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What stands out first about The Identical is the confidence with which Dustin Marcellino establishes its music drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Identical asks Blake Rayne and Ray Liotta to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Identical is established with useful clarity: Twin brothers are unknowingly separated at birth; one of them becomes an iconic rock 'n' roll star, while the other struggles to balance his love for music

What stands out first about The Trip to Italy is the confidence with which Michael Winterbottom establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Trip to Italy asks Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Trip to Italy is established with useful clarity: Two men, six meals in six different places on a road trip around Italy. That direct approach lets The Trip to Italy use its 1h 48m running time f

What stands out first about Wild Tales is the confidence with which Damián Szifron establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Wild Tales asks Darío Grandinetti and María Marull to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Wild Tales is established with useful clarity: Six short stories that explore the extremities of human behavior involving people in distress. That direct approach lets Wild Tales use its 2h 2m running time for ch

What stands out first about Obvious Child is the confidence with which Gillian Robespierre establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Obvious Child asks Jenny Slate and Jake Lacy to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Obvious Child is established with useful clarity: A twenty something comedienne's unplanned pregnancy forces her to confront the realities of independent womanhood for the first time. That direct approach lets

What stands out first about Rosewater is the confidence with which Jon Stewart establishes its biographical drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Rosewater asks Gael García Bernal and Kim Bodnia to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Rosewater is established with useful clarity: Iranian Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari is detained by Iranian forces who brutally interrogate him under suspicion that he is a spy. That direct approach lets

What stands out first about Phoenix is the confidence with which Christian Petzold establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Phoenix asks Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Phoenix is established with useful clarity: After surviving Auschwitz, a former cabaret singer has her disfigured face reconstructed and returns to her war ravaged hometown to seek out her gentile husband, who may or ma

What stands out first about Before I Go to Sleep is the confidence with which Rowan Joffe establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Before I Go to Sleep asks Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Before I Go to Sleep is established with useful clarity: A woman wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. That direct approach lets Before I Go to Sle

What stands out first about Veronica Mars is the confidence with which Rob Thomas establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Veronica Mars asks Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Veronica Mars is established with useful clarity: Years after walking away from her past as a young private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown, just in time for her high school reunion, in order

What stands out first about Learning to Drive is the confidence with which Isabel Coixet establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Learning to Drive asks Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Learning to Drive is established with useful clarity: As her marriage dissolves, a Manhattan writer takes driving lessons from a Sikh instructor with his own marriage troubles. That direct approach l

What stands out first about What We Do in the Shadows is the confidence with which Jemaine Clement establishes its horror film identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, What We Do in the Shadows asks Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of What We Do in the Shadows is established with useful clarity: Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are struggling with the mundane aspects of modern life, like paying r

What stands out first about Mommy is the confidence with which Xavier Dolan establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Mommy asks Anne Dorval and Antoine Olivier Pilon to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Mommy is established with useful clarity: A widowed single mother, raising her violent son alone, finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor inserts herself into their household. That direct approach lets Mommy use its 2h 1

What stands out first about Wish I Was Here is the confidence with which Zach Braff establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Wish I Was Here asks Zach Braff and Joey King to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Wish I Was Here is established with useful clarity: A struggling actor, father and husband finds himself at a major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his family and his career. That direct approach le