tommdennehy Reviews

This Town (2024– )

Could have been better

[6/10 · 4 May 2024]

I really wanted to enjoy this partly because of the rave reviews here and because Peaky Blinders was bloody great. Unfortunately it wasn't quite the case.

This is a story of a group of kids trying to start a band against a back drop of violence, political unrest and the spectre of the Northern Ireland troubles hanging over them.

There's lots to like. It's really well made, the music is good and it feels really original.

Sadly it's a frustrating watch at times because despite some really good performances from the more established actors, the newcomers just aren't up to it. The acting feels wooden and unemotional. The quirky main character becomes so annoying in his music obsession and his obliviousness of everything else around him that I decided to fast forward his scenes.

The real story of interest is the growing influence of the IRA in the area and less about the music. And it all ends too quickly with a rather disappointing ending.

Them (2021– )

Too much going on

[6/10 · 22 February 2024]

This is about a young black family fleeing the Jim Crow south after an unspeakable tragedy looking for new fortunes in sunny California.

Sadly they are met with a white wall of hatred in a neighbourhood patrolled by a wicked, angry woman who seems to have the whole street at her back and call.

Not only that there is conspiracy, corruption and not forgetting some ghosts that make people do terrible things. So there's a lot going on here.

The initial elements of the story work well. The refusal to accept the new family and the attentions to unsettle them by the white community are so awful they are almost comical.

This along with the corruption that placed them there is probably enough content, but half way through, it feels like a different programme. There is no continuity at all. The family excluding the little girl all of a sudden become disturbingly menacing.

The ghostly sinister party to this story doesn't seem right at all. It should either play the major part or nothing at all. It becomes confusing, jumbled and pretty incoherent.

A shame after a pretty good start.

When They See Us (2019)

Sad story, brilliant performances

[8/10 · 16 February 2024]

Based on the true story of 5 black teenagers being stitched up and convicted of a brutal rape in the 1980s.

This isn't an easy watch due to the terrible injustice, and deeply rooted racism among the police.

The first episode is the best one. It's hard hitting, harrowing and punhes you in the guts. The subsequent episodes deal with how the five managed their lives subsequently.

The final episode is a little too long, and you feel exhausted having finished it.

However there are brilliant performances everywhere in this from the innocence portrayed in each of the kids, the slightly reluctant state prosecutor to the bullying police officers.

The overriding feeling is of a terrible injustice and sadness of the brutality and racism that still exists in police forces across the US.

It's a story that should hopefully incite change but we'll see. For a piece of drama though, this is excellent.

Severance (2022– )

Work, life balance??

[7/10 · 14 February 2024]

Separating your work and home lives might sound great, but for Mark and his merry team it turned sour.

Mark had opted a severance procedure which effectively wipes his brain before and after each shift in an attempt to cope with his wife's death. He seems happy, that is until Helly joins.

Working at Lumon is odd, weird but oddly fulfilling. There is ironic humour and some quirky characters to stay interested including a brilliant Christopher Walken.

But the initial quirkiness quickly turns sinister, as any form of disobedience is punished. The sets and locations are sparse and empty enhancing a great sense of loneliness for everyone, but an even greater sense odd someone watching and waiting to do 'something.'

This is a weird quirky mystery reminiscent of Homecoming as the team try to figure out just what the heck is going on at Lumon and what they are actually working on.

The pace is slow and sometimes frustrating but this feels pretty original and well worth a watch!

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Did she or didn't she?

[7/10 · 13 February 2024]

A man is found dead after falling from his balcony. Did his wife kill him or not. This is the premise of the film.

This rather long and drawn out film won't suit everyone. There's a lot of dialogue, there's little drama and few characters. And in all honesty a little boring at times.

However, many viewers will lap it up for its simplicity. It's a simple and sad tale, brilliantly told. The relationship between husband and wife is uncovered brilliantly. Some of the courtroom scenes while possibly frustrating to those used to John Grisham novels are intriguing and well written.

In fact the dialogue throughout is fabulous. The lead actress is wonderful and her talents are supremely showcased in the critical 'audio recording' scene which is compelling viewing.

This certainly isn't for everyone but if you are looking a simple story brilliantly told over implausible action, then give it a try.

From (2022– )

Need answers

[7/10 · 13 February 2024]

Menacing monsters and a confusing time warp mystery. This should be right up my street. There's enough intrigue to keep you going throughout the first season.

Not quite edge of your seat stuff but it's exciting enough to keep you watching. This is about a group of people mysteriously caught in a forgotten town that they are unable to escape. To make things worse they are plagued by demons that only come at night.

It's a really great idea which is executed pretty well. The problem is that the questions around the situation they find themselves in just aren't confronted. This is frustrating and reminiscent of Lost where stuff just happened and the viewer had to accept it.

Despite that it is very watchable. The monster scenes are exciting and the pace and storytelling are good.

What prevents this from being really good however are the characters. They are just too 2-dimensional and you feel like you've met them before a thousand times. There aren't enough likeable characters to fully invest in this show.

Still though, it's good but not great.

Speak No Evil (2022)

I'm sure you'll survive...

[7/10 · 12 February 2024]

We've all been there. We've all met people on holiday. I've got them well. We think maybe will be nice to meet up when we get home? Maybe not.

This is a cautionary tale of minding who you trust, and maintaining the values you live your life by. If you don't like something, say so. If you don't want to be somewhere, then leave.

There is a growing sense of unease throughout this film until its horrendous conclusion. It's original and really well made and acted. You know things aren't going to turn out well but you aren't sure what the catalyst will be.

It's hard to say this is enjoyable but it is good. Despite the amount of frustration at the family's opportunities to leave, you feel maybe they have a chance...

Careful who you meet on holiday!

Gomorrah (2014–2021)

One of the best

[9/10 · 12 February 2024]

It's difficult to describe just how good this series is without giving too much away.

Think of the sopranos without the humour and a better storyline.

Firstly, the plot is fantastic. It twists and turns and surprises you regularly. It never gets boring.

Secondly, the characters are great. The relationship between the two protagonists is enthralling. But others come and go and the writers find a way to draw you in so you really invest in them.

From season to season the storytelling is great; it ferries more like an anthology.

And very rarely does a relatively long series end perfectly, but this does.

Highly recommended!!

The Empty Man (2020)

Just confused

[6/10 · 12 February 2024]

The Empty Man feels like 2 films in one. The first we've seen before. A group of silly teenagers play a game that's meant to evoke a demon. It builds tension nicely and after a good opening, you feel you are in for a scary ride.

However, the second half sees the main character investigate and ultimately descend into a spooky cult which may or may not be harbouring and cultivating the said demon.

Upon reflection there is a really good original idea here that maybe fails to execute. Although what's presented is something that isn't scary or mysterious enough.

There are definitely some good moments but ultimately this could've been better.

Mr Bates vs. The Post Office (2024)

Sad and shocking story, disappointingly told

[7/10 · 15 January 2024]

It was challenging watching this series while the real life events are unfolding before your eyes. The actual story is shocking and awful; and this series aims to bring to life the struggle that hundreds of subpostmasters have endured trying to gain some compensation for the wrongful convictions levelled against them and the lives they have effectively lost.

The incompetence and corruption surrounding this case makes the viewer angry and the stories of the various lives shattered is incredibly sad. SO this is a great story that needed to be told and has indeed resulted in greater social and political awareness and hopefully (at the time of writing) justice for all those impacted.

That said, as a piece of drama this failed to work. The story had so much potential to really delve into lives of not only some of the subpostmasters affected but also those involved in the investigations and those responsible for it. For this to work, you really need to understand more about it and care more. For those not aware of the scandal, I wonder whether this series had any real impact at all.

Monica Dolan was the star of the show here, but there were too many characters to get to know in a short space of time. This would have been better with a more in-depth view of those responsible for the scandal - Post Office executives, Fujitsu - to give this a more rounded view. The plot seemed to jump about too much, the viewer had to make several assumptions; and the sub-par writing seems to be the standard for ITV dramas sadly.

All that said, it was great that this drama has raised the awareness of this largely hidden political scandal and hopefully justice will prevail.

Barbie (I) (2023)

A fun start with a rather boring end

[7/10 · 8 January 2024]

The first hour of this film was fun and engaging. The humour is quirky and original. It is pretty well-acted and it was refreshing to see a film not take itself too seriously.

It's visually brilliant and offers some real escapism. At some point, this changed. It felt like the writers thought, "We can't just continue to make jokes, we need a story." And then it fell down.

This is about Barbie having some kind of existential crisis; rallying against the past and previous beliefs about women's role in society. And it got kind of boring to be honest; and its light-hearted, satirical edge is lost. It became a little preachy about gender based roles in society.

The main message as far as I could tell is that it is ok to be normal, to be average, and ignore the pressure of striving towards excellence and achievement. This is ok, but it just feels flat; and it got lost and because of the entertaining first hour. You just don't know how seriously to take it.

This film was seriously hyped up before its release because of its content, its cast and originality, but once watched, it will be quickly forgotten.

Bank of Dave (2023)

We all love an underdog

[6/10 · 29 November 2023]

This is a heart-warming kind of true story about a little guy taking on the big guys. It feels like a tale well told but there are some nice moments in it, despite some of the implausibility of some of the plot. Characters feel like caricatures, and some of the story feels cliched. The romantic side of the story feels somewhat tacked on, and maybe the whole film is maybe 15mins too long.

That said though, it's an enjoyable Sunday-evening watch, that you can't help but smile at. Rory Kinnear is excellent as always and some of the other parts are pretty well-played.

At its heart is a frustrating but important message - that the top 1% as always look after themselves to the detriment of others and not caring about their impact - whether that be social, financial or environmental.

But this is a story about the underdogs, who don't care about the odds, and we all love an underdog.

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

More of an experience than a film

[4/10 · 4 November 2023]

On one hand a beautiful, dark, hypnotic blend of mystery, horror and sci-fi. On the other a total snooze fest.

On the positive side, Johansen is great as the predatory alien. You can't keep your eyes off her. The abstract way she harvests her prey is original, slightly mind bending and intriguing. The first hour of the film sets it up nicely with intrigue, mystery and a little tension.

On the less positive side, the things that make this film different- its style, soundtrack and overall design are slightly overplayed and drawn out. It's as if the film lacks any further ideas to play our other than to redo what worked in the first hour.

There is little dialogue to speak of and very little plot either. It feels more like an experience than a film and not a very pleasant one either. Fast forwarding large chunks of the second half won't really you miss anything.

Barbarian (2022)

Just crazy

[7/10 · 4 October 2023]

Really difficult to write a review with no spoilers. It's best to go into this film with having no expectations about what it is.

You expect a certain film and are given a totally different one. A nice girl with a big heart has to rent a house for a night with a creepy guest. You know where this is going... well it turns out you don't.

Bam. Twist.

All of a sudden 1-2 other characters come into play and some back story is revealed.

In some ways this feels highly original but maybe actually it's well trodden tale originally told.

It's pretty exciting and after a while you're just not sure what's going to happen at all. This maybe why the ending feels a little disappointing.

However it's worth a watch nonetheless.

X (II) (2022)

Unpleasant in many ways

[5/10 · 4 October 2023]

A bunch of kids find a creepy barn to shoot an adult film; and get more than they bargained for.

The premise of this film is unpleasant, the plot and characters are pretty unpleasant and what happens turns out to be more than unpleasant.

Die hard horror fans might enjoy this as it jangles nerves throughout and boasts it's fair share of jump scares.

However as with most films like this it all feels rather inevitable and there's not really anything new here at all.

The seventies vibe is nicely done and the hand held footage looks great.

However there's not enough about this film to strongly recommend.

True Detective (2014– )

Season one and two

[7/10 · 17 September 2023]

The first season of this show was truly enthralling. Great characters brilliantly portrayed. Dark story told at a perfect pace.

One episode finished and you just had to watch the next. Just brilliant.

Sadly having just watched the second, the opposite applies. Colin Farrell carries this show manfully but it's not enough. The characters are entirely dislikable so you don't care too much what happens. There's just too much violence and nastiness to really entirely get into this season.

They plot is pretty implausible at best; downright impossible to follow at best. It's incredibly confusing and difficult to follow.

However the worst thing is Vince Vaughan the reluctant gangster. Never have I seen such a wooden, stilted and unbelievable performance. Every scene he's in he just bores the hell out of you. I assume you supposed to root for him for various reasons but he's so bad in this you just don't care.

I sat through this bore fest because the first session was so good but please skip it!

I Came By (2022)

Disjointed and disappointing

[3/10 · 1 September 2023]

If you were to summarise this film briefly, then wow, a great premise and a really interesting idea.

Sadly it remains just that an idea, and one that's disjointed at best. It starts well with a two graffiti 'writers' with a noble cause picking the wrong victim. What type of film is this? A tense, nerve shredding thriller? - well there are absolutely zero scares; a twisting tale of mystery - sadly no. There's is none. Just a bad dude. This could have been better if he'd simply been misunderstood. The only mystery is what is happening with time, which seems to pass without explanation.

For this type of film to work, characters need to be at least have some sense. But characters come and go with no real protagonist, so it is very difficult to empathise with any of them, or buy-into the film at all. Common sense fails to prevail.

There is little continuity between sections of film and you need to look for clues to help re-orientate to yourself, such as "I haven't seen for ages" "I have been busy, my girlfriend's 7 months pregnant!" Oh so, 7 months have passed!

No one wonder the police cannot join on the dots on this one because it is very difficult for the viewer to as well.

Hijack (2023)

Bonkers but brilliant

[8/10 · 6 August 2023]

Just go with it. Don't take this series seriously. Most things about it are in the realms of ridiculousness.

However, it's binge worthy stuff. Whether it's Idris Elba's coolness under pressure and sheer screen magnetism or the constant surprises and cliff hangers, you just can't enough of this stuff.

This series does what it says on the tin. It's a hijack. But there are different layers of story waiting to unfold.

There are a few irritants such as some of the miscast hijackers and irritating passengers and yes Elba is constantly to cool for school.

But on the most part this feels like a pretty original of stupid idea which draws you in and refuses to let you leave.

Try it and let it hijack you.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Gone too far

[6/10 · 14 July 2023]

This has been a brilliant franchise don't get me wrong. New standards set for prolonged fight scenes. Moody foreboding atmosphere. Minimal but punchy dialogue. And just a great story... until now.

In this though, Everything is just a bit too much, a bit over the top and a bit long. Fight scenes go on forever and make you feel like you're in a video game. Dialogue reduced to an absolute minimum. And characters with hardly any depth. Even Reeves' stilted delivery seems a bit pained. If he's had enough then so have we.

Out of the 100 plus bad guys he kills in this film surely one of them could shoot straight? But no.

This film seems to be a parody of itself. Everything great about the previous ones are overplayed and overdone.

It's just not that interesting this time.

World War Z (2013)

Compulsive viewing

[8/10 · 4 June 2023]

Whenever this film is on, I feel compelled to watch it. I know that maybe it's not that great, but there are some simply brilliant set pieces in this.

I don't think it pretends to be anything other than a cool zombie action film. It's tense, exciting, moving and occasionally silly. If there's one criticism then it's the overall flow. It seems to lurch from one exciting scene to a completely new one. But that hardly seems a criticism!

There's some originality in what in fairness is a well trodden premise. If you haven't seen it, just watch the first episode 15 minutes and make your mind up after that. But I promise that you'll want to see the rest!

Come on it's Brad Pitt and zombies! What more could you want!

Your Honor (II) (2020–2023)

Make up your own mind

[7/10 · 19 May 2023]

This show has seriously polarised opinions. Yes the kid Adam is incredibly naive, unstable and over emotional. Yes the plot is pretty implausible at times.

Yet it draws you in. The overall storyline is intriguing and had multiple layers. It'ss pretty good and original idea.

There's are some good moments in both series with some talk shocks. Bryan Cranston and Michael Stuhlberg are very watchable.

Minor gripes include the cliched gangster family specifically the mother and elder brother.

The end of the first series is worth waiting for and the second does a good job of evolving the relationship between Desiato and Baxter and Baxter's daughter to a pretty good end.

Rather than reading these up and down reviews, please give it a try and make your own mind up.

Beef (2023– )

Beware road rage

[7/10 · 17 May 2023]

This is a crazy, unpredictable story that twists and turns all the way. It begins with an incredibly stressful scene of road rage played out by two deeply flawed protagonists. It's a story of taking things too far, letting minor resentments grow into monsters.

Beef doesn't pretend to be realistic, doesn't pretend to portray any sense of real life, that's not the point. The flawed characters are intriguing - one minute you hate them, another you empathise with them - and in the end they frustrate the hell out of you. The same can be said of the story too. I am not sure I watched a full episode all in one - just too frustrated - but in the end you always come back for more.

The only downside is the last episode which didn't seem in line with the rest of the series. A disappointing end to a pretty good ride.

Nobody (I) (2021)

Same old story told a little differently

[7/10 · 17 May 2023]

You spend the first of Nobody thinking that Bob Odenkirk is totally miscast. Then the second half thinking, it just doesn't matter. This is an exciting, slick but ever so slightly silly action flick that pulls no punches. It's brutal, it's violent, it's non stop action.

Bob starts the day is a nobody. Nobody to his wife, his kids, his boss, his colleagues. He's undermined, underappreciated and himself underwhelming - until somebody ticks him off. Bang, and we're off. Mayhem.

The pure madness of the story and the lack of any sense of realism fades into insignificance as Bob just gets madder and madder. The cliched characters are a little tiresome and you do get a sense that you have seen this story unfold with the same protagonists before, so in a sense there is nothing new here other than Bob playing a badass.

It's enjoyable and very watchable nonetheless. Those calling for a sequel is mistaken - let this live as a one-off. The same old story would only play out again.

The Black Phone (2021)

Overrated

[4/10 · 17 April 2023]

I expected so much more from the film. The premise was promising and the first 30mins or so set the story up well. This should be a fresh new take on a fairly standard kidnap story - previous victims reaching out from beyond the grave to help the current incumbent. It is described as a horror, but there is nothing to it, no scares - just a slightly freaky mask. The setting and visuals are good and you definitely feel like you've stepped back in time.

However, nothing is explained at all. Why is the Grabber doing what he's doing? Why does the sister have visions? What happened to their parents? Why does the phone do what it does? There's kind of a twist at the end which you can see coming a mile off.

It feels like some writers said 'hey, we have this great idea' but fail to build on it. Either it wasn't that great an idea, or they ran out of time and patience with it.

The other problem with the film is the acting. Honestly, everyone is terrible. The kid who's kidnapped doesn't seem to be bothered at all!

The film is way over-rated on here and I have no idea why.

Cube (1997)

Oh dear, the acting!

[4/10 · 23 March 2023]

There seems a lot of love for this film, and I'm not entirely sure why. It is an original concept for sure and is executed on a shoe-string budget. It has certainly influenced other films in this genre over the years such as Saw. However, just because the central idea is pretty good one, there are so many other aspects that need to be present - characters, dialogue and some level of performance.

Strangers are trapped in a box. There's no explanation why, and maybe there doesn't need to be. But Cube jumps straight in making some assumptions that we know these people and empathise with them instantly. But it is impossible to do so, save for the maths genius. There needs to be some kind of hook for you to want these people to get out, you need to care. But sadly, you just don't. Each of them are two-dimensional characters that have no heart. The plot could've been so much better. It sadly becomes incredibly predictable.

But the real shame of this film is the acting. Oh my goodness it is bad. It feels like the movie-makers have just picked up people from the street and given them brief character introduction to work with and shoved them on set. It is bad, really bad.

My rating for his would have been a whole lot lower, save for the original idea which is a really good one, it is just executed really badly.