ToysThere is something pure and innocent about a child playing with a toy. It exudes a kind of awe and wonder, a call to simpler times...of goodness, free of cynicism and strife. Toys is the story of Leslie Zevo (Robin Williams), the prince of a kingdom constructed of building blocks and gag gifts, founded by his father, Kenneth (Donald O'Connor), who passes away and leaves the leadership of his legacy to his brother, the stern General Leland Zevo (Michael Gambon). When General Zevo takes to the idea of introducing violent war toys into the product line--and more nefarious devices--Leslie is forced to confront the end of his innocence.
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Toys is a highly stylized comedy...a fantasy film really, which always feels like the world of Zevo Toys is itself a surreal realm where goodness and whimsy are the status quo. It is the kind of silly place where outlandish decor and wacky office ornamentation is accepted as the norm. Leslie conducts novelty gag gift conferences with other comic actors to test the humor factor in an empirical way. His uniquely eccentric sister, Alsatia (Joan Cusack), personally designs and models paper doll fashion, as her brother wanders the halls in his literal "smoking jacket". Even fellow employees like the sweet "duplicating" specialist who catches Leslie's eye, Gwen (Robin Wright), dresses in outfits ranging from a Scottish highlander to Sgt. Pepper--and she is one of the more normal members of the batch. Imagery and sets always seem larger than life in Toys, as though they are infused with the same sense of excitement and awe which overtakes children at Christmas--as the song in the film goes, at the "closing of the year". This is the best way I can interpret the Christmas-themed bookends to the film; in many ways, Toys is a pageant of color, sound, and morals. The eclectic music of Toys is as much a screwball character of the film as any of its players, combining the works of Enya, Tori Amos, and even a bizarre, B-52s-inspired video by the fictitious "Yolanda and Steve", which Leslie and Alsatia use to circumvent a surveillance corridor. The moral tale in Toys is that while it is inevitable that one "grows up" and faces the challenges of adulthood, it is important not to abandon the goodness that comes with childhood, lest someone like General Zevo comes along to smash the dreams with his own visions of domination, driven by envy and resentment.
Prior to accepting his brother's proposal, Leland goes to visit his father, who himself lives in a fantasy world, role-playing his twilight years in a fabricated military tent, wearing his uniform, proudly highlighting his four-star status to emphasize that he outranks his son. Leland longs for a "great war" which would give him an opportunity to prove himself. He is driven to accomplish this dream at any cost, and resents that his younger brother was able to make a name for himself as a toy designer in spite of his father's legacy as a military man. It is this envy and a diminished sense of self-worth which propels Leland; but deep down, there is the sense that he still craves the child-like enthusiasm that comes with toys and games. When the final confrontation comes between him and Leslie, he monitors their progress with a digital display and scoreboard; he has turned this military exercise into his own personal video game. When Leland finds that he is unable to motivate his designers to create a line of war toys, he is inspired to pursue his insane dream by alternate means after visiting a video game arcade, filled with military shooting games that the children are playing. To Leland's surprise, he observes that the kids playing these games are more skilled than some of the best warriors he has seen. Leland understands that his breed is a dying one at the closing of the 20th century, as the rising cost of military advancement has been staggering. Leland hits upon the idea that the next step in military advancement is not to create a bigger army, but a smaller one--that is to create weaponized "toys" that operate via remote...ones that are far less expensive, but just as deadly. Now, keeping in mind that Toys was created in 1992, it becomes shockingly prescient that what Leland is proposing is the advent of drone warfare, and his development to this end--along with a stable of sophisticated, violent military video games--and one can see the face of the 21st century in Leland more than we may like to admit.
General Zevo's presence in the world of Toys is ultimately a final test by Leslie's father--a game--to motivate his son to rise up and meet the challenges of adulthood. Leslie jokes and is rarely serious; but he is passionate about the things that are important in his life: his family, his dad's legacy, even his blossoming love for Gwen. Leslie has lived a sheltered life, but that doesn't mean he is spoiled--Leslie has simply not been confronted with the kind of jealousy and deception his uncle introduces into his world. In fact, it is all alien to Leslie, because in his world, Leland is the real weirdo. The artistry of Toys gives the film a distinct look, borrowing elements heavily from the works of classical artists like René Magritte. Even the vast, verdant fields of grass presumably surrounding the remote toy factory are a meditative, Zen-like sea, calm and halcyon. Leslie and Alsatia's home resembles a large doll house--a paper, pop-out one, no less--and, as if to emphasize the silliness, there is even a perfect replica dollhouse of the home within. The casting in Toys is especially spot on, such as the founder and late patriarch of Zevo Toys being played by none other than "make 'em laugh" Donald O'Connor. One of the funniest sight gags in the film, Leland Zevo's son, is found in Patrick, who is played by rapper LL Cool J, played with unquestioned seriousness throughout the film. But Robin Williams unquestionably steals every scene he is in, bringing his signature brand of comedy A-game. There is no other actor for whom this role would work. No one but Robin Williams could wear the outfits that he does or deliver the impressions or witty asides with such deft skill, combining sincerity, levity, pathos, and hilarity all at once.
Recommended for: Fans of deft and bold cult movie about innocence, a fable about the goodness within and the dangers of losing that with maturity and in the face of envy. Toys has the distinction of being a family favorite film in my household, full of delightful weirdness and zany, yet sweet, fun and joy.
Prior to accepting his brother's proposal, Leland goes to visit his father, who himself lives in a fantasy world, role-playing his twilight years in a fabricated military tent, wearing his uniform, proudly highlighting his four-star status to emphasize that he outranks his son. Leland longs for a "great war" which would give him an opportunity to prove himself. He is driven to accomplish this dream at any cost, and resents that his younger brother was able to make a name for himself as a toy designer in spite of his father's legacy as a military man. It is this envy and a diminished sense of self-worth which propels Leland; but deep down, there is the sense that he still craves the child-like enthusiasm that comes with toys and games. When the final confrontation comes between him and Leslie, he monitors their progress with a digital display and scoreboard; he has turned this military exercise into his own personal video game. When Leland finds that he is unable to motivate his designers to create a line of war toys, he is inspired to pursue his insane dream by alternate means after visiting a video game arcade, filled with military shooting games that the children are playing. To Leland's surprise, he observes that the kids playing these games are more skilled than some of the best warriors he has seen. Leland understands that his breed is a dying one at the closing of the 20th century, as the rising cost of military advancement has been staggering. Leland hits upon the idea that the next step in military advancement is not to create a bigger army, but a smaller one--that is to create weaponized "toys" that operate via remote...ones that are far less expensive, but just as deadly. Now, keeping in mind that Toys was created in 1992, it becomes shockingly prescient that what Leland is proposing is the advent of drone warfare, and his development to this end--along with a stable of sophisticated, violent military video games--and one can see the face of the 21st century in Leland more than we may like to admit.
General Zevo's presence in the world of Toys is ultimately a final test by Leslie's father--a game--to motivate his son to rise up and meet the challenges of adulthood. Leslie jokes and is rarely serious; but he is passionate about the things that are important in his life: his family, his dad's legacy, even his blossoming love for Gwen. Leslie has lived a sheltered life, but that doesn't mean he is spoiled--Leslie has simply not been confronted with the kind of jealousy and deception his uncle introduces into his world. In fact, it is all alien to Leslie, because in his world, Leland is the real weirdo. The artistry of Toys gives the film a distinct look, borrowing elements heavily from the works of classical artists like René Magritte. Even the vast, verdant fields of grass presumably surrounding the remote toy factory are a meditative, Zen-like sea, calm and halcyon. Leslie and Alsatia's home resembles a large doll house--a paper, pop-out one, no less--and, as if to emphasize the silliness, there is even a perfect replica dollhouse of the home within. The casting in Toys is especially spot on, such as the founder and late patriarch of Zevo Toys being played by none other than "make 'em laugh" Donald O'Connor. One of the funniest sight gags in the film, Leland Zevo's son, is found in Patrick, who is played by rapper LL Cool J, played with unquestioned seriousness throughout the film. But Robin Williams unquestionably steals every scene he is in, bringing his signature brand of comedy A-game. There is no other actor for whom this role would work. No one but Robin Williams could wear the outfits that he does or deliver the impressions or witty asides with such deft skill, combining sincerity, levity, pathos, and hilarity all at once.
Recommended for: Fans of deft and bold cult movie about innocence, a fable about the goodness within and the dangers of losing that with maturity and in the face of envy. Toys has the distinction of being a family favorite film in my household, full of delightful weirdness and zany, yet sweet, fun and joy.