Red Sparrow

Spying is hard. That may be the main takeaway from this flick. There are some downsides to this outing: the story gets a little murky with all its convolutions, Jennifer Lawrence is good but not as good as she usually is, and the edges here a quite rough. Indeed, watching this movie is a bit like looking at the cinematic version of Brutalism; there's none of the panache that so many Bond movies have imprinted upon us as a necessary component of the typical espionage thriller--particularly when Russia vs. the West is involved. And note: the violence here is particularly hardcore; no punches are pulled, and it's fair to assume that this film will be tough for some people to watch. Still, all in all, the story stays interesting all the way through, and the whole thing is intriguing enough--and challenging enough--that it earns relatively high marks. Take a look, but proceed with caution.

Swimming Pool

Priggish English mystery writer meets slutty, French teenage girl; it's "The Odd Couple" for the 21st Century! Seriously, this is an engrossing psychological study that deftly balances humor with intrigue. (Not to mention that it's hot, hot, hot; the appearance on the screen of Ludivine Sagnier, as the sexpot Julie, puts every man in the theater in danger of having a Paul Reubens moment.) The only problem: the "twist" at the end seems to have some inherent problems, leaving some unanswered questions that hint at inconsistency. But that's a quibble, and one minor enough not to require a downgrade of opinion (besides, maybe I just missed something).

The Wings Of The Dove

One of those stuffy British dramas; unfortunately, in this case, not a particularly engaging one. I can hardly remember it. I think Venice played some part in the story, but other than some nice visuals, not a lot to recommend here.