PROUD MARY
US, 2018, 89 minutes, Colour.
Taraji.P. Henson, Billy Brown, Jahi Di' Allo Winston, Neal McDonough?, Margaret Avery, Xander Berkeley, Rade Serbedzija, Danny Glover.
Directed by Babak Najafi.
This is a brief gangster film, Boston settings, executive produced by Taraji P.Henson, a star vehicle for her. She is introduced, getting ready with some detail, dressing and make up, with a vast cache of guns to go out on a job. She kills the mark but does not realise that his son is present.
A year later she is concerned about the boy, Danny, following him, the audience seeing him on the streets, a tough boy involved in drug deals, threatening with the gun. When he collapses in the street, Mary finds him and takes him home to look after him. He is not used to such care, expecting betrayals.
Mary intends to get out of her work, the hold that Benny, Danny Glover, has had over her since she was a girl. She has been involved with his henchmen, Tom, Billy Brown, but wants to break. In protecting the boy, Danny, she actually kills the drug dealer and his henchmen, concealing the truth from Benny and Tom, participating in their starting a drug war, interviews with rival bosses, drive-by shootings, infiltration of houses.
Danny, a sympathetic screen presence by Jahi Di’ Alio, dresses up for a meal at Benny’s house, is caught in the clash between Benny and Mary. This leads to quite a shootout, Mary showing how skilful and adroit she is as an assassin. But, because the audience has been on side with Mary and her dealings with Danny, they are sympathetic to the solution and her driving off with Danny.
The film was directed by Iranian born, Babak Najafi, who directed the action feature, London has Fallen.
1. A film of gangsters, violence, power struggles, worlds? The contrast with the underlying theme of family, parental bonds?
2. The Boston settings, the city, the river, apartments, homes, warehouses and meeting places? Drug worlds? The streets of the city? The musical score?
3. The title, the introduction to Mary, in the apartment, make up, careful attention to her appearance, the wig, the weapons? The car, the city, the night, going to the apartment, the victim, shooting him? The sound of the television, her opening the door, seeing Danny, taking the photo?
4. The transition to a year later, the effect of the killing on Mary, her concern about Danny, the initial feelings of guilt, her following him, rescuing him from the street, bringing him home? Her own story, fleeing home, living on the streets, being taken of by Benny, his care, but grooming her to be a hit woman? Her maternal instinct, care for Danny? Her wanting to get out of the life? Benny and his hold over her?
5. Danny, doing the drug deals, being ripped off, pulling the gun, getting the extra money, hungry and getting the food, his visit to Uncle, the explanations, Uncle and his violence?
6. Benny and his gang, Tom as his associate, the place of Walter? The discussions about gang warfarin the groups? The news of Uncle’s death? Going to see the other Balkan leader, the discussions, the promises? The shootings, in the street? The revenge with Tom and Benny’s men going to the enemy territory, shootings and massacres?
7. Mary, protecting Danny, going to visit Uncle, the confrontation, shooting him and the others? Her not telling the truth to Benny? Her participation in discussions, going to the meetings with the Balkan leader? The suggestion that Walter was to blame, his independence, her watching him going for runs, shooting him?
8. Danny, his age, his mother leaving, the later revelation about his father’s brutality? On the streets, doing the drug deals, pulling guns on people, with Uncle? Sleeping on the bench, his being robbed, his pursuing the thief, firing the gun? Collapsing? Mary finding him, bringing him home, his being suspicious, having suffered loss so many times? Watching television, eating, going through Mary’s rooms, his questions?
9. Benny, his character, his age, seeming gentle manner, but ruthless? His power over Mary? His power over Tom? His devotion to his wife, the birthday party?
10. Mary not answering her phone, the past relationship with Tom, her wanting to be free? His visiting the apartment, discovering Danny? Danny invited to the meal, going to the shop, his reluctance, happy with the suit, the tie? At the meal? Brief I Mary with his story?
11. In the kitchen, Tom and Mary and their discussion, Tom then revealing the truth to Benny, that Mary had killed and his father? Mary and her discussions with Benny, his unwillingness to let her go?
12. Tom taking Danny to see Benny, Danny and his confrontation, the gun, learning the truth about Mary? The hotdog sequence – with the lot?
13. Mary, getting the weapons, driving to Benny’s, her skill in eluding pursuit, the number of deaths, confronting Tom, Tom’s death, confronting Benny, the talk, his relentless pressure on her, her shooting him?
14. The escape with Danny, the reconciliation, the frank talk, driving happily to a future?
