2025’s “Safe House” shouldn’t be confused with or considered connected to the 2012 Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds action thriller of the same name. They do fall into the same genre, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. This recent film features a much different story, and director Jaimie Marshall tells it within an impressively lean and efficient 90 minutes.

Penned by screenwriter Leon Langford, “Safe House” maneuvers us through a handful of contrivances and an occasional trope or two on its way to delivering a propulsive action movie that’s just as much a tightly-wound thriller. It does an amazing amount within its fairly modest budget and the ensemble make good fits, often adding more to their characters than the script itself.

The film opens in downtown Los Angeles as a convoy is transporting the Vice President of the United States to a gala being held at City Hall. Suddenly the convoy is hit with high-grade explosives only a few blocks from its destination. At the same time, a bomb is detonated in front of City Hall, releasing a chemical agent into the heart of the city. As unknown gunmen rain down bullets, five federal agents scramble to a high-security federal safe house operated by a “housekeeper” named Anderson (Lucien Laviscount).

With barely any connections between them, the six key characters find themselves locked in a safe house with fellow agents they barely know, if at all. Aside from Anderson, we meet Special Agents Owens (Hannah John-Kamen) and Reeves (Michael Bradway) from the Department of Defense, the secretive Agent Choi (Lewis Tan) who was among the VP’s security detail, the trigger-happy Agent Sorello (Ethan Embry) from Homeland Security, and the grizzled Agent Halton (Holt McCallany) from Langley.

Still shaken from the terrorist attacks, the six agents must navigate their suspicions and work together if they want to survive. But that becomes increasingly difficult after the safe house is contacted by General Marshall (Brett Cullen). He informs the agents that the signal from the detonator used in the bombing has been traced to their building. Believing one of the agents to be the bomber, Marshall remotely seals the safe house until the identity of the bomber is discovered.

Most of the film follows the six rats in a cage who are not only fighting to survive threats from terrorists breaking in from the outside, but also the potential threat from a traitor already among them. Fear and frustration soon leads to paranoia. And the characters, with their distinct personalities and tightly held secrets, begin to clash. As for the audience, we’re left to take it all in – studying the agents and weighing the variables, all in effort to figure out who is or isn’t the person they claim to be.

As the mystery is playing out, the filmmakers break it up with several kinetic action sequences as the terrorists begin penetrating the fortified building. If you look close, there are clues to spot in the hectic shoot-outs and bone-cracking brawls. But these scenes are mostly about the well-choreographed action. It’s intense, fast-paced, and thrilling in large part due to Marshall’s crisp approach and the skillful lensing from cinematographer Michael Merriman.

The biggest problem with “Safe House” is a frustrating one. It’s found in the movie’s big reveal which unfortunately goes the more obvious route. Not only is the culprit’s identity fairly predictable, but their revelation rushes the movie to an underwhelming finish that’s capped off with a cliffhanger meant to set up a sequel. But the unexceptional ending doesn’t undermine the taut powder-keg story that leads to it. Marshall shrewdly keeps us invested by steadily propelling things forward and raising the stakes every step of the way. His steady screw-tightening and bursts of furious action makes “Safe House” an entertaining watch.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Bruce Springsteen is an interesting specimen. There is no denying his status as a rock ‘n’ roll legend. And while I’ve never been his biggest fan, he had a series of hits during the early to mid-1980s that I still love to this day. Yet Springsteen (affectionately known as The Boss) has always seemed like a regional favorite. For instance he remains much beloved in the Northeast but doesn’t have the same kind of following in the South.

Nonetheless, the 76-year-old Springsteen has released a total of 21 studio albums and sold over 140 million records worldwide. In addition, The Boss has won 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, and even an Academy Award. Those numbers alone speak volumes about the New Jersey native’s magnificent run. And now (as so often happens) he has his own music biopic. Unfortunately it doesn’t do justice to Springsteen’s life story or music career.

Based on the 2023 book of the same name by Warren Zanes, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is a strangely unfocused sketch of Springsteen’s life. Writer-director Scott Cooper hones in on a specific time in the singer-songwriter’s history. It’s a compelling period that’s perfect for a ‘slice of life’ music biography. But instead of tightening its focus, the movie is frequently glancing back at another part of Springsteen’s life. Sadly we end up with a movie that’s hampered by two out of sync and underdeveloped stories competing for screen time.

In one respect “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is about Bruce (Jeremy Allen White) in his early thirties fresh off the enormous success of his multi-platinum double album “The River”. After his final show of his year-long tour, Bruce informs his loyal and supportive manager Jon Landau (a terrific Jeremy Strong) that’s he’s going back home to New Jersey to “slow things down a bit”. While at Asbury, Bruce reconnects with his past which inspires him to start writing and recording a collection of new songs.

Bruce ends up writing several sure-fire hits. But instead of releasing them, his heart leads him towards something more personal. So he records a series of acoustic folk songs that would form his sixth album, “Nebraska”. But his record label wants to take full advantage of his popularity with a new album full of chart-toppers. An acoustic folk album is not what they had in mind. Still Bruce persists. And making it an even tougher sell is his insistence that there be no press, no singles, and no tours.

The creative tensions between Bruce staying true to his convictions and the desire of record executives to capitalize on his fame is when the movie is at its best. But there is another story that attempts to explore the more personal themes of generational trauma and depression. It consists of a series of flashbacks sprinkled throughout the movie that focuses on Bruce’s complicated relationship with his abusive alcoholic father (Stephen Graham).

The father-son angle begins in 1957 during Bruce’s childhood and ends with a surprisingly tidy finish. The problem is we’re missing so many details that would better explain Bruce’s feelings towards his father. Even worse, their troubled relationship seems to haunt Bruce leading to bouts of depression. But his internal conflict doesn’t translate well to the screen. For much of the time we don’t know what’s wrong with Bruce. It isn’t until later that we get something resembling an explanation.

While the script bounces him back and forth between stories, White pours every bit of himself into portraying Springsteen. There are moments where the resemblance is uncanny both in his look and mannerisms. Other moments aren’t quite as convincing. Strong offers up another strong biographical supporting turn. And Odessa Young is very good as a single mother who becomes Bruce’s love interest. Unfortunately Young’s character is undercut by the muddied handling of Bruce’s mental state.

There’s no denying Bruce Springsteen is worthy of his own biopic. “Deliver Me From Nowhere” offers a mere glimpse of his creative journey rather than a celebration of it. Instead it attempts to balance music with a more personal story of strained family relationships and mental health. Cooper’s intentions are noble and he delivers some energetic scenes and enlightening moments (such as Bruce jamming with friends at The Stone Pony or his growing discomfort with fame). But it all feels curated to a fault, and there’s too much surface-level treatment to do justice to this music legend’s life and career.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS