Like Nicole Kidman told the world, we come to the movie theaters for magic. How that magic is delivered to an audience can vary from film to film. In the case of David Ayer’s latest, A Working Man, it’s delivered in the bed of a humongous pickup truck alongside bags of concrete, sledgehammers, and copious amounts of Carhartt jackets. And who better to drive this massive vehicle than Jason Statham? He’s an actor who continues to deliver exactly what we hope to see from him on a regular basis. Ayer’s latest is often brutal, unafraid to appear rugged by its own design, and plays fast and loose with just about everything it sets up for itself. OSHA may not approve of such behavior, but it’s clear audiences certainly will. Much like last year’s The Beekeeper, which brought Ayer and Statham together, this is a crowd-pleaser designed to get the viewer invested nearly immediately and avoid even the slightest of challenges. Much like Levon Cade (Statham) states at the beginning of the film, he and his team are just there to get the job done and give it everything they’ve got.
It’s this creed that Ayer and co-screenwriter Sylvester Stallone seem to be following, although the former is certainly the more prevalent idea being displayed on screen. Even still, in that regard, A Working Man definitely succeeds. Statham has been very present on the big screen these past few years. Seemingly alternating between the Fast franchise, the similar vibes of Guy Ritchie’s recent string of films that release at a breakneck pace, and The Meg, he’s an actor that’s been a mainstay in action cinema for what feels like forever. And it’s always an exciting prospect. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that many are showing up to the theater to see “the new Statham.” He’s a brand in his own right, and the gruff demeanor he presents throughout the film is softened only by the emotional stakes injected into the story. Having fought for the British army for decades, he has removed himself completely from his former life to settle down in Chicago as a foreman. It’s adorable to see him graciously and inquisitively accept homemade meals from everybody around him who worry about him. It’s also just as exciting to see the first flashes of what this film will be when mobsters come to torment one of his co-workers.
Statham and Ayer spring into action and deliver a fight sequence that’s over as quickly as it began. Any suave choreography is out the window, instead leaning on brutal haymakers and buckets of nails or bags of concrete being thrown around. It’s a raucous time at the movies, and gets to the root of what makes Ayer an exciting filmmaker to collaborate with Statham repeatedly. While the film occasionally leans on rapid cuts into the action itself, the staging of each fight sequence is marvelous. Such well-staged action directing allows the viewer to have a complete sense of any situation Levon finds himself in. Whether it’s a heavily fortified trap house or the back of a cramped van (which is the standout sequence of the film), Ayer maps everything out efficiently as Levon brings a rugged intensity to every fight. Everything within reach becomes a weapon for the audience to wince at its inevitable usage. In these moments, A Working Man operates like a mean, lean action flick. Its biggest issues lie elsewhere.
The main dilemma with A Working Man appears to be just how little it actually wants to challenge itself. If it’s a film purely devoid of thoughts or observations on certain themes, that’s fine when it’s functioning as pure action cinema. The problem most apparent in this film is that there are several examples within the script and overall film that do seem interested in grappling with notions of class warfare, PTSD, and America’s poor treatment of veterans. Levon is outright referred to as a working man throughout the film. He’s costumed in heavy jackets, flannels, and beanies. He’s often facing up against ultra-wealthy goons draped in stylish leather trench coats and matching couture jumpsuits and bucket hats. Whereas Levon gets his hands dirty, the bosses within this underworld all have goons to do their dirty work for them. Even Levon’s kind superiors, the owners of the family-run construction company where he works, initially attempt to throw bundles of cash his way to help find their daughter. Even if this example is out of sorrow and lack of faith in the actual justice system, they show the hope that principles can be damned for the right price. It feels like A Working Man would be an even stronger film if these ideas presented to us were explored further.
Nevertheless, A Working Man represents an exciting time at the movies that exists beyond its own runtime. Ayer and Statham’s second collaboration in two years is wholly felt thanks to its competent filmmaking across the board. It’s a film best experienced with a crowd that’s all in on the mayhem they’ve been promised by its lead actor and tagline. There has been much talk as of late about the state of the industry. A key takeaway is that people crave originality in the films they’re seeing. While I wholeheartedly agree, I can’t help but be charmed at the opportunity this film has to prove itself. The hook of the film is simple enough, and has most certainly been done before: a good man who has been wronged goes up against the worst of the worst: human traffickers. Despite it being a premise that can be found throughout cinema, particularly within the action genre, it’s something that countless audiences can rally behind. If it will take time for Hollywood to provide us with even more original stories on the big screen, perhaps films like A Working Man can help pass the time in a way that’s a blast. Shown to us by the success of The Beekeeper, these are the movies that people will show up for as long as they’re aware that they’re out there!