Underrated--a flawed but very enjoyable overlooked movie...

Rating: 7/10 (11 September 2015)

I'm not sure I heard a single good thing about this movie when it first came out. When I finally happened to catch it on cable, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
With the exception of his brief role in the opening of 'Sin City,' I generally find Josh Hartnett to be a pretty bland and unexceptional presence on screen. But he's incredibly charming, fun, and likable in this movie and it makes me wish he would take on more of these kind of roles and material in the future. He really shines and shows some genuine star potential here. He pulls off some tricky and fast-paced dialogue banter with humor and ease and manages to hold his own very well while on screen with big-hitters like Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, and Bruce Willis.
The twists, turns, and reveals in the movie, particularly towards the end, start to feel a little forced and contrived. Entire sections of the movie lack focus and urgency in the story telling. But the overall tone and vibe of the movie is so breezy and genuinely fun, it's easy to overlook these flaws and just go along for the ride. As long as you go into this movie with moderate expectations, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. And whether you're a Josh Hartnett fan or not (and I'm generally not), this is easily some of his best work and the only time I've ever seen him bring any real charm, fun, personality, and/or something special to a role.