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Faster (2010 film)

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Faster
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGeorge Tillman, Jr.
Written byTony Gayton
Joe Gayton
Produced byTony Gayton
Liz Glotzer
Martin Shafer
Robert Teitel
StarringDwayne Johnson
Billy Bob Thornton
Carla Gugino
Moon Bloodgood
Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Maggie Grace
Mike Epps
CinematographyMichael Grady
Edited byDirk Westervelt
Music byClint Mansell
Production
companies
Castle Rock Entertainment
State Street Pictures
Distributed byCBS Films (United States)
TriStar Pictures (international)
Release date
  • November 24, 2010 (2010-11-24)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$24 million[1]
Box office$35,542,923[2]

Faster is a 2010 American action film directed by George Tillman, Jr., and starring Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Moon Bloodgood, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Maggie Grace. The film was released in the United States on November 24, 2010.

Plot

The film begins with Driver (Dwayne Johnson) being released from prison after talking to the warden (Tom Berenger). He exits curtly and breaks into a run. He continues running until he retrieves a car, which also contains a Ruger Alaskan revolver. He then drives to an office in Bakersfield where he kills a telemarketer (Courtney Gains).

Driver then goes to the man who gave him the car and the gun (Mike Epps) and forces him to give him the names and information about the rest of people on a list he compiled for Driver. Meanwhile, Driver is being tracked down by detective Cicero (Carla Gugino) and Slade Humpheries, also known as Cop (Billy Bob Thornton), who is about to retire. They investigate the office crime scene and video from the security camera. Cicero gets a break in the case when she recognizes Driver. Later, an overachieving and mentally unstable hitman, Killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), is hired to kill Driver. Killer tells his girlfriend Lily (Maggie Grace) that it will be his last job.

Driver heads to the second name on his list. It is an old man (John Cirigliano) who films his own personal snuff films, and he is in the middle of filming himself taking advantage of a girl he drugged when Driver bursts in and shoots him dead. Killer has tracked down Driver and initiates a gun fight in the hallway, but Driver escapes. This affects Killer philosophically, who proposes to Lily and takes the case personally.

It is revealed that Cop has a drug problem, as does his ex-wife, Marina (Moon Bloodgood). Cop and Cicero investigate Driver's past and discover he was double-crossed after he robbed a bank with his brother. Cicero remembers Driver from a video of his brother's death, filmed by the man Driver has just killed. On tape, Driver is shot in the head by an unidentified man, but narrowly survives, needing surgery and a metal plate to fix his skull.

Driver goes to his old girlfriend's (Jennifer Carpenter) house, who is married with two children. She stopped visiting Driver in prison at his request and lost touch with him. She tells him that the son he assumed is his is not and admits to having an abortion. She knows he's killing the people in the video and tells him she hopes he succeeds. Driver then goes to Nevada to kill the man who slit his brother's throat. Driver stabs him several times with an ice pick, leaving him to die in the bathroom. Meanwhile, Killer has married Lily and both he and Cop have gotten word that the man survived the stabbing and is in the hospital. Knowing Driver will go back to finish him off, they converge on the place.

Driver enters the hospital and kills the man while he is in surgery. Cop unsuccessfully attempts to bring down Driver but Driver spares his life after seeing his badge. Afterwards, Driver encounters Killer. After a high speed chase on the highway, Driver proves he is the better gun fighter and has the opportunity to shoot and kill Killer. Instead, he shoots out one of Killer's tires, intending to let him go. Killer ungratefully responds by trying to shoot and kill Driver, but he only manages to graze his neck with a bullet.

Driver goes to the second-to-last name on the list, who turns out to be his step-father. He believed that his step-father was the one who arranged to have him and his brother killed, after they refused to give him a share of the money they stole in a bank job they pulled together. He learns that his step-father died years before. Driver's mother stitches the gunshot wound on his neck before he sets off to finish the list. The last man is a traveling evangelist (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Driver confronts him after the service. The evangelist knows why he is there and tells him that he has turned his life around, begging for forgiveness. Driver spares him and goes to leave when he is confronted by Killer.

Detective Cicero learns the true identity of the man who shot Driver. She hurries to the church with Cop already on the scene. Killer tells Driver to pick up his gun, so they can have a true test of skill, but Driver declines, saying he has no quarrel with him.

Cop walks in and shoots Driver in the head. It is revealed that Cop was the man who shot Driver in the video. He tries to pay Killer, but Killer declines because he didn't deserve it. Killer then departs, telling Cop never to contact him again. Killer calls his wife, telling her that he is coming home, to start a family with her. Cop calls his wife, telling her that they will be okay because he closed the case. It is revealed in pieces that Cop's ex-wife was actually the girlfriend of Driver's brother and also a one-time confidential informant for Cop. She told Cop about the bank job, and Cop then put together the crew to take out Driver and his brother. Suddenly, Cop is shot by Driver, who survived Cop's bullet due to the metal plate in his skull. As Cop is dying, he says he created his own hell, to which Driver responds, "And I'm the demon that crawled out of it."

Detective Cicero arrives on the scene after Driver has already left and finds Cop's body. She promptly decides to cover up Cop's involvement in the entire matter so that his family will gain his full pension benefits which he would have received on retirement a few days later. The movie ends with Driver scattering his brother's ashes in the river and driving off into the sunset as the evangelist begins a sermon on forgiveness to an enthusiastic congregation.

Cast

Production

Variety reported in May 2009 that Dwayne Johnson was in final negotiations for his role and that Phil Joanou would be directing.[3] That September it was reported that Joanou had dropped out and George Tillman, Jr. would direct.[4] Salma Hayek was considered for the role of Cicero, but a week before filming was started and she dropped out due to "scheduling issues".[5] Hayek was replaced by Carla Gugino.[6] Principal photography began on February 8, 2010 in Los Angeles, California and continued in Pasadena and Santa Clarita in California.[5]

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 44% of 81 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 5 out of 10.[7] It holds a Metacritic score of 44 out of 100. [8]

Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times said that, "Rotate the plot, change the period, spruce up the dialogue, and this could have been a hard-boiled 1940s noir. But it doesn't pause for fine touches and efficiently delivers action for an audience that likes one-course meals".[9]

Box office

The film grossed $12,200,000 over the five-day Thanksgiving release. It stayed in theaters until February 10, 2011. The film quickly declined and ultimately grossed $35,626,958 worldwide.[10] The film was produced on a $24 million budget.

References

  1. ^ Fritz, Ben (2010-11-23). "Movie projector: 'Harry Potter' to rule again as four new movies open, three competing for women". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  2. ^ Faster (2010). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
  3. ^ Fleming, Michael (May 6, 2009). "Dwayne Johnson in final talks for 'Faster'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
  4. ^ Fleming, Michael (September 29, 2009). "Tillman in talks to direct 'Faster'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Salma Hayek Drops Out Of Rock Actioner". Deadline Hollywood. Mail.com. January 31, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  6. ^ "Carla Gugino Replaces Salma Hayek in Faster". /Film. February 17, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  7. ^ "Faster Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  8. ^ www.metacritic.com/movie/faster-2010
  9. ^ Ebert, Roger (November 23, 2010). "Faster :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times Media Group. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  10. ^ "Faster (2010) - Box Office Mojo".
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