Homefront

Jason Statham fans, of which I am one, should enjoy veteran action Director Gary Fleder’s Homefront, written by none other than Sylvester Stallone.

Phil Broker (Statham) is a widower, ex-undercover DEA agent, who has chosen to bring up his 10-year-old daughter Maddy (Izabela Vidovic) in the rural area in which his wife grew up. 

 

A schoolyard fight between Maddy and one of the local boys (Austin Craig) stirs the need for vengeance in the boy’s mother Cassie (Kate Bosworth), who steals the film with her fine performance as an angry redneck.  Cassie goes to her psycho brother ‘Gator’ (James Franco), who runs the local meth lab, to demand punishment for Broker.

 When ‘Gator’ discovers the new neighbor’s past, he has his partner Sheryl (Winona Ryder) contact the imprisoned head of the drug cartel that Broker destroyed.

Well, you don’t mess with Broker, especially when his daughter’s life is at stake.  Need I say more? 

I give Homefront a 4 out of 5 for the fanbase.

PS: In improv comedy, there is a tenet, “Say ‘Yes’ to the action and magic will happen.” Ryder reminds us of what happens by violating this ‘rule.’  When she said, ‘No,’ to being Michael Corleone’s daughter in Godfather III, it was a career breaker.  Though she turns in a fine performance, she is the only the fourth most interesting female character in this film.  And, that’s sad.