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No Country for Old Men

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: No Country for Old Men
  • IMDB: link

“It’s a mess ain’t it sheriff.”
“If it ain’t it’ll do ‘til the mess gets here.”

no-country-for-old-men-posterBrutally violent, with eloquently scripted dialogue and sumptuously cinematography No Country for Old Men has all the pieces in place for a great film, but although it’s certainly a very good film it loses much of its momentum over the course of its two-hour running time ending with more of a whimper than a bang.

The story begins when Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) discovers the remains of a drug deal gone wrong and finds $2 million in cash.  A moment of conscience leads to him being marked by both sides after the money and LLewelyn sends his wife (Kelly Macdonald) to her mother’s (Beth Grant) as he takes to the road to stay one step ahead of a hitman (Javier Bardem) who knows his name and always seems only one-step behind.

The film begins in terrific fashion and the dialogue is perfect, especially the simple scenes between Llewelyn and Carla Jean (MacDonald).  I wish she had a larger role in the film because the two work so well together.  Bardem puts in a strong performance as the mysterious sociopathic hitman.

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Gone Baby Gone

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Gone Baby Gone
  • IMDB: link

“If we don’t catch the abductor by day one only about 10% are ever solved.  This is day three.”

Tough choices and consequences
The story begins with the disappearance of a young girl (Madeline O’Brien) from her home.  Two private investigators, Patrick Kezie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), are hired by the girl’s aunt (Amy Madigan) and her husband (Titus Welliver) to find her.

Ben Affleck, who does double duty here by co-writing the film, his first since Good Will Hunting (he adapted the tale from Dennis Lehane‘s novel), and directing his first feature, produces a pretty good flick.  Centered around the poorer section of Boston each character feels real.  It may not be a pretty view of America, but, sadly, it’s a far more realistic one than most of us are willing to admit.

For the first hour the film slowly unfolds as the investigation by John Ashton (Sgt. Taggart!!) and Ed Harris and led by Morgan Freeman uncovers only dead ends and false leads.  The case is complicated by the mother’s (Amy Ryan) drug addiction, her recent decisions, and the people surrounding her that may have a reason to hurt her, or possibly her child.

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Jodie Foster’s Death Wish

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Brave One
  • IMDb: link

The Brave One

After radio talk show host Erica Bain (Jodie Foster) and her fiancée (Naveen Andrews) are brutally attacked in the park by a gang she wakes up in the hospital beaten and frightened after weeks in a coma.  Her fiancée is dead, her dog is gone, and the men who are responsible are still free.

In an attempt to get control of her life Erica buys a gun and puts herself, sometimes purposefully sometimes by accident, into dangerous situations where violence will occur.  Though she is repulsed and frightened she also seeks out these situations and even begins to enjoy herself.  She becomes a vigilante and imposes her own brand of brutal justice on her victims.

She also meets and befriends NY Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard) who is struggling with the limitations of the system and also trying to help Erica come to grips with what happened to her.  As the clues to the vigilante’s identity begin to pile up Mercer begins to suspect his new friend might be responsible.

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How to Kill Your Wife and Get Away With It

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Fracture
  • IMDb: link

Fracture movie reviewWhile Fracture isn’t a great film it is a compelling and fun ride including good performances and a script which will keep you guessing similar to 2003’s Runaway Jury.  Featuring a pair of great actors in plum roles it’s the type of film you enjoy watching, even if you can punch holes in some of the plot points later on.

On discovering his wife (Embeth Davidtz) is having an affair with a police detective (Billy Burke) Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) coldly plans her murder.  But instead of an intricate plan or an ironclad alibi he simply walks up to her at home, shoots her in the head, and then waits for the police to arrive.

Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), a young Assistant District Attorney with one foot out the door for a new cushy corporate job working under a beautiful woman (Rosamund Pike), is assigned the case.  There’s evidence, a confession, and Stevens even plans on defending himself.  Slamdunk.

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Smokin’ Aces

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Smokin’ Aces
  • IMDb: link

smokin-aces-poster

Smokin’ Aces wasn’t the total disaster I was dreading, but it is certainly far from the fun thrill ride I’d been overly hopeful for.  The pace and look of the film work, so does the cast, but when you rely on plot points that would look silly in the most amateurish comic book by depicting them as true in a real world setting, well that’s a problem – a big one.  It’s not a complete waste of time, the film has a pace and energy that serves it well, but it’s far too flawed for my tastes.

Buddy “Aces” Isreal (Jeremy Piven) is a magician and wannabe gangster who has slowly managed to weasel himself into the uper echelon of the last great mob family.  As the head of the crime syndicate (Joseph Rushkin) begins fade in his old age he puts out word he wants Israel’s heart.  A million dollar hit is put out on the magician who then contemplates giving up everything and becoming a snitch to the F.B.I., if he can live long enough.

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