Here's a power fantasy where a tough guy who violently follows his gut gets to be the hero. 5. Spenser Confidential isn't the first time the novels have been adapted for the screen. From Spensers sexually aggressive and slightly unhinged love interest to his black sidekick, this surprisingly un-funny action comedy feels like a mid-2000s throwback dusted off for our streaming delight. A guy's head is cut off; so you can say his head was amputated, but the act is not shown and anyway he was a bad guy, so, Oh, well. See, Spenser is the good guy because he's hunting the real killer of a murdered Black officer who was framed for killing another white cop, who played by his own rules but in a bad way, not a cool "bad boy" Spenser way! : In fact, I just checked and a couple of weeks after its initial streaming launch, its still at #4 (opens in new tab). Spenser Confidential is a 2020 American action comedy film[1] directed by Peter Berg and with a screenplay written by Sean O'Keefe and Brian Helgeland. The Best, Craziest, Weirdest Moments From Cannes, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. With the case officially solved, the criminals brought to justice, and the innocent vindicated, Spenser met with Cissy (Iliza Shlesinger) while walking his dog Pearl. Upon handing the recording over to the FBI, Agent Burton deems it insufficient evidence. Your stupid Serpico morality, it doesn't work in the real world. When two Boston police officers are murdered, ex-cop Spenser teams up with his no-nonsense roommate Hawk to take down criminals. : Despite that, the film ends with him content with the self-made family he has formed or otherwise reconnected with. What does he have going on in Boston? More AWESOME clips.About:Spenser Confidential is a 2020 American mystery-thriller film directed by Peter Berg and with a sc. Come on. I forgot one in the back? After being framed while investigating a conspiracy involving dirty cops, drug cartels and big politicians, Spenser Confidential sees Mark Wahlberg's Spenser being freed from prison after. Reality TV fan with a pinch of Disney fairy dust thrown in. All in all, therefore, MOVIEGUIDE rates SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL as excessive and unacceptable. : However, it contains almost constant strong foul language, lots of strong, often intense action violence, and depicted fornication in one scene. You know what, bad guy? . Spenser Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes. But hey, at least those might get laughs. 4. : | Airing on Lifetime, two of the movies were written by Parker himself. Hawk stands in the shambles of a child's room, torn up by some malevolent gang in search of something. I need help! I have kids. They hit their characters to the letter. He was a narcotics dog. : It confirms Boylan is dirty and implicates Bentwood, Macklin, and Driscoll. : So Wahlberg felt comfortable expressing concerns to Berg about shooting this Spenser Confidential scene with a real dog, which the actor called vicious and a trained killer.. If youre curious about what movies are hitting the big screen soon, look through our 2020 release schedule. Although the FBI was already aware of the situation, it was only when Spenser secured proof in an explosive confrontation at Wonderland itself that they could act. 23. Despite some predictability, SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL is entertaining and has many thrilling scenes. Henry Let's go. And the plan for the big final fight was just to drive a truck over everyone? His voice deep and warm, Hawk assures he is a good giant. Spenser Confidential. Why Spenser with an s instead of a c? Loosely based on the novel Wonderland by Ace Atkins, Spenser Confidential sees Wahlberg playing the Robert B. Parker-created character Detective Spenser, who doesnt waste anytime jumping back into action upon getting out of prison. Why is Hawk all of a sudden Spensers sidekick? Hawk Fatal Attraction Works As Entertainment, Fails as Social Commentary, Prime Videos Citadel Traps Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden in Played-Out Spy Game, New York Philharmonic and Steven Spielberg Celebrate the Music of John Williams, A Piece of His Fire: Harry Belafonte (1927-2023). Rated R : NY 10036. : What do you wanna eat? The inescapable doofiness that goes hand-in-hand with his cockiness is weaponized for cutting comedy. Oh, a cop in prison's gotta know how to fight. But I had a few questions. You're under arrest. Then, there's Wahlberg, who is horrendously miscast as Spenser. Mark Wahlberg was absent from the cinematic realm in 2019, but for 2020, hes back in full force, with his first movie of the year being Netflixs Spenser Confidential. Best buddy cop movie ever! : 26. As the opening of this flummoxing film reveals, his rules include beating the hell out of a commanding officer because you suspect he beats his wife. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. 2 comments | Add comment. Upon his release, Spense reunites with his good pal in Southie, Henry (a slumming Alan Arkin), who provides him a place to sleep. Thats how you know its true love I guess. No. : Despite being eager to leave Boston behind in favor of a new life and career in Arizona, Spenser finds his resolve tested when that same captain is murdered. Bitter rivals.. I'm sick of your shit, Spenser. Also, face-tattooed rapper Post Malone pops up to play a Nazi jailbird. Much to Spensers chagrin, Henry has a roommate living in Spensers old room, a young large heavyweight boxer named Hawk, played by Winston Duke, who played the leader of the mountain tribe in Marvels BLACK PANTHER movie. Let's go. for violence, language throughout and sexual content. Was it really necessary that the black guy be an out of control brawler until a white mentor comes along and teaches him boxing discipline? A twin bed and an aging, adorable dog? Spenser Confidential marks Mark Wahlbergs fifth time working with director Peter Berg, with the two of them previously collaborating on Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day and Mile 22. Terrence was also similarly killed, though his death was made to look like a suicide after he was framed for murdering Boylan. performances, both responsible for much of the laughs of the movie, along with the dog Pearl. AMERICAN IDOL Contestant Wows Judges With Performance Of Thank God I Do, JESUS REVOLUTION Crosses $50 Million Mark At Box Office, Prepares For VOD Release, Anne Wilson: I Just Started to Cry Thinking About How Far Gods Taken Me, Dolly Parton: Through God All Things are Possible, Former Tennessee Quarterback Hendon Hooker Spreads Gospel Amid Waiting for NFL Draft, BLUE BLOODS Officially Renewed for Season 14, Hilary Swank Gives Birth to Twins: Boy (and Girl!) : Minor spoilers for Netflixs new movie Spenser Confidential can be found throughout this piece. Its based on the second Spenser novel by Ace Atkins, titled WONDERLAND. Sign In. Cissy Davis No, I'm gonna throw it in your fuckin' face. They both keep their word and will help other people, especially the truly innocent and needy, but Hawk has no qualms about hurting other people for money in the jobs he takes when hes not with Spenser. Movieguide is a 501c3 non-profit. Whose van is that? Yeah, I'm gonna eat it. My plan only went as far as the entrance, okay? For a much better, cooler incarnation of the Spenser novels, see the episodes of SPENSER FOR HIRE with the late Robert Ulrich and Avery Brooks. After being framed while investigating a conspiracy involving dirty cops, drug cartels and big politicians, Spenser Confidential sees Mark Wahlbergs Spenser being freed from prison after five years and immediately resuming his efforts to blow this criminal enterprise wide open. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. There, Wahlberg's wide-eyed aggression is employed as a tool to satirize American masculinity and its toxicity. It doesn't matter. a black man is framed for someone elses murder. Yes. No! Emulating real life, Spenser Confidentialadds a criminal spin on that venture. Spenser Confidential Review: Good Guy P.I. Did Spenser really think he could successfully run after a Corvette? Related: Netflix's Spenser Confidential Cast & Character Guide. Here, Spenser is a former cop who spent a few quality years in the clink for assaulting a corrupt superior, something that tells us a couple of things: Hes a decent guy with principles and his continuing good health testifies to his fighting skills by way of confirmation, we see him casually dispatch burly inmates who attacked him. Following this discovery, Spenser analyzes surveillance footage from that night that reveals the color and type of vehicle that Graham drove the last time he was seen. Spenser Confidential is a Netflix-original film directed by Peter Berg and starring Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, and Bokeem Woodbine. Starring: Mark Wahlberg,Winston Duke,Alan Arkin. You want me to buy you a lobster? : Its only later when Alan Arkin brings him back to his hometown of Boston that we learn Pearl is a dog. Driscoll demands a meeting at Wonderland, threatening to kill Henry if he does not bring the drugs. Henry In an abrupt cameo, grumbling podcaster/comedian Marc Maron tosses his agita shtick into a brief rant about "fake news bullsh*t." Though in the thankless role of Spenser's former partner, Bokeem Woodbine brings a bit of spark with that signature smile and some line deliveries that occasionally zing. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [11] In November, Variety reported the film was the 21st-most watched straight-to-streaming title of 2020 up to that point. Spenser chases the yellow Corvette on foot and is attacked by a dog. On the page, Spenser was recruited by Jack McGee. I was set up. It's it's Hawk's. [getting punched and getting back to his feet]. Only one performer in "Spenser Confidential" seems to have a handle on what kind of movie she's in. Spenser teams up with his roommate Hawk and his ex-girlfriend, Cissy, to uncover the secrets of the corrupt police force, the murders, the real drug ring, and a scheme to launder drug money by rebuilding an old racetrack into a casino facility. As a result, Boylan was brutally killed by Driscoll. She even pooped on my arm, because shes an old one. Do you know what his main hustle was? Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Who needs evidence when you have a gut feeling?! While hes finishing the course, he decides to live with his former boxing coach, an elderly man named Henry, played by the great Alan Arkin. [10] Funeral scenes were filmed at Central Cemetery in Randolph, Massachusetts. Believing that it was arson and that it's not adequately being investigated, McGee tasked Spenser with finding the truth - bringing the latter into a game of wits with a serial killer. : Spenser Hawk is the name of a motherfucker with a shotgun. The movie may be an easily forgettable action comedy, but as a Mark Wahlberg vehicle it is also easily watchable. : : Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements: AMERICAN IDOL Contestant Wows Judges With Performance Of 'Thank God, JESUS REVOLUTION Crosses $50 Million Mark At Box Office, Prepares, Anne Wilson: I Just Started to Cry Thinking About How, Dolly Parton: Through God All Things are Possible By Movieguide, Former Tennessee Quarterback Hendon Hooker Spreads Gospel Amid Waiting for. Spenser immediately recognized them as Marty Foley, an old classmate from high school. It was released on March 6, 2020, by Netflix[2] to mixed reviews. Is Guillermo Del Toros Pinocchio Actually A Solid Family Film? Instead, its the movies mascot Pearl. Available at home. : Lucas Black: Jesus Is My Example of Masculinity, Patriotic TOP GUN: MAVERICK Ranks No. With Marty pleading his innocence and begging for help on-screen, it's clear from Spenser's face that he will be jumping straight into a new case. Before that, he had articles published across a number of different outlets. Driscoll calls Spenser, revealing that he has kidnapped Henry. Her Boston accent is as thick as the city's clam chowder. 24. . They gonna put chalk around you, boy. Henry, too. Gabrielle Bruney is a writer and editor for Esquire, where she focuses on politics and culture. His shining moment is when he hassles some kidnappers about needing to pee. Yet another person liked the Netflix original movie so much they are already asking for a sequel. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Huh? Everything about that amuses me, particularly given that the whole bit between Winston Dukes character Hawk, Spenser and Pearl is that Pearl has really settled into Hawks affections while Spenser has been in prison. Regardless, the overarching plot, from the outset, looks to remain the same. : But this flick plays it safe by making sure that Wahlberg's white cop only beats up other white cops or white supremacists. Genre expectations for buddy-cop movies might have you thinking these two characters would be polar opposites. After a brawl, Spenser performs a citizen's arrest after realizing how their fight resembles the day he beat up Boylan. : Driscoll and Macklin send gang members from the Trinitarios to kill Spenser at a restaurant, but Hawk rescues him. | But first, I'm gonna teach you a little lesson. 100 Winchester Circle : Spenser Confidential. Spenser Confidential features Mark Wahlberg in the role he was born to play: A cop whos also in jail. Spenser It's also clear that turning the film into a full-on franchise is very much intended - with a sequel more likely now that Spenser Confidential has remained consistently in Netflix's new Top 10 rankings feature since its release. Also, the movie has lots of strong, often intense action violence and depicted fornication in one scene. And yet shes chasing after Spenser and badgering him for semi-public sex? Are you gonna eat it or are you gonna just Cissy Davis Netflix is now streaming a new, but almost totally different incarnation of Spenser and Hawk in a movie called SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL, starring Mark Wahlberg as Spenser and Winston Duke as Hawk. Somebody change that channel. : : Pray for actors and movie makers in Hollywood. Wrap his hand around the gun, make it look like a suicide? : As played by Mark Wahlberg in Netflix's "Spenser Confidential," the Boston private eye is more of a light-action hero than anything resembling Robert B. Parker's original creation. On the night of Spenser's release from prison, Captain Boylan is murdered by a gang of hooded thugs using machetes. Spenser : That being said, Mark Wahlberg also acknowledged that Spenser being put through the ringer is good for the audience, as it makes him more relatable and emphasizes how he wont give up in fighting injustice and accomplishing the mission. And yes, Pearl needs to be a part of it. ", The People's Fighters: Teofilo Stevenson and the Legend of Cuban Boxing, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spenser_Confidential&oldid=1136146940, Fictional portrayals of the Boston Police Department, Films with screenplays by Brian Helgeland, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 23:48. KristyPuchkois a New York-basedfilmcritic and entertainment reporter whose work has appeared on RogerEbert.com, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Vulture, Mel Magazine, The Playlist, IGN, and Pajiba. Spencer Confidential. Like other fictional, hardboiled private detectives, Spenser likes to make sarcastic wisecracks, but hes also very well-read and just as apt to cite Shakespeare and especially poetry. They discover an FBI team led by Agent Burton is also surveilling. I'm starvin'. We are only able to make a difference because of your generous support. So we got really close while shooting. The rising star who stole scenes as the growling M'Baku in "Black Panther" and impeccably pulled double-duty as hero and villain in "Us" is cast as Spenser's sidekick, Hawk. Then he gently but mightily helps the boy put his room back together. Pearls a really special one. In the books, Spenser (his first name is unknown) is a former state policeman, who worked with a county district attorney but who now works as a private detective in Boston solving crimes that often but not always involve organized crime elements. Wasnt the first one enough? Much of the cast can't even get up the energy to care about this lackluster movie. : And I'm gonna walk these motherfuckin' streets! Here, Spenser is a former cop who spent a few quality years in the clink for assaulting a corrupt superior, something that tells us a couple of things: He's a decent guy with principles and his. Hawk Drugs are shown in baggies, but nobody actively uses them. With the proceeds funneled up, Driscoll and his associates utilize it to bribe officials in order to get permits and fund the construction of the casino - thus ensuring a stake in the endeavor and a seat at the table of an even larger criminal enterprise. Based loosely on a popular series of nearly 50 novels, SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL has some exciting scenes that never fail to keep viewers engaged. Since the fourth of Parkers 40 Spenser novels, Spenser often works with a large black man named Hawk, a gun for hire who does mysterious overseas jobs after being in the French Foreign Legion and working for a gangster. Release Dates Spenser And why does Mark Wahlbergs talking to dogs voice make me feel so personally uncomfortable? Someones head is held under water, but they dont drown. We're gonna have to get Henry out of the way. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Colleen Camp, Iliza Shlesinger, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Post Malone, Bokeem Woodbine, Marc Maron, Michael Gaston, Cassie Ventura, Executive Producer: Toby Ascher, Bill Bannerman, John Logan Pierson, Producer: Peter Berg, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Neal H. Moritz, Reed Hastings, CEO, Netflix A family devotional that combines your favorite movies with Gospel truths! You gonna die. Until then, he's more than happy to spend countless hours just talking about them. 6. Small favors. The reporter detailed a church fire that had occurred while Spenser had been in prison - and which had cost two firefighters their lives. With Spenser Confidential now available globally via Netflix, we delve into the film's central conspiracy and what that ending tease means for the future. Seriously, shes got it made. : It is shown. 2020 | Maturity Rating: A | 1h 51m | Thrillers. It is loosely based on the novel Wonderland by Ace Atkins, who was given the task of continuing the Spenser stories by Robert B. Parker. And it was that kind of connection that had him immediately engrossed in Marty Foley's plight. Spenser never was a convict, and Hawk was already a former boxer and a gun for hire when he starts appearing in the novels. Spenser Netflixs Spenser Confidential has consistently been a top watch on the streaming service since it premiered on March 6. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Cerrone, Marc Maron, and Post Malone and marks the fifth collaboration between Wahlberg and Berg after Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, and Mile 22. : No copyright infringem. Oh, you're not a fuckin' choirboy. : One of the most popular modern series in detective fiction has been the Spenser novels written by the late Robert B. Parker. Wonderland references the amusement park that operated in Revere, Massachusetts from 1906 until 1911. Did you previously login with Google or Facebook? Duke and Wahlberg's chemistry is so non-existent it almost seems like they shot every scene separately . To Spenser's dismay, Pearl seems to have taken more of a liking to Hawk than to be ecstatic to see him. Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore. It's ultimately revealed that Spenser's former partner, Driscoll (Bokeem Woodbine), is the head of a cabal that includes a street gang known as the Trinitarios, a former member of the Irish mob, and a collection of corrupt police officers. Heres how it works. Oh, yeah? 12. | It's a little unconventional. : : Spenser and Hawk just happen to go to the same lunch place as Spensers ex? She's based (and born and raised) in Brooklyn, New York. Boston police Officer Spenser is jailed after pleading guilty to assaulting Captain John Boylan, who he suspected to be involved in the murder of Gloria Weisnewski, a family friend who protested gentrification. After all, Spenser Confidentialopened with the titular character seeking out justice for a crime that felt all-too personal. Spenser Confidential . John's love of film and television defies genre and sometimes even logic. Website: netflix.com; Email: info@netflix.com, Every athlete needs somebody to push them, and I was grateful for Movieguide being one of those instigators for me. As with Wonderland and Spenser Confidential, there are already clear differences between page and screen. The movie bears almost no resemblance to the Ace Atkins novel Robert B. Parkers Wonderland (a continuation of the Spenser series created by Parker in 1973) that is its nominal inspiration, aside from the Boston location, the main characters names and something or other about an abandoned dog-racing track. They gonna put chalk around you, boy. Heres how it works. On A Wing And A Prayer Review, How THE CHOSEN Actors Disability Influenced His On-Screen Character, Andrea Bocelli Reflects on Documentary THE JOURNEY: A Very Spiritual Experience, THE CHOSEN Creator Dallas Jenkins And Rabbi Jason Sobel Call Garden of Gethsemane Visit Overwhelming, A New Way to Experience Family Movie Night, Tucker Carlson Encourages People to Speak the Truth: They Become Powerful. NY 10036. Locking hands, they strolled off to meet Hawk and Henry (Arkin) for lunch. There are lots and lots of dogs. All right? You're goin' to prison. When it comes to murder, surely clarity is key? Ringo. In one scene you see a deceased cat nailed to a door. The series starred Robert Urich and Avery Brooks, and the pair would reprise the roles in the early 90s, post-cancellation, for a number of TV movies. Locking hands, they strolled off to meet Hawk and Henry (Arkin) for lunch. All of which lead directly to the Bostonian landmark known as Wonderland Not to be confused with the infamous, real-life Wonderland Murders, the inspirations for Spenser Confidential come largely from Atkins' second book. Forever. Several people get punched in the face, but tooth damage is never shown. :
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