Ripper Street - In My Protection

 

After a very strong opening episode the pressure was on for Ripper Street to settle down and quickly find its form.

There will be no doubt many anachronistic errors in the episode none of which I will spot.  I am content to live in ignorance and enjoy the show for its entertainment value.

There are spoilers - you have been warned!

PLOT:  Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) and Drake (Jerome Flynn) investigate the murder of a toymaker which took place in broad daylight.  They are presented by the killer, Thomas, a young boy of fourteen, in the street by George Lusk (Michael Smiley) the leader of the disbanded vigilantes.  Despite being sentenced to death Reid and Drake delve deeper into the boy’s background and discover the murky world of street gangs.  Meanwhile Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) has gambled away a ring which he and Susan (MyAnna Buring) are desperate to retrieve.  END PLOT

In My Protection gives us a good insight to the “case of the week” format Ripper Street is likely to follow.  This week’s episode has two storylines which play out simultaneously – Reid and Drake’s case and Jackson’s ring with the threads tying themselves together at the very end.

The episode gives the audience a decent introduction to the vigilantes and shows the struggle that Reid faces to bring Whitechapel back under the control of the law.  Reid and Drake solve the case with the benefit of methodical police work after being pointed in the right direction by the very hung over and reluctant Jackson.

The case is of course solved in the sixty minute running time but we are given plenty of hints into the characters’ backstories throughout the episode.  I am relieved that Ripper Street lets the clues flow during the course of storytelling rather than shoehorning them in just before the closing credits roll.  This type of character development has put me off too many shows in the past.

Ripper Street is set in a time of great change and the advances in the technology of the toymaker’s toys and policing really make you believe that you are watching the start of the dawn of a new era (Yes - I am aware that this is cheesy.  Yes - I decided not to delete it)

We are given a greater insight into Reid’s marriage with Emily (Amanda Hale) and their lost child.  Emily has taken refuge in the church, a pastime which was not so prevalent prior to their daughter’s apparent death. Reid’s disapproval and grief yet again go unspoken but Matthew Macfadyen is such a good actor he portrays more emotion in the things he doesn’t say.

Reid's refusal to give up Thomas to the vigilantes and his constant quest for the truth make him the noble lead in a show filled with questionable characters.  It'll be interesting to see if the characters are flipped towards the end with Reid being the one with a darker past - I doubt it but it could be decent twist.

Jerome Flynn makes the most of what little he gets to do.  His softer side, which was hinted at in I Need Light, comes through once more in his scenes with Thomas Gower.  We hear snippets that Drake’s time in the army “saved” him.  This theme comes full circle in Drake's closing scene when he enlists Thomas and helps him to escape.

It’s Jackson’s screen time which proves to be the most interesting as we get several little montages with Jackson using forensics and more modern policing techniques to retrace his drunken steps.  Jackson’s intelligence when it comes to policing made his refusal to take up residence in the “dead room” all the more intriguing.  Reid’s revelation that he has the missing ring and knows that all is not right with Jackson’s past practically forces Jackson to join his team.  Their scene together at the end of the episode was appropriately tense and guarded.

Rothenberg is easily becoming my favourite - the best background moment of In My Protection was just after the raid on the orphanage.  There is chaos, shouting, children crying, arrests being made and Jackson is casually leaning on the fireplace having a smoke not giving a flying fuck.  It was a great little character moment.

Over on team female Amanda Hale is fine as Reid’s wife Emily but it is Susan (Amanda Buring) who is the standout character.  Emily and Susan are both strong women in their own ways but Susan has a fearlessness that is great fun to watch.  Charlene McKenna returned as Rose which was great to see as it provides Drake with a very sweet little love interest.

We are introduced to a new character this week Mrs Goren (Lucy Cohu) the owner of the orphanage.  Cohu and Macfadyen’s scenes were excellent and it will be interesting to see if there are anymore in the upcoming episodes.

The villain of the week Carmichael (Joseph Gilgun) was very intimidating. Gilgun skirted around the edges of overacting but it didn't really matter as you could tell he was having a ball.

The sets and costumes in In My Protection cannot be faulted - even the autopsy scene looked amazingly real.   A lot of effort has gone into the production of the show and it is paying off already.

There are also some decent little musical moments starting to filter through although I can't quite pick up on any key themes just yet.  This is something that I will be keeping an ear out for in the future.

Jack the Ripper may have taken a backseat but In My Protection was a good showing of the mass hysteria and chaos that he left in his wake.  In My Protection may have all the hallmarks of a police procedural but there is a lot of subtle glances and throwaway lines which elevate the episode into a key part of the longer running story arcs.  It gets 8.5/10. 

Ripper Street has found its groove with ease and now that Jackson is an employee of Reid’s we will get to see the three working more closely in future. 

Lines of the Week:

Reid: “If a girl was brought to you and perhaps lost her memory and her name would you take her in?” (Reid to Mrs Goren).  Reid still believes that there is a chance that his daughter may still be alive.  This is a sentiment that is echoed with “I would take your pain and amplify it one hundred fold and bear it for you of every day that remains of my life but I cannot do what you ask.”  The storyline involving Reid’s daughter is just getting started.

Drake: “All you have yet known will seem no more than a Sunday fair” (Drake to Thomas).  Drake preparing Thomas for a hard life in the army appears harsh but he hands him a toy train while he says it…. the big softy

Jackson: “I forensicated myself” (Jackson to Susan during his CSI montage).  Jackson had a couple of great lines during the episode but I found this one and the matter of fact way in which he said it more amusing that I should have. 

Zero Dark Thirty

 

My love of Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker meant that anticipation levels were high for Zero Dark Thirty.  The fact that it starred Jessica Chastain added to the excitement.

As I do not have access to CIA Intel I cannot say for sure if Zero Dark Thirty is an accurate account of the hunt for Bin Laden.

PLOT:  CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain) has been tasked with finding the location of Osama Bin Laden however she is hampered by a never ending stream of false leads and changing political attitudes   Maya eventually finds a suspicious compound in which she believes Bin Laden is living.  After convincing her superiors Joseph (Kyle Chandler) and George (Mark Strong/hairpiece) to launch an assault on the compound Maya must wait to see if Osama Bin Laden has finally been captured.  END PLOT

The hunt for Bin Laden was a slow process with Zero Dark Thirty spanning the course of (around) nine years.  The film is broken into chapters with each section having its own label and story to tell.  I didn't mind the labels but it made the storytelling feel slightly choppy.

There is a shift in tone in the final act as the film practically ignores Maya and focuses on the raid of Bin Laden’s compound.  The raid lasts for a good 30mins and is filled with tension from start to finish.

In a very short space of time Jessica Chastain has become a very firm favourite.  I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Chastain in many films but I can already see that she has a skill of being the best thing in each picture.  Chastain’s Maya looks permanently exhausted but relentlessly continues in her search for Bin Laden.

Chastain is given a few scenes in which to shine but her performance is more understated than I expected it to be.  I expect her to win the Oscar but there is a part of me that can’t help but think that Naomi Watts got the opportunity to do a lot more with much less screen time.

Jason Clarke’s character Dan is more interesting than Maya.  Dan is responsible for the interrogation of the prisoners and flits between torture and compassion with a weary jobsworth's attitude.  Clarke, like Chastain, escaped from the god awful Lawless with his dignity intact and once again he has proved to be a very capable supporting player.

The rest of the cast – Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler and Joel Edgerton are all fine with what little they are given to do.  There are plenty of other familiar faces but they come and go without ceremony and I cannot remember any of their characters' names.  Zero Dark Thirty has a surprisingly large and very underdeveloped cast with the minor characters being brushed to the side and forgotten about without a second thought.

A special mention must be given to Reda Kateb who played Ammar, Dan’s torture victim, as he was on the wrong end of some very intense scenes.

Zero Dark Thirty has some dark moments and scenes with waterboarding and humiliation will always be uncomfortable viewing.  The torture of Ammar was hard to watch because the scenes felt real and the performances of Clarke and Kateb were so strong.  It was violent but it got the balance between uncomfortable and engaging perfect.

It is hard to believe that the budget of Zero Dark Thirty was only $40million (IMDB) as the film felt like a much larger production.  The cinematography was similar to The hurt Locker and looked purposefully drained and sapped of colour.

Zero Dark Thirty is a slow burner but not one second of the 157min (IMDB) running length is felt as I was engrossed from start to finish.  It is an excellent film and deserves another watch – but the length and content means that it will not be a regular visitor to the dvd player.  8.5/10.

Lincoln

 

Oscar Season is well underway but Lincoln was the film that I cared about the least.  It was only after watching a few tv spots that I began to take an interest.

It has now got to the stage that I don’t feel comfortable writing a review without issuing some sort of disclaimer.  It will come as a surprise to no one that I have no idea how historically accurate Lincoln is and staying true to myself I am not inclined to partake in any research before writing this blog. 

PLOT:  During the Civil War Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) begins a campaign to pass the 13^th Amendment and abolish slavery.  Lincoln’s team are in a race against time to gain the votes to have the Amendment passed before the war ends.  END PLOT

I have watched the first four seasons of The West Wing often enough to know that political drama is not only exciting but also down right stressful.  Lincoln was neither.

Despite all the political manoeuvring there was no tension or sense of urgency and in a film that clocks in at a mammoth 150mins (IMDB) this is not a good thing.  By the time the Amendment was passed I was more than ready for the film to be over. 

The script glossed over the 13^th Amendment, the Democratic Party, the Civil War and slavery to the extent that it was no deeper than – North/Lincoln = Good. South/Democratic = Bad.

If Sorkin had written the script both parties would have put forth eloquent arguments before the Amendment was passed.  There is no real political debate but there are numerous speeches – Tommy Lee Jones gets one and the rest involve Lincoln sauntering into various rooms to monologue at whatever poor sod who happened to be there.

The storytelling didn’t impress me but I went to Lincoln to see if all the fuss over Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance was justified.  There is no denying Daniel Day-Lewis' acting abilities and his performance as Abraham Lincoln was absolutely amazing.   

The supporting cast of Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader and Lee Pace are all very capable but Lincoln is Daniel Day-Lewis’ film.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt popped up in a small and underdeveloped role as Lincoln’s son but the scenes with Lincoln’s sons and wife (Sally Fields) added unnecessary length to an already bloated running time.

The sets, costumes and cinematography were all stunning but in Lincoln the most interesting thing is always Daniel Day-Lewis. 

Lincoln is too long, slow and at times verges on boring but it is worth a look if only to watch Daniel Day-Lewis.  It gets a 6/10 but will never be watched again.  I can't sum the film up any deeper than Daniel Day Lewis = Good. Lincoln = Bad.

Ripper Street - I Need Light

I am usually a film blogger but occasionally a t.v show will come along that catches my eye and I will review it.

Ripper Street is eight episodes long and as it has the look of a police procedural (albeit set in a different era) it remains to be seen how long I stick with it.
 

I should point out that I am not a historian so any historical inaccuracies are likely to pass me by.  As long as I don’t see an I-pod or hear any background extras discussing the Kardashians I won't care about any anachronistic errors.
 

This review will have spoilers throughout. 

PLOT:  Six months after the final victim of Jack the Ripper has been discovered an eerie calm has settled on Whitechapel.  Inspector Reid’s (Matthew Macfadyen) current underground boxing investigation is disrupted when a body of a prostitute which appears to have been “Ripped” is discovered.  Under pressure from the media to confirm that the Ripper is back Inspector Reid and Sergeant Drake (Jerome Flynn) enlist the help of American surgeon Dr Jackson (Adam Rothenberg) to solve the case.  The investigation soon introduces the trio to a dark new world of sex, photography and a startling new invention - pornography.  END PLOT

The opening episode of Ripper Street establishes the setting, the context and more importantly the characters very well.
 

Inspector Reid failed to catch Jack the Ripper first time around but rather than seeing the murdered woman as a way to renew the case he goes out of his way keep everyone calm and conduct a proper investigation.  Despite being straight laced and devoid of any humour Reid is very forward thinking with his desire for uncorrupted crime scenes and investigation techniques. 

Matthew Macfadyen is a very familiar face to British television and so is his acting style.  Macfadyen’s serious performance may appear off putting at the start but after watching I Need Light for a second time there are plenty of little looks and facial expressions which add depth to his character.  No time is wasted in showing off Reid’s scars and shattered home life which will no doubt be developed in greater detail as the season progresses.

Reid's characteristics contrast nicely with Jerome Flynn’s Sgt Drake. Drake is the muscle in the partnership which the interrogation scene will attest to.  Drake appears to be a man of short patience but his interaction with Rose (Charlene McKenna) towards the end of the episode shows an unspoken softer side.  Drake is the brawn in the brain sandwich of Reid and Jackson and I hope Flynn doesn’t become underused as he is far too good an actor for that to happen.

The fish out of water is the sole American character of Captain Jackson.  Jackson, a surgeon and former Pinkerton detective, fills in all of the gaps when Reid is unable to do so – the "fiddler from the north" exchange was my favourite of the entire episode. 

Jackson is going to be my favourite character – his introduction with Rose, his casual leaning on walls when he talks and his expression of amusement as the case turns towards smut – Jackson is going to be great fun to watch.  On the flip side a past with Susan (MyAnna Buring), the owner of the brothel in which he lives, was emphasised but it remains to be seen what actually happened and how dark his involvement is.

Reid and Drake have clearly worked together for years but the introduction of Jackson to their partnership has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons.  Jackson constantly winds Drake up and Drake voices his dislike of “the American” at every opportunity.  By the end of I Need Light the three are working together as a team.  Hopefully the bickering between Drake and Jackson will continue as it does add some humour – their love to hate relationship works very well.

Ripper Street is a male led show with the female characters reduced to supporting players. 

MyAnna Buring is great as Susan who is more than a match for Jackson.  The scrapes on Jackson’s face (which no one acknowledges) after their tussle shows that she is not a woman to be messed with. 

Charlene McKenna is ridiculously sweet as Rose – I am hopeful that she will stick around and Amanda Hale as Emily Reid is fine as a grieving wife and will no doubt get more to do as Reid’s back story is developed.

Ripper Street is set in the late 1800’s and doesn't shy away from showing the slum like living quarters of the residents of Whitechapel.  The characters, sets and costumes look grimy and gorgeous at the same time. 

The show is aimed at an adult audience.  There is no modesty given to the murdered prostitute during her autopsy and the violence in this particular episode is more sexual than expected.  Sexual violence is never comfortable viewing but fair play to the opening writers for not watering down the ending of the episode.  This bodes well for the rest of the season.

Lines of the week:

Reid: “Do you think me some bone headed flat foot?” (to the photographer). Reid is not a man to be messed with and the quiet anger in which it was said is intriguing.

Drake: “Two men boarded a coach with some toff” (to the inspector). There are no airs and graces with Drake.  He is Whitechapel born and bred.

Jackson: “We are not hiding anymore we live here” (to Susan – paraphrased). Highlights that not all is well with his past.

Overall “I Need Light” is a great introductory episode.  The cast settled into their roles with ease and they interact with one another very well.  I Need Light gets a 9/10.  I really hope they get the balance of case-of-the-week and story arc right to keep me invested.

 

Monsters, Inc

 

I should be cynical and criticise Disney Pixar for double-dipping on Monsters, Inc just weeks before they release the sequel Monsters University but as I didn't see it in the cinema the first time around, meh, I don’t care.

The only option was 3D but as I always carry a pair of 3D glasses in my bag there was no extra cost incurred.  Luck favours the prepared.

PLOT:  James P Sullivan (John Goodman) is, with the help of his best friend Mike, (Billy Crystal) the top Scarer at Monsters, Inc.  The problem is kids are becoming harder to scare which means that the energy powered by children’s screams is scarce.  After a stray door is left on the factory floor a toddler sneaks through and wreaks havoc around Monstropolis.  Sulley and Mike have to return Boo through her door before the authorities find her… Meanwhile, Sulley’s closest rival on the scare floor Randal (Steve Buscemi) has developed a new way to extract screams….END PLOT

The idea of monsters scaring children is hardly new but Pixar puts a fresh twist on it by making the monsters terrified of the kids that they are trying to scare.  The monsters' fear of children is taken as far as to parody the CDC with having the CDA create mass hysteria with their zero tolerance protocols. 

Monsters, Inc has plenty of heart with Sulley becoming a father figure to the ridiculously cute Boo although the story doesn’t come anywhere close to the emotional punches thrown by the unbeatable UP.

In typical Pixar fashion there is lots of humour which ranges from slapstick to those little one-liners that adults will appreciate.

Monsters, Inc was always colourful but seeing it on the big screen for the first time I didn’t realise just how gorgeous it looked.  There isn’t a dud scene in the entire film as there is always something to look at even in the background.

The factory door chase is surprisingly stressful and the final showdown between Sulley and Mr Waternoose (James Coburn) is quite dark.  Luckily for all there is a happy ending.

The 3D aspect of Monster’s, Inc was almost non-existent.  There were no pop out moments but it didn’t seem to add any depth either which was more disappointing.  There was great potential with the door chase scene to add some splashes of 3D but they didn’t avail of the opportunity.

John Goodman as Sulley is probably the best example of voice casting around.  Goodman’s booming voice should create one big scary monster but in reality he is one big softy. 

Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi are also very capable in their supporting roles but it is the young Mary Gibbs as Boo that steals the show with her natural cuteness.

Monsters, Inc is a fantastic film but for reasons unknown I always overlook it when it comes to any debate about animation.  If you have the option of seeing the film in 2D you should take it for nostalgia's sake but overall it just is missing that special something to make it one of the greats.  Monsters, Inc gets an 8/10.

Django Unchained

 

I have never been a huge fan of Tarantino’s films.  My favourite is True Romance but he didn’t direct it and for my shame I didn’t understand the final act of Inglorious Basterds until it was explained to me.  Everyone has their favourites but Tarantino doesn't feature on my list.

There was no excitement for Django Unchained and expectations were low.  If it wasn’t for the award nominations chances are I wouldn’t have bothered seeing it at all.

PLOT:  After being bought from his current owners Django (Jamie Fox) helps Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German bounty hunter, catch the Brittle Brothers in order to earn his freedom.   Django and Schultz become partners but after learning that Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) has been sold to plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) the two hatch a plan to buy her back.  END PLOT

Django Unchained is a ridiculously long film but for the vast majority of the 2hour 45min (IMDB) running length I was completely engrossed.  The only time my mind started to wander was during the obligatory Tarantino cameo – luckily it was a short one as if he remained on screen one second longer my opinion of Django Unchained would be more negative than it deserved to be.

Despite the themes of slavery and racism Django Unchained counteracts this with some wonderfully dark comedic moments.  Django’s excitement of choosing his own outfit and the following reveal of said outfit probably got the biggest laugh but I loved the entire conversation with Big Daddy (Don Johnson) and Jonah Hill about the masks.

The pace is fairly slow and the final act grounds to a halt in order to build up the tension before the bloody shoot out that every single person in the audience was waiting for.  The final scene is (thankfully) worth the wait.

There is plenty of stylish violence and lots of bloody deaths, some of which were played for genuine laughs, but as the action fell into over the top territory I can’t say I was shocked by it.  The quieter moments of violence such as Broomhilda in the hot box and Billy Crash (the always enjoyable Walton Goggins) threatening to castrate Django were much more effective.

Jamie Fox is excellent as Django but when Christoph Waltz was on screen he stole the scene.  Waltz is great fun and darts between sympathetic and psychotic without batting an eyelid.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the villain and it makes for a very welcome change.  DiCaprio is mesmerising as the ruthless Calvin Candie.  The only complaint I have about his performance is that when he shouts in anger he becomes more petulant than menacing - every time he did it I immediately wanted to go home and watch The Man in the Iron Mask.

Samuel L Jackson is better than he has been for years and pretty much owns the phrase "mother fucker".  Kerry Washington is fine but gets nothing to do.

Django Unchained is a typical Tarantino film.  The style, the killer soundtrack, the violence, the cracking dialogue and the self-satisfying cameo are all present but this is the first time that I have walked away absolutely loving what I have just watched.

Aside from the length and the Tarantino cameo (are you sensing that I didn’t like hated it yet?) there isn’t much about Django Unchained I can complain about.  It gets a 9/10. 

Les Misérables

I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Les Misérables on stage but I know enough about the production to know that I prefer "On My Own" over "I Dreamed a Dream".  Thank you G.C.S.E music.

The teaser trailer kicked excitement into overdrive and I will never forgive the cinema gods for releasing the film almost three weeks after the US release date.

Normal service will continue in 2013 as I confirm that I have not read the book.  

PLOT:   Convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) breaks parole and goes on the run from lawman Javert (Russell Crowe).  After saving Fantine (Anne Hathaway) from being arrested Valjean adopts her daughter Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) and they live a quiet life in hiding.  Their existence is interrupted when young revolutionist Marius (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with Cosette.  On the eve of the revolution Valjean must keep Cosette and Marius safe as Javert closes in.  END PLOT

I have no idea how the film compares with the stage show.  I don’t particularly care either as Les Misérables is quite the spectacle.

Much has been made of Anne Hathaway’s “I Dreamed a Dream” but you have to see it for yourself to believe that the hype is truly justified and then some.  It is an amazing performance with the main part of the song taking place in one uncut take.  

Unfortunately Hathaway's performance has overshadowed the rest of the cast who are just as deserving.  Jackman, Redmayne and Samantha Barks as Eponine were all just as good as Hathaway.  Barks had played Eponine on stage and she did not disappoint with her version of "On My Own". 

 

Amanda Seyfried does what she can with an underwritten role and as I am not a fan of Russell Crowe his portrayal of Javert was nothing more than adequate. 

Helena Bonham-Carter is cast in the only role she knows but luckily for her she plays it quite well and Sacha Baron-Cohen was good fun.

The cast all sang live on set however the opening number “Looking Down” was the only song I thought audio sounded a bit strange.  Once I got into the film I thought the live performances really helped to emphasise the emotional aspect of the songs.  This soundtrack is already on my i-pod (as well as the stage version!)

The set pieces, costumes and sets were all exceptional and coupled with the performances Les Misérables was almost the perfect film.  I say almost because with a running time 157mins (IMDB) it is also exceptionally long.  I didn’t feel the length until the ending which I felt should have been shortened.

Aside from the length I can’t really find any other faults in Les Misérables which gets a 9/10.  I think that it deserves a second viewing just to appreciate how great an achievement the film is.  Tom Hooper and the cast should be very proud.

Gangster Squad

2011 was the year of Ryan Gosling. It was the year that everyone was introduced to an actor that they already knew but hadn't realized the badass potential.

2012 was sadly very Gosling light but luckily the movie gods had the good sense to release Gangster Squad in January 2013.

The trailer was enough to convince me but I was very aware that negative reviews were starting to filter through.

PLOT:  Detective John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) is assigned to bring down notorious mob boss Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn).  O’Mara and his team - Jerry (Ryan Goslin), Harris (Anthony Mackie), Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), Navidad (Michael Peña) and Kennard (Robert Patrick) turn in their badges and begin a vigilante campaign against Cohen.  END PLOT

There is nothing new about Gangster Squad.  The undercover team learning to work together to bring down the bad buy is not original.  Gangster Squad attempts to rely on a stylish 1940’s backdrop to disguise the familiarity but fails to pull it off and behind the Hollywood gloss lies a paint by numbers script.

Generic plotting can usually be forgiven by decent casting and thankfully, for the most, part Gangster Squad got this spot on.

Josh Brolin is excellent as the straight laced O’Mara and bounces off the carefree Gosling very well.  The supporting members of the team – Ribisi, Patrick and Peña are just as strong.  I have always been a fan of Anthony Mackie but the amount of joy that arose from his appearance surprised me and as per usual he is brilliant but underused.

Emma Stone (although stunning) is hampered by an underwritten, and at times forgotten about, sub-love-plot with Gosling.  They do not recapture their chemistry from Crazy, Stupid, Love but this is due to no fault of their own.

The weak link is Sean Penn - he is charisma free and permanently angry so essentially he is playing himself in a 1940’s suit.

The main problem with Gangster Squad is the tone.  When the detectives are working together the film has some comedic moments however when we are “treated” to more Penn the film stutters and becomes very serious.  Overall the tone is disjointed which  means that Gangster Squad isn't sure what type of film it really wants to be.  

In an empty cinema booing Penn and cheering Gosling’s casual charm meant that Gangster Squad was enjoyed much more than it deserved to be – it gets 7/10.  It is sleek and has no substance but it is just about saved by the performances of Brolin and his detectives.