MOVIE REVIEW: PRESSURE

 

The fate of the free world hangs in the balance as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Capt. James Stagg face an impossible choice -- launch the D-Day invasion or risk losing World War II altogether.

Director: Anthony Maras

Cast: Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, Damian Lewis

Release Date: May 29, 2026

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, War

Rated PG-13 for war violence, bloody images, some strong language, and smoking

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Pressure is an earnest exploration of the logistical challenges rarely talked about in the lead up to the D-Day invasion in the form of a well-acted potboiler powered by strong performances from its cast.  There has been a myriad of films about World War 2 by this point with most of them focusing on the battlefield which makes this exploration of the logistical planning all the more intriguing.  Director Anthony Maras uses that aspect to his benefit as he sets up the collection of characters working together and occasionally against each other as they try to execute something that’s never been done before.  The outcome is the stuff of history book, but Mara still manages to create a tangible sense of tension primarily based off the internal conflicts of the large personalities in the mix played deftly by a strong collection of performers.  Andrew Scott leads the way as the stoic and self-assured Scottish meteorologist James Stagg who is steadfast in his knowledge and convictions.  Scott delivers a laser focused performance that allows the character’s intellect and somewhat abrasive nature come through while allowing for quieter moments of self-doubt and agony especially when it comes to his pregnant wife.  Brendan Fraser is just as solid as Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, who is a big, bombastic personality but with added layers that reflect how deeply he feels his failures and his desire to prove himself worthy of his position.  It’s a fascinating juxtaposition especially when he’s challenged by Damian Lewis’s much more experienced British commander Bernard “Monty” Montgomery.  Lewis brings an overbearing sense of self confidence even though he’s been relegated under Fraser’s less experienced Eisenhower with their interplay making for some of the film’s more fascinating moments, something the script should have taken more advantage of.  Less interesting is a similar adversarial relationship between Scott’s Stagg and his American counterpart Irving P. Krick played by Chris Messina.  Their relationships play out in a predicable nature of dislike which grows into earned respect that isn’t fleshed out the way it should be.   Kerry Condon is the film’s lifeblood and the connective tissue that traverses the myriads of personality Eisenhower’s steadfast secretary Kay Summersby had to deal with.  There’s little doubt that there’s a hefty amount of dramatization of the actual events but it’s done in such a manner that it’s probably the most engaging film about weather reports you’ll see and makes Pressure a perfect lead up into a film like Saving Private Ryan. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: F1

 

In the 1990s, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1's most promising driver until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, the owner of a struggling Formula 1 team convinces Sonny to return to racing and become the best in the world. Driving alongside the team's hotshot rookie, Sonny soon learns that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem, Shea Whigham

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Genre: Action, Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for strong language, and action.

Runtime: 2h 36m

Review:

Joseph Kosinski's F1 delivers some truly intense and thrilling racing sequences that really put you in the driver's seat which is sure to leave an impression even though the plot is more or less a dramatic take of 1989's Major League.  This is a sleek film that really takes off when it gets the camera inside the cars and we feel the propulsive energy of the motors.  Kosinski pulls off some impressive technical feats by giving the audience a full 360-degree view during the film's energetic racing sequences that leave you feeling every twist and turn of the track in a visceral way.  It would all be even more engaging if the story and characters matched the level of creativity and artistry as the visual but sadly, they prove to be little more than a collection of sports movie clichés.  The characters all fit into nice tidy boxes with their general characteristics and motivations easily related in a brief synopsis.  Brad Pitt is perfectly cast as the weather worn, former golden boy that's brought back to the sport that he'd walked away from decades ago after a tragic failure.  Pitt's natural, earned screen charisma makes his character far more interesting than he would be in a lesser actor's hands.  There are moments where you get the sense, he's digging for more depth to the character whose ultimate motivation seems to be the same as Ricky Bobby's in Talladega Nights.  It’s a testament to him as a true movie star that he can make some of the film's clunkier moments and dialogue palpable with his natural delivery.  Damson Idris is solid as the hotshot rookie who's brash but still intimidated when Pitt's character shows up.  Idris is an incredibly talented performer, anyone who watched his work in 6 seasons of FX's Snowfall can attest to that, but the script gives him painfully little to work with as Joshua Pearce's rivalry/friendship plays out in predictable fashion with Sonny Hayes.  There's a moment where it feels like the script might take their relationship and the story into more meaningful territory which would have been far more interesting than the more predictable path, they end up choosing.  Kerry Condon is given the thankless job as the perfunctory love interest that's given just enough backstory to give her character a tad more depth than you'd usually expect. Javier Bardem has fun as the team owner and former teammate of Pitt's Sonny Hayes that brings him back into F1.  Tobias Menzies is wasted as the scheming board member who's hoping for the team's failure and ultimate sale.  Once it’s all said and done you get the feeling there was an opportunity for F1 to be something truly special if the amount of time and care put into the racing sequences had been given to the story and characters. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: NIGHT SWIN

 

Forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, former baseball player Ray Waller moves into a new house with his wife and two children. He hopes that the backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for himself. However, a dark secret from the home's past soon unleashes a malevolent force that drags the family into the depths of inescapable terror.

Director: Bryce McGuire

Cast: Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amélie Hoeferle, Gavin Warren, Nancy Lenehan, Jodi Long

Release Date: January 5, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for terror, some violent content and language.

Runtime: 1h 38m

Night Swim has a fun concept paired with strong performances, particularly Kerry Condon, but the execution is little more than a bland, uninspired Amityville Horror knock off with a sprinkle of Cocoon for some reason.   Bryce McGuire's big screen debut, based on his short film, is initially intriguing as we are introduced to the general concept and central family.  A series of well staged jump scares provide the sort of scares you'd expect from a film of this ilk.  The issues start popping up fairly quickly there after as the script struggles to stretch the concept out for a full length feature.  The reveals are fairly uninspired, mostly consisting of well worn horror tropes that we've seen countless times before.  With few twist and turns there are telegraphed so loudly that you'd be hard pressed not to see them coming from a mile away.  Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon play it deadly serious throughout which works better in the first half of the film before things get progressively more ridiculous as the family battles the evil pool.  Condon brings a level of commitment to the role which speaks to the level of talent she brings to the production even as she confidentially utters some unintentionally funny lines in the film's final act.  Russell is a solid screen partner early on but once he's overtaken by the evil his performance makes Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance look like a study in subtly.  Amélie Hoeferle and Gavin Warren play the pair's children with both bringing an authentic air of sibling chemistry together which the film would have been wise to use to greater effect especially since there are slivers of interesting character traits for each.  As is, Night Swim will fall into the massive wasteland of utterly forgettable horror films dumped into January.

D+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

 

On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic is devastated when his buddy Colm suddenly puts an end to their lifelong friendship. With help from his sister and a troubled young islander, Pádraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary. However, as Colm's resolve only strengthens, he soon delivers an ultimatum that leads to shocking consequences.

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

Release Date: October 21, 2022

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated R for language throughout, some violent content and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

The Banshees of Inisherin, the latest black comedy from Martin McDonagh, it’s a funny, compelling fable that's simplistic on the surface but one the will likely stick with you as you ruminate the meaning of it all.  McDonagh creates an authentic ecosystem of people and relationships that brings life to the mundane something he's done to great effect in previous films.  The script is sharply written with plenty of dialogue that pops off the screen which makes the character's interplay the film's highlights.  What's more impressive is that the story is thematically dense, functioning on multiple levels which leaves the door open for a multitude of metaphorical interpretations.  A strong script pair with excellent performances from its two leads makes this film incredibly watchable and easy to digest unlike the majority of awards fodder.  Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reunite with McDonagh for the first time since they collaborated in 2008's In Bruges and again bringing out the best in each other.  Farrell and Gleeson have a natural chemistry together which serves as the film's life blood.  Farrell leaning into the happy go lucky attitude early on in order to watch him emotionally degrade as the film wears on.  Gleeson makes his character's stubbornness tangible as he drops hints desperation as he tackles his impending mortality.  They are fascinating throughout because they give you a real sense that there is so much more simmering under the surface for both men.  They deserve the lion's share of the credit here but supporting turns from Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan leave a memorable impression as well.  Fans of Martin McDonagh know that his film's use black comedy to explore larger issues and The Banshees of Inisherin does so in spades. 

A