Trust Weighted
Very Good
66
Trust Points

Wick's Review

Summary - Very Good 3.5 click to collapse contents

A tremendous cast makes short work of an overwrought but underdone story in Broken City. Crowe, Wahlberg and Zeta-Jones are the single-namers, and Kyle Chandler should be. They’re not all. The strong supporting cast includes Barry Pepper, luscious Natalie Martinez and engaging newcomer Britney Theriot.

Russell Crowe plays the Mayor of New York like a Godfather in pinstripes, at daggers with Katherine Zeta-Jones as his wife, and a hero to the gay community. The Mayor sacks Mark Wahlberg’s NYPD Detective after a good kill gone bad, then brings him back seven years later to get incriminating pics on his wife, who’s apparently sleeping with Kyle Chandler. Great setup, that. Great climax to follow? Not so much.

Broken City’s arch dialog occasionally crosses over into melodrama and its action never gets above parboil, even as this aspiring action movie affects an old school hard-boil, an attitude not easily pulled off these days. Thus its reach exceeds its grasp, even if that grasp is often impressively powerful.

For fans of the davvero grande cast, NYC movies, old school political thrillers and two-fisted private eye stories, Broken City mostly works. More panned than praised by the professional critics, it delivers better than most politicians do, even if that’s a low bar these days.

Acting - Great 4.0 click to expand contents

Mark Wahlberg’s nice-guy toughness is a welcome sight in movies nowadays. That said, he’s an odd leading man, not handsome or ugly, and weak-voiced to boot. Sure he’s got the Marky-Mark body, which is big screen worthy. Anyway, a movie’s not worth viewing just ‘cause he’s in it, but he’s never less than a welcome sight.

Russell Crowe, OTOH, is a surefire draw, a guy who never gives a less than compelling performance. Here he masterfully plays the role of big time pol, including channeling JFK’s maternal grandfather Honey Fitz. The best part of a Crowe performance is when he amps up his BIG VOICE. It always comes and is always worth waiting for. Not to worry, it does here too.

Catherine Zeta-Jones has her most assured star turn in years, albeit a small one in terms of screen time. Looking good – well preserved and super-MILFy – she purrs like a big cat in the Big Apple. More please.

Kyle Chandler deserves to be a leading man, not just the best supporting actor in every third movie. Come on Hollywood, step up. You won’t be sorry.

Supporters:

Jeffrey Wright always seems to be striving to convey gravitas, which kinda defeats the purpose.
Barry Pepper can be great, but is just very good here as a limousine liberal.
Natalie Martinez isn’t the greatest actress, but she’s a darn appealing starlet. Give the girl another chance. She wouldn’t even have to appear in a borderline porno scene next time.
Michael Beach is a tremendously appealing actor who deserves bigger roles. He gets lots of roles, including when I first noticed him on ER back in the day. He should get bigger ones.
James Ransone made no impression, even though he had a showy big meltdown scene.
Griffin Dunne could be the Donald Sutherland for a new generation.
Britney Theriot jumps off the screen as Wahlberg’s PI assistant, a delightful throwback kind of role. IMDb says this is her one and only acting credit. One suspects that’s about to change.
Chance Kelly’s got an impressive head and tough guy voice. Plus that’s a great name – Chance Kelly. Broken City could be his ticket from TV to the movies.

Male Stars - Really Great 4.5

Female Stars - Really Great 4.5

Female Costars - Very Good 3.5

Male Costars - Great 4.0

Kyle Chandler pulls this slider up into Great territory all by himself.

Film - Very Good 3.5 click to expand contents

Allen Hughes does a great job in his first solo directing gig, i.e., without the other member of The Hughes Brothers. The script he’s working from drags down his film a bit, but so be it.

Direction - Great 4.0

Dialogue - Good 3.0

The story becomes hard to follow because the dialog becomes hard to follow. Granted, that was true in old school hard-boiled films like "The Maltese Falcon":http://www.viewguide.com/movies/365259-the-maltese-falcon. But it doesn't change the fact that a story that's hard to follow is one that grows less engaging.

Music - Very Good 3.5

Visuals - Great 4.0

Two dozen drivers to go with the same number of stuntmen.

Edge - Sordid 3.1 click to expand contents

Reality - Surreal 2.5 click to expand contents

Standard issue Hollywood surrealism pervades Broken City. To pick one example among many, Mark Wahlberg goes from stumbling drunk to sharp as a tack in less time than it takes for a cross-town taxi ride.

Of more interest is the movie’s political stance, in particular that of the challenger to the Mayor’s seat, whose positions are like a syllabus from Obama 101. Spouted by a Connecticut trust fund kid, they come across more ridiculous than usual.

A paean to the gay community trumps all in the movie’s extensive channeling of Obamanism. It’s like a dog whistle to the Left. If only it were less subterranean in terms of the plot, the movie might have touched greatness instead of topping out at very good.

Circumstantial - Surreal 2.8

Biological - Surreal 2.6

Physical - Surreal 2.1

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