Steven Soderbergh
One of the many things you can say about award-winning director Steven Soderbergh is that he’s stayed remarkably busy. Over the last 30+ years since his directorial debut Sex, Lies and Videotape in 1989, the auteur has helmed twenty-eight feature films and eight television programs. His latest is the period crime thriller, “No Sudden Move.”
The result of this need to be constantly in motion is a wide berth of genre films. Films that range from the big-budget action-heist Ocean’s 11 franchise, starring a who’s who of A-list talent. Or the low-budget dramas shot on HD video, such as the 2006 ad-libbed film Bubble, starring all non-professional actors.
The one style of filmmaking that Soderbergh frequently re-visits is the “noir” genre. Whether it’s in the form of a romantic “crime comedy” (Out Of Sight), a British gangster film (The Limey), or a hillbilly-heist caper (Logan Lucky). This is a style of filmmaking that Soderbergh feels comfortable with.
Pre-Production
In No Sudden Move, Soderbergh is going back to his acting well. He features several actors he has used before and feels comfortable working with. This includes Don Cheadle and Benicio del Toro, whose characters are the focal point for much of the story. Kieran Kulkin, John Hamm, David Harbour, and Brendan Fraser round out a solid cast.
The filming of No Sudden Move was delayed almost six months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it often feels like it when you are watching it. Many of the film’s interior scenes feel isolated and restrictive; at times even claustrophobic. Soderbergh is not doing this by accident.
The director is also making a return to the Detroit area for the first time since filming the hotel and boxing training scenes there for Out Of Sight back in 1998. The story feels like something Elmore Leonard would write, just not quite as sharp or engaging. Cheadle felt that filming in Detroit was essential:
“Detroit is absolutely a character in this movie and I think it permeates everything that happens. There are certain movies you can shoot them anywhere…This one had to be in Detroit. It’s about Detroit. It’s about the industry that fueled Detroit… about what happened when that industry decided that it was more important than the people.”
Soderbergh and screenwriter Ed Solomon set No Sudden Move against the backdrop of the auto industry in Detroit in the mid-1950s. The city at this time is rapidly changing, yet still torn apart by race and class struggle. Like much of Soderbergh’s other work, the social commentary throughout the film is evident.
Premise
No Sudden Move begins with the recruitment of a trio of small-time hoodlums, all of whom are under the auspicious control of a character named “Doug Jones” (portrayed by Brendan Fraser). Fraser, for this role, is channeling his inner Orson Welles, both characteristically and physically.
“Curt Goynes” (played by Cheadle) has recently been released from prison, and like in so many films of this genre “needs one good job” to skip town before his criminal past finally catches up with him. Curt, who’s looking to relocate to the Midwest, quickly and readily agrees to the job.
He gives barely any consideration with regards to what the job he has signed on for actually is. Curt’s partners on this gig are “Ronald Russo” (Del Toro), whom Curt has heard of, and “Charley” (Kieran Culkin), whom Curt does not recognize. Culkin recently spoke about working with Soderbergh:
“Steven is like, “Here’s a great script. Here are some great actors I like working with. Here are all these great people I’d like to work with.” You show up the scene, the actors start doing this, he goes, “Give me a camera,” and we just shoot it fast. And then he’s in the editing room later that day. It’s fun, man. It’s a lot of fun.”
The Soderbergh Style
As is Soderbergh’s style, he lets us figure out what’s going on as it happens. The trio of small-time crooks breaks into the home of “Matt Wertz” (David Harbour). Wertz is ordered to retrieve a secret envelope from the safe of his boss “Mel Forbert,” while his family is held hostage. This may seem simple enough, yet like so many Soderbergh films, it’s not.
There are also multiple separate subplots in No Sudden Move involving two Mob bosses, “Aldrich Watkins” (the legendary Bill Duke), and “Frank Capelli” (an extremely buff Ray Liotta). Curt and Russo are scheming to take the secret envelope for themselves and sell it to the highest mobster bidder.
There are also tales of infidelity thrown in for good measure. Forbert’s secretary, “Paula” (Frankie Shaw), is Matt’s mistress. Matt’s wife, “Mary” (Amy Seimetz), finds out, further complicating an already convoluted plot. There are yet more MacGuffins involving Watkins’s record book, which has gotten into the open and is threatening his criminal empire.
Analysis
What follows in No Sudden Move is an at times baffling series of deals made, fake-outs, set-ups, and double-crosses. Much like the work of Alfred Hitchcock, there are several MacGuffins thrown in to further confuse the viewing audience. The film’s plot often becomes bogged down with its complexity. At times this threatens to send the film spiraling out of control.
While No Sudden Move is well-acted and shot, it never really reaches the level of being entertaining. When the most exciting part of the film is an unexpected cameo near the end, there is something wrong. John Hamm is also continuing his tradition of being typecast as a suit-wearing detective who is hot on the trail. Julia Fox, who broke out in a big way in the fantastic Uncut Gems, delivers a solid performance here as Vanessa Cappelli. Her character arc in this film is one of the better subplots of the movie.
Ed Solomon’s screenplay is an incredibly complicated weave of plots, sub-plots, and characters that all overlap each other. Soderbergh would have been better served making No Sudden Move a six-episode miniseries for Netflix.
It also doesn’t help that none of these characters are particularly likable. George Clooney in Out Of Sight was a convicted criminal, but you were still rooting for him the whole way through. Soderbergh here seems to care more about the film’s set designs. He prefers the costumes and the architecture, rather than building likable characters.
Conclusion
No Sudden Move is a film that looks good. It also delivers solid acting performances across the board. Still, Soderbergh’s latest effort fails to be anything more than an average, middle-of-the-road film. It should be noted that an “average” Soderbergh film is still better than most other directorial efforts.
the film is filled with Soderbergh’s trademark “noir flair” replete with low-angle and Dutch-angle shots. However, his latest effort lacks the vibrancy of his earlier movies. It will never be anything more than an average Soderbergh film. It’s not bad, but it lacks the energy needed to make the film more entertaining.
No Sudden Move had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 18, 2021, and was released in the United States on July 1, 2021. The film is currently streaming and available globally via HBO Max.
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