The Pitt (Season 2)

Creator: R. Scott Gemmill
Starring: Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez, Sepideh Moafi, Shawn Hatosy, Laëtitia Hollard, Alexandra Metz, Ayesha Harris, Tal Anderson 
Original Airdate: 2026

**This Review Contains Plot Spoilers**

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

In its sophomore season, the creator and writers of HBO Max's The Pitt provide an answer as to whether it's possible to improve on perfection. And still with just thirty episodes in the can, it feels as if we've past the point of calling it TV's best ever medical drama, easily clearing the bar set by its own executive producer John Wells' pioneering E.R. Instead, this occupies an entirely different realm reserved for only the upper echelon, putting to bed whatever lingering genre bias still remained.

What sets this apart isn't just the pressure cooker format of each episode being set in real time, covering the entirety of an emergency trauma center shift. Or even the onslaught of patients hovering between life and death as doctors attempt to treat them in the face of insurmountable overcrowdedness and staff shortages. 

While it all contributes, what stands out most is the show's commitment to letting these cases do the talking, each new catastrophe revealing more about these characters than any manufactured storyline could. But that isn't to say this lacks heightened drama, as the show's frenetic pacing and non-stop action makes it impossible to turn away. 

With its shaky-cam documentary style immersing us in the chaos, this season's tension is hammered home by a ten-month time jump, distinguishing it from shows that force viewers to wait three year for the next chapter. And since there's bound to be high turnover in a teaching hospital where new faces come and go, we get our first glimpse at how showrunner R. Scott Gemmill handles it, with one major departure and an influx of med students coming in to replace those moving up. But if frequent staff changes are business as usual in this kind of setting, it's still a scripted series where even the slightest shake-ups can upset the balance. The writers use this to prove that no character is bigger than the hospital or series itself, save for maybe just one. But now, even that's in doubt. 

It's July 4th weekend and Dr. Robby (Noah Wyle) is starting his last shift before a planned three-month sabbatical when he'll embark on a cross country motorcycle trip. Taking his place as senior attending in the interim is Dr. Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi), a VA physician and supporter of using AI technology to treat patients. Working alongside Robby, the two clash over their differing methods as he becomes increasingly skeptical of her ability to run things while he's gone. Meanwhile, Langdon (Patrick Ball) makes his long waited return from rehab, discovering certain colleagues aren't thrilled that he's working in this hospital again. Topping this list is feisty second-year resident Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones), who notably turned him in for stealing drugs, leading to his suspension.

Farm boy Dr. Whitaker (Gerran Howell) comes into his own as a more confident, capable intern, emerging as a protege and potential successor to Robby as a new crop of students arrive, including overconfident know-it-all James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson) and sarcastic but highly intelligent Joy Quan (Irene Choi). And still carrying the trauma from last year's assault, charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) is shows trainee Emma (Laëtitia Hollard) the ropes on a first day she definitely won't forget. 

As a stressed out Dr. Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh) and overwhelmed fourth-year med student Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) are distracted by their overbearing mothers, Dr. Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif) treats a woman dying from cancer while Dr. Mel King (Taylor Dearden) panics over her malpractice deposition and autistic sister Becca's (Tal Anderson) burgeoning independence. But when a technological catastrophe forces the entire staff to improvise, it's all hands on deck when Robby's frustrations simmer, his planned road trip looking unlikelier by the minute. And if he does go, there's no telling whether he'll come back.

If an emergency department is comparable to a revolving door, Dr. Al-Hashimi could either be viewed as the temporary replacement for Robby while he's away or an attempt to fill a crucial gap left by the departure of Tracy Ifeachor's senior resident Dr. Heather Collins. Or maybe a bit of both. Either way, she and Robby have a very different dynamic from the start, with him immediately questioning her expertise, judgment and ability to lead.  

Aside from Al-Hashimi's controversial AI fixation, she's a controlled, unshakeable and observant physician with flexibility Robby often lacks, especially during this shift. But if any mutual respect develops between them, it's mostly one-sided since the prideful, stubborn Robby would likely find fault in anyone temporarily chosen to take his spot, regardless of their skills or qualifications. 

As Robby's attitude worsens, we're introduced to the idea he's a martyr, intolerant of watching anyone fail at reaching the impossible standards he sets for himself. There were signs of this last season, but now the job's eaten away at his psyche, partially because he has no existence or purpose outside of it, making the decision to leave for a few months that much more agonizing. And while his instincts about Al-Hashimi are correct, it's not for the reasons he assumes, but rather a secret she's holding that becomes increasingly impossible to suppress.

The returning Langford is also waging an inner battle as the former cocky hotshot comes back significantly humbled and apologetic, fearing he'll no longer be the doctor he once was. But if the rehab stint changed him, Santos doesn't want to hear it, far preferring he be dismissed than get help or a second chance. And that few know the full extent of his actions is only more infuriating, as she's again forced to  work alongside a doctor who treated her like dirt on day one.  

With the show's accuracy continuing to earn high marks from those in the medical community, it again shows how massive cracks in the healthcare system affect doctors and patients alike. That's especially true for the mental well being of providers driven to burnout, addiction and far worse over the course of the season. There's also an emphasis on the violence many endure from disgruntled patients due to a lack of security and other protective safeguards.  

If there are any quibbles about what happens over these fifteen hours, it's the sheer volume of bizarre, once-in-a-career cases that take place consecutively within a single shift. But it's not as if any viewer could complain given the tension it generates, hardly allowing the characters to come up for air before another crisis hits, each more challenging than the last.

Though the show's whole rhythm and structure is built around the idea we never see or find out what happens to these patients once they're discharged (or flat out leave), some reappear. Whether it's last season's beloved regular Louie Cloverfield (Ernest Harden Jr.) continuing to drink himself to death or construction worker Orlando Diaz's (William Guirola) inability to afford coverage, we're reminded just how much is out of the physicians' hands. That reality is further reinforced when a few month old baby is found abandoned, becoming a representation of the hope and helplessness that defines their jobs. 

There's no better example of that than in the pivotal "1:00 PM" hour, when Dana and her trainee Emma collect evidence for a rape kit from victim Ilana Miller (an outstanding Tina Ivlev). Difficult to watch and feeling almost tortuously long, there's never been such a sensitive and precisely detailed depiction of this examination on television before. The silences are deafening as we watch a calm, understanding Dana walk this rape survivor through the most emotionally grueling process of her life. 

While Dana was already established as the glue that holds this trauma center together, the material LaNasa gets to work with is even better this time around, with her character desperately trying to provide compassionate care, even as the memory of her own attack remains, along with everyone else's safety. This is especially true when masked ICE agents arrive with an injured detainee, causing immediate hysteria throughout the hospital.  

Dana's mentorship of Emma is the season's most rewarding storyline, with actress Laëtitia Hollard bringing this sweetness and vulnerability to her character that nicely contrasts with Dana's no-nonsense, "tough love" approach. It's fascinating to watch the young nurse gradually win over her boss simply by listening, following instructions, doing the best she can and simply persevering. 

Though Emma's green and understandably intimidated, you can tell Dana's proud of this girl for powering through, already displaying many of the traits that should make her a skilled nurse. And in Dana, Emma gets a glimpse into her possible future once the naivete fades and she's hardened by the profession's cruelty, as scary as that seems. 

Whenever Shawn Hatosy's attending physician Dr. Jack Abbott appears, it's a safe bet business is about to pick up. After scrubbing in early last season for the PittFest shooting, he makes an even more impactful entry alongside an injured member of his SWAT team when a regional cyberattack forces the hospital to go offline. 

With everyone suddenly transported back to the stone ages with written charts and dry erase boards, Hatosy again makes a huge impression in short bursts, his character the only one capable of getting through to Robby at his worst. Abbott doesn't want him going on this trip, but not because he thinks his friend doesn't need a break. He's more worried what he'll do once he gets there, noting how therapy is preferable to him being left alone in his own thoughts. 

Robby proves Abbott right during this whole shift, as nearly every interaction he has is punctuated by either anger, sarcasm, harsh judgment or some combination of all three. Half a step away from blowing a fuse for hours on end, his lowest moment comes when he mocks Samira's "mommy issues" following a panic attack, yelling about how her personal issues are interfering with the patients' treatment. 

As usual, Robby's right, but his clumsy handling of the situation is an embarrassment that the more level headed, empathetic Al-Hashimi rightly calls him out on. Even his later apology to Samira is accompanied by a backhanded insult about her being better suited to the slower pace of elder care.

While she's she's strong enough to put up with Robby, Samira becomes his proverbial punching bag this season, a development that'll leave her with one foot out the door by the finale. Of course, we know now this fan favorite isn't returning, becoming the second in what's sure to be a longer list of departures that test our appreciation of sacrificing cast members for realism. As one of the show's standouts, Ganish goes out at the top of her game, while unfortunately leaving viewers with a sense there was more Samira story left to tell.  

None of Robby's behavior suggests he doesn't still have his favorites, like Victoria, who's just as distracted as Samira by her attending surgeon mom's expectations, but hardly faces any of the same criticism. This despite Victoria still buckling under pressure, making nervous errors that expose the hypocrisy of Robby's glowing endorsement. His respect for Whitaker's work is more understandable, with "Huckleberry" providing valuable guidance to the med students, most notably a shell shocked Ogilvie, whose hubris eventually results in a crucial mistake.

If the fates are conspiring to prevent Robby from departing on his road trip, he still has selfless moments, like his insistence on treating ornery biker buddy Duke Ekins (Jeff Kober) before leaving. Though this, Wyle adds new dimensions to a character more broken by life and his own perceived shortcomings than anyone suspected. He doesn't resent Langford for stealing drugs, but how he fears it reflects on him. When the two finally do have that long delayed "talk," the remorseful Langford correctly assesses that Robby's in as much need of counseling as he is, before it's too late.

You can't help but wonder what Al-Hashimi expects to hear from Robby when she reveals her medical condition. Surely it can't be reassurance or an encouraging pep talk to get back to work as he leaves his department in the hands of an attending who could have another seizure at any minute. Still, he manages to extend his streak of being totally right while still managing to sound incredibly wrong, throwing  another fit during the most sensitive of circumstances. 

Confiding in the only person she can, it briefly seems as if Al-Hashimi connects with Robby on the human level she intends, at least until he reminds her how she's jeopardizing the safety of patients and staff. But unless Robby clears his head and deals with his issues, he could find himself in a similar boat, unable to effectively perform his duties. With both their futures in doubt, a small glimmer of hope comes in the final scene when Robby finds comfort from an unlikely source, hinting at the possibility he could be going away for a bit after all, whatever form that takes.

Throughout this season, the show's damaged hero slides down a slippery slope, revealing himself to be more fallible and self destructive than he'd ever admit. The series also takes a big swing by presenting him as a ticking time bomb who affects every member of a staff already stretched far past their limits. But even as each shift feels like an endless loop in hell for these physicians, all that really matters is the next life that needs saving.                                                                               

Sentimental Value

Director: Joachim Trier
Starring: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning, Anders Danielsen Lie, Jesper Chistiansen, Lena Endre, Cory Michael Smith, Catherine Cohen, Andreas Stoltenberg Granerud, Øyvind Hesjedal Loven, Lars Väringer, Ida Marianne Vassbotn Klasson 
Running Time: 133 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

Early in Joachim Trier's Norwegian Oscar winner Sentimental Value, the main character suffers a debilitating bout of stage fright, and judging from the reactions of those closest to her, they've seen this before. Eventually, she'll power through, but with barely a second to spare as the cast and crew anxiously wait on pins and needles. Of course, such panic ridden episodes often have nothing to do with how well an actor knows their lines or skill level, but whatever else is going through their mind at the moment, which usually includes a few nightmarish scenarios related to failure and insecurity. 

While those intrusive thoughts may be fleeting, they're no less paralyzing, and from what we can tell from the protagonist's unusual coping mechanisms, there's a lot more happening underneath. Trier and co-writer Eskil Vogt reveal what as the narrative zigs and zags, hitting occasional lulls before arriving at its inevitable, but still moving conclusion. As a small scale relationship drama about intergenerational trauma, it doesn't exactly break new ground, but the performances and pangs of missed opportunities and regret strongly resonate, echoing through the walls of this family's home.

Respected film director Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) is in a slump, struggling to get his latest projects financed when he completes a script inspired by his mother Karin, who was tortured by Nazis before eventually committing suicide in their Oslo home when he was a child. It's also the same house his two daughters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) were raised in by their therapist mom after he left Norway following their divorce. Now as adults, Nora is a successful stage actress having an affair with a colleague while sister Agnes is a married historian raising young son Erik (Øyvind Hesjedal Loven) with her husband.  

When Nora and Agnes's mother dies, Gustav unexpectedly returns to Norway to reclaim the house despite the lingering resentment from his daughters. That's especially true for Nora, who refuses to read Gustav's new script, rejecting the idea of her playing his mother. Disappointed, Gustav instead casts popular American actress Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) whose star power helps secure the film a Netflix deal. While seemingly up for this challenge, the role proves more difficult than Rachel envisioned, with Gustav clumsily using the movie as a vehicle to compensate for his own shortcomings as a father. But when actually faced with taking responsibility and connecting with both his daughters, he risks losing them for good. 

Jumping back and forth through time between the sisters' childhood, Gustav's and the present day, the house takes on a life of its own, becoming as much a character as its occupants, mainly due to all the memories forged inside. This isn't lost on Gustav, whose big plans involve filming there with Nora as his lead. But we can tell the very thought of working alongside him disgusts her, as she doubts he'll be able to effectively communicate any better on set than in real life. 

Nora sees right through Gustav's intentions, which involve casting her to make up for years of  abandonment, alcohol abuse and emotional inaccessibility. And if even her mother's recent death can't bring them any closer, nothing will, much less a vanity project at the end of a career he prioritized over them. 

While Nora's understandably hard headed about reaching a compromise, Agnes implores her to at least keep an open mind, even if Gustav does himself a disservice by bombarding Nora with backhanded compliments about how her talent's wasted on the stage. Having starred in her father's most acclaimed film as a young girl, Agnes can relate, despite seemingly emerging from their tumultuous past better adjusted than her sister, though not without some lingering scars.

Gutav's determination to get his film made with or without Nora leads him to cast Rachel, the young ingenue impressed by his work and looking to prove herself. But she's also all wrong for a role written for someone else and one of the plot's best aspects is how Gustav refuses to see that, supporting and nurturing Rachel in a way he never did his daughters. Unfortunately, he won't be able to repair the real relationship with someone else playing pretend for him, no matter how good an actress she is or isn't. 

Fanning has a tricky job in that she's called upon to have Rachel recognize the misguided futility of Gustav's experiment. It's also very meta in the sense that she's heavily pulling from experiences performers have when stuck in parts they feel ill suited for, digging deep and pulling at every thread to make it work. She's scared to death of screwing up, which could be viewed as mirroring Nora's stage fright, though in a slightly different context.  

Thes rehearsal scenes are among the film's best as we watch Gustav guide Rachel through a process that just isn't clicking, but not from a lack of effort. Whether Rachel's even talented is irrelevant since the film's more interested in giving her credit for recognizing what Gustav can't, or doesn't want to. She knows who should really be playing this part.                          

Skarsgård and Reinsve hold this together as we wait to see if the internally troubled Gustav has an epiphany or Nora lets her guard down long enough to realize his movie's an apology, if not also a cry for help. And while the remarkable Reinsve unquestionably carries this, Lilleas's slowly evolving turn as Agnes gradually sneaks up on you, with Skarsgård delivering subtle, understated work as his character struggles to make headway with his daughters. 

Both sisters carry decades worth of familial dysfunction, but one clearly feels the brunt, especially when her father's recent return reinforces just how raw a deal she got. But at the story's crux are complicated emotions and a shared history that somberly bubbles to the surface in its closing minutes, quietly subverting expectations right up until the final reveal.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

Director: Emma Tammi
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Freddy Carter, Theodus Crane, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, Teo Briones, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Miriam Spumpkin, Audrey Lynn Marie, Megan Fox, Kellen Goff, Matthew Patrick, David Andrew Calvillo, Grant Feely
Running Time: 104 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)   

When the heavily anticipated adaptation of Scott Cawthon's popular video game series, Five Nights at Freddy's hit theaters in 2023, critics and audiences were noticeably split. While the former group seemed appalled they had to sit through PG-13 horror centered around killer animatronic animals, the franchise's fans responded far more favorably, aware of what they'd be getting. If anything, director Emma Tammi incorporated enough elements from the game to please hardcores without alienating mainstream audiences completely unfamiliar with the property, but hooked by its strange premise. 

If the first film was enjoyably flawed and crazy, it shouldn't have come as a total surprise given the nature of this material. But aside from the robotic creatures and an inspired setting, one of its better qualities came in knowing that an 'R' rating wouldn't have necessarily made a difference. Nothing felt cut or excised for commercial-friendly concerns as Tammi delivered an engaging adventure just gory enough to match the story. So you could say it's good news she's back to helm this inevitable sequel, which delivers much of the same, only bigger and messier.   

It's 2002 and two years since Mike (Josh Hutcherson), his little sister Abby (Piper Rubio) and police officer Vanessa Shelly (Elizabeth Lail) survived their showdown with Vanessa's dad and child murderer William Afton (Matthew Lillard) at the abandoned Freddy Fazbear's Pizza restaurant. Since being killed by the spirits of his victims, the legend of Afton's murders has only grown, drawing greater attention to the case and spawning a town horror festival called "Fazfest." But as a now 11-year-old Abby experiences newfound popularity at school, she still mourns the loss of her electronic animal pals Freddy, Chica and Bonnie. 

Giving Abby false hope he'll eventually repair the robots, Mike urges everyone to put what happened behind them, including Vanessa, who continues to emotionally struggle from the impact of her father's crimes. But while Abby secretly returns to the restaurant despite her brother's warnings, a group of ghost hunters arrive at a different nearby Fazbear's location where a little girl named Charlotte Emily (Audrey Lynn Marie) was shockingly murdered in 1982. And when the crew's presence awakens her spirit, the truth about how she's connected to Vanessa comes to light, putting her and Mike in a race against time to save a manipulated Abby, whose resurrected robot friends are ready for another rampage.

The film's opening sequence might be its best, flashing back to a packed, fully operational Freddy Fazbear's during a birthday party decades earlier, revealing what the franchise restaurant looked and felt like in its heyday. After initially assuming this is the now abandoned building Mike worked in as a security guard, we soon realize it's a different location, with atmosphere and attractions unique to that flagship eatery, like the Marionette, a terrifying animatronic conducting the robot animals on stage. 

Baring more than a passing resemblance to Saw's Billy the Puppet, the Marionette is a major presence when young Charlotte is slain despite all her warnings to the restaurant's oblivious, self-absorbed parents. And Vanessa's childhood friendship with this ostracized girl ends up being one of many important details she neglects mentioning to a frustrated Mike as the pair reluctantly start dating. 

Vanessa's selective secrecy, Abby's desire to reunite with Freddy and the gang despite previous events and the use of wireless technology in '82 are hurdles Cawthorne's script must clear, but instead conveniently glazes over at times. Thankfully the ghost hunting "Spectral Scoopers" (played by Mckenna Grace, Teo Briones and David Andrew Calvillo ) do serve a larger purpose while Freddy Carver's brief but creepy turn as a Norman Bates-like security guard proves a highlight. 

Seinfeld and Jurassic Park star Wayne Knight gives the film's most wildly entertaining performance as Abby's condescendingly cruel science teacher Mr. Berg. And the ubiquitous character actor hasn't lost a step, chewing scenery as a jerk authority figure that could have stepped out of an 80's comedy. More than anyone, Knight knows exactly what kind of movie he's in as we wait anxiously to see this sniveling coward get his when Abby proudly unveils her unusual robotics project. 

It's no surprise when Freddy and his friends are again on the loose, but with a soul possessing component that changes the game, giving Elizabeth Lail more interesting places to go with Vanessa. But while she still reels from PTSD stemming from her psychopathic dad, Hutcherson's Mike is fed up, burying the pain and wanting everyone to follow suit, even if he's just barely holding on. And Rubio continues to shine as the precocious Abby, whose loyalty to Chica leads to trouble.  

Playing on a similar technical and visual playing ground as its predecessor, the secondary Fazbear's location actually surpasses that with its hidden passages, trap doors and waterways. Those who hated the first film will probably still despise this, but for everyone else, it's equally fun, giving us an expanded look at the nostalgically cursed Chuck E. Cheese inspired restaurant of the film's title. With allusions to ME3GAN, The Exorcist and Saw, it may incorporate a few more influences, but remains heavily indebted to the video games that spawned it, ensuring more sequels where this came from. 

Rental Family

Director: Hikari
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto, Kimura Bun, Sei Matobu, Misato Morita, Tamae Ando
Running Time: 110 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)   

Rental Family features a fascinating premise that takes a bit to come completely into view, but once it does, the film starts asking the same questions we do, with surprising answers. It also provides further proof that the Brendan Fraser comeback is still in full effect, with the actor tackling exactly the type of role we hoped he would post-Oscar win. His likability and charisma makes him the ideal foil for an unusual concept that's even easier to envision as a series with a creative lifespan longer than this picture's designated run time.  

If there's a complaint you could level, it's that there's no way to explore every moral and philosophical consequence of the title service, which does actually exist. But director/co-writer Hikari nearly covers all those bases with characters aren't who they say or think they are, creating their own distorted realities in a misguided attempt to protect those closest to them. And by facilitating lies that cause more harm than the truth ever could, the profiting company proves how the road to hell can really be paved with good intentions. We cringe as manipulative machinations meant to provide comfort cross a line our good natured protagonist grows increasingly uncomfortable with.   

Struggling American actor Phillip Vanderploeg (Fraser) is looking for work while living in Tokyo, where he's resided since starring in a popular toothpaste commercial seven years earlier. Taking thankless roles as he waits for a bigger break, he's approached by Shinji (Takehiro Hira), who owns "Rental Family," a company that hires actors to play stand-in family members and friends for prospective clients. In Phillip, Shinji sees a white American capable of filling a specific niche, and however uneasy the unsuspecting applicant feels about the gig, it's still money.

After a rough first assignment, Phillip's next hired to act as the estranged father of young, half-Japanese girl Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman), whose single mother Hitomi (Shino Shinozaki) needs him to get her enrolled in a prestigious private school. He'll also split his time as a journalist profiling Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), a retired actor with dementia whose daughter Masami (Sei Matobu) wants him interviewed before he completely loses his memory. As Philip forges a bond with each, he realizes how a thin a line he's walking with their emotions, while also recognizing there's a lot left to understand about a culture he already assumed to know. But ultimately, they'll have just as much to learn from him.

Just the thought of a film centered around an American actor doing commercials in Japan immediately invokes comparisons to Bill Murray's character in 2003's Lost in Translation. But the difference is that starring in these ads isn't quite the punchline it was then, with many respected, big name actors now taking these jobs as a side hustle to bank supplemental earnings. Only Phillip isn't one of them, as we quickly get the impression that's his primary source of income and opportunities are drying up, causing shame and frustration.  

Similar to Murray, but less cranky, Fraser excels at conveying that sense of depressive dislocation that takes hold when you're living in another country, or even just in different surroundings. And he does it by subtly projecting in Phillip the awkward look and feel of someone who arrived the previous day rather than seven years ago. So it's easy to see how this unusual job offer would pique his curiosity, allowing him to perform and connect with people who just want to be seen. 

Early on, Rental Family employee Aiko (Mari Yamamoto) shares with Phillip why she does this, rationalizing that it fills an important void for sad, desperate clients while allowing the performers to feel needed in return. On the surface it almost makes sense, but those words will come back to bite her and company owner Shinji, who's living a lie of his own, until the bottom falls out, with damage far exceeding both their pay grades. And much of that is due to Phillip, who's justifiably unable to separate himself from these extremely personal assignments. 

Optimistically hoping to make a difference and for these clients to appreciate him in return, Phillip gets the hang of it when playing groom to a closeted lesbian with traditional, controlling parents who's looking to secretly run away with her wife. But the company's real purpose, aside from making money, comes in enabling people to circumvent tough, necessary decisions by introducing giant lies that bury their problems. And it's only when the facade comes tumbling down that Hikari and co-writer Stephen Blahut's script can fully explore the messy truth. 

While the film's trailers and commercials imply that everything revolves around Phillip's relationship with young Mia, what's most remarkable is how Fraser and a precociously superb Gorman convey their naturalistic father-daughter dynamic with far fewer scenes together than expected. And yet there's this real arc that develops as Mia slowly warms up to the idea her "biological father" may be sticking around this time. 

By hiring Phillip to give Mia some semblance of an adult male figure in her life, the mom's clearly playing with fire. Even worse, he'll inevitably be blamed for whatever goes wrong, even when doing exactly what he's hired for. But the bigger issue is what becomes of Mia once he leaves or if she somehow finds out the truth. It's one thing pulling the wool over unsuspecting adult eyes, but toying with a child's emotions enters unconscionable territory, regardless of intent. 

An equally serious set of challenges accompany Phillip's friendship with the elderly Kikuo, most of which involve boundaries related to his health and care. It's another delicate issue this flawed company can't navigate, with the heat again falling on the one person too empathetic to treat this as a mere performance. At first, we're left guessing how this secondary sub-plot ties into the A-storyline, wondering if the film's time would be better spent focusing exclusively on Phillip's bond with Mia. But we're proven wrong as a moving sacrifice involving Kikuo becomes major catalyst for what occurs in the final act.  

The ending is notable for its restraint, as both Rental Family's clients and employees must come to the realization that this system is delivering the polar opposite of what's promised, hurting nearly everyone in the process. They may not know how absurd their behavior is, but the film does, culminating in a moving catharsis full of surprisingly logical twists that reveal both the best and worst in humanity. That Hikari accomplishes this without pouring on the schmaltz can be attributed to her deft touch, but also Fraser's earnestness, which has rarely served him better.                             

Song Sung Blue

Director: Craig Brewer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley, John Beckwith, Fisher Stevens, John Belushi, Jackie Cox, Cecelia Riddett
Running Time: 132 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

Going strictly off the trailer, it's understandable some would assume Craig Brewer's musical drama Song Sung Blue is a Neil Diamond biopic that charts the legendary crooner's ascent to superstardom and relationship with his long suffering spouse. Well, at least until realizing you can't recall a wife or any other aspect of the singer's personal life, leaving us with just the sight of Hugh Jackson in a wig singing "Cherry, Cherry" to go on. But it's actually based on Greg Kohs' 2008 documentary about a married Midwestern couple who performed as an enormously popular Diamond tribute act in the 80's and 90's. And despite its flaws, or maybe even partially because of them, it's the kind of feel good crowd pleaser you can recommend to anyone, regardless of how they feel about the artist. 

Though this isn't focused on the man himself, it's a more accurate reflection of Diamond's impact, popularity and fandom than any traditional biopic could be, with some cheesiness to spare. It also contains alcoholism, depression, a few heart attacks, a couple of car crashes, a bizarre Eddie Vedder impersonation, unplanned pregnancies and a recurring fixation on one of Neil's most overlooked songs. Brewer really piles it on, and yet this works, mostly due to its leads, both of whom play engagingly likable dreamers who pay their dues in biker bars and local fairs before eventually packing arenas across the country. But success is easy compared to what comes next.

It's 1987 when musical impersonator and recovering alcoholic Mike "Lightening" Sardina (Jackman) is set to perform as Don Ho at the Wisconsin State Fair. But when he quits after insisting to play his own material, he meets hairdresser and Patsy Cline double Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson) who suggests he start performing as a Neil Diamond tribute act. It's an idea he initially dismisses until singing with Claire and realizing this idea will only work with them as a duo. 

It isn't long before Mike and Claire begin dating and take their show on the road as the newly christened "Lightening and Thunder," with Claire insisting they open with "Sweet Caroline" after a rough first few shows. They marry just as the band starts gaining traction, selling out shows nationwide and even opening for Pearl Jam. But when a horrific accident leaves Claire fighting for her life and Mike struggling to maintain his own sobriety, they consider the possibility their performing days are over. That is until they plot a comeback, hoping to recapture the spark they once had.             

When we get our first look at Mike singing at an A.A. meeting, your first thought might be that Jackman's too old for this role, his weathered, lived in look seemingly at odds with the buoyant, energetic entertainer at the film's center. And while a similar observation could even be made about Hudson's casting, you'll quickly realize how wrong those assumptions are since it tracks with this story of two middle-aged single parents who've already faced their fair share of personal and professional disappointments. 

It helps that Jackman and Hudson are great singers who share a natural chemistry that's on full display during their early living room duet of "Play Me," which not only solidifies their union as a Diamond themed act, but sets the template for more theatrical performances that follow. One of the smarter touches is Mike's initial rejection of this whole idea, fearing any kind of impersonation would somehow be disrespectful to his hero. 

The charismatic but stubborn Mike also applies a similar logic in refusing to open shows with "Sweet Caroline," a song he admires, but doesn't believe should define a legendary career that's about so much more. And it's a philosophy the film takes to heart, spotlighting Diamond's less heralded "Soolaimon"  alongside his catchiest, most famous hits like "Forever in Blue Jeans," "Holly Holy" and "I Am...I Said." 

Once Mike puts on that sequined jumpsuit and adopts Diamond's Jazz Singer era haircut to team with Claire, it's game on, as Brewer captures the hysteria surrounding a pair that isn't your typical cover act. Fun, welcome supporting turns are also provided from from Michael Imperioli as a Buddy Holly impersonator and promoter turned band guitarist, Fisher Stevens as Mike's dentist/agent and Jim Belushi, whose bus driver becomes their unlikely manager.

One of the better executed subplots involves a touching bond that forms between new step-sisters Rachel (Ella Anderson) and Angelina (King Princess), who find common ground over their respective parents' issues and similarly messed up home lives. Anderson is particularly effective in a meatier role than expected, bringing surprising dimension to what could have become another moody, disaffected teen trope. 

Just when "Lightening and Thunder" strikes, so does tragedy, seemingly over and over again. And it's here where an Oscar-nominated Hudson takes over, believably portraying Claire's mental and physical decline after her entire world is turned upside down. Brewer does lay it on a little thick, and while this chain of events can resemble a surreal stretch of manufactured catastrophes, Hudson is spontaneously authentic enough to sell it. She carries this to the end, nearly pulling double duty in the third act when Mike's misfortunes precipitously grow. 

This has multiple endings before getting to a real one some will like, even if others find themselves wishing for a title card telling us what happened to their real life counterparts. But that's way too restrained for a movie that's all about being as big, emotional and demonstrative as possible, much like the performer himself. But credit Brewer for going all in, never underestimating how ridiculously fun and heartwarming a fairly basic, well acted underdog story can be. And considering how few entertainers have a karaoke ready catalogue better suited to this treatment, Diamond's songs only sweeten the deal.                                                       

The Secret Agent

Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Starring: Wagner Moura, Carlos Francisco, Tânia Maria, Robério Diógenes, Enzo Nunes, Gabriel Leone, Roney Villela, Kaiony Venâncio, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Thomás Aquino, Alice Carvalho, Hermila Guedes, Isabél Zuaa, Italo Martins, Igor de Araújo, Laura Lufési, Isadora Ruppert, Luciano Chirolli, Udo Kier, Suzy Lopes, Gregorio Graziosi, Marcelo Valle, Licínio Januário, Robson Andrade
Running Time:161 min.
Rating: R

**This Review Contains Major Plot Spoilers**

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Unconventional in nearly every sense, the ambitious Brazilian political drama The Secret Agent will take a while to process when it's over, spanning generations while taking place against a period backdrop that carries massive cultural and historical implications. At its center is an everyman on the run, attempting to evade a government trying to persecute him simply because they can. Disguising and adapting as necessary, he's not exactly alone in this fight, but still forced to look over his shoulder at every turn.  

Though he isn't yet fully aware, this protagonist's already perilous situation will go from bad to worse as director Kleber Mendonça Filho's slow burn thriller subverts all expectations, even when a seriously suspenseful stretch of tension and violence goes sideways in its third act. Hypnotically shot and masterfully acted, it employs an unusual structure that lays its pieces on the table before the whole puzzle comes together midway through. Distinctly human in the quirkiest, most inventive of ways, it seems destined to benefit from repeated viewings after all the dots connect and you look back in appreciation at the tinier details that make it so unique.   

It's 1977 under Brazil's military dictatorship and ex-academic Armando (Wagner Moura) travels back to Recife during Carnival holiday, visiting young son Fernando (Enzo Nunes), who's been living with his late wife's parents. Arriving at a refuge run by former anarcho-communist Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria), he adopts the alias "Marcelo" and befriends the building's other political dissidents before being placed in a job at the identification institute. But while the position gives him an opportunity to search for information on his deceased mother, it fails to offer any protection or anonymity, risking exposure to corrupt police chief Euclides (Robério Diógenes) and his thuggish sons. 

Though he's suspicious of Armando, Euclides takes him under his wing, despite having his hands full with an investigation into a severed leg recently found inside a tiger shark. But as Armando tries to lay low, he's informed by resistance leader Elza (Maria Fernanda Cândido) that a contracted hit was put out on him by a powerful, politically connected executive he crossed. With the assassins rapidly closing in, Armando prepares to flee, while in the present day two history students sift through audio recordings and newspaper clippings in an effort to uncover what happened to him decades ago.  

The opening minutes immediately grab hold as Armando pulls his VW Beetle into a remote gas station where he sees a dead man lying on the ground covered in cardboard, casually dismissed by an attendant who claims to have contacted authorities days ago. That a corpse pumped full of bullets is viewed as such an innocuous, commonplace annoyance by every passerby but the sad eyed Armando is exactly the point, if not eerie foreshadowing. 

When police do arrive, it's not for that, but unfounded suspicions about Armando, who they briefly interrogate, expecting a monetary "donation' in return. With this, the tension builds in an oppressive heat you can almost feel and smell, not only setting the mood for what follows, but introducing us to the bearded Armando, who we still know nothing about. Projecting a cool, calm demeanor, he flies just under the radar, saddled with the unfortunate luck of still somehow drawing attention wherever he goes. 

Armando's hometown return is accompanied by a barrage of the area's sights and sounds, from the bright yellow pod-like phone booths to the nightmare inducing Carnival costumes he can't seem to shake. "Haunted" is the best adjective to describe his justifiably paranoid state of mind that's briefly eased by safe house residents like Angolan Civil War refugees Thereza Vitória (Isabél Zuaa) and Antonio (Licínio Januário) and single mother Claudia (Hermila Guedes). 

In a cast large enough to fill a medium sized arena, it's Tânia Maria's scene stealing turn as the house's chain smoking, grandmotherly-like Dona Sabastiana that leaps off the screen, with the 79 year-old actress investing her character with an unmistakable mix of spunk, humor and sage wisdom. Regardless of backgrounds or cultures, everyone's met someone like her, making it even more perplexing she was overlooked at awards time for the kind of blunt, disarmingly entertaining performance voters usually reward.  

One of the odder touches Filho employs are these Tarantinoesque grindhouse diversions that serve a greater thematic purpose than you'd expect from scenes that clash so harshly with the film's meditative tone. The public's lurid fascination with the shark incident may be a distraction, but it's the sort of one this whole narrative is built on, showing the bizarre lengths this military dictatorship will go to cover crimes and bury evidence. Because of it, the regime's brutality recedes into the background, replaced instead by a wacky urban mystery. 

The same can be said for the more jarring, fantastical park sequence that comes later, which could just have easily been lifted from a B-horror movie like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. And again the ridiculousness is intentional as Filho shows how those in control write the playbook, anticipating that everyone will swallow whatever misinformation is shoveled out. Some will while others won't, but the latter group hardly matters since they can't fight back anyway. And no one knows this better than the arrogantly crooked Euclides, who moves past his initial suspicions of Armando to take him under his wing. But the dirty chief's on a cruel power trip that becomes more blatant with his harassment of Jewish Holocaust survivor Hans (Udo Kier in his final role), much to Armando's veiled disgust. 

Stuck between a rock and hard place, Armando needs to humor the chief somewhat, both to protect his identity and possibly earn a degree of trust and cover. But even he underestimates just how widespread and corrosive the corruption is, trickling down to even the most local levels of government. And Euclides isn't even the Big Bad, ranking relatively low on a food chain that extends to the very top, where Armando's greatest threat resides, plotting to take him out. 

The bond Armando shares with son Fernando and theater projectionist father-in-law Sr. Alexandre (Carlos Francisco) is a tragic one, due mostly to the loss of the woman they all loved and mother this young boy fears he's already forgetting. They can't truly be a family with her gone, especially as this deadly threat hangs over Armando, keeping him a half step away from another fake passport and new identity. 

The film transforms when Elza records Armando's testimony and we flash back to the chilling clash he has with a regime influenced executive (Luciano Chirolli) over his scientific research. We see how the escalating feud grows uglier and more personal, culminating in a dinner confrontation that features a brief but unforgettably explosive turn from Alice Carvalho in her only full scene as the late Fátima.  

Everything goes south when stepfather and son hitman duo Augusto (Roney Villela) and Bobbi (Gabriel Leone) arrive, chaotically compromising Armando's escape with a reckless gunman (Kaiony Venâncio) who eyes his target. What unfolds next has caused audience debate, with Filho earning No Country For Old Men comparisons for his decision not to show Armando's eventual fate, revealing the death secondhand through a newspaper article discovered decades later by history student Flavia (Laura Lufési). But it works, mostly for making a larger thematic point about how history gets written or sometimes even rewritten by the winners. 

The treatment of Armando's murder as an afterthought may not carry the dramatic electricity many envisioned as the film's action ramps up in the final act, but it isn't intended to. Poetic tragedy comes in the burial of his story, now relegated to a forgotten tabloid piece about some "spy" or "secret agent" gunned down in the street. And it would take nearly fifty years for someone to care enough about uncovering the truth to track down the little boy it affected, in ways even he still can't fully comprehend as an adult. But what's saddest in a film so heavily reliant on the relationships between fathers and sons is how the middle-aged Fernando now has no memory of a man his life once revolved around, however briefly.  

That Moura also plays this present day version of Fernando in addition to Armando's various incarnations could have come across as a cheap gimmick in the hands of a lesser accomplished actor. But he's equally believable as the grown son, bringing the same authenticity to this role as he does his quietly compelling performance as Armando, marking a rare achievement in immersive subtlety free from unnecessary theatrics. 

As Fernando, the magnetic Moura is equally contained, but conflicted, with the physician struggling to process the information he's getting about a father he hardly remembers, much like Armando's faded recollection of his own mother. But instead of a paper file, he's left with Flavia's flash drive as the last remaining record of a conspiracy that's come and gone. It's likely even she'll be moving on to something else before long, leaving Armando's story in the hands of the one person left who's able to tell it. 

Whether Fernando will want to know more or can even bring himself to is questionable, but at least something did survive that can't be taken away. In this case it's a core memory that follows him to this day and remains untouched by whatever lies and propaganda were spread a generation earlier. The result is a brilliant framing device sure to invoke deeper analysis about time, memory and just how easily the past gets brushed under the rug when no one's looking.  

Carried by a soul stirring lead performance and a wildly eclectic cast of colorful personalities that transcend cultural and cinematic barriers, this is as far as it gets from Oscar season homework. It's also the kind of epic you could easily imagine playing in theaters during the late 70's/early 80's era it takes place, perhaps even sharing screens with the film's heavily mentioned Jaws. Seemingly transported from a time when stories of its ilk wouldn't fall through the cracks or be cynically misinterpreted, The Secret Agent ends on a final coda that separates fact from fiction, and everything else we've lost in between.      

Burning Questions From The 2026 Oscars

Conan as Aunt Gladys?

 

Shouldn't Weapons have been nominated for more than just one Oscar?

 

Did that opening just give the whole movie away?

 

Aunt Gladys playing ping pong?

 

Aunt Gladys in KPop Demon Hunters?

 

Was that opening sketch an early sign Amy Madigan would win?

 

Didn't you know Conan wouldn't waste any time cracking a joke about Chalamet's ballet insult?

  

Wasn't he right about Ted Sarandos having never been to a theater? 

 

Is it safe to assume that won't change now since Netflix isn't buying Warner Bros.? 

  

Isn't it the sign of a good joke when the audience gasps with discomfort?

 

Did Conan's coronation ceremony make you want to see him actually win a Oscar?

 

Did you remember that Zoe Saldaña won Supporting Actress last year?

 

Actually, that one was kind of memorable wasn't it?

 

Is she aging in reverse?

 

Was everyone prepared to get that category wrong? 

 

Was everyone prepared to get every category wrong?

 

Did every Oscar prognosticator breathe a sigh of relief when Madigan won? 

 

Wasn't it a given she'd give an entertaining speech? 

 

Was Conan's "Let's see him put his name in front of that" the line of the night?

 

How about his story about telling his wife he's the same age as Brad Pitt?  

 

Any doubt KPop Demon Hunters would take Animated Feature? 

 

Did they try to play those winners off quickly or what?

 

Was that because Madigan went long? 

 

Was an upset winner for Animated Short the last thing anyone needed for their Oscar scorecard?

 

Was this the earliest in the show we've ever gotten a musical performance? 

 

Wasn't that whole Sinners thing kind of wild?

 

Did you hear how into it the audience was? 

 

Would it have gotten your attention if Frankenstein lost Costume Design to Sinners? 

 

Or Makeup to...The Smashing Machine?

 

Who expected the first bleep of the night to come in the Hair/Makeup category? 

 

Did you expect cast members to introduce each of their own film's casting directors?

 

Conflict of interest much? 

 

But wasn't it kind of great? 

 

How about that ovation for The Secret Agent? 

 

Remember how sure everyone seemed of a category we've never had before?

 

Should we be a little more careful when predicting this one next year?

 

Did you see it as an ominous sign that Sinners lost in a category it was thought to be locked for? 

 

Did that bode well  for OBAA's Best picture chances?

 

A TIE????!!!!

 

How do we count this on our ballots? 

 

Did you notice how careful Kumail was to reassure us it wasn't a joke after what we saw happen with Moonlight and La La Land?  

 

And wasn't he right about the irony of the Live Action Short category taking twice as long now?

 

Retracting the winner's mic? Really?

 

Is Chalamet ever going to live this whole ballet thing down?

 

Unless he wins the Oscar, apologizes and dedicates it to dancers worldwide? 

 

Should he know it's bad when winners are somehow incorporating it into their acceptance speeches?  

 

Did you remember Kieran Culkin won Supporting Actor last year?

 

Didn't you just know Sean Penn wouldn't be there?

 

"Or didn't want to?"

 

Wasn't that Casablanca skit with Sterling K. Brown pretty clever? 

 

Will it ever get tiresome seeing Paul Thomas Anderson accept a writing Oscar?

 

But isn't it about time for a directing one?  

 

Would Ryan Coogler somehow losing Original Screenplay doom Sinners for the rest of the night? 

 

Wasn't it great to see Billy Crystal on an Oscar stage again?

 

Could it possibly be under sadder circumstances?

 

Did you forget just how many popular, widely beloved titles Rob Reiner directed?

 

Did you spot Fred Savage on stage?

 

Wasn't that tribute an appropriate segue into the In Memoriam segment?

 

Is "appropriate" not usually the word we'd use to describe how they handle this portion of the show?  

 

Isn't it scary the names we lost his past year? 

 

Diane Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, Val Kilmer, Robert Duvall, Robert Redford?  

 

Did they really just leave out James Van Der Beek?!

 

Eric Dane?

Brigitte Bardot? 

 

How much longer are they going to keep pulling this?  

 

Aren't you just waiting to hear the producers' lame excuse...again? 

 

Were you about to lose it until remembering they did include Gene Hackman in last year's segment?   

 

Did anyone else have problems understanding Barbra Streisand?

 

Wait, doesn't everyone call her "Babs?"

 

Not a question but...Grogu!

 

Isn't Avatar always good for an easy Visual Effects win?

 

They really want to get this thing finished by 10:30 don't they?

 

Didn't Grogu try his best to clap?

 

Why does the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu movie feel four years too late?

 

Remember when that Kimmel guy hosted the Oscars?

 

Did its title alone sway members to vote for Mr. Nobody Against Putin? 

 

Did the lack of political speeches come to a screeching halt with this category?

 

Isn't F1 by far the weakest of the Best Picture nominees?

 

Am I the only one who doesn't get the deep affection for Bridesmaids? 

 

But wasn't that bit with the notes funny?

 

Did Maya Rudolph have the best opening line with "Earlier today while I was counting my money?" 

 

Did you expect the Academy President to look like a cross between Anna Camp and Brittany Snow?

 

Lewis Pullman does really look a lot like his dad doesn't he?

 

Did OBBA's editing win lock its Best Picture Oscar?

 

Or maybe not after that Sinners cinematography upset?

 

Can you believe a woman's never won in this category before now? 

 

Didn't Train Dreams deserve it?

 

Isn't "Golden" inbsanely catchy?   

Javier Bardem doesn't hold back does he? 

 

Did anyone remember that Lionel Ritchie won an Original Song Oscar for White Knights?

 

Or recall the last time Diane Warren wasn't nominated?

 

They really didn't want that "Golden" songwriter to speak did they?

 

Weren't the producers downright militant in cutting time this year?

 

Doesn't it feel good to finally say PTA has a directing Oscar? 

 

Wouldn't Zendaya and Pattinson in a PTA movie be intriguing? 

 

Isn't it the truth that Adrien Brody saved last year's show from running short? 

 

Has the Best Actor race ever been this tight? 

 

Okay, maybe not? 

 

Didn't Michael B. Jordan's mom look proud? 

 

Didn't he give a classy speech of appropriate length? 

 

But can we please keep Will Smith's name out of our mouths at the Oscars? 

 

So maybe it didn't end by 10:30 but they still made really good time didn't they? 

 

Is it hard for anyone to forget Mikey Madison beating Demi Moore last year? 

 

Was it even possible to imagine a scenario where Jessie Buckley loses? 

 

Are there any actors who can't sing?

 

Didn't the best film win for a change? 

 

How about that impressive 1975 Best Picture nominee list PTA rattled off? 

 

Isn't he right about Chase Infiniti being the heart of that movie? 

 

How was she not even nominated?  

 

But isn't it cool how she was named after two of 1995's most memorable movie characters?  

 

Was Marty Supreme just completely shut out? 

 

How about the show's ending skit? 

 

Was that even more of a spoiler than the opening?

 

Or maybe not, if you didn't know which nominated picture they were spoofing? 

 

Does appointing Conan as "Host For Life" actually not sound like such a bad idea?