CRISIS (2021)

February 25, 2021

 Greetings again from the darkness. The best thrillers often interweave multiple story lines to create a complex web of detail for viewers to unwind. Writer-director Nicholas Jarecki (ARBITRAGE, 2012) serves up three story lines, all related to the current Opioid crisis. Although the film looks great and has a deep cast, we’ve seen most of this before and no new insight is provided in regards to the struggle. Instead, it’s really standard thriller fare that never goes deep enough into any of the characters to make us care.

Armie Hammer (along with the recent personal baggage attached to him) stars as Jake Kelly, a DEA Agent who has worked undercover in hopes of exposing the Armenian-Canadian-American drug traffickers responsible for a significant portion of opioids crossing the border. Hammer spends the entire movie with an intensely furrowed brow that would likely inspire distrust amongst any potential drug syndicates.

In storyline number 2, Evangeline Lilly (Wasp in the ANT-MAN movies) is Claire Reimann, an architect and recovering drug addict, who is out for vengeance when her beloved high school athlete son is found dead with drugs in his system. The third segment features Oscar winner Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR, 2017) as Dr. Tyrone Brower, a science professor at a private Detroit university. He runs a drug-testing lab and faces a moral dilemma when questionable lab results for “the first non-addictive painkiller” puts people at risk, not to mention funding for his work.

Any one of these actors or stories could carry the weight of a movie, but when combined, they succeed only in crushing the entertainment value and tension level. Oldman’s story is easily the most interesting. It addresses how Big Pharma gets new drugs rubber-stamped by funding otherwise cash-strapped labs and schools. There is also the skepticism involved with the drug-producer’s influence over the supposedly independent FDA, and on top of all that, there is the ethical concerns of everyone putting the almighty dollar ahead of safety.

Director Jarecki (the brother of Andrew Jarecki who directed the superb 2003 documentary CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS) kicks off the movie with a beautifully filmed, albeit brief, chase scene through the snowy Canadian forest. In fact, the camera work throughout is fine. It’s really the overloaded script that prevents any of the stories or characters from clicking. Mr. Oldman seems to sense that he needs to overcome the lack of complexity in his story, and because of the effort, loses his usual reserved cerebral approach for which he’s known.

Supporting work is provided by Greg Kinnear as the Dean willing to sacrifice ethics and friendship for money, Michelle Rodriguez as the DEA supervisor in a budget crunch, and Lily-Rose Depp as Jake’s strung out sister. Also contributing are Indira Varma, John Ralston, Martin Donovan, Mia Kirshner, Kid Cudi, Michael Aronov, Luke Evans, and Veronica Ferres. The weakest link here is director Jarecki himself, who for some reason, thought he could play Jake’s partner … a role that would have benefited from a more refined actor.

The horrific effects of the Opioid crisis are known to most, and the film plays like a Wikipedia explanation for anyone who doesn’t read or watch the news. Certainly not helping is the “Miami Vice” type score that accompanies many scenes, and the choppy editing that causes many scenes to fail. Better movies in this genre would include THE INSIDER (1999, ironically directed by “Miami Vice” creator Michael Mann) and Soderbergh’s TRAFFIC (2000). The obstacles faced by whistleblowers, the importance of funding to academia, budgetary concerns for law enforcement, the tragic impact of drugs on families, and the systemic corruption that has fueled the epidemic … all of these are touched on. It’s just that it all seems too obvious. If somehow you didn’t already know, the money-hungry don’t play fair – whether they be drug dealers or drug companies.

The film will hit theaters on February 26, 2021 and Digital and On Demand March 5, 2021

WATCH THE TRAILER

 

Leave a Comment » | Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

ARBITRAGE (2012)

September 16, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us don’t tread in the world of corporate greed, deceit and fraud that defines the now four years ago financial crisis. Twenty five years ago Gordon Gekko in Wall Street put a face to corporate greed. Writer/Director Nicholas Jarecki now gives us Robert Miller, as portrayed by Richard Gere, for the face of Wall Street fraud … the step beyond greed that Bernie Madoff made famous. Toss in a Chappaquiddick-type tragedy and it’s abundantly clear that Robert Miller is no modern day icon to be worshipped.  He does share with Gekko an overinflated ego and sense of importance.

No matter how much we would prefer it to be otherwise, there is something to the charisma and emotional power of the few who seize control as politicians, CEO’s and cult leaders … all subjects of recent films. During this film, we never once doubt that Gere’s Miller is a scam artist with power. A slick huckster if you will.  He is not a good guy, despite his warm smile as he says all the right things to his family and close circle of advisors. We are sickened that he is able to fool so many, and at the same time hopeful that we can avoid becoming another of his victims. Yet, the reason this story is so familiar is that it rings so true.

Watching Miller’s house of cards slowly crumble is both fascinating and nerve-racking. We aren’t rooting for him, but we still get caught up in his web of subtle deceit. His demented sense of “responsibilities” guide him down the path of betrayal … a path that stomps on his all-knowing wife, his ultra-trusting daughter, his sensitive mistress, and a young guy just trying to get his life in order.  And this doesn’t even count the faceless list of investors clueless to the white collar criminal wreaking havoc on their personal finances.

The strong supporting cast is led by Susan Sarandon as the wife, Brit Marling (Another Earth) as the daughter, and Tim Roth as the crusty NY Detective trying to catch the big fish. However, this is Gere’s film and he delivers his best in years. Gere has made a habit of playing guys that always seem to have something brewing beneath the surface.  Here, he actually gets to explode in full arrogant glory.  It’s also great to see Stuart Margolin, who was so entertaining as Angel in “The Rockford Files” back in the 70’s. Another interesting casting choice has long time “Vanity Fair” editor Graydon Carter as the head of the financial institution looking to purchase Miller’s company.

Again, the individual pieces of the story are all quite familiar, but filmmaker Jarecki does a nice job of assembling the pieces in a manner that keep us engaged. It also works as an example of how the rules are different for the rich, and show how the worst of them even think they can, and should, get away with murder!

** NOTE: Richard Gere took over the lead after Al Pacino dropped out.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see Richard Gere as the face of Wall Street greed OR you always enjoy a slick corporate thriller that offers up a villain to throw popcorn at (if movie popcorn wasn’t so expensive)

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer to avoid any more thought concerning the financial crisis and those who stuck it to us (and still are)

watch the trailer:

2 Comments | Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson