DEVIL’S PEAK (2023)

February 16, 2023

Greeting again from the darkness. It’s been (crudely) stated that one can pick their nose, but not their family. That sentiment has been the basis for many movies over the years, and it’s the driving force behind the latest from director Ben Young (HOUNDS OF LOVE, 2016) working from a script that Robert Knott (APPALOOSA, 2008) adapted from David Joy’s 2015 novel, “Where All Light Tends to Go”.

The film opens with a man frantically bounding from his truck to cock his rifle and aim down the road, clearly expecting trouble around the bend. Jacob (Hopper Penn) is the young man with the rifle, and also our narrator. The rest of the movie leads us back to this tense moment on the road. Jacob is the son of menacing Charlie (Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton), the local drug lord who deals the methamphetamine that has ruined so many lives in his area of Appalachian Mountains in rural North Carolina. Charlie rules with an iron fist and expects blind loyalty, especially from his son … which is a problem since Jacob is the sensitive type who wants nothing to do with the family business. Instead, he’s focused on Maggie (Katelyn Nacon), the college-bound daughter of a local politician (Brian d’Arcy James).

Charlie intimidates his much younger girlfriend Josephine (Emma Booth), pays the local sheriff (Jackie Earle Haley) to look the other way, and mostly ignores his ex-wife Virgie (Robin Wright), as she battles addiction and tries to give Jacob a chance at a better life. So what we have is a ‘Romeo & Juliet’ story in the middle of a “Justified” episode. Life is tough here, and most anyone would dream of leaving, but after he fails in a task assigned by his dad, and another tragedy strikes, Jacob decides he and Maggie must get out now. Of course, it can’t possibly be that easy … and Jacob finds out it’s not.

As far as I can tell, this is the first lead role for Hopper Penn, the real-life son of Robin Wright and Sean Penn, who is named after Dennis Hopper. He has a kind of young Adrien Brody look to him, and it will be interesting to see if this leads to more high-profile acting jobs. This movie has a good look to it, but the story doesn’t really offer anything new. However, it’s always a pleasure to watch Billy Bob Thornton turn evil, and Jackie Earle Haley play any role.

Opens on February 17, 2023

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

PARKER (2013)

January 27, 2013

parker2 Greetings again from the darkness. By now, we know what to expect from a Jason Statham movie: bone-crunching fist fights, big guns, fast cars, pretty girls, and wise cracks. Hope and expectations were a bit higher for this one since it’s a John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) screenplay of a Donald E Westlake novel, and it’s directed by Taylor Hackford (Oscar nominated for Ray).

Statham plays Parker, a masterful thief with a straightforward code that he isn’t shy about sharing. His partner/mentor is played by Nick Nolte and Parker finds himself knocking off the Ohio State Fair with a group of guys led by Michael Chiklis. Things don’t go well and Parker finds himself left for dead.

It starts as a heist film and transitions into a revenge flick. Of course, there are some Statham style romantic elements included. Emma Booth plays Nolte’s daughter and Statham’s love interest. Then, we get Jennifer Lopez as a down on her luck Realtor who lives with her mom (Patti Lupone), but somehow manages to figure out that Statham’s character is not as he appears.

parker3 Lopez and her hyper over-acting don’t play well with the stoic Statham. She does, however, get to flash her best known ASSet. Nolte’s character gets lost in the shuffle, which is a shame. More scenes with Nolte and Statham could have proved interesting. Also, there is an odd story line with Bobby Cannavale as a Sheriff who has the hots for Lopez. With the exception of a brief interlude, this promising story line just disappears. Lastly, the film’s big Palm Beach heist really pushes the envelope of believability (scuba?  Chiklis isn’t exactly James Bond) and taints what sliver of reasonableness that might have existed.

Basically, Statham is the best thing about this Statham movie. The rest is pretty messy and disappointing … especially considering the DNA that this one offers (Hackford, McLaughlin, Nolte).

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are a big Jason Statham fan

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer your heist and/or revenge movies to have some level of suspense

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ4Nsu2tXTk

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Posted by David Ferguson