Henry Johnson

Henry Johnson is a phenomenal film to watch. They say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions and this film is the visual depiction of that phrase. It's a well directed tale that gains momentum as it shifts from scene to scene culminating in an ending that pulls you in, sways you gently back and forth and then throws you off a cliff. The dialogue between the actors throughout the film was so smooth that it brought to mind an Olympic relay team effortlessly passing a baton back and forth. Don't miss this one - it's been a long time since a film of this caliber has been made and probably a long time before one like it will be made again.

Wordy playwright David Mamet got behind the camera for the first time in a decade+ to direct his own screenplay (adapted from his own play) "Henry Johnson" - a dull & plodder that may delight his pseudo-intellectual snob fans but will sink anyone else into a morose coma. It's basically four conversations the titular Evan Jonigkeit has with Chris Bauer (good), Shia LaBeouf (twice), then Dominic Hoffman. If it ended after Bauer's opener it would make a neat short, but no, it descends on into weighty come forgettable droning monologues to illustrate one man's weakness. It's a crushing bore that'll make most hope Mamet disappears for another decade+. Dreadful.

I'll start by saying I'm a big Mamet fan. In many ways diving into his catalog of plays was what led me to begin a career in theater. Which is what made the last few plays of his- China doll, the penitent and the anarchist so disheartening- they sucked. A lot. They just lacked the sizzle of what makes Mr mamets work shine. But Henry Johnson is a linguistic banger with actors that elevate the words with ride or die commitment. Sure, maybe the jumps in time are a touch jarring, especially from the second to last scene to the last scene, but this is a true Mamet work in all the best ways, and for that I'm truly grateful.

From the first to last word, not a line is wasted.

Pulling off the rare feat of fooling you not once, not twice, but three times in one film, Mamet proves that he's still at the top of his game.

Sparse set pieces and smart budget-saving director hacks allow us to focus on the plot and stellar acting from all involved.

While many of Mamet's previous directing efforts have been hampered by flat acting and monotonous, repetitious reading, Henry Johnson puts the impassioned actors on display front-and-centre, and allows the subtlety of their body language to help tell the story.

We might even (God forbid) be witness to some rare ad libbing in a Mamet production, if only with a few monosyllabic words here and there.

Finally, as someone who had been unimpressed with Shia LeBeouf since his mainstream breakthrough in Transformers, my mind. Was sufficiently blown away by his natural, nuanced performance here, a career best.

In conclusion, I can only gather that some of the laughable negative reviews here betray an embarrassing misunderstanding of drama, and the film medium itself.

As someone who watches 2-3 new films a week, if this film is not a masterpiece, I have no idea what is.

HIGHLY recommended.

Greetings again from the darkness. Show or tell ... films tend to lean one direction or the other. Visuals are obviously the key to the popularity of superhero movies and comic book adaptations, while on the other end of the spectrum we have 'Mamet-speak.' David Mamet is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer who has been nominated for Oscars, Tonys, and Emmys. Best known for his rapidly-paced labyrinthian dialogue, Mamet is known for both his stage and screen projects.

His 1976 play "Sexual Perversion in Chicago" was adapted into the film, ABOUT LAST NIGHT (1996), while possibly his best known stage-to-screen adaptation was GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992), which was directed by the recently deceased James Foley). Other well-known Mamet screenplays include THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1981), THE VERDICT (1982), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987), WAG THE DOG (1997) and HANNIBAL (2001). Mamet has also directed some of his own screenplays: HOMICIDE (1991), THE SPANISH PRISONER (1997), and STATE AND MAIN (2000). I also must mention one of my favorites, his underappreciated 1987 film, HOUSE OF GAMES.

Since it's been about 17 years since he last directed a feature film, it seemed fitting to post a bit of a David Mamet history lesson. For this one (he again adapted from one of his plays), he directs a small cast working with an enormous script of dialogue. There are basically four sequences, the middle two combine for Act II. A mesmerizing 23-minute opening sequence finds Mr Barnes (Chris Bauer, "True Blood") in a rapid-fire debate with his employee, the titular Henry (Evan Jonigkeit, wearing what I believe to be Mamet's eyeglasses). The conversation is two-sided as the men discuss the finer points of the law, among other things - including a decision Henry made regarding an old friend. As the scene ends, we viewers and Henry get a big surprise from Barnes.

The next two sequences find Henry taking in the philosophy and life lessons from his cell mate Gene (Shia LaBeouf). This follows Barnes' comment from earlier when he reminded that one of the signs of a psychopath is immense charm. Henry is clearly taken in by all Gene has to offer - both in their cell and in the prison library, as they analyze the role of fear and other crucial lessons that master manipulator Gene is inclined to share. The final sequence is a tense standoff with an armed Henry holding prison guard Jerry (Dominic Hoffman, Mamet's REDBELT, 2008). Again, we find someone offering advice and counseling to Henry, who seems mostly capable of being taken advantage of and making poor decisions. Henry tells him, "Do what you want - people generally do." And I do hope Mamet lovers will check this one out and bask in the Mamet-speak that we are too rarely treated.

Available VOD beginning May 9, 2025.