By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

I just watched three new shows on Netflix and Hulu that are getting considerable attention but I’m here to tell you that might want to skip two of them, in my humble opinion. And here they are:

Brats (On Hulu)
Brats is a cringe-inducing exercise in navel gazing by Andrew McCarthy, a member of a loosely tied band of young actors dubbed ‘The Brat Pack’ who dominated Hollywood in the 1980s. McCarthy, who directed the documentary, and serves as its on-screen guide, interviews fellow Brat Pack cohorts (Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Jon Cryer and Rob Lowe) in a tortured effort to prove that the Brat Pack label hurt their careers. However, as you gaze upon the magnificent Southern California homes where Moore and Lowe now live, it’s hard to take that POV seriously.

While at times interesting, the documentary truly teeters off the edge when McCarthy grills the now 68-year-old New York Magazine writer who dubbed the group, The Brat Pack, in an embarrassing attempt to invoke an apology for the alleged crime against humanity.

Skip this mess and instead watch one of the several Brat Pack films in the Hulu inventory, such as About Last Night (Lowe, Moore), Fresh Horses (Molly Ringwald, McCarthy) and St. Elmo’s Fire (Moore, McCarthy, Estevez, Judd Nelson, Sheedy, Lowe and Mare Winningham.)

How to Rob a Bank (Netflix)
The documentary chronicles the secret life of Scott Scurlock, an eccentric but charismatic Olympia, Washington resident who managed to steal more than $2 million from 19 different banks in the early 1990s. (Jake Gyllenhaal would be the perfect choice to play Scurlock in the movie.) Scurlock exhibited a rare genius for plotting and executing the crimes, leaving both the FBI and Seattle police clueless for years. The show has its merits, particularly as it details Scurlock’s uncanny timing and precision in carrying out the robberies. But, unfortunately, the filmmakers rely almost entirely on the recollections of his accomplices and sister in telling the tale, suggesting the viewer should feel obligated to sympathize with his bad deeds. Consequently, I can’t recommend this, which is a shame because the story is incredibly interesting.

Hit Man (2023) (Netflix)
Glen Powell, Hollywood’s Flavor of the Month, stars in this Richard Linklater-directed Netflix original film about a part-time New Orleans police employee who goes undercover as a hit man. The ploy to trap would-be killers backfires when he falls for a woman (Adria Arjona) who wants to murder her husband. In the hands of a lesser talent, Hit Man could have fired blanks, but Linklater’s film is an entertaining showcase for both his quirky directorial skills and Powell’s talents as a leading man. If Glen Powell wasn’t the next Tom Cruise before, he is now. Playing multiple characters, he seduces the audience along with his victims, exhibiting both charms and verve. And Arjona as his romantic sidekick has a several-year run of successful romantic comedies ahead of her; she’s alluring and amusing, a rare combination in Hollywood.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.

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