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Arbitrage-2012

Director Nicholas Jarecki

Starring Richard Gere

Scott’s Review #437

Reviewed July 1, 2016

Grade: B+

Arbitrage (2012) is an exciting, interesting, little indie thriller starring Richard Gere as a successful but troubled CEO whose life begins to unravel around him through a series of circumstances.

He is a billionaire, but he risks losing everything because of shady dealings and fraud.

The film keeps the audience guessing and never feels predictable. The plot slowly unravels into a tense pot-boiler.

Richard Gere stands out, delivering a wonderful, believable performance. Once known as little more than a hunky Hollywood star, Gere has blossomed in recent years, taking on more compelling and complex roles.

Arbitrage (2012) has some Hitchcock elements throughout its complexity, though Gere’s character is an anti-hero, whereas Hitchcock’s were often good guys in bad circumstances.

The car crash scene is brilliantly done.

I wish this movie had received more attention, as it is a fun, thrilling ride.

Non-Stop-2014

Director Jaume Collet-Serra

Starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore

Scott’s Review #55

Reviewed June 22, 2014

Grade: B-

I am a sucker for a good airline disaster action film.

I found Non-Stop (2014) to have two parts- the first one hour and fifteen minutes and the final thirty minutes.

A film like this (action, popcorn flick) requires suspension of disbelief.

The events in this film will NEVER happen.

In recent years, Liam Neeson, at sixty years old plus, has settled nicely into action hero star in mediocre to above-average film roles.

He has found his niche.

The first part of the film is highly entertaining. One hundred and fifty passengers on board an international flight from New York to London are in peril when a terrorist begins texting troubled U.S. Air Marshall (Neeson) that someone on the flight will die every twenty minutes unless One hundred and fifty million dollars is transferred to their account.

From this point begins a compelling whodunit.

Which passenger is sending the text messages? Could it be a flight attendant or the captain of the plane? Several characters are introduced and some red herrings commence. Who begins framing the Marshall? Why?

This is compelling fun stuff.

Most of the action takes place on the plane giving the film a claustrophobic atmosphere.

Then, however, the second part of the film takes over. Not to give spoilers away, but it reaches a ridiculous, silly conclusion, and I found myself saying out loud, “this is stupid”.

A needless and contrived plot of a little girl on the flight is trivial.

I expected more from Michelle Dockery of Downton Abbey fame. Lupita N’Yongo is given a throwaway role (let’s assume she was cast before her Oscar-winning turn in 12 Years a Slave in 2013).

Popcorn fun, but disappointing ending summarizes Non-Stop (2014).