When I see Mark Wahlberg I hear “Good Vibrations” in my head and immediately want to start dancing. I snap back to reality for a second and realize that he has come a long way from his Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch days. With roles in such movies as The Departed, he has proven that he has acting skills. These skills are on display in his latest role as Chris Farraday in Contraband. Chris is a former smuggler who decides to leave his old ways behind. Since leaving that life behind him he has started a family. His wife, Kate, is played by Kate Beckinsale.
Chris and Kate have two boys. Kate and the boys become a prime target in the film when her brother makes a decision that affects the entire family. Kate’s brother, Andy, is played by Caleb Landry Jones. It is revealed in the beginning of the film that Andy is smuggling. Andy’s life is in danger as a result of the decision he makes. Chris has an obligation to his brother-in-law and to his family.
This ultimately thrusts Chris back into the world of smuggling. Along the way the audience is introduced to key characters in Chris’s life. There are many people that knew Chris when he was involved in smuggling. They help him to accomplish his mission of obtaining a large amount of counterfeit money. He has a close friend named Sebastian. Ben Foster takes on the role of Sebastian. Giovanni Ribisi plays the character of Tim in the film. Tim is constantly threatening Chris and his family. As Chris attempts to clean up the mess that Andy has created, there are plenty of obstacles in the way. This offers many moments of suspense. There is a sense of wanting to know what will happen next. Just when you think that good guys and bad guys are clearly defined, the lines become blurred.
The audience cannot help but pull for Mark’s character. We watch as he uses his knowledge to get himself out of some scary situations. All the while his wife is doing her best to stay strong while he is away. She does a pretty good job because she gets frequent visits from Giovanni Ribisi’s character. The film’s structure is that of a reformed bad boy who through some extraneous circumstances must return to a life of crime. There is an antagonist in the story and a chance that the good guys may not be so good. Will Chris reach his final goal? You have to watch to find out. Also I’ll add that though I enjoyed the film, I did think the ending was a bit of a stretch.
This movie is full of familiar faces. The cast includes actors that have credits in such movies as Juno, X-Men: First Class, Inception, 3:10 to Yuma, and many more. Kate Beckinsale has been keeping busy. In addition to her role in Contraband she is starring in Underworld: Awakening, which opens on January 20th. I had almost forgotten just how good of a character actor that Ben Foster can be. While I’m on the subject of character actors, I should mention Giovanni Ribisi. I think that he defines a great character actor. Whether he is a greedy developer in a huge James Cameron movie (Avatar), or a wino who rarely takes baths (The Rum Diary) he brings those characters to life and makes them believable. I give Contraband a solid B. It was a good story, even if it may have felt a bit familiar. I was pleasantly surprised.
