Movie Review: Fast Charlie (2023)

Rating: (4 stars out of 5)
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan
Director: Phillip Noyce
Writers: Richard WenkVictor Gischler
Genre: action, crime, drama, love story
Run Time: 1h 30m
Premiere Date: Dec 8, 2023
Country: USA

Synopsis
Former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, plays an aging hitman, Charlie Swift. He kills a guy and then gets entangled with his victim's ex-wife Marcie, played by Morena Baccarin. When an ambitious up-and-coming mob boss kills nearly all of Charlie's crew, he takes revenge as his token of gratitude to his gentleman boss Stan, played by James Caan (RIP, his last film).

Acting
Perhaps it was the acting and the chemistry played by Charlie and Marcie that saved the movie. Everything else was ok...yes, just ok except for the 2. They both had this no-nonsense demeanor with a muted but developing romance on the horizon. Maybe it was the muted sexual tension that spiced up the movie.

Cinematography
The setting was New Orleans and Mississippi with drone aerials of the landscape. Most of the shots were in the daytime, so not much for dramatic sharp contrasts.

Editing
Pacing was just right - not stretched out to be boring and not too cut up to feel hurried. The movie was more laid back than racy.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack was modern and upbeat. Kinda odd for a mob hit movie with a simmering romance on the backdrop, but altogether, it all seemed to work.

Casting
The former James Bond debonair is now wrinkled with a bulging tummy. But he's still got the juice. Marcie was a not-so-young and not-so-slim but a captivating partner-in-crime. I wonder if Morena Baccarin gained weight for this movie or if she really got portly. Anyway, they were a visual fit for each other. Had Charlie been with a young hottie, the movie would have felt superficial and shallow. James Caan was a surprise. I haven't seen him since The Godfather. RIP, but his face looked mummified. I mean, he had the look of an old man without wrinkles (layered face jobs?)...but not in a nice way. Like I said, it was more of a mummified look. I'd rather see an old man with his wrinkles and sagging cheeks than an old man whose face was stretched like a limousine from a botched face-job.

Ending Thoughts
The simmering chemistry of Charlie and Marcie adds a pleasant dimension to the guns and bullets of a mob movie. There was enough tension to hold you in your seat. I left the movie feeling my money was well spent.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
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