The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson could bicker over the radio station and make it funny, and The Hitman’s Bodyguard stakes the whole movie on that. Reynolds plays Bryce as a fussy perfectionist who can’t stand chaos, Jackson plays Kincaid as chaos on its best day, and every car ride is a comedy duel. The trouble is everything around them. Gary Oldman’s dictator belongs in a grim war drama, and every cut back to the trial in The Hague drains the fun like somebody flipped the lights on at a party. At 118 minutes, the chases start blurring together, though a boat chase through Amsterdam’s canals is a highlight. Salma Hayek gets limited screen time as Kincaid’s wife Sonia and makes every second count, including a flashback bar fight that’s the best scene in the movie. It made $183.4 million worldwide. A 5.0 because the duo is a blast and the plot around them is by the book. $950.57 says you give someone a ride this week and spend the whole trip arguing about the fastest way there.

What works: Reynolds and Jackson have great odd-couple timing, and Salma Hayek steals every scene she gets.

What doesn’t: Gary Oldman’s grim dictator plot clashes with the comedy, and the chases blur together over a long runtime.

Who it’s for: Grown-ups who’d happily watch Reynolds and Jackson trade insults in a parked car for two hours.