Synopsis: In the wintry countryside near Canada, smooth-talking heist man Addison (Eric Bana) and his femme fatale sister Liza (Olivia Wilde) are on the run with a bag full of cash from a casino job. With a deadly blizzard swirling around them, they split up to make a desperate dash for the border. Meanwhile, troubled boxer Jay (Charlie Hunnam) has just been released from prison and is heading home to spend Thanksgiving with his mother (Sissy Spacek) and retired sheriff father (Kris Kristofferson). A twist of fate sets them all on a collision course, hurtling this icy thriller to a shocking climax. Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky, whose film The Counterfeiters won the Academy Award for best foreign-language film in 2008, commands his frigid setting with a careful attention to the mood-setting sights and sounds of a snowbound small town. First-time screenwriter Zach Dean's tightly wound, twisting-and-turning suspense story always puts character first—providing a generous amount of character depth for these ace actors to play with, and proving that no good guy is all good, and no bad guy all bad. [Synopsis courtesy of TribecaFilm.com]
It's kind of a weird weekend at the movies, with no major release except for shirtless, hunky Gerard Butler learning about love, life and soccer or something in "Playing For Keeps." Meanwhile, arthouses get the fading Oscar chances of "Hyde Park On Hudson" starring the always awesome Bill Murray. Ch...
Read More »As we head into the tail end of September, summer light is fading and the temperature is beginning to dip. And as we'll soon be pulling jackets out of the closet and putting flip flops away until year, one movie is coming along that embraces the wintry season to tell a taut little tale.
Read More »No one in the past few years has quite so committed to on-the-lam thrillers like Eric Bana. From “Hulk” to “Hanna,” the Australian actor seems to revel in the pulpy elements inherent to the films, and as the recently released trailer shows for his latest, “Deadfall,” he's brought two veteran actors ...
Read More »There is no one who would disagree with the notion that the age of great film posters is long behind us -- instead we are left with orange-blue monstrosities with floating heads. That’s not to say there isn’t an inspired choice every now and then, as is the case with the first official p...
Read More »If you live in a "limited release" city, it might be best to stick with documentaries this weekend. Standouts are "Tchoupitoulas," following three young brothers discovering the magic of New Orleans, and "Only the Young," a portrait of a trio of charismatic teens.
Read More »Months after "Beasts of the Southern Wild" reached its theatrical apex, Criticwire Picks returns to the Crescent City to look at the extremely positive reactions to the Ross Brothers' new documentary. Plus: a new documentary available on Netflix Instant, possible future successes with audiences and ...
Read More »This weekly column is intended to provide reviews of nearly every new release, including films on VOD (and in certain cases some studio releases). Specifics release dates and locations follow each review.
Read More »"Deadfall" starts off strong enough – three criminals, led by Addison (Eric Bana) and his sexy sister Liza (Olivia Wilde) speed away from some unspecified job (it's later revealed to be a casino heist). It's icy out and their driver (the only black character in the whole movie) overcompensates, avoi...
Read More »Recently noir has seemed marginalized, almost antiquated, in its application of dark tones that point to a suspenseful end. "Deadfall," an understated, slow-burn thriller, doesn't reinvigorate those rules but illustrates their lasting value. Director Stefan Ruzowitzky ("The Counte...
Read More »