Double Feature

February 2017 - Remember that episode of The Brady Bunch where Jan whines that everything is always about Marcia, Marcia, Marcia? Well, these days it seems like everything is about Russia, Russia, Russia – including this month's movies.

The Cold War still has some heat in The Double, a PG-13 thriller from 2011. Richard Gere and Topher Grace star. Martin Sheen has a supporting role, and Stana Katic shows up for about three minutes.

Gere plays retired CIA agent Paul Shepherdson. He's coaxed out of retirement when a US Senator is murdered and signs point to an elusive Soviet assassin named Cassius as the killer. Shepherdson asserts his belief that Cassius is dead, but up-and-coming FBI agent Ben Geary (Grace) insists the murder bears all the hallmarks of Cassius. Shepherdson and Geary must work together to identify Cassius, find him and bring him to justice – a mission that ultimately puts both men in danger and forces each to make a life-changing decision.

Overall review: Ehhh, it was OK. Gere and Grace make this a watchable film. However, the plot is convoluted and has lots of holes that become obvious if you think about them too long. I also don't know why Stana Katic agreed to do this movie. Maybe a lot of her scenes were cut out. Maybe she just wanted to meet Richard Gere. Either way, you would think that her work as Beckett on the TV show Castle would earn her a better role and more screen time than she gets here.

Frances McDormand's desire to "have some work done" sets off a bizarre chain of events in 2008's Burn After Reading, an R-rated black comedy from the Coen brothers. George Clooney, John Malkovich and Brad Pitt also star, along with some other recognizable faces.

As has become standard with the Coen brothers, there are several plotlines happening at once and they're all intertwined. The central story belongs to Linda (McDormand). She works at a gym, wants a nip here and a tuck there, and is looking for some way to pay for it. When a computer disc containing some seemingly sensitive information turns up at the gym, Linda and her co-worker, Chad (Pitt), think it might be their ticket to some fast cash.

Linda is also looking for love online. That's how she hooks up with a married but horny US marshal named Harry (Clooney). Harry is being followed for reasons that are not revealed until the end of the film. Harry is also sleeping with the wife of a recently-fired CIA analyst named Osborne Cox (Malkovich). The disc that turns up at the gym contains the beginnings of his memoirs. When he refuses to play the blackmail game, the Russians get involved.

Overall review: Loved it! For a movie that has multiple plot lines going, it still makes sense and is easy to follow. The actors all play their roles with a straight face. Everyone is in on the joke except them. And, that's what makes it so funny.