Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn in the Vince Gilligan television series ‘Breaking Bad’

Just recently I watched the neo-Western crime drama television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013). The core story of the series is how underpaid and demoralized chemistry teacher Walter White, diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer to begin the series, teams with former student Jesse Pinkman to sell crystal meth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Vince Gilligan created and produced the series.

(From left, Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Anna Gunn as Skyler White and RJ Mitte as Walter White, Jr. in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

As the series begins, Walter White lives in the family’s one-story ranch house with Skyler White, his wife, and Walter White, Jr., his son. Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte portrayed husband, wife and son, respectively, in the series. The initial impetus for entering the drug trade for Walter White was to financially provide for his family in the face of his cancer diagnosis. The process began as a small operation with small batches, made in combination and then distributed with the aid of former student Jesse Pinkman. Aaron Paul portrayed Jesse Pinkman.

(From left, Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman and Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Comedic dysfunction ensued in the relationship for Pinkman and his former teacher in getting their business off the ground. Distribution is an initial consideration, with issues in manufacturing and distribution, with the engagement of Krazy-8, as portrayed by Max Arciniega, offering a dramatic sequence of events for the opening season. Jesse Pinkman’s strained relationship with his parents, as portrayed by Michael Bofshever and Tess Harper, added some depth to this storyline. Sharing Walt’s cancer diagnosis to Skyler’s sister Marie Schrader and DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, introduced some of Walter’s extended family. Dean Norris and Betsy Brandt portrayed Hank and Marie, respectively.

(From left, Dean Norris as Hank Schrader and Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The second season plants the fodder for the larger narrative for where the five seasons of Breaking Bad will go. Introducing Tuco Salamanca, as portrayed by Raymond Cruz, at first introduces an element of realism and risk for what the illegal meth business means. Keeping the notion separate from family, with the introductions of mortal risk alongside a love interest for Jesse with Jane Margolis, demonstrating complexity on the front that is only the tip of the iceberg. Krysten Ritter and John de Lancie portray Jane Margolis and her father, Donald Margolis, respectively. The recreational vehicle and meth lab for Walt and Jesse, in their own ways, bring problems between Jesse and his parents, Hank Schrader and the criminal enterprise, and familial ties that aren’t readily apparent at this of the story. The season really ends with a bang.

(From left, Matt Jones as Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew, Rodney Rush as Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, Charles Baker as Skinny Pete and Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Season three introduces many elements of fallout from the second season, including introductions to relatives of Tuco Salamanca through Saul Goodman. Bob Odenkirk, Mark Margolis, Daniel Moncada and Luis Moncada portrayed Saul Goodman, Hector Salamanca, Marco Salamanca and Leonel Salamanca, respectively. Goodman also brings Mike Ehrmantraut into the relationship of Walter and Skyler White, with an aim to protect the criminal enterprise that Jesse and Walter. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman had brought Goodman into their enterprise in what was to become a growing crystal meth operation. It’s through Ehrmantraut, as portrayed by Jonathan Banks, that we are introduced to chicken manufacturer Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring of Chile and his industrial strength crystal meth manufacturing plant. Giancarlo Esposito portrayed Fring.

(From left, Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut and Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The backstory of the industrial plant takes the audience into the past crystal meth manufacturing ambitions of Gus Freng. This history shows a longstanding relationship between Fring and Hector Salamanca, culminating in the manufacturing storyline under the laundromat. Dynamic interpersonal dynamics become exceedingly more complex from this past, and with the cook who assembled the plant the parts for the plan in the first place, Gale Boetticher. David Costabile portrayed Boetticher, whose overall story leads to the fulfillment of many storylines for Breaking Bad.

(From left, Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca and Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The Salamanca storyline around vengeance for Tuco runs contemporaneous to the laundromat, the introduction to Gus’ ambition, and explaining to outward appearances for the ability to afford Walter White’s cancer treatments. We meet the character Ted Beneke, a creep from Skyler’s past portrayed by Christopher Cousins. Meanwhile, we dynamics with Jesse’s distribution ring leads to troubles for Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, as portrayed by Rodney Rush. The fallout of this leads to significant issues for Walter and Jesse with Mike Ehrmantraut and Gus Fring, with the relationship that Jesse has cultivated with Andrea Cantillo and her son, Brock Cantillo, on Jesse’s mind. Emily Rios and Ian Posada portrayed Andrea Cantillo and Brock Cantillo, respectively.

(From left, Christopher Cousins as Ted Beneke, David Costabile as Gale Boetticher and Emily Rios as Andrea Cantillo in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The third and fourth seasons of Breaking Bad were among the best I’ve seen in a television series. The trajectory for so many relationships along with the development of the histories that informed so much of the motivation for characters were tremendous. That we truly began to see the true nature of who series long characters were during this timeframe. The stepping up of ways that DEA agent Hank Schrader continued not knowing that his brother-in-law was in drugs, as prolonged as could be possible with some ingenious interventions, were artfully done. This said, the sharing for how the stories of so many characters worked themselves out by the fourth season, and through some tying of loose ends with the fifth season, made the fifth season feel a bit anti-climactic at points for me. The introduction of Holly White was an interesting touch along the way, which served purposes for the relations between Walter and Skyler White, Hank and Marie Schrader, and between the Schraders and the Whites.

(From left, Jesse Plemons as Todd Alquist and Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The storylines for the fifth and final season of Breaking Bad introduced needs to bring resolution to relationships with questions unresolved. Would members of the cast continue with the criminal enterprise? Would folks get caught? Would Hank catch the criminal that he’d been after since the beginning of the series. These questions are answered with clarity and depth, though the true emotional impact for some of these questions rested earlier in the series. The functions of Todd Alquist and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle became necessary, though these characters didn’t get the screen time to resonate as completely as others, including Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew and as Skinny Pete. The discrete closure for specific characters, and how things were left open for our imaginations for some characters, was an interesting choice. That this led the Better Call Saul (2015-2022) television series as well as the El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) movie occurred, due to this, in my opinion. Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Jesse Plemons and Laura Fraser portrayed Mayhew, Skinny Pete, Alquist and Rodarte-Quayle, respectively.

(From left, director Vince Gilligan and actor Aaron Paul preparing for a scene for the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The overall experience of the Breaking Bad television series was entertaining. There are definitely parts of the movie that explored the motivations for who characters were, with the end result being a clear speaking to the full character that was Walter White. I give Breaking Bad as produced by Vince Gilligan 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper and the movie ‘The Mule’

Clint Eastwood directs and starred in the curious tale of a flawed 90-year-old horticulturalist turned Mexican drug cartel mule named The Mule (2018). Inspired by The New York Times article, Nick Schenk penned the screenplay for what ultimately may be Eastwood’s final on-screen acting or directing role. The film was Eastwood‘s first starring role since Trouble with the Curve (2012).

(Clint Eastwood as Earl Stone in The Mule).

The notion of Earl Stone, as played by Clint Eastwood, serving as the transportation for drug smuggling with a drug cartel came to pass after a long period of failed relations between he and his family. Earl had spent a lot of time on the road serving his passion for growing and selling flowers, largely to the detriment to his relationships with his ex-wife Mary Stone (portrayed by Dianne Wiest), his daughter Iris (as played by Clint‘s real life daughter Alison Eastwood), and his granddaughter Ginny (played as an adult by Taissa Farmiga).

(From left, Dianne Wiest as Mary Stone, Alison Eastwood as Iris, and Taissa Farmiga as Ginny in The Mule).

It was after missing many milestones in his daughter’s life and with his wife that granddaughter Ginny invited Earl to a gathering before her wedding where Earl made an appearance. Drama ensued for all to see when a still bitter Iris made a scene about the perceived histrionics of his presence. Accusations of his habitual absence for flower conventions coupled with chronic financial distress were leveled, which prompted someone within earshot to offer Earl the path to transporting drugs for a criminal drug operation.

(Clint Eastwood as Earl Stone, center left, and Andy Garcia as Laton, center right, in The Mule).

Earl had been attractive for such a role due to his age, ethnicity, financial difficulties, and clear record of cautious driving as proven by his testimony of no driving tickets despite having driven to more than 40 of the 50 United States. Laton, as played by Andy Garcia, headed the organization where Earl flourished through a half-dozen or more trips worth of successful drug transportation. This process worked for the cartel until the oddity of Earl’s case caught the attention of those tasked with combating drug crime.

(Bradley Cooper as Agent Colin Bates, top left, Michael Peña as Agent Treviño, top right, and Laurence Fishburne as the Special Agent in Charge in The Mule).

Laurence Fishburne as the unnamed Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago, Illinois office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, was in part tasked with stemming the flow of drugs into Illinois. Bradley Cooper as Agent Colin Bates and Michael Peña as Agent Treviño worked under the supervision of Fishburne‘s character, with eyes on the cartel led Laton and his cartel.

(Clifton Collins Jr. as Gustavo in The Mule).

Shortly after Laton brought Earl to Laton’s Mexican home to celebrate Earl’s success, Gustavo (as played by Clifton Collins Jr.) made a shocking play in the cartel. This prompted a change in the manner of how Earl would conduct his business with the cartel, thus leading to the law enforcement success the DEA representatives referenced above had been seeking.

(Nick Shenk wrote the screenplay for The Mule).

My overall reaction to the film is that much of the story along with many of the acting performances offered the possibility of charm with little in terms of emotional payoff. Neither the roles nor the story offered much to make me want to watch this again nor think about how clever or charming the action was portrayed. The storytelling was straightforward and clear. The fact that the film felt in many ways like a retelling of the film Gran Torino (2008), without some of the impact of the first film, perhaps makes this one suffer in comparison. Overall, my rating is 3.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, August 31, 2019