Hammerle on… “Stan and Ollie,” “The Kid Who Would Be King”

“Stan and Ollie”

“Stan and Ollie,” directed by Jon S. Baird, is a charming little film that focuses on how friendship fights to survive given the harsh reality of aging. Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly give endearing performances as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, a comedy duo who rivaled the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges in popularity.

Our boys’ remarkable career spanned the transition from silent films to talkies, and they were at the peak of their game during the Depression-ravaged 1930s. Both subtle and a bit caustic, they had a remarkable talent for eliciting audience laughter by making fun of themselves.

In this movie, you watch our duo travel to England in 1953 to try to salvage professional careers nearing their end. Accompanied by wives played memorably by Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson, Hardy was fighting severe heart problems while Laurel was haunted by an episode decades earlier, when Hardy left him and acted alone in a film.

Despite all of this, our boys became a great hit in Britain and eventually performed in front of sold-out audiences. While you get to see them perform some of their classic stunts, the value of the film flows from its depiction of two old friends trying to maintain obvious affection for each other as they drift into life’s sunset.

Oddly, while you would call this a great movie, it does tell a great, universal story. First and foremost, it is helped by the lovable performances of Coogan as Laurel and Reilly as Hardy. Coogan has previously displayed some remarkable skills as a comic who knows how to underplay his role, and if you doubt that, then go hunt down his performances in his three travel movies — “The Trip” (2010), “The Trip to Italy” (2014) and “The Trip to Spain” (2017), not to mention his unforgettable performance with Dame Judi Dench in “Philomena” (2013).

As for Reilly, forget his mistaken decision to appear in last year’s “Holmes & Watson” and watch him in “Kong: Skull Island” (2017), “The Little Hours” (2017) and last year’s “The Sisters Brothers.” And while you’re at it, re-watch both “Sing” (2016) and this year’s Oscar-nominated “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” animated films where Reilley makes strong contributions.

As inferred above, I had a strong emotional reaction to this movie. Having turned 72 this past December, I can’t help but face the reality of existing in a professional world that has dramatically changed. Many judges that I admired have retired, as have some very good friends, and the environment that I enter each day simply isn’t the same.

I have to laugh at myself as I enter court and look at a bevy of young deputy prosecutors and public defenders whose names I can’t recall. Good grief, what happened to the days when I would regularly have a “short one” in some local watering hole with many of their predecessors?

It is giving nothing away to say that Laurel and Hardy never perform together again after returning from England. Hardy died two years later, while Laurel retired, dying in 1965.

Another lesson learned from this film is that you are quickly forgotten in life regardless of your success. As lawyers, it is wise to remember the observation made by the late, great criminal defense attorney Owen Mullin: “You don’t quit the practice of law, son, it quits you.”

“The Kid Who Would Be King”

January should be considered the dead zone for new movie releases, but occasionally a few good films slip under the radar. “The Kid Who Would Be King” is one of them, and it is a movie that will delight both adults and teenagers.

While many of you will be reluctant to see a movie centering on 12-year-olds who discover King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur and thereafter take off on a fight with the underworld to save humanity, I urge you to set aside your skepticism. While I congratulate director Joe Cornish on both the cinematography and musical score, the intelligent script plays out like a subtle criticism of the political climate presently haunting countries ranging from Britain, Poland and Hungary to our own United States.

In a fashion, “The Kid Who Would Be King” reminded me of the popular horror film “It” (2017), where young people rallied together to fight evil. However, unlike “It,” where a subterranean clown sought to devour children, this film centers on four middle school-aged kids who must challenge an evil enchantress seeking to destroy mankind.

The movie begins where you see a 12-year-old known as Alex running from two classmates who continually bully him. Seeking shelter, he enters an old construction site where he discovers Excalibur, which is embedded in a stone as expected. Removing it without much thought, Alex discovers that all hell is about to break loose that is far more dangerous than the bullies who torment him.

Louis Ashbourne Serkis, the son of actor/director Andy Serkis, dominates the film as a kid who is trying to figure out what to do with the sword he now hides in his bedroom. He is quickly shocked when a monster breaks into his home at night with the intent to kill him. Facing what appears to be a likely death, a young lad (played splendidly by Angus Imrie) appears out of nowhere to save his life.

Alex’s rescuer, who is actually a young Merlin, explains to him the task that lies ahead. Alex is instructed that he has only four days before an eclipse to destroy a wicked goddess or face the end of humanity.

And there you have the adventure awaiting you on the big screen. Alex induces the two above-referred to bullies (Tom Taylor and Rhianna Dorris), along with his school friend Bedders, a charming Dean Chaumoo, to join him as knights of a modern-day round table. Thereafter, they set out to risk their own lives to save the world. It becomes both fun and intriguing to watch them track across portions of England to find a way to an island where the evil demon resides.

What also helps this film succeed is the appearance of Patrick Stewart as an adult Merlin and a very talented Rebecca Ferguson as the evil Morgana from the underworld. Though they both are on screen for a short time, they provide the glue that makes this film hold your attention. Ferguson builds on the somewhat evil personality she demonstrated in 2017’s “The Greatest Showman,” while Stewart challenges Ian McKellen as two magnificent aging actors who have not lost their skill at any level.

This film tells a powerful story about what it takes to be a meaningful leader of any successful organization, regardless of how large or small. Merlin teaches Alex that he can’t succeed if he is not truthful and honest. I couldn’t help but wish that Merlin could appear in the White House today and teach our president to wrap himself around love and honesty and reject a policy that encourages hatred and racial fear. Where are you, Merlin, when we need you?•

• Robert Hammerle practices criminal law in Indianapolis. When he is not in the courtroom or the office, Bob can likely be found at one of his favorite movie theaters preparing to review the latest films. To read more of his reviews, visit www.bigmouthbobs.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author.