'Adolescence,' 'Electric State' and 'Black Bag': New movies, TV shows to see or skip this weekend

Yahoo

15-03-2025

Crime and mystery seems to be a theme in this week's new releases, from the heartbreaking show Adolescence on Netflix, to the spy film Black Bag with Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett and Regé-Jean Page. And then there's the action-comedy Novocaine.
But what will be a best fit for your taste in TV shows and movies? We've scored this week's notable new releases to help you find what you'll most enjoy.Devastating, heart-wrenching and sometimes difficult to watch, Adolescence, starring and co-created by Stephen Graham, is brilliant. Directed by Philip Barantini (Boiling Point), Adolescence is impressively filmed in one continuous shot. But don't think of it as a gimmick, it's a completely immersive and riveting series, amplified by this unique technique and style.
Graham plays Eddie Miller, who's son, Jamie (Owen Cooper) is accused of murdering a girl at his school, Katie. It begins on the day Jamie is arrested, and ends months later, in a chilling evaluation of toxic masculinity, misogyny and bullying.
A story that really leans on the relationships between its character, Steven Soderbergh has given us a spy thriller that, unlike many, lets its characters shine.
Yes, there's action, but the thrill really comes from the storytelling, executed by iconic actors Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris and Pierce Brosnan.
George Woodhouse (Fassbender) is an intelligence agent tasked with investigating who in his own ranks was involved in information about a secret project getting out. Someone possibly involved is his wife, Kathryn (Blanchett).
Blanchett is, of course, an expert at leaning into her femme fatale role, and an endearing pairing with Fassbender.
While some of misdirects in this twisty mystery are more obvious than others, it's a neatly crafted story about power and deception.
Giddy and gruesome, Novocaine is equal parts silly fun, action and shocking scenes of torture for Jack Quaid's character Nate, a man who has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), meaning he's unable to feel pain.
If an action-comedy film is your jam, then Novocaine will be a treat. If it's not your bag, this movie likely won't change your mind, but it makes a case for that communal movie theatre experience where everyone is laughing, and then shielding their eyes from the gory bits together.
From The Boys to Novocaine, Quaid is an incredible asset to have in the genre.
A crime drama centred around the opioid epidemic, Long Bright River follows Amanda Seyfried's character Mickey, a cop is Philadelphia, who's trying to find her sister Kacey (Ashleigh Cummings). Mickey and Kacey became estranged due to Kacey's drug addiction.
Based on the novel by Liz Moore, it's a strong story executed with powerful performances. While maybe feeling a bit overpacked with different elements at times, present day scenes and flashbacks included, it's overall a moving series with enough suspense to keep you invested in the story, eager to start the next episode.
Be thankful for Millie Bobby Brown because she's still an appealing lead in an otherwise muddy adaptation of Simon Stålenhag's graphic novel.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, also featuring Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander, Anthony Mackie, Alan Tudyk, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate and Hank Azaria, it's a lot of star power to lead us through a journey without a clear path.
The film is set in a retro-futuristic version of the 1990s and as we know, just because something is set in the '90s doesn't mean the nostalgia joy just takes over.
Michelle, played by Brown, is an orphaned teen who travels across the country with smuggler Keats (Pratt) and robot Herman (voiced by Mackie) to find her brother.
Ultimately, no amount of detailed production design can mask a lazy story that feel repetitive, and dialogue that's absent of the wit the story needs.