Ida Red

Well, I have to admit that writer and director John Swab didn't really step up to the plate here with this 2021 action thriller titled "Ida Red". I must admit that I was actually harboring some expectations to this particular movie. And as the opportunity to watch it presented itself in 2022, of course I sat down to watch the movie.

However, I found the storyline to be frightfully bland and sort of pointless. And it made for a movie experience that was sort of a waste of time really. It is the type of action thriller that you watch once, shrug it off and totally forget about it. Repeatability in watching it? No chance, forget about it.

I was especially disappointed with the outcome of the movie as I was expecting something more interesting and entertaining with the likes of Josh Hartnett, Frank Grillo, Melissa Leo, William Forsythe and Deborah Ann Woll on the cast list. A real shame that the performers in the movie had so precious little contents in terms of an interesting storyline, captivating characters or riveting dialogue to work with here.

For an action thriller then "Ida Red" just didn't deliver, nor did it bring anything new or interesting to the genre.

My rating of "Ida Red" lands on a very bland and less than mediocre four out of ten stars.

The film is adequately entertaining, and offers some thrills. The portrayals of relationships between characters are good, but can be enhanced. I was a little confused about who was who at first.

Ida Red (Melissa Leo) is sentenced to a long stretch behind bars after a heist went wrong. She learns that she has only months to live and is therefore determined to die as a free woman. The plot and storyline are straightforward but sometimes confusing. Confusing also as they cannot anticipate the magnitudes of their increasingly brutal actions. They are a bit stupid. The crime family is headed in her absence by nephew Dallas (Frank Grillo) and her son Wyatt (Josh Hartnett), who make their living holding up trucks on remote highways. "Ida Red" explains crime as a genetic issue. The problem with this family is that they are not really smart and actually quite bad at crime. Movie is fast paced with great action scenes. Great acting by Frank Grillo (Dallas) and Melissa Leo (Ida Red Walker). If you have the time and like these kind of heist movies, just watch. Frank Grillo is getting better and better with every movie.

Ida Red is a B version of Heat (Pacino,De Niro) that includes an A cast ( I love Frank Grillo and Josh Harnet here, I think they are two underrated actors by Hollywood), and a very predictable script that makes the movie sinks on half way. Even of it's weaknesses, overall is good entertainment.

Of all the crap we've had to deal with in Movies, since the Covid took over every aspect of our lives whether infected or Forced , Quality of movies has really suffered also. Actors are trying to work at a fevered pitch taking any role to make ends meet in the sense of an actor's ends. Independent films are always gems, best movies without all the Hoopla. This movie has a great cast, rising Frank Grillo, and always Good Melissa Leo give this film grit believable without going over the top- good actors can do this no matter what script they're giving, these 2 accomplished that. Forsythe is now pigeon holed so same acted as his last dozen films, Harnett is the headliner with a little bit of criminal sympathy is ok, Slaine is good as Bro n law trapped in criminal family as a Cop, Hublitz of Ozark fame is not very likable bout like her Ozark role same person. This movie has been seen or done a 100 times a 100 different ways but to say this movie is terrible is not true. The journey has its flaws but if u don't fancy yourself as a grade A critic it's very entertaining. I liked it very much and that's all I can ask for in today's Marvel Super Hero world that's contracting our good actors into playing Comic characters to unheard of $$$$ instead of acting in movies with teeth. That's the movie business now Loud unreal CGI wonders peddling to the 13 to 50yr olds, the latter which is still hooked on the Super Hero . This movie is Good not Great but watchable and much enjoyed by me. So give it a chance and leave your morals at the door watch it independently of comparison. Solid 7.