Sandy Kenyon's Review: Our Brand is Crisis
NEW YORK -- I was really looking forward to "Our Brand is Crisis" after seeing a preview for it while watching another film. Normally, I like to go into a movie knowing as little about it as possible, but in this case my hopes were high so I was really disappointed.
The gap has never been larger between a terrific trailer and the movie. It's designed to promote. What seemed like a fun premise with a great star is in fact a mean-spirited mess.
What should be sharp as in smart is dull as in dumb. So much so, I can't even muster up enough energy to care about what went wrong.
Sandra Bullock's character is a political consultant sent into exile
by a series of defeats at the hands of a rival operator played by Billy Bob Thornton.
Their battleground is Bolivia, where their American political tricks don't travel all that well.
The roster of talented actors who are wasted here is so long, there is not enough time to list them all.
Taxi TV viewer Jordan has disagreed with my reviews in the past, so I asked her along for this one. She had praise for Bullock's performance, thought Thornton was charming as a villain and concluded "it's a good movie, but not fifty-dollar-date-night kind of good."
Jordan's full review is below:
It's hard to dislike a movie starring Sandra Bullock - and "Our Brand is Crisis" is no exception. There's no denying she's a phenomenal actress, playing a character that mirrors her Oscar-winning role in "The Blind Side": a tough-cookie with a good heart. Jane (Bullock) is the last member added to an eclectic team, each likeable in their own individual ways, working to get their underdog candidate elected president of Bolivia.
However, the real standout character is played by Billy Bob Thornton. It's hard imagining Thornton playing any role other than the charming villain after giving such a convincing performance. Despite the intense nature of the plot, pay attention because there's still moments of smart humor.
The storyline moves at a good tempo with no real dragging points or rushed ending. And if you're worried about being lost in political jargon, rest easy. The most interesting part of this film is how little emphasis the strategy team places on the real issues the country is facing.
This is a great film to watch as election season approaches. For anyone who posts their political views on social media, definitely cough up the $15 to see this in theatres as soon as possible - you need the lesson in how campaigns are really ran and how nave you probably are. For everyone else, save a few bucks and wait until this comes out through OnDemand - it's a good movie, but not a $50 date-night kind of good. Definitely add this to your movies to see!
