Mark Boone Jr.

Sons of Anarchy, Ep. 7.09, “What a Piece of Work is Man”: A club member falls

The title of this week’s Sons of Anarchy episode refers to a speech from Act II of Hamlet, in which the Prince of Denmark confesses his general malaise and depression to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. While outlining his outlook on life, he commiserates about how many accomplishments and abilities mankind is capable of in which he cannot bring himself to take part, for lack of purpose and motivation. This lack of interest in the general goings on or excitement of the world can surely be applied to the club throughout much of this season of Sons, but is also accurate meta commentary on the way the show is spurning narrative opportunities left and right over its final stretch.

TIFF 2013: ‘Life of Crime’ a fine addition to canon of Elmore Leonard adaptations

With the timing of a well-orchestrated heist, the latest screen adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel closes this year’s Toronto Film Festival. Given his recent passing and the well-deserved plaudits from various luminaries of pen and screen, his rap sheet has been celebrated over the past few weeks. Based on Leonard’s novel The Switch, writer and director Daniel Schechter has managed to embezzle a fine addition to the long list of lean Leonard works. Although it doesn’t quite hit the jackpot, it does manage to purloin some fine criminal characters and a gutsy group of belly laughs to boot.

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