Movie Review: "Spenser Confidential" (2020)

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Movie: "Spenser Confidential"

Director: Peter Berg
Year: 2020
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes

At least one thing is guaranteed in this crazy world of ours: Mark Wahlberg will always have a thriving career as a leading man so long as Peter Berg is directing movies. Many of the earlier collaborations between Berg and Wahlberg include films based on true stories, like Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor, and Patriots Day. We liked all of these titles despite them being a bit gung-ho and jingoistic, titles that were made to motivate audiences to collectively chant USA! USA!, but they are entertaining nonetheless. Lately, Berg and Wahlberg have been making fictional action flicks with the same undertones, but with much less success. Their latest collaboration is the Netflix original "Spenser Confidential" (2020), which we had no idea was based on a book series (shout-out to my grandma who used to read them and told us about this!). Wahlberg plays Spenser, which may sound like the name of a CPA or a software programmer, but really, he's just your typical tough guy Boston cop, ya know, the type of character he usually plays. Spenser has a strict moral code. He goes to prison for trying to weed out corruption from within the Boston police department after confronting his captain, which led to a rather public beatdown. The same day Spenser gets out of prison after serving five years, his crooked captain, Boylan (Michael Gaston), winds up dead in a bus yard. When the Boston P.D. tries to pin the crime on a cop that Spenser knows to be an honest, hardworking, straight-laced man, Spenser takes it upon himself to solve the murder and get to the bottom of this corruption in the B.P.D. He enlists the help of his old friend and trainer Henry (Alan Arkin) and his aspiring MMA fighter roommate Hawk (Winston Duke) to assist with the investigation.

Photo: In Netflix's original film "Spenser Confidential (2020), Spenser (Mark Wahlberg) and Hawk (Winston Duke) meet up with journalist Wayne Cosgrove (Marc Maron) to look at the evidence about Wonderland.

"Spencer Confidential" (2020) desperately wants to be a primo action buddy comedy, but the action is both generic and lacking, and the comedy is mediocre at best. We weren't wowed by anything that happens action-wise, and the comedy is the same deadpan sarcasm we've seen Mark Wahlberg do for the last decade. There are a couple of solid jokes that got us laughing, but overall, the script is full of wisecracks where "old man yells at cloud" after getting out of prison because he doesn't understand non-dairy alternatives or "the cloud." The only moments of humor that really work come from Alan Arkin and Winston Duke, and maybe one zinger from a brief appearance by Post Malone. Iliza Shlesinger also stars as Spenser's on-again-off-again girlfriend Cissy, who plays up the bombastic Boston stereotype for 110 minutes. It's a shtick that's meant to be funny (and might be accurate according to Bostonians), but we thought it was supremely annoying.

Where "Spenser Confidential" (2020) truly disappoints is in its writing. Berg and writers Sean O'Keefe and Brian Helgeland fail to develop a meaningful connection and chemistry between Hawk and Spenser, the backbone of the film. In fact, it is so sloppily put together that Hawk has no real motives or purpose. That's our biggest complaint about this project: Winston Duke deserved so much better than the limited screentime he has here. Also, Spenser and Hawk's investigation is meant to be a mystery, but we know who the bad guy is as soon as they come into frame. C'mon, at least try to make it a bit less obvious. It's a throwback to the 80s where most cops in cinema were corrupt, and those who aren't corrupt have their hands tied by regulations and rules, which makes them inept. The only people who can do anything about the crimes afoot are renegades who have to bend or break the rules to get the job done. It's so cliche, and it might have been fine if the movie had done anything remotely distinctive, compelling, or outrageously entertaining to set itself apart from the hundreds of others titles just like it. It doesn't. Instead, it winds up being a rather boring, play-it-safe Netflix film with virtually no originality.

Photo: Mark Wahlberg and Post Malone star in Netflix's "Spenser Confidential." (Image provided by Netflix)

Netflix's "Spenser Confidential" (2020) aspires to be a gritty action drama, but it's too poorly constructed and pulls too many shenanigans to be taken seriously. It also wants to be a buddy cop comedy, but its lazy writing and lack of a strong connection between Hawk and Spencer will almost assuredly make audiences not care about what happens to them. The best thing we can say about "Spenser Confidential" (2020) is that it's an entirely watchable, not completely miserable way to kill two hours if you are bored at home with nothing to do....which makes it pandemic perfect!

My Rating: 4/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.2/10
RT Rating: 41%
Do we recommend this movie: Meh.

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Movie Review: "Bad Boys for Life" (2020)

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Movie: "Bad Boys for Life"

Director: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
Year: 2020
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 4 minutes

Twenty-five years ago alllllllll the way back in 1995, director Michael Bay introduced the world to Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett in his dumb-but-slightly-fun-but-also-too-self-serious action flick "Bad Boys." Eight years later, in 2003, he followed it up with the much-longer-but-much-more-enjoyable-and-self-aware "Bad Boys II." 17 years have passed, and we have now finally gotten the third film in the franchise without Michael Bay in the director's chair. Maybe that's just what the series needed. "Bad Boys for Life" is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. "Bulletproof" Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) becomes the target of assassination when Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo), the wife of a deceased drug kingpin, escapes from prison in an extremely violent manner. She tasks her son, Armando (Jacob Scipio), to restart the family business and to kill Mike and everyone else who had a hand in destroying it years ago. While Mike wants to uncover who is behind this assassination plot, his longtime partner, Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), is ready to hang up his badge and retire once and for all, especially now that he is a grandfather. While Marcus is on the bench, Mike gets teamed up with a young tactical team known as ASOC headed by his ex, Rita (Paola Nuñez), who, much to Mike's chagrin, is leading the investigation.

Photo: Martin Lawrence and Will Smith star in the 2020 film "Bad Boys for Life." (Image Source)

We have nothing against Michael Bay as a director. In fact, we have genuinely enjoyed some of his movies. Though we were never huge fans of the original "Bad Boys" film, we did think "Bad Boys II" was a decent watch. Sometimes, all you need is a new perspective to help make things click, and "Bad Boys for Life" absolutely clicks.

Will Smith remains his charming, suave, gun-and-gung-ho self and still looks like he's having a blast playing Mike Lowrey, even after all these years. Martin Lawrence has seemingly pushed through his personal troubles and has rediscovered his groove, bringing back the same brand of humor that made him such a hot commodity in the 90s. Smith and Lawrence reignite their dynamic chemistry in the first scene of this movie, and their hilarious banter and heartfelt brotherhood never let up once throughout the film.

Smith and Lawrence were never the problems with this series. The issues always stemmed from the lack of coherent, cohesive narratives. Under Michael Bay's tutelage, we feel like the audience was forced to suspend their disbelief one too many times. Adil and Bilall manage to bring that much-needed, much more consistent component to the franchise while still maintaining all of the explosions, car chases, and action we have come to expect from a Bay-helmed production. This is not to say the story here is perfect because it's not. It has its fair share of contrivances and cliched moments that might make your head spin (think: third act reveal, oy vey), but in all honesty, we were so entertained with what we were watching that we were able to forgive its flaws and enjoy it for the shockingly fun ride it was.

Another aspect of "Bad Boys for Life" that we like is the addition of the young ASOC team that counteracts the aging Lowrey (a man desperate to cling to his youth) and Burnett, who is at his full-on Danny Glover "I'm getting too old for this shit" "Lethal Weapon" phase. Charles Melton's character Rafe has a terrific playful rivalry with Mike that includes a lot of jokes about Mike's age, which frequently results in retorts about Rafe's mother (naturally!). Paola Nuñez's character Rita also has some great romantic tension with Smith's Lowrey. The two of them used to be in a relationship, and with Rita running the show, Mike's wants and desires for justice have to take a backseat to protocol and routine. Old standby Joe Pantoliano also returns as the Pepto Bismol-chugging, anxiety-riddled Captain Howard, and his routine with Lawrence and Smith hasn't lost its charm, either. Series newcomers Kate del Castillo and Jacob Scipio make for some vicious, wicked villains who seemingly have no remorse and want only to exact revenge on Mike for the wrongs he committed years ago.

Photo: Jacob Scipio and Kate del Castillo star as Isabel and Armando Aretas in "Bad Boys for Life" (2020). (Image Source)

"Bad Boys for Life" is our favorite movie in the "Bad Boys" series. We never in a million years thought we would say this, but if there should be a fourth installment in the "Bad Boys" franchise, we'll be there opening day with bells on. This is a total blast from start to finish.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.2/10
RT Rating: 76%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

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Movie Review: "The Gentlemen" (2020)

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Movie: "The Gentlemen"

Director: Guy Ritchie
Year: 2020
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 53 minutes

Director Guy Ritchie has specialized in British gangster flicks since the beginning of his career. Even when he isn't supposed to be making a British gangster flick, he's still making a British gangster flick, but with characters like King Arthur or Sherlock Holmes inserted into them. With his latest film "The Gentlemen" (2020), Ritchie returns to his roots and make a film that is in the same vein as his breakthrough features "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998) and "Snatch" (2000). The story revolves around an American-born British marijuana kingpin named Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey). Mickey is looking to break away from the drug game and wants to sell his business. His potential buyer is a man named Matthew (Jeremy Strong) who, despite being a criminal every bit as wicked as Mickey, has a much cleaner public persona, something Mickey lacks. Another person looking to take over Mickey's business is a gangster nicknamed Dry Eye (Henry Golding), who is tired of being a soldier in his own organization and is attempting a more hostile takeover. Dry Eye might not be acting on his own and might be taking orders from someone else, and private investigator Fletcher (Hugh Grant) believes he knows exactly who that is. Fletcher is willing to give that information to Mickey's right-hand man, Ray (Charlie Hunnam), for the right price.

Photo: Matthew McConaughey and Michelle Dockery star as Mickey and Rosalind Pearson in Guy Ritchie's 2020 film "The Gentlemen." (Image Source)

"The Gentlemen" is everything you'd hope for and want a peak Guy Ritchie film to be. It is sleek, sharp, stylish, and loaded with unique characters cursing up a storm. This is a showcase of Ritchie at his best. He doesn't hold back and almost dares the audience to be offended by what is said and what he puts on screen. The movie opens with a bang and pulls us into the story from that point on. The narrative takes the audience down roads with lots of twists and turns, slowly peeling back the layers of the story like an onion until all is ultimately revealed. We will say that we did see some of the twists coming, but that doesn't mean the ride to get to the end was any less fun, raunchy, and bloody.

This movie wouldn't be as fun as it is without some great performances from the main actors playing each of their colorful characters. Our favorite performance came from Hugh Grant, the smarmy private investigator who gets hired to dig up dirt on Mickey by a tabloid newspaper, only to turn around and try and sell everything he has uncovered back to Mickey himself. Grant's character Fletcher feels like the R-rated version of one of his "Paddington 2" alter egos, and we loved every minute of his grandiose performance. Another standout for us was Colin Farrell as Coach, a literal fighting trainer to a group of young men who find themselves in heaps of trouble with Mickey. Coach eventually strikes a deal with Mickey to get his boys out of a jam, and what he's required to do to pay off this debt...well...it's a horrible riot. The over-the-top nature of Farrell and Grant's characters brings the most laughter and entertainment to the film, but we found all of the performances to be excellent.

Photo: Coach (Colin Farrell) and Ray (Charlie Hunnam) hear noises and look in the back of a car trunk in the movie "The Gentlemen" (2020).  (Image Source)

If you are in the mood for a sleek-looking, crime-riddled, fast-talking, wacky-but-fun British gangster flick, "The Gentlemen" (2020) is definitely worth checking out. Keep in mind, though, this movie is not for the easily offended.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.1/10
RT Rating: 73%
Do we recommend this movie: Yes!

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Movie Review: "Joker" (2019) - Now Available to Own on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital!

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Movie: "Joker"

Director: Todd Phillips
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 2 minutes

Todd Phillips' "Joker" (2019) is the highest-earning R-rated feature film of all time. It raked in over $1 billion at the global box office. It is now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital! Read our thoughts on the movie and Joaquin Phoenix's Golden Globe-winning performance below. 

Movie Review: "Uncut Gems" (2019)

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Movie: "Uncut Gems"

Director: Josh and Benny Safdie
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

A New York jeweler steeped in gambling debt tries to create one last deal for a big payoff that he believes will fix his problems and give him the monetary win that has so far evaded his grasp.

Movie Review: "Knives Out" (2019)

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Movie: "Knives Out"

Director: Rian Johnson
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

When Harlan Thrombey, the wealthy patriarch of the Thrombey clan, is found dead, the police assume he committed suicide, but eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, who has been hired by an unknown party, believes there's more to this case than meets the eye.

Movie Review: "Joker" (2019)

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Movie: "Joker"

Director: Todd Phillips
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 2 minutes

A mentally unstable man, who has frequent uncontrollable fits of laughter because of a traumatic brain injury, becomes the icon of a political movement when he kills the three wealthy businessmen who assaulted him on the subway.

Movie Review: "The Irishman" (2019)

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Movie: "The Irishman"

Director: Martin Scorsese
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 3 hours, 29 minutes

Irishman Frank Sheeran tells the story of how he went from being a meat truck driver to becoming a hitman for the Italian mafia. His newfound position also led him to become the best friend and closest confidant of Teamsters Union president Jimmy Hoffa.

Movie Review: "Misery" (1990)

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Movie: "Misery"

Director: Rob Reiner
Year: 1990
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

After a horrible car accident, a writer wakes up to find himself in the home of his biggest fan. Things are okay at first as she helps nurse him back to health, but the more time that passes and the longer he stays in her home, the more he realizes she has no intention of ever letting him leave.

Movie Review: "Hustlers" (2019)

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Movie: "Hustlers"

Director: Lorene Scafaria
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes

After hitting financially hard times after the economic crash of 2007-2008, a group of strippers decides to start a hustle stealing from Wall Street brokers by using their feminine wiles combined and a little ketamine and MDMA to make money.

Movie Review: "A Good Marriage" (2014)

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Movie: "A Good Marriage"

Director: Peter Askin
Year: 2014
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes

A woman's seemingly perfect marriage is plunged into turmoil when she discovers her husband is a serial killer.

Movie Review: "The Kitchen" (2019)

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Movie: "The Kitchen"

Director: Andrea Berloff
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes

Three wives of three small-time, recently arrested Irish gangsters seize their opportunity to take the lead and increase their family's strength in Hell's Kitchen.

Movie Review: "Miami Connection" (1987)

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Movie: "Miami Connection"

Director: Richard Park and Y.K. Kim
Year: 1987
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 23 minutes

After getting a new gig at a local club, a band comprised of college students/taekwondo fighters must fend off a series of assaults from a street gang of cocaine-dealing motorcycle ninjas that want the band gone.

Movie Review: "Under the Silver Lake" (2019)

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Movie: "Under the Silver Lake"

Director: David Robert Mitchell
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 19 minutes

An out of work actor goes on a quest to solve the mystery of his neighbor's sudden disappearance.

Movie Review: "Stuber" (2019)

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Movie: "Stuber"

Director: Michael Dowse
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes

A narcotics detective who recently underwent eye surgery hires an Uber driver to take him around town so he can investigate an impending drug shipment and bring down one of the city's biggest drug dealers.

Movie Review: "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" (2019)

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Movie: "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile"

Director: Joe Berlinger
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

A look at the arrest, trial, and media frenzy surrounding infamous serial killer Ted Bundy and how it affected his longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall.

Movie Review: "Shaft" (2019)

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Movie: "Shaft"

Director: Tim Story
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 51 minutes

When a close friend of John Shaft Jr. (JJ) dies of an apparent heroin overdose, he suspects foul play and seeks out his estranged but renowned private investigator father to help with the investigation.

Movie Review: "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" (2019)

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Movie: "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum"

Director: Chad Stahelski
Year: 2019
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Now deemed 'excommunicado' for breaking the rules of the Continental Hotel, John Wick must fight off scores of assassins looking to cash in on the big reward for his death. Meanwhile, an adjudicator arrives in New York to judge and punish all who helped Wick along the way.

Movie Review: "Drive" (2011)

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Movie: "Drive"

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Year: 2011
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

A stuntman and part-time wheelman gets involved with his neighbor and gets pulled into the middle of a job gone wrong where he becomes the target of some local mobsters.

Movie Review: "Miss Bala" (2019)

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Movie: "Miss Bala"

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Year: 2019
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour, 44 minutes

A makeup artist named Gloria heads to Tijuana to help her friend Suzu win a beauty pageant. After Gloria witnesses a shooting at a night club, she loses Suzu in the chaos. Gloria is then blackmailed by the gang leader who committed the shooting into helping him in exchange for finding her missing friend.