The Liability
Starring: Tim Roth, Jack O'Connell. Peter Mullan
Director: Craig Viveiros
Rating: 3/5
Craig Viveiros is back in the director's chair this week for his second feature film The Liability.
Viveiros is making a bit of a habit of bringing together fantastic British talent and he has done it again with this movie.
This is a cast list that blends experience in the form of Tim Roth and Peter Mullan with up and coming stars such as Jack O'Connell and Talulah Riley - and this is an exciting mix that really does work well.
The movie follows nineteen year old Adam (O'Connell) who is plunged into a world of murder and revenge when, after crashing the car of his mum's gangster boyfriend, he does a day's driving for an ageing hit man Roy (Roth).
Whilst Roy desperately wants to leave the killing game, Adam develops into an enthusiastic and aspirational hit-man. The pair take a road trip ending deep in a forest, far away from home.
A cat and mouse chase begins that ultimately reveals the sinister reason for Adam's stepfather (Peter Mullan) having commissioned the deadly hit and the true identity of their witness and her reasons for seeking retribution on the gangster.
Plenty of British crime/gangster movies have hit the big screens over the years but director Viveiros has tried to do something a little different with The Liability.
The central relationship between Adam and Roy is really what drives the movie as the youngster is looking for a male role model while the hitman is looking to redeem himself.
The chemistry between O'Connell and Roth is fantastic and they really do build up a very interesting and quite complex relationship as we go through the movie.
I have always enjoyed Roth as an actor and he delivers another good performance as a man who is looking to atone for a life full of bad deeds.
There is a lot of chatter around Jack O'Connell at the moment and he really does have a promising acting future ahead of him.
O'Connell has balanced this character perfectly as he can be an full of himself jack the lad as well as being totally naive and out of his depth.
Peter Mullan puts in a great turn as a rather nasty piece of work but sadly he is quite underused - which is a major shame.
Ok the movie is a little predictable but there is plenty to enjoy here from the great central relationship and the performances from Roth and O'Connell to the black comedy and dark streak that runs throughout the film.
The Liability is out now.
Tagged in Tim Roth Jack O'Connell