Filtinsel

This intense and captivating film noir from 1950 feels groundbreaking and significant and deserving of noteworthy acclaim, which unfairly it hasn't received. While watching this remarkable film, I couldn't help but be keenly aware of how ahead of its time Undercover Girl is, not just for its content but cinematically. The story follows a female police officer named Christine Miller (played with mesmerizing brilliance by Alexis Smith in a career-best performance), who is determined to avenge the murder of her father by going undercover to take down the narcotics ring responsible for his death. In so many ways, this feels like a fantastic precursor for Police Woman , Cagney and Lacey , and even Law and Order: Special Victims Unit . Yet, the gender of our main character is not the only celebratory element: this is a damn good movie from start to finish. Giving Alexis Smith terrific on-screen support is Royal Dano in a complex role (his movie debut nonetheless) with which the very

Joy Ride is a lot of things: a bawdy comedy, a fun road trip movie, a daughter's quest, a hero(ine)'s journey, and a not-so-deep exploration of gender norms and stereotypes. While the laughs are plenty and the cast is charming, the film tries to figure out what it is and the result is a bit muddled.  Director Adele Lim (in her directing debut) knows how to tell a good story. Her pacing of the movie is what keeps this comedy going. Little room is left to catch your breath before you've been moved on to the next outrageous situation, seemingly set up to allow the cast of comedians to shine. And they do, in part to Lim's directing, but also because all four actors are so damn entertaining: Ashley Park. Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu. Any of them could easily carry a film on their own. Here, they each have some terrific moments, but are ultimately diminished by a film that's too full.  Structurally, the film's first two acts work really well. After a qu