Vacation Friends - Review

 

Sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches. Sometimes you have to just deal with life as it comes. And sometimes you have to review “Vacation Friends,” the new comedy from first time director Clay Tarver (“Silicon Valley,” “Joy Ride”) which sees Marcus, played by Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out,” “Free Guy”) and Emily, played by Yvonne Orji (“Insecure,” “Spontaneous”), have their nuptials interrupted by a couple they befriended while on vacation in Mexico, played by John Cena (“Blockers,” “The Suicide Squad”) and Meredith Hagner (“Men At Work,” “Search Party”).

It's not a stretch to say that “Vacation Friends” is the perfect kind of film to stream. As much as the theatre experience can add to one’s enjoyment of a film, this 20^th Century Studios produced film going straight to Hulu isn’t that big of a deal. It's light, comedic comfort food that doesn’t reach too high or try to punch above its weight.

The structure of the film is that of a typical studio comedy. Normalcy is established and then hilarity ensues when an outsider tries to shake things up. The way “Vacation Friends” sets itself up is an interesting idea that’s done well, but lacks creativity. Instead of spending the entire film alluding to the acts of debauchery that Marcus and Emily got up to in Mexico, the film starts on their actual vacation, showing how they ran into Ron, played by Cena, and Kyla, played by Hagner. It allows them to establish some chemistry to the point where you do see these two couples become odd-couple style friends.

It means that there’s a slight bit more emotional weight to the rest of the film. While not really that engaging, it makes the rejection Marcus and Emily put upon Ron and Kyla when they show up at their wedding sting a bit more.

From that point on, the film follows a pretty formulaic sequence of gags-as-scenes that find Ron and Kyla making things awkward for Marcus and Emily in a variety of fish-out-of-water scenarios that pit their trashiness against Emily’s family and their wealth. Some of the gags hit harder than others, a mushroom drug trip sequence feels like it should’ve been cut, but the added layer of heart makes them feel a bit more cohesive.

You can really see that Kyla and Ron want to be friends with Marcus and Emily and not just make life hell. There really isn’t any malice directed at any moment during their escapades, and the film even resists the obvious temptation to go for broke with the R-rated gags. Sure there’s cursing, sex jokes, and drug jokes, but nothing ever goes off the handle like in a “Hangover” movie. It all stays within the realm of believability.

Cena and Howery have fine chemistry, with Cena continuing to show how good of a comedic actor he can be and Howery showing that, despite previous castings, he can actually play the straight man pretty well. Hagner is also good as Kyla, and there aren’t really any scene-stealers here. Everyone does their job adequately, but Orji is probably the best, with pretty much all of the material she’s given, regardless of quality, executed pretty flawlessly.

When your film has five credited writers and already suffers from a gag-as-scene type of structure, it can lead to things feeling like a bit of a drag. It definitely isn’t the most high energy comedy out there, but writers Tom Mullen, Tim Mullen, Jonathan Goldstein (“Game Night,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”), John Francis Daley (“Game Night,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”), and Tarver do their best to spice up the routine formula with mixed results.

“Vacation Friends” is a perfectly adequate, not particularly memorable film. The performances are fine, the jokes hit more than they miss, and there’s just enough heart to make it feel like you just spent 100 minutes well. It definitely isn’t as well executed as it could’ve been, but there’s just enough chuckles and smiles to be had here to make it worth a watch. 3/5

Reminiscence - Review

 

Just because an idea works on paper doesn’t mean it’ll automatically work in practice. More so than any film recently, “Reminiscence” is the perfect example of that fallacy. It takes an idea that has lots of potential and seems like a fascinating idea on paper and turns it into a poorly directed, predictable slog, trapping some otherwise fine performances underneath a remarkably boring plot.

Hugh Jackman (“Logan,” “The Prestige”) stars as Nick Bannister, a man living in the not-too-distant future who helps people relive their old memories to forget about the rapidly debilitating present world. He runs his shop alongside his friend Emily, played by Thandiwe Newton (“Westworld (2016),” “Crash”), and after meeting and forming a relationship with Mae, played by Rebecca Ferguson (“The White Queen,” “Doctor Sleep”), he becomes obsessed with trying to figure out what happened to her after she disappears from his life.

The biggest and most glaring issue with the film is that it simply isn’t interesting. It posits a lot of interesting ideas; a new drug called Baca, a half-flooded world, the sun has become so hot that people have become nocturnal, reliving one’s memories, but simply displays them as blandly as possible. Baca, this new drug, is just a small pill that looks like a berry, and we’re never even shown what kind of effects it has on people. The flooded world and newly nocturnal people are just excuses to shoot predominately at night. The film even plays fast and lose with the logic of these concepts, as there are plenty of scenes that take place in open sunlight with seemingly no consequences.

Most disappointingly, writer/director Lisa Joy (“Westworld (2016),” “Pushing Daisies”), making her directorial debut, takes the film’s most interesting concept, reliving one’s memories, and directs it in the blandest and most painfully boring way possible. While we do “go inside” these memories, its just regularly shot footage. Otherwise, it results in us watching a movie about people watching things. Even with this central concept, the logic is all over the place. Sometimes the footage is only first person, and sometimes it’s a full replica of events with 360 degrees of settings.

If there’s anything good to be said about the film, Jackman and the rest of the cast perform decently. Newton seems to be the only cast member who understands the type of hard-boiled noir film she’s in; she delivers her lines between swigs of whisky and seems to have one eyebrow permentantly cocked as she’s along for the self-destructive ride of Jackman’s Nick. The rest of the cast play either too serious: Jackman and Fergusson, or too silly: a weirdly cast Daniel Wu (“Into the Badlands,” “That Demon Within”) as Saint Joe.

The musical score from Ramin Djawadi (“Iron Man,” “Pacific Rim”) is fine and the cinematography is another bright spot, shot well by Paul Cameron (“Collateral,” “Total Recall (2012)”). It’s a very pretty film that looks and sounds good anytime an actor isn’t speaking. The moment anyone opens their mouths, the dialogue causes any viewer paying attention to suffer from tonal whiplash. Its utterly bizarre watching a film drenched in not-to-distant sci-fi technology and an overtly serious color pallet speak dialogue that is the stereotypical equivalent of a thick Brooklyn accent spouting “The dame walked into my office with legs from here to there, see?”

“Reminiscence” is simply not good. Taken at face value and its certainly got some things going for it. Yet, some decent acting and technical aspects can’t save a film that is just so incredibly boring to watch. It’s hard to say if a flashier version of this film would be any good, but it just feels like a story better suited to novelization. Because like the memories within the film, it’s just boring to watch. 1/5

Free Guy - Review

 

Like any great actor, Ryan Reynolds (“Deadpool,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder”) has his shtick. He knows what works and, for the most part, sticks to it. He has a certain goofy, self-aware charm that ends up bleeding into every project he’s a part of, whether that’s movies where it absolutely fits like “Deadpool” or “Detective Pikachu” or movies where it feels out of place, like “6 Underground.” Yet, somehow, in its own bizarre way, “Free Guy” represents Reynolds doing the most daring thing in his career since “Deadpool”: turning that shtick down a bit and transforming it into an actual character.

Reynolds is Guy, an NPC (Non-Playable Character) in an open world online video game that encourages stabbing, shooting and looting at every conceivable moment. He absolutely sells the naivete of this character, playing him with all the observational skills of Deadpool and none of the intelligence. He’s a genuinely sweet guy, and when he talks about wanting to help others and not harm anyone, you believe it. That’s the most astonishing thing about the entire film: you believe in this character who should be an absolute joke.

The rest of the cast is clearly giving 100%, even if the characters don’t require it. Lil Rey Howery (“Get Out,” “Rel”) plays Guy’s security guard buddy, Buddy with the same naivete that Reynolds does and just like him, you believe the relationship between these two. Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve,” “England is Mine”) delivers a pretty good comedic turn as both Millie and her in-game avatar. Given the actress’s long list of more serious projects, seeing her cut loose here is a pretty refreshing. Meanwhile, Joe Keery (“Stranger Things,” “Molly’s Game”), Taika Waititi (“What We Do in The Shadows (2014),” “Jojo Rabbit”), and Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Brittany Runs a Marathon,” “Godmothered”) are all playing pretty thinly developed characters to the best of their abilities. Nothing groundbreaking, but they also clearly don’t need to be.

Going back to Reynold’s performance and how well he sells Guy as a character is the best way to describe the entire movie. Its unapologetically earnest, balancing its open world video game style violence with a big sugary sweet center filled with optimism and smiles. It never sells itself out and tones down the sweetness, abandoning nearly all cynicism throughout the tight 2-hour runtime. “Free Guy” is determined not to have a good time, but to make sure everyone is having a good time. It’s hard to remember the last time a studio comedy was this good natured and big hearted, at times rivaling the good vibes of the “Bill & Ted” series, and it’s hard to see anyone but the most cynical not smiling throughout.

It also manages to be pretty faithful to its gaming roots. Writers Matt Lieberman (“Scoob!,” “The Christmas Chronicles”) and Zak Penn (“Ready Player One,” “The Avengers”) never talks down to its audience or make up technobabble to try and seem smarter than it is. Some of the terminology will likely be confusing for those who haven’t picked up a controller in years, but its refreshingly smart when it comes to its knowledge of video games and their developmental terminology. It’s a far cry from sitcoms or movies where the characters are flailing around on a controller, pressing 50 buttons in 10 seconds. It’s possible that this newfound appreciation for authentic geekiness from director Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum,” “Real Steel”) came in his last decade or so working with “Stranger Things,” but regardless, it’s a far cry from his works like “Night at the Museum.”

Cinematographer George Richmond (“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” “Rocketman”) manages to shoot the film with a fairly standard look, but also isn’t afraid to spice things up by lingering on some of the weirder elements and throwing in plenty of dutch angles. It does have a couple of scenes with a few jarring edits and the cameos from big game streamers feel tacked on, but the film so clearly wears its heart on its sleeve that it makes it almost difficult to criticize.

It does have one larger issue that’s worth mentioning. Without getting too much into spoilers, “Free Guy” manages to be pretty creative and downright clever with its twists and secrets, and one third act reveal that gives new context to an earlier, mundane moment is downright genius. Yet, its also a movie that plays fast and loose with even its own internal logic. It does technically work, its not egregious with its bending of its own rules, and it has so much fun being itself that you likely won’t notice until the film is already over, but there are a couple of moments that are definite headscratchers even as they’re happening on screen.

“Free Guy” isn’t the most original film in the world either. Not in the same way that a sequel or remake is, there are plenty of films that it takes influence from, “The LEGO Movie” is an oddly really great comparison, but its so earnest that it doesn’t matter. The film’s message of paying attention to those around you, of caring about the little guy, and just how earnest and sweet it is will likely put a big smile on anyone’s face. Reynold’s absolutely sells this world and this character to deliver what might be the surprise of the summer, maybe the year. Its virtually (no pun intended) impossible not to leave “Free Guy” with a big grin on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. 4/5

The Suicide Squad - Review

 

Not much needs to be said about the 2016 celluloid dumpster fire that was “Suicide Squad.” While a few performances stood out and its notable for casting Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis (“Doubt,” “How to Get Away with Murder”) as Amanda Waller, casting choices just as perfect as Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark or Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, the film as a whole has been widely forgotten and panned from critics and fans alike.

Yet, thanks to a series of social media misunderstandings in 2018, James Gunn, the much-lauded director behind Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” films found himself out a job with Disney. And in walked Warner Bros., hoping to recapture the misfit success of the “Guardians” with their own squad of lowlifes.

That’s exactly what Gunn has delivered audiences, though not in exactly the way many would expect. “The Suicide Squad” is a lot of things, and the most obvious is an exploitation film that most closely resembles Gunn’s early works with B-movie studio Troma Films. Gore and violence are excessive, with exploding heads, severed limbs, and all manner of viscera being sprayed haphazardly throughout. It’s not for the faint of heart, and it does deliver some of the sickest moments of dark humor since Gunn’s previous R-rated feature “Super.”

Yet, this is not just a blood bath, as Gunn knows that none of this bloodshed is effective without stakes. As the death toll racks up, this is a group called “The Suicide Squad” after all, it would be all for not if we didn’t care about these characters putting their lives on the line. The film is choked full of as many heartbreaking and tearful moments of dread and death as much as it is silly exploding viscera and cartoonish violence. There’s a reason the tagline is “Don’t Get Too Attached.”

Gunn’s script weaves together jokes, character moments, and plot expertly, so that every laugh teaches you something about a character, building them and the world around them. It means that there’s really no excess to the film. It’s a lean mean adventure, clocking in at a little over two hours that breezes by. Pacing is also rock solid, despite flipping back and forth between different characters and locations almost constantly.

Gunn’s script may be excellent, but his casting choices alongside casting directors Yiniva Cardenas (“Kimura,” “Salta”) and John Papsidera (“Tenet,” “Inception”) are sheer genius. While Margot Robbie and Viola Davis as just as good as the previous film, even actors reprising their roles are given new and more interesting depths thanks to Gunn’s more assured direction and script.

Davis turns Amanda Waller from an angry boss to a nearly demented control freak, Robbie’s Quinn is the most tragically insane she’s ever been, and even Joel Kinnaman (“The Killing,” “RoboCop (2014)”) who previously played his character Rick Flag in the previous “Squad” film delivers more depth and nuance to a character who was previously just a blank faced military man.

Yet let’s not forget the new members of the Squad who make up the beating heart of this film. Idris Elba (“Luther,” “Molly’s Game”) as Bloodsport is an absolutely ruthless killer and terrible father, and Elba delivers a performance that shows just how much weight you can give a character as seemingly two dimensional as this. John Cena’s (“Blockers,” “Bumblebee”) Peacemaker will likely ruffle some feathers of fans expecting a Captain America like freedom fighter, when instead he’s a deadpan college frat boy obsessed with violence and obtaining peace by any means necessary. And he might just be Cena’s final transformation from “movie star” to “actor.” Sylvester Stallone (“Creed,” “First Blood”) voices King Shark, a big bloodthirsty teddy bear who’s clearly destined to be an adorably ruthless breakout star.

Yet, for all the machismos being thrown around, the film would be nothing without Daniela Melchior (“Ouro Verde,” “A Herdeira”) as Ratcatcher 2 and David Dastmalchian (“The Belko Experiment,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp”) as Polka-Dot Man. Yes, seriously. Dastmalchian provides the film’s most apathetic character but also delivers a sense of hidden care and good. He seems like the only person who doesn’t deserve to be there but also the only one actually wishing for death, and the inevitable growth and friendships that he establishes are both tragically funny and also legitimately heartwarming.

Melchior, in her English language debut, plays Ratcatcher 2 with a delightful sense of fun and optimism. She and Elba’s Bloodsport but heads frequently but their evolution of care as the film progresses is truly sweet and endearing. Its all to say that Gunn firmly establishes these as characters you care about, which makes the hits hit harder and the beating heart at the center of the film that much more palpable.

Cinematographer Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “The Golden Compass”) and Gunn have given this film a distinct handheld look to everything. While there are certainly big VFX shots with overhead cameras, there are just as many small manual turns and tricks to the look of the film that give it a guerilla, hand crafted feeling. Gunn has mentioned that this film was inspired by “The Dirty Dozen,” and Vietnam war films, and if nothing else, it certainly looks the part.

What Gunn has managed to craft here, more so than ever before, is a movie that feels like it shouldn’t exist. There are rampant anti-government and anti-America plotlines, moral ambiguity at every turn, waves of gore and viscera, and just general weirdness, all coasting along on a score from John Murphy (“Sunshine,” “Kick-Ass”) that’s equal parts harmonizing choirs and shredding guitar riffs. It all somehow works and transforms what is an otherwise pretty standard plot into a big ball of creative gumption. It isn’t perfect, but it flies by so fast and has all the energy of a secretly made film that its impossible not to smile at least once.

The best way to summarize “The Suicide Squad” is a movie where death is a laughing matter, except when it isn’t. How Gunn manages to deliver that tone is anyone’s guess, but it doesn’t matter as long as it works. And work it does, as he’s delivered a film that overcomes and plot derivativeness with an absolutely stellar cast, wonderful playfulness, rock solid tone, and big beating heart underneath all the blood and gore. Its an excellent guerilla style blockbuster and easily one of the best DC outings in decades. 4.5/5