They don’t make enough movies like No Sudden Move. Director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film is a swift, assured 1950s-era caper and a showcase for the immense talent in front and behind the camera. The cast and crew assembled under Soderbergh gracefully brings to life an atmospheric crime drama that is grounded, engaging, and deeply funny.
As the director of the Ocean’s trilogy and Out of Sight, Soderbergh is no slouch when it comes to heist movies, primarily responsible for modern audiences’ relationship to the twists and turns of the genre. Soderbergh continues to have one of the most fascinating and must-watch directing careers of his class, never getting boxed into a particular genre or style of filmmaking. His directorial range spans from Oscar-nominated, socially-conscious dramas (Traffic or Erin Brokovich), raunchy dramedies (Magic Mike), MMA-infused action thrillers (Haywire), and lately he’s been experimenting with films shot entirely on iPhone, like the psychological chiller Unsane or high-strung NBA drama High Flying Bird. He drills that confidence into No Sudden Move. As the film’s photographer and editor, he takes beautifully-shot sequences and stitches them together with a confident pace, knowing when the rhythm of the film demands more momentum and when we need to simmer in the dramatic tension of stressful situations.
Soderbergh’s visuals and Ed Solomon’s witty script are realized on the screen by a bevy of heavy-hitting performers. We spend the most time with Don Cheadle and Benecio del Toro, two of the most charismatic actors working in Hollywood. Both give subdued, nuanced performances, and are surrounded by a murderers’ row of co-starring and supporting cast. More than once a familiar face would appear, eliciting excited, shared glances of, “They’re in this too?” Solomon’s script draws our characters into awkward and stressful situations and lets the chips fall where they may. More movies should be this unsentimental about their characters and whether they survive the night.
My only gripe is that No Sudden Move was released directly to HBO Max and bypassed a widespread theatrical run—if for no other reason than letting the story completely enfold you. Solomon’s screenplay isn’t confusing per se, but it doesn’t spoon feed the audience either. The pacing and complications of the plot demand more attention than a passive viewing, something greatly enhanced by the theatrical experience. Either way, the movie is engrossing and pure entertainment. If you’re a fan of good movies, No Sudden Move is your brand.
No Sudden Move is available to stream on HBO Max. It runs 115 minutes and is rated R for language throughout, some violence and sexual references.
