DVD Review: The Company You Keep

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"Look how many people I got in this movie!"
 
Nick Sloan (Robert Redford) was a former activist that has been living undercover as a lawyer with his 11 year old daughter, Isabelle. (Jackie Evancho, who despite singing like an angel has zero acting talent.) He was involved in a robbery that resulted in a death of a security guard years back, and one of his cohorts, Sharon (Susan Sarandon) has just been arrested. A local newspaper reporter, Ben (Shia LaBeouf) acting off of a tip by a former girlfriend that works for the FBI (Anna Kendrick) exposes Nick, and now he's on the run. He needs to find ANOTHER former activist, Mimi (Julie Christie) to clear his name so he can get his daughter back.
 
There's a lot of great actors in this movie. Stanley Tucci, Stephen Root, Chris Cooper, Brit Marling, Brenden Gleeson, Richard Jenkins, the list goes on and on. I feel like a lot of that talent was wasted. This was an ambitious movie, and it was never boring, but I felt like they played it way too safe. The ending was predictable, and not want I wanted to see. I guess I just wanted something different.
 
I know I'll get heat for his, but Robert Redford really is not that great of an actor. He's a better director, his performance felt awkward, especially his scenes with Nick Nolte and Julie Christie. His scenes with his daughter were just painful when they should've been sweet. This really is Shia's movie, he's an actor I enjoy, despite 80% of the planet having the opposing feeling. I just hated the decision his character made in the end. It was typical, even though it was technically the "right thing to do" I wanted him to do the wrong thing just to be different.
 
Recommended: No
 
Grade: C
 
Memorable Quote: "Don't ever ask me for anything ever again." - Diana (Anna Kendrick)

Comments

  1. Dan O.October 3, 2013 at 4:09 PM

    Good review Brittani. Mainly saved due to Redfod's cast, everything else sort of falls to the waist-side. That said, it isn't as preachy as we've seen his films be.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JoshOctober 4, 2013 at 4:00 PM

    I liked the film enough, but I also wish Shia's character had made a different decision. By the way, I root for Shia every chance I get, as I actually think he's a talented actor. He's the best thing in the first 3 Transformers movies, and I really don't get the hate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 4, 2013 at 4:46 PM

      I wish his character would've made a different decision too. I'm glad to year you like Shia! I do too, and I don't understand the hate. He's never been terrible in anything, and the interviews he gives are hilarious because he has no filter.

      Delete
  3. Lights Camera ReactionOctober 9, 2013 at 4:30 PM

    Nice review!
    How is Susan Sarandon's performance? And how would you rank the cast?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 10, 2013 at 9:33 AM

      She was good for the 10 minutes or so she was in it. Honestly, I thought all of the younger actors were the most interesting to watch. Shia LaBeouf and Brit Marling specifically. Robert Redford wasn't very strong at all. Tucci was great, though.

      Delete

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