present-day with Detective Stark, Molly describes Mr. Black as aloof and drinking a lot. As for Giselle, Molly implies to the officers that they never spoke.
Molly had gotten the job at the Regency. Gran had also been a maid. Gran had saved up some money so that Molly could pursue more ambitious dreams. Molly had soon been accepted into a college hospitality management program. Just before classes started, Molly had met Wilbur at orientation. He was starting an accounting program, and the two soon started dating. Then, Wilbur went with Molly as she deposited her paycheck. She failed to notice as he watched her key in the PIN code. That night, he left and stopped responding. A week later, Molly realized her checking account had been emptied.
Tuesday
At 6:00 AM the following day, Molly begins her day. She's soon greeted by Mr. Russo (Louis Mustillo), her landlord, who reminds her that her rent is late. Molly reassures him that she just needs a few extra days.
When she gets to work, Molly asks Mr. Preston if Mr. Black received any visitors yesterday, and Mr. Preston says there were none that he knows of. Meanwhile, the newspaper's front-page story is about the death of Mr. Black. It also discusses how there had been rumors of fraud and embezzlement going on in the company, Black Properties & Investments.
The article mentions that Giselle was seen leaving the hotel accompanied by an "unknown male." However, Mr. Snow privately tells Molly that the Black's suite is currently out of bounds and to be left alone.
After putting on her uniform and getting her trolley, Molly gives Juan Manuel the room key to stay in for tonight. Afterward, Molly sees Rodney's right eye swollen and purple. However, he claims he accidentally ran into a door. Rodney then asks Molly to come by after her shift today so she can tell him what she witnessed yesterday.
Molly is finishing up her shift, and she heads down to meet up with Rodney. They pick a booth in the back, and Rodney asks her about what she saw yesterday. Molly describes finding Mr. Black dead. When Rodney asks about anything suspicious, Molly mentions the missing money from the safe, the deed and the bottle of pills.
Despite her infatuation with Rodney, Molly feels uncomfortable as he asks questions about Mr. Black. She gets suspicious when he asks if the police have asked anything about Rodney. Rodney encourages her to call him if the police continue asking her questions. Still, when he offers to exchange numbers with Molly, Molly's irritation subsides, and she eagerly agrees.
Molly dismisses Mr. Preston's comment to be careful with Rodney when walking home. Molly's surprised to see Giselle waiting outside her door, asking to be invited in. Molly realizes it's not as grand, but Giselle tells Molly that she originally grew up in the not-so-nice part of Detroit.
Giselle tells Molly about being questioned extensively by the police and a phone call Molly received from Victoria. Charles's death means that Victoria has over 50% ownership interest.
Giselle also says that she and Charles got into a fight yesterday. Giselle signed a prenup before they married, ensuring Charles kept everything. Yesterday, she'd asked him to cancel the prenup or let her have a villa in her name to call her own. At that request, he flew off the handle and left the room when Molly entered.
Giselle then asks Molly what she told the police. Molly tells her about the spilled pill bottle and the open safe. Molly clarifies that she didn't volunteer any information about Giselle's relationship with Charles, and Giselle hugs Molly in response.
Giselle asks Molly to be Giselle's maid. Giselle tells Molly that she's like a sister and gives her $200. Then, Giselle asks Molly to retrieve something from the crime scene suite. A gun that Giselle tucked away. Molly feels anxious but agrees to try to get it. Before Giselle leaves, Molly asks who gave Giselle her address, but Giselle says she doesn't remember.
Wednesday
At work, Mr. Preston greets Molly and reminds her that she can count on him if she ever needs help. Meanwhile, Cheryl informs her that the police are done with the Black suite. Mr. Snow notes that the hotel is bustling now with reservations from people curious about the Blacks, hoping to catch a glimpse of Giselle.
When Molly sees Rodney, she lets slip that Giselle came to see her last night. She then suggests to Rodney that they hang out sometime, and he non-committally agrees. Before she can say more, Rodney suggests that Molly let Juan Manuel stay in the Black suite.
In the Black suite, Molly surveys the mess the police left behind. Once the room is thoroughly sanitized, Molly places Juan Manuel's duffle bag under the bed. In the bathroom, Molly fetches Giselle's gun from the bathroom fan. Sure enough, Molly locates it and slips it into a vacuum filter to hide it. As she swaps out the vacuum filter, a heavier object falls to the floor. Molly sees that it's Mr. Black's jewel-encrusted wedding band. She keeps the ring.
When Sunitha sees Molly, she warns Molly to be careful and that there can be "snakes" in the grass. Molly doesn't know what she means. Molly goes to a pawn shop and pawns Mr. Black's ring.
When Molly returns after lunch, Mr. Preston warns her to turn around and go home, but Molly proceeds anyway. She's stopped by Mr. Snow and Detective Stark, who want to question Molly again.
Detective Stark tells Molly that the blue pills weren't medicine but benzodiazepine laced with street drugs. However, she says that isn't what killed Mr. Black. Instead, petechial hemorrhaging killed him, and they're awaiting the autopsy to learn more.
Detective Stark confronts Molly by saying that she knows Molly was lying about not knowing Giselle well. Detective Stark also asks if Giselle ever gave Molly extravagant tips. Detective Stark also brings out the brass hourglass Giselle gave Molly from her locker. Molly continues to say little, and finally, Detective Stark instructs Molly not to leave the country and that they'll be keeping an eye on her.
Back in her apartment, Molly thinks about Gran and how heartbroken Gran had been when Gran told her that her mother was dead. Gran had given Molly's mother money for a while, but Molly's mother stopped calling when she stopped.
In the present day, Molly calls Rodney asking for help, worried that the police suspect her. She tells him about the gun she retrieved for Giselle. Rodney responds that they need to get rid of the gun. She also tells Rodney about taking and pawning Mr. Black's ring. She's worried that it'll incriminate her if the police find out. Rodney reassures her that he'll take care of everything.
Thursday
The following day, Molly awoke by knocking on the door. She answers it and finds three police officers there, Detective Stark. Stark informs Molly that she's charged with "unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of drugs, and first-degree murder."
Molly faints in response, and when she awakens, she's in a holding cell, still dressed in her pajamas. She's led to an interrogation room by Stark, who offers her coffee and a muffin. Stark also informs Molly that the autopsy results show that Mr. Black died of asphyxiation.
When Stark accuses Molly of murder, Molly insists on her innocence. She admits to Stark that she wasn't forthcoming about her friendship with Giselle. Stark says that Cheryl followed her to the pawnshop and that they know Molly pawned the ring. Stark says that Rodney described Molly as "capable of murder." They found Giselle's gun in Molly's vacuum filter, realizing Rodney must've told them.
Finally, Stark says that Mr. Black was running a drug operation from the hotel. She believes Giselle introduced Molly to Mr. Black to start working for him. Stark thinks something must've gone wrong, or she's helping Giselle, so Molly killed Mr. Black. At that point, Molly decides to ask for a lawyer and calls Mr. Preston for help.
Molly's represented by a government-appointed lawyer at the courthouse for the bail hearing. Mr. Preston soon shows up with Charlotte Preston, his daughter, a lawyer with Billings, Preston & GarcÃa. Charlotte tells Stark that she's posted the $800,000 bail on Molly's behalf.
After the bail hearing, Mr. Preston and Charlotte drive Molly back to her home. Charlotte will be representing her pro bono. Mr. Preston also instructs Molly not to talk to anyone from work. Mr. Rosso's upset that the police are here and tells her that he's evicting her. However, Charlotte points out that the building violates several building codes and tells him not to hassle Molly.
When they're all situated with tea, Charlotte asks Molly questions about what happened. Mr. Preston notes that Victoria Black had been at the hotel last week, and Giselle had been upset when Victoria left.
Molly admits that Giselle asked her to fetch the gun. Molly also admits to finding and pawning the wedding band. As for the traces of cocaine that the police found on her trolley, however, Molly says she's no idea how they got there.
Mr. Preston explains that Rodney probably used Cheryl to tip off the police about the ring since she told Rodney about the gun and ring. Finally, Molly tells them about Juan Manuel's situation and how Rodney asked for her help. Molly finally realizes that Rodney's been using her to cover up his drug-dealing activities as they talk. Rodney's been forcing Juan Manuel to assist him by the red marks on Juan Manuel's wrists. Rodney's probably been forcing Juan Manuel to cut the drugs each night at the hotel. Charlotte tells Molly that they've been using her as a drug mule. Charlotte's already looked into Rodney's background, showing that he's gotten into plenty of trouble in the past.
Juan Manuel shows up to tell his part of the story. Before, he had a work permit, but he needed to get it extended. Rodney introduced him to a lawyer who took Juan Manuel's money. Instead, Rodney asked Juan Manuel to help him prepare cocaine to be sold and carted around in the duffle bags that Molly had been asked to put in the room. When Juan said he didn't want to, Rodney threatened to find and hurt Juan Manuel's family.
Charlotte notes that Rodney and Giselle must've killed Mr. Black and framed Molly together. Juan Manuel says that he doesn't have hard evidence of Rodney's interactions with Mr. Black. Still, he does have evidence that Rodney was involved with Giselle. Juan Manuel then shows them all a photo of Rodney and Giselle kissing. Finally, Mr. Preston says he has an idea for a plan to outsmart them.
They then kick it off with Molly texting Rodney, asking to meet up urgently to discuss Mr. Black's murder and the police. Rodney immediately responds, asking her to meet him in 20 minutes.
When Rodney arrives, Molly tells Rodney about how Mr. Black's determined to have been asphyxiated. She also lies that they don't think Molly's the one who did it. Instead, they think it's someone who's in the will. The police mentioned that Giselle's left without anything in the will. Rodney looks surprised and distressed to hear this. Molly tells him that she ended up explaining to the police the situation about Juan Manuel when the police mentioned they were going to sweep the Black suite again for clues.
Rodney asks Molly to clean up the suite before the police arrive, but Molly says she can't. Instead, Molly suggests that she find a way to get the key for Rodney so that he can do it himself. Rodney reluctantly agrees.
Molly takes a cab over to the hotel. On the way, Molly texts Rodney claiming that Molly can't get into the building when they arrive. Then, Mr. Preston plays his part, telling Molly she shouldn't be here and calling for Mr. Snow. Mr. Snow shows up and lets Molly know that she's been fired. Molly refuses to leave.
Meanwhile, Mr. Preston's used the distraction to steal Cheryl's master keycard. Mr. Preston gives it to Molly, and when Rodney shows up, Molly gives it to Rodney. Molly then leaves.
From a café across the street, Molly watches the hotel. She can see Mr. Preston inside as he makes a phone call. Meanwhile, Charlotte texts Molly, indicating that things are on track. On the news, they report that Molly's the main suspect, but she's out on bail.
Police cars show up at the hotel. At that moment, Molly calls Giselle. Molly says she knows about Rodney's secret boyfriend. Giselle apologizes to Molly, saying Rodney planned to frame Molly. Giselle says Rodney has a black eye because she hit him when she found out. Giselle admits Rodney was working for Mr. Black in his drug operations. Giselle denies knowing what Rodney had planned. Convinced that perhaps Giselle was telling the truth, Molly then warns Giselle.
Across the street at the hotel, Molly watches as Rodney emerges from the hotel in handcuffs. He's accompanied by Detective Stark, who's also carrying the duffle bag, revealing the drugs inside. Rodney was then loaded into the police car. Detective Stark spots Molly across the street, nodding at Molly. Molly then heads back to her apartment, telling Juan Manuel the excellent news. Eventually, Charlotte, Mr. Preston and Detective Stark show up. Stark lets them know that they'll soon be issuing a correction, clearing Molly of any wrongdoing.
Stark also lets Juan Manuel know that they won't be charging or deporting him. Instead, they just want his cooperation so that he can serve as a witness. Charlotte offers to contact Juan Manuel with an immigration lawyer to get his work permit reinstated. Mr. Preston also lets both Molly and Juan Manuel know that he's spoken to Mr. Snow, and neither's fired. Before she goes, Stark asks if Molly knows anything more about Giselle, but Molly doesn't share what she knows.
Molly thinks about that last day with Gran. After they all talk, they make plans to have dinner together on Sunday. That night, Molly finally goes into Gran's room, something she'd been avoiding since Juan Manuel was staying in Molly's room. Gran asked Molly to do what she'd previously promised to suffocate her with a pillow so she'd die on her terms which Molly had done with much reluctance.
Several Months Later
Rodney's trial has concluded. Both Molly and Juan Manuel testified against him. Detective Stark tried to convince Giselle to testify, but Giselle had declined.
Molly's continued getting together with the Prestons and Juan Manuel on Sundays. She's promoted to Head Maid at the hotel. Molly and Juan Manuel are seeing each other now.
Two months ago, he moved in with her and paid his share of the rent. Molly's now trying to rebuild her savings with the hope of going back to do the hospitality management program.
Molly thought back to her testimony yesterday. She'd brought up something that she hadn't discussed with Charlotte beforehand on the stand. After calling Reception, Molly looked at the mirror and realized a shadowy person holding a pillow in the room. However, she fainted before she could identify them for sure. When Rodney's lawyer cross-examines Molly, he asks why Molly never mentioned this before, and it's because Molly hadn't been entirely sure of what she'd seen. Molly's thoughts are often discounted or dismissed as a maid.
Today, Molly receives a notification that $100,000 has been deposited in her bank account with a note that says "Debt of Gratitude." Molly understands it must be from Giselle.
Later, Molly thinks about how she's learning to be less literal. She thinks about how her testimony in court was her "version of the truth." She thinks about how the justice system is flawed and how good people must take the opportunity to exact justice when they can.
Instead, the shadowy figure turned out to be Mrs. Black. Mrs. Black had explained to Molly that Charles Black was an evil man who prevented her daughter Victoria from cleaning up the company. Mrs. Black said she came here to talk to Charles, but things escalated, and Charles tried to hurt her. Mrs. Black then talked about how they should "turn the tables" on villains like Mr. Black, and she suggests to Molly that Molly not say anything about her having been there. Molly had then agreed to do so.
Release: Anastasia
Anastasia
Genre: Adventure/Historical/Musical
Director: Bryce Dallas Howard
Writer: Walter McKnight
Based on the animated film
Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Harris Dickinson, Jim Carrey, Oliver Platt, Russell Brand, Julie Christie, Lucy Davis, Ioan Gruffudd, Radha Mitchell, Tinsley Price, Carol Kane
Budget: $79,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $70,381,044
Foreign Box Office: $120,482,049
Total Profit: $34,593,002
Reaction: Writer Walter McKnight is having success with his animated film adaptations, with this another hit after Pocahontas was in Season 24. Hopefully after a couple of a box office successes in a row, the season's box office can get on track.
Monday, August 28, 2023
Animation to Film: Anastasia
For this edition of Animation to Film, we will take a look at the cast of yet another adaptation of an animated film. This time it will be Anastasia from director Bryce Dallas Howard ("The Mandolorian", Dads) and writer Walter McKnight (The Monster Squad, Pocahontas).
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