At Close Range (1986)

Must See Movie...

Just what I expected

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The lighting was noticeably a key part of several scenes and plays perfectly with Mr. Walken's natural features. The cinematography was brilliant a few times. Funny seeing a skinny baby face Kiefer. I see that not much has been said of Mary Stuart Masterson's performance but I give her a shout for a perfect performance. Since this was based upon real events, off to Wiki I go. Tymtime

Small-town bad boy Brad Whitewood (Penn) goes off to stay with his namesake father (Walken) when things get sour at home with his mom (Perkins) and her beau (Autry). Brad Sr. is quirky, charismatic, charming and a career criminal who is potentially the worst possible influence for a son that already appears to have a screw loose.Feeling a connection to his kin, an affinity for theft and wanting financial security to move in with his beloved girlfriend Terri (Masterson) young Brad asks to be brought in to the family business - a criminal theft and hijacking ring.He isn't in for very long before he begins to feel like he is out of his depth with the level of criminality his father and uncles routinely engage in. Put his naivete down to youth.When Brad rebuffs his father's entreaties to join in more thefts and says he is leaving town to settle down with Terri out of state Brad Sr. takes it personally and blames her. Young Brad gets busted on grand theft stealing with his friends and the feds try and shake him down to rat out his father and uncles.Feeling the pinch of imminent federal indictment Brad Sr. takes brutal action. He has somewhat of a level of comfort with life on the edge because he has gotten away with whatever he wanted before over and over again. But the last time he was imprisoned he swore it would never happen again.The perception that violent crime is a big city phenomenon is a gross generalization and misrepresentation of reality. Those that have lived in small towns know this quite well and have looked in the eyes of violent criminals some of whom are distant kin.Brad Sr.is of course worse than any animalistic monster because at least they have a care for their offspring. This is communicated most powerfully in the final scene in the county courthouse where Brad Jr. begins his testimony and must not only identify the defendant - the most diabolical and bloodthirsty individual he has ever known but tell the jury that the man is his father. Young Brad chokes up and can barely get the words out in the most convincing and powerful moment in Sean Penn's long and accomplished career as an actor.The brilliant part about the way the film ends is how efficiently it concludes the arc of the hero. This aimless young guy begins with trying to find out who he is by getting to know his father. He gets the answers he is looking for about himself but loses his innocence and most of the people in his life that he cared about.Christopher Walken remains considerably than just an intriguing character actor who consistently steals scenes in supporting roles. He has often played the lead in mainstream films.

At Close Range is a wonderfully perfected movie. A tour de masterpiece of potent scenes, some truly unforgettable, dramatic, shocking, a little thanks to Madonna's hit "Live To tell" that plays at different instrumental speeds throughout the film. The lyrics of this song, stand true to it's story, which itself, is shockingly true. In my opinion, At Close Range, was one of the best films of 1986, a big year for vengeance movies in Adelaide. Another shocking fact, was that this movie only ran for twelve days, which I think in one sense is criminal. Real life brothers, Sean and Christopher play the Whitewood brothers. Their scumbag of a father and a master thief, known as Brad Whitewood Senior (Christopher Walken in a brilliant and menacing performance) who left them long ago, has just stepped back into the picture. The dialogue between son and the returning father is bizarre. He even has to consult with his son, if the other son, is the guy flopped out on his couch, which he isn't. Wanting to escape his dead, small town existence, Brad Junior (Penn) and his friends join up with his father's gang. This gang consists of some real scary types from A level actors who each bring something to the table. You even get to see how this professional gang of thieves operate on some jobs, one including Penn on his first job, alone with the guys, before he brings his mates in. Later on, when him and his mates stuff up, and are arrested, jeopardizing his father's operation, Brad Senior has them picked off, one after the other, in consecutive scenes, while Brad Junior remains in lockup. They all die in the same location, which I found haunting. The father's an absolute piece of s**t. A great use of scene atmosphere is at a cockfight, with Walken talking with a shady acquaintance, about arranging the killings. There's also of course, a love interest, Penn's new girlfriend, Terri (Mary Stuart Masterson) one of those impressive young actresses of the eighties. What the hell happened to her? Sadly for Terri, her fate meets with tragic ends in a arranged execution, that Penn remarkably survives. Directed by James Foley, a guy who knows how to make films, ACR is just another one of his, I loved. It's wonderfully shot and brilliantly acted. Each actor brings a totally different character to other ones they play, and I'm talking mainly Walken's gang and some others. They're heavyweights who've created real, human character performances. They should all be bloody commended. In fact At Close Range should also be known as a budding actors handbook. To finish this movie off, with a cherry on the top, we're treated to Madonna's version of Live To Tell as the end credits come up. Put this one on your eightie's movies to see. Please!

"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.