We want to hear from you! Take our brief reader survey now and share your feedback on what you love at Third Coast Review—and what we could be doing better! Plus, everyone who completes the survey will receive a Third Coast Review sticker decal as our thanks for your support.
As interesting as it always will be to see Liam Neeson actually give a shit when it comes to a performance these days, the real star of his latest film, Absolution, is Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland (A Somewhat Gentle Man, Cold Pursuit). The filmmaker has a knack for peering into the dark souls of his characters and finding some redemptive quality in them.
In the case of this film, Neeson plays an aging underling gangster working for a crime boss (Ron Perlman). Neeson’s character is aware that something is amiss when it comes to his memory, and he’s desperate to make his last few bucks on a choice few jobs for his boss, while reconnecting with his estranged daughter (Frankie Shaw) and grandson (Terrence Pulliam).
Neeson also finds time to get involved with a woman (Yolanda Ross) with a habit of hooking up with questionable men, but she seems to care about him and even offers to help when she becomes aware of his memory lapses. Perlman also employs a young punk (Daniel Diemer) who may have his eyes on Neeson’s position in the organization. As the story of a criminal and the crimes that he commits, Absolution isn’t particularly original. But watching Neeson navigate this character's struggles—he's an alcoholic and a mean one at that, who pushes away people who care about him—it’s fascinating to see how deeply he throws himself into the work, showing us that this character must overcome his bad habits before he can even begin to tackle his medical problems.
The handful of scenes between Neeson and the grandson are pretty special, as are the one with the new girlfriend, whom we suspect is tough enough to handle the mood swings that go along with his fragile state. The film is colored in icy tones and often resembles the type of character study more often done in works from the late 1960s and 1970s. Naturally, Neeson’s plan to exit the life goes horribly wrong, and Absolution becomes a race for the character to make sure everyone is taken care of financially before he either gets killed or is forced to leave their lives forever so he doesn’t endanger them further. It’s a scrappy, flawed little movie, but watching Neeson sink his teeth into the character is a rare treat these days.
The film is now playing in theaters.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by making a donation. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know how much we appreciate your support!