The Rhythm Section (2.5 out of 5 stars). |, July 13, 2020 |, February 7, 2020 I actually believe the direction here was pretty solid, due to the great performances she pulled out of these performers, but it really came down to the screenplay for me. Release Date: 22 Nov 2019 First published in 1999, Mark Burnell’s The Rhythm Section is a thriller from a different era. You're almost there! I think it's because the movie, based on a book by Mark Burnell, is stuck in a tonal middle ground between spy escapism and spy realism, and it doesn't quite work. Although writer Mark Burnell adapted the screenplay from his 1999 novel of the same name, the story seems truncated; it’s as if he understandably wanted to include as much as possible from his source material, yet still had to work within the constraints of a reasonable running time. It's a thoroughly mediocre bore. | Rating: 0.5/5 All rights reserved. The characters aren't well developed or even given memorable personalities. ‘The Rhythm Section’ Review. As Stephanie struts down Central Park West in a disguise, stalking her prey, we hear the ironic strains of the Brenda Lee classic “I’m Sorry”; later, as Stephanie closes in on her ultimate target, Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never” plays. “The Rhythm Section” holds the promise of a movie like School of Rock or Sing Street, i.e., a story that will actually have something to do with rhythm. The Rhythm Section at least tries to do something different and more affecting with that trope, even if it misses a few beats. Before The Rhythm Section’s first trailer, it was the film that had so many paparazzi shots of Blake Lively in wigs and dirtied up while filming it. M.N. But her quest to uncover the truth soon turns into a full-blown quest for revenge as Patrick decides to punish those responsible. Summary. But what can't be forgiven is dullness. for violence, sexual content, language throughout, and some drug use. Rated R Read full review When the exiled MI6 agent who’d been the journalist’s informant takes her in and trains her, it makes sense, although Jude Law is solid as the gruff character known only as B. You can view all our coverage of the movie by clicking here and you can buy tickets at Fandango. Best Netflix Shows and Series To Binge (January 2021), The 100 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (January 2021), 100 Best Movies on Amazon Prime To Watch (January 2021). The Rhythm Section Review: Blake Lively's Thriller Strikes A Chord. It's just not an invigorating mystery with blandly developed action and suspense sequences, when you can make out what's going on, and very minimal characterization. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. #RhythmSection THE RHYTHM SECTION is exciting, harrowing, somber, and heart-pounding by measure. It should make the missions and fights more exciting but The Rhythm Section is drained of all excitement. First published in 1999, Mark Burnell’s The Rhythm Section is a thriller from a different era. The Rhythm Section certainly doesn’t rewrite the structure of the revenge movie. The Rhythm Section Review & Story: Poop hits the fan when a deprived Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively) discovers that the heartbreaking passing of her family in a plane accident was, all things considered, no mishap.Bored and parted from within, Stephanie leaves on an excursion to retaliate for herself. Mayhem ensues. The Rhythm Section Review Score: 6/10. Director Reed Morano has been known for great, subtle camera work on films like The Skeleton Twins and Kill Your Darlings, as well as directing episodes of great television shows like Billions and The Handmaid's Tale. Lacks the pull of repeat-viewing of the many, many better films of its ilk. The Rhythm Section never gives an opportunity to understand the depth of Stephanie's pain because she’s shooting from one job to another, proving both how much she thinks she cares and how much she only cares for how broken she thinks she is. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Regal Christy reviewed films for The Associated Press for over 14 years. IM Global, May 18, 2020 “The Rhythm Section” features lots of terse, no-nonsense dialog but some pretty corny voiceover — like the howler Lively’s obliged to recite to explain the film’s title. Pity that her deathly dull star vehicle fails to drive her towards the intended destination. |, February 3, 2020 Review: The Rhythm Section Blake Lively and Jude Law overqualified for an unexciting spy flick. Parents need to know that The Rhythm Section is an international thriller about Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively), a brilliant but grieving woman who's willing to transform into an assassin to avenge her family's deaths.Based on author Mark Burnell's spy series, the movie -- which has been marketed as a female Bourne Identity or an English Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-- is very violent. That scene is a prime example of the film’s clangy tendency toward on-the-nose needle drops to comment on the action and set the mood. |, August 24, 2020 The usual plot twists can still be seen coming a mile away. 1) I notice a lot of women read … She is trained by former MI6 agent Jude Law and then sets off on a messy path of vengeance tracking down the suspected perpetrators. The Rhythm Section could have benefitted from a little of either. | Top Critics (48) So where did The Rhythm Section go wrong, besides its clunky title (it's a reference to different parts of the body working together like an orchestra so…. Film, Film Reviews. |, January 12, 2021 It's the origin story of an action heroine, but it's also a very close look at a complex woman who has trouble shedding the humane aspects of herself in order to accomplish the things she feels she must do. The Rhythm Section is wonderfully acted by Blake Lively and immersively directed … I feel like an entirely different film could've been made from this exact same storyline. 'The Rhythm Section' has that behind and in front of the camera, but on the page and in the script, it's sadly a let down. Focussing too heavily on being dramatic and character-driven, this movie feels like an eternity to sit through. With Daniel Craig’s fifth and final cinematic performance as James Bond due out in April, speculation as to his replacement is rife. | Rating: 3.5/5 But somewhere along the way, Stephanie becomes too enigmatic, despite the fact that she’s on screen nearly the entire time. Forgot your password? It’s been three years since Stephanie’s father, mother, sister and brother died in a plane crash—a flight she was meant to take, as well. All in all, The Rhythm Section is a worthwhile espionage film and an entertaining enough way to spend an hour and 49 minutes. The film stars Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown, and follows a grieving woman who sets out for revenge after discovering the plane crash that killed her family was a terrorist attack.. On top of that, there's a character by the name of Mark Serra (Sterling K. Brown) who's introduced about an hour or so into the film, who feels like a character that has come from nowhere. The plot is risible. Standing there in silhouette, her weapon extended, Stephanie’s all jitters. Don't have an account? The central performance is rock solid and there’s enough style and directorial flair to make it worth your time. A revenge tale sparked by an unthinkable act of global terrorism — the downing of a passenger jet — the novel’s shock and awe seems almost quaint in a post-9/11 world. All of a sudden, he's now pivotal to the story, with little to no development whatsoever. The wait for lady Bond continues. First, it’s an action movie where there’s no real action in the first 50% of the film. Stephanie Patrick veers down a path of self-destruction after a tragic plane crash kills her family. The Rhythm Section is out in theaters this Friday Jan. 31 . I can't get myself to recommend it to anyone. |. When evidence emerges that the crash may … We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. ‘The Rhythm Section’ Review: A Gritty, Anti-James Bond Thriller About the Futility of Revenge Star Blake Lively continues to be an underrated onscreen chameleon in … At the beginning of THE RHYTHM SECTION, drug-addicted London sex worker Stephanie (Blake Lively) meets her latest client in a low-rent brothel, only to discover that he's an investigative reporter tracking down survivors of the plane crash that killed her entire immediate family. The Rhythm Section (2.5 out of 5 stars). Review: The Rhythm Section Blake Lively and Jude Law overqualified for an unexciting spy flick. |, February 3, 2020 The Rhythm Section is more of an idea or a tease for a good action movie. ‘The Rhythm Section’ Review: Downbeat Beat Down Blake Lively stars as an assassin-in-training seeking vengeance in this one-note drama. Coming Soon. It’s hard to believe the stars of vapid spy thriller The Rhythm Section fell for a script that is so lazily strung together; it’s … None of which keeps it from being a smart and insightful genre exercise in an already promising director’s young career. The Rhythm Section is a mashup of Bourne Identity and The Red Sparrow trilogy; Stephanie Patrick reminded me of a combination of Lisbeth Salander and Dominika Egorova. But it also creates the opportunity for actual character development. About Stephanie (Blake Lively) who loses her family in a terrorist attack. This movie is a prime example of needing more than one writer. About Stephanie (Blake Lively) who loses her family in a terrorist attack. The plot is packed with needless flashbacks and obtuse to the point I had to read a Wikipedia summary after the movie was over. Cinemark Based on the trilogy of novels. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. It features many necessary building blocks for a good example of an action flick: an intriguing protagonist, an […] Who goes out for revenge. To describe The Rhythm Section in the musical parlance it employs: The action movie has no sense of tempo, and no melody. Now, she numbs the unimaginable pain with drugs and feeds her habit by working as a prostitute at a London brothel. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. | Rating: 2/5 Then again, it seems as if the 51-year-old’s successor has been … When Stephanie discovers that the crash was not an accident, she enters a dark, complex world to seek revenge on those responsible and find her own redemption. Written by Mark Burnell, who also penned the novel that this film an adaptation of, it almost feels counterproductive when you make a movie and have the same writer choose what elements will translate best. ‘The Rhythm Section’ Review: Downbeat Beat Down Blake Lively stars as an assassin-in-training seeking vengeance in this one-note drama. Audience Reviews for The Rhythm Section Apr 17, 2020 It's very disappointing when a movie with great talent in front and behind the camera ends up being underwhelming. The Rhythm Section is produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, whose family has controlled the James Bond film franchise since Dr.No opened in … The Rhythm Section is an action drama that is more of a dud for a revenge type thriller that is suppose to start a series. Stephanie, once she is set off on her mission, fails to grow as a character or, really, as an assassin. I had read the book initially back in 1999 when it first came out. Morano intercuts increasingly tight close-ups of Stephanie’s face—her shaggy hair, tear-stained cheeks and swollen eyes—with snippets of brightly lit flashbacks to happier times with her family, underscoring the shocking nature of her decay. The action worse. Blake Lively gives it her all in “The Rhythm Section,” but the movie only meets her halfway. It makes the entire movie feel hard to engage with emotionally or intellectually. Stephanie travels from London to Northern Scotland, Madrid, New York, Tangiers and Marseille in her pursuit of justice with a variety of wigs and identities at her disposal. All Critics (173) A car chase shot entirely within Stephanie's vehicle should be exciting, but it just felt underdeveloped. The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher. Those qualities would have elevated The Rhythm Section considerably. You can view all our coverage of the movie by clicking here and you can buy tickets at Fandango. This creates the risk that the typical adrenaline-obsessed audience member will become bored. The pacing is horrible and the main character, even though well-performed by Lively, is just plain boring. |, December 4, 2020 The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. |, February 5, 2020 Coming Soon. The film stars Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown, and follows a grieving woman who sets out for revenge after discovering the plane crash that killed her family was a terrorist attack.. Reading through the reviews, I recognize a few issues some people will have with this book. Composed by Steve Mazzaro; Remote Control Productions / 48m; In what has turned out to be the only action-thriller produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli to be released during 2020, The Rhythm Section stars Blake Lively as a drug-addicted sex worker, her life having fallen apart following the death of her entire family in a plane crash. I think Reed Moreno has real talent as one of the signature directors of TV's Handmaid Tale series. Based on the 1999 novel by Mark Burnell, The Rhythm Section is directed by Reed Morano (I Think We're Alone Now, The Handmaid's Tale). |, November 17, 2020 The Rhythm Section Review Score: 6/10. When an investigative journalist (Raza Jeffrey) tracks her down and tells her the crash was no accident but rather an act of terrorism, it lights a fire under Stephanie to take back her life by taking out the killer. action, Eon Productions Ltd., Movies. She's also on Twitter @christylemire and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/christy.lemire2. The Rhythm Section is wonderfully acted by Blake Lively and immersively directed … The Rhythm Section is another middle-of-the-road film with a solid performance from Lively at its core, but an unstable script that doesn’t quite support her. She trains to gain the skills she needs for some sweet revenge! As charismatic as Lively and Brown are individually, they aren’t afforded the opportunity to establish any real chemistry with each other. You can find Christy's writing at ChristyLemire.com. The problem is that the film itself is so convoluted that it becomes questionable as to how she even knows where to go in order to find him. The Rhythm Section is produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, whose family has controlled the James Bond film franchise since Dr.No opened in … | Rating: 3.5/10 Based on the trilogy of novels. While there is a lot of good hidden somewhere under the surface, here's why I feel this absolutely misses the mark and why I just can't recommend it to anyone. Stephanie travels from London to Northern Scotland, Madrid, New York, Tangiers and Marseille in her pursuit of justice with a variety of wigs and identities at her … “The Rhythm Section” features lots of terse, no-nonsense dialogue but some pretty corny voiceover — like the howler Lively’s obliged to recite to explain the film’s title. The Rhythm Section is an action movie starring Lively as Stephanie Patrick, a woman whose family was killed in a plane explosion.Sent into a spiral of despair in the wake of this loss, Patrick feels there isn't anything to live for — until she learns that her family's death was no accident, and was instead part of a larger terrorist plot. Emotional notes and action sequences establish any real chemistry with each other push the boundaries of the movie over. Qualities would have elevated the Rhythm Section review – an off-beat spy thriller film! A crucial figure in her best role to date, nailing both the emotional notes and action.. 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