The Informant! (Steven Soderbergh, USA)

Very few directors can say they released two feature films in one year, and even fewer can stand behind two masterworks. Last year we had David Gordon Green with Snow Angels and Pineapple Express. This year belongs to Steven Soderbergh. After the remarkably beautiful The Girlfriend Experience we have The Informant!. Each wildly different in tone, much Gordon Green’s 2008 work, but each displaying a level of knowledge far beyond most directors.

The Informant! marks a triumphant return to the Oceans-esque tone found in Soderbergh’s previous commercial trilogy. Much of the credit goes to Matt Damon, who is so damn-convincing as likable lead, and real-life snitch, Mark Whitacre that viewers will sit shocked at the conclusion. The film is filled with inner-dialogue from Damon, played like a narration of sorts. These quips are so random, thoughtful and surprising that they help otherwise tedious scenes move along with grace.

The array of new characters in almost every scene also keep the excitement factor high. There is Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Thompkins, Tony Hale, Joel McHale and many others, all putting something unique into their smaller performances. Soderbergh gives the film a soft tone, creating this mystical world that surrounds Damon’s character. The direction is fantastic, giving the audience exactly enough at the right moment, then letting it all out with a bang as we weave through the narrative. I’m seeing this film again in a few days, and I’m eager to revisit the magnetic characters and the charmingly tragic story that fiercely warrants a double-take. The film is further proof that Soderbergh is on an astonishing streak that doesn’t look to cease anytime soon.

9 out of 10

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Perrier’s Bounty (Ian FitzGibbon, Ireland/UK)

Ian FitzGibbon’s new film joins Cillian Murphy, Jim Broadbent, and Brendan Gleeson together in one hell of an adventure. Think In Bruges, but a little more whacky and you have this purely adrenaline-filled action trip. Cillian Murphy plays a down and out North Dubliner who has a bit of a debt. The film takes us on his quest to get this money along with characters he meets along the way. The story goes to most of the familiar places, but the twisted tone is what elevates it to the next level. There are moments of pure hilarity, followed by sudden tragic occurrences, hearkening back to Gleeson’s aforementioned film. Bounty has much more of a playful tone and that is good thing. Jim Broadbent plays Cillian’s detached father. Their skewed relationship brings many laughs and a couple of surprises as they run into drugs, murder and many bad guys. Gleeson, whose onscreen time is just short of a cameo, gives the villain character a new twist with his matter-of-fact delivery and heartfelt moments with the gang.

I’ll save the best for last. Cillian Murphy can do no wrong. He plays the desperate lead to perfection. It may be his accent, his good looks, or generally cool demeanor that make his character infinitely watchable, but everything adds up just right, giving us one of the best performances of the festival. FitzGibbon opens the door into urban Dublin with beauty. The movie can get a bit silly at times and it doesn’t quite break the genre in any new ways, but those are only minor slights in an overall fun film. This dark, twisted, hilarious tale unfortunately has only European distribution at the moment, but if it comes near you, don’t miss it.

8 out of 10

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