‘Silk Road’ feels dated for a supposedly cutting-edge tech thriller, says critic

Alexandra Shipp (“Julia,” left), Nick Robinson (“Ross Ulbricht,” middle) and Daniel David Stewart (“Max,” right) in “Silk Road.”

Alexandra Shipp (“Julia,” left), Nick Robinson (“Ross Ulbricht,” middle) and Daniel David Stewart (“Max,” right) in “Silk Road.” Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Critics review “Silk Road,” based on the true story of Ross Ulbricht creating a dark-web marketplace called Silk Road; “Blithe Spirit,” a film adaptation of the 1941 play by Noël Coward about a struggling writer desperate for inspiration so he contacts a psychic for help;  “Truth to Power,” a documentary about the hard rock band System of a Down and their career-long political activism, specifically the band’s lead singer Serj Tankian; “I Care a Lot,” starring Rosamund Pike as a thieving legal guardian who preys on elderly people.

Credits

Guests:

  • Katie Walsh - film reviewer for the Tribune News Service and the Los Angeles Times - @katiewalshstx
  • Shawn Edwards - award-winning film critic for FOX-TV in Kansas City, co-founder of the African American Film Critics Association

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Angie Perrin, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Bennett Purser