Richard Dreyfuss | pinartarhan.com

Red starring Bruce Willis, Mary-Loise Parker, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren & Karl Urban. Image via c-medya.com

Retired CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is living the quiet, suburban life. The highlight of his days is when he talks on the phone with Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker) – his representative for the pension fund: Even though they never met, they both have a crush on each other.

While Frank makes plans to meet in person, a team of assassins try to kill Frank. Frank escapes but now that he is a target. So he has to kidnap Sarah, who is unwilling to believe that Frank is in fact ex CIA. But she eventually believes him. Frank realizes that the hit has been ordered by CIA itself. And it is not just Frank. A past Guatemala operation has gotten lots of agents and a news reporter killed. So Frank pulls up a team he can trust – although he has to let each member know that he is not trying to kill them first.

His team includes ex-CIA Joe (Morgan Freeman), nutty but smart Marvin (John Malkovich), ex MI6 Victoria (Helen Mirren) and Russian Ivan (Brian Cox). At first the CIA was confident that their agent in charge, the highly capable William Cooper (Karl Urban) could take care of a “grandpa” agent but as it will turn out, this team of old agents and a civilian can really kick ass and raise mayhem. Catching Frank will be a lot harder than anticipated…

2011’s Golden Globe nominee for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Red is a pretty entertaining action/comedy that deliberately starts slow and follows with fast action and good comedy. The cast is incredible, the characters are hilarious. It is one of the most entertaining movies of Bruce Willis, who has been kicking ass in action films for over 2 decades now. And kudos to Helen Mirren, whose character totally destroys all the stereotypical movie roles a 65-year-old actress can get.

It’s unreasonable. It’s illogical. And the ending is predictable. But it is bloody good entertainment. It is hard to pick a favorite character but for me it is a tie between deadly Victoria and the paranoid Marvin who gets upset when he doesn’t kill anyone.

Written by Jon and Erich Hoeber. Directed by Robert Schwentke (Flightplan, The Time Traveler’s Wife). Based on the graphic novel created by Cully Hamner and Warren Ellis.

7 Fun Red Facts:

– Nip Tuck’s Julian McMahon makes a guest appearance as the Vice President.

– The cast also features Richard Dreyfuss.

– The “Russian” Ivan is played by Brian Cox, who is actually Scottish.

– Sex and the City’s Richard James Remar makes a guest appearance.

– Between the cast, there are three Oscars in acting: Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Richard Dreyfuss are Oscar-winning actors.

– Weeds star Mary- Louise Parker used to date Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who also appeared in Weeds.

Favorite lines:

Sarah is not happy to be kidnapped.

Frank: I was just hoping you’d be a little more understanding of the situation.
Sarah: I was hoping not to get kidnapped. Or drugged. I was hoping you’d have *hair*. So it looks like none of our dreams are coming true at the moment.

Frank (Willis) and Cooper (Karl Urban) are engaged in a deadly fight. Cooper first thinks he can beat Frank easily because of the age difference but Frank beats the crap out of Cooper.

Frank (locking Cooper in a wrestling position):Krodesky trained you?

Cooper: Yeah.

Frank: I trained Krodesky.

Marvin wants to kill the agent who is trying to kill them and has called Marvin an old man.. Frank had previously made him let her go, thinking she was an innocent civilian.

Marvin: Can I kill her now? (Frank nods and Marvin kills her) Old man, my ass!

Favorite scenes (minor spoilers):

– Pretty much all the action scenes, especially the kidnapping of the V.P.

– The very last scene.

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2009- Written and Directed by Tim Blake Nelson

Billy Kincaid (Edward Norton) is an established, respected and published philosophy professor. He is adored by his students-maybe too adored- and his future definitely looks bright. And most importantly, he has done a good job avoiding his family roots so far.

His mother (Susan Sarandon) and identical twin brother Brady (yep, of coure Norton) still live in Oklahoma and he hasn’t spoken to them in years. After all, Brady is a pot dealer and proud of his lifestyle. But when Brady’s threatened by the big guys, he finds the perfect solution. He tricks his brother into coming home. Billy’s arrival resurface family issues while Brady continues to implant his more than flawed plan. But Brady won’t be the only one complicating Bill’s life…

This movie is fun, as long as you don’t get too excited by all the labels IMDB has put on it. It says comedy/drama/thriller/crime Yes, it has many funny moments and some romantic scenes. But this is not an action movie. It is a fun drama (or call it a dramedy if you like) worth watching especially for Edward Norton fans.

Norton plays two opposite characters with brilliance. Plus, I like Susan Sarandon and can’t still get used to her playing the mother of a grown man. Yeah, I am fully aware that she is in her 60s now but she still looks really youtful and pretty. Hell, I wouldn’t mind if she had played Norton’s love interest, let alone her mother. But then again, Edward doesn’t exactly look over 30 so they make a good mother-son duo.

Bill’s love interest is Keri Russell (August Rush, Felicity, Bedtime Stories) and Brady’s pregnant girlfriend is played by Melanie Lynskey (Up in the Air). Richard Dreyfuss appears in a small role but his character is one of the most vital ones. After all, all hell starts to break loose due to him. Yes, Dreyfuss makes an impression again. But for me his best will always be Mr. Holland’s Opus.

All in all: Good cast and fun script. It is not Edward’s best film but it is worth watching nonetheless.

7.2 on IMDB.

7 from me.