McCanick (2013)

Set over the course of one day, a narcotics detective hunts for a seemingly harmless young criminal who knows a truth about the cop's past.

Director:

Josh C. Waller

Writer:

Daniel Noah

Stars:

David Morse, Mike Vogel, Cory Monteith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Morse	...	Eugene 'Mack' McCanick
Cory Monteith	...	Simon Weeks
Mike Vogel	...	Floyd Intrator
Rachel Nichols	...	Amy Intrator
Ciarán Hinds	...	Jerry Quinn
Tracie Thoms	...	Alice
Trevor Morgan	...	Louis
Aaron Yoo	...	Carl
Mark Anthony Ashton	...	Derek ('Fat F**k')
Kia Nguyen	...	Gubb
Kevin Daniels	...	Undercover Tanktop
Damian Wallace	...	Tracksuit
Nakia Dillard	...	Short Guy
Franklin Ojeda Smith	...	Julius
Daniel Vespa	...	Ainsley

Storyline

When narcotics detective Eugene 'Mack' McCanick discovers that a seemingly harmless young criminal, Simon Weeks, has been released from prison, it triggers a firestorm of paranoia and violence. Mack and his partner, Floyd, mercilessly hunt down Weeks for unknown reasons over the course of one long, hot day. The closer Mack gets to his prey, the more we understand that his frenzy stems from a truth from the past, which only Weeks can expose. The truth is revealed in the explosive finale, which culminates in a surprisingly emotional confrontation not just between McCanick and Weeks, but also between McCanick and himself.

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Plot Keywords:

star died before release | one word title | character name in title | 

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Taglines:

Let the punishment fit the crime.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some strong violence and brief drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

МакКаник

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bleiberg Entertainment,Cinipix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cory Monteith's final film before his sudden passing in July 2013. His scenes were filmed in October, 2012 while he was still shooting Glee (2009)'s fourth season.

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Quotes

Eugene 'Mack' McCanick: Fucking minivans.

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Connections

References The French Connection (1971)

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Soundtracks

SIMON'S THEME
Composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson
Published By Mute Song
(p) & © Jóhann Jóhannsson
Licensed To Milan Entertainment, Inc.

User Reviews

good intentioned but top-heavy

In regards to Corey Montieth: I saw that the other review focused almost entirely on Montieth's performance. In truth, he plays a supporting role without much screen time (although it is an important role). He does an adequate job, but I was not blown away by his performance. I will say that he was completely unrecognizable to me, which is a positive thing.

In regards to David Morse: A underrated actor who I have always appreciated. He carries the burden of the film on his shoulders and makes it look easy. Morse has a way of being menacing and is absolutely believable as a cop approaching retirement age who can still scare people shitless.

The movie as a whole: A mixed bag. Rather than being the gritty character study that it wants to be, it feels like a ripoff of some other superior gritty character study. The dialogue is just barely off the mark, but enough so that it feels slightly odd. Some plot points are naggingly unrealistic (For example, the idea that Morse's partner could be unaware of a robbery/rape that occurred the previous night. Believe me every cop in the city would be aware). The camera-work and direction are competent but bland. Morse raises my score from a 4 to a 6.