Where to watch: Max
Reactions: Meh

This blog won’t all be things I like, but I will always try to at least comment on aspects of something I enjoyed. In this case, the acting is quite good and Nicholas Hoult shines. I’ll watch anything with him in it!

Ok, that’s the good stuff. On with the “meh.” I read in some review that the fact that this movie even made it to a limited theater release is proof that Hollywood still does right by its legends. That entertainment execs gave Clint Eastwood what will probably be his last theatrical release in honor of his long history of great filmmaking. The article doesn’t say this, but I’ll continue that train of thought: This movie didn’t deserve to be in theaters. And it doesn’t deserve the 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. It feels like a made TV movie (not even at the quality of a made-for-streaming movie). The plot is weak and full of holes. Most of the characters are so poorly developed that you don’t feel anything toward them. The pivotal shift in the main character’s actions happens OFF SCREEN and is never even dealt with. And finally, the ending is meant to be this powerful moment, but it’s just… meh.

Max is pushing this via its ads every 3rd ad (if you have an ad-based subscription like I do). And there are hundreds of (presumably bought and paid for) press reviews praising it as a masterpiece. Which, it is not.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s enjoyable. It’s fine. But it is not Unforgiven or Million Dollar Baby or Bridges of Madison County or American Sniper or Mystic River. Eastwood is a legendary filmmaker. But this is not his award-winning swan song.