The Prestige TV Podcast - Where 'Locked Down' Fits in the Quarantine Genre

Episode Date: January 27, 2021

Amanda Dobbins and Juliet Litman discuss 'Locked Down,' a quarantine/heist movie starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Hosts: Amanda Dobbins and Juliet Litman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

That only is everything not okay, nothing is okay. Linda said she was planning to end our thing. Nobody wants to live alone. For two weeks, we are locked together here. You know, you think of so happy and normal? No, I'd never accuse you of being happy and normal. Because I'm not! I've been furloughed.

Now there is literally zero purpose to my life. I'm going to get provisions. We need milk, bread. Hey, how many asses have you got? Piss-off. The nice people that I fired, they were fired because of me. It's not about the virus, it's about who I am and what I do for a living. You fired them well.

Thank you. Is that a glass of wine? Yes, yeah, it is. This episode is brought to you by Netflix's remarkably bright creatures. What if a Pacific octopus held the key to a mystery that could heal your heart? Well, that's Tova's reality. An elderly widow working at an aquarium. Tova forms an unlikely friendship with the crumudgeonly Marcellus.

whose remarkable intelligence leads her to a life-changing discovery. Watch remarkably bright creatures with your remarkable moms this Mother's Day weekend, only on Netflix May 8th. Welcome to TV concierge, a Ringer podcast about things that you can stream at home. I am Amanda Dobbins. I am joined today by Juliet Lippman. We are the co-hosts of Jam Session, among other podcasts here at the Ringer. Juliet, hello.

Hi! You and I are here today to talk about lockdown. Which is a pandemic quarantine romantic comedy, maybe, we'll discuss it, directed by Doug Lyman and starring Ann Hathway and Chautel Edgiofor. It is streaming, it went direct to HBO Max and it is available. And you and I both watched it. Juliet, tell me your thoughts. I enjoyed this movie. I wouldn't say it's my favorite movie ever, but I had a good time.

I feel like it's above average for a straight to streaming movie. And I don't know. I think I'd recommend it. I was like if you've got so time this weekend, which I think most people do. I recommend it. I really do. What did you think? I agree with this.

I was saying to our producer, Kaya, before we started, it was better than I expected. And I guess I should say a little bit of what I expected, which is also a little bit what the movie is about. So this is a movie about a couple played by Anne Hathway and Chouetteetteetteette Edia four, or they were a couple. And they've just broken up and they are in lockdown together in their home in London. And it is about lockdown and the experience of being locked down and their relationship in lockdown. And then the fact that they decide to Rob Herod's. So it's a lockdown movie that becomes a heist movie. And even in the trailer, there was a lot of Zoom elements and

production, you know, quarantine, tinge stuff. And I have to be honest, having been in lockdown myself for almost a year and no personal end in sight, I can't say I'm hungry for content about this moment. I thought the same way. I felt the same way. You and I have talked a lot about, like, I miss production values. I look at Zoom enough for work. We're on Zoom right now. I've only seen you via Zoom for like the past year, literally. You look great. It's a treat every day for me when I see you, but like, I don't need it in my movies. And so I was like, oh, okay, like, I like that they tried lockdown, but like, am I going to like this? And I did. Yeah, I did too. It's funny you bring that out because this movie, as you said, involves a lot of Zoom,

but it also involves a lot of normal, like, 4K camera work. And it's such a relief. And there's a lot of quick clots between the Zoom screen and, like, the normal camera. Honestly, my eyes feel relief. Like, my whole body feels like a visceral relief when they go to regular camera footage. I don't know what that is. I don't know if it's like some kind of like Pavlovian response of like trauma, but I or it's just like, you know, doesn't look as good. But I like, I think back to forgetting Sarah Marshall when the video calls were like a gimmick between Bill Hater and Jason Segal. And like, that was like funny. And like here we are like almost 15 years later. I'm just like if I never see another video call represented in a TV show or a movie, it'll be too soon.

Like, I just can't handle it. But the movie surmounts that problem, I will say. I would go as far to say also that I do think for the most part, it uses the Zoom calls cleverly. Like, and fairly sparingly. Yeah, it's a little much in the beginning because they're trying to establish, okay, you're in lockdown. And there is that oppressive feeling.

And I think when we were starting it, and there was just that extended phone call with the brother played by Dule Hill, I was like, I don't know, I don't want no more Zoom. And then it balances out. And they do use it pretty well. But I think my reaction was just like yours. I've spent too much time on it. It's like a traumatic association. Never again, do I need to see a Zoom whatever. I feel like the rest of the lockdown aspect of it was pretty good. I mean, a large part of this movie is two people talking or yelling at each other in a house. And then they conference other people and kind of yell at those people. It's primarily it's dialogue.

I think they filmed this with in 18 days, I believe, like with a small amount of crew. They did try to like film at distance. All of the cameos from people like Ben Stiller and Mindy Kaling and are done like via video. But it's like mostly people talking, which makes sense because of quarantine. And also there's like a long history of movies of like people talking. Yes. And I feel like this is a great time to mention, I felt like Anne Hathaway just absolutely nailed her exposition responsibilities. She was tasked with a lot of explaining, which is, I guess, the definition of exposition.

And I thought she did a really good job. And for some reason, I felt like personal pride that Anne Hathaway did a good job with that. So you want to talk a little about the performances? I would love to. Because it is, it rests on Chutel Aegee for and Anne Hathaway and what they go through as a couple. It's like sort of a mini who's afraid of Virginia Woolf just between two people and instead of inviting like two other people in, they decide to rob a department store. But you know, which you got to do what you got to do. But like the first hour is pretty involved.

I like thought they were both fantastic and especially Anne Hathaway. I completely agree. I completely agree. I also like to think of Choo-Utel-Eget-Four as playing the same role that he played in love actually and like this is his second wife and and and now he is unemployed hold on hold on does that mean that kira nightly ran away with sign guy maybe i don't know i don't know if that's a good choice for anyone and like no healthy relationships which is how churzell sdea 4 and anne hathway end up in the situation they're in at the beginning of this but anyway continue i for some reason i just felt like it was a similar character maybe it's because you know this movie had like a real vibe to it that just reminded me of like a London set movie, which Love actually is kind of like

the er London film at this point. I'm sure many, I'm sure many people do not agree, including the Notting Hill fans. But like to me, it's really up there. London film starring Chutel Edgiafore. Sure. Okay. I accept. Even there, it's probably like not even in the top five, but like continue. Anyway, I just felt like that he, he was like on a level. I mean, you certainly watch more of his movies than I do,

but I just felt like he was playing a role that I like haven't really seen him play and maybe since love actually. And so I was like, I was very into it. And like, I'm just an unabashed half ahead. I like Anne Hathaway.

I just really liked being in the presence of movie stars again. And they like are real movie stars. They have that something on screen. They're great actors. There's one scene when Anne Hathaway is recounting like a trip that she took to Paris pre-lockdown. And there are a lot of details in it. I'm going to be honest. I don't remember all of them.

This script is written by Stephen Knight. And I thought it's a very smart script. And it has like a lot of details and asides and like talkiness that I associate with rom-coms and like very much. But I don't remember all the details. She's fantastic in that scene. Like I was literally like, wow, that's some of the best acting that I've seen. this year. And that's like a lot of that has to do with I haven't seen very many movies this year. And I definitely haven't seen very many movie stars because all the movie stars, especially

all of the big movies with like the big names got delayed. So part of this, I was just like, I'm glad to have some stars back in my life. Yeah. She's really good. I feel like I'd take Anne Hathaway for granted. I don't know. I just thought she was like fantastic. He's really good too. But I felt like her part was kind of less fun. He had like a little bit of like a slapstick vibe. to him in that like first hour. And meanwhile, she's sort of like, you know, her character has to fire people over Zoom. And that's like way, that's just like not particularly fun. But she did a great job. I don't know. She's, she did wonderfully. Also, I mean, this is the part we talk about their home, right? Their actual house was like so amazing. And like seeing these two, two celebrities in a London house

that I'd be happy to live in was also really exciting. I did have a lot of questions about. the renovation because it was clearly an older home that had been renovated. There is like one, it's a funny scene when Chuitel Egya Forrest's character briefly interacts with some people who have showed up in their backyard to pick the flowers that are how you make heroin. They're like poppies or flowers or something. And they're talking about like, oh, a lot of hippies used to live here in the 70s. That must have been what happened.

They planted these. So it's been a renovated home. Anne Hathaway's bedroom seems like, you know, a pre-war situation. The downstairs is very modern. I, like, I just had some questions about continuity. Sure, sure, sure. That's fair. But in some ways, it also, like, fit them, right?

Like, it kind of fit, like, the disjointed couple vibe as well. But, yeah, they were just, like, both really fun. Yeah. Is it a rom-com? I'm going to go with no. Okay. But one of the reasons why it's sort of, like, an interesting movie, is because it has a lot of the kind of touch points of rom-com,

which you referred to, like the kind of talkiness and sort of the couple forced to be together, but they're having relationship problems. Like, there's so much related to rom-coms that are present in this movie. But ultimately, I'm going, no. What did you think? Okay. But can you explain your decision? Yeah, I just, I guess I just felt like the calm piece was not played up enough for me.

Oh, interesting. Okay, so it's a comedy. Yeah, so it's a comedy issue. I mean, this is, I think this is like a smart script and there are clever, like funny moments, but it's not like, ha, ha, funny. Yeah. These are people in distress in the middle of a global crisis and they're like working through it. And the way that they work through it is very chatty. But I, you know, it can be stressful at times that again, the Hugh's afraid of Virginia Woolf vibes like are there and also there in a pandemic. And if you have. have also been in lockdown. You might also find it stressful. I found like the passage of time in this movie to seem like lockdown by which I mean, I wouldn't say it was the best-paced movie that I've ever seen. It just kind of kept going and going.

But anyway, that has nothing to do. I don't think it's a rom-com either. But for me, it's not because of the comedy. It's because I'm a very strict. Here is what a romantic comedy is. Sure. Stic structure. Like have a meat cute but aren't together at the beginning.

and then at the end they are together. And this is pretty close because technically they aren't together at the beginning, though in another way they are. And, you know, by the end, they are again. I guess sort of, hmm, now I'm thinking a little bit about this because there are a lot of the old 40s romantic comedies that are like the remarriage rom-coms where it's like people who are divorced who do get back together.

All right. I'm, wow, revising my opinion, live on air. locked down is a romantic comedy. The other thing I was going to say is like, even if it isn't technically a romantic comedy, which I now think it is, I don't mind it being described because of what you said. It hits all the hallmarks.

And also we just like we got to claim more movies for romantic comedies. I feel like that's a quantity thing. Yeah. And I think also to your point, like while I was watching it, and not only did I feel like I was watching a continuation of true intelligence force character from love,

actually, I was like this Anne Hathaway performance reminds me of the intern, which is another movie I really like, and I really liked Anne Hathaway in. And so I felt like there was a continuation there, which of course, like, I'm also just, like, bringing my own biases to what I see. But, you know, like, we can only be who we are. And so I do think, like, there's just, there's heavy elements of it. And, you know, you mentioned Stephen Knight who wrote the movie. He also is the writer-creator of Pecky Blinder's on my personal faves, but also, like, the creator who wants to be a millionaire. And, you know, involved in like such disparate pieces of television and movie culture, which I think is one of the

reasons why it's like a little hard to put your finger on the genre because like he just is like a really versatile screenwriter and thinker. I don't know if you would say that he's a screenwriter if who wants to be a millionaire. But I think that contributes to like why this is sort of like a fascinating watch. That's a great segue into our final topic of discussion, which is the heist, the herod's heist, because like we've spent all. all this time talking about it. And the second half of this movie, it becomes a heist movie. Now, like, how successful that part of the movie is depends on your willingness to suspend belief about how the Herod's security system works, how any sort of management of jewels

or, you know, outside security system works, how vaults work or, you know, the goodness of people, which is like a lot of different things all at once. But it does, it is a genre. mash up this movie. What did you think of the Harrod's Heist? I'm going to be honest. Couldn't quite follow it. And I'll admit, I also had to watch the reveal in Oceans 11 many times to really understand that heist as well.

So maybe the problem is me. But it didn't completely track for me. I'm going to be honest. This is not a Soderberg level movie heist. That's okay. And there's nothing like a Soderberg movie heist in my personal. opinion. He's number one for me. Ocean's 11. It rules. And I, too, Julia, like, where exactly when they bring in, like, the fake bags of money and where that is in the timeline, I always have

to watch it a couple of times. Thank you so much. Thank you. I'm with you. But also, to me, there's nothing more satisfying in movies than when Soderberg does that, like, now let me just recap and tell you exactly how we did it, even if, and it moves very quickly. No pacing problems in Soderberg movies. Yeah. I sort of followed this. And I kind of, I like, I like, the resolution at the end, which was like they did totally screw it up. And she just had to call on a friend to be like, help me screw the system. And he was like, sure. I mean, that's a nice message. Why not? You know? And then they each get a million dollars and a million dollars to the NHS. The movie doesn't follow up on how the NHS gets the million dollars. And I just want to

make sure that happens. I don't think that it's a great playbook for doing a heist in real life. But I thought it was cool that they actually filmed at Herod's, like, which is, you know, they're there. They're in like the food hall. They're down below. I think at some point, I think Doug Lyman gave an interview that they're in the vault. But, you know, like the underworkings. That's pretty cool. And that's the opposite of lockdown, right?

Like suddenly we get to do these cool things in Herod's. And, you know, I like that they tried. I think it's fun. A rom-com heist movie. sign me up, even if it doesn't hit, like, everything perfectly. May I ask you a question about a film I have not seen? Yes. Oh, no.

What if I haven't seen it? I'm pretty sure you have. How does this relate or, like, have any interplay with another Doug Lyman joint, Mr. Mrs. Smith? I definitely thought about it. I think Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a really underrated movie about marriage. And I just also want to say it, like, that has, well, of course it has some personal stuff, but I don't know.

My husband's going to get mad at me. I'm very happy in my marriage, but I think it is like a very insightful and like funny movie about the like those counseling scenes that Brad and Angela did. I haven't seen it. You've never seen Mr. Mrs. Smith? I couldn't. I was staunched team Jen. So I could never see Mr. Mrs. Smith.

But now perhaps 16 years later I'm ready. Okay. So for anyone who wasn't there, Mr. Mrs. Smith is where Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie met. and then very shortly thereafter the Brandelina began. And directed by Doug Lyman, which is why I brought it up. And directed by Doug Lyman. Yes, yes.

I can't believe you've never seen it. It's on TV all the time. And it's really, really rewatchable. Okay, I'll watch it. I'll report back. It's silly, especially the last third. It's like what even is happening. But there are some pretty good, there are things where like I remember the set pieces.

and you know me, like most action scenes, I'm just like, I don't know, fast forward, fast forward. I don't care. And they're pretty fun, especially the one at their very nice home. Some good movie real estate also for you, Juliet. I think you should see it. But anyway, I do think kind of like that sparring the tension in the marriage between the two is similar. And I did think of Mr. and Mrs. Smith a little bit while watching this.

I also just recommend Mr. Mrs. Smith to everyone. Yeah. I'm going to watch it. I was watching this. I was like, I should really check out Mr. Mrs. Smith finally. Now is the time. So, you know, I think that's great. Two movie recommendations for the price of one on this TV concierge. Lockdown. Check it out. And Mr. and Mrs. Smith. So there you go. You got it. HBO back. Sign up now if you have it. This is a,

this is just an advertisement for them. That's where to find this film. It's like pretty much all the only place you can see movies now. So enjoy it for Julietette Lippman. I'm Anna Dobbins. This has been TV concierge. And we will be back later this week.