you have to see Red2 to REALLY appreciate this film

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2015)

Different ways to approach this review so let's do something different, lets's try them all.
1. On its own, in a vacuum, it is a great film. A dream cast. A great ideal. A tight script. And using Mary Louise Parker as the vehicle to make the audience comfortable with the entire story works well -- she is a wonderfully empathetic character and a great casting choice. This is what film-making is supposed to be. (She also has Cartoon Eyes)
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2. A Hollywood "hi concept" idea finally gets full traction -- taking a handful of A-List actors who are perhaps a little long in the tooth and reminding viewers what made them A-List in the first place. Love it.
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3. In my reviews I often talk about a "test" no one bothers to try -- second and third viewings. This film gets better with each viewing.
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4. Go see RED 2 and you will suddenly understand why in comparison this is Citizen Kane. Parker is the focus here, the glue, but in Red 2 she seems more like a prima donna than an innocent that the audience can relate to. Lots of "sour script notes" in Red 2. In comparison, this is a wonderful film, almost perfect entertainment