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The Company You Keep is a (frustratingly) slow-burning thriller about very contemporary issues. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Decades after an ill-fated robbery, a former member (Susan Sarandon) of the Weather Underground turns herself in to authorities. While covering the story, reporter Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf) discovers that recently widowed lawyer Jim Grant (Robert Redford) was also a member of that particular group. Grant slips by the FBI agents tracking him and goes on the run, hoping to track down his former lover, Mimi (Julie Christie), who's still underground and fighting for the cause.
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Rating: R (Language)
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Genre: Mystery & thriller
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Original Language: English
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Director: Robert Redford
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Producer: Nicolas Chartier, Robert Redford, Bill Holderman
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Writer: Lem Dobbs
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Release Date (Theaters): limited
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $5.1M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
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Production Co: Voltage Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises
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Critic Reviews for The Company You Keep
Audience Reviews for The Company You Keep
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It's just not a good story.
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In a lot of ways, The Company You Keep is the sort of drama that we need more of, one with a preoccupation with dialogue and build-up, rather than forced chase sequences or overly simplistic commentary about complex social issues. It has a very mature feel to it, in that it tries to convey a sense of dramatic tension organically, yet it never fully delivers on this tension, and never quite lives up to the bar which it tries to set for itself. The film tells the story of a family man who, through a seemingly inexplicable series of events, finds himself exposed as a fugitive of a militant leftist group. The film follows both the man (Redford), and the journalist on his trail. Though this sort of trope is familiar, that of the young budding journalist with an uncanny ability to put the pieces together, the film did a generally good job of not telegraphing where it was going to go, at least immediately. The problem is that the script bogs down the film in the mid to later acts with a plot that feels terribly overwritten, and an ending that feels strangely too simplistic. Interesting plot lines are raised, but never paid off, the resolutions that do occur never feel well earned. This is a symptom of unpolished script writing, as well as a lack of focus with Redford's direction. Redford seemingly wanted to do a lot of things, but never excelled at one thing. Thus, the film feels incomplete as a drama, and certainly incomplete as a thriller. The performances, to be sure, are characteristically strong, especially by Redford. We are treated to these characters in a very old-school, almost clinical manner, and are therefore left to wonder about the motivations involved, which does make for some interesting character dynamics. The pace is slow, but consistently slow, and befitting of the material. Technically it's well made, and never boring (occasionally tedious perhaps). As such, it does enough right to keep you interested, but ultimately does fall in to that ever-frustrating category of "it could've been more". 3/5 Stars
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** "The Company You Keep" is one of those complex thrillers with some twists and turns, that just doesn't work out quite like it could have. I dunno what it was about it, but I didn't think it was as good as it could have been. It stars Shia LeBeouf as a reporter who learns the true identities of fugitives who had committed a murder 30 years prior. It weaves back and forth between him trying to find the truth, and one of fugitives trying to clear his name to remain with his daughter. The fugitive in question is played by Robert Redford(who also directs) and man he is still great after all these years. He has that "movie star" quality that a lot of actors just don't have anymore. The cast is great, even LeBeouf does a good job. Susan Sarandon, Sam Elliot, Terrance Howard, Richard Jenkins, among others round out the stellar cast. But the pacing and subject matter just don't really sustain(at least for me). I think if it focused more on Redford, and less on LeBeouf, it would have been better. But then again, it would have been a completely different movie. I love a good political type thriller(for example, "Ides of March" was pretty good)but this was just "meh". Maybe it was when I watched it(kind of late at night) and just wasn't as interested as I could have been. Maybe on a second viewing I will like it more. I can see why people will like it, because it is a smart movie. But at the same time, I can see how it will be off putting for others. Worth a rental? Sure, judge for yourself. But I'd pick up a spare movie just in case;-)
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Redford has assembled an amazing cast, excepting LeBeouf who can't keep up, to tell what should be a fascinating story but somehow misses the mark through slow pacing and a lack of sharp focus. Julie Christie is wonderful making more of her part than is on the page but Susan Sarandon isn't properly used as is true with all the talent involved. Not a terrible film it just could have been much more.
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