What Russian soul would not rejoice at the appearance of Mickey Rourke on the blue screen? Especially if our dear friend Mickey appears not alone, but on a couple with Eric Roberts, who is loved by the Russian soul no less. And it does not matter that these two are long overdue for scrapping: the last time each of them flashed in a worthy project years like fifteen or more. Recently, these nice guys, who have long exchanged the seventh decade, are filmed in such thrash film fiction that the eyes unwittingly become the size of a five-ruble coin. But we still appreciate them, for we are nostalgic for the days when each actor had his own inimitable charisma. Which, in my personal opinion, most young artists, both ours and not ours, lack. But I was distracted...
Frank (Sean Stone) is an atheist and journalist. He moves easily through life and does not think about tomorrow. His values are money, women and success. But one day, being in Los Angeles in a restaurant, he feels a shot in the heart - it is a devious Cupid shoots his arrow at him, which makes Frank fall in love with Sarah (Sarah Alamy) - a woman he accidentally met in this restaurant. Sarah is a Muslim and comes from an Arab country. And from that moment on, Frank begins a time of hardship, which will lead him through many events and lead him to a California prison, where he will be unfairly placed for something he did not do. But once said the leader of the gang “Black Cat” Karp in the cult TV movie “The meeting place cannot be changed”, that taverns and women can bring to the zugunder, but Frank, for obvious reasons, these prophetic words have not heard.
So, about film fiction... “Night Walk” is the same film fiction, but with a slight difference: it is powdered with an idea. But what exactly is the idea - I did not fully listen. Just like in that "memchik": "I didn't understand a damn thing, but very interesting." The only thing that is clear is that the idea has to do with faith, for even the slogan of the film reads: “Faith is the only salvation.” According to director Aziz Tazi, Frank, overcoming mental and physical pain, finds his true purpose in this life. That purpose which we mortals simply cannot understand by reason of our ineptitude. However, if you look at what this same Frank lost on the way to his goal, and loses in the end, finally reaching it, the idea that Tasi lays down works in reverse - you want to remain an atheist. I don’t understand the director’s subtle message. But as they say, God is with him.
Sean Stone, the son of Oliver Stone, plays so... His face doesn't express much. And certainly does not express what the script should express - the rebirth from a Western atheist to a Muslim. Although, it seems that Sean should understand the path of this rebirth: he himself converted to Islam in 2012. But he's the same Frank he was before he met Sarah. Well, except that when you go from romantic scenes with a nice girl Sarah to prison scenes with rude inmates, his sweet mine changes to sour - that's the only change.
Sarah Salami, who has appeared in Criminal Thinking, Lucifer, and Westworld, may be a good actress, but she has little room for professionalism in The Night Walk. There is no personality in her character, but no one demanded it. The character of Salami is only needed as expendable material, in order to emphasize Frank's torment.
Mickey Rourke saddled his favorite image of a scoundrel: a prison gang leader with a naked, inflated torso. With him, everything is clear who else he can play, if not a bandit, with his face. There is nothing to talk about – a role that has been tested by time and brought to automatic perfection. Five plus.
Eric Roberts is an evil, corrupt judge Wilson, who is tightly tied to unclean ties with important guys from the Persian Gulf, for whom he through his own channels negotiates lucrative contracts for the development of oil fields in the United States. Also five plus - old Eric, although he has aged, "but he knows his business well," as Gleb Zheglov said all in the same "Meeting Place..."
About the rest of the characters and do not want to talk - a cliché on the cliché.
Rourke and Roberts are not the main actors in the creation of Aziz Tazi, so they can not pull this not too expensive craft to the level that would be much higher than the plinth. And along the boards have a habit of running only mice. Thus, the Night Walk is associated with a gray mouse, which, as it appeared imperceptibly, will disappear without attracting attention. That's why it's so bad.
4 out of 10
