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Despite the fact that “Ava” is a Jessica Chastain vehicle, it is not the film you expect it to be, which is the source of both its weaknesses and its strengths.
On the surface, “Ava” appears to be another female-driven action/spy thriller in the vein of “Atomic Blonde,” which was released in 2011. Set in glamorous international cities where targets must be eliminated, the film incorporates elements of family drama and black comedy, as well as luscious shots of four-star hotel suites, lobbies, and bars, as well as coldblooded espionage euphemisms intended to keep killers from thinking about their actions (assassins tasked with murdering strangers are described as executives closing deals).
Although there is plenty of bloody action, the film is unfortunately directed by Tate Taylor (“The Help”) in the now-seemingly-mandatory handheld, cut-cut-cut style of post-Bourne action films. The only satisfying sequence is a close-quarters fight near the end of the film that drags on and on until it becomes horrifying, then exhausting, then funny, and then it ends. When one of the combatants admits to being rusty, blood begins to flow from his face.
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“Ava,” on the other hand, is defined by its non-action sequences, which are simply staged face-offs between Chastain’s Ava, who is a recovering alcoholic and former teenage delinquent, and supporting characters played by Geena Davis, Common, Joan Chen, Jeixler, John Malkovich, and other performers skilled enough to make words sting like slaps. This is where “Ava” will disappoint viewers looking for a typical action film. Even Ian Gruffudd, a handsome actor who is frequently cast as the slightly dull heroic lead, makes an appearance in a couple of scenes as a scuzzbag money-mover, and he appears to be enjoying himself while not being burdened by the responsibilities of nobility.
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Beginning with the introduction of Ava, the film establishes her as a talented but unstable “executive.” She is adored by her grizzled mentor Duke (John Malkovich), who describes himself as a “father figure” to her because he took over for her abusive biological father, who died when she was still a drunk. However, she has been identified as a problem employee because of her habit of getting her targets to where she wants them, then pressuring them to confess a bad thing they’ve done before “closing” the deal with them. It is evidence of a latent moral streak that is bubbling up in Ava after years of being tactically suppressed—and it is detrimental to the company’s bottom line. The film follows Simon (Colin Farrell, who plays a murderous family man with a pornstar mustache and side-walled pompadour), another of Duke’s trainees who is being groomed to take over as Duke’s replacement. He warns Duke that Ava has made too many mistakes and that she is on the verge of being “closed” by another “executive.” Duke will not be able to cover for Ava indefinitely. Her bill is going to be due. Is it possible for Duke to save her?
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In spite of the fact that the spy-world plot of “Ava” never completely loses its appeal, it becomes increasingly clear that the actors and filmmakers are more invested in scenes in which the characters converse with one another, poring over personal business and picking at emotional scabs. As I sit here writing this review, I’m having trouble recalling any of the action sequences, with the exception of the final fight. The scenes in which Ava visits her ill mother Bobbi (Davis) in the hospital and re-establishes her relationship with her estranged sister Judy (Wexler) and her husband Michael are particularly vivid in my memory (Common).
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If anyone were delighted to see Ava, she would be considered a prodigal daughter. As a result of substance abuse treatment and a hectic international travel schedule, she has been absent from her family’s life for some time (she tells her relatives that she works for the UN). You can tell there’s some sort of secret, mortifying connection between Ava and Michael (you can tell by the way they look at each other) and that it will be revealed at the appropriate time. In order to avoid hurting each other, Ava and Bobbi can barely open their mouths at all. “I guess there was nothing wrong with it,” Bobbi says when Ava stands on a chair to fix a TV in Bobbi’s hospital room instead of saying “Thank you.” Matthew Newton’s script has a keen ear for little throwaway lines that reveal dysfunction, such as when Ava fixes a TV in Bobbi’s hospital room and instead of saying “Thank you,” Bobbi says “Guess there was nothing wrong with it.”
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Among the most memorable scenes in the film is a game of hearts between Ava and her mother, which takes place at a small table next to a window. At first glance, Davis’ inclusion in the film appears to be a clever bit of meta-minded stunt casting: “Davis’ presence in the film appears to be a clever bit of meta-minded stunt casting: In 1992, she starred in “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” an action film that was ahead of its time and about a female assassin named Charley Baltimore; Chastain’s wig in the first scene appears to be intentionally eerily similar to Charley’s. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Davis has been cast in the film because she is a talented actress and movie star. After initially refusing to allow Ava to experience the vulnerability she desires, Bobbi then reverses her decision and the floodgates open up for Ava. Because there’s nothing else to do when your acting partner is putting in some of her best work of her career, Chastain chooses to remain silent and allow Davis to take the lead. This scene, as well as all of the other Ava-Bobbi scenes, is so genuine that you forget that you are watching a film in which people kill each other with bare hands for a brief moment.
Addiction is another important sub-theme that is explored in depth (though it is underdeveloped). Many of the characters in “Ava” are either addicted to something or are in recovery from something, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, or gambling. Assassins are said to be able to amplify or partially replace whatever they do (or consume) elsewhere in their lives because of the endorphin rush that comes with extreme risk and sudden violence. Conversations between Duke and Simon make it clear that so-called “black ops” organizations hire addicted or addictive people because they crave direction, attention, and approval after having experienced chaos, or while still in the midst of it. Even outwardly “normal” agency employees, such as Simon, with his large home and loving children, have a nihilistic or destructive streak that must be satisfied in order to remain employed. Ava and Toni (played by Joan Chen) are two examples of ground-level killers who live on the fringes of society or below the radar of the authorities (in Toni’s case, she runs a secret nightclub and sex club with an entrance disguised as an unattended porta-potty).
“Ava” was marketed as a hard-edged thriller with plenty of gunplay and hand-to-hand combat, reminiscent of the occasionally excellent action films in which Charlize Theron began to star after turning 40. However, the film was released without any press screenings and without any preparation. The actress (who also coproduced) should be commended for her decision to support a project that does its own thing, seemingly without regard for what the audience might want, and that ends with an unexpected scene that will elicit “What the hell was that?” reactions from viewers. It’s possible that “Ava” would have become a cult classic if the action and espionage elements had been executed at the same level as the dramatic and comedic exchanges and observations about the types of people drawn to this life.
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