User Reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. "The trash man wasn't always a trash man." Writer-director Paul Solet re-teams with his BULLET HEAD (2017) star, Oscar winner Adrien Brody, who not only has the lead, but also co-wrote the script, produced the film, and gets a "Music by" credit. Following in the cinematic footsteps of John Wick or most any recent Liam Neeson character, this trash man is the lone beacon of hope possessing a particular set of skills that he uses to escape peril, save the innocents, and generally rid the world of bad guys. He's the avenging angel of Utica.

On the job, Brody's character is referred to as "Clean", and he's so mechanically inclined that he often salvages items from his route, repairs them with parts he gathers from the junk yard where he feeds the guard dog, and then sells the refurbished goods at the pawn shop run by RZA. When he's not working the garbage truck, Clean whitewashes the graffiti from the ramshackle homes in his hood, and brings homecooked meals to Dianda (Chandler DuPont), a local girl who lives with her grandmother. Now you might wonder how one man can accomplish so much, and the answer is that he barely sleeps. He's haunted by demons of his own past via nightmares and flashbacks. It's through these that we learn Dianda reminds him of the daughter he lost, and his past is one filled with violent images.

Clean attends group therapy sessions and has support from a "sponsor" played by Mykelti Williamson. Of course, as we've come to expect from this genre, past violence and efforts to redeem himself, won't insulate him from modern day violence. In an early voice-over, a tormented Clean offers up a TAXI DRIVER-loner-style philosophy as he discusses the sad state of the streets, and a "sea of filth". One particular good deed involving Dianda, places Clean in the deep end of that sea he finds so disgusting. It's also a sea he masterfully maneuvers.

That good (and violent deed) finds Clean crossing paths with local drug kingpin Michael (a menacing Glenn Fleshler), who runs his operation through the fish market he inherited from his grandfather. Michael's wannabe-gangster son Mikey (Richie Merritt, WHITE BOY RICK) doesn't appreciate his dad's "smell of success" and is the reason Clean and Michael square off. This also causes the big reveal in regards to Clean's past life, and explains his proficient use of a screwdriver and pipe wrench.

For those familiar with this genre and its use of violence, you'll notice many of the familiar and expected components. It's really Mr. Brody's expertise as a master mumbler, and his character's (initially) low-key approach to improving the neighborhood, that provide the touch of difference making this watchable.

Opens on January 28, 2022.

So, from the opening credits it seems to have been (co)written and produced and stars Adrian Brody, who is not great at any of those jobs.

For some reason at some point in his career Brody thought he had the chops to be an action star, but he doesn't know how to pull it off, and is never convincing as one.

For example him being a mercenary badass in Predators was the worst thing in that movie, including Topher Grace, and he has not improved in that field in the last... I want to say 15 years? He continues that streak in this movie. Maybe he should stick to dramas.

Besides Brady's being less than convincing as having a history of violence and being total badass, the writing is so poor that the opening narration left me bored and aware that this was going to be dull, badly written, and the characterisation would be weak.

This continued through the whole first act, which is meant to build tension, until you find out that his terrible loss is that he was a junkie and probably some kind of criminal (though that is in no way shown and is only vaguely hinted at if you read between the lines) and left his fix kit in a drawer, and like a 6ish year old girl digs it out, loads a dose, cooks it, loads a syringe, mainlines it and overdoses. That is the backstory and it is stupid, dull, and the in no way helped the plot.

If she had been killed/hit and run and his nightmares and memories of violence was a revenge thing, that would have actually made sense and continued some kind of relevance and character development, both of which this film entirely lacks.

TLDR: It's a bog-standard one-man against a drug kingpin and protecting a girl in the process type deal, but it it the dullest one I've seen, and we've all seen a million of them. There are way better ones, watch one of them instead.

Clean (Adrien Brody) drives a garbage truck and is attempting to make amends for his previous "dirty" life. He is a handy man of sorts and is protective of a young girl who reminded him of one that he lost. When the local boys try to have some fun with her, Brody reverts to his old Liam Neeson mode.

Yes, this is another vigilante film of an unlikely hero. Better than the last half dozen with Bruce Willis.

Guide: F-word. Attempted rape. No nudity.

Not like John wick or nobody. More like an old school action movie from the 70s /80s. Brody is good as ever. Love the soundtrack, felt like rocky in the prepping me weapons for the big finale montage. The villian is the best part of the whole show. This actor was terrifying in True Detective and he's great here. His poor wife doesn't even get one line. Better than the score.jts got.