By Anne Brodie
Tracie Laymon’s Bob Trevino Likes It is just the thing for a positive, warm feeling. Based on Laymon’s own experiences, we follow Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira), her father Bob Trevino (French Stewart), and her new friend Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo). Lily’s dealing with the trauma abandonment by her mother when she was little and, recently by her alcoholic, rageful father. Nonetheless she is a smart, good-natured teenager. One day she finds Bob Trevino, not her dad, on Facebook and they become friends. who is married to a woman who prefers scrapbooking to him since the death of their baby son. He “likes” Lily’s posts that are usually ignored and she suggests a get together. Bob squares it with his wife and Lily tells her dad who isn’t really listening. He is only concerned about how hard done by he is. He cheats her into paying for a meal to which he invited her and asks her to get for money for him from her new friend, a repellant, misogynist no-goodnik played by an unrecognisable French Stewart. The heart and soul of the film is growing, if unlikely friendship between the tween and middle aged Facebook Bob. Lily’s father took away her beloved dog as a child so new Bob kindly surprises her with a trip to a shelter to cuddle a few; the look on her face is priceless. Their low key, sweet adventures glow with positivity in this feel-good film we all need. don’t cry at movies probably because I see too many but this one is a worthy instigator. An exclusive week long run at LightBox starts today, its in theatres March 28 in Vancouver, Toronto, in Victoria, BC and Guelph on April 4, with other cities to follow.
The new docuseries The Queen of the Castle featuring f;lamboyant Canadian billionaire Ann Kaplan Mulholland is a showcase for her and her dream of buying and refurbishing a piece of Kentish history. We’re talking a 44 multi million-dollar project for Lympne Castle, built in 1080s for the Archdeacons of Canterbury. It remained in their hands until 1860 and underwent a few renovations over time. Mulholland and her husband Stephen have big plans for the place – hotel, bar, pub, bistros indoor and out for tourists, a community gathering spot for dubious Hythe villagers. The fortified manor proved to be a massive project, having been neglected for, says Mulholland, a thousand years. Still, it has a view of the English Channel and France can be seen from the roof. Its 27k square feet, with 137 acres for heaven’s sake. But Mullholland is the draw, she’s in yer face, dressing in charmingly glitzy outfits paired with mud boots to oversee each day’s work. She is unafraid of getting dirty, but her contractors grumble as she drives them hard in order to hold her soft opening coming up fast. Eight hour long episodes are staggering; we peek into the world of the uber wealthy, the culture divide between Canadians and Europeans/British, disdainful villagers concerned the refurb will ruin their peaceful lives, etc. Kitchen staff secretly scoff at her insistence on a vegan menu – these are fish and chip folks – but smile hard in agreement. This is an eight, one hour festival of raised eyebrows – mine at least – of drive, irony, drama and money but mostly about the engaging Queen. Debuts March 26 on CTV Life, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, and the 27th on Crave.
Disney+ and Hulu’s Good American Family streaming March 19, is based on a real life family that adopted seven-year-old Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid) with dwarfism and disabilities, when an earlier adoption falls through. Michael and Kristine Barnett (Mark Duplass and Ellen Pompeo) have big hearts, they feel its their duty to take in disabled children who “have no one to look after them”. Their autistic, gifted adopted sons are well adjusted and successful, they have no reason to suspect Natalia would be any different. But once home, she spins out of control; angry, physically violent and withdrawn, she destroys her brothers’ things and creates constant chaos. She is especially hateful to a frightened Kristine while she and Michael dote on one another. Kristine, an award-winning author on the subject of autistic children and beloved owner of autistic child daycare centre is out of her depth for the first tme and Michael refuses to believe her reports of bizarre outbursts while he fails to tell Kristine he’s lost his job. Her efforts to speak to the adoption agency are fruitless, it has mysteriously vanished. But a rushed employee calls her and whispers not to ask any questions, to stay out of it. She’s powerless, there are no laws requiring post-adoption inspections in some US states – they’re one tbeir own and Natalia has begun wielding sharp knives. Suddenly, Kristine finds a proof that Natalia is not seven after all, and that her agency documents are false. A psychiatrist tells Kristine Natalia is a sociopath and she is definitely older. Kristine makes a decision that will rock their world. This is a true story. Eight episodes cover the legal implications of Kristine’s actions, crooked agencies, trauma and the courts. And what becomes of Natalia.
“132 rooms. 157 suspects”. The Residence, on Netflix now is a witty, outrageous, and fast ride in eight thrilling parts. Set inside the White House it features 3D renderings of every room in the 6-storey building – fascinating. One night during President Perry Morgana’s (Paul Fitzgerald) state dinner for Australia, with which the US has serious issues, Chief Usher AB Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is found stabbed to death in the upper-level game room. His wrists are cut and the obnoxious misogynist Presidential advisor and bestie Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) fearful of disturbing the dinner, immediately claims suicide. Enter “the world’s greatest detective” MPD’s Cordelia Cupp (a brilliant Uzo Aduba) to whom the Hollinger immediately takes exception. She’s paired with skeptical FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park) but ignores him while her mind takes it all in a glance – correctly. Its murder. Cupp, an avid birder does things her way, squelching misogynist and racist slags with admirable ease, aided by perfect comic timing, physicality and immoveable mental might; she’s one for the books. Usher Jasmine Haney (Susan Kelechi Watson) covets Wynter’s job and is a shoo in ; he’s just announced his retirement but the day he’s found dead, he’d told her he was no longer leaving. She is Suspect #1. Meanwhile staff try to keep the murder from the 150 guests dining a couple floors down – but its Washington; they soon find out. All are held for questioning and find interesting ways to while away the time. Is it possible a slight against the Chef was the murder beef? All intercut with the Congressional enquiry into the events of that night, chaired by Al Franken (!). Bronson Pinchot is hilariously unrecognisable as Chef Didier Gotthard; watch for wonderfully defined, original characters who add to the mess. Each episode bears the title of a movie that suggests what’s to come – Fall of the House of Usher, Knives Out, The Last of Sheila, etc. Superior screwball/comedy/farce/murder mystery. From Shonda Rhimes and co-starring Jane Curtin, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Edwina Findley, and Kylie Minogue. Yup.
English actor and comedian David Mitchell is new to me, but what a discovery! He’s astonishing funny, quirky and physical in the BritBox Original Ludwig. Mitchell plays identical twins, John, a hermit singleton, a puzzle creator whose brain works in mysterious ways and James, an extrovert married to Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin) who one day simply vanishes. She says he was deeply changed by a recent case, but was his disappearance planned or forced? Lucy must wrest John from his quiet housebound existence to help her find out what’s happened. She asks him to pretend to be father to her children and James the police oficer. He reluctantly agrees to impersonate his twin and retrieve his personal notebook; he’s DCI of an inner-city major crimes team and it may hold a clue as to where he is or who might be holding him. John agrees only because the situation requires the kind of mind that automatically conquers any puzzle. Off he goes dressed the part, and finds the police station and people, noisy and action unbearable; he’s told to “delegate” as he’s the lead staffer and has no idea how. If he wants to be left alone, he says he has paperwork, and no computer. He gets into situations that are wickedly funny and usually uncomfortable and he can’t drive and they all notice. But drive he does, terribly, in attempting to continue the ruse. Normally ordinary phrases he uses are suddenly funny, thanks to Mitchell’s sly work. But he has an understanding parter Di Carter (Dipo Ola) who realises his value and respects his quirks. Then something extraordinary happens; he manages to solve in mere moments, a puzzling case that’s baffled the staff. He’s a hero, the “Elvis Presley” of detection. That’s because he’s cursed with a condition that turns in his favour – he must solve any puzzle that presents itself, otherwise, he suffers intense anxiety. In a second case, a body is found in a stately home turned hotel run by Lady Bryce, Rosemary and Thyme’s Felicity Kendall, who resents living in a cottage while strangers live in her home. John arrives on the scene; can he stay in character? Later on, we discover just what sparked John’s obsession with puzzle solving and how to recognise a false path, but where is James? Let’s just say he’s in deep trouble Even the music adds to the series’ humour, mocking John via some instrument unknown to me, and Mitchell’s timing, delivery and expressions are the stuff of hilarious dreams. The series attracted a huge audience in the UK and was immediately renewed for a second season. Bring it. March 20.