Movie Review: ‘American Ultra’

AMERICAN ULTRA (R)

Max Landis, son of iconic “Blues Brothers” director John Landis, is quite the colorful storyteller, and his screenplay for “American Ultra” is nothing if not colorful. As directed by Nima Nourizadeh, this wildly chaotic government agent-stoner comedy hybrid would have actually been more effective had it gone even a little further off the rails—but, in the end, it was endearingly odd enough to win me over.

In “American Ultra,” Jesse Eisenberg is Mike Howell, an anxiety-prone pothead who spends his days working at a convenient mart, getting high, and living happily with his understanding girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart). Mike lives a simple existence to be sure, but his seemingly simple life is turned completely upside down when two men show up at his place of employment in an effort to execute him. What follows is a funky, hyper-kinetic series of events that opens a baffled Mike’s eyes to who he really is and what he’s truly capable of.

“American Ultra” is certainly rooted in comedy, but the tone of this picture turns on a dime. It’s a stoner comedy, a spy movie, an action picture, and a love story all rolled into one. This zany flick even offers up moments that are strangely touching.

Eisenberg is a lot of fun here, offering up that sort of neurotic vibe you would come to expect from the “Social Network” star, but he balances it with a fitting sense of confusion. Stewart is solid as well. Her Phoebe is the glue that keeps Mike together, and while one might question why a girl like her would want to be with a guy like him, it’s a testament to Eisenberg and Stewart’s surprisingly strong chemistry that the relationship is easy to accept. Connie Britton also makes an appearance. She brings a bit of class to the proceedings as a motherly government agent out to set right a situation she feels has gone horribly wrong.

As fun as the aforementioned performances are, my favorite turn in “American Ultra” comes courtesy of an immensely entertaining Walter Goggins. As a giggling, government-trained killer, Goggins is an absolute riot. But he’s also able to generate a little bit of sympathy. A pivotal moment between his Laugher and Mike is my favorite moment in the entire picture.

If there’s a blemish in the cast, it would be Topher Grace. He plays a character so smarmy and so irritating that I wanted to jump into the screen and punch him in the face. I get that that’s all by design—but ultimately, I never found him threatening in any way. He’s a poorly conceived antagonist and increasingly got on my nerves with each passing scene.

Nourizadeh’s direction is a good match for Landis’ writing style. For a great deal of its running time, “American Ultra” is almost cartoonish in terms of it’s frenetic rhythm. It’s also relentlessly funky, bringing to mind titles like “Shoot ‘Em Up” and the strangely watchable debacle that is “Hudson Hawk.”

It should also be noted that there are a couple of twists to be found in “American Ultra,” but the film isn’t really predicated on the unveiling of any earth-shattering revelations. This movie more or less fills you in on what’s really going fairly early in the first act. Without revealing too much, there’s clearly a bit of “The Bourne Identity” in there, but “American Ultra” also offers up shades of “Total Recall” and “Universal Soldier.”

In short, this is one nutty movie. It’s jam-packed with strange little nuances and weird relationships, but it’s this offbeat—and manic—sensibility that keeps the appropriately odd “American Ultra” interesting.