Peneflix MOVIE REVIEWS BY PENEFLIX
PERSUASION (NETFLIX)
Novelist Jane Austen’s (1775-1817) “Persuasion” has survived a myriad of adaptations, many excellent, especially the 2007 version starring Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry-Jones, Tobias Menzies; the 2022 Netflix rendition is an abomination; miscast, instead of electrifying, disastrously boring, using contemporary actors of all hues, squirming in their restrictive wardrobes, stilted dialogue, sprinkled with platitudeness cliches permeating an emotionless, limited scenario. Dakota Johnson’s (“50 Shades” celeb) valiant struggle against a tide of mediocrity; “Anne” drowns in futility. Director Carrie Cracknell’s dated storyline would have fared better if shot in the present era, instead trying to feed 1814’s implacableness to an audience steeped in the culture of 2022’s open-mindedness; then again, maybe not?
ONE STAR!
BLACK BIRD (APPLE TV)
At times it is devilishly delicious roaming the diseased, degenerate corridors of a serial killer’s mind; watching his cancerous, oftentimes brilliant, circuitous route to his (rarely her) slayings; equally entertaining is the cat and mouse devices employed by law enforcement in their pursuit of the deranged, damaged executioner. “Black Bird”, based on the verifiable narrative of professional “confessor” Larry Hall (haunting, mesmerizing depiction by Paul Walter Hauser, “Richard Jewell”) and his jail mate, drug runner, Jimmy Keene (matched superbly, Taron Egerton, “Rocketman”) who slithers into Larry’s duplicitous core, eliciting a confession of consequence. For the crime thirsty “Black Bird” satiates the pivotally parched.
As a caveat, Ray Liotta (1954-2022) as James Keene, Sr. soars in his final role.
FOUR STARS!!!!
Peneflix
