*Premise spoilers*
Since it’s December, I’m pivoting to Christmas-themed Joel Fry projects, which will get progressively more Christmasy as I go. This one is pretty much just a gangster film that’s set around Christmas—it features carols played ironically over the soundtrack, a hit man with both a body and his daughter’s present in the back of his van, and a climactic Christmas dinner scene. My feelings toward the movie are mixed. It’s not all that good, but I did enjoy it a little more than I expected.
Mark, a former hit man, has just gotten out of prison. As he gets back on his feet, he’s living in his van, taking odd jobs and trying to be present for his young daughter Daisy. However, his old boss Caddy summons Mark with an offer he can’t refuse. Someone in the operation’s been stealing from Caddy, and there are three suspects he wants Mark to interrogate and kill. Despite Mark’s insistence that he doesn’t want any part of that life anymore, Caddy makes it clear that he doesn’t get to say no, with Daisy’s life hanging in the balance.
So, yeah. Former hit man trying to go straight, coerced back into one last job—“One. Last. Job.” is literally the tagline for the film. Adorable kid in peril, ex-wife who’d rather have a reliable coparent than wads of cash stuffed through the mail slot in unmarked envelopes, former-cellmate-turned-partner who may be more trouble than he’s worth. On the whole, the movie isn’t bad so much as it’s incredibly basic, the epitome of “nothing you haven’t seen before.” Meanwhile, the last half-hour consumes its body weight in twists, some of which work and some of which are just bizarre.
Most of the characters/performances are similar, exactly what you’d expect for a film like this. Bradley Taylor’s Mark is gruff and wary, trying his best under difficult circumstances. He suspects, and a couple old buddies confirm, that this assignment is likely intended to be a suicide mission, and he searches for an angle to get ahead of those who want to double-cross him. Cary Crankson is effective as Mark’s old cellmate Alan, who’s eager to get in on the job but less careful and competent than Mark. In other words, he’s a wildcard who might drag Mark down with him. I really enjoy Nathaniel Martello-White as Pete, a former hit man who’s shifted to drug dealing after falling out of favor with Caddy.
Then we have Joel Fry as Seamus—yes, he’s my favorite character in the film, but I swear it’s warranted! He’s involved in the gangster stuff as well, though it’s not quite clear what specific role he plays. Seamus lives with Pete, and when he runs into Mark, he invites him back to the flat so they can catch up. Over the course of the job, Mark repeatedly comes to Pete and Seamus for intel and help, whether they’re eager to give it or not.
For my money, Seamus and Pete are the least cliche parts about the movie, which is quite refreshing for the only major Black characters in the film. They’re definitely both criminals, and they know how to look after their own, but they’re also wonderfully domestic and down-to-earth. Joel Fry’s performance is warm, friendly, and chill.
There’s just so much to enjoy here. When Mark and Seamus run into each other, he says, “Oh my gosh, Mark?”, immediately followed by, “Fuckin’ hell, man!”, and the wide swing from G- to R-rated language tickles me. Seamus makes up a song while he peels potatoes, using his knife for percussion—and yet, when someone unexpected comes knocking, he keeps humming and peeling but watches very intently as Pete goes to the door. He’s a picky eater who likes Christmas crackers and also knows his way around a gun.
I won’t describe Seamus and Pete’s vibe as “criminals are regular people too!” because 1) condescending and 2) it’s not like the other gangsters aren’t shown to be regular people. After all, Mark is trying to do right by his daughter, he and Alan amuse themselves with speculation about the queen while driving from hit to hit, and Caddy is driven, not just by power and money, but by his jealous love for his wife/girlfriend. But with most of the characters, it feels like a thumbnail, the classic archetype of a conflicted hit man, a screwup sidekick, or a paranoid crime lord. Pete and Seamus feel specific and individual in ways that the other characters don’t.
So, this shakes out as an “I can’t hate you because I like Joel Fry so much in it!” movie. He’s just great as Seamus—really fun and personable—and he plays very well off both Taylor and Martello-White.
Accent Watch
London.
Recommend?
In General – Eh, not a must. It’s not offensively bad or anything, but it’s not very good.
Joel Fry – I probably would, at least once. This is kind of a delightful performance that I wasn’t expecting in a gangster film!
Warnings
Violence, language, sexual content, drinking/smoking/drug use, and strong thematic elements.
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