New Cinema Releases Face Critical Scrutiny
This week's cinema offerings present a mixed bag of disappointments and modest successes, with three major releases failing to fully satisfy critics and audiences alike. From clumsy remakes to predictable romances, the current film landscape offers little in the way of groundbreaking entertainment.
How To Make A Killing: A Modern Misfire
How To Make A Killing (15, 105 minutes) attempts to resurrect the spirit of the classic 1949 Ealing comedy Kind Hearts And Coronets but ultimately falls flat in execution. Director John Patton Ford's second feature film transplants the original's premise to contemporary America, with Glen Powell starring as Becket Redfellow, a calculating murderer seeking to eliminate seven relatives standing between him and a substantial inheritance.
The film opens with Redfellow on Death Row, recounting his story to a priest through flashback sequences. Born to a mother shunned by her billionaire father, Redfellow was raised in working-class New Jersey with the persistent mantra to never quit until achieving "the right kind of life." This motivation drives his systematic elimination of family members using various methods, including poisoned teeth-whitener, as he anticipates the wealth awaiting him after seven funerals at the family mausoleum.
Despite a capable cast featuring Powell and Margaret Qualley as a femme fatale, the film struggles to establish a coherent identity. "It's hard to know whether to call it a comedy, a thriller, a neo-noir or a melodrama," notes critics, who ultimately settle on labeling it a complete dud. The script lacks the wit, tension, and fun that made the original masterpiece so enduring, with a final twist that fails to deliver meaningful impact.
Reminders of Him: Predictable Romance
Reminders of Him (12A, 114 minutes) adapts Colleen Hoover's bestselling 2022 novel into what critics describe as a "romantic weepie" unlikely to significantly impact Kleenex sales. The film follows Kenna (Maika Monroe), recently released from prison after serving time for vehicular manslaughter under the influence, as she returns to the Wyoming town where her boyfriend Scotty (Rudy Pankow) died.
The narrative reveals that Kenna was pregnant during the fatal accident, giving birth to daughter Diem while handcuffed to a hospital bed. Scotty's grieving parents (Bradley Whitford and Lauren Graham) now raise the child with assistance from Scotty's attractive best friend Ledger (Tyriq Withers). Despite being persona non grata in the community, Kenna desperately seeks connection with her daughter, inevitably developing romantic feelings for Ledger in the process.
Critics note that character development remains disappointingly shallow, with Ledger portrayed as "basically just an angel with a six-pack" and Kenna's sensitivity demonstrated primarily through journal entries addressed to her deceased boyfriend. The musical score receives particular criticism for its excessive sentimentality, described as so cheesy it might warrant warnings for lactose-intolerant viewers.
One Last Deal: Danny Dyer's Strong Performance
One Last Deal (18, 89 minutes) features Danny Dyer delivering what critics acknowledge as a "jolly convincing" performance as Jimmy Banks, a foul-mouthed, rapacious football agent navigating a crucial career moment. The film unfolds over several hours as Banks attempts to secure lucrative new terms for his sole remaining client, a prominent Premier League striker facing sexual assault charges.
Brendan Muldowney's single-location drama depends heavily on Banks fielding numerous phone calls while managing his client's legal troubles, a blackmail attempt, and various other professional pressures. The agent frequently talks to himself, with dialogue so ripe that "'contract' is only his second-favourite C-word."
While the narrative occasionally becomes wildly overwrought and fails to match the quality of similar solo pieces like Steven Knight's 2013 film Locke, critics agree that Dyer "plays a blinder" in his portrayal of the desperate agent. The former EastEnders actor, recently described by Rolling Stone as a "24-carat national treasure," demonstrates considerable range in this intense character study.
Additional Cinema Highlights
Beyond these major releases, several other films merit attention. Turner & Constable (PG, 93 minutes) offers an absorbing documentary exploring the rivalry and common ground between Britain's greatest landscape painters, JMW Turner and John Constable. The film delves into their professional struggles, including Turner's obsession with yellow paint that led critics to suggest he suffered from "jaundice of the retina" and Constable's broad brushstrokes that drew contemporary derision.
The Tasters (15, 123 minutes) presents a controversial historical drama based on disputed accounts of Margot Wolk, who claimed to have been one of fifteen young German women selected to taste Adolf Hitler's food for potential poisoning. While the German-language film by Italian director Silvio Soldini remains "perfectly watchable," critics note that questionable historical accuracy and clunky subplots involving sexual relationships with Nazi officers undermine its credibility as a fresh perspective on Second World War narratives.
All reviewed films are currently showing in cinemas nationwide, offering audiences varied options despite the generally lukewarm critical reception for this week's major releases.
