Jaume Collet-Serra’s “Unknown” has a very strong premise that unravels quickly.  For the first half of the movie there is a lot to like. There is a taut thriller atmosphere with good action sequences but it isn’t long before the absurd sets in, and you’re just left wondering where did things go so wrong. This film has been hyped on the foundation that this is a suspense thriller with a big twist. However,
the 180 that takes place in this film is nothing more than a tacky
gimmick that just adds on to the ludicrousness. For the first part of the film Collet-Serra does a great job of telling the story from
Marvin Harris’ point of view and only letting us know what he knows. We are kept in the dark as much as he is, and there is that
old-fashioned mysterious Hitchcock-like feel, that really absorbs the audience. Regrettably the story becomes way too commonplace and that mystifying ambiance disintegrates quickly. Once the plot twist reveals itself, it’s officially time to shut your brain off and realize that the movie has become just another generic action flick with little regard for details. That’s what separates an Alfred Hitchcock from a Jaume Collet-Serra, the ability to have every moment of the film have some sort of significance and for the viewer to put on their detective caps and feel like they are solving the mystery along with the protagonist.

“I suppose if I had suggested Liam Neeson Day, you’d all be patting me on the back,” -  George Costanza 1994. When you’re being mentioned on Seinfeld, and there is a talk of having a promotional event at Yankee Stadium named after you, you know you’re a big deal. However this is 2011 and that big deal status has come and gone for Liam Neeson. Nowadays the hulking, middle-aged, Neeson resembles more of a Robert Barone with better hair and a cooler accent.  Yet don’t tell that to the casting directors of “Unknown”, because apparently they still think it’s the 90’s and Neeson is still king. However, “Unknown” shows us that this is not the case. Watching Liam Neeson in “Unknown” was like watching Brett Favre with the Vikings this past season. Both looked like past their prime stars who were just trying to do something that just wasn’t working anymore. Neeson was trying to regain that magic that worked so well for him in “Taken”, but it was not to be found. Instead of being inspired by our “Unknown” protagonist, we couldn’t help but to pity Neeson for trying to play
this superhero, do-it-all man. Neeson’s performance lacks the
captivating suaveness of a Cary Grant and the reassuring poise of a Jimmy Stewart. He tackles this role with a 24/7 sense of urgency that just makes it look to the audience like he’s trying too hard. Aside from Neeson’s subpar performance, January Jones is probably the biggest disappointment that this film has to offer. She has very few
lines and the lines she does have, just aren’t performed very well.
The “Mad Men” star leaves much to be desired and one has to wonder whether she has what it takes to reach leading lady status on the big screen.  That being said, a major bright spot in this film was the presence of Frank Langella, who despite being severely underutilized, shines as a cold-hearted no-nonsense enforcer.

All in all this is a pretty run of the mill action movie that hardly
leaves a lasting impression on the viewer and can best be saved for
DVD release in six months.
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Brett: 2 Stars
Drew: 2 Stars
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The film interweaves between past and present to recount Barney’s three failed marriages and the eventful (to put it mildly)interactions he has with family and friends. Barney’s first marriage was to an unstable self-loathing Jew (Rachel Lefevre) who he was guilted into marrying because of the out-of-wedlock baby that was on the way. However, to say the least, the marriage didn’t have the legs to keep kicking any longer than the blink of an eye.

After that train wreck Barney moved on to his second Mrs. Panofsky, a prototypical Jewish Canadian Princess who is played brilliantly by Minnie Driver. While watching this marriage one can’t help but think that they are viewing the second coming of Lenny and Lila from “The Heartbreak Kid”.  In typical Lenny Cantrow fashion, Barney doesn’t take very long to realize that he made a huge mistake in marrying the second Mrs. P. However, instead of waiting until the honeymoon to meet his new dream girl like Lenny does, Barney gets that calling at his wedding reception. When Barney’s eyes come across Miriam (Rosamund Pike) in her sultry blue dress, it’s almost as if time stands still as he comes to the realization that she’s the one for him.  And so Barney being the brash gentlemen that he is, wastes no time and begins his pursuit of Miriam before his wedding is even over. Barney pursues Miriam with the same youthful exuberance and determination that Max Fischer (“Rushmore”) displayed when he set his sights on Miss Cross. Unlike Max Fischer though, who was never able to win Miss Cross’ affections, Barney is eventually successful in his dogged pursuit of Miriam and in spite of Barney’s Homer Simpson-like tendencies, the marriage remarkably lasts for many years, but ultimately Barney’s numerous character deficiencies and indiscretions lead to the couple’s undoing.

The movie serves up a smorgasbord of emotions that makes you feellike you are on one of those pendulum rides in an amusement park. At times you’ll be uncontrollably bursting out in laughter and at other times you’ll be doing everything you can to hold back the tears. This is due in large part to the high quality performances by the entire cast. The script of this film is nothing to write home about. This story has been told many times before, but the compelling acting is the film’s driving force.

Paul Giamatti gives an Oscar-worthy performance and his loveable loser underdog shtick shines through yet again.  He really makes the audience believe that a hapless schlub like Barney Panofsky could get a beautiful woman like Miriam to fall in love with him. In addition to this, in the later scenes when it has become clear that his senility has begun to get the best of him you can’t help but inexplicably feel compassion for this rude and selfish man. Not to be outdone is Dustin Hoffman,whose portrayal as Barney’s loose cannon ex-cop father is nothing short of hilarious. His over the top antics can only be rivaled by Mark Wahlberg’s academy award winning turn as Staff Sgt. Dignam.‬
 
Brett: 4.5 Stars
Drew: 4.5 Stars
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Miguel Arteta’s lighthearted comedy “Cedar Rapids” stars Ed Helms as the painfully naïve insurance salesman Tim Lippe. Tim is a sheltered doofus who has never ventured outside his beloved Brown Valley, Wisconsin stomping grounds. However after the death of his hotshot co-worker, Tim is called into action to go to the annual convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in hopes of winning the prestigious Two Diamonds Award. The Cedar Rapids insurance convention is the Disney World of the Midwest for adults. It is a bastion for unrelenting misadventures and tomfoolery and despite what seems like a tremendous opportunity for Tim and his career, the small town nitwit may unwittingly be venturing into a light that is too strong for his beady little eyes to withstand.

Upon arriving at the convention Tim meets an assorted bunch of characters who help transform the green imbecile into a more worldly-wise grown-up. Just as Brian Fantana, Champ, and Brick provided solid backup for Ron Burgundy, Tim’s entourage has its own eclectic bunch of misfits (John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr.) providing him with ample back up. John C. Reilly shines as no holds barred conference veteran Dean Ziegler whose buffoonery and laugh out loud antics leave a lasting impression long after the movie is over.

Reilly’s portrayal of “Deanzie” can best be described as a complementary blend of Todd Packer, Chazz Reinhold, and his very own Dale Doback. In a kind of dark horse comedic performance the fire engine red-headed Anne Heche more than delivers as the saucy but tasteful conference hussy Joan. And then there’s Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), whose pencil-pushing straight arrow ways make being a dork look kind of cool.

However, despite the strong and hilarious ensemble cast that Ed Helms has around him, he is unable to match up to their standards. It’s become apparent to us that unless he is playing the obnoxious, conniving, suck-up Andy Bernard, there’s just not much more in Ed Helms’ repertoire. He was the weakest link in “The Hangover”, and once again he fails to deliver the goods. We’ve seen hapless and naïve work before but instead of coming off as comical and endearing like Will Ferrell’s Buddy (Elf) and Steve Carrell’s Andy (The 40 Year-Old Virgin), Ed Helms’ Tim Lippe translates more as stupid and annoying than funny.

Despite Helms’ less than stellar performance, “Cedar Rapids” for the most part hits the right notes. It’s a refreshing bombardment of one-liners that will make this film worth watching over and over again. Don’t wait for this movie to hit HBO and Cinemax, it requires immediate viewing.

What makes this film so special is that Cianfrance successfully
enables the viewer to experience what Dean and Cindy are feeling. He
does this by adeptly traversing time between the past and present of
their relationship. This intimacy
specifically takes place during the unforgettable and inimitable sex
scenes that are so rarely portrayed in cinema. The deep frustration
that the couple exhibits throughout the present resonates deeply with
the audience. The stark contrast between the anatomy of the
relationship from past to present within only a 6 year timeframe is a
testament to Cianfrance’s ingenuity and boldness. He could have taken
the safe route and made a 15 or 20 year time lapse to show the
couple’s defragmentation, but to convey such a severe change between
Dean and Cindy in only six years and make such a believable impression
requires exceptional directing and impeccable acting. This movie has
both.

As mentioned above, the acting in this movie is outstanding. Ryan
Gosling and Michelle Williams have real chemistry that very few could
pull off. They do a great job of letting the audience into their
world. Ryan Gosling tackles the role of Dean with a sense of reckless
composure. His Lloyd Dobler-like shenanigans enthrall the audience,
whilst his overt frustration that stems from his inability to connect
with his wife leads him to teeter on the edge of destruction. However,
he is successfully able to walk that fine line without losing control
of himself. Despite still being deeply in love with his wife, Dean can
no longer get Cindy to reciprocate the feelings she once had for him.
This especially rings true when the couple shacks up for the night at
a lover’s getaway motel. Dean tries to have sex with Cindy but she
will only give him her body, not her mind. Even though he is unable to
fathom why his wife is rejecting him, he doesn’t lose control and become
violent; which in a way makes the audience pity Dean and empathize
with him a little more than with Cindy.

As for Michelle Williams, she does a phenomenal job of portraying a
broken woman who keeps going down the down stair case. Her presence in
the film is reminiscent of Kate Winslet’s
despair in “Revolutionary Road” and Laura Linney’s  asepticism in
“The Savages”.  And even though she spends more time crying than Bette
Midler’s understudy in Seinfeld, her performance is first-rate. She is
the girl next door who is as captivating to the audience as she is
heart-breaking to Dean.

What really makes this movie stand out is the feeling of frustration
that lingers on with you after the movie is over. Whether you loved it
or hated it, this movie will have a profound affect on you. And to us
that is what a great film is supposed to do. However, that is not to
say that “Blue Valentine” is not without fault. Cianfrance shifts
back and forth between the past and present one too many times.  By
the time the final scene comes around things feel out of rhythm with
all the time sequence jumping. When watching the finishing scene,
there isn’t that dramatic buildup. There is no chest-thumping
intensity that this film deserves. The final scene is like watching a
NASCAR race that is being finished under a caution flag. It just lags
to the finish line instead of racing towards it with a
culminating crescendo.

Despite this minor setback, this is an incomparable film that
unquestionably merits viewing.
RATINGS:

Brett – 4 Twizzlers
Drew – 3.5 Jujy Fruit

If you enter this movie expecting a lot of action packed with violence, then your expectations will be met. However, they will not be exceeded. Not by a long shot. While this is an action movie it is by no means a thriller. We compare this movie to riding on the Cyclone roller coaster in Coney Island, it’s a good time but it lacks the adrenaline-grabbing pulse-pounding,  “you don’t know what’s coming next” exhilaration that you would get if you were on the Kingda Ka at Six Flags. Basically the movie is predictable, and while it has its moments of ingenuity, for the most part if you saw this on a Saturday, its the kind of picture where you’d forget most of the details by Tuesday. And that is a shame because the movie has an excellent premise and director Simon West does a great job of keeping the pace going. Yet, unfortunately  “The Mechanic” is just another check your brains at the door, two hour diversion, when it had the potential to be so much more.

So where does West fall short? First let’s start with the action. Our big problem with this movie is the cop-out route that West takes when Statham and Foster play the “me versus the world” role and just start blasting away at guys coming from all angles with nothing but their pistols. For the first half of the movie the hits are well thought out and leave little to be desired, but after a while West loses patience and just waters down the movie with one ridiculous blood bath after another.

Our other gripe comes with the casting of Jason Statham. To us Statham is a number 2 disguised as a leading man. He is a one trick pony who lacks the intangibles that are required to be the number 1 guy. Sure he’s great at disposing of goons and thugs but he doesn’t possess the charisma that is needed to get the audience in his corner.
This farce has gone on long enough, casting directors have got to start coming to their senses and realize that this “mimbo” will never be a branch manager and is quite frankly nothing more than an assistant TO THE regional manager.

However, despite these bumps in the road, there is a lot to like here.
Besides the frenetic, don’t blink for a moment pace, an excellent decision was made in casting Ben Foster as the sidekick.  Following up on his brilliant performances in “3:10 To Yuma,” and “The Messenger,”
Foster shines as the single-minded revenge-seeking son, whose only motivation is finding his father’s killer. He has the kind of presence that will one day lead him to become a megastar in the industry and eventually win an Oscar.

RATING SYSTEM:

5 action figures – the best
1 action figure- the worst
(ratings are based on the actor’s performance in the movie; for example Bruce Willis as John McClane would get five action figures for his strong performance whereas Shaquille O’Neal in “Steel” would get 1 action figure for his weak performance.)

Brett – 3 Matt Murdock’s/Daredevil’s (“Daredevil”)played by Ben Affleck
Drew – 3.5 Peter Parker’s/Spiderman’s (“Spiderman 2″} played by Tobey McGuire