The Hateful Eight

My Grade:  A

Quentin Tarantino is back with another western focusing on another bounty hunter. Instead of spanning multiple states this time, Tarantino sticks to mostly one location and builds the story in the way he does best:  through fantastic dialogue.

To discuss the plot of The Hateful Eight would venture too closely to spoiler territory, so I will get very basic:  a bounty hunter and his bounty take refuge from a deadly winter storm in a bar with a handful of other colorful and mysterious characters. Getting back to his non-linear style of storytelling, Tarantino crafts a thrilling caper with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout its staggering three hours and seven minute run time. It does drag a bit at the beginning and has a surprising lack of violence (compared to Taratino’s usually bloody affairs)… until it makes up for that lack in a big way. 

The Hateful Eight brings together a who’s who of Tarantino classics including Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Kurt Russell. But it’s the newcomer Jennifer Jason Leigh that steals the show from these heavy hitters (and she earned an Oscar nomination for it). This kind of claustrophobic film requires a stellar cast with compelling dialogue to succeed. And that’s exactly what it does.

Most notably, Jackson delivers one of the more memorable (and rather despicable) monologues in the history of Tarantino films. He captivates his on screen audience as well as the viewer while proving why he is one of the all-time greats. One character doesn’t outshine the rest, though, in this well-acted ensemble piece. It’s not without its flaws, though. The biggest flaw in this film is the seemingly random voiceover that pops up in awkward spots. It doesn’t add much to the story and is, quite frankly, a bit cheesy. That’s a small blemish, though, in an otherwise solid film.

Overall, The Hateful Eight provides exactly what we’ve come to expect from a Tarantino flick:  non-linear plot, chapter-style storytelling, cartoonish violence, unique characters, and outstanding dialogue. It’s one of his best since Pulp Fiction.

Deadpool

My Grade:  A

If you thought the marketing campaign for The Force Awakens was good, Deadpool’s was even better. I could write an entire review about Deadpool’s marketing campaign, but I won’t because the marketing campaign isn’t coming out on blu-ray May 10, the movie is. So before that blu-ray breaks the fourth wall of your home theater system, take a moment to read my thoughts on the highest grossing rated R film of all time.

Deadpool is a comic book character that is known as sarcastic, crude, immature… basically Ryan Reynolds in a skin tight suit with super healing powers. So, it’s a good thing they cast Mr. Reynolds in the lead role. He embodies this anti-hero better than anyone has embodied their comic book role ever (including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man which is a pretty close second). The fact that Reynolds is a perfect fit for the character is a mixed bag because some people find his brand of humor annoying. Judging by the box office receipts, the majority of people don’t. I’m one of those that find him to be very funny. And, thus I find this movie to be very funny. Between Deadpool’s knack for addressing the audience and his interplay with the surprisingly hilarious supporting cast, you will do a lot of laughing. The best comedic moments are when the movie makes fun of itself and/or superhero movies in general. It’s actually quite surprising that a company like Marvel (who takes themselves so seriously) would make a movie that makes fun of themselves. I’m glad they did, though.

It’s not all laughs, though. Deadpool features some of the best action set pieces you’ll find. The choreography is stunning and the special effects are stellar. That should be no surprise, though, because of Tim Miller. Before directing Deadpool, he was best known for his visual effects work. This was his feature directorial debut and it has become the highest grossing R-rated film in the history of cinema. If they gave out Rookie of the Year awards, he’d certainly be nominated.

Deadpool isn’t without its flaws, though. Apart from Deadpool himself, the other characters are pretty flat. His love interest Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) claims she’s “played a lot of roles but damsel in distress ain’t of of them.” Unfortunately, if she hadn’t before, she has now. While her romance with Wade Wilson (Deadpool) has its funny moments (the rather memorably raunchy montage), it never really hits enough sweet notes for us to really buy it as the impetus for Wilson’s entire journey. Then there’s the baddie, Ajax (a career making turn from the little known Ed Skrein). We know he’s a bad guy, he has super human strength, and he can fight. Beyond that, he doesn’t have much to offer other than some really twisted torture tactics.

Other supporting characters like Wilson’s friend "The Weasel,” his roommate “Blind Al”, and two lesser known X-Men (Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus) all come in and out of Deadpool’s story to serve their purpose but never really get any development beyond how they relate to Deadpool. It would have been nice to see them fleshed out a little more. Because of the huge business this movie did at the box office, though, this will be a franchise allowing plenty of time to learn more about them.

Overall, Deadpool is simply a good time. if you can handle the intense violence, bad language, and raunchy jokes, you’ll enjoy this breath of fresh air that the superhero genre needed. 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

My Grade:  C+

I’m not the biggest fan of superheroes or superhero movies. However, I do like Batman. He doesn’t have magic powers, he isn’t an alien or a norse god… he’s just a man. A rich man, but a man none the less. Superman is the exact opposite. He’s an all powerful alien with pretty much every super power and only has one weakness:  a space rock. That’s just not interesting to me as a character. So it’s safe to say I saw this flick because of Batman. It’s like watching a baseball game because you’re a fan of one of the teams. Using the sports analogy, pitting Batman against Superman - arguably the two most iconic superheroes of all time - is like the Superbowl for comic book fans. I was, am, and always will be Team Batman.

The plot of the flick is more than a little convoluted. There is way too much going on even for the somewhat bloated run-time. But that plot isn’t what sold tickets, though; it’s the promise of a fight between Batman and Superman. So talking about the story beats of Lex Luther trying to get a big chunk of Kryptonite, Batman trying to get it from him, Wonderwoman skulking around Lexcorp, the weird dream sequences, and the awkward relationship between Superman and Lois Lane isn’t necessary. It’s not necessary because the fight is awesome. 

Once it happens, nothing else matters. It’s worth the price of admission just to see the titular fight. You might think it’s a bit of a stretch that a plain old rich dude with some cool gadgets could even come close to hanging in there when battling an all powerful alien with only one weakness. Surprisingly, they make it believable, though. I won’t ruin it and tell you who wins, but I do have to talk about how the fight actually ends. It’s downright silly. If you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t seen it and you do see it, you’ll be scratching your head like I was when the fight abruptly ends over something so trivial and dumb… its borderline infuriating to end this epic, amazing fight in this silly way.

The best parts of this flick are some of the more controversial aspects. I’ll go ahead and say it:  Ben Affleck is a very good Bruce Wayne and maybe an even better Batman. I didn’t jump on the anti-Affleck bandwagon like most did when that casting announcement was originally made. I thought he was a great choice and I was right. Also, I enjoyed Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luther. Many people found him annoying and accused him of overacting but I thought he was great. Everything from the nervous ticks to the visible struggle to restrain the insanity were played very well. Then, of course, there is Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Everyone agrees she is great, there just wasn’t enough of her. 

Overall, the plot is too busy and there are some major leaps in logic and some downright ridiculous aspects. Also, the big battle with Doomsday was kind of anti-climactic. I’ve also never been a fan of CGI monsters. But it revealed a great Batman, set up a promising Wonder Woman for her solo outing, and the tone was more appealing to me than the squeaky clean Marvel movies. So it’s worth a watch if you’re a fan of the genre but it’s not a great start to the DC Extended Universe. 

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

My Grade:  A+

If you’re going to see Star Wars VII:  The Force Awakens, you already have. And if you don’t care to see it, me writing a review isn’t going to make you want to because there are hundreds of positive reviews out there. If those haven’t convinced you, then what makes me think I can? So, I’m not going to write a review of The Force Awakens, I’m going to write a review of my experience with The Force Awakens. 

I have been a Star Wars fan for a long time. I have seen the original trilogy too many times to count. I used to own and play Star Wars Trivial Pursuit (and I usually won). I used to play the underrated and, now, discontinued Star Wars Customizable Card Game (the cards are still in my attic). I have Star Wars shirts that don’t quite fit me but I still wear them. I wore Darth Vader socks to a close friend’s wedding (sorry Rachel). I did, however, marry a woman who had never seen any Star Wars movies EVER! In regards to that, I jokingly (sort of) told her that we couldn’t get married until she had seen the original trilogy. She sat through episodes IV and V in one sitting which is quite commendable, but she still hasn't seen Episode VI (or VII obviously). That’ll happen, though, don’t worry.

That is a brief glimpse at my history with this franchise that has not only shaped the art of film in general, but it has also shaped the entirety of pop culture. So, yes, I was pretty darn excited when Disney bought Lucasfilm and announced they were set to continue the story. Even if the new films were as bad as the prequels, at least there would be more to the story. And, to make matters even better, there would be anthology films each year in between the episodic installments? This fanboy couldn’t be happier about that (especially the Han Solo spinoff).

Anyway, back to my The Force Awakens experience. I can’t remember how many times I watched that first trailer. And, obviously, I applauded when Han and Chewbacca showed up at the end. Yes, I was alone in my house with nobody but the dog to hear my cheers; but I cheered anyway (you did, too… just admit it). Then that first full trailer dropped and broke the internet. I think I read that it was the fastest video ever to hit 1 million views. I contributed at least 25 of those million.

With each piece of news that came out, I got more and more excited. And, fortunately, they were largely spoiler free. That might be the most impressive thing about this movie:  the marketing campaign. They could have shown videos of grass growing then play a snippet of that iconic John Williams score and plaster a release date on the screen and people would still line up for days. But they didn’t. They gave everyone just enough to build the excitement to beyond a fever pitch but they never even showed one shred of the actual story so everyone got to go into the theater fresh.

Tickets went on sale that first day and I snapped mine up. I had my ticket for a 9:40pm showing on Thursday, December 17. Meanwhile, my wife and I were expecting our first child with a due date of December 31. I’m not sure how much you know about due dates and pregnancy, but it was feasible that our baby girl could be born on or before December 17, thus making the ticket I pre-ordered a mere tease. Obviously the birth of my first child was vastly more important that “some stupid movie” (as it was called by my wife once or twice… she was kidding, I think) but I am certainly glad that our baby girl hadn't shown up before that Thursday. Closer to the due date would be better anyway, right?

Finally, it was Thursday. I had to work that day and it was the slowest day ever. All I could think about was the next chapter in this story with which I grew up. Work ended, I grabbed some food, then met up with my friends to wait in line. If you know anything about opening night movie events, you have to get there early unless you want to get stuck in the front row and risk neck trauma while trying to enjoy the film.

As the minutes ticked away, we finally got seats and the lights dimmed. Trailer after trailer prolonged the time before I got to witness the rebirth of the greatest franchise in film history. Finally, it was time. That iconic score blasted and the opening crawl burst onto the screen to uproarious applause from the crowded theater. The next two hours and sixteen minutes flew by. It was a glorious mix of nostalgia, fan service, classic storytelling, epic action, strong acting, and a mix of new faces that blended perfectly with the classic old faces we know and love. Not only is it the movie that we wanted as fans, but it’s just a good movie. Sure it shares a lot of close similarities with Episode IV but that is one of the greatest examples of classic storytelling in the history of cinema; so, if you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best, right? And there was enough new to set itself apart from its predecessors. 

Once the film ended, I was equal parts excited for what is to come next and angry that they left us on such a cliff hanger (literally). It’s like when you watch your favorite show every week and this week’s episode ends on a shocking reveal that will have game-changing implications… then the closing credits roll. You have to wait a whole week to see what happens next. Well, in this case, you have to wait two whole years! What makes it even worse is that Episode VIII is being directed by one of my favorite directors in the business, Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper). But until then, I’ll just re-watch The Force Awakens on blu-ray (which I ordered the day it came out) a handful of times. Also, I guess the first anthology film, Rouge One, will tide me over. 

Spy

My Grade:  A

I wouldn’t say I am a Melissa McCarthy fan, but I don’t dislike her either. I find her style of comedy mostly funny but obnoxious at times. That’s why I have a hard time dealing with her when she is forced to carry an entire movie (like the absolutely terrible Tammy). With a strong cast to back her up and carry some of the comedic load, though, McCarthy soars in the recent action/comedy Spy.

Spy takes a pretty boring premise and makes a fun movie out of it. Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is an analyst at the CIA with dreams of being something more. She doesn’t, however, have the charisma, confidence, or really anything else that would make you think she was capable of being a field operative. But, when a deadly arms dealer discovers the identity of all of the CIA’s field operatives (which happens in multiple James Bond movies, Mission Impossible, and pretty much every other piece of spy genre entertainment), the unknown Cooper volunteers to step up and save the day. And, it turns out she is actually very good at it. 

The reason this story works is because of the interplay between all the characters. Cooper is in love with Agent Bradley Fine (a hilarious Jude Law) but he just sees her as his buddy. She is also bullied by hardcore, foul-mouthed Agent Rick Ford (Jason Statham) in some of the funniest exchanges in the entire film, but he turns out to pretty much be all talk. And when Cooper makes contact with the violent, stuck-up arms dealer with a huge sense of entitlement, Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), their relationship has a great arc that constantly changes and keeps you guessing. These relationships are mined expertly for every ounce of comedy by writer/director Paul Feig who delivers his best film to date with Spy.

As the film presses on, the story grows quite a bit more ridiculous with each passing scene; but that’s okay because it doesn’t take itself too seriously and it serves as a wink at the spy genre in general. It also throws some decent twists at you. While some of them may be a bit of a stretch at times, they work well enough and don’t distract you from the rest of the story.

The biggest disappointment in this film is Miranda Hart as Nancy, Cooper’s co-worker and friend. Most of her jokes didn’t land for me and she annoyed me in most of her scenes. To counteract that disappointment, there is the biggest surprise of the film:  Jason Statham’s comedy chops. He is hysterical. He tells these ridiculous stories of his past experiences as a field operative and his delivery is outstanding. He basically spoofs every character he has ever played and I could watch it all day. Also, Rose Byrne is perfect. Simply perfect in this role.

Overall, Spy is surprisingly good. It’s Melissa McCarthy’s best film to date and shows that Paul Feig has taken huge strides in his writing/directing prowess since Bridesmaids (which everyone seemed to like except me) and The Heat (which I liked but it wasn’t a great movie by any stretch of the imagination). The strong supporting cast allows us to get just enough Melissa McCarthy and serves up a solid spy spoof with some heart.

Furious 7

My Grade:  B+

Here we have a franchise that started off grounded somewhat in reality and almost felt believable back in 2001 with the first entry The Fast and the Furious. It was inspired by a magazine article called “Racer X” written by Ken Li in the May 1998 issue of Vibe Magazine. And, now, it has become a monstrously successful and absurdly unrealistic action franchise with seven entries and perhaps a few more to come. This is a crazy world we live in, right? The films have gotten more and more insane as the franchise has pressed on through its 14 years and Furious 7 is, as expected, the most insane entry yet. Insane, yes, but a white-knuckled thrill ride of the highest order.

Furious 7 brings Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew of street racers considerable danger as their past comes back to haunt them. In Fast & Furious 6, the team took down a guy named Owen Shaw and left him in a coma. Now, his older brother Deckard is out for revenge. The thing about Deckard is that he is basically a superhuman killing machine that is nearly impossible to track down and even harder to kill. Even worse, he already killed one of Dom’s crew in Tokyo (which took place in the fourth and weakest entry in the franchise, The Fast and the Furious:  Tokyo Drift) so this one is personal. The hunt for Deckard takes Dom’s team across the globe and requires them to pull off a number of elaborate heists in order to get a shot at Shaw.

Despite the cliche revenge plot and the cliche backstory for the badguy and the cliche tropes of secretive government organizations, this movie is very original in its action. No other film franchise has mastered the art of creating fresh takes on car chases time and time again quite like this franchise. With car chases being a dime a dozen in film, it’s nice to see something unique. Whether it’s realistic or not, it doesn’t matter because if we’re honest, no movie car chase is realistic. So why not go all out? That’s what Furious 7 does. Whether it’s cars skydiving onto a road to then battle with a weaponized bus, or it’s a bulletproof super car jumping between skyscrapers in Abu Dabi, it all works when the franchise is built on physics defying absurdity. And that absurdity is outstanding because it isn’t taken seriously. The filmmakers relish in the absurdity so we are able to sit back and bask in the pure adrenaline of it all.

What this flick offers that some of its other action genre contemporaries don’t is a heart. With all the outrageous action and almost cartoonish levels of violence and explosions, it stays grounded in the bond that these characters share which goes beyond friendship. Might I say it’s like they’re family? I might as well say that since Dom says it about 64 times in every one of the films. So, it’s a little ham-fisted with the family stuff, but it doesn’t just have the characters saying they are family; the characters act like family. Their loyalty to each other makes you root for them.

The acting in this film is nothing to write home about, though. Diesel grunts through all his on-the nose dialogue, Tyrese and Ludacris are hit-and-miss with some of their “witty” banter, and the little bit of dialogue delivered by MMA star Ronda Rousey in her cameo is horrendous. She can certainly throw down in a fight scene, though. The surprise, though, is I have never thought the late Paul Walker was much of an actor, but he is very good here. This is the role he will always be remembered for and that’s fitting because it was perfect for him. It’s honestly a shame he won’t be around to bring Brian O’Conner to life anymore.

Overall, Furious 7 is basically a superhero movie disguised as a plain old action movie about fast cars. It’s outrageous in every sense of the word but it stays grounded in the relationships between the characters and focuses on the loyalty they have for each other despite the constant, death-defying adventures they undertake. It’s just a fun ride.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

My Grade:  A

What if Quentin Terantino directed a Bond movie? He hasn’t and probably won’t ever, but there’s something even better:  Matthew Vaughn directed a quasi Bond movie and it’s awesome. Who is Matthew Vaughn, you ask? He is the action genius behind the camera for two of the best superhero flicks to come out in recent history:  Kick-Ass (2010) and X-Men:  First Class (2011). He’s also quickly becoming one of my favorite directors.

Kingsman is not your momma’s spy movie. It is ultra violent, rather raunchy, and irreverent to a fault. It follows a rough street kid, Eggsy (a name-making turn from little known Taron Egerton) who gets recruited by a refined gentleman, Harry (a refreshing role for the extremely talented Colin Firth) who works for an ultra-secretive agency called The Kingsmen. Once recruited, Eggsy has to compete against other highly touted recruits in an action-packed and dangerous training program/tryout. Only one of these recruits will be allowed to join The Kingsmen and help rid the world of various types of evil.

Spy movies have been done and done in Hollywood; but Kingsman breathes new life into the genre by abiding by the spy movie tropes while simultaneously spoofing them. It makes for a very smart film and the action that Vaughn weaves in is spectacular as always. It also offers some relevant social commentary about our obsession with tech and social media, but it doesn’t beat you over the head with its message. That’s about the only subtle bit of this film, though. Over-the-top is a good way to describe it.

The action is ridiculous, the situations are insurmountable, the violence is in-your-face, and the skills of these Kingsmen are almost to the level of absurd... but that’s what makes it so much fun. Within the world of the film, everything works together without too many leaps of logic, though. When you crank the insanity meter up to 11 from the very start, you can do just about anything - including having a bulletproof umbrella that can also fire explosives.

One thing that I have to mention is Samuel L. Jackson as Valentine. He’s a tech genius with a weak stomach for violence (yes, you read that correctly) and a lisp. Oh yea, and he also has a very unique and violent way to save the Earth via population control. He is a very cool and effective bad guy because he thinks he is doing the right thing. He doesn’t just want to see the world burn, he honestly thinks he is helping. That makes him compelling. And it’s Samuel L. Jackson; he’s always fun!

The only issue I find with the flick is it seems a bit divisive with mood at times. Sometimes it is bordering on ridiculous spoof (like Kick-Ass) but other times it is very, very dark and gritty (like Christopher Nolan super-hero films). I don’t mind the drastic shifts in mood but it could be rather jarring for some folks and makes the film seem a little unbalanced.

Overall, Kingsman, is an exhilarating thrill ride with stunning action scenes and strong acting. It even keeps you guessing with a handful of twists and turns that I seriously doubt you will see coming. If you aren’t easily offended by bad language or violence and you’re a fan of impeccably directed action scenes, see this film. You won’t regret it.   

Mortdecai

Written by Clam Sepulveda

(note:  Clam's thoughts do not necessarily reflect Nolan's thoughts on the film)

Clam's Grade:  D

Well that was just terrible - yes, just awful. I cannot actually count the number of times I rolled my eyes when I was watching the movie, and they actually had the gumption to make it Rated R. If I can't think of anything shocking the entire two hours, except a ton of sexual innuendoes (which no child will probably get it). There were no PPs or BBs, BLs or VGs visible - but they talked about them a lot. If you don't get my cryptic abbreviations feel free to ask. But, honestly, it may be the worst movie so far this year, and I hate dissing some great actors, but one must ask "why"? The only really interesting character was poor Jock, and that was just bizarre. I really can't say anymore - I can't. This movie makes my head hurt to think about. It makes me question why I didn't see that Jennifer Lopez movie instead (and that's pretty bad). Ultimately, rent it on DVD if you love Johnny Depp that much... then you can fast forward.

About the Author

Clam writes for The Outlook, a local paper in Newton, NC. He is an actor in live theater, film, and television and has been reviewing movies for nearly fifteen years. Some day he hopes to get his big break, and maybe make it to Broadway. Please feel free to e-mail you questions or comments HERE.

John Wick

My Grade:  A-

Keanu Reeves is not a good actor. There’s no hiding that. Seven of his thirty award nominations come from the Razzies and most of the rest are from the MTV Movie Awards. But, if you put him in the right role, he’s great. It turns out that the titular ex-hitman in the recent action flick John Wick is the right role. It’s a wonderful return to the genre for the guy whose best movie is probably the 1999 Science Fiction hit The Matrix. 

If you read the brief description of the plot of John Wick, you may think it sounds silly. A guy’s wife passes away but gives him one last gift:  an adorable little beagle puppy. And yes, it is very adorable. When he is filling up at a gas station one day, he happens to run into some ruthless Russian mobsters who like his Boss Mustang. They want to buy it from him but he won’t sell it. The younger Russian mobster doesn’t like being told “no” so he breaks into John’s place, steals the keys, and kills the puppy. This sends John Wick into revenge mode and the rest is history... graphically violent and intense history.

The action scenes are well choreographed and to-the-point which is nice. Also they are very brutal. There are a lot of one-shot kills which make them nice and succinct without a lot of those silly, long drawn out hand to hand fights that some action movies hang their hats on. These people have guns, so they use them. Also, it would be interesting to tally up a body count because it’s a ridiculous number. 

The biggest issue I have with this movie is that it doesn’t fully explore the most unique part of its premise. At one point, John stays at a place called The Continental which is essentially a hotel/safe haven for assassins. Everything operates on these mysterious gold coins (which don’t get fully explained) and it is against the rules to “do business” (kill people) on hotel grounds. If you do, in fact, do any business there, you will have to face consequences from “management.” This is a fun and unique idea but it barely gets delved into. Maybe there will be a sequel which will explore it more fully.

The other strong point is the stylish way in which John Wick is shot. It’s hard to put into words other than to say it just looks cool. Most of the film is basked in muted blue tones and the slick camera work helps move the action along while mesmerizing the audience. It’s good work from cinematographer Jonathan Sela who is no stranger to the action genre having shot Max Payne, A Good Day To Die Hard, and others. It’s also a solid directorial debut from highly experienced Stunt Coordinator (now turned director) Chad Stahelski.

Overall, John Wick is a solid entry into the annals of modern action flicks but isn’t one to make you think too much. It’s a great role for Keanu Reeves and features a few unique, fresh twists on the genre. It’s worth checking out in Redbox.

Taken 3

Written by Clam Sepulveda

(Note:  Clam's thoughts on the film do not necessarily reflect Nolan's views on the film)

Clam's Grade:  B-

I hate to see the day when people in film run out of ideas for amazing and impossible stunts for people to do. Even though it is common knowledge that Liam Neeson is actual superhuman in life - give the poor guy a break. But seriously, don't we all wish we had a dad like him? It is really hard to say much about this action film, we all know what we are getting into with a Liam Neeson movie - he has a specific set of skills and he is going to use them. Sure, the film in entertaining - a wonderful escape from reality, but it's not the greatest action movie ever. The only reason to view this in a theater is the fact that the sound really makes the experience (as opposed to my tiny TV and little speakers). So, if you love action films, crazy stunts and Liam Neeson using his set of skills amazingly, as always - then let me at least suggest a matinee.

About the Author

Clam writes for The Outlook, a local paper in Newton, NC. He is an actor in live theater, film, and television and has been reviewing movies for nearly fifteen years. Some day he hopes to get his big break, and maybe make it to Broadway. Please feel free to e-mail you questions or comments to him HERE.

The Equalizer

My Grade:  B

I love Training Day. It’s one of my favorites and I can watch it over and over. With that being said, I was pumped to see that Denzel Washington was reteaming with his Training Day director (Antoine Fuqua) for the new action-thriller, The Equalizer. And, I must say, I got exactly what I expected in the theater which is good and bad.

There’s just something about Denzel Washington dispensing his own brand of justice which makes me giddy. And The Equalizer allows him to do just that by the wheelbarrow-full. I use that image instead of “boatload” or something else because his character, Bob, works in a Lowes that is renamed “Home Mart.” Bob is a good dude with a past that he clearly wants to put himself far away from.  He can’t, though, once he befriends a young hooker (a strange but solid turn from Chloe Grace Moretz) who gets mistreated (the understatement of the century) by her Russian pimp. Bob’s idea is “if you can do something, you should.” Well, he can. And he does… in a ridiculously violent and not entirely plausible fashion.

While it is an absolute blast watching Denzel dish out unique kills in well shot and edited fight scenes, I wish he struggled a little bit more. The odds are stacked so highly against him that it borders on silly that he doesn’t get hurt more than he does. It’s almost too easy, yet it still kept me on the edge of my seat. I think that’s because Fuqua doesn’t go for the standard guns-blazing shootout style fight scenes. He opts for a slower, one-kill-at-a-time, tension rich style of action which is not great for my nail biting because he succeeds in amping up the tension.

You would think that a movie like this would make the runtime fly by. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The final hour or so goes by in a flash, but the beginning is strangely paced. There are a lot of lulls and exposition rich moments that are a bit too drawn out. If the flick were fifteen or twenty minutes shorter, I think it would have been a tighter, more evenly paced thriller.

The biggest surprise in The Equalizer is how effective the main villain is. He is terrifying! After Bob wipes out the main hub of the Russian mafia in Boston, the big boss from Moscow sends Teddy. Teddy is the guy that fixes problems. He’s a cunning, highly skilled sociopath with a penchant for extreme violence. Marton Csokas (Teddy) is no stranger to the big screen but isn’t widely known. I’d be willing to bet that after this terrifying turn opposite Denzel, he will be a good bit more attention. He ranks up there with some of the best villains I have seen at the movies recently and the first scene in which he meets Denzel’s character is the best written scene in the movie.

Overall, The Equalizer is stylish and a thrill to watch. The action is unique but the characters aren’t anything to write home about and the runtime should be a bit shorter to fix some slight pacing issues. Boasting strong performances from its leads, though, The Equalizer is a fun trip to the movies and delivers exactly what it is supposed to deliver. And it leaves room to become a franchise which is something Denzel deserves because, let’s face it, if Liam Neeson has one, Denzel should.

22 Jump Street

My Grade:  A-

Seldom is there a comedy sequel that tops the original. But, when a comedy does huge numbers at the box office, then you and I both know that the studio is going to capitalize on that success and release a sequel as quickly as possible. That is what happened with 21 Jump Street and it’s more recent follow up, 22 Jump Street. The interesting part, though, is that the movie (in one of many very meta moments) acknowledges this fact.

The meta moments are what set this sequel apart from other comedy sequels. The characters equate the high school undercover mission from the first film to the actual first film and the college undercover mission to the second film. Jokes are made about the increased budget this time around and how they should do exactly the same thing as the first time around because that’s how sequels work. There is even a great moment where Jenko (Channing Tatum) mentions that they could go protect the white house or something (as he did as Cale in White House Down). These jokes work every time in the film. So, 22 Jump Street ends up being a sequel about sequels.

The jokes that don’t work all the time revolve around the “bromance” themes. The interesting thing is how the filmmakers shape the relationship between Jenko and  football star Zook (Wyatt Russell). They have a meet cute, the relationship develops, breaks down, and essentially follows all the tropes of a standard romantic comedy. I like that idea but it isn’t executed quite right to really work. The problem is how in your face it is. If it were more subtle and the audience was allowed to realize on their own that it was following the rom-com path... that would have been much better. But the film makes a point to let us know that their initial meeting is a “meet cute” and it’s an awkward moment.

What really shines in this film, though, is what shined in the first film:  the on screen chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Comedically, they play extremely well off each other and their types are polar opposites which allows for some great comedic moments. Hill’s type is the not-very-physical, somewhat out of shape, awkward, emotional, sometimes effeminate nice guy. While Tatum’s type is the kind of dumb, physically impressive, bro-tastic meathead. That means these roles are crafted perfectly for these two actors and they are a blast to watch. I’ve got to say, though, that Ice Cube steals pretty much every scene he’s in as the angry Captain. The only part of the film in which I cried laughing was when he goes ballistic at a parent/student luncheon. Hilarious stuff.

The big surprise in the film, though, is that it actually throws some twists at you that make sense and work. It would be easy to fall back on comedy and the chemistry of the two leads and ignore the need for a solid story. 22 Jump Street does not make that mistake, though, which is quite refreshing. There are still some logical leaps that aren’t quite believable, but it’s a comedy so they are forgivable.

Overall, 22 Jump Street is a lot of fun and a solid follow up to one of the best action comedies to be released in recent history. Tatum and Hill shine in roles that seem to be written perfectly for them and the supporting cast steps up to the plate and provides laughs of their own. Add a solid story with some twists and turns and you have a really strong summer movie. I look forward to 23 Jump Street, which we all know will happen because 22 Jump Street has already done big numbers at the box office.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

My Grade:  A+

This marks the second film in one franchise to which I have given an A+. What’s even wilder about that is I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of superhero films. After seeing X-Men:  First Class, I didn’t think any other X-Men film would live up to it. I was wrong. Days of Future Past may be even better than First Class. It is such a highly ambitious film with a huge cast, huge stakes, and even time travel (which is so hard to do well) but it works extremely well. It does something that very few films are able to do:  operate on a huge scale while simultaneously staying small enough to focus on character and story.

This film serves to bridge the gap between the older X-Men films featuring the likes of Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Cyclops), Halle Berry (Storm) and the newer films featuring some of the top young actors of our generation:  James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Beast) and more. It bridges that gap by taking us into a bleak future that has been set into motion by a mutant who thought they were doing the right thing. To fix it, the mutants have to go back in time and fix the problem at the source. It makes Professor X and Magneto work together as young men which is my favorite pairing in the new leg of the franchise. McAvoy’s Charles Xavier and Fassbender’s Magneto have such a layered relationship portrayed perfectly by the actors… it’s simply a joy to watch.

This film is also very funny. It’s surprisingly funny, actually. It would be easy to take the subject matter very seriously since the fate of the world is at stake. But, it’s a superhero movie at its core so it should be fun. And it certainly is. One of the funniest and best characters, though, doesn’t hang around long. Quicksilver (played by one of my absolute favorite up-and-comers, Evan Peters) has a couple of key scenes. It’s ironic, though, because he’s out of the film about as fast as he entered (similar to his superpower of superhuman speed) and he steals every one of those few scenes (his character is notoriously a thief). The main action scene he takes part in is also, hands down, the best action scene I have seen in a long time. I can’t even explain why it’s so good; it just is. I wanted more of him in this film but hopefully he will play a big role in future films.

The production design is fantastic in this film, too. The set pieces are epic, the look captures the time period it’s set in, and the Sentinels (big, bad, mutating robots… yea) look terrifying. These Sentinels are very worthy opponents and definitely up the stakes for our heroic mutants. This is something the newest iterations of the franchise have done very well:  villains. A villain that wants to take over the world just because they can… that’s boring. A villain who has a deeper purpose and thinks they are doing what is right… that’s compelling. First Class and Days of Future Past have both done this very well and I look forward to the next installment’s villain.

Overall, Days of Future Past is both highly entertaining and provides a refreshing character-driven story that isn’t very common in big budget summer blockbusters. It revitalizes the X-Men franchise and allows for more films that (hopefully) can fill our need for superhero films that offer more than surface thrills. I can’t wait to see what is next for this franchise that seems to be getting better with age.

Captain Phillips

My Grade:  A+

Tom Hanks has been nominated for 5 Oscars and has won twice (Forrest Gump and Philadelphia). Chances are he’ll add another notch to that Oscar belt this award season because of his breathtaking performance in Captain Phillips. The film is more than just a stellar performance by Hanks, though. This is just an engrossing film that will be the fastest 134 minutes of your life.

Captain Phillips starts off a bit slow for my tastes. It leaves time for you to get to know Phillips (Tom Hanks) and his family life, though, which certainly helps you care about him as the story continues to amp up the intensity. Once he’s finally on the Maersk Alabama (a U.S. Container Ship... an “unarmed freighter” as Phillips calls it), he’s already in anti-piracy mode because he knows his route takes him right through the heart of pirate infested waters. He locks down security (which is a great way to show off the intricacies of the boat which would all be used later), and even runs drills. Little does he know that the drill would quickly become a real-life situation. The pirates are already moving on him.

Apart from Hanks’ acting, a huge reason why this film shines is because of its exploration of the antagonist, pirate captain Muse (a downright terrifying performance from newcomer Barkhad Abdi). He’s not just a greedy pirate. He is much more developed than that. He’s disrespected among his peers but has more courage than any of them. He also refuses to give up, even when the odds are stacked impossibly high against him. It almost makes you root for him... almost. 

I knew that the hijacking would be an intense scene but I didn’t know that the film would only increase the tension more and more from the hijacking until the epic conclusion. Paul Greengrass (director) never lets up. He combines the intense character drama with very tight, realistic, and gripping military ops to bring about a satisfying climax that almost leaves you exhausted from being so engrossed in the story for so long. He even weaves in conflict among the bad guys and a message about globalization... the film is like an onion (or parfait, if you ask Donkey from Shrek):  it has layers.

To say a little more about the acting, Hanks starts the film with little in the way of emotional meat. So, at first, I was wondering why he chose this role. Then, as the film continued, I saw the massive arc he portrays and Hanks gives a performance unlike any he’s ever given (even better than Castaway). But the standout is Barkhad Abdi as Muse, the de facto leader of the pirate crew. This is his first credited film and he actually lived in Somalia until he was seven. I think he may have actually been on a few Somalian Pirate ships back then... he was that convincing. I heard that in an interview, Tom Hanks said that Abdi (and the other actors playing his pirate captors) were terrifying. If you can scare a legend like Tom Hanks with your performance, you deserve more roles.

Overall, Captain Phillips is a gripping thriller featuring stellar performances, edge-of-your-seat intensity, a layered examination of its real-life material, and even a message. It’s award-worthy work and Paul Greengrass’s best. See it as soon as you can and be wowed.

Gravity

My Grade:  A+

There are not many films that reach the level of hype Gravity did before its release. The combination of critical acclaim, strong cast, a highly competent director, and the advanced technology used during production had people talking about how perfect the film is months before it was released to the general public. I’m not sure anyone thought it could actually live up to all the hype but it actually exceeds it.

Gravity is a simple story about a medical engineer in space for the first time and a seasoned astronaut who battle for their lives after a devastating accident which leaves them stranded in the harshest of all environments. Part of what allows the film to span every demographic is the fact that it speaks to a universal concept:  survival. But, without the charismatic (and funny) performance from George Clooney and the absolute best performance of Sandra Bullock’s impressive career, the film would not have the gravity it does. Clooney is like a real live Buzz Lightyear and Bullock is flawless. You will laugh. You will cry. You will gasp. You will bite your fingernails. And that’s just because of the story... which isn’t even why this film was widely talked about at first.

The reason everyone was talking about Gravity is partially because of the anti-gravity effects (ironically), partially because of the lighting effects, and mostly because of the stunning visuals director Alfonso Cuaron offers us. I’ve never been to space but feel like I have after watching this film. Every shot is gorgeous and looks real. It’s the closest thing to shooting on location in outer space in the history of cinema.  Who knows, maybe they actually shot in space and didn’t tell anyone... it wouldn’t surprise me because of how perfect it looks. 

The cinematography is one of my favorite aspects to this film because it immerses you in the story. The camera floats around as if it’s in anti-gravity while employing Cuaron’s famous technique of using very long, single shots to tell his story. This approach makes it so realistic and makes you feel like you are there (especially in 3D). Then he takes us into Bullock’s point of view, immersing us even further into our own struggle for survival, leading to his lesson which encourages all of us to take a look at our own struggles and leave it all on the line to overcome them and continue living life to its fullest.

I usually can find something wrong with every film I watch but not with Gravity. It is jaw-dropping, spectacular cinema and has set the bar very high for filmmakers. But if I was forced to come up with one thing that could be considered a flaw, I’d say that it’s almost too tense, making it a bit unbelievable. Unbelievable that so many things could go wrong at every single turn for these characters. But the amazing part is that Cuaron makes us believe it.

Overall the film is immaculate and should be seen in the movie theater (unless you have a 3D TV and stunning surround sound at your house) because the epic soundtrack and visuals help make this movie the immersive masterpiece that it is. It may be the most engrossing film I’ve ever seen. I also am happy to see the box office success of this film because it is not only an original film in a market inundated with remakes, sequels, and adaptations; but it’s also a supremely well-made film. The success of this kind of film may encourage filmmakers to step up their game from a technical standpoint and may help convince studios to spend money on producing original content. But maybe not. Either way, Gravity is out of this world... pun intended.

Kick-Ass 2

My Grade:  B-

It’s truly a shame that Matthew Vaughn did not direct this follow up to his cult hit Kickass (2010) because it is one of my favorite superhero films. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and skillfully combines ironic wit, self-awareness, and graphic violence. Jeff Wadlow’s (Never Back Down) sequel simply isn’t as good as its predecessor but it’s still highly entertaining. 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is back as high school wanna-be super hero Kickass and so is the gem of the first installment, Chloe Grace Moretz as the foul mouthed killing machine, Hit Girl. We don’t get quite enough of her but maybe there will be a spinoff (fingers crossed). But this time, there are more “superheroes” most notably Donald Faison (“Scrubs”) as physics-teacher-turned-masked-crusader, Dr. Gravity and the leader of a sort of super hero social club, Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey). This group mostly does community service and tame patrols, but they occasionally get into some serious stuff like shutting down a child prostitution ring... heavy stuff, right? It feels a bit uneven but therein lies the tongue-in-cheek nature of the film.

Kickass and the Colonel have their work cut out for them, though, because Chris D’Amico, a.k.a. Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), is out for revenge of his father’s death and once he gets a taste of being a super villain, it intoxicates him. And you may be surprised, but Mintz-Plasse makes a very good bad guy. I never knew he could really act apart from being a high school dweeb. He especially impresses when he first dons his outfit as the MF’er (we’ll keep it edited for the sake of this review) and robs a gas station. He skillfully shows his character completely lose it while hitting the punchline at the end of the scene perfectly. Kudos to the young man.

What really sends D’Amico over the edge, though, is when he goes to see his uncle (who now runs the family from prison). For the sake of saving spoilers, I won’t mention what happens but Mintz-Plasse knocks that scene out of the park as well. That leads him to create an evil army and wreck havoc on the city in search of Kickass and revenge. And boy, does it get violent. His army is SCARY. Where the first film reveled in cartoonish violence and slow motion, this film smashes you in the face with over-the-top but raw, brutal violence. Some critics lambaste the film for this, but I think it’s great because it helps push the point of the film that real life is not a movie and violence has consequences. At the same time, though, the film takes detours from this message to overload you with inspirational exposition about how anyone can be a hero with or without a mask. 

While these dialogue heavy scenes weigh the film down, the third act is non-stop excitement and flies by. The one other big problem with the film, though, is Hit Girl’s side story of integration into the high school cliques. That makes for some decent scenes but it doesn’t feel necessary.

Overall, Kickass 2 doesn’t live up to it’s origins but showcases an amazing performance from Christopher Mintz-Plasse and a perfect pairing of actor and role with Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes. The character itself is quite uneven in my mind, but it’s a great role for Carrey. It is certainly an entertaining film, though, so if you liked the first one, be sure to check this one out.

The Heat

My Grade:  A

I didn’t like Bridesmaids as much as a comedy as I did as a drama... and I didn’t really even like it as a drama. But I went to see The Heat anyway (it’s directed by Paul Feig of Bridesmaids) and I am very happy I did. I don’t really care that other critics have called it predictable, boring, too long, or disjointed because I was laughing consistently and that’s all that matters in a comedy film. Because ultimately, who cares what the case that they are trying to solve is? I was a criminal justice major in college and I don’t care. I just want to laugh and The Heat certainly serves up plenty of opportunities to do just that.

I seldom expect well-rounded characters in a comedy film like this, but Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) and Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) are surprisingly not the most two dimensional characters I’ve ever seen. Yes, they are a bit cliche, but there’s some solid character development in there that allows us to get to know these characters more so than just recognizing their archetypes. So kudos to Feig and even the first time screenwriter Katie Dippold (MADtv) for giving us a little more than just a couple of cliche characters being funny for 2 hours. They were even able to give the story a little bit of a heartbeat... emotional core... whatever you want to call touching stuff in a film. I didn’t cry, but I was touched.

The reason this film really works, though, is because Bullock and McCarthy are a perfect comedic pair; mostly because they are such polar opposites. It’s the same idea as pairing the brash, raucous McCarthy with the straight laced Jason Bateman in Identity Thief earlier this year but The Heat works much better. These two women are simply a match made in comedy heaven (which I’m not sure anyone expected).

Ultimately I don’t see The Heat being up for awards like Feig’s last effort, but at least this film knows what it is and delivers exactly what it’s supposed to deliver:  tons of laughs. This isn’t a film that will be remembered for years to come or go down in the history books as a classic, but it’s still nice to see an original film thoroughly entertain AND make money at the box office. Of course, they have already announced a sequel which I’m not exactly thrilled about; however, it may be worth watching McCarthy and Bullock pair up again to bring “the heat.”

Now You See Me

My Grade:  A-

In a summer of remakes, sequels, and Tyler Perry movies... finally, an original film that isn’t based off a book, another film, or a board game. And it has a stellar cast to boot?! Of course I had to see it! And I must admit that I was a little let down, but it’s easy to not live up to expectations when they are as high as mine were for Now You See Me.

Twists and turns abound in this heist thriller. But what sets this film apart is the magic. These magicians do the heists through their adept use of the dark art of magic... or so they say. Really they just use slight of hand tactics to perpetuate their crime spree. Complicating the matter further, however, is the fact that they don’t keep any of the money that they steal. They give it all away! Therein lies the thing that is supposed to make the audience (the audiences in the film but also the audience watching the movie) like the Four Horsemen as they’re called. While these actors are all highly charismatic, especially the smooth talking Jesse Eisenberg, the characters they portray aren’t quite paper thin... but close. So it’s easy to like them because of strong casting choices, not great writing.

The film, like its lead characters, tries to perform its own slight of hand by throwing twist after twist at us. We are gradually revealed the reasoning behind their seemingly random crime spree and it’s a believable avenue that these magicians might take. It’s not very believable, though, who’s behind it all and for whom they are working. No spoilers here, but I almost felt like the big reveal would only work if I didn’t second guess it at all but my fiance and I came up with a handful of holes in it just on the ride home.

So, the major twist could have been better but the other little twists are done very well and then are aptly explained in such a way that the audience has a collective “oh I see” moment. It’s just disappointing when the buildup is so good then the climactic twist ending isn’t.  Oh, well... they tried.

Apart from those issues, this is a highly entertaining film. You have to let it do what it’s supposed to do... namely take you for a magical, high octane ride without much questioning. But if you do that, you will thoroughly enjoy the film. It’s at least worth it to see the stellar cast put their charisma and strong personalities on display while working very well together.

Overall, the characters are a bit thin and some of the twists are too unbelievable even for a movie about magicians, but it’s an entertaining two hour thrill ride. It’s also a refreshing change of pace since four of the top five movies in the country are sequels (Iron Man 3, The Hangover III, Fast & Furious 6, Star Trek Into Darkness) and the sixth is based off a book which has now been brought to life twice in film. So, instead of seeing Will and Jaden Smith preach to you about Scientology in After Earth, go see Now You See Me.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

My Grade:  C

From the writers of Zombieland and the director of such dance epics (sarcasm intended) as Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D comes G.I. Joe:  Retaliation, the recent sequel to Rise Of Cobra (2009) which garnered a stunning 34% from the critics on RottenTomatoes. I do love Zombieland, but I’m still not surprised that Retaliation is not very good. It does, however, offer some strong surface thrills but is ultimately a forgettable film.

This second installment (they clearly plan a third) adds Dwayne Johnson to the mix and features a surprise performance from the incomparable action hero Bruce Willis. Why Bruce Willis would do this film is beyond me, but he does have a great role... and he probably got paid millions of dollars for a week or so of work. I’d do it too, I guess. But, apart from Bruce Willis and a few good moments from Ray Stevenson as Firefly, the acting is terrible.

Fortunately, I did not decide to go see this film for Oscar-worthy acting performances. I also didn’t see it so I could be on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next... because I already knew the “twists and turns” before they happened (except for the thing near the beginning where you think it’s Snake Eyes, but it’s really Storm Shadow which isn’t as powerful as I think it is supposed to be).

The reason I went to see this film is because I wanted to put my brain on hold and bask in some stunning action sequences. I got what I wanted. Shootouts abound, sword fights are common, tanks are involved, I couldn’t count all the explosions (I guess I could’ve if I’d tried, but I didn’t care enough) and Dwayne Johnson fires a turret-style minigun with his bare hands... twice. There is even a scene where Firefly rides his motorcycle at a prison, dismounts and lands gracefully (thanks to his parachute) as his motorcycle continues toward a prison. Then the actual motorcycle breaks into pieces that slam into the prison and explode. It is awesome! Also, I wasn’t sure if Retaliation could include a scene that tops the chase scene through the streets of Paris from Rise Of Cobra, but it does. There is a sword fight on the SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. It’s completely ridiculous, but so much fun.

Overall, G.I. Joe:  Retaliation is a poorly acted, poorly written, very predictable actioner with little to offer except for surface thrills that may be able to convince some audience members that this is a good movie... it’s not. But it’s also not a total waste of time and money if you need to put your brain on hold for 110 minutes (which is too long for this film). Wait for it on blu-ray... but don’t do DVD, this one is worth doing blu-ray.

Identity Thief

My Grade:  B-

I have to start this out by saying that Jason Batman cracks me up in pretty much everything he does. So, despite trying to come at this thing free of personal bias, I’m coming at it as a big fan of Mr. Bateman. I want you to keep that in mind since you are probably going to decide whether or not to see this film based solely on this review.

Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) is a complete and utter cliche. He’s a good father, he works a not-very-glamorous job but is great at it, and he has a wife and two kids. He also has another kid on the way and is not sure how they are going to afford another kid... I’m sure you’ve heard of that character before. He’s a good dude, which is why it sucks so bad when his identity gets stolen by the rude, crude Diana (Melissa McCarthy).

Since the local cops apparently can’t handle a situation like this (she has stolen his identity in Florida while he’s in Colorado), Sandy is forced to take his fate into his own hands and bring her back to Colorado so the law can deal with her and he can get his life back. Does that seem a bit ridiculous to you? Good, because it is. The FBI or some sort of federal agency probably handles this kind of thing and, if Sandy can find her, the FBI surely can.

Absurdly ridiculous plots aren’t uncommon in comedies, so I am okay with that aspect, but there are also drug dealers and some sort of bounty hunter coming after them. These bad guys are purely motivated by greed (Diana has a 50,000 dollar price on her head). Needless to say, they are very flimsy, one dimensional characters.

The most astonishing thing about this film, however, is not the absurd plot, the paper-thin bad guys, or the repetitive jokes that circle around Diana being overweight. It’s the fact that Identity Thief is hands-down the most emotionally manipulative comedy I have ever seen. Diana has such a pitiful background story that the writer (Craig Mazin of The Hangover II) is trying to shame you into believing that it’s almost okay that she has committed multiple felonies. She eventually gets Sandy on her side, so why shouldn’t we (the audience) be on her side? Because she’s a HORRIBLE PERSON!

Now that I have sufficiently covered almost everything that is wrong with this film (other than the fact that it’s unashamedly predictable and far too long), I have to say that I did enjoy watching it. This film provides enough laughs to be tolerable and Melissa McCarthy puts on a seriously impressive performance. She’s expectedly funny but surprisingly good in the emotionally manipulative parts. She’s a big part as to why the film successfully manipulates your emotions. Kudos to her.

Overall, Identity Thief is rife with problems but good enough to get out of Redbox one night when you have a free rental code and want some mindless, intermittently funny entertainment... especially if you like Jason Bateman, like I do.