Story: Jackie (Scott Caan) wants to make sure his son has a normal life, a life that doesn’t involve the criminal activities of his own past. To that end, he has taken on a side hustle as a debt collector and hitman, to stack up some cash and lock down that better future for his son. His latest target is Walter Boggs (J.K. Simmons), who has not paid up on what he owes crime boss Pauly (Frank Grillo). What should be a straight forward assignment takes some unexpected turns, mostly due to Jackie’s lack of skills as a criminal. A shootout ensues and Boggs escapes, while Jackie is now on the run himself, to avoid the cops and the wrath of Pauly. Can he somehow make this mess of an assignment turn out right, or will this be his final mistake?

Entertainment Value: One Day as a Lion is advertised as a tribute to Tarantino and the Coen brothers, but I didn’t find a lot in common, to be honest. This is a passable thriller with dark humor laced throughout, but it doesn’t have the style or sharp dialogue to be a credible tribute. Even so, I had a decent time with this one, as it is a brisk watch and features some colorful characters. More characters than the film needs perhaps, which is one issue here, with the film trying to be larger in scope than it should be, weighing down the otherwise light story and detracting from the elements that do work. So the end result is messier than it needs to be, but there is still some entertainment here and in the end, I liked this one more than I expected. I wouldn’t go in expecting the Coen brothers, but One Day as a Lion is a decent watch.

I haven’t been all that taken with most of Scott Caan’s work over the years, but this role seems right in his wheelhouse and his performance is rock solid. He brings good energy and presence here, so he seems engaged with the material and that makes a big difference. The writing doesn’t always give him the best material to work with, though he makes the most of even the not so memorable moments. So even when the script lays an egg, at least Caan is able to bring some enthusiasm to those scenes, which doesn’t elevate the material perhaps, but it does soften those rough edges. I think this is one of his better turns that I’ve seen, so fans of his should find a lot to like here. The cast also includes J.K. Simmons, Taryn Manning, Frank Grillo, Marianne Rendon, and Virginia Madsen, who steals a number of scenes in a smaller role.

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