Sleight of Film

“No respectable gentleman is that respectable.” —Edward Pierce

Today’s quick review: The Great Train Robbery. In 1855, Edward Pierce (Sean Connery), a cunning thief, sets out to do the impossible: steal a shipment of 50,000 pounds worth of gold from a moving train. With the help of his faithful accomplice Miriam (Lesley-Anne Down) and Agar (Donald Sutherland), a talented pickpocket, Edward hatches a plan to copy the four keys needed to unlock the safe the gold is being transported in.

The Great Train Robbery is a crime drama written, directed, and based on the novel by Michael Crichton. Loosely based on real events, the plot follows Pierce and his crew as they attempt a series of daring burglaries to set up for the main event. The Great Train Robbery features a nicely elaborate plot and an impressively faithful setting. However, some peculiarities with its tone and characters will diminish some viewers’ enjoyment.

One of the major draws of The Great Train Robbery is how seemingly faithful it is to its era. Everything from the costumes to the architecture to the paraphernalia of daily living is recreated in loving detail. The heist is also firmly rooted in its era, with a plot that plays on the technology and societal circumstances of the time. With clever plans and setbacks in equal measure, The Great Train Robbery delivers the robbery it promises.

Where the movie is a little shakier is in balancing its tone. It bounces from low-stakes comedy to serious drama on a whim without fully settling on either end of the spectrum. The movie also lands in an awkward position with its characters, who are unrepentant thieves with just enough charisma to make them worth following. Between a couple of tonal leaps and heroes who are anything but, the movie can be a rockier watch than other heist films.

Give The Great Train Robbery a shot if you are a crime fan who’s willing to take the plunge into a historical setting. The work the movie puts into its setting makes it an immersive watch, while its plot brings a few new ideas to the genre. The only sticking points are its unredeemed characters and its lack of flashiness compared to heists using modern technology.

For another adaptation of a high-profile British robbery, try The Bank Job or King of Thieves. For a more modern British heist in the same vein, try Flawless. For a heist movie with a flashier style and a more comedic bent, try Ocean’s Eleven.

[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079240/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a detailed setting and an interesting plot.

Today’s quick review: The Russia House. Barley (Sean Connery), a British publisher, finds himself at the center of international intrigue when Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer), a Russian woman he has never met, sends him a manuscript containing military secrets. Working under British Intelligence with the support of the CIA, Barley travels to Moscow to meet Katya and track down the manuscript’s author, the elusive Dante (Klaus Maria Brandauer).

The Russia House is a spy thriller based on the novel by John le Carre. Set at the end of the Cold War, The Russia House follows an independent-minded book publisher on a dangerous mission to verify a manuscript that could change the face of global politics. The movie deals with the harsh realities of the spy business from an outside perspective. As Barley grows attached to Katya, he faces a choice between his heart and his duty to his country.

The Russia House is a slow, cerebral thriller that is light on action. The bulk of the story is spent recruiting Barley, making contact in Moscow, and gradually reeling in Dante. The drama comes from two sources: Barley’s shifting motives as his mission progresses, and the internal debates between the CIA and British Intelligence about just what to do with the information Dante has given them.

The outcome is a spy movie that looks at the genre from a different angle than most. Many of the familiar elements are present, but the conflict is as much about the personal and political fallout of the situation as the mission itself. The upshot is that the moral side of The Russia House carries more weight than the typical spy flick. The downside is that these weightier elements slow the movie down and keep it from packing too many twists.

Watch The Russia House if you are in the mood for intrigue set against the backdrop of late Cold War politics. The quality of the acting, the tension of the story, and the uncertainty of the situation Barley finds himself in all contribute to a satisfying movie. However, anyone looking for overt action or repeated twists may want to steer clear, as the movie’s deliberate pacing and more focused story can come across as dull.

For another John le Carre adaptation that takes a bleaker look at spycraft, try The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. For a more comedic movie about the publication of a sensitive manuscript, try Hopscotch or Burn After Reading. For a more action-packed Cold War thriller starring Sean Connery, check out The Hunt for Red October.

[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100530/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a thoughtful spy dilemma.

Today’s quick review: Hopscotch. After decades of loyal work for the CIA, Miles Kendig (Walter Matthau) is kicked to the curb by his ungrateful boss Myerson (Ned Beatty). With nothing left to lose, Kendig decides to publish his memoirs and reveal every embarrassing secret and boondoggle the CIA was ever involved in. As Kendig jaunts around the world writing new chapters, Myerson sends Joe Cutter (Sam Waterson), Kendig’s successor, to catch him.

Hopscotch is a spy comedy about a veterna CIA spy spilling the beans about his former employers. Kendig uses his superior spycraft and a network of contacts, including his old friend Isobel (Glenda Jackson), to run circles around the men sent to catch him. Hopscotch gets most of its appeal from Kendig’s folksy mannerisms and the pranks he plays on Myerson and the others. Solid acting and a charming premise make the movie an enjoyable watch.

Still, Hopscotch has very little of the flashiness associated with the spy genre. Apart from one or two close calls between Kendig and his pursuers, there is little action to speak of. The movie also never makes a point of what secrets Kendig is leaking, only that they are embarrassing to Myerson. As a result, Hopscotch may come across as dry or aimless compared to other movies in the genre.

Hopscotch is a fun pick for viewers who enjoy classic comedies and are willing to let the movie unfold at its own pace. Between Matthau’s performance and the tricks Kendig uses to stay ahead, the movie manages to entertain from start to finish. However, not everyone will enjoy what Hopscotch has to offer, and anyone looking for overt comedy or a high-stakes plot may want to steer clear.

For a slightly darker comedy about a spy publishing his memoirs, check out Burn After Reading. For a more ridiculous spy comedy, check out Get Smart. For a more serious spy thriller about the publication of a book containing state secrets, try The Russia House. For Cold War-era spycraft with a more serious tone, try The Ipcress File or Funeral in Berlin.

[7.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080889/). I give it a 7.0 for low-key humor and a pleasant story.

Today’s quick review: The Invention of Lying. In a world where lying does not exist, Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) remakes his life by learning how to say things that aren’t true. Taking advantage of the gullible people around him, Mark parlays his new talent into a successful career, even going so far as to found his own religion. But no matter how successful he becomes, Mark still cannot win over Anna (Jennifer Garner), the woman of his dreams.

The Invention of Lying is a comedy with romantic elements starring Ricky Gervais. The movie satirizes modern society by stripping away its pleasant untruths, revealing the petty thoughts and shallow motives that people lie about on a daily basis. The Invention of Lying gets double mileage out of its premise. Not only is Mark’s world innately funny, but it also lets the movie comment on human nature and the role of fiction in society.

First and foremost, The Invention of Lying is a comedy. Without the capacity for deception, the inhabitants of Mark’s world wear their hearts on their sleeves, bluntly commenting on their true motives, other people’s looks, and anything else that comes to mind. This type of social interaction is an endless source of humor for the movie. It also fits nicely with Ricky Gervais style of humor, which plays off awkward social situations.

But beyond this, The Invention of Lying has some insightful reflections on how dependent humanity is on lies, from the white lies of daily conversation to the larger questions about the hereafter. Not everything the movie has to say is even-handed or accurate, but it does have a knack for capturing the foibles of human nature. Moreover, the actors step up their game for a few key, emotionally laden scenes, giving the material unexpected heart.

Give The Invention of Lying a shot when you are in the mood for a social comedy that makes good on an interesting premise. Creative humor, a plot that takes full advantage of Mark’s newfound power, and a couple of heartfelt scenes make The Invention of Lying an enjoyable and thought-provoking film. Steer clear if you dislike Ricky Gervais, are sensitive to awkward situations, or are looking for a more serious style of societal speculation.

For another Ricky Gervais comedy with a different premise but similar themes, try Ghost Town. For another comedy about a man given godlike power, try Bruce Almighty. For a more ridiculous satire of religion, try The Life of Brian.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1058017/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for successful use of a unique premise.

Today’s quick review: Ghost Town. After dying briefly during a colonoscopy, Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais), a misanthropic dentist, discovers that he can interact with ghosts. His ability becomes a nuisance when a ghost named Frank (Greg Kinnear) pressures him to break up Frank’s widow Gwen (Tea Leoni) and her new boyfriend Richard (Billy Campbell). But as Pincus gets to know Gwen, he finds himself reconsidering his own empty life.

Ghost Town is a fantasy comedy with romantic elements starring Ricky Gervais. An acerbic dentist on a mission from a dead adulterer meets a woman who gets him to come out of his shell. Ghost Town offers up a pleasant blend of observational humor and personal growth, both of which are delivered ably by Ricky Gervais. The movie never reaches great heights of comedy, but it tells a satisfying story with plenty of jokes peppered in.

Ghost Town’s greatest strength is Gervais himself. Pincus is at his best not when he is showing off his barbed tongue and his half-justified hatred of the human race, but when he is more vulnerable trying to impress Gwen. Gervais handles these subtler moments with skill, coming across as just the right blend of awkward and witty. The movie is laden with these quieter interactions, and they are what make the themes of the movie click.

The rest of Ghost Town acts as plain but effective scaffolding. The plot follows the expected template, with the initial friction between Pincus and Frank giving way to mutual understanding, if not friendship. The themes are fairly generic ones about living well and helping others. To the movie’s credit, the story is scoped well, with just enough content to say what it wants to without getting lost in the weeds or overstaying its welcome.

Watch Ghost Town if you are interested in a comedy-tinged reflection on life and romance. Ghost Town does not break the mold with either its premise or its execution, but what it lacks in ambition, it makes up for in quiet quality. Steer clear if you dislike Ricky Gervais or are looking for a more outrageous comedy.

For a fantasy romance with a very similar setup, check out Ghost. For another Ricky Gervais comedy that deals with similar themes, try The Invention of Lying.

[6.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0995039/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an effective blend of humor and heart.

Today’s quick review: The Woman in Red. Theodore Pierce (Gene Wilder), an ad executive and family man, contemplates cheating for the first time when he meets Charlotte (Kelly LeBrock), the model for one of his ad campaigns. Theodore moves heaven and earth to land a date with Charlotte and keep it a secret from his wife Didi (Judith Ivey). But as the complications mount, he begins to wonder whether all the trouble is worth it.

The Woman in Red is a comedy about a man trying and failing to cheat on his wife. Smitten with Charlotte, Theodore wraps himself in a web of lies to keep his hoped-for affair a secret. The Woman in Red’s humor is tied closely to Gene wilder. As Theodore, Wilder is flustered, distracted, and prone to spur-of-the-moment decisions that inevitably land him in trouble. His performance is enough to carry the movie but is held back by a mediocre plot.

The Woman in Red has some fine individual jokes but has a hard time building on them. Nearly all of the jokes are variations on the same theme, so the movie ends up retreading the same ground, with Theodore making incremental progress with Charlotte and landing himself in new untenable situations. To the movie’s credit, it surrounds Theodore with a well-developed supporting cast, but it is still stuck with a linear main plot.

How much you get out of The Woman in Red will come down to how much you like Gene Wilder. The premise sets up the jokes and Wilder delivers them, but the movie never gets beyond the same basic ideas. As such, anyone who doesn’t like Wilder’s humor for its own sake may find the movie repetitive and a little shallow. Give it a shot when you are in the mood for something light and a little silly.

Check out A Guide for the Married Man or Last of the Red Hot Lovers for two other comedic takes on attempted infidelity. For a more outrageous use of Gene Wilder, try Young Frankenstein or Robin Hood: Men in Tights. For a more nuanced comedy about an affair, try The Graduate.

[6.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088414/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent humor without the scaffolding to support it.

Today’s quick review: Funny Money. Henry Perkins (Chevy Chase), a boring man, gets the shock of his life when he accidentally picks up a briefcase with $5 million from a stranger on the train. Realizing that the owner of the briefcase will be coming for him, Henry makes plans to leave the country with his wife Carol (Penelope Ann Miller). But their escape is delayed when a nosy detective (Armand Assante) tries to get a piece of the cash.

Funny Money is a comedy starring Chevy Chase. A couple’s quiet life erupts into chaos when they try to flee the country with a fortune in stolen cash. Hours before their flight, Henry and Carol find themselves besieged with visitors, forcing them to come up with a series of lies to cover for their hasty departure. Funny Money aims for madcap comedy but suffers from weak gags, mediocre performances, and uneven pacing.

Funny Money has a hard time calibrating its comedy. The backbone of the movie is supposed to be the edifice of lies Henry and Carol erect to keep the police off their backs. The trouble is that the lies are poorly chosen. Henry comes up with needlessly ridiculous cover stories that are meant to be comedy fodder, but they come across as overbearing. Furthermore, the situation gets too complex too quickly, making the movie difficult to follow.

The execution also leaves something to be desired. The movie frequently gets stuck on certain jokes, repeating the same material until it becomes grating. The performances of Chevy Chase and Penelope Ann Miller both miss the mark, with Chase erring too dry and Miller too histrionic. Later on, when the movie has built up some momentum, these issues abate. But by that point the movie has been locked into its early questionable decisions.

Funny Money is a movie that never stirs up the right kind of excitement. Some of its jokes line up right, but many of them are either too subdued or too forced. Chevy Chase brings his talents to bear for a few scenes, but largely they are untapped. Finally, the play-like staging limits the kinds of things the movie can do. Funny Money may be worth a watch for devoted fans of Chevy Chase, but most viewers will want to steer clear.

For a more serious movie about ordinary people finding stolen cash, check out Good People, Blood Money, or No Country for Old Men. For another comedy about a couple facing a never-ending string of domestic issues, try The Money Pit or Christmas with the Kranks.

[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244521/). I give it a 5.5 for miscalibrated humor.

Today’s quick review: The Out-of-Towners. Henry Clark (Steve Martin) and his wife Nancy (Goldie Hawn) leave Ohio and fly to New York for Henry’s job interview. But the trip goes awry when their flight is rerouted, their luggage is lost, and they are kicked out of their hotel by its fussy manager (John Cleese). Left broke and hungry on the streets of New York, Henry and Nancy must rely on each other to salvage what is left of the trip.

The Out-of-Towners is a comedy about an Ohio couple who receive a cold welcome from the city of New York. Henry and Nancy are at a transition point in their lives. With their kids grown and Henry out of a job, they have to figure out what they are going to do with the rest of their lives, something they have very different ideas about. Over the course of a nightmarish trip to New York, they rekindle their relationship.

The main failing of The Out-of-Towners is that it starts off slow. There is very little humor in the early stages of the movie, only setup laying out Henry and Nancy’s lives and the logistics of the trip. Once they leave for the trip, the humor picks up a little as things start to go wrong, but the jokes are tepid and the movie tries to cover for them with a bustling soundtrack.

The Out-of-Towners finally hits its stride later on, when enough has happened for it to loosen up. After Henry and Nancy have been robbed, chased, and hectored around town, they become desperate enough to make some bad decisions. Seeing them actually interacting with New York and with each other is a breath of fresh air after the movie’s stagnant start, and The Out-of-Towners coasts to a fun and reasonably satisfying finish.

How much you get out of The Out-of-Towners will depend on how patient you are and how much you enjoy marital humor, sarcasm, and characters making poor choices. Viewers who make it through the rocky start can expect a hefty dose of Steve Martin’s sarcasm, as well as a couple of big blow-ups later on. But for many viewers, the payoff will not be worth the investment, making The Out-of-Towners a mediocre pick overall.

For a better use of Steve Martin, try Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. For another Steve Martin comedy about marriage, fatherhood, and their perils, try Father of the Bride.

[5.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129280/). I give it a 6.0 for mediocre comedy that makes a poor first impression.

“Do you ever wonder why we’re always, like, wearing gloves?” —Bobby

Today’s quick review: An Extremely Goofy Movie. Max Goof (Jason Marsden) is excited to leave for college, where he hopes to make his mark by beating Bradley Uppercrust III (Jeff Bennett) in the College X Games. But his dreams hit a snag when his father Goofy (Bill Farmer), recently fired from his job, returns to college to finish his degree. Now Max and his dad must find a way to get along while juggling academics, sports, and their social lives.

An Extremely Goofy Movie is an animated family comedy from Disney. The movie picks up a few years after A Goofy Movie as Max heads to college, leaving his father all alone. The sequel has the same light tone, goofy characters, and cartoonish slapstick as the original. However, it is missing some of the subtler qualities of the original. The result is an enjoyable but relatively shallow family comedy with a touch of father-son drama.

Where An Extremely Goofy Movie shines is in setting up its cartoon world. The plot would fit perfectly as a live-action comedy, but the animation lets the movie indulge in exaggerated stunts, varied character designs, and the odd dream sequence. Goofy’s clumsiness and Max’s skateboarding prowess lend themselves well to the medium. While the animation is not outstanding, it is more than enough to bring the world and the characters to life.

Still, An Extremely Goofy Movie does not have the fine touch of A Goofy Movie. The original musical numbers are gone, replaced with outside music. The premise is more forced, relying on a convoluted sequence of events to bring Max and Goofy together for more father-son bonding. None of this detracts from the movie’s strengths, but they do keep it from developing the kind of heart and artistry that lifted the first movie up.

An Extremely Goofy Movie is worth a watch for fans of the first film or anyone in the mood for an earnest, family-friendly story. Although the movie does not have much to set it apart, solid storytelling, likable characters, and a good use of the medium make it an entertaining pick for anyone who wants what it has to offer. Steer clear if you are looking for the kind of craftsmanship seen in bigger-budget Disney movies.

For a more raucous college comedy, try Animal House or Old School.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208185/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for light humor and likable characters.

Today’s quick review: A Goofy Movie. Afraid that he’s losing touch with his teenage son Max (Jason Marsden), Goofy (Bill Farmer) takes Max on a cross-country roadtrip to go fishing in Idaho. But when the trip forces Max to cancel a hard-won date with Roxanne (Kellie Martin), he lies and says his dad is taking him to a concert in Los Angeles. With their destination up in the air, Goofy and Max set out together across the United States.

A Goofy Movie is an animated family comedy adventure from Disney. Max, a teenage boy trying to navigate the perils of high school, gets stuck going on a road trip with Goofy, his smothering but well-meaning father. A Goofy Movie takes this premise and turns it into something special. Energetic slapstick, an outstanding soundtrack, and above all a moving father-son story make it a movie that punches well above its weight.

The heart of A Goofy Movie is the relationship between Max and his father. The story does a great job of capturing the tension between Goofy’s love for his son and Max’s need for a life of his own. Seeing the two bond over the course of the trip is one of the great rewards of the movie. A Goofy Movie largely sticks to the basics, but these are enough to tell a rich and emotionally rewarding story.

The other factor that makes A Goofy Movie worth watching is its passion. The movie pours its heart into everything it does, from the antics of the background characters to a pair of stellar musical numbers from Powerline (Tevin Campbell), Max’s pop star idol. The animation is not as lavish as Disney’s bigger-budget productions, but the movie makes it count. The result is a movie that is enthusiastic and heartfelt from start to finish.

Give A Goofy Movie a try when you are in the mood for an earnest, endearing comedy. A Goofy Movie is modest in scope and has no delusions of grandeur, but it has a life to it that few movies can match. How much you get out of it will come down to taste, but anyone with a soft spot for 90s animation should give it a chance.

For another road trip comedy with similar appeal, try The Muppet Movie. For another passionate Disney adventure from the same era, try The Rescuers Down Under. For a different flavor of father-son road trip, try Over the Top or Real Steel.

[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113198/). I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for a moving story, passionate delivery, and personal appeal.