I suppose it isn't a surprise to anybody that Bryan Cranston is great in this. He is likely the main reason for people to see this movie. They will then discover a decently good movie that covers the war on drugs in the 1980s. It may be based in actual history, but the narrative is admittedly a bit derivative anyway. It's an interesting story, but it may just not stand out enough in this genre of films. Enter the performances and the characters to save the day.
What grounds this movie; besides the exciting tension that comes with stories about undercover work, are the characters who are in the thick of things here. We are forced to feel the deathly danger of being discovered as an undercover agent, by having to believe the emotional strength and fortitude of pretending to be somebody else. Add in the whole trope about struggling to balance the dual identities within the real and fabricated lives, and you can see why this movie relies a lot on the character work by the actors. Some plot turns may threaten to ruin your suspension of disbelief, but the acting work will keep you watching.
lovedit ENJOYED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
