Tuesday, 8 July 2014

100 Word Reviews: Captain Phillips, Pain & Gain, We're the Millers

Captain Phillips

Plot – Captain Phillips (Hanks) tries to prevent the capture of his ship by Somali pirates.

100 Word Review – Those with a nervous disposition should maybe stay clear of this film. There are layers upon layers of anticipation and tension, yet this is the film’s greatest asset and is what makes it so good. Cinematically it is shot almost like a documentary which adds to the real-life feel which is integral to the movie. Barkhad Abdi is a revelation in his first major film role as Muse. His steely determination is sometimes expressed by a single stare or look. However Hanks is the star of the show in a role that showcases what a diversely talented actor he is. 91/100

Pain and Gain

Plot – Body builders Lugo (Walberg), Doyle (Johnson) and Doorball (Mackie) use the American Dream as inspiration for a kidnapping.

100 Word Review – Forget roids, it feels like the film itself has taken Speed. The pace is frenetic, the range of shots is diverse and the tricky job in balancing a crime caper with a comedy is frequently mastered. There are laughs throughout, which perhaps comes from the ludicrous nature of the TRUE story that this film was inspired by. The Rock steals it for me, as he fleets from the forgiving nature of a born again Christian to Tony Montana-ian levels of cocaine addiction. At times messy but a thoroughly enjoyable film nonetheless. P.S. It’s also a gold mine for inspirational quotes. 79/100

We’re the Millers

Plot – Small time pot dealer David (Sudeikis) gathers a rag tag group, including a stripper, runaway and loser, to pose as a family in order to smuggle drugs from Mexico.


100 Word Review – A fresh and original comedy that doesn’t overly rely on cliché. Although perhaps the ending is a bit predictable, the main bulk of the film feels different. Each member of the ‘family’ offers something new. David is cuttingly sarcastic whilst Rose (Aniston) is equally feisty (as well as proving that Aniston still has it). Casey (Roberts) is perhaps underdeveloped as a character but is still the epitome of an angsty teen, whereas Kenny (Poulter) is a brilliantly awkward addition who creates the most humour. Yes, the concept is utterly ridiculous but it tries to be different and supplies consistent laughs. 83/100

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