BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
The way this movie was promoted I thought it was a Christopher Nolan movie. It had a “Inception” look to it for some reason. I could just be weird though, but that was my perspective. Instead it’s a movie from Ed Solomon. I currently have a “Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure” poster framed in my office so I definitely know who this man is. He’s awesome. That’s one good thing the movie had going for it. Another thing is the great cast. It’s an amazing ensemble crew that sees Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco play magicians of various skill and fame who are brought together for huge magic stunts. Along with these folks is Mark Ruffalo, a cop who is trying to figure their heist out plus Common, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Melanie Laurent. Elias Koteas shows up in a cool cameo and Conan O’Brien even appears! That’s a whole lot of awesomeness. But the plot is what matters. Like I said, those four actors are a magic team. Their big stunt is being on one location and somehow robbing a bank in another location…. In a different country even! It’s a really cool caper with tons of action and fun banter. Some of the dialogue is a little cheesy at times, but it’s a movie about magicians pulling off crimes so who am I to ask for anything more. In fact, the snappy one-liner stuff they had Eisenberg saying is part of the fun. The movie has a surreal feel to it, but is still grounded in a bit of logic and reality. The twists and turns are fun and it’s really worth watching and checking out. It’s NOT “Inception” but I think that’s a good thing. “Inception” is a great movie, but so is this one. The main difference is that this movie doesn’t take itself too seriously. It tells a fun story in a smart and interesting way. Pop some corn, sit back, and enjoy the ride. This movie is going to really catch on in the post-theatre market. This is probably the most enjoyable movie I’ve seen in a few months. Check it out as soon as possible. A-
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