It takes some big brass ones to communicate, “I know your family was murdered, but your response is wrong.” That’s where we are at the beginning of The Rhythm Section, a film which has zilch to do with music or rhythm. The title refers to controlling “The Rhythm Section” of your body –your heart and breathing- while attempting to be badass. The metaphor doesn’t work, but the film –more or less- does.
Stephanie (Blake Lively) is a London prostitute when she is visited by Proctor (Raza Jaffrey), the ghost of terror past. In simpler terms, Proctor is an investigative reporter of sorts who takes pity on Stephanie after discovering she lost her parents and siblings when a commercial airliner was destroyed mid-flight four years ago. Stephanie has since become a junkie whore, while Proctor has spent three years in London making a Crazy Wall. Proctor has done nothing with the information he’s learned, but that won’t matter cuz no good deed goes unpunished. Once he alerts Stephanie, his days are numbered.
I dunno how prostitution works in London, but Stephanie seems to escape her Whoreville and what I assume was a heroin habit without issue. Oh, that’s how it works? You just leave? How nice. After she muffs her attempt at vengeance, however, she is –once again- alone, homeless, penniless, and directionless. Her sole clue as to a next step is buried within the notes she stole from Proctor; at a specific location in Scotland there’s something that has something to do with the airline bombing. Yes, it was exactly that unspecific; I wondered here if the movie were taunting me.
Of course, the remote lochs of Scotland always beg the question: what season is this? It doesn’t really matter. What Stephanie finds is ex-MI6 guy Jude Law … and he’s going to Henry Higgins her ass, albeit reluctantly. Can he turn a crack whore into GI Jane? Probably not. But he can get her functional enough to squeeze a trigger, I think. Imagine Mr. Miyagi with sheep and bagpipes and you’re halfway there.
The Rhythm Section doesn’t have the polish of, say, Atomic Blonde … nor is it meant to. Blake Lively plays revenge as rough, emotionally draining hardship and something she wants to own. And yet, she finds revenge unfamiliar not unlike a homeless person being granted a mansion. And, of course, she begins the movie about as unLively as one can – she’s a person who has lost the will to function properly, so we see “trainee assassin” as a huge improvement. Of course, The Rhythm Section becomes another in a long line of films where we pretend you can squeeze mediocrity out of supermodel looks and legs that stretch halfway across the Thames. Fine, movie, have it your way. One way or another, this film is a nice transition for Lively after her groundbreaking performance in A Simple Favor.
Stephanie had lost all of her clan
Revenge became her entire plan
Law took the raw miss
Into a Scots chrysalis
Poof! The caterpillar has become a butter(wo)man
Rated R, 109 Minutes
Director: Reed Morano
Writer: Mark Burnell
Genre: Vigilantism for Dummies
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People empowered by anti-terrorist fiction
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Terrorists
