Movie Reviews #7
[The first three movies below share a common feature—an aging protagonist who can really kick some butt! They’re also representative of what I most like to watch, read, and write. Sure, I read and write sci-fi too, but I split the time with the mystery/suspense/thriller genre. The last movie is a comedy…of horrors!]
Hostage. Robert Crais’ books, Hostage (2001) and Taken (2012), are definitely material for movie screenplays. Hostage is a stand-alone; the movie stars Bruce Willis in a role that’s more serious—he isn’t the flippant smart-aleck so common in his other films. He doesn’t quite master the suffering hound dog face of Harrison Ford, but he comes close. He’s an ex-hostage negotiator from LA who left there seeking peace and quiet in the boonies because he lost a hostage—he doesn’t find the peace and quiet, though. Probably because it’s based on a book, the plot here isn’t half bad. Some neat twists too. There’s lots of action and violence, very little romance. I saw this on Encore, but most people will probably watch it on Netflix. Recommended.
The November Man. In this Hollywood version of Bill Granger’s There Are No Spies (1981), from the November Man series, Pierce Brosnan is an ex-spy who has to return to the game. Speaking of Willis, this is what the movie Red should have been. Brosnan as the ex-spy is an older version of Damon as Bourne, tough and lethal, but also a man with a heart. Some strange geo-political maneuverings are going on as we learn yet another version of how the Chechen War started (I presume the book had some other international kerfuffle—never read it). May Putin suffer the same fate as the Russian villain in this film. Spoiler alert: there are American villains too! Don’t look for Le Carre here—this is more action and thrills than intrigue. Very enjoyable, though.
A Walk Among the Tombstones. Besides having a great title, this movie based on Lawrence Block’s novel of the same name (1992) stars Liam Neeson at his best. Gripping suspense and a search for redemption characterizes the plot, yet another showcasing of Neeson’s talents. Here he outdoes Harrison Ford’s suffering hound dog face. (Both Brosnan and Neeson wear the Irish angst well.) There’s no bad acting here. It’s almost a dark homage to Le Carre with drug traffickers instead of spies. Set in the Big Apple, you’ll see the underbelly of the city that my character Castilblanco sees. I especially liked the black kid (there are several photos missing in the cast list, so I apologize for not having his name). He was great as Neeson’s protégé. Don’t miss this one!
This Is Where I Leave You. About five minutes into the film, this title kept running through my mind—different meaning of course. Some wonk called it the best film of 2014?! I say it’s a good candidate for the worst. I was needing a bit of comedy after the three movies above, but the only good thing I can say about this movie is that I liked the Porsche. What a waste of an all-star cast! I guess it shows how good screenwriters are badly needed. Lots of terrible Jewish stereotypes and angst here too, and the R-rating is deserved (I wouldn’t mind that if the raunchiness was actually funny). Maybe I missed the point, but I’d say this is only recommended if you’re a masochist in a straitjacket locked in a padded cell and you really need more torture. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E!
In libris libertas….
