crime thriller – We Are Movie Geeks

CRIME 101 – Review

Though it may seem that way, Spring and Summer aren’t the only release seasons for “high octane” action-packed crime thrillers. And this new mid-February release proves it. It’s packed with cops, gun-wielding “robbers”, and roaring car chases through congested Los Angeles. Yes, it’s very “street-level,” which is a big “change of venue” since the three main leads are multi-film Marvel Cinematic Universe vets, so no powers, just keen skills. And, no, it’s not about them passing on their talents to eager college students in big lecture halls. The triple numbers in the title refer to a very busy California freeway, which is the “route” favored by the main criminal, hence its moniker, CRIME 101.

The story starts in the pre-dawn hours as the three principals begin their “prep” for the day. Sharon Combs (Halle Berry) applies her make-up (almost like “war paint”) to charm another rich jerk into signing an insurance contract with her prestigious “protection” firm. Groggy police detective Lou (Mark Ruffalo) stumbles about in the dark until he begins his bathroom “constitutional” while scrolling the online news concerning another jewelry courier hijacking. And finally, there’s Mike (Chris Hemsworth), who scrubs every loose bit of skin and hair off his body before donning his work attire: crisp white shirt, black suit with tie, and a gun. Using some spiffy high-tech gizmos, he intercepts a big diamond transfer from a grungy downtown shop to swanky Beverly Hills. Mike always displays his weapon, but never fires, as he tries to grab the goods without gunplay. But this morning is different when he nearly takes a bullet. It’s his “come to Jesus” moment, contemplating his future while making an almost clean getaway. Soon, Lou is called in with his partner Tllman (Corey Hawkins) to comb the crime scene. Later, Lou will present his theory on a lone hijacker making hits along the 101 freeway to an uninterested squadroom (and a “by-the-books” captain). As for Sharon, she almost “seals the deal” with the wealthy client, then heads to the office for a staff meeting where she’s assigned that same robbery, while her morning “gig” is handed off to the newly-hired, much younger saleslady. Oh, and the higher-ups tell Sharon that they need to table her promotion request (“Let’s put a pin in it”). As the “heat” starts to die down, Mike makes the “ice” tranfer to his long-time connection/ fence Money (Nick Nolte). They discuss the unplanned gunplay during the last job, with Mike stating that he wants “out” after the next score. Money then meets with another “staffer”, Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a violent biker with a hair-trigger. Money thinks Mike has lost his “nerve” and assigns that next job to him. Plus Money thinks that Mike is planning his own “big score” and orders Ormon to tail him and scoop up the “spoils”. He’s right, as Mike’s “side project” before he “gets out of the game” will involve Sharon, and eventually Lou and the deranged Omron. Could this truly be Mike’s “last score”, in more ways than one?

Well, this is quite a dramatic turn from the main trio’s heroic roles in the MCU. The story’s real center is the mysterious Mike (if that is his real name) played with heavy gravitas by Hemsworth. There’s nothing of the affable “thunder god” to be found in the somber, stoic “soldier thief” as his pre-job ritual is almost like donning a uniform before battle. With his clipped delivery and downturned eyes. Hemsworth conveys that Mike is not only on the run from the law, but he’s trying to escape his troubled past. We do get a glimpse of his vulnerability and his yearning for human connection through his blossoming romance with Maya, played by the talented Monica Barbaro (superb as Joan Baez in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN). She’s trying to pierce his protective hide, but Mike can’t doff his emotional armor. His “Javert”, Lou has his own internal conflicts. Ruffalo tones down his usual superior intellectual persona to convey the “working stiff” quality of this beaten-down “seen it all” cop, who, like Mike, also has a yearning to break free of his dodrums that have inspired too many bad habits (smoking, boozing, being out of shape), and feeling the need to start anew after an unexpected end to his marriage. Unfortunately, we only see his wife in a diner break-up scene, so the talented Jennifer Jason-Leigh is woefully underutilized (maybe much of her work is on the cutting-room floor). What a pleasure to see Ms. Berry again, here using her acting skills to give us a seasoned professional (her maturity factors in quite a lot) who is a cog caught in the gears of a greedy, chauvinistic machine that seems to delight in squandering her spirit until she’s pushed aside for a shiny, new model. Berry shows the sparkle in her eyes when a chance to break out of the “boys club” appears as a way to end her frustration. The film’s real “wild card” is Keoghan, who makes Ormon an unpredictable demon of destruction, a devil in punk-ish bleached-blonde hair. Nolte is settling into these veteran character roles well, as he croaks out sinister threats and orders. Hawkins is very good as Lou’s cynical buddy partner, who wants to avoid his career path. And this serious tone is lightened a touch by the comedic performance of Tate Donovan as the “too much dough for his own good” millionaire “mark”.

They’re all directed by Bart Layton, who also adapted the Don Winslow novella, though it feels like this is from a weightier tome. Maybe that’s due to the pacing problems, which contribute to it needing a good twenty-minute trim. There are too many little subplots that don’t really contribute much, especially as Lou deals with lots of either disinterested or downright dirty cops right out of SERPICO-style flicks. And the whole crumbling-marriage asides feel distracting from the cat-and-mouse action sequences. And they are pretty solid as Mike zips his sleek cars (especially a cherry green classic Mustang) all around day and night LA (the latter is a great backdrop for a pursuit of cycle-soaring Ormon). Luckily, this superb trio of actors keeps our interest high even as the end results fail to emulate (and it really tries) the cool caper crime flicks like THIEF, HEAT, and DRIVE (and maybe BABY DRIVER, too). So, all the fans of furious, fast auto exploits will get their adrenaline fix before the big Summer action blockbusters, but their patience and endurance will be sorely tested by the fuzzy, meandering of the many detours of the slickly made (the familiar LA locations are given a high-gloss sheen) CRIME 101.

2.5 Out of 4

CRIME 101 is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE VILLAGERS – Review

I’ve enjoyed a slew of Ma Dong-seok’s contributions to Korean action flicks. The rotund, open-faced actor usually plays sidekicks and minor parties – often adding some comic relief. Most of his 14 awards and nominations, to date, have been for supporting actor gigs. But in THE VILLAGERS, he’s the action star.

His character, Yeok Gi-cheol, is a former MMA champion who had aged into coaching. His integrity gets him banished when he confronts the sport’s honchos about their corruption. Fortunately – or so it first seems – an admirer gets him a job in the village giving rise to the film’s name, teaching phys ed and serving as assistant dean at a high school.

The latter title merely sticks him with the thankless task of collecting overdue tuition from the students and their families. Because he looks like an overweight, middle-aged simpleton, he gets less respect than Rodney Dangerfield. The main drama comes from the ignored efforts of a student, Yoo-jin (Kim Sae-ron) to get the school and cops to investigate the disappearance of her best friend. Despite being only 15, the missing girl had been working at a night club that catered to very adult tastes, raising many possible crime-free explanations about her fate. Yoo-jin insists that her pal was not the sort of unhappy teen who runs away that the authorities want to presume. Deaf ears on lazy cops’ heads abound.

Since all her efforts have been rebuffed by every adult in the picture, Yoo-jin is skeptical about Gi-cheol’s attempts to help her. It becomes apparent to us long before them that there’s something big going on, with cops, politicos and school honchos in on whatever it is. His default setting is that of being baffled by how little anyone in any position of responsibility cares what happened to her – especially the cops’ reluctance to even open a file for investigation.

This sort of little guy(s) vs. systemic corruption is a common theme in films from all around the world. Bollywood cranks out tons of these with high-octane, one-man-army vigor. Usually, the action quotient is higher than in this one, which plays out more like a slowly unfolding procedural. Gi-cheol could and should be delivering more beat-downs than he does, spreading his frustrations to the viewers.

The conspiracy is a spider web that takes a long time to penetrate. But the two stars keep it interesting, even as daylight starts peeking through the fog of criminal enterprise and cover-up later than viewers might prefer. Even so, the climax makes the journey worthwhile.

There’s a sad note in all of this. Kim Sae-ron was a charming, talented actress with a dozen awards and nominations on her resume, including one of my favorite Korean imports, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE. But she committed suicide a few years after this film’s release when she was only 24. A real loss for all.

THE VILLAGERS, in Korean with English subtitles, is available streaming in digital format from WellGo USA starting Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

HIGHEST 2 LOWEST – Review

Even though the sweltering temps haven’t abated, it seems that the 2025 Summer movie season is nearing an end with the return of one of the most acclaimed filmmakers working today. Yes, this is an award contender premiering in August. Oh, and this director is “doubling down” with a “re-working” of a film from one of the true “masters of international cinema”. And did I tell you that this is the fifth collaboration between the filmmaker and a two-time Oscar-winning actor? It all appears to get all the “boxes checked” for the big nominations and the critics’ lists. So, with this elite “pedigree”, just how does HIGHEST 2 LOWEST really “stack up” (is it more the latter than the former)?

In the story’s opening moments, we’re whisked around and about the gleaming towers of Manhattan. On the balcony of one of them is a man barking into a cell phone. Speaking of “stack”, he is David King (Denzel Washington), chief executive and co-founder of the music label “Stackin’ Hits”, and he’s putting all his “ducks in a row” in this life-changing “deal”. But first, there are family obligations. His beautiful wife Pam (Iifenesh Hadera) needs this year’s contribution to a local charity. Her “radar” goes on as David suggests just half the usual “check”, for now. Then it’s on to their teenage son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), who goes with dad to his elite basketball camp (one of the coaches is Rick Fox). There, Trey meets with his BFF Kyle (Elijah Wright), who happens to be the son of David’s personal chauffeur, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright). He’s late because he’s gathering the proper papers for the big business “play”. After “touching base” with other company execs, David returns to his lush penthouse apartment to share the big news with Pam. He’s taken out loans, set up several accounts, and called in lots of favors in an attempt to acquire sole ownership of his recording empire. As she processes this news, David takes another call, thinking it’s a possible investor. He’s stunned when the unknown caller informs him that he’s grabbed Trey, and ransom instructions will soon follow. The police are called, while Paul realizes that his son Kyle hasn’t returned yet and isn’t picking up his calls. As the NYPD set up a command center in the dining room, another call occurs. The voice informs David to put together over 17 million dollars in Swiss currency, with drop-off details to come. David assures Pam that he will pay, while a new development has the police scurrying. A patrol car has picked up Trey and is bringing him home. He tells the stunned group that Kyle was grabbed instead. When David gets a new call from the criminal, he boasts that his son is safe, that he has Paul’s son. Nonetheless, the “voice” still insists on the ransom money; otherwise, he’ll murder Kyle. Paul doesn’t have the funds, while David balks at paying, since it would almost wipe out the needed capital for his company’s takeover. Will he make this huge sacrifice for his old friend’s boy? His decision plunges the affluent David into the seedy, crime-ridden underbelly of the Big Apple…

In case we all needed to be reminded of true movie star charisma, Mr. Washington easily delivers that quality from that slow tracking drone shot in the film’s opening minutes to the final fade-out. As King contemplates his “power move”, Washington displays a jovial swagger as he prepares for that day. When it takes that awful turn in the evening hours, we see the darkness consume him as he strains to keep control as his life crumbles. And as a deadly decision weighs on in shoulders, Washington allows us a glimpse of King’s vulnerability as the world seems to turn against him. He then taps into all those qualities in the rousing finale, when David dives into the abyss to demand justice. He’s got a great rapport with the stunning Hadera, who makes the perfect life partner for David. She’s his sounding board and fierce beacon of empathy. They’re a true power couple, though the more volatile pairing is with the always wonderful Wright as Paul. He’s been beaten down by life after losing his wife and spending too many years in the system. Wright gives him an inspiring dignity, pushing back at the police who suspect him (such “side-eye”), while struggling against despair as his beloved son is taken from him. Kudos are also due to the main law-enforcement trio of John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and the surly, snarky Dean Winter (“Mayhem” in a superb TV ad series). The biggest “find” may be the fiery performance of rapper A$AP Rocky as fledgling “wannabe” Yung Felon. He’s got an unpredictable energy that gives Washington a chance to reveal another facet to King.

The entire cast is stellar, guided by an elder cinema statesman who is still a “firebrand” after nearly 40 years of films, Spike Lee. He, along with screenwriter Evan Hunter, has put a remarkable spin on a classic crime film from 1963 by Akira Kurosawa, HIGH AND LOW, which he adapted from the novel by Ed McBain, “King’s Ransom”. They’ve taken most of that story’s structure and used it as a reflection on current society, from hip hop culture to the smothering, all-surrounding online community. Lee is in full command as he makes use of a few of his stylistic tropes (the “slow-rolling close-up” is here), an eclectic music soundtrack (the opening song is a strange stunner), and background images that reflect and comment on the characters. Plus, he and cinematographer Matthew Libatique give us a very vibrant NYC, more vivid than most recent flicks. What may surprise most filmgoers is the humor that finds its way into a dark tale of teen kidnapping, while not taking away the “high stakes” involved in the terrible crime. It’s tough stuff, for sure, but Lee sprinkles in lots of levity, even as we worry about the fate of the Kings and the Christophers. For fans of the “source” film, Lee takes a sharp “left” from that story’s third act, which gives the drama and social commentary an added heft. My only problem is the use of the musical score as a smothering “blanket” for many of the pivotal plot sequences, hammering in the emotional “stakes”. It’s a minor quibble with such a thought-provoking and entertaining film, proving that there’s still lots of juice and enjoyment in the fifth collaboration of Lee and Washington. Now they’re truly “stackin’ the hits” with the compelling HIGHEST 2 LOWEST.

3.5 Out of 4

HIGHEST 2 LOWEST is now playing in theatres everywhere

SHE RIDES SHOTGUN – Review

*Anna Sophia Heger as Polly and Taron Egerton as Nate, in SHE RIDES SHOTGUN. Courtesy of Lionsgate*

To set the stage correctly, despite the inferences the title SHE RIDES SHOTGUN suggests, this is a contemporary crime flick, not a western. An 11-year-old girl Named Polly (Anna Sophia Heger) is picked up from school by a sketchy-looking stranger (Taron Egerton), claiming her mom had sent him to bring her home. She reluctantly gets in the car. But instead of taking her to the house, they hit the open road. We soon learn that Nate is her father, recently released from a prison term long enough for Polly not to recognize him. We next learn that Nate aligned himself with a skinhead gang while in the Big House for protection. Not a place to fly solo, as we all know from a slew of other films, if not from personal experience. But once he was released from the Graybar Hotel, he tried to quit, rather than continue doing their bidding.

Nobody quits the violent, meth-making (among other felonies) conglomerate without approval, which is never given. The prison “chapter” is just a small part of a large, well-connected entity, including cops and politicians among its ranks of members and allies, covering an undefined, but apparently extensive, chunk of the North American map. Nate is on the run because the vengeance payback for his disloyalty is not only to kill him, but everyone he cares about. They’ve already whacked his ex and her current beau, leaving Polly as the last one left to protect. That becomes his main mission.

There have been a plethora of bonding-on-the-run action flicks, ranging from buddies, to lovers to families. Many have ranged from effective to compelling. Not quite so, in this case. For a couple of seemingly interminable hours, we watch them scramble around an arid southwest landscape, desperately trying to wind up out of reach of the bad guys. All sorts of minions pursue them from one clash to the next. The pair steal cars, commit petty robberies and try everything they can to get far enough from the bad guys for safety.

The chasers aren’t just card-carrying skinheads. Cops and ordinary civilians are tied in with the gang for potential threats from whatever unlikely folk they meet along the way. Polly gradually learns to trust her dad, and picks up some survival skills in the process. All of this builds to the inevitable type of large-scale action sequence that is a climactic must for the genre. John Carroll Lynch heads the pursuers with a smugly cold determination worthy of a Bond villain.

On the plus side, seeing Welshman Egerton, best known here as Egsy from two excellent KINGSMEN movies, play a skinhead-adjacent American is intriguing. He looks and sounds the tattoo-laden part. Heger also fares well on the performance scale. The final battle is big, loud and bloody enough to reward one’s patience through the overlong, almost tedious, run-up. Director Nick Rowland makes good use of barren environs and seedy settings befitting the premise.

But the script by a trio of writers is severely lacking. The dialog – especially the talks between Egerton and Heger – is so bland and excessive that it dilutes the potential punch of their performances. There’s never one of those gratifying moments where they credibly click. Cutting 10-15 minutes of the blather would have resulted in a tighter, more suspenseful package. The film is further dinged by its illogical setup for the final confrontation. I can’t be more specific about that without spoiling it for those who choose to buy a ticket, or click on it upon home-market release, which shouldn’t be too long in coming. Bottom line – not as good as it could have been.

SHE RIDES SHOTGUN opens in theaters on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

THE ORDER (2024) – Review

During the pandemic lockdown and in the frigid months of more recent years, many home viewers became hooked on “true crime” stories that were once the lifeblood of broadcast TV news “magazine” shows, but now have entire cable networks devoted to them. And the streaming apps are simply bursting with documentaries and “limited” series that are comprised of recreations and “talking head” interviews. While motion pictures had been the showcase for non-fiction law enforcement tales, recently we’ve seen more of the “over the top” “stunt-heavy” action blockbusters. Now, in between the year-end family fantasies and the somber “Oscar bait”, here’s a nifty thriller that evokes the feel of those zippy “B pictures”. Ah, but there’s a twist in that much of the story still resonates today, several decades later (much like the upcoming SEPTEMBER 5, which you’ll be hearing about soon). Yes, on a cold day almost four years ago, the country was dealing with the legacy of THE ORDER.

A murder in a dark wooded area begins this fable set in the 1980s, just a couple of years into the Reagan presidency. Soon after, a veteran FBI agent named Terry Husk (Jude Law) takes on a new assignment in sleepy Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. After setting up in an empty office space, he checks in with the local police. A counterfeiting operation and bombs planted at synagogues and porno theatres may be linked to the local branch of the white supremacist group, the Aryan Nation. The sheriff is hestitant to help Husk, but young officer Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan) is eager to guide him. The film shifts focus to Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult), who is living a double life. He has a pregnant girlfriend, Zillah (Odessa Young) while maintaining a home with his wife Debbie (Alison Oliver), and young son Clinton. Or maybe it’s a “triple life” as Bob is the leader of a ‘splinter group” from the Nation called “The Order” which has been robbing banks and armored cars. As the crimes of the group become more violent, Husk brings in some FBI backup led by old partner Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett). But Bob is also getting more help as he enlists new recruits to his “crusade” as they plot their biggest score yet while also perpetrating the assassination of liberal radio talk show host Alan Berg (Marc Maron). He is aware of Husk and his crew as the men engage in a deadly game of “hide and seek” that finally explodes in a savage showdown.

Playing against his still dashing leading man looks, Law dives deep into the role of a lawman whose only real passion is for bringing the outlaws in, even at the cost of his health and all of his relationships. With his droopy Wyatt Earp-stache’, Husk seems to be living off nicotine paired with booze-infused caffeine despite his body’s distress signals (a long surgery scar in the middle of his chest and his gushing, ill-timed nose-bleeds). He’s truly a flawed hero, the grim dispenser of justice, though his loneliness seeps through (he reaches out to a family that has fled). But he’s the man for the job, the perfect pursuer of Bob Maxwell, played with wide-eyed zeal by Hoult. Unlike Husk, he remains a family man despite his split loyalties, though neither woman can tear him away from his goal of reshaping his homeland. Hoult goes into full “alpha dog” mode making us understand how he can lead his minions take on the “feds”. This makes Husk’s crew even more essential. Sheridan almost bursts with youthful energy as the small-town patrolman so eager to be “on the line” and stop the bigots tarnishing his “heartland”. And Smollett is all grit and steely determination as the agent who has a past with Husk and will call him on his “B.S.” without hesitation. But she has to temper her passion, especially as she “puts the hurt” on Mathews’ kin. Special kudos for the compelling Mr. Maron who puts a warm, human spin on this early casualty of the culture war.

Director Justin Kurzel doesn’t go for showy camera angles or flashy stunts and CGI bombast. He keeps the film moving at a crisp efficient pace, balancing the quirky character moments (Husk leans too hard on a witness and drenches him in nasal plasma) with suspenseful crime set pieces, bringing sweaty chaos to bank jobs and armored car shakedowns. But thanks in part to the screenplay by Zach Baylin (adapting ” The Silent Brotherhood” by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt), it’s the quiet moments that leave us with a chill down our spine. During a big picnic at the Mathews house, he lovingly lets his eight-year-old son pull the trigger of an automatic rifle. He later sends him off to bed with a story, a truly “grim’ fairy tale from “The Turner Diaries” a “how to” on rebellion (and we see an illustration of gallows in front of the White House). With the film’s eerie epilogue we’re reminded never to dismiss those “fringe” groups. And it makes us appreciate all those who would defend our country’s ideals. This is a gripping, well-acted thriller that may inspire others to take up the “reigns” from Husk and his aides when another challenge arises from the toxic seeds planted by THE ORDER.

3 out of 4

THE ORDER is now playing in select theatres

EMILIA PEREZ – Review

All through cinema’s history we’ve seen countless stories of characters who want to “start over” and “reinvent themselves”. Often they’re wanting to atone for past behaviors (as in the recent GOODRICH or WILD HEART), while others make a radical change in appearance (way back to NOW VOYAGER). This weekend’s “buzzy” new Netflix release encompasses both in an unorthodox way, since it’s a “full out” musical, and proves to be quite a showcase for the superb talents involved. It’s also a “message” movie, a domestic drama, and a nail-biting crime thriller. The latter is the starting point as this tune-filled fable focuses on a ruthless drug kingpin (accent on the king) who yearns to become the “queen” named EMILIA PEREZ.

But first we encounter another woman. Rita Moro Castro (Zoe Saldana) is a frustrated lawyer in Mexico City where the bigoted hierarchy of her firm have put her “on the bench”, writing speeches to the jury delivered by an ill-prepared, male co-worker trying to get acquittals for guilty lowlife clients. Then things radically change when she gets a phone call from someone powerful who wishes to pay her very well for her services. A clandestine “meet on the street” takes a scary turn when somebody covers her head with a hood and pushes her into a dark SVU. She meets her employer, the notorious head of the big national drug cartel, Juan “Manitas” Del Monte, who doesn’t want Rita’s legal skills, but rather needs her to do the “legwork’ to find the best doctors (not in Mexico or the US) that can transition him into a woman. After the search concludes (and secret overseas accounts for Rita are in place). Castro joins the Del Monte clan for a secret “farewell party”. There she meets Mrs. Del Monte, Jessi (Selena Gomez), who doesn’t know of her husband’s wishes. Rather, Rita tells her that she and her two young sons must relocate to Switzerland as Manitas stays behind to broker a deadly cartel war. While the family and Rita head to the Alps, the surgeries begin in Israel for Manitas. Several years pass, and Rita is now living and working in London. A statuesque Spanish-speaking woman approaches her at a dinner party. She introduces herself as Emilia Perez (Karla Sofia Gascon), then whispers to Rita that she has a new job for her. It is the former Manitas. She wants Rita to bring Jessi and her sons back from Europe to live in her Mexico City mansion where Emilia will pose as the aunt of Manitas. The “reunion” happens, and all seems to go well as Jessi buys into the “family connection” (including the faked demise of Manitas). But then she reaches out to a former flame, the dangerous Gustavo (Edgar Ramirez), while Emilia starts a charity which leads to a romance with an abused widow named Epifania (Adriana Paz). Can Emilia maintain her new life and leave her old brutal criminal past behind her? And can Rita avoid being caught up in the impending “clash”?

Although she’s not in the title role, Ms. Saldana absolutely steals the film as the “by the book” lawyer who is swayed (by loads a’ cash) into the underworld. She expertly conveys the full range of Rita’s emotions, whether ethically conflicted, frustrated (as a cloddish male co-worker mangles her words), or terrified . I’m referring to her first “meeting” of Emilia as she believes that she’s a “loose end” to be severed. Ah, but we get the full range of her talents as Saldana displays a rubbery, fierce grace in the musical numbers, especially with one set at a charity ball, using the rich patrons as props. Truly an performance worthy of many awards. I was not aware of the career of Ms. Gascon, so I was delightfully surprised at her work, starting as the sinister Manitas growling threats while pleading for help, but then showing a tender side with his two sons. Much of that quality is there as the maternal Perez, who wants to heal her homeland while exploring a new type of romance with the sympathetic Paz as Epifania. More recently honing her comedic chops as part of the trio in “Only Murders in the Building”, Gomez returns to her musical roots and delves into some heavy dramatics as the often bewildered Jessi. She gets a couple of engaging dance numbers, but she’s at her best as she rebels against the smothering Perez to pursue a steamy romance with Ramirez as the macho manipulative Gustavo.

This unique cinema experience comes from veteran director Jacques Audiard whose screenplay adapts his opera libretto, which sprung from the novel Ecoute by Boris Razon. Audiard works in a dark gritty color palette, particularly on the mean dangerous streets of Mexico City (Rita is engulfed by the darkness). There’s a lighter look in the blissful confines of the Perez home, which switches with the desert hellscape of the missing murdered. The background dissolves away for the musical numbers, though these aren’t glossy MGM-inspired Technicolor fantasies. Especially powerful is a haunting ballad about the “lost souls” sung by floating heads of the families and friends against a dismal black limbo. But he does indulge in a bit of movie “camp” as Rita gets a tour of a sparkling “surgery spa” in Thailand. Big kudos to the musical talents of songwriter Camile, the score of Clement Ducol, and the choreography by Damien Jalet. This word be a compelling story if it just focused on the gender “transition”, but the powerful look at the real-life kidnapping epidemic, and the parental conflicts make this an outstanding and important artistic statement. There are lots of secrets and compassion in the the life and legend of EMILIA PEREZ.

3.5 Out of 4

EMILIA PEREZ is now playing in select theatres

LOVE LIES BLEEDING – Review

Ready for a cinematic “walk on the wild side”? Perhaps something in the film noir category, but not similar to something you’d run across on one of those nostalgia streaming channels. Maybe something set just before the turn of the century rather than the decade post-WWII. Sure, this new flick is a crime thriller involving multiple murders, but that’s just one aspect. Let’s see, there’s a big (truly huge) daughter/father conflict so it’s a family drama. And it’s certainly a romance ala’ girl meets girl. Oh, and one of them is seeking fame in the competitive world of female bodybuilding events. Now, that’s really different and certainly unique. Mix all those genres and subplots together and you get an insight into the provocative title, LOVE LIES BLEEDING.

Oh, the backdrop year is in the 20th century, way back in 1989. We first meet lonely Lou (Kristen Stewart) who runs a gym catering to weightlifters in a dusty New Mexico border town. After a night of unclogging toilets and dealing with a spacey clingy ex-girlfriend named Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov), she heads back to the dingy apartment she shares with her cat Happy Meal. Meanwhile, across the tracks, JJ (Dave Franco) is “hiring” a new waitress for the tavern at the gun range business he manages…in the back of his car. He tells the muscular statuesque brunette, Jackie (Katy O’Brian) that she can start tomorrow. She leaves the parking lot to sleep under the highway overpass. The next morning JJ introduces her to the gun range owner, his father-in-law, the surly Lou Sr. (Ed Harris). Eventually, Jackie heads over to Crater Gym where she encounters Lou. The two immediately form a connection and spend the night (at Lou’s pad, natch’). Jackie insists that she’ll soon be moving on to a big body-building event in Vegas as soon as she makes enough cash for the trip. A few nights later Lou and Jackie have a most awkward dinner date with Lou’s sister Beth (Jena Malone) and her abusive spouse, JJ! Lou is furious that he’s smacking around her sister. But he doesn’t stop and Beth ends up in a coma at the local hospital. After an uncomfortable reunion with Lou Sr. (they are estranged, to say the least) something…happens. And soon the lovers are nearly in panic mode. Can Lou stay ahead of the FBI agents who are pressuring her for info on her papa’s shady operations? And what about those “off-brand” muscle “enhancers” that Lou gave Jackie? Things are about to get much hotter in that sleepy desert burg…

Add another interesting character performance to the already impressive resume of Ms. Stewart. In the opening act, Lou is a take-no-crap (unless she’s clearing the commode) tough gal whose tough exterior masks her lonely solitary life and very dark past. That all changes when she spots Jackie her “warrior angel’ across the gym floor. Stewart shows us that a spark has been ignited in those “half-mast” eyes. Later on, she’s almost a whirling dervish as she scrambles to “clean and dispose’ all the while Stewart lets us see that Lou’s brain has shifted into “high gear”. The real breakout role may belong to her “ideal” Jackie played with great energy and flair by relative screen newcomer O’Brian, who was one of the few highlights of the last ANT-MAN epic. Jackie is “laser-focused on her sports goal, though she’s elated by the prospect of real love with Lou. But that is somewhat short-circuited by the “boosters’ that spiral her into a scary “roid’ rage’ while dropping her into a nightmare-like netherworld. And even as she’s posing in front of a mirror, there’s still a child-like vulnerability. The “third wheel” of this love “triangle is the manic white-hot mess that is Daisy who Baryshnikov plays as a distracted child who demands attention while engaging in passive-aggressive manipulation. She’s trouble, but is merely an annoying “jack-in-the-box’ compared to the sadistic cruelty of the two dudes hovering over them. Franco is a sniveling mullet-sporting bully as the weasily JJ, who needs the protection of the king of the “wolf pack”, Lou Sr, given a constant sneer by the bombastic Harris who resembles a heavy metal Satan with long curtains of hair framing his scowling pate. They’re “bad dude” and super-bad dude”.

The director and co-writer, with Weronika Tofilska, Rose Glass has crafted a low-rent, hard-scrabble fable that incorporates lust, love, longing, and brutal revenge while taking many unexpected and often “out there” twists and turns. She makes great use of a vibrant color scheme, switching from a warm “lit by headlights” glow in the wee hours to the shimmering, blazing crimson of a blood-soaked hellscape. It’s all punctuated with a grim “gallows humor” echoing the criminal eccentrics of Tarantino and the Coens mixed with more than a dash of the heroines of BOUND. The big “dividing point” for many viewers will be the sharp detour into “fantasy-land” in the big finale showdown, but after the lean, taut storytelling most will probably embrace and may even be thrilled by the audacity of it. Somehow Glass gets all the diverse elements to jell while making us truly invested in these two unlikely lovers, again played superbly by Stewart and O’Brian. The desert locales project a sense of sun-baked decay while the period is well represented (no cell phones, but lots of answering machines). More adventurous filmgoers will enjoy the “totally-jacked” trip taken when LOVE LIES BLEEDING.

3.5 Out of 4

LOVE LIES BLEEDING is now playing in select theatres

THE GOOD MOTHER (2023) – Review

Well, here’s a more somber crime thriller to quiet things down in the multiplexes as the Summer movie season of noisy blockbusters wraps up with the Labor Day weekend. Its setting is only a few years back, but most of its themes are fairly timeless as we bear witness to another young person (actually several) from the mean streets of the East Coast who is swallowed up by the drug trade. Oh, but there’s one sole (really aided by a couple more) who won’t allow him to be another statistic, another outline on the filthy sidewalk. Now she’s not your typical crusading heroine, as she’s dealing with her own flaws and weaknesses. Still, this struggling newspaper reporter earns the right to be called THE GOOD MOTHER.

It opens on the dark early morning streets of Albany, NY in 2016 as a man in his twenties dashes from corner to corner, Soon we realize that he’s not an enthusiastic jogger, rather he’s running for his life just as headlights engulf him. Cut to the dingy bedroom of the home of his mother (hence the title) Marissa (Hilary Swank) as she pushes away several empty bottles (fallen soldiers) to stop her cell phone alarm. A quick cuppa’ Joe and she’s on her way to the newspaper office. She barely makes the staff meeting where her worried editor keeps droning on about making the paper’s website go “viral”. Marissa is bolted awake when her police officer son Toby (Jack Reynor) knocks on the conference room door to pull her out for some bad, bad news. Flash forward to the gravesite of her other son Michael. As Marrisa leaves, she spots a very pregnant young woman hovering over the plot. She’s Paige (Olivia Cooke), Michael’s girlfriend. Marissa greets her with a slap, accusing her of forcing her son back into drug running (his stealing to support his habit strained the mother-son relationship). Toby has a few leads, including the now missing childhood pal of Michael’s, ‘Ducky’. Later that night Paige is awakened by home invaders. She hides Michael’s old suitcase (with some of his “product”) and seeks shelter from …Marissa. Despite the ugly scene at the cemetery, the duo decide to join forces and find out who killed Michael and why. The answers could be much more than either anticipated.

Aside from the main plot of the film, another real mystery (and a bit of a tragedy) is the lack of meaty big-screen roles for one of the most honored actresses in cinema (two Oscars). Luckily episodic TV has stepped up (though it’s a broadcast network series) until the complex, troubled Marissa is given vibrant life by Ms. Swank. Yes, she’s similar to the hard-drinkin’ and livin’ newshounds of noir flicks, but we see that it has taken a toll on her relationships and splintered her family. Swank has the dazed, burned-out body language down, then shows us how this new mission actually invigorates her, giving her a purpose. That’s best shown in her scenes with the talented Cooke as the scared but dogged Paige, who won’t be brushed aside as the “knocked-up” junkie’s squeeze. At times, she supplies the passion for truth when Marissa begins to despair. Reynor, as Toby, brings real depth to the “good son” role as we see him begin to fear for his mom’s deep dive into the dangerous part of the battered city. Though he’s always supplying intel, Reynor shows us a beat cop torn by duty and family. Also of note are Dilone as Toby’s steadfast supportive spouse Gina and Hopper Penn as the haunted, trapped Ducky.

Director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte keeps the plot moving at a steady pace while giving the setting a look of muddy remorse gleaned from the screenplay he co-wrote from Madison Harrison. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer much of anything new covering ground recently tread by premium cable miniseries like the “Mare of Easttown” or “American Rust”. Nods to the opioid crisis and references to the dying newspaper industry feel like tacked-on bits of business to give it a “current event” feel. The main glitch may be in the last act in which big reveals are telegraphed and the final denouncement is muddled. leaving us to wonder just how Marissa may act and what the consequences will be. Luckily, Swank is compelling as the scribe, and Cooke makes for a spirited scene partner for her. It’s great to see Swank at the top of her acting game, but she can’t quite overcome the cliched feel of the script at the heart of THE GOOD MOTHER.

2 out of 4

THE GOOD MOTHER opens in select theatres on Friday, September 1, 2023

BAD CITY – Review

*Hitoshi Ozawa (center, white hair) as Torada, in BAD CITY. Courtesy of WellGoUSA*

The subtitled Japanese crime flick, BAD CITY, delivers the goods on two essential counts – an atypically complex plot with a handful of switches and double-crosses, building to an adrenaline-satisfying series of hard-nosed fight sequences. This is the second feature from director Kensuke Sonomora, after nearly 20 years of steady stunt work, including many gigs as stunt coordinator or action director. Experience shows, as this film seems more cohesive and focused than his first crime drama, HYDRA, while still dishing out the mayhem that motivates most potential viewers.

Disgraced police captain Torada (Hitoshi Ozawa) is granted parole by an idealistic prosecutor to go after the city’s most powerful tycoon/criminal, Gojo (Lily Franky), who’d just been undeservedly acquitted on racketeering charges. Gojo’s tentacles reach high into every branch of government and law enforcement, making regular attempts to nail him futile. So Torada is put in charge of an off-the-books force of a few trusted detectives to finish the job. The plot centers around a major construction project Goro is pushing that will displace many citizens in favor of a sprawling resort casino. That involves one or more Yakuza families and the local branch of the Korean Mafia.

It takes some concentration to follow the story, as many players turn out differently than they begin, or seem. There are several fights scattered through the first 80 minutes, with much greater time allotted to character and plot development. Ozawa anchors the proceedings with the world-weary gravitas of a Takeshi Kitano; or more familiarly for most U.S. audiences, an unsmiling 60-ish Gene Hackman or Brian Dennehy. His landing in jail for what some believe was a frame-up, also landed him afoul of the Koreans, since he supposedly killed the son of the dragon lady running that organization.

But all of that is prelude to Sonomora’s payoff purpose. The last 25 minutes are filled with gritty, fast-paced battles among the various factions in the tangle of conflicts. As in HYDRA, there are few guns. The damage is inflicted mostly with fists, baseball bats and occasional blades. Stunt performances are stunning in the mass encounters, as well as in a bunch of exciting one-on-ones. No wire-work or CGI enhancements. Minimizing the background music highlights the audio of every strike and all the times people are hurled against a floor or wall. That element is comparable to the impressive stunt fighting I’ve relished in many recent Korean action flicks.

When you’re looking for relatively realistic action (nobody could *really* take that many punches and keep going), with a bit more of a mental component than average, this one’s a solid choice.

BAD CITY, in Japanese with English subtitles, is available digitally on-demand starting Tuesday, Aug. 1, and will be available on DVD and Blu-ray starting on Sept. 19.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

THE RITUAL KILLER – Review

Any time Morgan Freeman is in the cast, a film is going to be worth considering. In the RITUAL KILLER, he’s second banana but still key to the proceedings. The crime drama opens with a grisly killing and dismemberment in Rome before an immediate switch to the Southern U. S. of A., where similar slayings start occurring in what may be some sort of occult ritual style. Cole Hauser stars as , Detective Boyd, the lead detective on the domestic cases, soon turning to a nearby professor of African cultures and historical practices, Professor Mackles (Freeman) who might understand why the bodies are piling up. Not because he’s the prime suspect. It’s just that aspects of the murder scenes seemingly relate to his slice (inadvertent pun) of academia. Hauser is right, and Freeman starts contributing to the task of ending the spree.

We see the perpetrator (Vernon Davis) before they do. The dude has exceptional skills, bordering on the mystical, in evading capture while he continues his conspicuously gruesome mission. Hauser’s investigation ties Davis to the Rome murder, helping I.D. the guy, while making that early scene shift less disjointed than it felt at the time. There is method to this seeming madness. No need for the whodunit component, as sufficient suspense lingers on the why, and whether they’ll be able to catch this elusive, prolific killer.

Director George Gallo, whose diverse resume spans many genres, spares little of the gory details of Davis’ acts and their results. He also wastes no time, completing the package with admirable efficiency. This film is for the strong of stomach, not the faint of heart. The script from veteran actor and first-time screenwriter Bob Bowersox and a handful of other credited penners is mainly a by-the-numbers procedural, upgraded by a few unusual and intriguing variations along the way. The three leading actors carry the load, with the rest of the cast, including gifted character actor Peter Stormare, called upon for little more than dutifully filling the standard roles for such tales.

Though not yet MPAA rated as this is written, the gore factor would warrant at least an R, and possibly an NC-17, depending on who’s doing the job. You’ve now been warned about the yucky parts. If that’s not a deal-breaker, then step right up for this solid crime drama. And Morgan.

THE RITUAL KILLER opens Friday, Mar. 10, in theaters and video on demand.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

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