Film Review: Spenser Confidential

Spenser Confidential gives the kind of vibe that I would get from watching a pilot for a prime time network television series, and the silly mid-2000s sounding title certainly doesn’t help. The film itself is chock full of corny lines, jarring tone shifts, tacky needle drops, and without a hint of irony, it indulges in numerous tropes that remind me of the kind of disposable action-comedies of the late 80s to early 90s that has pretty much been forgotten in time. I’m talking about stuff like The Principal, The Hard Way, Collision Course, Blind Fury, The Mighty Quinn, and Pink Cadillac.

However, the thing about me is I actually dig these movies quite a bit. Well…except for Collision Course.

Spenser Confidential is written by Sean O’Keefe and Brian Helgeland, adapting the book, Wonderland by Ace Atkins, which itself is a part of a series of novels centering around a Detective Spenser, who was initially created by prolific mystery novelist, Robert B. Parker, in the early 70s. The character was also notably adapted into the short-lived series, Spenser: For Hire, from 1985 to 1988. It’s also the latest from director Peter Berg, and his first Netflix release, once again collaborating with Mark Wahlberg, following their run of action dramas including Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, and Mile 22. None of which I was particularly fond of.

The basic setup here is ex-cop Spenser (Mark Wahlberg), is finally released from prison after doing five years for beating up a respected senior officer. He intends on becoming a truck driver, and moving to Arizona, especially considering the entire police department seems to hold a grudge. However, that same senior officer is brutally murdered, and another police officer is found dead later of an apparent suicide, and it’s being claimed that he was somehow involved in the death of the senior officer. Spenser knew the young officer, and doesn’t buy any of the official explanations. So, utilizing the help of his roommate, Hawk (Winston Duke), Spenser tries to figure out exactly what is going on.

As you would imagine, given that premise, Spenser Confidential is not set out to reinvent the wheel here. It is by-and-large a super functional, and reasonably engaging action movie that rests on the competency of the filmmakers, and the star power involved. While Wahlberg surprisingly doesn’t lean in heavy on the accent, his vocal tendencies and Marky Mark-isms are on full force here, which I suppose is either great or irritating depending on your tolerance of the guy. Duke is fine, surprisingly reserved at times, but brings some of the film’s most enjoyable moments. What’s odd is how Hawk barely plays much of a role in this, except for coming in at mostly the last minute to really help things out. They don’t become much of a buddy duo until that third act, which I guess would explain the lack of any kind of “buddy bit” between them. They both start off unnecessarily antagonistic, and they’re both tough guys, so any sense of conflict between them is incredibly forced, and best kept at a minimum.

However, the real scene stealers are not our two leads. The first is Alan Arkin as Henry, a boxing coach who is letting Spenser and Hawk live in his place. There isn’t much to the character, but it’s just always a blast seeing Arkin riff on any given situation he finds himself in. It’s pretty much all he does in whatever he shows up in, and I love it. The second major scene stealer is Iliza Shlesinger as Spenser’s brassy ex-girlfriend, Cissy, who lays on the thicket Boston accent in the entire film. Her comic delivery is great, and her dynamic between her fellow cast members are really solid and amusing to watch. Plus, Spenser and Hawk are constantly battling for the attention of this chubby, old beagle throughout the film, and it’s as adorable as it sounds.

I don’t want to get into too much details regarding the plot of Spenser Confidential, not because it’s worth holding back its secrets, it’s just that it’s incredibly predictable, and honestly not really the point of stuff like this. It’s serviceable as a vehicle for some solid action beats, and moments of character-driven comedy, and that’s kind of all it needs to be. That’s not to say the execution is perfect. The soundtrack alone, with moments like Cissy entering to the tune of “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain, Cissy and Spenser having sex to “Feels Like The First Time” by Foreigner, and the post-final action scene hospital recovery for Spenser and Hawk being set to Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotions,” to say it borders on parody would be putting it mildly. But film plays it completely straight, it’s not being clever or sly with anything; even the ending sets up a sequel in one of the most unintentionally funny ways I’ve seen in a while. Sure, the film might not “work” in the grand scheme of things, it’s by no means great, but I did sincerely have a good time watching it, which I haven’t said about a Peter Berg film in a while. Would I be excited for a sequel? To be frank, not really, but I guess I’ll watch it, and in its own weird way, that kind of indifferent attitude makes something like Spenser Confidential ideal Netflix viewing.