Ava

I’ve heard enough from Jessica Chastain to believe she simply wants to be treated like one of the guys. The problem with that is if your only goal is to be like everyone else, you’ll never be better than anyone else. “Ava” (2020) retraces the steps of “Atomic Blonde” by building a mediocre spy thriller around the novelty of a female assassin. Chastain’s subplot (complicated family and substance-abuse baggage) is also somewhat novel, but it’s a slight variation on a role her co-star, Colin Farrell, could have played in 2006, or Burt Reynolds in 1986 or Gene Hackman in 1976.

Quick Change

Bill Murray has appeared in a lot of movies, but he’s only directed one. Co-directed, I should say. I presume the lackluster result of his (and Howard Franklin’s) leadership in “Quick Change” (1990) convinced Mr. Murray to get back on the other side of the camera and stay there. A broad comedy about a bank robbery and ensuing getaway (spoiler alert: hijinks ensue) totally fails despite an impressive cast (Geena Davis, Phil Hartman, Jason Robards, Kurtwood Smith). Randy Quaid is awful. I’ve never given much thought to which of Mr. Murray’s movies is the worst. Now I’ll never have to.

Fletch

ZZ Top released “Eliminator” in 1983 and Chevy Chase released “Fletch” in 1985. Both are period pieces (cue the synthesizers). Both are also, respectively, the greatest work of a talented and prolific rock band and greatest work of a talented and prolific actor (“Caddyshack” notwithstanding). Amazingly, “Fletch” is able to have a coherent plot (investigative reporter Chase uncovers a bigger story than he bargained for) and still make room for an enormous amount of Chevy schtick. John Cocktoastin. The Lakers fantasy sequence. Everybody in the movie seems to be having fun, even the bad guys. I had fun watching it.