Reviews

I don't think a review can do it justice. Beautifully filmed & edited, moving performances, lovely score. Captivating from start to finish & highly immersive in its setting, full of detail. The surrounding story of its production & the actual events it's inspired by are equally fascinating.

Pretty boilerplate plot of burned out cop seeking redemption. One of those movies best approached cold; Hawkes' performance lends a lot of depth the archetype. Beautifully shot & with deft editing, even the performances by minor characters are well executed, delivering a lot of detail. The plot moves at a good clip toward a nicely executed third act. If you enjoyed titles like 'Mississippi Grind, or 'Too Late', you'll probably be on board for this. There are moments of jarring but purposeful violence.

This is a very soundly made little feature. The story isn't the most original concept, yet has its own take on the tropes and has a sense of style to it. The effects are just solid enough to sell, & the performances are entirely capable- the characters maybe a bit flat, but the actors deliver believable emotion in the moment. The camera work and lighting are particularly well done & go a long way to sell the rest; the pacing is steady & the plot unfolds without any mess or meandering (well done to the editor/s, & everyone else). Quite fun.

I'm not sure i get why this is panned as much as it is. What was the expectation? I mean anyone w/ an instrument can play 'Wagon Wheel'; but if they play it especially well, what's not to appreciate? It's monochrome to reflect the period & theme & the art form it is an homage to. It is stylized as such & states it is a work of fiction out of the gate. The lighting & cinematography is beautiful, the sound design & editing work hand in hand, & the performances are excellent- tho also a match to the period/genre's somewhat heightened sensibilities. Sure it could be called 'pretentious fim school' stuff; but if anyone can make a movie that looks & sounds & functions as well, they've done a fine job. I'd like to see any disparaging critic show something better. All art is subjective & a matter of opinion in the end. A critic can say the story worked & why; for me, I love the genre & the history, I appreciate the technical effort behind the shooting & editing. The actors are believable & expressive. The editing dialogue & sound all work to move things forward... A critic can point out what doesn't work. If the 'noir' genre &/or period or history aren't your thing, this might not be. If you're expecting a biopic, thisnt isn't that, as details of Cuttiz's life are left as ambiguous as his personal morals. If you're expecting a detailed 'making of' of Casablanca, it isn't that either. As a critic I can say, it is more about the ideas of art vs. artist, & those expectations surrounding the role of that art & those artists in the circumstances of war. So, see it, if that sounds in your wheelhouse & you can decide how you feel about it.