In the picture: The Wrong Missy

movie review

Netflix romantic comedy The Wrong Missy is an irredeemable mess

The Wrong Missy

Starring: David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Nick Swardson, Geoff Pierson, Jackie Sandler, Sarah Chalke, Rob Schneider, Chris Witaske, Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoai, and Molly Sims

Directed by: Tyler Spindel

Tagline: There’s no untexting her now.

Few companies seem as impervious to criticism as Happy Madison appears to be. Undeterred by the critical ravaging that its features have been receiving, Adam Sandler’s production outfit keeps churning out lacklustre comedies (often starring Sandler’s friends) that all end up being similar shades of awful. It isn’t exactly surprising then that the production company’s latest film, The Wrong Missy, is all kinds of, well, wrong. 

Yet another vehicle for Sandler’s family and friends, the Netflix comedy easily ranks among Happy Madison’s worst offerings.

The film stars a dull David Spade as Tim, a bank executive who is vying for a promotion, going up against his workplace competitor, Jess (Jackie Sandler, because nepotism). When his firm arranges a work retreat in Hawaii (an event that will also be attended by his ex-fiancée Julia, portrayed by Sarah Chalke), Tim plans to ask Melissa (Molly Sims), a beautiful woman he met at an airport, to join him on the vacation. But because of a texting mix-up, he ends up inadvertently inviting Missy (Lauren Lapkus), an unhinged woman with whom he once went on a terrible blind date. 

An uninspired string of grating hijinks thereby ensues. It’s all completely implausible, yet exhaustingly predictable, and painfully unfunny to boot. A significant problem – one of several, clearly – is Lapkus’s Missy. The character isn’t amusingly quirky; instead, she is thoroughly obnoxious. While Lapkus may otherwise be a skilled comedic actress, even her efforts can’t really do much to redeem her insufferable character. The issue, though, isn’t just the dated premise and cringe-worthy attempts at humour. Sure this is supposed to be a raunchy comedy, but the antics here range from uncomfortable and unpleasant to downright problematic. Flip the genders and you’d see these actions as absolutely unacceptable.

As for the aforementioned nepotism, Adam’s wife, Jackie, isn’t the only Sandler who has a role in the movie; the couple’s daughters, Sadie and Sunny, and nephew, Jared, also make appearances. Plus Sandler’s comrades Nick Swardson and Rob Schneider are also in the film for some reason.

At this point, we know better than to expect much from a Happy Madison production, but even by those standards, The Wrong Missy is still a disappointment. It’s sad to see everyone involved with this project wasting their (in some cases considerable) talent on such twaddle when they could (and should) be working on something better instead.

Rating: 0 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 28th June, 2020 *

The wonderful world of Sameen

cover story

Sameen Amer has been conducting interviews for Us for years, helping us find out more about our favourite celebrities. But now we have finally managed to turn the tables! Together with some of Sameen’s friends, we have asked her a bunch of questions so that we can learn more about our star interviewer. Read on to find out more about our focus of the week…

Us: So, we have a few questions for you. Are you ready?

Sameen: Not really. I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?

Us: Probably, yes.

Sameen: At least you’re honest about it. Go on then…

Anny (friend): What is the first thing you remember writing?

Sameen: The first thing I remember writing is a poem. I was maybe 4 or 5 years old at the time. And yes, I still remember the poem, because I was clearly so proud of it that I decided to commit it not just to any sort of fleeting memory but to long-term, permanent memory. You can hardly blame me though, for it’s an absolute masterpiece:

   I have a pet bunny,

   It is very funny,

   It likes to eat honey,

   But has no money.

See? Told you it was pure genius. I’ll take my Pulitzer now, thanks.

I also remember writing embarrassingly ridiculous letters to my mom’s brother (who lives abroad) when I was a kid. If anyone ever finds them, burn them immediately, then take their ashes and feed them to a llama, and neuralize yourself to erase all memory of what you just saw. Also, take the poor llama to a vet because how could you feed it ashes? So irresponsible!

Us: What inspired you to become a writer?

Sameen: Did you read that bunny poem I wrote? I mean, it was clearly inevitable that I’d spend my life blessing the world with my writings.

More relevant to Us Magazine though, I somehow ended up studying computer science (for reasons that still remain a mystery to me) in my teens, and to escape that torture, I started writing for Us. The rest, as they say, is just pure damn luck.

Xulfi (musician): In a parallel universe, what do you think you would be doing?

Sameen: When I was a child, I really, really wanted to be an astronaut, so I hope some alternative version of me got to live that (ridiculously improbable) dream.

Much more likely though is that my parallel universe self is trying to do comedy (and hopefully having more luck than I am).

Us: How has your writing style changed over time?

Sameen: I’m not sure it has. You can’t really top “bunny, funny, honey, money”, can you, so why even try.

Margaret & Dennis (Aussie parents): What is the most interesting response you have ever received to something you have written? And would you recommend journalism as a career to your best friend?

Sameen: It’s always fascinating when the subjects of an article or the people mentioned therein unexpectedly respond to the piece. Like, when Dave Cullen (author of Columbine) and Robert Glancy (who has written several novels including Terms & Conditions) somehow came across my reviews of their books and posted comments in response, for instance; that was pretty awesome.

Journalism is an exciting field, but I’d recommend freelance journalism/writing to my best friend only if I hate her very much and want her to be broke for the rest of her life. The speed with which certain newspapers and magazines issue payments (if they pay at all!) … let’s just say my great, great, great grandkittens are going to be very rich.

Anny: Why does print media still exist?

Sameen: What else are you going to line your hamster cage with? What will you use to package breakables? And how else are you going to do papier-mâché?

Seriously though, for me personally, digital just can’t compare to print. Be it books or newspapers and magazines, I will always prefer the print versions.

Us: What’s more fun, reviews or interviews?

Sameen: Interview pieces are easier to write, but you’re basically helping relay someone else’s thoughts, so, while it’s interesting journalistically, it’s not as rewarding for you as a writer. Reviews are definitely more fun to write.

Us: You are the first Pakistani critic who has been approved by Rotten Tomatoes. What is it like to have your reviews on RT?

Sameen: Initially, it just seemed unbelievable. I was fairly certain they had made a mistake. Surely there was another film critic also named Sameen Amer (for that is such a common name) they were confusing me with?

I’ve since made peace with the fact that I’m super awesome, so while being Tomatometer-approved still feels incredible, it seems less surreal now.

Anny: Has being on Rotten Tomatoes changed anything for you? Do you eat more or less tomatoes as a result?

Sameen: Heck no @ tomatoes. I refuse to eat tomatoes. Down with healthy foods! Turn the tomatoes into sauce and put it on a pizza with extra cheese and a side of fries, thank you very much.

I actually did ask the folks at RT if being Tomatometer-approved came with any perks, like a lifetime supply of (preferably not rotten) tomatoes; they did not answer that query. They did confirm that I am (and congratulate me for being) the first critic from Pakistan approved by RT, so … yay, I guess? #HumbleBrag

Tooba (sub-editor): If you were writing your autobiography, what title would you give it?

Sameen: Well That Went Terribly Wrong: The Story of My Life by Sameen Amer.

Hazel (friend): What was your last dream about? 

Sameen: The last dream I remember having was … [thinks] oh dear … I … dreamt … that … I … (I can’t believe I’m typing this) … I dreamt that I was trying to interview One Direction (??) but they kept showing up in twos and threes and kept randomly leaving. 

Even in my dreams I’m trying to interview people, and even in my dreams it’s not going well!

I also dreamt a few months ago that I was interviewing Will Smith. (??!!) 

Why, brain, why!

Haroon (singer): What is your biggest dream?

Sameen: At the moment, it would be to never have a dream about One Direction again.

I’m scared to go to sleep. What if they return?

Help me!

Hazel: What is your most embarrassing moment? 

Sameen: Right now ranks fairly high on the list.

Anny: Are there any public figures you have wanted to interview but not been able to pin down?

Sameen: Other than 1D, you mean? Who, according to the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind, I’m desperate to interview? (I really need to have a word with my subconscious!)

We did a special animal rights issue of Us Mag after my lovely friendly stray dog, Rocket, was brutally killed by the animal culling brigade. We reached out to various political parties to inquire their stance on animal rights, but did not hear back from any of them. Two of my friends introduced me to political figures, and even though both politicians were supposedly interested – one actually said their party leader speaking to me about animal rights would be a “very good idea” – delays and evasiveness eventually followed and the interviews never materialized. 

You’d think the government is meant to both represent and be answerable to the people, but sometimes it just doesn’t feel like it.

Haroon: What is the one thing you believe would make you the happiest?

Sameen: If there was a way to help all the animals everywhere, if I knew animals would always get help and not have to suffer – I think that would make me the happiest. Nothing breaks my heart more than watching animals suffer.

Hazel: What is the funniest thing your cats have done?

Sameen: They do several funny things per minute, so it’s hard to pick the funniest.

Haroon: If you could go back and change something about your life, what would it be?

Sameen: That’s a tough one. Everything that has happened in my life has made me who I am. If I were to change anything about my past, then I wouldn’t be me anymore. So I suppose I shouldn’t change anything?

Xulfi: If you had many superpowers and had to give one up, which one would you let go?

Sameen: DC’s Section 8 superhero team has a member called Dogwelder, whose “power” is that he can “weld dead canines to evildoers”. So yeah, totally don’t need that superpower!

Which power I’d give up would ultimately depend on which powers I had though. Like, I could give up web-shooting if I also had, say, superstrength and the ability to fly, for instance.

Nilofar & Amer (parents): If you were the President of the Galaxy, what would you do?

Sameen: Resign. I’m no Zaphod Beeblebrox.

Tooba: If you were stranded alone on a desert island and were only allowed to have three things, what would you take with you?

Sameen: Wait, why on Earth am I even on this island? Who is taking care of Jolly? Have they been giving her her daily inhaler?

I don’t need to take three things with me; just the one will do: a fully-equipped, remotely piloted aircraft with GPS and satellite communication. Get me the hell out of here!

Jolly (furbaby): [walks on keyboard] yhgyhjnkg

Sameen: Now look what you’ve done, Tooba. You’ve upset little Jolly! 

Don’t let Aunty Tooba worry you, my lovely ball of fur; I’ll be back from that imaginary island before you know it!

Xulfi: What will your reaction be if one day it dawns upon the world that COVID-19 was actually a software update for Earth?

Sameen: I’ll be upset at the programmers for causing our avatars so much grief.

Before we chalk this up to a software bug or a glitch in the Matrix though, we must consider a much simpler explanation: we’re just in the darkest timeline. (#SixSeasonsAndAMovie) We really should have realized that a while ago. Like, the Holocaust pretty much gave it away. Also pineapple pizzas. And deep-fried Mars bars. And Taylor Swift. And the Kardashians. (The Kardashians alone make a pretty convincing case, some would argue.)

(Oh and full disclosure: I’ve never actually had a pineapple pizza. Or a deep-fried Mars bar. But in my defence, why would I even want to?)

Us: What advice would you like to give to the sub-editors of Us Magazine?

Sameen: Pay me already! Thanks a bunch.

Us: Any message for the readers?

Sameen: To borrow from Fred Rogers: Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.

Us Magazine, The News International - 19th June, 2020 *

Fantastic voyage

book review

An award-winning author writes an accessible and entertaining book, chock-full of facts and historical anecdotes, that captures the wondrous nature and failings of the human body

Book: The Body: A Guide for Occupants

Author: Bill Bryson

The most fascinating thing about our seemingly unassuming but wholly remarkable planet is simply our very presence on it. The Earth’s ability to host life makes it the most special rock in our galactic neighbourhood, and life itself is perhaps the biggest wonder our universe has to offer. The fact that a handful of elements come together to form conscious, living, breathing, fully functional — and, occasionally, even intelligent — human beings, is nothing short of a miracle. And it is this incredible human form that is the subject of Bill Bryson’s The Body: A Guide for Occupants.

From the award-winning, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything and At Home: A Short History of Private Life, this new book is an entertaining and enlightening tour of our inner workings, taking a look at how we function and, more disconcertingly, malfunction.

The book offers an insightful discussion on anatomy, delving into the workings of the different parts and elements that make up a human, including the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, endocrine, immune, skeletomuscular and reproductive systems. Bryson gives readers a concise explanation of how each facet of the body works and how different organs come together to give us the ability to perform everyday functions and survive in an environment that often proves to be all too hostile.

Despite our resourcefulness, our species remains susceptible to various health problems, so alongside details on how it works, Bryson also sheds light on how the human body falters. A number of ailments, ranging from issues with pathogenic, genetic, evolutionary and even self-inflicted causes, are discussed. Our design flaws are analysed and the impact of our unhealthy lifestyles is often highlighted.

The book also sheds light on how, over the years, we have developed an understanding of both the functioning of the body and the diseases that plague it. We read about how patients in the past were subjected to painful, ineffective and sometimes even counterintuitive remedies, and learn about the work of dedicated researchers whose tireless efforts led to improvements in medical science, from which we benefit today and without whom we might still be suffering from what are now either preventable or treatable maladies.

It is disheartening to see how many of these remarkable researchers have been all but forgotten over time, especially by the general public. It is a peculiarity of our global culture that we shower those who entertain us with disproportionate wealth and attention, while overlooking those who have worked painstakingly to improve our lives. The Body will hopefully inspire readers to find out more about the likes of such people and offer them the gratitude they so rightly deserve.

Bryson provides a starting point to do just that, informing us about pathologist Theobald Smith, who discovered the causes of several infectious and parasitic diseases; geneticist Nettie Stevens, who discovered the X and Y chromosomes and the fact that males determine the gender of offspring; and neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington, who helped shaped an understanding of the body’s nervous system. There is also surgeon William Stewart Halsted, who created the first formal surgical training programme in the United States, and microbiologist Albert Schatz, who discovered the antibiotic streptomycin, which is used to treat bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza.

Bryson also places much emphasis on the point that we are a long way from understanding the many mysteries of the human body; we are repeatedly reminded of how much we still don’t know. Nonetheless, it is amazing to learn how far we have come — only a couple of decades in some cases — and astounding to discover how recent many scientific discoveries have actually been.

It is plain to see that a lot of research has gone into this book. The writer speaks to, and quotes, leading experts in various fields and relays their take on the areas in which they specialise. The historical anecdotes he digs up are downright fascinating and, perhaps, the most interesting part of the volume. However, given the plethora of diseases and microbes mentioned in the book, perhaps this may not be the best reading option for germophobes and hypochondriacs. If, for instance, the fact that we have “about 100,000 microbes per square centimetre” on our skin makes a prospective reader shudder, they might be better off picking up something else to peruse.

On the other hand, readers who are not squeamish will be riveted by all the trivia that The Body has to offer. The pages are chock-full of facts about the human form and filled with tidbits that capture the wondrous nature of the body. My favourite snippet, if anyone is interested, is that according to estimates, every day “between one and five of your cells turn cancerous and your immune system captures and kills them.” How amazing is that!

Most readers will probably be familiar with much of the basic science discussed here, especially if they studied biology in school, are avid fans of popular science, or have ageing parents, which — as it turns out — is a most unexpectedly effective way of learning about the body and its shortcomings. Even so, this book will serve as a useful refresher, reminding us of things that may have slipped our mind. The science has been made accessible for the layman, thanks to Bryson’s clear, simplified and often wry and congenial writing style. And while this may not be the most comprehensive or deepest book one can find on the subject, it is a rewarding read and terrific starting point for those who want a basic understanding before they dig deeper.

There are parts, however, that may be a little hard to retain for the casual reader, especially when scientific terms are listed. For instance, the cornea in the eye, we are told, has five layers: “epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, stroma, Descemet’s membrane, and endothelium.” Around the eyes are “the glands of Krause, Wolfring, Moll, and Zeis, as well as nearly four dozen Meibomian glands in the eyelids.” One would need either a pretty sharp memory or a bit of conscious effort to retain not just those terms, but a lot of other things mentioned in the tome.

All in all, however, The Body is an informative journey into human biology and Bryson makes this stroll not only entertaining, but also wondrously fascinating. The book is likely to leave readers will a sense of marvel at our design, motivate them to learn more about their physical form, and perhaps even inspire them to live a better, healthier life.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 24th May, 2020 *

In the picture: Coffee & Kareem

movie review

Netflix’s latest action comedy Coffee & Kareem is a distasteful mess

Coffee & Kareem

Starring: Ed Helms, Terrence Little Gardenhigh, Betty Gilpin, RonReaco Lee, Andrew Bachelor, David Alan Grier, and Taraji P. Henson

Directed by: Michael Dowse

Netflix certainly deserves props for the variety they offer with their original content, but the quality of their feature length projects hasn’t been quite as consistent as their subscribers would have hoped. On one hand, the streaming service has been releasing films that have become major award season contenders, but on the other, we are left with movies that seem more deserving of a Razzie than an Oscar.

Their latest action comedy, Coffee & Kareem, sadly falls at the latter end of the spectrum.

The film puts together worn out buddy comedy shenanigans with crude humour, degenerating into an unexciting, predictable, preposterous mess along the way.

The story centres on James Coffee (portrayed by Ed Helms), an inept but well-meaning police officer. He has started a relationship with Vanessa (Taraji P. Henson), a development that has greatly displeased her unruly, foul-mouthed preteen son, Kareem (Terrence Little Gardenhigh). Kareem wants Coffee out of the picture, but his attempt to have the cop whacked instead lands the two into the crosshairs of a drug cartel that is being supported by dirty cops.

To find a way out of their predicament, the unlikely duo must – as you would expect – work together and defeat the baddies. It’s a tired old setup, delivered here sans the charm that is necessary to make buddy comedies work. Coffee & Kareem had the chance to modernize its genre, use its plot to say something meaningful about the topics at its core, or even embed something smart beneath its crass exterior. Instead, the movie makes no effort to try anything even vaguely interesting.

There is considerable comedic talent in the cast, but a film that features the likes of Helms and Henson, as well as Betty Gilpin and David Alan Grier who also play cops, really should be funnier than Coffee & Kareem is. The performers have been given a woefully unfunny script to work with. Helms is still affable enough as the bumbling Coffee, but he is partnered with an unlikable young character who is more grating than amusing and thereby makes it hard to be invested in the fate of the protagonists. Your level of enjoyment at the interactions of this pairing will depend mostly on how worn out you think the concept is and how funny you find obnoxious, vulgar tweens.

Seeing the rate at which they are releasing films, Netflix clearly has a lot of resources at its disposal, and we have also seen, time and again, that the streamer has the ability to attract significant cinematic talent, both in front of and behind the camera. Movies like Coffee & Kareem just leave you wishing that Netflix would choose to invest in more interesting and inventive projects instead of wasting its assets and its subscribers’ time on such dismal dullness.

Rating: 1 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 26th April, 2020 *

In the picture: Lost Girls

movie reviews

Lost Girls tells an important story

Lost Girls ★★★

Starring: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke, Oona Laurence, Dean Winters, Miriam Shor, Reed Birney, Kevin Corrigan, and Gabriel Byrne

Directed by: Liz Garbus

A mother’s relentless search for the truth about her daughter’s disappearance drives Lost Girls, a drama based on a real-life unsolved mystery that tries to humanize the victims and shed light on the struggles of their families.

The narrative focuses on Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan), a single mother who works two jobs to raise her daughters Sherre (Thomasin McKenzie) and Sarra (Oona Laurence). When her eldest daughter, Shannan, disappears after being hired as a call girl off Craigslist, Mari is appalled by the law enforcement’s inaction. Dismissed, hung up on, and ignored, Mari continues her attempts to find out what happened to Shannan. Her search not only reveals police incompetence but also brings attention to other murdered young women who worked as prostitutes and became the victims of a suspected, unidentified serial killer.

Lost Girls tells an important tale about victims whose fate did not generate the action it should have because of their profession, as well as the plight of their families who never got the closure they deserved.

It’s a compelling story. The execution isn’t as even or focused as you may wish, but this is clearly a passionate, well-intentioned look at a tragic tale featuring imperfect characters and a strong lead performance by Amy Ryan. There is no happy, neat ending here, and the lack of answers only serves to highlight the lack of justice for victims whose lifestyles are looked down upon or deemed too high risk.

Its subject may have been better suited for a miniseries that delved deeper into certain aspects and characters, but Lost Girls is still likely to leave you empathetic towards the women at its centre and inspire you to find out more about the heart-breaking mystery that formed the basis of this film.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 19th April, 2020 *

In the picture: Onward

movie reviews

Onward is a touching animated outing

Onward ★★★

Starring (voices): Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer

Directed by: Dan Scanlon

Pixar may not have been at its creative best for much of the last decade but the animation powerhouse has, nonetheless, consistently released charming adventures that have never failed to entertain. Likewise, its latest offering, Onward, may pale in comparison to the studio’s celebrated classics, but it still takes viewers on a touching journey.

Onward is set in a suburban world inhabited by mythical creatures but now bereft of the enchantment that was once commonplace, the magic having since been superseded by technology. 

At the centre of the yarn are two elf brothers who have to embark on a quest for a chance to meet their late father.

Timid teenager Ian (voiced by Tom Holland) and his boisterous older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) are given an unexpected present by their mother (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on Ian 16th birthday that was left for the boys by their father before his death. The gift turns out to be a magic spell that will bring back their dad for one day. But things go wrong when Ian casts the resurrection spell, and only the lower half of their father’s body appears.

To try the charm again, the brothers must find another magical stone and reattempt the spell before the day is through. But getting their hands on the gem is easier said than done. Ian and Barley thereby find themselves on a challenging quest that requires them to use the latter’s knowledge of magic which he has gained through a role-playing game. 

Familiar lessons are learned along the way, as the film explores loss, yearning, and brotherhood.

The premise, inspired by the director’s own experiences, is intriguing, especially during the first few moments of the movie, but as things proceed, the storyline devolves into a fairly uninspired, predictable road-trip. The shenanigans are neither as amusing nor as exciting as they could have been, which is what ultimately makes the whole endeavour come off as a bit lacklustre. The voice cast doesn’t provide any exceptional performances either.

But while it may not be the most inventive animated adventure and its emotional impact may not be as powerful as Pixar’s finest projects, Onward is still a poignant tale with several moments of warmth that make the ride engaging. The movie may not qualify as essential viewing, but its heartfelt story is still likely to strike a chord with viewers, even if it ultimately leaves them wishing the journey had been more creative and memorable.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 12th April, 2020 *

In the picture: The Invisible Man and Spenser Confidential

movie reviews

A strong performance by Elisabeth Moss powers the uneven The Invisible Man; Spenser Confidential is a bland, formulaic action flick

The Invisible Man ★★★

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman

Directed by: Leigh Whannell

Tagline: What you can’t see can hurt you.

If you need proof that a terrific actor can massively elevate the material they’ve been given, then look no further than The Invisible Man, a horror thriller that is driven by a riveting performance by actress Elisabeth Moss.

The film begins with Moss’s character, Cecilia, fleeing the house of her controlling, abusive partner, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who is a tech entrepreneur celebrated for his ground-breaking work in optics. With the help of her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer), Cee takes refuge at the house of her childhood friend, James (Aldis Hodge). She is petrified that her ex will come after her until two weeks later when Adrian seemingly commits suicide.

Adrian’s will, handled by his brother, Tom (Michael Dorman), leaves $5 million to Cecilia and gives her the hope that she can now move on with her life. But creepy things soon start happening around her, leaving her to wonder if Adrian is somehow tormenting her. The people around her are certain that he is dead, whereas Cecilia is convinced that he is alive and is using his optics expertise to become invisible in order to harass her.

It’s the psychological tension in the first half of the film that works rather well as the terror of the situation becomes more and more palpable. As things progress though, the movie takes a few wrong turns and ends up in fairly formulaic territory. A predictable twist then leads us to a somewhat underwhelming ending.

Not all of it feels entirely convincing, but Moss makes sure that the project remains fascinating with her intense performance. 

The Invisible Man does leave you wishing, though, that Leigh Whannell had managed to maintain the film’s anxiety-inducing tension till the end, since the psychological horror elements are so much more interesting than the eventual revenge thriller turn. Still, the film earns points for providing a new spin on the ideas of its source material, and an impressive lead performance ensures that the otherwise uneven movie remains worth a watch.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Spenser Confidential ★★1/2

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Cerrone, Marc Maron, and Austin Post

Directed by: Peter Berg

Tagline: The law has limits. They don’t.

Director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg have teamed up once again. Their fifth collaboration sees them resurrect Robert B. Parker’s Spenser by way of a very loose adaptation of Ace Atkins’s novel Wonderland.

Portrayed by Wahlberg, Spenser here is a police officer who gets into an altercation with his captain, John Boylan (Michael Gaston), after discovering that the latter has been involved in domestic violence. A five-year prison sentence later, Spenser is released from captivity, but on the very day of his release, two cops are murdered, including the aforementioned Boylan.

In a bid to find out what actually happened, Spenser teams up with his new roommate, Hawk (Winston Duke), and, with a little help from his mentor Henry (Alan Arkin), investigates the crime, hoping to clear an innocent man’s name and take down the actual guilty parties.

Things unfold pretty much as you’d expect. Despite the random insertion of a conspiracy in the second half, the overall outcome remains predictable. There isn’t anything particularly original about the project, nor is it terribly exciting. There are a few jokes that work but for an action comedy, the humour is often lacking and the overall film never settles on a consistent tone.

Wahlberg’s acting is serviceable if unexceptional. Duke, however, isn’t particularly memorable; Iliza Shlesinger (who plays Spenser’s ex) overacts and is distracting; and an unconvincing Austin Post (a.k.a. Post Malone, portraying an adversarial inmate) doesn’t exactly leave you looking forward to his next acting gig.

There’s nothing really special about Spenser Confidential, and those familiar with the character the movie is based on may be even more critical of this incarnation, but if you’re looking for a generic action flick to while away an evening, then this otherwise bland episode just might fit the bill.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th March, 2020 *