The movie is called Red, and it's currently in limited release in theaters, which means it's nowhere near theaters in my beloved Charlotte, NC. Red was available locally though to order via pay-per-view for a slightly higher than normal price, but I figured, what the heck, it's cheaper than driving to the theater and buying a ticket.
Red stars the great actor Brian Cox (The Bourne Supremacy) as Av Ludlow, a sullen widower and veteran who takes the afternoon off from his country store in an unidentified mountain town and goes fishing with old dog named Red. The peaceful fishing trip turns sour when Ludlow is visited by three teens out hunting, and their proxy leader, Danny (Noel Fisher) decides to rob the old man. Ludlow does not resist, but when he has nothing of value, Danny shoots Red out of sheer spite.
Ludlow buries Red, and goes about finding the boys who killed his beloved dog. When Ludlow finds who Danny is, he goes to the boy's father, a rich man named McCormack (Tom Sizemore), who believes his son's denials rather than the old man's claims. Ludlow wants justice and an apology, but when he doesn't get it he goes to the local sheriff, an old friend (Richard Riehle the guy who invented the "jump to conclusions mat" in Office Space), who can't convince anyone to prosecute the powerful McCormack kid.
Things escalate when the sheriff recommends that Ludlow tell his story to a local TV reporter (Kim Dickens) to put public pressure on the D.A. to press charges. Ludlow agrees, and after the piece airs a series of escalating retaliations begin as Ludlow and the McCormacks come closer to impending tragedy. A rock is thrown through Ludlow's window, Ludlow begins to follow the teenagers, and that's the tip of the iceberg.
The story unfolds on a small scale, at an unhurried pace. Nothing feels staged or inauthentic, even the ultimate showdown.
There are a lot of elements at play in Red, and it's not just about cruelty to animals, though that message is part of it. The TV reporter who does a feature on Ludlow states in the piece: "It has been said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way it treats its animals." While Ludlow certainly is defending the rights of his dog who couldn't defend himself, there is no implication that the dog's life is more valuable than the life of the perpetrators, which I have to appreciate. Not that killing a dog isn't a despicable thing worthy of punishment, it's just that during the recent Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal I was dismayed by how many people seemed to regard the crime as worse than murder or rape. It's not.
Ludlow's affection to his dog is in part due to the fact that Red was a gift from his late wife. The scene where Ludlow tells the reporter what happened to his wife and two sons is genuinely heartbreaking. It's a lengthy speech delivered by Cox in a low-key, melancholy fashion that is utterly riveting, shown without visual flashback gimmicks that may have been tempting to the dual directors (Lucky McKee and Trygve Allister Diesen).
Ludlow's dogged (if you pardon the expression) stand is motivated primarily by wanting justice rather than revenge. When the sheriff suggests he can file a civil suit against the McCormacks, Ludlow is dismayed because that would only win him money. Danny has committed a crime, and if he won't admit it and ask forgiveness Ludlow will accept nothing less than justice.
I loved Red, though I don't expect everyone will embrace it. If you liked the pointless though flashy Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, you'll probably hate Red. Red is a drama without a major star; the action occurs in sudden, bursts of violence; and there aren't any particularly happy characters. This isn't fun escapism, it's a serious, tense, meditative drama.
Brian Cox is terrific in the lead. Cox has been a marvelous actor for a long time, the man who actually portrayed Hannibal Lecter before Anthony Hopkins in the 1986 Michael Mann film Manhunter. If you don't know Cox's name, you will recognize his face when you see it he's provided strong supporting roles in such films as Red Eye (no relation to Red), X-Men 2, 25th Hour, Long Kiss Goodnight, and countless others. Given a rare opportunity to be the star, Cox delivers a performance worthy Academy Award consideration for Best Actor.
This is a great movie, easily the best I've seen since the Dark Knight.
Daniel J. Roos (film.ispwn.com)
Red stars the great actor Brian Cox (The Bourne Supremacy) as Av Ludlow, a sullen widower and veteran who takes the afternoon off from his country store in an unidentified mountain town and goes fishing with old dog named Red. The peaceful fishing trip turns sour when Ludlow is visited by three teens out hunting, and their proxy leader, Danny (Noel Fisher) decides to rob the old man. Ludlow does not resist, but when he has nothing of value, Danny shoots Red out of sheer spite.
Ludlow buries Red, and goes about finding the boys who killed his beloved dog. When Ludlow finds who Danny is, he goes to the boy's father, a rich man named McCormack (Tom Sizemore), who believes his son's denials rather than the old man's claims. Ludlow wants justice and an apology, but when he doesn't get it he goes to the local sheriff, an old friend (Richard Riehle the guy who invented the "jump to conclusions mat" in Office Space), who can't convince anyone to prosecute the powerful McCormack kid.
Things escalate when the sheriff recommends that Ludlow tell his story to a local TV reporter (Kim Dickens) to put public pressure on the D.A. to press charges. Ludlow agrees, and after the piece airs a series of escalating retaliations begin as Ludlow and the McCormacks come closer to impending tragedy. A rock is thrown through Ludlow's window, Ludlow begins to follow the teenagers, and that's the tip of the iceberg.
The story unfolds on a small scale, at an unhurried pace. Nothing feels staged or inauthentic, even the ultimate showdown.
There are a lot of elements at play in Red, and it's not just about cruelty to animals, though that message is part of it. The TV reporter who does a feature on Ludlow states in the piece: "It has been said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way it treats its animals." While Ludlow certainly is defending the rights of his dog who couldn't defend himself, there is no implication that the dog's life is more valuable than the life of the perpetrators, which I have to appreciate. Not that killing a dog isn't a despicable thing worthy of punishment, it's just that during the recent Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal I was dismayed by how many people seemed to regard the crime as worse than murder or rape. It's not.
Ludlow's affection to his dog is in part due to the fact that Red was a gift from his late wife. The scene where Ludlow tells the reporter what happened to his wife and two sons is genuinely heartbreaking. It's a lengthy speech delivered by Cox in a low-key, melancholy fashion that is utterly riveting, shown without visual flashback gimmicks that may have been tempting to the dual directors (Lucky McKee and Trygve Allister Diesen).
Ludlow's dogged (if you pardon the expression) stand is motivated primarily by wanting justice rather than revenge. When the sheriff suggests he can file a civil suit against the McCormacks, Ludlow is dismayed because that would only win him money. Danny has committed a crime, and if he won't admit it and ask forgiveness Ludlow will accept nothing less than justice.
I loved Red, though I don't expect everyone will embrace it. If you liked the pointless though flashy Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, you'll probably hate Red. Red is a drama without a major star; the action occurs in sudden, bursts of violence; and there aren't any particularly happy characters. This isn't fun escapism, it's a serious, tense, meditative drama.
Brian Cox is terrific in the lead. Cox has been a marvelous actor for a long time, the man who actually portrayed Hannibal Lecter before Anthony Hopkins in the 1986 Michael Mann film Manhunter. If you don't know Cox's name, you will recognize his face when you see it he's provided strong supporting roles in such films as Red Eye (no relation to Red), X-Men 2, 25th Hour, Long Kiss Goodnight, and countless others. Given a rare opportunity to be the star, Cox delivers a performance worthy Academy Award consideration for Best Actor.
This is a great movie, easily the best I've seen since the Dark Knight.
Daniel J. Roos (film.ispwn.com)