Moviefone Editorial

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  • ‘Tow’ Interview: Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa

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    Opening in theaters on March 20th is the new drama ‘Tow’, which was based on a true story and directed by Stephanie Laing (‘Physical’).

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    The film stars Academy Award nominees Rose Byrne (‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’) and Dominic Sessa (‘The Holdovers’), Demi Lovato (‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’), Simon Rex (‘Operation Taco Gary’s’), Corbin Bernsen (‘Major League’), and Academy Award winners Ariana DeBose (‘West Side Story’) and Octavia Spencer (‘The Help’).

    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne star in 'Tow.'
    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne star in ‘Tow.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa about their work on ‘Tow’, the true story it is based on, their characters, the film’s unique tone, and working with director Stephanie Laing.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Byrne and Sessa, and director Stephanie Laing.

    Related Article: Simon Rex Talks Sci-Fi Comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ and Drama ‘Tow’

    Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Rose, can you talk about your first reaction to learning of Amanda Ogle’s true story and why you wanted to play her and bring her story to the screen?

    Rose Byrne: I mean, I was so intrigued. It really confronted my own prejudices of what someone is who’s unhoused, what they typically behave like or look like or sound like and where they’re from. She really turned all those things on its head in that sense. That’s something that really speaks to Amanda about how people have so many prejudices around that. It’s a systemic problem in the country and how that can happen to anybody through a series of bad choices and bad luck. She also hates authority. She’s very hostile. She’s suspicious of people. She’s a fun character to play and to hopefully have the audience root for her as well because she’s going up against this horrendous company, this monolithic company who couldn’t care less about her and her situation. In the end, she’s not really fighting for the car. She’s fighting for something inside. She’s fighting for her own dignity and respect. Then this very unlikely lawyer, this double act that becomes Kevin and Amanda. That was also really appealing to me and a fun part of the story. That was so true. It really happened. It’s so funny to see them together because they’re such an unlikely pair.

    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Dominic, can you talk about why Kevin decides to help Amanda, and what it was like creating that relationship on screen with Rose?

    Dominic Sessa: It’s hard to understand. On paper, why would he commit himself to this journey? I mean, this huge commitment that it ended up becoming. But I think it does have a lot to do with his age. I’m close to that age that he was at the time now. I feel that sense of you wanting to prove things, especially for this character right out of law school, you have something to prove. This maybe initially presented itself as an opportunity to be like, “Oh, I graduated. I know what I can do. I passed the bar,” all of that. Then I think beautifully just turned into this very caring relationship where it didn’t become about himself. He really was doing it just for this other person to the point where he was making mistakes and felt bad about them and nervous to present that to her because he had felt such an obligation to her and this car.

    'Tow' director Stephanie Laing.
    ‘Tow’ director Stephanie Laing.

    MF: Rose, what was it like working with Stephanie again after ‘Physical’ and really collaborating with her to tell this specific story?

    RB: It was wonderful. We’ve done so many episodes of TV together and you just clock those hours, you really have a shorthand, which is wonderful. This film was made in 19 days. So, it was like an episode of TV. It was so fast and furious, and we had one take, maybe two. Stephanie is incredible that she keeps everything on track. There’s no drama. She’s very organized and she has wonderful visual instincts. She casts so well. It’s not everybody can do that, particularly in these circumstances. She’s a wonderful leader and there’s no ego to it. She’s very driven by material, by performance, and it just reflects on the set. So, it was very well run considering how tight it was.

    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Octavia Spencer star in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Octavia Spencer star in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, Dominic, can you talk about the unusual tone of the movie and was Stephanie helpful with balancing the comedy and the drama on set?

    DS: I think that was what attracted me to the movie. A large part was the tone of it and how it has this parabolic trajectory where you are laughing and then something devastating can happen. I think Stephanie’s really had a good sense of the tone and that’s what she wanted the movie to be. I think those are the movies I like the most personally and to act in as well. So, the first time we met, I understood what she was trying to do, and I think it’s the perfect tone for this story.

    'Tow' opens in theaters on March 20th.
    ‘Tow’ opens in theaters on March 20th.

    What is the plot of ‘Tow’?

    Amanda Ogle (Rose Byrne), a homeless Seattle woman, fights her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Tow’?

    • Rose Byrne as Amanda Ogle
    • Dominic Sessa as Kevin
    • Demi Lovato as Nova
    • Ariana DeBose as Denise
    • Octavia Spencer as Barb
    • Simon Rex as Cliff
    • Elsie Fisher as Avery
    • Lea DeLaria as Jocelyn
    • Corbin Bernsen as Martin La Rosa
    • Bree Elrod as Lorraine
    • Becky Ann Baker as Debbie
    Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    List of Rose Byrne Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Tow’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Rose Byrne Movies on Amazon

     

  • ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Interview: Simon Rex

    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    Opening in theaters on February 27th is the new science fiction comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s‘, which marks the directorial debut of Michael Kvamme, and stars Simon Rex (‘Red Rocket’), Dustin Milligan (‘Schitt’s Creek’), Brenda Song (‘The Social Network’), Tony Cavalero (‘The Righteous Gemstones’), Arturo Castro (‘Road House’), Jason Biggs (‘American Pie’), and Doug Jones (‘The Shape of Water’).

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    Moviefone recently had an opportunity to attend Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles, where actor Simon Rex was handing out food at the Tacos 1986 truck in promotion of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’.

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    We had a chance to speak with the actor about his new film, his first reaction to the screenplay, working with Dustin Milligan and Jason Biggs, crazy conspiracy theories, and collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set, as well as working with Oscar nominee Rose Byrne and director Stephanie Laing on their upcoming film ‘Tow’, which opens in theaters on March 20th.

    Related Article: Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath Talk ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is a wild movie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project both as an actor and a producer?

    Simon Rex: Well, I laughed out loud every page, which was a good sign. Me and my agent and my manager, after reading it, were like, “This is the funniest script we’ve read in a long time.” There’s not a lot of comedies being made. If they are being made, they’re not that funny lately. I feel like that genre is gone and we need it back. So, when I read this, I knew I had to do it, and my agent and manager were like, “We have to roll the dice and go for it on this one.” Sometimes working with a first-time director, you don’t know what you’re getting into, but I trusted Michael because I knew how smart he was from the script and his background at ‘Funny or Die’ and working with Will Ferrell. He’s just gets it, and I knew he could pull it off. I was happy that he did, obviously.

    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Can you talk about the brotherly relationship between Danny and Luke and creating that relationship on screen with Dustin Milligan?

    SR: So, in the casting process, which was new for me, I usually am the one who’s coming in for what they call a chemistry read to see if you are of the essence of the other actor’s brother or friend or partner. So, we had it down to like five actors, and Dustin was one of them, and when he came in and read, it was just obvious that it worked. He was very grounded and pragmatic. I’m very over the top, and insane, and that’s the odd couple chemistry that you need for it to work. I’ve seen him in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and I saw him in another movie, the name escapes me right now, but I was a fan of his. I’m like, this dude’s great, you know? He gets comedy, he nailed it, and that’s how we got him. We just cast him old school, in the room, which doesn’t happen anymore, usually it’s self-tapes.

    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Jason Biggs plays a crazy and exaggerated version of himself, was he a good sport about doing that?

    SR: Well, that takes a lot of courage and a lot of self-deprecating, self-awareness, and a lot of actors won’t do that. I love that he would because he’s the perfect chef’s kiss for this role, because he’s sort of a throwback to the era of what this movie feels like. It’s like the ‘American Pie’ era. It’s, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Harold & Kumar’, and those fun, lighthearted, wholesome comedies that we don’t make any more in this town. He was perfect in that universe to be synonymous with that era. He’s hilarious, and he’s Jason Biggs. Everyone knows him. He’s a familiar name, so it was perfect. We’re very happy with him. There was a lot of people we were exploring, and some actors wouldn’t be willing to laugh at themselves. I’m just glad he did.

    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Your character in the movie is a conspiracy theorist. What is your favorite conspiracy theory, not necessarily one you believe in, but one you think is interesting like Stanley Kubrick shooting the Moon landing?

    SR: That’s a good one. There are some very strange parallels there. It’s that thing where I got friends who are conspiracy theorists and they’re like, “There are no coincidences.” I don’t agree with that, but there are some things lately that have been coming to light that have proved me wrong. But my favorite one to answer your question is the “flat Earth” theory because I love how those guys go so crazy. They’ll fly to Antarctica, and they’ll do the measurements, and they’ll be proven wrong, and they’ll still be like, “No, it’s flat.” They just can’t accept the science. That one’s very entertaining, so that’s my favorite one.

    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: What was it like collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set to find the right tone for the movie?

    SR: I mean, again, he just gets it. I think people who are that funny are usually very smart in my experience, the funniest people that I’ve worked with are usually intelligent. I think that humor is also a part of being smart and I just knew because of his background, who he’s worked with, and the script that he wrote that his instinct was really on point. That’s a lot of it too, his instinct. It’s just one of those things that you go with your gut. When I met with him and I read the script, it just felt right, and then I’m happy to say that while we were filming, that he knew exactly what he wanted. He showed up prepared, and when you have a director that knows what they want, it makes everything else fall into place. I’ve done jobs where the director is sort of lost. You’re like, “Uh oh, the captain of the ship doesn’t know what’s going on.” This was the opposite. He was extremely on point with everything he wanted and how it would look, and he did all the preparation and he nailed it.

    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, you also have the movie ‘Tow’ opening in March with Rose Byrne, which is based on a real story. What was it like working with Rose and director Stephanie Laing to bring Amanda Ogle’s story to the big screen?

    SR: It was cool. It’s a great wholesome heartwarming movie. I got to meet Amanda. She was on set with her daughter and working with Rose, she might be the most down to earth, normal, big female actor I’ve ever worked with. She was just extremely sweet and generous and I’m happy for this moment she’s having. I’m rooting for her to win the Oscar. I mean, she won the Golden Globe. She could walk away at this point a winner, but I want her to win it all. Obviously, it helps ‘Tow’ if she does. Working with Stephanie Laing, she’s so calm and I’ve never worked with a director that was this mellow, but in a good way where she was so chill. We shot that movie in 19 days, which is insane and ambitious to shoot a whole movie in 19 days with that cast. We got it, and the movie came out great, and it was a great experience. I want to work with Stephanie more and hopefully I will.

    'Operation Taco Gary's' opens in theaters February 27th.
    ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ opens in theaters February 27th.

    What is the plot of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    Two brothers uncover an alien invasion hidden inside a fast-food chain and must save Earth.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    • Simon Rex as Danny
    • Dustin Milligan as Luke
    • Brenda Song as Allison
    • Tony Cavalero as Kyle
    • Jason Biggs as himself
    • Doug Jones as Elder
    • Arturo Castro as Tiago
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    List of Simon Rex Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Simon Rex Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Greedy People’

    (L to R) Himesh Patel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 'Greedy People'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Himesh Patel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in ‘Greedy People’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Opening in theaters on August 23rd, ‘Greedy People’ comes across like a Coen brothers movie made by people who have not actually seen the siblings’ work, only heard it described by someone who remembered the wrong things.

    Though Joseph Gordon-Levitt leads an accomplished cast, the film around them simply can’t find the right gear and is neither as funny nor as impactful as it believes.

    Related Article: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Page On For New ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Movie

    Does ‘Greedy People’ hit it rich?

    Darkly comic crime thrillers are a tricky genre to get right. And yes, while we keep bringing up the Coen brothers, that’s because they effectively mastered it with the likes of ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Big Lebowski’, among others.

    Which is not to say that other directors haven’t made it work, but when you have a movie that so clearly wants to stand alongside some of the classics, you need to make sure it really works. It’s regrettable to report that ‘Greedy People’ simply doesn’t. It’s far from unwatchable but scuppered by some serious issues.

    ‘Greedy People’: Script and Direction

    (L to R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Himesh Patel in 'Greedy People'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Himesh Patel in ‘Greedy People’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Writer Mike Vukadinovich is probably better known for TV than movies –– he’s worked on shows such as ‘Kidding’ and Marvel’s ‘Runaways’. Yet his big screen script work has been eclectic, including ‘Rememory’ and contributing to one of the many development drafts of the upcoming ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’.

    Here, though, he’s come up with a spin on a familiar concept –– cash found in a small town that has all manner of shysters, grifters and struggling family types willing to go to any lengths to get their hands on it –– and, well, pumped out the latest generic version of said story. There are quirky characters galore, but so many of them feel like bland copies of earlier, better examples. And tonally, the movie is all over the place, seemingly unable to decide if it wants to be wacky, somber or wannabe-insightful about human greed.

    Director Potsy Ponciroli, sadly, never overcome the issues of the script given to him. While he gets a handful of solid performances from a game cast, none of it adds up to anything really worth spending much time with. And one moment in particular –– which features the death of an animal played for laughs –– is so unfortunate as to sour reactions to even the most interesting character of the story.

    ‘Greedy People’: Performances

    The one person who truly seems to be having fun here is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who absolutely consumes the role of corrupt cop Terry. Around him, everyone else (except possibly Tim Blake Nelson and, in a brief appearance, Traci Lords) feel like they’re in another movie.

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 'Greedy People'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in ‘Greedy People’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    A wacky whirlwind of a performance, Terry the cop allows Gordon-Levitt to truly cut loose in a way he’s rarely allowed. And he commits, bringing the foul-mouthed, moral-free law enforcement officer to life with gusto. Yet, as mentioned before, he feels apart from pretty much everyone else, as if he wandered in from another set.

    Himesh Patel

    Effectively our audience surrogate leading us into the weird world of the Nantucket island setting, Patel opts mostly for earnest, which sort of works when playing off Gordon-Levitt’s firecracker of a role, but more honestly fits with Lily James (in a ‘Yesterday’ reunion) as his wife.

    He’s not bad by any means, but he’s also something of a wet sponge compared to his co-star.

    Tim Blake Nelson

    Nelson –– a Coen stalwart –– definitely knows what he’s doing in this type of movie, ratcheting up the quirk levels and committing to being a scheming weirdo. Yet his role is still relatively small and what happens to him is fairly predictable.

    Supporting cast

    Around the main characters, there is the typical ensemble of townsfolk and friends/family. All the cast do what they can, some with underwritten roles. Lily James does what she can with the part of Will’s pregnant wife, playing her with a welcome mix of pragmatism, spirit and vulnerability. Traci Lords has a glorified cameo as the housewife (and aggrieved other half to Nelson’s character), whose 911 call sets the film’s plot into motion.

    Other notable people deserving of praise? Jim Gaffigan is great in small role (and a big wig) as local assassin-for-hire The Irishman. His delivery and manner are really suited to this sort of movie, and he makes the character believably odd. Ditto Uzo Aduba as the police captain, whose cheery professionalism masks real grief.

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    ‘Greedy People’: Final Thoughts

    ‘Greedy People’ is probably best described as a worthy failure. It certainly has some watchable performances, decent lines and a handful of fun scenes, but overall, it just can’t maintain its momentum, nor figure out exactly what it wants to be.

    As the body count rises, the tone becomes increasingly tiresome, and while Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines in his role, even Terry becomes grating. If you’re a small-town noir completist, maybe give this a look, but otherwise it never works as well as it might.

    ‘Greedy People’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the story of ‘Greedy People’?

    Rookie cop Will (Himesh Patel) and his rogue partner Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) upend their small island town when they accidentally discover one million dollars at a crime scene (of their own making).

    After the duo unwisely decides to steal the money, the community’s quirky residents are lured into the mad dash for cash — ranging from an expectant mom (Lily James) to a masseur (Simon Rex) to a shrimp company owner (Tim Blake Nelson) — and everyone learns just how far they are willing to go for the almighty dollar.

    Who else stars in ‘Greedy People’?

    The cast also includes Uzo Aduba, Nina Arianda, Jim Gaffigan, José María Yazpik and Joey Lauren Adams.

    (L to R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Himesh Patel in 'Greedy People'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    (L to R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Himesh Patel in ‘Greedy People’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Greedy People’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Joseph Gordon-Levitt Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Blink Twice’

    Channing Tatum stars as Slater King in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Channing Tatum stars as Slater King in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Zachary Greenwood. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters August 23 is ‘Blink Twice,’ directed by Zoë Kravitz and starring Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Adria Arjona, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment, Simon Rex, Kyle MacLachlan, and Geena Davis.

    Related Article: 30 Best Channing Tatum Movies of All Time!

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Actors sometimes have trouble crossing over to take up a position behind the camera, but Zoë Kravitz seems to be making the transition effectively. ‘Blink Twice’ is a confident directorial showcase for the ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘The Batman’ star: she may hit a few narrative and tonal bumps, but she stays focused on the story she wants to tell and gets the most out of a terrific cast while doing so.

    ‘Blink Twice’ starts off as a satire, not to mention a riff on the kind of setup we’ve seen before in movies like ‘The Menu’ and ‘Get Out,’ where the protagonist finds themselves in a remote, seemingly friendly (and luxurious) location before things start go off the rails. ‘Blink Twice’ tests the viewer’s forbearance for a chunk of its 100 minutes, but if you’re patient enough the ending should be rewarding in many ways.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Actor Channing Tatum and director Zoë Kravitz on the set of their film 'Blink Twice',
    (L to R) Actor Channing Tatum and director Zoë Kravitz on the set of their film ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Frida (Naomi Ackie) sits in her cramped apartment obsessing over tech-bro gazillionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who’s re-entering public life with an apology tour following an unnamed indiscretion (or series of them) that got him canceled. Frida and her roommate/bestie Jess (Alia Shawkat) are waitresses who manage to get work at a reception thrown for King, where they finagle their way into the VIP area and Frida gets a chance to meet-cute with the man himself.

    The charming Slater and Frida hit it off right away, flirting furiously with each other until he invites her and Jess to travel with him and his entourage that night to his private island. Neither woman has packed a bag, but that’s no matter: once they get to Slater’s luxurious, decadent private resort, they are provided bathing suits and white linen robes to wear, even perfume to dab on, plus drinks and drugs aplenty along with fabulously curated meals prepared by star chef Cody (Simon Rex), all using locally farmed produce.

    It’s the middle stretch of ‘Blink Twice’ that’s ostensibly the most troublesome for Kravitz and her screenwriting partner, E.T. Feigenbaum: the second act becomes a repetitive series of hedonistic montages punctuated like clockwork every now and then by a strange occurrence, as Frida and another guest, reality show veteran Sarah (Adria Arjona), compete for Slater’s attention and the rest – including Slater’s right-hand man Vic (Christian Slater), scuzzy hanger-on Tom (Haley Joel Osment), a couple of other party-hardy girls, and Slater’s perpetually flaky personal assistant Stacy (Geena Davis) – indulge in night after night of booze, drugs, and poolside languor until even the days seem to dissolve into each other.

    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida and Adria Arjona as Sarah in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida and Adria Arjona as Sarah in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    We know this is not going to end well, but Kravitz makes us wait a bit longer than necessary. Perhaps the way in which she extends that wait makes the movie’s pivot that much more shocking even when you know it’s coming eventually. When things do turn, it’s quick: Frida discovers that Jess has gone missing, and not only does no one seem to remember that she was there in the first place, but Frida herself begins to realize that her memories of the past few days are murky at best and barely there at worst. With the help of a reluctant but increasingly trusting Sarah, Frida learns the horrible, toxic truth.

    We’ll let you discover that truth for yourself, but it’s here that ‘Blink Twice’ makes its full turn from satire to horror to revenge thriller, with a final act that is both crazy in its sheer energy and bracing in its aggressive sense of purpose. It’s a tribute to Kravitz and her cast that the shift, while jarring at first, leads to a violently satisfying climax that makes the more morally ambiguous coda easier to swallow.

    Whatever issues Kravitz may have with putting her twisty narrative through its paces, she doesn’t seem to have any with the technical aspects of directing. Under her command, the sound design is excellent, the soundtrack is popping (no surprise there, really), and the cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra captures the saturated excess of Slater King’s lifestyle, the foggy wooziness of what at first seems to be endless nights and days of partying, and the dark, bloody reality underneath. It’ll be fascinating to see what Kravitz does next.

    The Cast

    (L to R) Levon Hawke stars as Lucas, Simon Rex as Cody, Liz Caribel as Camilla, Channing Tatum as Slater King, Haley Joel Osment as Tom, Trew Mullen as Heather, Naomi Ackie as Frida, Adria Arjona as Sarah and Alia Shawkat as Jess in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Levon Hawke stars as Lucas, Simon Rex as Cody, Liz Caribel as Camilla, Channing Tatum as Slater King, Haley Joel Osment as Tom, Trew Mullen as Heather, Naomi Ackie as Frida, Adria Arjona as Sarah and Alia Shawkat as Jess in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    We’ve only seen Naomi Ackie being largely underused in ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,’ but she did garner praise for 2022’s Whitney Houston biopic, ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ This is our first time watching her in a lead role and Ackie nails it easily. Her work as Frida is initially vulnerable and open-hearted, even if her obsession with Slater seems questionable. But she never fully trades in her self-respect, which makes her transformation from victim to avenging warrior all the more believable.

    She also makes a great pairing with Arjona, who starts out as competitive and distrusting – especially with Frida – before recalling and embracing the time-honored (and perpetually true) maxim that women only have each other to look out for them in the end. Her arc here is better developed than Arjona’s last major role, as a femme fatale in ‘Hit Man,’ and she runs with it for all its worth, delivering an excellent performance that may mark her a star in the making.

    Channing Tatum initially turns on the charm and faux vulnerability as Slater, a man who may be doing his best to appear humbled but never quite makes it seem genuine – underneath, he’s angry that he has to take responsibility for his actions. He says all the right things about therapy and rehab and spirituality, but Tatum’s essential blandness works for him in this instance, hinting at the emptiness that lurks inside Slater. Even his seeming interest in Frida curdles after a while, long before things really go south, and his air of entitlement during the film’s third act is as horrifying as anything else.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Naomi Ackie stars as Frida in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Blink Twice’ initially begins, somewhat eccentrically, as one of those poke-fun-at-the-super-rich send-ups that can easily become boring because the fruit is so low-hanging. But there’s just enough of a feeling from the beginning that something is out of sorts – even with Kravitz dropping clues throughout – to allow a sense of dread to creep into the proceedings. That still doesn’t prepare you for what the director has in store, and it’s refreshing that she’s not interested in returning to any satirical comfort zone once the mayhem begins.

    There are no doubt some who will label ‘Blink Twice’ as “divisive,” but they’d be really missing the point about the systemic failure that keeps letting someone at a certain level of wealth and fame get away with the unspeakable just because he says he’s all better now. ‘Blink Twice’ is also a cautionary tale about what happens when too much power and opportunity is left in the hands of truly stunted personalities, and a rallying cry for people – especially women – to look after each other.

    Kravitz certainly comes from wealth and fame herself, but she has almost certainly come up against those toxic types as well despite her privilege. ‘Blink Twice’ is a scream of rage on behalf of those who don’t have the resources to defend themselves, and while it gets messy and scattershot at times, it manifests a primal power that we’d like see Kravitz keep channeling.

    ‘Blink Twice’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Blink Twice’?

    A starstruck waitress and her friend are invited to the private island of a billionaire tech mogul, where endless days and nights of debauchery and partying soon give way to the realization that something is very wrong.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Blink Twice’?

    • Naomi Ackie as Frida
    • Channing Tatum as Slater King
    • Christian Slater as Vic
    • Alia Shawkat as Jess
    • Adria Arjona as Sarah
    • Simon Rex as Cody
    • Kyle MacLachlan as Rich
    • Haley Joel Osment as Tom
    • Geena Davis as Stacy
    (L to R) Liz Caribel stars as Camilla and Trew Mullen as Heather in director Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice', an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Liz Caribel stars as Camilla and Trew Mullen as Heather in director Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Blink Twice’, an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Carlos Somonte. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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