It’s a genuine pleasure to be caught off guard by a film these days. It says a lot about what movies are like now that discovering something this good feels more like random chance than the result of skilled filmmakers doing their jobs. The story unfolds in 1987, during the peak of Cold War tensions. Troy "Assassin" Kelly (played by Ryan Reynolds), an impetuous US Navy pilot, is brought down over enemy territory while on a classified mission. Lost in the harsh Siberian landscape and pursued by Soviet security forces, his only chance for survival comes from an unlikely source: Nikolai (Kenneth Branagh), a hardened carpenter and former KGB agent who, surprisingly, has a hidden fondness for American pop music, Bruce Springsteen, and Hollywood films—a true anomaly in the Soviet Union. They have to overcome their differences to form an unusual partnership and outwit the Soviet military; one man simply wants to return home, while the other is seeking political refuge. After all, who wouldn’t want to live in America under Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush? The directors, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, demonstrate a talent for mixing clever humor with exciting action sequences in "Mayday." They wrote, directed, and created one of the most enjoyable films this year—a lively, straightforward comedy that feels like an affectionate tribute to '80s buddy movies and the classic film "Top Gun," which is referenced frequently. There’s a real spark between the two actors, which I think comes from the writers creating well-developed characters with distinct personalities—something that seems rare in modern movies. It makes me wonder if we'll ever take inspiration from the Coen brothers. Reynolds brings his trademark comedic charm and quick dialogue, while Branagh portrays the tough communist fascinated by American culture. Seeing them interact on screen almost reminds you of the classic comedies directed by Wilder or Lubitsch.

Source on TMDB