Soderbergh Meets The Nice Guys Meets Scorsese: A Review of HBO's No Sudden Move

Where/How I Found It

No Sudden Move is available to stream on HBO Max. I've enjoyed director Steven Soderbergh's previous offerings (including Ocean's Eleven, etc.), and Taylor and I were excited to check out his latest film.

Spoiler-Free Plot Summary

In 1954 Detroit, two low-level criminals (portrayed by Don Cheadle and Benicio Del Toro) are hired to steal a document belonging to one of the major automobile manufacturer's in the city. After the heist goes awry, the duo comes to realize that the circumstances behind their hiring may have more sinister motivations. Working together, Cheadle and Del Toro's characters navigate through the complicated underworld of organized crime in one of America's most corrupt cities to discover the true intentions behind why their employer wanted the document so badly, and why someone simultaneously seems to have it in for the two of them.

What Was Good

Soderbergh certainly has his fingerprints all over this film from a familiar sounding score to a plot that weaves together ample storylines from an ensemble cast. There might not be a director who has a better grasp on a multi-faceted heist film than Soderbergh, but this film additionally addresses a real historical dilemma (no spoilers) in an engaging way. Del Toro and Cheadle work together well, but my favorite performance was from David Harbour. While never overly-threatening, the film constantly has an air of uncertainty, even if the audience can't put their finger on exactly why.

What Was Bad

I'll just come out and say that the ending underwhelmed me in some ways. While the movie is consistently uncertain from a plot perspective, I found it easy to tune out in the middle and return without missing too much. Essentially, there are some scenes that could be thrown away and the movie wouldn't miss out on the overall effect it has on the audience.

You'll Like It If

You liked the movie "The Nice Guys"
Mid-20th century crime movies appeal to you
Martin Scorsese movies are in your wheelhouse
You can accept a mystery story that is explained to you, not one that you can figure out ahead of time

You'll Dislike It If

You're expecting ample laughs
You're looking for a high-octane, adrenaline-filled crime shootout. This film has its moments of excitement, but it's largely a slow burn with a few moments of high tension
You want an uplifting message to get you through your week
You're expecting Don Cheadle to revisit his legendary accent from the Ocean's trilogy

Conclusion and Final Rating

This is a good movie that is really hard to describe succinctly without spoiling major plot points. I personally believe there isn't a signature acting performance or jaw-dropping individual scene, but the movie as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The story is fairly familiar if you've watched some of the films I referenced above, but it offers a fresh spin that accentuates an unfortunately (in some ways) overlooked city in Detroit. It's not life-changing, but it's ultimately satisfying.