The Samaritan
Directed by David Weaver
By Robert BellDespite recycling familiar American cinematic tropes, following Foley (Samuel L. Jackson), a newly paroled convicted murderer, as he faces a violent and tumultuous past that haunts him in the present, there is much about David Weaver's The Samaritan that is distinctly Canadian.
Chiefly, the sombre, despondent tone of the film suppresses the more obvious genre clichés while Foley tries to navigate and avoid the intense interest of Ethan (Luke Kirby), the son of the man he was charged with murdering. Ethan's criminal coercion is transparent, as are the abundance of occasionally disgusting plot twists, but these machinations are merely filler for the character story at hand.
As Foley reluctantly delves back into the con-man lifestyle he so desperately wants to escape, a sense of Canuck isolation and cyclic defeat looms, letting us know that his slightly perverse relationship with the much younger, damaged drug addict, Iris (Ruth Negga), can't end happily ever after. The routine American optimism of the redemption thriller genre is replaced by a defeatist sensibility that feels globally incidentally, rather than epicentral.
In such, appreciation of this somewhat perverted and occasionally overwrought drama has much to do with expectations. Surely the inclusion of Samuel L. Jackson and the promise of thrills will attract an audience that won't know what to do with a film that, like Jane Campion's In the Cut, cares very little about the central plot or mystery. But some might appreciate the more grounded and introspective approach to understanding violence in relation to one's identity, noting how carefully the impetus of change is handled within.
While predictable and a tad heavy-handed, at times, something about this low-key thriller works in a very frank and discomforting way. It's also a more complex and intriguing role for Jackson to take, playing against his usual enraged, no nonsense archetype as a subdued, almost defeated shell of a man going through the motions of life simply because there are no other options.
(eOne)
May 21, 2012Mike12777
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Ginger & Rosa Directed by Sally Potter
I thought this movie was a refreshing change from the usual Hollywood predictability, Perhaps because it is entirely Canadian aside from the stars that can legitimize its distribution. While obviously shot and centered in Toronto, that was not a big part of the story although Canadian reviews seem to focus their reviews on that fact. It is nice to see Toronto represented as Toronto and not disguised as New York or some generic city, lots of familiar locations like The Silver Dollar and the toy shop in the pawn shop district of Church street, the Gardener and CN Tower,.
It was a little stark yet filling with a long lead up to some interesting plot twists. While a little disturbing at times it did not go to far as to become gratuitous or filled with unrealistic action sequences. This is one of the best movies I have paid money for in years. The core message will hopefully leave you wanting to look at your life differently... back to the days when film was not just entertainment it carried a message that you can take or leave and tells a story that we can feel the emotion and empathize with the characters!
PS. Thanks Samuel L.for proving once again you are an artist and not just a character actor with a huge resume taking only big budget movies. ****MR