Not so simple.
In this new thriller, Mommy blogger Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) becomes an unlikely friend to the mysterious Emily (Blake Lively), and offers to pick up her son for a play date after school. It's a simple favor that becomes a complicated problem when Emily goes missing. Oh yeah, it's also a comedy.
Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) directs this mystery with a balance of humor and suspense, which is often a deadly formula. For most of the film, all this works; Kendrick and Lively kill each line. When they are on screen together, Kendrick puts a perfectly punctuated spark in each word of dialogue and Lively bounces back at her with either a well-timed snap or a curious inflection that adds fire to the mystery.
It's not a perfect film. Halfway through, the plot gets as ridiculous as Lively's sexpot business outfits, but this duo was perfectly cast. Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett couldn't pull off this light touch in Ocean's 8 earlier this year. With Ocean's, I think we all suspected the actresses were above the absurd material and wasting their time. This cast, including Henry Goldman, is perfectly cast for a good time. A Simple Favor simply delivers on that raunchy fun, popcorn thriller we've been waiting for.
In a nutshell: Forgettable but fun. Kendrick and Lively are to die for.
Award potential: None.
The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.
Not sure where Mile 22 is going.
Director Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, both of action thriller Lone Survivor, team up for their fourth film together. Wahlberg stars as James Silva, a CIA, Bourne-wannabe with a few ticks of his own. A large portion of the “plot” centers around a 22-mile transport in a film that has as much difficulty moving forward as its characters in that journey.
This doesn’t mean the film isn’t a pleasure in parts. There are a lot of expertly crafted suspense scenes and two lean-forward action scenes (featuring Iko Uwais) strung together. However, the finale (no spoilers here) choses to set up a franchise versus telling a solid story, which seems like a little grenade thrown at the viewer.
In a nutshell: Not unwatchable, and fun in parts, but not worth the sequel it clearly hopes for.
Award potential: None.
The ten buck review: Not worth the same ten bucks spent on Mission Impossible.
I’m a big fan.
In Juliet Naked, Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) is an obsessive superfan of faded, alt-rock musician Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke) who has disappeared from public eye. But this story is about someone who is not a fan — his girlfriend Annie (Rose Byrne), who finds Crowe.
Director Jesse Peretz (Girls) took that premise and assembled a charming film full of wit, and stripped of dumb rom com stunts and jokes.
I enjoyed being in their world for 98 delightful minutes. I give the rest of the credit to Byrne (Bridesmaids) who nails every line.
In a nutshell: This low-key, romantic comedy sings.
Award potential: Charming but too forgettable for award conversation.
The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.
