Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Argylle” (2024)

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In the mood for some goofy and altogether mindless fun? Let me tell you about “Argylle”, the new action spy comedy from director Matthew Vaughn. Full disclosure: I’ve been pretty lukewarm when it comes to Vaughn’s past work. That said, there has always been a certain flair to his filmmaking that I appreciate (he was in line to direct “Man of Steel 2” which sadly never came about).

His latest film takes that signature flair and mixes it with a silliness, self-awareness, and genre tropes galore. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Mainly because “Argylle” makes no mistake about what kind of movie it wants to be. It’s unmistakably ludicrous from the get-go which is really the only way a movie like this could ever work. Vaughn and screenwriter Jason Fuchs embrace their gonzo premise, adding an equally all-in cast of big names to bring it all together.

Armed with a $200 million budget, “Argylle” sets itself up as the first film in a trilogy, complete with a surprise ending and even a mid-credits scene. It begins by introducing us to spy novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is trying to put the finishing touches on the fifth book in her popular Argylle series. In need of help with her ending, the introverted Elly loads up her cat Alfie and hops a train for her parents house after her mother (Catherine O’Hara) agrees to help her write the final chapter.

Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures

That kickstarts one side of the “Argylle” story. The other side takes part in Elly’s imagination and features the characters she has created for her book series. As Elly types away Vaughn transports us to the fictional world inside her head where super spy Aubrey Argylle (Henry Cavill) and field agents Wyatt (John Cena) and Keira (Ariana DeBose) attempt to stop a voluptuous terrorist known as LaGrange (Dua Lipa). These scenes are intentionally over-the-top and hilariously follow the spy movie formula to the action-packed letter.

Back in the real world, Elly is approached on the train by an animated fellow named Aiden Wilde (Sam Rockwell). He claims that a nefarious spy organization known as the Division are targeting her for the most unexpected reason and he’s there to save her. After beating down a parade of assassins, Aiden grabs Elly and Alfie and makes an improbable escape.

Once to safety, Aiden informs Elly that her novels have intersected with reality. It turns out that her stories have supposedly paralleled with real events in the actual spy world. He tells her about the existence of a flash drive containing detailed files that could expose the Division and bring them to their knees. The head of the Division, Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston) believes that Elly knows the location of the drive and is about to reveal it in upcoming book. So while Ritter wants to neutralize her, Aiden wants to save her in hopes of finding the drive and bringing down the Division.

Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Before we know it Elly’s two worlds begin to blur as she’s thrust into a life of espionage, globetrotting, and double agents. We’re hit with big reveals and bigger twists by the dozen, and they come from all possible directions. Sometimes they’re genuinely surprising and other times they’re utterly preposterous. But that’s exactly what Vaughn and company are going for and the movie is better for it. In fact, any time I began to worry that things were getting too serious, something absolutely bonkers would happen to put me at ease.

This is summed up best in the film’s action-fueled finish which I won’t dare spoil. But let’s just say it’s one of the most gleefully outrageous things you’ll see on a screen this year. If I were guessing, I’d say for some people the ending will perfectly encapsulate why they dislike this movie. But for others (myself happily included), the final 15 minutes or so is a fittingly nutty culmination of everything the movie has been working towards.

“Argylle” sees Matthew Vaughn having a blast with the campy spy movie formula, taking its many tropes and stretching them to absurd limits. It results in something proudly ridiculous and consistently entertaining. The script is a little messy in spots and making sense out of some of its twists is nearly impossible. It’s also hampered by an unnecessarily long running time. But the steady humor and the big stylish action land well. And what a treat seeing Bryce Dallas Howard getting such a fun and meaty lead role. Pair her with the effortlessly charming Sam Rockwell and you have a duo I’ll follow on any mission. “Argylle” opens today in theaters.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Sundance Review: “In the Summers” (2024)

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Hot off of winning the Sundance Film Festival’s top prize in the U.S. dramatic competition, the slice-of-life family drama “In the Summers” marks the filmmaking debut for director and screenwriter Alessandra Lacorazza. The story is loosely based on Lacorazza’s own childhood summer visits to her father in Columbia. That’s an admirable basis for a movie, even if the movie itself doesn’t pack nearly the same emotional punch for us as it does for her.

“In the Summers” is the kind of quiet humanist work that I often find myself drawn to. But there’s several things missing here. Lacorazza’s approach is distinctly unhurried and relies heavily on the audience to pluck details out of the mostly plotless story. But beyond those details there is little to glean. And while there’s no denying the movie has a beating heart, it takes a long time to go a short distance while saying very little along the way.

The film has in intriguing structure. It follows two sisters, Eva and Violeta who live with their mother in California. Their story is broken up into four chapters set during four summer visits to see their father in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Each chapter is set at different stages in their lives and begins with the girls waiting for their father Vicente (played throughout by René Pérez Joglar aka Residente) to pick them up at the small town airport.

The first visit sees the sisters as children – Eva played by Luciana Quinonez and Violeta by Dreya Renae Castillo. Vicente picks them up and drives them to his nice adobe style home that he inherited from his late mother. There’s clearly some hesitation at first, especially from Violeta, but things go well. The trio go swimming, he teaches them to play pool, they visit an amusement park, they even do some stargazing. With Vicente we do see signs of recklessness and a short temper. He also drinks too much. But altogether the three have a good time.

The next visit is during their teen years and much has changed with them and their father. Eva (now played by Allison Salinas) is hungry for her father’s affection but is routinely rebuffed due to his favoritism towards Violeta (Kimaya Thais Limón). “She looks like her mother,” Vicente says of Eva, perhaps giving us a little insight into his otherwise out-of-the-blue lack of interest in her. And despite his doting, we see the tension building between Vicente and Violeta that finally boils over.

I won’t say much more other than the film loses its identity in the haphazard final chapter. Now barely into their twenties, Eva (Sasha Calle) and Violeta (Lio Mehiel) still pay their father a visit. But Lacorazza veers away from the more intimate father-daughters dynamic and more towards Eva and Violeta’s individual angles. Eva’s story is the most compelling although it’s hindered by a terrible lack of detail. Violeta’s feels like it belongs in another movie altogether.

Without question “In the Summers” has its touching moments and the unique structure opens the door for an equally unique exploration. Even better, the film features an eye-opening performance from Puerto Rican rapper Residente. But the final chapter really brings the movie down, needlessly splintering the story and exposing holes that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. It’s a frustrating and unfortunate finish to a film that starts on such a strong note.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Sundance Review: “Rob Peace” (2024)

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Chiwetel Ejiofor impressed with his terrific yet underseen 2019 directorial debut “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”. He hits his mark again with his sophomore effort “Rob Peace”, a biographical drama in the same vein of his first film. This time he tells an empathetic and earnest true story of an inner-city kid with big dreams but a hard to shake past. Following in the footsteps of his debut, “Rob Peace” had its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival hoping to earn a sizable distribution.

Ejiofor also wrote the screenplay which is based on the 2014 biography “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace” by Peace’s good friend Jeff Hobbs. While the film at times plays like a conventional biopic, Ejiofor takes it in a number of compelling directions as Rob’s life intersects with issues of race, urban housing, criminal justice, the education system, and more. The story explores the blessings and curses that come with family and community particularly through the Black experience. It results in a film that can be a little uneven but is mostly involving.

Ejiofor makes stops at key points in Rob Peace’s life beginning in 1987. That’s where 7-year-old Rob (played by Jelani Dacres) lives with his supportive and hard-working single mother Jackie (a sublime Mary J. Blige) in East Orange, New Jersey. He looks up to his father, Robert “Skeet” Douglas (played by Ejiofor), an irresponsible man who loves his son and preaches unwavering loyalty to his people and neighborhood. The instillment of that mindset from father to son reverberates through the entire story.

From the earliest scenes we’re shown Rob’s brilliance. He enjoys school and has a special interest in science. But his promising life hits a speed bump after his father is arrested and convicted of a double murder. Skeet is sentenced to life in prison despite vehemently proclaiming his innocence. Jackie doesn’t want the same for her son so she takes on three jobs in order to save money for Rob’s education. She wants him to leave East Orange behind for a better life – the exact opposite of his father’s desire.

From there we jump ahead to 1994 where teenage Rob (now played by Chance K. Smith) is attending St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark. He excels thanks to the steady encouragement of his teacher, Reverend Edwin Leahy (Michael Kelly). Between schoolwork and taking small jobs to help out his mom, Rob begins studying his father’s case, determined to prove his innocence and get him out of jail.

Most of our time is spent a few years later as Rob (portrayed via newcomer Jay Will’s star-making performance) is accepted into Yale. Things start out great as he earns several opportunities to pursue his passion for science. He makes new friends and catches the eye of girl named Naya (an underused Camila Cabello). But his unhealthy loyalty to his father puts everything he has accomplished in jeopardy. Cracking under the pressure of prison, Skeet pushes Rob to help him raise money for a lawyer. It ultimately sends the young man down a path that could cost him everything.

While there is a degree of predictability to the film and it doesn’t stretch too far beyond the conventional, Ejiofor’s grounded and focused approach to telling Rob Peace’s story keeps it from being overly sentimental despite some big emotional beats. He does throw in unneeded voiceover rather than leaning on his capable cast and some of his dialogue is a bit clunky. Also the final act stretches out beyond what’s necessary.

But those things are overcome by Ejiofor’s commitment to Rob’s story and all of its complexities. He thoughtfully guides us through a life marked by ambitious dreams and inspiring successes. It’s also a life that sees firsthand the different set of rules for someone poor and Black – rules that lead to bad choices with tragic results. It’s all relayed through some incredible performances, most notably Blige’s quiet strength and a magnetic Jay Will. It’s a breakout turn from the young Julliard-trained actor and a big step towards what should be an exciting career.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

First Glance: “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”

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Guy Ritchie had a good 2023 and deserved more attention for his silly yet fun “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” and his brilliant “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”. He’s shown no signs of stopping in 2024 as evident by the fun and spirited new trailer for his upcoming film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”. This wild action-packed spy thriller is based Damien Lewis’ 2014 book “Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII”. Our first look at it leaves me genuinely excited.

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is said to be based on the true story of a team of misfits who gave birth to our modern day black operations. The film stars Henry Cavill as the leader of the ragtag outfit sent on a top-secret undercover mission to neutralize German U-boats in the North Atlantic. “Hitler is not playing by the rules, so neither are we.” In addition to Cavill, the film also stars Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Henry Golding, Cary Elwes, Alex Pettyfer, Til Schweiger, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, and Henrique Zaga. Sign me up.

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” lands in theaters April 19th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Sundance Review: “Handling the Undead” (2024)

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Director Thea Hvistendahl weaves a creepy and captivating web with “Handling the Undead”, a Norwegian horror drama based on Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist’s 2005 novel of the same name. Aside from its genuinely intriguing premise, the feature film adaptation (which just showed at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival) stars Renate Reinsve who dazzled audiences with her performance in 2021’s critically acclaimed “The Worst Person in the World”.

The story of “Handling the Undead” (written for the screen by Hvistendahl and Lindqvist) is in many ways a metaphor-rich meditation dressed as a genre film. Yes, it’s a zombie movie but with an intensely human focus. Hvistendahl isn’t concerned with carnage and chaos. Instead she takes three unrelated families in Oslo, each in different stages of grief, and explores the raw emotions and internal conflict that might follow a loved one being reanimated from the dead. It’s an audacious and strikingly original approach that shatters expectations.

While the idea of the dead coming back to life is a central ingredient, it’s the cutting social realism intrinsic to Hvistendahl’s storytelling that sets the movie apart. It’s seen from the opening scene where we’re introduced to the first of the three families. A man named Mahler (Bjørn Richard Sundquist) bags up some food from his fridge and walks it over to an apartment building where his daughter Anne (Reinsve) is getting ready for work. The two barely speak – a lingering aftereffect following the recent death of Anne’s young son Elias.

Image Courtesy of NEON

Elsewhere an elderly woman named Tora (Bente Børsum) is the lone attendee at a funeral for her partner Elisabet (Olga Damani). She pays her last respects before a funeral director wheels away the casket holding the remains of her loved one to the back of the stylishly cold and echoey parlor. Tora then gets in a taxi and returns to her spacious and now heartbreakingly empty home.

Then there is a mostly stable family of four that includes a father David (Anders Danielsen Lie), a mother Eva (Bahar Pars), their teenage daughter Flora (Inesa Dauksta), and their younger son Kian (Kian Hansen). Aside from the occasional spat with the rebellious Flora, everything looks great until Eva is involved in a serious car accident that leaves her on life support. A devastated David has to break the news to their children while struggling to get any updates from the hospital.

Then out of the blue a shrill high-pitched sound pierces the air, setting off car alarms, knocking out radio signals, making traffic lights go haywire, and sending flocks of birds into a swirling panic. The chaos eventually ends with a brief blackout. And then a short time afterwards and without warning, the dead begin coming back to life.

The source of the disturbance is never revealed and what follows it is never explained. But those aren’t the kind of questions Hvistendahl or her characters are interested in. Instead David wants to know if his dying wife’s suddenly strong heartbeat means she’s on the mend. Tora is just happy that her crippling sorrow and loneliness is over following the sudden reappearance of Elisabet. Anne and Mahler are more concerned with the government taking Elias away if they find out he’s alive again. These are the kinds of deeply personal and viscerally human concerns that Hvistendahl surveys.

Again, it can’t be stressed enough that this isn’t a movie about some grisly apocalypse. Yes, it involves the reanimated dead. But rather than brain-munching terrors, Hvistendahl views the few zombies we see as shades of people once loved. Despite their gruesome appearances, Elias, Elisabet, and Eva are seen through the eyes of their loved one. It’s a painful perspective especially as we watch family members love on their recently resurrected only to get nothing in return. No acknowledgment; no response. It poses a number difficult questions.

Of course the zombie genre conventions are never too far out of mind and loom just enough to maintain a low-simmering sense of dread. They eventually surface in the final act but even then Hvistendahl handles things with remarkable restraint. That very same kind of control is seen all throughout “Handling the Undead”, making it a hauntingly unique movie and a penetrating first feature from an exciting new filmmaker.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Fighter” (2024)

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Director Siddharth Anand (“War”, “Pathaan”) briefly steps away from the popular YRF Spy Universe to make “Fighter”, the first big-budget installment in a planned aerial action franchise. The Hindi blockbuster sees top stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone along with screen veteran Anil Kapoor playing aviators in the Indian Air Force who come together to face a potentially devastating threat. Isn’t that usually the case?

Even with that rather obvious setup, “Fighter” still delivers what many will be expecting. It has the unbridled flair, the good-looking stars, the steamy musical numbers, and of course the exhilarating action set pieces. Anand knows what wider audiences want and for the most part he gives it to them. Some will have a hard time with its out-of-fashion hyper-patriotism and comparisons to certain Tom Cruise fighter jet films are inevitable. But as far as big screen fun goes, “Fighter” offers the kind of escapist entertainment many will enjoy.

In the heavily disputed region of Kashmir, a hand-picked group of the Indian Air Force’s top aviators are summoned to Srinagar Air Force Base. There, under the leadership of their commanding officer Rakesh “Rocky” Jai Singh (Kapoor), they are to be turned into a highly trained quick response team. Among the aviators is the infinitely skilled and notoriously reckless flyboy Shamsher “Patty” Pathania (Roshan) and decorated helicopter pilot Minal “Minni” Rathore (Padukone). From the outset we know it’s only a matter of time before sparks fly.

A big chunk of the movie’s first half is spent developing the team’s chemistry and camaraderie. Anand and screenwriter Ramon Chibb do a good job solidifying the group through lighthearted scenes of spirited horseplay and more intense effects-driven training sequences. And of course there’s always time for an elaborate musical number.

As for the characters, Roshan and Padukone are (obviously) an attractive couple and together they have a simmering chemistry. Both of their characters are given emotionally weighty backstories which are hampered by some unnecessary dramatic twists and a schmaltzy narrative convenience or two. Yet Roshan and Padukone keep us attached. As does the solid supporting work from Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, Baveen Singh, and Sanjeeda Sheikh.

And of course there’s also the story’s villain, a vaguely conceived terrorist named Azhar Akhtar (Rishabh Sawhney) with an even more vaguely conceived goal of decimating the Indian military. He starts with the horrific bombing of a convoy transporting Indian soldiers. He then sets his eyes on the Srinagar Air Force Base. Indian and Pakistani politics come into play as Akhtar manipulates and maneuvers both sides to his advantage. But neither his motivations or the regional tensions are detailed enough to register, despite Sawhney having the look and grit of a good baddie.

There’s an undeniable playfulness to “Fighter” that blends well with the slow-brewing romance and character-driven drama. But the fuel that flies the film is the action. It’s wild, often thrilling, and sometimes unashamedly over-the-top and reality-defying. This is especially true of the air combat sequences that generally look great, minus the occasionally obvious CGI.

Among the film’s other features or flaws (depending on how you look at them) is a robust score full of emotional cues, some speechifying that goes beyond hokey, and enough gratuitous slow-motion to put Zack Snyder to shame. These things, along with the derivative elements of the script, keep “Fighter” from truly soaring. Yet the film still flies thanks to the sheer star wattage of its outstanding cast and Anand’s go-for-broke style. “Fighter” is out now in select theaters.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS