DVD Recommendation: "The Company You Keep" Starring Robert Redford

Robert Redford directs and stars in a movie tailored for an adult audience in The Company You Keep. The character driven and extremely well acted film features a superb cast and tells the story of former dissidents from the Vietnam war era, who may now have to pay for their crimes, which include murder. Attorney Jim Grant belonged to the group, although he switched identities years earlier. However, you never know when the past may come back to haunt you and soon Jim finds himself in an unsettling situation after the arrest of one of his former cohorts, Sharon Solarz (Susan Sarandon). Making things more difficult is an eager young reporter, Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf), who works for (gasp!) a print newspaper and is determined to learn more about their organization, known as The Weather Underground.

Jim is spooked, so he takes precautions to protect his young daughter, Isabel (Jackie Evancho), since the child's mother passed away unexpectedly not too long ago. He relies on his brother, Daniel (Chris Cooper), for help to shield her from the mess that his life is about to become and he signs over custody rights, so that Isabel can stay with Daniel. Jim then goes on the run and visits many old friends from the past, some are happy to see him, others are not. His goal is to locate a former lover, Mimi Lurie (Julie Christie), who can exonerate him, but she may not be willing to help. In the meantime, Shepard is beginning to unravel the mystery and may just be able to help Jim, instead of leading the police to his doorstep.

Robert Redford has assembled an amazing group of actors, including Richard Jenkins, Brendan Gleeson and Nick Nolte. They all play important roles in the engrossing screenplay by Lem Dobbs and even though screen time is limited for some of them, including Susan Sarandon, they all make the most of it. Clearly, The Company You Keep is aimed for a mature audience, some of whom may remember the rebellion that occurred throughout the decade of the 1960s and beyond and may be able to relate to the characters on some level. Others, like myself, will find enjoyment in seeing so many familiar and talented faces from start to finish. I felt like I was at a reunion of sorts, even though I did not really know anyone. The Company You Keep is an underrated gem that features not only a nod to the past, but also showcases young talent, including Brit Marling, Anna Kendrick and the aforementioned Shia LaBeouf, who delivers a strong performance as a nosy, but well meaning, reporter. If you missed this one in theaters, rent or stream it on DVD.

Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum Star in "White House Down"

The central plot of White House Down is similar to Olympus Has Fallen, which was released this past spring, with an attack on The White House by those who intend to ultimately use nuclear weapons to devastate the world. While Olympus Has Fallen featured a threat from Korea, renegade U.S. officials who do not agree with a peace treaty offered by President Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) are behind the attacks in White House Down. At the center of the plan is one of Sawyer's closest advisers, who also blames the commander-in-chief for the death of his son in a botched military mission. He is just one of many threats that the President faces as The White House is eviscerated by a group of renegades with plenty of firepower.

But all is not lost, as President Sawyer has the assistance of a would-be Secret Service hopeful, John Cale (Channing Tatum), who was denied a job with the organization by agent Carol Finnerty (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Finnerty soon realizes just how wrong she was when Cale risks life and limb to keep the President safe and attempts to rescue his daughter who he was separated from during a White House tour when the attacks began. Cale demonstrates extreme bravery and courage when the odds are stacked against him and he is determined to eliminate the threat and be reunited with his daughter, Emily (Joey King).

The screenplay, by James Vanderbilt, is loaded with supporting characters, which is one of the reasons for the extended run time (over two hours). Some of the characters are necessary, while others are not. Thankfully, talented actors including Richard Jenkins, James Woods and Lance Reddick deliver their typical strong work. The screenplay also includes a good deal of comedy to offset the heavy dose of drama and the frequently amusing rapport between Foxx and Tatum is quite good. Because of the fine work from the lead actors, it is curious why so many other characters are needed, some of whom only seem to take time away from Foxx and Tatum.

Director Roland Emmerich has crafted a fast moving, generally well acted and exciting film that seems like a solid option for summertime viewing. At least for those who like their movies loud, fun and entertaining. Clearly, the young male demographic is being targeted, with the mostly masculine cast. Maggie Gyllenhall and Rachelle Lefevre are the only two female players of note, outside of youngster Joey King. However, the female demographic may be pleased to learn that Channing Tatum strips down to a muscle shirt for more than half the movie, so there is something for everyone to enjoy.  While White House Down is not necessarily inventive, the film is a lot of fun and, at least from the screening I attended, appears to be a real crowd pleaser. And yes, I would bet on a sequel if the box office is significant.

Tom Cruise is "Jack Reacher"

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise is still a major movie star, some three decades after his film debut. At fifty years of age, the still youthful looking Cruise performs his own stunts and is not shy about doing shirtless scenes, both of which are showcased in the new action film Jack Reacher. The film is based on the novel One Shot, by Lee Child, and centers around the killing of five people in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who are gunned down by a sniper. Police arrest James Barr (Joseph Sikora), a former army sharpshooter, for the murders. Barr says very little to the lead detectives, Emerson (David Oyelowo) and Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins), but he does ask that they contact Jack Reacher, but does not say why.

After conducting a background search, Emerson and Rodin learn little about Reacher, who has the capacity to appear and disappear at will and not leave a trail of any kind. They do know that he is an army veteran who worked for the military police. Reacher arrives and meets with Barr's defense attorney, Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), Alex's daughter, but their initial encounter does not go well for Helen, who needs Reacher's help with her investigation. She believes that Barr may have been framed and understands that Reacher has the experience and skills to help determine if the real culprit is still at large. Reacher does not care for Barr and even though he suspects that he has the capacity to pull off such a job, he is also skeptical that Barr is guilty. As a result, Reacher begins his quest to find the real sniper.

The search involves a series of violent encounters that the stealth Reacher must endure and survive. He is set up early on by Sandy (Alexia Fast), a young woman who tries to pick Reacher up at a bar. He rebuffs and insults her, drawing the attention of her male companions, who challenge Reacher to a fight. Of course, Jack does not back down and soon finds himself facing four men and easily dispatching all of them. Unfortunately, the police arrive soon thereafter and Reacher suspects that at least one of the investigators arranged his arrest and may be involved with the sniper. There is an additional imposing figure lurking in the background, Zec (Werner Herzog), who appears to be pulling all of the strings.

Cruise once again delivers a physically impressive performance in Jack Reacher, much like his work in the Mission: Impossible films. The action is fast and furious at times and includes car chases and plenty of fisticuffs. All the while, Cruise is completely convincing, charismatic and riveting. In addition to the action, there is a love story, of sorts, as the sexual chemistry between Jack and Helen becomes evident. She does not suppress her attraction, but he knows that if anything happens between them it will be short lived and besides, he never stays in one place for very long.

Writer/director Christopher McQuarrie effectively infuses humor into the screenplay, which helps to balance the serious and often suspenseful material. Cruise and Pike use that humor to great effect in their scenes together and so does Robert Duvall, who portrays Cash, a loner who helps Reacher search for those responsible for the murders. Another reason why Jack Reacher works so well is courtesy of the villains, led by acclaimed director Werner Herzog, who takes what could have been a throwaway role, as Zec, and adds layers to the character. Overall, the film is superbly cast.

McQuarrie's screenplay is intelligent and his direction is seamless. As a result, the two plus hour run time goes by very quickly. Of course, I am also a sucker for any film featuring the city of Pittsburgh (my hometown) as the backdrop, so that may have influenced my opinion in some way. In any event, Jack Reacher caught me by surprise. I did not expect to enjoy the film nearly as much as I did and while the movie is not a typical holiday offering, it is one of better films currently in release and deserves to be seen.