Now You See Me (2013)

A magic movie where the tricks are computer effects is a cooking show where the food is plastic. That’s Now You See Me in one sentence. The Four Horsemen pull off impossible stuff on stage, the camera spins around them like it’s trying to hypnotize you, and the whole time you know nothing is actually happening. Jesse Eisenberg plays a magician the way Jesse Eisenberg plays everyone, fast and smug. Woody Harrelson as a mentalist is the most fun, mostly because he seems to be in on the joke. Mark Ruffalo spends the movie running after them and squinting. The bank job opener is a strong hook, and then the explanations get flimsier the more they explain. Critics gave it 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences had a much better time, and it made $351.7 million worldwide. A 5.4 because it’s slick and fun for an hour, then the ending collapses the second you think about it. $1,394 says you try a card trick on someone tomorrow and drop the whole deck.

What works: Woody Harrelson’s mentalist, the bank job opener, and a cast that is clearly having a great time.

What doesn’t: The magic is mostly visual effects, so nothing feels like a real trick, and the final reveal makes less sense the longer you think about it.

Who it’s for: People who want a breezy heist movie on a Friday night and don’t plan on doing the math.