Run All Night (2015)

just watch it!

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

RUN ALL NIGHT marks the third collaboration between star Liam Neeson and director Jaume Collet-Serra; their previous movies were the disappointing UNKNOWN and the above-average NON-STOP. RUN ALL NIGHT falls somewhere in the middle of those two films in terms of quality; it's a good enough mob thriller although not quite good enough to be considered a classic or indeed a regular watch. The film's very familiarity is what works against it throughout. Neeson and his adult son, played by Joel Kinnaman, are forced to go on the run from mob boss Ed Harris when things go bad, and the film follows the situation from there. It's set over a single night, which gives it some fun, but the story has been done before and done better, for example in Sam Mendes' ROAD TO PERDITION.This means you end up watching the film to enjoy the other qualities. If a thriller's plotting is unremarkable then it must have outstanding action scenes, and the action in RUN ALL NIGHT is fun although not quite spellbinding. The bit in the subway station and the attack in the burning apartment complex are both good scenes but there are too many slow bits in the middle, and the two hour running time is half an hour too long. Collet-Serra can't do a proper transition scene without some lame CGI effects of the sped-up camera flying up in the sky and across the city, which I found quite tiresome after a while.In terms of the cast, Neeson is on autopilot in this one. He looks old and tired and you wonder how much of that is really acting. Harris is suitably imposing as the antagonist of the piece, but his role is a virtual reprise of the one he played in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. Best of the bunch is the great Kinnaman, of the EASY MONEY trilogy, but he's kept off the screen for way too long. RUN ALL NIGHT is a fine enough slice of entertainment for genre fans but it's one of those films which simply doesn't hold up if you think about it too long.

When I sit down to watch Run All Night, I don't expected so much. In the last 10 years, we got enough Liam Neeson action film, such as the Taken-trilogy, Unknown and A Walk Among Tombstones. The action is non-stop and entertaining. There're only just a little drama, but it's enough. Although, I think the relationship between Liam Neeson and his son, played by Joel Kinnaman isn't shown as deeply as it had to be.The acting and the direction are also good. The editing and the cinematography are amazing, especially in the ending. There're some little problems with the script, but if you want to see an action movie, it's okay.This film is definitely worth a watch. I hope Neeson will star in films at least as good as this.8/10

Former hit-man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) finds himself on a collision course with mob boss and former employer Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) after he kills Shawn's son Danny Maguire (Boyd Holbrook) when Danny attempts to shoot Jimmy's son Mike (Joel Kinnaman). Jimmy and Mike's father/son relationship is poor, but the two men find they must put their differences aside and work together to try to stay one step ahead of Shawn and his mob who are seeking vengeance against the two men.Here we are again with another Neeson action vehicle and yes it is hard to see Neeson as anyone other than Brian Mills when watching these sort of films. That being said if you're prepared to accept with this film that 'what you see is what you get' then there is still some enjoyment to be had from this picture.In some ways this is quite an interesting film as to me it had no real antagonist; although Conlon and Maguire end up facing off against each other these two men are practically civilians at the start; Neeson has retired and leads a fairly quiet life where his only vice seems to be that he likes his booze a bit too much. Harris is a man that has made some dodgy decisions in the past and wants to leave that life behind him and stay legit. The two men are friends in the early stages with Maguire very much looking after Conlon due to his fragile emotional state. This does give the face off more emotional weight than most action films as you really feel that this is the last thing that the two men want to do and it kind of creates a bit of tension in an indirect manner.Although I liked this film it's another action film that suffers from some problematic writing; my main issue in terms of character and writing lay with Neeson's character Jimmy Conlon; his son portrays him as a bad father and forbids him from seeing his children, but at no point are we offered any insight or explanation as to what his failings were or why Jimmy and his son fell out? If Jimmy was shown as being an uncaring and selfish individual at any point during this film then his failings would have been self-explanatory, but he is very protective of his son and does everything he can to keep him out of harms way??? This is not a big deal and in no way impacts on one's enjoyment of the film, but it's sloppiness and poor character development such as this that often drags many action films down. In some ways this has a knock on effect with the 'family dynamics' and whilst they're necessary to try to present an emotional core all these efforts become practically redundant when we're given no understanding of the root cause. There are other narrative issues such as Conlon going from being an inept alcoholic one minute to being a super tough assassin the next minute, but again these things are a given nowadays for action films.At 110 minutes this film is a little too long and this is further evidenced by a moderately tense but ridiculously long final act.Taken for what it is then this is an enjoyable action thriller (particularly if you can ignore all the gaps in the writing). Neeson and Harris are superb as usual and the supporting cast are all solid as well. If you've enjoyed Neeson's previous action outings then this is worth a look.

Chased by both mobsters and the police after killing the son of a local mob boss, a former mob hit-man finds a chance to bond with his own estranged son (who the mob also want dead) in this Liam Neeson action thriller. The plot has several similarities to 'Road to Perdition' with a wayward mob boss son, a mob boss whose loyalties are tested (Neeson's childhood friend here) and a father and son on the run who both come to indelibly appreciate one another, however, the film is nowhere near as classy as 'Road to Perdition' and the dynamic is not quite as interesting with the son fully grown. Ed Harris is effective in the equivalent of Paul Newman's role in 'Perdition', but he never quite gets the screen time he deserves considering how much of the plot hinges on his friendship with Neeson. An uncredited Nick Nolte is also solid, but Neeson shines the most here, bringing a weariness not seen in his previous collaborations with 'Unknown' and 'Non-Stop' director Jaume Collet-Serra. Neeson projects regret, sorrow and disenchantment - reminders of what a capable dramatic actor he was before 'Taken' made him an actor star. That said, the claims of this being Neeson's finest action film seem out of line. The characterisations may be decent here, but the plot offers nothing new and none of the action scenes are all that remarkable. Of course, the case could be argued that this is a positive since the film is surprisingly story-driven and down-to- earth, but it is more engaging than 'Unknown' or 'Non-Stop' for that? One's mileage is likely to vary.