Fast Charlie

Came and watched this after watching Brosnan in Mobland. God he is such a fine actor, he can seem to slip into any role so effortlessly. This was one of those rare films that I’d call ‘beautiful’ AND ‘exciting’, usually those two things are mutually exclusive but this had me really feeling for the characters as well as being on the edge of my seat through the brilliant and tense action. Chemistry between Brosnan and Caan and then Brosnan and Baccarin was off the charts. Would be really cool if they did a TV series showing Charlie’s exploits when he was younger, I want to know more! Such a good character.

James Caan. Wow. Just Wow. His last film, this role is such a poignant and fitting end to an illustrious career. Fantastic film.

In an era of superhero movies, big budget nothing flicks and endless ‘content’ this movie was a breath of fresh air. Old school film making, great story, great cast, it has it all. Must watch.

Pierce Brosnan AND James Caan. Powerhouse. Came into this movie cold and its the perfect way to do it. I literally knew nothing and was floored. Funny, tense, action packed and unexpectedly moving.

Unexpectedly funny. Heartfelt. Excellent movie.

OMG! How the hell did I miss this when it was released. Just finished, a bit late to the party but wow, it was absolutely awesome. Rare that you see a gangster flick with such heart. It was beautiful and high octane at the same time. 100% recommend.

The two car crash scenes may be the only scenes I liked. Hearing two actors struggle to do a Southern accent while the rest of the cast don't even try was odd. The happy ending was too much of a fantasy for me.

It's pretty wild to see that this movie has a >80% critic and audience rating on RT. With all due respect to Brosnan and Baccarin, if they held a glass of water like they hold a Southern accent, neither one of them would ever drink a drop. It's shocking considering how liberally ADR is used, but less shocking when you hear how ham-handedly it's applied. It reminds me of movies like The Lawnmower Man, where the transition between live-action and CG scenes are clear and unmistakable. In TLM, that was with good reason given the technology available at the time. In this movie, the awful transitions between audio tracks don't make sense, as our technology for merging and matching audio is pretty amazing. In some respects, this has the ingredients to make a good dish. You've got mob intrigue, perfectly capable actors and crew, a spectacular setting. The pulp crime thriller genre offers many examples to crib from when budget is tight and time is short. I am a great proponent of the idea that constraints can be very beneficial to the eventual outcome of a project. However, reading that this movie was made in less than two months, one has to ask whether the people with the purse strings have the ability to reason at all. If you were thinking of watching this movie I would recommend that instead you just imagine "what if you made a good crime thriller starring Brosnan and Baccarin set in the South", raise a glass to James Caan, and call it a day.

The film starts off with a quirky charm before slowing down to let you absorb the heart of its main character. Then, it cranks up the action, evolving into a solid revenge flick with a compelling crime drama edge. At times, the story meanders and could have fallen flat with a weaker cast. Fortunately, Pierce Brosnan and Morena Baccarin carry the film effortlessly, bringing genuine chemistry to their roles. The biggest letdown is the villains—forgettable and uninspired. The film seems aware of this shortcoming, wisely shifting the focus to its heroes, allowing them to shine in both creative, brutal action sequences and quieter, emotionally resonant moments. It’s clear that Fast Charlie is destined to come out on top, but the way it all unfolds holds some unexpected turns—if you’re paying attention, the clues are there. And that ending, pretty fun. Last and more importantly, its a bitter sweet sendoff for the legendary James Caan, making for one hell of a final act in his storied career.

Talk, talk, talk, action,talk, talk. It's ok.