By Jan Hamilton
In an enjoyable, but somewhat predictable thriller, a hit man, Roy Cady (Ben Foster), is sent by his boss (Beau Bridges) to dispatch an attorney. However, Roy and his partner are jumped by a second hit squad at the attorney’s home. Roy is able to escape with a teen prostitute named Rocky (Elle Fanning) who was entertaining the lawyer. Apparently, Roy knows too much about his boss’s business, and the fact that Roy was just diagnosed with lung cancer may have convinced the boss that Roy might go to the police to clear his conscience.
Knowing that his boss has a long reach, Roy takes Rocky with him and the two flee New Orleans to Galveston, Texas. While there, Roy seeks out his high school girlfriend (Adepero Oduye) who now has a nice life and has no sympathy for Roy who treated her poorly while they were together. Things eventually spiral toward disaster and Roy attempts to find some value in a life misspent before he dies.
Ben Foster, who was so great in Hell or High Water, is also great here, and Elle Fanning is wonderful too. The fact that the audience doesn’t like Roy, but still cares what happens to him speaks well for the film. Director Melanie Laurent, who has done more acting (Inglourious Basterds) than directing, does a fine job here, adding a fresh European point-of-view to what could have been a typical noir thriller.
Film Credits:
Director: Melanie Laurent
Executive Producer: Jean Doumanian,
Patrick Daly, Kevin Flanigan, Dexter Braff,
Sean O’Brien
Producer: Tyler Davidson
Screenwriter: Melanie Laurent /
Based on the novel by Nic Pizzolatto
Cinematographer: Arnaud Potier
Editor: Joseph Krings, Lance Edmands
Production Designer: Lisa Myers
Sound Designer: Great City Post
Music: Marc Chouarain
Principal Cast: Ben Foster, Elle Fanning, Beau Bridges,
Adepero Aduye, Lili Reinhart, Maria Valverde,
Robert Aramayo, C.K. McFarland
Additional Credits:
Costume Designer: Lynette Meyer