Takeaway: A retelling of the Icelandic Reykjavik-Rotterdam, Contraband could have been a pleasing complement to Gone in 60 Seconds and The Italian Job (even borrowing from the casting!); as it stands, it’s more their lethargic love child. Given the strength of the underlying story (despite its familiarity) and its ability to attract the talent, it seems that Contraband was, quite literally, lost in translation. Burdened by woefully pedantic dialogue early on, it would appear that the “show, don’t tell” principle was missed during film school, but more likely the conversion into English required more skill. It truly felt as though a fair way in, but not too far for redemption, a writer ceded defeat and turned the script over to a fluent English speaker, who finished the script yet without enough time for a rewrite. Though hobbled, Contraband manages fairly well after that and provides a couple of nice turns before we’re through. A strong cast saves the day; Foster is largely squandered, but Ribisi enjoys a chance to shine.
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