Drew Barrymore and Justin Long in a long distance relationship, Steven Seagal as a drug lord, George Clooney as an assassin, and Kevin Sorbo as a guy in transition. All this and more at the movies this week. Here’s the rundown.
‘Going the Distance’ – When Erin (Drew Barrymore) heads home to San Francisco, she and her summer fling Garrett (Justin Long) aren’t sure their relationship will survive with him still in New York. But despite the miles between them, their nay-saying friends and family, and a few unexpected temptations, the couple just might be in it for the long haul, thanks to lots of texting, sexting and late-night phone calls. Directed by Nanette Burstein; 109 min.; rated R for sexual content, including dialogue, language throughout, some drug use and brief nudity.
‘Machete’ – You never know where the idea for a movie will originate. This one is based on the fake trailer in Robert Rodriguez‘s 2007 ‘Grindhouse.’ Machete (Danny Trejo) is a renegade former Mexican Federale who crosses paths with a drug lord (Steven Seagal), a corrupt senator (Robert De Niro), a saucy taco slinger (Michelle Rodriguez), a socialite with a penchant for guns (Lindsay Lohan), his “holy” brother (Cheech Marin), and a sexy ICE agent (Jessica Alba). Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis; 105 min.; rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity.
‘The American’ – George Clooney may be the only star most of us have heard of in this action-thriller. He stars as Jack, an assassin who’s constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends badly, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside and takes an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact (Thekla Reuten), befriends a local priest (Paolo Bonacelli), and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman (Violante Placido). Directed by Anton Corbijn; 103 min.; rated R for violence, sexual content and nudity.
‘What If…‘ – I’m guessing most folks haven’t heard too much about this movie, but it looks pretty good. It follows the life of Ben Walker (Kevin Sorbo), who left his girlfriend and ministry calling for a business opportunity. Fifteen years later with a high-paying career and a trophy fiance, he’s visited by an angel who gives him a glimpse into what his life would look like had he followed his original plan. This was actually released a couple weeks ago, but I’ll include it today since I missed it then. Directed by Dallas Jenkins; 100 min.; rated PG for some mild thematic elements.
Image: Warner Bros.
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