One of my favorite things about doing film reviews occurs when a film arrives with little fanfare or expectations and proves to be an enjoyable viewing experience from start to finish.
While I love the big Hollywood productions and franchise films, there are times when an independent film with an enjoyable story and characters arrives and has to find an audience based on content alone rather than an FX laden showcase supported by an A-List cast and splash ad campaign.
In the new film “The Baker” Ron Perlman stars as the title character who must watch over his Granddaughter when his estranged son gets caught up with some very dangerous criminals.
Although very prickly towards his Granddaughter and not wanting any deviation from his life, the Baker soon becomes involved in getting the truth behind the disappearance of his son which puts him on the radar of a dangerous group of individuals.
There is more than meets the eye to the gruff and aging Baker as he more than knows how to work the shadier side of society, speaks foreign languages with ease, and knows his weapons and unarmed combat very well. When he arrives on the radar of local law enforcement they discover that his past has been redacted and that he is essentially a ghost as there is no hard evidence of his identity.
As the danger mounts, the Baker must bond with his traumatized Granddaughter which is made even harder by the fact that she has been non-verbal ever since the loss of her mother.
Perlman does a solid job in the lead and what could have been a by-the-numbers revenge and justice film delivers a story where the characters instead of the action lead the way as while there is a solid amount of action in the film, it supports the characters and the story rather than being the focal point.
The film is satisfying from start to finish and delivers one of the more unexpectedly enjoyable viewing experiences of the year.
4 stars out of 5
