JEANNE’S REVIEW

At this point in time in filmmaking, a movie such as CLEANER should incorporate some very impressive special effects. Especially when a good deal of the initial “action” takes place outside a 90-story building in present- day London.

Daisy Ridley stars as Joey, ex-military now window cleaner trying to support her younger, autistic brother, Michael (Matthew Tuck). He’s just been kicked out of his ninth home or placement, so he must tag along with Joey, who is already late for work. The building where she cleans windows houses Agnian Energy, helmed by two very obnoxious brothers, Gerald (Lee Boardman) and Geoffrey Milton (Rufus Jones).

The annual gala for Agnian is tonight with 300 people in attendance. And Joey has been instructed to clean a “bird strike” on the 50^th floor. Her fellow window cleaner, Noah (Taz Skylar), finished his work, leaving Joey to deal with the bird mess herself. Michael has wandered off and is somewhere in the building.

The gala has begun and a group of “dancers” wearing Aztec deity masks has arrived. Once everyone has gathered --- Gerald had left the party with a young woman --- the leader of the group, Marcus Blake (Clive Owen), removes his mask and announces that they are Earth Revolution, here to expose the environmental damage --- and murder --- committed by Agnian Energy.

But another member of Earth Revolution has a more nefarious plan --- one that includes blowing up the entire building. Meanwhile, Joey has been left dangling outside --- 50 stories above ground.

Director Martin Campbell has done himself no favors with CLEANER. From a screenplay by Simon Uttley, which appears to be based on the movie DIE HARD, this action thriller --- and I use those terms lightly --- has some rather preposterous scenarios.

One particularly egregious one has a police sniper from a helicopter shooting at a window so Joey can finally get into the building. Only it’s not enough and Joey must hammer her way in, which takes forever and exhausts her. Hell’s bells, I was exhausted just watching her.

Ridley is really good, though, despite the lackluster script. She truly deserved so much better because she’s very talented and more than capable of pulling off a great action film. And, if you are jacked because Owen is present --- don’t be. His role is ridiculously brief --- a complete waste of his acting prowess. Skylar does alright, playing a self-righteous maniac, but again, it’s the writing that sabotages CLEANER.

The good news is at 96 minutes, Campbell’s film doesn’t overstay its welcome --- a rare thing these days. But it’s still not enough to recommend CLEANER.

Opinion: Barely Wait for VOD

DAVID’S REVIEW

I did not find this film compelling in the least even though it’s billed as an action thriller. An ex-military woman is working 700 feet in the air cleaning windows, situated on a platform that moves on pulleys up and down the office building. When she espies a strange event inside, she becomes involved in the rescue of a host of hostages.  

This sounds good on paper, but CLEANER lacks any sustained suspense. Joey (Daisy Ridley) puts her military training to good use later in the story, but we never believe the hostages are in any real danger from a group of eco-terrorists despite the presence of a deranged member. Noah (Taz Skylar), who is seen cleaning windows with Joey, is the rogue member who immediately departs from the original plans of the group. A trite concept, at best.

CLEANER contains a lot of shooting and mayhem, and Joey’s platform, at least once, threatens to fall to the ground --- with Joey still clinging for her life. This is marginally tense. But there are weaknesses in the script, as when a sniper attempts to shoot holes in a window so Joey can smash her way inside. Unfortunately, the sniper failed to do his job.

Clive Owen has a pivotal role here. His presence should have yielded some much-needed credibility for the filmmakers except for the fact that his time in the story is way too short.

Opinion: Don’t Bother!