This is my monthly round up of the films I have seen on Netflix.

El Conde
This is a Chilean black comedy horror film directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Larraín and Guillermo Calderón. It is a satire that portrays Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250 year old vampire seeking death. This is a really novel concept and it was an inspired idea to have the evil fascist’s story narrated by his friend, an adoring Margaret Thatcher. However, beyond that premise, Larrain seems to run out of ideas. The plot takes an age to get anywhere and it is pretty dull.
Rating: 4.5 out of 10

Fair Play
Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) work as analysts at a hedge fund company. Despite just getting engaged they have kept their relationship secret as it is against company policy. When a management position becomes vacant, the office rumours are that Luke will get it, but when Emily is given the role, it puts a strain on their relationship. The first half of Fair Play was reasonably interesting despite both lead characters being little more than parasites in their working life. However, the second half becomes increasingly far fetched and ridiculous, especially the ending. What it does have, though, is a marvellously reptilian performance from Eddie Marsan as the couples’ hard hearted boss.
Rating: 5.5 out of 10

Accused
Philip Barantini, the director of the excellent Boiling Point last year, follows that up with another tense tale. Harri (Chaneil Kular) is leaving London just moments after a deadly bombing on the tube. When an image, supposedly of the bomber, appears on X, Hari is shocked to see that it looks like him and soon finds vigilantes after him. Whilst not as nail-biting as Boiling Point, and there is one major plot hole, Barantini does ratchet up the suspense. It also serves as a warning about the dangers of social media, not that it will change the behaviour of the idiots who use it.
Rating: 7 out of 10

Reptile
Benicio Del Toro heads up an impressive cast as Detective Tom Nichols investigating the brutal murder of a young real estate agent. This is a really densely plotted mystery that could easily have formed a six part series. Credit is due, therefore, to Grant Singer (who also directs), Benjamin Brewer and Del Toro for their terrific writing. It may be a slow burn but it is utterly compelling. Del Toro is mesmerising and is ably supported by Eric Bergosian as his boss and Alicia Silverstone making a tremendous amount out of what could have been the insignificant part as Tom’s wife.
Rating: 8 out of 10

A Deadly Invitation
Eccentric millionaire Olivia sends her half sister Agatha, and a group of old friends, a mysterious invitation for a weekend on her yacht, where she implies that someone is going to die. A few hours later, Olivia’s body is found. This may be heavily indebted to Knives Out, and the exotic setting certainly reminded me of the sequel. But, this was a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery with a complicated plot that is pleasingly unravelled. Regina Blandón is excellent as the crime solving podcaster.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Love at First Sight
Hadley and Oliver begin to fall for each other on their flight from New York to London. The probability of ever finding each other again seems impossible, or is it? Netflix seem to be making a habit of taking a Hallmark like rom com and producing something much better. This exceeded my expectations thanks to quite a sharp script by Katie Lovejoy and Jennifer E. Smith and some spot on performances, particularly by Haley Lu Richardson as Hadley.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Also this month:

Friday Night Plan is a typical teen movie about kids trying to get to a cool party. It totally lacks originality.

In Happy Ending, a couple try to spice up their love life by engaging another woman in a threesome. The makers seem very pleased about how daring their premise is, but it is very conventional and ultimately…limp!

If you want to see a boring, bickering couple of their honeymoon, then What If may be for you. To make things worse, the couple are musicians, so there are a few terrible musical interludes.

Hello Ghost is a charmless South Korean comedy about a man who sees ghosts after a failed suicide attempt. Director Billie August was a big deal in the late 1980’s and 90’s but has done little of note since then and Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction does not change that. This period drama about a man teaching a prince about the art of seduction just felt like a Cyrano knock off.

Ratings out of 10:

Friday Night Plan: 4
Happy Ending: 2.5
What If: 3
Hello Ghost: 2
Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction: 3.5