Flawless
4 Lloyds - Family-Friendly
PG-13 for brief strong language.
There’s not a whole lot opening this weekend, and we literally stumbled across this movie on the shelves of our local Blockbuster. A couple weeks ago while I was recovering from wrist surgery we watched a lot of movies. When browsing the aisles of the rental store, I saw Flawless on a new release shelf. The fact that Michael Caine is in the movie aroused my interest. I grabbed the movie, and we absolutely loved it!
Set in London in the 1960’s, Laura Quinn, played by Demi Moore, is a bright, driven and beautiful executive at the London Diamond Corporation. However, she finds herself frustrated after years of faithful employment where she’s watched man after man receive promotions ahead of her, despite her greater experience. On the other hand, Hobbs, played by Michael Caine, is the nighttime janitor at London Diamond and he’s virtually invisible to the executives who work there. Observing Laura’s frustration, he convinces her to help him steal a thermos full of diamonds. It’s not enough to be missed in the mighty vault, but it will be enough for Hobbs and Laura to live quite comfortably for the rest of their lives. However, things don’t go quite as planned and the two suddenly find themselves in the midst of an intense investigation.
This movie really flew under the radar when it was released in March of this year. As a matter of fact, at its widest release it only landed in 65 theaters. That’s really too bad, because this is a great movie. If you like mystery movies where you can work along with the detective trying to figure out how it was done, you will love Flawless. This is not a murder mystery, but it is an incredibly well done crime mystery. Just how did the diamonds go missing from the mighty vault?
Michael Caine is brilliant in this movie. While he plays one of the thieves, his role might best be compared to that of Peter Faulk in Columbo. Caine’s character, Hobbs, really sits in the drivers seat of the entire investigation. He’s the only one who knows what transpired, but he’s not saying a word. As a result, you find yourself pulled into the very plot of the movie trying to figure out just how the heist was pulled off. Another great aspect of this movie revolves around its use of story. We have here a story, within a story, within yet another story, as Demi Moore’s character shares with a reporter her life story. She’s been gone for 40 years. What drove her away from London? What brought her back? The answers to both of those questions unfold throughout the flick.
Flawless has all the right character traits for a great movie. Through the use of storytelling, the viewer is captivated and drawn right into the plot line. The script is well written, and the filmmakers don’t drown out excellent dialogue with overbearing music. Last but certainly not least, how can you go wrong with the casting of Michael Caine and Demi Moore. One could almost say the movie itself is ‘flawless.’
We’re calling Flawless family-friendly. There’s nothing glaringly bad in this flick, but remember, it is rated PG-13. But, even after saying that, this might not be a movie for young teens simply because they may get bored. If you’re looking for a fast paced action packed flick, you will not find it here. But, if you like mystery and crime drama where you never really know what’s coming next, or how the crime was done, then Flawless is a movie for you.
Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus
