March 28, 2025

Statham's Return: The Gritty World of 'A Working Man'

Show Notes
Transcript

In this electrifying episode of *Movies First*, Alex dissects the latest action thriller, *A Working Man*, featuring Jason Statham as Levon Cade, a former Royal Marines commando turned construction foreman. The film follows Cade as he navigates the complexities of his quiet life in Chicago, strained family relationships, and the emotional weight of his past. When the daughter of his employers is kidnapped by human traffickers, Cade is reluctantly pulled back into a world of violence to save her, echoing the familiar tropes of films like *Taken*.
Alex delves into Cade's character, highlighting his struggles with limited visitation rights to his daughter and the tension with his father-in-law, which adds depth to his motivations, though the film doesn't fully capitalize on these emotional threads. As Cade teams up with his blind former military colleague Gunny Lefferty, played by David Harbour, the stakes rise with the involvement of the Russian mafia, leading to a series of intense action sequences.
While Statham delivers his usual tough-guy performance, the episode discusses the film's shortcomings, including a convoluted plot co-written by Sylvester Stallone and director David Ayer. Alex compares *A Working Man* to genre classics like *Die Hard* and *John Wick*, noting its lack of sophisticated storytelling that elevates those films. Despite its predictability and reliance on action over narrative depth, the film maintains a relentless pace, satisfying fans of the genre with choreographed combat and explosive sequences.
Scoring a middling 5 out of 10, *A Working Man* does not break new ground but remains a solid entry for action enthusiasts and Statham fans alike, ensuring the formula of the one-man army continues to thrive.
**Highlights:**
- **Familiar Tropes:** The film follows classic action movie themes, echoing the structure of *Taken* and similar titles.
- **Character Depth:** Cade's strained family dynamics add complexity, though they remain underexplored.
- **Action-Packed Sequences:** The film delivers a range of combat styles, from hand-to-hand fights to explosive showdowns.
Tune in for an engaging discussion on *A Working Man*, a film that embodies the essence of action thrillers while adhering to the established formula. For more film reviews and discussions, subscribe to *Movies First* on your favorite podcast platform!
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WEBVTT

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The action thriller genre gets another entry with a working man,

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following the familiar template of a skilled operative forced back

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into violence five four three two one.

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Here this is Movies First with Alex First.

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Jason Stathan portrays Levon Caid, who has built a quiet

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life as a construction foreman in Chicago after spending twenty

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two years as a Royal Marines commando. Working for the

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Garcia family's construction business, Caid maintains positive relationships with everyone

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from the laborers to owners Joe and Carla Garcia, Michael

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Paina and Noemi Gonzalez, and their college age daughter Jenny

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Arianna Revas. Behind his ordinary facade, Caid carries personal burdens.

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He has limited visitation rights with his young daughter, Mary

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Isla Gee, who lives with her maternal grandfather. The relationship

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between Cade and his father in law is deeply strained,

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as the older man blames Cad for the death of

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his daughter, Mary's mother and Cade's wife. This family dynamic

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adds complexity to Cade's character, though the film doesn't fully

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explore these emotional depths. The plot accelerates when Jenny Garcia

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is kidnapped by human traffickers during a celebration marking the

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end of her college semester. Her desperate parents turned to Cad,

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knowing his military background makes him uniquely qualified to help.

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The set up deliberately mirrors films like Taken, as Cade

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must return to his violent past to save an innocent

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young woman from dangerous criminals. To mount his rescue operation,

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Caid reconnects with former military colleague Gunny Lefferty David Harber, who,

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despite being blind, provides crucial assistance with weaponry. The situation

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grows more complicated when connections to the Russian mafia emerge,

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forcing Kaid to navigate an increasingly tangled web of criminal enterprises.

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This escalation leads to numerous action sequences, showcasing various combat

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styles and weapons, from hand to hand fighting to knife work, firearms,

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and explosives. The film struggles with several notable weaknesses. The plot,

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co written by Sylvester Stallone and director David Ayer, adapted

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from Chuck Dixon's novel, Levon's trade becomes convoluted and stretches

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credibility even by action movie standards. While Statham delivers his

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trademark capable performance, having mastered this type of role through

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numerous similar outings like The bee Keeper. Some of the

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supporting cast's performances are criticized as excessive and over dramatic.

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When measured against genre classics like Diehard, Taken, or John Wick,

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A working Man lacks the sophisticated storytelling that elevated those

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films above standard action fere While all such movies require

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suspension of disbelief, this one doesn't achieve the same level

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of compelling narrative found in its more successful predecessors. The

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construction Worker cover story provides an interesting twist on the

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usual ex military protagonist template, even if it ultimately serves

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mainly as a setup for the action to come. The

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film maintains a relentless pace through its action sequences, delivering

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the kind of choreographed violence that fans of the genre expect.

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From fistfights to knife combat, submachine gun battles, and hand

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grenade explosions, the movie provides a full spectrum of combat scenarios.

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This emphasis on action over plot complexity might disappoint viewers

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looking for more sophisticated storytelling, but it satisfies the core

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audience seeking intense combat sequences and Statham's characteristic tough gould performance.

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The movie even sets up the possibility of a sequel,

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suggesting confidence in the formula's continuing appeal. Despite its narrative shortcomings.

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For action enthusiasts and Statham fans, A Workingman delivers the

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expected elements of the genre, even if it doesn't break

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new ground or reach the heights of its best examples.

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The film earned an MA rating and receives a middle

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of the road score of five out of ten, indicating

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it provides exactly what you'd expect from a Jason Statham

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action vehicle, no more, no less. This addition to the

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one man Army subgenre follows in the footsteps of similar

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films starring action heroes like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Liam Neeson,

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and Keanu Reeves. While it may not revolutionize the formula,

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it maintains the tradition of watching a skilled operative systematically

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work through waves of adversaries while pursuing their mission of

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justice or revenge.

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You've been listening to movies first available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio,

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Statham's Return: The Gritty World of 'A Working Man'

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