There’s a lot going on in the historical drama Mr. Jones, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, too little of what happens is of limited interest, at least in the manner being depicted. What should be a troubling, urgent, and deeply upsetting tale instead comes off fairly rote and uninspiring. The material is there, it just never comes across in a particularly cinematic way. Additionally, the film does an incredibly frustrating thing in detailing some of its most interesting information during a title card at the end. That sealed the deal and prevented me from giving it even a mild recommendation. Now available On Demand, it seems like it’s destined to be quickly forgotten about. The movie is a biographical/historical drama, taking place in the days before the second World War would begin. Ambitious journalist Gareth Jones (James Norton) has traveled from the United Kingdom to Moscow, chasing a story. As the world bears witness not just to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power but also the propaganda machine of Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union, Jones is there to see just what Stalin might be hiding. Initially met with smiles but also resistance, he winds up receiving a tip that changes everything. This sets up Jones on a path that could expose not just an international conspiracy, but may well cost him, as well as his informant (Vanessa Kirby), their very lives. Of course, that doesn’t stop him, and Jones continues on his quest to figure out just what kind of a facade Stalin is putting forth to the world. Years later, this conspiracy would inspire George Orwell’s famous and history making book Animal Farm. Jones’ name might be lost to history, but the novel has stood the test of time. Agnieszka Holland directs a screenplay by Andrea Chalupa. Tomasz Naumiuk provides the cinematography, while Antoni Lazarkiewicz composes the score. Supporting players include Kenneth Cranham, Celyn Jones, Joseph Mawle, Krzysztof Pieczynski, Peter Sarsgaard, and more. This particular story has a lot to offer, so it’s a shame that director Agnieszka Holland and scribe Andrea Chalupa can’t capture it on the screen. The acting is solid and the visuals are strong, but the pacing is pretty rough. Then, there’s the ending, which is almost an unforgivable offense. In wrapping up the plot and detailing what happened to Gareth Jones, Chalupa and Holland reveal a key piece of information that really needed to be depicted. Shown […]