Mr. Right (2016)

Directed by Paco Cabezas. Starring Anna Kendrick, Sam Rockwell, Tim Roth, Anson Mount, James Ransone, Katie Nehra, RZA, Michael Eklund. [R]

Loopiness wins out over preciousness in this tonal disarray of a romance, liberally sprinkled with humor and violence. Kendrick and Rockwell are smartly cast in roles that push against the curtains of their comfort zones, playing each of their roles as well as just about anyone else could. She’s a zippy misfit on the rebound; he’s an enigmatic oddball who enchants her against all logic and an abundance of warning signs; their whirlwind romance is interrupted by her discovery that he’s actually a contract killer (who kills his contractors), but as it turns out, that’s not a deal-breaker. The charming stars, rapid-fire dialogue, and more unpredictability than is customary for the love-n-laffs sub-genre keep it all on track, even during the abundant detours and complications in the action-heavy final act; Tim Roth as a mysterious antagonist doesn’t get much to do besides implement a knowingly unconvincing American accent through the lion’s share, but his first scene in a van is a winner. Written by Max Landis; fans of another one of his pictures (American Ultra) should be on the lookout for an Easter egg-style connection between the two. Debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015.

70/100