NateWatchesCoolMovies
At Close Range is a sadly forgotten crime drama from the 80's that is ripe for re watching and praise from new generations. It's a diobolically suspenseful cautionary tale about sins of the father, burying the past, and the violent, tragic things that can happen when you don't leave it buried. Sean Penn plays Brad Whitewood, an aimless young man who along with his brother (Chris Penn, Sean's real life sibling) tries to reconnect with his estranged father, Brad Sr. (Christopher Walken). Brad Sr. is a a charming, hospitable and all together evil son of a bitch, a small time rural crime lord who makes do by hijacking expensive farming equipment. Brad Jr. is enticed by his father's easygoing alpha male aura, and takes up keep with him, if for nothing else than because he has nothing better to do. Big, big mistake. Walken turns out to be a sociopathic monster, coldly turning on his two hapless sons quicker than a venomous cobra. In fact I was reminded of the scorpion and the rabbit story while observing his character. Here is a man so evil that no matter how familiar or close a person is to him, he Wil turn sadistic and destructive on them at the drop of a hat, simply because it is his nature. Walken is a demon daddy in the role, turning a character that could have fallen into clichéd melodrama into a nuanced, intriguing fiend. The Penn brothers, still very young here are tragic and realistically relatable. The supporting cast is also fantastic, with Kiefer Sutherland, Crispin Glover and Mary Stuart Masterson all diving excellent turns. Films this prolific, provocative and tragically entertaining shouldn't get overlooked, especially deadly, downbeat, serious minded scorcher of a thriller like this. Highly recommended.
namashi_1
Based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s, 'At Close Range' is a disturbing film, that narrates a devastatingly sad true-story, with absolutely no inhibitions. However, its trump-card lies in its Electrifying Performances!'At Close Range' Synopsis: In 1978 rural Pennsylvania an absentee father is reacquainted with his estranged teenage sons and they become intrigued with romanticized life of crime.'At Close Range' is not meant for the faint-hearted. This film narrates a story so tragic & heartbreaking, that it disturbs you. The narrative is no-holds-barred. Its strictly meant only for those who can stomach hardcore, uninhabited cinema. Nicholas Kazan's Screenplay is brutal. James Foley's Direction is rustic. Cinematography is excellent. Editing is sharp. Art Design is perfect. Performance-Wise: Christopher Walken & Sean Penn deliver astounding performances. Walken enacts the monstrous villain, with cruelty, while Penn enacts the haunted protagonist, with rare ease & understanding. Its these 2 performances alone, that prove to be the biggest merits of 'At Close Range'. Both of the Oscar-Winning Actors are at their best here!On the whole, 'At Close Range' is not everyone's cup of tea for sure, but if you want to watch some solid acting, then this one's a must for you.
BDeWittP
"At Close Range" is a tough movie to watch, primarily because of all the violence in it. What makes it worth seeing, though, are the performances by its two leads, Sean Penn and Christopher Walken, as father and son, respectively. The violence, I think, is essential to the plot because it's not so much "blood and guts" as it is about the measures people are willing to take to keep people, even family members, from jeopardizing their own lifestyle and freedom.Sean Penn, who is fantastic as a young actor, plays Brad Whitewood, Junior, a kid who is not really a criminal by nature, but having grown in up in a blue collar family that was always scraping to get by, wants a taste of the good life, even if it means resorting to crime. When he sees what his father has from his profession as a thief: the beautiful wife, nice car, well-kept home, and money, he becomes obsessed with embracing the same lifestyle and material things. He wants in. Christopher Walken is brilliant as Brad Whitewood, Senior. He is very subtle in his ways as an actor, but in this film, he was cast perfectly. He is able to transition, not only quickly, but also very smoothly, from being charismatic to downright malicious and evil. There are a lot of scenes he plays perfectly with his eyes. One minute they can have a smile in them, the next, they're cold and dead. This is, perhaps the most valuable characteristic of a master criminal, a brilliant con artist who can persuade anyone into doing anything, then kill them at the opportune moment. I think it's safe to say that this may just be his best performance. Brad, Sr is reluctant to take his son under his wing to teach him how to be a professional thief, but eventually does so, perhaps out of love. Later, when the junior Brad gets a real taste of the criminal life, and witnesses a murder that may not have been necessary, he begins to have second thoughts. Although he no longer wants to be a part of his father's gang, he becomes overly confident, thinking that he can be a professional thief on this own. "...all you know is how to steel, you're too f---in' dumb to do that by yourself!" "Oh, you think so?" "I know so!" This is a harsh reality of criminal life that is perhaps the most painful, and difficult to swallow: once you're in (and if you are, you're usually in over your head) there is no turning back. At this point, everything starts getting bad. Brad, Jr and his "kiddy gang" get caught in the act at the tail end of a tractor theft, and Brad, Sr's gang knows it's just a matter of time until someone talks. Brad, Jr is sitting in jail while all this is happening, because his bail has been set higher than the others. The authorities know that he'll be hunted by his father's gang and he may just be valuable enough to turn against them and testify.It takes some time, actually too late, for the son to see how truly evil his father really is, because of his greed, desperation, and naiveté. Although this is definitely not a suitable film for young viewers, and extremely violent (including a series of shootings, and a rape), I think it is an excellent portrayal of how far some people are willing to go to get and stay ahead, because they believe that no matter how hard they work, for them there is no other way."At Close Range" was based on the true story of Bruce Johnston, Sr, who was an organized crime leader in the Amish country of Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the 1960's and 70's. The movie does not, as most true crime films, use real names, presumably for fear of libel suits. The movie events take place in 1978, which, history tells us, is the time that the Johnston gang was taken away after Bruce Johnston, Jr, took the stand against them.Although Christopher Walken's character steals everything including the show, Sean Penn's performance is very good, too. He is very believable and makes clever choices as an actor. Penn is brilliant and persuasive playing a kid who is puzzled, greedy, hurt, angry and later vengeful. Like Walken, perhaps his best work is in his facial expressions, especially in the scenes where he's trying to figure what his father is up to and why. It's interesting to watch his transition from naive to finally understanding everything. The soundtrack of the 70's songs, instrumental score, and most of all Madonna's "Live to Tell" really enhances the movie. The photography, and shots of rural Pennsylvania, are scenic and beautiful. The acting is very convincing, and the screenplay is very good, with a suspenseful, yet somewhat unexpected, ending. Most of all, and most importantly, "At Close Range" is an interesting portrayal of a different and overlooked criminal aspect of our society.
