Movie Review: The Getaway (1994)

Genre: Crime Thriller  

Director: Roger Donaldson  

Starring: Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, Jennifer Tilly, James Woods, Richard Farnsworth, Philip Seymour Hoffman  

Running Time: 116 minutes  

Synopsis: Master thief "Doc" McCoy (Alec Baldwin) and his wife Carol (Kim Basinger) join fellow criminal Rudy (Michael Madsen) to free a drug cartel member, but after the job Rudy abandons Doc, who spends time in a Mexican jail. Carol trades sexual favours with crime lord Benyon (James Woods) in exchange for Doc's freedom, and Benyon again partners Doc with Rudy to hold up an Arizona dog racing track. The theft turns violent, Rudy attempts a double-cross, but Doc and Carol end up with the heist money and on the run to El Paso, hotly pursued by Rudy and Benyon's men.

What Works Well: This faithful remake of the 1972 Sam Peckinpah original offers sun-scorched southwest locations, well-staged action scenes, and an enjoyable collection of bad and worse criminals doggedly plotting against each other. Kim Basinger is a significant upgrade on Ali MacGraw, and the heat between real-life couple Baldwin and Basinger is intensified by Doc's understandable annoyance at his wife's sexual liaison with Benyon. 

What Does Not Work As Well: While the production is slick and competent, it's also hard to justify. Alec Baldwin tries to exude a sense of cool but is no match for Steve McQueen, and many of the weaknesses carry over from the original. These include Rudy's cartoonish ability to escape death, and his prolonged side-quest romance with a veterinarian's lusty wife (Jennifer Tilly). Doc's pursuit of an unworthy low-level train station thief only serves to prolong the running time.

Key Quote:

Rudy Travis: It's been my experience that having friends is overrated.

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Movie Review: Arlington Road (1999)

Genre: Thriller  

Director: Mark Pellington  

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis  

Running Time: 119 minutes  

Synopsis: In suburban Virginia, Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges) is a professor specializing in domestic terrorism, and still grieving the death of his wife, an FBI agent. Michael is now dating his former student Brooke (Hope Davis), and they befriend their neighbours Oliver and Cheryl Lang (Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack). Oliver claims to be an architect, but Michael starts uncovering evidence that Oliver is lying about his background, and that he may have violent anti-government intentions. Increasingly paranoid but undeterred, Michael keeps investigating and draws himself and his young son into danger.

What Works Well: Inspired by actual events like the Oklahoma City bombing and the Ruby Ridge stand-off, this is a slick, taut, and clever thriller about the threat living in plain sight and just next door. The Ehren Kruger script keeps the mystery alive by revealing only what is necessary and in small but steady increments, casting doubt not only on Oliver's true nature but also Michael's state of mind. Jeff Bridges (intense) and Tim Robbins (calculating) bounce off each other, and the final twist is a welcome departure from the usual clichés. 

What Does Not Work As Well: On the way to an effective and satisfying resolution, the action becomes frantic and dependent on plenty of back-and-forth traveling and some unlikely perfect timing.

Key Quote:

Michael: You can't ask government to be infallible, but you can ask it to be accountable.

Oliver: I can ask it to be honest.

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Movie Review: Rumor Has It... (2005)

Genre: Dramedy  

Director: Rob Reiner  

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Mark Ruffalo, Shirley MacLaine, Richard Jenkins, Mena Suvari  

Running Time: 96 minutes  

Synopsis: Sarah (Jennifer Aniston) is having second thoughts about her engagement to Jeff (Mark Ruffalo). They travel to Pasadena to attend the wedding of her sister Annie (Mena Suvari), and the family gathering reminds Sarah she is a misfit and has nothing in common with her father Earl (Richard Jenkins). Then Sarah starts piecing together clues suggesting her grandmother Katherine (Shirley MacLaine) was the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, and she tracks down Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner), the potential real-life Benjamin Braddock.

What Works Well: This is an engaging-enough hybrid comedy-drama-romance about family secrets, fitting-in, flexible definitions of love, the enduring across-the-years bond between mother and daughter, and grey zones between fact and fiction. Jennifer Aniston capably carries the load as Sarah is caught in an emotional storm of internal doubt, and she is surrounded by a quality cast with Shirley MacLaine a particular delight. Director Rob Reiner delivers a polished look and brisk pacing.

What Does Not Work As Well: The chemistry-free romance that develops between Sarah and Beau, after she suspects he may be her father, can only be described as icky and made worse by her betrayal of fiancé Jeff. The script frequently lacks zing, exemplified by reaching for an undeserved happy ending while ignoring the bittersweet "now what" uncertainty of The Graduate's resolution.

Key Quote:

Sarah: Maybe every girl in my family has to sleep with you.

Beau: I don't know if they have to, but they certainly have.

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Movie Review: Crazy/Beautiful (2001)

Genre: Romance  

Director: John Stockwell  

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jay Hernandez, Bruce Davison  

Running Time: 99 minutes  

Synopsis: High school student Carlos (Jay Hernandez) comes from a Hispanic family living on the wrong side of town, but he is nevertheless a good student, a star on the football team, and applying to a military academy. His classmate Nicole (Kirsten Dunst) is the daughter of a wealthy congressman (Bruce Davison). She is also a frequently drunk party girl rebelling against a perceived lack of affection at home. Carlos and Nicole start an intense romantic relationship, but their different backgrounds will cause tension.

What Works Well: Nicole is crazy, Carlos is beautiful, and this "opposites attract" romance carries an admirable intensity. Kirsten Dunst demonstrates impressive range in revealing Nicole's seething anger at a father ignoring her while accommodating his new bride and dotting over a new baby. That the dad takes on a greater role as the drama unfolds is credit to a script willing to treat parents as more than afterthoughts in a teen romance. Tensions between neighbouring communities, peer pressure from the distinct circles of friends surrounding the lovers, and hints of future opportunities all add further texture.

What Does Not Work As Well: Carlos' life plan along the straight-and-narrow path of academic and athletic excellence is fundamentally at odds with succumbing to a distraction like Nicole, and their romance never reconciles this disconnect. The final act is emotionally impressive and allows Dunst to sparkle, but also represents simplistic solutions to deep-seated behavioural issues. 

Key Quote:

Carlos (to Nicole): I want to take you away from everything that makes you crazy.

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Movie Review: Fast Charlie (2023)

Genre: Action  

Director: Phillip Noyce  

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan  

Running Time: 90 minutes  

Synopsis: In Biloxi, Mississippi, Charlie Swift (Pierce Brosnan) is a hitman and fixer for crime boss Stan (James Caan). A hit on low-level criminal Rollo goes a bit wrong, but allows Charlie to connect with Rollo's ex-wife Marcie (Morena Baccarin), a taxidermist. Meanwhile New Orleans crime boss Beggar (Gbenga Akinnagbe) moves in on Stan's turf, leaving many dead bodies behind. Charlie vows revenge, and learns that Beggar is desperate to recover incriminating evidence hidden by Rollo.

What Works Well: Pierce Brosnan cuts through the action with effortless confidence, and a few moments of viciously dark humour deliver an effective punch. The production values are decent, and the energy level sustained. Charlie's narrated philosophy is better than it needs to be, as is the jagged romance that he develops with Marcie.

What Does Not Work As Well: This is stock hitman's revenge material straight from the generica action file, with an auto-pilot plot that cannot survive any level of scrutiny. Multiple violent murders never seem to trouble any enforcement authorities, a compact disc is still considered a relevant MacGuffin, a large amount of cash is stored in a small flimsy box, barely defined allies pop up to save Charlie at the most opportune moments, and all of the bad guys disappear when convenient. 

Key Quote:

Charlie: It is not really letting go of the past that sticks with you. It's coming to terms with letting go of the future that will never be. 

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Movie Review: God Is A Bullet (2023)

Genre: Action Thriller Drama  

Director: Nick Cassavetes  

Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe, Jamie Foxx  

Running Time (as reviewed): 120 minutes. The original "Director's Cut" is 156 minutes  

Synopsis: Devil-worshipping thugs led by Cyrus (Karl Glusman) murder the wife of detective Bob Hightower (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and kidnap his young daughter Gabi into their cult. Bob teams up with Case (Maika Monroe), an escapee from the cult, to track down Cyrus and attempt to rescue Gabi. They receive help from the mysterious "Ferryman" (Jamie Foxx), who has precognitive and healing powers.

What Works Well: This is a dark, moody, and exceptionally gory dramatic thriller. An adaptation of a Boston Teran book and supposedly based on actual events, the drama wades into a human sewer where soulless depravity thrives in the absence of light. Director Nick Cassavetes embraces a pessimistic milieu and allows Case's earned cynicism to grind away at Bob's religious beliefs. Bursts of bloody action mingle with uncompromising character interactions, both the violence and the dialogue descending into depths of despair.

What Does Not Work As Well: The drama lacks a sense of place, and the absence of pursuit logic and logistics is disorienting. Cyrus and his gang of goons are confined to tattoo-dominated cartoonish representations, and their exhibitions of evil are eventually exhausting. Both Bob (introduced as a desk detective) and Case (a badly damaged victim of abuse) evolve into remarkably capable action heroes.

Key Quote:

Case: The Devil's only an idea, Bob, an excuse for evil, just as your God is an excuse for good. They're concepts.

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Movie Review: Boys On The Side (1995)

Genre: Dramedy  

Director: Herbert Ross  

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey  

Running Time: 117 minutes  

Synopsis: New York-based vocalist Jane (Whoopi Goldberg) is still pursuing a performing career despite the passing years. She decides to relocate to Los Angeles, and through a share-the-drive ad connects with Robin (Mary-Louise Parker), who is frail and wants to retrace a family road trip from her childhood. In Pittsburgh Jane and Robin rescue the bubbly Holly (Drew Barrymore) from an abusive relationship. The trio make it as far as Tucson, where health and law enforcement issues force them to settle down and explore their options.

What Works Well: There is enough character depth to create rich cross-currents of emotion, laughs, and tears among a trio of interesting single women. Jane is a headstrong black lesbian refusing to give up on a career in music, Robin is seemingly fragile and suffering from AIDS and the lingering trauma of a family tragedy, while Holly carries a perpetually positive attitude but is a magnet for the wrong kind of men. Matthew McConaughey augments the cast as a police officer who falls in love with Holly but also arrests her, and director Herbert Ross maintains balance between humour, drama, and a few off-the-wall surprises.

What Does Not Work As Well: Once the road trip yields to domesticity in Tucson, momentum stalls and edginess gives way to predictability. Robin gets involved in a tepid romance with a non-entity bartender (James Remar), a few secondary characters like Jane's friend Anna are victimized by editing, conflicts (including a privacy intrusion) are contrived, a courtroom showdown is half-baked, and the is-it-friendship-or-is-it-more tension between Jane and Robin is resolved by a sappy song.

Key Quote:

Jane: I'm not after you.

Robin: I'm not worried...Why?

Jane: Luck of the draw, I guess.

Robin: No, I mean... why aren't you after me?

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Movie Review: One Night In Miami... (2020)

Genre: Drama  

Director: Regina King  

Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Beau Bridges  

Running Time: 114 minutes  

Synopsis: In early 1964, Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) defeats Sonny Liston in Miami to become the heavyweight boxing world champion. Famous singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and star football running back Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) attend the bout. Through his friendship with Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius is considering joining the Nation of Islam, a radical movement advocating for black civil rights. The four men convene in a motel room, with Malcolm X intent on motivating his friends to do more for black rights.

What Works Well: Inspired by real events and real people, this adaptation of the Kemp Powers play is a worthwhile "let's put four famous people in a room and see what happens" exercise, carrying echoes of Insignificance. Here the focus in on the black experience and different perspectives on the responsibilities of famous men to deploy fame for social change. Kingsley Ben-Adir conveys passion mixed with traces of exhaustion and self-doubt, his Malcolm X the conversation instigator in demanding that his star colleagues rethink their considerable influence. In the company of headstrong men confined to a small room, the drama carries a persistent edge through punchy dialogue and physical presence.

What Does Not Work As Well: With Malcolm X forcefully challenging Sam Cooke to reconsider how he is using his voice, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown are sidelined for long stretches. Clay is anyway portrayed as young, cocky, and far from interested in contributing to serious discourse. The material's stage origins are obvious, despite good work from director Regina King to occasionally find reasons to leave the room.

Key Quote:

Sam Cooke: Everybody talks about they wantin' a piece of the pie, well I don't. I want the goddamn recipe.

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Movie Review: Minari (2020)

Genre: Drama  
Director: Lee Isaac Chung  

Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Will Patton  
Running Time: 115 minutes  

Synopsis: In the early 1980s, South Korean immigrant and expert chicken sexer Jacob (Steven Yuen) relocates his family from California to a mobile house on a large rural acreage in Arkansas. He has a dream to establish a farm, but his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri) is unconvinced. Their two young children David and Ann observe their parents fighting, and David is also suffering from a heart condition. The family dynamic changes when Monica's mother Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) arrives to care for the children, while Jacob risks his health to get the farm going with help from local man Paul (Will Patton).

What Works Well: This is a semi-autobiographical nostalgic look back on childhood, based on the experiences of writer and director Lee Isaac Chung. The immigrant experience of hard work, determination, innovation, set-backs, and integration (here with the help of a church community) rings true, with the children experiencing a grand adventure filled with frustrations, uncertainty, and laughter. The rural Arkansas locations add laid-back and lyrical scenery. 

What Does Not Work As Well: After the premise is established and the family settles into their routines, the pace slows down to a grind and meaningful incidents become scarce and episodic. The thin material is unnecessarily stretched towards two hours, and the inconclusive ending just fades away rather than reaching for any meaningful resolutions.

Key Quote:

Jacob: They need to see me succeed at something for once.

Monica: For what? Isn't it more important for them to see us together?

Jacob: You go ahead and do what you want. Even if I fail, I have to finish what I started.

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Movie Review: Moment By Moment (1978)

Genre: Romance  

Director: Jane Wagner  

Starring: Lily Tomlin, John Travolta  

Running Time: 105 minutes  

Synopsis: In Los Angeles, socialite Trisha (Lily Tomlins) is pursued by beach bum Strip (John Travolta). She is lonely, going through a divorce, and staying at a beach house. Strip comes around frequently, and eventually they start an affair. Strip is a low-level drug dealer, younger than Trisha, and a misfit among her friends, resulting in predictable relationship problems.

What Works Well:  A couple of dogs hang around Trisha's beach house, and they are cute. For fans of ogling, Travolta spends most of the movie shirtless, and is often only wearing tight black bikini briefs.

What Does Not Work As Well: A leading contender for worst romance ever made, this is an excruciatingly bad example of tone-deaf writing colliding with shallow and unlikeable characters. The script by writer and director Jane Wagner grinds away with fingernails-on-chalkboard subtlety, Strip's pursuit of Trisha much closer to stalking than romancing. His child-man behaviour underlines the age difference, resulting in her imbecilic embrace of an affair with an annoying, homeless, and immature vagrant. Their chemistry-free, charisma-free, and charm-free relationship unfolds to a generic midnight jazz score, without any character contexts outside the claustrophobia of their dumbfounding interactions. 

Key Quote:

Strip: See, the thing is, most of my friends are undependable. Except for Gregg, and Gregg is in jail now.

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