Charlotte County Florida Weekly

FILM CAPSULES


 

 

Breathe

(Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander) Paralyzed in his prime from polio, Robin (Garfield) finds new meaning in his life thanks to his wife (Foy) and other loved ones. Garfield and Foy are strong as the leads, and it’s ultimately a hopeful story that’s not as depressing as it looks. Rated PG-13.

Happy Death Day . 1/2

(Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine) Sorority girl Tree (Rothe) is murdered, then relives the day until she can find the killer. It’s illogical and lame, with few original ideas and plenty of logical gaps. Rated PG-13.

Victoria & Abdul

(Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon) The friendship between Queen Victoria (Dench) and an Indian servant (Fazal) late in her life is chronicled in director Stephen Frears’ latest. It’s a bit scattered in terms of narrative tone, but overall the touching, symbiotic friendship is a welcome sight to see. Rated PG-13.

American Made

(Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright) Airline pilot Barry Seal (Cruise) is recruited by the CIA to take pictures over Central America, then becomes involved in drug and gun smuggling. It’s a captivating story that will keep you rooting for the anti-hero, but it doesn’t have the visual panache this kind of film should feature. Rated R.

Only The Brave

(Miles Teller, Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges) Firefighters in Arizona bond and battle wildfires in this dramatic true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. It’s not perfect, but it’s moving enough to do the real people justice. Rated PG-13.

Rebel in the Rye ..

(Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Sarah Paulson) Author J.D. Salinger (Hoult) struggles to be a writer, and later struggles with success, in this uneven biopic. It’s a conventional movie for perhaps the most unconventional artist of our time; there’s little doubt the real Salinger (who died in 2010) would hate it. Rated PG-13.

Stronger

(Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson) After losing his legs from just above the knee in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Jeff Bauman (Gyllenhaal) adapts to a new lifestyle with his girlfriend (Maslany), mother (Richardson) and friends helping him. It’s an inspiring true story, and Gyllenhaal’s performance is Oscar-worthy. Rated R.

Patti Cakes .. 1/2

(Danielle Macdonald, Bridget Everett, Cathy Moriarty) Patti (Macdonald), an overweight white girl in New Jersey, dreams of becoming a rap star. Macdonald makes a splash in what could be a breakout performance, but the movie is too predictable to be truly memorable. Rated R. ¦

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