Film Review – Cruise

Nearly a decade ago, Robert D. Siegel was in an incredible creative position. He wrote the screenplay for Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” crafting an outstanding character study of a broken man from a pain-filled world trying to make things right for himself and what remains of his family. Siegel also directed “Big Fan,” his look at the ways of mental illness filtered through the world of sports star worship. Both pictures delivered original visions in well-worn genres, cementing Siegel’s position as a creative force to pay attention to. Siegel finally returned to screens with the screenplay for 2016’s “The Founder,” and now directs again with “Cruise,” his ode to the masculine pleasures of the cruising scene in Queens, circa 1987. It’s a feature that tries to get by on period atmosphere and thespian heat, but, coming after “Big Fan,” it’s a disappointment, finding the helmer getting caught in cliché he managed to avoid before.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com