The Samaritan
3/4
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Luke Kirby, Ruth Negga, Tom Wilkinson, Deborah Kara Unger
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language, Some Sexuality and Drug Use
"The Samaritan" is a quiet thriller. While there is suspense, it's understated. There are no car chases, over-the-top action sequences or outrageous twists. There is some violence (some of which is quite bloody), and there are plot twists that you don't see coming (they are a requirement of the genre), they're subdued. This isn't something like "Seven" or "Now You See Me." It requires patience.
That's not to say that it's not interesting. For one thing, the characters are well-developed. We know what makes them tick. Samuel L. Jackson is in top form as Foley. The "ex-con trying to go straight but is pulled back into crime" is an archetype as old as the hills, but co-writer/director David Weaver has more respect than that. Foley will do anything to keep himself on the straight and narrow, but he also has his new girlfriend Iris (Negga), to worry about.
The acting is solid. Jackson is known for playing loud and profane characters like in "Pulp Fiction" or more recently, "The Other Guys" (where he hilariously parodied his image, before he exited the film and Adam McKay left the film to Will Ferrell in "annoying" mode). Jackson is more quiet and soft here. Foley is a thoughtful and regretful man who is trying against all odds to get his new life together. But try as he might, he can't escape it. Jackson has his moments of intensity in the role, but for the most part his character is trying to escape that behavior. Luke Kirby is menacing, but there's more to him than meets the eye. Ethan is in control, but he's not experienced in this sort of thing, unlike Foley. Both of them know this, which makes their relationship more interesting. Less impressive is Ruth Negga. She's uneven; the actress is generally effective, but she has moments where she is stiff. And when she shares the screen with Jackson and Kirby, her deficiencies are magnified. Tom Wilkinson and Deborah Kara Unger are on hand for small roles.
Even at a relatively skinny 90 minutes, the film is a little too long. Cut out about ten minutes in the first half, and the film would be a better paced film. As it is, it sometimes drags, which is a terrible thing for a thriller. Slow, deliberate pacing is good for a thriller like this, but Weaver doesn't quite get the recipe right.
Still, this is an intriguing and well-acted film, although the audience for it is small.
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Luke Kirby, Ruth Negga, Tom Wilkinson, Deborah Kara Unger
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language, Some Sexuality and Drug Use
If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on being what you've always been. Nothing changes unless you make it change.That's what Foley (Jackson) is trying to do. A former grifter, Foley spent the last 25 years in prison after being forced to kill his partner in crime and best friend. Now he's out, and his old friends (those that are still alive) want as little to do with him as he does with his old job. But Ethan (Kirby), the son of his old partner, wants him in on a grift. Foley doesn't want any part of it, but Ethan will do anything to convince him.
"The Samaritan" is a quiet thriller. While there is suspense, it's understated. There are no car chases, over-the-top action sequences or outrageous twists. There is some violence (some of which is quite bloody), and there are plot twists that you don't see coming (they are a requirement of the genre), they're subdued. This isn't something like "Seven" or "Now You See Me." It requires patience.
That's not to say that it's not interesting. For one thing, the characters are well-developed. We know what makes them tick. Samuel L. Jackson is in top form as Foley. The "ex-con trying to go straight but is pulled back into crime" is an archetype as old as the hills, but co-writer/director David Weaver has more respect than that. Foley will do anything to keep himself on the straight and narrow, but he also has his new girlfriend Iris (Negga), to worry about.
The acting is solid. Jackson is known for playing loud and profane characters like in "Pulp Fiction" or more recently, "The Other Guys" (where he hilariously parodied his image, before he exited the film and Adam McKay left the film to Will Ferrell in "annoying" mode). Jackson is more quiet and soft here. Foley is a thoughtful and regretful man who is trying against all odds to get his new life together. But try as he might, he can't escape it. Jackson has his moments of intensity in the role, but for the most part his character is trying to escape that behavior. Luke Kirby is menacing, but there's more to him than meets the eye. Ethan is in control, but he's not experienced in this sort of thing, unlike Foley. Both of them know this, which makes their relationship more interesting. Less impressive is Ruth Negga. She's uneven; the actress is generally effective, but she has moments where she is stiff. And when she shares the screen with Jackson and Kirby, her deficiencies are magnified. Tom Wilkinson and Deborah Kara Unger are on hand for small roles.
Even at a relatively skinny 90 minutes, the film is a little too long. Cut out about ten minutes in the first half, and the film would be a better paced film. As it is, it sometimes drags, which is a terrible thing for a thriller. Slow, deliberate pacing is good for a thriller like this, but Weaver doesn't quite get the recipe right.
Still, this is an intriguing and well-acted film, although the audience for it is small.
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