Not Houdini but A Few Good Tricks

Rating: Null/10 (2 June 2013)

Now You See Me (2013)
*** (out of 4)
Entertaining but far-fetched action picture about four magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco) who use their talents to pull off some bank robberies. An FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) and a former magician (Morgan Freeman) try to figure out exactly how the tricks are being done and especially since there's no logical explanation. If the trailer for NOW YOU SEE ME left you feeling somewhat cold like me, then the movie itself is actually much better. The trailer would make you believe that this is just going to be a silly little movie and it is to a point but there's also a few nice tricks being done in the screenplay and director Louis Leterrier also manages to do quick a magic trick himself. Throughout the film we're told to believe in magic you can't look too closely to the trick. I think if we look too closely at this story we're going to have many logical problems but the director does a good job at making you forget these and just takes you along for the ride. There's no question that I was entertained from start to finish because the screenplay is good enough to keep you on your toes and you're never quite sure where the story is going to take you. Another plus is that we're given a pretty good cast and each one does a very good job in their parts. Eisenberg plays the brain like no other can. Harrelson has that sly charm working well. Ruffalo is good as the cop and pros like Freeman and Michael Caine never fail. Melanie Lauren is also extremely good in her supporting part. The film offers up some dazzling cinematography and there's no question that the look of the film is very impressive. NOW YOU SEE ME isn't a masterpiece but I think it's a very well-made film that at least does what a cheap magic trick does and that's entertain you.