Enterprising Americans (feat. Bart Layton)
Episode 96
Boredom, boldness and a proper mark — those are the three ingredients shared by today’s category of “American” criminal films. It matters not if it’s New York in the ’70s or a sleepy college campus in 2004; flying too close to the sun for that big score is apparently a national pastime.
We start the episode in the true crime realm with a discussion of the new film “American Animals” and the dramatization of its stranger-than-fiction premise. Chance interviews director Bart Layton to ask about connecting with the real people who tried to steal $12 million worth of rare books and the world view of the four young men who seemingly set out to create havoc in their lives.
Then, it’s on to “American Made,” last year’s Tom Cruise extravaganza. We consider whether this silly, slippery movie is a proper crime epic or a just ridiculous highlight reel of faux-history. And speaking of faux-history, we wrap up with “American Hustle,” revisiting the film five years after we were both initially dazzled by its star-studded cast and lively David O. Russell script. Don’t con yourself; just press play.
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Movie Reviews & Reappraisals
Be Reel is a movie reviewing & reappraising podcast hosted by Chance Solem-Pfeifer and Noah Ballard.
Each time out, we select three movies based around a genre and call up guests ranging from submarine captains to Oscar winners. Then, we rate the movies, weighing both technical quality and entertainment.
Noah and Chance are old friends who mostly respect each other’s opinions. Even though Chance is a fool and a traitor. Find their show presented at ThePlaylist.Net and follow them on Twitter for the latest on Noah’s literary agenting and Chance’s work in the Portland arts scene.