Credits Rolling

Question: What do you get when you put Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Jeremy Strong, Colin Farrell, Henry Golding and Hugh Grant into the same movie?

Answer: An action packed adventure filled with many twists and turns along the way! Just when you think you know where the story is going, be prepared to think again.

Mickey Pearson (McConaughey) is the most successful cannabis mogul in the industry. After many years, it is time for him to retire and live out a more normal lifestyle with his wife Rosalind (Michelle Dockery).

Matthew Berger (Strong) seems like the perfect choice to take over from Pearson. He’s got the money, the reputation and he knows a lot of people who would be able to keep the business thriving.  Just when it seems like the transition will be easy, gangster Dry Eye (Golding) makes himself known. He wants in on the action and will do whatever he can to get it, much to Pearson’s dismay. Coach (Farrell), comes into the picture and ends up offering his alliance with Raymond (Hunnam), Pearson’s second in command, after some local MMA fighters he trains get mixed up in all the action.

And then there’s Fletcher (Grant). Rude and crude, this private investigator is hired to find all the dirt he possibly can on Pearson in order to expose him. Fletcher attempts to sell his findings – which he has compiled into a screenplay – to Raymond for a hefty sum.

Suddenly, Pearson leaving behind his legacy seems a lot more difficult than he, or anyone, could have anticipated.

In true Guy Ritchie fashion, there is a lot going on in The Gentlemen. It is certainly unpredictable and leaves you guessing until the very end. The star-studded cast work amazingly together and don’t get me wrong, it is fun! However, at times I found the film to be confusing and messy. I wasn’t invested in the characters and the subject matter went above my head. It seemed as if the whole experience was lost on me from the get go.

Rating: ♥♥

 

Okay, I’ll admit it. I was one of those people who was unsure of going to see this movie because I didn’t know much about it. The backstory was foreign to me and I may have based my interest purely on members of the cast (Brie Larson, I’m looking at you!) But if there is one thing I love, it is when I am proven wrong. Walking into this film, I had zero expectations and afterwards, I was absolutely and completely blown away by what I had just witnessed.

The true story of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) is one that rocked a small town in Alabama to it’s very core in 1988. Accused of a crime he did not commit, McMillian was sentenced to death. Unable to put up a fight and with no sign of help, it truly seemed that his fate was sealed. He would suffer the death penalty and leave behind his wife and children. Who would believe him, a man of color, anyway?

But then Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) comes to town. Recently graduated from Harvard University, Stevenson decides on relocating to that very town with the sole intention of helping the many people who are wrongfully accused every single day and, hopefully, giving them the justice they deserve.

I never thought it was possible for my heart to break and then mend almost simultaneously, but that is exactly how I felt while watching. Completely engrossed in the story and the events that unfolded, it was as if I shared the many emotions that both McMillian and Stevenson faced from the beginning to the end.

Michael B. Jordan gives a humbling, yet powerful performance as the passionate lawyer, while Jamie Foxx brings McMillian to life in a way that would not have been possible with other actors. Brie Larson, who concludes the trio as Eva Ansley, believes in Stevenson’s abilities from day one and helps him build up a practice of his own.

Just Mercy will knock you down, but picks you right back up again. Make sure to have lots of tissues!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Meet the March sisters.

Meg (Emma Watson) is the eldest. She works as a governess and also helps around her family’s home when her mother is away. Because of her father’s social standing in their town, she decides to launch herself into society. The fact that she is beautiful is only a bonus, though it sometimes makes her come off as snobby.

Considered to be the most shy and quiet out of the lot, Beth, (Eliza Scanlen) is the peacemaker between her sisters and has an affinity for music. She is kind to everyone she comes into contact with and chooses to live each day as if it was her last.

Amy, (Florence Pugh), is the youngest. Often not taken seriously by her family and peers, she acts out and allows her insecurities to get the better of her. Her greatest passion in life is art. Being able to express herself through painting gives her that outlet she needs and allows her to grow in the process.

And then there’s Jo (Saoirse Ronan), the aspiring author who has a wild imagination and dreams of one day of having her work published. Known as the tomboy, Jo claims that she does not need a man to make her happy, much to the dismay of her father. Despite her rebellious ways, she is undoubtedly the glue that holds everyone together.

Based on the classic tale by the same name, this retelling of Little Women sticks very closely to the original story. However, director Greta Gerwig does incorporate some more modern aspects that help update the plot and bring it into the twenty first century.

Uplifting, inspiring and heartwarming are only a few of the words that I would use to describe this movie. The cast of talented women work well off each other, weaving the younger members with veterans Laura Dern as Marmee and Meryl Streep as Aunt March together. Timothée Chalamet is a wonderful addition as Laurie too.

Little Women is one of those films that gives you feeling that you just spent the day with your best friend. It will envelope you in a big hug that is never-ending.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥