Tuesday Releases: Broken City & Silver Linings Playbook

April 30, 2013 / Leave a Comment

APRIL 30TH, 2013

BROKEN CITY // “Broken City” relies heavily on its seasoned cast, especially the leads, Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, and Jeffrey Wright to hold this film together when the script is paper thin. Caught in a scheme of betrayal and murder, Wahlberg’s character, Billy Taggart, a former detective turned private investigator is contacted by acquaintance Mayor Hostetler (Russell Crowe) to follow his “cheating” wife, played by Catherine Zeta Jones. The women players are often glazed over, with Jones playing the victim, Taggart’s longtime girlfriend (Natalie Martinez), playing the naive actress, and Taggart’s assistant (Alona Tal), playing the attractive and last minute/after thought love interest. Instead of burying its surprises, “Broken City” wears them on its sleeve, with revelations replaced by factors already in play that the audience is supposed to forget about. For example, the tape the Mayor has on Taggart. Are we supposed to conveniently forget about this for the entire film even though we are introduced to it in the opening scenes of the film? Built around a mayoral campaign, much like 2010’s “The Ides Of March” which happened to do it much better, this film is able to reach past most of its shortcomings and still produce an entertaining thriller.

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THE GUILT TRIP // Highly relatable and impressively heartfelt, “The Guilt Trip” takes the unlikely pairing of Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand and makes the script work for them. Although there’s nothing extremely new pouring out of the scenes of this film, the delivery and pacing work to the film’s advantage, allowing the audience’s investment without beating a dead-horse. Streisand is unequivocally sincere in her role as mother, proving her strong poise in front of a camera has not dwindled, but has blossomed, with age. Rogen delivers well enough as the role of the annoyed son, and steps away from his crude humor roles that he’s known for, showing an impressive maturity that was yet unseen in his previous performances. At the perfect length for a comedy and carrying the needed grandness of a road trip adventure, without much expectations walking into this film, “The Guilt Trip” was a welcomed surprise.

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SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK // Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give two of the best performances of the year and of their careers. The brilliance of the characters and their say-anything-do-anything mentalities not only provides for entertaining and comedic banter, but allows for both actors to drive home their exquisite and completely natural chemistry. Although the pacing is sometimes jumbled and the arguments reach points of complete inaudible insanity, these elements often end up enriching the plot, as the line between normal and mental illness grows more unclear the longer the characters interact. With heartfelt performances from key supporting players like Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook” not only succeeds comically, but also passionately, transcending the everyday romantic comedy and becoming so much more sincere and meaningful.