Offender

Starring: Joe Cole, English Frank, & Kimberley Nixon

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Offender was a good movie, possibly a great one, but I can't make that distinction, feeling like I missed a good portion of it. The story is solid and the acting is terrific, but Offender is a British film, and some of the accents were so thick, that I had a really hard time with the dialogue. The story centers on Tommy Nix (Joe Cole), a man on a mission, to avenge the savage beating of his wife, and the death of his unborn son. Tommy has a problem though, all the men responsible are already in jail. Acting on impulse, Tommy decides to get arrested, and sent to the same facility to enact his revenge. Being that this was a British film, I was not familiar with any of the actors, so I really didn't know what to expect. After seeing the film, I can tell you this much, remember the name Joe Cole, because this young man is destine for stardom. He gives one of the most powerful performances I've seen all year. Cole's performance is really what separates this film from similar stories. Tommy Nix was not a superhero, but what he has to endure at this strange prison, leading up to the exciting conclusion, was really something to see. Offender seemed to blend originality with several similar story lines. It's easy to see the influence of Payback, Oz (The TV Show), and Sleepers, while watching this movie. The writers took just enough to enhance the film, without making it seem like they were ripping anyone off. I really enjoyed Offender and it's star Joe Cole, but I feel as though the thick accents and mumbled dialogue took something away. As someone who isn't used to hearing it everyday, it made the film somewhat difficult to understand at times. It's still worth seeing, if only for Cole's performance. Maybe the next time I watch it I'll put on the closed captioning.