The Cleaner

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Nate K A truly unique movie with the way it makes you use your imagination to piece subtle things together. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review Mark K The pace was a tad slow, but the movie delivered a compelling story. I appreciated the acting, and spotting familiar faces from my favorite films was nice. I would certainly recommend it. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/03/23 Full Review ronald h A low rent movie with low rent characters, "The Cleaner" doesn't care what anybody thinks about it. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's well-acted and directed, and it languidly depicts the lives of trailer park people and inhabitants of the underside of L.A. It also includes a mystery, and it damn well takes its time getting to a solution. Buck (King Orba) is a 50-something loser who lives in a broken down RV next to his mother's trailer. He barely makes a living cleaning houses, riding around on an old beach bike and giving out his business card (on which the word "private" is spelled "privat"). His mother (72-year old Shelley Long, who is perfect) watches TV, drinks beer, and grumbles a lot. His brother (Faust Checho), whom we meet in a surprising sequence at a pharmacy where Buck attempts to steal a couple of batteries for his mother's TV remote, is a cop who helps Buck with a new undertaking: An elderly former singer (Linda Carter—Yes, Wonder Woman herself) has given Buck $1,000 to find her missing son Andrew. Buck has few investigative resources, so his attempts to track down Andrew consist mostly of dropping into sleazy bars and diners that the locals say he used to inhabit. Those who know Andrew say that he's not worth looking for. And when Buck finally meets him, the story takes a tragic turn. This is one of those indie films that does everything right, regardless of its limited budget. The casting choices are excellent (Luke Wilson and several other notables, including Sean Penn's son Hopper, have small parts). There are a couple of sub plots that aren't just peripheral; they add to the film's humanity. "The Cleaner" just hums along at its own leisurely pace, doing exactly what a movie should do: tell a good story—-not a story about big time action heroes or superstars, but regular, working class people who are struggling to get by. I found it refreshing. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member How the reviews are so high for this I have no clue. The movie was terrible. The most bland acting and boring plot I’ve seen in years. Seriously do not waste your time watching this. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/01/22 Full Review Audience Member The Cleaner is a thoughtful family drama grounded in realism. The film features a revolving door of veteran character actors who prove that even the simplest of stories can be compelling. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie, while not overly suspenseful, holds your attention because of the characters and the portrayal of them. It is beautifully acted and directed. It is a slice of America at it's best and at it's worst. Nothing in this movie was either trite or overkill. There was just the right balance to be believable. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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