DIRECTOR:
Jaume Collet-Serra LEAD CAST: Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, Ed Harris,
Genesis Rodriguez, Vincent D’Onoprio, Common SCREENWRITER: Brad Ingelsby PRODUCERS: Roy Lee, Michael
Tadross, Brooklyn Weaver EDITOR: Craig
Mckay MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Junkie
XL GENRE: Crime, Drama, Mystery Thriller
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Martin Luhe DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros. Pictures
LOCATION: United States RUNNING TIME: 114 minutes
Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA rating: V 14
Brooklyn
mobster and hit-man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) and his underworld boss Shawn
Mcguire (Ed Harris) are long time best friends. Shawn’s son Danny (Boyd
Holbrook) double-crosses some drug dealers and kills them. Jimmy’s estranged son Mike (Joel
Kinnaman) witnesses the crime. Danny hunts down Mike, catches him at home, and
when about to shoot him is shot dead instead—by Jimmy himself. Jimmy confesses
to Shawn that he has killed Danny to save Mike’s life. Burning with vengeance,
Shawn deploys his gang and expert assassin (Common) to kill Jimmy and
Mike. Father and son run all night
for their lives and those of Mike’s family.
Run
All Night is heavily charged with dramatic plotlines that delve deep into the very core of the main characters’
motivations. Much of the revelations are done through expository dialogue but
the actors’ strength of delivery
and proven caliber deliver
those verbose sequences with compelling ease. The story is plotty but not
complicated and the audience could easily follow the journey of the characters.
However, the heavy plot could sometimes turn away the story from its main focus. The film shines
through in the scenes where there is minimal action. In fact, the action
sequences seem to be out of place sometimes and the inclusion of an expert
assassin feels a little off. But then, the impeccable acting and characterization of principal actors pull everything
off and make the film interesting and enjoyable to watch.
There are plenty of interesting relationships at play
in the film and it is very interesting to dissect the values that cut-through
in this crime-drama feature. It
starts off with the valued friendship between Jimmy and Shawn. Their loyalty to
one another is time-tested, although the foundation of their friendship (which
is primarily crime) is another story. Their friendship ended when Jimmy chose
to save his son over Shawn’s. And there, the conflict arises. One major
realization audiences can ponder on is the significance of the foundation of
friendship. Jimmy and Shawn are best friends and partners in crime. From the beginning, the friendship is tainted because
it is founded on something evil. Friendship is good but crime is evil. The
friendship does not make crime any less evil. Here it is clearly seen that evil is evil—and it recognizes no friendship. Jimmy is a broken
person and seems to have suffered the consequences
of his actions, the heaviest of
which is his estranged relationship with his son. When he found opportunity and
purpose to be a father to his son, it is quite too late. But then, love reigns in all situations—the actions of Jimmy may be evil but he is not. Jimmy is still capable of loving. He is a
sinner yet as the Church has always been telling the people—hate the sin, not the sinner. Jimmy found purpose in
life and that is to make amends with his son. His son could not accept him at
first. But Jimmy demonstrated unconditional love so his son eventually melted.
If time could not heal the wounds, love will. Jimmy’s actions towards the end
of his life brought him redemption. But then, it does not make his previous
actions right, but his sincere contrition and remorse clearly show that it is
never too late for somebody to change ways, and to change heart. Jimmy may have been trapped in a world he never really desired—and this is clearly seen in the film as he tries as
far as possible to prevent his son from pulling
even a single trigger—such
consistency depicted in the story make the film moral despite and in spite of
the heaviness of crime being tackled in the movie.
