At the risk of being immodest, Marky Mark’s films are boring
now. Ever since Mile 22 dismayed
critics and Mark Wahlberg became born again with his faith causing him to
renounce some of his best works including but not limited to Boogie Nights and
more recently Ted, the actor-producer guiding many of his own projects
tailored for him continues to slip further into Will Smith all-things-to-all-people
mediocrity. After the dismal Joe Bell
came and went without much discourse followed by the faith-based Father
Stu which even got a slightly tamer Father Stu: Reborn cut, Wahlberg
turned his attention to streaming which paired him up with British director
Simon Cellan Jones for the action comedy The Family Plan. Forming a rapport with the filmmaker, the
newly formed twosome joined forces again a year later for the true sports/dog
mascot story Arthur the King, a film that might put a smile on some
people’s faces while others like yours truly are being put to sleep.
--Andrew Kotwicki