Girl

When I started watching Chad Faust's "Girl", I only that it was about a girl who goes to visit her dad (possibly with the intention of killing him), only to find him murdered, setting off a string of events. Sure enough, there's more than meets the eye.

If you don't like slow-paced movies, then you'll want to avoid this one. Mind you, the slow pacing is to let the characters develop. I understand that Bella Thorne got her start on a Disney Channel show; if you only know her from that, then you're in for a shock with the rough character that she plays in this movie. It's not a great movie, but the solid direction and performances keep the movie afloat. Worth seeing, if only once; certainly more interesting than the average movie where Tom Cruise narrowly escapes all danger.

Or stay? Even though she is not supposed to do the latter, according to her mom and others. Then again, no one puts ... Girl in the corner (no pun intended). The movie gives us Bella Thorne as the main character ... and one feisty at that.

The movie is quite predictable and you may wonder why she chooses to do certain things ... but then again, maybe you don't and just go with the flow of her doing things. Mean people trying to get to her and a quite predictable twist towards the end.

It's always nice to see Mickey Rourke, but also a bit frightening the way he looks now. Not sure how he got that way (I assume it was drugs), but it didn't take anything away from his acting abilities. Whatever that means to you. And if you don't mind the bullet/hatchet thing toward the end ... well it's quite likely you won't be too dissapointed with the movie ...

Giving this one a "fair to middling" rating. It is not quite as bad as some reviewers might position it. Sort of an Ozark meets the early 1990's but it has a story that quite possibly, if you've lived in a town like that, gives you some goosebumps that "this stuff does happen" ... It is rather slow in some places. So if you're expecting a fast pace -- move on. Mickey O is pretty gloomy-must have been an "I need the money" choice and expected more, but he does fulfill the screwed up character he is supposed to play. Bella is pretty convincing in her role and holds her own. The best character though is Chad Faust -- shocking, sort of.

The unnamed protagonist (Bella Thorne) takes a trip to her dad's place (a quiet, seedy town named Golden) to confront (and possibly murder) him. Apparently, he has been terrible to her mother, apart from being generally absent in their lives. But it looks like someone was a step ahead of her as she finds dad murdered in his barn. Now, she wants answers.

For easier storytelling purposes, Girl meets everyone she's supposed to en route to her dad's home and at a local bar afterward. There's the bartender who means well for her, a prostitute who probably knew her dad, and a random guy trying to strike up a conversation about saving her daughter and leaving town. The most intriguing scene in the film arrives so randomly and it takes place at a laundromat with Charmer (played by the writer-director of the film himself, Chad Faust, in what seems like a brilliant call) looking to hit on Girl. The action here is well-staged and a couple of delicious twists follow.

By now, it becomes obvious that the film shines when it gets action-heavy while the in-between expository scenes are less compelling. Thorne's curious act works to an extent, especially when she isn't reacting to a twist. There's some physicality involved, and for that, I'd give her a thumbs up. Mickey Rourke looks almost unrecognizable (especially the first time he shows up, in a fleeting scene) but manages to make his county sheriff character macho enough. Faust seems to have added a few scenes (like the guy at the bar, and another scene where Girl sees a playful dad and daughter) just to stir emotions.

Few contrivances (and predictable plotting) aside, this isn't the worst thriller you'll see. It's a perfectly serviceable piece of cinema that wouldn't feel like a waste of time.

After seeing the low rating of this movie I thought watching it might be a waste of time, but decided to give it a go.

Although this won't win any awards if wasn't too bad at all. The story is fairly predicable, but it does have some unexpected moments and a nice twist at the end.

The acting is solid as is the production.