Image © Lions Gate Entertainment
Liam Neeson in 'Retribution'
Liam Neeson in 'Retribution'
Bank of Dave
(Limited Theatrical Release & Streaming on VUDU, Aug. 25)
This feelgood British comedy draws upon the true story of Dave Fishwick who, against all odds, started a bank. The film opens in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. Fishwick (Rory Kinnear) has earned a small fortune selling vans and mini-buses but his customers now struggle to qualify for conventional loans. Fishwick lends money to locals to meet an ever-increasing need, but to continue providing help, he needs a-practically-impossible-to-get banking license. Greed and snobbery define this sector where fat-cats, such as one played by Hugh Bonneville, readily disparage applicants who fail to make the country club grade. Heartwarming above all else, the film pleasantly hits the predictable beats that allow the good guy to prevail. (Lisa Miller)
Employee of the Month
(Film Movement DVD/Digital)
She is secretary-receptionist and de facto paralegal in an office of deep-dyed sexists. And she makes the coffee, cleans the floors and feeds the goldfish. When her unctuous boss is killed in a freak accident, she applies her usual efficiency to dispose of the body, leading to a pile-up of calamity which she mostly handles with her usual, near neurotic efficiency. Grimly amusing at moments, this Belgian workplace comedy proffers a feminist lesson in sexual politics. (David Luhrssen)
Retribution
(In Theaters Aug. 25)
In the first English language version of a film that has already been made in Spanish (2015), Korean (2017) and German (2018), Liam Neeson appears as family man and financier Matt Turner. He’s driving youngsters, Emily (Lilly Aspell) and Zach (Jack Champion), to school when a mysterious caller claims there’s a pressure-activated bomb beneath each seat. They must all remain in the car while Turner follows instructions that test his conscience and courage. The caller demands Turner persuade his wife (Embeth Davidtz) to transfer all the couple’s money into a mysterious account. Previous versions of this R-rated thriller were well-received. Directed by Nimród Antal from a script by Chris Salmanpour, it’s well-paced with surprising twists. Once again, Neeson delivers as the flawed hero. (Lisa Miller)
