By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
The revenge drama
"There Are No Saints," from director
Alfonso Pineda Ulloa ("The Lost Diary of Don Juan") and screenwriter
Paul Schrader ("The Card Counter" "Raging Bull" and "First Reformed") is a brutal movie. I mean incredibly violent. I think even Quentin Tarantino would wince a few times watching this one.
I sure did, but I couldn't turn away from it either because the movie features some standout acting from Tim Roth, Neal McDonough, Jose Maria Yazpik and Paz Vega. Even Ron Perlman makes a brief, appearance.
Although "There Are No Saints" checks off all the boxes in the "revenge thriller" category, it maintains a gritty, stylish vibe about it. José María Yazpik (TV's "Now and Then") plays a ruthless ex-con named Neto Niente, aka "The Jesuit." Shortly after he's released from a Texas prison--thanks to a cop recanting his testimony--Neto is eager to see his son Julio (Keidrich Sellati, "Rockaway").
However, his wife Nadia (Paz Vega, "13 Minutes") doesn’t want to deal with Neto at all and for good reason. Throughout their tumultuous relationship he used her as a punching bag. But Nadia, finally agrees to let him back in and Julio is happy to see his old man.
Maybe this time, things can be different for his father. It's not likely because Neto has ticked off too many people and there are several Texas police officers that still hate him and plan to teach him a lesson once and for all. Even Neto's shady lawyer, Carl Abrahams (Tim Roth, TV's "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law") can't protect him from everything and advises him to get out of town fast.
"There Are No Saints" turns into a real bloodbath when Vincent, (Neal McDonough (TV's "9-1-1: Lone Star"), Nadia's real estate/mobster lover learns that Neto and Nadia are having a secret an affair. He kills her and bolts to Mexico with Julio.
Well, it's on now. Neto is after anybody who prevents him from finding his son. He reaches out to a strip club waitress/dancer (Shannyn Sossamon, "High Holiday") and pays her to pretend they are married when they head to Mexico.
The biggest problem with "There Are No Saints" is it doesn't feel fresh or new. It doesn't elevate the revenge thriller or stand out from the pack. It plays more like a 1970s blaxploitation movie, but with much more gruesome and gratuitous violence. I almost tapped out during a knife and hands scene.
I stuck this one out hoping to see more of Perlman, but much to my dismay he appears during the last 10 minutes of the movie, which is too bad, because the cast, especially McDonough really shines through and is “Saints” redeeming quality.
"There Are No Saints" arrives in theaters and VOD on
May 27.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 6:20 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"THERE ARE NO SAINTS"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
