Son of a Gun

Nineteen-year-old JR (Brenton Thwaites) is the most unlikely of prisoners. Caring, inquisitive and adept at the game of chess, he captures the attention of his inmates for all the wrong reasons. In particular, he is noticed by Brendan (Ewan McGregor), a notorious criminal with influence inside and over the prison walls. In exchange for protection, he orchestrates Brendan’s escape and as a reward is welcomed into his world. However, like the moves on a chessboard, JR becomes entangled in a game that places him as the pawn.

While aspects of the plot aren’t plausible, Son of Gun is an absorbing and quality thriller. The reason is the approach to characterisation, which doesn’t polarise the characters as inherently bad but rather infuses them with complexities that comprise all human beings. This provides the foundation for the love-hate relationship between Brendan and JR, which then sets the scene for the tense, action-filled plot that unfolds.

All of this, combined with some dry humour makes this Aussie film an unexpected gem. (MP)

**** /5