Movie Review: Spenser Confidential (2020)

Genre: Crime Comedy Action  

Director: Peter Berg  

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Alan Arkin, Winston Duke, Iliza Shlesinger  
Running Time: 111 minutes  

Synopsis: In Boston, former cop Spenser (Mark Wahlberg) serves 5 years in prison for striking his superior Captain Boylan, who was ignoring evidence in a murder case. As soon as Spenser is released, Boylan is murdered, and a junior officer is falsely implicated. Spenser joins forces with fellow ex-convict and wannabe mixed martial arts fighter Hawk (Winston Duke) and his landlord Henry (Alan Arkin) to delve into the case, exposing a widespread web of corruption.

What Works Well: The adaptation of Ace Atkins' book Wonderland is a light-hearted yet still edgy crime romp through the streets of Boston, riding the bounce of Mark Wahlberg's charisma and off-kilter buddy dynamics with Winston Duke. Spenser's inability to walk away from trouble underpins the plot's energy, as corrupt cops, machete-wielding gangsters, white supremacists, and the mafia all blunder their way into a grand conspiracy. Spenser's charged relationship with maybe girlfriend Cissy (Iliza Shlesinger) adds a dash of aggressive eroticism.

What Does Not Work As Well: This is as enjoyable as it is forgettable. The characters and events all carry the formulaic depth of flimsy tracing paper blowing in the wind.

Key Quote:

Henry (meeting Spenser upon his release from prison): Try to stay on this side for a while.

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