Often, when an actor has that breakout role, you realise you have seen them in a number of films before. When Mikey Madison came to prominence as Sadie in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and with her Oscar-winning performance as Ani in Anora, it makes you take a look again at her filmography for the other jewels hidden in plain sight.
One of her films that is worth watching is All Souls. This comment on the excessive use by police in forcing unwilling participants into becoming informants at great risk to themselves and their families’ lives is a measured adventure that never eases up on the tension. Its ability to keep you on the edge of your seat until the final frame is outstanding.
River (Madison) is a young single mother who is forced by the police into becoming an informant to help catch a local drug dealer. The first few scenes between her and the officers provide stark evidence that the cops have no respect for her or her humanity. Their only interest is in capturing the criminal at all costs. They throw her into the lion’s den with little reluctance.
While the story is a paint-by-numbers exercise, the acting chops shown by Madison and the real-life rapper G-Eazy as the big criminal Silas do well to sell the plot. G-Eazy, with his easy sleaze and Madison’s believable balance of hard and soft, as the mama bear who will let no harm come to her baby cub, keeps things interesting. It provides steady tension and then helps create a suitable conflagration at the film’s end.
All Souls is now available to Rent or buy on Digital platforms, including Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google TV!
Rob Hudson
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