A Working Man – Movie Reviews by Ry!

A Working Man – From Dirt to Grit: Obscurity in Action

With film, rules of the road become a matter of acceptance.  No matter the genre, the attitude of ‘what to expect’ is how the details are captured by reality.  Even if there is a turn towards the unimaginable, you hope the film sticks to its own rules for an enjoyable experience.  In this review, I look at the latest action film to hit the big screen.  Built upon the familiar, the journey eventually steers into something that defines ‘action’ in a whole new meaning.  Even when it goes off the rails, A Working Man provides enough for an otherwise … fun action-filled ride. 

In the wake of a missing girl, one man will stop at nothing to save a life … even if it means taking out everyone in his way.  For many, when you hear the words ‘action film’ … the first thought (nowadays) is to think about Jason Statham.  This film is no exception.  In the beginning, we get a general introduction to Levon Cade, a single dad who leads a work team for a notable Construction company.  We then head through a series of simplistic world-building scenes that showcase Cade’s military past and his personal relationships.  From here, we quickly head into the main plot, the daughter from the family that runs the construction company is kidnapped.  Through convenient plot devices, Cade is enlisted to find her and take out anyone who was involved.  Once he begins this quest, we head into a second act that builds through obvious action motifs that lay out the general conflict that involves nefarious individuals.  While Cade uses his talents to investigate, these scenes become a lethargic recycling of the following:

Head to ‘point-of-interest’ à Introduction of one-dimensional ‘bad guy’ à unexpected bloody action sequence à convenient ‘piece of evidence’ found à Move to next ‘point-of-interest’

As Cade navigates through each sequence, the generalization of the action begins to evolve towards a level of obscurity that changes the experience.  With each layer peeled, bigger players are found to be involved that creates a web of intrigue.  Each revelation of potential is dashed by the underserved script; a hodge podge of cheesy dialogue and plot-fodder for the sake of action.  Even as things move through undesirable moments and convoluted plot scenarios, it is in that same ‘over-the-top’ sensibility that makes things enjoyable … in an odd kind of way. 

With things (conveniently) being revealed, it becomes a ‘race against the clock’ for Cade to find the missing daughter.  With all the evidence pointing to another specific (and final) point of interest, we head into a third act that unloads in its bombastic action.  With one final assault, Cade goes on a warpath that leads to a typical climax and epilogue.  A Working Man is an atypical action film.  If you are a fan of Jason Statham or action films, it should be enough here for a fun time.  For everyone else, it could be a fun time, but at home.

Full Score – 2.5 out of 5 (Friday Night Rental)