6 minute read
‘See How They Run’ Top 10 Movies
from Sunday Signal 092622
by Signal
ENTERTAINMENT
By Richard Roeper
Signal Contributing Writer
(out of four) Searchlight Pictures presents a film directed by Tom George and written by Mark Chappell. Rated PG-13. In theaters.
It’s funny how we often see mini-similarities in two movies that just happen to be opening at the same time, as is the case with “Confess, Fletch” and “See How They Run.” The former is a light and breezy murder mystery featuring a world-weary veteran detective (Roy Wood Jr.) who is forever rolling his eyes at his naive, eager and green trainee partner (Ayden Mayeri), but don’t count out that rookie’s potential. And the latter is also a light and breezy murder-mystery featuring a world-weary veteran detective (Sam Rockwell) who is forever rolling his eyes at his naive, eager and green
PHOTO COURTESY IMDB trainee partner (Saoirse Ronan) — but don’t count out that rookie’s potential!
The difference is that while Wood and Mayeri have supporting roles in “Fletch,” Rockwell and Ronan are the leads in “See How They Run,” director Tom George’s movie-within-a-play homage to the works of Agatha Christie. This is yet another meta story with the characters commenting on the story as it goes along, and while that gimmick is becoming tiresome, this is a solidly constructed piece of lightweight entertainment with terrific period-piece costumes and sets, and suitably theatrical performances from a talented cast that is clearly enjoying itself while delivering a quality spoof.
“See How They Run” is set in 1953 London, where Agatha Christie’s relatively new play “The Mousetrap” is celebrating its 100th run. (Other than a stoppage for COVID, “The Mousetrap” has played nonstop for seven decades and is still running.) Adrien Brody is a hoot as the tawdry Hollywood director Leo Kopernick, who has been brought in to adapt the stage work for the silver screen, and has alienated everyone with his boorish manner and his desire to add all sorts of gunplay and ridiculous twists to the film version. Leo finds himself murdered in the opening act — not that this stops him from becoming our narrator. “I should have seen this coming,” says Leo, acknowledging he’s the most unlikable character in the story.
Enter the Scotland Yard team of Rockwell’s Inspector Stoppard (how’s that for a stage name, so to speak)
and Ronan’s Constable Stalker, who literally writes everything in her notebook and is always jumping to conclusions, while Stoppard looks for an excuse to slip away to a nearby pub. The suspects include the preening and self-important screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo), the compromised producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith), the impresario Petula Spencer (Ruth Wilson) and various cast members, including Dickie Attenborough (Harris Dickinson) and his wife and coatres • Santa Clarita Signal lead, Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda). The film veers neatly between fast word5.9” play and well-choreographed physidate: cal gags, and let’s just say ol’ Leo isn’t the only one who won’t get out of this delivery date: story alive. Screenwriter Mark Chappell cleverly combines pure fiction with some real-life touches, e.g., Attenborough and Sim really were in the original West End production of “The Mousetrap,” there are references to films such as “The African Queen,” etc., and the cast is wonderful. Sam Rockwell doesn’t put all that much effort into his British accent — it’s as if he’s still at the table read — but it kinda works with his character, and he’s the perfect straight man for Ronan’s endearingly clumsy machinations and self-deprecating dialogue. It all adds up to a smashingly good time. Copyright 2022 Chicago Sun-Times
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 12:05:30 PM CASCS _ LEM0925-
Sunday-Thursday, September 25-29, 2022
TM NEWHALL 22500 Lyons Ave. info Line 310.478.3836 Bringing the Finest in Film to the SCV!
DIO: DREAMERS NEVER DIE Wed: 7:30 PM the first career-spanning film on metal icon Ronnie James Dio brings viewers inside the life of one of rock and roll’s true heroes.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM CUCURUZ DOAN’S ISLAND Tue & Wed: 7:30 PM
A Japanese anime sci-fi adventure in which the pilot of a fighting robot becomes stranded on a supposedly uninhabited island. ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL I Tue: 7:30 PM
The story of Canadian metal band Anvil, who went on to become the “demigods of Canadian metal”after releasing their 1982 album that went on to sell millions, but instead of flourishing, fell straight into obscurity. BANDIT E Sun: 10:30 AM
An escaped prisoner flees to Canada and assumes a new identity, taking to robbing banks to support hismelf. DON’T WORRY DARLING E 1:10 4:15 7:20
A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets. RAILWAY CHILDREN B 1:30 4:20
When the children discover an injured American soldier, hiding out in the railyard at Oakworth Station, they are thrust into a dangerous quest to assist their new friend who, like them, is a long way from home. BLONDE D Sun & Mon: 1:00 7:00; Tue & Wed: 1:00 PM; Thu: 1:00 7:00
Blonde boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. PEARL E 7:00 PM
Trapped on her family’s isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she’s seen in the movies, SEE HOW THEY RUN C 1:20 4:00 7:20
In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. THE SILENT TWINS E 7:10 PM
true story of twin sisters who only communicated with one another. As a result, they created a rich, fascinating world to escape the reality of their own lives. THE WOMAN KING C 1:05 4:10 7:15
Nanisca, General of the all-female military unit, and Nawi, an ambitious recruit, who together fought enemies who violated their honor, enslaved their people, BARBARIAN E 1:30 4:30 7:30
A young woman traveling to Detroit reserves a rental home, but upon arriving discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man is already staying there. MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS B 4:10 PM
In partnership with the House of Dior, Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris tells the story of a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress. She works, starves and gambles to raise the funds, then embarks on a life-changing adventure in Paris. WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING C 1:00 PM
Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina, finds herself drawn to opens herself to two young men from town.
10 Top 10 Movies
Sept. 19, 2022
1. Barbarian (R) Georgina
Campbell, Bill Skarsgard
2. Brahmastra Part One:
Shiva (NR) Ranbir
Kapoor, Alia Bhatt 3. Bullet Train (R) Brad
Pitt, Joey King
4. Top Gun: Maverick (PG-
13) Tom Cruise, Jennifer
Connelly
5. The Invitation (PG-
13) Nathalie Emmanuel,
Thomas Doherty
6. DC League of Super-Pets
(PG) Dwayne Johnson,
Kevin Hart 7. Lifemark (PG-13) Kirk
Cameron, Alex Kendrick 8. Beast (R) Idris Elba,
Liyabuya Gongo
9. Minions: The Rise of Gru
(PG) Steve Carell, Pierre
Coffin
10. Spider-Man: No Way
Home (PG-13) Tom
Holland, Zendaya
