Mark Wahlberg has always been something of a conflicted actor, alternating between being a tough guy action hero and a more restrained, dramatic actor. His latest vehicle, “Contraband” seems to reflect that crisis of identity.
The movie can’t decide whether it’s an action film, a heist caper or a drama, and as a result it’s doomed to jumbled and sometimes incoherent unevenness.
Wahlberg stars as Chris Farraday, an ex-smuggler extraordinaire who’s drawn back in for that one last ill-fated score.
In order to pay off his brother-in-law’s debts to a brutal crime boss (Giovanni Ribisi) and save his family, Chris must go to Panama to collect millions in counterfeit bills and move them into the U.S. on a commercial freight liner helmed by a tough-as-nails captain (J.K. Simmons).
The plot and character descriptions should be familiar to anyone who’s seen a “one last job” crime thriller, and the movie’s attempts to branch out into other genres only convolute the plot.
One minute, Chris is building a secret hold in an effort to smuggle his payload, and the next he’s shooting it out in the streets of Panama while robbing an armored car.
The film also suffers from what might be termed “‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Syndrome.” Chris and his crew are built up as such talented criminals that their success is never really in doubt.
The audience knows from the beginning that the good guys will win and the bad guys will get their comeuppance. The ending is particularly guilty of this, tying every loose end together with too much ease, and even throwing in a random feel-good surprise for good measure.
Scenery-chewing performances from Ribisi and Simmons give the film some energy, but their supporting roles aren’t enough to save the whole film. “Contraband” stubbornly insists on maintaining its generic characters and by-the-numbers plot, and as a result it stays stuck in a morass of mediocrity.
