4/5
Motor City Blues.
115 Mins. Starring: Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm, Amy Seimetz, Brendan Fraser, Kieran Culkin, Noah Jupe, Craig muMs Grant, Julia Fox, Frankie Shaw, (?), Ray Liotta & Bill Duke. Director: Steven Soderbergh.
Make no sudden moves. Because 'Oceans' director Steven Soderbergh has got us in his heist again like Clooney's Danny. When it comes to style laced with substance, epic ensembles, plot points and taut twists, Soderbergh may just be the best in the biz. One of modern movies greatest directors taking it back to Hollywoodland or the Motown of Motor City for this auteurs latest aesthetic. Complete with compelling cinematography for his filmography with every frame worthy of being portrayed on One Perfect Shot. Reuniting two stars from his 'Traffic' multi-story jam who (correct me if I'm wrong) never shared any screen-time together, the prolific director we're so glad came out of retirement like Jay-Z gives us another classic to add to his bag. As soon as the iconic, classic Warner Bros logo comes into play minus Bugs (he's been busy with 'Bron for 'Space Jam's' 'New Legacy' also on HBO Max soon) you know this is going to be legendary. As the don, Don Cheadle (the same man who can play a War Machine (we can't wait until he bolts up for 'Armor Wars') and a real one in jazz legend Miles Davis, 'Ahead' of his time) walks round the city like he owns it (he does) in leather and fedora we feel the vibe of 'Four Brothers' Mark Wahlberg driving round a frozen Detroit to Marvin Gaye's 'Trouble Man'. Coming apart, as this crux catalyst takes a corrupt car industry in the home of Ford's four wheels to task in all its twists and turns down this Hollywood highway, this movie will make you want to holler too.
How they do our lives. Soderbergh shows there is more to his slick movies than Dapper Dan looks. There's more than oil as you scratch and scrape the surface at the bottom of this barrel. A fast and furious fun 'Logan Lucky' lickety split this is not. 'Out Of Sight' this is more noire in the style of 'We Own The Night' or an Elmore Leonard novel (which this director of course has adapted). The independently acclaimed Soderbergh has his classics like 'Traffic' (see, Brockovich, Erin) and his before their time, evergreen epics that are still talking points today (I told you 'Contagion' was the scariest film I've ever seen...and I used to hate horrors), as he has quietly placed himself behind Tarantino, but ahead of Rodriguez in one of the best genre defying directors of cult classic and industry influences like, 'Sex, Lives and Videotape'. He gave us 'Che' in all his parts with who else but del Toro? He hit cash with a career Channing Tatum in 'Magic Mike' and then really stripped him down to his 'Side Effects' in another before its time cautionary tale of medicine and mental health. He brought the best out of the legendary Michael Douglas perfect as Liberace 'Behind The Candelabra' (not to mention f#####g with Matt Damon's nose again). Shot movies on an iPhone that looked at the modern day madness of social media enabled stalking in 'Unsane'. Picked up his phone for one of the best basketball movies in a full court of them, getting down to the business of 'High Flying Bird' and struck a deal with Netflix and Oscar talent like Streep, Oldman and Banderas that was a wash ('The Laundromat'). But now taking it to the Max for your Home Box Office as the throwback titles hit this is one of Steven's best that belongs on the big screen like Nolan ('Tenet') and Villeneuve ('Dune') want between all these furious quiet places roaring back into multiplexes. You'll never see it coming.
The set-up is simple. A heist that is exactly that gone wrong. A babysitting job that turns into a widow maker in old school masks for a Dick Tracy era superhero in a time were we should all still wear them. The rest we leave up to you and this cash grab of a movie. Don't you dare pick up your phone like Soderbergh directing for this fish eye lens view of a film were reel to reel not a moment is wasted. Cheadle is on classic formidbale form like the last time he got with Soderbergh, 'Hotel Rwanda', 'Miles Ahead' or even the DNA of a Kendrick Lamar video. We may love them, but a Marvel movie this is not. The same goes for 'Usual Suspect' Benicio del Toro in this collection ("what da faaaack?"). 'Sicario' sinisterly on the form of his life when he gave gravitas to Guevara and made him more than a t-shirt to Hollywood, Benicio may just be the most intriguing actor in the industry. We always can't wait to see what he does next. Especially with this director. 'Stranger Things' favourite David Harbour plays it straight and perfect in the same week he takes the red army shield as the super soldier Guardian of Scarlett Johansson's 'Black Widow'. Whilst 'Mad Men' in this era and the detective of 'The Town' Jon Hamm cops another classic role like Clint Eastwood's 'Richard Jewell', or the 'Legion' of his nuanced narration. Amy Seimetz makes a killing with her 'SMILF' best friend Frankie Shaw. An almost unrecognizable Brendan Fraser piling on the prosthetic pounds takes his revenge on an industry that unravelled on him after 'The Mummy' with a perfect performance. And the 'Succession' of Kieran Culkin once again sheds the brother tag too like the latest Macaulay movies or his brother Rory did recently in the grand design of his 'Halston' cameo. Even the 'Quiet Place' coming of age star Noah Jupe is heard amongst all the big names. Like gangster 'Goodfella' Ray Liotta getting his ass handed to him again like 'Killing Me Softly' and the John Wayne nickname of Bill Duke looking like a 'Predator' behind shades Elton John and Rick James would go to war for. Even a big name cameo who was recently in the automotive industry that we won't spoil, perfect once again like all the times he does this type of thing. For all these layers though, it's 'Uncut Gem' Julia Fox who really shines like a diamond. And let's give it up for Craig Grant. MuMs can't be the word in the last, lasting, legacy making role of the late, great actor. Here's to him. The Poet of 'Oz'. Crime pays in this 1950's thriller that will have you tenterhook on the edge of your seat like waiting by the phone. Suddenly, just like that we're back in cinemas. But even staying at home like HBO, this one really moves. No doubt. That much you can trust in all this double cross. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Traffic', 'Killing Them Softly', 'We Own The Night'.
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