Review of Thumper (2017) by Chris N — 19 Mar 2018

Strengths: Here's a film that breathes on the performances of the cast. Eliza Taylor (Kat), of The 100 fame, is stellar in the lead role. She's vulnerable, tough, and sympathetic. You want to root for her in every scene, even with her flaws. Pablo Schreiber (Wyatt) is a strong antagonist, playing something similar to his show stealing work in Den of Thieves. There's an intensity behind what he does without going over the top. It's a tough balancing act. The pacing of the film is great and the cinematography is something that will probably go overlooked. The film is the right amount of dark and gritty, while managing to look good. The supporting cast of Lena Headey (Ellen), Daniel Webber (Beaver) and Grant Harvey (Troy) all did fine work.

Weaknesses: The plot and premise aren't very original. The indie film take on the drug world is tried and true, leading to this movie following a few tropes. The concept plays out like a more serious take on 21 Jump Street. I took some issue with the ending. I'm okay with something open-ended or unhappy, but this felt empty. Kat gives up her undercover cop life, mostly to be with her son. Our final scenes with her show the kid being a brat and running away from her the first chance he gets. That's fine, to show that this won't be easy, but there's not even a hint that what she did was the right move. Furthermore, there's not really any closure for some of the other characters.

Overall: Not the most original of films, but one that gets by on high quality acting. The cast all do some of their best work and carry this thing. There's some good work by the director as well. The ending leaves a lot to be desired, though.