Tag: drugs

The Mule (2018, dir. Clint Eastwood)

An elderly man becomes a drugs runner for a cartel. Crime drama based on a true story. Baggy and indulgent in places, but with some charming moments, and a decent lead performance from Eastwood. The script’s the issue; we never quite get to the heart of the character, despite efforts to tell a rounded story.

Superfly (2018, dir. Director X)

A Georgia drug dealer tries for one last score to get out of the life. Okay remake/reprise that’s more style than substance, too often simply presenting the genre tropes than doing much useful with them. Some interesting moments, though, and a good Morris Day joke.

White Boy Rick (2018, dir. Yann Demange)

The true story of Rick Wershe, drug dealer and teen FBI informant. Intriguing spin on the rise-and-fall story, focusing on the latter; good performances, and director Demange again shows he can handle drama, action, genre, character actors and period detail.

Braven (2018, dir. Lin Oeding)

A logger is caught up in a siege against drug-dealers. Somewhat contrived in its set-up, this is nevertheless a decent-enough wintry contemporary western, which sensibly focuses on snowy shootout action.

Sicario (2015, dir. Denis Villeneuve)

A female FBI agent gets in over her head when she volunteers to liaise with an inter-agency anti-drugs team. Smart, bleak and suspenseful thriller with great performances and some standout sequences. Recommended.

Red Heat (1988, dir. Walter Hill)

A Soviet cop comes to Chicago to extradite a prisoner. Dated but effective and brutal mismatched buddies thriller with comic touches, this doesn’t recapture the magic of Hill’s 48 Hrs, but makes great use of Arnie and of Chicago locations.

2 Guns (2013, dir. Baltasar Kormakur)

Two undercover agents get in over their heads with cross-border drug traffickers and worse. Sprightly mismatched-buddies comedy thriller with engaging leads, bags of action, and a decent supporting cast all working well. Thoroughly entertaining.

Sleepless (2017, dir. Baran bo Odar)

A rogue cop has his son kidnapped by drug dealers. A day-from-hell thriller which lifts from Die Hard and Snake Eyes (it’s a remake of Nuit Blanch) in working to sustain momentum; for the most part it holds itself together.

Clear and Present Danger (1994, dir. Phillip Noyce)

Jack Ryan v the drug cartels. Second and better of the Ford/Noyce Tom Clancy adaptations, Danger works well as both a procedural thriller and an action piece, and isn’t afraid to make the good guys complicit.