Movie Review - The Rip

Director: Joe Carnahan
Genre: Crime/ Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandano Moreno, Sasha Calle, Kyle Chandler
 
Description: A group of Miami cops discover a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.
 
Review: The film follows a Miami police narcotics squad that stumbles upon a massive drug haul and millions of dollars in cash in an abandoned warehouse. What follows is a psychological game of cat and mouse: the officers must count the money on the spot, but the temptation, greed, and mutual distrust soon take hold. As the walls close in on them and dangerous outsiders get wins of the loot, loyalty within the team crumbles at record speed.

What makes this film so good is the chemistry between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who carry this film effortlessly. Their decades-long real-life friendship gives their characters a tangible history and depth. They way their mutual trust slowly begins to crack is a joy to watch. Strong performances across the board, with Steven Yeun and Sasha Calle in particular delivering memorable performances that keep the group’s dynamic constantly sharp.

There is constant underlying tension. Director Joe Carnahan creates an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere. And as soon as the situation spirals out of control, the film treats you to raw, explosive actions scenes with fantastic sound design.

The moral dilemma is built up brilliantly in the first half, the film leans a bit too heavily on familiar Hollywood action clichés as it approaches the finale. Although the plot twists are really good.

“The Rip” is a must-watch for fans of intense crime thrillers in the style of “Heat” and “Training Day”. It’s one of the better and most ambitious action movies Netflix has released recently.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - First Man

Director: Damien Chazelle
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Jason Clarke, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Ciarán Hinds, Ethan Embry, Brian D’Arcy James

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 24: A MOVIE FROM A DIRECTOR YOU LOVE
 
Description: A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

Review: The true story of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who became the fist man to walk on the Moon.
Director Damien Chazelle mainly tries to show that Neil Armstrong was a man of heart and feeling. A man who has a trauma to deal with in the form of a child death. That the loss and the almost obsessive drive for ambition and accomplishment also took their toll is elaborated somewhat less accurately. Armstrong’s family had to put up with a lot by having to put up with a father who only looked after his family with one eye.

With that, “First Man” does stumble on two minds. Space fans, above all, want to know how Armstrong and his men pulled it off. In this respect Chazelle does not disappoint and the fans are amply served. The director shows us creaking cockpits, makeshift repairs, predicaments and roaring rocket engines.
At the same time, the personal drama surrounding this achievement is flat. There could have been a lot more interaction between Ryan Gosling’s Armstrong and his wife Janet, played by Claire Foy. What effect this all has on Janet and their children isn’t shown much.  

Visually this movie is amazing, it proofs why Damien Chazelle is one of the great of his generation. “First Man” is nothing like his previous films “Whiplash” and “La La Land”, completely different theme, based on a true story, no focus on music or Hollywood.

This movie was tough to get through because of the pace. It’s extremely slow and I felt that the entire time. So, overall, it looks good, has a great performance by Ryan Gosling and an interesting story. But the drama lacks and the pace was way too slow for my liking.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Slumberland

Director: Francis Lawrence
Genre: Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Marlow Barkley, Jason Momoa, Chris O’Dowd, Kyle Chandler, Weruche Opia, India de Beaufort
 
Description: A young girl (Marlow Barkley) discovers a secret map to the dreamworld Slumberland, and with the help of an eccentric outlaw (Jason Momoa), she traverses dreams and flees nightmares, with the hope that she will be able to see her late father (Kyle Chandler) again.
 
Review: In “Slumberland”, we follow hermit daughter Nemo, who after her father’s sudden death is sent to her uncle Philip in the city where she discovers that her father’s robber stories were not made up. Together with her father’s robber buddy Flip, Nemo travels through Slumberland to the Sea of Nightmares in search of a magical pearl.

Slumberland is the land you enter when you fall asleep and consists of a dream made especially for you. However, Nemo’s father and Flip have stolen a map that gives them access to not only their own dreams, but also the dreams of others. Agent Green has been chasing Flip for years because of the stolen map, and Nemo herself is found to have a deadly nightmare hunting her. These factors are gradually introduced in the first strange dreams in which Flip and Nemo find themselves.

Despite the excessive use of CGI in the dream world, the film remains entertaining because of the excellent characters. Each character has an entirely unique personality that, with the exception of Flip, are all highly entertaining. For example, Nemo is a wonderfully smart eleven-year-old and Philip is a delightfully awkward doorknob salesman. Flip is the character I liked the least, because although he is the good guy and played with charm by Jason Momoa, his physical humor is not nearly as entertaining as the film seems to think. Just too much time, especially in the first hour, is spent on Flip’s uninteresting rambling though the dream world.

Nemo and her little friend Pig are definitely the stars of the film, with Philip becoming a character you come to understand more once you get to know him better. And I love what they did with his character. He is a more important character then you might think.

“Slumberland” is a family fantasy film with extra layers, that can be enjoyed with the entire family.

Rating: 3, 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Broken City

Director: Allen Hughes
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper, Alona Tal, Natalie Martinez, Michael Beach, Kyle Chandler

Description: In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe).

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 11: A MURDER MYSTERY
 
Review: “Broken City” begins with a trial in which private investigator Billy Taggart is charged with murder. Nicholas Hostetler, the mayor of New York City, gets him off by suppressing evidence and preventing a witness from speaking. After all, Billy is a hero since the victim was a rapist. The mayor is well aware that it is an election year and does everything he can to keep the voters on his side. After his release, Billy goes back to work and notes the mayor calls him for a job. Hostetler suspects that his wife is cheating on him and wants to know all about it. Billy indeed finds out that the first lady of New York is having a secret relationship, after which her lover is found dead.
The first thing that stands out is the great cast they managed to assemble for this film. Mark Wahlberg does his tough guy routine perfectly. It may be a copy of previous roles, but why change something that works? Russel Crowe is also in good form. He visibly enjoys his role as a sleezy politician who thinks only of himself. The best moments are the cold scenes between Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays his wife. Their hatred for each other is very visible and it’s a shame they don’t get much screentime together. Other roles are played by Barry Pepper, Jeffrey Wright and Kyle Chandler. Still, despite the fantastic cast, “Broken City” has not become a top-notch film. The story just isn’t engaging enough. It’s clear that director Allen Hughes and screenwriter Brian Tucker have tried to make it a contemporary “Chinatown”, but that level is nowhere met. At times the plot seems to get complicated, only to be too simple again.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Review - Godzilla Vs. Kong

Director: Adam Wingard
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Bryan Tyree Henry, Julian Denison, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, Lance Reddick

Description: The two most powerful titans are opposite of each other: the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong.

Review: When the giant ape Kong is deployed to find a mysterious energy source, his presence attracts the attention of Godzilla. It’s only a matter of time before these two titans go into battle with each other.
“Godzilla Vs Kong” is a movie I’ve been looking forward to ever since I heard it was in the making. And what a treat it is to see it in theaters, after them being closed for so long.
After “Godzilla” (2014), “Kong: Skull Island” (2017) and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), we have now arrived at “Godzilla Vs Kong. It is not the first time the two iconic monsters meet but today the level is higher. And the result is breathtaking. As in the previous Monsterverse films, the makers have a good eye for detail, scale and action, keeping the way these gigantic creatures move not only believable, but spectacular.
Like its predecessors, this film has little time for the human characters. They aren’t provided with a lot of depth. But the majority of them do serve a purpose in the movie. Especially the little deaf girl Jia, who has a special bond with Kong. This is the heart of the story and the scenes between them are heartwarming. And they are in the film just the right amount, because when you go to see “Godzilla Vs King” you want to see some monster action, epic fights and spectacular battles. And that’s exactly what you get. Depth of characters isn’t needed at all, because you hardly care about the people in the film. But, as I stated before, they have a purpose in the story.  
I wouldn’t have mind if the film was a bit longer. But “Godzilla Vs Kong” did end perfectly in my eyes. Without spoiling anything, they gave both monsters a good ending of this story with it being believable if they were real.
I was so glad that I got the chance to see it on the big screen, because this is a movie you should see in theaters. The movie didn’t disappoint and it was pure entertainment with fantastic visuals.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Super 8

Director: J.J. Abrams
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller/ Adventure
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Amanda Michalka, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Katie Lowes, Marco Sanchez, Joel Courtney, Thomas F. Duffy, Ryan Lee, James Hébert, Teri Clark, Riley Griffiths

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 37: A MOVIE ABOUT MOVIES

Description: During the summer 0f 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.

Review: Nowadays science fiction almost seems to be synonymous with action and spectacle. From destructive robots to heroes with superpowers; as long as it looks impressive and is loud. That used to be different. Look at films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T.”. The characters and the atmosphere were much more important. Director J.J. Abrams grew up with it and brings with “Super 8” a nostalgic ode to these type of films. And Steven Spielberg produced it.
The film is set in the late 70s and we follow a group of children. they are enthusiastic filmmakers. The young director Charles is all about the production value of his new zombie film, so everyone has to be ready immediately when a train races past their nocturnal filmset. The super-8 camera record more than they hoped for, as the train derails and explodes.
The crash with al its consequences form the main plot, but actually that’s not what the film is all about. It’s centered around Joe, a boy who has had a difficult relationship with his father since his mother died in a work accident. During the filming of Charles’ zombie movie, he meets Alice, who has an even worse bond with her dad. It’s the small and tender scenes between them that make “Super 8” more than just and exciting story. Elle Fanning is clearly a natural talent, she steals the show.
The highlight of “Super 8” is not the visual effects or the mystery and intrigue, which are both topnotch, but it’s the wonderfully nostalgic, warm-hearted atmosphere and fantastic cast.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Director: Michael Dougherty
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Charles Dance, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, David Strathairn, O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Description: The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

Review: In 2014 Mark and Emma’s son was killed in the disastrous fight between Godzilla and two MUTO’s. in flashbacks we see how their daughter Madison did survive and how Mark left the family to try and cope with the death of his son. Emma on the other hand, works for the Monarch, a zoological agency that shows high interest in Titans. A groups a creatures that Godzilla is a part of. When she is in the middle of awakening Mothra, eco-terrorist Jonah Allen enters the room.
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is one giant spectacle. There is hardly any room to breathe, because it’s constant action. And it all looks amazing. It’s a visual treat.
Even though this film is mostly about the monsters, there is a moral to the story: restoring the natural balance. And although Emma and Jonah are portrayed to be the ‘bad guys’ of some sort, I really think they have a point. Emma’s drive and motivation for what she is doing makes sense strangely enough.
The audience’s biggest complaint about “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”, is the characters. They have no depth and are disposable. Well people, they are not what’s important in this film. The focus is supposed to be on Godzilla and the monsters. Off course the people should be somewhat interesting as well. And I find Emma and Jonah both a very interesting characters. The rest is indeed not that special. But if you’re a Godzilla fan, you don’t care about the characters and you get exactly what you want: Godzilla!!!
The cast is very talented. Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe and Charles Dance. All very solid. Nothing really noteworthy.
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is a good sequel to 2014s “Godzilla”.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Game Night

Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Billy Magnussen, Kyle Chandler, Jesse Plemmons, Michael C. Hall, Danny Huston, Chelsea Peretti

Description: A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.

Review: Two months after “Jumanji”, we get another fulm about dangerous games. But “Game Night” is not a blockbuster that has extravagant sets and special effects, but a satire mocking over-the-top action movies.
“Game Night” opens with Max and Annie meeting. They are both very competitive and love games. And game night is a regular thing in their lives. It’s basically just innocent games of Monopoly, Life, Charades and Scrabble. When Max’ brother Brooks joins them, he insist on hosting a game night himself. He thought of a murder mystery. But this game turns into a real kidnapping situation.
“Game Night” is at its best when Max and Annie are constantly trying to over throw everyone. Jason Bateman has played the role before, but it’s Rachel McAdams that steal the show. She doesn’t do this kind of comedy often, so it’s a real breath of fresh air. She is already one of my favorite actresses and I loved her in “Game Night”.
There is an element of surprise, which at one point they take a bit too far. But the camera techniques they use are really cool. And the jokes are sharp and quick. It sometimes has a hard time finding a balance.
“Game Night” is a fun comedy, that has Rachel McAdams and Jesse Plemons as its stars. It’s probably not a comedy classic, but it’s definitely a fun night.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 29: Manchester By the Sea

Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams, Gretchen Mol

Description: An uncle is (Casey Affleck) asked to take care of his teenage nephew(Lucas Hedges) after the boy's father dies.

Review: One moment of thoughtlessness is all Lee Chandler needs for his life to fall apart. It took everything from him and made him into the sad man he is now.
Lee works as a janitor and lives a lonely life in Boston. He has a temper and doesn’t mind offending people. But we later see what Lee carries with him and why he became so bitter. When Lee’s bother Joe dies, he has to take care of his teenage nephew Patrick. The film isn’t chronologic, it often jumps back in time. Although there is no visual different between the past and the present, it’s really easy to follow. We see Lee’s demons in both the past and the present.
This film has real people in it, they don’t feel like characters. The acting is very strong. This proofs why, in my opinion, Casey Affleck is the better actor of the Affleck brothers. The film hits you, grabs you. It’s a very sad and somewhat depressing story. The script is very good and anything but predictable.
“Manchester By the Sea” is a film you have to see, it’s really good.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 89: Carol

Director: Todd Haynes
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson

Description: An aspiring photographer (Rooney Mara) develops an intimate relationship with an older woman (Cate Blanchett).

Review: When adapting a book to film that is a little older, the question is often raised if the story in the movie should be set in the same time period as the book. Is the story universal enough to be situated in this era? For “Carol” they stayed true to that and it was the perfect choice.
“Carol” is about a relationship between two women. Not that special you would say, but it’s set in the fifties. The young Therese is a store clerk and an aspiring photographer. She meets Carol, an older and classy woman. They befriend each other, but the two also start feeling more than just friendship.
Cate Blanchett plays the title role of Carol. She is such a versatile actress. Blanchett convinces as the bored wife with a broken marriage and the need for something new. But also as loving mother. Rooney Mara plays Therese, who is perfect for the wallflower role. Two very different people. That is shown in the scene where the two have their first lunch together. Carol knows immediately what she wants to order, when Therese has no idea and just follows Carol’s lead.
“Carol” is a very solid film, beautifully made and very strong acting.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 129: The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 179 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumely, Ethan Suplee, Shea Wigham

Description: Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Review: “The Wolf of Wall Street” is based on true events, about the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort. He is an acrid, clever stockbroker who came from nothing to eventually own over thirty million dollars. Not long after Belfort had his first taste of Wall Street, the company he works for collapses. He is forced to search for something new and he finds this little, amateurish business. Because he is convincing and the extreme high commission, he gathers a loyal yet eccentric team and starts his own business. Belfort manages to sell worthless shares for a lot of money and his company, Stratton Oakmont grows and grows.

A film about capitalism, directed by Martin Scorsese and blessed with a strong cast. All the ingredients for a sharp film. “The Wolf of Wall Street” starts strong and sucks you in with some strong dialogues. Especially the lunch conversation between Belfort and his mentr Mark Hanna is masterfully acted. Matthew McConaughey is very intense and it’s hard to look away. Sadly for us, McConaughey is only seen for 10 minutes. Also great is the scene were Belfort meets FBI agent Patrick Denham, very subtly played by Kyle Chandler. It’s fascinating to see how the two man go from having a civilized and friendly conversation to a heated dialogue.

As the main protagonist, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a very impressive performance. Navigating between the calculated coldness, the manic urge to self-manifestation and the insatiable greed for money, drugs and alcohol all of which are typical for the character Jordan Belfort. DiCaprio really loses himself in the role. But Belfort never gets as interesting as movie archetypes like Gordon Gekko (“Wall Street”) or Daniel Plainview (“There Will Be Blood”). That’s because the character is very one dimensional and doesn’t have a lot of depth. Especially during those speeches he gives for his team, it’s hard to make that credible.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” isn’t all that original for Scorsese either. If you replace the mob for drugs, sex and greed, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a lot like “Goodfellas”. Not only is the story told by the main character in the form of a voice-over, the accent and the way he talks also sounds a lot like Henry Hill in “Goodfellas”.

In the beginning the confronting scenes, sex orgies and drug escapades are shocking. Especially because of its satire. But after a couple of those hedonistic outbursts, you’re done with it. The movie looks like it’s on repeat. With that, the movie is way too long. A movie with hardly any likeable characters, is hard to watch for me. I can only sympathize Jordan’s foulmouthed father and FBI agent Patrick Denham. And especially Belfort’s spineless, white teethed business partner Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) is one of the most annoying and terrible characters I’ve ever seen. “The Wolf of Wall Street” also constantly shifts between admiration and social criticism. “The Wolf of Wall Street” is definitely a good movie, but it gets way more credit then I think it

deserves. There were many Scorsese movies that I loved more.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 14: Argo

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Titus Welliver, Keith Szarabajka, Bob Gunton, Richard Kind, Richard Dillane, Omid Abtaho, Page Leong, Farshad, Cea DuVall, Sheila Vand, Ryan Ahern, Bill Tangradi, Jamie McShane, Tate Donovan, Matthew Glave, Roberto Garcia Christopher Stanley

Description: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent (Ben Affleck) launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1980.

Review: November 1979, Iranian students occupy the American embassy in Teheran, to enforce extradition of the Shah. Over fifty Americans were taking hostage and were released after fourteen days, after the Shah died. Six embassy staff members did manage to flee on that same day to the Canadian embassy. With a science fiction movie as a cover, they managed to escape after three months. In 1997, Bill Clinton released information about this mission, with a big role for CIA man Tony Mendez. This is a perfect story for a movie.

Director Ben Affleck choose Rodrigo Prieto as his cinematographer, who is known as the cameraman for Alejandro Gonzálex Iñárritu. This makes all the images authentic. This sets the film of to a good start and the thriller plot can develop. “Argo” looks perfect as a time period piece, with the characters constantly smoking, big glasses and televisions with buttons. In the second half of the film, the pace gets faster. This is a good thing. The movie is build slow and then picks up the pace.

“Argo” does have its weak points. Director Affleck is great, leading actor Affleck, who looks like Al Pacino in “Serpico”, doesn’t manage to convince you completely. As a CIA man he does, but the demons he has (drinking, failed fatherhood) don’t really reach the audience the way it should have. A strong opponent could have covered it up a bit, but the powerful performances are given by John Goodman and Alan Arkin, who have supporting roles.

I understand the success of “Argo”, it’s a true story about a heroic escape plan, and I liked it. The change of pace works well and Ben Affleck did a good job as a director. “Argo” is a good film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 76: The Spectacular Now

Director: James Ponsoldt

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Runtime: 95 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larsson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler

Description: Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) lives in the now. A high school senior, charming and self-possessed, he's the life of the party, loves his job at a men's clothing store, and has no plans for the future. But after being dumped by his girlfriend, Sutter gets drunk and wakes up on a lawn with Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley) hovering over him. She's different: the "nice girl" who reads science fiction and doesn't have a boyfriend. While Aimee has dreams of a future, Sutter lives in the impressive delusion of a spectacular now, yet somehow, they're drawn together.

Review: A first love, senior year in high school, a future with never ending prospects. “The Spectacular Now” shows us this exciting yet scary period of someone’s life. Main character Sutter is in this phase, he enjoys life and doesn’t look further then the next second. After his break up with girlfriend Cassidy, he meets Aimee. This boy-meets-girl setup starts a love story that reminds many of us of 80’s movies by John Hughes. But the authenticity makes “The Spectacular Now” excellent and superior.

The scenario by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, is based on the young adult novel by Tim Tharp. It focusses on the characters, that all have a certain depth and is filled with details. Supporting characters like Sutters strict mom and his ex-girlfriend don’t become stereotypical or annoying. It’s a sharp observation. We see the positive influences that Aimee and Sutter have on each other, but we also see their weaknesses. Director James Ponsoldt did a wonderful job, with a great style, beautiful long takes and the nuance and complexity of the characters. But we should also give credit to leading actors Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. Teller carries the film easily and Woodley steals the show without any frills, but with a lot of warmth, intelligence and fragility.

“The Spectacular Now” can’t avoid all the clichés, but takes a sharp yet tender look at love at the end of our teenage years. A great director, fantastic acting and wonderful visuals make this movie to an authentic and memorable picture.

Rating: 4/ 5