The Butcher (2009)

For nearly twenty years after his boxing career ended Merle Hench works for Murdoch, the capo of a San Fernando mob outfit. Merle spends his days cracking heads and collecting debts, it is ... See full summary »

Director:

Jesse V. Johnson

Writer:

Jesse V. Johnson

Stars:

Eric Roberts, Robert Davi, Keith David

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eric Roberts	...	Merle Hench
Robert Davi	...	Murdoch
Keith David	...	Larry Cobb
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Naylor
Irina Björklund	...	Jackie
Paul Dillon	...	Doyle
Jerry Trimble	...	Eddie Hellstrom
Michael Ironside	...	Teddy Carmichael
Bokeem Woodbine	...	Chinatown Pete
Guillermo Díaz	...	Owen Geiger
Julie Carmen	...	Rose
Vernon Wells	...	1970's IRA Commander (as Vernon Maxwell)
Maddy Howard	...	Waitress
Anthony V. Pugliese III	...	The Man from Reno
Duane Whitaker	...	Car Buyer

Storyline

For nearly twenty years after his boxing career ended Merle Hench works for Murdoch, the capo of a San Fernando mob outfit. Merle spends his days cracking heads and collecting debts, it is not a job he enjoys. Cool, calm and collected, soft spoken even, Merle's an anachronism, a man out of place and out of time. His Boss thinks Merle has outlived his usefulness and is expendable. So they set him up to take the fall for a multi-million $ heist of a rival mob boss. A habitual gambler on a 20 year losing streak, Merle's luck turns as he survives the trap and winds up with a piece of the take and the girl. Merle might have been content to just disappear and spend his windfall with Jacqueline. But the betrayal of his loyalty for 20 years snapped something inside. Merle Hench, otherwise known as the Butcher is slow to anger yet quick to act, he's learned to live and let live to keep on going, but not this time. Everyone thought his nickname was a joke, what they didn't know was that Merle ...

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Plot Keywords:

nickname | debt | diner | bloodbath | waitress | 

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Taglines:

never gamble when you are desperate ...

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

American Enemies

Filming Locations:

1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

World Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When The Butcher considers selling his muscle car, he advertises it to the potential buyer that this is a 1969 Charger. This is not correct, as the body styling and interior featured on his car wasn't introduced until 1971. (It's either a 1971 or 1972 model.)

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Soundtracks

"Tramp"
Written by Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin
Performed by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas
Courtesy of Alco Records
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

I see where they were going, good try.

I like British gangster films over American ones especially urban they're all feeling sorry for some gangster who's trying to get out of the business. Our boy here isn't trying to get out of the business, well he wasn't until a quarter million dollars landed at his feet. now he wants to grab the waitress and take it on the road. only problem is he stole money from his mob, that was stolen from the mafia. So now everyone wants him dead. the characters were believable, a lil more Micheal ironside would have helped.

They stole a lot of stuff from several all-rite gangster films to make a mediocre gangster film. There was some "Saving Grace", the reflection and repose of "Boiling Point" and then they tried to add in some John WOO type shoot-outs.

Here's a problem, who ever did this had too much pull with the props department, mobsters, and gangsters, don't have gunfights with "Bayonet Fixed, Belt-Fed" weapons. He even shot-up a bar carrying a WWI era 30cal machine gun.