The Red Machine (2009)
Washington, DC, 1935: At the height of the Great Depression, a charming and irrepressible young thief is forced to help an icy and mysterious United States Navy spy steal a brand new device that the Japanese military is using to encode its top-secret messages. During the mission, which is complicated by the spy's dark past in Tokyo, the two discover that they are pawns in a larger game. Together, they devise an intricate but risky scheme to outwit the people trying to use them.
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best movie i've ever seen.
A waste of 90 minutes of my life
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
And I agree with Cameron McAllister in Atlanta - kudos to your review, sir. Thankfully-bereft of large-scale, multi-peopled-large-casts, loud noises, over-the-top music and up-scale 'city scenes', this quiet but interesting film depicts, on a mini-scale, some of the most cogent and intimate efforts by the US Guv what it took to capture the essence of the 'newer' Japanese code machine triggering WWII. It won't take a 5th of expensive Scotch (nod to the director for its inclusion, and how many of us knew, then, the Japanese also have a succor for this beverage?) to appreciate this little-known but seriously-considered effort. I was engrossed from the start. But you kind-of have to 'hang in there' for the Cracker Jack surprises.
"The Red Machine" has been juicing the festival circuit for years, after first going into production in 2009. The Depression-era caper has two solid leads in Lee Perkins and Donal Thoms- Cappello and an equally strong supporting cast, featuring the Thelma Ritter-like Mo Byrnes in a standout role. Perkins and Thoms-Cappello are perfect foils for one another and while there could have been a tad more development on their friendship, the chemistry is certainly there. Completely self-aware and self-confident, colorful edits go to show that no one is taking themselves too seriously along this quick, fun ride. "The Red Machine" is more of a period piece "White Collar" than it is "The Lives of Others," but that's totally fine with me.3.5 out of 5 stars.Check out more reviews by Cameron McAllister at Reel Georgia - www.ReelGA.com
Highly recommended. A 1935 espionage 'caper'. Elements of humour but not enough, thank goodness, to distract from the essential drama. The Japanese suddenly start using new cryptography leaving the US Navy code-breakers with their pants down. A stoical lieutenant (why the hell he is still a lieutenant will keep you guessing) is brought out of his backwater job to recruit a local safe-cracking crook. They form a begrudging partnership based on mutual respect and it goes from there with some indistinct flashbacks to fill in the gaps without spelling it all out for you. Hard to believe it was made on a small budget. The period costumes and 'feel' are excellent. Look out for it. Brilliant.