Dramas like “The Company you Keep” usually hold few surprises. But it’s always a pleasure to see Robert Redford back on screen. He also directs the likes of Shia LaBeouf, Susan Sarandon, Terrence Howard, Nick Nolte, Stanley Tucci, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Cooper and Richard Jenkins (what a cast!). The movie opens with Sarandon turning herself in to the F.B.I for a 30 year old robbery that resulted in the death of a security guard. Reporter LaBeouf wants to investigate more. This leads him to a widowed lawyer (Redford) who was involved in the robbery and who’s been using a false identity for years. This forces him to go on the run, leaving his young daughter behind. The pleasures of this endeavor, directed with a keen eye for detail by Redford, come from what the actors bring to the material. LaBeouf does a fine job here. And Sarandon, who can do more with a glance than most actresses could do with pages of dialogue, gives another memorable performance as a woman seeking redemption. The big news is Redford, who gives a performance of quiet, riveting intensity as the father who would do anything for his daughter.These are the psychological elements that put “The Company you Keep” on solid ground. Plot-wise, the movie misses the mark more than once, but overall, it’s still worth checking out.

Rating: 2.5/4