Ava

Movie Name: Ava
Year of Release: 2020
Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Geena Davis, Jess Weixler, Common, Colin Farrell, Diana Silvers, Joan Chen, Ioan Gruffudd, Christopher J. Domig, Aramis Merlin, Michael Guarnera
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review

Director Tate Taylor who made a name for himself with the films "The Help" and "Get on Up", has had a mixed directorial output since then, something that "Ava" didn't help cement. The film focuses its narrative on Ava, a for hire assassin, whom we first encounter in France dealing with a target, someone she wants to know more about, and whom she point blank asks what warranted his death. That has been something Ava has done in the past, in order to deal with the morality (or lack of) related to her jobs. Unbeknownst to Ava however, every move she makes is being monitored and listened to. Upon returning to the US, she tries to reconnect with her sister and her mother, the latter currently in the hospital recovering. It's been 8 years since she has contacted them, and during that time her father died, and her sister was left to tackle much of that situation. Her former fiancée is also now dating her sister, and there's some animosity/unresolved feelings between them. Ava is quickly sent out on another assignment, but this one takes a dark turn, and she barely makes out alive. She suspects her agency has targeted her, but her handler Duke reassures her otherwise. However when Duke visits Simon, a former protege of his, who is also handling assignments, and he does confirm he wants Ava out, as she's too much of a liability. As another hit is put on Ava, things quickly escalate, as does her tendencies to self-destruct. 

"Ava" tries to be a lot of things. It wears Luc Besson's "Nikita" influences very vividly, but without as much insight, or for that matter, thrill. It also tries to be a family drama about a woman dealing with the consequences of her addictions and actions, and how she tries to reshape the path of her life. These two venues in the film somehow never truly marry successfully. This film also joins a series of others that have recently been made about female hired assassins/secret agents, including "Atomic Blonde", "Gunpowder Milkshake", "Kate", "Jolt", all somehow trying to reach the same type of success that Luc Besson got with "Nikita" and even Phillip Noyce garnered with the Angelina Jolie vehicle "Salt". And unlike "Atomic Blonde", or for that matter "Nikita", most of these films never really know how to give these central characters a motivation and backdrop that is actually meaningful, and that goes beyond some of the acrobatics of the action scenes. With "Ava" in particular, Tate Taylor delivers a film that is shallow on character interactions, and filled with clichés, wasting away a fantastically assembled cast in the process. It's also a film that has no sense of humor, and takes itself very seriously, considering some of the nonsense that it puts on display. Jessica Chastain who also wears a producer hat on this feature, stumbles in a role that in her hands becomes somewhat dulled and muted, the same going for the reliable Jess Weixler, whose part is a collage of a variety of other similar ones, but illustrated on a single note, namely the bitter younger sister who has always had to portend with the flashier and prettier older one. The most interesting parts fall on the shoulders of Geena Davis and Joan Chen, both of whom have fun with the little parts they have, with John Malkovich and Colin Farrell barely registering. The production team while talented, also fails to impress much, including the always fantastic Stephen Goldblatt work on cinematography (he typically worked with Mike Nichols, including "Angels in America" and "Closer"), Bear McCreary's score, and even Megan Coates' costumes. It's a generic endeavor and a bit of a stain for everyone involved.