Poor

Rating: 4/10 (12 January 2013)

I really wanted to like this movie, the talent involved, the story, all looked like it had potential to be a great drama. I've recently warmed to Ben Affleck's talents, after the taut "The Town," Bryan Cranston is always a joy to watch, and Alan Arkin and John Goodman are always welcome.
The script was a little oafish at times, adding in slices of misplaced humour. Affleck's camera is practical mostly, but shows little truly interesting techniques.
The best thing about this film was the editing of so many cameras, inter-cutting news items, historical footage, and fly-on-the-wall cameras in a steady rhythm to build an unsteady paranoia.
The actors turn in mostly dead performances. John Goodman and Alan Arkin play off each other for buffoonish comic relief, serving to undermine the tenseness of the drama. Ben Affleck is rather drab, and Bryan Cranston has little to work with, other than to be seen walking furiously from scene to scene and barking cursory dialogue.
The screenplay was rather obvious, and I grew tired of the coincidental plot points. The formulaic clashing of stories stuck out like a sore thumb. But Affleck has managed to juggle these pieces well to create an easy-flowing, if lifeless, work.