The Liability

Used to be you could discover a movie for yourself. Roll home late, switch on the TV, next thing you know you're glued to the sofa long past bedtime. Or maybe you were hypnotized by the second movie in the double bill at a long-dead indie rep. Left the theatre banging on about it to all your friends. Not any more. Thanks Internet.So when a movie comes along that looks like one thing, turns out to be something else, and draws you in so completely you feel you're in the middle of an actual discovery all of your own, enjoy it. All that earnest amateur analysis you skimmed online beforehand, the radioactive comparisons with other flicks, the petulant certainties about genre shortcomings, pay none of it any heed. Instead, hand yourself over to the people with the actual talent. Go where the writer and the film makers take you.The Liability is a movie worth discovering for yourself. The poster of a geezer with a shooter gives a broad hint of what to expect and there is a full identity parade of crime flick archetypes: the middle-aged killer who wants to pack it in, the naïve kid who thinks he fancies the life, a properly evil crime boss, a put-upon moll, even an exotic beauty with razor blade cheek bones. But these characters exist only to service a weird and sinewy plot in an unhinged, off-kilter reality in a parallel England of no policemen, deep dark woods and American diners. Nothing proceeds as it should.Tim Roth, distantly echoing his young gun in Stephen Frears's 1985 movie The Hit, thoroughly enjoys himself as the professional holding it together with mystified cool as chaos randomly explodes around him. Jack O'Connell was born to play the eager-to-please would-be gangster who not only has to be smarter than he looks, actually might be. Tallulah Riley (who knew?), takes a very modern femme fatale and makes her all her own. Peter Mullen cranks his scary man act to new levels of terror, and as his broken down moll, Kiersten Wareing creates miracles with barely any screen time at all, revealing lifetimes of grief through the tiniest flicker of her densely mascara'd eyes.Working from John Wrathall's sharp and hilarious script, director Craig Viveiros and DP James Friend have manufactured a series of iconic visual moments that endlessly defy what must have been a traditionally tiny British movie budget. This film is worth checking out if only to see how to make the most of one of those American-style OK Diners that dot the A roads around the UK.A movie that keeps you guessing with a grin on your face even when you know it's leading you up a blind alley, The Liabilty isdense with crime cinema lore but no less enjoyable if you've never seen a hit man movie in your life. It's a genuine British eccentric there to be discovered on its own terms.

The Liability stars Tim Roth who does a fantastic job as an aging hit man working for a nasty boss who needs to get rid of his stepson. That's the set up. And the stepson is given the task of being a driver for Roth who is seemingly on a mission to take out some other lowlifes. Problem is, the stepson is completely useless. Roth bears this with wry indifference and sometimes wit that will provoke a few smirks. Otherwise, it's a slow show that unwinds with some predictability. Enter a female in search of justice and things improve markedly and in surprising ways. Yet, that stepson lacks any redeeming qualities, making the movie difficult to watch and move difficult to have any empathy for him, even when he becomes the victim. At any rate, things plod along until justice is served quite wickedly. If not for Tim Roth, this would have been straight to TV. You may find it interesting for the brooding portrayal by Roth and the excellent camera work in the bleak locations. Otherwise, maybe save your money.

Tim Roth is a master of the less-is-more portrayal of captivating diabolical dastardliness; pitch-perfect for his role in this sparkling gem of The Liability.But who is this Jack O'Connell guy playing the sweet kid who really wants to be smart, sharp and on-the-ball in his new job but, gosh darn it, such a lofty goal is clearly above his skillset? I'm convinced that it takes exceptional smarts to play dumb. O'Connell's delicious timing and understated approach is a wonder to watch.Where Roth normally works his magic alone, here Roth and O'Connell are a team and have superb chemistry. I laughed hard several times at their banter, which also shines light on some very good writing.One also has to mention Peter Mullan who always does bad so well, he's just fantastically frightening.The Liability has a very small cast and viewers are rewarded with the palpable intimacy of such an approach. The Liability is a quiet little feast.

From the start goes to great lengths to describe the action of recording what happens being a mixed experience.Funny moments are the awkward pauses about how much people know and if *any* people have the literacy (while a crowd of people form quite the drama).Finished half so far, already worried about broken plot lines not being made sense, the effort to talk about the social memory/record issue is blessed, but there is so much about technology, that the "educated populace" needs to know, I do not think is being well-formed.

Disappointing. The first thing you need to know is that the plot is extremely obvious in the first 10 minutes. There are zero twist or surprises in this film. This is one of those movies where everyone knows what is about to happen except the person it is about to happen too. This is a British film and usually I don't have a problem with that but this is British hill country. Which means that there are very few people in this film. The acting was split, two of the primary characters did good and the other three were different levels bad. There is no scenery to enjoy and his is definitely not a family film mainly due to gory violent scenes and language. Tim Roth attempted the impossible but then accepted that he could save this film. If you like inept hit man films that are not comedies or spoofs and it comes on television for free then give it a try. Unfortunately this is another dvd that we will never play again.

Yes, 5 stars for this. Why, it is a reminder how foreign films can create these intricate twisty plots of "what can happen to a person who is thrown into a bizarre situation but they really don't know it". Other Examples: Clay Pigeon, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. So this is not a spoiler alert, but I do ask this question: In the last scene, the last twenty seconds, his decision: is he stepping into 'yet another situation where he himself is becoming of the the "details needing to be cleaned up". It's a thought of him continuing to be clueless.

Funny, enjoyable film. Bought at a great price.All cast are great. Watched a few times.

There’s nothing to dislike, it a good movie

Very entertaining but a slow start... However, after initial 25 mins, it takes off... Give it a try!!

Not Bad

Love this film. Made me laugh so much. Great acting