HONEST THIEF (2020, USA, 99m, 15) **½
Action, Crime, Drama
dist. Open Road Films / Briarcliff Entertainment (USA), Signature Entertainment (UK); pr co. Ingenious Media / Argonaut Entertainment Partners / Briarcliff Entertainment / Cutting Edge Group / Dreadnought Films / Honest Thief Productions / J Cubed Film Finance / Samuel Marshall Productions / Sprockefeller Pictures / Zero Gravity Management; d. Mark Williams; w. Steve Allrich, Mark Williams; pr. Craig Chapman, Charlie Dorfman, Tai Duncan, Jonah Loop, Myles Nestel, Mark Williams; ph. Shelly Johnson (Colour | 2.39:1); m. Mark Isham; ed. Michael P. Shawver; pd. Tom Lisowski.
cast: Liam Neeson (Tom), Kate Walsh (Annie), Jai Courtney (Agent Nivens), Jeffrey Donovan (Agent Meyers), Anthony Ramos (Agent Hall), Robert Patrick (Agent Sam Baker), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Beth Hall), Birol Tarkan Yildiz (Boss Mike), Tazzie (Tazzie), Adam Teper (Hotel Valet), Jose Guns Alves (Bomb Squad Specialist), Osmani Rodriguez (Short Detective), Janelle Feigley (Artist), Devon Diep (Cute Nurse), Jamie Ghazarian (Copy Girl), Michael Malvesti (Wired Cop), Lewis D. Wheeler (ER Doctor), Patty O’Neil (Sharon Baker (uncredited)).
This routine action vehicle for Neeson has a heavily manufactured scenario that sees the star as a professional bank robber who, having fallen in love with Annie (Walsh) hopes to cut a deal by agreeing to return all the money he stole in exchange for a reduced sentence. But when two FBI agents set him up for murder, he must now go on the run to clear his name and bring them to justice. As ever, Neeson gives his all and Walsh makes for an appealing love interest in this otherwise dumb tale. Williams’ uneven direction and sometimes jarring tonal shifts ensure an unsatisfying whole, that occasionally has moments that will entertain an undemanding audience.
