source: Destroyer

source: Destroyer

"Destroyer" seems to have had mixed reviews, but it is really one of the most gripping watches I've seen in 2019. The plot is both familiar (think "The Departed" mixed with "Hell or High Water") but at the same time intricate. Nicole Kidman plays police detective Erin Bell who's in a bad place. She looks to be on her last legs through drink and drugs, but she is being propped up in her post by an understanding boss and a tolerant partner (who spends most of his time leaving "Where the hell are you?" voicemails). Erin is in pursuit of a truly evil man - Silas (Toby Kebbell) - who is back after a long absence. Erin and Silas have a past that is only unfolded as the film evolves. (To say more would ruin what is an outstandingly well-constructed screenplay). Aside from the "day job", what Erin also has to contend with her truly wayward 16 year old daughter Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn). It's an astonishing performance. Nicole Kidman is simply extraordinary in this role. As ably demonstrated recently in the excellent "Big Little Lies", Kidman at 52 years old, is still utterly gorgeous in the flesh. But In the same way that Charlize Theron "uglied up" for "Monster", so Kidman here is almost unregonizable as the police officer on the edge. Apparantly she could barely walk due to a bout of the flu during the final scenes of the film, so the acting here required not a huge amount of acting! But it's a terrific performance and one that I think justly deserves a Best Actress Oscar nomination. I'd be genuinely disappointed if she didn't get one for this. Standout performances also come from Sebastian Stan as Erin's former squeeze Chris and Jade Pettyjohn as young Shelby. Great to also see Bradley Whitford ("West Wing") in a cameo as a truly smug and obnoxious money launderer. The screenplay by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi (who wrote the "Ride Along" franchaise) is also artfully done, to the extent that again I would personally nominate it for an Oscar. It's true, that the good cop / bad cop movie and the bank heist movie have been done countless times before, such that it feels immediately familiar. And the tone of the film (supported by an effectively stress-inducing music score by Theodore Shapiro) reminded me of "You Were Never Really Here". But here the continuous and dizzying flashing between timelines kept me on my toes and I for one didn't see the stunning twist in the tale coming at all. Credit must also go to director Karyn Kusama, who is new to me, who keeps the action moving at a slick pace such that I wasn't for one second bored. Perhaps if there's a criticism here it's that we don't get to see enough of the characterisations fleshed out. This is particularly true of the villain of the piece, Silas, who is painted sufficiently well as being on-the-edge and unhinged, but not unrepentantly "shoot a granny in the face" evil. I missed this at the cinema, so it took a plane journey to catch up on it. It's a heady mix of criminality, justice, revenge and atonement, and it made the journey just fly by. Highly recommended. (For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies via Google or Facebook. Thanks.)

Sauce

Most people were challenged by the numerous flashbacks, and the ending didn't go like most scripts go. Soo, I thought the flashbacks were amongst the easiest to follow that I've seen primarily because she looks really different within each time period. As far as the abrupt no- nonsense ending I thought it was realistic & fit the story. The acting was quite good; the storyline somewhat creatively different for an undercover bank heist script. The background sound effects & music were a subtle contributor. Nicole's makeup stole the show; so good I was feeling sorry for her.

Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) is an undercover LA cop. The story loops back on itself and runs with a flashback subplot. As a youth Bell was involved in an undercover bank robbery gone bad. We find out the details over time. She has a drinking problem and is obsessed with finding Silas, the leader of the gang who has resurfaced 17 years later. Bell will never win mother-of-the-year and part of the story deals with her broken relationship with her daughter. Kidman does a good job in the film as a young blue-eyed beauty and a rode hard brown-eyed adult. The film is a crime drama, that is waiting for something to happen. Edited in a way I found more confusing than entertaining. Guide: F-word. No nudity.

A good story ingeniously told. Beautifully rounded characterisation by Nicole Kidman. Give it a try.

Just watched one of the best movies that I expect to see this year and it's only February. One of those movies that remains with you long after the credits have ended. Outstanding performance from Nicole Kidman. I didn't recognise her, the makeover was that good. I had to check the cast list to make sure that I was watching the correct movie. Never mind the negative reviews. Just watch the movie, you will not be disappointed.

I only gave 2 stars for Nicole Kidman performance,but the movie is very boring,why it's so long ,without point . Waste of time and money for cinema,should I living this movie for Netflix. I so one couple left in the middle of the movie. Don't blame them at all

Despite some of it's more generic parts, Destroyer is an incredible and intense crime thriller. Nicole Kidman gives an incredible lead performance with really good supporting performances from Sebastian Stan, Toby Kebbell and Bradley Whitford. Karyn Kusama's direction is great and the music by Theodore Shapiro is really good. The plot is also great with some unpredictable moments.