How Dare You! "Deep Blue Sea 2"

Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018)

Rated R

Starring Danielle Savre, Rob Mayes, Michael Beach, Aaron Ellroy, Nathan Lynn,

Directed by Darin Scott

The Story:

A billionaire decides to do some experimenting on sharks... and chaos ensues!

Come on folks, this premise works great.

See: Jurassic Park.
See: Deep Blue Sea.

See?

As I've well documented over the years, when a new shark movie comes along, I'm always looking to add it to the pile and give it a try.

Most of the time, even if it's not a great movie, I appreciate that it was made and I have a good enough time to justify spending 90 minutes on a low budget B movie.

In the last few years, I've even been rewarded with some pretty good shark movies to boot!

When I saw the trailer for Deep Blue Sea 2, I was amused that it seemed like it was going to be a note for note remake of the original film.

Well, how bad could that be, because I absolutely love the first one!

Yet it wasn't... and I didn't.

Everything that was great about the first one was missing from this tired retread.

They got nothing right for that matter, except for sharks gnawing on people... and even that wasn't very well done.

No stars of any caliber at all... wooden performances...

Not one bit of interesting plot or action...

It made 90 minutes feel like a 3 hour tour of the worst kind.

Had they called it any other cheesy shark movie name, I may have been kinder.

But when you hang an anchor around a fun franchise and sully its good name, I'm less kind.

How Many Secret Government Agencies Do We Have? "Mile 22"

Mile 22 (2018)

Rated R

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, John Malkovich, Ronda Rousey,

Directed by Peter Berg

The Story:

James (Wahlberg) leads his covert team to retrieve a potential asset (Uwais) who may have some damaging intelligence at his disposal while seemingly the entire foreign intelligence world converges to kill them all.

You'll rarely get bored when Peter Berg is helming an action flick.

They tend to play quickly, with lots of action and lots of dialogue.

While this helps to hide any plot holes you might otherwise find, it always makes for a fine time at the movies.

The movie starts off with a lively action scene and unfurls quickly after that point.

You can probably surmise how it's going to end long before the credits roll, but it's still a trip worth taking.

Most of the cast is given very little in the way of character development, but the movie also doesn't bother with much downtime to allow for it, so it's unlikely you'll get too connected with the cast as they meet their cinematic fates as the mission unfolds.

:)

Berg and Wahlberg are becoming quite the Director/Actor tandem with enjoyable action flicks that deliver a good viewing and a great box office. I'd be surprised if we don't see them teaming up again in the very near future.

He's No Ant-Man! "Downsizing"

Downsizing (2017)

Rated R

Starring Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis,

Directed by Alexander Payne

The Story:

Paul (Damon) is an occupational therapist who decides that they could have a better life if he and his wife (Wiig) were to undergo the new shrinking process that makes them roughly 5 inches tall so that humanity can lessen their detrimental impact on the earth. However, once you undergo the process, there is no going back...

Speaking of going back, if I could, I would go back and skip watching this.

Overlong... overly tedious... it was an interesting concept for a trailer, but loses its way in a long rambling 2+ hour narrative that literally does a whole lot of nothing.

A horribly wasted in casting Jason Sudeikis is in the movie for about 3 minutes and offers nothing more than a familiar face onscreen. Wiig as well is barely in the film, so any thoughts you had about this being an amusing dramedy, those dreams are shattered and gone early in the film.

Hong Chau is the feisty fireball that gives Paul a new purpose in his life to help the poor and sick with what medical training he has.

Waltz thankfully injects some much needed energy in the proceedings when he is around, but it's often a case of too little, too late.

So far for 2019, it looks like Damon is going to pull off a rare double-entry onto the Worst Films of the Year listing on Thanksgiving.

I'm sure he's too busy swimming in his mountains of cash to care.

:)

Real Monsters Exist... "Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer"

Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer (2018)

PG-13

Starring Sarah Jane Morris, Dean Cain, Nick Searcy, Michael Beach, Cyrina Fiallo, Earl Billings,

Directed by Nick Searcy

The Story:

While running a narcotics investigation, Philadelphia police discover horrific, unsanitary conditions in a local women's clinic. As the investigation continues, they learn that at least one woman died from using the clinic and that the doctor may have been terminating pregnancies of infants well past the 24 week statute imposed by the State of Pennsylvania.

The production is well done for a film that was funded by people who wanted this story told. It's not a Hollywood blockbuster, but looks and feels like a well done made for cable film, complete with perfect fade-outs for commercials to be inserted. Nick Searcy does a fine job behind the camera as director, and is great in front of the camera as the Defense Attorney who has to attempt to refute all of the allegations against his client.

Something important to remember that the movie emphasizes as Gosnell (Billings) goes to trial:

This isn't about abortion.

This was about the murder of a female patient, and the murders of multiple babies that were likely delivered alive, then murdered by the doctor.

After all, abortion is legal in the country, and having a woman's right to choose is a hot-button issue, so it was a tough sell to take this case to trial...

Or to have a movie made about the trial.

Through crowdsourcing though, it was made and what is delivered is pretty much a note for note replay of the trial of Kermit Gosnell, a doctor who never felt he did anything wrong.

Will people change their mind on the issue of abortion if they watch this film?

Unlikely.

Pro-life advocates will point to this film and say, "this is why I am against abortion."

Pro-choice people won't see this film, period.  Why would they? 

They really should though.

If not to possibly change their stance (the prosecuting attorney was pro-choice as well, but still took the case...) then at least to demand that their state and local health departments never allow clinics like this one to exist.

When violations and concerns were voiced to the State... they turned a blind eye and never investigated one claim against Gosnell or ever even inspected his clinic.

As they point out in the trial, even nail salons receive a mandatory once a year inspection!

You would think pro-choice advocates would at least want the clinics that they are sending sisters, mothers, and daughters to, to at least adhere to some sanitary conditions and not be crawling with cats and have bags of medical waste literally scattered into every nook and cranny of the building.

However, when New York passes a law that says you can terminate a pregnancy at any time, who knows? Maybe Gosnell was simply ahead of his time.

:(

I Waited 40 Years For This? "Halloween (2018)"

Halloween (2018)

Rated R

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, and of course, Michael Myers

Directed by James Gordon Green

The Story:

For the past 40 years, Michael Myers has been institutionalized for the violent murders in Haddonfield Illinois on Halloween night, 1979. However, thanks to some Podcasters and a poorly timed prison transfer, it appears Michael might be getting out of jail free and returning home for some unfinished business.

I'm not even sure I know where to begin with this one.

Soooo... Michael has been in prison for 40 years, wiping away every sequel we've plunked down money (and time) to enjoy (or ridicule) since the original came out.

That's too bad, because I still dig Halloween 2.

Thankfully, that does include the Rob Zombie reboots.

:)

The movie opens with podcasters arriving at Michael's doorstep and they pull out his mask that the D.A. let them borrow.

At this point, I'm thinking, what are the odds the D.A. still had this evidence from 40 years earlier? And if they did, why on earth would they give it to a pair of podcasters?

I know, that thinking seems silly, but at this point, I became disconnected to the film, and never really got back into it.

The plot points lined up exactly, beat for beat at that moment, and you can tell exactly how, where, and why everything is about to happen.

Meanwhile on the other side of Illinois, little Laurie Strode (Curtis) is all grown up and spends her day in Sarah Conner cosplay.

The horror film is out the window at this point as it jumps back and forth between thriller, action movie and oh yeah, let's be a horror film every 10 minutes.

People do die at Michael's hands, literally, but many were given so little screen time, I just didn't care.

I'm not referring to the "odes to the original" deaths.  Those I got the symmetry for why they were done.

However, the best friends, the kids being babysat... there was no emotional connection with them to the point that we fear for their lives and hope/wish they might survive.

If anything, Halloween (2018) simply reminds me of how well Halloween (1979) really was.

That Was Something All Right... "Suburbicon"

Suburbicon (2017)

Rated R

Starring Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Oscar Isaac

Directed by George Clooney

The Story:

Things begin to get sinister in an all-white neighborhood in the 50s when the first black family moves in.

George Clooney directs this satire about suburbia... or was it race relations... was it the ideals of the 50s...

What was it exactly?

It was hot garbage, that's what.

Ejected after 20 excruciatingly long, unfunny, and most damning, uninteresting minutes.

Didn't care what was going to happen to the cast or how the movie turned out.

Now that we all know I'm using the Star System in 2019, welcome to the first actual ZERO star review of the year.

Do Not RSVP... "Destination Wedding"

Destination Wedding (2018)

Rated R

Starring Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder

Written and Directed by Victor Levin

The Story:

Frank (Reeves) and Lindsay (Ryder) are two bitter, cynical people. They pretty much instantly dislike one another, and they are forced to endure a weekend together as guests at a wedding that neither wants to be at.

If you can endure the full 90 minutes of it, then you are a better person than I am.

Or you like your Romantic Comedies to be neither romantic nor comedic.

Okay, I take a little bit of that back.  Some of the lines are indeed funny, in the most biting, cynical way possible.

The problem (hard to choose just one) that I had with this movie, is that Reeves and Ryder made their characters so unlikable, I didn't want to stay with them through the entire weekend to see if they fall in love or just have anger sex midway through the film.

I can't even tell if I made it past the 20 minute mark, it felt like 2 hours of hearing these two whine, bitch, moan and complain about each other and every little thing.

The running time is only 90 minutes!

I ejected it sometime between 20 minutes and 50 minutes, I just couldn't take anymore of them.

Perhaps if there had been any redeeming qualities to either lead character?

Instead, there was... dialogue...

And not just any dialogue.

These were conversations between two characters that sounded nothing like real people talking.

Instead, it sounded like two people reading rehearsed pretentious lines and working them into a conversation that no two people would ever actually have in real life.

Too bad, but I'll place the blame for that solely at the feet of writer/diretor Levin.

I'd give it 0 stars, but I'm afraid someone might mistake this critique as a 5 star effort, and I don't want that mix-up! :)

Time To Get Schooled... "Night School"

Night School (2018)

Rated PG-13

Starring Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, Romany Malco, Taran Killam

Directed by Malcom D. Lee

The Story:

High school dropout Teddy (Hart) has a job, a girlfriend and a bright future, until it all goes up in flames one night. In order to secure a brighter future, he's got to go back to school to receive his GED. But with a no-nonsense teacher like Ms. Carrie (Haddish) he may be in way over his head.

Malcolm D. Lee's greatest film, hands down, remains Undercover Brother.

In 2017, he helmed Girls Trip, which unleashed Tiffany Haddish on unsuspecting viewers and made her an instant star.

With a more family friendly tone in Night School, the director and stars are able to cobble together a very fun story that allows Hart and Haddish to bounce off one another, plus they are given an outstanding ensemble of comedic supporting cast mates to help flesh out the story.

Case in point: Add a mid-term exam heist by all of the students to stretch the film, further establish the supporting cast and add to the charm of the overall film.

They also avoid the overused teacher/student love interest in a big, foot-stomping kind of way.

We'll see if/how they try and turn this into a franchise down the road, but for now, the initial foray into Night School was well worth the trip.

It's All About Family... "Coco"

Coco (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach

Directed by Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina

The Story:

Miguel (Gonzalez) was born with music in his heart, but unfortunately it is a passion not shared, in fact it's forbidden, by his family, and has been for generations. When he finds himself spirited away to the Land of the Dead during the Day of the Dead festival. Hoping to meet his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Bratt). If he can return to the land of the living with an ancestral blessing, perhaps he can finally play his music?

Okay, before we get to yet another gushing of adulation for this film, let's all pause for a moment and reflect on 20th Century Fox's The Book of Life which hit theaters in 2014 and took us to the Land of the Dead already.

It's a great, visually stunning movie that was overlooked, likely because it doesn't have the same Disney/Pixar connection with audiences.

It had a great voice cast, gorgeous animation and a love story at the heart of their adventure.

You can argue which of these is better, and you're not wrong. Same yet different, both worthy of your time and attention.

Coco offers much the same, but their story goes down the family avenue instead.

The secondary, and perhaps more important story in the film is that of Hector (Bernal) who is trying desperately to cross back over one more time so that he will not be forgotten. He's hoping to use Miguel to get back and ensure his picture could be placed on the family mantle so that he will be remembered by future generations.

In other words:

bring tissues

This is Pixar firing on all cylinders again, and it's good to have them back at their A-game.

And for that, I reward them.

Final Grade:  A

May The Fourth Be With You..."Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill,

Directed by Rian Johnson

The Story:

The one in which we continue to kill off characters to drive the story forward with a new generation of the cast.

Picking up shortly after the The Force Awakens, Rey (Ridley) tries to learn from Master Luke (Hamill) while the rest of the rebellion is trying to survive and outrun the Empire.

It seems like this one took a lot of flack from the fans compared to the previous installment.

I'm not really sure what the beef was.

While not as good as the last one, this one advanced the storylines, although it may have done so in rather expedient fashion.

It seems like a franchise that wants to hurry up and jettison the baggage of the old cast and move on to the new stories, and that's completely fine.

But it's an awful lot like treading water in some ways while also marathon sprinting in the others.

Some storylines that seem mysterious are quickly dissolved with some dialogue or a quick scene.

Others stretch over the entire movie before there is any sort of conclusion.

But everyone will be back in a year or so to see what happens next.

That's Star Wars for you.

Final Grade:  B-

The Weather Outside Is Frightful..."Geostorm"

Geostorm (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gerard Butler, Max Sturgess, Eugenio Derbez, Andy Garcia, Ed Harris, Abbie Cornish,

Directed by Dean Devlin

The Story:

To battle climate change, the governments of the world create the Dutch Boy program. This series of satellites counteracts severe weather and keeps the Earth peaceful and stable. Until now. Suddenly the satellites are apparently causing severe weather and attacking major cities across the globe. It's up to the original project manager, Jake Lawson (Butler) to head into space and find out what's going wrong.

Oh Dean Devlin, how we've missed you!

These epic disaster movies with just enough tongue in cheek are always a blast to check your brain at the door, grab the popcorn and have a rollicking good time.

Here, Butler takes center stage and battles to find out if his programming has gone haywire or if there is a traitor in space trying to sabotage his best work.

There is political intrigue and corruption.

There is space sabotage and a series of red herrings to throw you off of who is behind the madness.

But at the end of the day, this movie isn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be.

It was fun, completely watchable, and yes, I'd even watch it again or heaven forbid even buy it if the price was right.

:)

Your mileage may vary.

Final Grade:  C+

Country Bumpkins..."Logan Lucky"

Logan Lucky (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig,

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

The Story:

Jimmy and Clyde Logan (Tatum & Driver) have decided that if they want to succeed in life, they have to stop getting walked on. So they set out to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway, but they need the help of safecracker Joe Bang (Craig). The only catch? He's currently behind bards...

And there you have the setup for an elaborate heist film that is filled with ups and downs, which actually seems to be the curse of the Logan family.

The heist itself is improbable and yet elaborately simple and complex, both at the same time.

The movie ends on a puzzling note, but for this film, that seems spot on.

Daniel Craig seems to be having the most fun of the cast, playing completely against type in this one. Of course when your type seems to be James Bond, it's fairly easy to play anything other than that.

But the role is very comedic in nature, and he seems to be relishing the whole non-leading man part and having a lot of fun while doing it.

If you've got Amazon Prime, this movie is currently available to stream.

Final Grade: C+/B- range

Strange But True..."American Made"

American Made (2017)

Rated R

Starring Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright,

Directed by Doug Liman

The Story:

In 1978, Barry Seal (Cruise) was a burned out TWA pilot who was recruited by the CIA to fly reconnaissance missions for them. In the years that follow that would turn to drug and arms smuggling for both sides. However when you work for the cartels and they suspect you're double-crossing them, your story will not have a happy ending.

Naturally, based on a true story goes without saying here.

Liman and Cruise are together again in the exploits of Barry Seal.

The story jumps around with what happens next, inter-spliced with video narratives by Seal taping confessionals of his unbelievable story to a camcorder.

And it was a wild ride that Barry lived.

Dramatic license or not with the actual events, this is a guy who flew spy missions for the CIA and smuggled drugs for Pablo Escobar.

Throw in arms dealing in a little thing called the Iran Contra Affair and the story is just over the top crazy.

But it's true.

It's also a pretty good film.

And that's never a bad thing.

Final Grade:  B-

A Tale Of "Wonder"

Wonder (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts, Mandy Patinkin

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

The Story:

Auggie (Tremblay) is a little kid who is about to embark upon his greatest adventure: he's going to public school for the first time in his life. The facial deformities that he was born with have been fairly well fixed and hidden over the first part of his life thanks to his parents who were there for him and homeschooled him. But now it's time for Auggie to branch out and see if the real world will accept him or reject him.

So if you saw the trailers, you hopefully got the misty eye or the lump in your throat as it hit all the cliche notes that a movie like this is going for.

The movie will not disappoint you.

Cliche after cliche, note after note, this film ticks off every block that you're expecting to see in a coming of age dramedy about a little boy who fits in nowhere but at home, and yet has a profound impact on everyone around him.

The greatest strength of this movie is they realized that telling Auggie's story might get a bit redundant after 90 minutes of over and over, cliche after cliche of what Auggie is dealing with.

So in the wisest move ever, the movie shifts off of Auggie and instead tells side stories that run parallel (and have flashbacks) to life with Auggie in in. Friends. Family. Those that have known him forever and those that are just getting to know him.

Again, you know the road they are going down from the moment the movie starts, but it's still an enjoyable road nonetheless.

Final Grade:  B+

It's A Rough Job..."The Hitman's Bodyguard"

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Rated R

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Elodie Yung, Gary Oldman,

Directed by Patrick Hughes

The Story:

Michael Bryce (Reynolds) used to be the best Triple A rated bodyguard in the business. After a disaster he couldn't have seen coming, he's now striving to keep himself employed and working to get back to the top. Hired to escort international assassin Darius Kincaid (Jackson) to testify in court to put a war criminal (Oldman) behind bars, the two have to survive countless assassination attempts and each other if they hope to make it out of the situation alive.

If you saw the trailer and thought it looked like a silly, fun action flick, well you were right.

Ryan Reynolds is back to doing his usual routine of playing himself/Van Wilder/Wade Wilson.

It's worked for his entire career in most movies, so why stop now?

Paired with Samuel L. Jackson, the two get to enjoy the camaraderie that comes in the usual buddy comedy/mismatched dynamic duo genre and all the trappings and cliches that entails.

I happen to looooove that genre, so I'm a fan.

Fun film that with a few tweaks along the way could have been even better than it was.

Your mileage of course can vary.

Final Grade: B-

The Right Man For The Job..."Darkest Hour"

Darkest Hour (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Stephen Dillane,

Directed by Joe Wright

The Story:

As the Nazis roll through Europe, Great Britain is facing an internal crisis of their own as Chamberlain (Pickup) resigns as Prime Minister and recommends Winston Churchill (Oldman) instead. However while the majority seem to want to forge a peace with Germany, Churchill seems determined that England draw a line in the sand, and fight!

It's rare to have the 2 hour biographical drama that you wish would have kept going, or might get a sequel, but then, Winston Churchill is the rare subject that likely deserves it.

Oldman disappears into the role and carries the picture that pretty much is a short snapshot of him getting selected as Prime Minister and the first weeks in office.

But that's because quite a bit of events kept churning up in that window of opportunity.

The movie blazes through this time period, while also giving a brief look at his life at home with his wife (Thomas) as well as Churchill breaking in a new secretary (James).

Having read and watched other Churchill biographies, this one hits most of the high points of that crucial time period and thanks to the spectacular work of Oldman, leaves you wanting more.

Definitely worth a look.

Final Grade: B+

Shoot Me Now..."American Assassin"

American Assassin (2017)

Rated R

Starring Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan

Directed by Michael Cuesta

The Story:

Mitch (O'Brien) has just proposed to his girlfriend when tragedy, and terrorists, strike! Going deep undercover, Mitch becomes an assassin in the hopes of seeking revenge on those he deems responsible. Thankfully, the government decides to step in and offer him a job instead...

Oh my.

In what may be the most laughably bad beginning to any movie I've ever seen...

Ever.

I was quite ready to shut it off, as it was worse than B-Movie bad.

Laughable.

But, I wanted to see if Michael Keaton could save the film.

And save it he does, but only just barely.

Thankfully, Keaton has been on a tear in the movies since 2014, and his presence balances out a laughably bad beginning to a tolerable ending.

So while the film stays off the year end Turkey list, I wouldn't necessarily rush out to get this one.

The Film: F
Michael Keaton: A

Final Grade:  C

I Have No Reservations About This One..."Wind River"

Wind River (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene,

Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan

The Story:

Cory Lambert (Renner) works for the Department of Fish & Wildlife near the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. When he stumbles upon the frozen body of a local, they call in the FBI for help. They send Jane Banner (Olsen) to help, and the duo begin to uncover what may have really happened to her.

Bleak and beautiful, often at the same time, Taylor Sheridan has carved out a great future for himself as both a writer (Sicario, Hell or High Water) and now as a director as well.

It's a harrowing story of revenge and redemption, with subdued performances by the entire cast.

While the story as presented is a work of fiction, it is based on too many cases of Native American  disappearance and deaths.

Renner plays the tortured tracker who has demons of his own to atone for, and they are slowly spelled out as the movie clips along.

Olsen works the fish out of water angle perfectly, trying to balance the fact that she's in charge with the obvious despair that she's in way over her head.

In case you missed this when it first came out, it is now available on Netflix to stream as of this writing.


Final Grade: B+

Cold War Cliches..."Atomic Blonde"

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Rated R

Starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, Toby Jones, Roland Moller

Directed by David Leitch

The Story:

Agent Broughton (Theron) is the best in the business, and that business is spying. It's the height of the Cold War, and a list of double agents has gone missing, and she must travel to Berlin to retrieve it before it falls into the wrong hands. Naturally, she shouldn't trust anyone...

How do you make an 80s action thriller spy movie for a 21st century audience?

You turn James Bond into Jane Bond, and set the screen ablaze with something the audience hasn't seen before.

Except the whole list of double agents things was played out long before the 90s even ended, so it seems all so familiar, no matter how much action and great soundtrack they attach to it.

Or maybe I'm jaded because it was as good as the trailer indicated, but didn't rise to be any better than that.

Can I really blame a movie for simply repeating what has come before, 100s of times? It's not their fault the audience has seen them all already, so it's hard to reinvent the genre.

Theron makes a great action star, and I won't lie and say I won't be back again if there's a sequel.

Hopefully, there will simply be a bit more to the story to really stand out and make it a must see affair the next time around.

Final Grade: C+

Good...Not Great..."Battle of the Sexes"

Battle of the Sexes (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Bill Pullman, Sarah Silverman, Elisabeth Shue

Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

The Story:

In 1973, Bobby Riggs (Carell) challenged Women's # 1, Billie Jean King (Stone) to a tennis match to prove that men were the superior sex in the world of sport. Shenanigans ensued.

I'll file this under uneven, and leave it at that.

Except, where's the fun in a one line review?

So stretching to 2 hours, because half the movie seemingly focuses on King's sexual discoveries with hairdresser Marilyn Bennett (Riseborough).

It's a necessary portion for a biographical picture such as this one, but it's also the weakest part of the entire movie.

Much more interesting were the break from the tennis circuit by King and all the ladies under the leadership of Gladys Heldman (Silverman) and their clashes with Jack Kramer (Pullman).

Even more interesting was Bobby Riggs and his quirks that were quietly destroying his relationship with his wife (Shue).

When it's Riggs vs. King at the finale of the movie, the energy is there and it's quite good.

I'd go so far to say that it's Carell and Pullman in the adversarial roles that helped shaped King's career that make this movie as watchable and entertaining as it is.  Remove them, and this would be a bland mess.

Final Grade:  B-