Term Life (2016)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld elevate a Routine Action-Drama with some Good Father-Daughter Chemistry that keeps this one going when the Narrative lapses with Clunky Connections and Uninspired Storytelling.Slightly Above Average Time-Filler that has a Major Distraction of Familiar Actors with so little Screen Time that Draws Attention and not in a good way. The Idea of peppering the Picture with Recognizable "Names" only to be Woefully abandon and Never to be Seen Again is a Decision of Questionable Consideration.It's a rather Charming Exercise Otherwise. Vaughn is a Likable Dad that all but Abandon His Daughter but is shown to be More Involved in Her Life than She realized. Keeping in the Shadows, He is now forced to Intervene, because She is in Danger from some Criminals. His Criminal Ways have caught up and now both are caught up between Drug Lords and Corrupt Cops.It's a Good Turn for Vaughn although His Recent Outing in HBO's Second Season of "True Detective" preceded this "Straight" Role and Impressed. Hailee Steinfeld Steals some Scenes and the Two are Tasked to bring down Bill Paxton's Cop that is a Slime-Ball. Paxton pulls the Character off quite well. Overall the Domestic Drama is what Emerges as Significant and the Constant Peril is the Vehicle that motivates the Interaction and together it makes for some Entertainment that is Worth a Watch.

Nick Barrow (Vince Vaughn) doesn't commit the heists, he just sets them up and charges a hefty sum for this service. Allejandro (William Levy) son of a Mexican drug lord Victor ( Jordi Molla) buys Nick's plan. The job is pulled off, but at the escape pad others come in and kill everyone including Allejandro. Now Nick is being hunted by drug lord Victor as he wants Nick to lead him to the man who came up with the job that killed his son. Nick knows Cate (Hailee Steinfeld) his daughter is now in danger and will be used to get to him. I had a hard time believing this was Vince Vaughn as his hairdo made him not look like Vince Vaughn. Still it almost looked like him. I decided that I would wait for this Vince Vaughn as Nick to talk a million miles a second as the real Vince Vaughn always does that in those dumb comedies he's in. Never happened. He played a good dramatic role and I was happy about that. He almost reminded me of a Joe Don Baker portrayal. Now daughter Cate, at age 16, wants nothing to do with Nick as he hasn't been around for the past 12-years. Nick is divorced with wife in rehab. Nick's job is to protect Cate at all costs. Note the title of this movie.Nick and Cate go into hiding and It was extremely enjoyable watching the chemistry between them and we knew she would warm to him in time. (We can only hope)There isn't too much action in here and we enjoy Cate, who now finally believes they are really in danger. Nick needs to clear his name and he keeps getting blamed for other killings as the Police are after him too. There is no twist as we come to know who those original killers were who killed Allejandro, the drug lord's son. Nick knows who, but how to prove it?Notables: Jon Favreau as Jimmy Lincoln who helped find the heist; Bill Paxton as Detective Keenan; Jonathan Banks as Harper, Nick's friend; and Terrance Howard as Sheriff Braydon.Okay, okay there is a downside. When all was said and done there was no mention of Nick changing his ways and not do the planning for heists anymore. Did someone say "sequel?"Very good story and acting all around and we like it when we see a father do everything to keep a child safe. Vince Vaughn is good in dramatic roles and he should do more drama and change that hairdo. (Agreed) (7/10)Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: No.

Vince Vaughn saves this movie somewhat but can't keep it afloat for long. There are good character actors in movie but my main complaint, in my opinion, is about editing and actress playing his daughter. She just isn't convincing as a teenager and I wouldn't have missed her at all if she was bumped off earlier. Please, please, I say to you movie directors, cast lead actors so that they are convincing in their relationships with each other. We should have some feeling about their relationship and I do not, sorry to say. I definitely was waiting for words to fall off the lips of Vince Vaughn, I just think he is a spectacular actor, but he can't save scenes where he receive's limp come-back speech from daughter. I am not sure if the chemistry (is that the word?) was not working between father and daughter but I wasn't interested. I tried really hard to be. I actually felt Vince Vaughn did the best he could but she seems to only react, not act with her father. I love the humor, Vince Vaughn and others do not disappoint in that, and I actually love his hair now. He looks different in a great way.

At some point of action stars' life, they are bound to have adventure with their estranged daughters, just like Liam Neeson or Kevin Costner did. Those expecting a level of action production for action blockbuster might be disappointed, but the saving grace comes in unexpected engaging drama and an adequate crime thriller.Nick (Vince Vaughn) is a planner for heist, he scouts the place, sets up escape routes, then sells the whole gig to another party. His recent buyer is caught up dead and now mobster and police are chasing Nick, who immediately grabs his daughter before making a run for it. This may seem like ordinary scheme, however it creates several chances, which unfortunately only a handful of them bear fruit.The action is not great, one can see from the first brawl that the choreography is tedious. It's definitely not the caliber of high pace fisticuffs or intense shootout. In fact, any fighting seems a bit underwhelming and might even be detrimental to thriller aspect the movie is setting up for.Surprisingly, the drama holds up nicely, especially the father-daughter bond between Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld. They have good chemistry and it shows a progression of their characters. Its mystery thriller works as well, while it's not complicated it is a decent crime story. Furthermore, there are some veteran actors here like Bill Paxton and Terrence Howard to name a few.This star-studded movie is sadly lacking in action, although drama and cast do admirable job on giving it a lifeline.