Review: Deadfall (2013)

Set in the wintry wilderness, Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde are a possibly too close brother and sister who have just pulled off a casino robbery and are headed for the Canadian border. Unfortunately, a car accident gets in the way of those plans, and Bana is subsequently forced to kill an investigating state trooper. Bana then suggests they split up, with Bana laying low in a cabin trying to stay hidden from investigating cops. Wilde hitches a ride with Charlie Hunnam, a recent parolee (and Olympic Silver medallist boxer!) headed home for Thanksgiving, who has already gotten himself in enough trouble to send him back to the slammer if it catches up with him. Poor Hunnam has no idea what he’s in for, nor do his estranged parents Kris Kristofferson (apparently unforgiving of his son’s misdeeds) and Sissy Spacek (a peacemaker), the former a retired lawman himself, whose house is near the border. Treat Williams plays the chief of police whose misogynistic treatment of young officer Kata Mara is bad enough without the fact that he’s also her prick of a father.

 

Not to be confused with the appalling Nic Cage crime flick from the mid-90s, this Stefan Ruzowitzky (a music video graduate) thriller was released in Australia in 2013. It’s more reminiscent of the underrated “Switchback” and other films about sleepy small towns unawares that they are set to be descended upon by criminal elements. Scripted by Zach Dean, the film suffers from character inconsistency and an unfortunate structure that is at least 85% set-up, leaving it with almost nowhere much to go and even less time to get there. If the ratio was closer to 50-50, it’d definitely be better than it is. As is, it’s just watchable.

 

The character played by Olivia Wilde just doesn’t make much sense. In the early scenes with Eric Bana, she gives off a dopey, naïve and trashy Juliette Lewis vibe that simply doesn’t gel with her later more intelligent and seemingly considerably less redneck. It’s like two completely different characters, and not just because she’s putting on a ruse to ingratiate herself with others. I think part of the problem is that Wilde (whom I normally like) seems too innately smart to play what is an archetypal Juliette Lewis/Jennifer Tilly role. The rest is just really bad screenwriting or poor direction of an actress. Since Mr. Dean is a first-timer…yeah. Better luck next time, buddy. Eric Bana isn’t exactly perfect casting (nor do he and Wilde seem like brother and sister at all, though part of that seems intentionally insinuating), but is certainly more convincing and gives the best performance in the film. At least he’s interesting and unusual casting, without being miscast like Wilde.

 

Kris Kristofferson, Sissy Spacek, and Kate Mara are all well-cast, with Kristofferson in particular saying a lot without saying much at all and Mara very appealing. As for Charlie Hunnam, he’s fine, but his character seems to have less depth the longer the film goes on, strangely enough. He’s also the biggest dumbfuck recent parolee in cinematic history, screwing himself over within mere hours after his release. What an idiot. Treat Williams has the R. Lee Ermey role, and is quite clearly not R. Lee Ermey. ‘nuff said there. His character treats Mara horribly and in a sexist manner. He’s also her dad. Funny stuff, admittedly.

 

I liked the film’s set-up, with Hunnam’s ne’er do well colliding with the rest of this plot. But like I said, it’s almost all set-up and no payoff. The film’s biggest asset is its harshness. Not only is it harshly violent at times, but the harsh, wintry weather conditions are excellently used. How the hell can anyone see a damn thing in that snow? It’s seemingly all-enveloping. Kudos to Christian Bale’s favourite cinematographer Shane Hurlbut (“Terminator: Salvation”) for making things look absolutely beautiful, given the obviously harsh conditions.

 

A watchable but ultimately disappointing thriller that has a terrific look and harsh vibe, but a troubling screenplay with character inconsistencies and not much of anything beyond the plot set-up. It could’ve used a re-write or two for sure.

 

Rating: C+