Everybody Wants Some!!

Richard Linklater appears again with the spiritual sequel to his 1993 classic Dazed and Confused, but unlike previous follow-ons to his other movies, he fails to deliver as poignant or relatable experience this time round. That's not to say Everybody Wants Some!! isn't an enjoyable movie, especially if you're in the mood for a trip down nostalgia lane (or you really just love 80's music).

In true Linklater style, the movie takes place over a finite amount of time; the three days at the end of summer before the start of a new semester at a Texas university. Jake (Blake Jenner) is a hotshot pitcher with a scholarship to play baseball and gets set up in one of the houses for the team. He is soon taken under the wing of older player Finnegan (Glen Powell) who shows him the ropes and introduces him to the other players. He also has eyes for Beverly (Zoey Duetch), a theatre major who complimented him early on the first day.

Everybody Wants Some!! has a bit more of a fluid plot than most people would come to expect, but then again that's something that we have come to expect from Linklater. But with his other films, there is a built up tension that we know is going to release at the end of the film; in Dazed and Confused it's the last day of school before summer, something that every kid is looking forward to immensely; in Boyhood it happens on a much larger scale, the end of being a child and becoming an adult. And while this follows on with the themes of growing up, the build up in this one seems a little lacklustre.

The novelty and nostalgia present in the movie is fantastic though, and there is special care to look at every social aspect of the early 80s. The love of disco, country and punk cultures are all explored and shown at what point on the social ladder they were on at the time. The soundtrack features a great number of tracks that reflect these different genres and makes the movie quite immersive. However, the focus on baseball does drag on a bit, but even the characters in the movie comment on this singular focus.

Like with Dazed and Confused, Linklater has used a relatively unknown cast. The only difference is that we know all the stars to come out of Dazed and Confused (Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck at the top of that list), so don't be surprised if the same happens here. Standouts are Blake Jenner whose leading presence is already apparent, Glen Powell (who plays a similar enough character to McConaughey's Wooderson) and Wyatt Russell, whose loveable stoner Willoughby should be everyone's favourite character. Also giving good performances are Deutch, Quenton Johnson and Juston Street.

Everybody Wants Some!! manages to capture the excitement of the early 80s, but fails to capitalise on some of the the things that have made Linklater's other films relatable. The young cast play their wacky characters with a lot of enthusiasm.

Trailers Week 103: 26/06/16

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Trust Tim Burton to make a world that looks nice at a glance, but with a closer look it's kinda creepy. It does look like a return to the sort of movies that made him popular.

War on Everyone (NSFW)

Considering this director's last film was the very heavy Calvary, this one looks like a great surprise. More than anything it's going to be fun to watch Alexander Skarsgård not play such a serious character for once.

All Eyez On Me

This movie comes on the heels of last year's Straight Outta Compton and is focused on the life of fellow West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur all the way up to his death in 1996.

American Honey

This is the sort of esoteric indie movie that we'd expect Shia LaBeouf or James Franco to star in. It's just a shame that they both aren't in it.

The Girl with All the Gifts

Moviemakers are always punching out new ways to dress up a zombie movie. This one is about a girl who is only a tiny bit zombie, like saying I'm two thirds zombie. And of course Glenn Close would be the one in charge of a scary underground bunker.

The Birth of a Nation

This biopic is about Nat Turner, a slave preacher who led a rebellion in 1831.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Tom Cruise returns as action hero Jack Reacher in an attempt to get a new movie series going. He may not be as good Ethan Hunt, but I can't resist a Tom Cruise action movie.

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Of course you'd be suspicious if Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot moved into your neighbourhood. I'd want to find out what they're up to as well.

Inferno

A good adventure movie is only as good as the conspiracy behind it. Or at least in the case of Dan Brown it is.

Mechanic: Resurrection

Oh, I get it now. A mechanic is a fixer and that's another term for an assassin. Let's see if they can fix this movie.

American Pastoral

Ewan McGregor's directorial debut is based on the novel of the same name and looks very intense.

Lights Out

I couldn't even get through the first thirty seconds of this horror trailer, can you?

Ouija

Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say don't play with these kind of things. Especially if you live in a movie.

Classic Movie Review: Amadeus (1984)

This movie is probably less well remembered than the 80's pop song that it inspired and definitely less so than the Simpsons parody of that song. But Milos Forman's Academy Award-winning film has a certain something that most blockbuster movies of today are lacking. Amadeus has a certain charm that most epics are missing out on and that has a lot to do with it's extravagant subject and amazing acting.

One night in Vienna, old Italian composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) attempts suicide, claiming that he killed famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). After being admitted to an insane asylum, he tells his story to a young priest. From a young age Salieri committed himself to excelling in music, eventually rising to become the court composer for Austrian Emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones). When Salieri hears about Mozart, he expects a regal genius, but rather finds a young man who wants nothing but fun. He finds this vulgar and makes it his life goal to ruin Mozart's career.

One of the things that may turn people off watching this is that it features a lot of classical music and composers writing their music. But that's only a small part of it and not at all the focus. Rather the hatred one man has for his rival and the passion he has to bring him down. Many times throughout the film Salieri acknowledges the genius that Mozart is and does nothing to contain his jealousy. However this rivalry is completely one sided, which makes it even more compelling to watch. Mozart believes that Salieri is doing his utmost to help, rather than undermine his popularity in the city of Vienna. This kind of bizarre feud is something you'd expect from second grade celebrities on Twitter. But despite the fact that the story seems so genuine, none of it is true. The historical accuracy of Amadeus is practically non-existent, something which people today would be disgraced at. But in this case, it doesn't matter at all. You are so swept up by the story and characters that it doesn't matter if any of it happened or not, it's just a whimsical journey you get caught up in (at least if you're watching from Mozart's perspective).

It's super fun to watch Tom Hulce as Mozart. He is able to bounce from being a giddy playboy to a petulant child in an instant and he has the most infectious (if sometimes annoying) laugh captured on film. His performance is complemented completely by F. Murray Abraham, who is a lot more reserved than his rival. They appear as both sides of a demented coin. It's no surprise that Abraham won the Oscar for Best Actor, but it is to see that both of them were nominated for that award. It would have been a hard choice. The supporting cast is wonderful, especially Jeffrey Jones as the slightly coddled Emperor, whom no one wishes to offend, as well as Simon Callow, who plays one of Mozart's alcoholic friends.

Even at three hours running time (that's for the Director's Cut), this movie is never boring. Forman is an absolute master of the screen, who fills this period piece with so many details that it's a good time just to watch what's happening in the background. It's a shame that it isn't as well known because it definitely holds up thirty years later, which is a standout for a movie that could have only thrived and died in the time it came out, which is the case for a lot of Oscar winners from this time.

Fall Out Boy's Ghostbusters Theme Song Not So Great

Despite having a few underwhelming trailers, I have been trying to remain positive about Paul Feig's upcoming Ghostbusters reboot. I'm of a mind not to judge a movie until we've seen it a let it speak for itself. But one thing I can comment on is the new theme song that has been released by Fall Out Boy featuring Missy Elliott. Let's just say it doesn't quite capture the classic essence of Ray Parker Jr.'s original hit.

Check it out below:

Here's the original if you want to compare (and because you can never have too much of the original).

Me Before You

Me Before You was a strong draw, mainly because my guilty pleasure is romantic movies. The controversy and attention it had gotten from disability advocates around it's portrayal of euthanasia didn't slow me down either because love trumps all, am I right guys? But when your romance features very little in the way of love, it's hard to get on board.

Lou Clark (Emilia Clarke) is down on her luck after being fired from the cafe she has worked at for the last six years. But a new opportunity arises when Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) is in need of a new companion. Will had an accident two years ago that left him a quadriplegic and his parents Camilla (Janet McTeer) and Steven (Charles Dance) feel as though Lou will lift his spirits. They get off to a shaky start, but soon Lou gets through to him. However, she soon discovers that he has applied for euthanasia in Switzerland and decides to try and do all she can to change his mind.

The major problem with this movie is that it is poorly written. After an extremely brief introduction to each of the characters and where they are in life when the story starts, there is too much time spent on both how much of a bastard Will is and how much he hates his life. There is barely any development in building a relationship between Lou and Will, but that's okay because she's dating super stupid Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter) for three quarters of the movie. By the time any sort of relationship has begun to form, you end up wanting the film to finish. There is also way too little emphasis put on the issue of euthanasia. It seems to skirt around it without giving a solid opinion so as to not offend anyone, but ends up doing a so from a lack of decisiveness. There is a slight class commentary as well with all the lower class characters having a lack of direction, while all the rich people have ambition.

At least the two leads have an alright chemistry with each other. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin get along really well and give decent performances despite working with a bad script. Emilia Clarke plays definitely against type, which isn't exactly a good thing here. She normally is a strong woman who will do whatever it takes to reach her goal, but Lou is an idiot who doesn't have any drive. At least her expressive eyebrows are a fun distraction. Sam Claflin plays the character exactly how it is written; an unlikeable miserable snob. It's not like he doesn't have any charm, he was wonderful in Love, Rosie, but in this movie he doesn't have a lot to work with. Steve Peacocke plays Will's nurse Nathan, but does so in an Aggressively Australian way, meaning that once the director noticed that they'd hired an Australian, they kept giving notes to make his character sound more Australian than he needed to be. Charles Dance adds a little bit of heart to this movie and his usual tough exterior is removed to show a softer side.

Me Before You is not high on my list of enjoyable romantic flicks. It barely even tries to make the audience want to see any sort of relationship between the characters and handles both the sensitive subjects of disability and euthanasia in a rather sloppy way. Especially Sam Claflin's extremely distasteful My Left Foot impersonation.

Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin has died in a car accident

The 27 year old who was best known for his role as Chekov in JJ Abrams Star Trek movies has died in a car accident at his home in California. He was found by his friends tragically pinned between his car and a brick wall.

He may not have been actor that everyone was familiar with, but he certainly was a rising star. Apart from Star Trek, he appeared in many independent films, such as the horror remake Fright Night and Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, and starred with many big names like Nicolas Cage, Ethan Hawke and Christian Bale. He will also appear in the upcoming Star Trek Beyond.

Finding Dory

“I’m Sigourney Weaver, thank you for joining us”

There’s possibly nobody on Earth more excited for Finding Dory than Ellen DeGeneres, and this is very much her movie, however the stakes are high with this latest Pixar release. Their track record for sequels is second-to-none, and Finding Nemo is arguably one of their most well regarded films. Thirteen years on, does the Finding story really have the legs for a sequel?

Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is an amnesiac. She’s also a fish. After returning home from the adventures of the first film, Dory struggles to fit in on the reef. Yet after a telling flashback, she remembers a key detail about her childhood and how she and her parents became separated. Darting immediately off into the distance, her friends Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) - after calming her down - agree to help her look for her long-lost parents.

After the usual warm-up act from Piper - possibly the most adorable Pixar short to date - Finding Dory takes no time to remind us who the new titular character is, “My name’s Dory. I suffer from short-term memory loss”, certainly not the last time we’ll hear that phrase. After a life-story in well-handled flashbacks, we pick up essentially where we left off. Whatever may have happened to Dory, Marlin and Nemo in the short time-period that we’ve skipped, it’s clear that we haven’t missed anything important. Soon enough we’re following the trio on a quest to find Dory’s parents in what turns out to be a much lighter, safer chapter in the series.

Sure, Finding Dory is just as entertaining as the original, and continues the kids/adults balance that Pixar films handle so well, but despite several set-ups and the immense challenges posed to the marine trio, it doesn’t feature any real moments of peril like the first, or manage to traverse the emotional peaks and troughs that you might expect of it.

The Australian talent is sadly gone (not surprising as it's largely set in a different part of the ocean)

which means so are the suspiciously well-meaning vegetarian sharks, a source of entertainment and danger in the original. In the handful of scenes where there are challenges to overcome, we’re far from the edge of our seats. Before we even have the chance to experience any palpable tension, the situation is quickly resolved (often thanks to one of the various new characters and their slightly too convenient attributes) and Dory, Marlin and Nemo are able to continue onward, with little to no impact on the plot or character development.

It may not have the depth, but the story is at least well written - particularly the dialogue. There was a real danger that more focus could turn Dory into the Jar-Jar Binks of the series, but her forgetful yet bubbly personality stays surprisingly well balanced. Thankfully, the animation stays true to the original, with only small-improvements here and there that all but the most hardcore of fans wouldn’t notice. Thomas Newman’s soundtrack is good for the most part but doesn’t have the same energy or mix of raw emotions that his OST for the first film did (a real contender for best Pixar soundtrack).

Finding Dory kind of feels like it’s missing something. At its best, it’s regularly witty and light-hearted fun that works for both parents and kids - with a great moment involving Louis Armstrong, a truck and slow motion - but it doesn’t challenge its younger audience with moral hurdles or the emotional punch that we’ve come to expect from the better Pixar films.

Trailers Week 102: 19/06/16

Anthropoid

How many of these crazy plots against Hitler were there? There certainly seems enough to make a million movies about.

Outlaws and Angels

Let's go back to the old West and see how those outlaws were in the habit of stealing girls and turning them into outlaws too. It seems like a vicious cycle.

Ben-Hur

He was a prince, then a slave, then a famous charioteer. It's seems like he's a jack of all trades.

Moana

Who doesn't want to see Dwayne Johnson play a Polynesian demigod. I hope it's got music and singing like Hercules did all those years ago.

Storks

The idea of storks getting out of the baby delivery business and into the Amazon drone package delivery business seems like a really good business plan. Sometimes all you need to do is pivot when you're in a rut.

Pete's Dragon

It's like if Mowgli was raised by a dragon instead of wolves.

Morris From America

He's just a kid whose dad has a dream for him to become a famous rapper.

Almost Christmas

Who doesn't love a Christmas family comedy where everything goes wrong.

Denial

A star studded drama about Holocaust denial, how can this possibly go wrong?

Disorder

A movie about living life on the edge. But I suppose that's what happens when you steal a gangster's wife and son.

David Brent: Life on the Road

I know I can't wait for this Ricky Gervais cringefest.

Classic Movie Review: Starship Troopers (1997)

Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers is an often forgotten sci-fi gem, especially since he is better known for his more high profile films Robocop and Total Recall. But with this movie, Verhoeven has made something a lot more relatable and extremely poignant even though it was made almost two decades ago.

In the distant future, the people of Earth are in a constant struggle against the alien Arachnids of Klendathu. Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) decides to join up for federal service with the reward of becoming a citizen, which will allow him to vote and generally just become a proactive member of society (you know, something we should all strive to achieve). Spurred on by the ever present propaganda, Johnny joins his girlfriend Carmen (Denise Richards) and best friend Carl (Neil Patrick Harris) in signing up, only to get drafted into the Mobile Infantry, an army of expendable soldiers.

The thing that stands out and makes Starship Troopers such a great movie is the comment it makes on how war turns a regular society into a group of warmongering fascists. This is set up quite well in the Nazi imagery and propaganda films that are being shown to us at all times, but that is a rather surface level element of the movie. The real message of the story is that anyone can be turned into a extremist who hates another group of people (although in this case it's ugly bugs). To begin with, the characters don't really have an opinion of the insects invading, but after being told how to think by the propaganda, they soon come around to thinking their way is the right way. And the audience too participates in this, as we are shown the same constant videos about how the aliens are bad and only you can help.

That, of course, is only one of the elements that make this movie great. It's also a great action movie too. Verhoeven is more than capable of making an incredibly thrilling action movie. The war scenes on both land and in space are spectacular to watch and for a movie from this time, the digital effects are remarkable and hold up really well, something not a lot of people would expect.

This movie features some actors who you are surprised to see in it and others that you know you'd probably never see again. Neil Patrick Harris is probably the biggest one of these surprises, especially since he gives an incredibly solid performance. Late 90s heartthrob Denise Richards doesn't really stand out for her acting chops and neither does Casper Van Dien, but he plays a very likeable character. So does Jake Busey, who is probably better known for being crazy Gary's son. Michael Ironside has a particularly favourite role of mine.

Starship Troopers is a memorable movie for me (although probably not good to watch as a six year old) and it has definitely stood the test of time. It is pretty thrilling for a low-grade action sci-fi that will get everyone excited.

The Conjuring 2

Will there be a Conjuring 3? 4? If they’re as good as this one, I’ll definitely be lining up to see it. After the disaster that was 2014's 'Annabelle', I’m glad this series has found its’ footing again.

The Conjuring 2 brings us into the lives of paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) a second time, to tell the story of the infamous Enfield Hauntings (this one is also based on the true story from the case files of the real Ed and Lorraine Warren, known as ‘England’s Amityville’).  Tiring of sceptics denying their work and growing weary of constantly being in the public eye, as well as an unsettling premonition from Lorraine haunting her constantly, the pair decides to take a break from their work and focus on everyday life. Unfortunately, their time out is short lived as their services are called on by the Catholic Church to assess the case of the Hodgson Family. Across the pond, the family of five begin to experience a variety of frightening paranormal activities centred mostly on the youngest daughter Janet. As the family’s life begins to spin out of control at the hands of this spirit, Ed and Lorraine must find a way to balance what they know is right and their own safety, all while trying to determine whether or not this haunting is even true.

The positives: In terms of scares, this film’s got it. The most important part is that it doesn’t rely heavily on jump scares or too many overused tropes to help frighten its audience, and when tropes are used, they’re done so in an innovative and interesting way so that it stands apart from other horror movies. The cinematography, pacing and acting in this film all culminate together to help create a constant unsettling atmosphere throughout its entirety; there is never a moment where you can completely relax. As well as this, the film plays with your stance on the case: could it be that it’s all being faked? As said before the acting in this film is excellent, however there should be a special mention to Madison Wolfe who plays Janet, without whom this film would not have worked as much of it relies on her talent.

The negatives: This film is a haunting film, and as I said before it does use a few of the same tropes that can be seen in a variety of other horror films. Also, quick side note, horror films are really going to run out of nursery rhymes/poems to make into creepy mantras soon.

If you’re a fan of the franchise or just a fan of the horror/thriller genre, this may be one of the few occasions where the sequel is better than the original film. The intensity and attention to detail by James Wan really comes through, and upcoming horror films should take note from The Conjuring 2 on how to properly scare an audience in an innovative and entertaining way.

Trailers Week 101: 12/06/16

Spaceman

Josh Duhamel has a wicked left arm and a propensity to get as high as possible.

Kicks

Woah this looks like it's going to be dark. This is what happens when you bully the little guy.

The Shallows

I know we keep showing the trailers for this movie, but each time I see one, I'm terrified.

Vigilante Diaries

Ooh, imagine if vigilantes had their own internet subscription show where they let uploaded all the times they brought down a bad guy. Not this, just a cool idea.

Yoga Hosers

Kevin Smith's latest is about two yoga loving Canadian teens who take on supernatural Nazi sausages. Check out the nose on Johnny Depp.

The Legend of Tarzan

An IMAX trailer! Because nothing pops out more on your small computer screen like IMAX.

Ghostbusters

I'm just showing these trailers now in the hopes that each will be last bad. It doesn't really matter about the movie now.

Now You See Me 2

Coming into this movie with very low expectations, I left pleasantly surprised and actually felt the $17.50 movie ticket was worth it in comparison to some other films I’ve seen this month. Also, being a big fan of the first film, I’ll try to keep my opinions as unbiased as possible. Try.

Now You See Me 2 (a.k.a Now You See Me: The Second Act) is the sequel to the 2013 film, you guessed it, Now You See Me. The film once again reunites us with the Four Horsemen, J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), with replacement 4^th member Lula (Lizzie Caplan) stepping in in the wake of Isla Fisher’s exit. In their latest adventure, the Horseman find themselves thrown into a new game and a new city, in which lies Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe) who forcibly recruits them to help steal a profitable piece of technology from a rival company. After a year in hiding and doubting their overlords The Eye’s plans for them, the group are itching to have a chance at the limelight once more, however as always with magic tricks, things are not always as they appear to be.

The positives: Above everything, this film was fun to watch as the franchise has learned not to take itself too seriously. The storyline is full of twists and turns that helps to keep the audience engaged and entertained, as well as helping to stop it becoming a carbon copy of the last film, and definitely has its humorous moments that help break the tension. The film also addresses Fisher’s character Henley’s exit, rather than simply taking the easy route and sweeping it under the rug. There are also lots of nail biting scenes involving many new and improved tricks, including one inside a vault that really impressed me and that audiences will have fun with. All acting is essentially as it was in the first film, with Caplans’ ‘Lula’ adding a fun, flirtatious element that helps to contrast her with the rest of the mostly male cast and is the source of most of the humour. I also enjoyed seeing more of Mark Ruffalo’s character, FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes, acting like the son of a magician, i.e. doing magic tricks and understanding magic history.

The negatives: The bottom line is, if you didn’t enjoy the first film, you won’t enjoy this one. Although there are a lot of improvements between this and the 2013 release, the general atmosphere is the same. Some minor plot holes leave you with a bit of confusion once the credits roll. The ‘magic’ does lead to some unrealistic scenarios, just as in the first film, that the audiences are expected to gloss over because, well, magic. As well as this, I felt the ending was a little overdone and I would’ve been happier if the film ended 10 minutes before it did. Most annoyingly, the film attempts to address some issues surrounding sexism in a few scenes using Lula, only to completely negate their progress in the next by adhering to some pretty standard female tropes which was a bit of a let down and may be a little jarring for people who grew fond of the snarkier Henley compared to the fun-loving Lula.

Overall the film was a fun time that fans of the franchise will enjoy. The dazzling magic effects, entertaining characters and engaging plot do draw you in and make you remember why you enjoyed magic as a kid. If you’re looking for something in-depth and gritty, you won’t enjoy this film. But for a fun adventure movie, it has a lot to offer.

Money Monster

Jodie Foster has once again taken to directing with her fourth feature film Money Monster. A part-comedy, part-drama starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, this financial thriller promises a lot, but doesn’t necessarily deliver.

Lee Gates (George Clooney) stars as the financial guru of cable television, on his show ‘Money Monster’. During a live filming, his show is ambushed by Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell), who holds the studio at gunpoint, demanding that they don’t cut the live feed. Lee is strapped into an explosive vest as Kyle demands to know why IBIS Clear Capital, a company that Lee had personally recommended as “safer than your savings account”, had just lost $800 million in stock value due to a “glitch” in its trading algorithm. In what will surely be the worst day of show director Patty Fenn’s (Julia Roberts) professional career, those inside the studio struggle to take control of the situation and meet Kyle’s demands before he sets off the vest.

The film opens with a sequence that brings together the intense critiques of journalism and media from films like The China Syndrome and Network, with the cha-ching of recent financial satire films The Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short. As such it’s difficult from the get-go to see how Money Monster is going to find its own path. The film effectively has two interweaved acts; one following the events that take place in the studio, and one on the reactive events that occur outside. The former scenes work really well, there’s a palpable tension as Patty tries to use her directorial skills to control the situation, where Lee prefers to cut through it with his blunt sarcasm and asides. However as soon as we cut away to the exterior focus, the manipulative side of the film rears its ugly head and starts to throw all sorts of moral messages at us.

The film pleads with us to pick an antagonist; is it the guy with the gun, Kyle? Is it the arrogant opportunist, Lee? Is it Wall Street? It’s trying to find a black and white answer to a very murky question. As the film rolls on, we’re placed in a tense race to either see the rapidly escalating situation put under control, or find out who’s responsible for the system ‘glitch' - the answer to which reveals itself too soon thanks to some blatantly-foreshadowing dialogue: ’I got you some chocolate….from Switzerland’ *dun dun duuuuun*.

A more interesting premise, which thankfully doesn’t get put under the moral magnifying glass like so much of Money Monster, is the battle to humanise Lee Gates in the ninety-minute running time, a man so initially out of touch with the world that he has a gold-embroidered dancing troupe to help him announce the stocks to keep an eye on...that’s showbiz folks. It’s very easy to place all the blame for Kyle’s situation on Lee, and it’s certainly partly the fault of his over-the-top spruiking, but as more is revealed and we get a better idea of the bigger picture, Lee starts to look less devious, and more like a charming village idiot, who actually takes some responsibility for his actions. Although to be fair that could be more to do with George Clooney’s performance, I hear he’s irresistible.

We also get a well-developed performance from Julia Roberts, who I must admit I’ve struggled to watch in many previous roles. Here however, she has just the right amount of sass to shoot down Lee’s remarks, a nuanced understanding of how to approach the situation and the occasional hint that, like everybody else in the studio, she’s quaking in her boots. Jack O’Connell also steps up his game from his performance in Angelina Jolie’s Unwatchable Unbroken and we get the invaluable pleasure to see Giancarlo Esposito on screen again, in what sadly becomes a rather banal cop role. What’s more, for the roles outside of the studio, the underwhelmment (which should definitely be a word) is par for the course. As soon as we leave the tense studio environment, be it for a quick cutaway or for the path that the story takes, the film becomes too focused on delivering a message, and loses the satirical-thriller element that sets it apart from whatever else is playing this weekend.

Money Monster does well to recognise its strengths, namely Clooney, Roberts and the satire/thriller blend. However, all too often it oversteps its bounds and starts to preach its message without the finesse required, or the content to back it up.