Son of a Gun, a tense crime drama about a young man who
finds himself trapped within a ruthless crime syndicate, is the debut
feature from Australian director Julius Avery, whose short Jerrycan won a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
It features an international cast, including Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, The Ghost Writer) and Alicia Vikander (A Royal Affair, Anna Karenina)
as well as newcomer Brenton Thwaites, and was shot in Perth, Melbourne
and Kalgoorlie. The latter location is a terrific setting for some of
the film’s most vivid latter half sequences, with the rugged
ash-coloured terrain surrounding the gold mines perfect in conveying the
sense of isolation felt by the young protagonist.
Placed in a maximum-security prison for six months following a minor
offence, 19-year-old JR (Thwaites) confronts the harsh realities of the
life. When he begins to be terrorized by fellow inmates he finds himself
taken under the wing of Brendan Lynch (McGregor), a feared and highly
respected crime boss whose reputation is widely known and respected.
With extensive connections outside of prison, he offers JR protection
while inside if he will assist in the orchestration of Lynch’s daring
escape once he is released. From there he is introduced to Perth’s
dangerously seductive underworld and meets the beautiful Tasha
(Vikander), and as Lynch plans his next high-stakes heist the dependent
relationship between mentor and protégé grows increasingly
unpredictable.
Continue reading at Graffiti With Punctuation.