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Flash Movie Review: Lou
AT A COMPANY I USED TO work for, there was an employee who retired after being there for forty years. He died six months after he left the company. We were all shocked and saddened by the news. The man had worked there his entire life and after all those years, he finally got the opportunity to go out and enjoy life to the fullest and his life was cut short. It just seemed so wrong. I remember asking him what he was going to do in his retirement, and he said he had no idea; he did not have a plan. For some reason, I wondered if not having a plan contributed to his death. There is one school of thought where people say one must have a plan in place before retiring. The other says do not have a plan, to just go and enjoy whatever you do. I have no idea if one way is better than the other. And based on the people I have known who retired, I cannot say if there was any difference in their level of happiness. They all seemed happy to me. And I love this line that several of them have mentioned, “Every day is Saturday.” NOW THERE IS ONE INDIVIDUAL I know, who has maintained a steady schedule after their retirement. They signed up for a class at the local community college, they have a standing weekly sports outing with friends, and they usually have one to two lunch dates a week. In other words, they are keeping themselves busy, but not hectic. I know another individual who is at the opposite end of the spectrum who wakes up every day to possibilities. Nothing is generally planned but they do keep in hand a couple of options of things to do. I don’t know if I could be that spontaneous; I believe I would like to have some structure in my retirement years. However, I might not know until the time comes. What I do know is I could not live a retirement like the main character did in this action, crime drama. HER LIFE OF LIVING IN A quiet retirement radically changed when her neighbor burst into her house to say her daughter was kidnapped. With Allison Janney (Bombshell, Mom-TV) as Lou, Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey, The Great Debaters) as Hannah, Logan Marshall-Green (The Invitation, Prometheus) as Philip, Ridley Asha Bateman (Shattered, Shelter in Place) as Vee and Matt Craven (Crimson Tide, Resurrection-TV) as Sheriff Rankin; I was impressed and surprised by Allison’s performance. The idea of her being in an action star role, like let us say Liam Neeson, was a brilliant idea. She was terrific in the role, which was a demanding one. I thought everyone in the cast did a great job as the script kept them moving. This was a necessary qualification since the script was partially predictable. For the most part, the action was kept at a certain level that kept me interested but did not wow me in any way, except for a couple of good fight scenes. I honestly do not know if I would have been as interested in the story if Allison was not part of the cast. There was however a twist in the story that totally took me by surprise. This was one of those movies that I refer to as a “popcorn film.” It is one that the viewer should not take too seriously, but it does provide a decent level of entertainment. There were several scenes of blood and violence.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Boston Strangler
IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING on a Sunday, before the city came to life. We were eating breakfast; or I should say, I was eating breakfast. My friend was too busy fielding all the work texts and emails that were blowing up on his phone. I sat there, thinking to myself, what kind of environment must his company have where so many people were up and working before the sun came out. I mean, it was not an international company with offices all over the world. It crossed my mind that maybe my friend was a “workaholic.” The other option could be he was just a devoted employee; however, that did not explain the senders necessarily. Could they all be true company employees? I have had jobs where I had to put in overtime once in a while, but it never was a consistent requirement. Now that does not mean I have not thought about work over the weekend. I have written memos, reviews and such on my own time, to help me handle an extra busy workload. However, my company encourages its employees to unplug and take time to relax and re-energize themselves. To me, this is a healthy attitude to have in the work world. AMONG THE VARIOUS COMPANIES WHERE I have been employed, there has always been at least one individual I knew who was “married” to their work. I use the word “married” because it was a strong relationship, where the person had elevated their position into a pseudo relationship. Think about it; they spend more time with their company than any individual outside of the workplace. The reasons are not all the same, but I have seen where the employee’s actions could almost be considered loving. Whether it is for recognition or prestige or power or for the greater good, their job is their number one priority/relationship. This reminds me of a person I met who was a doctor from New York City. It was during the AIDS crisis, where he explained the demands put on him that caused him many times to sleep at the hospital instead of taking time to drive home to go to sleep. He said he was barely able to keep up between the treatment of patients, press conferences and the consultations between medical staff and outside resources. I had to admire his willingness and dedication; it sounded like a brutal and draining routine. I knew it took a certain kind of person to be willing to make such a sacrifice for the “greater good.” In my work situations I have seen a few individuals who came close but nothing on that type of scale. Though, the female reporters in this historical crime drama certainly give their all to make their world a better place. NOTICING A CONNECTION, A BOSTON REPORTER starts to piece together random killings of women in the Boston area. Her work spawns the name that would captivate a city in fear, the Boston Strangler. With Keira Knightley (The Aftermath, Silent Night) as Loretta McLaughlin, Carrie Coon (The Post, The Gilded Age) as Jean Cole, Chris Cooper (Little Women, August: Osage County) as Jack Maclaine, Alessandra Nivola (American Hustle, The Many Saints of Newark) as Detective Conley and Rory Cochrane (Antlers, White Boy Rick) as Detective DeLine; this movie based on a true story succeeded because of the work and chemistry between Keira and Carrie. I thought they did an outstanding job of acting that overcame the deficiencies in the script. There were places in the script that needed more emotional heft and intensity, which would have turned this story into a gripping tale. For example, Loretta’s home life needed more drama in my opinion. I still enjoyed watching this picture because of the acting and the look of it. I can only imagine what life must have been like for women back in 1960s Boston during the time of this tragic killing spree.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Babylon
MY ONLY HOPE WAS NOT GETTING a headache from staring at all the pieces strewn out across the table. I had gotten a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle that was of a national park setting with a 3D look to it. Being a huge fan of the national parks, I thought I might have a slight advantage in completing the puzzle in a lesser time. No such luck, the puzzle was challenging, and I swear sometimes I thought I was going cross eyed. It took me longer than usual to get the outline of the puzzle connected; this was not a good sign. With large patches being the same color with little variation in texture, I was struggling to get portions assembled correctly. Weeks went by because I still had a job to go to, besides finding time to shop for food and prepare it for meals. Maybe I took on more than I could handle; however, I was not one to give up so easily. I kept at it, doing a little each night after work and the majority being done on the weekends; I was determined to finish this puzzle. It was as if I was on a mission, and I was making progress. At some point, things took a turn and I was able to consistently connect pieces. The end was nearing which spurred me on. The last day I worked on it was special, but not for the right reasons. Three pieces were missing! Everything in the box was dumped onto the table; I never moved anything off it. ALL THAT TIME WASTED AND FOR what? I did not have a complete puzzle. The hours, the weeks and weeks of work I put into doing this jigsaw puzzle and the thing did not have all its pieces. To say I was ticked off would be an understatement. I would never get all those hours back from working on the stupid puzzle. I believe I was more angry about this than that time I was baking this elaborate cake that took three days to make. It had to be made in stages, where I would assemble ingredients together then form a layer of the batter in a 9 X 13 pan, refrigerate it overnight, then mix-up another group of ingredients to form another layer and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight until the third day was the final layer. The recipe sounded wonderful; but, after two bites I threw the whole thing away because it tasted awful. I not only wasted all that time but all that money on the ingredients. I cannot imagine anyone not getting upset from devoting time to something that turns out to be completely unsatisfactory. After watching this dramatic, historical comedy I felt the same as when I assembled that jigsaw puzzle and that horrible cake. I would never get back the three hours and nine minutes this movie took from me. HOLLYWOOD IN THE 1920s WAS A time of excess and glamour, where everyone wanted to be in the movies. It was also the time when movies were learning to include sound which meant when one opened their mouth to speak, they could lose their job. With Brad Pitt (The Lost City, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Jack Conrad, Margot Robbie (Amsterdam, Bombshell) as Nellie LaRoy, Jean Smart (The Accountant, Senior Moment) as Elinor St. John, Olivia Wilde (Don’t Worry Darling, Richard Jewel) as Ina Conrad and Diego Calva (Beautiful Losers, The Inmate-TV) as Manny Torres; this Oscar nominee directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash) was the worst film I have seen the past year. I was stunned by the amount of money they poured into this production, because it showed. The script was overblown with many unnecessary scenes. I could not fault the actors, some who I briefly enjoyed watching, because I found it hard to believe they were not embarrassed at some point during the filming of this disaster. Now keep in mind I have never walked out on a film, no matter how bad it was, but this one certainly tested my patience. And ultimately it was a damn shame, because the idea for the story interested me; the change in Hollywood when silent pictures became “talkies.” I know it killed the career of some actors and created new sought out actors. Regardless, there was nothing I enjoyed about this movie. The scenes with sex, drugs and violence were way over the top and ridiculous at times. Do yourself a favor and use your time for something you would feel satisfied by and enjoy.
1 star
Flash Movie Review: Creed III
I FELT SAD FOR MY FRIEND because she was upset about the way her friend had acted. All I could do was listen, though my friend knew I had a low opinion of her friend. My run-in with her was at the theater where a small group of us went to see a play. At the end when the play was done, people came up to thank me for arranging the outing and getting the tickets. Everyone thanked me except my friend’s friend; all she said to me was the seats were not very good. Right there I decided the less contact I had with her, the better. But now my friend was telling me what happened that caused her feelings to get hurt. She and her friend were at a store that had an eclectic mix of merchandise. On a table sat a set of coasters with images of penguins on them that her friend picked up. My friend has collected various objects with penguins for years; from plates to scarves to pens to salt and pepper shakers. Anyone who knows her, knows she loves penguins. Her friend had to have known. When my friend mentioned she had never seen penguin coasters and thought they would make a wonderful addition to her collection, her friend said she was going to buy them as a housewarming gift for her niece. My friend’s feelings were hurt. Granted she could have said something directly to her, but my friend chose not to say a word. I WOULD NOT CONSIDER HER FRIEND’S actions malicious, maybe unthoughtful. However, any type of dent or break in a trusted friendship hurts on some level. I had a friend who I had known for several years. We met in college during freshman year and stayed friends all through school and after graduation, where we wound up working in the same city. One day he called me up and said he was in financial trouble and desperately needed funds to pay his bills. He asked if he could borrow money and would pay it out each month back to me. I knew he had a decent paying job, so I loaned him the funds. For the first few months I would get a monthly check from him without having to ask for it. I think it was the fourth or fifth payment that was late because he had been out of town on vacation. I found that news unsettling; he couldn’t pay his bills, but he could go on vacation? For the next couple of months, I would have to call to get him to send me a check. As time went on it got harder and harder to get a hold of him. Pretty soon, I stopped hearing from him all together and worse, when I finally went to his apartment his name was no longer on the directory. That was tough for me, but not as tough compared to what took place with the two friends in this dramatic, sports film. AFTER A LONG PRISON SENTENCE, A childhood friend reappears looking to pickup where he left off before prison: to get a chance to box for a world championship. His methods would conflict with the world champion. With Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther franchise, Just Mercy) as Adonis Creed, Tessa Thompson (Passing, Sylvie’s Love) as Bianca Creed, Jonathon Majors (Devotion, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) as Damian Anderson, Wood Harris (Remember the Titans, Empire-TV) as Tony ‘Little Duke’ Burton and Phylicia Rashad (Black Box, A Fall From Grace) as Mary-Anne Creed; this latest installment of the franchise was the first that did not include Sylvester Stallone. I mean no disrespect, but it was fine because of the wonderful acting skills of the main actors. Michael directed this picture and overall he did a good job, though there were a few missteps along the way in my opinion. I would have preferred seeing more scenes with Jonathan because I think he is an excellent actor. Having him and Michael together made for some emotional scenes. There was a level of predictability to the story, but the intensity of several scenes helped keep the interest high. Overall, this was a well done film, but keep in mind there are several scenes with violence and blood.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Spoiler Alert
I THINK IT MUST BE AN age thing. In my younger days, the dating scene never involved discussions about future health scenarios. What I mean by that is the only thing ever discussed was whether one had an autoimmune syndrome, a positive status, diabetes or something else along those lines. We never talked about home health care or medical powers of attorney or long-term disabilities; and truthfully, why would we? When I was young, dating involved mostly fun and excitement. Even if we became a couple, our schedule involved going to movies, concerts, plays, restaurants and clubs. One weekend we would hang out with friends; the next weekend we would stay at home and make dinner. It was a good time. My first big test of a relationship was planning a weekend getaway trip for the two of us. I always felt if we could get along over an extended weekend in a different environment, then the relationship was on track to succeed. Any talk about the future would be focused on living arrangements and/or our individual family dynamics and how to please each of our families. For example, which family’s house to go to for the holidays. WHEN ONE IS OLDER IN THE dating world, the priorities shift in my opinion. Sure, there is still the element of fun and excitement; but, as things progress and we get to the living together level, the conversation drifts toward those later in life possibilities. It is weird how falling takes on a whole different demeanor when one is older. I have noticed in myself how I walk differently now when the pavement outside is icy. The term, I believe, is walking like a penguin, to avoid slipping on the ice. Now, I have known a couple of individuals who had, what I refer to as, the Peter Pan syndrome. They did not want to grow up a/k/a old. One was in a committed relationship for some time. I thought things were going well until their significant other had a medical issue that required a hospital stay. Everything turned out fine; however, I noticed a change in my friend. Not at first, but sometimes they would come alone to events and talked less about their relationship. At some point, I did ask them how things were going but all they voiced involved the second thoughts they were having for the long-term. It seemed odd to me, but I never found out the real reason they broke off their relationship. I would hate to hear it was due to the medical issue. Some people are made for the long-term and others are not, I guess. See what I mean in this comedic drama. AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL YEARS TOGETHER AS a couple, the relationship suddenly ended when one of them decided to move out. Adding to the confusion soon after was finding out the person who left was diagnosed with an illness. What to do? With Jim Parsons (The Boys in the Band, Hidden Figures) as Michael Ausiello, Ben Aldridge (Knock at the Cabin, Pennyworth-TV) as Kit Cowan, Josh Pais (Joker, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Scott, Sally Field (80 for Brady, Lincoln) as Marilyn and Jeffery Self (You’re Killing Me, Search Party-TV) as Nick; this film based on the bestselling memoir was a touching story that showed the highs and lows of a love relationship. I thought the acting was above par and was impressed more than usual with Jim’s performance. There were a few scenes that bordered on being a cliché and predictable; but there were enough powerful scenes to make up for them. If planning to watch this film about love, I suggest having some tissue readily available.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Triangle of Sadness
I THOUGHT THEY WERE “WELL OFF” based on what their house looked like. It was not a mansion by any means, but I think the term is “well appointed.” They always had the latest kitchen appliances and electronic gizmos. The front and back of their house had a variety of flowers and greenery, though I never saw anyone from their household working or maintaining it. I only became aware of their financial status when they threw a huge celebration party for one of their children. The event was held in a grand ballroom in a luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. The room had been decorated to look like a forest/jungle, with bushes in various sizes lining the walls along with intricate, lush green vines coming down the walls. Every dinner table had a different centerpiece, each looking like a piece of art. Some of them looked like statuaries in various materials such as metal, glass and ceramic; other tables had floral arrangements with ice, water or candles as part of the display. I did not know where to look first. Scattered through the ballroom were various food carts with servants at attention ready to assist the guests. My table was just off to the side of the dance floor that was created with colored glass blocks. I could only imagine what else would be in store for the evening. WITH SO MUCH ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE at the start of the meal, I excused myself so I could go to the bar and get a soft drink. While standing there, I saw my friend’s mother was at the head of the line, intently talking to the bartender. I could not hear every word she was saying, but I could tell she was not happy about something. After I finally got my drink, I was walking back and crossed paths with the mother again; she was talking to a waiter and from what I was hearing, she was unhappy. To me it sounded like she was talking down to the waiter, who by the way had a look of fear on his face. I kept walking and bumped into the father of my friend, who was demanding something from what I figured was a manager of the establishment. Again, I overheard the conversation and wound up feeling bad for the worker because of the way the father was speaking to him. Granted, I was not privy to the details; but, I could not imagine something so egregious took place that warranted speaking in such a tone. It made me wonder if having money made a person talk in that type of fashion; I thought I might get an answer while watching this Oscar nominated comedic drama. WHEN A COUPLE OF FASHION MODELS find themselves on an intimate boat cruise with a group of wealthy individuals, they expected to have a peaceful luxurious ride. Instead, they found themselves fighting for survival. With Harris Dickinson (Beach Rats, Where the Crawdads Sing) as Carl, Charlbi Dean (Don’t Sleep, Spud franchise) as Yaya, Dolly de Leon (Verdict, Cuddle Weather) as Abigail, Zlatko Buric (Pusher franchise, 2012) as Dimitey and Iris Berben (Eddie the Eagle, Crossroads) as Therese; this movie had a good point to make. However, it took so long to make it that I lost interest halfway through the film. There were some funny scenes that made me laugh out loud, however, there also was a predictability to several scenes. Things started to get better in the last half of this picture; but by that time, I did not care. Also, I still am perplexed on how this picture was nominated for the best picture category. Sure, there was a good dose of satire and humor; but it felt safe to me. I thought a thorough rewrite would have created a tighter script and more focused deep dive to mine a fuller story with more outrageous characters.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: 80 For Brady
THE ONLY REASON I AM MENTIONING it is to accentuate my point. An acquaintance of mine suffered a tragic loss when their best friend was found dead in their home. They said natural causes, which I have always wondered what exactly that means. I assumed it was a stroke or a heart attack since they were middle aged with no known health issues. My purpose for even bringing this up is to be a reminder how life truly is fleeting. When I was younger, I felt I had all the time in the world and now that I have gotten older, I feel like there never is enough time for the things I want to accomplish. One never knows when their life will be over; so I feel it is important to enjoy each and every day. I used to be the type to wish some days away and I still do it from time to time, such as those times that seem more like a chore or annoyance. However, I have been working on trying to stay focused and positive about the things I enjoy in life and living. My consistent catchphrase is, “Life is uncertain, so eat dessert first.” I think it is time to add a second one, “Life is uncertain, so experience something joyful each day.” ONE OF THE DREAMS THAT I give constant airtime in my mind is taking a trip with a group of friends. I have done trips with one and two friends, but never a group of six or more. Sure, I know the more people that are involved means the more opinions; however, I think if the trip involved taking a cruise there would be less conflict. I do not know if this would be true since I have only done a cruise once in my life, to Alaska. But the idea of a group of us traveling by boat would give us the opportunity to do things as a group and/or individually depending on how each of us were feeling at that moment. This idea intrigues me and I feel it could turn into a memorable, positive experience. The only issue I could see would be the choosing of excursions; however, I do not think it would matter if some did not want to do them or wanted to do a different one. We could meet at night to talk about the day we had, and I feel it would be enjoyable to hear about it. Whether this will come to fruition or not, I do not know at present; but I certainly can see it being a good time. It could even be as similar, for all I know, as the friends in this comedic, sports drama. A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO HAVE been following the career of star quarterback, Tom Brady, decide they just must go see him play when his team wins a spot to compete in the Super Bowl. It would be a once in a lifetime experience. With Lily Tomlin (Grandma, Grace and Frankie-TV) as Lou, Jane Fonda (Book Club, Moving On) as Trish, Rita Moreno (West Side Story, One Day at a Time-TV) as Maura, Sally Field (Spoiler Alert; Hello, My Name is Doris) as Betty and Billy Porter (Like a Boss, Pose-TV) as Gugu; the fun factor for this film inspired by a true story was watching the main characters having such a good time. The script was silly and threadbare; there was not much I found funny or believable. On one level I felt embarrassed for the actors, who collectively have received numerous awards, having to try and make sense of the story. Having said this, I found enjoyment watching the senior actors do both physical and verbal comedy. If it was not for them, this would have been a memorable experience all for the wrong reasons. There was an extra scene during the ending credits.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Empire of Light
THE WEEK HAD BEEN EXTREMELY STRESSFUL. Work was challenging and my kitchen demolition was just starting up. The idea of going home and dealing with the new logistics of eating and washing dishes was too much for me to handle after work; so, I decided to go to the movies. With the Academy Awards ceremony taking place in a few weeks, I was excited that I could catch an Oscar nominated film before the telecast. Traffic was heavy which added to the negativity of the past week and my stress, because I was cutting close the time it would take me to get to the theater before the start of the movie. By the time I found a parking space at the theater, it was past the start time; but, I knew there was at least fifteen minutes worth of previews before the actual start of the picture. I ran from the parking garage to the lobby of the theater, checked in with the ticket taker, made a stop at the restroom, then made my way down the hallway to my theater. By the time I settled into my assigned seat, the last film trailer was nearly finished. I had made it in the nick of time and was hoping the movie would provide me with what I needed. A QUICK AD FOR THE THEATER flashed on the screen as an announcer stated the feature presentation was starting. The lights, which were already dim, lowered completely and the theater was filled with only the tiny LED lights outlining the stairs and exits. The movie started on the wide screen; a setting from an international city in a different time appeared before me. I was familiar with the city, having visited it some time ago. The few patrons in the theater (it was weeknight after all) were quiet and far enough away for me to get transported into the story uninterrupted. This is the ultimate form of relaxation for me; to find myself teleported and inserted into the actions taking place in front of me. All thoughts about the various stresses I was dealing with were pushed out of my mind; or at least out of my consciousness for the time being. I was in that city and experiencing the same effects as the main characters. The story was beautiful and by the end I felt completely relaxed and cozy. That is the magic of being in a movie theater; I can find myself anywhere based on what was showing on the screen. There are very few theaters I have been to that have not allowed me this wonderful experience and I just know the theater set in this romantic drama would be one that would provide me such a trip. DURING A TIME OF UNREST, A small group of individuals find refuge in their local movie palace where they work. With Olivia Coleman (The Lost Daughter, The Crown-TV) as Hilary, Micheal Ward (Blue Story, The A List-TV) as Stephen, Colin Firth (A Single Man, The King’s Speech) as Donald Ellis, Toby Jones (The Wonder, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Norman and Tom Brooke (The Death of Stalin, Preacher-TV) as Neil; this Oscar nominated film had moments of magic in it. Foremost, it was the cast led by Olivia and Micheal that kept me in the story. Next, I enjoyed the way human connections were on display. What I did not understand in parts was the script/story. I could not tell if the story was supposed to be a tribute to movies and I found one of the character’s revelations of racism did not ring true for me. At least the acting and sets were wonderful as I watched Olivia prove she was worthy of her Oscar nomination. This was a touching, adult movie that was almost great.
2 ¾ stars
Flash Movie Review: Magic Mike’s Last Dance
DESPITE BEING FRIENDS FOR A LONG time, there was nothing I could say or do to stop my friend from what she was doing. She had been in a long term relationship for four or five years before it turned sour and ended. I helped her through her sorrow and tried to convince her to stop stalking him on his social media sites. Speaking from experience, I knew there was nothing good to gain from watching the person you had fallen in love with go on with their life without you. Unfortunately, she would not give up on following him. I just knew this did not bode well for the healing process; I knew her so well. As I expected, she started focusing on her appearance. First, she worked towards getting rock solid by exercising and dieting; we are talking hardcore dieting. Her sporadic bouts of exercise became a daily constant in her life, from jogging to fitness classes to weight training. I am all for people exercising but for the right reasons. The advice I would give her about not training the same muscles two days in a row was heard but not always acted upon. If she was going to keep up this pace, she would be a candidate for a pulled muscle or stress fracture sometime in the near future. ONCE SHE STARTED SEEING RESULTS FROM her efforts, she started to alter her fashion style, going for a “younger look,” whatever that means. I liked some of the new clothing, but there were other choices that made me cringe inside. Of course, I did not say it like that to her when she asked my opinion; I just told her I did not think it was very attractive on her. I thought that was a pretty diplomatic answer. The next part of her evolution was the one that really made me cringe to the point I told her it would not be a good idea; he was not worth all of her time and effort. She planned on going with friends to the places he would be hanging out, like bars and restaurants. If she could not pin down the exact locations off of his social media sites, she planned on taking chances at several of his favorites spots. I thought it was such an awful idea that caused my stomach to twist into knots. No one was worth going through all of the work and then the embarrassment of trying to flaunt one’s self in front of their former love. I felt I was going to witness a trainwreck just like the one I watched in this comedy drama. BEING A BARTENDER AT CHARITY EVENTS was not what Mike Lane, played by Channing Tatum (Dog, Logan Lucky), envisioned for himself; that is why he agreed to accept the hostess’ offer despite it sounding crazy. With Salma Hayek (Eternals, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) as Maxandra Mendoza, Ayub Khan-Din (London Bridge-TV, Coronation Street-TV) as Victor, Vicki Pepperdine (Johnny English Strikes Again, My Cousin Rachel) as Edna Eaglebauer and Alan Cox (Young Sherlock Holmes, The Dictator) as Roger Rattigan; this film directed by Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven franchise) was a shock for me. I rarely ever say this, but it was cringe worthy. The script was looney and most of the time I sat in my seat feeling embarrassed for Salma. If I need to say something was worthwhile seeing then I would say the dance scenes. It did not seem as if age had any affect on Channing, he still had the moves. I also enjoyed the scene with his old buddies. Outside of those things, I thought this film was such a mess. There did not seem to be any connections between anyone and zero back story. Maybe Channing was under contract to participate in this production. I suggest one not pay the cover charge and go to a different establishment instead to dance.
1 ½ stars
moviejoltz 