Given it’s an adrenalin-fueled actioner released in January, “Contraband” is a solid genre picture that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout even if the plot has holes big enough to drive a truck through. Based on the 2008 Icelandic film, “Reykjavik-Rotterdam” and directed by that film’s star, Baltasar Kormakur, “Contraband,” features Mark Wahlberg as Chris Farraday, a former smuggler who’s now living a quiet life as a security consultant in a New Orleans suburbs with his hairstylist wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale) and their two young sons. When Kate’s younger brother, Andy (Caleb Jones), botches a job for a violent local drug dealer (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris must come out of retirement to make up the loss to this madman. His plan involves shipping down to Panama City to bring back millions in counterfeit bills. Not only does this not go according to plan, but it also spins wildly out of control. In addition, there’s an amusing subplot involving a stolen Jackson Pollock painting that’s played for some subtle laughs.
Wahlberg is a capable enough actor that you believe his predicament – he’s a principled man who’s forced to do things he swore he would not. And he carries the picture with ease and a low-key charm. The strong supporting cast includes J. K. Simmons as the ship’s uptight captain and Ben Foster as Chris’s best friend. Beckinsale is stuck in a thankless role as the victimized wife. I would have preferred her character to have a little more feistiness. On the other hand, Rabisi overdoes crazy to the point of being cartoonish. “Contraband” is fun to watch, especially when every piece of the puzzle falls into place. It’s January. What more can you ask for? 1/13/12
1 comment:
This is not my kind of movie, it won't win any awards, just a good old fashioned fun movie with lots of action and and a pretty good plot.
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