A Few Good Men (1990)
Murphy's Romance (1985)
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Back Roads (1981)
Haywire (2012)
Norma Rae (1979)
Punchline (1988) ///
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Back Roads (1981)
Haywire (2012)
Norma Rae (1979)
Punchline (1988) ///
A Few Good Men (1990) Assured courtroom drama, crisply shot and paced, with principled Demi More reluctantly working with dismissive Tom Cruise on military trial to defend marines accused of murder on lordly Jack Nicholson's Cuban base. Themes of loyalty and power delivered within expertly honed package.
Murphy's Romance (1985) Keen eye for staging and pacing allied to sensitive performances bring alive carefully written characters and lives played out in small, rural community as spirited Sally Field arrives with son to start over. From first scenes, no surprises on final relationship with flinty James Garner, yet pure pleasure in getting there.
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965) Crafted with bleak sense of cold war menace and final, acute tragedy, tension is built through oblique dialogue to hint at deadly personal and government agendas. Fine cast, with reluctant agent Richard Burton on last mission and reaching for salvation with idealistic librarian Claire Bloom.
Back Roads (1981) Scrappily plotted road trip for damaged, street smart prostitute Sally Field and caustic, untrusting ex-boxer Tommy Lee Jones, encountering various misadventures on way to California. Despite charm of leads and occasionally effective sequences, gritty drama never really gels and misses more leavening humor.
Haywire (2012) Stylish, breezy chase thriller, fluid visuals and pace keeping action humming as unrepentant, ex-army Gina Carano is framed during government mission and leaves broken bones on her vengeful path to truth of betrayal. Cast subsumed by purity of relentless thrills.
Norma Rae (1979) Detailed with embracing human emotion and emerging political awareness, true life tale of unionization at textile plant is recounted with grit persuasiveness and ignited by captivating Sally Field, developing from reluctance to emancipation. Able support from convinced organizer Ron Leibman and reluctant husband Beau Bridges. Told with a vital relevance.
Punchline (1988) When concentration is on desperate group of aspiring standups with routines that range from acute observation to fumbling satire, drama remains involving and laughs land. Yet despite natural charm of frustrated mom Sally Field and failed medical student Tom Hanks, central storyline lacks impact.
