Mark Ruffalo is the assigned FBI detective to track down a pack of magicians, known as the Four Horsemen, in Now You See Me. Their crime? Rob banks as part of their performance.
Like a fountain of fresh water this film offers a much-needed refreshment from all the special effects and big-name actors the rest of the summer releases seem to depend on. This little number has brought back to the screen a taste of what Hollywood and much of independent filmmaking take for granted: a good story.
This is the kind of movie that will keep you on your toes not because there is a highly disturbed demi-god alien attacking earth (or saving it) and much less because three little girls and their adopted father have a missing piece in their family portraits. This, ladies and gentlemen, is real magic.
The film does not really require much profound acting. Jesse Eisenberg is kind of the leader of the group. He has come a long way from his Social Network and Rio days. But I fear his ability to spit a hundred words per second is really what scores him roles.
The pretty girl, Isla Fisher, is primarily just that. Woody Harrelson inputs some of his Hunger Games knowledge by constantly hitting on her and so making her seem desirable. Dave Franco’s role does not really have a peak other than tricking everybody into thinking that he’s dead and abada cadabraing back to life.
Mark Ruffalo throws a couple of hissy fits every now and then. It almost made me wish he would grow really big and green and start smashing everything. (After all he does call his “condition” a party trick in The Avengers)
Morgan Freeman’s role as the anti magic man turns out to be one of the most interesting roles in the film. But you would expect that from Freeman. In almost every film he is in, he carries the burden of shedding light, intellect and a general “good” vibe to the story. He does that here too except he doesn’t win this time.
With all these much-expected summer movies in the theaters, Now You See Me hardly gets a second look (if it catches a first one at all). But check it out. It may not be the main attraction at the multiplex right now but definitely worth the ticket.