Shadows on the Wall | Absolution

Absolution

dir Hans Petter Moland
scr Tony Gayton
prd Roger Birnbaum, Michael Besman, Warren Goz, Eric Gold
with Liam Neeson, Yolonda Ross, Frankie Shaw, Ron Perlman, Daniel Diemer, Javier Molina, Jimmy Gonzales, Josh Drennen, Deanna Nayr Tarraza, Terrence Pulliam, Tom Kemp, Levon Panek
release US 1.Nov.24
24/US Samuel Goldwyn 1h52

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Surprisingly thoughtful, this crime drama allows Liam Neeson to put a spin on his tough-guy image, playing an ageing man with memory issues who still has instincts. So the film is able to balance the usual machismo with earthy emotional openness. Of course, it still has some action beats to hit, leading to a final act that feels somewhat predictable. Although the gentle tone continually takes us aback.

An unnamed grizzled Boston gangster (Neeson) is reflecting on his past mistakes as he does the rounds with his protege Kyle (Diemer), who clearly isn't yet ready to be a boss. In a bar, he meets a feisty woman (Ross), and they begin to hang out. But he's been diagnosed with advanced brain trauma and is deteriorating quickly. So he visits his estranged daughter Daisy (Shaw) and meets his preteen grandson Dre (Pulliam). And when he discovers that someone is trying to take him out, he thinks carefully about how he wants to respond.

As this man's mind slips, the film follows his forgetfulness as well as some fantastical dreams that explore his past. He understands that he doesn't have much time left, and tries to offer wisdom to the people around him, with varying success. Thankfully, the script maintains a minimalistic approach that's superbly effective at reflecting the attitudes of the broken people who populate the scenes. This includes his hard-edged boss (Perlman), who is Kyle's father, and a trafficked young woman (Tarraza) who needs some help.

With an even raspier voice than usual, Neeson finds some terrific textures in this performance, adding simmering emotion as he grapples with his condition and tries to correct the messes he has created throughout his life. This allows him to build superb connections with other characters, including Diemer's hothead and especially Pulliam as a sensitive boy who has been told by his angry mother (a superbly prickly Shaw) about what her father did to the family. He also has a lovely spark with Ross.

While the criminal milieu feels more than a little tired, the introspective spin brings some nice surprises along the way, largely in the way Norwegian director Moland plays on Neeson's gruff action-man persona. Of course, the genre demands a certain kind of ending, and this story heads pretty much where we expect it to. But there are some inventive details along the way, little moments that add deeper feelings.

themes, language, violence 28.Oct.24

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