Miami Vice 1.5 - From Romania with Love

Miami Vice - From Romania with Love

Genre: Crime / Action

Director: Peter Berg

Writer: Roy Horne

Based on the television series

Cast: Josh Holloway, Taye Diggs, Andy Garcia, Katrina Law, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Brad William Henke, Troy Garity, Veronika Vernadskaya, Enrico Colantoni, Elizabeth Mitchell, Dina Meyer, Neil Hopkins

Plot: In Bucharest, Romania, a bus full of women and children is stopped by an SUV full of gunmen, who snatch all of the babies. One of the mothers, Tatyana (Veronika Vernadskaya), tries to escape but is caught and her baby is taken. When she tries to get the baby back, the gunman knocks her out.

In Miami, Crockett (Josh Holloway) and Tubbs (Taye Diggs) are waiting for a small plane to arrive at a isolated airport outside the city. They received a tip that the plane will contain contraband. When the plane lands, Crocket, Tubbs, Switek (Brad William Henke) and Zito (Troy Garity) swarm the plane. The pilot and co-pilot open fire on the Vice Squad, but are killed in the shootout. When the squad investigates the plane, an unconscious Tatyana falls out of a hatch on the plane. When the squad investigates the rumored crates of contraband on the plane, they find that the crates are full of babies, some of which are dead. Crocket immediately calls for medical assistance for the babies.

In the hospital, Gina (Katrina Law) and Trudy (Megalyn Echikunwoke) attempt to interview Tatyana, but she is hysteric. They manage to get her name and where she's from, before Tatyana passes out again. The doctor tells them that she had been stowed away in the unheated, unpressurized cargo hatch of the plane on the trans-Atlantic flight. When she wakes up again she explains that her baby was taken. Immigation and Customs (ICE) agents arrive to take Tatyana into custody. Gina and Trudy try to stop them and explain that they need to find her baby, but they are uninterested. While they take her away, Tatyana tells them that her baby has a birthmark on its left shoulder.

At OCB, Castillo (Andy Garcia) tells the squad that he will do what he can about ICE, but doesn't want them involved in the case, suggesting they turn it over to the FBI. Gina and Trudy want to follow up and check on who's behind this smuggling ring. Castillo gives the squad two days to figure out what they can before he turns over everything they have to the feds. Crockett and Tubbs try to track the plane, but it isn't registered and the pilots didn't have any identification. Switek and Zito check Social Services for any paperwork on recent Bosian adoptions, while Crockett and Tubbs decide to contact the consulate to coordinate with them.

At the Romanian consulate, Crockett and Tubbs speak with the consul Ivan Tabakov (Yuri Kolokolnikov) and asks to see what adoption records the consulate has. Tabakov insists that he would need his government's approval to hand over any such documents. After Crockett and Tubbs leave, Tabakov makes a phone call. At Social Services, Switek and Zito are referred to speak to Angela Mitchell (Elizabeth Mitchell), the normal contact at the office for European adoptions, but she is out of the office. The office manager offers to print out a report of any adoptions that match the profile of Tatyana's baby. The report lists over one hundred babies that fit the profile. Zito notices that almost all of the adoptions were handled by the same lawyer, listed only by a number on the list. They ask the office manager who the lawyer is, and she gives them the contact information of the lawyer, Howard Koenig.

Gina and Trudy go to the house of one of the names on the adoption list and talk to Steven March (Neil Hopkins), who tells them that they worked with Koenig to adopt their first child, but that child had a genetic disease and died. He tell them that Koenig then adopted another baby to them, but demanded $50,000 for handling the transaction. March tells them that if they ever need anyone to testify against Koenig, he would gladly since he thinks Koenig is a scum bag for trying to extort he and his wife.

At OCB, Switek and Zito are able to link Koenig with over one hundred other adoptions and discover that he won't take on new clients without a financial statement. Catillo agrees to bug Koenig's phone, despite the lack of evidence of a crime being committed. Castillo also announces that he has managed to get Tatyana released as long as she is in their custody. Zito thinks he has found a match for Tatyana's baby. Gina and Trudy take Tatyana to see the baby, where Tatyana immediately recognizes the child as her own. The adoptive mother, Moira Kaine (Dina Meyer) asks the detectives to leave.

Having supplied a fake financial statement to Koenig's office, Crockett and Tubbs pose as a gay couple looking to secure Koenig's services to help them adopt a child. They are taken into his office where they finally meet Howard Koenig (Enrico Colantoni). He begins discussing the adoption procedure when his phone rings. He apologizes to Crockett and Tubbs, but tells them that he has to cut their meeting short due to an urgent matter regarding one of his adoptions.

Angela Mitchell finally returns to the office and the office manager fills her in on the visit from Switek and Zito and them telling her about the planeload of babies. Mitchell becomes defensive, denying any knowledge of such a situation, and is upset with the manager for cooperating so freely with the police. Mitchell calls Koenig, requesting to meet on the beach. The call is intercepted by Switek and Zito, who are listening in on the call from a surveillance van. They then trail Koenig to the beach in the van. At the beach, Koenig tells Mitchell to keep her mouth shut and that he will take care of any of the parents who cooperate with the police by threatening to have their kids taken away by Mitchell. Switek and Zito are having trouble with their mics in the van and are unable to pick up the conversation being had. Koenig tells Mitchell that he will stop by her houes that night to finish the discussion before walking away. That night Koenig pulls up to Mitchell's house. He shoots her in the head as soon as she answers the door. He then runs out to his car, and pulls the dead body of Ivan Tabakov out of his trunk and drags it into Mitchell's house. Once they hear about the dead bodies of Tabakov and Mitchell, Crockett and Tubbs race to Koenig's house where they find him rushing out of the house and into his car. They chase his car through a rich neighborhood in the Miami suburbs. Koenig drives his car onto a golf course, where Crockett chases after him, until Koenig crashes his car into a sand trap next to the 18th green. Tubbs races out of the car to place Koenig under arrest, but before he can, Koenig shoots himself in the head. Gina and Trudy take Tatyana to the airport and return her baby to her. Tatyana thanks them for all their help and boards a plane to head back home.

Review: Leaving Everything

The show is at its strongest when it is capturing a Canadian cultural zeitgeist from a certain time. As a result, its biggest weakness is the constant time-jumping both between and within the multiple timelines.

I can't help but feel like every episode after the pilot has been a letdown. From the looks of the first episode, we were looking at something good, but episodes feel bland, despite the best efforts of the cast and crew. It's by no means all bad, but I simply expected more

The series started out with an intriguing mystery, but unfortunately that initial mystery has not led to very intriguing drama. Despite a strong present-day performance from Robin Tunney, her look back at the life of her late grandmother has not been as fruitful as hoped.
 

Drive 1.5 - Darkness Never Fades Nor Hides

Drive: Darkness Never Fades Nor Hides

Genre: Action

Executive Producer: Drew Goddard

Writer: H.G. Hansen

Based on the 2011 film by Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast: Dan Stevens, Jessica Paré, Bruce Campbell, Norman Reedus, Benjamin Bratt, Aubrey Plaza and Chloe Bennett

A recap of the last few episodes

We see Mia (Jessica Paré) and Driver (Dan Stevens) with Mia’s friend and Daisy’s girlfriend, Rita (Aubrey Plaza), and Daisy (Chloe Bennett), Mia’s sister. They are enjoying their time with one another as Driver remains content through the whole evening. They run out of wine and Driver volunteers to get more. Rita and Daisy are unsure about him; he’s kinda distant to them while open with Mia. Mia just reassures them that he isn’t open with new people. Rita thinks he’s got a dark soul as she can read it on his face then excuses herself to the bathroom. Daisy and Mia talk to one another about what Mia sees in him. Mia doesn’t know how to describe it like he makes her feel safe. He looks at her like the only person in the world. Daisy isn’t surprised since it looks like he doesn’t like people on how he rarely talked to her or Rita. Mia rolls her eyes as she knows Daisy is being protective but she doesn’t need to worry since Driver wouldn’t hurt a fly. Driver walks in with the wine as he grabbed a red one since Daisy said it’s her favorite. Daisy is setback as Mia smiles by how Driver listens more than talking.

The aftermath of the diner incident is shown as the bodies, blood, and carnage is about. “Dangerous” by Fred Eaglesmith plays as the camera pans around till we get to the kitchen where Driver and Daisy are quiet. Daisy is still shocked by seeing this side of him. He tells her that they have to get out of here. Daisy asks how it is easy for him to kill those people. Driver is now setback by this as he never had to explain that part of himself, since he rarely shows it. He’s had a past that he always ignored but it wasn’t till now it’s come back. Daisy then asks did Mia know but they’re interrupted as a cop car appears. Driver tells her that has to go but Daisy can’t leave Rita. Driver tells her to meet up later and he’ll explain more. Daisy is still shocked but tries to regain herself. He apologizes about Rita and how he always liked them.

Driver and Mia are walking out of Rita’s and Daisy’s apartment as Mia wants to know what he thinks of them. Driver likes them which are hard to see considered how he rarely said anything to them. Driver didn’t need to or want to because they were… “Adorable?” Mia finished his thought and smiles. Driver smirks as he loves how she  can read him better than he can her. Mia always loves a strong silent type anyway. They kiss and get into the car. They drive away but a car can be seen following them.

Herb (Bruce Campbell) is seen walking into the station as he sees everyone is riled up as a diner has been reported for a mass murder. Milton (Benjamin Bratt) informs Herb that the guy they’re looking for appeared at the scene. Herb is confused by this as Milton asks if he wants to join but Herb says he needs to stay back to follow up on something. Milton is okay with that as he heads to the scene. Herb stares  at Milton.

Driver is waiting for Daisy at her home to which she isn’t surprised by this after what she saw him do. Daisy begins to the questions of who he is and why was it easy for him to do what he did. Driver  explains about how he never had a normal life and how the only father figure he had made him a monster. He did things that only someone can only live with to continue living. Daisy asks why did those people want to kill him. Driver is hesitant but he realizes she won’t let go since they killed Mia. Driver doesn’t wanna say till Daisy blows up on him  on how she deserves to know since Mia loved him and always defended him. “He’s my brother…” Driver says and Daisy is confused. Mr. S (Norman Reedus) or Samuel, the guy he was talking to, is his orphan brother.

Herb breaks into Milton’s desk and goes through his  things as he finds some stacks of cash and a burner phone  hidden. Herb calls the last number and someone answers as they mention it better be better than the time they almost got caught at the police station. Herb not answering signals it’s not Milton and Herb hangs up quickly.

Driver explains how Samuel and he were raised by a man who made them weapons. We see a set of memories where Driver and Samuel growing up killing innocents and people who threatened their father figure. Daisy asks then why does Samuel want to kill him. Driver tells a brief story about how he got into a series of events of LA but that isn’t why. “Then why?... What reason would he have to collect on the hit against you?” Driver then mentions he killed their father figure. He killed him in front of Samuel. We see a teenager bashing someone violently with a hammer. He then stands in front of the man while holding the bloody hammer. Samuel walks into see Driver’s eyes like such darkness.  

Herb does some work as he can see Milton and some other cops being the first to responded to all of Driver’s  incidents but looks at the security tapes of the club to find that the times they reported in don’t match what’s on the tapes.

Driver is silent as he is deep into thought of his past. Daisy asks what he did next. Driver talks about how he had to do what he had to to survive. Daisy is silent too but Driver explains he doesn’t want to be an awful person but the world has already formed and molded him into something that will always be there for the world is  dark and gritty. Daisy doesn’t believe that but Driver mentions how Mia thought the same and tried to change him till it got her killed too. Daisy catches him by that as he discovers she knew what he was. Driver makes a face as if he has just been caught in the act. 

Driver and Mia get home as they talk  about how Driver has to go to work again tomorrow. Mia wants to spend the day with him tho. Driver insists he has to work which makes Mia ask what’s so important but gets interrupted by a group of men who break into the house. Driver attacks the men by having one of them shoot their own foot, breaking a flower veil and using the shard of glass to repeatingly stab a guy in the neck, and then fights hand to hand combat with three men at once. Driver ends it with his foot stomping on a guy’s head. The guy who got shot in the foot tries tot crawl away but Driver catches up to him. Driver asks who sent them and the guy tells him he can’t run away from LA. How everyone will find him and kill him along with Mia. This makes Driver angry as he asks why he had to threaten Mia. Driver then takes his fingers and sinks them into the guy’s eyes till a crack can be heard. Driver breathes deep as a flash image of him standing with the bloody hammer over his father figure. The blood dripping slowly from the hammer. “Derek?” Driver can hear young Samuel staring at him with deep fear as he can with Mia who is frightened by him. She saw the whole thing as Driver’s angry fades. He begins to break down as  if he doesn’t like that side of him. Mia slowly walks up to him as she comforts him in her arms. She tells him it’s okay as Driver sees Mia’s bracelet.

Driver stares at the bracelet as Daisy now looks at Driver like she understands him for the first time. She then asks if Mia accepted him  but Driver corrects her that Mia actually made him a better man. Daisy then asks that those people who killed Mia and Rita are all controlled by Mr. S or Samuel. Driver nods. “Then what are you gonna do?” Driver looks up as he sees Mia tell him it’s alright. He  doesn’t believe she can love him now but he saved her and that makes her love him even more. She gives him her bracelet and tells him it’s a symbol of how he doesn’t need to be alone anymore and how he can be better. They kiss as she sees and loves him for him. Driver looks up at Daisy and tells her, “I’m gonna burn this fucking city down if it means I get to see Samuel burn with it…”

Daisy recalls a brunch meeting with Mia and Rita as Rita notices Mia is kinda quiet. Mia is just tired, she and Driver had a deep conversation that made them realize things about each other. Rita makes a crack how she guesses their caution to him made her finally dig through his luggage. Mia doesn't find it funny as she feels more connected to him now. Daisy doesn't buy it as guys like Driver who don't say much about themselves always have a lot to hide. Mia though doesn't think so. Some people can like heroes but have darkness inside of them. But people who have darkness inside hide it for a reason that's not selfish, those are people who deserve redemption. When they look at Drive they see someone not worth their time but she looks at him she sees a light that's covered in darkness only because it never fades or hides. It'll always find a way to appear. But Driver, he hides for others but knows it'll never go away. She loves him for how he wants to be a good person. Rita says whatever as Daisy can see though that Mia got to see something others don't. See a person for who they really are and she accepts it.

Daisy sees why Mia loved him, she believed hes a good person even though he's damaged. Even though she scared of him, she knows it's more than him losing the one he loved but his light was snuffed out and the darkness is all that remains. 

Herb awaits for Milton in Milton's apartment. Milton is surprised by this but he's glad to tell him they got Driver's face now they're gonna get him. Herb thinks that fantastic including for his employer. Milton is still as Herb knows he's the one who sold out Ridge. Milton tries to explain that he was doing it to capture Driver so lives can be spared but Herb throws the cash he found in Milton's desk hidden along with a burner phone. The last number called was right after they questioned Ridge. Herb is sickened by Milton who now drops the act talking about how they do nothing to make the world better so what's wrong with earning more than a pat on the back. Herb doesn't buy it as he now's looks at Milton for what he is. No different than the ones they lock up. Milton chuckles as he thought Herb would have joined considering how much Mr. S is paying him. Milton pulls out his gun and loud bang is heard.


CUT TO BLACK

"Once you get over the overbearing pacing issues, you realize that Drew Goddard managed to get the vibe of the original film quite well and that it is stylish and well acted (although all that violence feels a little gratuitous)

I don't usually judge adaptation by their truthfulness, but can we really say it's an adaptation of the film by now ? I had high hopes for this one, but the twists and turns to the story and the constant deaths are a real bummer for me.

Say what you want, but the people behind Drive know how to choregraph a fight scene.  The show works best when it is set in the present time and loses all it's momentum during flashback sequences. I liked the series so far, but now that (spoiler alert) Peter Capaldi's character is dead, I need a new favorite character)