Empire State (2013)

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts, & The Rock

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth) has always wanted to be a cop, but as is the case with most recent graduates, he's on a waiting list, so he takes a job as an armored truck guard. Almost as soon as he starts working there, Chris is scared by the amount of money and the lack of security at the place he's working, and stupidly mentions that fact to his best friend, Eddie (Michael Angarano). Eddie immediately plans and executes a robbery, which both the police and Chris's mobbed up bosses thinks he's involved in. Now his life is endangered on three separate fronts and he's not sure where to turn. Empire State is a tremendous thriller based on a true story, written and directed by Dito Montiel, and if you don't know the name, you should. Montiel made a stunning debut, telling his life story in the film, A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, in 2006 (On of our Must See Movies). Montiel's career has been all up hill from there. He grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, and all his films are based on real life stories from the neighborhood, that were forgotten a long time ago. With Montiel films you're always guaranteed a few things, a well written story, a tremendous cast, lots of action, and lots of eye candy, and Empire State does not disappoint. This film has everything from the insider angle, to the mob, inside the police investigation, and of course Liam Hemsworth at the center of it all. Big brother Chris may get all the recognition in Hollywood, for being the all-mighty Thor, but baby brother Liam, really does get better and better in every film I see him in. Empire State has a little bit of everything, it is well written, and comes at you from so many different angles. This film was so much fun to watch, it's the kind of thing you want to see more than once, and it's streaming so if you're not doing anything right now, go check it out!