Triple 9

Year of Release:  2016
Director:  John Hillcoat
Screenplay:  Matt Cook
Starring:  Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet
Running Time:  115 minutes

This movie is a gritty, urban, cop thriller set in Atlanta, Georgia.  The story concerns a group of corrupt cops who are blackmailed by a powerful Russian-Israeli mob boss (Winslet)  into attempting a dangerous heist.  The gang decide that the only way to pull off the heist is to kill a fellow police officer, thereby distracting the attention of the cops ("triple 9" refers to the police code for "officer down").

The film is well performed by a very good cast, and there are some really good moments.  The opening robbery scene is fantastic, but the middle of the film sags, although it does pick up as it goes along.  The problem is that there is nothing really distinctive about it.  There is really nothing here that you haven't seen before in countless other cop thrillers.  The characterization is minimal with the result that it is very hard to care about anyone in the film, and the relentlessly moving camera just makes the action look confused.

It's the kind of movie that will probably have a long life on late night cable, and it passes the time, and it is quite entertaining, but you'll probably have seen it all before.       

Smashed

USA / 2012 / 81 mins

Director:  James Ponsoldt
Screenplay:  James Ponsoldt and Susan Burke
Starring:  Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Octavia Spencer
Genre:  Drama, comedy

Elementary school teacher Kate Hannah (Winstead) is married to writer Charlie (Paul).  Their union is based on a mutual love of alcohol and not much else.  After a very bad day and night, Kate finally realises that they are both definitely alcoholics and decides to get help, on the advice of her friend Dave (Offerman), himself a recovering alcoholic.  Kate is serious about her attempts to stay sober, Charlie, however, has no intention of quitting the drink, stretching both their relationship and Kate's resolve, to breaking point.

This indie film is a little gem.  Shot in a freewheeling hand held style, it tackles  a serious issue without coming across as either preachy of flippant.  Of course alcoholism is no laughing matter, and the film does not play it for laughs.  The humour comes form the characters and the situations that they find themselves in, even if it at times the very darkest humour.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the film's standout.  She goes to some very bleak places as Kate, but always makes her a warm, sympathetic character.  Kate is never played as a victim, and Winstead gives her the steel necessary to deal with everything that is thrown at her.