Jackie, The Comedian, Things to Come

Jackie

The Comedian

Things to Come (L'Avenir)

Capsules on a light but truly terrible December week of movies:

The Bling Ring

A number of critics have complained that Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring” lacks depth and point of view. My criticism is just the opposite: I wanted even less depth and less perspective.

This is 40

There are enough big laughs in “This is 40” that Judd Apatow could have had another “Bridesmaids” on his hands if he’d mustered the self-control to trim the fat – the trite family drama we’ve seen a million times before that detracts from the insightful, sometimes hilarious situational comedy involving parenting and the vicissitudes of marriage. Adorable Paul Rudd plays Pete, a struggling indie record-label owner, and Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann his wife Debbie, not doing any better with her small clothing boutique. They’re perfectly good company, but you wonder what more gifted comedians could do with these parts. As it is, the money woes aren’t treated seriously enough to do anything but bring down the proceedings. And yet, every so often, Albert Brooks or Melissa McCarthy comes onto the scene, and you simply sit up in your seat and watch genius at work.