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‘Blockers’ a throwback to crude humor; ‘Billions’ on TV
The comedy “Blockers” has the simple premise of three anxious parents wanting to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. In ads, the film’s title is preceded by the image of a rooster. The connection is easy to figure.
A throwback to the “American Pie” franchise and the overall teen comedy vibe of films from the 80s and 90s, “Blockers” has plenty of raunchy humor that one would expect when the act of sexual congress is foremost on the minds of high school seniors.
Julie (Kathryn Newton), wanting to escape the smothering of her single helicopter mom Lisa (Leslie Mann), tells her two best friends of her desire to have sex for the first time on prom night with her boyfriend.
The friends, Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Sam (Gideon Adlon), get with the program and set their sights on classmates, but Sam is stuck with a nerdy kid though her desire is to hook up with a secret crush.
The parents get wind of a sex pact for the big night when Lisa happens to make an inadvertent discovery on Julie’s laptop. The invasion of privacy does not deter Kayla’s dad Mitchell (John Cena) and Sam’s estranged father Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) from an all-night mission.
Playing against type, John Cena, the tough WWE wrestler, is all weepy and overprotective of Kayla, and not averse to subjecting himself to some humiliating scenes of how far he will go, including the uncomfortable scene of butt-chugging.
Hunter, as the absentee, divorced father in Sam’s life, is initially the local pariah for having cheated on his former wife and being perceived as the deadbeat dad, but he’s sometimes the voice of reason in an oddly funny way with his sharp one-liners.
With the kids off to the prom, it doesn’t take long for the trio of parents to decide to awkwardly show up at the dance, and then chase them to a party scene at a lakeside residence before ending up in a chaotic scene at a high-rise hotel.
“Blockers” allows the parents and the kids to shine in comedic roles, with John Cena’s Mitchell stealing many of the scenes as the strait-laced dad not willing to let go. Like any teen sex comedy, “Blockers” has plenty of crude humor that comes with the territory.
‘BILLIONS’ THIRD SEASON ON SHOWTIME
Showtime’s “Billions” is now in its third season, and proves to be as compelling and riveting drama, probably even more so, than when the series first debuted a little over two years ago to some deserved fanfare.
This column’s review of the first run remains very much on point with the passage of time. As described then, “Billions” is a clash between the dicey world of high finance and the exuberance of federal prosecution. That’s still true with even unexpected nuances.
The two gladiators in the arena of callous financial malfeasance versus ruthless prosecutorial tactics are hedge fund magnate Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
“Billions” is the type of serial soap opera of Wall Street that requires binge-watching of the seasons preceding the third if one is unfamiliar with the many twist-and-turns in the cat-and-mouse game of prosecutor Rhoades’ hunt for Axe’s scalp.
This series is one where it is easy to lose track of the plot thread, and thus watching a few of the final chapters of Season 2 that aired only a year ago should help to pick up the direction of a new season with Axe in the crosshairs of the law and Rhoades facing new challenges.
With the new season underway, Rhoades has apparently gained the upper-hand in the ongoing battle with Axe, who has relinquished control of Axe Capital, for the time being, to brilliant analyst Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon), whose non-binary identity has created a remarkable dynamic.
While Axe may be on the ropes, Rhoades has his own set of challenges. His wife Wendy (Maggie Siff), a therapist working for Axe’s company, is often caught in the middle of the friction between her crusading husband and her employer.
In the new season, Rhoades has to deal with a new Attorney General (Clancy Brown), a West Texas country boy who operates with a different set of priorities that will inevitably clash with the operation of the New York office.
Harboring political ambition to become governor, Rhoades had counted on his rich and well-connected father Charles (Jeffrey DeMunn) to be the ultimate power broker, but they are now at odds over a failed business venture.
Notwithstanding the two central antagonists in pitched combat, “Billions” is truly an ensemble of fascinating characters, which allows for a variety of storylines that include Axe’s wife (Malin Ackerman) feeling estranged and turmoil causing rifts at the Southern District.
“Billions” may prove to be an addictive experience, much in the same way that “Mad Men” once captured attention for the power plays in another venue of cutthroat competition.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
