MOJAVE

US, 2015, 93 minutes, Colour.

Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac, Mark Wahlberg, Walton Goggins.
Directed by William Monahan.

Mojave is a strange film, a mixture of thriller and philosophical rumination. It was written directed by William Monahan who wrote the screenplay for The Departed.

Garrett Hedlund portrays a film producer in moments of despair, going out into the Mojave Desert to find himself. He encounters a wandering man, played by Oscar Isaac, seemingly friendly but then antagonism arises between the two. While in a cave, the producer seems to see a threatening silhouette and shoots – but it is a policeman and the producer covers his tracks.

The producer returns to his work, his casual relationships, and some antagonism with another producer, Mark Wahlberg.

In the meantime, the other man returns, cuts his hair, shaves his beard, encounters a gay man and kills him, going to his mansion and enjoying the style before going to confront the producer. They have an emotional conflict, a physical conflict, and ideological conflict and discuss the respective views on art and the meaning of life.

Audiences may find it very interesting in dialogue, the portrait of the characters – but many may find it sometimes too artsy or too pretentious.

1. The title, the desert, real, and the desert of souls?

2. The emptiness of the desert, sand, the mountains? The visuals? Emotional? The contrast with Los Angeles, homes, mansions? The musical score?

3. The title, in relation to Tom and Jack, in the desert, the events, discussions and reflections, death, concealment, the consequences? Tom as the focus, his age, in himself, getting out of bed, the woman, driving into the desert, supplies, the camp? Jack approaching, suspicions, tense, defensive? Their talk, the philosophical conversation, the classical quotes? The gun? Ousting Jack? The cave, glare, the policeman at the entrance, Tom shooting him, disposing of the body? Concealing what he had done? His return to Los Angeles?

4. Jack, his look, in the desert, finding the camp, the request, talking, his cultured background, philosophical? The attack and his going? Reappearance? The intimidation of Tom, his knowing what happened, his motivation?

5. Tom, his life, women, his wife and’s child in England, involved in the movies, creative, discussions with his agent, hiding the gun in the television, the interactions with Norman?

6. The variety of characters in the industry, produces and production? The agent, Norman and his world?

7. Jack, the return to LA, wanting lifts, not getting them? His haircut, emerging as a new man, the interaction with the gay man, going home with him, killing him, enjoying his luxury life?

8. The attitude to Tom, getting the gun, his appearance, the confrontation, the discussions with the classical philosophical overtones, issues of moral responsibility? Jack’s blackmail? Two stances?

9. Tom going to the trailer, the interior, the books? Jack and his superiority? The weapons? The accord? Tom shooting him and Jack’s reaction?

10. The framework of the thriller but with existential rumination, classics, the arts, moralising in the 21st century?