Movie Review: Devotion
Bob Garver
Since Avatar: The Way of Water is due out next weekend, no new releases want to come out this weekend and I only have a week to make money before they get squashed. I've already reviewed domestic box office winner Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as well as runners-up Cruel Night, Weird World, and Menu two through four, respectively. As much as I'd like to go back to the menu and get more praise, this week's review of #5 will be dedication.
The film stars aspiring actors Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell as heroic Korean War fighter pilots in the 1950s. Jesse Brown (Majors) is the more talented racer of the two, but as an African-American, modern prejudice holds him back. He's not completely out of the question and things are starting to change, especially with his incredible abilities, but many still look down on him. Tom Hudner (Powell) is also a talented midfielder in Brown's team. He is not as talented as Brown, but is considered more likable, media-friendly and helpful. He wants to do more for his fellow boss, but Brown and his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson) insist that Hudner not fight for him in Brown's battles, but simply stand by his side. Hudner spends much of the film trying to get close to her friend without going overboard.
To be clear, this year we've already shot Top Gun: Maverick, a fighter pilot movie that could end the year as the #1 highest-grossing movie in the world. The film also stars Glenn Powell, who, between that film and his role as John Glenn in Hidden Figures, made a name for himself as a Hollywood pilot. The marketing of this film was trying to promote it as a sequel to Top Gun: Maverick, to attract the audience that made the film a hit. But it actually backfires, making this movie a cheap knockoff that shouldn't be seen by audiences who have already had enough of fighter pilots in 2022. I assure you: many talented people turn their backs. In this venture, and Jesse Brown's story is certainly worth telling, but creatively, he's a notch below the top performers, and that leads to terrible commercial results.
Perhaps the film's biggest problem is the decision to focus too much on this part of Brown's life. Don't get me wrong, this is obviously a big part and no biopic would be complete without him, I'm not sure it was a good idea to limit the timeline of the film to just one year. Yes, the film is about Brown and Hudner's friendship, and I know they didn't meet until the 1950s, but Brown is already so successful early in the film that there are almost no obstacles to overcome. I think a direct biography of Brown would be better than focusing on his relationship with the frankly empty Hudner.
"Bhakti" is a film worthy of selfless production. Fans of war movies will have a pretty good idea of what to expect here: the connection between the officers, the family relationship with Brown, some heated and scary conversations about race relations, the comedic detours during a beach vacation (Brown's encounter with the famous film) and, of course, the exciting flight scene. . It's a good choice if you like those kinds of movies, but can get boring if you've been flying fighter jets for a while.
Rating: From
"Dedication" is rated PG-13 for profanity, some fighting/violence and smoke. Its duration is 139 minutes.
Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.
