Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg Continue to Execute Worst Chris' Agenda in 'Spenser Confidential'

By Dustin Rowles | Film | January 20, 2020 |

By Dustin Rowles | Film | January 20, 2020 |

Honestly, was anyone asking to revive the Spenser property? Does anyone even remember Spenser? The character was created Robert Parker back in the 1970s in a series of novels that are now being written by a different author, Ace Atkins. The novel upon which Spenser Confidential is based is Atkins’ Wonderland, which I’m assuming refers to the same Wonderland referenced in Next Stop Wonderland (as I recall, Wonderland was the last stop on the blue line. I lived in Boston for eight years and I don’t think I ever made it to Wonderland). There was also a TV series in the ’80s starring Robert Urich, but I barely remember it because it all kind of blurs together with Remington Steele and Magnum P.I. They were all, like, private detectives, but their car didn’t talk, so what was the point?

In any respect, the movie pairs Mark Wahlberg with director Peter Berg again, but since it’s on Netflix, at least this one won’t be their fourth box-office bomb in a row together because it won’t compete at the box office. Seriously, Lone Star is the only real hit to come out of their partnership, so why do studios continue to throw money at their films? Is it because a few years ago, Chris Pratt complained there weren’t enough movies about blue-collar white guys? Are Berg and Wahlberg secretly executing Chris Pratt’s agenda right out in the open? Devious!

The good news is that it also gives Winston Duke some work, and Alan Arkin is always a delight. Bokeem Woodbine is also in this, too, but unfortunately so is Post Malone.

Spenser Confidential premieres on Netflix in March.