An arrogant and jaded Las Vegas stage magician has to find himself again after being sacked. Inconsistent but intermittently fantastic comedy; its perfunctory redemption arc story is bolstered with some great gags and a dark undercurrent throughout. Alan Arkin, as ever, steals the movie.
Tag: steve carell
Vice (2018, dir. Adam McKay)
A satirical biopic of GW Bush’s vice-president Dick Cheney. Soberer than The Big Short, this thematic sequel offers an accessible overview of Cheney’s rise to silent power and his ultimate betrayal of himself. The film doesn’t get inside its protagonist, but is revelatory nevertheless.
The Way, Way Back (2013, dir. Nat Faxon & Jim Rash)
A gawky 14-year-old gets a summer job at a water park to escape his dysfunctional family. A charming offbeat comedy-drama very much of two parts: a crumbling new family unit, and the escapism of the park. Highly recommended.
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