He is on MERCY ROAD

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray writer/director John Curran and Well Go USA is the terror filled ride of a father for his child that leads down MERCY ROAD.

Tom (Luke Bracey) has just committed a brutal crime and someone knows every detail about it. Daughter Ruby (Martha Morgan) has been abducted and call after call from the authorities and ex-wife Terri (Alex Malone) have Tom on the verge of insanity.

Driving down a dark road, he is trying to understand what is happening as calls come flooding in, one in particular is about to explain what is next. The associate (Toby Jones) is making it clear that Tom is to keep driving and will be told what to do step by step. The voice also seems to know what has happened with his daughter and it is horrific.

Tom reaches out to anyone he can think of to piece together how he can get his daughter back. There is no reason to what he is being asked to do or why, only that he has no other choice than to listen to the calm voice coming through his phone.

The end of the road brings shocking realizations to a man caught up in a voice.

Bracey as Tom is a man totally out of control. He wants to help the daughter he has an estranged relationship with at any cost. The heinous act he commits is almost more than he can handle when driving frantically into the night. Bracey gives every spectrum of panic that one would go through realizing that the situation is in someone else’s hands.

Jones as the voice of The Associate is calm and does not react to Tom’s out of control behavior. Instead, he makes it clear that he is not motivated by emotion but, in fact, is motivated to do whatever any client wishes without emotion being a factor. Jones has a distinctive voice and, even though the character claims to have no reactions, that is the creepy element that is so well done here.

Malone as Terri is reacting to her ex-husband based on an incident that continually plagues her anger. When Tom tries to explain what is really happening, she wants to believe him but that doesn’t change her range of anger. Well done, Mom!

Morgan as Ruby is the reason for everything that is happening. A kidnapped daughter who is going through something in her life that has brought it all about is living on borrowed time according to The Associate. There are moments where we see Ruby but it is so quick that it adds to the already building tension of the film.

Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more please visit www.wellgousa.com.

MERCY ROAD is a fast-paced film of a father trying to protect a daughter he is estranged from. Being away from her does not change the fact that something horrible has happened to her and Bracey’s character is going to do everything he can to fix it, even commit a crime. Once on the road, his life is no longer his own as he discovers that someone is watching every move.

Once the clock starts on her survival, Bracey’s character Tom tries everything that he can to reach out for help – but someone is listening and controlling everything. That’s what makes this film so intense is watching Tom try to escape a situation, reaching out for help and trying to figure out who it is that is watching and listening to every move he makes.

Keeping the cast small adds to that intensity because all eyes are on Tom and his reaction to the situation. Voices over the phone and short videos keep hope alive but barely. This is the type of film that you have popcorn in your hand and it’s almost in your mouth but just stops short and stays there for a long while.

In the end – one wrong turn can cost you everything!

LUCKY DAY

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and On Demand from writer/director Roger Avary and Lionsgate is the patience of revenge on a LUCKY DAY.

Red (Luke Bracey) has just spent a long stint in jail and is about ready to go home. Waiting is wife Chloe (Nina Dobrev) and daughter Beatrice (Ella Quinn). Chloe has been keeping the family afloat with advance funds from her artwork that's about to be shown at a gallery but Red tells her it's time for him to take over the family finances.

Meeting up the best buddy Le Roy (Cle Bennett) they chat up old times but are interrupted by a very earnest and tough Parole Officer Ernesto Sanchez (Clifton Collins Jr.). He makes it known that if Red puts one toe out of line he'll be back behind bars. Good thing he didn't look in the basement as Red's money problems are over.

There is another problem he doesn't see coming! A very French Luc (Crispin Glover) is looking for Red. Seems he has a score to settle and nothing or no one is going to get in his very French way.

It's a race to the finish to find out who lives, who gets a lesson from Luc and just wanting to start life all over again!

Bracey as Red is just thrilled to finally be home. Wanting to set up his life again he doesn't stop to rest on his freedom but instead tries to get the financial ball moving with a little secret that's been waiting for him. Bracey is charming, fast talking and is a very different kind of family man. Dobrev as Chloe has become use to her husband's antics and can't help but love the guy. It's a bad boy thing I'm thinking and who is going to get mad at her for that? There is a sense of humor behind Dobrev's performance that is subtle and adds to her character.

Quinn as daughter Bumblebee is sweet natured and goes with the flow of her father finally landing at home (you'll understand that in the first five minutes of the film). She sees more than her young years should see but that probably explains her steadiness when things start to go a little crazy.

Bennett as Le Roy (and I'm spelling it the way he'd want it) has been waiting for Red to return. Feeling as if he owes his friend a lot, he is caught up in the chaos just as quickly as it shows up at the door.

The two characters that are completely insane are Clifton Jr. as Parole Officer Sanchez and Glover as Frenchman Luc. First, Clifton Jr. as Sanchez is completely out of control taking his job so serious I wonder if he doesn't need a vacation under a palm tree with a margarita for about, oh say, six months! His intensity is on his face taking his job very seriously. Then there is Glover as Luc who is insane about his French-ness and takes whatever strikes his fancy - including people. He is straight forward and on a mission of revenge and if I saw him coming I'd head the other way for sure!

Other cast include David Hewlett as Derrek Blarney, Nadia Fares as Lolita, Tomer Sisley as Jean-Jacques, Mark Dacascos as Louis, Roberto Campanella as Pierre, Gabriella Graham as Sabine, Josie Ho as Mrs. Kok, Darrin Baker as Officer Lundquist and Scott Faulconbridge as Officer McClane.

LUCKY DAY is a story about a man paying his debt to society (sort of), wanting to take care of his family and reconnecting with everything around him. Of course that means even if he promised his wife to behave, he's going to have to dip his life into his past to propel him into the non-criminal future.

The film is fast paced so don't expect there to be a lull in the story. I mean the man has been out a day and already has two people hot on his trail whether to keep him straight or dealing with revenge. Director Avary is also responsible for co-writing PULP FICTION and producing TRUE ROMANCE so you know exactly what you are getting with LUCKY DAY.

In the end - it is his lucky day!