The Samaritan Reviews
LWOODS04
Super Reviewer
March 29, 2012
The Samaritan has to be one of the worse films SLJ has starred in. The script, acting, directing, and even the little bit of action was all bad. Then the big reveal of who Foley and Iris are to each other after everything they did made me absolutely sick. I was completely disturbed that Iris knew and continued to do the things she did with him. It's a film I will for sure avoid in the future.
Al S
Super Reviewer
January 15, 2013
A gritty and crisp serving of a thriller that`s twisty, enthralling and very entertaining. It delivers up some solid suspense and great performances from its cast. It stays true to the tradition of the old-school drifter films of the day and serves it up again like its fresh and new. A slick, brutal and sharp piece of film noir. Director, David Weaver crafts an exceptional and hard-boiled film. Samuel L. Jackson delivers a compelling and rock solid performance, it turns to be one of his best film roles in years. It truly separates him from what we have been used to seeing him in the last few years and gladly welcome him back to genre films once again. Tom Wilkonson is terrific. Luke Kirby and Ruth Negga are excellent, A real slice of Pulp Fiction that echos with Oldboy.
xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
Super Reviewer
November 4, 2012
Good movie! This film represents a dying breed of crime thriller in which character and plot take precedence over action and special effects. It could have drowned in a sea of car chases, shootouts, brutal fistfights, and even gore. Whatever we do see in those respects is used only when absolutely necessary. That's good when those moments finally happen, they will elicit authentic shock and excitement from the audience. No one will be numb from scene after scene of mindless violence and choreography. All in all, it was a thoroughly entertaining flick which is worth a watch.
After twenty years in prison, Foley is finished with the grifter's life. When he meets an elusive young woman named Iris, the possibility of a new start looks real. But his past is proving to be a stubborn companion.
You've got to know a secret to tell a secret.
Good movie! This film represents a dying breed of crime thriller in which character and plot take precedence over action and special effects. It could have drowned in a sea of car chases, shootouts, brutal fistfights, and even gore. Whatever we do see in those respects is used only when absolutely necessary. That's good when those moments finally happen, they will elicit authentic shock and excitement from the audience. No one will be numb from scene after scene of mindless violence and choreography. All in all, it was a thoroughly entertaining flick which is worth a watch.
After twenty years in prison, Foley is finished with the grifter's life. When he meets an elusive young woman named Iris, the possibility of a new start looks real. But his past is proving to be a stubborn companion.
E.J. B
Super Reviewer
November 3, 2012
The performances are restrained but not in a good way. Everybody here seems completely bored, as if they're looking forward to a nice tidy paycheck more so than a solid performance.
Furthermore, the piano based soundtrack attempts to create a very sad, melancholic tone for the picture, but it quickly starts to feel very monotonous. Combined with an uninteresting visual style where everything seems filmed under gold filters, The Samaritan just treads along in a meandering fashion that never manages to engage. Its minor twists aren't enough to make up for a story that we've seen way too many times before.
The Samaritan is just simply too derivative, too cliche, and too much in love with the style of a film noir rather than creating an honest portrayal of characters at crossroads. Samuel L Jackson plays Foley, an ex-grifter who has just got out of a 25-year sentence for murdering his best friend. Foley is simply trying to live his life, get a legit job, and spend his nights at a local bar feeling sorry for himself. That is until Ethan, the son of the man Foley killed, comes to him with a "one last job" offer. Despite pulling one major twist, the plot consistently treads familiar territory.
The performances are restrained but not in a good way. Everybody here seems completely bored, as if they're looking forward to a nice tidy paycheck more so than a solid performance.
Furthermore, the piano based soundtrack attempts to create a very sad, melancholic tone for the picture, but it quickly starts to feel very monotonous. Combined with an uninteresting visual style where everything seems filmed under gold filters, The Samaritan just treads along in a meandering fashion that never manages to engage. Its minor twists aren't enough to make up for a story that we've seen way too many times before.
Jeffrey M
Super Reviewer
September 29, 2012
3.5/5 Stars
The Samaritan is both a meditative noir film, and a pulpy action thriller. It does a good job handling its set-up, not being afraid to slowly develop its characters, giving Samuel L. Jackson a complex role, of which he delivers a strong performance. It also features some good work by Tom Wilkinson, always a formidable screen presence. The script does a generally good job with its plot twists, and has a number of good dialogue exchanges. What hinders the film, however, is a sloppily executed final act, with ridiculous turns and a hasty resolution. On the whole, however, there's more substance to The Samaritan than its limited budget and release would indicate, not quite an "A" noir piece, but better than a low-level "B" pulp action entry.
3.5/5 Stars
May 9, 2013
a film that can't make up it mind what it wants to be and when it reaches the final act some of the twist it takes make go did they just go there
September 18, 2012
For the most part, The Samaritan runs as well as any big screen crime drama. If one were to watch this story without knowing it's an indie flick, one would think it was a major blockbuster that they simply hadn't heard of. That's thanks in large part to the story's writing. It's got enough crosses and double crosses to leave audiences guessing who is on whose side right to the story's closing minutes. The fact that the movie clocks in at barely over an hour and a half makes it that much more watchable for audiences. Perhaps the only major downside to the story would be the blatantly disturbing twist involving Foley's relationship to Iris (Ruth Negga). The way in which this relationship played into the story was disturbing to say the least. The argument would be made that that was the intent. But it could have been written differently than it was. Had their relationship been written differently into the story, then that alone might have made it far more appealing to general audiences.
The issue with Foley and Iris' relationship aside, The Samaritan still has plenty going for it. The cinematography is stunning. The shooting done throughout the film really gives it a modern pulp fiction vibe. There's something about the way that the lighting was used that makes watching the movie appealing. The contrast of the buildings lit up against the night sky, and the general camera angles add a certain extra touch that makes it that much more enjoyable. Combine the top notch cinematography with a story that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats the entire time, and audiences have a movie that while it is an indie flick is one more impressive work from one of Hollywood's best actors.
Samuel L. Jackson has made a career of being an action star. Starring in movies the likes of xXx, Pulp Fiction, and most recently Marvel's Avengers and its related movies among many others has made him a household name. His resume stretches all the way back to the early 1970's. So starring in IFC Films' latest action/drama, The Samaritan, was old hat for this veteran actor. Starring as ex-con Foley, Jackson eases his way throughout the story written by Elan Mastai and David Weaver. Having played so many roles throughout his career, he shows once again his ability to adapt to any role and any story.
For the most part, The Samaritan runs as well as any big screen crime drama. If one were to watch this story without knowing it's an indie flick, one would think it was a major blockbuster that they simply hadn't heard of. That's thanks in large part to the story's writing. It's got enough crosses and double crosses to leave audiences guessing who is on whose side right to the story's closing minutes. The fact that the movie clocks in at barely over an hour and a half makes it that much more watchable for audiences. Perhaps the only major downside to the story would be the blatantly disturbing twist involving Foley's relationship to Iris (Ruth Negga). The way in which this relationship played into the story was disturbing to say the least. The argument would be made that that was the intent. But it could have been written differently than it was. Had their relationship been written differently into the story, then that alone might have made it far more appealing to general audiences.
The issue with Foley and Iris' relationship aside, The Samaritan still has plenty going for it. The cinematography is stunning. The shooting done throughout the film really gives it a modern pulp fiction vibe. There's something about the way that the lighting was used that makes watching the movie appealing. The contrast of the buildings lit up against the night sky, and the general camera angles add a certain extra touch that makes it that much more enjoyable. Combine the top notch cinematography with a story that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats the entire time, and audiences have a movie that while it is an indie flick is one more impressive work from one of Hollywood's best actors.
thepersonwhowatchesmovies
June 13, 2012
David Weaver's directing debut shows an almost extreme devotion to the conventional thriller formula in terms of plot: After being imprisoned for 20 years for the murder of his best friend, Foley (Samuel Jackson) is finally finished with his life of crime, and tries to start again with his new lover. However, his past is slowly catching up with him. It's by the books in almost every sense, so Weaver and Jackson resolve the problem by playing the formula to the best of their abilities, rather than tweak it too harshly. Other than a bizarre Oldboy-esque twist, and a downright ridiculous conclusion, every plot point, reveal, or piece of dialogue can be predicted from several minutes away. However, it's clear Weaver isn't necessarily trying anything too ambitious: What's more important is how well he directs what we already know.
Samuel Jackson gives one of his finer performances, or at least his finest in a while, as Foley, a former criminal trying to break clean from his former life of crime. Though he doesn't necessarily play the character with very much striking emotion, his lack of feeling gives the protagonist a nuanced detachment from the film surrounding it; a choice which works highly in the film's favor. Also very good is an almost cameoed Tom Wilkinson (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) as a notorious crime lord with an almost indecipherable accent. His performance is both simultaneously believable, and an enjoyably manic respite from the melancholic violence surrounding it. While both Luke Kirby and Ruth Negga play highly substantial roles, nothing can be said toward their performances, because they weren't particularly memorable.
The Samaritan is an entertaining, decent pulpy thriller. Though I know I enjoyed the film in the present, I would be curious to see how much I remember from it six months from now, because of how similar the film is to others of its ilk. Though I can honestly say I liked it, similar to Seeking Justice, I'm not particularly sure I can recommend it. It's simply satisfactory pulp, and little more.
Grade: B-
If there's any particular sub-genre in cinema that I'd be inclined to enjoy more than anything other, it would be the slightly idiotic, pulpy thriller. Though nearly all follow the same conventions, forcing the predictability to the point where entire lines of dialogue can be recited due to sheer repetition from viewing multiple films from the genre, they're almost always able to provide, at the absolute least, cheap face-value entertainment with some thought involved. The expectations are always fairly low, and for me personally, the film only necessarily has to supply the satisfactory distractions of its genre to be enjoyed. However, it should be noted that enjoyment doesn't necessarily imply recommendation. Earlier in the year, I surprised even myself when I non-ironically praised the near universally panned Nicolas Cage thriller Seeking Justice. It was a throughly entertaining thriller, which achieved every low hanging goal set. But while I admittedly liked the film, I wouldn't recommend it because it never crossed any expectation, and failed to detach itself from the genre formula in any way. Seeking Justice was merely satisfactory pulp, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but isn't particularly excellent either. The Samaritan, an independent Samuel Jackson vehicle, sadly falls into the same trap; it's pure satisfactory pulp, and little more.
David Weaver's directing debut shows an almost extreme devotion to the conventional thriller formula in terms of plot: After being imprisoned for 20 years for the murder of his best friend, Foley (Samuel Jackson) is finally finished with his life of crime, and tries to start again with his new lover. However, his past is slowly catching up with him. It's by the books in almost every sense, so Weaver and Jackson resolve the problem by playing the formula to the best of their abilities, rather than tweak it too harshly. Other than a bizarre Oldboy-esque twist, and a downright ridiculous conclusion, every plot point, reveal, or piece of dialogue can be predicted from several minutes away. However, it's clear Weaver isn't necessarily trying anything too ambitious: What's more important is how well he directs what we already know.
Samuel Jackson gives one of his finer performances, or at least his finest in a while, as Foley, a former criminal trying to break clean from his former life of crime. Though he doesn't necessarily play the character with very much striking emotion, his lack of feeling gives the protagonist a nuanced detachment from the film surrounding it; a choice which works highly in the film's favor. Also very good is an almost cameoed Tom Wilkinson (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) as a notorious crime lord with an almost indecipherable accent. His performance is both simultaneously believable, and an enjoyably manic respite from the melancholic violence surrounding it. While both Luke Kirby and Ruth Negga play highly substantial roles, nothing can be said toward their performances, because they weren't particularly memorable.
The Samaritan is an entertaining, decent pulpy thriller. Though I know I enjoyed the film in the present, I would be curious to see how much I remember from it six months from now, because of how similar the film is to others of its ilk. Though I can honestly say I liked it, similar to Seeking Justice, I'm not particularly sure I can recommend it. It's simply satisfactory pulp, and little more.
Grade: B-
Maksim Baldzhiev
February 9, 2013
The main story is pretty cliched as the ex-convict Foley (Samuel L. Jackson),comes out of prison after 25 years and tries to start up from the beginning. When he is found by his ex-partner's son, he is involved back in one final set up. This basis for the movie provides nothing special and David Weaver's movie would have been absolutely boring if it was not for the psycho-sexual connection between Samuel L.Jackson and Iris (Ruth Negga). The more the story develops, the nastier and more nuanced it becomes. Unfortunately, this is accompanied by some quite improbable twists which increase the movie's predictability.
In terms of performances, the heavy-weights Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Wilkinson are solid and in line with the overall noir feeling of the movie. The leading performance of Jackson is The Samaritan's biggest asset as his character is tortured by the wrong choices of his past, the desire for redemption, the shame of his recent actions and his restrained fury. On the opposite pole are the peformances of Ruth Negga and Ethan (Luke Kirby). The latter never really convinces of being capable to control Jackson and the true motivation for his actions remains unclear during the whole movie.
The Samaritan is definitely not among the best movies one could see and if one is not a fan of neo-noir thrillers he or she would find it boring and stupid. The multiple cliched twists and the unconvincing "bad guy" certainly create a bad overall taste and partially overshadow the good parts of David Weaver's movie.
The Samaritan is a mildly entertaining, neo-noir thriller which may not be among the top-notch deliveries from this genre,but surely it is not as bad as the critics say. While its cliched plot and slow pace deprive it from being an excellent movie, it offers intriguing psycho-sexual elements, solid performances and a pretty good story build-up.
The main story is pretty cliched as the ex-convict Foley (Samuel L. Jackson),comes out of prison after 25 years and tries to start up from the beginning. When he is found by his ex-partner's son, he is involved back in one final set up. This basis for the movie provides nothing special and David Weaver's movie would have been absolutely boring if it was not for the psycho-sexual connection between Samuel L.Jackson and Iris (Ruth Negga). The more the story develops, the nastier and more nuanced it becomes. Unfortunately, this is accompanied by some quite improbable twists which increase the movie's predictability.
In terms of performances, the heavy-weights Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Wilkinson are solid and in line with the overall noir feeling of the movie. The leading performance of Jackson is The Samaritan's biggest asset as his character is tortured by the wrong choices of his past, the desire for redemption, the shame of his recent actions and his restrained fury. On the opposite pole are the peformances of Ruth Negga and Ethan (Luke Kirby). The latter never really convinces of being capable to control Jackson and the true motivation for his actions remains unclear during the whole movie.
The Samaritan is definitely not among the best movies one could see and if one is not a fan of neo-noir thrillers he or she would find it boring and stupid. The multiple cliched twists and the unconvincing "bad guy" certainly create a bad overall taste and partially overshadow the good parts of David Weaver's movie.
bill s.
January 18, 2013
Not one of Jackson's best but he eats up alot of the scenes he's in and that alone is worth the watch.....otherwise a rather blah movie.
January 8, 2013
Had I not read that this was an indie film, I personally wouldn't have known other from the IFC logo plastered on it. While the cinematography wasn't incredible, to say that it was terrible is a stretch to say the least. I will personally be viewing this film again in the near future.
While a lot of these reviews banter on about cliche and absurdity, I do not feel as if the movie's substance is being taken into full consideration. Yes, the plot of a criminal wanting to go straight has been done before, the psychological toll of secrets unbeknownst to the character are fleshed out and by the end of the movie remedied. The movie also examines revenge through several of its characters and what extent humans, in the extent of their worst nature, will go through to get it. I would also like to point out that Foley (Samuel L. Jackson) is wonderfully developed and quite slowly. It's a complex issue through the film to wonder if we should like him or hate him, even with the exceptional circumstances.
Had I not read that this was an indie film, I personally wouldn't have known other from the IFC logo plastered on it. While the cinematography wasn't incredible, to say that it was terrible is a stretch to say the least. I will personally be viewing this film again in the near future.
December 23, 2012
I dont even know why I am giving this movie a rating...had to turn it off after about 20 minutes because it was sooo bad. No depth to any characters, predictable and rushed plot...truly rotten.
November 30, 2012
I made it a little over an hour into this movie until i just had to turn it off. Far from SLJ's best work. I have pity for anyone who has to sit through this movie, or anyone who has.
November 27, 2012
While packed with talented actors, The Samaritan seems more like a badly written copy of Park's Oldboy. The bitter and slow moving plot brings you to a conclusion that's just too weird to be rewarding. Samuel L. Jackson gives a great and expert performance, but unfortunately it's not enough to make this film as great as it could've been.
