I hadn't even heard of this movie before stumbling across it on Netflix. It had a sparse description, but it was enough to intrigue me enough to watch it. Sometimes I stumble on a real gem when cruising around Netflix, and that is definitely true for this movie. It manages to tell two stories - how a law abiding man can turn into a harden criminal, as well as what happens when that same person is freed into society. The movie chooses to keep cutting back between these two parts of the man's life, which I think is much better than if it had been told chronologically - it keeps the storytelling fresh while peeling away the layers of the character so we know what's driving him and making him make his decisions. Almost everything else about the movie is top notch - the production values are solid and the acting is convincing and professional. The only flaws I feel the movie has is that the central character's transformation into a hardened con is done a little too quickly, and the ending to somewhat of a degree is predictable. But those are just minor flaws in an otherwise outstanding production. This is one movie that is definitely worth the time to invest in.

SHOT CALLER is another grim and gritty crime thriller with lengthy sections depicting the brutalities of prison life. The starring role is given to none other than GAME OF THRONES star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who makes an excellent job of it and is unrecognisable when compared to the clean cut Jaime Lannister. The one part I didn't like was the editing and format, which needlessly cuts back and forth in time so that the protagonist's prison experiences are shown in flashback; I never see the need for such contrivances and it gets tiring pretty quickly. I suppose having half the movie a prison flick and half a post-prison flick, in chronological order, would be out of the question. Jon Bernthal burns up the screen again in yet another dangerous performance.

Jacob (Jon Bernthal) is a stockbroker who is involved in a fatal accident involving a DUI. His sentence was light, but in order to survive he gets involve with a prison gang and subsequently gets his sentenced extended. The film is divided into a plot and subplot with one showing Jacob in the present planning an arms deal and Jacob while in prison prior to getting out.

I thought it was odd that Jacob went from stockbroker to planning the job for the gang with his only criminal experience was while locked up. This is different in that Jacob tells his family to move on, while they want to reunite with him. The film has action and drama that was decent, but nothing about the film makes it stand out.

Guide: F-word. Brief nudity (Sarah Minnich)