With the holiday season officially behind us, the home video releases are starting to pick up again. Not a whole lot, mind you, considering the best-reviewed stuff this week is, again, mostly limited to TV and the smaller theatrical releases, but it won’t be long before the awards contenders start showing up in this column. Speaking of which, we want to note that we previously wrote about The Act of Killing back in the beginning of December, when it was originally scheduled to hit shelves, and it turns out it was actually pushed back to this week; we apologize for the mistake. With all that said, here are this week’s selections:
This thriller opened back in late August but failed to make much noise at the box office; critics weren’t particularly enthused about it either. Directed by John Crowley (whose well-received 2007 film Boy A was Andrew Garfield’s big screen debut), Closed Circuit stars Rebecca Hall and Eric Bana as ex-lovers who are reunited when they’re separately hired to defend a suspected terrorist in a high-profile trial. As classified details are uncovered, however, the pair begin to unravel a conspiracy that could endanger their lives. The film boasts an accomplished cast that includes Jim Broadbent, Ciaran Hinds, and Julia Stiles in supporting roles, but most critics found the conspiracy angle a bit predictable and the overall narrative a bit lacking in believability. At 40% on the Tomatometer, Closed Circuit is a mediocre legal thriller that never quite accomplishes what it’s going for.
As long as we’re talking about subpar thrillers populated by otherwise impressive actors, we might as well mention Runner Runner, director Brad Furman’s disappointing follow-up to surprise hit The Lincoln Lawyer. Justin Timberlake plays Richie Furst, a Princeton student with a penchant for online gambling who loses big and travels to Costa Rica to confront Ivan Block (Ben Affleck), the gambling mogul he believes has fleeced him. Instead, Ivan takes Richie under his wing, which draws the attention of an FBI agent who wants to put Ivan away for good. Critics largely conceded Runner Runner had the seed of a decent plot, but they also overwhelmingly agreed the film wasted its potential on a lifeless, poorly crafted script. At a mere 9% on the Tomatometer, this is one you can probably skip unless you’re really bored.
If Steve McQueen’s Shame was too serious for you, maybe Thanks for Sharing is more your bag. It wasn’t for about half the critics who saw it, but hey, everybody’s different. The film follows three couples dealing in different ways with sexual addiction and stars folks like Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Patrick Fugit, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, and, in a role that impressed quite a few folks, Alecia Moore, better known as pop artist Pink. Critics generally liked the performances here; they also felt that the material was treated a bit too superficially and that it couldn’t quite decide on a balanced tone. Thanks for Sharing sits at 49% on the Tomatometer, so it’s not entirely terrible; a little underwhelming might be more accurate.
Those who remember the early days of Adult Swim and Home Movies are already well familiar with the voice of H. Jon Benjamin. These days, he pulls double duty as both the voice of frumpy patriarch Bob Belcher on Bob’s Burgers and that of cocksure super-agent Sterling Archer on FX’s Archer. This week, the fourth season of Archer goes on sale, complete with the first episode that finds Archer, having lost his memory, flipping patties at Bob’s Burgers while his wife and three kids mill about the restaurant. Over the past few years, the show has found its footing and a dedicated fanbase, and the fourth season currently rates a 93% on the Tomatometer, so it’s a pretty solid buy for anyone who’s a fan.
Jane Campion has focused primarily on film over the past couple of decades, but she’s had success on television as well, most recently with her 2013 miniseries Top of the Lake. A joint production of BBC Worldwide and the Sundance Channel, the six-part series is set in New Zealand and stars Elisabeth Moss as a detective charged with investigating the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl. With a supporting cast that includes David Wenham, Holly Hunter, and Peter Mullan, to name a few, Top of the Lake received near universal acclaim from critics, who praised the acting and strong, atmospheric storytelling. Certified Fresh at 93%, it’s a relatively short but riveting trip worth taking.
