Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: ARMAGEDDON TIME [Cannes Film Festival 2022]

Sometimes the issues with a coming-of-age story, especially if it is in a way auto-biographical can lose a little bit of perspective. "Armageddon Time" [Competition] even in its title is misleading. Writer/Director James Gray has more worked with adult-0themed dramas which he is exceptionally good at. The story at the heart of this is about two boys from different sides of the tracks with different hang ups, expectations, strengths and weakness and how they evolve from them. Banks Zepata (who was in "Uncle Frank") is not a bad actor but realistically, his performance comes back as less than believable here and maybe a little stilted. What is interesting though is what strong performances everyone else has. His just doesn't meld in the right way. For the first few minutes, Anne Hathaway is almost unrecognizable as Zepata's Jewish mother who wants the best for her son but doesn't know how to control him.

Anthony Hopkins has the grandfather gives his most subtle and rich performance in many years where it looks organic. It still, with him, is about the lines but seeing that undercurrent of humor that it seems Gray brought out in him is beautiful. Jeremy Strong as the dad though is the pace of the film. Whether this was based on an actual figure in Gray's life is hard to say but it is through his eyes that Zepata should see the weight of the world. But the character is a dreamer who doesn't see the consequences of his actions for the most part or the hurt he causes. The issue of unrepentance makes it very hard to have any empathy at times for his plight or his dream. Most kids are cruel in this way at times but the growing up and childhood angst seems one sided.

Granted the movie suggests that there is a reasoning for his behavior having switched to different schools and some of the ideas that he believes are undeniable to work. Jaylin Webb plays Zepata's friend who is much more accessible but has the weight of the world on his shoulders and rightfully so. But his friendship again doesn't register so much in Zepata's reaction. This might have to do with direction between these two kids because it just doesn't work as well as it should. Gray includes some of his musical tastes as well into the texture. However the comparison that comes to mind is PTA's "Licorice Pizza" which had the same balance, time period, younger actors, established players and a musical underpinning yet it felt more free flowing and effective. "Armageddon Time" has many of the textures that make a great movie but its lead character simply doesn't fully connect despite his ambitions. B-

By Tim Wassberg