Movieblaze

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Tom Berenger, Mike Epps, Maggie Grace

Director: George Tillman Jr

Writer(s): Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton

Cinematography: Michael Grady

Original Score: Clint Mansell

Running Time: 98 Mins.

The Rock, who now likes to be referred to as Dwayne Johnson since he is an established and “proper” actor, returns to his action-man roots after a brief sojourn into the realm of lame family films produced by Disney such as The Tooth Fairy and The Game Plan…or does he? On the surface Faster is pushed onto us as another Walking Tall or Fast and Furious style action romp but in truth Faster is actually closer to the revenge films of the 70′s, think Death Wish minus Charles Bronson and with a stoic Samoan man and you will be on the right track. In fact even the retro Tristar logo and the soul track that open and closes the films pretty much confirms this, though I can’t blame the distributors for pushing this on as they have given Johnson’s role in Fast Five just around the corner.

So mis-marketing aside what is there in Faster, well the title is just as misleading (theres very little in the way of car chases) but the content is a nice surprise, perhaps in an effort to distance himself from previously mentioned family tosh this is a decidedly abrupt shift in gear. Action scenes are pretty much non-existent with one of two brief fisticuffs and a bank robbery escape resulting to about 5 minutes of screen time meaning the majority consists of Johnson’s “Driver” seeking out all who wronged him (by way of killing his brother after a heist-gone-wrong), natura;;y this takes him cross-country but never results in anything more than a swift bullet in the head (or in one scene an ice pick!).

Not in a long time can I recall a star saying so little (verbally) though they do say actions speak louder than words, and as “Driver” rages his way through middle America the tension is aptly ramped up, rather than imply focusing on one man though we see the story through the eyes of “Cop” (Billy Bob Thornton) and “Killer” (Oliver Jackson’Cohen), both of whom have, shall we say, issues. “Cop” is the more interesting story arc of the three with Thornton better than he has been in quite some time looking rugged and drugged-up, his character treads the fine line between two-dimensional dirty cop and something a little different, all forlorn and seeking redemption…for something that is only revealed in the closing beats.

So while “Driver” does is silent hard man thing and “Cop” jitters his way through “Killer” draws the most unusual, he’s a killer for hire (who saw that one coming) and has history to do with some unexplained scars on his legs and has an apartment adorn with pictures of a more geeky looking “Killer” who was seemingly a computer whizz…oh and he’s with the rather vacuous Maggie Grace who is literally there for a bit of eye candy. This isn’t a problem (genre trait that is a requirement more like), but the supposedly complex psyche “Killer” has is, it’s hinted at but never explored and is only given short shrift and an even more brief denouement, something of a waste given all the initial (rather inexplicable) build-up.

But in bringing my review full circle, this is Johnson’s vehicle (so to speak) and he isn’t your usual idiotic ex-wrestler lug who can barely thump something convincingly, he is a man who we know can act (being both charming and believable) but does so en better with few words, the anger ever building with a simple look. If Faster refers to the pace it is bang-on, brutal and sudden, but this is no action “vehicle”.

VERDICT

Expect action and you will be deeply irked, expect a “serious” revenge thriller that is short, sharp and to the point and Faster might just float your boat as it harks back to the down and dirty flicks of the 70′s…Johnson as this generations Bronson, I’ll take that!

Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland, Denis O’ Hare, Julian Lewis Jones, Douglas Henshaw

Director: Kevin McDonald

Writer(s): Jeremy Brock, Rosemary Sutcliff (novel)

Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle

Original Score: Atli Ovarsson

Running Time: 114 Mins.

The trend for gritty historical romps set in Britain is seemingly alive and well in producers minds…if not repeated for audiences. These are (usually) costly to make and epic in scale, meaning a big box-office recoup necessary to at least break even, which may explain why the latest in this particular niche genre are smaller in both budget and scale, if not in ambition, in the last year alone we have seen Ironclad and Centurion and now The Eagle, the latter two both dealing with the same issue and jumping-off point though the approach is wildly different.

Where centurion concerned itself with being brutal, bloody and stuffed with testosterone (hallmarks of a Neil Marshall film) The Eagle is a more “serious” affair with no humour and a romping nature that makes it more appealing for 12 year boys seeking swordplay and a central relationship adding a little bromance (read, male bonding) for those wanting a bit more emotion in their boys own adventures. Neither of these facets make The Eagle poor, in fact it is all the better for it and despite the toned down blood and guts there are still more than enough limbs lopped off to attract gore-hounds or those liking a little more brutality in their violence than say…Robin Hood.

The main thrust of the plot is that Roman, Marcus Aquila (Tatum)seeks to redeem his fathers name by finding the  seal (the titular Eagle) that was lost when the 5000 strong troop was massacred and never found deep in the Scottish Highlands, accompanying Marcus is a slave (Bell) named Esca who’s allegiances are always at odds with his actions. Both actors are on fine form though while fine form for Bell is excellent the same cannot be said of Tatum, he is good, stoic and heroic but there is no humour or warmth there, he is a soldier plain and simple, whether this is all was required of him is up for discussion but never-the-less he is a commanding presence and in early scenes (that hint at an all to familiar film) he is convincing leading a Roman Garrison into battle, for the part we could ask little more.

It is this shift in gear that helps mark out The Eagle as different, yes it hits the beats you expect (cheesy “big” statement moments, characters sudden switch of allegiance, the Na’vi like “savages”) but the balance between character led drama (between Bell and Tatum) convinces and is paced well enough amidst the small-scale but always gripping action scenes. That said however it isn’t anything we’ve not seen done before…and better, characters liberally ripped from Gladiator, Braveheart and any other number of films and Tatum really isn’t skilled enough to mark his Marcus any different from any other depiction of a Roman legionary.

Where the film impresses more is in the direction, having already said the pacing is spot-on so to is the fantastic direction from McDonald who can evidently turn his hand to a number of genres (documentary, drama, thriller) adding historical (not so) epic to that, his dynamic approach along with Dod Mantle’s sumptuous cinematography means that The Eagle is, if nothing else, a feast for the eyes.

VERDICT

The Eagle is nothing new, other than it is a little more intimate for a Historical epic than you may well expect, however convincing central pair and some great direction and cinematography mark this out as well worth a watch for both teenage boys and anyone who likes a quality (if not out-standing) romp through Roman Britain.

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth, Robert John Burke

Director: Neil Burger

Writer(s): Leslie Dixon, Alan Glynn (novel)

Cinematography: Jo Willems

Original Score: Paul Leonard Morgan, Nico Muhly

Running Time: 104 Mins.

Bradley Cooper hs been quietly chipping away in an attempt to prove himself leading-man material, following bit parts in the likes of Wedding Crashers and Failure to Launch he has balanced massive hit (The Hangover) with disappointing (at least financially) flop with The A-Team. So here he comes again, with another hammer blow to explode onto the scene well and truly taking a starring role (he’s never off-screen) and holding a film with very little help and I am pleased to say he does so with aplomb, it is Cooper who makes Limitless worth a watch…it’s just a shame that it cannot be any more than just that.

Director Neil Burger previously directed Ed Norton in The Painted Veil and The Illusionist, both very good but both (oddly) underwhelming, and good or enjoyable as they are neither will stick with you beyond the closing credits. The same can be said of Limitless, I am struggling to put my finger on why and don’t like to criticize an undeniably entertaining film too much, that would seem to do all involved a discredit, however there is just “something” lacking, all the more odd given the dynamic central turn and the potentially thought-provoking subject matter…what would you do if you could “access” all of your brain-power?

That is what happens upon a bedraggled looking Eddie Morra (Cooper) randomly comes across his ex-wifes brother, a drug dealer and all-round dodgy character, needless to say having been given a mysterious pill Morra becomes addicted to the effects it has, he finishes a novel that was previously causing writer’s block and eventually plays the stock market to make himself millions, all the while aiding/outsmarting Robert De Niro’s Van Loon. It’s hardly a complex plot but using the source material The Dark Fields (novel written by Glynn) to good effect Dixon has crafted an engaging script that, for it’s running time, will keep you wondering where the film will go next.

As i said before this is ultimately Cooper’s film, he moves from twitchy and scruffy, to smooth businessman to smart senator with ease making subtle shifts in gear to leave us in no doubt he is the same guy throughout albeit with a touch more intelligence and confidence, not many would have managed such a role as well, no show-boating just believable, likeable and funny in equal measure. De Niro provides his usual “phone it in” character piece to gain his name above the title and Cornish and Friel are game enough as the women in Morra’s life, alas they are given next to nothing to do being the strong-willed girlfriend and basil-expostion respectfully.

Having considered carefully I would surmise that Limitless just isn’t “enough” of anything to be memorable or worth returning too, yes Cooper is great as Morra but you wouldn’t want to go through more than one sitting of him as we see where he came from, where he’s been and where he’s going…there’s nothing left. I would suggest that had it had more thrilling set-pieces (nudging it deeper into thriller rather than drama territory) or more convincing elements of threat (again making it more gripping), or even a more involved (in the plot) support of colourful characters there would be an element beyond just, well, the limits the film has imposed upon itself.

Yes the visuals pop and fizz, jump zooms, experimental camera angles, so on and so forth, but in context this amounts to little more than flash on the surface, something which would have been more beneficial married with an underlying exciting strain.

VERDICT

Limitless achieves two things, firstly that Cooper can carry a film, and two it is entertaining for 104 minutes, but beyond that there is nothing which is sad given a premise that was Limitless as the film’s title.

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Josh Lucas, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, John Leguizamo, William H. Macy

Director: Brad Furman

Writer(s): John Romano, Michael Connelly (novel)

Cinematography: Lukas Ettlin

Original Score: Cliff Martinez

Running Time: 119 Mins.

Back in the early 90′s legal thrillers were ten-a-penny, The Firm, A Few Good Men, The Client, The Pelican Brief...the list goes on though one of THE stand-out legal thrillers was undoubtedly 1995′s A Time To Kill. That film starred a fresh-faced Matthew McConaughey, proving his mettle as a solid actor and a great (and hugely dynamic) screen presence, something of a coup to make your mark amidst a cast that included Samuel L. Jackson,Sandra Bullock and both Kiefer and Donald Sutherland. Alas he followed with a few good roles but nothing that really capitalised on that debut and more recently appearing in a series of decreasing-in-quality rom-coms such as How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Failure to Launch, even his attempts at a franchise with Sahara was scuppered as a flop.

Fast forward a few years following a short hiatus from our screens and McConaughey is back to the legal thriller with The Lincoln Lawyer, based on Michael Connelly’s best-seller, a film that marks a return to form for both actor and genre. This is a none more 90′s film in the best possible way, harking back to the star vehicle (less and less common these days where franchise is king) and a glossy twisty legal thriller that takes place more out of the court-room than it does in, with twists, red herrings and a fantastic support cast, here’s hoping that the success of The Lincoln Lawyer can ignite more cases!

But before I get too carried away this is far from perfect, there are gaping plot holes (a staple of the genre) some hackneyed twists that you can see coming and one or two OOT performances along with the obligatory scenes of McConaughey all too suddenly making that breakthrough discovery and the scene where he gets drunk and dishevelled for dramatic effect before realising said breakthrough.Other than these minor hurdles it would seem churlish to criticise a film any further than seeks simply to entertain and thrill in equal measure, something that it (perhaps surprisingly) achieves with aplomb.

Mick Haller (McConaughey) is a high-flying lawyer, working out the back of the titular Lincoln he revels in reaping the (cash) rewards from keeping the more of ten than not bad guys on the streets, even sporting a number plate that reads NTGUILTY this is a man who begins the film apparently devoid of morals, one heck of a unlikeable guy in the wrong hands but having him played by the easy-going and smooth talking McConaughey gives Haller a much-needed level of charm and ultimately, likeability. Obviously throughout the film he discovers the error of his ways via a case that sees the smarmy and creepy (cast to perfection) Ryan Phillippe as a man accused of rape and battery on a prostitute. The face of scenes between the male leads are dynamic and show that both men are capable of much more than often given credit for, the game of cat and mouse played is very reminiscent of the Anthony Hopkins starring Fracture an equally old-school thriller.

Bolstered up by the likes of William H. Macy (as the obligatory P.I.), Marisa Tomei (the “ex”-wife) and Brian Cranston (the hard-faced cop), all stereotypical of the genre but all spot-on and cast to perfection, Macy in particular is a joy to watch. All these elements come together nicely and make for as solid and involving film, no it won’t change the face of cinema and no it doesn’t break any boundaries but what it does, it does well and apart from anything else it is nice to see a bona-fide star proving his worth…it’s a shame he is a touch too old to have played Captain America, I have always championed McConaughey as a smooth talking and charismatic fit for that most-american of roles.

VERDICT

The Lincoln Lawyer breaks no rules and doesn’t stray from legal-thriller formula, but what it does do it does very well and with an overdue and on-form McConaughey front and centre here’s hoping he finally has his frnachise for seeing Mick Haller taking on more cases would help prolong this fun 90′s legal revival.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, Craig T. Nelson, Gary Galone, Thomas R. Kee

Director: John Wells

Writer(s): John Wells

Cinematography: Roger Deakins

Original Score: Aaron Zigman

Running Time: 104 Mins.

There is a moment in The Company Men when, having been made redundant from his high flying job, Ben Affleck has hit rock bottom and the realisation that he has to say goodbye to his Porsche and golf membership (how humiliating!) that you stop thinking that an admittedly initially smug character has become sympathetic, this is testament to how far Affleck has come in the last few years. Not only is this another example of what a good actor he is (after The Town) but also how he is savvy in using his screen persona to great effect, the best possible effect in fact, in moulding a man who goes from the top of the ladder to the bottom in the briefest of periods.

Because this is Affleck, that guy from any number of roles in the late 90′s early 00′ where he was always the person you wanted to punch, he slips into the role of Bobby with ease losing that smugness and becoming the likeable everyman he always seemed incapable of being. This is rather more fundamental a coup than in many films as it is very much a story that rests on the shoudlers of the actors, there are no flashy visuals, the script is not particularly flashy in the same way that say The Social Network was and indeed the story itself is hardly a “big sell”, treading similar ground to Up In The Air albeit without that glossy sheen and the comedy quirks that Jason Reitman brings. Instead we have scripter and director John Wells, he behind any number of US TV series such as The West Wing and The Sopranos, who makes a good transition from small to big screen but proves a real knack for casting and involving/realistic characters over dynamic plot developments.

Undoubtedly though the plot here will hit to the core of many, perhaps why it didn’t do anything in the US when it opened some weeks back despite the starry cast, it poses the overarching question as to what it means when the company men of the title lose all that makes them in terms of material possessions. You can see where it is going from miles off but thankfully Wells is a man who knows how to avoid schmaltz like the plague so other than a rather too idealistic ending the events to get there are brutally “real”.

One area that really does threaten to tread rather cliched and sappy a path is when Bobby picks up tools in taking up his brother-in-laws offer of a manual labour job, initially dismissing it but forced to go there when times prove too hard…surprising eh! Thank the lord then that the brother -in-law is none other than Kevin Costner, the timeless everyman who has dabbled with cheese in the past ofte in a big way but really just plays it straight here as the no-nonense, hard working guy who values family over possessions (see I did say it was a little predictable), again though the characters ground the film and help keep us interested and more importantly moved by the plight of Affleck, Cooper and Jones.

Which brings me to my final point, Tommy Lee Jones, if Affleck is perfect casting Jones is just a step beyond with all those cracks in his face hinting at all work he has put into a company that drops him when he seems safest, if Affleck is the heart of The Company Men, Jones is the soul giving weight but never pretention this is the man we would all want as a boss an offers a depction of a working man that is sadly waning as the world slips more an more under a corporate grasp, ultimately the message that The Company Men strives, and succeeds, in giving.

VERDICT

The Company Men seeks, and succeeds, in making comments though these are never heavy handed, something which follows through the characterisation of Jones, Costner and Affleck, not a perfect film then but a perfectly cast and involving one.

Starring (the voices of): Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jermaine Clement, Jake T. Austin, Tracy Morgan, Wanda Sykes

Director: Carlos Saldanha

Writer(s): Don Rhymer

Cinematography: Renato Falcao

Original Score: John Powell

Running Time: 110 Mins.

We are inundated with CGI toons, one or two are great (How To Train Your Dragon, Toy Story 3), many are mediocre (Shrek Forever After, Despicable Me) and a lot are downright poor and crammed with pop culture references meaning that they are far from timeless (A Sharks Tale, Hoodwinked). In fact when it comes to the great ones Dreamworks and Pixar have the market cornered, Ice Age was 20th Century Fox’s first major crack at the market and succeeded, if only financially, so that they turn to that film’s director (Carlos Saldanha) is hardly a surprise in seeking a new franchise for Blue Sky Studies (Fox’s CGI outlet). The question is can Rio prove as financially successful (likely), but more importantly for me is the question as to whether it can actually help Blue Sky compete with Pixar et al in terms of quality?

Well for a start Rio is infinitely better than Ice Age, better voice acting, better action scenes and really rather beautiful to look at with the bright and bold palette afforded to the film as a result of the location and setting. Colour isn’t the only benefit of having your film set in Rio, having grown up there Saldanha clearly has a feel for the place meaning that it is jaunty, fun and being set during the festival has a wonderful upbeat nature, similarly it doesn’t shy away from showing us the shanty towns (albeit briefly) though only a fool would expect the slums to feature heavily in a kids toon, I’ve a feeling even Pixar would even shy away from showing extreme poverty!

So if we are offered a refreshing change in visuals that mark the film out as unique the narrative is as old-hat as it gets, an odd couple story that you just know will end in true love conquering all that sees the central protagonists Blu and Jewel seeking a return to their respective dream lives (as a preening, pampered pet and back to nature free-bird) having been kidnapped by bird smugglers who are aided by a cockatoo called Nigel, so far so cliched…and it doesn’t end there! All manner of creatures come out to help the feathered friends including a bulldog, a toucan and a young orphan child! It is here that Rio is held back from being great and teeters on the great/mediocre border.

Keeping the great end up is the voice cast, halfway to being novelty by having big names for the sake of big names, thankfully though for every slightly misjudged cliché (Will I Am and Jamie Foxx) there is a great pitch perfect performance, Jesse Eisneberg is the standout and seems to have been made to play Blu with his voice matching the birds mannerisms tic for tic, similarly Jemiane Clement is genius casting and even gets a song, in fact I just wish he had MORE screen-time because the man is a comedy god! Tracey Morgan is fun but barely registers appearing late in the day while Hathaway could of been pretty much any actress for al the distinctiveness she brings to Jewel, so not phoned in but hardly breaking the mould.

Ultimately there is little not too like, and quibbling over a hackneyed plot seems moot in the face of a great way to tell said story even if the cast is a little lumbering at times in the face of sheer celebrity voices. It can nark at times when the voice cast overwhelm the characters as all too often happens in the face of “stunt casting”, but when the voice fits the face it makes one hell of a difference which is what marks Rio out against the likes of A Sharks Tale and the rather dull Ice Age films, in fact it is hard to think the same director has managed to craft a film that is so much further from being boring, something that makes the inevitable Rio 2 a welcome prospect.

VERDICT

In the end it is easy to try to pick holes but the good far outweighs any weakness, Clement’s inspired turn for a start and the perfect casting of Eisenberg…Rio proves to be a fun, bright and breezy effort.

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Ramon Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Michelle Monaghan, Will Rothhaar, Cory Hardrict, Jim Parrack, Ne-Yo

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Writer(s): Christopher Bertolini

Cinematography: Lukas Ettlin

Original Score: Brian Tyler

Running Time: 116 Mins.

Another year, another alien invasion film, though this one is slightly different in that we see very little of the actual aliens not in a cryptic secretive way that keeps them hidden so we are left wondering what they look like, no, Battle Los Angeles presents us with an alien race that are simply another force to be fought off in that gung-ho way that only the American troops can muster. This is essentially Black Hawk Down, except it’s not nearly that good, not the Battle Los Angeles is without merit rather it is just a little, well, meh.

Most films are good, or bad, while a fair few sit on that middle ground of being not good enough to warrant a glowing recommendation though not particularly bad enough to be ranted about though the more I think about Battle Los Angeles the more it irks me on some fronts. To start on a positive note though, it is pacey and saves little time for characterisation, this isn’t a film that attempts to dig deep into the psyche of a soldier, meaning the action is full-on and at times quite exciting in the moment even if I can’t recall specific moments, apparently fun and great don’t always come hand in hand meaning this is at best a Friday night slice of brainless testosterone.

Unfortunately this onslaught of action means we are left with nearly two hours of boom, smash, bang, scream, gun-shot, and repeat, over and over again until you’re left with the obligatory “survivors” holed up in one last-ditch defence. The finale isn’t the only cliché, the plot flows from one to another at a pace, with the fast pace being the only thing stopping you thinking hmm hasn’t this been ripped from Black Hawk Down, Independence Day, District 9 or any other number of action/war/alien films. Despite these alien invasion movie tics the grunts eye view of things always prevails, meaning that each cardboard chaarcter cut-out is left wide open, you name him he’s (or she) here, hell even Michelle Rodriguez is here playing a hard ass marine like only she can.

Thank heavens then for Aaron Eckhart (a damn site better than the material deserves) he is a convincing marine and delivers his cheesy and hackneyed lines with gusto but, much like the film as a whole, lacks a more humourous and lighter side that would have been a saving grace amidst the gushing heroic speeches that will leave you cringing, we wallow on protracted deaths and injuries that hope to immerse you in the plight faced by “the world” (read: America) but without the appropriate characterisation, all each death amounts to is just another hard-ass American soldier.

There are hints at a different angle, fleetingly we see the aliens pull their injured away, something which would have given a fresh angle to proceedings, but with the enemy as faceless otherwise and offerded no time bar being cannon fodder there can be no empathy or for that matter interest. The effects bringing the creatures to life are superb however and make for an interesting enemy, one with limits like ourselves, but once again it is an avenue left unexplored.

VERDICT

Battle Los Angeles is little more that a Black Hawk Down retread albeit it’s weaker cousin, the threat may as well not have been alien given how faceless they are though the heros themselves aren’t given much more to work with. To give it it’s due for a film about spectacle and action it manages to hit the mark frequently if only in a “seen it all before way”  but will linger with you no longer than that.

Starring: Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate, Richard Jenkins, Stephen Merchant, Nicky Whelan

Director: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly

Writer(s): Pete Jones, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Kevin Barnett

Cinematography: Matthew F. Leonetti

Original Score: Various

Running Time: 105 Mins.

It would seem that in the 14 years since There’s Something About Mary the Farrelly brothers have been struggling to find their way in the Hollywood comedy circuit, ever upping the gross-out ante while becoming more schmaltzy at the same time. They have eeked out effort after effort, Shallow Hal, Stuck On You, The Heartbreak Kid each somehow being worse than the last, it really is a shame because in their heyday of Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin and There’s Something About Mary they really were the kings of comedy, meaning Hall Pass isn’t their worst film but in all fairness that really does damn the film with faint praise.

Running to keep up with the likes of current comedy greats (Judd Apatow, Todd Phillips) these boys really are churning out stale blueprint comedy plots that could ultimately be hilarious in the right hand but seem to be stuck in some kind of 90′s time warp, gross-out really doesn’t cut it alone and explosive diarrhoea induced by a sneeze or cringe-worthy chat-up lines have been done before, by the Farrelly’s no less, and to actual funny effect. Scenes in a nightclub seem to have been cut from Shallow Hall (Pretty looking girls that are actually ugly) grim sex scenes (all of their films) and supposedly loveable guys who are pathetic at worst and shameful at best.

In all fairness the target isn’t highbrow but a comedy should be funny if nothing else, there are two scenes that do elicit a chuckle or two to give the film its due and both concern well-worn cliché, so we have the scene whereby the leads all eat hash cakes and play golf and a late in the day show by Richard Jenkins who is funny but I’m certain it has more to do with it being Richard Jenkins in a Farrelly film than the script being funny! And oh what a script it is, in interviews the brothers have talked of how they take a long time slaving over jokes (hence why they aren’t keen on improv), all I can say to this is they really are disillusioned and maybe SHOULD give up the day job as theres only so much more of this, not even half-arsed, guff.

Usually the presence of a good comedy actor can elevate even the weakest material, not so here in fact the presence of Owen Wilson does just the opposite and I spent the majority of the film thinking of Wedding Crashers and how good Wilson was in it, particularly in scenes that ape that excellent gem. He is a funny guy but needs good material to work with and with the inability to do improv there isn’t a lot he can do, Sudeikis fares much better though perhaps that is because there really isn’t much comparison for me to draw on other than Going The Distance. Often the support cast can raise a titter or two but the obligatory “best mates” disappear halfway (literally, we never see or here from them again) though for my money that was a saving grace given Stephen Merchant in one of the most irritating performers around!

If the men are poorly executed the women are wafer thin, or whatever could be thinner, given one I would waver are the years most hackneyed story arcs and the weakest characters with no redeeming featres, Christina Applegate can do comedy, and well at that, but as Sudeikis neglected wife all she is afforded in terms of character development is a brief fling with a baseball player topped off with the obligatory “comedy injury…I could go on picking fault but really I loathe to waste any more time on such a lazy and weak film.

VERDICT

Oh how this mighty have fallen (in comedy at least!), the Farrelly brothers offer up yet another weak comedy that apes their past glories and try to emulate recent comedy greats very badly though surely the worst crime on display here is the laugh count in Hall Pass…or lack thereof!!

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Terence Stamp, John Slattery, Anthony Mackie, Michael Kelly

Director: George Nolfi

Writer(s): George Nolfi, Philip K. Dick (novel)

Cinematography: John Toll

Original Score: Thomas Newman

Running Time:

In order for a film to work, certainly in the case of a thriller anyway, something needs to be at stake. usually it is someones life whether it be the central characters or a loved one related to that central character, on the basis of Inception and now this there is something much more poignant that can be at stake and in using something other than the clichéd premise we have become accustomed to original and ultimately great films are becoming more common, something we can all be grateful for. The comparisons have been drawn by all and sundry but there are echoes of last years thinking mans blockbuster (a certain dream based thrill ride) but fortunately for us this is simply a film riding on the coat-tails of cinematic wunderkind Nolan, instead The Adjustment Bureau is as different from Inception (or Bourne which is also name-checked on posters) as can be, tapping other avenues in search of a gripping and extremely involving tale.

To reveal too much of the plot really would rob you of many of the revelations. they aren’t revelations in a big reveal/twist sense rather they are details of a very clever over-arching plot that chooses to unfurl before our eyes rather than sign post each step of the journey as is expected of a run-of-the-mill film (this weeks Unknown being a perfect example of that all too stale format).  Opening with our focus on the relatively young prospective Senator of New York, David Norris (Damon) we soon learn that he had a tragic childhood losing his brother and both parents, he isn’t traumatised in the traditional sense of the word rather effected in other ways, ways which do not see the film bogged dow with a morose tone. Into David’s life, on three seemingly random occasions, is Emily Blunt’s Elise…but all is not as it seems and as a group of men in hats ominously  watch over David seemingly intent on keeping him from Elise the plot thickens with some potentially disturbing truths…

Given this is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick you would expect a possible sense of dread, and almost certainly a number of existential questions posed. The Adjustment Bureau has both of these things though the former is downplayed so that the tone is kept light, yet oddly more uneasy for it, not uneasy in a way that is detrimental to the film but rather adds hugely to the unique atmosphere. Really I can safely say I’ve never seemn a film like it, defying pigeon-holing and the trappings of the usual genre conventions everything is underplayed to perfection. Theres a chase scene that is clever yet not showy, exciting but not overblown, the usual interrogation scenes are given an interesting shake-up and then there is the burgeoning romance.

Emily Blunt is good, we know this from her roster of past performances and Damon is really on fire lately, not in a big showy film star way (he had that down-pat years ago) rather he seems one of the few actors able to turn his hand to any material and excel, Invictus, Hereafter, True Grit, Green Zone, and that’s only the last year…each role as different as the next and every one nuanced and very likeable, now we can add The Adjustment Bureau to that, David Norris is a likeable guy but there are subtle layers underneath, though it is in the scenes with Blunt that the film really lights up. Very few onscreen romances are this convincing, the chemistry is so involving you will be rooting for a happy ending throughout…is this the years most romantic film on top of everything else? It might just be!

Just to top of the enjoyment are a plethora of supporting turns that seem cast to perfection, Anthony Mackie is spot on as are Mad Men’s John Slattery and the ever reliable Terence Stamp, who are the men they play is the key to unfurling the goings on in the film, Stamp’s character reveals a bigger plot that helps give weight to the more personal drama and emotion. It really proves hard to pinpoint exactly what is so good about The Adjustment Bureau but sometimes originality is all it takes though all the other elements seem to be the icing on the cake…and I haven’t even mentioned the ending, truly feel good I’d say.

VERDICT

The Adjustment Bureau defies categorisation, it is as romantic a film as you will likely see all year, it has big ideas that are underplayed to perfection and grips with a thoroughly involving and thoughtful plot…it all just fits together so well, this isn’t showy cinema but as solid and involving as we could hope for, thilling, gripping and fun in the moment whilst remaining in your thoughts long after.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aindan Quin, Bruno Ganz, Frank Langella, Olivier Schneider

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Writer(s): Oliver Kutcher, Stephen Cornwell, Didler Van Cauwelaert

Cinematography: Flavio Labiano

Original Score: John Ottman, Alexander Rudd

Running Time: 113 Mins.

Since the surprise hit Taken, which was also surprisingly good fun, Liam Neeson has set about to reinvent himself as some sort of no-nonsense action man, it worked well in the aforementioned Luc Besson produced actioner and in The A-Team last summer but with the Unknown the act is proving a little thin on the ground demonstrating that in order for us to fully embrace “Action man Neeson” the star vehicle needs to have its tongue firmly placed in it cheek, ultimately Unknown takes itself far too seriously.

Opening with an intriguing premise, couple on way to hotel conference in Berlin, husband forgets suitcase returns to airport only to survive a car crash yet suffers partial amnesia and upon finding his wife realises she no longer recognises him…is he Dr. Martin Harris? Is she really his wife? Is he simply delusional? Or is there a more sinister plot at work? Over the films running time all of these questions are posed numerous times and in theory it makes for a gripping thriller with plot twists aplenty, and twists and turns there are, one after another are revealed yet they fail to make any impact and despite the truth eluding me the “big” revelation really didn’t shock me.

Part of the problem lay in director Collet-Serra’s pedestrian approach though the script is equally to blame, pinching elements from Taken and Frantic to craft a rather dull character, just because Neeson can’t remember who he is doesn’t mean he should be boring! The saving grace would have been the action, had it been as punchy as that in Taken (as the trailers surely promise) there would have been enough respite from the meandering plot though as it is what you saw in terms of action in the trailer really does amount to little more than just that, a few minutes of a half hearted car chase or a shoe-horned in fisticuffs or two. At the expense of pace the final revelation could have afforded a more Bourne or Salt like effort (as the film slips into in its final minutes). But the plot is so concerned with trying to be clever (it’s not) that we are spared anything exciting.

We know Neeson can act, and he does at least try to inject a little life into his dull amnesic, but there are no relationships, no chemistry between others who are even more poorly served by the script. Diane Kruger, who is often great, is merely there as an obligatory helping hand is mostly rendered useless while January Jones is downright awful and thoroughly unconvincing. The bit parts are better played, Gans in particular seeming to be having some fun with his ex-Stazi spy and a late appearance by Frank Langella is at lease=t a little menacing though his character is merely a retread of the one he played in the awful The Box, minus the facial scarring.

The best thing I can say for Unknown is that the setting is used to fairly good effect, Berlin is a potentially very cinematic city and at least Collet-Serra recognises this, the typical sightseeing spots are all present and correct while a scene in a nightclub hints at something more fun and under the radar, stealthy if you will. This is only a hint however and we are soon back to the languid plot and lack of an exciting event.

VERDICT

Overall Unknown proves disappointing, given what we were promised by way of the advertising was essentially Taken Mk2, make no mistake this is a film lacking in action, thrills and a sense of fun. To succeed it needed at least two if not all of these aspects…as it is it has none, though at least Neeson does (very) briefly get to kick some ass!