Do me a favor really quick. Would you? Just stop what you’re doing and breathe. Concentrate your breath. Focus on your heart, as if beginning “We Will Rock You” by Queen. The arena sound slowly filling your entire frame. Once you have a confidence about your heart, slowly add your breath within. Think of your breath as the bass longing to accompany its partner in crime. The music is soothing. Now, allow me to calmly return you to the review in progress. Not a bad way to start out a review or anything really. Sometimes anxiety gets to much for us to handle. It feels like a weight slowly crushing us. Silently killing more than we can handle.
Sometimes anxiety can fuel multiple layers of our everyday life. Wondering if someone will like us or wondering if we’ll make it from point A to point B – if we get in a car. Wondering if we’ll die alone or wondering if we’ll get fired at our place of employment today. The unknown is absolutely terrifying and honestly can bring people down to their knees. I get it. I’ve deal with anxiety every day. What if it’s more than anxiety? What if anxiety stems from a tragic event? That’s the unfortunate circumstances viewers find Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively) at the start of The Rhythm Section.
Set three years after a plane explosion, which killed her family, she learns that it was an act of terrorism and sets on a mission for revenge. For a movie that takes its name from the orchestra, it feels like it takes their timing as well. The pacing of Rhythm is incredibly slow. Lively and company keep feel like they are building to something grand but reality is nothing of the sort. The film’s big reveal and twist, feels a bit forced to begin with. Not to mention the characters involved within feel forced within the script to begin with. Which in the end leaves this one feeling a bit disjointed upon its finale. The “love” subplot doesn’t help either. I will say for all the ways that this film tries to pay off everything it sets up, it does house an impactful performance from Blake Lively.
As I said before, a lot of the film’s first act leans into that slow build. Featuring little to no dialogue, the film relies heavily on Lively and the score by Steve Mazzaro. Blake has to sell the emotion impact of the movie exclusively with facial expressions and reactions to what’s going on with her. The shy intensity and drug infused opening make for incredible cinema in which you’re constantly rooting for Lively to succeed. Mazzaro’s score really allows for the film to be sold to the deepest degree it can possibly reach. Unfortunately, its narrative and “side” quests make it fall short. There are certain portions of the film that fall into some pop music of yesterday – falling out of line with the film’s tone. The rest of the performances within the film from Jude Law and Sterling K. Brown, feel fine but nothing spectacular. No one really stands hand to hand with Lively.
Overall, The Rhythm Section, for all of its interesting merits significantly comes up short. Thanks in large portion to a sometimes confusing narrative, out of tone pop music (as few as they may be), and mediocre performances. The saddest part of Rhythm is the plot feels like its striving for gold (& possibly could – in another medium) but barely winds up with bronze. The movie is home to an incredible performance from Blake Lively. Her performance is fascinating to watch unfold, it’s a real shame it is wasted here. Equally as strong comes from the film’s score by Steve Mazzaro. Lively and Mazzaro go hand in hand to portray true tragedy in the finest arm form. Sometimes feels like they are in on an inside joke that the rest of the movie has no idea about. The Rhythm Section isn’t as in tune as it’d like to be, and ultimately won’t be the movie to get stuck in your head. You’ll probably forget it like a the name of the band who sings that one hit wonder.
RORSCHACH RATING:
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written and produced by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey. Music by Yuriy Bespalov & Beggars. The Rhythm Section is property of Paramount Pictures. We do not own nor claim any rights.