Skip to main content

Americana (2025)


Americana (2025) is written and directed by Tony Tost, best known for his work on Longmire. His approach here focuses more on character work than plot, with the script itself being serviceable but not remarkable. Still, it provides a strong platform for the cast to showcase their abilities.

Sydney Sweeney delivers an impressive performance as a waitress with a stutter, bringing nuance and empathy to a role that could have easily felt one-note. It’s one of her more grounded performances and a highlight of the film. You'll remember Syd from her American Eagle commercial.

Halsey is nearly unrecognizable in her role, playing with a fierceness that stands out and proves her versatility outside of music. Her presence commands attention whenever she’s on screen. I was first introduced to her from MGK's music video Forget Me Too.

Eric Dane takes on a villain role and succeeds at being thoroughly hate-able, leaning into his darker side effectively. His work gives the film much of its tension. You'll remember him from Grey's Anatomy.

While the script may only be okay, the cast elevates it with committed and memorable performances. It becomes less about the story and more about the acting showcase, which works in its favor. Result: B+

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Bury The Dead (2026)

We Bury The Dead (2026) is a slow burn post apocalypse film centered on grief more than horror. Directed by Zak Hilditch , best known for smaller projects like 1922 and Rattlesnake , this is his first step into a larger American production. You can feel the restraint in the direction, sometimes to the film’s benefit and sometimes to its detriment. The pacing is deliberate, almost stubbornly so, and while the mood is consistent, it rarely escalates into anything memorable. Daisy Ridley , best known for Star Wars: The Force Awakens , carries the film as a woman searching for her missing husband who may or may not have turned into a zombie. Ridley is solid and emotionally grounded, doing the best she can with minimal dialogue and long stretches of quiet reflection. Her performance is never the problem. If anything, she is the primary reason the movie remains watchable. The supporting cast is where the film struggles. Nearly every side character is written as painfully one note, existi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)

Happy Gilmore 2 is directed by Kyle Newacheck , known for his work on Workaholics and Murder Mystery . He brings some of that chaotic energy to this sequel, but he’s held back by a script from Tim Herlihy , a frequent Sandler collaborator. Herlihy’s writing feels like it’s trying too hard to be modern, often missing the charm that made the original a cult classic. Adam Sandler has his prime days in the past and his goofy persona is hard to grasp again now that the novelty has worn off. He plays an alcoholic in the film, which was supposed to give him some sort of character arc but it just came across as weak. Julie Brown returns and still brings a grounded energy to the cast. Her chemistry with the rest of the ensemble feels natural, and she’s one of the more consistent performers here despite her minimal use. Christopher McDonald reprises his role as Shooter McGavin, slipping into it effortlessly. He hasn’t lost the smug charisma that made the character iconic, and his presence ad...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anaconda (2025)

Anaconda (2025) is a reboot comedy of the 90s film, written and directed by Tom Gormican , who previously delivered the clever and self-aware The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent . Unfortunately, that lightning does not strike twice. The core problem is simple. The jokes do not land. If horror films are judged by scares per minute, then comedies should be judged by laughs per minute, and this one delivers virtually none. Any humor that works was already burned in the trailer, leaving the film feeling empty and painfully drawn out. Jack Black , known for School of Rock and Jumanji , leans heavily into his loud, chaotic persona, but here it becomes grating rather than charming. His performance feels unchecked and repetitive, as if volume alone is meant to substitute for comedy. Instead of elevating scenes, he often drains them of momentum. Paul Rudd , who audiences know from Ant-Man and I Love You, Man , somehow comes off just as irritating. Rudd is usually likable even in weak m...
Post a Comment
Read more