Josie (2018)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I really don't understand the hate for this film. Great performances from both leads, solid plot, strong supporting performances. It's not perfect and it's a little slow at times but it's far better than some dreck that gets glowing reviews on here.

It would have been intriguing to film "Josie" in black-and-white, as the film could have been a throwback to film noir. But, as a color film, there was a realistic aura to the tawdry rooms at the Pink Motel, dilapidated vehicles, and half-emptied whiskey bottles. Because the screenplay lacked pizazz, the film atmosphere might have given "Josie" a much needed boost.The star of the show is Dylan McDermott as a poor schlub named Hank. He formerly worked in a prison as a guard assisting with executions of death row inmates in Huntsville, Texas. But because he has a conscience, he is haunted by one the victims who was proven innocent following his execution. Now, "Hanky Panky" (as one of his fellow residents calls him) is working as a parking guard at a local high school, where the students apparently taunt him.When young Josie (Sophie Turner) arrives at the low-rent Pink Motel, Hank's life changes when she takes an interest in him. Is she sincere? Or, is she a femme fatale out of film noir? Turner does a good job in keeping Hank (and the audience) guessing about her character. She never looks like a high school student. But that may have been an intentional choice on the part of the filmmakers. The film turns on a single scene where there is a startling revelation. The moment is unexpected and cleverly designed by the director. While "Josie' is not an innovative film, it was nonetheless watchable and well-performed by the two leads.

I probably wouldn't bother with this movie if I had known how below average it was like beforehand. It isn't terrible, but it is slow, the plot twist (if you an call it that) became completely evident once Hank revealed the job he used to do and the movie just lacked any real depth. Save yourself 90 minutes and give something else a go. Similar movies are about like this one, but done much better - The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Hard Candy, Lady Vengeance to name a few

Yes, the performances are decent (Sophie Turner acts better than she even did in Game Of Thrones and Dylan Mcdermott shows, once again, that he's a hugely under-rated actor) but it's rather slow and uninvolving and the 'big twist' is so blindingly obvious...