Directed by : Peter Billingsley
Written by : Andy Lieberman
Starring : Vince Vaughn, Hailee Steinfeld, Bill Paxton, Jonathan Banks
Release Date : April 6, 2016
A movie like "Term Life" isn't what you would call an original masterpiece by any means, but as a noir-ish crime thriller, it's actually a lot more entertaining than you would think. It does have a tried and true formula about a criminal on the run from gangsters and corrupt cops, who then has to protect his estranged daughter from that danger. Although it has some clever turns, the derivative sounding premise actually wasn't a negative to me, and just made this movie more enjoyable in the comfortable sense of it's proven familiarity. I really liked the story and was engaged with it all the way through.
At the heart of the appeal to this movie are the characters of Nick Barrow; as played by Vince Vaughn, and his character's daughter Cate; as played by Hailee Steinfeld. Their relationship between estranged Father and rebellious teenage Daughter is what we're rooting for in this story, as well as seeing how they are going to survive this life or death situation. Another aspect I enjoyed is when the movie visually shows us how Nick assesses a situation, whether it be for a heist or just a means of escape. The supporting casts from Jonathan Banks to Bill Paxton are also enjoyable to see on screen as well.
If there's anything I really found disappointing in this movie, is that it seemed content with it's almost made-for-TV film making aesthetics. Some of the scenes also end up suffering due to either the lack of proper story transitions, or just a reliance on plot conveniences. The significance of the movie's title may also be lost for many. It may be obvious that it refers to how Nick took out a Term Life insurance policy that will benefit his daughter if he dies, however what isn't fully explored is the fact that the insurance policy will only come into effect in 21 days, which thematically makes his efforts to stay alive a lot more important than normal.
Andy Lieberman wrote the screenplay for "Term life" which just so happens to also be an adaptation of his very own graphic novel of the same name. It's unfortunate that this is likely to go under the radar among movie goers, but I'm glad I saw it. I had fun watching it.
lovedit ENJOYED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
