movie review - the rhythm section
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
I came across this odd movie in one of our streaming services and despite its mediocre ratings on IMDB, gave it a chance. Off the top, I have to say I wasn't sure I understood the plot. The whole thing hangs together following a sort of internal logic until the final ten minutes. A girl is adrift, abusing herself in the worst possible ways as an atonement for missing a flight that went down, killing her family. An encounter with a journalist changes her trajectory and she winds up meeting a mysterious ex-intelligence-officer. He in turn rather improbably decides to take her on to help fix the situation that's remained in place since the bombing: the bomber and his backers are still wandering around Europe, partially known to the authorities but somewhat unreachable. He turns her into an unofficial apprentice and she begins a short and disastrous career in the vengeance game. By the end, it's not really clear how things could have wound up as they did but as I say it has its own logic and style and tone. So far, so good. But then the story seems to go off the rails, and things that seem to be driving plot points turn into hastily-tied loose ends. For instance, who exactly was the mysterious dead woman whose identity the protagonist steals, and how did she wind up doing the things that wound up getting her killed by the heroine's trainer/partner? Also, what exactly was wrong with him by the end of the movie? Why did he turn up so enraged and so intent on harming the female lead only to be brushed off? Does it matter that he's been reinstated in his old role, and if so why is he angry? What is going on??
Now I understand the mediocre ratings. I hate to suggest something like this, but maybe this one could do with a director's cut.
Not recommended.