A day of brand new reviews (don’t worry we’ll even get to some released–gasp–less than a week ago) kicks off with this stupid-smart hybrid heist thriller and magician movie.
What Works: This feels like a March movie, so the fact that it was released in late May (a calendar period where it should have gotten killed by huge sci-fi films) and has defied all expectations to become a hit roots it in underdog charm. You can see most of the “twists” coming but that doesn’t defy the little pleasures along the way: Woody Harrelson doing his thing, Isla Fisher reminding us of why she’s so lovable, Morgan Freeman being smooth as ice in a more ambiguous role, Inglorious Basterds’s Melanie Laurent as a sly Interpol agent, and, of course, Jesse Eisenberg in the cunning-smart-ass mode we all know and love from The Social Network. For a generic heist film, this is an excellent cast that also includes a break-out action sequence with Dave Franco and the always-welcome Michael Caine.
What Doesn’t Work: When you collect 8 actors at the top of their game, there’s always going to be a weak link, and this film’s is, sadly, Mark Ruffalo, one of the highlights from The Avengers. Here he gets lost in the shuffle (shuffle? magician joke? get it?) playing a befuddled, hopelessly-behind-the-curve FBI Agent. Even if Ruffalo injects him with some soul, and the script does its best to give him layers, there’s no question that 90 percent of his scenes are hopelessly one-note, with him growling, scowling, and cursing repetitively at this gang of thieves. Also, did I mention you can see most of the “twists” coming?
What I Would Have Done Differently: The best film about magicians is The Prestige, also starring Michael Caine. It perfectly captures the dark pull and fascination we feel towards the best magic tricks…One day, Hollywood will make a film that also tries for that atmosphere.