Why do kingpins in crime flicks love to squander bullets? This trope shows up yet again in Luke Spark's new action-filled crime thriller "Bring Him to Me," penned by Tom Evans. One particularly ruthless character unloads several rounds from a hefty automatic rifle into a target who was clearly already down after the second shot. Are the earnings from a life of crime so bountiful that the cost of ammunition is a trifling concern? Does the task of discarding all those shell casings not become tiresome? And to whom are they attempting to show off? Their fellow underworld colleagues surely understand how many bullets are needed to drop another criminal.
Indeed, modern crime movies tend to emphasize sound and fury, often creating diminishing returns. However, "Bring Him to Me" makes an effort to introduce some novelty into the rather overdone scenario. Barry Pepper gives a seasoned performance as a grizzled heist driver, unnamed throughout the film – the first of many cliché elements. Viewers glimpse the heist events via flashback as Pepper’s character is tasked with delivering one of the robbers to the mastermind behind the operation. This accomplice, also nameless, is referred to as "Kid" by Pepper’s character, while the IMDb labels him "Passenger."
The Driver character grows apprehensive. What has the "Kid" done for this gathering to be necessary? Could he face retribution, even murder? The script attempts to win viewer empathy by making both characters fathers – Pepper’s character has a teenage son residing in remote Pittsburgh, while Passenger has a toddler daughter.
Passenger, played commendably by Jamie Costa, is portrayed as an unlikely naive accomplice, albeit one comfortable with executing a heist. Keeping the atmosphere terse and without sentiment, Driver avoids forming a bond with the man he might be unwittingly escorting to his end. At this point, the film seems like it might end up being a two-hander confined mainly to the car – reminiscent of "Locke," minus the masterful dialogue.
That doesn't hold, though. At various times, the narrative leaves the car, including during flashback scenes where the always-pleasing Sam Neill plays a businessman held at gunpoint. Rachel Griffiths also embellishes the movie with her notable presence as one of the characters encountered by Driver and Passenger. The narrative unwinds with a series of unexpected twists, which, despite the cliché underpinnings, keep viewers on edge.
With its Australian production value and cinematic quirks, "Bring Him to Me" becomes a unique yet formulaic addition to the crowded genre of crime thrillers.
