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Review: Piecing Together a Life in ‘Puzzle’

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By Jeannette Catsoulis

July 26, 2018

Like a bedtime cup of cocoa, Marc Turtletaub’s “ Puzzle ” has a soothing familiarity that quiets the mind and settles the spirit. It might also make you a little bit sleepy — which, in a multiplex reverberating with action-movie agita, can be an excellent effect for a movie to have.

Which is not to say that this low-key, high-stakes domestic drama is boring — not at all. But it does have a narrative and performative rhythm that’s cozy-comforting. It starts with the music, a tinkling, lonely-soul piano refrain that hovers around Agnes ( Kelly Macdonald ), a blue-collar housewife in her early 40s with a loving husband, Louie (David Denman), and two grown sons, Ziggy and Gabe (Bubba Weiler and Austin Abrams).

We meet her fussing around their Connecticut home, tending to guests as a birthday party winds down. The party is hers, yet she seems disengaged from the festivities, her smile forced and a little sad. Then she finds a jigsaw puzzle among her presents — a map of the world, wouldn’t you know — and completes it so quickly that she immediately wants to try another. For this timid homebody, assembling the pieces is a transformative act, the visual suggestion of a world of possibilities and a reminder of forgotten talents. First, though, she must brave the train ride to New York City, where puzzles galore and second chances await.

Adapted from Natalia Smirnoff’s 2009 Argentine film of the same title, Oren Moverman and Polly Mann’s screenplay is gently sincere, seeing no humor in Agnes’s midlife disquiet and country-mouse artlessness. No marital meanness or dramatic blowups disturb the calm of a plot that keeps its discreetly roiling emotions on the inside. Ms. Macdonald gives a lovely uncertainty to her character’s gradual empowerment, but Agnes is so battened down that it’s hard to get a lock on her (a trait she shares with Ziggy, whose similar unhappiness and intuitive connection to his mother make for the movie’s most touching subplot).

As it happens, the only thing that screams in this film is metaphor, with symbolism whimpering on the sidelines. So when Agnes is introduced to the world of competitive puzzling by Robert (the marvelous Irrfan Khan ), a wealthy Indian inventor, his rumpled cosmopolitan glamour and dark-eyed wisdom seem the stuff of fairy tales. Gazing at him as if he were some exotic beast, the ashes of Lent fresh on her forehead, Agnes crosses his threshold and into a new life. It might not be the one she expects.

Puzzle Rated R for a few iffy words and one sexy immigrant. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes.

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The Stars of Puzzle Are Too Good for This Drab Inspirational Drama

Kelly Macdonald and Irrfan Khan are the brightest spots in this film about a bored housewife discovering the world of competitive jigsaw-solving.

Puzzle is, at its heart, a sports movie. Yes, it presents as an intimate domestic drama about a housewife named Agnes (played Kelly Macdonald) who discovers that her passion for completing jigsaw puzzles offers a way out of her humdrum life. But Marc Turtletaub’s remake of a 2010 Argentine film has the three-act structure of so many athletic narratives—of someone realizing the extent of their skills, then enthusiastically training, and then experiencing some mix of major triumph and regret after the big game. Done right, it can be inspirational, if familiar, but Puzzle is often too prosaic for its own good.

Turtletaub is primarily a movie producer who has only directed one other feature film (2013’s Gods Behaving Badly , which went unreleased). With Puzzle , he’s found a terrific pair of lead performers who rarely get roles this big in Hollywood. Macdonald is a Scottish actress perhaps best known to Americans for her work in Boardwalk Empire or for scene-stealing moments in hits like No Country for Old Men . Robert, her competitive partner in puzzling and her eventual romantic foil, is played by Irrfan Khan, the Indian star who’s always relegated to supporting roles in American films. Their chemistry manages to keep Puzzle compelling, but Turtletaub never builds up a dynamic enough plot around them.

I bring up the clichéd formula of the sports movie because this film would’ve benefited from that genre’s propulsive energy. Instead, Puzzle eventually succumbs to the dreary grasp of an entirely different archetype, the muted indie drama, spending less time delving into the niche world of competitive puzzling and more on the details of Agnes’s crummy marriage to Louie (David Denman). The 2010 movie that Turtletaub (and the screenwriters Oren Moverman and Polly Mann) are adapting hewed to a similar story, focusing more on its lead character exerting her independence, but that film’s director (Natalia Smirnoff) made the transformation vivacious and energizing.

Turtletaub is strangely averse to anything colorful or active entering his frame. Perhaps that’s fitting for a story about puzzling (a quiet, static, but engrossing activity), but it makes for a dull movie. Agnes’s gift for putting jigsaws together so quickly is never explained or developed—it’s a preternatural ability, one honed (the viewer imagines) by years of being ignored at home by her husband. Agnes’s relationship with Louie is cartoonishly dysfunctional; he treats her like wallpaper and is only interested in when dinner will be on the table. When Agnes announces that she’s going to a puzzle competition—just about the least dramatic field trip one can imagine—Louie acts like she’s decided to join an all-nude touring revue, or the Insane Clown Posse.

From minute one, Turtletaub is trying to illustrate just how stale Agnes’s suburban existence is. But he mashes the point home so clumsily that there’s no tension to her flowering relationship with Khan’s Robert. There’s a quirky romantic tension between Agnes and Robert from the start, but the idea of Agnes possibly cheating on her husband has zero stakes, given that Louie is such a cruel nonentity.

I went into Puzzle at least hoping to learn more about the intricacies of competitive puzzling, which revolves around timed competitions and people working in pairs. But Turtletaub doesn’t offer many details about that curious world, or about how Agnes further refines her skills, outside of simply doing more and more puzzles. The viewer mostly sees her alongside Robert in his sparsely decorated Manhattan home, assembling puzzles with Zen-like contentment. It’s satisfying to watch her succeed, but frustrating to not get any real idea of how she’s accomplishing it.

The chief reason to see Puzzle is Macdonald, the kind of actress who has always thrived no matter how thin her material. She’s as magnetic when playing boisterous Brits (such as in Some Voices or Trainspotting ) as she is in more timid roles like this one, but the last time she was handed a leading film role, outside of her voice work in Pixar’s Brave , was in 2011. She’s given little to work with here and still spins it into something deeply felt. Agnes is written as a caricature of a bored housewife and Macdonald gives her genuine spirit and emotion, mixing in bitterness even as she begins to leave her old life behind. Her work, and Khan’s offbeat charm alongside her, keeps Puzzle from feeling like an outright failure. But there’s a much more fun and dramatic narrative here, and Turtletaub just can’t put the pieces together.

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Puzzle Reviews

Puzzle is too messy and patchy in its storytelling to recommend.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | May 9, 2024

This performance, arguably the best in Macdonald's career, is masterful and elevates the modest pleasures of the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 11, 2022

The movie takes a few shortcuts that make for some abrupt plot points, but it hardly matters given Macdonald's performance.

Full Review | Feb 9, 2021

Puzzle is a low-key crowdpleaser. Take it for what it is and enjoy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jul 24, 2020

The real reason for catching Puzzle... is the old-fashioned pleasure of experiencing a meeting of two unusual minds.

Full Review | Jun 1, 2020

Macdonald and Khan perfectly fit in Puzzle. A warm and thoughtful indie.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Apr 29, 2020

In case you were wondering, the jigsaw puzzles are a metaphor for the wife's identity.

Full Review | Mar 20, 2020

It is the audience who wins, however, thanks to Macdonald's gently nuanced performance.

Full Review | Jan 23, 2020

This film is very well put together, and it shows how making one small change can lead to unexpected adventure.

Full Review | Aug 14, 2019

Director Marc Turtletaub respects the performances, which are all first rate and Puzzle tallies a distinct -- if minor -- victory.

Full Review | Jun 24, 2019

There's a video game like roteness to the narrative structure. Do-joon finds a bad guy, and punches him until he gets a clue that leads to the next bad guy in the next mission.

Full Review | Jun 23, 2019

Turtletaub has crafted an unexpectedly moving portrait of strength and self-expression built around, of all things, a puzzle-solving competition.

Full Review | May 29, 2019

The acting is the strong point of this remake.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 23, 2019

This is by far the best showcase for [Kelly Macdonald's] talents that she has had in a while and she makes great use of it in the way that she keeps her character from getting bogged down in a morass of cliches.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2019

It's a showcase for Macdonald, and 22 years on from Trainspotting the Scottish actress displays a mixture of soulful struggle and defiant will to change.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 9, 2018

There is kind and winning quality to it but it almost seemed... too small for the big screen. I couldn't shake the feeling throughout that had I seen it streaming on Netflix I would probably have far warmer feelings for it.

Full Review | Nov 27, 2018

Despite this crying out to be described in jigsaw puns, I'll simply say that Kelly Macdonald as the blossoming Agnes blows everyone out of the water in a performance of subtle intensity and humour, and leave it at that.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 14, 2018

Kelly Macdonald shines in the lead. Her face is a powerfully expressive text ... representing hairpin turns of understanding and decision that are always convincing.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Nov 10, 2018

Thoroughly simplistic and profound, Puzzle is a poignant and insightful character study of domestic alienation looking to take some time off for poetic evaluation.

Full Review | Nov 6, 2018

... this film carries a steady, oceanic emotional undercurrent in a light package.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Nov 3, 2018

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Film Review: ‘Puzzle’

This remake of a well-liked Argentine film allows Kelly Macdonald to shine amid the yawn-inducing world of competitive jigsaw puzzling.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

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“ Puzzle ” is the missing piece in American blockbuster filmmaking. It’s about what Peter Parker’s Aunt May does with her days while Spider-Man is off saving the neighborhood, or how Clark Kent’s adoptive mother Martha feels about her life back in Smallville. So often, great actresses are relegated to playing the wives and girlfriends of heroic male protagonists, appearing only to bite their nails or fret by the phone amidst all the excitement. “Puzzle” focuses on the part of the story those films ignore, privileging the interior life of just such a woman via the unexpected mid-life discovery that she’s a jigsaw puzzle prodigy, and the independent streak that realization inspires.

It’s a small, subtle movie — like a Vermeer, painted on the head of a pin — conceived by a woman (Argentine director Natalia Smirnoff’s quiet, detail-oriented debut was a break-out at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival) and then handed over to a male director (“Little Miss Sunshine” producer Marc Turtletaub ) for its sensitive, yet strangely airless English-language remake. That’s not to suggest a man can’t capture or appreciate the nuances of such a story (it’s a man who’s reviewing it, after all). From “Amelie” to “Aquarius,” there are countless examples of man-made movies that explore the unspoken hopes and dreams of female protagonists, but there’s no question that the original film’s appeal owes to the perspective of the woman who created it. Where “Rompecabezas” (“The Puzzle”) felt personal, its retelling seems patronizing — or at the very least pathetic, presented with the kind of solemnity you’d expect while reading a suicide note.

And yet, we should be grateful that it exists, if only because it affords a long-overdue leading role to Kelly Macdonald , the Scottish character actress who has so often played the sort of wife (“No Country for Old Men”) and servant roles (“Gosford Park”) that practically disappear into the wallpaper. Here, the wallpaper is too flashy for that to happen: When we meet Agnes (Macdonald), dutiful housewife and mother of two, she’s like a dun-colored moth no one notices as she prepares for a birthday party. It’s not until late in the festivities that we realize, with some surprise, that she cleaned the house, baked the cake, and did all the chores for her own celebration.

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Among the presents, Agnes finds a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Where it might take the average person several days to assemble such a complicated puzzle, Agnes begins in the afternoon and finishes it before her husband (David Denman) comes home. Twice. It’s kinda perfect that the image on the puzzle is a world map, since Agnes has hardly ever left her tiny New Jersey microcosm. But now, she feels compelled, buying a train ticket to the Big Apple in order to buy a couple more puzzles. (Why she can’t get them in the suburbs is anybody’s guess — although so much of Agnes’ behavior feels like a tentative outreach toward the kind of experience and acknowledgement she’s always denied herself.)

Spotting an advertisement for a puzzle champion “desperately seeking” a partner, Agnes takes his number, but waits several hours before texting him: “I think I might be good at this.” That hesitation, coupled with a lack of confidence in herself, are simultaneously Agnes’ most endearing and depressing qualities. It can be frustrating to watch someone so hesitant blooming as if in slow-motion, and yet, small clues suggest that her puzzle skill may be the tip of some greater genius (at the very least, it’s an indication that her brain is capable of so much more than the menial existence it was previously permitted).

Agnes’ dilemma is familiar enough, as a fundamentally selfless woman tentatively gives herself permission to pursue her own pleasure (as one IMDb commenter pointed out, the film “Queen to Plan” tells practically the same story, with chess in place of puzzles). In a mark of uncommon complexity for such stories, Agnes’ husband is depicted as a decent man, rather than an abusive cheat. “Why didn’t you ever divorce him?” her son (Austin Abrams) has the nerve to ask at one point. It’s a surprising question, since he’s doting, faithful, never violent, but hopelessly provincial. He adores his wife, but doesn’t do that thing that comes naturally to anyone in love: putting himself in her shoes, wondering what she’s doing with her time.

And what’s she’s doing is discovering herself, slowly, through the admiring gaze of her new puzzle partner (“The Lunchbox” star Irrfan Khan), whose own wife has just ditched him. The romance that arises there doesn’t quite work, if only because Macdonald’s character is so introverted and old-fashioned. Sneaking out practically on tiptoe, her trips to New York are not quite those of an Amish person’s Rumspringa, but the equivalent of a woman raised in a house with no mirrors who finally glimpses a full-length reflection of herself (alternately, you could force a jigsaw-puzzle metaphor, but the movie isn’t that neatly contrived). Frankly, it’s hard to imagine anything more yawn-worthy than watching two people assemble puzzles — and neither actor is particularly convincing as being good at it. But that’s hardly the point.

Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (Premieres), Jan. 23, 2018. Running time: 103 MIN.

Production: A Big Beach presentation of a Big Beach production, in association with Rosto, Inc.., Olive Prods. (International sales: Memento, Paris.) Producers: Wren Arthur, Guy Stodel, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf.
Crew: Director: Marc Turtletaub. Screenplay: Oren Moverman, Polly Mann, based on the film “Rompecabezas” by Natalia Smirnoff. Camera (color, widescreen): Chris Norr. Editor: Catherine Haight. Music: Dustin O’Halloran.
With: Kelly Macdonald, David Denman, Daniel Sherman, Austin Abrams, Bubba Weiler.

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‘Puzzle’ Review: Fantastic Drama Using an Indoor Voice

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On its surface, Puzzle is almost comically simple. It’s about a beleaguered homemaker who gets into competitive jigsaw puzzles and, through her friendship with her jigsaw puzzle partner, goes down a path of self-discovery and awakening. That description almost seems like a parody of an indie movie, and yet it’s endlessly charming and moving in the hands of director Marc Turtletaub . Rather than rely on quirk or comedy to try and hide from the emotions his story seeks to convey, Turtletaub tells his narrative with complete sincerity and earnestness, buoyed by outstanding performances from leads Kelly Macdonald and Irrfan Khan . Puzzle may not be a big movie, but it’s a surprisingly rich one.

Agnes (Macdonald) is a homemaker who’s completely unappreciated at home. Her husband, Louie ( David Denman ), isn’t abusive, but he takes her for granted and treats her more like a servant than a spouse. Her son Gabe ( Austin Abrams ) is similarly selfish, and the only support Agnes seems to get is from her shy son Ziggy ( Bubba Weiler ), who wishes his mom would start standing up for herself. When she gets a jigsaw puzzle for a birthday present and completes it quickly, she heads to the puzzle store to buy more sets only to discover an ad looking for a competitive jigsaw puzzle partner. She answers it and meets Robert (Khan), a reclusive former inventor who actually shows an interest in Agnes’ inner life. As Agnes starts devoting more time to her interests and desires, she comes alive and pushes back against her simple life.

The most beautiful thing about Puzzle is how there’s nothing grandiose about it. The movie isn’t about Agnes trying to recapture her youth or becoming an adrenaline junkie. It always keeps to the quiet, small scale of people doing jigsaw puzzles, and just unfolding as a tale of self-discovery and confidence. There’s something immensely reassuring in Puzzle that you don’t need to indulge in some grand gesture or reckless risk to come alive. For Agnes, the small step of taking time away from her family and doing something for herself sets her on a path where she gains self-confidence and the wherewithal to stand up to the men in her life that have taken her goodness for granted.

For some actors, they would be tempted to engage in the most acting, to make Agnes’ journey seem bigger and chew on major conflicts. Macdonald wisely goes small, never really needing to raise her voice because she always is able to deliver the intensity and emotion of her performance while retaining her character’s humanity. Puzzle is all about the small, subtle ways a person can change, and Macdonald understands that we don’t need Agnes to seem like a completely different person as much as one who finds the strength within herself. That doesn’t require a 180 on her personality as much as it means finding the texture and nuance of the character, and Macdonald gives one of the best performances of her career bringing Agnes to life.

She’s well matched with Khan, an actor I could listen to read the phone book. Like Agnes, he never needs to go big with his performance. These are two quiet, introverted people (if the love of jigsaw puzzles didn’t tip you off), and both actors know that they have to get serious drama without ever raising their voices. They pull it off beautifully, and if the whole movie were just the two of them chatting and solving jigsaw puzzles, that would probably be pretty great on its own. It’s one of thing for an actor to get a big, complicated character, but there’s something to said for playing quiet people who have rich interior lives.

For some, Puzzle might be too small, and the way Turtletaub sets his tone, anything, such as the symbolism, that rises above a whisper seems jarring. But for the most part, Puzzle is a sweet movie about a woman finding her voice not through some radical transformation, but from something seemingly small and simple. It’s a story that makes you want to stand up and cheer for Agnes not because she saved the world or transformed a nation, but because she found her inner strength on her terms and in a lovely way.

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Puzzle review – Kelly Macdonald excels in gentle jigsaw drama

Little Miss Sunshine producer Marc Turtletaub directs a warm-hearted film full of carefully observed detail

W allflower Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) sidles around the edge of a party full of friends and family who don’t see much further than the tray of drinks and snacks she offers them. Softly spoken and buttoned-up in a nice, safe cardigan, she flits about in service of other people’s good time. It’s a neatly revealing moment when we learn that the cake she carves up for everyone else is, in fact, in celebration of her own birthday.

This big-hearted drama from producer turned director Marc Turtletaub (best known for Little Miss Sunshine) is full of carefully observed little details like this, which is what elevates the picture from its slightly twee premise: middle-aged woman discovers a talent for jigsaw-puzzling and finds herself. While it’s fair to say that competitive puzzling is not an activity that lends itself to gripping cinema, the lovely, subtle work from Macdonald, as her character blossoms and her horizons broaden, gives the film a warmth and magnetism. An added bonus is a flamboyant, expansive turn from Irrfan Khan (as Agnes’s puzzle partner and romantic foil) that harmonises elegantly with the gentle minor keys of Macdonald’s performance.

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Puzzle Review

07 Sep 2018

Puzzle sounds like the kind of movie you feel you’ve seen a dozen times before. A humble protagonist (in this case Kelly Macdonald ’s Agnes) discovers she has a talent for an offbeat pastime (competitive jigsaw puzzling), overcoming obstacles (her nonplussed husband Louie, played by David Denman) to compete in a big, prize-winning event and along the way discover thrilling new dimensions to her previously sheltered life. To be fair, if you’ve seen 2010 Argentinian drama Rompecabezas you will have seen it before, but even so Marc Turtletaub’s American remake (scripted by Polly Mann and Oren Moverman) proves a triumph of canny expectation-defiance.

For starters, this is no snickering unveiling of a nerdy subculture; the supposedly climactic jigsaw puzzle competition itself is hardly granted any attention. Neither is it a sports movie in disguise; while Agnes is certainly mentored — by the wealthy, attractive and erudite Robert ( Irrfan Khan ) — the strategic advice is cursory and there’s not a single training montage. Rather than follow the main-street signposts from cliché to cliché, Turtletaub, Mann and Moverman’s narrative takes us via some surprising back alleys. Meanwhile, they never forget to put character ahead of plot — most significantly the character of Agnes.

The result is an absorbing character piece.

Who is something of a puzzle herself. Initially, she seems content in her chore-packed suburban bubble, happy to have her burly, “slaving all day” husband kiss her forehead and call her “cute” while he awaits his next lovingly cooked meal. Agnes’ life-changing fascination with puzzles stems from an ability to see patterns in all things, yet we’re not encouraged to treat her as some kind of savant or undiscovered genius — just someone who’s found a new perspective. She never raises her voice and has a gently precise way of talking that means she rarely uses contractions, which would be odd and off-putting if she weren’t so warmly realised by Macdonald. And, most significantly, she makes decisions which challenge our view of her — not least because her selfish husband and two sons are complex creations, too, not undeserving of sympathy themselves. Agnes is by no means a complete innocent, and her personal metamorphosis has consequences.

The result is an absorbing character piece which takes a very different approach to similar subject matter as that tackled by recent Gemma Arterton showcase The Escape . It’s a much lighter film, but no less thoughtful, infused with a wry sense of humour that brings to mind the work of Alexander Payne. An unexpected, outside-the-box treat.

Movies | 29 04 2020

clock This article was published more than 5 years ago

This is the competitive jigsaw puzzle drama you’ve been waiting for

Rating: 3 stars

Since making her big-screen debut 20-odd years ago in “Trainspotting,” the Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald has made a specialty of stealing movies in supporting roles. She was devastating as the trusting wife in “No Country for Old Men” and perfectly cast as the stoic domestic goddess Dolly in Joe Wright’s dreamy adaptation of “Anna Karenina.” In the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” Macdonald didn’t so much revert to type as the naive woman in distress as infuse the trope with equal parts soul and steel.

In “Puzzle,” Macdonald has finally found a movie that she doesn’t need to steal, because it belongs to her completely. As Agnes, a Connecticut homemaker longing to break out of a comfortable but humdrum existence, Macdonald brings her characteristic quiet radiance to bear on creating a character who’s either on the brink of crisis or of rebirth, depending on how she makes the pieces fit.

We meet Agnes in a magnificent opening sequence, as she silently vacuums her house, prepares for a party, hangs a “Happy Birthday” banner and greets the guests. The sequence delivers two major reveals that take the audience unaware but speak volumes about Macdonald’s character: in many ways, she’s a creature stuck in time, and her Catholic conscience has taken self-abnegation to a potentially tragic extreme.

“Puzzle” is based on a 2010 Argentine film in which another thwarted wife and mother discovers a latent talent for putting together jigsaw puzzles. As in that film, Agnes winds up joining forces with an idiosyncratic man to enter a tournament. But director Marc Turtletaub, working from a script by Polly Mann and Oren Moverman, engages in another clever misdirect. Rather than a conventional underdogs-in-competition drama, “Puzzle” underplays the familiar tropes of stopwatches and we-can-do-this speeches. Instead, Turtletaub and Macdonald create a delicate, affecting portrait of a woman finally expressing long-repressed dissatisfaction and desire — or, to borrow the symbolic language of a film that pointedly takes place during Lent, a woman resurrecting a long-buried self.

Although “Puzzle” wholly belongs to Macdonald — who fills each scene with watchful attention and sly humor — it owes much to the actors who play the men in Agnes’s life: Her husband, Louie, an auto-body mechanic steeped in the traditions of their Hungarian American community, could easily be portrayed as a sexist oaf. But David Denman imbues him with undeniable sweetness. This is an imperfect marriage, but a fundamentally loving one, an emotional tone echoed and reinforced by Dustin O’Halloran’s lyrical, unobtrusive musical score. For his part, Irrfan Khan has seductive fun as Agnes’s puzzle partner, who lives in a New York townhouse that is somehow opulent and barren at the same time. (Turtletaub has done a similarly astute job of casting Agnes’s young-adult sons, played to perfection by Austin Abrams and Bubba Weiler.)

It’s not fair to oversell “Puzzle.” It’s a modest, tender movie in which not much happens, aside from a woman transforming in small but seismic ways. For fans of Macdonald who have long awaited the movie she owns from start to finish, it’s nothing less than a simple, humane and tenderhearted triumph.

R. At area theaters. Contains coarse language. 102 minutes.

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Puzzle 3.5 stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

27th August 2018 by Sarah 20 Comments

Initially Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) just turns over the pieces and dives in. Her new and experienced champion puzzler partner Robert (Irrfan Khan) teaches her to take time to walk around the table to get the bigger picture from the piles of tiny pieces, then divide by colour.

Puzzle’ s director Marc Turtletaub (this is a remake of Argentinian director Natalia Smirnoff’s 2009 film Rompecazbesas) unfolds Agnes’s story without resorting to cliche, and in return I promise to avoid all puzzle-related puns. This is a movie rich in allegory though, so expect some metaphorical jigsaws.

I used to think jigsaws were dull, and I didn’t have the patience. Then I had children and discovered they were something we could do together. Soon I was finishing them even after my kids had wandered off, while I continued, eager for that feeling of triumph as the last giant piece of Peppa Pig slotted gratifyingly into place.

Agnes only discovers her love of puzzles when she’s given a 1000-piece jigsaw for her birthday, though she’s been finding patterns and putting things back together for years. The night of her party, her husband Louis (David Denman) breaks a pretty plate; while she searches under a chair for the missing piece it’s clear she needs to find it to complete the puzzle rather than, as she claims, to stop someone standing on it and hurting themselves.

Soon she’s travelling to the New York puzzle shop where her Aunt Emily brought her the jigsaw; then, after seeing a note there from expert puzzler Robert asking for a new puzzle partner, uses Aunt Emily’s broken foot as an excuse to travel to the city to train with him for the national championships.

An avid watcher of bad news from around the world, Robert does puzzles to bring order to the chaos of existence, from exploding volcanos to his own one-off invention that has accidentally made him millions. He doesn’t even believe in pattern; to Robert, his life has proved it’s all coincidence. Agnes’s new hobby does the opposite, plunging her family into chaos as they find themselves unable to cope without her to cook dinner at the right time.

Puzzle is about several people (but mainly Agnes) finding the right place in the world where they can slot in. Something which increasingly disrupts life for those (especially her husband Louis) who already think they and everyone else are in the correctly allotted spaces (even if they too would be happier doing something else).

And there are puzzles, patterns and sequences everywhere , including some I probably invented. I did recognise the perfectly put-together rhythm of the everyday life of a homemaker: tiring tasks, that must be done in a particular order, but the same pattern as any other day, and sometimes providing genuine satisfaction on completion. As her love for puzzles grows Agnes has to slot her metaphorical jigsaw of tasks round it (a jigsaw around a jigsaw sounds very meta and they should probably invent an app game for it).

I liked how on her first train trip into New York everyone else on the platform is engrossed in their mobile phones, something which is taking people out of one space (real life), you could argue to our detriment. But the same phones may also be depositing them in just the right place for them online with likeminded people who finally understand them.

Agnes has spent her life sacrificing her own needs to those of men: her father after her mother died when she was young, then her husband and her two (now teenage) sons. You could probably also add to that Jesus and her priest, who has a circle of women keeping all the church events and outreach going.

This is a slow-burn movie and at times I was desperate for us to get back to the buzz of another puzzle, which though a criticism is only a slight one – these puzzlers are fast. (There’s also a comfortingly expected scene when a nearly completed jigsaw is angrily swiped from table to floor.)

Khan and Denman are first rate, but it’s Macdonald as the blossoming Agnes who blows everyone out of the water, in a performance of subtle intensity and often humour.

She’s a timeless character in many ways but also one initially difficult to place in a particular decade. At first I thought the film must be set in the 40s or 50s, but really it’s just Agnes’s old fashioned life.

Her break out, as she starts moving forward and pushing back, is believable; many of her responses to Louis’s alternate anger, tears and bewilderment were not what I expected, even though the movie moves in an expected direction. And Agnes’s flashes of passion when faced with both the slightly dishevelled Robert and a particularly fiendish section of jigsaw are a delight.

It doesn’t all ring true. We’re expected to believe that Agnes would travel to New York to buy jigsaws from a special jigsaw shop. While it’s made clear she wouldn’t instantly know how to google on the new iPhone she got for her birthday, she could surely have popped down to the nearest department store or toy shop to buy one – unless this is meant to be seen as an early attempt to escape the confines of her life which even she doesn’t fully realise yet?

As she blossoms so do her outfits. Granted, she finishes up in what can be best described as Mum at Marks and Spencer. But the gradual move from plain, dark-coloured shapeless tops to those with slightly more fit, then on to colour and complementary patterns, is a pretty encapsulation of her growing freedom. First a baggy navy shirt, then a gently skimming cream sweater with sea-blue stripes. Then a t-shirt with pretty green floral detailing, worn with a loose-fitting short-sleeved green and white spotted jacket; by the end a cream dress with red flowers and green leaves is matched with a vibrant red cardigan.

The ending is what could best be described as finishing a complicated jigsaw and finding the last few pieces missing. We know pretty much what the whole picture will be, but there’s no need to show us.

ENDING (and spoiler…) BELOW

Agnes does something entirely for herself – she goes to Montreal alone on the train, rather than to Brussels with Robert for the jigsaw championship.

18th November 2018 at 11:02 AM

Is agnes finally gone to belgium ?

4th December 2018 at 1:33 PM

I’m wondering the same thing .. where did she go in the end of the movie ?

6th December 2018 at 8:59 AM

Montreal, where she always wanted to go

19th February 2024 at 5:57 PM

I like that she thought about herself than to think about Robert or Louie, the big jerk.

I loved how she thought of herself instead of everyone that a woman like Agnes would do since she was a young girl. She married a manipulative and control freak and not many women can put up with that. I am glad she moved on and did something “JUST” or herself.

29th February 2024 at 10:50 AM

Yeah she did what most of the people dream of their whole life. The responsibilities they inflict on themselves by sacrificing their dreams. I guess that’s life and we all are Agnes, Louie and Ziggy. I mean to narrow it down if we see all the characters and merge into one that’s us. yep that’s us.

17th December 2018 at 12:49 AM

She goes to Montreal. She is now completing the puzzle of her own life. Belgium was not part of this puzzle.

27th January 2019 at 10:54 PM

EX, you are right and wrong. Yes, she did go to Montreal at the end. However, Belgium WAS part of the movie, an important part. The world championship for jigsaw puzzling was to take place in Brussels, which is IN Belgium. She told her puzzle partner she decided not to go. Instead, she went to Montreal which , as you said, completes the puzzle of her own life.

9th December 2021 at 9:39 PM

Thanks for pointing out where Belgium is but it was definitely not part of the puzzle. However I am not surprised that you seem to be rather puzzled by this.

26th July 2019 at 6:43 PM

OK. So she decided to go her own way? She not to stay with EITHER men? I am confused as I don’ quite understand what was in Montreal for her?

23rd May 2020 at 12:28 AM

For me, Montreal is Leonard Cohen. What was it for Agnes?

20th July 2020 at 1:19 AM

When she looked at the original puzzle , closed her eyes and placed her finger on the map in the puzzle she alighted on Montreal. That is why she chose to go to Montreal.

14th August 2020 at 2:47 AM

Thanks. That makes sense

9th May 2023 at 6:30 PM

Thanks for that observation; I didn’t notice, therefore, didn’t realize at the end of the movie, why she chose Montreal. She was finally doing something for herself instead of being treated like a servant….”The Virtue of Selfishness,” (Ayn Rand).

17th October 2020 at 11:35 AM

Yes, much appreciation for continuity in ending tied with beginning of movie.

28th December 2020 at 5:24 PM

Awe ..all you lovely Beings oot there! Ever So Grateful for letting me know the ending..? A was a Wee bit Puzzled there!? Bless you All ????????

19th December 2021 at 10:26 PM

Talking of continuity did anyone notice how the ash cross on her forehead was stronger and more complete in the following scene to when the priest applied it. Just a thought !

13th July 2022 at 4:07 PM

because the priest applies it with some water son that the ash just doesnt brush away but stays on the skin for longer, just common practise

2nd January 2022 at 2:29 AM

Yes I noticed the same thing 🙂

7th January 2024 at 6:30 AM

I loved the movie until she cheated on her husband. He did not deserve it. The husband lost everything: The love of his life, his one outlet for leisure, and if they divorced probably his business which was already suffering financially. I hate that they had to represent him as losing everything for her to gain a life. A bit much. The younger son was represented as an ungrateful punk and he gained! Has he no shame? Very odd how it all got sorted out.

29th February 2024 at 10:52 AM

I guess this is a simple portrayal of normal life.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Lovely personal empowerment story has some language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Strong theme of empowerment -- about discovering y

Agnes has never tried to look outside her tight so

Confrontations and arguments.

The run-up to and aftermath of an extramarital sex

A few uses of "f--k" (more out of frustration than

Puzzle brands.

A man comes home drunk. Smoking is shown but frown

Positive Messages

Strong theme of empowerment -- about discovering you're capable of more than you thought you were and following your dream, no matter how unusual it might seem to others. It's OK to want more than what you have. Also, it's about the difficult steps toward long-denied personal growth.

Positive Role Models

Agnes has never tried to look outside her tight societal niche but abruptly discovers she is capable of more and wants more. She wrestles with guilt and the consequences of her growth; she's selfless at heart but faces a deep and painful awakening. Her desires and actions are portrayed understandably and sympathetically. One of her sons is experiencing something similar at a younger age; his personal struggle inspires hers. The male puzzle master is an Indian man whose brilliance, quirks, and attractiveness -- not his nationality or race -- define him. Louie is very afraid of change.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The run-up to and aftermath of an extramarital sexual encounter are shown (no nudity); passing mention of the quality of the sex. A married couple is shown cuddling in bed. Kissing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

A few uses of "f--k" (more out of frustration than as sexual references), plus "Jesus" (as an exclamation).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

A man comes home drunk. Smoking is shown but frowned upon. Social drinking at a birthday party.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Puzzle is a drama about a middle-aged, underappreciated, suburban housewife ( Kelly Macdonald ) who finally comes into her own when she discovers she has a talent for jigsaw puzzles. Characters argue, but there's no violence; the iffiest content is the language, which includes a few uses of "f--k." There's also some smoking, a scene in which someone is drunk, some kissing, and non-explicit sexual encounters between adults. While the title may imply a mystery, this is a gentle empowerment film about unlocking long-suppressed desires and growing as a person. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parents say (3)
Kids say (1)

Based on 3 parent reviews

Irritating main character, although very well acted

Coming of age in your 40s, what's the story.

In PUZZLE, underappreciated suburban housewife and mother Agnes ( Kelly Macdonald ) discovers she has a talent for assembling jigsaw puzzles. While her life with her small-minded husband, Louie (David Denman), and their sons -- spoiled Gabe (Austin Abrams) and troubled Ziggy (Bubba Weiler) -- isn't exactly hellish, she comes to realize that it's very, very stifling. Agnes' exciting but painful growth is accelerated when she partners with a brilliant, quirky, worldly puzzle champion named Robert ( Irrfan Khan ), who's nothing like her on the surface but understands her as no one else does.

Is It Any Good?

This is a beautiful, nuanced film with remarkable performances. It's a drama, but it's lively -- and handled with a gentle, light touch that allows for plenty of laughs of recognition. Based on the 2010 Argentine film Rompecabezas , Puzzle generates conflict and tension without actual villains. Macdonald turns in wonderful, sympathetic work as a woman who had barely dared to dream beyond the borders of her small town before realizing there was so much more for her in the world. She makes Agnes bloom before our eyes; it's some of the best work of her career. Khan also shines as the puzzle master with a complex internal life; he's not a one-dimensional cliché, but rather a thinking, feeling person with damage of his own. It's hard to convincingly convey a brilliant mind; Khan does it with panache. And young Weiler is a find as the son who's withering in the life he's been shoehorned into.

Director Marc Turtletaub (known as a producer of such films as Little Miss Sunshine ) lets the movie's moments breathe and captures the full interactions between his characters. His handling of the sensitive script, adapted by indie powerhouse Owen Moverman , finds subtle ways to reveal character and exposition. The film's low-key realism makes the rare moments of direct conflict or important decisions all the more consequential. Puzzle is a lovely tale of empowerment fueled by two excellent lead performances.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the central relationship in Puzzle . What draws Agnes and Robert together? What do they have in common? How are they different?

Would you describe Agnes' husband as a "villain"? Or is he something more nuanced? Is he a "bad" person or someone with blind spots, a product of his culture?

How would you describe the role of religion in the film's world?

Movie Details

In theaters : July 27, 2018
On DVD or streaming : November 13, 2018
Cast : Kelly Macdonald , Irrfan Khan , David Denman
Director : Marc Turtletaub
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors
Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
Genre : Drama
Run time : 103 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : language
Last updated : November 19, 2023

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Indie drama Puzzle is a quiet, low-key revelation: EW review

Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) is the kind of woman who seems invisible even at her own birthday party, fetching oblivious guests’ drinks with downcast eyes and sweeping up smashed dishes in a drab little dress with a leafy pattern best described as “sad houseplants.”

She’s a sad houseplant, a sort of unpaid stay-at-home maid for her gruff husband, Louie ( Logan Lucky ’s David Denman), and two teenage sons (Austin Abrams and Bubba Weiler), filling her days with lonely grocery runs and the ladies’ church league. But a pair of birthday presents — the only ones she’s been given, apparently— promise to change that: an iPhone and a 1,000-piece puzzle.

The first she has no interest in, at least initially. The second she finds herself surprisingly good at and increasingly drawn to — more than she has been to anything in years, or maybe ever. Her new obsession leads her to a specialty store in big, noisy New York City, and an ad by an anonymous puzzle master looking for a partner. (Enter iPhone and Bollywood superstar Irrfan Khan.)

The movie’s modestly scaled, slow-paced story line, based on the award-winning 2010 Argentinean breakout Rompecabezas , doesn’t explore anything particularly new in domestic drama, or in a tentative romance with Khan’s wealthy, idiosyncratic Robert.

But director Marc Turtletaub pulls thoughtful, carefully shaded performances from Denman, Khan, and, most of all, Scottish actress Macdonald ( Boardwalk Empire , No Country for Old Men ), who refuses to let Agnes be an easy avatar for midlife longing and suburban discontent. With her fierce, strange energy at the center, the film builds quietly toward its own small revelations, piece by piece. B+

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‘puzzle’: film review.

Corporate malaise is the real villain of director Lim Jin-Seung's horror-mystery 'Puzzle.'

By Elizabeth Kerr

Elizabeth Kerr

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A bored businessman looking for a bit of excitement gets up to no good while his wife is away, and is ultimately caught in a nebulous conspiracy determined to unravel his picture-perfect life, in writer-director Lim Jin-Seung’s Puzzle . A slow, respectably compelling start that recalls David Fincher’s The Game (narratively, if not tonally) eventually gives way to a more rote thriller with a less-than-satisfying conclusion that’s sure to infuriate many, many viewers.

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Puzzle (United States, 2018)

I suppose it’s possible for anything to be competitive, even assembling jigsaw puzzles. Whether such a thing can be made cinematic is another matter altogether. In this case, it’s a bit of a stretch, which is probably one reason why director Marc Turtletaub placed all of the scenes featuring puzzle-solving in the background. Turtletaub, the veteran producer behind such films as Little Miss Sunshine and Gods Behaving Badly , uses jigsaw puzzles as more of a catalyst than a plot device. At no point does he attempt to turn Puzzle into a “jigsaw Rocky .”

Agnes (Macdonald), a middle-aged mother and wife, is living in a time warp. Even though the calendar says 2017 and she has a shiny new iPhone to do with as she wishes, she acts as if it’s the 1960s. She’s a housewife who exists to serve her husband and children. Nothing is more important than having the dinner on the table every night at six. Shopping requires that she get all the snacks wanted by her husband, Louie (David Denham) and adult sons, Gabe (Austin Abrams) and Ziggy (Bubba Weiler). She has no life except as it relates to her family. Early in the film, we see her hosting a party – doing the dishes, putting candles on a cake – and we don’t immediately realize that she’s doing all the work for her own birthday celebration.

Macdonald, who is normally stuck in supporting roles, gets a rare chance to take the lead in Puzzle and, by sheer force of her talent, she makes the movie worth seeing. Her portrayal of Agnes is deep and multilayered. She does more with the character than what’s in the pedestrian screenplay. Irrfan Kahn’s Robert is underdeveloped as is his romantic relationship with Agnes – a lot of this feels rushed and artificial. The three actors comprising Agnes’ family - David Denham, Austin Abrams, and Bubba Weiler – are all solid. Denham deserves credit for making Louie a decent man, despite being hampered by his backward (the nice term would be “old-fashioned”) values. The character could easily have been presented as an ogre (and, in another movie, might have been). For Agnes, the decision isn’t between a mysterious, handsome New York lover and a mean, nasty New Jersey husband. Robert is less-than-ideal and Louie is hard-working and never abusive. One of the lessons Agnes learns is that romantic love isn’t everything and 25 years of marriage, even if imperfect, can’t be thrown away.

The most refreshing thing about Puzzle is that it’s an adult movie about characters and their low-key circumstances. No one involved in the production cared whether viewers under the age of 30 would be remotely interested (few will be) and no attempts were made to tailor it to appeal to a broader, less attentive audience. Although the screenplay is at times antiseptic, few roles could be better to showcase the capabilities of the talented lead actress.

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3 Reasons Why You Have to See ‘Puzzle’ + Movie Review

Puzzle is an absolute must-see film! Find out what three pieces make it special in this Puzzle movie review!

Puzzle follows Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), a wife and mother of two who has spent her entire life caring for everyone but herself. Agnes quickly develops a love for jigsaw puzzle competitions. Through the simple act of completing a puzzle, and with help from her competition partner Robert (Irrfan Khan), Agnes is able to step outside of her everyday world.

I highly recommend this movie to everyone! So what makes Puzzle a movie you don’t want to miss?

The Characters

There are many aspects of the film that you’ll be able to relate to in different ways. What really makes Puzzle unique are its characters. You’ll find yourself rooting for every character for different reasons throughout the film.

Kelly Macdonald gives an amazing performance! Macdonald brings a certain innocence to Agnes, and both Irrfan Khan and David Denman give strong performances that help shape Agnes’s life. You’ll fall in love with Agnes as you clearly see her become more accepting of herself.

Puzzle is the kind of film that makes a direct impact on your life. The ending is so refreshing as it’s completely different from most love stories. It’s truly a remarkable ending that will stick with you long after you’ve finished the film. You don’t want to miss this amazing film!

See Puzzle in theaters now!

Check out the site to learn more about puzzle .

Sarah Scoop.com is an online destination to give everyone the scoop on their favorite things. To contact Sarah email [email protected].

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What the Puzzle Piece Glitches in Paramount+’s Evil Mean

Discover the hidden puzzle piece glitches in Evil and how to decode their meaning ahead of Season 4.

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What is evil about, what are the puzzle piece glitches in evil, what does the puzzle piece glitches in evil mean.

Created by Robert and Michelle King, Evil is an acclaimed supernatural TV drama that debuted on CBS in 2019 before moving to Paramount+ for Season 2 and beyond. The series concerns a trio of skeptics hired by the Catholic Church to investigate eerie supernatural phenomena, led by forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers). The series has drawn critical acclaim for its writing, acting, direction, and the interactive subliminal puzzles that take the show to the next level.

Beginning in Season 1, Evil features several subliminal puzzle pieces that flash on the screen for a split second. The distorted images appear like glitches in the background of a shot, hinting to viewers to pause the frame, examine the unique details of the puzzle piece, and continue collecting each piece until a clear message materializes. In addition to promoting immersion and interactivity, the puzzle-solving serves as an alternate-reality game designed by the show creators. As Evil approaches its Season 4 premiere on May 23, 2024 , here is everything fans need to know about Evil' s puzzle piece glitches and how to decode them.

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Launched in September 2019, Evil is a supernatural TV drama that follows three starkly opposed characters working for the Catholic Church in New York City . Most of the drama is seen through the eyes of Dr. Kristen Bouchard, a forensic psychologist hired to work as an assessor to investigate evil activity. Dr. Bouchard is a staunch atheist who does not believe in the devil or demons and approaches each with severe skepticism.

Dr. Bouchard is paired with David Acosta (Mike Colter), a journalist aspiring to become a priest. Unlike Bouchard, Acosta is devoutly religious, believes in heaven and hell, and is enlightened and tormented by encounters with the divine he induces through hallucinogenic drugs. Bouchard and Acosta also work with Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi), an Islamic atheist who is the team's expert technician and resident comic relief. Together, the disparate trio investigates a series of paranormal activities inside the Catholic Church that begins to bleed into their personal lives.

Beyond the character collisions that lead to compelling supernatural investigations, the brilliance of Evil shines through its interactive design. Following the pilot episode of the acclaimed Paramount+ Original Series in 2019, fans started noticing strange visual glitches briefly appearing on the screen throughout Season 1. The glitches are puzzle pieces meant to be culled, fit together, and decoded to reveal a deeper meaning within the show. Therefore, a closer examination of how to spot and decipher the puzzle piece glitches in Evil is necessary.

Beginning one episode after the pilot , several subliminal puzzle pieces can be spotted onscreen in Evil . They appear briefly onscreen for a single frame, usually somewhere out of focus in the background. Fans claim there are as few as three and as many as eight puzzles per episode. In Season 1, 67 total puzzle piece glitches were spotted ( via Wiki Fandom ). According to co-creator Robert King, the puzzles are part of an alternate reality game and directly relate to the "episode numbers" and "other things you can find in the episode" ( via Entertainment Weekly ).

For instance, the title of every episode in Season 1 bears a numerical figure, including "Genesis 1," "3 Stars," "177 Minutes," and "October 31." The numbers combined with the onscreen puzzle piece glitch can be used to decrypt a hidden meaning. As Season 1 progressed, fans collected and posted the pieces on Puzzle-Tool.com . The website allows fans to play with the pieces and fit them together. The more pieces added, the clearer a picture began to develop to reveal the secret meaning that Robert King alluded to.

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Sixty-seven puzzle pieces were spotted in Evil 's first 12 episodes, with a subtle clue stated in the third episode, "3 Stars." During the episode, an exorcist states:

"We are fighting the worst enemy on earth, and their only vulnerability is they reveal themselves in symbols and numbers. They can't help it. God draws in straight lines. The devil draws in puzzles and anagrams."

Between the symbols, numbers, straight lines, puzzles, and anagrams, a decoded message finally emerged from the hidden puzzle piece glitches in Evil's inaugural season.

Now on Netflix, the interactive TV show is sure to attract new players. With each separate puzzle piece bearing cryptic contour lines, a devoted Evil fan patched the puzzle together to reveal a detailed map of Manhattan . However, the fan could only solve the Season 1 puzzle after watching the Season 2 finale "C is for Cannibal." Posting their findings on Reddit , the solver tallied the episode numbers with the numerical figures on the puzzle pieces and arrived at 974.

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Upon watching "C is for Cannibal," the Redditor found another clue. When Lexis (Maddy Crocco) approaches her sister Laura's (Dalya Knapp) bed to read the wicked bedtime story from "The Terrifying Book," the word "Lexington" briefly flashes on the bed. When combining 974 with Lexington, the result is 974 Lexington Avenue, according to the Redditor. In searching for the location online, 974 Lexington Avenue is the address of a real-life art gallery called Gallery 71 in Manhattan . The number 71 refers to 71st Street, where the gallery intersects with 974 Lexington Avenue. Gallery 71 was established in 1994 and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024.

Although Gallery 71 was not featured in Evil 's Season 3, more clues may be revealed when Season 4 returns on May 23, 2024. For instance, many fans believe that the letters attached to Season 2's episode titles could begin a whole new puzzle for fans to solve. Until then, the mysterious destination of 974 Lexington Avenue continues to compel fans of Evil on Paramount+.

The first 2 Seasons of Evil are available to stream on Netflix.

Movie Reviews

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For a few gossamer years in the 2010s, movie fans ate well—perhaps a little too well. That was, of course, courtesy of a little red debit card called MoviePass, the product of an ambitious startup that promised nirvana for any red-blooded cinephile with too much time on their hands: Pay a monthly fee, then use your debit card and an app to see one movie a day, wherever you want, any theater you want. If it seemed too good to be true, that's because it was. After all, how could a company possibly make money off a $9.95/month fee, in exchange for up to thirty movie tickets that cost at least that much?

The secret, as Muta'Ali's documentary "MoviePass, MovieCrash" reveals, is that they didn't. And the reasons for such a bizarre business model (and the hardworking, idealistic employees they hurt along the way) are stranger than you might think.

Credit to Muta'Ali for finding an interesting angle on the material, which, ultimately, is about the rise and fall of a scrappy startup business—hardly the most cinematic of subjects, even if movies lie at the core of its business model. See, while we're used to stories of venture capital ghouls and unchecked capitalist greed taking down even the most well-intentioned businesses, "MoviePass" recognizes its uniquely tragic nature as a cautionary tale for entrepreneurial racism: The story of two idealistic Black founders, their sensible idea for a buzzworthy company, and the greedy, old, white investors who stole it from them and spent it into the ground within a year.

If there are any heroes in this story, they are Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt , two Black entrepreneurs who leapt wide-eyed into an idea to help save movie theaters by incentivizing participation through a subscription-based platform. Spikes, in particular, cuts an especially earnest figure, a shy, unassuming guy with glasses and a sensible head on his shoulders; we hear of his early days as a VP of marketing for Miramax, the creator of Urbanworld Film Festival, and more. Together with Watt, the pair endeavored to do what few Black entrepreneurs could do in the wide white world of business: create something that made a difference.

The trouble came when it came time for actual financing and the old, pale faces who could give it to them. This led them into the crosshairs of Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth , who'd quickly maneuver themselves from financiers and advisors to replacing Spikes and Watt on the board and in the CEO chair in 2016. It's here that MoviePass's sensible, if unworkable, business model would rise beyond sustainability: it was they that suggested the too-good-to-be-true $10/mo offer, which would finally push the company's subscriber base beyond the 20,000 plateau, and the parent company's stock to new heights. In dueling interviews, Muta'Ali positions MoviePass's ultimate fate as the tug of war between quieter, more sensible Black businessmen and the loud, greedy white vultures who steal their idea and suck the marrow from its bones until there's nothing left.

From there, the doc proceeds down predictable though not entirely un-entertaining paths. Muta'Ali covers a lot of thematic ground here, from the sky-high expectations set for the company by Lowe and Farnsworth in one breathless media appearance after another to the cockamamie schemes they'd come up with to market the thing. (One particular boondoggle involves their inexplicable million-dollar installation at Coachella in 2018, complete with a helicopter-bound Dennis Rodman .) There are even a few bits of welcome millennial nostalgia about the promise of MoviePass, complete with former subscribers and even employees holding up their red debit cards as a souvenir of what once was.

If there's a flaw to "MoviePass, MovieCrash," it's that these elements hardly elevate it beyond the boilerplate documentary structure formulas. Muta'Ali's work primarily relies on a series of talking heads interspersed with archival footage and a few extremely crude animations to illustrate the skyrocketing, then plummeting, stock price of MoviePass' parent company. Its structure is also a bit helter-skelter, awkwardly transitioning from 2016 to the company's beginnings and beyond, with some clumsy transitions between these varying segments. And, by God, we have to retire the practice of documentaries starting with essentially a two-minute trailer for themselves, giving you the whole thing in microcosm before getting started.

The doc struggles to land on whether MoviePass was a predetermined failure or something that was failed , and the lack of participation in many of the key players for the latter hurts its ability to probe deeper. A running thread near the end implies that Farnsworth's claim to fame as a big-time business mogul is built on hot air, but very little time is given to that semi-revelation. (Lowe, for his part, is the only one of MoviePass's murderers who gets interviewed, and his cluelessness is at least perversely entertaining.) The doc even puts an opportunistic stain on Spikes, however inadvertently, as the closing minutes turn into an advertisement for his new book.

In the final stretch, we learn that there's hope for MoviePass yet: Spikes bought the company back in 2021 and plans to run it the way it ought to have been run in the first place. With the state of moviegoing being as dire as it is now (dwindling attendance, even for films like "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga"), and the belated adoption of similar models from AMC and Regal, here's hoping he can find a way to make it work. But even this revelation feels like an afterthought in "MoviePass, MovieCrash," instead offering a surface-level dissection of another startup that intended to disrupt an industry, only to burn up in the atmosphere of its own greed.

On Max now.

Clint Worthington

Clint Worthington is a Chicago-based film/TV critic and podcaster. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Spool , as well as a Senior Staff Writer for Consequence . He is also a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and Critics Choice Association. You can also find his byline at RogerEbert.com, Vulture, The Companion, FOX Digital, and elsewhere.

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It's a golden age of puzzle games, even for people who suck at puzzle games

Animal well, lorelei and the laser eyes and paper trail are among the recent standouts..

I’m a big fan of the British comedy game show Taskmaster . Each season, five comedians compete against each other to complete ridiculous objectives. The competitors are often rewarded for lateral thinking, as long as they stick within each task's rules.

Every time I watch a player hilariously mess up , I often think “well, I could do better than that.” But sit me down in front of a puzzle game that demands adept use of logic or pushes me to think outside of the box, and l often get frustrated and give up quickly (unless I find a decent guide to help me out). That’s quite irritating, especially since we’re in a golden age of puzzle games.

After a busy day of work, I’m far more inclined to play something relatively mindless, like Overwatch 2 or Fortnite . I tend to bristle at anything that slows me down, such as turn-based games. But the more I push myself to stick with puzzle games, the more I appreciate them. There are three recently released options that I've been bouncing between recently in Lorelei and the Laser Eyes , Animal Well and Paper Trail .

I had enormous expectations for Lorelei. The last offering from developer Simogo, Sayonara Wild Hearts , is easily in my top three games of all time. Lorelei is completely different and it's not like anything I’ve experienced before.

It opens with a woman named Lorelei standing next to her car. The vehicle won't start, but fortunately there's a hotel close by. As it turns out, that's where Lorelei is supposed to be to help an artist complete his magnum opus. This is a place where time is nebulous. It's 1963, but there are computers where you save your progress and a Game Boy-style system to use. The hotel is the only real constant, and even that is built out of puzzles.

The visuals are astonishing, even on the Nintendo Switch. Shocks of Giallo-esque reds and pinks frequently punch through the monochromatic environments. The design language is unusual yet meticulously crafted to guide you from one puzzle to the next until Lorelei's photographic memory is overflowing with conundrums to conquer.

There are all kinds of riddles to solve here, and they all feel intertwined. At first, you’ll have a few simple math problems to figure out. From there, you’ll be dealing with everything from mazes to pattern matching and spatial awareness puzzles. You’ll need a decent grasp of Roman numerals and the ability to pull together disparate scraps of information. Unfortunately for my scatterbrained self, plenty of logical thinking is required.

I’m nowhere close to finishing Lorelei . Even so, I already appreciate the way that Simogo slotted the intricately layered puzzles together. My only quibble in the early going is the over-reliance on padlocks and three-digit codes that secure document tubes.

My brain is not well tuned for logic-heavy puzzles, so I need to be in the right mindset before sitting down with Lorelei for an hour or two. I want to savor this one at my own pace over the coming weeks and months. I'll forego guides and try to figure out another of Simogo’s strange, intoxicating worlds by myself.

While Lorelei gives the player an in-game manual in the opening moments, Animal Well offers barely any guidance at all. You (as a squishy little meatball thing) emerge from a flower into a cave with a large, ghostly squirrel on one side. It's not clear which direction to move in, what the objective is, what your character is or why you're there. All you can do is explore and try to figure it all out.

This has been described as a Metroidvania, a format that sees players backtracking to unlock a new area once they acquire a certain skill or upgrade. It’s taking most folks between four and six hours to finish the main game. But Animal Well is really more of a puzzle platformer. If you know what to do and how to do it, it’s possible to beat the game in a few minutes .

That’s part of Animal Well ’s charm and beauty. Solo developer Billy Basso has weaved an intricate web of secrets, many of which are hidden in the shadows of its gorgeous pixel art (the game feels great too, thanks to smart use of haptic feedback on the PS5's DualSense controller). Without spoiling anything, I appreciate that the puzzles, many of which are traversal-based, are often open-ended. There are ways to progress even if you don't use an intended item or route.

I don't find the puzzles here nearly as taxing as those in Lorelei . The answers are all there, you just have to poke around and try things to see what happens.

The same could be said for Paper Trail from Newfangled Games. The painterly art style caught my eye when this started showing up at game showcases a couple of years back. The core mechanic is fascinating too.

The aim is to guide protagonist Paige through a swathe of mazy environments toward her goal of attending school and becoming an astrophysicist. But there are many obstacles in her way. Fortunately, Paige (and the player) can bend reality. This means folding over the edges of the world, which has two planes — just like a piece of paper — to open up new paths.

Newfangled finds clever ways of building on the central idea and the difficulty curve is fair but challenging. Paper Trail has a nice hint system that shows what folds to make, but not how to move Paige or any objects around.

Although the controls can be finicky, even while playing it on mobile (where it's available for Netflix subscribers), it's perhaps the puzzle game I've found the easiest to engage with lately. I enjoy contorting the world around Paige and lining up some patterns to unlock a path. It's the kind of game that makes me feel smart and satisfied whenever I figure out a solution.

I wager that the more I play these games and ones like them, the better I’ll get. We’ve had some downright great puzzle-centric titles over the last few years. Unpacking , Tunic and Cocoon immediately spring to mind. So does Teardown and its wildly fun destructive heists. Planet of Lana, Venba, Viewfinder, Humanity and Jusant were all among my favorite 2023 games in general.

I wish I'd been able to get into The Case of the Golden Idol, but I at least appreciate what it was going for. I might also finally get around to checking out Chants of Sennaar now that it's on Game Pass.

The puzzle games keep coming, as a Zelda-style adventure called Isles of Sea and Sky just popped up and grabbed my attention. And then there’s Indika , which sounds both deeply strange and remarkably mature .

In any case, as in all great puzzle games, there's a bigger picture. All of these are merely practice for the ultimate test, because a VR version of Taskmaster is coming in June. I'll soon get to find out whether I'm better at lateral thinking than comedians after all.

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Sting review — how can a horror movie about a giant spider be this boring?

Challenge yourself with today’s puzzles.

It’s a mystery for the ages. How can a film that features a killer spider the size of a labrador be this boring? How does a film, called Sting , in which that same spider repeatedly leaps from the shadows and into camera, almost put you to sleep?

It’s something, I suspect, to do with the limiting “one location” premise, the wearisome dramatis personae and the inability of the writer-director Kiah Roache-Turner to find emotional urgency in the tale of an oversized arachnid skulking around the air ducts of a Brooklyn apartment block, gradually devouring the ghastly residents, one by tedious one.

How ghastly? The central “heroic” couple are working-from-home creatives Ethan (Ryan Corr) and Heather (Penelope Mitchell). He’s a graphic novelist, she’s an architect,

How to Complete Every Jedha Ruins Puzzle in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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How to complete the path of persistence puzzle, how to complete the path of restoration, how to complete the path of conviction, head to the wayfinder's tomb.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is full of puzzles and mysteries to solve, along with collectibles to find in the form of outfits, various forms of currency, upgrades to Cal's health and Force, and even the Force Tear activities that offer Skill Points for completing a variety of challenges. One activity players will likely be presented with shortly after their arrival on the planet Jedha is a series of puzzles found in several ruins scattered across the desert.

There are three ruins in Jedha, each with intricate puzzles that essentially involve moving tracks around to get an orb to the top of the ruins. The simplest way to find their locations is to visit and speak with Eno Cordova in The Archives to receive Rumors regarding their whereabouts and follow the objective markers they provide. However, Eno will only provide Rumors for all of them after Cal has regained the ability to grapple onto Perches in Chapter 5, so it's best to wait until then to attempt to complete them. Completing a puzzle rewards players with an extra Perk slot, and completing all of them leads to the location of Eno Cordova's lightsaber and a map upgrade. Here's a detailed guide on how to complete each puzzle.

Updated on May 30, 2024 by Antonio Samson: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has plenty of side activities and puzzles for players to do in order to unlock extra unlockables. The Jedha ruins have three puzzles that players can complete to unlock more Perk slots and a new Lightsaber. This article was updated to meet CBR's editorial and formatting standards.

Find Cordova's Rumor to Enter the Path of Persistence

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The Path of Persistence can easily be found via Cordova's "Explore the Ruins in the Northern Desert" Rumor. From the Anchorite Base Meditation Point, head right until the player reaches a couple of ledges with a zip line on top of them , then use the zip line to cross the gap. Once across, move left to the edge of the cliff and use the grapple there to pull the player onto the platform where the Troopers are. Defeat the enemies and head into the large open doorway nearby.

Activate the zip line there, then grapple up to the nearby ledge. Hop up to the next ledge and defeat the Trooper in the area on the player's left. Use Push on the orb in the wall on the player's left, and another wall will move. Head through the opening it created, then use the zip line to cross the gap. Grapple up to the nearby ledge, then use Push on the orb in the wall. The orb will then travel to the top of the mountain. Now, use the nearby zip line and climb the wall to return to the area the player just came from (where the player defeated the lone Trooper), and use Push on the orb again to return it to its original position.

Push the Orb to Get a Perk Slot

Head left out of that area and use the walls and the grapple point outside to climb to the top of the mountain. Once there, the player must defeat several enemies. Once the player clears the enemies, retrieve the Echo at the top of the small staircase and use Push on the orb. This will complete the Rumor and open up a small area to the right with an Essence. Collect the Essence, and the player will receive a new Perk slot .

Find the Rumor at the Anchorite Base Meditation

The Path of Restoration can be found by following the objective marker for the "Explore the Ruins in the Southern Desert" Rumor. From the Anchorite Base Meditation Point, head left until the player reaches the Desert Ridge area, then head right until the player sees the Path of Restoration on the left. As the player approaches players, the player sees a large scalable wall. Climb that wall, jump, and dash across the gap in front of the player, then climb the ledge on the player's left.

Turn left and jump and dash across that gap, then jump across the small gap to the player's right and use the scalable wall to reach the platform above the player where the Trooper is. Next, run along the wall on the player's left to reach the platform where the Echo is. Collect the Echo, then use Push on the orb to the left of the scalable wall. The player will see the wall across the gap shift.

Now, run along the wall on the player's left to return to the small platform where the Trooper was. Use Push on the orb to run it along the new path the player just created, and the player will see a large scalable wall slide down near the platform where the player began. Head over to the scalable wall and use it to climb into a cave above the player. Inside, use Push or Pull on the orb to move it to the other side of its track ; then, there will be a nearby wall move. Head back outside and climb down the wall.

Reach the Top of the Mountain

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Once the player's off the wall, use Push on the orb to the player's left to return it to its original position. Now, return to the small ledge where the player encountered the lone Trooper and use Push on the orb across the gap behind the player. Finally, turn around and use Push on the orb behind the player to move the ball up the track to the top of the mountain.

To reach the top of the mountain, run along the wall behind the player, then scale the wall nearby. Defeat the Troopers at the top, collect the chest, then use the zip line to travel to the top of the mountain. The player will have to defeat a few more enemies here. Once the player has cleared the area, collect the Echo at the top of the small staircase , then use Push on the orb. The player will complete the Rumor and be rewarded with a Perk slot via the Essence to the right.

Juggle the Orbs to Reach the End of the Path

The Path of Conviction ruins can be found by following the objective marker for the "Explore the Ruins in the Western Desert" Rumor. As the player approaches the ruins, use the Perch on the right to cross the gap and defeat the enemies there .

Use Pull on the orb (Orb #1) on the player's left to start an eight-second timer and move a piece of the orb track across the gap in front of the player. The player will need to use the perch very quickly to cross the gap and move to the other side , so the player can push the next orb (Orb #2) to move it down the new track. If the player is successful, the player sees a new ledge form on the wall across the way near another orb (Orb #3).

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Next, use the Perch to reach Orb #1 again. Use Pull on it and immediately use the Perch again to reach Orb #3 and use Pull on it. Drop to the ledge below the player and use Push on Orb #2. Finally, use the Perch to reach the platform where Orb #2 just ended up and use Push on it to move it to the top of the mountain.

Use the Perches to Get Another Perk Slot

To reach the top of the mountain, first move around it to the other side, where the player sees two Perches and a cliffside full of enemies. Use the Perches to reach that cliff side; clear the enemies there, and then use the grapple point near the cliff's edge to grapple up to a wall the player can use to climb to the top. Once the player reaches the top, clear the enemies there, collect the Echo on the stairs and use Push on the orb. Once again, an Essence will appear on the righ t, rewarding the player with a Perk slot.

Obtain a New Lightsaber inside the Tomb

Once the player has completed all three puzzles, Merrin will comment, "They are pointing towards a temple in the desert's center." Practically straight ahead from where the player finished the Path of Conviction, in the middle of the desert is a large, destroyed temple with a circular opening on the top. Once there, stand on the circular platform in the middle, and it will bring the player down into the belly of the temple, where a chest containing Eno Cordova's lightsaber rests. Don't forget to slice the nearby terminal for the useful Treasures Map Upgrade as well.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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May 27, 2024 (United Kingdom)
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COMMENTS

Puzzle movie review & film summary (2018)
Subs. Powered by JustWatch. Watching other people piece together jigsaw puzzles would not sound like the most inherently cinematic pursuit, nor would it seem to provide much opportunity for character development. Puzzles are a solitary activity—a chance to focus quietly and inwardly, to retreat from the peripheral noise of the outside world.
Puzzle (2018)
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader In case you were wondering, the jigsaw puzzles are a metaphor for the wife's identity. Mar 20, 2020 Full Review Donald Clarke Irish Times Always strong in supporting ...
Review: Piecing Together a Life in 'Puzzle'
July 26, 2018. Like a bedtime cup of cocoa, Marc Turtletaub's " Puzzle " has a soothing familiarity that quiets the mind and settles the spirit. It might also make you a little bit sleepy ...
'Puzzle' Review: See It for Kelly Macdonald
July 27, 2018. Puzzle is, at its heart, a sports movie. Yes, it presents as an intimate domestic drama about a housewife named Agnes (played Kelly Macdonald) who discovers that her passion for ...
Puzzle (2018)
Puzzle: Directed by Marc Turtletaub. With Kelly Macdonald, David Denman, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Austin Abrams. Agnes, taken for granted as a suburban mother, discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles which unexpectedly draws her into a new world - where her life unfolds in ways she could never have imagined.
Puzzle
The movie takes a few shortcuts that make for some abrupt plot points, but it hardly matters given Macdonald's performance. Full Review | Feb 9, 2021. Puzzle is a low-key crowdpleaser. Take it for ...
'Puzzle': Film Review
Kelly Macdonald ('Boardwalk Empire,' 'Trainspotting') stars as a mousy housewife who discovers a talent for jigsaw puzzles in 'Puzzle,' a directing debut from producer Marc Turtletaub ('Little ...
Film Review: 'Puzzle'
4 responses to "Film Review: 'Puzzle'" shiva pandit says: May 3, 2018 at 12:44 am. Puzzle is an upcoming american film directed by marc turtletaub and written by oren moverman produced by ...
Puzzle Review: Fantastic Drama Using an Indoor Voice
Read Matt Goldberg's Puzzle review; Marc Turtletaub's movie stars Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan, David Denman, Austin Abrams, and Bubba Weiler.
Puzzle (2018 film)
Puzzle is a 2018 American drama film directed by Marc Turtletaub and written by Oren Moverman and Polly Mann, based on the 2010 Argentine film of the same name. It stars Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan (in his final English-language role before his death on April 29, 2020), David Denman, Bubba Weiler, Austin Abrams, Liv Hewson, and follows a stay-at-home mother who enters a puzzle building ...
Puzzle review
Puzzle review - Kelly Macdonald excels in gentle jigsaw drama. ... as her character blossoms and her horizons broaden, gives the film a warmth and magnetism. An added bonus is a flamboyant ...
Puzzle
"Puzzle" is a gem of a movie, an independant film, showing a character who grows right before our eyes starting off slowly in slow increments and watch her take small steps before taking large ones. Kelly Macdonald embodies that growth involving us with her own surprises at who she really is underneath the meek, church going, obedient wife and ...
Puzzle Review
Puzzle Review. After drudge-numbed stay-at-home mom Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) discovers she has a talent for assembling jigsaw puzzles, she decides to enter a competitive puzzling event. Her world ...
'Puzzle' review: Kelly Macdonald plays a woman who discovers a hidden
Review by Ann Hornaday. August 1, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. EDT. Kelly Macdonald, left, stars with Irrfan Khan in "Puzzle." (Linda Kallerus/Sony Pictures Classics) Rating: 3 stars. Since making her ...
Puzzle (2018)
Mousy, repressed, self-conscience and ultra-OCD, Agnes (Kelly Macdonald in an arresting turn) is living a life dedicated to the age old adage "A woman's place is in the home." Everything she does is for someone else-her husband, sons, church, newfound lover. Nary a thought for herself.
Puzzle
Puzzle's director Marc Turtletaub (this is a remake of Argentinian director Natalia Smirnoff's 2009 film Rompecazbesas) unfolds Agnes's story without resorting to cliche, and in return I promise to avoid all puzzle-related puns. This is a movie rich in allegory though, so expect some metaphorical jigsaws.
Puzzle Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 3 ): Kids say ( 1 ): This is a beautiful, nuanced film with remarkable performances. It's a drama, but it's lively -- and handled with a gentle, light touch that allows for plenty of laughs of recognition. Based on the 2010 Argentine film Rompecabezas, Puzzle generates conflict and tension without actual villains.
Puzzle movie review: Indie drama starring Kelly Macdonald is quiet, low
Indie drama. Puzzle. is a quiet, low-key revelation: EW review. Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) is the kind of woman who seems invisible even at her own birthday party, fetching oblivious guests' drinks ...
Puzzle movie review: reclaiming the pieces of her life
Get new reviews via email or app by becoming a paid Substack subscriber or paid Patreon patron. MaryAnn's quick take… Kelly Macdonald is exquisite, bringing a lovely freshness and authentic life to a familiar sort of character.
Puzzle Review: Movie (2018)
'Puzzle': Film Review. Corporate malaise is the real villain of director Lim Jin-Seung's horror-mystery 'Puzzle.' By Elizabeth Kerr. Plus Icon. Elizabeth Kerr More Stories by Elizabeth Kerr
Puzzle Review: Movie (2018)
'Puzzle': Film Review. Corporate malaise is the real villain of director Lim Jin-Seung's horror-mystery 'Puzzle.' By Elizabeth Kerr. Plus Icon. Elizabeth Kerr More Stories by Elizabeth Kerr
Puzzle
A movie review by James Berardinelli. Although unintentional, Puzzle is what its name implies. Despite an Oscar-caliber performance from Kelly Macdonald, the film is hampered by sluggish pacing and a sterile mood that sucks the life out of various emotionally-charged situations. The ending is also ambiguous but not necessarily in a good way.
3 Reasons Why You Have to See 'Puzzle' + Movie Review
Puzzle is an absolute must-see film! Find out what three pieces make it special in this Puzzle movie review!. Puzzle follows Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), a wife and mother of two who has spent her entire life caring for everyone but herself. Agnes quickly develops a love for jigsaw puzzle competitions. Through the simple act of completing a puzzle, and with help from her competition partner Robert ...
Puzzle Trailer #1 (2018)
Check out the new trailer for Puzzle starring Kelly Macdonald! Let us know what you think in the comments below. Buy or Rent Puzzle on FandangoNOW: https://...
What the Puzzle Piece Glitches in Paramount+'s Evil Mean
Sixty-seven puzzle pieces were spotted in Evil's first 12 episodes, with a subtle clue stated in the third episode, "3 Stars."During the episode, an exorcist states: "We are fighting the worst ...
MoviePass, MovieCrash movie review (2024)
For a few gossamer years in the 2010s, movie fans ate well—perhaps a little too well. That was, of course, courtesy of a little red debit card called MoviePass, the product of an ambitious startup that promised nirvana for any red-blooded cinephile with too much time on their hands: Pay a monthly fee, then use your debit card and an app to see one movie a day, wherever you want, any theater ...
It's a golden age of puzzle games, even for people who suck ...
As it turns out, that's where Lorelei is supposed to be to help an artist complete his magnum opus. This is a place where time is nebulous. It's 1963, but there are computers where you save your ...
Sting review
The central "heroic" couple are working-from-home creatives Ethan (Ryan Corr) and Heather (Penelope Mitchell). He's a graphic novelist, she's an architect, Culture. Film. REVIEW. There is ...
Star Wars Jedi Survivor Jedha Ruins Puzzle Guide
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is full of puzzles and mysteries to solve, along with collectibles to find in the form of outfits, various forms of currency, upgrades to Cal's health and Force, and even the Force Tear activities that offer Skill Points for completing a variety of challenges. One activity players will likely be presented with shortly after their arrival on the planet Jedha is a series ...
"1-Min Riddles: Puzzles & Brain Teasers" 10 Mysterious Riddles ...
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