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“Acceptance is the key” is a primary adage in many twelve step programs, and it can prove pretty useful in film assessment also. For instance, there’s no point in fighting ourselves or anybody else about Nicolas Cage ’s role choices anymore — nor, really, has there ever been. For reasons known best to himself, his agent, and perhaps the Internal Revenue Service, the man’s going to go where he goes. Sometimes this leads to the inspired mania of a “ Mandy ,” while other times it leads to the inept bathos of “211.” And there are a lot of other places in between, considering the some-would-say-profligate frequency of his output.

“A Score to Settle” falls more on the not-good column of the Cage ledger, but because I’m practicing acceptance, I’m of a frame of mind not to come down too hard on it. The movie, directed by Shawn Ku from a script by John Stewart Newman, does try to do something new. The picture opens with Cage getting a prescription to help with his insomnia; he’s loath to start using it because it’s a controlled substance. His doctor tells him that his condition will bring on hallucinations, dementia, and more, and so it’s important to sleep whether he’s comfortable with controlled substances or not. The condition is so critical that it’s the reason he’s being released from prison.

His character, Frank, has been in stir for almost twenty years, for reasons partially articulated in bloody flashbacks. He is sprung from prison in the dead of night; walking up a road, he meets his now-adult son, Joey ( Noah Le Gros ), and they chat as they walk. This seems unusual, and it is — think too hard about it and you’ll be able to figure out the movie’s most substantial reveal.

The backstory unfolds to justify the title — Frank did the time for another man’s crime. And he got money for it, and Frank is happy to spend it on himself and Joey, opening the film up to several “ Rain Man ”-in-Vegas style scenes of big spending. Frank gets his first iPhone, then Frank has his first girlfriend-experience-style hookup with a sad-eyed sex worker named Simone ( Karolina Wydra ). But by night Frank is tracking the guys who set him up, relying on a onetime colleague gone straight ( Benjamin Bratt ). And also contending with hallucination and bouts of mania.

That’s the do-something-new part: making old age the active enemy of the gangster in the sunset. We’ll likely be seeing more in this mode soon, as actors who made good playing rooting-interest bad boys motor past retirement age. I expect more than one remake of a ‘50s Jean Gabin film. But these flourishes don’t make the clichés all that less familiar-feeling.

The movie does gain in stature just by letting Cage be Cage. When he’s riding in a car right after his release, Frank rolls down the window feeling a breeze on his face. Cage puts on that “shine sweet freedom” expression he used at the end of “ Con Air .” If you’re a fan of the actor, this is a moment when all is right in the world.

Glenn Kenny

Glenn Kenny was the chief film critic of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence. He has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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A Score to Settle (2019)

103 minutes

Nicolas Cage as Frank

Benjamin Bratt as Q

Noah Le Gros as Joey

Mohamed Karim as Jimmy

Karolina Wydra as Simone

Ian Tracey as Tank

• John Stuart Newman

Cinematographer

• Mark Dobrescu
• Chad Galster
• John Kaefer

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A Score to Settle Reviews

Uneven Nicolas Cage action movie; violence, drug use.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 8, 2019

Too often stumbles with its inconsistent and schlocky take on the geriatric revenge thriller movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 8, 2019

An entertaining and well-paced film, "A Score to Settle" is Nicolas Cage at his best - deeply intense with a little bit of crazy mixed in for good measure.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 21, 2019

Suggests something that's just within reach, but isn't there yet.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.75/5 | Aug 12, 2019

Nicolas Cage has practically cornered the market on these sorts of assembly-line revenge thrillers, including this predictably lackluster entry

Full Review | Aug 9, 2019

Nicolas Cage chose the right amount of restraint in his portrayal of the unhappy, obsessed lead character in "A Score to Settle." But he has one almost over-the-top scene that will stay with you after the credits roll.

Full Review | Aug 4, 2019

At second glance, A Score to Settle reveals itself as a swarm of cliches that ring louder than bullets.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Aug 2, 2019

Cage's eccentricity once had a certain perverse charm, but in a dreary potboiler like this it's merely tiresome.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Aug 2, 2019

Eminently forgettable.

Full Review | Aug 2, 2019

The dialogue is atrocious.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 2, 2019

Cage at least makes a little bit of an effort, but since the film gives him nothing to play off of, those efforts are mostly in vein and after a while, you find yourself hoping that Crazy Cage will finally kick in.

A Score to Settle ends with lots of bullets but with very little bang.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Aug 2, 2019

Starts out stupid, gets even stupider, and then it ends, which is one of the most satisfying things to be said about it.

A Score to Settle falls more on the not-good column of the Cage ledger.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 2, 2019

[The filmmakers] appear to believe that they've made a subversive kind of revenge story ... It's mostly, though, just a laughable bust.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Aug 2, 2019

Director Shawn Ku manages to capture a few moments that will make the latest Nic Cage supercut of the actor's bizarre on-screen moments. Otherwise this tale barely treads water, and all but sinks with its ridiculous third act twist.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Aug 1, 2019

Without Cage, there'd be almost no reason to see the by-the-numbers revenge thriller "A Score to Settle." With him, the movie isn't just watchable, it's occasionally riveting.

Full Review | Aug 1, 2019

The execution falls short thanks in part to the devolution from contemplative drama to unbridled shoot 'em up.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Aug 1, 2019

Ku... struggles to match his star's surrender to a story that seems to have little idea where it's going.

Cage gives what he can to the low-budget endeavor, but director Shawn Ku can't shake the stiffness of the effort, which buries a few of its better ideas with crude filmmaking and lackluster casting.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Jul 31, 2019

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‘A Score to Settle’ Review: Vengeance Is Fine

As a dying mobster of dubious mental clarity, Nicolas Cage could not be more perfect for Shawn Ku’s loopy revenge thriller.

• Share full article

By Jeannette Catsoulis

Nicolas Cage’s singing voic e might not be the worst thing about the revenge thriller “A Score to Settle,” but it’s right up there with Clint Eastwood’s woodland warblings in “Paint Your Wagon” (1969). I could happily have gone to the grave without hearing either.

Which is exactly where Frank Carver (Cage), the onetime enforcer for an Oregon crime syndicate, is headed. A diagnosis of sporadic fatal insomnia has earned him early release from prison after serving 19 years for a murder he didn’t commit. Now he has two goals: to make amends to his troubled son, Joey (a colorless Noah Le Gros), and to track down and punish the surviving members of his former crew.

The reason for this vendetta is not immediately clear, but that’s par for the course in a movie that leaves a great deal unexplained until the final half-hour. Until then, “A Score to Settle” takes a strange, intermittently violent and digressive trip alongside a dying man of dubious mental clarity — in other words, the kind of role that’s bang in Cage’s wheelhouse. Less comfortable is his director, Shawn Ku ( whose last big-screen feature, “Beautiful Boy,” was almost 10 years ago), who struggles to match his star’s surrender to a story that seems to have little idea where it’s going.

While Joey inexplicably appears and disappears at random, his increasingly addled father, bedeviled by flashbacks to his younger self (played by Cage’s spitting-image nephew, Bailey Coppola), gets medieval on a succession of former associates. Conversations about baseball bats and the benefits of applying vitamin E to gunshot scars interrupt the action; but not even John Newman’s distressingly awful dialogue can slow Cage’s roll to a histrionic finish. Or a wistful chorus of “I’m always chasing rainbows.”

A Score to Settle

Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes.

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A Score to Settle

Where to Watch

Nicolas Cage (Frank Carver) Noah Le Gros (Joey Carver) Karolina Wydra (Simone) Mohamed Karim (Jimmy the Dragon) Ian Tracey (Tank) Benjamin Bratt (Q) Bailey Coppola (Young Frank) Dave Kenneth MacKinnon (Max) Zyan Panagopoulos (Bagman) Alex Alegria (Young Q) Linda Ko (Prison Doctor) Anthony Timpano (Baby-Faced Thug) Nicole G. Leier (Sleepy's Daughter) Sean Owen Roberts (Trip) Elle Young (Lorraine Carver) Chase Sander (Bellhop Benjamin) Carmel Amit (Simone #2) Joshua Tom Jr. (Simone's Child)

An ex-enforcer for a local crime syndicate has vowed to enact retribution on his mob bosses after 19 years of wrongful imprisonment. The only thing diverting his violent plans is a new found relationship to his beloved son.

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A score to settle, common sense media reviewers.

Uneven Nicolas Cage action movie; violence, drug use.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

No positive messages to be found.

No real positive role models.

A man is tied to a chair while another man throws

Lead character has sex with a sex worker in his ho

"F--k" used several times. "S--t," "bulls--t," "bi

One of the characters is a heroin addict; he's fou

Parents need to know that A Score to Settle is a 2019 action movie in which Nicolas Cage plays a mob enforcer released from prison who's looking to get even with those who put him there. Action movie violence incudes the following: A man is tied up and beaten, then killed when another man swings a baseball…

Positive Messages

Positive role models, violence & scariness.

A man is tied to a chair while another man throws a baseball into the air and swings a baseball bat in his direction before inevitably swinging the baseball bat at the man's skull. Man shot and killed at point-blank range, shot in the forehead. Man shot in the crotch before he's shot and killed. Fighting with punches, kicks, head butts.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Lead character has sex with a sex worker in his hotel bed and in his car -- no nudity, very vocal.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"F--k" used several times. "S--t," "bulls--t," "bitches," "piss." Jokes about penis size. Middle-finger gesture.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

One of the characters is a heroin addict; he's found overdosed in a drug den. Alcohol drinking. Wine drinking. Marijuana smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Score to Settle is a 2019 action movie in which Nicolas Cage plays a mob enforcer released from prison who's looking to get even with those who put him there. Action movie violence incudes the following: A man is tied up and beaten, then killed when another man swings a baseball bat at his skull. A man is shot in the groin before he's shot and killed. Another character is shot and killed at point-blank range. There's fighting with fists, kicks, and head butts, plus frequent profanity, including "f--k" used several times. A character is presented as a recovering drug addict and is later revealed to have already been killed. A character imagines himself going into a drug den and saving the life of his son who has just overdosed with a needle and syringe in his arm. The lead character has sex with a sex worker, first in his hotel bed and then in his car; there's no nudity, but loud moaning throughout. Alcohol drinking and marijuana smoking are seen. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

Frank ( Nicolas Cage ) has just been released from prison after serving time for nearly 20 years, and he has A SCORE TO SETTLE. He was a mob enforcer who took the fall for his boss after his boss clubbed a man to death with a baseball bat. Outside the prison gates, he's met by his now adult son Joey (Noah Le Gros), who is ambivalent at best upon reuniting with his father. After Frank finds the bag of money that was buried for him upon release from prison, he wants to take his son on a spending spree -- staying in a luxury hotel, buying expensive suits and watches, and fine dining. The other reason Frank wants to do this is because he's dying. Reconnecting with his son isn't the only item on Frank's agenda. He also wants to get even with his former mob cronies, who didn't hold up their end of the bargain: Frank's wife died while he was incarcerated, and his son sunk into the depths of drug addiction. The first crony Frank reconnects with is Q ( Benjamin Bratt ), who is now out of the game and running a high-end bar. Q tells Frank where he can find such betrayers like Jimmy the Dragon and The Tank, but as Frank begins to exact revenge, his quest puts his reborn relationship with his son in jeopardy, as well as the unlikely romance that seems to be forming between him and Simone, a sex worker who sees the good in Frank. Frank must decide if it's better to make the best of what he has with the time he has left, or to fulfill his plan of getting even.

Is It Any Good?

This so-so action movie has a somewhat interesting storyline marred by various stock characters and clichés and a plot twist that, in hindsight, seems all but inevitable. Nicolas Cage plays Frank, newly released from prison and determined to get even with characters with names like "Jimmy the Dragon" and "The Tank" while also trying to make up for lost time with his now adult son and finding romance in the form of the proverbial "hooker with a heart of gold." This impossible balancing act is further complicated by Frank's impending death due to chronic insomnia. This juggling act between revenge, reconciliation, and romance doesn't quite hold up, and you're left wishing that Frank had simply chosen one of the three and gone from there.

As Frank, Nicolas Cage is, well, Nicolas Cage, for better or worse. During a climactic scene in A Score to Settle , Cage's exasperated repetition of the word "Beef?!" (as in "beef with me") comes off as unintentionally hilarious self-parody, and should inevitably be converted into GIFs and memes sooner rather than later. And yet, you still find yourself rooting for Frank, even if he wasn't the best person before his imprisonment and doesn't seem that much better after his release, aside from efforts at vulnerability with his son and the aforementioned sex worker/love interest. The result is an uneven and somewhat trite movie, and not one of the better works in the Nic Cage canon.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about action movies. How does A Score to Settle compare to other action movies in terms of story, characters, violent content?

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A central element to this movie is a "plot twist." What are some other examples of movies with plot twists, or moments that are intended to be unexpected to the viewer?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : August 2, 2019
• Cast : Nicolas Cage , Benjamin Bratt , Noah Le Gros
• Director : Shawn Ku
• Inclusion Information : Indigenous actors, Latino actors
• Studio : Goldrush Entertainment
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Run time : 103 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : January 6, 2023

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A Score to Settle (2019) – Movie Review

Posted by Eddie Pasa on July 31, 2019 in Movie Reviews / 2 Comments

Some days, you know you’re watching a good movie; other days, it becomes obvious very quickly that you’re not. Every now and again, you find yourself incapable of deciding. A Score to Settle lands smack dab in this nebulous area, anchored by a mature performance by Nicolas Cage but surrounded by adornments which don’t match his intensity or emotion. And it’s not  that an intense performance; Cage plays it rather subdued, giving an everyday workingman’s vibe to this film.

And that’s fine. This movie doesn’t speak in shouts and radical notions. However, it’s pushed too much into a middle ground because it rides on a unknown conceit – the details of which are revealed at the opening of the third act – which observant audiences will pick up almost immediately. John Newman and director Shawn Ku’s screenplay create a dynamic between Cage’s Frank Carver and his son Joey (Noah Le Gros) which wants to evoke a “hangout movie” kind of vibe, but we know there are darker intentions behind everything.

There’s no level of emotional or mental involvement with the characters – not even with Frank, who’s in every shot and scene (except for one pivotal moment). A lot of it has to do with not being privy to his agenda; he simply shows up in places with seemingly no rhyme nor reason, and we don’t know if he’s going to kill people, have a drink with a friend, or buy a nice watch. Ku doesn’t allow us into Frank’s life; we’re merely there as witnesses to this post-prison outing with his son. It’s a neat contrivance which takes some acclimation, but it doesn’t stick the way Ku wants.

An additional wrinkle in Frank’s story is the possibly-fatal insomnia he developed while in prison. It’s a malady which affects him at very convenient plot moments – while he’s drinking, during sexual intercourse, getting shot at (or vice versa) – and it comes and goes as it pleases. One might say it affects him more constantly upon second viewing, as his symptoms include hallucinations and dementia. Cage is given so much to do with this role and mostly succeeds in carrying the film. One or two sequences give him space to dig in and give us more than a conversational tone, where you think he might go off the chain a bit, but that’s not his character. He’s a nice guy who took the rap for his crime boss and wound up doing more time than expected in exchange for his boss to take care of his family while he was gone.

For as much as we want to fully immerse ourselves in Frank’s journey, Shawn Ku’s direction and the script prevent us from doing so. It’s predictable due to multiple story beats being lifted from other films, but they’re couched in such a way which almost makes us believe it’s got a semblance of originality. You want to like some of these characters, but they’re all written as off-putting in some manner. No one’s really a good person in any of this, with the sliding scale going from “ehhhh” to “Oh, God, please kill him.” It’s mostly worth it to watch Nicolas Cage dial it back and play a fairly normal guy, but the rest of it is exactly how you’d expect a sick-parolee-with-one-last-job movie to go.

Where to watch

A score to settle.

2019 Directed by Shawn Ku

Revenge Is Coming

A former mob enforcer who is released from prison after serving 22 years for a crime he didn't commit sets out on a path for revenge against the people who wronged him.

Nicolas Cage Noah Le Gros Karolina Wydra Benjamin Bratt Mohamed Karim Dave Kenneth MacKinnon Ian Tracey Bailey Coppola Zyan Panagopoulos Alex Alegria Linda Ko Carmel Amit Anthony Timpano Nicole G. Leier Sean Owen Roberts Leanne Khol Young Chase Sander Joshua Tom Jr. Naomi Simpson Nicole Muñoz

Director Director

Assistant director asst. director.

Daniel Redenbach

Producers Producers

Kevin DeWalt Eric Gozlan Danielle Masters

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Nicolas Cage

Writer Writer

John Stuart Newman

Casting Casting

John Papsidera Barbara Tyson Deb Green

Editor Editor

Chad Galster

Cinematography Cinematography

Mark Dobrescu

Camera Operator Camera Operator

Chris Duerkopp

Lighting Lighting

Peter La Rocque

Production Design Production Design

Kathy McCoy

Art Direction Art Direction

Set decoration set decoration.

Adrian Traquair

Composer Composer

John Kaefer

Sound Sound

Evan Ferguson

Costume Design Costume Design

Maxyne Baker

Makeup Makeup

Denise Barnes Pamela Warden

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Dylan Raine

Paragon Media Productions Goldrush Entertainment Minds Eye Entertainment Spartiate Films Ingenious Media Saturn Films

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

Spanish Czech English

Releases by Date

Theatrical limited, 02 aug 2019, 01 aug 2019, 17 feb 2020, 30 sep 2019, 25 oct 2019, 31 oct 2019, releases by country.

• Physical 16
• Theatrical B-15

Russian Federation

• Digital 16+
• Physical 15 DVD
• Theatrical limited NR

103 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by John Frankensteiner 7

Some Cagelights:

-Shoots a man in the cock and balls while informing him his "Dragon" nickname is officially obsolete -Buys expensive watches while singing a refrain of "Please bring me my watches" in a hair metal voice -Buys an expensive car and immediately makes hilarious engine revving sounds as he peels out -Tells a prostitute who he suspects is using a false name to, "Get out you phony piece of shit" -Drops a Mr. Burns, "Exxxxxxxcellent," on the phony-piece-of-shit-prostitute's incompetent pimp when the pimp makes it known that he comprehends that Cage will kill him and his entire family if Cage sees him or the prostitute again -After discovering the true culprit of what he's out for revenge for takes…

Review by wounded kite ★★½ 1

needed more score-settling

Review by Dave Taylor ★★★

Second tier Cage with a first tier score? What da what?!?!?!?

It’s true. ‘A Score to Settle,’ had a sleepy-time Cage baller bonding with his estranged son, and it was...nice. Even the revenge plot didn’t exactly play it by the numbers...violent when we’re expecting mercy and (admittedly) kind of lame when they were going for straight action.

If you’re going in wanting the violent revenge movie that is being advertised, you’ll probably be disappointed. But, if you’re open to the story that’s unfolding, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Review by Ben Peterson ★★★½

A tricky vibe, this one, and one that I was agreeing with pretty much every step of the way. Cage gets to just hang out with his (adult) son and do all kinds of dads rock things like buying sports cars, expensive watches and getting custom tailored suits. This movie has tons of heart, with some of it coming in the above average DTV/Redbox screenplay, but most provided by Cage in a really, really awesome role where he gets to play all things he loves. It's a genuinely affable movie with a good bit of surprise peppered in, both in plot and positive zaniness.

Review by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine ★★½ 17

Have you ever look for a film just to realize in the end that wasn't the movie you were actually looking for? Apparently I was looking for his film 8MM and I got confused with this one (in Spanish they share the same name)...

So yeah... this movie, huh? Well, I was expecting the worst out of a straight-to-VOD Nicolas Cage movie, but this wasn't that bad. The premise of a man who blame himself for a crime just so he can protect his family has been overdone by now, but here it was fine enough to spend the time. Cage himself was really good, especially when he somewhat explodes by the end, with eyes and everything, that really dope.…

Review by Eli Hayes ★★½ 2

what in the world is happening in the realm that is Shawn Ku's filmography?

Review by linufoe ★½ 1

Why does the poster look like if Nic Cage got deepfaked by himself❓❔😂

Review by Ryan Beaupit ½

Cage learned to play the piano for this movie. Oscar winning actor, Nicolas Cage, learned to play the piano for A Score to Settle. Say what you want about the man, but he's committed to his craft.

Review by NotAnnaFaris ★★★ 10

"Remember what they say about revenge? About having to dig two graves?"

"They're gonna hafta dig a lot more than two."

Lets get Cage-d I thought I'd get to the end of A Score to Settle & struggle to share the most hilarious &/or extreme parts with y'all in less than 5000 words. But then, everything...changed 😶 For a while the film stumbles between savage, sultry, silly, & stupid...like a guy fresh outta prison who hasn't slept in years , thirsts for nothing but vengeance, & has nothing left to lose. But then we get these odd glimpses of who the guy used to be through imagery of what he once loved...& It's legit supremely sweet ... & SAD 🥺

Don't get me wrong - without…

Review by Nicholas Faron ★★

You got to be kidding me!

Those were my exact words when that ridiculous third act twist happened.

Review by Scout Tafoya ★★★½ 5

A movie like this, I suspect is the kind of thing you need to have spent years having your brain worked over by pop culture like a bookie sent it after you to really enjoy. It’s unemphatically directed - which seems odd for a crime film but for a Nicolas Cage crime film it’s perfect. You don’t want a cowboy behind the camera trying to prove he’s the next Tarantino or whatever, he’s inevitably not talented enough to break out. If he was he wouldn’t be making straight-to-video crime films in what is clearly a rented south western hotel where the cast and crew inevitably just stayed when shooting wrapped for the day. You want someone who will let…

Review by Nicolas Cage Fan Nr.1 ★ 5

You could do so much with nicolas cage and a baseball bat but they don't do anything

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A score to settle.

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With a hot-off-the-presses New York Times Magazine profile and a few genuinely strong recent performances, the stakes are higher for Nicolas Cage than they’ve been in years. From the pyramid-shaped tomb he keeps in New Orleans to the back taxes that make it seem like he’s so hard up for money he’ll take anything for a paycheck, Cage had for a long time seemed like an defeated ham, reliable for a few moments of meme-ready bug-eyes in an otherwise forgettable VOD product like Rage or The Humanity Bureau . His beyond over-the-top performance in last year’s delirious, near-visionary Mandy raised expectations for the prolific actor, and if it weren’t for that higher bar, the revenge thriller A Score to Settle would seem like a better-than-average Cage showcase. But now that we’ve been reminded what a fully-cooked Cage vehicle can look like, his latest is something of a disappointment.

That disappointment isn’t Cage’s fault. He plays Frankie, an old-school thug released from a 19-year stint in prison for his part in a brutal murder—committed by a whole gang of men, though he was the only one to serve time for it. He’s got a big payoff waiting for him, but naturally, you expect him to go after the other members of his old gang. Here’s the thing: In prison, he was diagnosed with an incurable condition that causes fatal insomnia; if he doesn’t take his medication, he won’t be able to fall asleep, and he’ll die.

It sounds like a perfect role for everybody’s favorite mad actor, and he turns in that late-career rarity, a full performance. Instead of the intermittent conviction that appears when he lets all of his inner demons fly out, he simmers and bides his time and modulates his intensity so he seems committed through the whole film. He shares tender moments with the now grown son (Noah Le Gros) who meets him when he gets out of prison, and while he does play the prodigal dad, he doesn’t settle for conventional emotion. When they use dad’s newly unearthed fortune for an extravagant shopping spree, Cage shifts between regret at not being there for his son and a wild-eyed glee at being able to pay cash for expensive sports cars, bling and a hooker with a heart of gold (Karolina Wydra).

Screenwriter John Newman, a veteran of the TV series “Get Shorty” and the long-running “Days of Our Lives,” gives Cage enough to chew on—and a third act twist that’s all kinds of soap-opera ridiculous. Such material could have blossomed under a quirkier, more brutal director like fellow Nicolas, Winding Refn. But director Shawn Ku ( Beautiful Boy ), even though he leads Cage through a reasonably coherent character arc, mostly settles for bland locations and cinematography that lack the much-needed texture to launch this into B-movie glory.

The film isn’t exactly a failure; Cage makes it watchable throughout, and he saves his best freakout for a final act outburst over the appropriateness of the word “beef.” Still, you wish that Cage could get together with a low-budget auteur who could crank out the 21st century equivalent of a shoestring ‘40s film noir. That kind of movie is totally within Cage’s skill-set, and probably runs in the veins of some viscerally-minded director on the fringes of the industry. If only the two could find each other. A Score to Settle suggests something that’s just within reach, but isn’t there yet.

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Film Review: “A Score to Settle”

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• A SCORE TO SETTLE
• Starring:  Nicolas Cage, Noah Le Gros and Benjamin Bratt
• Directed by:  Shawn Ku
• Running time:  1 hr 43 mins

Not many people know this, but Nicolas Cage made his film debut 37 years ago in the comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”  He was one of Sean Penn’s stoner pals (along with fellow up and coming actors Eric Stoltz and Anthony Edwards).  He was also billed with his real name, Nicolas Coppola.  I didn’t really pay attention to him until the next year’s film “Valley Girl.”  There was something about him that struck me as interesting.  His career highlights include winning the Oscar for Best Actor in “Leaving Las Vegas” and such action hits as “The Rock” and “Con Air.”  I should also add that, when he was in Baltimore making the film “Guarding Tess” that he often ate at the restaurant my roommate worked at.  I was told he was very nice to talk to and a great tipper!

He hasn’t been in a lot of high profile films lately, but no matter what the film, he’s usually the best thing in it.  He certainly is in the new drama “A Score to Settle.”

Frank (Cage) has been looking forward to this day.  After 19 years he is being released from prison, where he was sentenced for a brutal murder.  On his way out he is informed by the prison doctor that he must do something for his insomnia or risk a life of hallucinations and, eventually, death.  But all Frank wants to do is spend some time with his son, Joey (Le Gros), hoping he can make up the time he lost with him.  Oh, and he also plans to take his revenge out on the people who put him in prison.

An entertaining and well-paced film, “A Score to Settle” is Nicolas Cage at his best – deeply intense with a little bit of crazy mixed in for good measure.  Carrying a duffel bag full of cash, as well as a bunch of prison-made baseball bats, Frank is trying to ease the guilt he feels from not being there for Joey, especially after his wife dies.  However, a fancy hotel, new clothes and even a new car are not what Joey wants.  Complicating things are Frank’s relationship with his former partner in crime, Q (Bratt) and his meeting of a female escort (Karolina Wydra) with her own problems.  As the film progresses it takes a twist that amps up the emotional impact of Frank’s mission. 

A well recommended action/thriller, “A Score to Settle” is currently available with Video on Demand. 

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Film Review – A Score to Settle (2019)

It’s time for another Nicolas Cage VOD feature! I’m not saying I’d rather watch Quentin Tarantino ‘s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood  — nor am I at all bitter about it not being out in my country yet — but I’d rather watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood . There are two kinds of people in the world, those who watch Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie and those that watch A Score to Settle …

Considering the uninspiring title, the hilariously lazy poster design with that typical straight-laced Nicolas Cage expression, this is probably, most likely, going to be awful. Yet, even in his VOD ventures, Cage has managed to star in interesting and sometimes masterful pieces of cinema — last year’s Mandy is still one of the greatest films of 2018.

So let’s not be cynical here. Who knows? This film might just be another Nicolas Cage masterpiece, not just another quick cash-grab for Cage so he can continue paying for his ridiculous luxuries…

The following review will be spoiler free.

Directed By: Shawn Ku

Written By: John Stuart Newman

Starring: Nicolas Cage , Noah Le Gros, Benjamin Bratt , Mohamed Karim with Karolina Wydra, Ian Tracey and Dave MacKinnon

After spending nearly two decades in jail in order to protect a crime boss (Dave MacKinnon), Frank (Nicolas Cage) is released from jail. Before his release, he is diagnosed with a terminal neurological illness that causes insomnia — which will also spark the occasional hallucination.

Upon his release, he reconnects with his estranged, drug-abusing son Joey (Noah Le Gros). Wanting to make up for lost time, he digs up a lot of cash he had buried safely before his imprisonment and the two of them check into a fancy hotel that, admittedly, looks more like some rich investor’s mansion.

Even though Frank tells his son he’s out of the game, revenge is certainly on his mind. And soon, he’s packing an arsenal and going on the hunt for anyone who was responsible for taking away nearly two decades of his life.

This is Going to Be Rough

Oh boy… Image via Roger Ebert.com

From the moment A Score to Settle begins, it’s hard to deny its clunky, even amateurish feel. I knew I was in for a rough ride. There’s an undeniable cheapness to it. It might sound snobbish, but everything about it, from its first frame to the opening credits, echoes a low-budget B-movie. It doomed the film from the start. Everything feels uninspired , from the dialogue to the cinematography. None of the actors seem like professionals. Perhaps it’s not their fault, it’s the director’s. Even so, there’s nothing worse than bad actors saying bad lines.

I realized then that only one man could possibly salvage this movie…

Nicolas Cage

Frank (Nicolas Cage) buying an overly expensive car for his son Joey (Noah le Gros). Image via productplacementblog

A smile appeared on my face the moment Nicolas Cage’s face appeared on the screen. He’s not even doing anything in this scene, he’s just sitting there, staring into space, but even so, I’m enjoying myself. His undeniable wacky charisma, even in cheap fodder like this, is always ridiculously entertaining. He doesn’t even have to try that hard, he just has to sit there.

Besides Benjamin Bratt, Cage is the only competent actor in A Score to Settle . Since Bratt only appears in a few scenes, Cage has to elevate the material. And he does, not because he’s particularly good, but because he’s Nicolas Cage. The funny thing about his performance is that I’m not sure whether he’s trying really hard or phoning it in.

Everyone around Cage is struggling. The actors are trying hard but their efforts are nearly always cringeworthy. Sometimes it’s funny, other times it’s painful. It’s sadly never painful enough that it veers into “so bad, it’s good” territory.

Noah Le Gros as Joey, the estranged son, is not as bad as the rest, but crumbles under the weight of the emotional depth needed for his interactions with Cage. The film hinges on their dynamic and sometimes, their chemistry seems to work, but it never really gets close to believable.

What you’re left with is some madcap Nicolas Cage acting. Luckily, A Score to Settle does delivers in this way. There’s a wonderful scene with Cage eating a sausage like he’s Bugs Bunny eating a carrot, while holding a gun in the other hand. One scene has Cage playing the piano and singing which is downright hilarious . The film has plenty of scenes of Cage freaking out, even bursting into tears. It’s wonderful. Cage absolutely saves this movie from being a complete waste of time. There are certainly nuggets in here which one could use for an awesome Nicolas Cage YouTube compilation.

A Serious Crime Drama?

Image via The Hollywood Reporter

The most surprising element of A Score to Settle is that it’s not a mindless action film. The title makes you believe it’s some Bulgarian-produced action fluff, but it’s not. It wants to be a serious crime drama. There is violence, but it’s admittedly sparse.

It wants to a serious character study of a man filled with regrets, a man who wants to avenge his past and rekindle his relationship with his son. The plot point of his neurological disorder, making him hallucinate from time to time, is actually interesting though it’s never satisfactorily explored.

The script is definitely an issue. It’s filled with clichés and obvious twists. It has nothing original to say; we don’t see anything that we haven’t seen before.

Final Thoughts

A Score to Settle is definitely not good, but it’s a good reminder of the talents of Nicolas Cage and how wonderful he can be when he’s used properly. Every time Cage is on screen, no matter how cheap everything feels or how awful his co-stars are, you are definitely entertained.

It’s most surprising aspect is how it tries to be a serious drama. So if you’re hoping for a moronic action film , this is not it. When the action does kick in, however, the clunky scene choreography leaves a lot to be desired.

Its biggest problem, besides the lackluster script and awful acting, is director Shawn Ku. Perhaps he simply lacked the necessary resources, but the film has no sense of style. A great director could have made something out of this — though admittedly, the script would have needed a massive rewrite. It doesn’t necessarily feel like a hack job. I’d even argue there’s an earnest feel to the proceedings. But it simply doesn’t work.

So thank god for Nicolas Cage.

Thank you Cage. Image via Tumblr.

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Chris van Dijk

A thirty-something writer currently living in Poland. One day he dreams about writing, directing, and starring in his own movie. In order to stop it from becoming a snoozefest, he's planning to fill the screen with excessive nudity and gore. And chainsaw duels. Why not? Chris loves high-art cinema and pure unadulterated schlock. He can talk just as much about the brilliance of Ingmar Bergman's Wild Strawberries as he can about Miami Connection. When he's not writing for MovieBabble, he's working on his own stories. These stories star a host of dysfunctional characters that in no way resemble his own fractured psyche. He hopes everyone will be good to each other. He rightly believes dogs are superior to humans, and that all dogs will go to heaven.

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[…] vehicle. What’s it going to be this time? Is it going to be some forgettable VOD schlock like A Score to Settle? Or is he actually going to be in something worthwhile like Color Out of Space, perhaps even […]

[…] none other than Nicolas Cage. Cage has managed to revive some dignity after starring in countless VOD fodder, especially with films like Dog Eat Dog, Mom and Dad, and […]

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A Score to Settle: Blu-Ray Review

Posted on September 23, 2019 by popcornnights in DVD/BLU-RAY REVIEWS // 0 Comments

Arriving this week on DVD and Blu-ray is Nicolas Cage’s latest venture into the familiar revenge thriller genre, “A Score to Settle”. It’s been obvious for quite some time that Cage has been accepting roles in these kinds of films for the paycheck, but I have come to the realization that he seems to be purposely picking the exact same character over and over again so he can just get through the production as quickly as possible. When you essentially keep playing the same part, time after time, your performance becomes like a well-oiled machine. To me the gifted actor is wasting his talents, but if its about the money and little else, I guess I can’t blame him. I would probably do the same thing.

Once again, Cage is playing a broken man, this time named Frank.  Fresh out of prison, all he has in this world is his son Joey (Noah Le Gros). Well, he also has a big bag of cash that he stashed away before doing his time. Frank took the rap years ago for a murder that his mob boss was responsible for. In exchange, he was promised that his family would be taken care of. The promise was not kept. His wife died and his son became a junkie. Naturally, Frank wants revenge and he starts picking off his old crew, one by one. When he is not killing his former associates, Frank and Joey are staying in a lavish hotel and shopping. Frank just wants to make the lost time up to his son, but Joey doesn’t trust his dad.

“A Score to Settle” is at its’ best when it focuses on Frank and Joey’s relationship. Maybe it’s because this is one of the very few films of its kind where Cage’s character isn’t out for revenge over his child’s death. This does bring me to an annoying twist in the film, that I should have seen coming, but surprisingly didn’t.  I just didn’t buy it.  Most of Cage’s revenge thrillers aren’t good and this fits in well with the rest. It doesn’t matter how much you may love the actor, he isn’t delivering anything of substance here.

By: Marc Ferman

• A Score to Settle

© Copyright 2014-present. The Film Junkies. All Rights Reserved.

A Score To Settle

By Asher Luberto | August 2, 2019

Ever wonder what happened to Nic Cage? Shawn Ku’s bombastically bleak B-movie gives you the chance to find out. I should warn you, though, it isn’t pretty. The renowned actor has gone from Raising Arizona to a career Left Behind . 

A Score to Settle could be the preparatory title for all of these “I’m too old for this” revenge movies. An old soul caged by the impassable bars of grief and loss; so he must get revenge on those who have made his life so miserable. And what exactly has made his life so miserable? Oh, you know, the usual: the death of his wife, a drugged-up son, along with 19 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s a possible premise in an impossibly formulaic film. 

“…he must get revenge on those who have made his life so miserable.”

It’s astounding that Ku, the director of the critical darling Beautiful Boy , could have followed up the Oscar contender with a Razzie contender. A parable on renewal disguised as a Hollywood melodrama, Beautiful Boy was both a beautiful achievement in its own right and a promise of great things to come for the 68-year-old director. It didn’t quite go as planned. Despite a similarity in themes and tone, this is a Liam Neeson vehicle without the commercial appeal (and without Liam Neeson). 

At first glance, the premise is promising. Cage’s Frank has just been released from jail, and he decides to make up for lost time with his now-adult son. It’s funny to watch him rediscover his smile as he discovers smartphones. And the two have a blast blowing through money at a chic hotel. At second glance, A Score to Settle reveals itself as a swarm of cliches that ring louder than bullets. 

Most of the borrowing in John Stuart Newman’s script comes from dependable sources– Leon: The Professional , Taken , Road to Perdition — but the script never finds time to add its own personality. The suspense, or what passes for it, comes when Frank tracks down those who ratted him out. This takes him to bars, strip clubs and weddings–the venerable sources for dingy shootouts. At various points he is beaten, stabbed and shot while trying to save the day; but Cage can never save the film because he is given nothing to do but be beaten and sulk like a tantrum-riddled toddler. 

“… he is given nothing to do but be beaten and sulk …”

To call his performance sleepwalking wouldn’t suffice given that he is playing a sleepwalker. At the mercy of insomnia, he is a mercenary with a ticking clock. Fittingly, he falls for a lady in a mercenary field. A missionary of good fortune, Simone (Karolina Wydra) is a high-end prostitute that falls for Frank’s good-guy charms. You can’t blame her. Those sideburns would catch any woman’s eye.

While watching these smaller moments, as Frank tries to navigate social interactions for the first time in 20 years, you will find yourself rooting for the guy. It’s when the action picks up that this goes off the cinematic rails. The action sequences seem to be shot and edited on iMovie. The score eerily sounds like someone gasping for breath, but the desaturated setting is lacking airiness. Shouldn’t a movie about renewal be allowed some life? “It’s not the old days anymore,” an old pal tells Frank. It’s what Nicholas Cage fans will be thinking throughout the run time. 

A Score To Settle (2019) Directed by Shawk Ku. Written by John Stuart Newman. Starring Nicolas Cage, Benjamin Bratt, Noah Le Gros, Karolina Wydra, Ian Tracey. 

4 out of 10

Starring: , etc.

Movie score: /10

"…“...a swarm of cliches that ring louder than bullets.”"

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Review: 'A Score to Settle' another Nic Cage blunder

The actor stars as a man seeking revenge in a movie he may or may not even remember making.

Nicolas Cage definitely has a score to settle, and he should start with his agent. 

The actor has long been out to lunch, popping up in whatever would get him a paycheck, a true quantity-over-quality work philosophy. In the numbers game of his career, some of his projects in recent years have managed to land, mostly those whose title is also a person's name (see "Joe," "Mandy").

Otherwise, it's films like "Rage," "Pay the Ghost," "Inconceivable" and "Between Worlds," cheap-o productions pumped out at a rate of several a year which fall well below the Oscar-winner's skill set. Perhaps it's a part of some grand art project that's still being written, but Cage's career has turned into one of the most baffling showbiz mysteries of our time.

And so here's "A Score to Settle," the latest project off the Nic Cage assembly line, and one of 10 films he currently has in some stage of production. He plays Frank, a former enforcer-type who's just gotten out of prison after two decades behind bars. Upon his release, he reconnects with his son, Joey (Noah Le Gros), who he hasn't seen in 19 years. 

Frank has some money stashed from a former job, and he collects it and takes his son on a garish spending spree: spiffy suits, fancy meals, a brand new sports car. But Frank's also got revenge on his mind, and tracks down his old cohorts who wronged him. (Frank is also dying, which may or may not be a commentary on Cage's career.) 

Director Shawn Ku manages to capture a few moments that will make the latest Nic Cage supercut of the actor's bizarre on-screen moments. Otherwise this tale barely treads water, and all but sinks with its ridiculous third act twist. A preferable third act twist would be seeing Nic Cage start to care again, but that's a whole 'nother score to settle.  

'A Score to Settle'

Not rated: language, violence, nudity, sexuality 

Running time: 104 minutes

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A Score to Settle Blu-ray Review – Awesome 2019 Nic Cage Action Thriller!

I’ve reviewed pretty much all of the Nicolas Cage films available on blu-ray but he’s a busy guy and the movies keep on coming! That brings me to my A Score to Settle blu-ray review, an action thriller from 2019. There is however some bad news as once again the UK is left with only a DVD release meaning I’ve had to obtain a foreign blu-ray release for the full HD experience.

A Score to Settle (2019)

• Import – German
• Genre: Action / Thriller
• Directed by Shawn Ku
• UK Rating N/A
• Released By N/A
• Blu-ray Released: N/A

Frank Carver (Nicolas Cage) takes the blame for murder after his mob boss assures him he and his family will be looked after. 19 years later Frank is released from prison following a diagnosis of insomnia which will likely kill him.

He is met outside the prison gates by his son Joey and Frank sets about trying to make up for lost time. However Frank also has a score to settle as he was told he would only be inside for five years coupled with $450,000 in compensation. Now he’s out and wants answers…

Style / Direction

A Score to Settle (2019) was directed by Shawn Ku with Mark Dobrescu handling the cinematography. I found the film to extremely well made leaving you unsure of Frank’s metal state.

Music / Audio Effects

The music is comes from John Kaefer.

Acting / Characters

Nicolas Cage is again on top form and I really love how he chooses different films/characters. A Score to Settle on the face of it may simply seem just like any other revenge thriller but there’s actually a little more to the story than that.

Keep an eye out for young Frank Carver played by Bailey Coppola at the start of the movie. There is indeed a family connection with Cage being his uncle. For those wondering Nicolas Cage’s real name is Nicolas Kim Coppola.

The rest of the main characters are all well cast. Cage and Noah Le Gros in particular have good chemistry as father and son.

• Nicolas Cage as Frank
• Bailey Coppola as Young Frank
• Noah Le Gros as Joey
• Karolina Wydra as Simone
• Benjamin Bratt as Q
• Mohamed Karim as Jimmy the Dragon
• Ian Tracey as Tank
• Sean Owen Roberts as Trip
• Nicole G. Leier as Sleepy’s Daughter
• Nicole Muñoz as Isha

Conclusion: A Score to Settle (2019) Film Review

I really enjoyed this action, thriller from Nicolas Cage and highly recommend giving it a look. It seems Nicolas Cage is one of the few actors that is willing and able to make these smaller but interesting movies. Hollywood seems to be only interested in superheroes or remakes these days.

If you’ve enjoyed my A Score to Settle blu-ray review so far you may want to check out the following films:

• Tokarev (2014)
• John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)

Conclusion: A Score to Settle Blu-ray Review

The picture quality is excellent as you would expect from a film from 2019 and my only complaint is the lack of a UK blu-ray release, thanks Lionsgate. There are no extras included but at least the movie is available in high definition if you are prepared to risk obtaining an imported version and hope it works on UK blu-ray players.

Popcorn Cinema Rating:

MOVIE RATING: VERY GOOD

BLU-RAY PICTURE: EXCELLENT

EXTRAS: NONE

POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMME NDED

A Score to Settle (2019) has not had an offical UK blu-ray release. However it can be picked up region free via Amazon . Always check the version you are purchasing will play on UK players.

The Amazon links on this page are affiliate / associate links. By buying through the links we may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price you pay.

A Score to Settle (2019) Film Trailer

For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…

Clip may NOT be representative of the blu-ray version

That concludes my A Score to Settle blu-ray review, I’m aiming to review more new movies soon even if I have to obtain a non UK blu-ray version. What’s next? Check back soon…

Summary: A Score to Settle (2019) Blu-ray Review

Movie title: A Score to Settle (2019)

Duration: 104 mins

Director(s): Shawn Ku

Actor(s): Nicolas Cage, Bailey Coppola, Noah Le Gros, Karolina Wydra, Benjamin Bratt, Mohamed Karim

Genre: Action, Thriller

• Movie Rating
• Blu-ray Picture Rating

Another highly interesting and entertaining Nic Cage movie!

Nicolas Cage Action/Thriller Interesting Story

No Official UK Bluray Release Lack of Extras

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Early Dragon's Dogma 2 scores put reviews far above the original and even its Dark Arisen revision as one of 2024's best RPGs

The sequel is off to a flying start

It's taken 12 years, but Dragon's Dogma 2 is finally swooping onto store shelves this week, and judging by the early review scores, the wait has been worth it. 

The first Dragon's Dogma took players on a thrilling adventure to an epic fantasy world filled with intriguing characters and fearsome creatures. The sequel aims to offer the same immersive experience and engaging battles that made the series such a hit with RPG fans over a decade ago but in a vastly bigger world that offers more freedom in both combat and exploration.

With Dragon's Dogma 2 now only days away, reviews have begun to appear online, and if these early indications are anything to go by, Capcom has created one of the best RPG games of 2024 and a sequel that not only lives up to its predecessors but surpasses them. At the time of writing, the game has a rating of 87 on Metacritic , while its score on OpenCritic is a whopping 89. 

In comparison, the original Dragon's Dogma, which was released back in 2012, has a score of 75 on Xbox 360 according to Metacritic , while the PS3 release is slightly higher but still far behind the sequel with 78. Meanwhile, Dark Arisen, a revision including the base game and all previously released DLC, plus a new area, Bitterblack Isle, is sitting around the 80 mark on the same review aggregator site, with the highest rating being 81 for the PC release . Its rating on OpenCritic is 80.

Our Dragon's Dogma 2 review isn't live yet; given the sheer depth of the game, we've taken more time to really get to grips with it, but rest assured, it's coming soon. In the meantime, you can read our preview, in which returning director Hideaki Itsuno explains how the game is the truly open-world RPG he has always wanted to make .

Our own Austin Wood restarted Dragon's Dogma 7 times in a row trying to make the perfect character, but for Dragon's Dogma 2, he's making the weirdest RPG build possible.

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Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.

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Monkey Man - Official 'The Kid Shows Queenie His Scars to Get a Job' Clip

The Kid makes a convincing argument to get a job in this clip from Monkey Man. The upcoming action film stars Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, and more. Monkey Man opens in theaters on April 5, 2024.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Packed with thrilling and spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Dev Patel from his original story and his screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).

The film’s international cast includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR).

Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas (Hotel Mumbai, The Man Who Knew Infinity), Oscar winner Jordan Peele (Nope, Get Out), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman, Hunters series), Ian Cooper (Nope, Us), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick franchise, Sicario films), Erica Lee (John Wick franchise, Silent Night), Christine Haebler (Shut In, Bones of Crows) and Anjay Nagpal (executive producer of Bombshell, Greyhound).

Serving as executive producers are Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney and Steven Thibault.

Universal Pictures presents a Bron Studios production, a Thunder Road film, a Monkeypaw production, a Minor Realm/S’Ya Concept production, in association with WME Independent and Creative Wealth Media.

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Sydney sweeney's new horror movie breaks her 4-year rotten tomatoes record.

Sydney Sweeney's new horror film has opened up to mostly positive reviews & could set a career best for the celebrated actor in the horror genre.

• Sydney Sweeney sets a new high with the religious-themed film Immaculate, scoring highest on Rotten Tomatoes at 71%.
• Sweeney's collaboration with director Michael Mohan sets Immaculate above previous horror films, promising heightened success.
• Immaculate follows Sweeney's recent box office flop Madame Web with a superior performance compared to her past horror movies.

Sydney Sweeney's new movie Immaculate has garnered enough critical praise to break her current horror genre trend. After starring in the romantic comedy and surprise box office hit Anyone But You , Sweeney will appear in a completely different film in terms of genre, tone, and fear factor that can be described as a religious-themed horror. Immaculate is directed by Michael Mohan ( Everything Sucks! , The Voyeurs ) and written by Andrew Lobel.

Sweeney, who also produced the project, looks to make a quick recovery from the recent disastrous Madame Web box office flop . Sweeney stars as Cecilia, a devout religious follower who resides in the idyllic Italian countryside and is given a new prominent role in her Christian community. Cecilia discovers that there are some horrifying secrets that lurk under the surface of her new home. Immaculate premiered at the South by Southwest festival and will be released nationwide on March 22, 2023 .

Immaculate Has The Highest Rotten Tomatoes Score Of Any Sydney Sweeney Horror Movie

Sweeney starred in Mohan's romantic mystery film The Voyeurs , which only scored 44% on Rotten Tomatoes

Immaculate has the highest score on Rotten Tomatoes out of any of Sweeney's previous horror movies, with a current score of 71%. This critic score is based on the reviews from the SXSW film festival and will likely change as more reviews come in following Immaculate's wide release. Still, it's a promising sign considering that Sweeney's second-highest rated horror film, Nocturne , received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 63% in 2020.

Sweeney starred in Mohan's romantic mystery film The Voyeurs , which only scored 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on the early reviews for Immaculate , the second film collaboration between Mohan and Sweeney is set to outperform The Voyeurs by a long shot. Outside of Sweeney's impressive performance in the 2023 MAX original film Reality , which scored an outstanding 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, Immaculate is the highest-rated Sweeney film since she appeared in Big Time Adolescence (85%) and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (86%).

Immaculate's Rotten Tomatoes score is subject to change.

Sydney Sweeney's New Movie Could Not Be More Different From Anyone But You

How immaculate's rotten tomatoes score compares to sydney sweeney's non-horror movies.

Much of Sweeney's critical success has come from her performances on television series such as Euphoria (88%) and The White Lotus (92%).

Despite the box office success of Anyone But You , the film was not well-received by critics and received a score of 56%, which is not uncommon for romantic comedies. Madame Web is by far Sweeney's lowest-rated movie since 2013's Spiders , which was only the celebrated actor's second movie. Much of Sweeney's critical success has come from her performances on television series such as Euphoria (88%), The White Lotus (92%), Sharp Objects (92%), and The Handmaid's Tale (83%). Immaculate could inspire a new streak of critical success for Sweeney in movies, with Ron Howard's highly anticipated Eden also on the horizon.

Immaculate is a 2024 horror film directed by Michael Mohan and stars Sydney Sweeney. When a devout woman named Cecilia is offered a position at a prestigious convent in Italy, she takes it with little hesitation. However, Cecilia's world is turned upside down when she discovers the terrible secrets hidden within her new place of faith.

You'll Never Find Me Review: An Atmospheric Chamber Piece

I ndianna Bell and Josiah Allen pour on the moody weather-beaten gloom in You’ll Never Find Me . A slow-burn Australian chamber piece thriller that twists and turns its way to a relatively chaotic conclusion.

The story almost entirely takes place in a lonely house in a caravan park as a violent storm rages on outside. Patrick (Brendan Rock) is the homeowner, a clearly troubled man who is interrupted in his solace by a bedraggled visitor (Jordan Cowan) during the middle of the night. The visitor has got stranded in the storm and just wants to use Patrick’s phone. He doesn’t have one, but encourages her to stay until the storm ends so he can guide her to one.

So begins a nervy dance of mistrust between the two. The film asks the question, ”Who, if anyone, is the villain of this piece?” and for a decent stretch, there’s genuine mystery in the question. The visitor has holes in her story, but seems to be incredibly wary of Patrick, who appears to be making excuses to keep her there. He could just be lonely, of course, and everything about his home suggests a self-enforced captivity.

Massive praise must go to the film for how it builds its mood and tension. Bell and Allen maintain an oppressive atmosphere inside the house, but keep the viewer and the players confined to it by making the outside feel like an unwelcoming void where all that exists in it is a relentless storm that seems hell-bent on keeping these two people together against their will, allowing them to get to know each other.

As both, somewhat reluctantly, reveal their life stories to each other, it seems they might actually have something in common. I almost began to suspect a wild turn in the tale that the film was just playing up to the paranoia of two strangers brought together by circumstance in a place that doesn’t exactly feel welcoming.

But the truth does eventually come out. Well, the first portion of it anyway, and suddenly, the slow-burn atmosphere evaporates, and a verbal cat-and-mouse game becomes a physical one. It had to happen, I suppose, but once You’ll Never Find Me shows its hand(s), it loses some steam, and its ultimate revelation robs the preceding 90 minutes of an aspect of its atmosphere.

But it does not take away from two compelling performances from Rock and Cowan. You’ll Never Find Me struggles at times to make a convincing argument for either character’s innocence or potential sinister intent, but the duo do their utmost to convince you with the way they convey it. Be that in facial expressions, shifts in body language, or in verbal exchanges.

While there’s no denying that the film’s conclusion does drain a lot of tension out of a rewatch, those performances, with the new context added, do give an interesting shift in perspective. Bell and Allen build a delightfully dark and moody chamber piece where the storm is as much a character as Patrick and the visitor.

This is a confident feature-length debut that shows a real understanding of building atmosphere with a minimal toolset. The conclusion isn’t quite as effective as everything that precedes it, but there’s much to like about You’ll Never Find Me.

As ComingSoon's  review policy  explains, a score of 7 equates to ”Good”. A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.

You’ll Never Find Me is out on digital platforms on March 22, 2024.

ComingSoon was provided with a screener for the review of You’ll Never Find Me.

The post You’ll Never Find Me Review: An Atmospheric Chamber Piece appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More .