This week we have Brendan Fraser in a feel-good drama and Austin Butler in a crime caper about New York criminals. There’s also a thriller in the Australian wilderness with Apex, Maggie Gyllenhaal directing The Bride! and Lainey Wilson is Keepin’ Country Cool on Netflix.
Rental Family
Available on Disney+ in the UK and the US
Brendan Fraser stars in this feel-good drama about an American actor who lands a strange gig with a Japanese agency to play stand-in roles for strangers. They’re hired by clients to fake it, as best as they can. Fraser’s Phillip shows up at a mock funeral where the corpse, his new client, rises from the dead. It is bonkers and will not be to everyone’s taste, but it is a charming reminder of the strength of connections, particularly those that extend beyond family ties.
Caught Stealing
Available on NOW in the UK. Available to watch on Netflix in the US
Austin Butler is mesmerising in Darren Aronofsky’s ultraviolent crime caper about the world of New York criminals. The Elvis actor is Hank, an ex-baseball player who finds his life is turned upside down when he agrees to cat-sit for his punk neighbour (Matt Smith). Soon he’s unexpectedly embroiled in a struggle against Russian thugs, a scary cop and two murderous Orthodox Jews. Fans of Quentin Tarantino movies will find there’s a lot to enjoy in this wild ride. The supporting cast includes Regina King, Liev Schreiber, Zoë Kravitz and the singer Bad Bunny.
The Bride!
Available to buy/rent in the UK and the US
Maggie Gyllenhaal directs yet another film inspired by Mary Shelley’s gothic 1818 novel Frankenstein. A reboot of Bride of Frankenstein, this movie is set in 1930s Chicago and stars Christian Bale as the lonesome monster who asks Annette Bening’s Doctor Euphronius to build him a lover. Enter recent Oscar winner Jessie Buckley. The film struggled at the box office, grossing $23 million against a budget of $90 million, and reviews were mixed. Now is your chance to decide for yourself.
Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool
Available on Netflix in the UK and the US
“People keep sayin’ country’s cool again. Well, I say it never stopped being cool — the world just caught up,” the singer Lainey Wilson says in the trailer for this candid behind-the-scenes documentary about her rise to stardom. The Grammy winner tells her story through interviews, old home videos and new footage from her recent worldwide tour.
Apex
Available on Netflix in the UK and the US
The Australian wilderness is the setting for the director Baltasar Kormakur’s (Everest, Adrift) new survival thriller about a grieving woman (Charlize Theron) who faces the perils of the outback while dodging attacks from a ruthless and cunning psychopath (Taron Egerton with a shaved head). Yes, this is one of those thrilling games of cat and mouse, with action across cliffs, rapids and forests. So grab the popcorn and settle in — it may be stupid but sometimes that’s just what you need.
Two-for-one cinema tickets at Everyman
Times+ members can enjoy two-for-one cinema tickets at Everyman each Wednesday. Visit thetimes.com/timesplus to find out more.
Which films have you enjoyed at the cinema recently? Let us know in the comments