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On July 4, 2024, film critic Brandon Streuessnig with the caption, “gf asked me to show her my favorite movie tonight. Probably the most important step in the relationship. No goin back now.

” The clip in question shows the opening moments of Michael Mann’s 2006 action movie, , based on the ‘80s television series that Mann produced. In it, immediately after the Universal Studios logo disappears, the Jay-Z verse from needle-drops as the silhouette of a woman shimmies against a trippy background. It’s a pretty wild clip, and when combined with Streuessnig’s glowing words it ignited a firestorm of discourse about whether or not the film, which stars Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, was any good.



Detractors said it was just another bro movie, dismissing it as fodder for straight men. Supporters, including our very own Carolyn Petit who has been , said otherwise. But I had never seen it, so I sat down this weekend to watch it.

And guess what? rules. Watching the opening scene felt like someone broke into my house and stabbed me with a shot of adrenaline before I could even register what was going on. I leaned forward in my seat, absolutely flummoxed that “Numb/Encore” was blasting through the sound bar, confused at the complete lack of a title card or opening credits.

When Colin Farrell and his beautiful hair swept into view, a small gasp left my lips. When he ordered two mojitos and proceeded to suck them down while hungrily staring at the bartender, I worried the loo.

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