Contraband

My first movie of 2012. What can I say? Well, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, that's for sure. The good news here is the supporting cast. Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale are just fine as the leads but you can sign me up for any movie starring (or co-starring) Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, J.K. Simmons, and Lukas Haas. Personally, I would like to champion Hollywood to make a much, much better movie for Foster and Ribisi to co-star in and make that happen as soon as humanly possible. It's almost a shame to watch two of the most exciting character actors in the business get weighted down in this overwrought, cliched material.
But, more on that later.
Contraband stars Mark Wahlberg as a former smuggler turned family man who settled down with his pretty wife (Beckinsale) and two young sons to lead an honest life in New Orleans. However, his brother-in-law, Kate's (yes, that's her name in the movie, too) little brother (Caleb Landry Jones) isn't so smart. Despite tons of warnings, he got himself caught up in the smuggling business. When customs searches the boat he's smuggling drugs on, he throws the package overboard and finds himself in the hospital with a huge debt thanks to a particularly snaky smarmy bad guy played by the lovely Giovanni Ribisi. So, Wahlberg and his ex-smuggler bestie Sebastian (Foster) try to pay his debt but Giovanni isn't having it. He wants his money and he wants it fast. So Wahlberg and friends go to Panama via a boat captained by J.K. Simmons for one last heist.
And that's all of the plot that you'll get. There is a pretty significant plot twist that I won't give away (although, really, if you are a fan of a certain actor's work in general, you won't really be surprised by the twist, as I wasn't). If you are looking at Contraband as a fun way to kill two hours on a cold, winter's day then you won't be disappointed. It is an action filled movie that is interesting enough to keep your attention with likeable enough stars to make you cheer for them. However, Contraband isn't really anything to write home about. It has a mediocre script, at best. The dialogue is cliched and contrived. There is one particularly well directed scene that almost seems like a waste because the rest of the film is directed in a very hodge-podge, throw it against the wall and see what sticks kinda way. These characters aren't particularly complicated and well thought out or subtle. They are very two dimensional characters, with the exception of Sebastian and that's only because Foster is so damn good, so much better than just about EVERYONE else. And his performance makes up for a lot with me. This movie would be an utter failure without him (Ribisi and Jones are pretty spectacular as well, although they don't do as much with their flat characters). Foster makes this character come alive. He is a ridiculously talented actor who should probably be getting all of Ryan Gosling's roles (don't get me wrong, I love Gosling too... it's just a shame how underrated Foster is).
So, overall, Contraband isn't a complete waste of time or a terrible way to start off the 2012 movie year. It's fun if not forgettable and cliched. But Ben Foster makes up for A LOT with his complicated, dazzling performance. His performance alone brought my grade up at least a letter grade.
Grade: C+