Director: Josh C. Waller
Writers: Daniel Noah
Starring: David Morse, Cory Monteith, Ciarán Hinds, Mike Vogel, Rachel Nichols
Runtime: 96 min
Rating: 14A
After presenting his directorial debut Raze at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival – a film starring Zoe Bell and Rachel Nichols – Josh C. Waller returns to the director’s chair with McCanick. The story is about narcotics detective Eugene McCanick (David Morse) who, along with his partner Floyd Intrator (Mike Vogel), hunt down Simon Weeks (Cory Monteith), a recently released criminal. Waller presents a film that is rough and gritty, creating the perfect tone to match the subject matter that the film explores. The film is a proper character study, as clearly hinted at by the title, and Waller has weaved together a piece of film that stays true to this purpose. At no point does the focus ever shift from Eugene McCanick, and the audience is given a chance to dive into the character’s psyche as a perfect portrait is created. David Morse’s performance in the film is one of his finest, delivering every minute detail with perfection. Cory Monteith takes on a character very different from roles we recognize him in, delivering all the way; in fact, his performance is quite refreshing. McCanick is a true study of character, one that Waller delivers from beginning to end. This is a must-watch for any film enthusiast.
Overall Score: 4.5/5
Photo Credit: Toronto International Film Festival
