Month: February 2022

In an Idaho church meeting room, two couples come together to converse about a shared tragedy. It’s easy to do a search to find out more details on the plot and there are probably only a dozen or so options that fit, but I loved going into this blind. Everyone involved with getting this meeting set up obviously know what it’s about. It’s an intriguing exercise watching their reactions and small conversations as the story unwinds. The film is indeed a master class in acting between the four main participants. Martha Plimpton and Jason Isaacs as a married couple have so many instances of natural nonverbal communication that it’s entirely believable that they are in an actual relationship. Ann Dowd as the other female in the quartet is incredible as always, her face a constant visage of resigned pain. Reed Birney is more restrained in his role, but also perfect as a more removed perspective from the events. They kept me mesmerized throughout.

In a vein similar to Before Sunrise, engaged comedic actor Chris Rock and reporter Rosario Dawson spend the day getting to know each other while she interviews him walking around the streets of New York. The two don’t have a lot of romantic chemistry, but there is quite a natural flow between them as the day progresses. There are also a LOT of celebrity cameos sprinkled throughout that liven up the film. It’s generally entertaining but mostly forgettable. It also has some questionable messaging about women in relationships and includes a tale of a sexual assault committed by one of the main characters that is played for laughs.

Ex-con and jewel thief James Caan is ready to settle down with his girlfriend, but is coerced by a Mob boss to pull off one big score. But of course, one last job is rarely just one. Caan offers great control as a man who just wants to fulfill his simple dreams and thinks he is on track to realize them. There are some pretty good heist scenes, plus there’s Willie Nelson as Caan’s mentor and friend.