Mr. Right (Blu-ray Review)
This is the kind of movie where you really have to go into it with a sense of lightheartedness and fun. Mr. Right is by no means something one should take seriously at all. Now I’m not saying that this is a BAD thing. I’m simply trying to prepare you for some pretty wack stuff! The best way I’ve found to describe it would be if the Deadpool movie had a prequel about Wade’s life before he got his super powers. The film opens with Martha, (Anna Kendrick) who has just broken up with her boyfriend in what could only be described as hilariously awful. While still in a haze from her bizarre ordeal, she encounters a charming stranger (Sam Rockwell) at the the supermarket who turns out to be a “reformed” assassin. And by reformed I mean, he no longer kills people for money. Instead, he kills those who HIRE him to kill people. Because murder is wrong.
The main ingredient that makes Mr. Right worth watching, pretty much comes down to the actors themselves. Without this particular cast, which also includes Tim Roth, it would play out as a rather formulaic action/comedy with a catchy gimmick. The gimmick being the unconventional approach that Rockwell’s character takes to contract killing. I feel like this whole movie was more or less built AROUND this one concept. It’s as if writer Max Landis started with a neat idea, and then started tossing in superfluous additions to fill it out. Initially it seemed like Rockwell wasn’t his normal charismatic self, that he seemed almost bored in some scenes. But we later come to discover that there was an event in his past that somewhat explains why he seems a bit sedated.
One thing I really dug about movie was how they presented the fight scenes. It’s somewhat reminiscent of early Jackie Chan movies in that there’s a lot of comedy involved in the choreography that gives the impression of it being a dance with fists. But it still has enough intensity to convey a sense of danger. In a film with less skilled combat scenes everyone usually ends up looking like they’re waiting their turn to be hit and then react dramatically. I really appreciate when a film takes the time to make their fights as realistic as possible, while still maintaining a theatrical quality about them. Because in REAL LIFE fights usually end up being a wrestling match between two drunks while randomly throwing punches at each other.
I’ve been a fan of Sam Rockwell for about as long as I can remember. But after seeing this movie I can add Anna Kendrick to my distinguished list of talented and funny actors. I really wanna go back and check out all of her past films. She’s got this great quality in her performance that deftly walks the tightrope of goofy self deprecation, without overdoing it. This is a rare thing to find in an actor. That’s not to say that there aren’t TONS of people who attempt it. It’s just rare to find someone who can nail it. Oftentimes when people try to fit into this type of role, they come off as seeming desperate to pull laughs out of the audience in a very unnatural way.
The chemistry between these two is fairly strong and when you combine that with the gradual way in which they establish Kendrick’s character, you totally buy the idea that she could fall head over heels for a guy like this. But that’s not to say that she comes off as dumb. Early on they show that she has something of a penitent towards the more dangerous things in life. In fact Rockwell straight up says he kills people right off the bat and she thinks he’s just being affable. Which again, you totally buy into because not only is it presented in such a matter of fact way, but you could almost think of it as a smooth pick up line. “Hey baby, I kill people for money. Wanna go out sometime?” But then again, I’ve never been known for having what most would call “Game”, so you might not wanna try this out at a bar.
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
3 and 1/2Extras:
- A Sweet Couple – Here we get a VERY brief interview with Anna Kendrick about developing her character and making her stand out amongst the masses of damsels in distress. At first I wasn’t even going to mention this ONE feature as it’s literally less than a minute long. It seems like someone pressured the filmmakers to have SOMETHING on the Blu-ray for extras. But unfortunately this barely even counts.
Summary:
I had a pretty good time with this movie. Anna Kendrick’s quirky adorableness really keeps the momentum when things start drag a bit. Plus the creative action sequences are a lot of fun to watch. Like I said earlier, you really have to go into this movie with a sense of whimsy. There isn’t really anything here to be taken seriously. Now I don’t mean to say that as a negative. It’s just the opposite. This is the perfect thing for when you wanna watch a silly comedy with some worthwhile action and engaging performances.
*
Mr Right arrives on Blu-ray June 7th!
