John Innes

This is a throwback, no question. The important question is whether a throwback is a good or a bad thing. For decades, the anti-hero has ruled popular movies. In that genre, the good guys are so corrupt that the audience relishes rooting for the bad guys. That always bugged me, since kids learned to be cynical before they learned there was any OTHER way to be. This movie shows the OTHER way to be. No deliciously lovable villains. No dirty tricks. No predictable surprises. Just a story that would have fit right in before anti-heroes took the spotlight in Hollywood. So is a throwback a good thing? Well.... Syrupy sweet can indeed taste bad. Tangy cynicism can be a welcome change of pace. There should be room for both. My five stars do not mean that EVERY movie should be like this one. But surely there is room for pushing through adversity and winning. IMHO.