I spent random swaths of time in this flick pondering why it’s No Sudden Move and not No Sudden Moves. No Sudden Move doesn’t sound right… nobody says that. “OK you palooka. No sudden move or the dog gets it”… that doesn’t work (nor is it anything anyone actually says in the movie). And I probably should have been paying more attention to the plot than I was but, between the title and sudden, random real-life distractions, I certainly got lost in the maze. Which may have been intentional, at least based on other people’s takes.

So… this is where I usually mumble something about the plot… but this movie goes eight different directions and saying too much would be spoilers. I will say that it’s a 1950s crime drama / mystery / thriller that starts out strong with Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, and Kieran Culkin holding a family hostage. The vibe we get from them is a some average fellas who don’t want to hurt anyone but have a job to do. And that different take on the criminals is pretty great from the writing to the acting. What happens from that point involves a lot of twisty little passages, lies, deception, and double crosses.

This movie is trying to ooze cool, especially with the score and certainly with individual scenes. I know I was lost in the story but stylish acting, a cool driving soundtrack, and great writing would always enliven individual scenes. I think there’s a ruthless stylish bravado on display… though I’m not 100% confident the story ultimately holds together. There are a half-dozen different themes and ideas running through here but I think the ultimate message might just be, “Forget it Jake. It’s Chinatown.”

Ultimately this might not have been my cup of tea but it was still generally watchable. A cool piece of entertainment by a guy who always seems to be trying and experimenting.

Score: 78