A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Written and Directed by Scott Frank (The Lookout)
Novel by Lawrence Block
Starring:
Liam Neeson (The Lego Movie)
Dan Stevens (The Guest)
Brian Bradley aka Astro (The Redband Society)
Sebastian Roche (Supernatural)
Boyd Holbrook (The Skeleton Twins)
David Harbour (Quantum of Solace)
Adam David Thompson (Martha Marcy May Marlene)

The title screamed Western but, it turns out, director Scott Frank has made the best neo-noir film this side of Brick. Packaged in Wes Anderson-like symmetry and framing, and drenched in the dark, grizzly atmosphere of True Detective, Frank's beautifully grim direction manages to carve a stylish mystery out of the somewhat familiar mixture of drugs, murder, and redemption. It even had a hint of Rian Johnson's auteurial flair with smooth pans across landscapes.

To make the obvious comparison, Walk is Taken but with better acting and more patience. We all know by now that when you shove a phone at Liam Neeson and give him outstanding dialogue to pour into the speaker, he absolutely nails it. The outstanding dialogue is optional. I'm having a hard time believing that this wasn't intentional. There's a fair bit of humor peppered in throughout the movie to make me think they played to certain desires. That terrible hair and beard in the flashback looks pretty deliberate.

"Gimmie the upside down Bob Ross Goatee"

Neeson's memorable ex-detective, Matt Scudder, is surrounded by well-rounded side characters who all play into the grand gravy. Dan Stevens and Astro were magnificent in bringing a desperation and innocence to their roles, respectively, expanding the emotional range of the story. Holbrook and the ever reliable Sebastian Roche each brought their characters to life with deeply entrenched performances. To top it off, we are also given a juicy antagonist duo. David Harbour and Adam Thompson were brilliant in unleashing a menacing rampage. No character felt wasted. There were some arcs that were mistreated towards the end, but the whole ordeal was ultimately a satisfying surprise.

Another pleasant plus this movie did with the characters was setting them up like pieces in a puzzle to cross the path of our protagonist. They are slowly maneuvered so that every piece eventually aligns and fills the screen simultaneously. That perfect scene where all the characters are now face to face. It's a common occurrence, but only as exciting when done with this precise pacing.

Bottom Line: Neeson refuses to let up in this brutal, stylish and, at times, contemplative film about a gruesome crime spree. It stands out from typical crime stories by using slick camera work and spectacular casting. Once again, not a Western.

9 out of 10.