You Were Never Really Here šØ & Good Time š„¤
Happy Friday! Since Iāve been roaming the streets of NYC late at night lately todayās rec is for two gritty NYC-set crime thrillers (and previous recs) that complement any debaucherous summer night.
In movie news: The Gotham Awards will adopt gender-neutral acting categories this year: Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance. Each category will have ten nominees āĀ and one winner for now. What do you think of this change?
Have a great (and safe) weekend!
You Were Never Really Here šØ
Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), an army veteran, is a hired gun who tracks down kidnapped children. His handler John McCleary (John Doman) delivers him a new job to track down the kidnapped daughter (Ekaterina Samsonov) of a New York State Senator. However, the job quickly spirals out of control. Here's the trailer.
Why you should watch it:Ā A third of the way through the breezy 90-minute running time, Joe lays down next to a hitman he has just shot. As āIāve Never Been To Meā plays in the background, the two men lay side by side. The hitman extends his hand to Joe and they lay on the floor singing along.
Itās an odd moment of humanity in a movie filled with inhuman behavior and something youād never see in another crime thriller. Ramsay isnāt interested in the violence of the story, though there is plenty of it. Instead, she focuses on the characters and specifically Joeās internalized struggle with his past. Itās essentially an arthouse version ofĀ TakenĀ and itās all the better for it. 90 mins.
Good Time š„¤
Robert PattinsonĀ plays Connie Nikas, a career criminal with a Queens accent, and a mentally disabled brother, Nick (Ben Safdie, who also co-directs, co-writes, and co-edits). After a job goes south, Connie spends most of his night conning and grifting his way through the city to make things right. It doesnāt go well.
Why you should watch it: Connie Nikas may be one of the best anti-heroes in film history. Armed with a seductive charm offensive, alarming compulsion to lie (about everything), and sheer force of will, Connie is equal parts terrifying and irresistible. Giving a career-best performance, Pattinson understands that sociopathy bubbles just underneath the surface and only comes out when itās too late.
The Safdie Brothers build the story as a series of unfortunate events that build momentum and tension until it all breaks in a spectacular fashion. And while its grittiness and pure thrills sometimes make it an uncomfortable sit, itās well worth it. 99 mins.
š½Ā P.S. You can seeĀ every movieĀ Iāve ever recommendedĀ right here.
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Ā Iām also a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes! You can find new movie reviewsĀ hereĀ andĀ here.