Mile 22 Dazzles In Action But Largely Disappoints As A Spy/Espionage Thriller

      When it comes to making action movies or generic spy thrillers, one of the films main selling points is not just its impressive action sequences but the appeal of its main star in the lead role. The main selling point behind Mile 22 was always going to hinge on the filmmakers choice of the films main actor leading both the story and action. With Mark Wahlberg, the filmmakers found a solid and dependable leading man to lead the main cast which consists of talented actors such as Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey, and John Malkovich. Despite the talented leads in the main roles, the filmmakers forgot that what also makes an action film great or just generally effective is a strong script that gives audiences characters to care about or a straight-forward narrative. Not only does Mile 22 severely lack in that regard, its strong cast are profoundly underused and ultimately deserve much better than the material they're given. Mile 22 floats when the movie is focused on the action, but doesn't fare well when it focuses on anything else beyond that with the end result being lackluster entertainment at best.

      The plot for Mile 22 centers around an American paramilitary team led by a CIA operative (played by Mark Wahlberg) being assigned to transport a defecting foreign intelligence officer from an American embassy in a Southwest Asia country to an airfield in a treacherous route that totals 22 miles. Though the synopsis sounds compelling on paper, the overall execution of the story leaves much to be desired. It's not that the plot for Mile 22 isn't an engaging one, its that it comes across as being painfully generic with minimal character exploration for the audience to be connected with the story as everyone comes across as being arrogant jerks essentially (Mark Wahlberg's character as a prime example). The film lacks proper thrills and suspense to be truly compelling with the action scenes being the only parts of the film, that standout due to them being both well-staged and executed. The biggest downfall of the film in regards to quality are the weaknesses of its script as the plot can often become confusing to follow at times resulting in an uneven narrative structure. The films plot starts off promising with a concept that's provocative and poses interesting questions before immediately transforming into a generic action thriller with choppy editing and shaky camera work, making it tough for the audience to follow at times. Mile 22 is an action flick that had both the talent and potential behind it to offer audiences a thrilling experience with an interesting story, that could've posed some solid questions regarding the use of paramilitary teams. Instead it ultimately settles for being painfully mediocre with an end twist that'll leave audiences scratching heads rather than being shocked at its revelation.

      One of the films few saving graces that keeps it from completely collapsing is the strength of its main cast despite the minimal character development they're given. The films cast for the most part deliver the best performances they can with Mark Wahlberg churning out a relatively solid performance as usual with him being entertaining to watch, as well as attempting to add an extra layer to his character. Wahlberg plays smart-talking American Black Ops agent James Silva with Wahlberg's character possessing heavy sarcasm and an OCD type condition in which his character goes on constant ramblings directed at other characters ( Both good and bad) in an attempt to prove how much smarter he is than them. Despite the latter being intended to make the character more appealing in regards to being humorous, it just comes across as being awkward, confusing, and ultimately annoying for the audience despite the strong effort that Wahlberg gives with his performance. Lauren Cohan does reasonably well as Overwatch member Alice Kerr with Cohan making her character appear to be tough, likable, and sympathetic. She also works well off Mark Wahlberg with both possessing believable and strong chemistry. Iko Uwais is effective as Indonesian police officer and Alice's asset Li Noor with Uwais being given the opportunity to showcase some of his impressive martial arts skills, as well as his acting capabilities. Uwais takes whats essentially a generic part in terms of his character being a valuable asset being transported around by the main characters in an effort to bait the main antagonists, and makes it more interesting despite the lackluster writing. Ronda Rousey, Peter Berg, and John Malkovich all make the most of their roles and deliver decent performances as CIA agents Sam Snow, Lucas, and the teams camera James Bishop. As a whole, the cast of Mile 22 does a decent job of giving their characters some form of life while helping to add intensity to the story.

     In terms of the films directing, filmmaker Peter Berg who previously helmed Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, and Patriots Day, which also starred Mark Wahlberg, brings a similar style of tense directing to the project with the use of shaky camera​ to add realism to the action sequences, quick-cut style editing, and intense yet well put together action sequences that make the film somewhat exciting despite its weak script. Whereas the script comes with its share of shortcomings, Berg doesn't disappoint in regards to delivering the much desired action the story demands while allowing Wahlberg to command the screen with his strong presence. The films cinematography is a mixed bag with it working well enough in terms of drawing the audience into the action with its realism in regards to the use of shaky cam, though it can be a bit challenging at times in regards to following whats happening during those sequences. The films editing however, is all over the place with certain scenes jumping around along with Wahlberg's characters monologue being randomly inserted throughout the film with some cases having the audience not entirely sure who he's talking to. The films martial arts sequences involving Li Noor are impressive, though feel awkward when revealed in the story. Considering how tightly paced and well-structured Berg's other films came across as being, it's profoundly disappointing to see how Mile 22 pales in comparison in regards to being as well put together as those films. The films score is effective in regards to adding both the suspense and tension within the story with the music giving the action a much needed extra shot of adrenaline. On the directing end, Peter Berg delivers in regards to handling the films action sequences though drops the ball in regards to the films editing. Out of all his film collaborations with Mark Wahlberg (Five thus far and counting), this is their least successful one together with the reason having more to do with the script than Berg's directing.

      The films screenplay by Lea Carpenter from a story by both Carpenter and Graham Roland, can best be summed up as uninspired work that comes with a narrative that feels uneven with minimal character development and exposition. The plot is an interesting one that tackles concepts such as covert operations, spies, the use of black market weapons, the threat of using nuclear ones, espionage, chaos, and patriotism. Although​ the script does a serviceable job of laying out its plot, it tends to be tough to follow at times with the audience trying to find out whose the real antagonist in the story. The themes regarding courage and heroes feels underwhelming in a sense as the audience never gets that true feeling from the main characters despite their noble efforts to save lives while preventing further acts of terrorism. The film through it's opening scene makes a point to emphasize the anonymity and sacrifice of overt strike teams such as Overwatch with the rest of the film failing to live up to the promise of its beginning. The character development presented here is marginal and feels tacked on by the filmmakers as a way of briefly showing that this character has a life outside of the mission and how one should care about them then abandons such subplots afterwards. An example is the character of Lauren Cohan's with hers being shown to have a subplot involving her character struggling to cope with her divorce from her husband, who threatens to take away her kids. The writers make her character appear to be an extremely frustrated divorce mom with the outcome being her character appearing like a hot mess. While such background information is appreciated in regards to trying to make the audience connect with this character, it feels more forced and does little to serve the overall plot of the film. Wahlberg's character also comes across as feeling like a chaotic mess with his constant OCD ramblings making his character appear extremely awkward, over-the-top, and unlikable at times despite his noble deeds in the film. Ronda Rousey's character is given fight scenes but very little dialogue to make her character impactful in the story. The films climactic plot twist would've been far more effective had it been built up better as the end result is more confusing to audiences than shocking. It's not that the writing for Mile 22 is necessarily terrible, the script as a whole feels like a combination of both interesting and solid themes and concepts that end up getting shorthanded in the development department along with the films Overwatch team. The audience ultimately doesn't connect with them the way they were meant to, largely due to there being no clear focus in regards to the films overall story structure.

      What could've ended up being a solid action and espionage thriller ultimately turns out to be a huge disappointment for both audiences and fans of Mark Wahlberg. The latter tries his absolute best with making the film somewhat interesting to watch, though that isn't enough to compensate for the uneven narrative structure nor lack of character exploration. Outside of some impressive action and fight sequences, there isn't much here for audiences to become connected with nor engaged by. Given that Peter Berg's previous collaborations with Mark Wahlberg have resulted in both critical and financial successes, this appears to be the one that unfortunately brings that trend to a shocking halt. Mile 22 is a conjested and uninspired mess that means to take itself seriously with its plot with references to modern day leaders and events, though wastes both its cast of talented actors and filmmakers with a script that feels slapped together and only half-completed. One only wonders what the end result would've looked like had more effort went into its screenwriting process along with more focus on its directing. Fans of espionage and spy thrillers would be wise to avoid this misfire and look elsewhere for a more satisfying and compelling film, that perfectly balances out impressive action with characters the audience grows to care about as the latter ends up being one of 2018's great misfires.

Final Verdict: For Mark Wahlberg fans as well as those looking for a good Spy amd espionage thriller, Mile 22 should be skipped as the end result will confuse and frustrate them rather than satisfy.

White Boy Rick Is A Grim, Thought-provoking, and Entertaining Crime Story That's Solidly Told And Brilliantly Acted

     

      When it comes to Hollywood bringing real life stories to the big screen, one of the most appealing kind that they greenlight outside of biographical dramas or inspirational sports stories, are those that deal with crime. The crime drama is one that has a built in audience, which essentially makes it a safe bet for Hollywood to continue producing true to life stories revolving around that genre. In the case of White Boy Rick, the film meets both the crime and biographical genres halfway with a story, that both holds as well as maintain the audiences interest. Powered by strong performances from its main cast as well as being a compelling enough crime story, White Boy Rick delivers a solid punch in regards to providing audiences with a true story that's powerful, hard-hitting, and carries with it important themes and lessons regarding growing up.

      Based on a true story, the plot for White Boy Rick takes place in the 1980's with a struggling single father (Played terrifically by Matthew McConaughey), who turned to a life of crime in order to support his family. When faced with federal charges, he agrees to allow the FBI to use his 15-year-old son Rick (Played by Richie Merritt) as a drug informant in exchange for leniency. Rick, however, becomes enamored with the criminal lifestyle that ends up evolving him into a drug kingpin. White Boy Rick is a film that aims to shock, entertain, and inform audiences about a particular time during the era regarding the war on drugs, that was strange yet compelling. The films writing and directing are both reasonably solid with the cast being the heart of the film, as well as the pulse behind making the story as effective as it ultimately turns out to be. Although the film that emerged from its production is a reasonably decent one, it has aspects which keep it from being a great film such as uneven pacing, along with certain parts of the story not being thoroughly developed or explored. The films flaws however, don't take away from the overall enjoyment and impact that White Boy Rick leaves on it's audience as the story remains one that draws them in, while allowing them to be shocked by the revelations presented throughout the story.

      One of the key components that makes White Boy Rick so effective in terms of being entertaining is the strong performances from its main cast with the clear top notch performance coming from Matthew McConaughey as Rick's father Richard Wershe Sr. McConaughey delivers a fantastic performance as a flawed and imperfect father, who side hustles as a gun dealer along with selling unregistered AK-47's on the side. While doing so he reluctantly watches his son go down a life of crime while being used by the FBI to catch known drug dealers. McConaughey's performance is one that is both scene-stealing and impactful as a father whose well-aware of his shortcomings in terms of raising his kids, yet chooses to still be their dad regardless of how dysfunctional the family dynamic appears. He showcases the appropriate emotion that's required when the story takes dramatic turns in regards to Rick's lifestyle as drug kingpin/FBI informant. Whereas McConaughey delivers the strongest performance of the film, it is Richie Merritt who delivers the more impressive and complexed performance out of the two as McConaughey's 15-year old son Rick. Merritt succeeds in making his character both engaging and sympathetic as he finds himself being stuck between being a hustler, whose building a name for himself as well as being aggressively pushed by the FBI in becoming an informant for them. Merritt plays his role convincingly well while managing to convey all the right emotions the role requires. He effectively shows the conflict his character has in regards to being drawn into the world of drug dealing, while struggling to maintain relationships with both his father as well as his troubled sister. Bel Powley does well playing Rick's sister Dawn Weshe with her characters animosity towards her father, along with her desire to remain at distance from her family being understandable for the audience. She also manages to generate empathy for her character when the audience see's the issues she faces in regards to drug addiction due to her troubled family circle (Most notably the relationship between her and her father as evidenced by the films early scenes). Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry and Rory Cochrane all deliver solid performances as dedicated yet questionable FBI agents with Leigh playing FBI agent Alex Snyder, Henry playing Detroit PD Vice Detective Roach Jackson, and Cochrane as FBI agent Frank Byrd. Their characters are effective in regards to showing the challenge as well as the brick wall that Rick faces in regards to both protecting his family, along with being forced to continue his descent into the world of drug dealing in order to help the FBI in making their desired arrests. Other noteworthy performances are RJ Cyler as Boo Curry, Jonathan Majors as Lil Man Curry, Nickoli Link as Lil Tic, Taylour Page as Boo's wife and lover of Rick Cathy Volsan-Curry, Bruce Dern as Rick's Grandpa Ray Weshe and Piper Laurie as Grandma Verba Wershe. The cast for White Boy Rick goes a long way in regards to making the film being as suspenseful, engaging, and effective as it ultimately turns out to be. Both Merritt and McConaughey's performances serve as being the strongest ones in the film with both actors not only stealing the show, but managing to maintain the audiences interest along with working off each other effectively. The audience truly does get a sense of their characters struggle to remain as a family despite Rick's ambitions to pursue drug dealing along with the FBI pressuring him to do so, while threatening his father with jail time for selling unregistered arms to his customers. Bel Powley's performance helps to round out the three main trio of actors with Powley's character being most effective in showing her characters troubles regarding drug addiction. Her most powerful scenes are those in which her addiction takes over with her refusing the help of her father when both him and Rick intervene to help her. The audience gets a legitimate feel that the three are playing off a troubled family dynamic, that fights to remain unified throughout​ their hardships. White Boy Rick as a film is further proof that a strong cast of talented actors can go a long way in terms of bringing a story as interesting as this one to the big screen, and make it both suspenseful and dramatic. It certainly wouldn't have worked as well as it does without its main stars breathing life into their roles.

      The films directing by Yann Demange is serviceable in terms of putting the audience in the films time period during the height of the 1980's drug epidemic. Though Demange's work is nothing groundbreaking to write home about, he succeeds in generating a tense atmosphere for the story, that instantly draws the audience into the film and doesn't let go of them until the very end. Demange makes the story a compelling yet dramatic and moving experience for the main characters when the story shifts from the subplot of drug dealing to a personal family drama whether its between Rick, his father or sister. The film is well shot with cinematography that helps transport the audience into the 1980's setting with both the colors and styles of that era being beautifully captured. It's also accompanied by solid set and costume design, that reinforces the notion that the audience is living in the 1980's era with these characters along with impressive makeup design adding to the films realism. The soundtrack also remains one of the films main highlights as it blends with both the setting and culture behind the story. With the films camera work, Demange succeeds in giving the film a colorful yet gritty and bleak atmosphere, which helps to reveal the world that its characters live in that's further emphasized by saturated lightning to show both the dirtiness and poor quality of the environment, that the characters live around. Despite the films visual elements all blending together effectively in regards to giving the audience the experience of being with the main characters during the films time period, the editing comes across as being a mixed bag with the film feeling that it's a bit short for it's 111 minute running time given the scope of the story. While the pacing never makes the film feel slow nor boring, there's certain parts of the story that feel either skipped over or rushed with more time that could've been given to exploring certain characters or subplots. Despite this issue, Yann Demange's work on the film proves to be relatively solid as he's shown to be able to put together a story thats faithful to the real life events and characters that inspired it, while being impactful with the films main bullet points and overall message.

      The films screenplay by Andy Weiss, Logan and Noah Miller for the most part is well-structured and focuses on Rick's journey from being a normal 15-year old in a troubled household to ending up as a central figure during the peak of the crack epidemic. The script places heavy emphasis on Police corruption and drug dealing with both ultimately being shown to ruin the lives of those affected by it with Rick being the primary example in that regard. The script explores the climate of 1980's Detroit with the inaffectiveness of the Just Say No campaign against drugs being shown, as well as the corruption of both FBI and Detroit Police detectives being put on full display. In addition to showing these revelations with the exploration of Rick's story, the film also plays itself as being a personal family drama with showing the conflict with Rick, his father, and sister as they try to maintain their unity despite their glaring household troubles. Rick's family is shown to essentially be living in poverty with little options available for them to escape the elements surrounding them (Hence Rick's plea and ultimate convincing of his father to allow him to continue selling drugs so they can move out of their current neighborhood). Themes regarding reconciliation and hope are also emphasized in the film with Rick's father refusing to give up on helping his son escape his lifestyle, while later making peace with his daughter once she recovers from her own addiction. Themes pertaining to young teen issues are also at play here with Rick experiencing unwanted teen pregnancy and early parenthood with a girl he used to crush on later becoming the mother of his child. The script aims to include themes that explore all of these different subplots of events, that happened in Rick's life with them succeeding for the most part in amplifying the sheer power and emotion of the story. Where the script struggles ultimately are the areas where the film feels like it speeds through the timeline of Rick's life as being a drug dealer with certain plot setups and scenarios being treated as afterthoughts. Whereas Rick and his family are well-established by the screenwriting, the characters of Boo Curry and his gang often feel like they're not as well explored and given light exploration. The subplot between Rick and his girlfriend turned mother of his child, is effective though given light treatment as well along with the subplot between him sleeping with curry's wife after her husband is jailed for attempting to murder Rick through the use of one of his associates. It's also not well-shown nor explained on why and when Boo began to suspect Rick was an informant for the FBI nor the moment he decided to have him assassinated. The first half of the film is set up much better and flows more consistently with its second half that feels a bit uneven and rushed despite the end result as a whole being a reasonably satisfying effort.

      In the end, White Boy Rick is a good movie but its not the great film nor classic that it could've been had more effort went into strengthening, as well as expanding its already suspenseful and engaging story. What makes it a solid effort is the clear dedication behind putting its story on the big screen by its filmmakers with its main cast giving the film the kind of performances required to make the story be an effective and eye-opening one for its audience. The film is well-shot and has both strong production values and a noteworthy soundtrack to add to its entertainment value with an end message, that serves as a reflection on an era where the drug epidemic was at its prime as well as the realization that the justice system is a fractured one given how much time Rick ultimately served in jail compared to the ones he helped the FBI bust. White Boy Rick serves as being both an affecting and engrossing drama about a young teenager trying to adapt to the environment that surrounds his neighborhood, while trying to be there for his family. The film shows the imperfections of both Rick's character and his father, while also serving as a condemnation of the FBI for their mistreatment of Rick's character and ultimate betrayal by not trying to reduce his sentence of serving time in jail. It serves as a story that will provoke many different forms of emotion from its audience, while being somewhat satisfied in the end that Rick's character gets some form of justice. The film did not win any oscars nor wasn't necessarily deserving of any (Though Matthew McConaughey's performance was certainly strong enough to warrant a nomination), but the overall execution provides a strong enough foundation to recommend to those who share a fascination for true crime stories or complexed biographical dramas. On both counts, White Boy Rick delivers in the entertainment department while posing some necessary questions regarding the justice system and troubled youth upbringings.

Final Verdict: For Matthew McConaughey fans as well as fans of both biographical and crime dramas, White Boy Rick will entertain, surprise, and suffice their cravings despite having some glaring flaws.

Sorry To Bother You Is Fierce, Provocative, And Bold With It's Statement Regarding Race And Capitalism

      Whereas most movies tend to stick to a narrative that's straight-forward and easy to follow, some choose to take an alternative route in regards to creating an experience that's not only entertaining for the audience, but takes a more ambitious and thought-provoking route in regards to storytelling. Sorry To Bother You is a film that desires to go against the typical style of conventional filmmaking, and deliver an unusual yet whacky ride for audiences that's fresh, creative, satirical, and ultimately entertaining while posing some interesting questions regarding the films main plot and themes concerning both race and capitalism. For newcomer writer-director Boots Riley, he crafts both a creative and original story that's brutally funny and full of fresh energy, making it one of 2018's oddest yet striking films.

      The plot for Sorry To Bother You centers around an African-American telemarketer (played by Lakeith Stanfield), who learns to use a white-sounding voice in order to make more money selling books. Although he ends up becoming successful, he encounters problems with the telemarketer's union, protestors, drugs, and a herd of hybrid horse-humans. The best way to describe the plot for Sorry To Bother You is that it's fresh, fun, and creative while jokingly playing off the stereotype of what's expected for African-Americans in the professional workplace. The film is brilliantly acted, creatively written, and impressively directed to where it greatly entertains its target audience while managing to surprise them with some of the films key plot twists. Although it approaches it's overall themes and message in a way that can best be described as satirical, Sorry To Bother You carries with it a well-meaning message in the midst of it's wackiness that says American workers should fight for basic human rights including a living minimum wage, and healthcare. The films messages are presented in a way that doesn't feel like its being hammered over the audiences head, but cleverly stated within a comedic yet bizarre scenario. The film works as well as it ultimately does largely thanks to the noteworthy talents of both it's main cast as well as its genius filmmakers. The end result may not be everyone's cup of tea due to the strangeness of the plot, but there's much to enjoy and behold with Sorry To Bother You which makes it an unusual yet entertaining experience, that audiences will find an awkward yet satisfying enjoyment with.

      One of the key elements that makes Sorry To Bother You such an enjoyable yet weird experience, is the appeal of its main ensemble. The cast presented here not only deliver convincing performances, but are charismatic and work well off each other in terms of chemistry. Lakeith Stanfield delivers a solid performance in the main role as young telemarketer Cassius Green. Stanfield does well with showing his character striving to be successful with him juggling both his work persona with him randomly throwing out his silly white-sounding telemarketer voice along with Cassius struggling to remain loyal to both his co-workers and talented girlfriend Detroit played impressively by Tessa Thompson. Thompson shines in her role as Cassius loyal girlfriend with her carrying a radical side, that puts her at odds with Cassius desires to move up in the company in direct contrast to his co-workers rightfully demanding for better employment rights at work. Thompson is charming in the role and creates a character that's likable with the audience understanding her characters frustrations with Cassius when he begins his move up in the company leaving everyone, including her behind. Steven Yeun does a solid job playing Cassius co-worker Squeeze, and leader of the movement to push for better working conditions and pay. While the audience finds themselves supporting Yeun's character in that regard, they become conflicted and ultimately disappointed when they see his character attempt to make a move on Detroit. In terms of overall chemistry, the three main actors work off each other very well with Stanfield and Thompson being convincing as young and ambitious lovers. Armie Hammer does a fine job playing Cassius firms CEO, as well as essentially providing the film with its main antagonist. Hammer does well playing what can best be described as a rich yet slimy character with him taking advantage of Stanfield's talents (His voice for example) to achieve his goal of turning everyone into horse-like creatures. Other notable performances that add to the fun-spirited nature of the film are Terry Crews as Cassius neighbor Sergio Green, Omari Hardwick as Mr. Blank, Danny Glover as Cassius older co-worker Langston, and hilarious voiceover performances from Patton Oswalt as white Mr. Blank and David Cross as white Cassius Green. The cast for Sorry To Bother You goes a long way in terms of giving the film its distinct energy and style, that makes it genuinely fun and entertaining to watch. They also add believability to the films story when it shifts from dark comedy to a more sci-fish and twisted route.

      The films directing by Boots Riley is noteworthy with how he's able to put together a well-meshed film, that carries with it elements of dark comedy mixed with both science fiction and magical realism. Riley gives the film a directing style, that makes the story a welcoming one though audiences are bound to be divided on the bizarreness of it. Riley for the most part succeeds in keeping the story well-structured with the plot not going completely off the rails nor deterring from its main point. The films most appealing elements visually lie within its strong cinematography, that helps to give the film both a surreal and dream-like atmosphere. The films editing works effectively in regards to adding to the outrageous nature of the plot with its brisk pacing and quick cuts, making the film feel like one long and absurd rollercoaster ride. The films visual look along with its editing and sound effects, all blend together effectively in regards to giving the film a life of its own. On a technical front, Sorry to bother you makes sure that its visual landscape meets the energy of its story head on with both the cinematography and editing adding to the films overall visceral impact. Whereas most dark comedies come across as being relatively straight-forward in regards to being filmed, Sorry To Bother You is a unique case in which the film demands that the audience take notice of its technical aspects with the editing being a prime example with both it's hard and quick cuts. The film feels like it has the satirical approach of an old-school Spike Lee movie mixed with a teaspoon of Get Out thrown into the mix. Boots Riley directs this one with a clear dose of enthusiasm for telling its story and largely impresses with his ability to blend both the visual and storytelling aspects of the film together so effectively.

      The films screenplay also written by Riley, feels like one endless commercial in terms of promoting the progressive moment with clever humor and a Sci-Fi style subplot, that gives the film a Jordan Peele style feel to it. Watching the film, its abundantly clear that Riley has a clear message he wishes to convey and does it in the most entertaining and pleasing way possible, without it being overly preachy. Not only does he tackle progressive issues that have been brought to the forefront of radical political moments, but he also explores themes pertaining to conformism with Cassius's character changing his personality and voice to fit the corporate makeover that his employer demands of him. The film also explores discrimination against African-American men with Cassius only being able to get a low-wage job with him being shown to live in a state of poverty (Hence the garage scene with him and Detroit), the temptation and desire that Cassius and his co-workers have in regards to joining a labor union to demand for better rights, and how money, power, and success can change a person with making them appear to be a sellout to their friends for wanting to advance ahead of everyone else. For the films twisted subplot involving the transforming of people into horse-like individuals, The screenplay explores themes revolving around greed, corruption, and illegal drug use that leads to wrongful human experimentation, corrupt business practices, and slavery. The script for Sorry To Bother You is a well-rounded one that presents well-meaning social commentary, that's draped in dark comedy with a Jordan Peele Get Out style twist to it in the movies second half. The films wildness despite making it rich in entertainment, does not serve as being everyones cup of tea and will divide audiences who'll embrace the films whacky nature or become totally confused and lost throughout the course of the film. The story manages to possess an anarchic nature to it that when its strange yet major plot twists begin to kick in, they aren't totally left field for the audience as there's elements sprinkled throughout the film regarding its tone, which gives them a clue that the atmosphere of the film is not completely normal. Although the script takes extreme measures with its story in regards to getting its valuable points across, it does a solid job of setting up all the key characters along with taking appropriate jabs at both conformism and corporate greed while empathizing with the working persons desires for a more livable environment. The film could've easily played the story out to be a more serious and preachy concept, but instead opts to deliver audiences a ride that's eccentric, genius, and thought-provoking in a sense while managing to pull the rug from underneath near the films third act.

      In the end, Sorry To Bother You is not a film for everyone as the end result will confuse and frustrate some people while putting a smile on others faces as they'll appreciate both the creativity and artistic liberty the film takes in presenting both it's story and socially relevant themes. The film is not so much about lecturing it's audience as it is about providing an unusual experience, that showcases all of the conflicts and dilemmas that today's minority youth and general workforce of low-income workers deal with on a daily basis. The film works as well it does due to its talented cast and bright new filmmaker, who gave the film a clear vision and thoughtful message. The film knows what it wants to be and goes about doing so with the utmost confidence and passion behind it by its cast and crew. Those who enjoy straight-forward stories that are restrained and not whacky like this one should avoid this film as it will only confuse, frustrate, and anger them. Those however, seeking an unusual and creative experience will find Sorry To Bother You to be not only effective but provocative, daring, thought-provoking, and encouraging for those who are fond of its themes pertaining to progressivism. It still remains as being one of 2018's most understated films, but its a story that aims to make it's audience laugh while pondering on some of its themes and conflicts after. As well as the end result turns out, one wonders what the film could've turned out like had Jordan Peele directed the film himself, which would've probably​ meant less humor and more of a Twilight Zone atmosphere combined with its unique yet clever satirical tone.

Final Verdict: For those looking for a fun yet thought-provoking satire, Sorry To Bother You is not only entertaining to watch but engaging and thoughtful with its timely themes and messages.

Christopher Robin Is A Charming And Heartfelt Story About Friendship, Family, And Remembering What Matters Most In Life

      

      Making a film based off a popular source material can be both a daunting and risky task in itself. Not only does the film have to live up to the legacy and standard that fans of the source material its adapting have placed upon it, it also has to take the characters and plot and move it forward in a different direction while introducing both to a new generation of audiences. For the filmmakers behind Christopher Robin, their task is to bring the classic story of Winnie The Pooh to life while creating a live-action experience that can be lively, nostalgic, and charming for audiences. For the most part they succeed as Christopher Robin manages to be a faithful, heartwarming, and magical experience for audiences with both it's sweet storytelling and visual appeal of its main characters brought to life on the big screen. While it's not all the way perfect, it works most effectively at rejuvinating the childhood memories of its desired target audience.

      Based upon the children's books by A.A Milne: Christopher Robin centers around Winnie-the-Pooh (Voiced by Jim Cummings) and his friends reuniting with now adult and hard-nosed efficiency expert Robin (Played by Ewan McGregor). Upon reuniting they discover that Christopher has lost his capacity for imagination with his stuffed animals wanting to help him find it again. When thinking about the story of Christopher Robin, one notices that its plot bears strong similarities to Steven Spielbergs 1991 Peter Pan cult classic titled Hook. Both movies revolve around the themes of their main characters being adults, who've forgotten about their magical childhood upbringings and prioritize work over their families. The plot for Christopher Robin serves as being a perfect setup for both the main characters, as well as the audience in being introduced to this magical world while watching the main character reconnect with his childhood roots with his perspective being the audiences first introduction to the live-action version of Winnie-The-Pooh. One can tell watching the film that a great deal of love and passion for the story went into transforming it onto the big screen. Christopher Robin succeeds for the most part at being an enchanting experience, that's both heartfelt and sincere with a strong acting performance from Ewan Mcgregor to add with the realism and believability of the story. The film is absolutely charming when allowed to be and practices impressive restraint when balancing out the light-hearted humor and sentimentality of the story. What could've easily ended up being a generic cash cow for Disney, proves to be an overall worthy live-action adaptation of its classic source material along with a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects.

      What helps Christopher Robin to be as effective as the film ultimately turns out is the charismatic performance of it's main star. Ewan McGregor does a brilliant job of playing Christopher Robin with Mcgregor's performance effectively conveying the adulthood that Robin's character experiences in the story, while slowly being drawn back to his childhood along with the resurgence of his stuffed animal friends. His performance also carries with it an appropriate level of emotion as the story also focuses on his struggle to remain close to his family despite being constantly busy with his job due to being overworked by his shady boss. Mcgregor's performance is the heart and soul of the film with him providing the story with not only the audience perspective of seeing the iconic characters, but also serving as the films moral compass. Hayley Atwell shines as Christopher's wife Evelyn Robin with Atwell playing a strong and loyal wife, who never gives up on her husband but is visibly hurt when Robin shows little interest in his family due to his demanding work schedule. Atwell is both likable and sympathetic to audiences as she believes in Christopher, but isn't afraid to stand on her own feet along with her daughter if needed. Her moments with her character wishing that Christopher would be less involved with his work and more with his family are powerful ones, with them adding to the emotional weight of the film. Bronte Carmichael impresses as Christopher and Elevyn's daughter Madeline Robin with Carmichael's performance coming across as being natural and sweet, adding to the heart of the film. Her scenes with McGregor are moving as well as her characters frustration and confusion as to why her father isn't there for her as much as he should. Other notable human performances are Mark Gatiss as Christopher's slimy boss Giles Winslow. Gatiss character can best be summed up as being the typical Disney film antagonist, who forces Christopher to work to extreme lengths in order to do his bosses work while pushing him further away from his family. The audience finds themselves loving to hate the character of Winslow as Gatii's effectively conveys his characters coldness. As for the voice acting of Christopher's animal friends, Jim Cummings steals the show as Winnie-the-Pooh and proves to be a fantastic live-action voice interpretation of the honey-loving teddy bear. Cummings performance stays true to the essence of Winnie's character with him being a Pooh of a minimal brain, but carrying with him an enormous heart. Cummings performance is one that not only puts a smile on the faces of those who grew up reading Pooh's classic stories, but makes them feel nostalgic upon hearing Cummings voice, as he makes their childhood's become a reality. The rest of the voice acting cast delivers both charismatic and notable performances Cummings also delivering a fine performance as the free-spirited and goofy Tigger, Brad Garret as the pessimistic toy donkey Eeyore with Garret reprising his role after previously voicing the character in the 1995 video game Disney's Animated Storybook: Winnie thle Pooh and the Honey Tree, Nick Mohammed as the toy pig Piglet, Peter Capaldi as the obsessive-compulsive Rabbit, Sophie Okonedo as the toy kangaroo Kanga, Sara Sheen as toy Joey Roo, and Toby Jones as the wise Owl. The voice casting of the animals all share natural and appealing chemistry, that goes a long way in regards to making the experience of watching the film a magical one for kids as well as nostalgic for adults. Every voice acting performances is terrific with all the actors nailing their characters perfectly, along with capturing the essence of their characters. The human actors all deliver terrific performances with Mcgregor's being the key to the films success at telling its story, with Atwell and Carmichael giving him the supporting cushion his character demands in the story. The casting of Christopher Robin was always going to be key in regards to making the story work as effectively as it ultimately does with both the human and non-human actors bringing their A game to their roles, while creating an experience that's both magical and enchanting.

      In terms of the films directing, Marc Forster does a solid job of creating an atmosphere for the main characters as well as his iconic friends, that feels both enchanting and real. Forster directs the film in a way which the audience feels as if they're actually in the moment with McGregor's character as he slowly relives his childhood. He gives the film the appropriate level of maturity while honing in on the audiences nostalgia of the main characters. The directing he brings to the story gives it both a warm and welcomed feel, that makes the world of Winnie-the-Pooh an inviting one. Outside of the films impressive visual effects, the cinematography stands out as being breathtaking as well as adding to the visual style of the film, which can best be summed up as stunning. The films visual work is both sensational and goes hand-in-hand with the brilliant camera work with the characters of Winnie, Tigger, and Piglet all looking realistic despite the audience realizing the obvious that its McGregor acting by himseif in reality during the scenes where he interacts with the live stuffed animals. The films editing keeps the story moving at a relatively slow pace despite its 103 minute running time with Forster properly utilizing the films first half to set up the character of Christopher Robin, along with showing the distance he has between himself and his family due to his work. When his character reconnects with Pooh and the others, the film doesn't rush it but allows enough time for the audience to witness the re-establishing of that relationship, as well as seeing Robin's transformation back into childhood despite being an adult. Other notable aspects of the films production are the art-set decoration and costume design both being top notch along with adding to the visual flare of the story. The success of Christopher Robin was always going to hinge on the passionate storytelling that its filmmaker would bring to the table. With Marc Forster, he brings passion, dedication, and love to the story as well as an understanding that this is an iconic childrens piece that needs to be cherished, preserved, well-told, and updated to not only appeal to the older fans of the classic stories of Winnie-the-Pooh, but also introduce it to a whole new audience with themes that are essential and poignant.

      As for the films writing, the screenplay by Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy, and Allison Schroeder with a story by Greg Brooker, and Mark Steven Johnson is well-written and thoughtful with the film tackling themes pertaining to growing up, childhood, the importance of play, relationships, love, adventure, family, fun, and overworking. Much like Steven Spielberg's Hook, Christopher Robin explores the concept of one growing up and forgetting their magical childhood roots while finding themselves on a bizarre path to remembering their roots. Like the character of Peter Pan in Spielberg's film, Robin starts the story off as being a workaholic along with being distant from his family emotionally due to being overworked by his boss with his wife becoming more frustrated with his lack of attention directed towards his family, and his daughter being constantly disappointed by the lack of her fathers presence in her life much like Pan's family dynamic in Hook. Both films mirror each other in certain aspects while carrying well-meaning messages, which say that family and friends are more important than work. As an adventure story, Hook wins in that regard as Christopher Robin is more laid back and character-driven with the relationship between Robin and Pooh being both the heart and soul of the film. Christopher Robin is written in a way that makes it function as being a strong and appealing family film, that knows first and foremost what it wants to be while never losing sight of its ambition to be a charming and heartfelt experience. The writers make a strong effort to prioritize character development with the arc of Robin and his childhood stuffed animal friends with the core of the story being about a man trying to find his way back to his family. Despite the writing doing such a solid job of rounding out the story of Christopher Robin regaining both his childhood as well as his family, the story has moments where it often feels like it falls into the generic trap of classic Disney film cliches such as the subplot involving Robin's boss overworking him to the point where he forgets what matters most in his life. Other examples of the story being a tad familiar to audiences include the father of Robin's boss rightfully putting his son in his place after his mistreatment of Robin and Robin's daughter having a cliched yet effective moment with her mom in which she asks why her father doesn't spend more time with them with the mothers reassurance that her father loves her and will find his way home. Although these are faults that mainly are a result of the films writing, they're minor ones that don't ruin the movies well-structured plot nor the heavy amounts of emotion and heart that the script possesses.

     As a live-action adaptation of the classic Winnie-the-Pooh story, Christopher Robin proves to be a faithful film that rightfully respects as well as honors its characters while maintaining both the spirit and heart of its source material. The film provides enough light-hearted fun for audiences to be charmed by, while being touched by its ultimate message which says one is never too busy for family. Christopher Robin is a film with its heart in the right place along with its desire to charm the pants off its audience, while creating a different kind of experience for viewing these iconic characters. Although the story may come across as being too slow and boring for young children, those who grew up reading the classic stories will greatly enjoy being washed over by the films homage to the past, as well as its nostalgia-driven script. The film is a striking combination of both solid and pure storytelling going hand to hand with terrific acting performances, steady directing, and a fantastic visual atmosphere that helps audiences become captivated with the films plot. The greatest aspect of the film lies in how much the audience finds themselves caring about the character of Christopher Robin, as well as being moved by his character arc while getting a kick out of him rediscovering his childhood past. If you enjoyed Steven Spielberg's Hook, you will like Christopher Robin and greatly appreciate its desire to entertain and enchant its audience. One of 2018's most surprising and understated films, Christopher Robin provides its characters with the upgrade needed while staying true to the legacy of both its story and characters.

Final Verdict: For fans of Ewan McGregor and classic Winnie-the-Pooh books, Christopher Robin is the fun, light-hearted, and faithful live action adaptation they've been waiting for.