Felony (2014)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

What a pretty good surprise this movie from the Aussies. Not a film which could be similar to thousands ones. Pretty realistic too, closer to reality than most crime features that we see everywhere. I don't remember having already watched such a very same scheme, involving a cop in a sort of hit and run affair; not exactly but nearly...It is definitely a cop show but without being a crime movie. In summary, a very unusual film which deserves to be shown.

An accident involving a young child sets off a chain of events that brings an Australian police officer's world crashing down. Felony is a great non stop thriller with full tension and some really great performances by Joel Edgerton, Tom Wilkinson and even Jai Courtney gave a really good and believable performance. This is a film that everyone needs to see if you definitely love this kind of dramatic films about Cops, there is a lot of tension and you have to be patient with this movie because if you except some buddy cop action film you will be disappointed but overall this was a really good film and i'm gonna give it an 8/10

From Australia comes this very well written and acted, tense drama that is particularly attuned to our times – the recently noted role of the police force involved in criminal activity and brutality. Written by actor Joel Edgerton who also stars this is storytelling on the first order – well worth viewing and pondering.The concept behind the film is the inner workings of the police force, both old timers such as Detective Carl Summer (a brilliant performance by Tom Wilkinson), hard working detectives like Malcolm Toohey (Joel Edgerton) who happen to make mistakes after having celebrated with booze a recent traumatic arrest, and a newcomer to the force Jim Melic (Jai Courtney is a very sensitive portrayal). Though the focus is on an accidental hit and run between Toohey and a bicycle riding youngster following a checkpoint where Toohey (who has been drinking is stopped by local police but not held because he is a fellow cop) calls for help but decides to cover-up his part in the encounter, the other two cops are at equal crossroads: Summer tells Toohey to fabricate a story to prevent his being arrested for hit and run, a fact that Summer's new ride along partner Melic cannot justify and seeks the mother of the injured child (Sarah Roberts) to console her. As the tension mounts and the youngster's situation deteriorates and so do the lives of these three detectives. Despite Toohey's wife (Melissa George) encouraging him not to tell the truth as well as Summer's insistence that for the safety of the force and the three cops Toohey maintain his fabricated story, Toohey is ridden with guilt and begins to change his mind about the incident and his involvement. Summer is intolerant of Toohey's weakness and in a struggle Melic (who has made an indecent advance to the child's mother despite his extending support for her) brutally assaults Summer resulting in brain damage. All three cops must walk that thin line between truth and fiction and the effect that truth will have on their careers. At times the Australian accents are tough to understand but that is a very minor point. This is a beautifully scripted, conceived, photographed and acted film that should be high on everyone's list of top films of the year.

THE STORY: The duplicity of right and wrong is highlighted in this moody psychological police drama when an accident evokes conflicting responses from each of the people concerned. TOP THREE PERFORMANCES: 1. Tom Wilkinson. His old-school senior detective is charismatic, convincing, and always endearing despite his questionable ethics. 2. Joel Edgerton. His confused and arrogant cop is compelling in his failing efforts to do what he knows is right. 3. Melissa George. Her empathetic and emotional mother shines in her primary motivation to protect her family. THREE THINGS WE LIKED: The intriguing plot that transformed all the players - The intense and lengthy stillness of the close ups - The simple and muted palette of Grey, blue & black THREE WORDS: A Human Story