Paradise Highway, written and directed by Anna Gutto, stars Academy Award® winners Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman, along with Frank Grillo to portray characters on each side of the fence about human trafficking. In this story, the focus is on the young/pre-teen girls who are being transported from state to state and the facilities they are kept in until they are sold into circulation. This thriller is very good as Sally (Binoche) is a truck driver and has a brother, Dennis (Frank Grillo), who is about to be released from prison. He asks her to do him a favor before his release, without asking questions, and it is not too long before she finds out that this favor is highly illegal and has an impact on many lives.
Morgan Freeman portrays FBI Operative Gerick who is familiar with the network developed by one specific “buyer” and when that individual is discovered out in a wooded area, Gerick knows there something afoot – something different – from the regular mode of operation. He sets out to pursue the trail in hopes to help make a dent in this criminal network, no matter how many or few he can save.
The performances are engaging, especially between Juliette Binoche and Hala Finley who stars as Leila, the young pre-teen who ends up aboard Sally’s truck. The change in their relationship over the course of the trip is portrayed very well without being sappy. Frank Grillo has played many roles where he is not on the right side of the law and in this, the audience discovers how deep his character is in this venture and what a scum he is to involve his sister in this hustle.
Cameron Monaghan stars as Special Agent Finley Sterling, a young agent learning more about field investigations and accompanies FBI Operative Gerick who is retired, but stays on as a consultant, eventually leading to be a mentor. Monaghan and Freeman have some lively dialogue and it lends some humor to the otherwise bleak issues they are dealing with.
WATCH AND SHARE THE TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjv83li96BE
Additional cast among the many: Veronica Ferres, Christiane Seidel
Synopsis: Academy Award® winners Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman lead this riveting thriller set in the trucking industry and its seamy underbelly of human trafficking. To save the life of her brother (Frank Grillo), Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, reluctantly agrees to smuggle illicit cargo: a girl named Leila (Hala Finley). As Sally and Leila begin a danger-fraught journey across state lines, a dogged FBI operative (Freeman) sets out on their trail, determined to do whatever it takes to terminate a human-trafficking operation — and bring Sally and Leila to safety.
Run Time: 115 minutes | Rating: R
The film had a limited theatrical release and is available now on Digital and On Demand.
Source: Lionsgate