Ride The Eagle Could Be The Hidden Gem Of 2021
I’ve seen quite a few movies in 2021. A lot of those films have been in cinemas, as I’m trying to support the chains to make up for last year’s lost revenue. However, there are films that come around which don’t get the mainstream attention of some blockbusters. Thus, they don’t a wide release in theaters and home viewing is all that’s accessible. One of the more recent films I watched was in this category was, Ride The Eagle.
You’ve probably never heard of Ride The Eagle. What a treat this film was. If you’re into the independent film scene, this is one you’ll enjoy greatly. The movie markets itself as a comedy. However, it is very much a drama/ semi-dark comedy.
With a cast that consists of very few actors and actresses, Jake Johnson, ( New Girl) really shines here. This has a lot of his typical comedic quirks you’re used to, but he displays a somewhat more serious and dramatic side as well. He’s not an Academy Award-winning actor in this picture. I’d still reckon to say this is one of the more real performances I’ve seen thus far in 2021.
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Joining him is Susan Sarandon, D’Arcy Carden ( The Good Place), J.K. Simmons, and Luis Fernandez ( Lucha Underground, MLW). You don’t really get too much backstory or insight on any of the other cast. You’re given just enough to get the hang of the story. The movie is really a piece centered on Johnson’s character. This makes some of the relationships with the other characters a bit off and somewhat interesting.
I’d like to point out the relationship between him and Carden’s character. She is billed as the one who got away. They reference this numerous times in the film. Despite them being former lovers, they almost felt like brother and sister or best friends. It is made very apparent that they aren’t related by any means. I couldn’t get over how over the top and goofy the interactions between the two were.
Sarandon and Simmons do their best. I wasn’t really sold on Simmons at all. His character just got really, really weird at the end. Sarandon did the best job she could. I wouldn’t say it was bad, just not memorable. And if you’ve seen these two before (I’d assume you have), they’ve obviously been much better.
Ride The Eagle was filled with some very witty dialogue that gave the overall film and the characters a bit more edge. Without that, they all would have been very bland (even more so than they are at certain points). This is why the comedy aspect of this film is warranted, as it adds some much-needed personality to the film and its cast.
On the contrary, it is the comedy that almost throws this film off. You can’t really appreciate the serious moments. The filmmakers want you to think the scene featuring Simmons and Johnson near the film’s conclusion is a turning point or some big revelation. The issue is, the comedy bits are thrown into it kind of take that away. It was hard to really feel any true emotion, and, not going to lie, kind of took away from what the film was going for.
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I’ve probably made this film sound bad. I’m a very harsh critic. I will point out the bad over the good. Let me make one thing clear, this movie has a lot more going for it than I’ve let on. The comedy, while sometimes forced, is actually a laugh-out-loud comedy. The jokes do hit and the film teaches us all a very valuable lesson. The ending, while plain and almost abrupt, is also very rewarding. (SPOILER) Plot holes are plentiful. We never find out about the dog’s disappearance and reappearance, nor the reason for the stash of Marijuana, but all things you can look past. (END SPOILER)
I would encourage you to see this film for Johnson. If you’re used to him as Nick Miller, this has a very similar feel to it, however, he shows a bit more of a vulnerable side here as well. I personally found Fernandez to be the highlight, because as a big wrestling fan, his acting was such a different pace than what I’ve seen him as. In the end, I’d recommend, Ride The Eagle. It’s an uplifting film, that despite its faults, will still be a rewarding watch.
Image Source: DECAL
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
