The Mosley Review: No Sudden Move

I love movies that are as slick as this. It has a style that's set instantly and is a perfect backdrop for a crime story. You have your central heist plot, but what makes this stand out amongst the rest is the many roads that are soon revealed as you go along the ride. This film thankfully doesn't go down the same old trodden path of simple steal and kill with style, but rather takes an unconventional detour into the underbelly of an industry that had alot of criminal acts in the 1950s. What I really loved is that this gangster film stays grounded. It doesn't turn into a knock off of a Scarface or Godfather. It stays true to its street level, then takes a dip into something larger, but quickly reels itself back before going too far. There is a great amount of tension that keeps you on your toes throughout the film and the dark comedy bits were especially fun. I really don't want to say anymore without spoiling the fun, but I will say that it may seem whimsical at first but if you stick with this stellar selection of characters, its very rewarding by the end.

Don Cheadle expertly leads us on this capper as Curt Goynes. I can watch Don do anything and this was one of his coolest characters. Curt is that crook with a heart of gold you've seen a million times, but you can't keep your eyes off of him and you want him to succeed. He is on a mission and it was great to see him attack it. Benicio Del Toro was great also as Ronald Russo. Russo had a bit of a goof ball aspect to him and it was great to see his reaction to stuff around him falling apart. Curt and Russo together make for an excellent on screen duo and they have such great chemistry. Kieran Culkin was perfectly odd as Charley and I never really trusted him from the start. Brendan Fraser is a guy I always enjoy watching and as the contractor Doug Jones, he was really fun. David Harbour was excellent as the standard working father Matt Wertz. He is thrust into a situation and it was fun to see him try to handle the stress. Amy Seimetz play his wife Mary and she was outstanding in every way. She almost steals the film in a number of fantastic moments. Noah Jupe gives another great performance as their oldest son Matthew. Jon Hamm isn't in the film for too long as Detective Joe Finney, but his motives are important. I loved Ray Liotta as Frank Capelli and he gave off the same energy he had in Goodfellas. He has that same gravitas and a stare that can pierce the core of your soul. The great Bill Duke was a dangerous man as Aldrick Watkins. He has such style, a smooth demeanor and he was an excellent business man.

The score by David Holmes was absolute perfection and even on its own, its a very moody and fun album. Visually the film was stunning and I loved that it didn't just show off Detroit, but also its suburban life. Director Steven Soderbergh has made an excellent crime film that is throwback to classic heist dramas and it has so much to give from its multi-layered and well woven story. This film is an HBO Max exclusive that is currently streaming and I can't recommend it enough. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!