Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

is a perfectly serviceable thriller that I enjoyed as long as I didn't let myself think about the plot or the ludicrous computer tech.  It moves along, maintains suspense, and does a decent job of keeping us from thinking.

All the lead actors are also completely serviceable, if in no case breaking any new personal acting ground.  Chris Pine keeps his smirk percentage in the low teens, and he's a decent action hero once there's action.  Keira Knightley remains in desperate need of a sandwich--could they not afford catering trucks on this set?--and you can almost hear someone say, "Give us the cute look!" as she turns on that trademark twinkle.  Kevin Costner looks happy to have work.  Kenneth Branagh brings his usual pursed-lip intensity to his Russian bad guy. 

Okay, I'll stop with the snark. 

Seriously, I had a good time watching it, and if you're in the mood for a little mindless action, you will, too.

The Duchess

Though it's not common knowledge, I often enjoy chick flicks. I find women endlessly fascinating, and watching them interact--on screen or in real life--is interesting and sometimes quite informative. I'm also particularly curious about the many women in history who overcame the adversity they faced to become more than their society would normally permit them to be. And, of course, any movie with the promise of a lot of sex is good by me.

I consequently entered the showing of The Duchess with cautious optimism.

I left more than a little dissatisfied.

The problem was not Keira Knightley. I'm not a fan of hers--her acting usually leaves me cold, and physically she's entirely too bony for my taste--but she did a good job in this movie. Her beauty and physical allure were undeniable, and her performance made the Duchess' intelligence and suffering palpable.

Ralph Fiennes also delivered, actually elevating the character as written into a more human person, albeit one who made those few males in the theater feel pretty damn bad about being a man.

You also couldn't fault the cinematography, set design, costuming, or any of the other visual aspects of the movie. It was stunning to behold.

The problem was the script. (I'm not saying the writers, because with movie scripts there's no telling how much the finished product resembles what the writers typed.) It gave us plenty of suffering, plenty of eye candy, and a great deal of one type of character development: the Duchess grappling with the difficulty of her position. What it never delivered were scenes that showed just why this woman was so popular, why she was in demand at political events, why everyone loved her. It took the cheap route and basically said, "Here's Keira Knightley. Don't you love her?" I left wishing for scenes in which the Duchess' actions earned her the acclaim of all the people who wanted her presence.

To be fair, we did get one dinner party in which her boldness emerged, but it was hardly enough to show why so many people considered her so special.

In the end, I walked out liking that the film showed a poly relationship that, though initially unhealthy, worked out reasonably, liking the look of the film, even liking Keira Knightley in the role--but still wishing for a great deal more.