Silk Road

A 20-something whizzkid (Nick Robinson) masterminds a scheme to make millions by selling drugs via encrypted dealings on the internet in this wordy, stuttering thriller. Before long, the cyber kingpin comes to the attention of a jaded government agent (Jason Clarke) who's seeking redemption for various work-related indiscretions. Loosely based on true events, the film sees writer/director Tiller Russell attempting to weave a thought-provoking, cat-and-mouse story that hops between his two leads on opposite sides of the law. However, his blurring of the characters' motives makes it difficult to root for either Robinson's would-be libertarian or Clarke's loose cannon. The parallel tales of obsession might, in more assured hands, have been the jumping-off point for a debate about the differences between right and wrong. But Russell's stilted dialogue and overly preachy tone have a habit of slamming on the brakes, resulting in a film that suffers from numerous frustrating interruptions.