Category Archives: Clever Plot

2014, Abduction, Car Chase, Clever Plot, Complicated, Corruption, Crime thriller, Detective, Father-son relations, Forensics, French, French Detective Series, Made For TV, Marital Infidelity, Mental Illness, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Revenge, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller, TV Series, Violent

Witnesses (2014)

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From NetFlix:

A young female detective is put in charge of a case and must delve into her partner’s mysterious past in order to solve it.

Despite the similarity of one detective procedural to every other, some stand out from the crowd as at least a bit better. “Witnesses” is one such series. Accompanying the French dialog you may choose excellent English subtitles. Only one season was made and it consists of 6 episodes. Wikipedia offers very little information.

Many French towns were used for the filming but the story centers on Pas-de-Calais on the northern coast of France. If nothing else, the scenery is worth the viewing. Most interesting is the fact that the town is on two levels: Lower level is on the sea and butts up against the sheer rock cliffs that match the “white cliffs of dover.” Upper level is at the top of those cliffs. To get from lower to upper levels and back, there is a closed-in ski lift that ascends through the rock wall. This lift was built in 1901. Note also the new housing complex of very expensive and spacious homes which figure into the plot.

Personal relations among the characters, especially between Paul Maisonneuve and Sandra Winckler, are essential to the story. Basically the tale is their effort to catch an extremely clever serial killer who has escaped from prison.

Compared with an American detective procedural, this series is less violent. However, there are murders and gun fights.

Because I could stream this from NetFlix, I quickly became addicted.

2014, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Adventure, Astronauts, Clever Plot, Complicated, DO NOT MISS, Father-daughter relations, Human spirit, Sci-Fi, Suspense

Interstellar (2014)

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From NetFlix:

From director Christopher Nolan comes this futuristic cosmic odyssey, which follows a band of space explorers who surmount the limits of interstellar travel, using a recently discovered wormhole to pass between dimensions.

Three hours of tension might sound at first like somewhat of a slog. But the story, presentation, acting, and special effects are so absorbing that time flies (which is almost a pun when you consider what the film is about).

In fact the film is about using time and other hyper-dimensions to save the people on the dying planet Earth. Whatever Matthew McConaughey (as Cooper), Anne Hathaway (as Brand), Michael Caine (as Professor Brand), or Jessica Chastain (as Murph) are talking about flew right over my head. Possibly their gibberish was respectable science, but I would have no way of knowing. However, that does not matter at all. Just follow the tense action and space antics and try to relax.

Although the ending seemed a tad hokey (“magic realism” anyone?), the ending was satisfying. However, I do not plan to do any space traveling, especially through some black hole.

If you have an inner geek, DO NOT MISS!

2012, Acceptable for children, British, Clever Plot, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Feel Good For All, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Netflix Streaming, Suspense

The Scapegoat (2012)

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FromNetFlix;

Soon after meeting his doppelgänger, schoolteacher John Standing is duped into taking the man’s place at the head of an aristocratic but troubled family. As Standing grows into his new identity, he learns that his lookalike has sinister intentions.

Good story, good acting, and good suspense makes this British drama a wonderful surprise. Best of all, you can stream from NetFlix or get a DVD. At the end of the film you hold your breath waiting to see what really happened.

There is not a single actor I recognized except for Eileen Atkins who plays Lady Spence. She was Ruth Ellingham in “Doc Martin”.

For an evening of adult, well-done, feel-good drama DO NOT MISS!

2014, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Clever Plot, Dark, Detective, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Explicit sex, Grim, Lawyers, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Nudity, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Sociopath, Suspense, Violent

Gone Girl (2014)

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From Netflix:

Based on Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, this unsettling thriller follows the mercurial Nick Dunne, who finds himself dogged by police and caught in a media maelstrom after he becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance.

Even though I had already read Gillian Flynn’s novel (in an e-book that contains her first three novels) awhile back, in fact long enough to forget all the marvelously designed details, the film is just as tense and scary. Thankfully the film stays close to the book. For me, however, one sad exception is that in the book Nick’s last words to Amy are outstandingly appropriate, but the movie does not use those words. Hint: read the book instead.

Watching Rosamund Pike (as Amazing Amy) lie so cleverly (with the superb acting to match the lies) is to see a cracker-jack job of meta-acting (does that sense?). In other words she is the perfect sociopath.

Lo and behold Doogie Howser, aka Neil Patrick Harris, plays Amy’s former sweetheart Desi Collins. His part did not require much effort.

In case you seem to recognize the Television Tigress named Sela Ward, she is played by Sharon Schieber who was Stacy Warner in the TV series “House MD”.

In general the books by Gillian Flynn that I have read are very very dark. This film is no exception. Do NOT watch this film before bedtime.

2005, Abduction, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Clever Plot, Corruption, Crime, Dark, Depression, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drug Dealers, Father-daughter relations, Forensics, Gay theme, Interest in dogs, Kidnapping, Lesbian Theme, Made For TV, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Police Corruption, Revenge, School Teacher, Sex Scenes, Suicide, Suspense, Swedish, Swedish crime series, Teenagers, Tragedy, Violent, Well developed plot

Swedish Wallander (2005-2012)

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From Netflix:

Detective Kurt Wallander is an intense, headstrong maverick who’s prone to eating poorly, sleeping irregularly and drinking too much. Wallander relies on instinct and experience and doesn’t shy away from using illegal means to solve crimes.

Kathy and I have just finished stream-bingeing on all the Swedish Wallander episodes of which there are many. Cable TV gets worse each day and we were grateful to have something well-written, well-acted, and gripping to watch in the evening. Thank you, Netflix. “Gripping” is an important keyword (picture Kathy leaving the room during violent encounters).

To be precise about numbers of episodes:

Season 1 comprises 13 episodes.
Season 2 comprises 13 episodes.
Season 3 comprises 6 episodes.

Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander is a dedicated (even better – obsessed) detective whose personal life is one of drinking, loneliness, and coldness to his family. In other words, he is a mess. To his credit, the Swedish actor Krister Henriksson portrays such a man to perfection. However, as in often the case in such types of TV series, as much time is spent exploring his relations with others as in solving murder cases. For example, “Dicta“, which I have strongly recommended is cast in the same mold.

Quite a bit of camera footage is devoted to leisurely scanning the Swedish landscape and waterways. Wallander and his beloved dog Jussi take many walks on the beach outside his house.

During the course of the three seasons, characters come and go, never to be seen again.

Season 3 ends tragically. But I will not say more because that would be a spoiler. If you want to know what I mean, then send me email.

Once again, if you enjoy intense detective procedurals DO NOT MISS either “Dicta” or “Wallander”.

Be aware that there is also the Kenneth Branagh “Wallander” English series from Masterpiece Mystery.

2014, Anti-terrorism, Based on a Book, CIA, Clever Plot, Complicated, Conspiracy, Cynical, DO NOT MISS, Ethical struggles, Father-son relations, International thriler, Spy Theme, Spy Versu Spy, Suspense, Wonderful acting

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

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From Netflix:

A half-Russian, half-Chechen man, brutalized by torture, arrives in Hamburg, where he seeks a British banker’s help in recovering his father’s estate. But the man may not be all he seems to be in this riveting adaptation of John le Carré’s novel.

Warning: you may be seething by the end of this film. Possibly that means that this well-acted film based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré is also written and directed quite well. But what is the point of such skullduggery if there is not some truthful basis to the film? Is it worth being cynical about the fun adventures of counter-espionage because a film pushes a fictional point of view? In other words, I wish the story were “based on true facts” instead of “based on a book”.

Every review I read of this film was a rave. Perhaps that is why I was glued to the screen right up to the end.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is his usual sloppy wonderful self in this his last film before he committed suicide. Rachel McAdams succeeds as a sincere vulnerable young human rights lawyer. And then there is the stunningly beautiful Robin Wright playing a cold deceitful role not unlike her role in the American version of “House of Cards”.

WAS ISSA AN INNOCENT MAN ?

Take a tranquilizer and enjoy this great film. DO NOT MISS!

2014, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Action Film, Action Hero, Clever Plot, Corny at times, Good digital effects, Mayhem, Military, Nasty Aliens, Violent, War

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

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From Netflix:

As Earth fights an alien invasion, Lt. Col. Bill Cage is killed in action, and a time loop forces him to continually relive his last day. With each iteration, Cage’s skill grows, as does his understanding of the enemy and how it operates.

Are you ready for 113 minutes of Tom Cruise fighting invading aliens? Those 113 minutes might seem long because he keeps getting killed and then repeating his life from his entry into the war against the aliens. He does this at least 300 times. But fear not, only the first rebirth seems repetitious and the film moves briskly, albeit with some unexpected failures along the way. Needless to say this is a violent film consisting mostly of shooting aliens with really big machine guns.

Cruise’s character Cage is accompanied by another re-liver Rita (played by Emily Blunt of “The Devil Wears Prada” fame). Don’t expect a great love affair from old stone face. In all fairness this is Cruise’s kind of film: lots of action, no need to emote.

Acceptable for children who can take the violence. Clever eye candy suitable for an idle moment.

2011, British Mystery Series, Clever Plot, Computer geeks, Conspiracy, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Father-son relations, Journalist, Lawyers, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Netflix Streaming, Plot Twist, Prison, Suspense, Violent, Well developed plot

Hidden (2011)

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From Netflix:

When a mysterious lawyer asks small-time solicitor Harry to find a missing alibi witness for a client, he’s forced to delve back into his murky past.

Superb is the word that first comes to mind. After finishing the wonderful TV series “Hinterland” from Netflix, suggestions appeared on our TV screen among which was “Hidden”. As far as I can tell, you can get “Hidden” from Netflix only by streaming. Netflix’s suggestion was appropriate because here is another suspenseful, well-written, well-acted British mystery thriller. Oddly enough IMDB has no entry for this TV series.

What seems to begin with Harry trying to find out who killed his brother Mark eventually turns into a governmental conspiracy story with many well-done characters. Things are not as they seem and there are unexpected plot twists. Once I began the 4 episodes, it was very difficult to stop watching.

British TV you have done it again! DO NOT MISS!

2013, Bloody scenes, Child abuse, Clever Plot, Complicated, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Dark, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Emotional child abuse, Gloomy, Mental Illness, Murder, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Physical child abuse, Psychological Drama, Rape, Revenge, Sadism, Sex Scenes, Slow, Stalker, Suicide, Suspense, Violent, Wales, War Veterans, WWII

Hinterland (2013)

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From Netflix:

BBC police detective drama series set in Aberystwyth against the backdrop of mountainous terrain, close-knit villages, and windswept sand dunes of the coastline to the badlands of the hinterland. Starring Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias.

UPDATE: April 2016

Netflix now offers Season 2 with 5 episodes. Below the older review still holds true, especially how slow moving and taciturn the scenes are.  Always start with the beginning episode: although each episode is a self-contained story, there are sub-threads that run through all the episodes which are crucial for appreciating the series.

From Netflix comes this Welsh one-season detective series either as DVDs or streamed. All four episodes are intense and grim. For example, episode 1 involves child abuse. Richard Harrington as DCI Tom Mathias is the silent type: he broods more than he speaks. Photography is beautiful although it depicts Wales as a barren, wild, scenic land. In this respect the mood of the country matches the mood of the characters. Episode 3 was a bit complicated. Spoken language is English and subtitles are available. Acting is superb. Plots are well constructed.

If you can survive the dark atmosphere, DO NOT MISS!

2000, Amusing banter, Art Treasures, Bank Robbery, Based on true facts, Car Chase, Clever Plot, Comedy, Cynical, Detective, Drugs, Gangs, Irish, Motorcycles, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Satire, Sex Scenes, Torture, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000)

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From Netflix:

In this taut crime thriller, a charming thief delights in plotting heists with the kind of élan that makes him popular in the very city he plunders.

While browsing Netflix streaming I stumbled on this clever comedy spoken in an Irish brogue. Kevin Spacey plays Michael Lynch. In this film he is also well-known as a bigamist. Both wives have important parts in the film.

From IMDB:

Brilliant, flamboyant master criminal Michael Lynch is more interested in his image and his posterity than the actual profit from his ill-gotten gains.

Michael Lynch’s greatest pleasure comes from eluding and tricking the Irish police, the Garda. Watching one clever stunt after another is the guilty pleasure this film offers.

You will see many familiar faces: Peter Mullan (Death Eater Yaxley in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 “), David Hayman (Jonas in “The Paradise”), Patrick Malahide (Balon Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones”), and of course Colin Farrell.

Yes, there is violence and death. But it is all in fun, after all.