 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Deadfall
- Review Date: December 4, 2012
- R
- Genre: Thriller
- 2012
Common Sense Media says
Violent Thanksgiving-set thriller isn't family friendly.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Deadfall is a thriller with some strong violence and sexual situations. Though it's set over the Thanksgiving holiday, it isn't family-friendly entertainment: Many characters are morally ambiguous, and the story deals with troubled family relationships. The main female character has sex twice and is briefly seen topless, and there are some bloody killings/injuries, guns and shootings, stabbings, and severed fingers. Language is strong and includes several uses of "f--k" and "s--t" throughout. There's some background drinking and smoking, and one character is shown to be a mean, intimidating drunk.
What's the story?
Brother-and-sister team Addison (Eric Bana) and Liza (Olivia Wilde) are on the run from a successful casino heist, driving through a snowstorm. When their car crashes and Addison murders a highway patrolman, they're forced to make a run for it through the freezing woods. Liza meets an ex-boxer, Jay (Charlie Hunnam), who's just served a prison sentence for killing a man in the ring, and tries to get herself invited home for Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Addison gets into further trouble, which results in further violence. With a scrappy young cop (Kate Mara) on their trail, what deadly fate awaits when this motley crew finally assembles for dinner at the home of Jay's parents (Sissy Spacek and Kris Kristofferson)?
Is it any good?
Austrian director Stefan Ruzowitzky won an Oscar for his overrated WWII movie The Counterfeiters and was responsible for another, very bad one, All the Queen's Men, so it's somewhat of a surprise that DEADFALL is such a good, strong, compact pulp thriller. Ruzowitzky's filmmaking is much clearer and more confident in this terrain, using the snow and cold for maximum effect, both in separating characters and bringing them closer together.
The ensemble cast is well balanced, and the complex, nuanced relationships between families build many fascinating layers. In fact, certain plot threads -- such as Jay's accidental murder victim -- are all but dropped in favor of further character development, which is actually refreshing. Addison's extreme brutality makes the mix a bit too top heavy at times, but his early moments with Liza also go a long way in establishing his place. It's this excellent character balance that makes Deadfall so compelling.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about Deadfall's violence. How does its impact compare to what you've seen in other action/thriller movies? Does it seem over-the-top?
What are the dynamics like in the various families shown in this story? Are any of them problem-free? Do any of them have similar problems?
What is the brother-sister relationship like between the main characters? What are its strengths and weaknesses? How well do they communicate?
How does the movie portray sex? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
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Adult
December 26, 2012
AGE
Not my cup of tea...
I didn't enjoy this film very much at all, which was a letdown because I was really looking forward to it as I love thrillers, just not this type. It starts off promising but gets dull pretty fast, not enough action. I couldn't seem to get into it. It's fairly violent with quite a bit of sexual content (two sex scenes - one with brief nudity), and the language is somewhat strong with common uses of the "f" word, sh*t, b*tch, d@mn, hell...etc. There is drinking throughout. Absolutely not recommended for kids under 16!
What other families should know:
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| Studio: | Magnolia Pictures |
| Director: | Stefan Ruzowitzky |
| Cast: | Charlie Hunnam, Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde |
| Genre: | Thriller |
| Run time: | 95 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 7, 2012 |
| DVD release date: | February 5, 2013 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong violence, language and sexuality |
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