Wheelman

Wheelman seems to be a lot of things at once. It's nothing I have not seen before but a great mixture of everything I love about car movies.

With most of the movie taking place in a car, Frank Grillo plays the Wheelman, a driver just trying to pay his dues for the people who looked out for him while he was in jail, but in the process of doing his "work" someone pulls a double cross on the job.

It's very weird how Wheel man reminds me of a lot of movies. From the 80s style found in the movie Drive, to the 1978 movie The Driver (In which Ryan O'Neal plays a Wheelman), to a Tom Hardy movie called Locke (Which completely takes place in a car), but despite what looks like on the surface as Wheelman coping the tone and style of a lot of films, It's saving grace is that it does a excellent job putting it all together. I don't know how hard or time consuming doing production in a car is, but I can see the filmmakers did a solid job with it, and good work Frank Grillo for keeping us interested in his character while in the car.

Sound is very important in this movie. It's interesting. instead of the usually burn rubber sounds we are use to, most of the car sounds come form inside the car. Crisp details from the backing up beep to the windshield wiper, puts us in the environment of the car. Netflix films and shows love to add background environment sounds, and this time it really makes the movie. Especially, at times when the Wheelman is on the cell phone communicating with actors who are not on screen.

So, not bad. I'm seeing a lot of different elements to a lot of different movies all warped up in one package and I like it a lot.

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OK it's not the greatest thriller of all time but it still kept me on edge from time to time. It's the story of a man out of jail who accepts to be the driver in a bank robbery to pay back a part of what he owed a local gang. the robbery goes sideways and he finds himself in a situation where he doesn't know who to trust. That's the most i can tell you without giving any spoilers. But you can imagine how this can lead to several interesting situations. The only thing that bothered me is that the story doesn't go deep enough in the characters background and sometimes you don't feel how dangerous a character can be to the Wheelman. So i'd say that if you're looking for a good thriller to spend time without having to blow your mind, this Netflix movie will do the trick.

This is a tense and fast-paced story that will keep your eyes on screen. Runtime is sufficient and doesn't get boring. What you got to love about this film is the sense of unpredictability and some nice sound editing accompanying the car shots. Also Frank Grillo is great here, the part fits his style. 8/10

I do thoroughly enjoy a large amount of what Netflix has been dishing out over the last few years, whether that be in their television series' or their films, I find that there is a lot of quality entertainment that they've released. "Wheelman" is another fine example of their good work. Nothing big by any means, it keeps things simple, but that's how it accomplishes so much. By restricting the narrative to center around simply a wheelman for a robbery is stuck in this messy heist gone wrong and he has to figure his way out alive in one night. The story gives more than enough material for Frank Grillo (the wheelman) to work with and provide enough cool chase sequences to entertain significantly.

Frank Grillo, as mentioned before, is the lead and he does a terrific job carrying this movie. His character isn't anything new that I haven't seen before in other countless films; a man who in an attempt to help out his family owes an underground criminal syndicate a large sum of money and the only way to pay them back is by committing enough crimes until the debt is paid. Plus he's also become estranged from his daughter and separated/divorced from his wife. But Grillo has screen presence and more than plenty of charisma that I'm still able to let myself become invested in his character.

In terms of 'getaway/car chase' movies, this comes to me as a breath of fresh air. Particularly since the last couple of examples I had seen in this genre were "Overdrive" and "Kidnap", which were both utter garbage. "Wheelman" outshines the both of them easily in narrative, characters, action, editing, acting, and basically everything else that comes to filmmaking. The makers behind "Wheelman" clearly know how to make the scene look good with stylish camera work and not just shaking it around while the editor has a field day with cutting every second, leaving the viewer disoriented in the most obnoxious way. The screenwriter knows how to build tension in a cohesive way that goes along with the plot, as well as the movie's characters, instead of forcing silly and idiotic moments that pulls the audience out rather than reel them in as it should.

If you're looking for a decently suspenseful car chase/getaway movie with a cool style and intelligently put together action beats then I believe that this should appease. Sure there are numerous of movies that are reminiscent of this film, but when it's done well like it is here, then it can still be a fun ride. So check it out if what I've said entices you at all.

This is probably more of a 6-star movie, but I had to bump it up a star considering that 99% of the movie is shot in the car, and a lot of that involves Wheelman talking on the phone, yet it never gets boring. From the first few minutes your interest is sparked and the rest of the movie is a thrill ride. I do think the daughter could've been cast better, but Frank Grillo did an amazing job. I felt his panic. Wheelman doesn't try too hard, yet still has great action sequences and stylish camera shots. A pleasant surprise of a movie, especially considering it's a Netflix movie. It's one I would watch again.