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.

New in Theaters: "Snitch" Starring Dwayne Johnson

I was initially annoyed with the character that Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson portrays in the new action movie Snitch. After all, viewers familiar with Johnson understand how intimidating he can be with his considerable physical presence. While Johnson, who is now in middle age, still looks to be in terrific shape, his character, John Matthews, does not possess the tough, in control demeanor that viewers might expect. Perhaps it is because John's son, Jason (Rafi Gavron), has been arrested for drug possession and faces a minimum mandatory ten year prison sentence, or maybe director Ric Roman Waugh wanted to try to expand Johnson's acting range. An early scene featuring John's attempt to locate a drug dealer goes terribly wrong, as four youths lay the smackdown on him and make John think twice about entering their dangerous world. Say it isn't so!

Yes, Johnson portrays John as vulnerable and even scared at times. That does not make viewers like him any less and some might even relate to his plight as a concerned parent who will literally do anything to help his troubled child. In John's case, he offers to help the local district attorney, Joanne Keeghan (Susan Sarandon), bring down a drug cartel in exchange for Jason's freedom. Since the film is based on true events, I accepted this plot twist to be reasonable. John is assigned to work with Agent Cooper (no, not the one from Twin Peaks), who is portrayed by Barry Pepper, to infiltrate the operation of a local drug dealer, Malik (Micheal Kenneth Williams) who has ties to a drug cartel figure, "El Topo" Pintera (Benjamin Bratt).

John, who owns a construction company, has access to freight trucks that can transport the drugs and he must make an initial run to gain Malik's confidence. John asks an employee, Daniel (Jay Bernthal), who served time for drug related offenses, to work with him and, after being offered a substantial amount of money, Daniel reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Jason, who is being held in jail, is receiving regular beatings from the other inmates, which makes John even more anxious to bring down Malik and Pintera.

Snitch is an entertaining and generally well acted film. However, it takes forever for the inevitable final act to get started. While I appreciate the attempt to build suspense and the attention to detail, just get to the point already. There is no reason for Snitch to be nearly two hours long. I was also less than enthusiastic about the sometimes cringe worthy dialogue uttered by Malik's henchmen, who are more ridiculous than intimidating or realistic. Despite its shortcomings, Snitch has something interesting to say about current drug laws that may give viewers pause. That sets it apart from other contemporary action films and adds an unexpected layer to the overall product, which is better than you might expect.

Movie Recommendation: "Arbitrage" - Starring Richard Gere

Photo Credit: Lionsgate

Why is it so difficult for some people to do the right thing? Of course, when someone potentially has billions of dollars at their disposal, it may be possible to buy their way out of anything, so he/she may forego doing the right thing because there may be no real consequences. However, having those resources does not absolve anyone of their guilt and hedge fund manager Robert Miller (Richard Gere) learns that the hard way in writer/director Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage.

Robert Miller is a troubled man who is trying to hide the financial state of his company by manipulating earnings reports and is also carrying on an affair with a much younger woman, Julie (Laetitia Casta). Miller believes that he can secure the capital necessary to protect his future, albeit through deception. However, that problem pales in comparison to the one he encounters when he falls asleep at the wheel while driving late at night with his mistress, which results is a crash that claims her life. Instead of reporting the accident to the authorities, Robert calls a friend to pick him up and leaves the scene of the crime. He suspects that he may get away with it because the car eventually went up in flames, thus burning any forensic evidence.

However, the police soon come calling when a connection between Robert and Julie is established. While Robert's wife, Ellen (Susan Sarandon), knows what her husband has been up to, she decides to hold the cops at bay in order to protect her family, but she also has something in mind to settle the score with the wayward Robert. Meanwhile, Robert's daughter, Brooke (Brit Marling), who works as an executive in the company, begins to learn that the financial statements have been fudged and is afraid that she may be implicated, along with her father, if the truth comes out. And it always does.

Arbitrage taps into the recent financial scandals that have plagued the nation and also examines the lack of culpability that is expressed by those individuals who believe that they can buy and deceive their way out of anything. Even though Robert Miller is unlikable and completely selfish, he is very intelligent and resourceful, as he leverages his contacts and people that he has helped in the past to assist him in getting out of the mess that he has made of his life. Robert clearly loves his daughter, but even she is not immune to his greed and deception. When Brooke confronts her father with the truth, he actually looks like he feels guilty for causing her pain. The character runs the emotionally gamut throughout the film and Richard Gere perfectly conveys Robert's strength, intelligence, pain and vulnerability in a spectacular performance. While I did not want to see Richard get away with his crimes, I marveled at watching him weave a labyrinth of deceit that causes much pain for everyone he allegedly cares about. Could he really get away with everything because of his wealth and power? A check of recent history reveals that, yes, he could, but at what personal cost? The answers may be uncomfortable to contemplate, but they make for a fascinating and cerebral film.

Arbitrage is still playing in select theaters and is available On Demand.

Movie Recommendation: "Cloud Atlas" - Starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry

Cloud Atlas is a nearly three hour epic from the writing and directing team of Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and Andy Wachowski. To provide a synopsis would take several paragraphs and I am not sure if it would help to sort out the various storylines that time travel across several centuries. Perhaps a second viewing might give me a better handle on how to explain Cloud Atlas. However, I do understand that the overall message of the film is that our actions impact not only our lives, but the lives of many others. We are all interconnected, from the past to the future. That may make better sense to those individuals who believe in reincarnation, which is addressed, at least in part, during the film. For everyone else, it prompts us to think and reflect on our lives and wonder if we do indeed have the power to impact so many other lives. Of course, any film that inspires that kind of thinking is worth seeing.

Cloud Atlas stars Tom Hanks, Halle Barry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Jim Sturgess, James D'Arcy and Keith David, among others. The aforementioned actors portray characters in multiple stories that range from the California Gold Rush era to the 22nd century and beyond. The various storylines focus on human rights, from the horrors of slavery to genetically engineered clones who are built to do the bidding of the wealthy and powerful. Other stories tackle the potential dangers of nuclear power, the composition of a proposed musical masterpiece and the exploits of a perfectly healthy elderly man who is placed into a nursing home against his wishes (and without his knowledge). While much of the film is rooted in drama, Jim Broadbent provides many laugh out loud moments as his character, Timothy Cavendish, tries to escape from a nursing home with the help of several other incorrigible residents. While there are many impressive performances, I want to single out Hugh Grant and Jim Broadbent, who are especially good in their various roles. In general, all of the performances are terrific and the outstanding use of make-up serves to mask some of the more famous faces from scene to scene. Thankfully, viewers are clued in to what roles the various actors played throughout the film during the end credits.

From a technical standpoint, Cloud Atlas is a superior film. The editing, cinematography, special effects, art direction and make-up will likely receive Academy Award nominations. The editing is also top notch and provides the cohesion that ties the film together. That does not mean that everything makes sense, but it allows the film to hold your attention from start to finish.

Cloud Atlas is a film that movie lovers must see in theaters and not watch on television or (gasp) a computer screen. The film is a cinematic wonder that is visually stunning and may make viewers laugh and cry, but should also encourage you to think about the various stories and how they all tie together. Is it possible to live one life as a hero and the next as a villain? How can society evolve out of slavery, but then devolve into creating clones that are only used to make a select few more wealthy and powerful? Are we really moving forward, or just simply making the same mistakes over and over again? If so, what can we do to ensure that society is progressing from one generation to another? Those questions are a reflection of the impact that a movie can have on one person. I may not have all the answers to the riddle that is Cloud Atlas, but the numerous questions are well worth contemplating and the film is certainly well worth seeing.