Liam Neeson knows how to demand the screen no matter what's written on the page, but his latest movie pardon As the title suggests, it feels like a rehash of the same deadbeat father trying to redeem himself before it's too late.
In this Samuel Goldwyn Films crime thriller written by Tony Gayton and directed by Hans Petter Morland, the Oscar nominee deals with his relationship with his estranged daughter Daisy (Frankie Shaw) after receiving a terminal diagnosis. He plays an old Boston gangster who is trying to fix things. He is trying to correct his criminal life and do some good before he commits a crime. Meanwhile, he has to convince his boss, Mr. Connor (an underused Ron Perlman), that he's not wrong as he tries to figure out who ordered the attack on him.
Inspired by Ryan Gosling's driver drive (Or perhaps Mary Elizabeth Ellis' Waitress It's always sunny in Philadelphia), Neeson's character is known only as the assassin. The film also stars Yolonda Ross, Daniel Diemer, Javier Molina, Jimmy Gonzalez, Josh Drennen, Deanna Nayar Taraza, and Terrence Pulliam.
In addition to some unfortunate tropes, sex workers and LGBTQ people (as well as other secondary characters) are treated more as plot devices than actual people. When he reunites with his sassy daughter, it is casually mentioned that she is preparing to be evicted while working as a stripper to support her children as a single mother, all of whom are working class feels like a half-hearted Madlib about the fight. And while he connects with his grandson, he doesn't feel his relationship with his daughter is fully resolved, other than by throwing money from the grave into her situation.
Still, it's a much better representation than Thug's son, who was found dead of a heroin overdose two years ago. Later, he casually told his girlfriend that his son was gay, admitting that it “concerned” him and adding, “If I had been around more when my son was growing up, things would have been different. “Maybe,” he admitted. And though she gently pushes back against his “macho” homophobia, this is the last we hear of the deceased gay descendant for the rest of the film. (I don't think that's a metaphor for “bury your gay” if the gay in question is already buried.)
Liam Neeson “Absolution”
Samuel Goldwyn Film/Courtesy of Everett Collection
One of several subplots involves Thug unknowingly participating in human trafficking (although Brian Mills disallowed it), developing a conscience, and rescuing one woman from childbirth. It is to decide. She is given a bit of backstory before ultimately becoming the victim of sexual assault.
And while there are a few gunfight scenes, including one in the middle of the day that somehow doesn't draw attention from the three surrounding skyscrapers, for a movie with a running time of 122 minutes. It feels like there's too little action and heart. I often find myself yelling at Los Angeles traffic to “pick your lane and move!”
pardon It features beautiful views of Boston and great performances from the cast, but ultimately leaves something to be desired. Perhaps you shouldn't go into this movie with high expectations (or daddy issues)?
Producers are Roger Birnbaum, Michael Besman, Warren Goss, and Eric Gold, with Mark Kimsey, Tina Wang, Michael Rothstein, Samuel Hall, and Jamie Buckner serving as executive producers.
title: pardon
Wholesaler: Samuel Goldwyn's films
release date: November 1, 2024
director: hans petter moland
Screenwriter: Tony Gayton
cast: Liam Neeson, Yolonda Ross, Frankie Shaw, Daniel Diemer, Javier Molina, Jimmy Gonzalez, Josh Drennen, Deanna Nair Taraza, Terrence Pulliam, Ron Perlman
evaluation: R
Execution time: 2 hours 2 minutes
