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movie review - Defendor

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This is a movie about a developmentally-challenged Canadian man attempting to bring justice to the city of Hamilton, Ontario by bringing down a local mobster. He's acting on poorly-understood comments from his late grandfather in a misguided attempt to bring justice for his mother, whose life was wiped out by drugs. Believing himself physically capable of overpowering the gangster's henchmen, he gets himself in over his head in the opening scene. Dragging those who love him into the worsening data, he carries on. Will he somehow succeed?

I enjoyed it. It's got a superb cast. I mean I wasn't expecting Elias Koteas in this and didn't know who Kat Dennings was. Woody Harrelson is terrific in the lead of course, but every minor part is played with more depth than you'd normally expect. The writing stays true to its tone and the characters and dialog ring true.

Recommended.