Charlie Countryman

The culture clash between the average middle American and the rest of the world is used to entertaining effect in this kinetic crime thriller. Shia LaBeouf stars as Charlie, a Chicago native grieving for his recently dead mother (Melissa Leo in a brief cameo). Inspired by her ghost, Charlie takes off for Bucharest, Romania, befriending an old man on the way who is returning to see his daughter Gabi (Evan Rachel Wood). The man dies mid-flight, and Charlie's subsequent encounter with the beautiful but mysterious Gabi changes everything, as he falls in love and pursues her into the murky depths of the city's underworld. Part romance and part thriller, with some daft, self-aware flourishes that don't quite work, Charlie Countryman works best in its action scenes, which feature impressive stunts from LaBeouf and some truly heart-pounding techno music by Moby. Stealing the show, though, is Mads Mikkelsen as Charlie's hardened gangland nemesis, surely the first scary screen crime boss to be named Nigel.