By Sean Burns
How many amazing James Gandolfini reaction shots can you squeeze into one hour?
The hulking bear of an actor might have the most expressive eyebrows since John Belushi, and they certainly got a workout in this week’s episode, “Moe ‘n’ Joe.” Of course, there’s never a shortage of great Tony faces when Janice is around -- and Aida Turturro’s hilariously monolithic self-absorption was cranked up to eleven this week, reminding us all how much her shrill, anarchic presence has been missed since she’s been relegated to background status this year.
Last week I wrote of expecting “fireworks to come” in this year’s final three episodes, but I’ve begun to back off on that prediction. (It figures -- whenever I think I can guess what’s going to happen on this program, I’m inevitably proven wrong.) As our friend Alan Sepinwall noted in the comments thread, this batch of episodes seems headed more towards an implosion than an explosion. “Moe ‘n’ Joe” continued in the same muted tone of the past several weeks, and while several important plot turns occurred, the execution was again low-key, almost lifeless. Rewatching these past few episodes I’m noticing a very deliberate slackening in the drama -- this is how their world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.
The final breaking of Johnny Sack by the Feds was almost too excruciating to watch. Vince Curatola has been such a powerhouse on the program over the years (he also smokes a cigarette with more style than anybody in showbiz) it was something of a heartbreaker to see this once pompous, quick-tempered boss glumly accepting his fate, barely able to work up enough energy to curse his “friend” Tony Soprano for swooping in and stealing his wife’s house right out from under her.
There’s a vivid sense rightnow of everything just sort of ebbing away from our characters. It was another hour about the very palpable fear of weakness: Loudmouth Paulie is finally rendered soft-spoken, with his strangely moving secret cancer revelation, and Tony can barely bring himself to look at the ailing Bobby Bacala – already the show’s resident castrato, now emasculated even further by a humiliating eyepatch after an embarrassing mugging. Christopher has no choice but to stand by helplessly while the Feds tow away his precious pilfered Maserati, and Tony is forced to spend a dinner listening to all sorts of disrespectful blather from one of Johnny’s semi-legit business partners. Did you ever think the day would come when some civilian could shit-talk Tony Soprano like that and not wind up in the hospital?
No wonder T was taken back with such admiration by Janice’s vicious dressing-down of bratty Bobby Junior – it was the episode’s only display of strength!
At last we understand why Vito’s Gay Hampshire was rendered in such over-the-top idyllic fashion. In a throwback to that brilliant moment in “Long Term Parking” when Christopher sees a ratty vision of his future 
at the gas station, Vito realizes that even heaven on Earth isn’t quite worth it if you have to actually work for a living. His abject uselessness on the construction site – another of the hour’s uncomfortable wallows in weakness – was unfortunately over-cooked by a voice-over narration, the series’ first. I’m always hyper-sensitive to any shake-ups in the program’s rigidly classical format, but there was nothing in that narration that wasn’t already being conveyed visually.
Drunk and listening to “My Way,” Vito returned not just to New Jersey, but to his old way of life, coldly executing an innocent man in an underplayed wide-shot. Again, there was nothing momentous about the presentation of his virtual suicide, just an air of seeping, depressing inevitability.
So did Tony finally reach some sort of peace regarding his relationship with Janice? Another surprisingly productive session with Dr. Melfi tackled the way his sister has scarily morphed into his mother (I believe Janice even dropped a couple of Livia quotes during the episode.) Did Tony finally recognize that his resentment of Bacala is because he sees too much of himself in the way the teddy bear is ground down daily by this impossible woman? It’s tough to tell, as Gandolfini’s usual masterful performance once again showed us a man rocked by contradictory impulses that he can’t even explain to himself.
Maybe the Sacrimoni house was a genuine gesture of goodwill, or maybe was it just another way to stick the shiv in Carmela? One might expect the newly faithful Tony Soprano to be devoted to his wife, but his inability to cheat seems to be making him resent her more than ever before.
It doesn’t help that Carmela, the most willfully blinkered character on the program, is currently laboring under the delusion that this real estate project will give her some sort of identity outside of Tony’s shadow – and yet she still needs him to lean on the building inspector. Carm seems to die a little bit inside every time Angie Bompinsero takes a business call, but in typical “Sopranos” fashion, it never occurs to her that she wouldn’t have such headaches right now if she only considered building the damn house legally. She’s been living outside the law for so long that this is a completely foreign concept, and let’s credit Falco for plumping new depths of petulant un-likeability when she didn’t get her way.
But the episode’s clear highlight was when Tony reacted to one of Meadow’s crying jags the way we viewers do – with profound disinterest. “You know who’s good to talk to about this stuff… your mother,” he offered, with those exhausted eyebrows speaking volumes as he tried to figure out how he could disentangle himself from his weeping daughter long enough to get his breakfast out of the microwave. Every ding of the oven’s timer brought another hysterical grimace from Gandolfini -- a sharp comic encapsulation of this season’s grumbling, weary discontent.
Monday, May 15, 2006
The Sopranos Mondays: Season 6, Ep. 10, “Moe ‘n’ Joe”
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14 comments:
The low-key nature this season is starting to wear on me. It's been interesting (I still think the 4th episode was the best and last week had its moments), but I'm finding myself bored, which is unusual for even the most over-the-top fantasy driven episodes of the past. It definitely doesn't seem to be building anywhere like most seasons, so I don't know what to think. I'm also confused by the opening credits. Sharon Angela was in the closing credits for most of this season, then she popped up the opening for one episode only to be relegated back to the end again this week.
Love your review, better than a simple recap.
I linked to your site from mine: Planck's Constant
You put the big Soprano sites to shame.
I love the way Vito's longing for Jersey is expressed in terms of food (as indeed is his passion for "Jonny Cakes"). Keeping in mind the danger of predicting the future on this show, it's almost certain that Vito is not long for this world, what with the season's incessantly reiterated theme of people trying to make new lives for themselves and failing. The only question for me is whether episode 12 will involve Tony failing himself or actually trying to make some sort of decisive change.
A key scene was Vito driving past the Bada Bing. It seems like this foreshadows his intent to do violence to his former comrades. Murderous rage on his part would be understandable. From Vito's perspective, he's a stand up made man whose only sin has no impact on his ability to serve the family, to earn. I would be surprised if he ends his days with a quiet suicide. Perhaps, but only after he revenged himself on the ones who rejected him. I could see him confronting Tony or another member of the crew, and the meeting ending with violence.
You know, I probably wouldn't have laughed as hard at the "every day is a gift, but does it have to be socks" line a few weeks back if I knew it was going to be a metaphor for this season. Yes, the writing and acting remain amongst the best on television. Yes, this is still better stuff than 90% of what's on against it. But my God, how many morose, lurching episodes of wallowing discontent and small disappointments are we going to have to sit through this season? From a pacing standpoint, this season's making the much derided 4th season look like [insert your favorite Bruckheimer-produced procedural here] by comparison.
I too have been forced to re-evaluate my expectations for the two remaining episodes of the season, now with the hope that one of them doesn't resemble a funeral procession.
Once again, I look to the episode's many small moments of quite observation for my joy, which Sean's been excellent at pointing out. The high point of course being the Meadow/Tony scene, with Tony glancing sideways at his microwaving coco, looking for the ding to save his ass, throwing in the inflammatory "living in sin" comment, having to be aware it would work in a pinch.
It's interesting that after dominating the 2nd and 3rd episodes of the season, Falco has essentially disappeared save a few exchanges with Tony and her brewing jealousy over the widow Bompinsero and her bustling career. I'm praying that the resentment stemming from these two sources of frustation in her life is leading somewhere provocative, but with this show I've learned not to hold my breath.
You also got to love the about-face of Tony and Sil, kvetching like two old women over John laying down to die in open court only to browbeat Sal Vitro for just repeating the news. "Maybe the they stuck tasers on his balls and beat him with a rubber hose. You ever think of that?" says Tony before getting "the lawnmower man" (great line by the way) to sheepishly concede "No, but of course it makes sense." Horrible, horrible people these guys are.
By the way, excellent observation about the cause and effect nature of Tony's new marital fidelity with Carmela. Who knew getting Russian and stripper trim on the sides was the only thing keeping him human at home.
I don't know now. I'm re-reading all this stuff and it seems like it was a pretty good episode, but I distinctly remember thinking about how many minutes were left in this episode about as much as Vito did. The best comment I've read about the show came from our own Odienator earlier today: "It's more fun to read what you guys have to say about it than to watch
it." Too true.
One last question: I guess I wasn't paying attention, but what's the significance of the episode's title?
Believe it or not, Moe & Joe is the flatbed lumber car in the Lionel train set. Can't take credit for this knowledge--someone told me. Okay, so maybe it's ALL about the Neil Young subtext. Otherwise, I'm out.
The cut from Vito being embraced by "Johnny-Cakes" from behind to the shot of the model train going into the tunnel was hardly subtle, but it was also a somewhat funny nod to Hitchcock and North by Northwest.
Mr. Copeland: The low-key nature this season is starting to wear on me...I'm finding myself bored
It's funny, because on first viewing I found myself getting very antsy with the last couple episodes, but now that I think I've got a handle on the larger picture I'm kinda settling into the bummer rhythyms. They're tough episodes to watch, but it's a fascinating, stubborn, and I believe morally admirable direction they've chosen here.
Dignan: But my God, how many morose, lurching episodes of wallowing discontent and small disappointments are we going to have to sit through this season?
Probably at least two more, this year. Maybe this is just the Catholic in me, but I think the way the show has begun to revel in weakness and humilation is perhaps necessary -- a sort of penance for the amoral joy of seasons' past.
Remember when we used to think these guys were all soooo cool?
Thanks, Bernie... and welcome to The House!
Sam Adams (great to see my Philly rival back here!): I love the way Vito's longing for Jersey is expressed in terms of food
And I'm still kinda wondering how he found such easy access to vinegar peppers in backwater New Hampshire!
But then again, I understand this is supposed to be Vito's Paradise. And come to think of it, growing up in Boston -- New Hampshire was always the place where you could drive a little while to buy cheap cigarettes, firecrackers, and beer on Sundays... so maybe it's Sean's Paradise, too!
More Sam: The only question for me is whether episode 12 will involve Tony failing himself or actually trying to make some sort of decisive change.
Knowing Chase the way we do, and looking at the arc of the show, I'd say some sort of catastrophic failure is the only option. But as this year plot mechanics have taken a big backseat to character beats, you're dead right that this is the only real suspense we've got cooking right now. T's gonna lose... big time. We just keep tuning in to see how, exactly, he's going down.
Regarding Moe and Joe, it seems (and this is only due to my internet searches yesterday) that Moe and Joe are actually the two popular characters (action figures) who are doing the unloading of the lumber off the model train. Bobby said something like "Check out the Moe and Joe action" as he unloaded his model lumber, desperately trying to hold his son's attention. I haven't figured out why it's the title.
I'll need to see this episode again, but after first viewing I just feel like saying a great big welcome back to Vince Curatola and Aida Turtorro, who will never realize how much their acting has been missed of late (I know Janice had a big part last week, but last night's show recaptured the magnificence of the performance that helped make the second season my particular favorite).
I'd also like to welcome Steve Shill aboard, if for nothing else than that fantastic shot of Janice through the window at Satriale's, mid-hysterical-rant. It's nice to see an infusion of DEADWOOD (wiping away tears) blood into the show (was that Alma Garrett's ne'er-do-well father as the pissed off Louisianan?)
And I'd also like to congratulate Matthew Weiner on finally writing another successful solo script following his debut with The Rat Pack -- I thought Mayham was too in love with its own cleverness and the other two were weak by the show's standards. Somehow the Neil Young reference, which would have grated in Mayham or Luxury Lounge, worked beautifully here.
It didn't all work (the Vito storyline has its moments but its wheels have been spinning way too long, and the writers seem on shaky ground with it overall - and it's actually retreading the Tony B. storyline somewhat), but it was a lot more fun than the show's been in a while, and it's nice to see Tony starting to decompensate a bit.
The scene between Johnny and his brother-in-law was priceless ("No, an actual fuckin' cake"), and Janice's basement meltdown ought to be an Emmy clip.
I actually thought the Vito voiceover was sort of cute. It was hardly any worse than the ridiculous episode that kicked off season 3, and it only lasted a minute or so.
We'll see if the Giants really kick the Eagles' asses come football season...
I admit that part of my reaction is that I've got enough morose moments in my life as it is right now, but just on a narrative level, it seems sort of directionless to me. The acting is still great and there are wonderful moments, but it's not adding up to a satisfying whole. The only plus I see to this split season is that at least we're not going to have to wait another presidential election cycle to get the last bunch -- I really think these insanely long hiatuses are part of what's taken away from attraction to the show. It's still great, but I think I might have to prefer The Shield and Rescue Me among this season's dramas (since Deadwood is ineligible).
Greg: And I'd also like to congratulate Matthew Weiner on finally writing another successful solo script.
Hey man, do you think the scene with Meadow and the microwave was maybe Weiner's mea culpa for writing that horrific scene last season in which she used the phrase "you got out a suitcase" at least seventeen times?
I also agree that Vito's story seems to be headed for a retread of the Tony B scenario. I know the scenes from next week are always intentionally edited to be as misleading as possible, but it sure looks like Tony's hiding another member of his crew from angry Phil, again.
Sean: I had the same thought re Weiner and Unidentified Black Males' "suitcase" ordeal. However, we have no definitive proof that Weiner, and not Winter, wrote that scene (although I would be shocked if Weiner didn't write all the Meadow/Finn scenes in that episode: they had his too clever by half dialogue stamp, funny at first, with an irritating aftertaste).
I also was wondering after seeing Moe 'n' Joe if Weiner is their official go-to guy for scripts about a wiseguy trying to make it in the -- ahem -- straight world and cracking by about the second day of having to actually get up and go to work (although Sentimental Education itself may have covered years for all I could tell). Oddly, despite my decided preference for the fifth season over this so far, and for Tony B over Vito, I must say this episode worked much better than Tony B.'s counterpoint Weiner episode last season. But then, Sentimental Education was by far the low-point of that season, and one of my least favorite episodes of the show overall (repeated viewings have not softened my stance).
Looks like AJ's back in force next week. Wonder if he's still bragging to his pals at Blockbuster that he knows just how to get in someone's face and stab them before they can break free of his grip.
Regarding the episode title -- it's been pointed out on other forums that Moe and Joe as characters represent quintessential American working men. Bearing that in mind, I would think that in an episode featuring working men from contractors to construction workers, from volunteer firemen and electrical engineers to heavy lifters in New Orleans and lawn-cutters in New Jersey, the episode's title is a reminder, as Vito and Carmella demonstrate, that although the characters on the show may fancy themselves blue collar, in their cushy millionaire world of theivery, payoffs, no-work jobs, and bribes, the closest most of them will ever come to an honest day's work is in their escapist hours, by playing with "working man" action figures.
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