DEADFALL

DEADFALL

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Opening in theatres this Friday from director Stefan Ruzowitzky and Magnolia Pictures comes a dark and cold thriller that has all the makings of DEADFALL.

This film tells the story of brother Addison (Eric Bana) and sister Liza (Olivia Wilde) who are not your typical siblings. After a robbery, crash and murder of a police office in the middle of winter they must take a chance and do the unthinkable. Not knowing their location they split up and take their chances in the middle of a storm.

Addison goes deeper into the woods where he finds a cabin and takes refuge at the expense of killing someone else which doesn't seem to bother him. Liza, on the other hands finds a different path. Jay (Charlie Hunnam) is recently released from prison and on his way home to face a disappointed father Chet (Kris Kristofferson) and anxious mother June (Sissy Spacek).

Jay sees Liza wondering and stops to help her.  Half frozen, a strange relationship begins to brew between the two. Unknown to them is a determination of state trooper Hanna (Kate Mara) who is having her own father issues which pushes her to find the killers at all costs. But life, as it tends to do, has other plans as Addison and Liza meet up in the most unexpected way and their lives will change forever.

FINAL WORD: Bana, of late, has managed to play a bad guy but doing it in such a charming way its disturbing. As Addison there is no guilt or remorse for any shot fired. Even when he says "I'm sorry" and fires a gun its not believeable by any means. Watching his character stay true to his own issues, I was pleased he never took the easy way out playing Addison.

Hunnam as Jay is an angry young man trying to fix his mistakes. With a disappointed and disconnected relationship with his father, Hunnam's Jay wants to do the right thing and have a life to be proud of but until he comes face to face with his past mistakes it will haunt him forever. Hunnam is making his mark and after becoming a fan since FX's SONS OF ANARCHY, he has made is difficult to ignore his talent any longer.

Wilde is fine as Liza but unfortunately it seemed she was there for beauty purposes only. There is actually only one scene that I can see her talent as an actress. The rest is a mish mash of good girl gone bad but wants to be good.
Mara as Hanna is dealing with her own issues trying to prove herself as a more than capable State Trooper. Her father, Becker played by Treat Williams, brings an arrogance that his daughter isn't good enough to be doing a "man's" job. It was nice to see Kristofferson and Spacek on the screen once again. These roles were made for these two actors and I really hope they find more projects.

Other cast include: James Cavalier as Travis, Kevin Desfosses as the State Trooper, Alain Goulem as Bobby, Allison Graham as Mandy.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give DEADFALL three and a half tubs of popcorn out of five. I really enjoyed the suspensefullness that the film reaches for. Although the story is predictable in many ways it doesn't stop the well done roles both Bana and Hunnam play. In the middle of this winter setting are so many different emotions and issues going on it becomes a deadly soap opera.

I also enjoyed the grey and white tone to the film not allowing color to take away from the story or distract the viewer from seeing everything they need to know on the faces of each character.

In the end - their world's collide in a twist of fate.