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FILM REVIEW: The Rhythm Section

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Two-hundred thirty-nine passengers perish during a plane crash. An investigative journalist, Keith Proctor (Raza Jaffrey, Homeland), tracks down a member of one of the families who died on flight NE027. Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively, The Town), a drug addict and a prostitute, is shocked to learn that the tragic incident was the result of a bomb. Proctor knows who’s responsible. He knows the players. Stephanie: “Why did you come for me?” Proctor: “You’re another victim. You’re just not dead yet.”

Published

5 years ago

February 2, 2020

Oakland Post

By Dwight Brown NNPA Newswire Film Critic

They tried to conjure the spirits of La Femme Nikita and Atomic Blonde. They didn’t try hard enough.

Tangier, Marseilles, New York, Madrid… Blood is spilled and bodies are found in apartments, houses and buses on several continents in this revenge mystery/thriller. What’s all the commotion?

Two-hundred thirty-nine passengers perish during a plane crash. An investigative journalist, Keith Proctor (Raza Jaffrey, Homeland), tracks down a member of one of the families who died on flight NE027. Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively, The Town), a drug addict and a prostitute, is shocked to learn that the tragic incident was the result of a bomb. Proctor knows who’s responsible. He knows the players. Stephanie: “Why did you come for me?” Proctor: “You’re another victim. You’re just not dead yet.”

Blake Lively and Sterling K. Brown star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Before anyone can, say, “Where is my Glock 19?” the lady of the night is training with a mysterious ex-MI6 agent Boyd (Jude Law) to become familiar with the fine arts of espionage, weapons and assassination. Memories of her mom, dad and siblings haunt her. She’s seeks vengeance. Unfortunately, her skills and killer instincts don’t match up with her will. Is she even capable?

Novelist Mark Burnell turned his bestselling book into a screenplay. Not much is lost in the screen adaptation. Stephanie, as the unlikely protagonist, does just enough to pull you into her plight. You’ll want to see if she can step up and do the unconscionable to the deplorables.

Blake Lively stars in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Pity her transformation from hooker to slayer in a 30-day window doesn’t add up. It’s an unlikely transformation, implausible, improbable at best. If she had started out as a former spy, soldier, markswoman, decathlete—something—you might believe she could turn herself into a fight machine. There is nothing on view that shows she can do the job. The film embraces her ineptness, making it part of her persona. But her bumbling executions wear thin fast. It’s a device that might have worked in the novel. On screen, she just looks feeble.

Raza Jaffrey stars in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Guiding the actors and tech crew through the process is Reed Morano, the Emmy-winning director of the very evocative Prime Video series The Handsmaid’s Tale and Starz’s show Power. She made a name for herself as a cinematographer with TV projects (Beyoncé Lemonade). Evidence of her visual flare is in the film’s look and footage.

Shots of international cities and landscapes (cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years A Slave) look spectacular. The camera loves close-ups of characters, chest and up. Jittery, arty camerawork follows Stephanie as she runs down streets. Overall color choices (art director Didac Bono), costumes (Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, The Fall), production design (Tom Conroy) and set decoration (Crispian Sallis) are unquestionable and fit the locations and genre.

Jude Law and Blake Lively star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

If this film wanted to be included in the same breath as top espionage movies (e.g. Bourne Identity, Carlos) or impress action/thriller fans, it needed intriguing action scenes with dazzling choreography. Fights, gun battles, car chases—those are the staples of these types of films, and unless you get them right, or climb to new heights, they become liabilities. Stephanie’s exploits are never amazing, uncanny. The exception may be the climax of the film, which upon afterthought is ironic and cathartic.

Blake Lively is a strong actress, which she evidenced in the movie The Town. However, she never rises to this occasion, or brings her menacing up to a level that would threaten anybody. Anne Parillaud did in Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita. She blazed a trail. The other actress who bitch-slapped the genre is Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde. Her interpretation of Lorraine Broughton, an undercover MI6 agent, is classic. That character is a badass killer who can take a bullet with the best of them, then gun you down. Since Lively never takes her role to that edge, the entire film suffers.

Raza Jaffrey fairs well as the brave journalist. Jude Law has been better in other films and does little to leave his mark on the rogue agent. There is a scary calmness to Tawfeek Barhom’s (Mary Magdalene) portrayal as the suspect Reza. Sterling K. Brown, as an information go-between tied to terrorists and spy agencies, doesn’t make his character stand out. This is the kind of role actors like Denzel Washington, with his acting bravura, would make unforgettable.

It should be noted that the film’s basic theme of terrorist bombings has an anti-Arab overtone that is hard to shake. Even if a lot of the most evil players are non-Muslim, still, something doesn’t feel right.

As the film careens towards its ending, 1h 49 min rolls by pretty quickly (editor Joan Sobel, Nocturnal Animals). Were it not for an incessant series of flashbacks of the Patrick family to remind audiences of Stephanie’s torment, when really Lively’s pained facial expressions are adequate, the film’s pacing would be just about right. You stay engaged for the most part. Waiting and waiting for those scenes that will separate this movie from the next. They never arrive.

It’s said that the difference between modern dance and ballet is that one is all about the movement and the other is about position and image. Reed Morano is accustomed to shooting series that are all about the lasting visual impression. Thrillers tend to be more about actions and mindboggling incidents. If Morano can make that adjustment, with her strong sense of design and affinity for drama, her future films in this genre would be more fun to watch.

Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

6 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: