I wish there would be more of those movies. Right from the get go you feel a certain tone a certain mood that is different from your patterned "Hollywood" flick. This movie does what good movies do it focuses on story and characters and both are tremendous. I have never seen Callum Turner in anything but he does a pretty good job as our main character torn between doing the right thing and doing what he feels. Kate Beckinsale with her very monotone and lifeless line deliveries is still cast well because she is mainly there to be the attractive and seductive one and she is very good at that. Brosnan who I like to see but never surpasses a certain level has one of his best performances of his career. But they are all outshined by Jeff Bridges which is no knock on them. Bridges in one of those actors that like a good wine get's better and better which each year he ages. The story is the second big star. Starting of very slow but building up until all the dots are connected and all the themes that were established come full circle. So if you are looking for a movie that is outside of the box that feels like something that you have not seen a hundred times give that one a try.

New York City has lost its soul to gentrification according to some. Thomas Webb (Callum Turner) pontificates on the demise of its edgier past. Of course, he's like the city without any sense of danger. That's why his one night stand Mimi Pastori (Kiersey Clemons) dumps him into the friendzone. His father (Pierce Brosnan) is a publisher and his mother (Cynthia Nixon) holds dinner parties for the art gallery types. New insightful neighbor W.F. Gerald (Jeff Bridges) tries to mentor Thomas who starts a fling with family friend Johanna (Kate Beckinsale). Then Thomas discovers that she has been having an affair with his father.

By calling out New York as soulless, there is a danger that the soullessness would infect the movie. That's part of the problem. The other part is that the characters aren't set up that well. Thomas' relationship with Mimi is rushed. The movie would rather spend the time to rail against modern New York City. It leaves the characters somewhat cold and unclear. Director Marc Webb is striving for something. He is better off presenting each character and giving them room. This is probably a more adult 500 Days of Summer but it doesn't have the originality or the fun. There are some interesting acting moments in the second half but it is not anything new.

What a great cast! I mean it could just be Kate Beckinsale and I would say that ... all kidding aside though, this has quite the ensemble. I think it was the director that attracted them to do it (although to stay consistent I'll say they did cast Kate and then everyone else fell in line - yes I'm sticking with that).

And while I was maybe half joking, Kate is quite the character in this. And a mesmerizing one at that. The living boy knows better than to get mixed up with her ... and yet can I blame him? No I can't in case my rhetorical tone did not come across. But there are deeper meanings and secrets than just an affair here ... and they do get revealed ... so this isn't just a "simple" story. Characters still may act in weird ways ... ways you don't approve of. If you get over that, you'll be able to be entertained and see the thrill and suspense in this