The Gentlemen: Something about The Gentlemen just felt off from the start. All of the ingredients for a classic Guy Richie movie are present (British criminal underworld full of quirky individuals, colorful expletive-filled dialogue, a busy, twisty narrative), it's just that the chef seems to have forgot his way around the kitchen. Ritchie's signature energy is nowhere to be found, the dialogue mostly lacks wit or quotability and despite some good performances from the likes of Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant, the characters just aren't very memorable. If it wasn't for said efforts of aforementioned ensemble cast or an inspired final 20 minutes where the laughs finally hit start to hit, this would've been a completely middling affair. Hopefully this is Ritchie's way of trying to shake the rust off and not a case of him completely losing his fastball after spending such a long time away from the game he used to effortlessly dominate.
Grade: B-
The Rhythm Section: What will likely go down as the most memorable thing about The Rhythm Section is that it registered a historically bad opening this past weekend by grossing just $2.7 mil in 3,057 theaters. Terrible box office take aside, Reed Morano's latest is a relatively competent yet ultimately disposable spy thriller that fails to establish any significant stakes or excitement.
The heroine Stephanie Patrick (played admirably by Blake Lively) is a recovering addict who reluctantly recruits an ex M1-6 operative (Jude Law, in a similarly solid performance) to train her to go after the terrorist group that placed a bomb on a plane that killed her parents and siblings. Unlike your typical vengeance-driven protagonist, Patrick is sloppy and has far too much of a heart for a business that tends to be reliant on coldblooded killing. While that compassion and lack of polish in combat gives the character a nice touch of humanity that is usually absent from these types of movies, those traits also make it very hard to believe that she's able to repeatedly escape from the string of encounters with seasoned assassins she has in the second half of the film. Even if I was able to completely toss aside these instances of implausibility in an otherwise grounded film, the unassuming payoff for a story that hinges on a character's unwavering thirst and determination for revenge makes this a hard film to really enjoy. Morano shows flashes of potential as an action director with her solid staging of a car chase and close quarters shootout in a Marseilles apartment and Lively anchors the film gracefully, it's just not enough to elevate The Rhythm Section from the depths of above average popcorn entertainment.
Grade: B-
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana: Netflix has followed up last fall's Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly with another quality biography documentary about one of the biggest stars in the music industry right now. Miss Americana does a good job of showcasing the unheralded work ethic that has allowed Swift to dominate the pop world for such a long time while also tackling the pressures and insecurities she's dealt with as a result of being in the spotlight for over half of her life in surprisingly candid detail. The manic fashion in which it hops between eras of her career and obstacles she's faced outside of creating music make it feel a bit disjointed at times, but it remains a pretty interesting, insightful and well-made project throughout that made me develop a new level of respect for Swift.
Grade: B
No comments:
Post a Comment