Dead Man Down

This movie made me happy.  It's not any great masterwork.  It's a pretty generic action/crime movie.  Most of the plot points are formulaic and predictable.  But "Dead Man Down" has plenty of awesome going for it that helps it stand apart from the pack.

The story involves a mob hit man and his relationship with a disfigured (but not really), young woman.  He tries to juggle his feelings for the girl and getting revenge for his family's death.  We've seen a bajillion movies that fall under this same basic plot.  But the performances and direction in "Dead Man Down" are what make it so enjoyable.

 

Colin Farrell is great when given a role with something to do.  This is one of those roles.  Farrell plays a man who is in constant turmoil over his conflicting emotions.  Yet, he is also a guy who doesn't talk much.  As such, he is required to give a performance of silences.  It's not an easy thing and Farrell nails it.

 

Next up is Noomi Rapace, who is even better in her role.  She plays a woman who was disfigured in a car accident and the left side of her face reconstructed.  Rapace has shown in just a handful of movies that she is one of our great actresses and this another wonderful showing from her.  She is shy and hurt and angry all at once.  Her character's intense emotion shifts never feel out of place.  Rapace is really the standout performance in "Dead Man Down."

 

Dominic Cooper's role is pretty minimal, but his natural charm help to make him likeable with very little screen time.  He's supposed to be the best friend and usually that would require plenty of setup.  But he makes the most of his time and keeps an important (albeit clichéd) final plot point from coming off forced.

 

Terrence Howard plays his role as a crime boss quietly.  He speaks with such a gentleness and determination that his menace is felt in the last act.  But he is also quite good at being scared without coming off as weak in front of his men.  

 

Also making small appearances are F. Murray Abraham and Isabelle Huppert.  Abraham is not given much to do, but I just like seeing him on screen.  Huppert plays Rapace's mother and provides some much needed comic relief.

 

The action is excellently done.  The final showdown is awesome.  But as much as this is definitely a revenge movie, the real great parts are the budding romance between Farrell and Rapace.  They are so broken and so awkward around people that their flirtation is extremely sweet.  The dual forces of mobsters shooting each other and lonely people falling in love make "Dead Man Down" a great date movie.  It has stuff for guys and gals.

 

If there is any complaint to be had, it's Rapace's makeup.  Even after reconstructive surgery, the neighborhood kids still call her a monster.  But the makeup is just a couple of minor scars.  Noomi Rapace is still gorgeous!  It was really hard to swallow at times.  I understand that if she was too disfigured, the audience might be distracted from the story by her face.  But they could've just uglied her up a little bit.

 

"Dead Man Down" gets a huge recommendation.  I loved every bit of it.  It's not perfect and may actually be too short.  But it's a great way to spend a couple hours on the couch.

 

8 out of 10