Liam Neeson made one of the most interesting career transitions in recent memory when he introduced the role of former government agent Bryan Mills in “Taken.” Before the film, Neeson was an actor best-known for solid dramatic work in pictures that include “Schindler’s List” and “Michael Collins.” But, as Mills, he became an action hero of the Dirty Harry variety, dispensing swift, brutal street justice to the sex-trafficking European thugs who abducted his daughter.

In a timely fashion, Life of Crime opens to pay homage to Elmore Leonard’s vast collection of crime fiction and the many adaptations they have spawned.  The film, which first screened at last year’s Toronto Film Festival days after Leonard’s death, relies on a fitting cast and a script that rarely deviates from Leonard’s original dialogue.  Perhaps the truest adaptation to one of the author’s novels, Life of Crime starts off sardonic but pleasing and gets you hooked right away.  But then it dozes off for most of its hour and half runtime before it wraps itself nicely with a bow on top. 

In “World’s End,” Pegg stars as Gary King, a substance-abusing, middle-aged man whose adult life has not lived up to his teenage dreams. One of Gary’s greatest regrets is that he and his pals failed to complete the Golden Mile pub crawl in their hometown of Newton Haven. Although Gary’s old friends, who are now largely estranged, have settled into typical adult lives, he convinces them that they should relive their glory days and attempt to complete the crawl. 

As the U.S. economy struggles, it’s easy to see the appeal in leaving the technology-driven corporate world and settling into something more organic. But, as “Wanderlust” co-writer and director David Wain notes, dropping out comes with its own set of challenges.  The setup of the film is solid, and Rudd is an extremely talented comedian. Unfortunately “Wanderlust” doesn’t give him much good material, and Aniston has never proven herself to be more than a one-note actress.