The farce feels forced in smug comedy of First World Problems.

Michelle Pfeiffer gives a Bentley of a performance but is stuck in a wobbly and rusty vehicle titled “French Exit,” a smug and bone-dry and ultimately insufferable farce that holds one’s interest for a time before practically inviting us to turn our attentions elsewhere. “I don’t like you people,” one supporting player says to a roomful of characters relatively late in the film, and as he heads for the door we are inclined to call out, “Can I catch a ride?”

Director Azazel Jacobs and screenwriter Patrick deWitt (adapting his 2018 novel of the same name) have delivered a handsomely appointed but tiresome First World Problems story teeming with characters who in most cases aren’t nearly as eccentric and charming and witty as they fancy themselves. The closest thing to an exception would be Pfeiffer’s Manhattan-based Frances, a strikingly beautiful and icy cold, blunt-speaking socialite who attained a certain level of gossip-site notoriety when she found her wealthy husband dead as a doornail and zipped off for a weekend getaway in Vail to clear her head before bothering to report his demise to the authorities.

Living with her exceedingly unambitious and aimless grown son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges), taunting him with barbs such as “Menstruating?” when he’s in a particularly pouty frame of mind, Frances is content to live out her days in bitter comfort when she gets some harsh news: She’s out of money. The spigot has run dry.

Well, “out of money” in a one-percenter kind of way. There’s no more cash in the accounts, but Frances can keep the profits from the sale of her estate assets, and she’s been offered the use of an apartment in Paris, so it’s not as if Frances and Malcolm and their cat known as Small Frank (so named because Frances believes it’s the reincarnated spirit of her dead husband Frank) will be on the streets with cardboard signs and plastic cups. They’re just going to have to make a relatively modest go of it for the foreseeable future.

In Paris. Rent-free.

We’re squarely in Wes Anderson (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Royal Tennenbaums”) territory here, sans the hilariously wacky characters and the rapier wit. “French Exit” has its memorable and well-choreographed set-piece moments, as when Frances puts a snooty French waiter in his place by literally starting a small fire, but with nearly every introduction of a putatively unique character, the farce feels forced. Pfeiffer is delivering one of the best performances of her career as the complex and formidable and deeply sad Frances, but she’s like a world-class basketball player stuck on the court with a bunch of weekend amateurs. There’s no one to give her a decent game.

A major problem is the Lucas Hedges character of Malcolm. Hedges is a wonderful actor who has enjoyed an incredible run playing troubled sons and/or nephews to an incredible lineup of stars, from Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea” to Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman in “Boy Erased” to Julia Roberts in “Ben Is Back” to Frances McDormand in “Three Billboards …” to Meryl Streep in “Let Them All Talk.” He’s playing a similar role here, but Malcolm is such a wimpy milquetoast, it’s as if he’s barely in the room at times. He can’t even bring himself to tell his mother he’s engaged to a fantastic young woman (Imogen Poots), who breaks up with him over his cowardice but inexplicably shows up in Paris with her new boyfriend just to make sure there’s no chance of making it work with Malcolm. Why she would want to make it work with this cipher is beyond understanding.

Isaach De Bankole plays a private detective tasked with finding Small Frank when the cat goes missing, while Danielle Macdonald is a medium who just might be able to communicate with Small Frank. In the most unfortunate development of all, we actually hear from the cat, and not even the great Tracy Letts as the voice of Small Frank can salvage that trainwreck of an idea. “French Exit” has a few grace notes in its final chapter, with Pfeiffer delivering beautifully subtle work as Frances comes to terms with her fate, but it’s too little, far too late.

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A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a fatal shooting in September in Austin on the West Side.

The boy, whose name has been withheld because he is a minor, has been charged with a felony count of first-degree murder, Chicago police said.

About 4:55 a.m. Sept. 26, 2021, officers responding to calls of shots fired in the 200 block of North Latrobe Avenue, found 20-year-old Richard Soward unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds, police said.

Soward was pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. He lived in East Garfield Park.

The 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday after he was identified by police as the person who allegedly fired the fatal shots, police said.

He is due in juvenile court Wednesday.

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An off-duty Chicago police officer shot someone breaking into their home Tuesday morning in Portage Park on the Northwest Side.

About 12:55 a.m., a man was breaking into a home in the 3100 block of Bell Plaine Avenue, when he was shot in the face by the home owner, an off-duty Chicago police officer, Chicago police said.

The man was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, police said.

The suspected home invader’s weapon was recovered from the scene, according to Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern.

No other injuries were reported.

Area Five detectives and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability are investigating.

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Four people were shot Monday in Chicago, including a 27-year-old man who was wounded in a drive-by in Heart of Chicago on the Near West Side.

About 11:20 p.m., he was walking in the 1700 block of West Cullerton Street, when someone inside a passing white sedan fired shots, Chicago police said. He was struck in both legs and brought to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.

Minutes prior, A 37-year-old man was wounded in a drive-by Monday in Lawndale on the West Side. About 11 p.m., he was walking in the 3900 block of West Filmore Street, when someone inside a passing white sedan fired shots, police said. He was grazed by a bullet on his right leg and brought to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.

An 18-year-old man was shot at a Near North hotel. He was on the 22nd floor of a hotel about 10:50 p.m. in the 100 block of East Superior, with several people when someone fired shots at him, police said. He suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition.

In the day’s first reported shooting, a man was shot in Bronzeville on the South Side. He was arguing with someone about 11:40 a.m. in the 4100 block of South Indiana Avenue when a male he knew got involved and opened fire, police said. The 30-year-old was struck in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

Six people were shot Monday citywide.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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Moon Alert

Avoid shopping or making important decisions after 7 p.m. Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Today you are in an orderly frame of mind, plus you have a strong sense of personal self-discipline. This means you will tackle whatever you have to do in a calm, practical way — and you will work steadily to complete your task. Bravo!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This is an excellent day to do research or work alone or behind the scenes. Whatever you do, you will keep at it until is done because you are persevering and dedicated to any task at hand. Follow the advice of someone older or more experienced.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Do set aside time to set goals because you are in the right mindset to do this. When you make goals, it makes your future decision-making easier. It also gives your life structure and a sense of purpose. Try it.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You make a great impression on teachers, parents, bosses and VIPs because they see you as conscientious, reliable, disciplined and someone who will pay attention to detail. This is great! How can you use this to your advantage?

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

This is the perfect day to study or write a paper or finish a manuscript because you are focused, persevering and will pay attention to detail. This is not a day for fun and frivolity. Quite the opposite. It’s a day to pay attention to practical matters and get the job done.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You couldn’t pick a better day to wrap up loose details with taxes, debt, shared property, inheritances and anything that you own jointly with someone else. You will be focused and self-disciplined in your approach to whatever you do, which means you will get top results.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Discussions with partners and close friends, as well as members of the general public, will be productive today because these exchanges will be practical and realistic. Nobody’s trying to pump you full of sunshine. Quite the opposite. “Just the facts, ma’am.” Sign on the dotted line.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

This is a super productive day both at work or in your own personal tasks. You have an orderly state of mind and a strong sense of discipline, which is why you will be careful about whatever you do. “Measure twice, cut once.” Your boss will approve!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Those of you work in the arts can make great strides in whatever you do today. Ditto for those in sports. For example, you can practice and hone a technique so that you get better and better at it. This is because you have the patience and discipline to do this today. Good day to teach children.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Family discussions will go well today if they deal with down-to-earth matters in a logical way because people are prepared to look at all aspects of a problem carefully. Likewise, discussions with parents or older relatives will be practical and productive as well.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Because you have an orderly state of mind today, you will do well in anything that requires attention to detail. You will be patient with others. This is a good day to learn something, especially from someone older or more experienced.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You will be practical and prudent with all financial matters today because you do not feel frivolous — you feel very careful about your money. Likewise, you will do what you can to maintain what you own so that it lasts a long time.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actor Ewan McGregor (1971) shares your birthday. You have your own sense of style with a quirky sense of charm. You have a quick mind and are hard to define. Good news! A fun-loving year ahead! Expect increased popularity and warm friendships. Gratitude will be a theme because you will appreciate the everyday joys and beauty around you. This year is the time for an important choice. Choose wisely.

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The man, 18, was at in the 100 block of East Superior with several people when someone fired shots at him, Chicago police said.

By

Sun-Times Wire

Mar 31, 2021, 12:03am CDT

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Johnny Juzang poured in 28 points while playing most of the second half on a hurt ankle, and UCLA survived a series of nail-biting misses by top-seeded Michigan in the closing seconds for a 51-49 victory Tuesday night that made the Bruins the fifth No. 11 seed ever to reach the Final Four.

The Wolverines missed their final eight shots, including a 3-pointer by Mike Smith with a couple seconds left and another by Franz Wagner at the buzzer that sent the Bruins (22-9) flying off the bench in a wild celebration.

The team that backed into the tournament with four consecutive losses, needed overtime to beat Michigan State in the First Four and another overtime to beat Alabama was off to face overall No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Saturday night.

“These guys get all the credit,” said UCLA coach Mick Cronin, who had never been to the Elite Eight much less the Final Four in 18 years as a college head coach. “Unbelievable heart, toughness. Nobody picked us. Nobody believed in us. That’s how we like it. Obviously we know our next assignment is tough, but their resiliency is unbelievable.”

After dictating the pace all game, eschewing the slick style of Michigan in favor of a rock fight, it only seemed fitting that the underdog Bruins would take it to the buzzer.

They were clinging to a 50-49 lead when Michigan called a timeout with 19 seconds to go, intending to set up a final shot. Juwan Howard set up an open 3-point look for cold-shooting Wagner, who missed most of everything, and Eli Brooks also missed a put-back before UCLA was able to corral the rebound.

It was merely the start of a chaotic finish.

“We worked extremely hard this year, coming down to one possession — that’s how it goes sometimes in the game of basketball,” Howard said. “There’s one or two possessions that can either help you or hurt you and for us, we came up short.”

The Wolverines quickly fouled and sent Juzang to the line, where he missed the second of his two free throws with 6.3 seconds left. Michigan grabbed the rebound and called another timeout, and Howard had Smith race up court and unload a good look from the wing that was halfway down before bouncing back out.

The buzzer sounded but the officials halted the Bruins’ celebration, putting a half-second back on the clock.

That was enough time for Michigan to inbound one last time to Wagner, who again let fly a 3-pointer that clanked off the iron — and finally gave the Bruins freedom to spring from their benches for their first Final Four trip since 2008.

“I’ve been trying to teach these guys how to win. Winners know why they win,” Cronin said. “They don’t worry about offensive struggles. They believe. They just keep defending, keep playing with heart, keep playing with toughness.”

Hunter Dickinson led the Wolverines (23-5) with 11 points, but nothing came easy for the Big Ten freshman of the year — or anyone else in maize and blue. They were 3 of 11 beyond the arc, shot 39% overall and couldn’t make the shot at the end.

The No. 1 seed in the East Region had confidently strolled onto the court about 30 minutes before officials even rolled out balls for pregame warmups. The Wolverines almost looked bored as they milled about, some listening to their music, others catching glimpses of the Southern California-Gonzaga game on the screens hanging over the court.

The Bulldogs won so easily it must have lulled them to sleep.

Instead of the crisp passing, unselfishness and eye-pleasing positionless basketball that carried Michigan to three easy wins in the tournament, there was sloppy ballhandling, off-balance jumpers and breakdowns on defense.

Then there was Juzang, who scored 14 of the Bruins’ first 16 points. Whether it was a step-back 3-pointer, floater in the lane or drive to the bucket, one of March’s breakout stars simply willed UCLA to a 27-23 halftime lead.

The Bruins quickly stretched it to 34-25 before Juzang twisted his right ankle during a rebounding scrum, sending him to the bench to get it taped. He was only out a couple minutes, but Michigan took advantage. Dickinson and Brooks each had back-to-back baskets, wiping out most of UCLA’s hard-earned lead.

Two programs quite familiar with college basketball’s biggest stage kept trading blows the rest of the way.

Gonzaga 85, USC 66

INDIANAPOLIS — Can anybody stop these guys?

For the 30th straight time this season, Gonzaga answered that question with a resounding “No.”

The Bulldogs got on a roll and put on a show, cruising into the Final Four with an 85-66 beatdown of a Southern California team that was nowhere near ready for what it ran into Tuesday night.

Drew Timme had 23 points and five rebounds and, after one dunk, pretended to slick down his handlebar mustache for the few thousand fans in the stands.

“This is a really, really big deal,” coach Mark Few said of the program’s return to the Final Four after a four-year hiatus. “And Zags know how to celebrate, OK?”

The top-seeded and top-ranked Bulldogs (30-0) will be the third team to bring an undefeated record into the Final Four since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The last team to go undefeated was Indiana in 1976. On Saturday in the national semifinals, the Zags will face 11th-seeded UCLA, which beat Michigan 51-49 in a later Elite Eight game.

In the early contest, Timme did whatever he wanted against the nation’s fourth-ranked defense — a team that won its first three tournament games by an average of 21 points — as did pretty much everyone else in a white uniform.

Jalen Suggs finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. All-American Corey Kispert had 18 points and eight boards on an “off” night — only 6 for 19 from the floor. Gonzaga shot 44% in the second half and “only” 50% for the game. That was five under its nation-leading average, but it didn’t matter much.

“We just tried to stay moving,” Suggs said about attacking the USC zone, which had been shutting down teams all month in Indy. “We didn’t let the ball get too sticky. We kept moving, flashing into the high post. It was a lot for them to deal with — good cuts off the baseline, vertical cuts off the wings.”

Blowouts are supposed to be boring, but this had the feel of a Globetrotters game at times, filled with fancy bounce passes through traffic, reverse layups, a swooping power dunk from Joel Ayayi (nine points) and the occasional post-basket flex from the 6-foot-10 Timme.

Gonzaga led sixth-seeded USC 7-0 after two minutes, 25-8 after 8:30 and 36-15 after Kispert took a nifty dish from Timme for an easy layup with 6:03 left in the half.

“It was a little surprising,” USC coach Andy Enfield said, “because we’d been playing great basketball.”

The Zags have a way about doing that to people.

They walked into the locker room at halftime ahead by 19 and with a big fat zero in the turnover column — a gold-standard stat for a team that thrives on offensive efficiency.

The last 20 minutes were extended garbage time — plenty of time for the Bulldogs to pad the stats.

They are a statistician’s dream — a team that came in No. 1 scoring (91.8), that has won 29 of its 30 games by double digits, and that wasn’t going to be slowed by the Brothers Mobley — Isaiah and Evan — who roam the middle for one of the country’s tallest teams (Average height, 6-7).

They both got theirs — Isaiah with 19 points and seven rebounds, and Evan with 17 and five — but the evening belonged to the Bulldogs.

“It’s such a special accomplishment, and to do it this year with as crazy as it’s been, as challenging as it’s been,” said Few, whose team had four games canceled in December because of COVID-19, but never lost its stride. “They’ve been unbelievable from Day 1.”

The game was interrupted by a frightening moment early, when official Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off in a wheelchair. In the second half, CBS passed along word that Smith was feeling OK and resting in the arena.

He was replaced by Tony Henderson, but there was no heavy lifting for the backup.

USC didn’t get closer than 16 in the second half, and though their intensity wandered at times, there was never any doubt the Zags would be returning to Lucas Oil Stadium later this week, two wins away from perfection.

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Three Chicago police officers were hospitalized following a police chase from the Far South Side to suburban Dolton.

Officers responded to a call of multiple people with firearms about 6:15 p.m. in the 10300 block of South Stoney Island Avenue, according to preliminary information from Chicago police.

The group then fled the scene in two separate vehicles and officers followed them into Dolton, where they were taken into custody, police said.

Three CPD officers were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries from the incident, and all listed in good condition, police said.

Multiple firearms were recovered, according to police.

The incident remains under investigation.

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If you want to go to Westeros, you can soon just take a trip to a theater for the pleasure.

A play based on the “Game of Thrones” books will be heading to stage in 2023, producers announced Tuesday. The play is being written and adapted by Duncan Macmillan (“1984”) and directed by Dominic Cooke, in a collaboration with George R.R. Martin, author of the novels.

“Our dream is to bring Westeros to Broadway, to the West End, to Australia… and eventually, to a stage near you,” Martin said in a news release. “It ought to be spectacular.”

The play will not simply be a rehash of the events of the HBO series, which ran from 2011-2019 and won legions of fans, critical acclaim and dozens of Emmy Awards. The stage show will include a preceding event not seen in the series or books: a tournament at Harrenhal that set the wars in motion. A news release hyped the return of beloved characters from the series, although it did not identify which names would reappear.

“Few in Westeros knew the carnage to come when highborn and smallfolk alike gathered at Harrenhal to watch the finest knights of the realm compete in a great tourney, during the Year of the False Spring,” Martin said in a statement. “It is a tourney oft referred during HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” and in my novels, “A Song of Ice and Fire” … and now, at last, we can tell the whole story… on the stage.”

“Thrones” fans can expect more from Westeros in HBO’s coming prequel series, “House of the Dragon,” based on Martin’s book, “Fire & Blood.” The spinoff is set 300 years before the events of “Thrones,” which featured one of the family’s most famous descendants, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). Two more books in the “Ice and Fire” series by Martin are also due.

Read more at usatoday.com

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Shortly after the Blackhawks’ 2-1 win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour called it a “gross hockey game.”

Without a doubt, it wasn’t pretty. But on the home side, coach Jeremy Colliton wasn’t concerned about aesthetics.

“We need the points,” Colliton said. “They’re in a different position than us — maybe they can worry about style points. But we’re just trying to get a win.”

Get a win Colliton’s team did, in boring but ultimately effective fashion against an opponent that entered the day with the NHL’s best record.

Shot attempts were 62-32 and shots on goal 32-16, both in favor of Carolina, but the Hawks managed to lock down their defensive zone when it mattered most. In the third period, holding that 2-1 lead throughout, they conceded only seven shots on goal (and only four until the final minutes).

“We talked about a lot of stuff this morning as a team…[like] knowing, when these games are on the line, how to play as a group together,” said defenseman Connor Murphy, who played 9:56 in the third period alone. “It seemed like we were able to pack it in and understand that every puck and battle you’re in is a valuable one to the game.”

Goalie Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves and was, as in most of his wins this season, the biggest reason why the Hawks did win.

On the other end, the Hawks only generated any semblance of threatening offense for about five minutes — the first five of the second period — but made their two juiciest chances count.

Dylan Strome kept the puck on a two-on-one rush and beat Alex Nedeljkovic upstairs, then Patrick Kane pickpocketed Brett Pesce and fed Alex DeBrincat for a tap-in power-play goal.

But overall, the Hawks were credited with only 12 scoring chances, yet again tying for their lowest since March 2017 — for the second consecutive game and third time this month.

“We’re probably going to have to play better to win again against these guys [on Thursday],” Strome said.

“You’re not going to win too many games in the NHL where you only get 16 shots. We were fortunate enough tonight, but we’ve had some games this year where we’ve had a lot of shots but not much success. Hockey is a funny game like that, but we’ll take the two points.”

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