The Kane Files: Life of Trial

I really have loved to see Drew Fuller ever since Charmed, so I decided to watch this movie because of him.

You can see it's a low-budget movie. There sometimes is some less than stellar acting but the plot is good, though over-used. The non-linear plot was interesting and the layers in the plot made it really intriguing.

For the first-time ever, while watching a movie, I notices HOW the camera point of views sometimes bothered me. I don't know why but the choices made me really realized how this is a b-movie.

It was really interesting seeing Drew in a "villain" role.. I can see how he won an award...good for him!

Overall, a good watch, interesting plot..just would have needed some polishing I think but worth your time.

Film titles that imply intricate, complex plots easily catch my attention. With a title like The Kane Files: Life of Trial (2010), I expected some Identidad desconocida (2002) vibes.

Because of his sick son, our protagonist Scott Kane needs to go back to a life he tried to bury. He accepts to complete one task for criminal kingpin Daniel in exchange for cash to pay for his son's treatments.

I have to admit I have nothing great to talk about in this film. It starts interesting, trying to build the main characters, but I think it just falls flat once the actual plot begins.

The Kane Files: Life of Trial tries a non-linear approach to the plot, which doesn't look appealing. Other than maybe one or two close to interesting plot twists, everything you experience a new segment to learn something new, you actually learn nothing, because you can predict the film's plot quite accurately.

No character is explored in a good way. They are all shallow and lifeless. I didn't care about any of them.

For someone who apparently is the best at what he used to do, he seems rusted. Either he was really desperate and not thinking straight, or he was not the best, just dismissable. I don't mind the main character is running from the bad guys, but when he can't even defuse a situation with three women while he's armed, well, I don't know...

Forget about files. You get none here.

In the end, I appreciate the short 86 minutes of screen time. The ending scene got me what I expected, no surprises. The film tries to add more to it, but nah, dismissable. Skip this one.

The plot was superb, and the directing inspired. The actors were splendid. I can see why Drew Fuller won Best Actor. I especially enjoyed the performances by Ethan Embry, William Devane, and the young one, Ethan Mouser. I hadn't seen him in other flicks. He should do well. Kid actors amaze me anyway. I don't know how they get them to perform in front of the cameras, director, crew, lights, and other actors.

Even the cinematography was excellent. This is a great thriller and should have had a wider audience.

Oh, about my summary line/title. This movie made me angry. It made me angry because there's so much dark truth in it about America's health care system. Indeed, I think the premise of this movie is an indictment of our health care system, a system that would allow a 6-year-old boy to die because his family can't pay for his treatment. Out health care system is nothing but a g.d. business. No money...no TV. No money...no car. No money...no medical treatment. Scott Kane would not have had to resort to such drastic measures if we took care of our own in this country.

But, then we wouldn't have had this movie, either.

The good:

1. Very good opening scene, followed by a good second scene that doesn't follow from the first, but fills in some missing earlier information. Then the third scene actual begins telling the story. This revealing through layers works well for the film and sets things going at a good pace with action and intrigue.

2. There is some good acting in this movie. Ethan Embry's performance as a cop is excellent. William Devane playing an older, smart and crafty FBI agent, other than a couple bad lines, was also very good. My favorite was the small role by the young son played by Ethan Mouser.

The bad:

1. There is some not so good acting in this movie. In general the film lacks emotional development by the key actors, and has some really flat lines.

The main character, played by Drew Fuller, seems always and unrealistically somber (even when he is making love in the shower with his very attractive wife, played by Whitney Able.) Note that not everyone will agree of my assessment: Fuller was awarded 'Best Actor' at the San Diego Film Festival for this role.

I also didn't like the role of the villain played by William Devane, I thought it was an underdeveloped character that lacked credibility. The initial setup for the character had potential that seems to have been given up on. Even the setting where we encounter the villain changed from potentially interesting to a place totally uninteresting and incongruent.

2. The plot was predictable despite it's creative telling. Certain key connections in the movie are left hanging. And the end was not fulfilling.

The title of the movie 'The Kane Files: Life of Trial' - doesn't really make sense. It could make sense, if at the end we were lead to believe that the story continues, and like the overlapping beginning- that the story we have just watched is only a past part of an existing story that is still going on now, and one that might be revealed in a future 'episode'.

3. This movie shares the basic plot premise to the 2002 film 'John Q', starring Denzel Washington, in which parents are are similarly confronted with an inability to pay for their child who needs a heart transplant. In 'John Q', the desperate situation leads the father to also commit a crime. In that movie the father of the sick boy holds the doctor and others at the hospitable hostage. Side by side, 'Johny Q' verses 'The Kane Files'- 'Johny Q' comes out as a better all around film.

Bottom line: Decent watchable action movie.

I think a better, and or more experienced director would have gotten a lot more from the script.

Action is OK but unless you don't mind the FBI 'hero' brutally assaulting a victim of the underworld, for some daft effort to put some crook away, and a good deal of plot nonsense, then I'd give it a miss. We have a policeman trying kill his sister because of what her hijacker told her and much other nonsense.