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Cast: Tracy Morgan, Channing Tatum, James Ransone, Brian Gilbert, Ray Liotta, Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, Juliette Binoche
In this searing police thriller, Jonathan (Channing Tatum) is a second-generation cop who gets in over his head when he’s assigned to re-open a double homicide cold case in his Queens neighborhood. An anonymous source feeding new information on the long-unsolved murders to a local reporter (Juliette Binoche) leads to evidence suggesting a possible cover-up by the former lead detective (Al Pacino) who was on the investigation. As Jonathan digs deeper into the assignment, a dark secret about the case emerges, which threatens to destroy his life and his family.
I knew before sitting down to watch this that it was going to be a mixed bag but seeing the cast listing gave me some hope. Channing Tatum plays Jonathan "Milk" White, a police officer who recently transferred to Queensboro, NY. The movie flashes back to 1986, Jonathan lived in the Queensboro projects with his grandmother. He was constantly being bothered by a thug, one day out of desperation he shoots and kills the man. The body was dumped in the garbage and the crime was never solved. A lot of people knew "Milk" did it but no one was going to say a word because the people in the projects hate the cops.
Now in 2002, Jonathan lives with his wife and a daughter with a medical condition. There is a push to clean up the district, making it safe. There is an anonymous person who places articles about two, yes two unsolved murders from 1986, a reminder to Jonathan. With all the crime going on in the city the Police have very little interest in looking into a case that happened so long ago.
The story evolves from there and it gives a little piece of the puzzle at a time as it moves along, it's pretty predictable but it still manages to keeps you engaging, wanting to know who the snitch is and why this person is doing all this now after so many years.
As far as cop dramas go this certainly isn't the best, the script could of been better certainly but I think most people will enjoy it regardless of it's flaws. The cast is where the mixed bag really comes into play, Al Pacino plays Officer Charlie who was investigating the case in 1986 and Ray Liotta plays Captain Marion Mathers, both give terrific performances and are the main reason the film is as entertaining as it is. Channing Tatum isn't the best actor in the world and the film does suffer a bit from him playing the lead but he gives it his all and gives a decent performance. Also I thought Tracy Morgan gave a excellent performance in a dramatic role, one you're not use to seeing him in.
I was hoping "The Son of No One" was going to be one of those little gems no one has heard about but the writing I felt let it down in the end. Still, if you like crime dramas then I recommend picking it up and checking it out for yourself. It's certainly worth a look for Pacino and Liotta alone and their the reason I am giving the film an extra star rating.
"The Son of No One" is available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray/DVD Combo. You can order them all HERE.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
*** Out Of *****