FilmSnobReviews

Title: Shot Caller
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal
Runtime: 2 hr 1 min

What It Is: After an accident leads to the death of his business partner Tom (Max Greenfield) a businessman, Jacob (Coster-Waldau) is sent to prison for the involuntary vehicular homicide. While there Jacob, now known as Money in the pen commits an act that leads to a longer stint. Now out on parole, he’s planning something, something crafted from within the prison walls and he isn’t sure who he can trust to get this job done.

What We Think: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau GETS IT DONE here. He gives a hell of a performance and the whole thing has a proper crime drama vibe. Structurally it is fairly sound, even if the ending is somewhat flawed. Some of the script logic isn’t what it should be. Waugh’s direction is really nothing to write home about. This is neither a detriment nor a gift to the production but it rather allows the film to just be. Unfortunately, it perhaps could have used a little reigning in. All the pieces really do coalesce together to form a crime drama that is both different enough in the genre while nailing the cliches that can sometimes bog down this type of film.

Our Grade: B, I can comfortably recommend this particular film. Not only will fans of crime thrillers enjoy what the film does here. This is one you will certainly enjoy. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel but it really doesn’t have to instead it gives its unique main character an interesting arc that’s easy to follow. So for all of you that might not enjoy the standard crime thriller, I think you’ll dig it. If you like Sons of Anarchy it builts a similar vibe.