Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Cruise goes back to role easily within his creative reach, but Agent Smulders fails to equal long Gone female lead, and nameless baddie can hardly hope for Herzog’s gravitas. Impossibly predictable plot feels like unbourne Mission reject. Even fight scenes just lie there with Wicks unlit. Overall, comes up short.

Love and Other Drugs

Gyllenhaal returns to cinematic wife, who now has damaged nervous system instead of broke back. Moving and poignant film that tries too hard to go too many directions at once. The tragic romance, the business drama, and the attempt to be super-bad leave a limp structure in need of medicine.