“The Gray Man” is the film adaptation of the book series of the same name by Mark Greaney. It follows the exploits of Sierra Six, a covert CIA asset that, “lives in the gray,” and can carry out missions normal operatives can’t.
Pro โ Exciting
“The Gray Man” is from directors Anthony and Joe Russo and has the slick polish one would expect from brothers who directed the end caps to the “Avengers” films. The film is stuffed full of excitement hewn from all the classic tropes of the secret agent thriller genre. It has beautiful locations all around the world replete with scenic city centers, neon-lit night clubs, and castles turned into modern day strong holds. The action is fast and furious, with gun play and kung-fu fighting splashed across the screen at a pace so rapid even the most jaded multi-tasker will have to put their other devices down to pay attention. The set pieces are both fun, outlandish, and almost bawdy in their excess. This includes a “Heat” (the movie) inspired shootout in city-center Prague that would have been the finale in almost any other movie. The Russo’s use some great drone camera work and innovative settings to bring a real flair to many of the film’s crescendo moments.
Con โ Casting
Ryan Gosling is a wonderful actor with the looks, grace, and charm of the old guard of Hollywood leading men. That said, all those qualities are exactly opposite of what is called for this this film. “The Gray Man” is an agent of the shadows, sent to blend in, execute a mission, and fade out. There is nothing about Gossling’s model bone structure or perfectly proportioned physique that suggests he could blend in anyway other than a Calvin Klein photo shoot. Chris Evans is clearly having the time of his life trading his red, white, and blue shield for a trash ‘stache. The problem is his fun lends a cartoonish goofiness to the film that feels out of place. The rest of the cast is pretty great, but the two leads just feel miscast, to the film’s detriment.
Con โ Awkward teen years
The biggest issue with “The Gray Man” is it is a film without a clear identity. It seems to not know what it wants to be. The source material is apparently very adult in the violence and tone, while the film is saddled with a PG-13 rating. It seems to oscillate back and forth between wanting to have all the trappings of an R-rated action flick yet confined by the restraints of PG-13. In the end, it fails to settle on one and it creates a jarring experience for the audience rather than an internally consistent mood for them to buy into.
“The Gray Man” has a lot of promise, but good actors in unsuitable roles and a lack of clear tone sabotage a film that on paper looked like a homerun. With a slew of books behind it, Netflix will clearly hope this can be a tentpole franchise for the service. It will be interesting to see if they think it’s successful enough to come to fruition. You can do worse on a Friday night than “The Gray Man,” but you can also do better by heading down the Fridley Palms Theater and checking out a film on the big screen.
