Displaying items by tag: Ariana Rivas

A WORKING MAN

US, 2025, 116 minutes, Colour.

Jason Statham, Jason Fleming, Maximillian Osinski, Michael Peña, David Harbour, Arianna Rivas.

Directed by David Ayer.

25 years, ever since Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, former British champion diver, Jason Statham, has starred in, and mostly top-lined, a continuous range of action films. And that includes the Fast and Furious franchise from number 6  onwards. Nearing 60, he is still one of the favourite actors for this kind of show, always British, not attempting an American accent.

He worked with director, David Ayer, in The Beekeeper (and a sequel is promised). They obviously click.

We see Statham’s character, Levon Cade, working for a Hispanic construction company in Chicago, on building sites. As a warmup, a group of thugs menace one of the workers – and come off the worse for wear after an encounter with Levon, much the worse for wear. But, we already knew what he was capable of.

He explains that he spent many years in Special Ops for the British, that it had its effect on him, tactics, violence and deaths, his absences, the death of his wife, not being able to see his young daughter, his wife’s resentful father now looking after her and trying to limit custody and access. But, it turns out to be the company owner’s daughter who will be in trouble, strong-minded, working in her father’s office, martial arts training (just as well for the final rescue) but suddenly abducted from a club.

If you are going to see A Working Man for the fights, you will not be disappointed (even if, probably, Statham himself is not doing all of them). But, this is rather complicated plot and we need to keep our wits about us. There are bikie gangs dealing drugs. There is a brotherhood of Russian migrants, well-to-do, sinister with their contacts and controls – but also some rebels in the next generation causing all kinds of trouble, living the high life, arrogant, and, somehow or other in their destiny, not fated to live longer lives after the initially smug encounters with Levon Cade.

Chicago settings, clubs, mansions, all kinds of popular ingredients, the hero who is rather impervious to feelings when villains and gangsters confront him, vigilante executions – but, always the soft spot for the daughter he rescues and nice sequences with his own daughter.

A Jason Statham show.

1. The popularity of Jason Statham action films? Working with director, David Ayer?
2. Statham, his screen presence, age, physique, British accent? At times laconic, at times talking? Strength, determination, fighting ability?
3. The title, Cade and his construction work, his background with the British, Special Ops, training, techniques, violence, detachment and involvement, ruthless, seemingly unemotional?
4. The company in Chicago, the boss and his family in the office, the threat to the worker on site, Cade confronting, defeating them and routing them? Anticipation of what is to come?
5. The boss’s daughter, strong-minded, work, study, martial arts training? Celebrating at the club? The abduction, being held, the woman guarding, her taunts?
6. Cade, the commission from the father, his commitment? His personal background, the suicide of his wife, his action, overseas, the depression, the daughter, love for her, his father-in-law and his hostility, custody and access, the outing with his daughter?
7. The complexities of the gangs and drug trading in Chicago? Cade and his getting information, tracking people down, going to the club, the African-American former soldier, leader, his henchmen? Cade involving him, drug deals?
8. The Russians, following the arrogant son of the leader, seeing him abuse his wife, getting the house, the confrontation, interrogating him over the pool, his death? Reactions of his father, the brotherhood of Russian gangsters in Chicago, the profligate son and his drugtaking, self-confidence, involved in the abduction? Cade confronting, their deaths? The manic members of the group, machine guns…? The quiet controllers in their offices, on their phones? The father, wanting revenge, crying out, told to be loyal to the group, no personal involvement?
9. The businessman, trafficking, choosing victims, his associates and their ruthlessness, self-confidence, his aquarium and fish hobby, their failures? The hold over the daughter?
10. Cade, following through, the leads, the confrontations, the shootings and deaths? The confrontation of the entrepreneur and his associates, their deaths?
11. Finding the daughter, her using her ingenuity, effecting the escape? Restoring her to her family? And coming back to his daughter and his future?
12. The portrait of a military man, skills, ruthlessness, issues of conscience, vigilantes, emotions?