The basic components of a great crime movie are pretty simple as for as I'm concerned: clever crime, dynamic personalities, and preferably some kind of energized sexual component from a hot femme fatale. On paper, Julius Avery's Australian crime flick Son of a Gun would seem to have some of those pieces in place with a cast that includes Ewan McGregor, rising star Brenton Thwaites, and Alicia Vikander. Is there plenty of action? Yes. Is it sexy? Sometimes, yeah. But clever it isn't, and the film comes across like any number of generic crime movies you might find on late night cable or On Demand.
Thwaites and his model good looks plays JR, a teenager we first meet as he's strip searched before starting a 6-month prison bid. This isn't going to be an easy stint, either, as the joint he's holed up in resembles the brutal confines of HBO's Oz or the gritty Brit drama Starred Up. JR's no wimp, but he's too pretty for a place like that and becomes the instant target of those looking for an easy mark. Fortunately he makes friends with Brendan (McGregor, scruffy and in full Scottish mode), a prison heavy who offers him protection....at a price. Brendan's not getting out any time soon, but when JR is released he aids in a ballsy prison escape involving helicopters and a wild shootout guaranteed to make the evening news. But that's not all, once on the outside Brendan enlists JR's help in another scheme; a heist that could net them $4M.
The expected complications arise in the form of their shady backer, Sam (Jacek Koman), who is a double-cross waiting to happen. And then there's the gorgeous Tasha (Vikander) who JR gets close to even though he knows it may upset Sam who is also close to her. You won't be surprised to learn she has aspirations of something better than being a crime boss' side piece, and JR is her ticket to it. Their relationship doesn't exactly calm Brendan's fears about being caught, either, since she's the kind of girl that grabs attention.
Avery, another in a growing line of talented Aussie filmmakers, has an eye for choreographing action but struggles with tone. There's an edge to the prison scenes that is curiously lost on the outside, and you can't help but wish they'd stayed behind bars and maintained a sense of unpredictability. The crime itself isn't especially inventive, and thus little tension in how it plays out. Where Son of a Gun excels is in the performances by McGregor and Vikander. McGregor may not be the perfect fit for a role like this, playing the bruising criminal, but that's exactly why it's so much fun to watch. He overpowers Thwaites in pretty much every scene, but the same can also be said for the excellent Vikander who finds moments of depth in a familiar role. It doesn't hurt that she's pretty good on the eyes, as well. Thwaites has the look of a movie star but is too vanilla to be memorable, and that is pretty much what could be said about Son of a Gun. It looks the part of a great heist movie but doesn't compare to those that that truly are.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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