FILM REVIEW: IP MAN THE FINAL FIGHT

A scene from Ip Man: The Final Fight.

Fighting history

By John Esther

Over the past five years there has been a great influx of films about Ip Man (AKA Yip Man), a Chinese martial artist whose greatest claim to fame is that he taught Wing Chun to martial artist legend Bruce Lee.

In 2008, Donnie Yen starred as the titular character in Ip Man, and then reprised the role in the 2010 film, Ip Man 2. That same year, The Legend is Born – Ip Man was released. Ip Man also appeared in the 2010 Chinese TV series, The Legend of Bruce Lee as well as the current Chinese TV series, The Legend of Ip Man. Noted director Wong Kar-wai’s recent film, The Grandmaster, stars Tony Leung as the great master in 1930s China. And now comes director Herman Yau and writer Erica Lee’s version, Ip Man: The Final Fight.

Something of a part III to the Yen films, Ip Man: The Final Fight focuses on the later years of Ip Man (Anthony Wong) as he is once again forced to save the day. This time the enemy is organized crime, which has been allowed to run rampant by the powers that be in order to break up the unions.

Like the Ip Man films starring Yau, Ip Man: The Final Fight paces itself quite nicely, for the most part, between story and choreographed martial arts. Unlike many an American action film, Ip Man: The Final Fight begins with story before swinging in action – which is only a brief scene to establish Ip Man’s martial arts superiority and why people wanted to learn from him. However, as the film progresses there are quite a few fight scenes which are forced, but is that not what the audiences are here: to see some fights!

While the film is adequately entertaining as an action film and politically significant as the unions are shown in a positive light, Ip Man: The Final Fight, like the Yen films, takes great autobiographical liberties with its protagonist. While some liberties may be “excused” for dramatic effect (such as the film’s portrayal of Ip Man’s martial arts schools on the rooftop), trying to rewrite history is another thing. In real life, Ip Man was a cop and member of the Chinese Nationalist Party, so it would have been nearly impossible that he would have fought on the side of labor. Then there is a scene where he scolds his new and younger love, Jenny (Zhou Chuchu), for using opium during his recovery. In real life, Ip Man was known to have used opium (at least in his latter Hong Kong days).

Ip Man was a notable martial arts instructor, he was not a saint. Perhaps someday, somebody will make an accurate film about the man. Meanwhile, we have these kung fu pseudo-biopics to entertain us.

 

 

 

THEATER REVIEW: NICKLE AND DIMED

A scene from Nickel and Dimed.

Good sense and bad cents

By Ed Rampell

Barbara Ehrenreich’s 2001 Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America is something of a 21^st century counterpart to Frederick Engels’ 1845 The Condition of the Working Class in England. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America grew out of an article for Harper’s magazine wherein the accomplished author clandestinely worked for three months in a number of blue collar low wage jobs to see if one could survive doing so. Playwright Joan Holden’s adaptation, Nickel and Dimed, is a superb, moving dramatization based on the then-50-something Ehrenreich’s undercover misadventures in minimum wage-land.

Zachary Barton is stellar as the protagonist who is alternately called “Barbara” -- when she’s in authorial mode -- and “Barb” when she is waitressing at the “Kenny’s” eatery chain, folding and sorting clothes at “Mallmart”, cleaning homes for “Magic Maids” and so on. Barton expertly expresses Barbara/Barb’s smoldering outrage. The veteran stage actress’ visage actually bears a resemblance to Ehrenreich’s face, and she is simply splendid and outstanding as the writer who proudly proclaims early in the play: “I’m a radical.” Later on a character ponders about Barb: “I wonder if she’s a communist?”

The ensemble cast is likewise first-class as (mostly) working class stiffs Barb encounters when she goes through the plebian looking glass. From restaurant to big box store employees, fast order cooks to cashiers, Veronica Alicino, Kathleen Ingle, Jackie Joniec, Carmen Lezeth Suarez, Johnnie Torres and Matthew Wrather all play multiple roles, and do so convincingly, with pathos and humor. These thespians are cannily cast, as they don’t, in general, have that glossy Hollywood pretty boy/girl look, but rather appear to be “real people” in various sizes, ethnicities, shapes and ages.

A standout moment in the play is when Wrather as a Mallmart manager seems to ad lib with audience members as he rationalizes the chain’s hyper-exploitation business model, which allegedly includes forcing laborers to work extra hours for no additional payment. (A bit about how the “Mallton” family members are among the richest individuals in America would enhance the dialogue.)

Kudos to Richard Kilroy, who adeptly directs the ensemble and also, tellingly, has the set design credit. This is crucial because Nickel and Dimed has many scenic transitions as we move from one of the peripatetic Barb’s places of employment to another, from Florida to the Northeast. The rapid set changes keep pace with Barb’s odyssey.

The oppressive, humiliating conditions of underpaid, non-unionized, hyper-exploited workers who are low paid and generally don’t receive benefits is first and foremost in the drama. But the rift between intellectuals and manual laborers is also explored -- the highly educated Barbara has options her blue collar comrades don’t. Spunky Barb is puzzled by what seems to be their subservience, as the least of those among us may have little, but much to lose if they get fired from their low paying jobs. Without much of (if any) a safety net, this wage slavery is all that stands between them and sheer, utter destitution.

Although Barbara may be an intellectual and author, the compassionate writer and Montana-born daughter of a copper miner remembers her own humble origins (Ehrenreich was also married to a Teamster organizer for 10 years), and yearns and burns to shine a light on their proletarian plight. Barbara’s crusade causes a fissure to grow between her and her white collar boyfriend (one of the many parts Wrather plays), but Holden’s script fails to resolve this plot-wise and to fully show how Barbara’s underground escapades among the wretched of the Earth have changed her.

But this is a mere quibble. Nickel and Dimed powerfully, poignantly demonstrates why the millions of unrepresented workers need to be unionized, and how this is arguably the cause of our time. (During the last Depression the unionization rate grew by 300%, and Ehrenreich founded and has been the president of United Professionals, a membership organization for white collar workers.) All those who argue against raising the minimum wage should be forced to live on it themselves.


Bright Eyes Productions’ Nickel and Dimed runs through August 25 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038. For more info: 323-960-5770; www.pays411.com/nickelanddimed.

SPORTS NEWS: GALAXY VS. UNION

Los Angeles Galaxy's Leonardo. Photo Credit: LA Galaxy.

Calling foul

By John Esther

In a game marked by many questionable yellow and red cards, the Los Angeles Galaxy managed to win at Home Depot Center 1-0 against the visiting Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.

After a somewhat frustrating start for both sides, the game opened up for Los Angeles during the 33^rd minute when English midfielder David Beckham took a penalty kick from 25 yards out and connected with the head of Brazil's Leonardo, knocking the ball beyond the reach of Philadelphia goalkeeper, team captain and Colombian national, Faryd Mondragon.

Shortly into the second half, Philadelphia's offence opened up. In the 47^th French midfielder Sebastian Le Toux briefly threatened a tie before Galaxy Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts made his first serious save of the MLS 2011 season.

Los Angeles looked to increase the lead when Brazilian midfielder Juninho looked for his third goal of the season in the 57^th minute. The Galaxy's top scorer of the season hit the top crossbar.

Then the citations started to be issued. Los Angeles midfielder Chris Birchall was ejected from the field with a red card after an altercation with former Galaxy top-scorer Carlos Ruiz. The Union forward received a yellow card.

Now playing with 10 men, Los Angeles became more reserved in their play while the increasingly unpopular referee Paul Ward was anything but reserved with the yellow and red cards. In addition to the cards for Ruiz and Birchall, in the 51^st minute a yellow card was issued to Los Angeles' Miguel Lopez. Ricketts was issued a yellow card for delay of game in the 60^th minute while Beckham essentially asked for one in the 90^th minute and Los Angeles captain Landon Donovan received one in the 92^nd minute. Yellow cards were issued to Philadelphia players Sheanon Williams (64^th minute), Jordan Harvey (78^th minute), and Danny Califf (88^th minute), plus a red card to Jack McInerney (94^th minute).

This was the first lost of the MLS season for Philadelphia, who maintain first place in the Eastern Conference.

Now in second place in the Western Conference with seven points, the Galaxy will face off against Eastern Conference D.C. United for a match Saturday, 4 p.m. PST.