Milk (Dir: Gus Van Sant)

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office. The word "openly" is key to the film and Harvey's story. Living a closeted life as an insurance man in New York City, Harvey's world is changed after an encounter with Scott Smith (James Franco). Milk's relationship with the man is galvanizing and, with Scott's encouragement, the two move out to San Francisco's Castro Street where Harvey begins to live more openly and soon becomes a civil rights activist. He transforms Castro Street, San Francisco, and impacts the nation. Milk's key message, and one that will continue to resonate with modern audiences, is that by living openly more people will come to know gay men and women. Once knowing their friends, relatives, and neighbors are gay, they will be more apt to support civil rights for them.

Director Gus Van Sant establishes an electric atmosphere in the early going of Milk moving the film along at a brisk pace. For the director of the recent languid Paranoid Park and Last Days, this is quite startling. There is a real urgency to the film in both subject matter--in light of California's recent Prop 8 voting--and tone. The film cuts masterfully between actual documentary footage and staged material while Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) narrates his own life. Through the use of narration, Van Sant and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black are able to compress large chunks of history into the two hour running time. But this compression also gives the characters short shrift as we lose out on watching their evolution due to the need for exposition. Such are the perils of the biopic.

But the film is nonetheless engrossing. Sean Penn melts into the role and is surrounded by strong supporting players including Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, and Joseph Cross. Josh Brolin, in the midst of a career renaissance, delivers an exceptional performance as a troubled politician. It was also nice to see High School Musical co-star Lucas Grabeel moving beyond the peppy Disney franchise and giving a small, but convincing performance. The film attempts to cover a great deal in two hours and its ambition ultimately undermines its dramatic impact. Nonetheless the film is solidly crafted, expertly acted, and it tells a story still very relevant.

Doubt (Dir: John Patrick Shanley)

The cast of Doubt is tremendous, accomplished. The film, adapted from a stage play, deals with big themes like the nature of truth, sexual identity, and the still relevant theme of abuse of power within the church. With its question of whether or not a priest is abusing his position of headmaster of a middle school, the movie has infinite dramatic potential. But the movie is also heavy handed and underlines its themes repeatedly, over emphasizing its core questions so those in the cheap seats don't miss them. The film is indeed about Doubt. And Sin. And Guilt. And just in case you missed it, the movie repeats the word "doubt" at several crucial points throughout.

See this is a movie about Doubt and each character struggles with doubt and the dramatic climax arrives when several characters finally confront their own doubts. And perhaps I would be more willing to forgive the film its heavy hand if the final exchange did not ring so false and end with yet another repetition of the word doubt. Meryl Streep delivers these final lines and it seems without this final thematic overkill, the film might have arrived at a more satisfying conclusion.

Doubt falls apart in the final moments and reveals what a machine the entire enterprise actually was. The central story is merely a means to give actors a chance to have important, heated conversations about meaty themes. Doubt, the film at least, is about the actors. They all do an excellent job, but in the end it all feels like an exercise. The film is also an exercise in ambiguity: did or didn't he. In the end, who cares, because there is no answer.

See the title.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Dir: David Fincher)

Button is a movie that takes its time. It tells three different tales--the story of the titular hero who ages in reverse (Brad Pitt), an introductory yarn about a very special clock, and the framing tale of a daughter preparing to say goodbye to her elderly, dying mother (Cate Blanchett). That the stories are all connected should be no surprise, but what is surprising is how much time Fincher is given to weave his tale. This is a big, intimate epic. It's a sprawling movie that sets out to tell a life and grapple with mortality. The special effects are dazzling, but I was more astounded by the storytelling chutzpah. The director is working with a huge canvas.

David Fincher will fare very well in future critical surveys of his work. He has already made a perfect film in Zodiac and other than the serviceable Panic Room, his films are consistently ambitious, visually assured, and gripping. Button, however, is the first film he's made that will get the awards folks to take serious notice and likely find broad appeal among women. (His previous works also include Seven, The Game, and Fight Club.)

The film uses its special effects well and they strengthen the story as opposed to overwhelm it. Seeing Pitt as both an infant senior citizen and an elderly teen is fascinating, but it serves the story. (And seeing Brad Pitt look as young as he did in The River Runs Through It is mind boggling.) The film will be compared to Forrest Gump, both of which were written by the same screenwriter, but Gump frequently seemed to be about its special effects. In Button the make-up and computerized effects blend more seamlessly and accentuate the story. The logistics of the reverse aging will also please the sci-fi and fantasy geeks in the audience.

But the aging is a device used to tell a story about longing, regret, and trying to hold on to others in spite of the inevitable. It's a necessarily sad tale, but it also heartens the audience and gives us appreciation for our loved ones and own lives. And for that it's a movie to be cherished and admired.

Kabluey (Dir: Scott Pendergast)

Nearly drowning in indie quirk, Kabluey manages to pull its head above water for a touching conclusion. This film takes place in indie land where nearly everyone and everything is quirky. The cars are quirky, the grocery store is quirky, and the clerks are all quirky. Northern Exposure and Wes Anderson succeed in their quirkified excesses by also creating characters that are deeply flawed and very human. When Kabluey strips away the quirks, humans emerge and the story moves the viewer.

The story opens with Leslie (Lisa Kudrow) hiding in the closet from her two menacing children and speaking with her mother-in-law about how overwhelming her life has become since her husband left for Iraq. Enter lovable loser and brother-in-law Salman. He shows up in part to help out around the house and in part because he has nowhere else to go. In order to help with bills Salman takes the job of a giant blue company mascot. The mascot suit proves a fantastic comic device and makes for excellent visuals and funny physical gags.

As Salman settles in to his new life, he discovers myriad problems. Lisa's life is out of control and the internet start-up for which he is working is on the brink of collapse. Though he has always been a doormat and failure, Salman finds himself in a situation that demands he act. The suit, Salman discovers, evokes very strong reactions in others and he must decide how to use this new power. Can he finally take control of his life and become an actor not merely the acted upon?

As mentioned, in the film's final moments, the movie strips away the quirkiness and closes well. The final scenes feature people merely talking to one another, finally confronting the mess they have made of their lives and trying to face the future. Kabluey is hit and miss, but it achieves a special grace in its closing.

Redbelt (Dir: David Mamet)

Director and playwright David Mamet has earned his critical cred by creating works such as the blistering actor's showcase Glengarry Glen Ross and densely plotted films like the comedy State and Main. He is a master of plotting. Moving his characters like chess pieces, toying with the viewer, creating worlds of treachery and conspiracy. His movies are games that tease and toy with the audience. He is also a master of dialogue more interested in capturing the disjointed non sequitur filled way people actually speak than with conveying exposition.

For his latest effort he lends his talents to the kind of film usually populated by the likes of late night cable staple Don "The Dragon" Wilson. Redbelt tells the story of jiu-jitsu teacher Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his efforts to remain true to his principles. Terry is very good at what he does and has gained notoriety among Los Angeles fight promoters, but refuses to enter into the glitzy world of televised mixed martial arts bouts. He desires to pass along his knowledge to those in need of it, but avoid fighting for show.

But Terry is in a Mamet film where everyone conspires against you and draws you toward inevitable confrontation. From the very first moments, the film creates unease in the viewer and moves with urgency. Fighters grapple, a gun appears, and a sudden violent act occurs that sets the whole film in motion. The principled hero will be forced into an impossible situation and his belief that every trap can be escaped will be tested.

The film is perhaps too enslaved to genre conventions and it reveals this in the final third as it enters the more melodramatic world of the impossible fight against the evil villains. Still this is certainly one of the best fight films I have ever seen and Mamet's plotting, as always, amazes. The film does not desire more than to tell an entertaining story well and at that it succeeds.

Happy-Go-Lucky (Dir: Mike Leigh)

Poppy is a perpetual optimist out to brighten the lives of all around her. Her optimism, however, does not cheer all, irritating bookish store clerks and angry driving instructors. Is Poppy's joy pathological? Is she broken and in need of fixing? Is she stuck or exactly where she wants to be?

Poppy (Sally Hawikins) is a fascinating character in one of the year's best films. Director Mike Leigh has fashioned, in his usual manner, a character study more concerned with conversation and the nuance of human interaction than plotting. You may find yourself impatient for the first twenty minutes or so tapping your feet and asking where's the plot and who is this crazy lady. But when Poppy leaves her circle of club hopping pals and meets her foil, the deadly serious driving instructor Scott (Eddie Marsan), the film takes off. As the two clash--Poppy with her loud dress and barrage of silliness and Scott with his barely contained rage--Poppy's character sharpens.

Poppy at first appears oblivious to the pain of others, but we begin to learn the method to her seeming madness. She desires to heal the broken and we see her give fully of her spirit to the broken and hurt. A more quiet individual, a man who also helps those in need, spots Poppy and finds a kindred spirit. He notices her healing grace almost immediately.

This is not a heavily plotted film. It is largely a collection of scenes in which personalities collide. The final exchanges between Poppy and Scott are highly engrossing and it is in these moments that we realize how deeply we have come to care about Poppy's world and all the flawed individuals in it. Leigh has created a film full of grace and forgiveness in which flaws are observed more than chastised. He wants us to know his characters not judge them. It's a lovely movie and is the rare film that nourishes the spirit. I am happy I met Poppy and look forward to returning to her world.

Slumdog Millionaire (Dir: Danny Boyle)

Sex. Love. Death. Fame. Violence. Slumdog tells an epic story of greed, love, and redemption in under two hours. With an impressionistic style and economic storytelling, director Danny Boyle has crafted a thoroughly romantic tale of treachery and longing. It's a Movie filled with larger than life Villains and a from the slums Hero trying to secure the treasure, win the princess, and vanquish the dragon. But it's also merely serviceable. A way to pass the time.

While I didn't dislike the film, I think it falls short of the transcendence it wants to achieve. Boyle wants to create an old school love story with over-sized emotions that sweeps you up and leaves you high on its Movie Majesty and celebration of Love. (See also Baz Luhrmann.) Instead, I was left admiring Boyle's editing as the characters are too thin to leave an impression. Also, the motivations of the film's on again off again villain turn on a dime and wholly serve the script rendering him more a device than person. The movie will give you back what you put into it. An impression of transcendence will have to be supplied by the viewer because the filmmaker is too concerned with crafting a whizz bang movie machine.

The film's first fifteen minutes or so are its most gripping. Slum dweller Jamal and his friends play cricket on a nearby airfield and are soon chased away angrily by club wielding cops on scooters. The flight of the slumdogs takes them across the roofs of a Mumbai slum while the screaming police pursue. It's a great, alive scene that gives us an immediate sense of place, poverty, and oppression. Jamal will soon meet the Girl who will become his Quest and repeatedly be hindered by his avaricious brother.

Slumdog consistently displays a dynamic visual sense, but leaves much to be desired in the storytelling department. Cynical? Maybe, but the characters are too thin and too motivated by the needs of script to move this viewer.

Man on Wire (Dir: James Marsh)

Philippe Petit is a man of incredible charisma, grace, and focus. We are told in the documentary Man on Wire that as a young man sitting in a dentist's office, Petit saw an artist's rendering in a newspaper of the not yet built Twin Towers and became fixated on one day walking from one to the other on a line suspended between the two. He steals the newspaper from the office in what will become a pattern of committing petty crime to serve his passions.

Wire is a heist film and performance piece. Petit engages in guerilla ballet as he breaks into buildings and then suspends wires from them in order to perform tightrope feats high in the air. His object is not to get from one end to the other, but to dance, play, and perform while high above the ground. The trespass of the buildings is an integral part of the performance and the thrill of this along with his charisma and persistence of vision allows him to gather a group of willing collaborators.

We get the impression that Petit pursued these stunts not so much for the notoriety as it was his passion. But his biggest performance--an attempt to walk between the Twin Towers--because of its audacity brought him fame and it is interesting to see how Petit and his band of collaborators deal with the newfound notoriety. In order to succeed in their feat, however, his crew must devise away to reach the top of the towers and suspend a wire between them without being noticed.

Director James Marsh's film is light on its feet and surprisingly touching. When Petit is performing, he moves with such grace and audacity. You will be surprised by the beauty of his feats. Marsh's film consists of talking head interviews, dramatic reenactments, and actual video and photos of Petit and his crew. Marsh's use of an insistent score and talking heads against dark backgrounds at times recall the films of Errol Morris.

Wire avoids being a mawkish remembrance of the World Trade Center, but still finds a way to honor it through recalling the performance of Petit. The film ends on a surprisingly bittersweet tone as old friends recall their lost youth and wild exploits. And as the film closes, Petit once again walks across a wire suspended above the ground, alone.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Dir: Scott Derrickson)

Earth is a very sincere, but plodding cautionary tale about the impending likelihood of do-gooder aliens holding an intervention for Earth. Concern for the planet is popular again and we've gotten a slew of films this year to prove it from the compulsively watchable, but goofy The Happening to the superb Wall E. I appreciate the intent of these films in an age where we are treating the Earth as if it is expendable and conservation is considered unpatriotic, but the intent of Earth was not enough to save it from a thin script and stiff lead performance by Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu. In the movie, GORT is the automaton and Klaatu is autonomous, but Reeves is out to convince you otherwise.

The film starts out promisingly enough as an impending emergency leads to the forceful removal of astro-biologist Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) from her home by the Feds. She is sequestered to a military compound where soldiers and scientists are gathering to attempt to avert a likely disaster. But as the film settles in, we begin to find out that this story is going to hinge on the relationship between Helen and her estranged stepson Jacob (played by Will Smith's son Jaden). This isn't really all that compelling as the two don't have insurmountable problems to begin with. Klaatu will be their therapist and as helicopters explode and GORT revs up for destruction, Helen and Jacob hash it out in a tame, reasonable manner.

When GORT unleashes his fury, the film has some fun. But it's a fakey CGI fun reminiscent of the scarab attacks in the recent Mummy. Though the stakes are huge in this story--the survival of the Earth--the film never successfully creates a sense of impending doom. The army acts in predictable ways and is continually foiled by the aliens in a timeworn fashion. Kathy Bates as the Secretary of Defense is in charge of the US response and she seems only mildly perturbed by the crisis. This film is guilty of going through the motions, taking us nowhere new, and lacking a pulse. A predictable, slumping movie that trudges along to the finish line.

Run, Fat Boy, Run (Dir: David Schwimmer)

Fat Boy is a slight, silly film which tells the story of Dennis Doyle (Simon Pegg) slacker security guard living in London and trying to win back the girl (Thandie Newton) who he left stranded and pregnant at the altar five years earlier. He is competing for Newton's attentions with alpha male banking honcho Whit, played by Hank Azaria who you may know as about a third of the voices on The Simpsons, including Chief Wiggum. Doyle is also forced to compete with Whit for the love of his own son Jake (Matthew Fenton).

In order to win back Newton, Doyle decides to undertake a movie premise and to compete against runner Whit in the London Marathon. His best buddy Dylan (Gordon Moran), the Rhys Ifans of the film, and jolly landlord Mr. Goshtashtidar (Harish Patel) join Dennis in his quest, engaging him in a merciless training ritual. Along the way Dennis will steadily mature and learn the importance of accepting responsibility.

The film's performances are broad and Pegg is called upon to do a lot of mugging. He plays straight man brilliantly in the smart comedies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but he's far less successful as the goofball. Fat Boy might have gotten by on its lack of pretension, good message, and breezy predictability if not for some ill advised dips into the scatological. The film doesn't hold many surprises although I found it's restrained conclusion to be believable and sweet. A breezy film that won't surprise, but might do just enough to entertain you.

The Brave One (Dir: Neil Jordan)

(Spoiler Heavy)

Is this film to be viewed with ironic detachment or total sincerity? In the movie's closing moments, 9mm toting once conflicted vigilante Erica Bain (Jodie Foster) emerges from the dark Central Park tunnel where she was brutally assaulted earlier in the film. Baptized by blood, Erica joins her newly freed dog while a dreamy Sarah McLachlan ballad escorts us into the credits. This moment is triumphant and is a repudiation of the comeuppance we expected Erica to receive for her vengeful indulgence.

Like the finale of The Sopranos where we expected Tony to finally be whacked to pay for his many sins, we expect Bain to be brought down by good guy Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard). But the film subverts these expectations and sanctions Erica--if Mercer is the film's moral beacon--freeing her to continue her fight for justice unencumbered by the bureaucratic knots of the police and courts. Is this film a fascist paean or a sly repudiation of fascism? I was repelled by Erica to some extent, but her acts of vengeance are fetishized by Jordan as the bullets enter the victims in close up. These carefully staged action scenes give the viewer, as exploitation films do, some satisfaction which we can either choose to feel guilty about or indulge in.

Given the evidence on screen, I can only guess that Jordan has crafted a straightforward exploitation flick. And maybe without the direction of master craftsmen Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Mona Lisa), viewers would be less apt to troll for subtext. If not for the great performance by Howard and the electric moments he shares with Foster, the film would not be nearly as watchable. A serviceable exploitation film that engrosses, but not much else.

Encounters at the End of the World (Dir: Werner Herzog)

I went into this film expecting a standard nature documentary about the wildlife of Antarctica and instead found an idiosyncratic travel diary wherein the director follows his fancies at a casually rambling pace. But director Werner Herzog has a unique outlook and a way with people so following his ramble proves quite enjoyable. This movie is as much about his obsessions and observations as it is Antarctica. In sacrificing structure it loses some momentum, but its still a journey worth making.

Herzog's film is as much about the people that find their way to Antarctica as it is about the wildlife that live there. He finds wanderers, dreamers, and the rootless. I couldn't help but think that many of the dwellers of the science station that Herzog visits have pasts they'd just as soon leave behind forever. Also, much of the work done by the scientists visiting there is extremely dangerous. Those caught outside in a snow storm may quickly be trapped in zero visibility and divers under the ice must enter through small openings that they then must relocate after finishing their dives. Antarctica is not a place for the timid.

It should also be said that Herzog also captures fantastic natural images. The world under the ice is seemingly alien. Herzog has an eye for the quirky, odd, and beautiful. But he is more likely to follow his fancy than provide context for the nature imagery on display. He is not as interested in teaching and informing as the typical nature filmmaker and this will no doubt frustrate those expecting David Attenborough.

Encounters is an artist and dreamer's view of the continent and its odd inhabitants. An idiosyncratic trip worth taking.

Twilight (Dir: Catherine Hardwicke)

There's a great deal to like in the new angsty vampire film Twilight. Star Kristen Stewart playing Bella gives the movie weight and imbues her complicated character with real longing. She has fallen in love with the enigmatic Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) who avoids both sunlight and commitment. As with her role in Into the Wild, Stewart plays a young woman coming of age and eager to consummate her affection. Director Hardwicke and Stewart play these scenes seriously and with tongue nowhere near cheek. It's a movie that respects its target audience and their intelligence. Hardwicke--who also directed the excellent cautionary tale Thirteen--let's her teens be and gets great performances out of all of them.

Except in the early going with Pattinson who sulks with such intense affect that his screen presences evokes the laughable Udo Kier in Blood for Dracula. He's far better once he has revealed himself to Bella and loosens up. Pattinson's affect and the film's horror/action scenes stifle an otherwise intriguing drama. The vampire baseball interlude is excruciating. Hardwicke is excellent at directing people, but believable monsters she has not figured out. I suspect this might be some of the fault of the source novel by Stephanie Meyer, as well.

If the viewer is able to strip away the vampire intra-clan rumbles, there is an effective tale at the core. Most vampire tales imagine the bloodsucker as the libido unbound. Twilight also takes this route, but with the added complexity of teen sexuality and the first sexual experience. The film understands the anxieties of teens in regards to these issues and respects them. And the final moments of the film are satisfyingly uncomfortable as Bella articulates a dangerous plan for her future. A very good film dragged down by silly action scenes. But I am hooked and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Golden Door (Dir: Emanuele Crialese)

Most Ellis Island stories I have heard were romantic tales of oppressed pilgrims journeying to the altar of Lady Liberty. Director Crialese has a different kind of tale in mind. His story follows the Salvatore Mancuso and his family from their home in Sicily to the processing station at Ellis Island. They will undergo an arduous voyage packed too tightly into unsafe quarters far below deck and then find themselves at the mercy of a bureaucracy trying to keep the unfit from mingling in the gene pool.

"Golden Door" is an unsentimental tale that convinces the viewer that "this is how it really happened." The film offers a unique perspective on an over familiarly tale. We are given insight into the Christianity-laced mysticism of the Sicilian people and the tall tales of gigantic fruits and vegetables that drew eager Europeans to the New World. Crialese also dips into the surreal as we see Salvatore (Vincenzo Amato) swimming through California's fabled rivers of milk.

The film uses dialogue sparingly and relies on the power of its images and performances. The story is largely conveyed through the faces of those making the journey. There is also a romance of sorts as Vincenzo becomes fascinated with English woman Luce who is mysteriously traveling with Sicilians to America. The only misstep may be the anachronistic use of Nina Simone tunes, but they are somewhat in keeping with the movie's dips into the surreal.

There are images and moments in this film that will stick with you long after you have finished it. It's a quiet, remarkable film that is essential for movie lovers and those wanting to understand the experience of European immigrants in the early 20th century.

Triad Election (Dir: Johnnie To)

This is my first encounter with famed Hong Kong action director Johnnie To. Several critics had this on their year's best list for 2007 and it finally came up on my Netflix queue. Chalk this up to one of those moments where I just don't get it. To's action scenes are staccato and involving, but "Election" is largely a tired object lesson in Sun Tzu. Legitimate businessman Jimmy Lee is involved with the Triad--Chinese mafia--in order to gain connections. When a new leader is needed for the pan-mafia council, Jimmy's criminal backers want him to fill it. They believe his business success and leadership skills make him the ideal candidate.

Jimmy does not want the job. He wants to go straight and start a new real estate venture. Meanwhile, current mafia council president Lok wants to retain his seat that tradition demands he leave and upstart Kun wants the position for himself. They perceive Jimmy as a likely threat to their goal and prepare to strike against him. Those who have seen "The Godfather" will recognize Michael Corleone in Jimmy Lee. Involving himself in the mob corrupts Jimmy. The shift from innocence to criminal depths is so sudden as to render it a lifeless dramatic moment. It is also completely expected. We don't know Jimmy Lee as an individual, but as a stock character. The film attempts to end with a dramatic wallop as Jimmy faces the long term consequences of his descent into evil, but we've been here before in the hands of better directors and more sure footed storytellers.

There's not enough here to warrant recommendation to a general audience. Action fans and Asian cinema geeks may enjoy it, however.



Up the Yangtze (Dir: Yung Chang)

Ever since the success of "Farenheit 9-11" we've been treated to a stream of polemical documentaries. These are often shrill, artist, heavy-handed and lack Moore's knack for showmanship. Director Yung Chang's "Up the Yangtze" is didactic, but subtle. He's got a message, but darn if he doesn't make you feel like you've reached his conclusion on your own. He mostly shows rather than tells and speaks through his subjects. This is an expertly crafted documentary.

Chang's film tells the story of how the damming up of a large portion of the Yangtze river to create a hydroelectric power plant is displacing poor, but self-sufficient river families. As the river begins to rise, Chang's film follows Yu Shui and her riverside dwelling family. Shui who seems to be about 15 or so is sent by her parents to go work on the cruise ships that take tourists along the rising Yangtze. Her parents cannot afford to send her to school anymore and they need for her to begin to support their family. She begins her work scared, shy, and angry that she cannot return to school.

The film follows others as well, all people affected by the massive industrialization project. As the river slowly overtakes Yu Shui's home, the film contemplates the dual realities of destruction and progress. We see a people unable to halt the progress, forced to embrace it or get out of the way. Particularly notable is the director's ability to largely disappear into his tale and catch his subjects at their most unnerved, angered, or dazed. A fine film well worth seeking out.

Tell No One (Dir: Guillaume Canet)

One of this year's art house hits, "Tell No One" is an expertly constructed thriller hindered somewhat by its exposition heavy climax. Pediatrician Alexandre Beck and his wife are vacationing at a lakeside spot they have shared since they were childhood sweethearts. Beck hears his wife struggling with an attacker and tries to run to her defense, but is knocked unconscious. Beck later learns his wife has been murdered by a serial killer plaguing the area. Eight years later he receives a video of his wife alive and well. Is Beck going crazy? Is someone playing a prank on the doctor? Or is his wife indeed alive?

"Tell No One" is a satisfying mystery that masterfully strings audiences along throughout. It frequently shows characters that we haven't been introduced to yet and demands that we pay attention to what we are seeing. It will all make sense in the end. The movie also features a lengthy, involving chase scene that connects in a way few recent action films do. In these moments, Canet gives the audience a good sense of place, character, and what is it stake. These moments are remarkably tense as a result.

The film, though, is both heightened and hindered by its labyrinthine plotting. The story successfully strings you along with its mysteries, but there is too much to rehash in the final moments. But this is a minor quibble. This is the best thriller I have seen since "The Lives of Others." It is a gripper grounded in character, not explosions. We are invested in the film's outcome because we are invested in the lives of the characters.