Movie Review #40

Knight & Day (2010) Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz Directed by James Mangold

James Mangold is an interesting Director, you never know which direction he is going. He has directed great dramas like Girl Interrupted, Walk the Line and then when everyone thinks that’s his wheel house, he goes and directs something like Kate and Leopold (a time travel romance which wasn’t awful) and 3:10 to Yuma (a western that is also not bad)…so naturally next for him an action romance. I think he is turning into a director that I must watch, I just really like how he handles the acting and the structure of his films.

Knight & Day is the action tale of super spy Roy Miller (played very well by Tom Cruise) and his efforts to thwart a plan that is both clumsy and confusing (but don’t let it bother you). He meets June Haven (played pretty solid by Cameron Diaz…who I don’t usually like) along the way and she naturally gets sucked into the action. I could detail the plot that puts Cruise and Diaz and in a variety of beautiful places, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. The only way you are going to like this film is to like the chemistry between Cruise and Diaz, and for me it really worked. I think both these actors are playing this kind of part at the right time, that is to say both are at the right age to make me believe a romance like this one could work and I want to root for it. It reminds a lot Mr. and Mrs. Smith (a solid film) but this is more fun than that film. I think Cruise is at his charming best and Diaz is funny and does her part well. Mangold really uses a lot of blackouts and funny “fade to black” moments to move the story along at a rapid pace, thereby not really giving you time to consider the goofy plot and just constantly thrusting you into the next action sequence. It’s fast pace works to its advantage and not the other way around (like some other movies A-team I’m talking to you here) because the story isn’t that relevant anyway…it’s just these two characters bottom line. I would say if you like Cruise go see it, he really is in top form, and if you like Diaz and Cruise it is a must see.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) This summer has been made for the 18 and under crowd (with Twilight, Toy Story 3, Karate Kid, and How to Train your Dragon all big winners so far) so for me it hasn’t been great, but as an older moviegoer this adult action romance worked well…it deserves a high 6.5 (I was tempted to go 7 but couldn’t do it) and it is just a tad stronger than Iron Man 2 for the best of the year so far (though I hope it doesn’t finish at the top).

Food For Thought: It’s fourth of July weekend so what else…Turkey burgers and Ribeye Steaks…make sure to use charcoal and if you can find it, the mesquite flavored is really good. Cruise has Mission Impossible 4 coming out next year (and I will be going to see it) and he also has the long waited for Hardy Men (with Ben Stiller as the Hardy Boys grown up) also out in 2011. Diaz has two films next year as well, The Green Hornet and Bad Teacher.