6/10
good if you just want to chill
13 November 2016
Kevin James makes me laugh. He's always the same, I know, and he doesn't have anywhere near the range of the late John Candy, for instance, but there's something about that Blue Collar Everyman that is appealing.

Here he stars in "True Memoirs of an International Assassin" from 2016. He plays Sam, an insurance man writing the fictional story of an international hit man. He relies on a former operative friend, Amos (Ron Rifkin) to give his book more reality.

One day Amos tells him the story of an international assassin who disappeared and was thought dead, The Ghost, though he insists it's not for the book.

Before you can say The Ghost, of course, Sam has built this phantom into his story. And because his details are a little too correct, he soon finds himself in a heap of trouble.

There are some very funny performances here, especially from Kelen Coleman as Sam's agent/publisher. Her office is at Starbuck's, and she changes her name each time she orders coffee because there are so many writers there, she doesn't want them to know who she is.

Andy Garcia is great as El Toro; Zulay Henao is tough and powerful as a lone female agent in Venezuela; Andrew Howard gives a funny performance as Anton Masovich, strutting around with a loud voice and killing people. The whole cast was top-notch.

This is an action picture so expect things to blow up and see a lot of fighting. It's all in fun. It's Kevin James after all - and right about now, he was just what I needed.
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