Lamar Reviews - "The Gray Man" (Airdate 8/5/2022)

Lamar Reviews - "The Gray Man" (Airdate 8/5/2022)

So, we have a movie that stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, plus, Billy Bob Thornton is also in it. And, because it’s Netflix, this movie comes on your TV, in front of your chair, and your snacks cost you less than a dollar. The question is, who is not watching this movie? 

This is based on a book series by the same name written by Mark Greaney. I’ve read some of the books and this movie seems like a good representation of the book. It is directed by the Russo brothers, which are the same guys that did Avengers Endgame and Infinity War, also Captain America Winter Soldier and Civil War. So, they know their way around an action movie.

Court Gentry, played by Ryan Gosling is in prison for murder, and is released with the caveat that he becomes a deep cover CIA assassin. His code name is Sierra Six, but he calls himself the Gray Man. His handler Fitzroy, played by Billy Bob Thornton. 

When Gray Man comes across some information that might be damaging to both their boss, Carmichael, played by Rege-Jean Page, better known as the Duke of Hastings’ in Netflix’s Bridgerton. Fitzroy helps Gray Man go undercover until they know what they have.  

Carmichael hires a sociopathic bounty hunter, named Lloyd, played by Chris Evans to kill him and get back the information. Side note; Chris Evans was offered the part of Gray Man, but he chose to be the villain. I assume he is wanting to prove he can do something besides Captain America, and this Harvard educated Lloyd character, with his pedophile mustache, and absolute love for bloody violence, torture, and all-around mayhem, could not be more different. Gray Man receives help from fellow agent Dani, played by Ana de Armas, the only thing better than the action is the snappy dialog between Gray Man and Lloyd. According to what I read they were both encouraged to improvise their lines and it seems like they did.

The movie is 2 hours, rated PG-13 for violence and language.

Make no mistake, this is an action movie, but it veers into the buddy comedy lane every once in a while.

A lot of the action is over the top, as in, people surviving things that should have killed them, and being back 100% in the next scene. That is a constant in all big action movies. The difference is, if the movie is doing what it is supposed to, as in making you like the characters, making you laugh, and getting you really invested, you tend to accept that kind of thing and let it go by. If the movie is not able to do that, you get bored and start looking at stuff and thinking, “that’s ridiculous, it could never happen.” For me the likeability of the characters, along with the great dialog, allowed me to go with and enjoy the movie.

Let’s be honest Netflix is the bomb, but if you watch a lot of Netflix, it’s not long until you are sitting around asking why am I paying 16 dollars a month and there’s nothing to watch? Well, this my friends, is why! 

This may not be a movie I remember 6 months from now, but that was a fun 2 hours.

My Score: 5 Buds 

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