QUICK TAKES: Bad Boys: Ride or Die; Hit Man; The Mattachine Family; Home Entertainment Spotlight; and Book Spotlight
by Josh Sewell
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
(Rated R for strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references. Opens in theaters on June 7.)
The premise: Buddy cops Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back in this fourth installment of the long-running franchise. This time, however, Miami’s finest are on the run, trying to clear their name after a corruption investigation leads to them being framed.
The verdict: While the testosterone-fueled, soap opera-esque Fast and Furious series runs out of gas, it looks like the Bad Boys franchise is taking on the mantle of over-the-top action, ridiculous one-liners and devotion to family. Sure, Ride or Die is two hours of formulaic action scenes and predictable plot twists, but it’s silly summer fun. Plus, Smith and Lawrence still radiate the easygoing charisma that has drawn fans to these movies since the 1990s.
Eric Dane’s villain is a blank slate, and it’s a bummer to see the great Rhea Seehorn wasted in a thankless role. But I can’t say I blame her – Emmy voters inexplicably ignored her years of incredible work on Better Call Saul, so she might as well get those sweet big-screen paychecks.
On the plus side, fan favorite character Reggie (Dennis McDonald), Burnett’s beleaguered son-in-law and the butt of many jokes since his first appearance in Bad Boys II, gets more to do this time. In fact, two of his scenes caused the crowd in my screening to break into applause. He’s the film’s not-so-stealth MVP.
I’m guessing Ride or Die will also end up being solid career rehab for Smith, who has been a pop culture punchline since slapping Chris Rock on the Oscar stage back in 2022. (Those wondering if Ride or Die includes a meta joke referencing the debacle won’t find the answer here. My lips are sealed.) Regardless, in a particularly dire summer for movies, this one is poised to be a hit with audiences.
Grade: B-
Hit Man
(Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and some violence. Now playing in select theaters and available on Netflix starting June 7.)
The premise: Indie pioneer Richard Linklater, one of my favorite filmmakers, is back in mainstream mode with this charming story about straightlaced professor Gary Johnson (Glen Powell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Linklater), who moonlights as a fake hitman for the New Orleans Police Department. However, when he falls for potential suspect Madison (Adria Arjona), their relationship sets off a potentially catastrophic chain of events.
The verdict: Powell, a charming, versatile actor who has been working under-the-radar for two decades, finally hit it big thanks to his performances in Top Gun: Maverick and last year’s Anyone but You. Now, he reunites with frequent collaborator Linklater (their underrated 2016 film Everybody Wants Some!! is when I realized he was going to be a star) for this engaging story of an awkward, introverted guy who gets to try on a bunch of different personalities before finding a surprising one that fits.
It allows Powell to demonstrate considerable range, playing lots of characters in the film’s first half. That’s when unexpected developments require him to juggle two vastly different roles, often in the same scene.
Hit Man is also a rarity in this modern era of weirdly chaste films: it’s sexy without stepping over the line into vulgarity. Powell has scorching chemistry with Arjona, who finally gets a big, flashy standout role after years of supporting work in both movies and television. In fact, if a different studio had taken a chance on it, I could see the flick becoming a romcom classic.
Unfortunately, due to Netflix’s odd relationship with theaters, this is a crowd-pleaser that ended up playing to practically zero crowds. That’s because the streamer only gave it a brief release in a handful of theaters nationwide a couple of weeks ago. Most people will only get to experience it from their homes starting this weekend.
That’s a bummer, considering Hit Man is one of the year’s most entertaining movies. Don’t let this one get lost in the streaming wastelands; it deserves to become a word-of-mouth success.
Grade: A-
The Mattachine Family
(Not rated, but contains strong language, sexuality, nudity and thematic elements. Now available for rent or purchase on all major streaming platforms, and available on Blu-ray June 25.)
The premise: In this dramedy, Thomas (Nico Tortorella) and his husband Oscar (Juan Pablo Di Pace) are at a crossroads after the child they fostered is reunited with his birth mother. With Oscar away filming a television show, Thomas embarks on a journey that connects him to his friends, relatives and the past, exploring what it means to make a family.
The verdict: This indie, whose existence I only learned about thanks to an email from the distributor inviting me to watch a screening link, turned out to be a nice surprise. The Mattachine Family, from filmmaking duo/married couple Andy and Danny Vallentine, and executive produced by Zach Braff, reminded me a lot of the television series This Is Us.
It has the same blend of sentimentality and a refusal to shy away from the less-than-perfect side of relationships. But the film also demonstrates how similar all families can be, even if they don’t always seem that way on the surface.
The performances are strong across the board, with actors juggling the story’s various tones without ever fully resorting to Lifetime movie-style melodrama. There’s no question it’s Tortorella’s movie and he’s terrific, but also there’s wonderful supporting work from Di Pace, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, Jake Choi, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Heather Matarazzo and especially Emily Hampshire (best known for the great “Schitt’s Creek”).
Julia Swain’s cinematography is beautiful and Kotomi’s score is effective without being overly saccharine. For such a low-budget film, it looks fantastic. This one is worth seeking out if you enjoy a good tear-jerker.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
Glory
(Rated R. Now available as a limited-edition 4K SteelBook for its 35th anniversary.)
The classic drama, centering on the first Black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War, earned Denzel Washington – as a runaway slave dedicated to the battle for freedom – his first Academy Award. It also elevated the status of co-stars Matthew Broderick and Cary Elwes, as the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment, along with Morgan Freeman, who plays the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops.
Special features on this Glory release include audio commentary from director Edward Zwick; a visual feature-length commentary; deleted scenes with commentary; a virtual Civil War battlefield interactive map; three behind-the-scenes featurettes; and a theatrical trailer.
Book Spotlight
Joyful Recollections of Trauma, by Paul Scheer
(Now available.)
Actor and comedian Paul Scheer, who I know best from his movie podcast Unspooled, recently released a memoir that recounts the odd, wild and absurd details of his life, leading to deeper, more difficult truths that he recounts with his trademark humor.
Joyful Recollections of Trauma chronicles Scheer’s tumultuous childhood and how those experiences reverberated throughout his life. He also offers readers a journey through the inner-working of his creative process, demonstrating the hard-fought lessons he has learned and the idea that laughter that can be found in the darkest parts of life. He reminds readers that what matters is not what you’ve been through but who you are becoming.
(Rated R for strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references. Opens in theaters on June 7.)
The premise: Buddy cops Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back in this fourth installment of the long-running franchise. This time, however, Miami’s finest are on the run, trying to clear their name after a corruption investigation leads to them being framed.
The verdict: While the testosterone-fueled, soap opera-esque Fast and Furious series runs out of gas, it looks like the Bad Boys franchise is taking on the mantle of over-the-top action, ridiculous one-liners and devotion to family. Sure, Ride or Die is two hours of formulaic action scenes and predictable plot twists, but it’s silly summer fun. Plus, Smith and Lawrence still radiate the easygoing charisma that has drawn fans to these movies since the 1990s.
Eric Dane’s villain is a blank slate, and it’s a bummer to see the great Rhea Seehorn wasted in a thankless role. But I can’t say I blame her – Emmy voters inexplicably ignored her years of incredible work on Better Call Saul, so she might as well get those sweet big-screen paychecks.
On the plus side, fan favorite character Reggie (Dennis McDonald), Burnett’s beleaguered son-in-law and the butt of many jokes since his first appearance in Bad Boys II, gets more to do this time. In fact, two of his scenes caused the crowd in my screening to break into applause. He’s the film’s not-so-stealth MVP.
I’m guessing Ride or Die will also end up being solid career rehab for Smith, who has been a pop culture punchline since slapping Chris Rock on the Oscar stage back in 2022. (Those wondering if Ride or Die includes a meta joke referencing the debacle won’t find the answer here. My lips are sealed.) Regardless, in a particularly dire summer for movies, this one is poised to be a hit with audiences.
Grade: B-
(Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and some violence. Now playing in select theaters and available on Netflix starting June 7.)
The premise: Indie pioneer Richard Linklater, one of my favorite filmmakers, is back in mainstream mode with this charming story about straightlaced professor Gary Johnson (Glen Powell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Linklater), who moonlights as a fake hitman for the New Orleans Police Department. However, when he falls for potential suspect Madison (Adria Arjona), their relationship sets off a potentially catastrophic chain of events.
The verdict: Powell, a charming, versatile actor who has been working under-the-radar for two decades, finally hit it big thanks to his performances in Top Gun: Maverick and last year’s Anyone but You. Now, he reunites with frequent collaborator Linklater (their underrated 2016 film Everybody Wants Some!! is when I realized he was going to be a star) for this engaging story of an awkward, introverted guy who gets to try on a bunch of different personalities before finding a surprising one that fits.
It allows Powell to demonstrate considerable range, playing lots of characters in the film’s first half. That’s when unexpected developments require him to juggle two vastly different roles, often in the same scene.
Hit Man is also a rarity in this modern era of weirdly chaste films: it’s sexy without stepping over the line into vulgarity. Powell has scorching chemistry with Arjona, who finally gets a big, flashy standout role after years of supporting work in both movies and television. In fact, if a different studio had taken a chance on it, I could see the flick becoming a romcom classic.
Unfortunately, due to Netflix’s odd relationship with theaters, this is a crowd-pleaser that ended up playing to practically zero crowds. That’s because the streamer only gave it a brief release in a handful of theaters nationwide a couple of weeks ago. Most people will only get to experience it from their homes starting this weekend.
That’s a bummer, considering Hit Man is one of the year’s most entertaining movies. Don’t let this one get lost in the streaming wastelands; it deserves to become a word-of-mouth success.
Grade: A-
(Not rated, but contains strong language, sexuality, nudity and thematic elements. Now available for rent or purchase on all major streaming platforms, and available on Blu-ray June 25.)
The premise: In this dramedy, Thomas (Nico Tortorella) and his husband Oscar (Juan Pablo Di Pace) are at a crossroads after the child they fostered is reunited with his birth mother. With Oscar away filming a television show, Thomas embarks on a journey that connects him to his friends, relatives and the past, exploring what it means to make a family.
The verdict: This indie, whose existence I only learned about thanks to an email from the distributor inviting me to watch a screening link, turned out to be a nice surprise. The Mattachine Family, from filmmaking duo/married couple Andy and Danny Vallentine, and executive produced by Zach Braff, reminded me a lot of the television series This Is Us.
It has the same blend of sentimentality and a refusal to shy away from the less-than-perfect side of relationships. But the film also demonstrates how similar all families can be, even if they don’t always seem that way on the surface.
The performances are strong across the board, with actors juggling the story’s various tones without ever fully resorting to Lifetime movie-style melodrama. There’s no question it’s Tortorella’s movie and he’s terrific, but also there’s wonderful supporting work from Di Pace, Cloie Wyatt Taylor, Jake Choi, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Heather Matarazzo and especially Emily Hampshire (best known for the great “Schitt’s Creek”).
Julia Swain’s cinematography is beautiful and Kotomi’s score is effective without being overly saccharine. For such a low-budget film, it looks fantastic. This one is worth seeking out if you enjoy a good tear-jerker.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
(Rated R. Now available as a limited-edition 4K SteelBook for its 35th anniversary.)
The classic drama, centering on the first Black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War, earned Denzel Washington – as a runaway slave dedicated to the battle for freedom – his first Academy Award. It also elevated the status of co-stars Matthew Broderick and Cary Elwes, as the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment, along with Morgan Freeman, who plays the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops.
Special features on this Glory release include audio commentary from director Edward Zwick; a visual feature-length commentary; deleted scenes with commentary; a virtual Civil War battlefield interactive map; three behind-the-scenes featurettes; and a theatrical trailer.
Book Spotlight
(Now available.)
Actor and comedian Paul Scheer, who I know best from his movie podcast Unspooled, recently released a memoir that recounts the odd, wild and absurd details of his life, leading to deeper, more difficult truths that he recounts with his trademark humor.
Joyful Recollections of Trauma chronicles Scheer’s tumultuous childhood and how those experiences reverberated throughout his life. He also offers readers a journey through the inner-working of his creative process, demonstrating the hard-fought lessons he has learned and the idea that laughter that can be found in the darkest parts of life. He reminds readers that what matters is not what you’ve been through but who you are becoming.
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com
Comments
Post a Comment