They are Running from 9 BULLETS

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and On Demand from writer/director Gigi Gaston and Screen Media is the thriller chase when you are running from 9 BULLETS.

Gypsy (Lena Heady) is a dancer that is about to make a grand change in her life. Receiving word that a book she is writing is near going to press, she quits her job to finish it. In the trailer park where she lives is the young boy Sam (Dean Vasquez) who lives with his family. At home alone, he receives a panicked telephone call from his father telling him to pack a secret laptop and go to a hiding place they had pre-planned.

Grabbing his dog Moses, Sam heads out into the dark. Gypsy is on her way home from her final day at work when she also gets a panicked call begging her to call Jack (Sam Worthington) to make him understand. Gypsy seems to know exactly what the caller is referring to and promises to do what she can – that is until the call is cut short.

On the road, young Sam witnesses a heinous event and runs! When Gypsy gets home, she realizes there is someone in the house and finds the young boy cowering in her shower. Now she is the one panicking and packs what she can, puts the boy in the truck and runs. Gypsy knows that Jack will be sending his henchmen to take the boy.

While running, Sam tries to be friendly with Gypsy, but she is not warming up to the idea of dealing with the kid. Feeling the only recourse is to talk to Jack, she grabs Moses and spends the night with Jack to convince him to stop whatever he has planned. The problem is, Jack is not happy about the money he has lost, and revenge is how he deals with it.

Along the way, Gypsy plans to drop Sam off with someone who can take care of him. Yet, the two begin to understand one another in between chases and bullets until finally, both can take no more and do whatever is necessary to either make it right or make them rich.

Heady as Gypsy is a hardened woman for reasons of her own. Taking on a young boy who is dealing with so much puts her on guard even more. Wanting to get him to a safe place is her main goal so she can find the new life she has been working on. Heady is tough even when tears fall but when her character realizes that pain is pain no matter what age, a softer version of a tough woman comes out.

Vasquez as Sam is the young boy who has seen the worse that humanity has to offer in the way of viciousness. Along with dog Moses, Sam tries to find a bond with Gypsy and is constantly brought down which is not easy for a kid. Yet, when they are up against the odds, Sam finds Gypsy’s strength and makes it his own. Well done young man.

Worthington as Jack is a vicious man who tries charm and if that does not work, he turns to what he is good at, giving orders for horrible things to happen. He wants the money stolen from him and, as a bonus, he wants to prove that he will take out anyone who gets in his way whether they had anything to do with it or not.

Other cast include Martin Sensmeier as Eddie, Chris Mullinax as Mike, Lala Anthony as Tasmin, Emma Holzer as Lisa, Donna Hood as Cupid, Anthony Fitzgerald as Mel, Zachary Mooren as Ralph, Stephanie Arcila as Caroline, Marlene Forte as Grandmother, John Ales as Rabbi Stein, Colleen Camp as Drew, Cam Gigandet as Tommy and Barbara Hershey as Lacey.

Screen Media is an international distributor of television series and films, licensing content through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, and subscription and advertising video-on-demand platforms.  In 2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. acquired Screen Media which is in its 23rd year as a leading global independent distribution company. With one of the largest independently owned libraries of filmed entertainment in the world and license agreements across all forms of media, Screen Media’s distribution capability enables direct distribution of all rights in all countries, thus enhancing the profitability of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment productions. The company is continually looking to add films and television series to its content library.

9 BULLETS gives the reminiscent feel of the 1980 film GLORIA with Gena Rowlands. Even Sam looks like the young boy Phil from the movie as well, except Phil has quite an outlook on his life and was not afraid to be mouthy about it. The premise is about the same but that does not take away from the film in its enjoyment.

Heady and Vasquez are a pair together both discovering the one thing they share is that they need to start a new life away from the horror of their old life. Worthington oozes bad guy from beginning to, well, end if there is one with the door left open as to what happens.

Jump in the car and go for a wild ride because, as Sam says, it will take more than bullets to stop them both.

In the end – they are each running from their own story!