About Triple Frontier and Slipping Butts

Post 550:

            Whenever you’re flying in a small plane, it’s important to make coordinated turns. The key is to add enough stick and rudder for the right amount of time to make your body feel stable in your seat. It’s all about maintaining the center of gravity. If the turn isn’t performed in sync, you’ll feel your butt slipping underneath.

            Simple stuff.

            I was thinking about my butt slipping while watching Triple Frontier. If we imagine a character’s change to be the turning of a plane, the character “arcs” in the film were making me slide all over the place.

            It may sound as though I’m trying to dump on this movie, but I’m not. Just pointing out facts. I had no idea what anyone wanted at any given time. The cocaine user seemed to be the most level-headed one some of the time. The devoted brothers hated each other a bunch. The so-called leader was out of control and lusting for money, opting to stay behind for extra money… because.

            I would like to say that one of the five characters had a definable trait. Maybe I missed something.

            If someone argued that these characters were going to change due to the nature of the situation, I’d agree, but you have to start with something so I can get a reference point.

            This isn’t as easy as it sounds, so again, I’m not hating. Probably, with five top-grade actors, carving out definable roles for each of them was a challenge.

            Still. You’ve got the guys. You’ve got professional people. Make tough writing choices. Go back and change some stuff before it goes to production. These actors are going to recite what you put on the page. I know I don’t have the right to judge, and I try not to—all I’m saying… done about fell out my seat.

            Other than that, I enjoyed it. That’s about as churlish as I get. Don’t be getting used to it.

            Cheers and see you after.