No Sudden Move
HBO MAXOne quality that has been a stable of Steven Soderbeghs' thirty plus year career in Hollywood is his versatility and ability to adapt to the changing times or whatever genre he finds himself in. Whether producing the Oscars, helping make guidelines to film during a pandemic, or gathering an ensemble for his next project, Soderbergh is one of Hollywood’s most active filmmakers who rarely loses his touch from project to project. With his new ensemble film No Sudden Move, Soderbergh continues to demonstrate why there is not a filmmaker quite like him.
The ensemble includes Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Brendan Fraiser, Jon Hamm, Julia Fox, Ray Liotta, Kieran Culkin, Amy Seimetz, and a couple of surprise faces.
No Sudden Move takes place in Detroit and follows Cheadles Curtis Goynes, a small-time crook just released from prison who is given a simple job by Jones (Fraiser) that involves working with fellow crooks Russo (Del Toro) and Charley (Culkin) to watch the family of an automotive exec (Harbour) as he goes and takes a document from his office. The job deteriorates, forcing Goynes and Russo to trust each other to figure out what is going on.
One of the films strengths (and weaknesses) is in its screenplay by veteran Hollywood Ed Solomon. Playing like an old school neo-noir, it is a strength to the film as it almost effortlessly balances out its ensemble and giving even the minor characters opportunities to leave an impact by the time the film ends. Where the script begins to weaken the film is in its story. The story starts simple enough, with nods to the social tensions of the time and a cynical view of the auto industry and organized crime coming up as the film progresses. However, as more characters and subplots are introduced (Cheadle, Del Toro, and Harbour all have their own), the film steadily becomes bloated, with by the time the last half hour comes along, the viewer is bombarded with plot twists and deus ex machinas to tie up the story.
Though the story becomes bloated, it is the films ensembles that keep the film as entertaining as it is. Cheadle and Del Toro carry much of the film with their chemistry as distrustful criminals forced to trust each other, but it is David Harbour who often finds ways to steal the show in his scenes. Nevertheless, it is not just the main cast. The supporting cast is also given ample room to stand out, with the likes of Amy Seimetz and Julia Fox giving some of the films best performances. Also getting into the mix is the legendary Bill Duke and an actor who has become synonymous with the surprise celebrity cameo, giving one of the films most memorable monologues.
Continuing to serve as his own cinematographer and editor, Soderbergh's work behind the scenes is as integral as the ensemble. Much of the film is shot with wide-angle lenses, distorting the edges at times but often used to significant effect, as in a scene with Julia Fox and Ray Liotta to show the distance between the two characters. Even with a script with many moving parts and many performances to get in, Soderbergh's editing remains as crisp as ever as he is able to keep the films pacing up, even as the pieces come together and the story becomes bloated.
With his newest ensemble piece, No Sudden Move, Soderbergh returns to the crime genre with a game cast and enough flare to overshadow some of the films narrative shortcomings.
