So, I wanted to watch this one for a while.
I missed it while it was in theatres for whatever reason, but I knew I loved most of the cast, and it seemed like a cool Ocean’s 11 meets the Kingsmen type movie. I had seen the trailer, and read the back cover of the DVD (I was able to rent it from my local library) but based on the movie I actually ended up watching, it still feels like I went in pretty blind.
Obviously, a huge ***SPOILER ALERT*** applies to this entire review. Read at your own risk!
The beginning of this one really did have me hooked. Obviously I spent most of the beginning wondering why Ray was willing to suffer Fletcher for so long, although I did particularly like the look in his eyes and the faint tea kettle sound in the background as he tried to calm himself. Every customer service employee can relate.
At first I really enjoyed the way Fletcher was telling the story of what happened to Ray, I ADORED the bits where the filmmaking style changed based on how Fletcher was describing how the movie version of it would be shot. But as time went on, I honestly got a little tired of it, as I tend to prefer the “show, don’t tell” policy, although I thought it could be a great way to set up the movie, or even just the second half of it.
I wish I had watched this with someone else, because I’m not sure if we were supposed to know who the villain was right away or not, and I was sad I pegged it so early. I mean, sometimes it’s fun when you peg the villain before the characters, but it’s not as fun when it’s so early on. So I’m not sure if it was the case where the audience was supposed to know before the characters’ big reveal or not.
I have a note that says “I love Ray’s cardigan”, which reminds me to talk about the style in this movie: it’s enviable. Everybody looks good, no matter the character, their clothes tell part of their story. I loved Ros’s romper and Louboutins combo, I love the way Matthew McConaughey looks in a sportcoat (is that a sportcoat? I don’t claim to know what his plaid hunting jacket is called) and paperboy hat (it’s less paperboy, and more Peaky Blinders, minus the razorblades).
Moving back to the story, I really loved Ros’s character, and during her confrontation with Dry Eye, I would have loved to see her kick some more ass, because she’s obviously capable.
My next note says “Colin Farrell is a DELIGHT” and I stand by that. I wish we had gotten to see more of him, and more of him in action, given his character’s profession and reputation. Although I CANNOT forgive this movie for digging up the memories of having to watch the Black Mirror episode “National Anthem”, because that is wholly and entirely unforgivable. I tried for years to push that memory all the way down, and this movie resurfaced them with that short scene.
The meta nod at the end would have been much more fun if I hadn’t been so out of my viewing experience already, and I’m sad I couldn’t enjoy it more.
That sums up my feelings on this film overall, I’m sad I didn’t like it more, because I really honestly wanted to.
For every good moment I found, I had either already seen it in the trailer, or it felt disjointed from the moments around it. While Ray and Coach were my favorites overall, Coach didn’t show up nearly as much as I would have liked, and Ray’s monologue moment to the crackheads felt very odd to me, like a weird non-sequitur. I get he doesn’t like junkies, that was established in a prior scene, but it felt like one of the last things you’d do when you didn’t like someone was monologue at them about weed.
But, maybe I just need to watch it again, 100% distraction free, and then I might like it better. If I do end up rewatching it, I’ll give an update here.
But until then, there’s an audience for every movie, and unfortunately, I wasn’t part of it this time.
Selected quote: “there’s fuckery afoot”.