Keenly Anticipated Movies of 2020, which Surprisingly, Just About Made the Cut — From Strictly Average to Almost Disappointing
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- DirectorGina Prince-BythewoodStarsCharlize TheronKiKi LayneMatthias SchoenaertsA covert team of immortal mercenaries is suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret just as an unexpected new member is discovered.Though serving up a bunch of poor man's Wolverines, Netflix's The Old Guard suffices as far as some good fight choreography and interesting back stories go, provided you temper your expectations to that of an OTT release (honestly, it has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie of the 70s or 80s or a Direct-to-DVD feature of the early 2000s). This ends up serving some low-key entertainment, but, once again, the makers get an easy pass as I doubt this'd have left a mark on the big screen in front of so many slicker, better superhero movies, despite another kickass, lead action turn from Charlize Theron.
3/5 stars (keeping the small screen aspect in mind) - DirectorJJ FredrickStarsJyotikaParthiban RadhakrishnanBhagyarajPonmagal Vandhal (Meaning: The Precious Princess has Arrived) is a courtroom drama that takes place in Ooty. Jyotika plays the lead in the film alongside various other veteran actors playing important roles.Tamil film Ponmagal Vandhal, which released directly on Amazon Prime a couple of months ago, entertains and grips you in equal measure as a layered, taut, smartly woven courtroom thriller in the first half (excluding the interval). Sadly, things gradually unravel thereafter, plummeting the movie toward excessively mawkish chasms, futher compounded by one too many plot contrivances and an unfathomably rushed climax. To Jyothika's credit, she still manages to hold things together even when they threaten to disintegrate around her. Watch this if you're her fan or don't mind enjoying half a good movie.
3/5 stars (strictly for Jyothika's profound performance and the first half) - DirectorShoojit SircarKuran DhillonStarsAmitabh BachchanAyushmann KhurranaVijay RaazTwo scheming men get caught up in a game of one upmanship, each one attracting other members to their clan and each one with an agenda of his own.Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana make Gulabo Sitabo look far better than it is, especially the former who's the glue that binds the movie together — remove him and it'll crumble. Unfortunately, barring an interesting first act that sets things up and an engaging final act that salvages the dreary hodgepodge that occurs in-between, Shoojit Sircar's direction and Juhi Chaturvedi's screenplay barely pass muster. The film's OTT release looks more like a convenient quirk of fate to escape potential theatrical disappointment rather than a product of the times we live in.
3/5 stars (with 0.5 stars solely dedicated to Bachchan sir's performance) - DirectorRajesh A KrishnanStarsKunal KemmuRasika DugalVijay RaazNandan Kumar comes across a suitcase and discovers it is full of cash. He takes the suitcase and soon finds himself being chased by a notorious gangster, an honest cop and a minister, who want the suitcase at any cost.They say comedy is hard work, and making a gangster-comedy is probably the hardest of it all — merging violence with humour is never easy — and Lootcase tries really hard, but only manages to scratch the surface of this sub-genre, thanks largely to its committed and highly talented ensemble cast. The idea, dark humour, quirks, and edginess are all there, but only a bit of what could happen to a simple, lower-middle-class man, happening upon a pot of gold, with an assortment of wily rogues behind him, is touched upon. Kunal Kemmu, Ranvir Shorey, Rasika Dugal, Gajraj Rao, & Vijay Raaz's efforts dearly merited a better script, and honestly, that script is there somewhere between the underachieved potential of this Quentin Tarantino-Guy Ritchie-wannabe pastiche — till date, I've only seen four Bollywood movies, Gangs of Wasseypur, Kaminey, Delhi Belly, and Phas Gaya Re Obama, not lose their identity or worse still, end up as cheap knockoffs of the aforementioned masters' works.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorSpike LeeStarsDelroy LindoJonathan MajorsClarke PetersFour African-American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.You'd expect nothing less than impactful social, political, and racial commentary from legendary Writer-Director Spike Lee even in a soldiers-of-fortune movie like Netflix's Da 5 Bloods, and, honestly speaking, that's what sets it apart. The issue is that Spike gets so caught up in driving home an agenda, however pertinent, that his screenplay loses the plot at several points in the second half. A lot of merit in the story, direction, and brilliant performances (especially by Delroy Lindo) is wiped clean by too many subtexts and multiple ideas cluttering the narrative. What seems like an ingenious touch in the first half, where dialogue between the characters results in occasional cuts to arbitrary, racially-charged moments in history, becomes preachy, in-your-face, and agenda-driven as the movie lumbers toward its finale, almost becoming prey to the same prejudice it claims to be going up against. There's still enough here for Spike Lee fans as myself to enjoy, but neutral viewers will find the proceedings strictly average.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorAnwar RasheedStarsAmalda LizFahadh FaasilSoubin ShahirA disheartened motivational speaker gets hired by a corporate to become a preacher until his live stint on television puts him and his service under the scanner.Malayalam film Trance delivers a very important, very relevant scrutiny on religious gullibility and the intoxicating hold wielded by false prophets (and let's face it, most of them, if not all, are false), but good messages alone don't make a movie. Despite the best intentions, Fahadh Faasil's profound act, and a smattering of indelible sequence, it's difficult to look past the wafer-thin plot, especially in the last half hour when the screenplay is all over the place.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorPatty JenkinsStarsGal GadotChris PineKristen WiigDiana must contend with a work colleague, and with a businessman whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.While the setup is very interesting and holds great potential, Wonder Woman 1984 severely pales in comparison to its 2017 predecessor in way of action, scale, vision, thrill, and overall impact. There are literally all of four action scenes, with two of them — one in the White House (a lot of hopping across passageways and staircases) and the other being the climax (a catfight for crying out loud as opposed to Gal Gadot taking on a God earlier) being total letdowns. Even the first film wasn't that action-packed (all excellent action movies boast solid plot and character developments), but whatever was there stood out as marquee moments. The resolution of the main plot device, too, is pretty naively done and at two and a half hours the editing lacks bite. It's not all doom and gloom — the movie begins well, Pedro Pascal is brilliant, Chris Pine plays it cool, there are a handful of exciting scenes intermittently scattered, and the mid-credits scene is a treat for fans of the original Wonder Woman (the 70's TV show) but, by and large, writer-Director Patty Jenkins' followup doesn't meet expectations.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorHitesh KewalyaStarsAyushmann KhurranaJitendra KumarGajraj RaoThe road to achieving a happy ending is a little too rough for two guys Kartik and Aman. While Aman's family tries hard to battle his love for Kartik, Kartik isn't prepared to step back until he marries Aman.Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan boasts a fine ensemble cast (excluding Jitendra Kumar, who lacks confidence), with Gajraj Rao shining the most in the meatiest role (even more than Ayushmann Khurrana). However, the writing is inconsistent, taking a refreshingly funny and lighthearted approach at places in tackling a pertinent topic, but falling flat at other times, with the humor being coerced from situations offering precious little scope for it, which eventually dilutes a pertinent issue, succumbing the film to the same trivialization of the topic it refrains from since the beginning. It also doesn't help that the direction falters at the same portions where the script faces bumps. Nevertheless, the message is beautiful, most of the performances are good, and it's a victory in itself that homosexuality has been ushered into mainstream Bollywood, with neither farce nor preachiness, just as it should be, which will probably pave the way 4 better such endeavors in future.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorA.R. MurugadossStarsRajinikanthNayantharaNivetha ThomasA police officer is on a chase to hunt down a dreaded gangster to fulfill his own secret agenda.Darbar is a Rajinikanth show all the way. The superstar is in terrific form, carrying almost the entire film on the combined strength of his myrias Rajini-isms. However, as adorable as it is to see how Director AR Murugadoss understands the legend of Rajini, he fails to tweak his archetypal gestures for modern sensibilities, which is likely to alienate a whole generation of viewers. It's also painful to see how cliched the writing is, how the plot is nothing more than a done-to-death revenge drama, and how everyone else form Lady Superstar Nayanthara to Suniel Shetty are reduced to mere caricatures. Darbar is an explosion for Rajinikanth fans, but an implosion for others. It's by a diehard Rajini fan for diehard Rajini fans. Watch it strictly if you love watching Thalaivar unleashed, and don't mind sacrificing on other aspects of a film.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorMeghna GulzarStarsDeepika PadukoneVikrant MasseyMadhurjeet SarghiThe trials and triumphs of Malti, an acid attack survivor. From the investigation of the attack to the court proceedings, the medical treatment to the emotional healing. Chhapaak is the story of the unquashable human spirit.You like what you see, you applaud the intent, but all along, you feel that there could've been something more. Meghna Gulzar again shines as a Director, but her screenplay isn't anywhere near the level of her previous two masterpieces, Raazi and Talvar. Deepika Padukone starrer Chhapaak serves as a necessary, if not great watch. You leave the theatre feeling that you've been dished out a decent film on a pertinent subject that had the potential to be better.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorJustin KurzelStarsGeorge MacKayEssie DavisNicholas HoultAustralian bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang flee from authorities during the 1870s.Australian film True History of the Kelly Gang needed more detailing to be "truer" to its subject matter and add perspective to its brutality, and certainly needed to be less disjointed to keep us engaged through its slow-burning, 2-hour-plus duration. Despite a good lead show from George MacKay, strong supporting acts from big names like Russell Crowe, Charlie Hunnam, and Nicholas Hoult, arresting visuals, haunting camerawork, and a riveting display of savagery, this biopic on early Australia's notoriety, told through the eyes of its most recognized bushranger, ought to have been sharper, tighter, meatier, and just plain better to have had more impact.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorVidhu Vinod ChopraStarsSadia KhateebZain Khan DurraniPriyanshu ChatterjeeShikara is the story of resilience in the face of insurmountable odds. It's also the story of a love that remains unextinguished through 30 years of exile. A timeless love story in the worst of times.Vidhu Vinod Chopra's directorial comeback after 13 years is noble, but ultimately bogged down by a lazy script, abrupt and jagged time jumps, one-note performances by the two leads, and surprisingly unimaginative direction. A few portions hit hard and leave the desired impact, but the film needed far more such moments. You're left with an understanding of what the Kashmiri Pandits had gone through, minus the ability to feel for them (on screen that is). You almost feel guilty for not feeling for them. Shikara is a huge missed opportunity for a subject that screamed for a better film. The Kashmiri Pandits certainly deserved better both on and off screen.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorHansal MehtaStarsRajkummar RaoNushrratt BharucchaMohd. Zeeshan AyyubA lazy and under-qualified physical training instructor faces new competition at his school and in his personal life.Chhalaang works as a rom-com, and works quite well. There's an old-scool vibe to it, reminding you of classics like Chhoti Si Baat, Chitchor and Naram Garam, from the likes of auteurs such as Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, where the simpleton underdog gets the girl against all odds from the flashier, go-getter competitor. It helps in no small measure that Nushrratt Bharuccha and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub fit their characters to the T, with Rajkummar Rao being sufficiently competent in his part (though he does seem like a reluctant onscreen lover). However, as much as Chhalaang works as a rom-com, where it fails is as a sports drama. The film completely lacks anything inspirational, rousing, or invigorating that's sorely needed to make sports movies works, especially ones with as predictable outcomes as these, where you know how things will end before the plot is even set up. It's surprising that the script, which is so fluid in its romantic tone gets so bumpy in the second half, when the games begin. Even the training sequences and the motivation needed to awaken Montu's ragtag team of misfits is devoid of pep or pulse. You'll love the romance and subtle humor of Chhalaang, especially if you're a fan of old-school Bollywood rom-coms. You'll scratch your head wondering what went wrong with the sporting scenes and dramatic flavor.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorGarrett BradleyStarsSibil Fox RichardsonRobert G. RichardsonMahlik RichardsonFox Rich fights for the release of her husband, Rob, who is serving a 60-year sentence in prison.If anyone wants to know how key a role direction plays even in a Documentary film or has any interest in making one with a strong subject, should watch the Oscar-nominated Time on Amazon Prime, where a very pertinent topic and the emotional turmoil of one black family against the racial justice system of America loses its impact purely due to some extremely weak direction. In fact, some of the narrative and editing choices, too, for that matter are downright bizarre, diverting from the main issue on hand in a bid to create, a greater, but borderline pretentious, and utterly needless artistic feel. That being said, it does pose some difficult questions of a crime committed vs. time served based on skin color, without providing easy answers. That also being said, it's a tad bias towards its protagonists, and if you really wish to check out the unjust, racist, harsh reality of the US prison system, then I'd suggest the brilliant documentary, 13th, that had released in 2016. I don't see this beating My Octupus Teacher at this year's Academy Awards.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorLydia Dean PilcherStarsSarah Megan ThomasStana KaticRadhika ApteIn the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency - SOE - to recruit and train women as spies.What actually hold A Call to Spy together are the performances, with Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic Atkins and Linus Roache standing out in particular. Sarah Megan Thomas also pens the screenplay of A Call to Spy, but the cardinal sin she makes is to show the character's trials and tribulations through their emotions rather than the precarious situation they're thrust in, which is a no-no for a spy film. And if it could work, then her script just doesn't make it, nor does the direction by Lydia Dean Pilcher, who seems to have strictly followed the written material handed to her rather than injecting some vitality into it with her imagination. They don't falter miserably or anything, but just that what they go for doesn't come off well enough to keep you engaged, ultimately drawing away from the espionage-centric plot of a spy thriller. It's not that the deviation aimed for in A Call to Spy doesn't work, but it's that it only works in parts as we expect a spy movie and get one instead on emotional vulnerability with very little tension to keep you hooked.
2.5/5 stars - DirectorArati KadavStarsVikrant MasseyShweta TripathiNandu MadhavA young female astronaut, who joins a reclusive astronaut aboard a spaceship, struggles with her job as she interacts with mysterious Cargos that appear on the ship.Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi's spaceship takes off ingeniously, innovatively, and with a concept hitherto unseen in sci-fi in any film industry, but runs out of fuel so badly midway that it has to crash land. Honestly, Netfli 's Cargo was tailor-made for a 30-minute short film at best, but is stretched beyond boredom for almost two hours. It's also another classic example of a plague afflicting today's Indian film audience, which I like to call the 'anti-mainstream syndrome', where — fuelled in no small measure by agenda-driven fellow critics and hate-filled YouTuber trollers posing as critics — the gullible OTT junta is being led to believe that any movie lacking or completely devoid of songs, lavish production values, action, masala, big names, and stripped of every commerical element known to man automatically qualifies for great cinema. Once again (as this needs to be drilled): Every small or mid-budget project or indie production isn't a Thappad, AndhaDhun, Article 15, Saand Ki Aankh, or Kaamyaab, and every big film, mounted on a huge scale, & featuring big stars isn't a Race 3, Baaghi 3, Kalank, Pagalpanti, or Thugs of Hindostan.
2/5 stars - DirectorV. VignarajanStarsVinoth KishanArjun DasPooja RamachandranAs a blind librarian, dispirited cricketer and desolate psychiatrist each seek retribution and release, their lives overlap under eerie influences.Tamil horror movie Andhaghaaram has quite a few things going for it, including interesting, intersecting parallel plot devices, an intriguing underlying mystery, and genuinely solid performances, but it wastes too much time getting to its better parts and takes way too long to really hook you in — problems no doubt exaggerated by the editor having gone to sleep at the chopping table, resulting in a film that overstays its welcome by no less than an hour. Much crisper editing and a tighter screenplay could've made this a proper treat for Indian horror — it certainly has the potential to be so.
2/5 stars - DirectorMahesh NarayananStarsFahadh FaasilRoshan MathewDarshana RajendranA software engineer, living in Kerala, is prompted by his family to look for his cousin's missing fiancee. As they stumble upon her video-based suicide note, he races against time to find her.You have to hand it to Malayalam movie C U Soon for ushering in something truly unique for the India audience (even more innovative in the way it's been shot than the web series, The Gone Game, released earlier), but it ultimately goes down as a an opportunity grossly missed, not fulfilling its premise, especially when the nail-biting first half had promised so much. Mobile and laptop screens are used very well to build tension, and Fahadh Faasil, Roshan Mathew, and Darshana Rajendran s convincing performances add to the suspense, but all the good work done halfway through unravels pretty soon as the script quickly deviates from suspense territory to soapy melodrama, focusing on human trauma, which would've been all well and good had it not come at the expense of the mysterious story promised earlier.
Plus, some of the online plot points on display are just too confounding too follow even for those very well versed with social media and modern technology. Fahadh had earlier revealed to me in an exclusive interview that the concept of his film is inspired from Hollywood movie Searching (2018), and while we have to give credit to the team for daring to experiment with the Indian audience, you dearly wish that they recollected that innovation alone does not a good movie make.
2/5 stars - DirectorTony CervoneStarsWill ForteMark WahlbergJason IsaacsScooby and the gang face their most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this dogpocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.Scoob begins well as an origin story, but it quickly abandons the idea and gets the entire grownup Mystery Inc. gang together for an adventure that doesn't hold a candle before any of the classic episodes of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You or the better standalone Direct-to-DVD films that are intermittently released. Sure there are some nostalgic 'Jinkies' and 'Zoikns' moments, but the idea to go full-blown sci-fi rather than sticking to the fun, paranormal mysteries that Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma were known for, and making a mess of the traditional man-behind-the-mask reveal, impedes this from being the throwback it could've been. Neutral viewers may enjoy it more, but diehard fans will end up saying, "They'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling ideas."
2/5 stars - DirectorMichael M. ScottStarsNick PurchaJoe CostaCamila MendesWhen a wealthy elderly man dies and unexpectedly leaves his estate to his new caregiver, she's drawn into a web of deception and murder. If she's going to survive, she'll have to question everyone's motives - even the people she loves.The biggest issue with the new Netflix thriller, Dangerous Lies, is its script and direction, which, while far from bad, follow a strictly by-the-numbers routine that belong on a sappy Lifetime afternoon thriller for bored housewives rather than on a platform like Netflix, which charges a fair amount to its subscribers. Most of the twists can be seen from miles away; the lies, murder, deceit and betrayal are all nothing close to "dangerous"; the screenplay and its narration fail to engage you; and you end up not being that invested in knowing the fate of the characters. Though not sloppy, the writing and direction are lazy as the premise and talented actors were certainly ripe for the picking. If it weren't for its committed cast, Dangerous Lies comes dangerously close to falling by the wayside. As is, you could still do a lot better than this routine murder mystery, which only holds more than a modicum of interest for Riverdale fans eager to watch Camila Mendes aka Veronica Lodge as a lead in a movie.
2/5 stars - DirectorNiki CaroStarsLiu YifeiDonnie YenGong LiTo keep her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man and battles northern invaders in China.No amount of scale, canvas, a rousing landscape, captivating visuals, or jaw-dropping cinematography and VFX can compensate for the lack of depth and passion in Mulan, which is surprising given what a passionate and inspiring tale the Chinese folklore is and given how these attributes were brought to the fore in Disney's own vastly superior and far more entertaining 1998 animated movie by the same name. It's also exasperating to see how action legends and martial-arts icons like Donnie Yen and Jet Li are reduced to mere sidekicks, bumbling and screaming with not so much as a properly choreographed solitary action sequence given to either of them. And though Liu Yifei puts up a gamely face, her inexperience eventually fails in uplifting a strictly by-the-numbers script. This begins well, is beautiful to look at, but is hollow within and ends tepidly.
2/5 stars - DirectorBridget Savage ColeDanielle KrudyStarsDavid CoffinDavid PridemoreAdam Wolf MayersonMary Beth and Priscilla Connolly attempt to cover up a gruesome run-in with a dangerous man. To conceal their crime, the sisters must go deep into the criminal underbelly of their hometown, uncovering the town's darkest secrets.When a thriller builds its premise well, you expect a lot more than what Amazon Studios' Blow the Man Down offers in its middle act, and certainly way more than the damp note it ends on. Despite a strong and suspenseful opening salvo, and some sturdy performances, this peters out on a meek note.
2/5 stars - DirectorRandeep JhaStarsBarun SobtiSachin KhedekarPurnendu BhattacharyaThe Murder of a college girl morphed into a suicide takes Dr. Shiv on a journey to dig the truth out of his daughter's murder.Barun Sobti and Sachin Khedekar's noir thriller, Halahal, has its moments, but is saddled by too much melancholy. The latter is the glue that binds this Eros Now web film together while Randeep Jha's direction, coupled with Piyush Puty's camerawork, succeed in bringing out the noir effect. For most parts, the background score and Nitesh Bhatia's editing, too ,are on point. The biggest impediment though is the bleak outlook and pervasive melancholy, which completely dampens your enthusiasm and leaves you all but disinterested about the final outcome as it draws near. It doesn't help that Barun neither appears tough enough as a senior cop nor conniving enough as a corrupt lawman. Additionally, the third act is a bit jumbled, further dampening our interest. It's unfortunate because a potentially good noir thriller shoots itself in the foot.
2/5 stars - DirectorCorneliu PorumboiuStarsVlad IvanovCatrinel MarlonRodica LazarNot everything is as it seems for Cristi, a policeman who plays both sides of the law. Embarking with the beautiful Gilda on a high-stakes heist, both will have to navigate the twists and turns of corruption, treachery and deception.Romanian film The Whistlers (an official selection at Cannes) is a classic example of a Director setting the audience up for something really grand only to leave us high and dry, all out of ammo after the first act itself. In addition, it's also a perfect blueprint of the sheer number of Quentin Tarantino wannabes out there (many in Bollywood, too), trying their best to replicate his style and methodology, but unable to even scratch the surface of the essence and vision that make the master's style so stylish and methodology so methodological. This could've been a truly unique heist film...alas...it but remains either a shadow of its own potential or a statement of how writer-Director Corneliu Porumboiu overplayed his hand, whichever way you wish to perceive it.
2/5 stars - DirectorRaghava LawrenceBalakrishnan ThevarStarsAkshay KumarKiara AdvaniSharad KelkarAasif visits his wife's parents' house and happens to go to a ground that is supposedly haunted. However, he is soon possessed by the spirit of a transgender who is out for revenge.Though Akshay Kumar tops Raghava Lawrence's performance, Laxmii falls short of overall impact both in terms of horror and comedy as compared to Kanchana even though the slight tweaks made to the original plot are refreshing.
2/5 stars - DirectorMatthew Michael CarnahanStarsWaleed ElgadiSuhail DabbachAdam BessaA police unit from Mosul fight to liberate the Iraqi city from thousands of ISIS militants.Netflix's war movie, Mosul, depicting the liberation of the eponymous Iraqi city from ISIS, is raw, gritty, vulnerable, deathly, well researched, and realistically shot. The problem though is that it proceeds like a live-action Call of Duty or Soldier of Fortune video game, with not a semblance of a plot tying the aforementioned grittiness, mortality, and realism together, and the battle scenes, too, while decent, aren't good enough to overlook the lack of cohesiveness. Strictly for war movie-buffs, and that, too, for the less demanding kind.
2/5 stars - DirectorRose GlassStarsMorfydd ClarkCaoilfhionn DunneJennifer EhleA pious nurse becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient.I get what the makers were going for, and to be fair, the psychological horror does work in parts, but, ultimately, Saint Maud is a bit too abstract, a bit too incoherently placed, goes a bit overboard with the religious iconography, and too little happens in-between the portions where things actually happen to keep you thoroughly engrossed as a viewer, indie horror-movie fan or not.
2/5 stars - DirectorMichael CristoferStarsTye SheridanAna de ArmasHelen HuntA voyeuristic hotel clerk becomes the subject of a murder investigation.Netflix's The Night Clerk sets its mystery up quite well and is backed by a rivetingly amusing performance by Tye Sheridan, but becomes increasingly contrived, convenient, and cliched as the narrative proceeds, petering out to a predictable, and borderline silly finale. A good opportunity pretty much wasted.
2/5 stars