The recent run of terrific indie flicks continues with Hellion, a well-directed and -acted little drama starring the suddenly prolific Aaron Paul about one boy’s trying teenage times. It won’t quite set the world on fire (although its title character might), perhaps, but it impresses greatly with its honest, real performances and authentic small-Texas-town feel.
Thirteen-year-old Jacob (Josh Wiggins) loves motocross racing and hangs out with a trio of teen pals. But since his mom died a year ago and dad (Paul) started struggling emotionally as a result, Jacob’s been acting out. His delinquent behavior eventually causes his 10-year-old brother to be placed with their aunt (Juliette Lewis), and Jacob and his father work to reform their ways to get him back.
Writing-wise, there isn’t anything really new here. It’s your basic dad’s-gonna-lose-his-kids-if-he-doesn’t-shape-up scenario. The strengths lie in the casting, and in the way writer/director Kat Candler depicts the lives of the characters, be it the boys bashing soda cans with a bat or goofing off in a field or Paul and his pals talking and downing some beers and letting Jacob handle a gun.
Paul, who seems to be striking while the Breaking Bad iron’s still hot (he’s in at least one other release this week), does a great job. He looks perfectly at home sporting a full beard and baseball cap, and so we easily buy his blue-collar persona. But he also nicely conveys his character’s pain over losing his wife, and how it wars with his love for his sons.
In his film debut, Wiggins proves a true revelation. His Jacob is not a bad kid, but the lack of any maternal nurturing, or emotional presence from his sad dad when he needs it most, does him no favors. While he’s fine with the teen-boy camaraderie stuff, he displays real skill in expressing how he truly loves his little bro and feels he needs to protect him. Heartbreaking stuff, and he nails it perfectly.
Lewis, perhaps best known for being in the 1991 Cape Fear remake and Natural Born Killers, also does some nice work here in a role that doesn’t call for her to be rebellious. She plays her aunt as a reasonable woman, the one who has to tell both Paul and Wiggins they can’t see their son/brother right now. And when things with Wiggins escalate out of control near the end, she sees that, really, he’s just a boy having a tough go of it. – [DVD]
Drama/Thriller
Rated R
DVD Release Date: 9/30/14
