House at the End of the Street (2012)

Directed by Mark Tonderai, this is a psychological thriller with suggestions of the supernatural.

A teenage girl (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother (Elisabeth Shue) move to a new neighbourhood. They learn that a nearby property was the scene of a double killing by a 17-year-old girl, whose older brother still occupies the house. But of course nothing is as it seems.

The film suffers from being directed at teenagers. There’s little depth, with the usually brilliant Lawrence giving a merely adequate performance. The slightly tortured twists of the plot don’t satisfy, either, and there’s not a great deal to enjoy.

Love Is All You Need (2012)

Light romantic drama from Denmark, directed by Susanne Bier. 

Philip (Pierce Brosnan) is a hard-hearted businessman. Ida (Trine Dyrholm) is a hairdresser recovering from cancer treatment. They pair meet when their children are due to marry in Italy, and they fall in love despite various obstacles. 

Contrary to what the generic title and packaging might suggest, it’s surprisingly enjoyable and subtle, with some nice observations about the way families behave.

Broken (2012)

Bleak, disturbing and brilliant drama about the inhabitants of a cul-de-sac in north London. 

It’s presented from the perspective of Emily "Skunk" Cunningham (Eloise Laurence), a diabetic girl who witnesses a violent act committed by one neighbour on another. 

Various threads relating to three families – all “broken” in various ways – are expertly woven together. It becomes increasingly harrowing to the point that it’s almost unbearable to watch. In a way it’s like a particularly well-constructed episode of Brookside. 

Rory Kinnear is superb as a desperate, angry father with psychopathic episodes. Tim Roth is fully convincing as Skunk's solicitor father Archie. And Cillian Murphy is believable as the well-meaning teacher Mike. 

By the end you feel quite shaken.

Sister (2012)

Swiss drama directed by Ursula Meier.

A boy named Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) lives in poverty with his self-destructive older sister Louise (Léa Seydoux). Every day he steals equipment from the local ski resort and sells it to support the two of them. But this increasingly leads him into danger, and we learn that there’s more to their relationship than we first think. 

It’s a brilliant slice of social realism. There are some funny moments amid the bleak and heartbreaking ones. 

It’s beautifully shot, too. The film makes a point of the contrast between Simon and Louise’s poverty and the wealth of the resort visitors. The latter are represented by Kristin (Gillian Anderson), who Simon forms a desperate attachment to.

The Hunt (2012)

Superb Danish drama directed by Thomas Vinterberg. 

Mads Mikkelsen stars as a nursery school teacher wrongfully accused of abusing one of the children in his care. 

It’s harrowing to watch his life fall apart as a result of a story made up by a child. Mikkelsen is extremely compelling in this heartbreaking role, which can’t have been easy to film. 

The almost documentary quality makes it seem even more real. It's a mark of the sophistication of the filmmaking that there's space for humour and warmth while addressing such a difficult topic.

Taken 2 (2012)

The baddies who kidnapped Liam Neeson’s daughter in the first film want their revenge for the people Liam Neeson killed. So Liam Neeson goes off again, fighting brutal killers. But this time they have his wife... 

It’s formulaic, racist and trashy, but nevertheless extremely well-paced and fairly exciting. As the rather OCD, over-possessive Bryan, Neeson has a presence that holds your interest – even when the plot is unbelievable. And it is often unbelievable, such as his daughter’s incredible driving ability (even though she hasn’t yet passed her driving test). 

In terms of the title, they could have tried harder. How about these alternatives?
• Taken to the Cleaners (Bryan’s daughter is kidnapped at a launderette)
• Taken for Granted (Bryan’s “very particular set of skills” are overlooked)
• Taken Out (Bryan kills even more people)
• Taken Seriously (fewer car chases and shoot-outs; more soul-searching drama)
• Taken Over (the final instalment)

Trouble with the Curve (2012)

Baseball-themed drama starring Clint Eastwood as Gus, an elderly talent scout with failing eyesight and a bad temper. Amy Adams plays Mickey, his daughter – a successful lawyer who puts her career on hold to accompany her dad on a scouting trip to North Carolina to look after him. She also tries to find out why he has always rejected her. Justin Timberlake is a younger scout who seeks Mickey’s affections. 

It’s quite unusual in tone and pace, being a slow-burner that’s gently funny. Eastwood looks incredibly old and his voice is sometimes a barely audible croak. That all works with his character, though, even if it can make for uncomfortable viewing. Adams steals the show by exuding charm. Timberlake is less convincing, and I found his performance a little generic. My heart sank when John Goodman walked on as Eastwood’s boss, but he exercises more restraint than usual. 

All in all it’s a pleasing film that won’t change the world but which achieves what it sets out to.

Safe House (2012)

Ryan Reynolds plays Matt Weston, a CIA officer stationed at a safe house in South Africa. His relatively quiet life is shattered by the arrival of Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), a CIA operative gone rogue. Weston plans to deliver Frost to the agency, but slowly becomes aware that his faith in the integrity of that institution may be founded. 

This is a slick, efficient thriller that seems somewhat derivative. Certainly the Jason Bourne films were a major influence. Washington has presence; Reynolds less so. Better than either is Vera Farmiga as Catherine Linklater, the one CIA operative who doesn’t seem to be corrupt.

Plot-wise it’s all a little predictable. Of course the CIA bosses turn out to be baddies – a twist you could guess within just a few minutes. I also didn’t really enjoy the excessively filtered visuals, which at times masked what was actually going on. But it’s an enjoyable romp nonetheless.

Bend It Like Beckham (2012)

Comedy drama. 

Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) is a football enthusiast with a special talent for the game, but her parents don’t approve and want her to follow a traditional Sikh path in life. When Jess meets Jules (Keira Knightley) and team coach Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) she realises that football might be her future after all. 

There’s lots to love about this film. The three leads are all excellent and deliver refreshing, emotive performances. What lets it down is the awkward presentation of the older generation. There’s an excruciatingly hammy performance by Juliet Stevenson as Jules’ mother. She’s embarrassing to watch and I never once believed they were related. Her father (Frank Harper) is almost as bad. In fact, all four of the girls’ parents are represented as one-dimensional “types”. There’s a woeful lack of subtlety and nuance in the characterisation. Much better is Archie Panjabi as Jess’s older sister, who is planning to marry. The dynamic between the two girls is tender and has the all-important ring of truth about it. 

The music sometimes seems misjudged, used in fast-cut, intrusive “pop video” sequences that undermine the drama. It could have been grittier and tighter (like Brassed Off, perhaps), but parts of it feel like an episode of Grange Hill. 

That said, it ultimately wins you over with a rousing, feel-good finale, and the simple charm of the two footballing friends is sweet and touching.

Hope Springs (2012)

Light drama with comic moments. 

Kay and Arnold Soames (Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones) have a stale and formulaic marriage, devoid of tenderness. Kay seeks to remedy that when she employs a Maine therapist (Steve Carell) to help them rekindle their former passion. But Arnold resists. 

It’s intriguing in that it could have become a Nancy Meyers-type lifestyle-aspiration film, but it stays just on the right side of watchable. All three leads are strong (even if Streep's mannerisms begin to irritate), and some of the therapy discussions are thought-provoking enough to suggest a real depth to the script.

The problem comes from the film’s strange reluctance to explain what went wrong in the marriage. Why can’t Arnold stand to touch his wife? That’s never illuminated. Plus, his U-turn at the end feels unlikely and bolted on, without a convincing motivation for this sudden change of character. And why does the therapist bring everything down to physical intimacy? What about the couple spending an evening simply talking or holding hands? Instead, it’s all about the sex (for example, they are assigned the task of trying it in the cinema) – perhaps because that makes for a more titillating story. 

Plus, the music is awkwardly intrusive. 

Elisabeth Shue is underused as a woman who works in a bar. She only gets one scene but she's probably the best thing in the film.

Haywire (2012)

Dreadful thriller. 

Private intelligence agent Mallory Kane (a fundamentally miscast Gina Carano) is double-crossed by the people who recruited her, and has to go on the run. 

Directed self-consciously by Steven Soderbergh, it has an excessive use of filters and intrusive “funky” music by David Holmes in place of dialogue. Plus, despite all the fighting (Carano was a mixed martial artist), most of the “action” scenes are surprisingly dull. 

It’s remarkable that big names such as Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas and Michael Fassbender got themselves involved in such a clichéd mess. The script – what there is of one – is extremely poor. The plotting is confused. The complete lack of a character for the main part is conspicuous. Carano simply doesn’t have the screen presence or acting ability to carry off the lead role. She was better as a supporting character in The Mandalorian, except that Lucasfilm sacked her after she made anti-mask, pro-Trump statements.

There’s literally not one good thing about Haywire – that title bears no relation to anything in the story – except that parts of it are unintentionally funny. The worst film I’ve seen for quite a long time.

Flight (2012)

Brilliantly directed by Robert Zemeckis, this drama starts with the absolute terror of an aviation disaster and then gets even more harrowing. 

A drunk, coked-up pilot (Denzel Washington) crash-lands a jet in a miraculous style but struggles to control his addictions during the legal investigation that could clear his name. 

It’s moving, and doesn’t end how you might expect. Washington brings real depth to the part. I especially liked his recovering heroin addict girlfriend played by Kelly Reilly. 

Not even the presence of John Goodman as a clownish drug dealer can ruin the film, although Goodman still gives it his best shot. His appearance changes the tone and risks making the whole thing into a farce. But thankfully his scenes are brief. 

Looper (2012)

Sci-fi mind-scrambler that involves time travel and telekinesis. Retired assassin Joe (Bruce Willis) is sent back from 2074 to 2044 to be killed by his younger self (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). But of course things don’t go to plan. 

It’s an intriguing premise but the first half of the film gets a little bogged down in explaining the complicated "rules". It improves in the second half, when farm woman Sara (Emily Blunt) appears as the love interest for the younger of the two Joes. She is also the mother of a boy who will grown up to be an evil future ganglord if the course of events is not disrupted. 

It’s best if you don’t ask too many questions about the time travel aspects of the story. There are some exciting moments, but the film didn’t make me care about any of the characters. It was difficult to believe that Joseph Gordon-Levitt would ever become Bruce Willis, so different were the two actors in terms of charisma. Gordon-Levitt seems to have barely any character at all. I'm no fan of Willis, but he does at least bring a basic presence to his scenes.

On the plus side, it’s not every day that you hear Richard and Linda Thompson’s "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" on a soundtrack.

The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

A fairly intelligent rom-com – a silly but charming on-off love story boosted by a strong soundtrack and some funny lines. 

Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segel) are a happy couple living in San Francisco. They get engaged and hope to marry. But when Violet begins a post-doctorate psychology course at the University of Michigan, the couple move away from their friends and family. Tom’s career as a chef suffers as Violet’s academic prospects improve. This puts strain on their relationship and their wedding is repeatedly delayed.

Emily and – in particular – Alison Brie, who plays her sister Suzie, are pretty good. Segel is less convincing, but then again it may just be that his character’s persistent unease makes him a little uncomfortable to watch.

The Five-Year Engagement starts with Dexys Midnight Runners singing Van Morrison’s “Jackie Wilson Said”, which puts you in a good mood from the beginning. In fact, most of the soundtrack is made up of Van Morrison songs – a smart choice. I was especially pleased to hear his “Sweet Thing”, as it’s not every day an Astral Weeks track gets used in a film.

One continuity point: Violet’s character’s childhood bedroom wall is covered in Wham! posters, but she would have been a baby when Wham! were popular. Did someone overlook this? 

Another oddity is a thread of violent humour running through the story. Tom’s boss at the restaurant slices part of her finger off. Violet is shot in the leg by a crossbow. And Tom jumps on a fire hydrant obscured by a snowdrift. I’m not sure why this was introduced, although it does add a sense of “real life”.

While it’s all fairly flimsy and forgettable, it does make you feel better about life for a couple of hours – which is presumably what rom-coms are for.

The Dictator (2012)

Sacha Baron Cohen stars as Admiral General Aladeen, the dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya. When he visits the USA, he is replaced by an imposter and – in order to regain his position as leader – ends up associating with a human-rights activist Zoey (Anna Faris). 

There’s a strong thread of political satire, but you have to wade through some crude and deliberately uncomfortable material confronting racial and gender prejudices. 

There are enough genuinely funny lines that it just about works, but Baron Cohen delights in walking a tightrope when it comes to taste and you will either find that intriguing or just off-putting.

Margin Call (2012)

Finance thriller set at the beginning of the 2008 monetary crisis. 

When a management division head (Stanley Tucci) is fired from a Wall Street investment bank, he passes a memory stick to a junior banker (Zachary Quinto). It turns out that he has uncovered the perilous state of the company. The matter is escalated up through the ranks of bosses played by Paul Bettany, Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore and Jeremy Irons. 

Set in a 24-hour period, the film builds its drama from the human situation alone. There are no car chases or guns, no explosions or fights. It examines the ethical issues of the company selling off worthless packages in order to save its own privileged few. 

Spacey is brilliant as seemingly the only employee with a conscience, not coincidentally making him the one character you can emphasise with. Bettany is highly watchable as the (possibly suicidal) head of credit trading.

It’s very nicely shot, too: lush and stylish in a way that really understands the faceless aesthetics of the corporate world.

Bachelorette (2012)

So-called comedy that didn’t make me laugh even once.

Three friends who seem to have nothing in common (Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan and Isla Fisher) plan a pre-wedding party for their school pal Becky (Rebel Wilson), formerly known as “Pigface” because of her weight. Then they accidentally ruin her dress and have a night of silly adventures while trying to fix it. Yes, it really is as unfunny as that sounds. 

Writer and director Leslye Headland, adapted Bachelorette from a play, but it’s difficult to see how such weak material could have worked on stage. The characters are cruel and unengaging, vain and unlikeable. Maybe it’s meant to be titillating that they take so much cocaine, but they are too annoying to seem anything other than shallow and poorly drawn. That goes for the vacuous, self-obsessed male characters they interact with too. 

I was especially disappointed with Dunst and Fisher, who usually impress in their other films.

Argo (2012)

Superb thriller regarding the real-life events of the so-called “Canadian Caper”. 

In November 1979, Iranian extremists stormed the US embassy in Tehran as a result of the USA (under Jimmy Carter) granting the Shah political asylum. A total of 66 staff were taken as hostages, but six diplomats escaped and were given shelter by the Canadian ambassador. Incredibly, CIA operative Tony Mendez (played here by Ben Affleck, who also directs) travels to Tehran in an attempt to rescue the six under the premise that they are making a science-fiction film, Argo, in the region. 

It’s tense and exciting stuff. The sense of threat is built up with real expertise. The storytelling is lucid. All of the characters are portrayed brilliantly, with no weak links. Even John Goodman, who plays a prosthetics expert (alongside Alan Arkin as a film producer), is reined in enough that he cannot mess it up.

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Intriguing attempt to try something a little different with the Bourne series while still taking it forwards. Matt Damon isn’t in this fourth film, but the narrative is built around his actions in the first three. It’s cleverly woven into the earlier plots while essentially just recycling them. This time Jeremy Renner is the agent on the run, assisted by Rachel Weisz – one of the doctors who had been “programming” him. There’s plenty of action (the chase scene in Manila goes on for an improbably long time), but there’s also a more “human” dimension in the form of the developing Renner/Weisz relationship. 

They could have had more fun with the title: how about Bourne to Run, I Wasn’t Bourne Yesterday or Bourne to Be Wild?

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

Remarkable drama that seems to consist of several films elegantly woven into one. It begins with a story about motorcycle stunt rider (excellently portrayed by Ryan Gosling), whose discovery that he has a son with his ex-girlfriend (a passable Eva Mendes) leads him into a spate of bank robberies. That, in turn, introduces a story about the cop (superb-as-ever Bradley Cooper) who tries to apprehend him. The consequences of their brief meeting ripple out across the years and affect the lives of several others. 

I love the way the film keeps surprising you with its various sideways turns. It’s also encouraging that rather than simply glorifying guns, there's an intelligent exploration of the ethics around them.

Bradley Cooper perfectly conveys a good man who makes mistakes that will always trouble him.

This is a multi-part tale that never sacrifices clarity to realise its ambition.