finestkind cruises reviews

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Link to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
• Hit Man Link to Hit Man
• Babes Link to Babes

New TV Tonight

• Eric: Season 1
• We Are Lady Parts: Season 2
• Geek Girl: Season 1
• The Outlaws: Season 3
• Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted: Season 4
• America's Got Talent: Season 19
• Fiennes: Return to the Wild: Season 1
• The Famous Five: Season 1
• Couples Therapy: Season 4
• Celebrity Family Food Battle: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Tires: Season 1
• Evil: Season 4
• Outer Range: Season 2
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Bridgerton: Season 3
• Bodkin: Season 1
• Hacks: Season 3
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Bridgerton: Season 3 Link to Bridgerton: Season 3
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Cannes Film Festival 2024: Movie Scorecard

All A24 Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Weekend Box Office Results: Furiosa Edges Out  Garfield in Worst Memorial Day Weekend in Decades

Walton Goggins Talks The Ghoul’s Thirsty Fans and Fallout’s Western Influences on The Awards Tour Podcast

• Trending on RT
• Furiosa First Reviews
• Most Anticipated 2025 Movies
• Best Movies of All Time
• TV Premiere Dates

Where to Watch

Watch Finestkind with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Brian Helgeland

Jenna Ortega

Tommy Lee Jones

Ray Eldridge

Ismael Cruz Cordova

Clayne Crawford

More Like This

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

Like its main characters, this movie is at its best on the sea. This film’s location, the fishing community of New Bedford, Massachusetts, is where writer/director Brian Helgeland , grew up, and like its characters, he worked on a boat that collected deep sea scallops over 100 miles offshore for two weeks at a time. 

Before we see anything, we hear the sounds of the ocean, the calls of the birds, the splashes of the waves. We can almost smell the salt in the air. Then we see Tom ( Ben Foster ) on the dock. He is, as he will be throughout the story, metaphorically between the freedom and clarity of the open sea and the constraints found on land, the complications of family obligations and conflicts with the rules imposed by bosses and politicians and girlfriends and money. 

We learn quickly that for Tom, life has only two parts: being on the water and waiting to go back on the water. It is another world, the horizon disappearing as the sky and the water blend together. Under the boat, there are whales. 

Tom, like other characters in the movie, has a view about what it means to be a man.  In his mind, the ideal of masculinity is being as free as possible from all constraints except those of the natural world. There is some mild hazing of newcomers, but there is an instant bond with anyone who chooses to be on the water. There are men in the story who work in offices and wear ties. They are seen by the sea-going characters as lesser individuals who are not willing to take on the hard, physical work suitable for men. The point of view of Helgeland understands guy-talk, meaning dialogue that is brief, sardonic, elliptical, as far as possible from any kind of emotion or vulnerability. “Not dead yet,” is all they say when they’ve been rescued from a near-fatal accident at sea, without a hint of grimness. 

The one-word title is emblematic of all of those qualities. "Finestkind" is the name of a boat, but it is also an all-purpose term for pretty much anything anyone has to say. It’s “an expression of the trade.” It can mean anything from “that’s cool” to “f--- you.” It is “the Swiss army knife of words.” That is not understatement; it is barely-statement. 

Charlie ( Toby Wallace ) approaches Tom on the dock. They have not seen one another for a long time, but they are half-brothers and Charlie looks up to Tom. Their mother is Donna ( Lolita Davidovich ). She divorced Tom’s father, a boat captain known by everyone as Mr. Eldridge ( Tommy Lee Jones ), and later married a lawyer named Gary ( Tim Daly ), Charlie’s father. 

Charlie has just graduated from college and has been accepted at law school. But he has turned down a job in his dad’s office because he wants to spend the summer crewing for Tom. He is also drawn to Mabel ( Jenna Ortega ), who has made some risky choices and may not be trustworthy, though she tries to assure Charlie that “It’s where I’m from, not where I’m going.”

Shortly after they go out on the water, disaster strikes. Mr. Eldridge persuades Tom to take his boat out. A different kind of disaster strikes, and suddenly Tom needs $200,000 to get the boat out of impound. And so, he takes on an even riskier job involving some very dangerous people. Another disaster.

Helgeland wants us to be caught up in the story of the brothers getting more and more mired in the consequences of their bad choices, but the most genuine relationship in the film is in a brief scene with the exes played by Jones and Davidovich. Foster is at his best in roles like this one, where his emotions are tightly coiled and always close to exploding, but the storyline does not give him much to work with and Wallace cannot make much out of a blandly-conceived role. By the time Charlie and Mabel are discussing  Moby Dick  while having sex, the ship has really run aground. 

On Paramount+ now.

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

Now playing

Tomris Laffly

Peyton Robinson

Kaiya Shunyata

Mother of the Bride

Marya e. gates.

Nothing Can't Be Undone by a HotPot

Simon abrams, film credits.

Finestkind (2023)

126 minutes

Tommy Lee Jones as Ray Eldridge

Ben Foster as Tom

Toby Wallace as Charlie

Jenna Ortega as Mabel

Aaron Stanford as Skeemo

Scotty Tovar as Nunes

Tim Daly as Dennis Sykes

Lolita Davidovich as Donna

Clayne Crawford as Pete Weeks

Ismael Cruz Córdova as Costa

• Brian Helgeland

Latest blog posts

Killer Klowns from Outer Space Is a Total Blast

Cannes 2024: It's Not Me, Filmlovers!, Misericordia

The World's Biggest Jewelry Box: Kristin Joseff on Hollywood's Favorite Jeweler, Joseff of Hollywood

Cannes 2024 Video #6: Ben Kenigsberg on The Substance, Anora, Emilia Perez, and Napoleon

Finestkind Scenic Cruises

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

FINESTKIND SCENIC CRUISES (Ogunquit) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Finestkind Scenic Cruises

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Finestkind Scenic Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

‘Finestkind’ Review: Toby Wallace and Ben Foster Make a Magnetic Pair as Self-Destructive Siblings

'Mystic River' screenwriter Brian Helgeland returns to his native Massachusetts to tell an almost Shakespearean tale of half-brothers navigating their relationships with their respective dads.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

• Cannes Awards: Female-Centered Stories Win Big in Cannes, as Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ Earns Palme d’Or 3 days ago
• ‘The Most Precious of Cargoes’ Review: An Animated Fable From the Director of ‘The Artist’ Finds Hope in the Holocaust 4 days ago
• ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ Review: Repression Hasn’t Chastened Mohammad Rasoulof, Who Responds With a Marathon Domestic Critique 4 days ago

“Finestkind,” the name of both Brian Helgeland ’s new film and the high-line fishing boat Tommy Lee Jones captains within it, is one of those words that New Englanders find hard to define, but seem to have no trouble using in a sentence. It means quality — of fish, of people, of principles — and it sets the bar for the shaggy family portrait Helgeland crafts around two half-brothers wrestling with their place in the blue-collar New Bedford community.

Popular on Variety

The movie makes a bigger deal of class than Charlie himself does. He grew up with privileges that Tom didn’t, and yet, Charlie idolizes his older brother, begging to accompany him on a fishing trip. “I’m curious about me,” he tells Tom. But their bonding experience is cut short when something explodes in the engine room and Tom’s boat sinks. Reunited at last, the siblings’ first outing together was nearly their last. But instead of being scared off by the near-death experience, Charlie doubles down (that’s actually the name of another boat they borrow). Instead of going to law school at Boston U., he wants to spend a year on the water.

Helgeland takes that goal seriously, which is admirable — the opposite of the view so many Hollywood movies preach that the only freedom kids in dead-end communities can find is leaving town for the New York or Los Angeles. Charlie wants to work with his hands, and on that aforementioned trip into Canadian waters, “Finestkind” finally hits its stride. The movie doesn’t look like much (the compositions are bland and clumsily cut together) but DP Crille Forsberg deserves credit for capturing the texture of the fishing trips: We see the crew hauling hundreds of shells onto the decks, handling the dredges and shucking the scallops by hand.

Foster is always great, coming across more mellow here than in films such as “Hell or High Water,” whose director, Taylor Sheridan, is one of this project’s producers. Wallace, who plays Charlie, appears in three films premiering in the span of one week on the fall festival circuit: “The Bikeriders,” “The Royal Hotel” and now this. He plays very different characters in each, though it’s clear from all three that he’s a star in the making. Both he and Foster are unpredictable performers, cocked and ready to spring at the slightest provocation — and yet, Helgeland leans into their sensitivity instead.

In Charlie’s case, that tenderness is brought out by a local girl, Mabel (a tough-acting Jenna Ortega), who’s mixed up with drug dealers, but wants to go to community college. The morning after these two hook up, the film sends them racing across town in her Volkswagen — a clunky scene, but one that sticks with you, as it’s one of several moments when the characters really come alive. Other beats are more obvious, as when Ray reveals that he has cancer, which gives him enough slack to be reckless (think “The Shootist”). But Helgeland still manages to surprise, especially when it comes to what Tom and Charlie’s two dads are willing to do for such reckless sons as these. If the word “finestkind” applies here, it’s to the fathers, on whom the Dream depends.

Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Galas), Sept. 8, 2023. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 126 MIN.

• Production: A Paramount+ release of a 101 Studios, Between Two Trees Entertainment, Bosque Ranch Prods. production. Producers: Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff, Taylor Sheridan, David Glasser. Executive producers: Jennifer Roth, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari.
• Crew: Director, writer: Brian Helgeland. Camera: Crille Forsberg. Editor: Stuart Levy. Music: Carter Burwell.
• With: Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, Tommy Lee Jones, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Aaron Stanford, Scotty Tovar, Tim Daly, Lolita Davidovich, Clayne Crawford.

More From Our Brands

Athleisure fashion finds so chic you could wear them to work, this new 37-foot sportfishing yacht is designed for both serious angling and casual cruising, connor mcdavid might not be oilers’ most valuable asset, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, all american stages its biggest game yet in sentimental 100th episode — grade it, verify it's you, please log in.

Watch the Finestkind in a Yankee Magazine video

Scenic Boat Trips Along Maine’s Coastline

Finestkind Scenic Cruises, located in picturesque Perkins Cove, has everything you need for an excursion along Ogunquit’s shore. Learn about lobstering and see lobsters caught on board the Finestkind I, take a scenic coastal cruise to the Nubble Lighthouse in York, or a leisurely cocktail cruise in the evening aboard the Finestkind III.

Come on a summer morning to visit our local population of harbor seals on the Finestkind II or enjoy a unique sailing trip on board our beautifully crafted wooden sailboat, the Cricket , because at Finestkind Scenic Cruises, we truly do have something for everyone.

Latest News from Instagram

Finestkind Scenic Cruises - Ogunquit

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Finestkind Scenic Cruises - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

Jenna Ortega Is the Biggest Draw of Salty Sea Drama ‘Finestkind’

GONE FISHIN’

“L.A. Confidential” director Brian Helgeland drags in an old drama he once pitched to Heath Ledger.

Freelance Journalist

Miller Mobley/Paramount+

In making Finestkind , writer-director Brian Helgeland dusted off an old screenplay—but plenty of dust remains. The story of a college boy who learns the ropes on his brother’s fishing boat out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is gradually drawn into economic peril, illicit activity, conflicting loyalties, and operatic violence, Finestkind was first written in the early 1990s, and Helgeland has said the script he ultimately shot was more or less the version he first offered to a then-22-year-old Heath Ledger a quarter-century ago. The film has specificity and stakes, but it’s ungainly and filled with placeholder dialogue; it’s the kind of promising spec script that would have benefitted from a structural rethink and on-set polish by a more seasoned hand… perhaps from a Hollywood pro like Brian Helgeland, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of L.A. Confidential .

Helgeland himself grew up in New Bedford, and worked on a scallop boat between undergrad and film school; from Finestkind it is evident that the time he spent on a commercial fishing ship totally changed his perspective on the world . Charlie, played by the babyfaced Aussie actor Toby Wallace, takes immediately to the sea, soaking up the hazing, scurrying under the dredge nets, shimmying his hips as he shucks, reveling in the backslaps as he drops a shot into his beer at a seaside dive. Both Charlie and the film itself fetishize manual labor and the call of the ocean, demonstrated in the many Moby-Dick shout-outs scattered throughout, as well as in Charlie’s friction with his blue-blood dad (Tim Daly), who expects him to start BU Law in September.

Nicole Rivelli

Finestkind hits some choppy waters—guileless exposition, forced music choices, stilted banter—but Helgeland, shooting in his hometown and out at sea in real trawlers with almost entirely practical effects, captures wind-lashed textures of real life and real work that wouldn’t be out of place in a rough diamond from 1970s New Hollywood. The actors catch facefuls of ocean spray; they reel in the wet creaky heavy metal cables; they wear thick rubber gloves to handle the catch without cutting themselves on the scallop shells.

Just as slumming English majors such as Charlie are suckers for this lifestyle’s ostentatious authenticity, movie critics may find themselves susceptible to Finestkind ’s unpretentious craftsmanship and lived-in setting. But Helgeland has, or had, no clear idea what form to pour his impressions of the milieu into. The coming-of-age drama, a high-spirited and swearier Captains Courageous riff in which Charlie learns on the job from his idolized but semi-estranged and much older half-brother, Tommy (Ben Foster), eventually gives way to a crime drama focused on Tommy’s father, Ray (Tommy Lee Jones), the ornery and weather-worn first husband of the boys’ upwardly mobile mother (Lolita Davidovich). Rather than class conflict, the two brothers end up representing the divergent genre impulses that yank the movie apart, especially as Helgeland piles up a Jenga plot of escalating implausibilities and introduces an underworld kingpin, played by Clayne Crawford, who talks in a “ whose cah we gonna take ” voice and runs his empire out of a donut shop (Masshole excellence!).

Tommy, the role Heath Ledger told Helgeland he wanted when he was older, is the kind of hair-trigger blue-collar guy Foster can play without breaking a sweat. As his Texas-born dad, Jones is equally in the pocket, uncompromising and unlikeable even as the ailing Ray grows teary and weak. As the father’s fishing boat gets impounded and the son takes desperate measures to keep his head above water, you can see how this dynamic could have been the spine of a fine thriller, even allowing for dialogue as soft-boiled as “You live and you die. It’s in the in-between part that’s important.” But pushed out to the margins of the movie by Charlie, Helgeland’s callow author surrogate, the storyline feels gutted.

No one shows the strain of connecting the two movies more than Wednesday ’s Jenna Ortega, as Charlie’s love interest, Mabel. In the underwritten role of a plucky working-class striver, Ortega conveys the flinty side of a girl who knows her own mind. But in a script that demands she be both rom-com dream girl and hard-nosed smuggler, Ortega is forced to sail into the wind of Helgeland’s wildest tonal swerves. (That said, his most egregious choice involves a tertiary character introduced in Act One sporting Chekhov’s pregnancy pouch.)

Per Google’s “People also ask” feature, one of the most pressing questions surrounding Finestkind ahead of its release concerns whether the movie is rated-R—suggesting, incongruously, that the audience most excited for this very unfashionable mid-budget drama is Ortega’s legion of young fans. For viewers graduating from YA streaming hits, Finestkind may well carry the raw ethanol whiff of adulthood, like baby’s first Smirnoff Ice. And if their acquired taste for salt-caked Massachusetts crime procedurals eventually leads them to The Friends of Eddie Coyle , then it will all have been worth it.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

READ THIS LIST

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Real-Life Heroes on YouTube for Tweens and Teens

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Common sense media reviewers.

Fishing drama is all bait, no hook; drugs, guns, swearing.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Hard, physical work can be good for the soul. Them

All the characters make poor decisions. But viewer

The story revolves around a White family, includin

Guns and gun violence, including threats with a gu

Intense, passionate kissing in a car. A couple is

Extremely strong language: "bulls--t," "damn," "go

Product placement is likely with vehicles, but def

A likable supporting character who has a drug prob

Parents need to know that Finestkind is director Brian Helgeland's drama about estranged half-brothers (Ben Foster, Toby Wallace) who bond while working as fishermen. They come from different backgrounds -- one is the son of a grizzled, intimidating boat captain (Tommy Lee Jones), the other the son of a…

Positive Messages

Hard, physical work can be good for the soul. Themes of family (both those you're born into and those you create) and brotherly love. Stated message: "You live. You die. It's the in-between that counts."

Positive Role Models

All the characters make poor decisions. But viewers are meant to admire the work ethic of the commercial fishermen and how they look out for one another.

Diverse Representations

The story revolves around a White family, including a working-class man who's the captain of a fishing vessel and his "rich kid" half-brother who wants to chuck a fancy education and work alongside him. The working class characters are depicted in a positive light compared to white-collar workers. The boat's crew and their family and friends are mostly Latino/Afro-Latino, including female lead Mabel (Jenna Ortega), who's independent and ambitious -- but also mostly there to be the girl in her boyfriend's story.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Guns and gun violence, including threats with a gun to the head, shots to injure, and shots to kill. Hard punch.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Intense, passionate kissing in a car. A couple is shown entangled in bed together after sex; kissing (lips, other body parts) and hands moving under the covers suggest that they're about to do it again.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Extremely strong language: "bulls--t," "damn," "goddamn," "motherf--ker," "p---y," "s--t," and frequent use of "f--k." "For Chrissakes" and "Jesus Christ!" used as exclamations.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Product placement is likely with vehicles, but definitely with Budweiser beer -- the logo, taglines, and labels-out bottles are seen throughout.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A likable supporting character who has a drug problem is shown surrounded by balls of heroin. Characters gather and bond while drinking beer at a bar. Main characters willingly enter into a drug smuggling scheme, and bags of product are seen.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Finestkind is director Brian Helgeland 's drama about estranged half-brothers ( Ben Foster , Toby Wallace ) who bond while working as fishermen. They come from different backgrounds -- one is the son of a grizzled, intimidating boat captain ( Tommy Lee Jones ), the other the son of a wealthy Boston lawyer ( Tim Daly ) -- but when it comes to overcoming adversity, they're both quick to say yes to a fast fix. Heroin -- sales, smuggling, and use -- is a key part of the story, and while the drug kingpins are depicted as quite villainous, the rest of the drug-related material is shown in a somewhat empathetic light. Guns are flashed and used to threaten, injure, and kill. There's some physical fighting, too, including a hard punch to the gut. Sexual content includes heavy petting and passionate kissing, some of it in bed. Language is extremely strong, with constant use of words such as "goddamn," "s--t," "f--k," and more. The movie is intended as a tribute to working-class folks and promotes the idea that there's personal reward in hard, physical work. But honest work, it turns out, it's not, and characters make many poor decisions. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (1)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Tommy Lee Jones and Ben Foster keep this together

What's the story.

Recent college graduate Charlie ( Toby Wallace ) idolizes his older half-brother, Tom ( Ben Foster ), who's the captain of a fishing boat. Charlie convinces Tom to hire him as a crew mate for a summer job. But it's anything but smooth sailing, and when Tom gets deeper into debt, the brothers find themselves treading dangerous waters.

Is It Any Good?

This fishing-centric drama is all bait, and -- alas -- no hook. It took more than three decades for writer-director Brian Helgeland to get his first (and most personal) screenplay to the screen -- and while that's a great example of perseverance, the script for Finestkind shows its age. Today's audiences require more truth than most did in the 1980s, when lunkheaded heroes could make poor decisions, and we'd still cheer them on. Today, viewers are savvier and question everything. And here, the doubts start the moment after the brothers' first failed boating expedition and last through their final head-shaking choices.

What's even harder to believe is that this story came from the same writer of heralded crime dramas LA Confidential and Mystic River . When "wrong side of the tracks" Mabel ( Jenna Ortega ) has her first conversation with Charlie, she tells him how she's going to break the cycle of poverty and crime in her family. English major Charlie responds with the scene-stopping declaration, "You want to be the hero of your own story!" Yet she gets the men involved with a dangerous cartel and is never more than the girl in her boyfriend's story. Things like that may nag at viewers, but -- with its 1980s music from INXS and The Outfield, its Gen X-compatible idea that a hard day's work is its own reward, a lack of smartphones, and the "father knows best" messaging -- there's definitely an audience for this film, reinforcing for those who identify with the story that they are indeed, the finest kind.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what's meant by Finestkind 's repeated message, "You live. You die. It's the in-between that counts." How do you interpret that?

What different decisions could Tom and Charlie have made to avoid the increasingly difficult situation they find themselves in?

What does "finest kind" mean?

Are drug use and drinking glamorized here? Why, or why not?

Brian Helgeland spent more than 30 years working to get Finestkind made. How is this an example of perseverance , and why is that an important character strength?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : December 15, 2023
• Cast : Ben Foster , Toby Wallace , Jenna Ortega , Tommy Lee Jones
• Director : Brian Helgeland
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors
• Studio : Paramount+
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Brothers and Sisters , Ocean Creatures
• Run time : 126 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content
• Last updated : December 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

The Perfect Storm

The Departed

Mystic Pizza

Drama Movies That Tug at the Heartstrings

Related topics.

• Brothers and Sisters
• Ocean Creatures

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Giant Freakin Robot

The Jenna Ortega Crime Thriller On Paramount+ Way Better Than Its Reputation

Posted: May 16, 2024 | Last updated: May 18, 2024

Critics didn’t love the movie Finestkind, released in 2023 and starring Ben Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jenna Ortega, among others. But fans disagreed, and I have to say I’m with the fans on this one. It’s a good movie that covers an interesting topic and keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

New England Fisherman Thriller

Finestkind was written and directed by Brian Helgeland, a former fisherman himself, who used his own experiences and those of his cohort to write an up-close-and-personal account of the life of the men who spend days on a fishing boat off the coast of the eastern seaboard. Then, he added some crime, some romance, and some thrills into what ended up being a family drama. 

The Underrated Cast

In Finestkind, Ben Foster plays Tom Eldridge, a hardened, roughneck of a fisherman who greets his much younger, fresh-out-of-college half-brother, Charlie (played by Toby Wallace), on the docks one morning.

It turns out Tom and Charlie have entirely different backgrounds as their mother, Donna (played by Lolita Davidovich) had first been with a fisherman, Ray (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and is now with a fancy, wealthy lawyer, Dennis (played by Tim Daly). 

Boston Accents Are The Best

As a result, the boys take after their fathers; Tom is working class, hangs in the bar with the fishing crew he captains, and is rough around the edges. Charlie is refined, headed to law school after the summer, and lives with his parents in a large beach house.

The problem is that Charlie wants to spend time with his brother, working on the fishing boat, and after a brief attempt to dissuade him, Tom finally agrees to employ his younger brother, slapping him lightly in the face with his gloves and exclaiming in his Boston accent, “finestkind.” 

Slow-Burn Slice Of Life Goes Off The Rails

You soon find out that “finestkind,” pronounced as two words, finest kind, can mean a lot of things. It is the slang of the working-class fisherman and other locals in this region of the Boston coast. Charlie falls right in with Tom and his crew and takes a right to fish.

Their first venture ends in a fishing boat accident that is due to poor maintenance on the part of the boat’s owner, and though the men all survive, Tom goes for the head of the owner in his fancy office, who is only saved by Charlie jumping in and pulling Tom away.

From that point, Ray offers Tom the use of his boat, named, of course, Finestkind. The captain and his crew jump aboard for their next 10 days out, and you’re still wondering at this point where the crime is in this crime thriller.

A Girl From The Wrong Side Of The Tracks

I think, honestly, Helgeland wanted to share so much of the joy and raw authenticity of the fishing life, so he does spend a good hour just showing audiences the daily ins and outs. 

Charlie becomes part of the finestkind boys, falling in love with Mabel (Ortega), a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and arguing with his father about law school. The brothers both love their mother dearly, and you can tell from the emotional scenes that both fathers are good men and love their sons, despite their flaws and misguided choices. 

Worth Your Time To Stream

REVIEW SCORE

Once the scene is fully set in Finestkind, the drama really takes off. The brothers and the rest of the team get mixed up in international waters, boat seizures, drug running, and so much more. The last half of the film is a mashup of s**, violence, drugs, and, sadly, very little rock and roll. However, the actors deliver on all accounts, the story is believable, and the heroes are flawed and still loveable. 

Finestkind is a movie worth watching, and if you’ve got Paramount+, you can stream it the next chance you get.

More for You

Stephen Hawking once gave a simple answer as to whether there was a God

19 American Foods that Are Not Allowed in Other Countries

Trump sells off $10m jet to major megadonor as he owes millions in legal fees and judgements

Experts share the worst thing you can do in the morning for your sleep cycle

I'm a 57-year-old Woman and People Think I'm in my 30's - Here's My Tips to Aging Gracefully

Gavin Newsom Rebuked by California Newspaper: 'Should Be Ashamed'

40 Years Ago, a Brilliantly Profane Sci-Fi Movie Turned the Genre Upside Down

Flight attendant explains why you should always throw a bottle of water under hotel beds

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater? Here’s What Couples Therapists Think

20 Hollywood Stars Who Disappeared from Sight

How to stay asleep all night if you keep waking up — an expert explains

Kevin Costner’s Favorite Food on the Set of Yellowstone

Donald Trump's 'Self-Inflicted Wound' Could Cost Him Trial: Ex-Prosecutor

"Mr. Miyagi" From 'Karate Kid': Pat Morita's Tragic Death

This U.S. State Is One of the Best Places to Retire for Low Crime, Taxes, and an Affordable Cost of Living

Suze Orman says 'no decision is bigger' in retirement than this Social Security move — here's what she wants Americans to do

Map reveals best places to live in the US if nuclear war breaks out

It’s Official: ‘Furiosa’ Is a Box Office Flameout

A viral essay about marriage spawned thousands of hate clicks — and exposed a harsh reality

The Forgotten '60s Sitcom That Kicked The Twilight Zone Off TV

Protect Your Trip »

The 5 best nyc dinner cruises for food & views.

These dinner cruises provide some of the best views of Manhattan.

The Best NYC Dinner Cruises

Courtesy of La Barca Cantina

When you're strolling the streets of Manhattan, it can be difficult to grasp the magnitude of the city, with its skyscrapers and densely packed landmarks. The solution? A boat ride. A breezy sail in New York Harbor can feature everything from an elegant dinner to a live jazz band to tacos and tequila. Read on to discover the top-rated New York City dinner cruise options as determined by travel expert opinion and recent reviews.

City Cruises New York Bateaux Premier Dinner Cruise

Price: From $144 Duration: 3 hours Standout perk: This all-glass boat delivers panoramic skyline views.

Climbing aboard the Bateaux feels like stepping into a greenhouse, with its glass-enclosed structure and water views in every direction. There are no bad seats on this boat, but as an upgrade you can reserve a window table for the best views of the Hudson River, the East River and the New York Harbor. This cruise is a match for anyone seeking elegance: The tables are covered in crisp white cloths, wine and cocktails are served in sparkling glasses, and a three-course a la carte dinner is served at a relaxed pace (no buffet here).

The Bateaux cruise is an experience to get dressed up for, where the dress code is semi-formal and dinner is accompanied by live music. The sunset can provide the perfect backdrop for pictures, and don't forget to snap a shot of the Statue of Liberty . Children younger than 6 are not permitted on this cruise, so expect a polished, for-adults atmosphere complete with creative cocktails and dancing under the stars. The Bateaux has rightfully earned a reputation for its fresh food; this three-course, plated menu includes several tempting a la carte options from a ravioli starter with crispy pancetta to osso bucco with cauliflower polenta.

Check prices & availability on:

City Cruises New York Signature Dinner Cruise

Price: From $109 Duration: 2.5 hours Standout perk: A live DJ gives this dinner cruise an extra dose of atmosphere.

Looking for a casual night of dining and dancing with the addition of a skyline backdrop? This dinner cruise offers just that. Set sail from Chelsea Piers in a climate-controlled boat along the Hudson and East rivers, admiring New York City landmarks like the Empire State Building . For dinner, indulge in a chef-prepared buffet with a wide range of options from Greek salad to oven-roasted salmon with miso to Caribbean jerk braised pork. If you're bringing a sweet tooth on board, be sure to check out the ample dessert station.

After snapping some pictures on the open-air deck, return to the cabin for cocktails from the cash bar, interactive games and upbeat music from the onboard DJ.

Those traveling with young kids will be pleased to know that infants younger than 3 cruise free – so feel free to bring your little ones along to enjoy the experience with you.

La Barca Cantina

Price: Varies Duration: 2 hours Standout perk: You'll find an extensive tequila and mezcal list on board to accompany the Mexican fare.

One criticism of New York dinner cruises is that they don't offer good value for money, but the "taco boat" challenges that critique with ceviche, tacos, churros, cocktails and skyline views for an affordable price. Climb aboard a yacht at Pier 81 to experience a youthful, modern interpretation of a dinner cruise – think: low lighting, couches for lounging and three bars, complete with Latin pop, salsa and dance music playing in the background. Raise a glass while the yacht sails south on the Hudson River to check out world-famous Manhattan skyline views.

La Barca Cantina also offers a bottomless brunch cruise with a DJ, as well as special events.

Tips on Trips and Expert Picks Newsletter

Travel tips, vacation ideas and more to make your next vacation stellar.

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

Classic Harbor Line NYC Evening Jazz Cruise

Courtesy of Classic Harbor Line

Price: From $108 Duration: 1.5 hours Standout perk: A jazz trio typically featuring a sax, keyboard and drums plays live on board.

Listen to jazz standards aboard a 1920s-style yacht with this fun sightseeing cruise departing from Pier 62 in Chelsea Piers. Choose between kicking back in the climate-controlled cabin or on the open-air deck throughout this evening cruise, which includes views of Manhattan landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Live music is played outside on the deck or inside the salon, depending on the season (and the boat, Manhattan or Manhattan II).

While this cruise doesn't offer dinner, one complimentary alcoholic beverage is included, and a cash bar offers additional drinks and snacks. Listen to music by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and more as you sail past the twinkling Manhattan skyline. Those traveling in a group should keep in mind: Tickets are slightly discounted for groups of 4 to 16.

Circle Line New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

Courtesy of Circle Line

Price: From $54 Duration: 2 hours Standout perk: This no-fuss, excellent-value cruise option has drinks and snacks available for purchase on board.

When you're craving panoramic views rather than a three-course meal, choose the Circle Line's Harbor Lights cruise departing from Pier 83. This sightseeing sailing delivers an up-close experience of the Manhattan skyline lights coming to life, while cruising past landmarks including the Brooklyn Bridge and the Chrysler Building . A live guide provides narration and historical context for what you're seeing. As the sun sets behind New Jersey, watch the glow of the sinking sun reflect in the windows of skyscrapers.

Food from the onboard cafe – like salads, sandwiches and snacks – as well as beer, wine and cocktails at the bar are available for purchase. This is an ideal situation for groups with varying levels of hunger and thirst. Sit alfresco in the breeze or indoors in the climate-controlled cabin – it's up to you.

Non-English-speaking guests can download the Circle Line app for narration available in several languages; just be sure to bring your own headset.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Jessica Colley Clarke is a New York-based freelance writer. She loves to take visiting family and friends out on the water in the New York Harbor for a fresh perspective on the Manhattan skyline and beyond.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top New York City Tours
• The Best Hotels in New York City
• The Top Observation Decks in New York City

Tags: Travel , Tours

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

The best whale watching in santa barbara.

John Rodwan May 29, 2024

The Best Travel Purses

Rachael Hood May 24, 2024

The Best Beach Games

Gwen Pratesi May 24, 2024

The Best Branson Shows

Carrie A. Back May 23, 2024

The Best Beach Toys for Kids

Amanda Norcross May 23, 2024

The Best Charleston Tours

John Rodwan May 23, 2024

The Best Savannah Tours

John Rodwan and Ann Henson May 23, 2024

The Best Cooler Bags

Sharael Kolberg May 22, 2024

The Best Beach Blankets

Gwen Pratesi and Sharael Kolberg May 22, 2024

The 5 Best San Francisco Bus Tours

Lyn Mettler and Ann Henson May 21, 2024

Finestkind Scenic Cruises

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Finestkind Scenic Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Orcas aren’t attacking boats — they’re just playful teens, scientists say

What might seem like killer whales orchestrating vengeful and coordinated attacks on ships is probably a playful fad among bored teen orcas, scientists say.

Hundreds of dangerous boat-ramming incidents over the past five years have cast orcas as deep-sea villains plotting to take back the ocean.

But the killer whales causing mayhem off Europe’s Iberian Peninsula might actually just be bored teenagers — at least, that’s the leading theory among a group of more than a dozen orca experts who have spent years studying the incidents.

Since 2020, members of a small group of killer whales have rammed into at least 673 vessels off the coasts of Portugal, Spain and Morocco — causing some to sink . The Spanish and Portuguese governments responded by tasking a group of experts with determining what was causing the whales to strike rudders, which are used to steer ships, and how to stop it.

The group, which includes biologists, government officials and marine industry representatives, on Friday released a report outlining their hypothesis: The orcas just want to have fun, and in the vast — and rather empty — open waters, the boats’ rudders are a prime toy.

“This looks like play,” said Naomi Rose, a senior scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute who was part of the working group. “It’s a very dangerous game they’re playing, obviously. But it’s a game.”

In most cases, the scientists found, the orcas approaching the vessels come from a group of about 15, mostly juvenile, whales. They typically approach slowly, almost as if to just bump the rudders with their noses and heads. But even young orcas average between 9 and 14 feet long, so the rudders would often get damaged or destroyed when the whales touched them, said Alex Zerbini, who chairs the scientific committee at the International Whaling Commission, a global body focused on whale conservation.

“There’s nothing in the behavior of the animals that suggests that they’re being aggressive,” said Zerbini, who is also part of the working group. “As they play with the rudder, they don’t understand that they can damage the rudder and that damaging the rudder will affect human beings. It’s more playful than intentional.”

Though orcas are known for their whimsy antics — like using jellyfish, algae and prey as toys — the researchers believe their playfulness has reached new levels in the Iberian Peninsula because of the rebound in the bluefin tuna population, their main source of food. In past decades, when orcas faced a tuna shortage, much of their time was spent trying to hunt down food. But once the tuna population bounced back, whales suddenly “have all this leisure time on their hands because they don’t have to eat every fish they find,” Rose said.

It’s not yet clear why the orcas are attracted to rudders or how they became fascinated by them in the first place. Still, Zerbini said it could have started with one curious, young killer whale that was perhaps enthralled by the bubbles surrounding a moving ship.

“Maybe that individual touched a rudder and felt that it was something fun to play with,” he said. “And, after playing, it began propagating the behavior among the group until it became as widespread as it is now.”

In other words, it became a ridiculous fad — not unlike, say, the viral Tide pod or cinnamon challenges .

It wouldn’t be the first time that killer whales mimicked a particular craze. In the past, some populations have taken to wearing dead salmon as hats or playing games of chicken, Rose said. And, just like human fads, the trends have a tendency to make comebacks years later, she added.

“My guess is that juveniles who see their older siblings or parents wearing salmon hats or doing some other fad sometimes remember these things as adults and think, ‘This is funny. Let’s do it again,’” she said. “These animals are cultural and sophisticated thinkers, and they’re just incredibly social.”

Orcas, Rose said, are similar to people in many ways. For instance, each population has a particular culture, language and food staple. Orcas and people also mature at a similar pace and, much like humans, female whales do so faster than males.

When it comes to the rudder bumping, Rose said, most of the whales involved are male juveniles and teens, meaning they are between the ages of 5 and 18. Fully grown males — over the age of 25 — are not participating in the antics. And while some adult female whales have been spotted at the scene of the incidents, “they seem to be just sort of keeping an eye on their kids, who are doing the actual playing,” she added.

For sailors, though, the practice is no game. Rose said she worries about frustrated mariners launching flares or other devices to deter whales. Not only could those measures deafen or harm whales, they might backfire by “making the game even more fun for them,” she said.

“The more dangerous it is for the orcas, the more thrill they seem to get out of it,” she said.

So what’s a better way to stop the boat-ramming? According to researchers: taking away the orcas’ toys — or, at least, making them less fun to play with.

The working group proposed several methods that will be tested this summer, Zerbini said. One involves replacing rudders’ typically smooth surfaces with abrasive or bumpy materials. They will also test a device that makes banging sounds around vessels and have suggested that boats hang rows of weighted lines, which orcas dislike.

“We don’t want to see more boats being sunk and we don’t want to see people in distress,” Zerbini said. “But we also don’t want to see the animals being hurt. And we have to remember that this is their habitat and we’re in the way.”

Louis Vuitton Unveils an Awe-Inspiring Cruise Collection Full of Texture and Volume

Friends of the house including Sophie Turner, Ana de Armas, and Cynthia Erivo decamped to Barcelona to take in the latest.

Creative director Nicolas Ghesquière might be the busiest man in fashion—since the start of the year, the designer has shown at Paris Fashion Week to celebrate his 10th year at helm of the house and recently debuted his pre-fall 2024 collection in Shanghai. The opening look of the latest show was a minidress rendered in a woven wool resembling natural fibers, with a crisp white lapel. What could be an otherwise average piece was taken firmly into 2024 with Oakley-esque reflective sunglasses, sharp-toed biker boots, and a flat-brimmed boater hat fit for Beyoncé.

With this assortment, Ghesquière attempted to look at all facets of Spanish life, from the rich history of the matadors to the flamenco tradition. Swishing dresses made of delicate flowers stitched together recalled folk ensembles. Gaudí’s ever-inspiring work showed up in geometric prints on flouncy cotton pants and in the shiny sequins mirroring his signature mosaics that adorned minidresses with exaggerated sleeves. Textural elements added life and depth—think: fringed, plaid tweed on cut-out maxi dresses and gray lacquered straw hats. The tans, grays, and blacks juxtaposed well with the striking reds, greens, and blues often seen in the Catalan architect’s palette.

Standout accessories were undoubtedly the Yeti-inspired shoes, which mirrored the fringed gloves Ghesquière sent down the runway for fall/winter 2024. The last sequence of looks were draped, gathered, and bold, cinched low or high with large black and white leather belts. The dramatic pleating on flamenco-style dresses appeared sensual without being costume-y. Instead, it was a great example of a designer riffing on history and making it his own. All in all, cruise 2025 was 100 percent Ghesquière with a sprinkle of Spain—totally modern yet rooted in classicism, not unlike Gaudí’s approach to creating pieces that last a lifetime.

Louis Vuitton Cruise 2025

Fashion Trends 2024

The 8 Hottest Jewelry Trends for Summer 2024

5 Summer 2024 Fashion Trends to Shop Now

Here’s Who to Watch During the CPHFW SS25 Season

The 8 Hottest Bag Trends for Summer 2024

How Sustainability Became the Norm in Denim

A Look Back at '90s Red Carpet Style

The 6 Best Spring 2024 Fashion Trends to Shop Now

The 7 Hottest Bag Trends for Spring 2024

5 Shoe Trends for Spring, Based on the Runway

The 6 Best Bag Trends We Saw During Fashion Month

These 8 Swimwear Trends Will Be Everywhere in 2024

site categories

Hollywood & media deaths in 2024: photo gallery & obituaries, ‘anora’ review: mikey madison gives her all in sean baker’s subversive screwball comedy – cannes film festival.

By Damon Wise

Film Editor, Awards

More Stories By Damon

• Cannes Film Festival 2024: Read All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews, Including Palme d’Or Winner ‘Anora’
• ‘The Most Precious Of Cargoes’ Review: Michel Hazanavicius’ Animated Holocaust Fable Walks A Fine Line – Cannes Film Festival
• ‘All We Imagine As Light’ Review: Payal Kapadia’s Poetic Meditation On Life In Urban Mumbai – Cannes Film Festival

Sean Baker ’s previous film, 2022’s Red Rocket (2022), began with *NSYNC’s Spotify-topping “Bye Bye Bye,” but Anora starts with the slightly lesser-known “Greatest Days” by British boy band Take That. Musically, it’s a bold choice, at odds with the frenetic spirit of what for over half its running time is a high-decibel screwball comedy that spends a lot of time in its establishing scenes in a New York strip joint.

Related Stories

Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ Gets 10-Minute Ovation In Cannes Film Festival World Premiere

Cannes Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews

The opening suggests a sister piece to Baker’s 2012 film Starlet , itself a prequel of sorts to Red Rocket , being an investigation of the quotidian lives of porn stars (which, in Red Rocket ’s case, also means former porn stars). Anora ( Mikey Madison ) is a sex worker, giving raunchy topless lap dances in a busy upmarket strip club called Headquarters and going the extra mile for clients she likes. Ani, as she styles herself, is good at her job, and the punters like her. “Do your family know you do this?” asks one. “Do your family know you’re here?” she retorts.

RELATED:  Cannes Film Festival Photos Day 8: Diane Kruger, Maria Bakalova, Sebastian Stan, ‘Anora’ Premiere & More

The other girls think Ani is classy because she has a butterfly tattoo (“I got dollar signs,” sighs one, “like a real ho”). She’s also smart, which is why she is assigned by the management to attend to a group of high-rolling Russians. Leader of the pack is Ivan Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), and the two hit it off instantly. Because of her grandmother, Ani has a decent grasp of Russia, and they communicate in bursts of both languages. He tips her with $100 bills, and while grinding in his lap she blows a big pink bubble with her bubblegum. “God bless America!” shouts Ivan excitedly, and they swap numbers.

RELATED:  Deadline Studio at Cannes Film Festival 2024 – Cate Blanchett, Jena Malone, Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller & More

Ivan asks Ani to be his girlfriend for a week, offering $15,000 for the pleasure of her company. The week passes in a druggy, boozy blur, and they wind up in Vegas, where Ivan reveals that he is due to be sent home to Russia, where he will join his father’s business. A sudden realization (“Don’t people get married in Vegas?”) plants the seed of an idea that Ivan thinks will solve all his problems: If they get married, he won’t have to go back home. “I will become American, and my parents will suck my dick,” he beams.

Reader, they do not. Instead, on hearing that his son has married a hooker, Ivan’s father summons the family fixer, Toros (Karren Karagulian), who sends his Armenian goons Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov) to keep an eye on Ivan until he can get there to sort it out. At which point all hell breaks loose, and Ivan runs away, leaving Toros with less than 24 hours to find him. Desperate, Toros offers Ani $10,000 to annul the marriage and walk away, but Ani is convinced that Ivan is the love of her life and will come to her rescue.

RELATED: Mikey Madison On Being Cast In Sean Baker’s Mysterious Competition Title ‘Anora’: “I Was Floored” — Ones To Watch

Although Baker is no stranger to comedy, Anora is, for the most part, his broadest to date, playing out like an R-rated version of Howard Hawks’ Ball of Fire and reminiscent of Jonathan Demme’s forays into screwball, like Married to the Mob or, more pertinently, Something Wild , which this resembles (if you switch the genders of that film’s coupling). You could also put it in the bracket of Big Apple nightmare movies, alongside Scorsese’s After Hours and the Safdies’ Good Time , since the film’s most enjoyable sequence is the pursuit of Ivan, from a candy store in Coney Island to the meat racks of Manhattan, in a night of surprises involving drugs, vomit, a smashed-up tow truck and a vicious stripper smackdown.

RELATED: Full List Of Cannes Palme d’Or Winners Through The Years: Photo Gallery

Baker regular Karagulian is especially good as the put-upon Toros, whose contempt for the childlike Ivan, and the whole obnoxious Zakharov clan, becomes clearer as the story progresses. But the star of the show is the fearless Mikey Madison, who gives her all as the dazed and confused Ani, screaming, “WHAT THE F*CK IS GOING ON?” while her world literally falls apart around her.

The nudity doubtless will be controversial, but it will be especially interesting to see what audiences make of the film’s heartbreaking ending — a subtle rebuttal to the allegations of exploitation that surely will ensue — in which Ani’s confident façade breaks down and we see the emotional cost of being manhandled by men for a living and the pain of being used by them under the pretext of love.

Title:  Anora Festival:  Cannes (Competition) Director-screenwriter:  Sean Baker Cast:  Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yuriy Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan Sales agent:  FilmNation Entertainment Running time:  2 hr, 19 min

Must Read Stories

Edges ‘garfield’ in listless holiday weekend; how worried should hollywood be.

‘General Hospital’ Alum’s Killing Shocks Castmates & Hollywood

‘anora’ scoops top cannes prize; baker on plight of theatrical; neon high 5, loan out corporations could end, iatse tells members as amptp talks continue.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

No comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.