Breaking In(1989, dir. Bill Forsyth)Burt Reynolds is better than his material, which is surprising in a film directed by Bill Forsyth and written by John Sayles. The big problem here is Casey Siemaszko, whose odd and inert performance lead every scene he's in into a nose dive.
★★
Zero Effect(1998, dir. Jake Kasdan)Everything in this movie feels like it's just a tweak away from working. The Sherlockian oddball, the put-upon Watson, the sinister client, the cute girl...it's close. But while Pullman is game, Stiller never gets it right. He swings wildly from whiny Meet-the-Parents mode to unconvincing supercompetence...of course, my general dislike for Stiller may be clouding my judgment here.
The big problem is Kim Dickens' character, who is instantly into Pullman's Zero despite his erratic and creepy behavior. She's got her quirks, but Jake Kasdan never convinces me that Daryl Zero should ever leave his room.
★★★
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers(1954, dir. Stanley Donen)The story of seven Ariel Castros and their victims' struggles with Stockholm syndrome. That barn dance is pretty fantastic though.
★★