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a14 people & arts
Wednesday 27 July 2022
'Gray Man' spares no expense — but feels oddly gray

By JOCELYN NOVECK He's good at escaping (wit-
AP National Writer ness the park bench, and
Sometimes a title just the airplane.) Enter LLoyd
doesn't help a movie. Hansen, the most sadistic
Not that directors Anthony of freelance killers, whom
and Joe Russo had much we meet while torturing
choice in titling "The Gray someone. Lloyd is such a
Man," their new Netflix spy meanie even the CIA didn't
thriller starring Ryan Gos- want him fulltime, but they
ling — they're adapting the need him now. Everything's
novel of the same name, extreme about Lloyd, start-
about a shadowy CIA as- ing with his mustache. Ev-
sassin on the run. Still, it's ans has fun being fiendish,
hard not to think of the title and gets a few good lines
when contemplating the along with some real clunk-
overall effect of a film that ers, one of the catchier be-
spares no expense to en- ing: "You wanna make an
tertain, yet ends up feeling omelet? You gotta kill some
a little aimless, perplexingly people." But honestly, the
bland, and — what's the torture scenes … did we
word we're looking for? Oh need that? Really?
yes. Gray. Meanwhile, we learn
This is a bit of a shame This image released by Netflix shows Ryan Gosling in a scene from "The Gray Man." through another flashback
when you're spending a Associated Press that Six has a close rela-
reported $200 million. And tionship with Fitzroy's young
it's not that we can't see weren't referring to the reach the moon? I mean, pealing but underused) to niece, Claire (the lovely
where the money went. budget, but this shootout we know Gosling has expe- kill someone at a New Year's 13-year-old Julia Butters
First of all Gosling, even reportedly cost $40 million. rience landing on the lunar bash, directed remotely by from "Once Upon a Time
with his charisma deliber- In a picturesque Prague surface — also calmly. And his current boss, Denny Car- in … Hollywood.") Claire,
ately hampered here — square, Gosling's charac- what's one more location michael (Regé-Jean Page who's lost her parents, has
call it the "graying" process ter remains handcuffed to shoot? of "Bridgerton," sadly given a heart problem and needs
— is still worth watching. a bench — rather calmly, But this isn't "First Man," this a cardboard role here, as a pacemaker — an impor-
But also, rarely has global given the circumstances is GRAY man. "You'd exist in is Jessica Henwick as his tant plot point.
mayhem seemed quite so — as he confronts waves the gray," CIA handler Don- colleague). He's about to Other notable supporting
luxurious as in this venture, upon waves of assassins ald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thorn- use his enormous weapon players include Alfre Wood-
which takes us from Bang- (and perhaps all available ton) tells Gosling's charac- when he notices a small ard in a too-brief turn as a
kok to Baku, from Vienna film extras and vehicles on ter, then a young prison child nearby. "Cleared for key Six ally and Dhanush as
to Croatia to Prague to the European continent.) inmate looking at decades collateral," he's told. But another expert killer called
France's stunning Chateau Then there's the midair in a cell for murder, in a Six won't take the risk, and in for help. The expressive
de Chantilly, from wind- scene where Gosling bat- flashback. He'll win a get- ends up making the kill the Butters gives, though, the
ing cobblestone streets to tles attackers who sud- out-of-jail-free card if he'll old-fashioned way. most empathetic perfor-
grand castles and up to denly get orders to kill him agree to the whole covert But before the man expires, mance — to be fair, no-
the skies, too — all in chase mid-flight, leading to a se- assassin thing. he informs Six he's actually body else is fully redeem-
of one man. quence involving fires and Now it's 18 years later and on the same team, and able, no matter what fancy
The action is certainly im- explosions and parachut- Sierra Six, or Six for short (be- hands him a drive with diploma they have ("We all
pressive. Let's take just one ing and anything else you cause 007 was taken, he compromising information went to Harvard together"
scene the Russos have can imagine. If you're like quips) is on the job. He's in about their colleagues. is a line the university's PR
dubbed a "movie within a me, you may start to won- Bangkok, along with helper "You're probably next," he team might want to imme-
movie" — and maybe they der: Will this costly manhunt Dani (Ana de Armas, ap- says. Now Six is on the run. diately protest.)q

Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X, Kendrick Lamar top MTV VMA nominees

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. Lamar, who is nominated the only artist to receive a
AP Entertainment Writer for the first time since 2018, nomination in each of the
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jack has two songs "family ties" VMAs five decades. She
Harlow, Lil Nas X and Ken- and "N95" that will vie for earned her 69th nomina-
drick Lamar are top con- best cinematography. The tion for her 14th studio al-
tenders with seven nomina- rapper was also nominated bum "Madame X."
tions at the 2022 MTV Video for best hip-hop, direction, The awards will have 26 first-
Music Awards. visual effects, editing and time nominees including
MTV announced Tuesday video for good. Baby Keem with four along
that Lil Nas X and Harlow Styles and Doja Cat re- with Kacey Musgraves,
earned multiple nomina- ceived the second-most GAYLE and Måneskin –
tions for their collaborative nominations with six. Sheer- who each have two nomi-
hit "Industry Baby," which an, Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua nations.
is nominated for video of Lipa, Tayler Swift and The The VMAs will take place
the year. Both performers Weeknd each pulled in Aug. 28 at the Prudential
along with Drake, Bad Bun- five. Center in Newark, New
Kendrick Lamar performs at Coachella Music & Arts Festival at ny, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles Madonna, who is the most Jersey. Fan-voting begins
the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., Sunday, April 16, 2017. and Lizzo will compete for awarded artist in MTV his- Tuesday across 22 catego-
Associated Press
artist of the year. tory with 20 wins, becomes ries at vote.mtv.com.q