This movie is an effective comedy with good laughs and a solid plot. It has fun with the jock-dork stereotypes and subversion of their dynamics that is endearing instead of sardonic. I can’t speak to how well it adapts the source material; it stands well on its own, though I don’t think it has the staying power to be considered great.
Closest comparison: It’s like Donnie Brasco by way of Superbad.
Setting: High School Comedy
Plot: Detective
Tone: Buddy Cop
This movie is a return to an ‘80s style of plot, which I appreciate, with a modern veneer, which I appreciate less. The adventure and romance parts are more goofy than heartfelt, but a fair amount of the comedy lands reasonably well, enough to carry the movie anyway. Everyone is hamming it up in their roles and the film seems to know what it is and never tries to take itself too seriously. It’s familiar, which makes it predictable, but its predictability is comfortable and accessible.
Closest comparison: It’s like Romancing the Stone by way of 21 Jump Street.
Setting: Adventure
Plot: Adventure
Tone: RomCom
This movie is hilarious, but the plot and world building are horrible. It takes a whole scene to set up a certain mechanic early on in the film, and the one time that mechanic comes back into play it completely breaks its own rules. If the story beats were even sort of passable this movie would be great because of how funny it is, but the movie goes out of its way to explain normal things that need no explanation in such a way as to make no sense at all.
Closest comparison: It’s like Ready Player One by way of Divergent.
Setting: Sci-Fi
Plot: Dystopia
Tone: Comedy
This is big budget proof of concept that feels like an indie project. It’s fairly uneven from its acting to its pacing, but the parts that hit are really well done. The fight scenes feel like choreography, but that of a very high caliber, well executed and a thrill to watch. The framing for the “in medias res” plot structure is pretty contrived and while it’s used in many stories it unfortunately doesn’t work here. If you like good action and don’t mind an overused plot, this movie is definitely worth a watch.
Closest comparison: It’s like Mission: Impossible by way of The Bourne Identity.
Setting: Espionage
Plot: Thriller
Tone: Action
This movie is fantastic. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (dir. Ocean's 11) it's like what would happen if hillbillies pulled a heist. I was a bit worried it was going to be sardonic toward West Virginians but it's very much not, which I loved. It's actually really close to a 5/5 for me, but there is a small issue about who gets the money at the end and how it's divided that it would have definitely been a better movie if they had cleared up that point. But it's great, and if you like Ocean's 11 and West Virginia you should definitely go see it.
