Ace the Case: Manhattan Mystery (2016)

Touches You

Memorable, crazy movie

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Olivia Haden's father is run over by a robber and killed. Thirteen months later, Olivia is alone with her older brother Miles as their mother leaves on a business trip. Olivia is walking her dog at 2am when she witnesses her rich neighbor being kidnapped. Her brother dismisses her. The cops don't believe her either. While detective Dottie Wheel (Susan Sarandon) is skeptical, she gives her a card. Olivia investigates on her own.This is what great actors do in between the good stuff. Not everything can be gold. There's no shame in doing it for the money. It's work. This is a low grade kiddie movie with some rather dangerous crime drama. Little Ripley Sobo reminds me of a child Lindsay Lohan with her red hair and spunky personality. Sarandon is out of place like a World Series MVP playing in a Little Leagues game. They filmed this in NYC and that ground level sense is at least something. This is mostly weak with sad comedic attempts. The other actors are functional to relatively good. The writing is simply weak and this is not good.

I don't even know how to begin. Some of the most random films have gone on to become cult classics and after pondering this film for days, I'm certain thats what this will go down in the books as. I'd love to lay out my full theory in detail but don't want to risk being tagged as a spoiler. GIANT rabbit, Susan Sarandon (Rocky Horror Picture Show), low budget, downtown NYC landscape, super random, burgeoning young heroine and 1990's style (nailed!). I can't imagine the director envisioned this but if he did (f'n genius). The film obviously sets it self up for a sequel and I only hope a studio doesn't take it and turn it into most of the garbage coming out today. Please keep these coming and don't sell out on the next one! After renting this I actually decided to buy it and think it's the best $20 I can remember spending.

I'd seen a lot of ads for this film on social media and thought I would give it a try. I mean you can't go wrong with Susan Sarandon. The beginning of the film was a bit disjointed, but 10 minutes in I was hooked! Is it getting an Oscar nomination? Probably not, but it's a cute film that I know my little cousins will love. They love Matilda the Musical so I think they will be excited to see Ripley Sobo as Olivia the detective! As a big brother to a much younger sister, It was interesting seeing how this dynamic played on screen. My sister is 6 years younger than me and growing up we had very little in common. Aaron Sauter does an excellent job of playing the uninterested and annoyed older brother. It reminds me of Home Alone and Harriet the Spy from when I was a kid.

After watching Ace the Case, I decided to show it at my church's back to school pizza party for our 8th grade youth group. The boys and girls equally loved it, as well as many adults. Great story with a cute young actress and one of my favorites, Susan Sarandon. I can assure if you are trying to select something appropriate for almost all ages, Ace the Case will be a great pick that will please all and offend little. I find it very hard today to find films rated PG-13 that are truly suited for that age group and I am happy to recommend this to all. In a world with so much darkness this is an inspiring little film with a great message for our youth. The movie does start off a bit slow but once Sarandon hits the screen it quickly picks up and changes direction immediately. The "bad guys" are bad enough but not too much for a PG-13 film and there is no cursing! There is one drinking scene but it's really a cautionary tale and it certainly doesn't glamorize alcohol in any way. It actually does the opposite in a quite comical way. This is a great small film for all ages that will be in our family library to enjoy for years to come.